Tag Archives: Will

His Will Will, Do Do

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Moments with My Father ~

 

Well, it is our Father’s will that we adventure through this new day with Him.  It is an amazing gift to have life and with it are many opportunities to put into practice our faith in the One who loves us unconditionally and has our best interest at heart.  Faith is defined as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  There are many in the Bible who lived amazing lives all because they had faith in the promises of God. They looked ahead to what was to come and believed their Father would be faithful to take care of them – to work good through the circumstances they were in.  Faith made the difference to turn weakness to strength, fear to bravery, sadness to joy, unrighteousness to righteousness,  hopelessness to hopefulness, giving up to perseverance, discouragement to encouragement, man’s will to God’s will done. Faith was the difference that enabled them to do what they would have been otherwise unable to do.  You could say they were able to “do the do” of His will.  These people had faith that the promises of God would come to pass.   Elizabeth was a woman who understood this.  She told Mary “Blessed (happy) is she who believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”  In other words, His “will will!”  Of Jesus, it is said “Whoever believes in Him, shall not perish.” He preserves the faithful!  In Him, we are born into a living hope through His resurrection into an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade.  What this is saying is what is promised will be!  How cool is that!  When we have trials in life, though, it is often hard to see hope and understand how things will work out for good, but our Father says not to lean on our own understanding.  Unbelief is something we can ask our Father to help us with.  He honored that honesty in a man who had a demon-possessed son and also with doubting Thomas who had to see Jesus for himself. Jesus also said “Blessed are those who believe and do not see.”  Faith is being certain of what is not seen -  it is believing upon a seen promise of God.  Our Father says that in trials, our faith which is more precious than gold will be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus is revealed. There is a day coming when Jesus will be revealed.  All things will be eventually laid bare – we will know fully. This is a promise we can cling to!  Of God, it is said He is faithful to the faithful and that with God, all things are possible.  He raised Jesus from the dead and He has given us life!  These are things that seem impossible and beyond my ability to understand and they help me have faith that He can do what seems impossible in my life.  It helps me keep going, to “do the do” of His will, knowing His “will will” be accomplished and His promise is that it’s all gonna be good.  These thoughts have this cowgirl stepping out in faith today.  Oh, my Father – He is so good!

 

Hebrews 11; Lk 1:45; Jn 3:16, 20:24-31; Ps 18:25, 52:8, 145:13; Mk 9:14-32; 1 Co 13:12; Ro 8:28-29

Opportunity Knocking

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Moments with My Father

 

YES!  It’s a new day and it is the first day of the rest of our lives!  Hmmm.  Whatever shall I do with it?  I hear my Father telling me to make the most of its opportunity, living wisely with understanding of what the Lord’s will is and not giving any opportunity for success to the enemy, the devil.  I’m pondering these simple Truths this day and seeking to put the best into play.  It’s going to be an adventure and I’m excited about all the possibilities this day holds.  Whoohoo!  I hope you have a great one wherever you are!

 

Eph 5:16-17, Eph 6:11; 1 Ti 5:14; Ja 4:7

Linked Hearts

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Moments with My Father

 

