Bloom Where Gods Plants You!

You May Not Think You Belong Where God Has You

....BUT...

Even Jesus Ate With Sinners and Tax Collectors!

(Matthew 9:10-12)

Soooooooo I say......Let us not despise our calling....for we know not what the Lord has in mind!

Paul writes in Romans 11:34, quoting from Isaiah 40:13

"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him are all things established.
To him be the glory forever! Amen."

Also the Lord G-d himself says through the prophet Isaiah in ch 55:9
“ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts."

So, ONCE AGAIN I ENCOURAGE EACH OF US

TO

BLOOM AND GROW WHERE GOD PLANTS US!

Even if it may seem like a GARBAGE DUMP!!!!!

Isaiah 55

An Invitation to Abundant Life

¹ “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.
² Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David.
⁴ Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. ⁵ Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the LORD your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.”

⁶ Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
⁸ “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

⁹ “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. "
¹⁰ “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
¹² “ For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. ¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the LORD for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Oh My Goodness!

Oh My goodness!
two times in one week I am writing unscripted on my own blog! lol

For sure!

Well, the way I see it, it's my blog and you are coming on here to read it...so I can do that, right?
Besides, from what I can tell there aren't too terribly many "yous" coming on here reading my unscripted (or otherwise) ramblings anyways, and right now it's doing me a world a good to ramble on....so I shall continue!
☺
Every once in a while you just have to blow off some steam. Depending on what it is you do for a living, your once in a while may come more frequently than others. Take for instance with my job.
Well I work in the financial industry. As you can imagine....with the economy being as it is....there is allot of "s t r e s s " and uncertainty that we all have to contend with these days....Well I am required, on my job, to sell and offer the utmost in customer satisfaction all the while tallying a good deal number of calls per hour. [Can anyone say STRESS?]......While here lately the customers I serve are 80% coming in "hot under the collar" because of their own worries of the economies situation. ALL day long I get blasted with vulgarities and accusations from clients as I am the the ambassador of the company to them...and then when I turn around and meet up with the big wigs I get it from them....seems as I never seem to "hit the mark" according to my superiors.
Broken promises...misinformed managers...lack of communication. Do as I say....today .....tomorrow may be different.

I about lost it today. I am gonna be 49 this year and I felt like a child today at work. (not in a good way) That is all I will say as I don't want to "dis" my employer...after all they still are my employer at this point. ☺

So, basically things didn't add up as I had expected. Things aren't as they were. Things aren't as they told me they would be. Things have changed........."Oh well."..... "What does that really matter?"

THIS is what I have been struggling with, all day.

THIS is why I have eaten half a bag of chocolate chips and that yummy Klondike Bar my gorgeous hubby Dano bought me.

These questions.

So WHAT? What do I do with them? Got any ideas....any advice? ☺

Not like I can't change any of the above fore mentioned truths.

What I figure I CAN do is one of the following:

1)Be super miserable at work and sooner or later get my self fired

2)Try to change everything back to way it was 2 years ago and aggravate everyone in
leadership ...and get myself fired

3) Put up with it; look for another job

4)Pray..... give this situation it to the Lord. Give myself to the Lord....my attitude to the Lord, thank the Lord for this job, as horrible as it may be at times and ask Him to provide for me an open door somewhere else.

I think it's a no brainer......#4.....lol As much as my "spirit man" knows this, my flesh is having a hard time with it! This is where the scripture from Matthew 26:41 comes in "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!"

HELPPPPPPPPPPPP!!


Maybe I just need to eat more ICE CREAM!!!!!! ☺

What are blogs for?

Do YOU know?

I don't....I really don't even know, remember why I started mine. I remember who talked me into it....haahaa...but can't remember their argument that made me turn the corner and actually "do it".

At any rate ...I am here....with a "BLOG"....and it is titled...."The Fire Within"....what exactly does that mean, The Fire Within?...Well I can tell you what I meant by it when I puck the title.
PASSION....the passion inside of me. Well and YOU for that matter....All of us.....We all have passion inside.
Some of us show it allot better and allot more often than others...but I contend that we all have passion deep down inside.

And~Right now I am a deep - deep -deep well...that used to be overflowing, upwards towards heaven with a gusher of crystal clear water, that now one might be hard pressed to find the bottom of....and when the bottom is found....how clear is the water? Even I can not be sure of that.....God is is working on cleaning out this deep, deep well of mine.

Night after night I dream of far away place. Up past the clouds and stars. Way farther away than the planets and even further off than the galaxies where the angels and demons battle.High in the Highest heaven I meet with my Lord and we sit and talk about things in the past and things to come. I have to be honest I don't want to leave His side when the night is done. Of course the choice, not being mine I awake as usual from my slumber, to yet another day filled the same things I left behind when I closed my eyes the night before. I know, I am human. When I awake I praise the Lord for His Grace. Where would I be without it? Without Him?

