Snatched from the Fire

Zechariah 3:1-2 NIV

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

“Is not this woman a burning stick snatched from the fire?”

I burned like dry wood not leaving much smoke. No one knew where I hid for I hid my sins well from the world. But the Devil knew as he lured me to that deep, dark desolate place of agony.

Initially it seemed fun and felt glamorous. I acted like a rock star—fame, fortunes, and good times (of which none existed but in my imagination). After each episode, I felt empty, abandoned and alone. But I kept returning to it as a dog returns to vomit. I thought if I stuck it out long enough then surely something would change.

Change –it sure did. The fun and glamour dissipated while the fire ignited. I mustered all the strength I had left as I recalled a place where I once met a Savior. I called out, “Jesus, save me. I don’t know what I’ve done, but I’m burning up. I need Your help.” At that moment, this wild branch was snatched out of the fire.

The accuser stood right there next to me declaring that Lord couldn’t take me from him as I sold my soul to the devil with rock-n-roll. I signed the covenant with my own blood. Blood sisters we called each other, determined that we’d go down together. After all it would be more fun that way not knowing the danger we played with. Jesus told my accuser, “The Lord rebuke you Satan. She’s been bought with My blood. The covenant she has with Me is an everlasting one. It nullifies all others.”

1 John 1:2 NASB

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

Jesus, my Advocate, the Righteous One defended me from the accuser before the Judge, Almighty God.

Zechariah 3:3-4 NIV

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."

Now my filthy, dirty rags have been removed with my sin. I am now clothed in rich garments. This burning branch has been grafted into the Root of Christ our Lord. His life sustains mine as long as I stay attached to the vine—an abiding branch.

The deep, dark places of the enemy are real. The fire is real. The Lord is ready to rescue anyone who calls upon His name. Call Him! Jesus, our Advocate is ready to defend us before the accuser and the Judge. The blood of Jesus covers our sins and allows us to enter into the covenant God has for His people. We are then called His people!

Romans 9:25-26 NLT

Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, “Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.” And, “Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

Engrafted by His Grace--

Game Day

My youngest man child decided to play football this fall instead of soccer. Full contact football that is--you know the actually knock you down and tackle you football.

Here is a photo of him on his way to practice wearing his big brother's old game jersey for practice. (Take notice of his long hair which he did not want to cut.)


Today was the first game of the season for the youth league. I felt a bit nervous (esp. after reading Lisa's post here.) Chase is the wide receiver on the right in the burnt orange jersey and white pants going out for the pass.


Here's my boy upon completion of a game with all his parts intact. He got the wind knocked out of him once as he played corner back ready to intercept the play. One of his own team mates ran into him as they both had the same objective.


His team --the Longhorns--won 25 - 0. (BTW--do you notice his hair is much shorter? It got too hot under the helmet.)




Engrafted by His Grace--

Let Us Remember & Keep Watch

Zechariah 9:8 NIV

But I will defend my house against marauding forces. Never again will an oppressor overrun my people, for now I am keeping watch.

Today we remember the events that unfolded seven years ago, may we all commit to keep watch over our home—our country.

I pray that as Americans who have differences, which make each us unique, come together to keep watch against the schemes of the enemy. We all have a part as one nation under God.

Let’s remember those who served fearlessly this day seven years ago.

Let’s thank those who serve today without hesitation!

• Our Armed Forces and National Guard who defend our nation (home) abroad from threats
• Our Homeland Security personnel—Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Customs & Immigration who are literally on the “wall” of our land keeping watch as well as the DOJ’s FBI, DEA and other federal agents
• State, County and local police forces
• Firefighters
• Emergency Medical Teams

All these people work in defense of our country. To all of you who serve in one way or another—

THANK YOU!

For the rest of us, while those who serve protect our physical homes, let us remember that we are in a spiritual battle. We’re to keep watch and pray as believers in Christ. May we watch through prayer over our home—our country.

MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Engrafted by His Grace--

Prune the Suckers

Have you seen trees with little cute branches growing from the base of the trunk?

Those cute little shoots actually suck the life out of the tree not allowing the essential nutrients to reach the upper branches. The upper branches bear fruit. Suckers will never bear fruit. If allowed to continue to grow these suckers will eventually kill the tree. Suckers in a slow process will drain the strength and life from a tree.

