People

I was sitting watching people, do you ever do that? I realised and always have known that evry persons life is a book a complete story from the time they are born till the day they die.

Every story has so much to tell....pain, sorrow, laughter. Every story has 24 hours of every day to earse the past and begin a new story...God allows us that grace..the grace of erasing our sins by confessing them, and receiving the forgiveness purchased for us on the cross.

What a price He payed, the Son of the Living God, what a gift He gave us, the gift of eternal life.

Of course we are all going to live for ever, either in hell or heaven, I guess the choice is ours.

What will your choice be this week? What lines will you write in the pages of your book. What will the annals of your life speak about?

Let us choose life today, eternal life with Him....He who died for us, rose again on the third day, He is calling you if you have never known Him, if you have but have not walked where you should for a while, go back, repent, receive His forgivness, plug yourself into a good bible based church, and serve Him, serve Him with joy.

Do not look to the left or right, do not focus on the mistakes and challenges others have, serve Him, love His people and as the old old song says....let Him put His Joy in your heart.

Have a fabulous week

Always in friendship
Sharmaine

Angie’s Marriage Column ~ April 23, 2008

Question: Hi Angie - my question is about joy. My husband and I are 9 months into our "recovery" from his affair. We use scripture daily in everything to heal from this. I couldn't ask for a better situation of after it was revealed (he's repented, committed & working every minute on us). I've chosen to forgive yet struggle with unforgiveness still too often and struggle with feelings of love for my husband. Other feelings are progressing slowly but I worry over whether I will "feel" love for my husband ever again where the strings are no longer attached to the past and am trying to understand what joy means to a Christian in the midst of suffering. How does joy & happiness differ, if at all? I know choosing to love is what Christ wants me to do, not rely or wait on the feelings - but I wonder if God loves marriage, would feelings of love be absent if we're obedient in walking with Him? Thank you for your ministry.

Guidance: First of all I would like to say what a wonderful Christ-like example you are showing of forgiveness for other couples who are struggling with the issue of forgiveness in their own marriage. Your willingness to heal yourselves and restore the marriage shows commitment and principled acts of love – both, which are biblical.

The forgiveness you are having a hard time dealing with comes from self. You have chosen to forgive because you know it is the “right thing” to do, but you can’t. That’s typical for imperfect folks as us. We all struggle with forgiveness from time to time. The good news is…”your willingness” to forgive and that is what’s important. Many people are not “willing” to forgive and they remain bitter, lonely, and sad in unforgiveness.

Here’s why you are still struggling with forgiveness. You are still holding onto hurt feelings from the affair your husband had and you’re not ready to give up those feelings yet. The minute we forgive it means we cannot use those hurt feelings anymore to justify ourselves or to verbally abuse others with. But for true forgiveness to happen it takes complete faith and trust in God.

Here is how it works. You give the hurt to God and He will help you forgive. Why do we hold onto the pain and hurt? Because we can use our negative feelings to wield as a weapon against the person who hurt us anytime we want. It is our defense mechanism. So you see, it is a vicious cycle! We must hand it over to God once and for all and let Him deal with it. He said He would. He wants our burdens and then He’ll take care of us.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:29)

As Christ followers we must allow the Spirit of Christ to go to work in our life. It is a big part of our Christian walk. We absolutely need to have faith to give our sufferings to the Lord. And then He will bless us with abundance. Part of that abundance is “joy”!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…(Galatians 5:22)

Scripture tells us that we are to trust in God for our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) Our daily bread comes from the fruit of the Spirit. It is where we receive joy, happiness, hope, love, faith, and forgiveness. He is our Source for comfort and security in a demanding world. This is where many Christians go wrong – they find comfort and security through other sources and then they are not blessed with joy, happiness, hope, love, faith and forgiveness. What’s missing? They are not complete.

God blesses us with everything we need when we follow Him.

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)

If we dwell on what we think we have “given up” or if we dwell on how much we “give” and do not receive anything in return for our efforts, we will only find more unhappiness and pain. The reason is we are not doing these things out of love but out of negative feelings controlling us. Where is the fruit of the Spirit? The fruits are not apparent because we are living our life to satisfy our own desires – essentially we are still in the “want mode” of thinking, And we have not allowed ourselves to have faith enough to “give up” whatever it is that is holding us back from allowing the Spirit of Christ to go to work in our life.