Still....alone.....I face the day.....so I pray...knowing that my prayers, [because I am righteous through HIS sacrifice for me], are effective...and powerful ......so I take a stand against the evil one and pray, believing even when the circumstances show me otherwise, I still stand in faith...because faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and I have God's promise! I stand firm on God's word. ***sigh***......[.still I miss them]

Lord, oh dear Lord....I know He takes care of all I hold dear. I do in fact know this. I wouldn't be able to make it through the day if I didn't "know" this...."believe" this.

Thank you Lord.

I love you.

One day soon....I will walk along the shores of Heaven during the day....with those I love.♥

Stand in Awe of G_d

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Fear God, Keep Your Vows

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Matthew 16:24-27

“Then Jesus said to his disciples,

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”

I know I have been posting allot lately...it's just that I have been able to. I have been home and able to spend allot more time in the Word and alone the Lord. Time reflecting on my life and all the Lord has for me to do in and through and for Him.

Today I was belaboring a very familiar subject with the Lord and the Lord was once again showering me with His grace. This time however He directed me out of my scheduled reading for the day (Mark 3) to Matthew 16: 24-28. I will focus on just vrs 24-27 here. As I began to read this scripture, Holy Spirit began to speak directly to me. Answering my every question about the belabored issue I had brought before the throne of God this morning, again. IN fact He answered even questions I had not yet asked Him. Yet, as our Heavenly Father is so good at doing, He knew what I was about to ask before I even prayed.

Of course I cried and cried as Holy Spirit ministered to me healing deep healing. Then I prayed again.

This time a different kind of prayer. One of repentance first. Then of thanksgiving for His mercy and grace.

Then I prayed for revelation and wisdom and understanding as I was about to re-read this scripture.

I wanted to get every bit of intended spiritual nourishment from the Lord's words.

So I began to read and line by line, one at a time the Lord broke it down to me.

Holy Spirit made it clear to me that there were things in my life that were standing in the way....of me living out God's "perfect" will for my life.

Here goes.

verse 24 says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Now I am sure if you are a Christ follower you have heard this verse at some point and a sermon to follow.

I know I have. However I have never heard anyone connect this verse and the reference of the cross to our idols in life, only burdens we may have and persecutions we may face.

But as I read this morning~ Matthew 16:24

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself."
then it says
"...and take up his cross and follow me."

Holy Spirit immediately brought idols to my mind.

Idols can be anything, anything that we place before God. People, place or thing.

It can be a job, even an admirable one such as reaching the lost; the ministry.

It can be a hobbie that gets outta control. A person, a loved one, a family member. Our children.

Of course the obvious ones money, and worldly objects.

Anything at all that TAKES OUR TIME AWAY FROM THE LORD.

Sitting at His feet, reading His Holy Word, ministering to Him, Getting to KNOW Him intimately.

Being Still and Knowing He Is God.

The second part of this scripture vrs 25

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."

Ahhhh! Wow! This is awesome!

It is the very things we inherently search for in life...that are the reasons we get caught up in our idols.

(i.e. giving so much time to them...work, dating (relationships), ministry, kids, hobbies,)

And at the same time....(this is sad if we don't change!)

the only thing that will ever satisfy what it is we are searching for....is the one thing we seem to put last on the priority list of life.

Our relationship with the Lord.

Whoever wants to save his life....save his life. Remember verse 24? Jesus said if we want to follow Him we must first deny ourselves.

This can be, and I know by experience, most times, is very hard. Paul writes his letters that he does it every day. Dieing to ones self.

As I mentioned earlier some of the things that we do or desire may not necessarily be "bad" things in and of themselves. It's all a matter of priority.

If what we love or do or are thinking about has taken up residence in our hearts, homes, or minds leaving us with less time to spend in the presence of God and in His Word then it has been elevated to status of idol.

It is important for us to remember that when Jesus returns in His Father's Glory with his angels he will reward each person according to what he has done. (vrs 27)

How are we going to even know what we are personally responsible to do, if we are too busy doing other things? Too busy to just sit before our Lord and seek His face.

Yes, I know that we are all responsible to follow the great commission. We are all responsible to love one another as He loves us. We are all responsible to do our best to love the Word of God and keep it close to our hearts and follow it as a guide in our lives keeping its laws.

Yet as well, each one of us has a special purpose that only we can fulfill.

To find out what that is...we need to get get close to the Lord ourselves. This revelation will not come by way of a third party but by way the Holy Spirit of God.

I have laid my burdens down and once again have given my joys to the Lord.
As Holy sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to God.

No more an idol stand in the way of all that the Lord has for me.