For a tree to bear good fruit and much fruit, the suckers must be pruned away as soon as they sprout up. This is vital for a productive life.

Like trees, we have suckers sprout up in our lives. If not pruned out of our lives quickly, our strength and life will be sucked out of us. We won’t be able to accomplish the purpose God has for our lives as effectively.

After seventy years in captivity in Babylon, the Lord kept HIS promise and the Israelites started to return to their homeland. The first task to be accomplished was the rebuilding of the temple funded by Cyrus the king of Persia. As this task progressed, it faced some fierce opposition. The enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned of the plans to rebuild the house of God so they offered to help rebuild the temple. Yet the heads of the Israelites declined this offer. So the enemy changed their approach.

Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. ~~ Ezra 4:4-5

The enemy—the suckers—determined to frustrate the plans of the Israelites. Intentional! Does the evil one do that to us? I think so. I personally experienced frustrated plans in my life this past week. I feel the call and purpose of God on my life. As I take each step toward the call, other things pop up that distract me. This past week I’ve dealt with these irritating situations. These distractions discouraged me for a week. The Israelites were discouraged for years.

Well what do we do when the enemy frustrates the plans of God’s servants? Sometimes we justify it by saying, “Oh well, it’s not God’s timing yet. I’ll just wait on the Lord.”

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' " ~~Haggai 1:2

Sometimes that may very well be true. Some instances do require waiting on the Lord for His perfect timing. Yet there are times we’re to move on something for it is God’s time. And waiting is no excuse not to make progress.

How do I know if it is God timing to move forward or not? Very good question! Let’s seek the Lord in prayer and in His word. If we seek the Lord, He’ll let us know if we are not walking in obedience. One way we will know is that we’re not content in our daily lives.

Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. ~~Haggai 1:5-8

We just can’t be satisfied if we’re not doing what the Lord calls us to do. Our lives are zapped of strength to move forward. We must recognize the sucker branches and cut them out of our lives. After hearing the word of the Lord spoke through Haggai, the people recognized the suckers. They then feared the Lord and resumed work on the temple.

As a believer in Christ, I must resume the work I’ve been called to do. While my computer was being repaired, I got caught up in watching the media’s bias view points on politics. Sucker branch. Though this upcoming election is important, I should not allow the media’s viewpoint to rule my day. I became sucked up in many other little things as well —movies, shopping, personality conflicts in the home, etc. My plans were frustrated. What do I do? Well the Lord spoke and I must resume the work He has called me to do. He’s promised:

"I am with you," declares the LORD.” ~~ Haggai 1:13

The Lord is with me. The Lord is with you. Let’s prune off the suckers and get to work with what HE has planned for us!

Engrafted by His Grace--

I'm a Woman

Okay, I must confess—I feel like I’m just spinning.

The last week and a half shot past like a bullet. I’m wondering, about my fruit. The fruit of the spirit that is—

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23)

I’ve been emotional, but I can chalk it up to hormones. I’ve been patient until you say something then I might bite off just a finger or an ear. I decided it would not be polite to take your whole head off (particularly my dear husband and my dear sons). But the most difficult is self-control especially when I’m not in control.

Now that might not make sense if you’re not a controlling type person. But I like to be in total control of my schedule. I like to have things-typically somewhat planned out. I usually leave room for modifications as adjustments are likely to be inevitable.

Like when I expected my boys to be out for the entire weekend and I had the house to myself. I wanted to write. No sooner do I get going good in the writing project, I learn they’re coming home a day early. Good news! It should be. I got to spend all day Monday with them. But that’s not what I planned.

Then Monday, I wander around aimlessly like a lost child. Not sure what to expect. Nope, I had no self-control.

Tuesday, no control a migraine. Wednesday, computer crashes. (I borrowed commandeered my son's computer to check email and post on the blog.)

I laughed and sang praises this morning. What else can I do? This is not serious stuff. Just not what I planned either. I think I’m doing better.

I used to be a lot like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man. If everything was not perfectly timed and on schedule, I totally freaked out.

No, I’m not that bad anymore. I can keep my dignity now. I laugh. Afterall –I’m a woman! A Proverbs 31 woman that is:

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. (Pv. 31:25)

Engrafted by His Grace--