Good morning, family! I am so thankful for you, my brothers and sisters in Christ and for the gift that we have to be able to share or link our hearts together with each other, to be real with each other – not pretending to have it all together and not being all clammed up to ourselves in fear of being discovered for being what we are not compared to what we think we should be or being afraid to open up and let God use us to help others. Our Father sets the example for us, in that He didn’t keep Himself to Himself, but chose to share His heart with us and He desires to have a relationship with us.  He knows our hearts and He desires that we know His heart and that is why we have His written Word – it is His love letter to us written from His heart! It is said that David had a heart after God’s own heart.   He wouldn’t have know what God’s heart was if God hadn’t revealed it to him through His Word.   Speaking of His Word, in it,  He tells us He desires that we care not only about His heart, but also that we have hearts that care for one another.  Here are some reasons why having linked hearts with one another is a wonderful thing: 1)When we have a close relationship in our lives with someone who shares with us their struggles and also what God is doing in their life, their stories of faith, how He is working in them to will and act according to His good purpose and how they are loving people for our Father, it encourages us in our own walk to step out or keep going for Him. Paul understood this. He was very appreciative that the Philippians understood his situation and because they did, they gave support to him.  He told the Philippians “It was good for you to share in my troubles” and he told the Colossians that he and Timothy thanked God when they prayed for them.  The reason they thanked God for them is because they had heard of the faith of the Colossians and of the love they had for all the saints – this faith and love that came from their hope stored up in Heaven for them that they had heard about in the Word of Truth.  The fact that they had faith and had love for the saints greatly encouraged Paul and Timothy to the point they gave thanks to the Father.  2)When others share with us that they have struggles as we do as well, it is an encouragement to know we are not alone in having struggles and challenges in life. While we don’t desire for other people to struggle, to hear we are not alone in this fight squelches the devil, the father of lies, who likes to tell us that we are abnormal, while others seem to be all with it. He also likes to tell us God is forsaking us and that is why we have troubles.  We need to not listen to him because he’s a liar, liar –  his pants are on fire – if not yet, someday soon!  3)Sometimes in sharing our struggles in life with each other, we can obtain new insight in how to deal with the issues we are facing.  I always love it when I am struggling along in life and some one loves me enough to share the honest truth with me.  Not to do that is for them to withhold love from me.  Ouch!  That so hurts me to think that they don’t care enough or they worry about themselves too much to tell me what I need to grow and be helped to have victory in life.  4)It is also wonderful to be able to share our excitement about the victories in life with others! To hear about the victories of others gives us hope in seeing that God is working and is faithful in caring for us.  5)When we share our hearts with each other, it helps us identify with each other more and better understand how to love and encourage one another.  We learn what discourages others and what blesses others when they tell us about themselves and as they share their hearts, we can then know “I think this would bless my friend!”         6)When we share with each other how God is working in us to strengthen us, grow us and work through us to help others know Him, it encourages us to keep going as vessels through whom our Father can and does work for His Kingdom.  It is encouraging to know He works through normal, ordinary, human just like me types.  We have read that our Father’s Word tells us to encourage one another as long as it is day (this present age before His return to earth).  To encourage someone can sometimes be listening to someone share their heart, sharing God’s Word (His heart) with them, praying our heart to our Father’s heart for them or sharing our heart with them.  If we as two people seek our Father’s heart in our midst and share our hearts with each other and then we share our hearts and a listening heart to others next to us, pretty soon we have a big long link of hearts all united together in Him.  Now how cool is that!  As a kid, did you ever fold up paper and cut out a heart shape in such a way that when you were done, you could open it up and have a whole long string of hearts linked together.  Spiritually, this is what I visualize with all of us as brothers and sisters united in Him and being connected with each other in heart.  Our Father is telling me that in doing so, it is important to be led by His Holy Spirit.  His discretion in it all is a good thing. Having each other linked together in heart is a gift.  It is a very special closeness between us as His kids.  Our Father’s heart added to the center of us makes it priceless.  I so cherish that in life.  Whoohoo – this excites me enough to skip to Kalamazoo!  Where’s is that?  Forget that and just know I’m so glad we are connected!  Love to ya’s ~

Php 1:3-7, 2:13, 4:14; Col 1:1-5; Heb 3:13, 13:5; Pr 2:11, Ro 8:28-29, 15:5-6; 1 Pe 1:22, 4:12-13; 1 Co 10:13; Jn 8:44-45;   1 Sa 13:14; 1 Ki 8:39; Jer 15:16; Rev 20:10

ALL for Him by Sheila and Dad

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It’s Friday with our Father everyone! Whoohoo! What a treat to go through this day with Him! As we join Him in His Word today, we see Him in the temple sitting opposite the place where the offerings were put and He watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts, but a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty, put in everything – all that she had to live on.” Wow! Can you imagine being in church and Dad watching to see what you put into the plate knowing what He has given to you? Yikes!!! I’d want Him to be proud of me for what I give. As I think about this story and giving my ALL to Him, the thought that comes to me is that more than ALL of my finances as a sacrifice, Dad more than ALL desires my whole heart devotion to Him. He says to love Him with ALL my soul, heart, mind and strength. I think the widow in this story modeled that and also what Paul said “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost ALL things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law (sacrifices), but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” God’s Word gives us guidelines for giving, but Dad says He loves a cheerful giver and does not want us to give out of compulsion. If you have to beg someone for them to give you a gift, it isn’t really meaningful is it? If we love God with ALL our heart, His love for us and our love for Him compels us to give. Our Father has wisdom and can guide us each individually in giving as there are many reasons He provides for us, including providing for our families. To return to Him a portion of what he gives us is honoring to Him as the source or giver of ALL that we have. When we are seeking oneness with Him, He will give us the desires (motivations) of our heart. He will move us to will and act according to His good purpose. How He moves one heart may be different from another. In light of ALL of this, I ask you as I ask myself “Are ya ALL in for Jesus?” Trust in Him to guide you and if He so moves you, put your two coins in or leave your two coins out, or put yer five coins in and pass the plate around, do the giving Hokey Pokey as He moves your heart about – loving Dad’s what it’s ALL about! Dad bless y’ALL!
Mk 12:30, 41-44; Php 3:7-9; 2 Co 5:14-15, 9:6-15; 1 Ti 5:8; Php 2:13; Lev 27:30; Ro 12:1-2