Shalom

AmyColleen

Okay so I DID say that this Blog would occasionally be a place where I would share transparently from the heart.

So here I go.

It has been a very tough 2009 for me. Well, maybe I can safely say it's been more like the last few years or so. Now I realize that the closer we get to the Lord the tougher the battle becomes. If anyone doubts that is true.

Please pick up the Bible and read 1&2 Timothy. (for starters)

That should get directly to the heart of the matter rather quickly however!

But back to my point - Sometimes we just need to share with each other. So I am going to share with you all. My new song. I just wrote it tonight. Of course I am not singing it. Maybe sometime, but not now :)

I want to encourage those of you who may be struggling in your life and at the same time closer to the Lord than you ever have been . Keep pressing on! Keep fighting the good fight! Seek the Face of our most Holy and Precious Master Lord and King Jesus....for the the Word of God tells us that if we seek Him, and seek Him with all of our hearts, He shall be FOUND........!

(Jeremiah 29:13)

Also~and this is a biggy~

If you are broken hearted ~ rejoice! Yes...I said rejoice!

For the Word tells us that God is close to the broken hearted! (Psalm 34:18)

I can not tell the number of people that have asked me in my life time "how"

or "why" ?

How did you get so close to God ?

Why does He speak to you the way He does?

How did you learn to hear His voice?

I have one answer for all three questions.

Through my broken heart.

I have lived a life of suffering...Jesus was with me all the way....He still is today...and I am still learning HOW to give HIM MY broken heart.

This is a "New Song"

So I Give My Life to You

by: AmyColleen

So I give my life away to you

I trust in every thing you do

I put my hope my faith in you

Believe that you will see me through

For years now I have done my part

Struggling along with my broken heart

Waiting for you to do your part

Waiting for the healing to start

When oh when will it ever end?

How oh how can I contend

My life, while it's still needing to mend?

Please have mercy Lord and send;

Your grace for me

Your peace and joy to set me free

Your love for me

Your truth and faithfulness to watch over me

Come to me

Won’t you Come to me….Lord Jesus.

Please come to me Lord Jesus

You are all I need…..Lord Jesus, YOU….Lord...... are all I need Lord Jesus

Jesus

Come to me

Won’t you COME to me…Lord Jesus.

You are all I need…Lord YOU…Lord are all I need Lord.

Jesus…Jesus…Jesus.

I have given you what you have given me.

You have given me your life.

I have given you MY LIFE.

Jesus…Jesus…Jesus

I have given you what you have given me.

You have given me your life.

So I have given you MY LIFE.

Come to me

Won’t you COME to me…Lord Jesus.

You are all I need…Lord Jesus...YOU are all I need Lord Jesus

Wont' you

Come to me

Won’t you COME to me…Lord Jesus.

You are all I need…Lord YOU…Lord are all I need Lord.

Jesus

copyright ©2010 all rights reserved

The Earth Shook

The word of God tells us in Psalm 46:10
The earth shook; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. ~ Psalm 68: 8

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.

~ Psalm 114: 7

"Be still, and know
 that I am God"
The key words here are be still...and know.
We live in some tumultuous times I am sure there is no doubt in my mind! There is no place on this earth that is safe from wickedness of man. I truly believe the our redemption draweth nigh......Soon and very soon we will see the King of Kings descending from the heavens!
But what until then?
How do we live in this ungodly world?
How do we effectively live out our commission given us by the Lord Himself 2000 years ago?
When we are surrounded with so much sin and sickness. When we have so many responsibilities to attend to aside from church life?
HOW?
How can we be expected to.....be still....and know......that He is God?

Well, last April I was drawn away for about a week for a time.
A time alone with God.
Just Him and Me in the mountains. No T.V. no people, no internet....nothing but Papa God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.
It was indescribable with the vocabulary I have.

However...One of the truths I came away with was the understanding that we (the people of God) really do not, as a whole, spend enough time at the feet of God......just being still.It's as if we always have to say something, sing something, read something or be listening to something.
We don't seem to have the ability to just sit and be still.
When we do it's for like about 1-5 minutes and we are restless.

I learned in the mountains how to hear God voice it utter silence.
I have always been comfortable with silence, but even I was a bit taken at the thought of 7 days in a cabin at the top of the smokies with just me and God.
I learned how to hear in the spirit realm like I never knew I could.

I would like to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone.
Take some time to be still before God...in your prayer time...turn off the music...just be still.
You don't need to spend an hour or even half an hour or even 15 minutes if that is hard for you. Just take five minutes and sit before the Lord. After your prayer time; after your time in the Word of God. Ask the Lord to speak to you.

It will change your life...the way you see things...handle things...give it a shot!
"Be still and kno0w that He is God."

