TUESDAY WITH TIZ

Mountaintops and Valleys

"He sends forth springs in the valleys: They flow between the mountains" Psalm 103:10

We often speak of "mountaintop experiences" in our Spiritual walk. Those times when we are keenly aware of God's presence, when we are experiencing His Joy and Peace, when we are experiencing Him and His Blessings. Those times are precious but there are "valleys" in our Spiritual walk, aren't there?

There are times when we don't understand the chaos around us or the emotions within us. We are in a "spiritual valley". And what do we find in the valley? - springs of water - life giving water not found on the mountaintops. Springs of water to refresh and cleanse us!!!!!

When I am writing "Tuesdays with Tiz", I am on a mountaintop of all mountaintops!!!! But before the ink is dry on the paper my King just might gently lead His Princess into a valley. Even though I might not understand it, I am learning not to kick and scream and try to pull myself out of there!!! And I don't go looking for the devil behind every bush. What am I to do? I am to look for the "Spring" that flows between the mountains. JESUS is my "Spring" when I am in the valley!!! I now know that my "valleys" are not a result of my failure but opportunities for God to reveal His goodness to me in a tender and intimate way. When He has accomplished His purpose in my life He will once again lead me to the mountain top. Do I hear a Praise!!!!

"Father, I rejoice in you today. I thank you that I can rest in you when I am on the mountain top and when I am in the valley. I pray that each person reading this post today will embrace you and drink of you, whether in the valley or on the mountain top. In Jesus name, I pray." Amen

SUNDAY SONGS FOR WORSHIP

THANKFUL THURSDAYS WITH JC

Amen.

PRAYERS NEEDED

You can read about Stellan's need HERE and HERE.

In his Momma's words...

Sweet Jesus, be near!!

Amen

TUESDAYS WITH TIZ

Look up, not out

"After this I looked, and lo, a door standing open in heaven" "and lo, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne!" Rev. 4: 1-2

Friends, we are living in uncertain times but our God is not uncertain. If He was on the throne in Heaven when John looked through the open door then He will be on the throne in Heaven when I choose to look through that same open door into His wonderful face. I can choose to look at circumstances around me and be miserable and depressed or I can look at and focus on Him. As I focus on Him, I will experience His Joy and Peace regardless of what the news reports say. If I look out instead of up, I will wallow in my burdens instead of walking in His blessings. I choose to look beyond my physical world and the circumstances around me to Him who sits on the throne.
He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and I can praise and worship Him regardless. Do I hear a PRAISE!!!

Yes, friends, there is a Throne in Heaven and One is sitting on it!!!!! Look up, not out!!!!

"Father, I praise you for who you are and I thank you for the encouragement you give me through your Word. I rejoice in the fact that you are on your throne and you are in control of any and all circumstances that affect me. I ask you to encourage each person reading this post today. I thank you that our hope is in Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray". Amen

SUNDAY SONGS FOR WORSHIP

JEN HERE...

Everyday I choose... HOW will I respond to life today?

When my daughter breaks ANOTHER glass, do I scowl and fuss about my dwindling drink ware? Or do I tell her how very glad I am that she did not get cut, and offer to fix her a glass of tea after I clean up the mess?

She has broken A LOT of glasses lately - my record is not stellar.

Everyday, we are faced with new situations... new hurts... new temptations .... new angers... new stresses... new opportunities to respond the RIGHT way. Sometimes I am VERY good at taking the high road. Sometimes I woller. I really want to be a consistent high road taker because wollering is some dirty emotionally exhausting stuff.

And do you know what? I have no idea how I could make it day to day without the Lord. It would be one more sad existence if I didn't have Him to get me from response to response.

Father God, thank you for guiding me and showing me how to respond in love. Father forgive me when I react angrily and please don't let me crush the spirit of others. Thank you for your long suffering and let it be an example to me of how to respond.

In Jesus name, Amen.

THANKFUL THURSDAYS WITH JC

This is a repost from August of 2008. As Spring is unfolding, the chirping of birds is present. May this post help you to think on Christ when you hear bird song.

Saturday morning I was checking emails when I noticed the chirping of a bird. A very excited, 'I’m alive and want to be noticed' chirp. I looked out my window to see a little bird perched on my grill. I looked to the left and saw a bigger bird on the deck rail with a fat bright green worm in its mouth. Bigger bird (I’ll call it Mama bird) flew over to the smaller bird (I’ll call it Baby bird) and put the worm right into its little mouth. I was mesmerized. I dared not move. Mama bird flew back to the deck rail and then away. Baby bird continued its excited, happy chirps. Then from the right another bigger bird (I’ll call it Daddy bird) flew over with a fat bright green worm in its mouth and fed it to baby bird. Daddy bird flew away. I didn’t move my eyes were fixed on Baby bird. In a few seconds, Baby bird flew to the dogwood tree to perch there awhile, perhaps to take a nap after his two fat worm meal.