Asking Dad by Sheila and Dad

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Good Thursday morning! Today, I’m seeking to trust in all our Father intends for us! Yahoo! I know Dad has the best plan ever for each of us and I’m excited to see how it all plays out. It’s gonna be exciting. Yep, it’s another adventure. Here we go moving along in this gift called life! That is exactly what the disciples and Jesus are doing as we peek inside of Mark’s storybook today. It says as they went along about life, they came across that fig tree again that we studied yesterday. Peter remembered it well and he pointed it out saying “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered from the roots.” Do you ever keep a prayer journal to go back and look at what you have prayed and how our Dad answered your prayers? It’s good to remember His faithfulness! Peter’s expression here is interesting. It is on one hand an attitude that is very excited in seeing the answer to Jesus’ prayer or heart desire towards the fig tree and on the other hand it is expressing an attitude of shock or surprise that Jesus’ prayer was actually answered as He had prayed it. What happened here is that Jesus’ will was spoken and the Father answered it in accordance to His will. Jesus tells the disciples they needed to pray in the same way. He said “Have faith in God. I tell you Truth. If anyone says to this mountain be cast into the sea and does not doubt, it will be done for you. Faith accepts it as good as done! Have you ever prayed a prayer and then said “thanks, God because I know you will be faithful with this request?” Jesus told His disciples that “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.” In John 14:12-13, Jesus told them “anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” To have faith is to believe without doubt that all things are possible with God and each day holds the possibility of a miracle. In fact, each moment of every day IS a miracle. This passage of God’s Word is one of those that must be taken in context with all the rest of God’s Word – the Bible needs to be looked at as a whole. As we do so, we find that while all things are possible for God, prayer in accordance to our Father’s will is important. If a father tells his child “For your best interest, I do not want you to eat three giant candy bars right before bedtime,” it seems it would be out of line for the child to then ask his father as he is being tucked into bed for three candy bars. He can believe with all of his heart that the father will give him the candy, but it would be going against the father’s character, his spoken word or will for him to do so. The father would not want to honor his child’s request knowing it would be harmful or not in the best interest to his child’s well being in the long run. It would also be out of line for the father to give in to the child’s foolish request and to do so would not be an act of love. The same is true with our Daddy in Heaven. Our Dad IS love and is all about blessing us, but it is in the context of Jesus’ name. Jesus taught us to pray “hallowed be Thy name” when talking to our Father. To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray in accordance with all Jesus was and is. It is to pray in accordance with carrying forward the work Jesus intends. We see this even in Jesus’ life when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that “if it be possible, that the hour might pass from Him.” He said to His Father “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” At first glance, it can look like all the work Jesus had been so geared up to accomplish on the cross for our sins was now being thrown under the bus so to speak with regards to His heart’s desire. But in reality, it was a prayer for unity in accordance with His Father’s will. He was actually praying the time would move forward (the hour would pass) and that the work on the cross would be completed. His prayer for the cup to be removed was the cup of death that He would experience. He was praying here to be raised up again from the cup of death and three days after His death, He rose again. Praise Dad!!! The Father honored both of Jesus’ requests because He prayed in accordance with the Father’s will. If He had prayed contrary in asking that the cross not happen, it would’ve been a whole different story and one contrary to the character of God. It would’ve been a sad day for us all!!! Jesus ends His teaching in this passage by saying “when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him (her) so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” This speaks to me again the importance of taking a stand in line with our Father’s will when we pray by having an attitude of forgiveness towards others including ourselves. If our Father forgives us, we need to forgive others. Also, do we forgive ourselves? This is important because it is to stand in agreement with the Father that we are forgiven for our sins. It is not good for us to hang on to our failures. We need to learn from them, but release them as cleansed from us and forgiven by our Father so that our Father has an attitude of forgiveness towards us when we pray. Oh, our Dad is so sweet to want to bless us. I’m thinking it is important that we study His Word so that we know His will – His good, pleasing and perfect will. This will help us to pray in accordance to His Kingdom come and that’s what this cowgirl desires as I know it is His best for me! It is also such a comfort to me that even when we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit within us takes where we lack and intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. As a result, when we pray or ask about anything with an attitude of desiring our Father’s will, we can believe without a doubt that we will receive His will that holds back nothing as being impossible. That thought for me moves a huge mountain of anxiety into the sea of peace for my life that only my Daddy can bring about. I’m thinking I’ll pray my way through this day and trust my Daddy for the results, how about you? Peace to ya’s!
Mk 11:20-25, 14:35-36; 1 Sa 1:26; Eph 4:32; Ro 8:22-39, 12:2; 1 Jn 5:14-15, Jn 14:12-14, 27, 15:7, 16:23-24; Mt 6:9-10, 18:20