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:24-26)

True joy to a Christian while in the midst of suffering can only be attained through the power of the Holy Spirit within them. Even though they may be suffering, they feel joy in the hope of eternal life with God. And in the comfort of knowing they are doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls”. (1 Peter 1:8,9)

God loves marriage. He is the Master Designer of marriage. God does not want husbands and wives to hurt one another. Marriage is a living symbol of Jesus Christ and the Church. (Ephesians 5:23-32) Therefore, in regards to your question, “Would feelings of love be absent if you were obedient to God?” The answer is an emphatic NO! On the contrary.

When couples are obedient to the word of God in their marriage, the marriage thrives with abundance! The reason why feelings of love are absent or disappear is because couples are looking out into the world for their answers. They want that “feeling” of love to come back so much that they commit adultery, and or other lustful acts. They let their feelings tell them they are not “in love” with their spouse anymore.

But marriage designed by God is based upon “principled practice of love”. That means, once couples begin to apply “principled acts of love” the fruits of the Spirit begin to become apparent – joy, faith, love, longsuffering, forgiveness, hope, compassion, etc. God blesses couples in marriage with fruits as those above when they base their marriage upon His wisdom and understanding, and not our own.

“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:21) (This scripture, if practiced, would be a principled practice of love).

When Church Leaders are an Embarrasment

When Church Leaders Are an Embarrassment
By Rebekah Montgomery

As guest speaker, I often hear sorry tales about church leadership.
Recently, I spoke at a church where their dynamic pastor suddenly left. Church members were puzzled — until unpaid bills and credit card statements began rolling in.
A deacon at another church confided that his pastor demanded raise after raise until the church was virtually bankrupt. Then he left.

No one expects religious leaders to be flawless. No doubt: The Carpenter of Galilee has had to creatively use some rough-cut and irregular blocks to build His Church.
But an embarrassment?
Church sex abuse scandal. Prostitution. Wife abuse. Adultery. Luxurious lifestyles. Exorbitant salaries. Unpaid bills. Malfeasance of church monies.

A gifted, respected leader is exposed as deeply flawed. Then the truth comes out: For a long time, the leader has been living a lie. Others knew — or suspected — but turned a blind eye. When a blind eye is turned to sin, the Church gets a black eye. And Jesus is once again put to public ridicule.

A leader’s fall not only sets tongues wagging, it causes much “collateral damage.” I’ve felt it necessary to apologize to non-Christians and young believers who have been burned by bad behavior on the part of a Christian leader. Some are not just hurt, but turned off to the Gospel and perhaps lost for eternity.

Something Old, Nothing New
The early Church saw a similar situation and the Apostle Peter, who occasionally embarrassed himself, addressed it:

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. … For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God… (1 Peter 4:15-17 NIV)
If those in leadership don’t live faithful lives, God may have to use a donkey like He did to correct Balaam, the errant prophet — or the local secular news media — or worse to clean out the corruption.

What to Do?
1. Pray for your spiritual leaders.

Let them know you are praying. Ask if they have any needs for which you can pray. If God privileges you to see your leaders’ faults and weaknesses, it is so you can pray with knowledge.

2. Encourage your leadership to be accountable.

Accountability doesn’t mean The Inquisition: It does mean, “… if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1 NIV)

3. Encourage your church leaders to adopt systems that deter temptation.

These are common sense measures such as discouraging male pastors from counseling female parishioners, church checks requiring the treasurer’s signature, etc.

4. Do self-examination.

It is so easy to see the faults and failings of others. Comfortable, too. When we’re shining the spotlight on another’s blemishes, it leaves our warts in the dark. But God sees in the dark. And we need to daily ask Him to show us ourselves in the strongest light we can bear so we also aren’t tempted.

© Rebekah Montgomery 2008

Lets Pray!!

"From all my lame defeats and oh! much more
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalf
at which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of Thy divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.

Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.
From all my thoughts, even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle's eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die."
~ C.S. Lewis, Poems (New York: Harcourt, 1992, 131.)

Our friend Dave Goosen has shared his special insight with us once again...we love your writing and insight Dave what an awesome brother you are!

