Saturday, July 31, 2004

Computer trouble

I am currently having some problems with my computer but will update as soon as I have everything fixed.

Stephanie

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Why does SPAM have to be illegal??

I just had to rant for a moment! I have a couple of different email addresses and one of them is through Hotmail. Every time I log on to check my email there are at least 10 different emails trying to get me to go to a porn website! Now, I know SPAM is supposed to be illegal, but evidently these people are finding ways around it. I report all of them as SPAM and block the sender but the next day there are always more from different email addresses. So this is what I am thinking.....if SPAM is supposed to be illegal, yet we continue to get it, then why not let people send all the SPAM they want? I know some of you are thinking right now that I have absolutely lost my mind. Well, let me explain why I am saying this: If SPAM were not illegal, then we Christians could just send out random emails to people saying things like "God loves you". Let things like that fill up people's inboxes instead of these annoying, offensive, pornographic SPAM emails (and yes, some of them actually have pictures!). Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to go to check your email and have 20 emails from people you don't even know saying things like "Try Jesus" and "Jesus died so that you can live"? I would much rather have that than to see email subjects like "check out these 2 young girls" or "cum view my naked webcam". It's enough to make you sick! The sad fact is, if I were to send out just a dozen or so emails to people I do not know, they could report it as SPAM and I could lose my internet service! So I guess I will have to limit my internet witnessing to my website and this online journal. But the whoremongers of the world can continue to load my inbox with their perversion and filth. Doesn't seem fair, does it?

I think the world we are living in is in fast decline. The time is getting so near for the returning of our precious Savior. But it wouldn't surprise me if things get a lot worse before Jesus returns. Already you can go down the interstate and see billboards with pictures of half-naked women promoting strip clubs. Just about any magazine you pick up has ads for liquor. Watch TV long enough and you will see commercials for condoms. That should be enough to make us want to get out with our tracts in hand and leave God's Word on every car windshield in every parking lot that we can find. We should be going door to door sharing God's love. But we sit back waiting on "someone else" to do it.

We are having Vacation Bible School this week at church, and Monday night I told all the kids to bring a friend with them Tuesday night. We ended up having about 5 or 6 visitors tonight. These children were actually inviting people to come to church. Hard to believe, isn't it, since most of us adults are too ashamed to even let anyone know we GO to church, let alone INVITE them! "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." (Romans 10:11 KJV) If we believe in God, we aren't supposed to be ashamed of Him! "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38 NASB) I don't want Jesus to be ashamed of me! I don't care what people think of me as long as He approves of me!

I honestly believe we don't have much time. We should be doing all we can to try to lead people to Salvation. I know that sometimes it seems like it doesn't do much good. But rest assured! "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11 KJV) God said His Word would not return void. That means that something WILL be accomplished by us spreading the Gospel.

I'm hoping this lights a fire under each and every one of you that reads this so that you will have a greater determination to witness to others. I challenge each of you to set a goal for yourself this week: Keep a record of each ungodly email or pop-up you get on the computer this week. Then go out and witness to one person for each of the emails or pop-ups. If you get 5 emails for porn websites, leave 5 tracts. If you get 3 pop-ups for online gambling, go invite 3 people to come to church. Get the picture? Don't leave it for "somebody else" to do! You ARE that SOMEBODY! (Please feel free to email me at stef326@hotmail.com and let me know how this works for you! I would love the feedback!)

My love and prayers go out to you all in your journey. Don't ever give up! "5 In those days it was not safe to travel about, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. 6 One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another, because God was troubling them with every kind of distress." (II Chronicles 15:5-6 NIV) (Doesn't that sound like the day we are living in?) "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." (II Chronicles 15:7 NIV)

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

"...fear not, neither be discouraged."