The King’s Jewelry

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>I’m joining you this morning back on the other side of the lake with Jesus and His disciples. If they were rowing back and forth across the lake, I bet they had good arm muscles! Upon arrival to shore this time, Jesus was greeted by a crowd of people. One of them was a ruler from the synagogue who sought Him to heal his little girl who was dying. As Jesus headed there, a crowd pressed in on Him and a woman who had exhausted her finances and efforts of being healed by doctors touched the cloak of Jesus thinking to herself “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” It amazes me that Jesus knew what she was thinking and what she had done and asked “Who touched me?” His disciples thought it outrageous that He would ask such a question in the crowd situation they were in. It took great courage for the woman to speak up, as according to society she was considered “unclean” in her condition. But falling to her knees and trembling with fear, she told Him the whole truth. Jesus extended her grace as a result of her faith, calling her His daughter (His family). He told her to go in peace and that she was free from her suffering. While He was still speaking, some men came and told him the little girl who was ill was now dead so not to bother going to her. Ignoring what they told him, Jesus told the girl’s father “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James and John, the brother of James. Upon arrival at the house, many were inside crying and wailing loudly. He said to them “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead, but asleep.” But they laughed at Him. After putting them all out, He took the child’s parents and the disciples who were with Him and went to the child. He took her hand and said “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” She got up to the complete astonishment of those watching. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this and he told them to give her something to eat. In all of this, Jesus “sparkled” with great discernment that was beyond the understanding of those around Him. Jesus had His Father’s insight and knew what to share, what not to share, with whom to share and the right timing to share. Jesus knew His Father and His plan. He was not swayed from it by others’ thoughts. His heart was to love and bless the people around Him and do the will of the Father. I so want to be like Jesus! Dad’s Word says discernment comes by seeking His knowledge and if we lack wisdom to ask Him for it. He says to preserve knowledge and sound judgment and not to let them out of sight. They will be life to us, an ornament to grace our necks. Then we can go on our way in safety and our feet will not stumble. The Lord will be our confidence and keep our feet from being snared. Ok Dad, please make me smart and help me model your kind of jewelry – that neck ornament sounds way cool and so does not tripping. :-) Mk 5:21-43; Pr 3:21-23; Col 1:9; Ja 1:5; Ro 12:2

Faith & Family Night at Albuquerque

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>Faith & Family Night at Albuquerque

Hello Family~

Remember when Jesus taught us to pray? He first of all gave us permission to speak to God as Father, then He taught us to pray His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I’m sure I don’t understand the fullness of what all that means and I’m sure we won’t see the fulfillment of it ’til the return of Christ. But, until that occurs, His sons and daughters should live out His will and do it in His Kingdom order while we are here. We as a ministry believe that this is not just a prayer but a mandate on the lives of His people. As I have just returned from Albuquerque, I have it on my heart to share what has happened in that context.

We’ve been taught by the world system how to measure results and evaluate how we are doing. In many ways those evaluations may not line up at all with what our Father values. This last week, Albuquerque provided us a great opportunity to be about the Father’s Kingdom and in many ways we were able to see the results of our efforts. But I think about the standard of Jesus. remember when Jesus was informed that John the Baptist was in jail in Luke 7:18-23? Jesus said “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” Jesus was setting a precedence for what it looked like to do the Father’s will and show the Kingdom here on earth.

Last Thursday, I was in a meeting room filled with people who had given their time and energy to come and serve as counselors for our Faith and Family Night on Friday. I tried to give them the details of how I would utilize them in the closing of our event and how they could most effectively use the materials provided by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Although the instructions I gave were important, all I could think of was how pleased our Father must be at that very moment. Before one song was sung or one word preached, I felt His pleasure because people from different parts of the Country, who didn’t know each other, who were part of different churches, all came together to try to do what Jesus did. With my own sons, I have found this to be true – the greatest joy I receive is when I see them put their selfish desires aside and work together to try and accomplish something for me. With this Albuquerque event, there were nearly 200 volunteers who presented themselves to our Father as co-laborers. On Friday night in Albuquerque at the Ty Murray Invitational – Built Ford Tough event, the gospel of the Kingdom was “preached to the poor.” For those of you who bought seats for others to fill, we want you to know that we had 100% redemption and all 1,000 tickets allotted were used.

The two youngest Pierce boys and I spent four days getting home from the event as we camped our way through Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. We rock climbed, discovered fossils, chased jack rabbits, caught lizards and ate doughnuts. We arrived home today (Thursday) and I will leave Saturday for Kansas City, MO for ministry at the PBR event being held there.

Soon we will have a video processed for each of you to see what happened at the Faith and Family Night in Albuquerque. Until then, I just want to give you my thanks for believing in us and for helping us accomplish these great events.

All of our love -

The Pierces and the
Riding High Ministries’ Team