Hi Shar

As I was reading your article about eagles by Myles Munroe, I thought about this Scripture:

Isa 40:30 Even the young shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall;
Isa 40:31 but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
What is interesting about this Scripture is the word wait. Those that WAIT upon the Lord. That word wait in the Hebrew means to collect or gather together. We however understand this Scripture as waiting on the Lord, or in other words sit quietly and wait for God to speak. Now this is true, however when we understand that to wait on the Lord also means to collect together or to gather together, then we begin to bring a different understanding to our need to be in Church. The Bible clearly tells us in Hebrews 10:25 not neglect the gathering together of the saints as is the custom of some. Many people see this as a suggestion and not what it really is, an instruction. I always add Leviticus 10:7 to this discussion as it speaks more pertinently about Church attendance. Besides which, If we are Christians, then we need to follow our leader. Who is our Leader - Jesus. If you study His life, you find that He was in Church on the Sabbath as was His custom. (Luke 4:15 & 16).

Now here is where this Scripture really begins to become significant. The Bible says that when we gather together, then and only then will we begin to renew our strength. Then and only then will we find that we develop the attributes of the Eagle. Then and only then, do we experience the ability to rise above every situation and circumstance. So my encouragement to everyone is always this; If you want to be in the place where you constantly have an eagles ability, then ensure that you are always in Church. It is in that corporate anointing that you experience the power of Matthew 18:20.

Well I just thought I would share this with you

We all love the Goosen family!!!

Hugs always

Sharmaine

A FEW PEARLS OF GREAT PRICE

What fun we had at our meeting on Monday evening. How wonderful it is getting to know each other and taking the time to be "intimate". Intimate meaning ..in to me you see .....and we had the opportunity to glimpse into each others lives. How very blessed I am to be surrounded by pearls of such a great price.

Hugs always

Sharmaine

TO ALL MY FRIENDS

Dear Friends,

Tonight I am really missing you all. It was one of those special ministry days, a family we prayed for so much has returned to church and we had a few visitors, however the sweet presence of God was very much present, but after the service I realised something was missing, YOU !!!

How I miss the times we fellowshiped and laughed and shared a pot of tea...hot chocolate....breakfast...lunch....

Know I miss you and have this poem for you:-

I woke this morning and Jesus said to me
Child take care
A friend such as this is hard to find.
One who loves
with such freedom
and abandon
is rare and precious and to valuable to throw around.
My heart broke and I sighed
and wished and prayed
for time to spend with my friends like
this who are hard to find
The Lord took pity and took my hand
and said
My child
they are only as far
as the next prayer away.
My heart lifted and I started to pray with glee
Knowing my friends
My family would receive
my love in letters
dropped into their hearts
each time I took the time to
say a prayer for them.
This is from my heart to you today
I hope all my love is being received through the prayers I pray.

So know I love you all

So does Jesus

Love

Sharmaine

Eagles

Hi Everyone,

I have been wondering and thinking about eagles, so I will just share what Dr Myles Munroe has to say. As you read be blessed!

7 PRINCIPLES OF AN EAGLE
Author Dr. Myles Monroe
1. Eagles fly alone at a high altitude and not with sparrows or mix with other smaller birds. Birds of a feather flock together. No other bird goes to the height of the eagle. Eagles fly with eagles. Never in a flock. Even when Moses (Old Testament Bible) went to commune with God on the mountain, he left the crowd at the foothills. Stay away from sparrows and ravens. Eagles fly with eagles.

2. Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

3. Eagles do not eat dead things. He feeds on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals but not eagles. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Do your research well always.

4. The Eagle is the only bird that loves the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise and is pushed up higher. Once it finds the wing of the storm, the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to soar the clouds and glide. This gives the eagle an opportunity to rest its wings. In the meantime all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees. We can use the storms of our lives (obstacles, trouble, etc) to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

5. The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursing her and she picks a twig. She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases until he reaches it and has to catch it before it falls to the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude pursued by the male until she perceives it high enough, and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment, then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her! Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

6. Eagles prepare for training. When about to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach; the male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth picks thorns and lays them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns, and then flies back to pick rugs to put on the grass. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass and rugs and lays them on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.

Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air.
As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and picks them up on his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings.

They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate.
The father and mother eagle supports them with their wings.
The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes;
The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success;

The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and love on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns;
The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

7. When the Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out. We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives...

”As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:” - Deuteronomy 32:11

So today my friends, SOAR!!!

Remember God loves you, so do I.....and I am eternally grateful for your friendship.

Sharmaine