Praising Through

Ezra 3:10-13 (New International Version) When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD : "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

He is worthy of our praise. As children we are told to be quite in the house of God; we do the same thing to our children. We silence the praise or restrain it. In Ezra their joy could not be silenced or restrained.

Luke 19:40 (New International Version) "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

We attend a little league baseball game where we scream and cheer for our child as they play. What is the message we are sending to our children, it is not acceptable to be give God the full on fettered praise He deserves but it is acceptable to make ourselves look foolish at a baseball field, a situation which have no consequences in the eternal scheme of things. It is our responsibility to teach our children the ways of the Lord. It is our responsibility to praise the Lord. If we fail to praise the Lord then we are failing to teach our children.

Matthew 21:16 (New International Version) "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

Submitting

Romans 14:10-12 (New International Version) You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

If you have ever watched the weight lifters participate in a strong man contest, you would have seen at least one or two of the men carrying the weights drop a knee to the ground. When the weight became to much for them to bear their knees would give out from bearing the load. We are like that we try to carry the heavy loads all by ourselves. We mentally push God aside and insist on doing it alone. Eventually the weight becomes more than we can bear and we fall to our knees. It maybe that you physically need to fall to your knees before God. All of us need to submit to God, to fall on our knees. Eventually every knee will bow and every one of us will answer to God. It is better to submit here and now rather than after we die and face judgment. We are not promised tomorrow so right now it is time to submit.

Mark 13:32-33 (New International Version) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

A Prayer Touches Heaven

God blesses His word, it will not return void.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please, LORD, hear my prayer and give me the understanding that comes from your word. Listen to my concerns and keep me safe, just as you have promised. If you will teach me your laws, I will praise you and sing about your promise, because all of your teachings are what they ought to be. Be ready to protect me because I have chosen to obey your laws. I am waiting for you to save me, LORD. Your Law makes me happy. Keep me alive, so I can praise you, and let me find help in your teachings. I am your servant, but I have wandered away like a lost sheep. Please come after me, because I have not forgotten your teachings. Psalm 119:169-176 (Contemporary English Version)

These things we pray in Jesus name, amen.

I receive this word.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

Barren

2 Chronicles 7:12-16 (Contemporary English Version) Some time later, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream and said: I heard your prayer, and I have chosen this temple as the place where sacrifices will be offered to me. Suppose I hold back the rain or send locusts to eat the crops or make my people suffer with deadly diseases. If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them and make their land fertile once again. I will hear the prayers made in this temple, because it belongs to me, and this is where I will be worshiped forever. I will never stop watching over it.


The church has become barren and therefore has been seeking to fill that void. They have filled their days with programs and things so they will not have to focus on their emptiness. If they would call out to God then He would heal them and draw all people so there can be growth and laughter in His house once more. But the healing must start within individuals then spread to the families then to the church. We must start by seeking after God and by following His will for our lives. When we do this then we must lead our homes to seek after God. When our home is doing this then the church body will follow and the healing will begin and the barrenness will end.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

Potential

Judges 6:11-16 (Contemporary English Version) One day an angel from the LORD went to the town of Ophrah and sat down under the big tree that belonged to Joash, a member of the Abiezer clan. Joash's son Gideon was nearby, threshing grain in a shallow pit, where he could not be seen by the Midianites. The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, "The LORD is helping you, and you are a strong warrior." Gideon answered, "Please don't take this wrong, but if the LORD is helping us, then why have all of these awful things happened? We've heard how the LORD performed miracles and rescued our ancestors from Egypt. But those things happened long ago. Now the LORD has abandoned us to the Midianites." Then the LORD himself said, "Gideon, you will be strong, because I am giving you the power to rescue Israel from the Midianites." Gideon replied, "But how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest one in Manasseh, and everyone else in my family is more important than I am." (16)" Gideon," the LORD answered," you can rescue Israel because I am going to help you! Defeating the Midianites will be as easy as beating up one man."


Gideon had been hiding from the Midianites in order to thresh out the wheat. While he was hiding an angel appears and calls out to him, calling him a mighty warrior. God knew Gideon was hiding out, afraid, yet God had the angel call him by his potential calling. God knows where you are and what you are doing yet He is calling you to your potential calling. In verse 16 the answer to how Gideon could answer his calling is evident when God says, “I will be with you.” See just like Gideon God sees not what you are but what you could be, so what are you waiting for mighty warrior, remember He will be with you.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

Keep Our Eyes and Hearts Open

Numbers 22:28-33 (The Message)Then GOD gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: "What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?" Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you've ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?" He said, "No." Then GOD helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw GOD's angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt. GOD's angel said to him: "Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? I have come here to block your way because you're getting way ahead of yourself. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn't, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let her off."

Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily living that when God does something extraordinary we do not recognize it. Balaam was so caught up in the journey that he became angry at his donkey. His donkey was trying to protect him. But when God opened the mouth of the donkey to talk, Balaam was so distracted that he argued with the donkey. This donkey talked, this is not normal, but Balaam heard him and replied to him in anger instead of recognizing God’s hand in the situation. How many of us would have been so focused on our situation that we would not acknowledge that miracle? There has been times when I have been frustrated by slow traffic or missed a turn then come to an accident that probably would have involved me, God’s hand was protecting me. One time I was just missed by a car which the driver had lost control of, had I looked in my rear view mirror I would have seen the accident. Sometimes we see how God is protecting us, I believe there are many more times that we don’t see. Do not get impatient with things when God maybe saving your life again. Look at it like this if I am going to end up being a few minutes late it’s okay, God’s has it in His hands and the delay could be saving your life.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin

We Must Change

Ephesians 5:10-14 (Contemporary English Version) as you try to please the Lord. Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. But the light will show what these things are really like. Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say, "Wake up from your sleep and rise from death. Then Christ will shine on you."

Wake up we can no longer be silent while the deeds of evil and darkness are glorified and praised by media and others. We have fell into a sleep while trying to be politically correct. We were told to be silent in order not to offend someone. God told us to exposes sin as sin, not to accept it as normal or okay. The sins are clearly identified-

Galatians 5:19-21 (Contemporary English Version) People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom.

We cannot expect God to bless us if we continue being complacent while sin is being glorified. This steals glory from God, we cannot go on like this, God is removing His blessings from us, from this nation.

Love and God Bless,
Cindy Irwin