Sometimes we all get down and discouraged. I, myself, am fighting a battle right now. I see things going on around me and it depresses me. Here lately, the littlest things just get under my skin. Let's just say my tolerance level is really low right now!! It is disheartening to hear the careless, unkind remarks that people make to one another. And as if the words aren't bad enough, most of the time there are the petty little childish actions to go along with it. And I have come to the conclusion that most of this junk (and yes it is junk!) could be prevented if we would all just mind our own business! We are always so busy wondering and worrying about what everyone else is doing, and we fail to examine our own lives under such scrutiny. "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matt.7:5 NASB) It never ceases to amaze me that so many people busy themselves trying to run someone else's life when they can't even run their own! Then we get mad because we don't have the power or authority to make things the way WE want them. (NEWSFLASH, people.....things aren't supposed to go OUR way!! It's supposed to go God's way!!) If I think that Sister Sally is drinking, then I need to pray for her. Most of us would rather stake out the liquor store to see if we can "catch her in the act". If I think that Brother Bob is cheating on his wife, I need to pray for him. Most of us would rather ask around to see if anyone else thinks Bob is running around. Thus starts the rumor mill!! If we would spend as much time with our knees to the ground as we do with our ears to the wall, we could get a lot more accomplished! I have to admit, it is easy to get caught up in talking about someone else's business. But unless we are talking to GOD, how do we think anything is going to get fixed?

And for some of us the problem is not what we say ABOUT people, but what we say TO people. In the past week I have heard some of the most hurtful remarks made by one person to another, without so much as the batting of an eye. It is easier than you think to break someone's spirit! So be careful what you say. I firmly believe that some people get a great deal of satisfaction out of hurting others. But remember what the Bible says: "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40 KJV) So before you say something, if it is something you wouldn't say to Jesus, you don't need to say it to anyone. Kind-of like the old saying goes: "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." Simple but true. You don't know how one little off-hand comment can stay with someone the rest of their lives. Our mouths are the most powerful weapons known to man. Within just a few words lies the power to discourage someone, uplift someone, make someone cry, make someone mad, change someone's point of view, ruin someone's testimony, make someone laugh, ruin someone's relationship, make a friend, lose a friend, or hurt someone forever. How many weapons do you know that have so many different capabilities?? But thank God, His word tells us: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17 KJV) So remember that when you are trying to run someone else down, you are only hurting yourself, especially if that someone is a child of God.

Everyone still makes jokes about the old Rodney King quote "Can't we all just get along?", but truer words have never been spoken. Why is it so hard for us to all just get along? We let satan come into our lives and divide us and form hatred and anger toward one another and then he just sits back and laughs because we take that kind of chaos and run with it. All we need is one little idea planted in our head and we will set out to ruin someone. God doesn't want that. God really does want us "all to just get along". So I want to let you in on another little "secret": if you are angry at someone; if you are talking about someone; if you are being hateful to someone with words and/or actions; these are all things that are from the DEVIL. You are letting satan work through you to try to hinder and hurt God's people. Don't let the devil use you that way.

God wants us to LOVE one another. "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." (John 15:12 KJV) Think back a second about your relationship with God over the course of time. Have you ever done anything bad to Him? Have you ever hurt Him? Have you ever done things that He didn't like? Of course! We all have. But he loved us anyway! And what better are we than Him? When someone does something we don't like, we should love them anyway. Because God commanded us to do it. (Another newsflash people, a commandment is just that....a COMMAND...not a request!) See, God has always known the "big picture". We can't always see things the way they should be seen. We think if we are mad at someone and we say something hurtful to them, we are "getting back at them". But situations like that can go awry. Because you may not only hurt the person that you are "getting back at" but countless others that see or hear the situation. You never know whom you may be discouraging or hindering because they are watching you and your actions. Let me use this little analogy to help explain what I am saying: Right now gasoline prices are very high. Have you ever noticed that when gas prices go up, so do prices for other things? This is no coincidence. Gas prices go up....the price of milk goes up. Why? Because the company that produces the milk has to pay more for the gas that goes in their trucks to transport the milk to the stores. The milk company then charges the supermarket more, and the supermarket, in turn, charges you more. See how one thing affects another even if it is indirectly? Our words and actions go by the same chain of events. If I say something hateful to Sister Jane, I have hurt Sister Jane. But what I may not realize is that Brother Jim was standing there overhearing what I was saying to Sister Jane and it discouraged him because he thought I was a better person than that. You just don't know the impact a few little words can have.

