Trusting the God of Psalm 139

Well as probably as most of you know, I am pregnant. Kinda crazy. Just got off birth control and 2nd month got pregnant. Not at all what I expected especially being on it for 5 years. I am not the one in control. It has been interesting and kinda excited to see how God has been showing that to me.

My pregnancy was a 5 year anniversary gift. Kinda cool it happen that way. : ) I confirmed it at a women's clinic here in town and set up an appointment on the 5th of December. That was 3 weeks away but Cyrus and I have not heard anything good from the hospital here in town so I found another place. But this appointment was on the 13th of December. I was kinda annoyed I had to wait longer. I would be 9 weeks at that time. So for 4 weeks, I worked myself, waiting, anticipating this appointment. I was expecting to see my baby and see its heartbeat since everyone else says they had an ultrasound their first appointment. I was expecting the midwife to be excited and engaged. I put my ALL into this for 4 weeks. Life was put on hold, just waiting for this appointment.

Well the big day came and I did not get around for Cyrus to sign some papers for some tests. So that morning I asked him to sign them and he said he did not know any of these tests and needed to look at them. Yeah I know not smart waiting at the last minute. So all morning long I thought about the tests and how maybe I should take them especially the unnecessary ones like seeing if I have HIV. It was a wreck getting to my appointment.

On my way to the appointment, I got a call from the midiwfe asking if I was on my way because her other apppointment just left and she thought we would start earlier. I was on my way. So when I got there and I gave all my paperwork and info to the secretary and sat down. I got called in and took my weight and height. Then I talked to the midwife as she looked over my paperwork, inputing it in the computer. The computer was attached to her hip. She just asked me questions based off of what she saw and told me a little about the tests. We then went into the exam room where she warned me over and over that she did not know how to use the older ultrasound machines and not sure what will happen. So I lay down and she checks and prods and probs and cannot find anything at all. She then quits and lets me change. I did not know how to feel. I wanted to cry but did not want to there in the exam room. She comes back and tells me things I already knew and asked if I had any questions. She also said that I could set up another appointment somewhere better to have an ultrasound done. I said yes of course and had one set up with the secretary for the following Monday at 845 in the morning. I was then sent on my way to get my bloodwork done at a different place.

I went to go see Cyrus and told him. He was sad for me. I was feeling somewhat at peace knowing I had another appointment and Cyrus could be there too. That is why it happen, right? I then called my mom but I really was not at peace at all. I was grumpy and felt annoyed with the midwife. Yes it was not her fault but it was still very disappointing.

So that weekend was horrible. I felt disconnected and just sooooo sad. Very sad. Did not sleep very well. I did not want to be angry at the midwife at the hospital but I was not happy. All I could do was just draw near to God but even that was hard. But He still remain faithful and drew near to me. By Sunday, God's real peace started to cover me. I looked at the prices of ultrasounds and knew that I was not going to have the ultrasound done on Monday. But I was ok with that. God made it ok for me. I went to my appointment on Monday, hoping they would have compassion on me but knowing it was not going to happen that way. I was correct. 1700 dollars is not worth it even if the midwife did not know how to use the machine. But I was at peace : )

All during the next week, God made me see that I was putting my trust into a machine instead of Him, the God of Psalm 139. Boy did it make a difference. I was more excited about Christmas and my Christmas present ideas for Cyrus and the actual meaning of Christmas. Last Friday, we decided to just tell everyone on Facebook even though I was only 10 weeks at the time. Yeah, I know I have no idea how the baby is or if the heartbeat is fine. I am just pregnant! I do know that much : ) While everyone else waits for the ultrasound or to hear the heartbeat and being at 12 weeks, I chose not to wait. God is in control. I mean what is even more funny was that my mom told Grandma who has dementia thinking she would forget but instead she called everyone she knew. So besides a few close friends, alot of people already knew. So it has been pointless. But God has been faithful. He is the God who knows my sitting down and my rising up. He knows my thoughts afar off. Even when I am down or hormonally off balanced, He is there. He knows all my days and all the days of my little one. My life and the life of my little one is in His hands.

One more thing before I close, something God has been placing on my heart. He is the ultimate ultrasound. If He wants me to know something, He will let me know. I mean for example, God told Abraham 3 times he was going to have a son. A year before Sarah was to have Isaac, God told her. The cool one of course is Rebekah. Her pregnancy was uncertain because of the strong movement in her womb. So she inquired onto the Lord and He answered and said she will be having twins. Then there is of course Elizabeth when the angel came to John. You are going to have a boy and name him John. The same with Mary and Joseph. You are going to have a boy and your going to name Him Jesus. God had a purpose on why He told these people that they were going to be pregnant. Abraham and Sarah, to show He was a God who kept His covenant, a faithful God. To Rebekah. Because she inquired of the Lord. John and Elizabeth because they kept the law close and their hearts were align to it. They were blessed to be the parents of the one to tell of the coming Messiah. For Mary of course because she was highly favored and had the most important role. to carry Christ. Amazing! God was glorfied in all those situations. So I am watching as He continues to be glorfied in my own life.