Alone with God

Alone with God

Quaking, shaking, crying

On my face

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Sudden hush of glory

Peace, quiet, stillness,

On my face

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Voice of God speaks

Small, quiet, mighty

Enters my soul

Heals, delivers, instructs

Heaven comes down

Humbled, thankful, jubilant

Angelic voices singing

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

I join in

On my face

Sing

Holy, holy, holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Nothing else

Only holy, only holy

Alone with God

By:AmyColleen

copyright ©2008

Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary. ~ 1 Chronicles 16: 27(AMP)

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

~ Exodus 33: 14

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16: 11

Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

~ Psalm 51: 11

Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at hand, for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. ~ Zephaniah 1: 7

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. ~ Acts 3: 19

Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the Lord your God.  Leviticus 20: 7

And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! Isaiah 6: 3

There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides You; there is no Rock like our God.

1 Samuel 2: 2

But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.  1 Peter 1: 15

But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered]. Psalm 22: 3

Who shall not reverence and glorify Your name, O Lord [giving You honor and praise in worship]? For You only are holy. All the nations shall come and pay homage and adoration to You, for Your just judgments (Your righteous sentences and deeds) have been made known and displayed.

Revelation 15: 4

God's Grace

Amazing Grace

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.... I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.



T'was Grace that taught... my heart to fear. And Grace, my fears relieved. How precious did that Grace appear... the hour I first believed.



Through many dangers, toils and snares... we have already come. T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far... and Grace will lead us home.



The Lord has promised good to me... His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be... as long as life endures.



When we've been here ten thousand years... bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise... then when we've first begun.



"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.... I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see.




"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written by John Newton an English poet and clergyman (1725–1807), and published in 1779.

With a message that forgiveness and redemption is possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God.

"Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognized songs in the English-speaking world.

(For more information of the author of this song visit this site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace )

I personally, love this song.
It is one of my favorite songs ever written by anyone....ever.
I feel personally attached to it. As though it were written by me or at the very least for me; but then that I am sure is the case for many and thus the reason for it's world wide popularity.

I remember all too well where I was when Jesus found me.
I also remember where I was the next time He found me.....and the next time.....and the next time.....and the next time.......oh and yes the next time....(I think you get my point?)

God's Grace
God's infinite grace....is not a one time deal.

It is our covering.


It is Jesus and I am thankful for Him.
As Papa God sees me through Him.

I am not perfect....I wasn't when He found me....I am still not.
I am closer to looking like the image of Jesus now than I was when He found me.
Still, it is only by the GRACE of God...His Mercy and Love.
Through Jesus....the living and written Word...that I strive daily to reach my goal to become more like Jesus.

As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:31 , "I die daily."
If you read the preceding chapter Paul is talking about dieing to the fleshly nature of who he is. [who we are]
How can we die daily if we are already dead?
Have we then arrived?
If in fact we have arrived...then do we still need God's amazing grace in our lives?
I would say not! I would say we would be Amazing ourselves!
But we all know (at least I hope we do) this statement is ludicrous!

We ALL need God's Amazing Grace every day of our lives.

2 Corinthians 1:21
"Now it is God who makes us, both us and you stand firm in Christ."
(this is just one of many scriptures saying the same thing)

If any of us think we are any better than ANYone else we need to hit the floor on our faces and ask God to forgive us for our pride and for discounting His Sons Blood shed and suffering on the Cross...then ask Holy Spirit to show us what else we need to work on in our lives!

Remembering always that ^{Romans 8:1 "}There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
and.... " if we live by the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

and also....important one here...

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9

Lord I thank you for your love and your faithfulness and your Amazing Grace of which I could not live without! I give you my life a fresh and a new this day and this new and up coming year of 2010! Be the light of my life as you have been and more so! Reign in me and live through me!
Please come Holy Spirit and have your way in my life!
Show ME everything that is not pleasing to you....everything in my life that grieves you.
Take me and make into the spitting image of Jesus, the living Son of God!
I love you Papa God....I love you Holy Spirit....I love Jesus!!!!



In response a "Now Word" in Song from the Lord to us

My love is here for you

To help comfort and see you through.

And I will always be here

By your side.

You don't have to worry that I'll leave you.

You don't have to worry that I'm ashamed.

Everything in your past has died and now buried.

Nothing ~ nothing can keep me away from you.

Once I searched the world for you

And now that I've found you.

I'll never, ever leave you alone.

Now, that you're safe at home.

That's why I gave my life on Calvary.

So you could live at home with me.

No more captivity.

My love has set you free.

It was my life; that paid the price.

It was my blood; that cleansed your soul.

It is my love; that makes you whole.

Don't you know?

Come to me now, my precious child.

Let me hold you within my arms, precious child.

Let me wipe every teardrop.

Calm the fear deep within.

Let me warm your soul, and let you know,

I love you so.