And so that is what I have been seeing a lot of lately. People being thoughtless and rude, people tending to other people's business ("Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to." -I Tim. 5:13 NIV), and people just generally uncaring about hurting someone else. I am not mentioning anything that I have not been guilty of myself at times, but I think that we could all use a little self-examination time to look closely at how we treat others.

I might be down about all that, but I am not out. I love that song "Gonna Reach Heaven". In one part it says "It may hinder me, bring me down on my knees, but that's as far as I'll go". And that's the way I feel right now. Sometimes it is good to be brought down, because it makes it a little easier to hit your knees (in prayer). But I know that God can make a way out of no way. And if He can allow me to be brought down, then He alone has the power to lift me back up! But I said all that to say this: don't let satan use you to discourage others. Think about what you say and do. A good rule of thumb is: If in doubt....DON'T! Don't be consumed with your brothers' and sisters' business, but be about the Father's business! Together we can make it! We are the body of Christ, people. We have to work TOGETHER as one. Love one another. Be kind to one another. The road to heaven is not easy as it is. As Christians, we don't need to be trying to make it harder. Besides, "can't we all just get along"? My love goes out to each of you. Please remember me in your prayers that God would uplift and encourage me so that I may be used to show someone else the love of Jesus.




Thursday, July 15, 2004

Time to change the bulb?

I haven't posted in a few days but I have had this thought running through my mind all day so I figured I would share. This is what I have been thinking:

People who don't believe there is a God or who refuse to serve Him are always quick to try to convince someone else of their beliefs. There are numerous websites out there just for people to preach against God. Even the ones that are supposedly Christian websites are sometimes wolves in sheep's clothing. If you don't believe me, just do a search for the word "God" or "Christian" or something like that and click on several of the results. Now, don't get me wrong....I am a FIRM believer in free speech. That is the very thing that makes us able to witness to those who are lost without God. But, my problem lies in the fact that most Christians don't take full advantage of that unalienable right. By that, I mean that the people who want to preach against God are doing exactly what Christians are SUPPOSED to be doing. They are going out trying to convert people. Then we sit back and complain because there aren't more people coming to know God. Luke 14:23 says "And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Yet, the agnostics, atheists, and followers of false religions are the ones going out trying to compel people. We sit back waiting for someone else to do the job. Well, they are doing it. And people are dropping off into hell every day because of it.

I know sometimes it is hard to witness to others. But there are all different ways to witness. For one thing, live your life so that others may see something in you. I am very hard on myself. When I make a mistake or succumb to a fleshly desire it is so hard for me to forgive myself. I want so much to be a light that when I make a mistake I feel (temporarily) like I have ruined everything. But I have to go on past that and realize that God has made me a new creature. Yes, I still make mistakes. I always will. But I am certainly not what I used to be. And that is where God can use us. When people look at us and say "you know there is just something different about so-and-so" that's when God can work through us. For example, when I was out in the world I had a filthy mouth. I would say just about any and every curse word known to man. I think there were times I even made some up!! But now I speak with a new tongue. God has helped me to rid myself of that habit. I am only human, and sometimes I still say things I shouldn't say. But anyone who knew me then would definitely be able to tell a difference now, just by speaking to me for 5 minutes and I wouldn't even have to mention the fact that I love the Lord. They would notice that I talk different. I don't use all those curse words I used to use. That's just one example. There are many others I could use. I am just not the same person I used to be. Thank God! And I want to win others to the Lord. But in order to do that I have to let them see something in me. Something worth wanting. Who wants to change their life to something that is just as bad as what they had before?? Think about it.