For those who pray for me, I still dont know if I want a midwife at home or deliever at the hospital. I again have to wait until I am 14 weeks. But this time my prayer is to trust in HIm and not hoping to hear or see something : )    

The Man in the Moon: the Reality of where we are at

Recently, I have watched Glenn Beck's presentation based off of this book he found in this professor's library called, "The Man in the Moon". There is no way to access it unless people taped it and put it on youtube. But on the Blaze channel, which Cyrus and I subscribe too, Beck wanted to bring back his presentation for one night. It is this presentation with performers, music, old school technology (kinda reminded me of Camfel with the screens), and Glenn Beck as the narrator and the moon. The presentation is very creative and was performed live at a place I am not sure where. It starts at the beginning with God creating the earth and the moon's relationship with Earth which he calls "Blue". The moon liked Blue alot and was reminded by the light (sun) that he was to reflect only it. Well than man were created who the moon called "beasts" who he did not like at first but grew to like and would watch them. They liked to be in couples and had many little beasts. They built things and always wanted more. But than it got worse where they started to do bad things and want more and more. The moon got excited and "caused the flood" : / ( I did not say this was correct) and felt bad. He was than reminded by the light that his role was only to be a reflection on the light. He could not look at Blue for the longest time for he was ashamed but when he did, he saw something. It was Noah's ark. It goes on to the Tower of Babel where the beasts now instead of more they wanted bigger. Then that got destoryed too. The beasts were not looking towards the moon (because liked I said he relfects the sun which means being able to do good : / ). But then they started to look again and paintings and science came about. That all brought about the piligrims going to America where the presentation showed them going to church and because they held onto the right ideas, you than see the British ships leaving. But of course that does not last long either because the Civil War breaks out. It shows slaves and also soliders fighting the Civil War. But than someone who has it right again (Abraham Lincoln) changes it for us. Then it goes on and introduce our era of innovation where the light blub was made which is based off of the idea of who we are as Americans. We, as a nation, were made to be free to do anything, to explore, to make, to make better for ourselves. That is our country. But of course that does not last long either because of World War 2 happens and the presentation and the book ends with the moon getting excited again because of the Atomic Bomb. Glenn Beck continues on telling the audience that if he could continue on writing this book he would have the moon fall into a deep slumber. The moon would wake up when all of a sudden he felt one jumping and dancing on his face. It was when we landed on the moon where JFK's speech was shown to make the point that America always is growing and abounding. The presentation ended with the moon telling us that throughout the many many years he has seen man rise up and fall back down. It is the point that when man fails it is because they are not "looking up to the light" or not seeing the potential they have to be better. He ends with the idea of we are the author of our story and what are we going to do. http://www.glennbeck.com/onenightonly/

When I walked into this, I knew it was going to be Glenn Beck's message that I would always disagree with but it left me with 3 thoughts.
1) It makes me so sad to see so many people deceived by his false message and how there needs to be more people having the same drive and passion but motivated by God and His word. It makes me sad for Glenn Beck's soul's eternity. Please pray with me as I think about sharing Jesus with him.

2) We are not the author of our own lives. It directed me straight to Psalm 139:16
  "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them."
God is the Author of our lives! We were created for our Creator's glory and when we fall away from that thought, that is when things go bad. Instead of writing our own story, we need to go to our Author of our lives and allow Him to direct us. That is the reason why the moon saw everything continously go wrong. If I had to rewrite that story, mention the Fall, Israel's relationship with God and leading to God's ultimate plan, Jesus coming and dying on the cross. Then mention God's role in the founding of our country and then mention FDR and 1962 Emerson vs Vitale. Our cry to God should be the last 2 verses in Psalm 139
^"23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
²⁴ And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."

3) This morning I was really thinking about the reality of our country and how it is all really happening. I keep on hearing about people loosing their healthcare and how much it is going to cost. Even CNN is angry about Obamacare! I want to be prepared! I want to be use by God!

