RESCUED

Matthew 28:5-7

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." [Scripture emphasis added]

Early Sunday morning [Mother's Day] the air was more brisk than the day before. I had hung a red hummingbird feeder outside with fresh made nectar to attract the hummingbirds that were already feasting on my azalea bushes. As I peered out the window at the feeder, I heard that familiar sound of chatter among those 'hummers'. Only this time, it seemed louder and more boisterous than usual. Something caught my eye just beyond the feed. Under the mesh net over my pond was a bright colored hummingbird with a red throat. He was STUCK. He seemed to be patiently waiting for someone to rescue and release him as he flew from one wire to another, resting in between and primping his feather. A female was hovering over top of him [above the net]. I could imagine her saying, "How on earth did you get stuck in there?"

I waited a few more minutes to see if he could find where he came in but to no avail. As I walked outside to help him, his female companion hovered over me as I unfolded and rolled up one side of the net [temporarily] so the male could make his escape. Nothing happened. He just kept flying around and landing and flying some more. She was hovering over the entire time. Finally, I went back in the house and watched from the window. A few minutes went by and out he flew. Apparently the female was too impatient to wait for his release. She was nowhere to be found.

They were gone when went back out to roll down the net and put it back in place. All of a sudden the female appeared again, hovering over top of the net. I smiled at God's wisdom as the words came from my lips to her ears, "He is not here, He is risen!" The entire scene of Jesus' resurrection flashed in my mind and I thought about how patiently the male hummingbird waited for his release. Just like Jesus! The female was eager for his release. Just like Mary. I was standing over it all watching from the window. Just like the Father - Who is Sovereign and in control of the entire situation.

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Are you stuck somewhere? In need of release? Rescue? Your freedom? The Father knows all about it. He sent the Son to bring it to you. The SAME POWER that conquered the grave - lives in YOU! Plug in to it.

PRAY!...... ASK!....... WAIT!...... BELIEVE!!

Then give Him praise and thanksgiving and go and tell of all He has done!

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - The One I Worship]

Oh, The WONDER of God

Psalm 31:19 [The Message]

What a stack of blessing You have piled up for those who worship You, Ready and waiting for all who run to You to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But You heard me say it, You heard and listened.

Acts 3:6-11 [NIV]

6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.

Mark 9:15 [NIV]

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him.

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As people come and go from my house they stop and sniff and remark, "What is that smell?" Outside my front door the lily of the valley are in full bloom. Their fragrance hits like a windswept rain. Visitor's senses are awakened to the 'wonder' of the aroma.

As I thought about how, each day, they capture someone's attention who was not expecting to notice the sensation, the wonder, or the joy that knocked them over... I thought about Jesus. Worship may come at random moments when God reveals Himself through His creation. It should make us stop, look, listen, smell, taste, ponder, feel and see - WHO GOD IS! Then - we may [with JOY] respond in PRAISE to His Holy Name... and give Him thanks!

May we join the lilies of the valley and EXTOL our King Jesus with Praise in the newness of Spring.

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Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]

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I was nominated by Alleluiabelle at http://www.alleluiabelle.blogspot.com/for this award. She is a blessing to me as we share life’s journey of faith! I am honored to receive this award. Please go meet Alleluiabelle and take some time to visit her site and say hello. She has quite a story [HIS-story] to tell!! I always break the rules because I just desire to honor ONE person at a time for an award. Many deserve this award. But I am choosing to pass this one on to my dear friend, Beth over at: http://aninstrument4hisglory.blogspot.com/ Beth was one of my first blogging 'sisters' who came along side me to encourage me along the way. She is a faithful sister in prayer and blesses me daily with her writings and her genuine care . She loves God with all of her 'golden' heart! Now you [Beth] can award this 'Golden Heart Award' to 5 blogs that mean something meaningful to you.

ENJOY THE RIDE

Sometimes we just need to STOP - LOOK - and LISTEN!

I hope you enjoy this:

Click here: enjoytheride

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Psalm 34:10-15

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to Me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous

and His ears are attentive to their cry...

[Scripture emphasis added]

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Choosing JOY for the Ride,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

"V" for VICTORY

Psalm 44:3
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them.

Psalm 44:5-8
5 Through You we push back our enemies;
through Your Name we trample our foes.
6 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but You give us victory over our enemies,
You put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise Your Name forever. Selah

Proverbs 21:30-31
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the LORD.

I've been trying to get this post up for the last two days. As I drove over the bridge to Ocean City, NJ for a Titus 2 meeting on Friday morning I saw this huge crane in the form of a "V". When I drove back over the bridge coming home the Lord said, " 'V' is for VICTORY!" So I grabbed the camera and shot through the window as I was driving - probably not a smart thing to do but there is no where to pull over on the newly constructed causeway heading back home. I had no idea if the "V" crane would turn out but this is what the Lord gave along with these Scriptures about Victory.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. [All Scripture emphasis added]

Oh, somebody reading this today will shout in Praise to our God over the VICTORY that God will bring! May it BE - as God has said!

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]

POWER SOURCE

1 Corinthians 2:1-12
1 When I [Paul] came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
Wisdom From the Spirit

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 However, as it is written:

"No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

no mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love Him"— 10 but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. [emphasis added]

Who or what is your power source? Do you rely on man's wisdom? Is your job your power source? Is your ministry? Is your schooling? Is your spouse? Is your child? Is your own mind? Or is it the true and living God that lives within your heart - the very Holy Spirit of God?

We all want to answer 'yes' to the last question - and score an "A" with the LORD. But I ask you as I have asked myself, does my LIFE match up to relying on that very power source as the key to my everyday living? In the choices I make? The places I go? The sites I visit? The way I spend my time?

Do we truly access that power all day - every day? Or is our power cord unplugged for much of the time? Or worse, plugged into another source?

God continually brings me back to this Scripture passage again and again. Perhaps He knows I need to check the cables of my power source.

PRAYER accesses the power source as soon as the heart speaks! What changes do you and I need to make to be connected to the right source - all the time - to access all that God has for us? I don't know about you - but I don't want to live on half power, do you?

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]