I have looked at quite a few "anti-Christian" websites and the thing that comes across most predominantly on all of them is the fact that they feel most Christians are hypocrites. Yes, that is just an excuse, but why give them an excuse to use? Is satan using you to hinder someone else? If you are not letting your light shine, then yes, you are being used to hinder others. And we must be careful what we say to others. Words have so much power. Ecclesiastes 5:2 says "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." Some of us just plain talk TOO MUCH!! And Matthew 12:34 says "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." That simply means that what is in your heart will eventually show through the things that you say. Have you ever noticed that you can learn alot about a person simply by listening to them talk alot? For example, if someone is racist, you will eventually find it out if you listen to them long enough. People tell on themselves. Why? Because "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh". So get your own heart right before you try to witness to others. That's why so many people appear to be hypocrites. Because they talk a good game, but if you listen to them long enough, the real truth comes out. People are always listening. Even when you sometimes think they aren't. And to someone who is looking for a reason to reject God and anything having to do with Him, they are just waiting for you to say or do something that justifies their decision. Now, I know we can't always be perfect. But that is no reason to stop trying. You are always leading someone. Whether it is to heaven or hell is up to you. Don't let the evildoers be the witnesses of the world. Let your light shine! "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." Matthew 5:14.



Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Psalm 14:1-3;

Psalm 14:1-3
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

I was studying and I came across this scripture, and even though I have read it before it started me thinking and I had to share my thoughts. I know there are many who believe in God, but how many are actually SEEKING Him? Do we do what He wants us to do or what WE want to do? I am guilty of this myself at times. We all want God's blessings but no one wants to work for them. We leave God out of everything in our daily lives and then wonder why our lives are in such a mess. We need to SEEK God. Seek His guidance and His approval. As long as we do what He wants us to do, we can't go wrong. I need for God to be pleased with me and my life and the only way I will gain that favor is by seeking Him and asking what He would have me to do.

I know that the WWJD slogan has become a bit overused and I think in doing so, the meaning has been lost on a lot of people. But we need to continuously ask "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do?) or even go a bit further and say "What Would Jesus Have ME To Do?" I know I fail to do that at times. And that is a sure fire way to mess up! I want to seek God. I want to seek His guidance, His approval, His favor, His wisdom. There are so many ways in which we can SEEK God. We just have to make the effort to do so. Oh, and by the way......Luke 11:9 "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." and don't forget.... Jeremiah 29:13 "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

People let's stop searching for answers within ourselves and this world and SEEK GOD!

Daycare stuff

I have been busy all day trying to get ready for the church daycare to open. I am sooooo excited!! But it seems like there is a ton of paperwork that goes along with it. I am praying for guidance that everything is done right. I hope that we can use the daycare as a serious witnessing tool for the Lord. What better way to get adults to know Jesus than through their children? Not to mention, the Bible plainly says in Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Who knows how many souls can be saved simply by teaching these young children about God. I am hoping that we get a lot of children in there who would never even be inside a church any other time. Those are the kind of people I want to reach...young and old. I think about what my friend, Robin says so often: "I want to be the one to make a difference." And I have that same desire. I want to be able to say or do something that will cause someone to turn to the Lord. I know I am not perfect, but I am willing. And God wants a willing vessel so that He can do all the work. By myself I can do nothing, but if I let Him work through me, then all things are possible. And to have a part in just one soul being saved from an eternal hell would be worth it all. I Peter 4:11 says "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." So I want to be the vessel God uses to save someone else. My heart is burdened for those who are lost and don't know The Way and also for those who know The Way but have departed from it. But to be able to lift up God daily in front of a child and help show them The Way, what a wonderful service to God.

I have always felt a calling to help others. When I was younger I thought it would be in the medical field. I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a nursing facility for about two years but didn't feel like that was the right thing. Then when I started working in the school system with disabled children I thought, "OK, God. I see now what it is you want me to do." But I grew increasingly troubled over the years because I did not agree with so many of the things that went on in the public schools. And I felt like as long as I was working in it, I was as good as condoning it. All the while, I had this feeling that God had something BIG that He wanted me to do. Long story short - the daycare started being planned and I felt like that was God's way of showing me that He is going to use me in Christian education. I think that this is just the beginning of my "something big" that He wants me to do. I don't know where it will lead. But as long as God is leading, I know I can't go wrong! Until next time...be blessed!