I was reading Psalm 90 and 91. Chapter 90 was about how we are frail as humans compare to the power, sovernighty, and holiness of God.
3 You turn man to destruction,
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
⁴ For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.
⁵ You carry them away like a flood;
They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
⁶ In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
In the evening it is cut down and withers.
Nothing gets past God not even our sin. As we continue to labor through life, it is God who gives us gladness and works through us.
¹⁵ Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,
The years in which we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
¹⁷ And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.

It humbled me but even better I read on to Chapter 91. It was EXACTLY what God was pressing on my heart.

Obamacare is scary- it robs us of the freedom our country was founded on BUT v2, "I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Our government has abused their powers and have become what John Adams predicted what would happen when it comes to men's evilness BUT v 3-11, "Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways."
 

I believe using my writing is what God wants me to do but how I dont. I want to be prepared for the worst SOOOOOO v 14-16, " 'Because he (I) has set his (my) love upon Me (God), therefore I (God)will deliver him (me);
I (God) will set him (me) on high, because he (I) has known My (God's) name.
¹⁵ He (I) shall call upon Me (God), and I (God) will answer him (me);
I (God) will be with him (me) in trouble;
I (God) will deliver him (me) and honor him (me).
¹⁶ With long life I (God) will satisfy him (me),
And show him (me) My (God's) salvation.' "

THANK YOU LORD!

Our American Heritage- week 4

This is my last week of lesson plans for teaching young kids about our American Heritage. I really challenge you to truly pray if this is something God wants you to do. I myself have been (honestly should be praying more about it) thinking about doing it in Sunday School at my church. But if we want to be more serious about what is going on in our nation spiritually, this got to be something you should check out. BUT PRAY FIRST.

Scenario 4- read and discuss by showing how God’s word can be use to help them that situation- allow 5 to 10 minutes

Your older brother or sister shows you something on youtube that you know that your mom and dad would not approve of. What do you do? What do you think God would want you to do? 

1 John 2:15-17, Eph 6:1-3, Phil 4:8 or if you found any verses yourself

Also, if you have other scenarios besides mine, USE THEM. These are only what I came up with : )

Bill of Rights- challenge them to say all 10- maybe give a prize who can say them all or the most- 5 min

          Lesson: What can I do?

The goal for this lesson: finish the story of Peter and John and how God’s word can help them make their schools and our world a better place.

                   Verse: Acts 4:4-31 and 2 Tim 3:14-17

The Lesson (remember this is only a brief outline for you to add or take away and allow God to lead you)

Review last week’s lesson and continue on to see how Peter and John responded to their situation.

Read Acts 4:4-31 and see what God shows you as a teacher based off of what you want to share with the kids for this lesson.

My thoughts: The next morning, Peter and John gets out of jail and go before the teachers of the temple. One bad thing happened and 3 good things happened. The bad thing was that the elders, rulers and scribes told Peter and John that they no longer could speak the name of Jesus anymore. Now the 3 good things to happen were:

1)  The 1^st verse of the lesson said that “many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand ”(Acts 4:4). YAY!!!

2)  The temple teachers heard the Gospel. YAY!!!!

3)  And the best part yet is that Peter and John went back to their companions and seek council, encouragement, and to pray.

More on #3. When they went back, they acknowledged who God is, quoted scripture, acknowledged God was in control, and prayed to God. They acknowledge God as creator of heaven, the earth, and the sea and was in it all. The scripture they quote was Psalm 2:1-2 that stated “‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

What’s cool about this scripture was that David said this in the past, which was a prophecy of what was going on for them right now. They took it even one step further and stated that God ordained for the Jews, Pilate, and Herod to kill Jesus. And to end this time of encouragement and seeking council, they ended with prayer for God to see these threats and to grant them boldness. AMEN!

This is what is happening today. People are telling us we cannot talk about God in public or pray in public or have God’s word in school. They are raging against the Lord Jesus Christ, being lovers of themselves, and deceiving people to not follow Christ.  Peter and John could have felt rejected and hurt and stopped talking about Jesus. But because they know God by what He has showed to them by His words and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, they prayed for boldness. Paul also gave Timothy instructions on how to deal with those types of people.

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and see what God shows you as a teacher based off of what you want to share with the kids for this lesson.

My thoughts: The Bible is our solution. Paul tells Timothy to continue on learning what he has been taught, and from his childhood, to remember the scriptures he was taught. Just because you are a kid does not mean that God’s word cannot change your life too (1 Timothy 4:12). God’s word, just like Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” Doctrine= God’s rules, reproof= to rebuke, correction= to remove errors, instruction in righteousness= to teach one good things. We can use God’s word for everyday use and especially in order to stand up for God. His word is living and powerful and pierces our souls and minds (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is the key to make you do anything. You can be the one, through God’s power in you, who makes a difference. We need to approach God and ask for boldness. Yes, it is scary to stand up for what you believe in when everyone is not, but it only takes one person to read God’s word and trust in. How do you not know that there are others who want to do the same thing but are afraid? You can start something in your schools to make a difference; but it only comes from God and His word.