Monday, July 05, 2004

Happy 4th of July

Well we had a wonderful service at church this morning. My pastor's sister was in from Virginia and it is always a blessing having her at church. Then at 4:00 we had a cookout at my mom's house. I made pasta salad, strawberry shortcakes and burnt up 2 of my mom's burner covers!!! LOL!! Maybe that was a sign I need to stay away from the stove!! Actually, in my defense it was just because my mom's knobs on her stove are completely backward from mine. I do know how to cook....I really do!!! ;-) Anyway, we had a wonderful cookout with burgers, chicken and porkchops, and all the trimmings. It was great. Then, we went to Mebane tonight for the annual July 4th fireworks display. My friend Crystal and her husband and kids went with me and my kids. We had been there about an hour sitting out on the grass having a good time, when they make an announcement that a storm is coming in and for everyone to go to their cars and they will notify us when they get ready to do the fireworks. We figure they will wait til the rain stops, then go on with the fireworks. WRONG! They did the fireworks in the pouring rain!! We stood outside the car like idiots, getting soaked, just to watch the fireworks!! Maybe I don't get out enough, huh? LOL. But, on a much more positive note, I just want to say that today has meant a lot to me. Everyone was celebrating their national freedom, and that is wonderful.....I thank God that we live in a free country. But I was also celebrating my spiritual freedom! And that, to me, means so much more. We do live in a free country, but there are also several laws that we must obey that, in my opinion, infringes on our freedom at times. Personally, I think if I want to get in my car and not hook my seat belt, that should be my choice. But the law tells me that I MUST hook my seatbelt or pay a fine if I get caught with it not hooked. There are many restaurants that are "smoke-free", which means that smokers do not have the freedom to go in and light up if they want to eat there. And tops on my list.....my children can't go to school and have prayer and talk about God, because....Heaven forbid....it might infringe on SOMEONE ELSE'S rights! So, that being said.....we do live in a "free" country, but our freedom has its limits. The freedom God has given to me, however, has no limits. Jesus said in John 8:36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." God freed me from the bonds of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. No government, or president, or army, or political power could ever do that for me. God gave His Son so that I could be free. He freed me not only from my sin, but from the desires to sin. Oh, sure, sometimes the devil sneaks in and tempts us with things that are our weaknesses, but as far has having a desire to live life the way I did before......God freed me from that. God also freed me from having to go to hell. Instead, He has promised me a mansion in Heaven where there will be no more sadness or fear or pain. Now that's the kind of freedom I'm talking about!! God has also given me freedom from worry. In Philippians 4:19 it says " But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." That means that whatever I need, God is going to see to it that I have it. So I am free from worrying about that! God also granted me freedom from fear. II Timothy 1:7 says " For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." So although I hold my freedom as an American dear to my heart, and I thank God for it....I have to say that the freedom I value most is my freedom that has been given to me by the Lord. I hope that each of you has a blessed week and I hope you take time to reflect on the freedoms that you have been given. Until next time....be blessed!

Sunday, July 04, 2004

My first entry

OK...so I am new to this. I thought I would try something different to make my personal website, well....a bit more "personal"! I will be using this Blog as my online diary of sorts to share my thoughts and feelings. I hope each of you that reads my entries will be blessed because of it. So I guess I will start with a little about my day today.

My back went out on me a few days ago and I am still recovering from that. There is so much to do with the new daycare opening July 12 and I feel bad because I haven't been able to do too much the past couple of days. But praise the Lord, my back is feeling much better today and I hope this coming week will provide me with enough time to do all I need to do! I am so excited about opening the daycare. This is what I feel God has led me to do at this point in my life. Tomorrow is July 4 and I am looking forward to a great day at church followed by a cookout at my mother's house and going to see the fireworks display in Mebane tomorrow night with my children and some close friends. Hopefully I will post another entry to this tomorrow night sometime. Until then, be blessed.