Close with a personal challenge from you and a Gospel invitation.    

Our American Heritage- week 3

I am back for the 3^rd week of my lesson plan. This part changes a little and focuses on scripture and what God says for us to do in times like these. Please continue to pray if this is something God has laid on your heart to do this. The bold things are my thoughts but be free to do what you want. 

Scenario 3- read and discuss by showing how God’s word can be use to help them that situation- allow 5 to 10 minutes

Your teacher tells the class that God is not real. Your friend and you talk about it later at lunch and ask you what you thought. What do you say? What do you think God would want you to say?

Eph 6:10-11, 13; 2 Tim 3:13-14 or if you found any verses yourself

Bill of Rights- ask if anyone can say the ones they have learned- help them if they need help- add the last 3- 5 min

Lesson: Why does it seem everybody at School hates Jesus?

The goal for this lesson: to share the story of Peter and John and show them the results of not having God’s word in our schools and their own lives

          Verse: Acts 3-4:3 and 2 Tim 3:1-5, 13

The Lesson (remember this is only a brief outline for you to add or take away and allow God to lead you)

To start out the lesson remind the kids of last week of how the government overstepped its boundaries and twisted the phrase “separation of church and state” and how there is no more practicing religious activities in public places such as in their schools.

Ask about their schools. These are some questions you can ask but you can come up with your own too. Do they see their peers being disrespectful towards their teacher? Do you see more friends cursing or engaging in inappropriate conversations? Have they themselves engaged in an inappropriate conversation? Or like today’s scenario, are their teachers teaching things that are against God’s Word? Allow the kids to talk about it. If teachers can’t teach from God’s word or pray in school this is the result of it. Remember Benjamin Rush? He said, “If you take religion out of education, education becomes a negative force.” 

God is no longer on our minds. Have they ever been made fun of because of God? Have they ever seen anyone else being made fun of? Tell them that this is not old news because Peter and John went through the something similar.

Read Acts 3:1-4:3 and see what God shows you as a teacher based off of what you shared with the kids for this lesson.

My thoughts: You can divide up the scripture in sections and discuss each part. Peter and John were doing what Jesus called and prepared them to do. There was this lame guy who was asking for silver or gold, but Peter and John healed him. They walk into Solomon’s porch and all the people were in shock and awe of the once lame man, which they saw and come to know, was now walking. Peter asks why do you marvel and goes on telling them that the same God that their forefathers worshipped, who became man and whom they killed and then rose again gave them the power to heal this man. He then said that when Jesus died, He fulfilled what the prophets had said. All they needed to do was repent and be converted. Then the priests, the captain of the temple and the Sadducees became greatly distressed because they were preaching in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. Peter and John were then put into jail.   

Peter and John were put in jail because they preached what teachers of the church did not like what they were hearing. Imagine that! A place of worship even had people who disagreed with what Peter and John was saying! This is also found elsewhere in the Bible where Paul was warning Timothy of teachers who were deceiving people and were only lovers of themselves.

Read 2 Tim 3:1-5, 13 and see what God shows you as a teacher based off of what you shared with the kids for this lesson.

My thoughts: What Paul wrote to Timothy in these verses goes on today. Some kids at school might be lovers of themselves, prideful, disobedient to their parents, unthankful, unloving, give out false information about somebody else or anything else that clearly disobeys God’s word. How about you? For you that accepted Jesus as your Savior, do you choose to live life for yourself and not obey God’s word? Do you realize that all people including your pastor, your mom and dad and even you can be like the people Paul describes in 2 Timothy 3? Paul, Peter, and John was also just like those people in 2 Timothy 3 but the only thing that made them be obedient to their calling was their relationship with Jesus Christ. Maybe you need to cry out to God and ask him to be like Peter and John and stand up for Jesus. Or maybe you need to ask adult to come alongside you and ask God. Your school needs to know about Jesus and we need to be the ones to tell them. For those who have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, maybe today is the day for you to ask Jesus in your life, and as Peter said acknowledge you are a sinner and ask Jesus to come in your life? He died on the cross for your sins and rose again the third day in order to have a relationship with you. Approach one of your teachers/leaders/director/pastor and ask them about Jesus. They will show you in God’s word how to become a Christian

IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO END THIS LESSON WITH A GOSPEL MESSAGE.