Immediately Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 6:26 came to mind, the NIV says, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Father how wonderful You are to play out this scene from Matthew just for me! Thank You for reminding me not to fret/worry. Thank You for reminding me that whatever I lack You provide. You know I’m not concerned about your providing material things but it is the intangible things that have been on my mind like my lack of love for others. Thank You for reminding me that my neighbor is all mankind. Thank You for reminding me that my sisters and brothers are those that believe that Your Son, Jesus, is the Messiah the Jews continue to seek. Thank You for using my sister to remind me that there is a fine line between works and religion. I’m always amazed at how patient You are toward me and so very grateful. Forgive me for falling for the lies from the enemy that tell me, if you really loved You would do more or give more or leave my job and move off somewhere and work with the hungry or orphans or something. Thanks for reminding me that You are looking for willing vessels. You know that I am willing to go to the ends of the earth for You and I’m willing to stay put. I’m willing to speak and I’m willing to be silent, as You direct. You my Lord, my God alone are worthy of my praise, my worship, and my adoration. Father bless richly and abundantly every person who reads this prayers and humbles themselves as a willing vessel for Your service. In Jesus’ holy, precious and powerful name I pray. Amen

TUESDAY WITH TIZ

Flowers of Peace and Joy

"to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3

The first time I was introduced to this part of God's Word was twenty-two years ago following the death of my Mother. This verse was on the little cards I purchased to use as thank you notes to family and friends for the many acts of kindness shown us during our time of mourning.

I know now that Jesus Himself was ministering to me through these friends. He was giving me "beauty for ashes" - some translations say "garlands for ashes" and the Message translation says "bouquets of roses for ashes". Think of that - flowers for mourning!!! What a swap!!! Flowers of Peace and Joy!!! Jesus was also giving me the "oil of joy for mourning" - His oil of gladness!!! And "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" - Praise truly lifts the spirit of heaviness!!!!

These friends were anointed with Jesus Himself to meet the needs of my family. Jesus just showed Himself strong through them as they went about doing what came natural for them to do!!!

Now that makes me want to beg to be on the care ministry team at my church!!!!!!

"Father, I see your anointing as a great responsibility - my responding to your ability. I pray that I will ever be sensitive to the needs of hurting people around me and you will minister through me to give someone "beauty for ashes". I pray that you will minister to anyone reading this blog today that needs flowers instead of ashes and the oil of gladness instead of mourning. In Jesus comforting name, I pray." Amen

SUNDAY SONGS FOR WORSHIP

JEN HERE

I try to keep Dust Bunny Hostage and Prayerfully Yours separate. DBH seems to focus on me me me and my my mine. Prayerfully Yours is a testament to how precious the Lord is - and a meager one at that. Who can adequately say how wonderful He is? There are not enough words...

Unfortunately, I need to post about Dust Bunny Hostage on this blog. I have gone private for the time being and I am not sending invitations to view that blog because I am just not posting. It seems that someone besides myself and JC have access to it. Until I decide what I am going to do, I am taking a blogging break on Dust Bunny Hostage.

I would like to request that you pray for me that I would have discretion on how to proceed. It has been a violation of my privacy and has hit me in a personal way. But it has enforced the fact that I should be storing up my treasures in heaven.

Be blessed Y'all.

Jen

THANKFUL THURSDAYS WITH JC

Father, thank you for your amazing grace. Amen.

TUESDAYS WITH TIZ

Jesus - our Anointing






"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound" Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 16:18

This scripture speaks of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and of Believers through whom He indwells. As believers indwelt by Jesus himself, we are anointed to share the Gospel, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and set the prisoners free. Jesus is faithful to do what He has called us to do. "Faithful is he that called you, who also will do it." (1 Thess 5:24) As we share the Gospel of Grace and our true identity in Jesus Christ, the broken hearted are healed, captives and prisoners are set free. They are set free as they see who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them.

We are free in Jesus Christ - just think about that!!!! And we are anointed to share that Good News!!!! Jesus is my anointing - His anointing is in me!!!

"Father, I ask you to make the message of the blog post real and personal to every reader today. Thank you for making it real to my own heart. Without you I am nothing, however, with you , I am all that Jesus is to my world. Bless "Prayerfully Yours" readers with yourself today. In Jesus Anointed name, I pray." Amen

SUNDAY SONGS FOR WORSHIP

THANKFUL THURSDAY WITH JC

"FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU." MATTHEW 4:19

Understand this: Jesus doesn't invite us to follow Him because we believe in Him. He invites up to follow Him because He believes in us! He says, "Follow me and I will make you." He knows what we can become when His grace touches our lives. Matthew, a Jew, collected taxes for Romans who enslaved his people. In their eyes he was lower than scum. Yet Jesus called him and he ended up writing the first book of the New Testament. When Nathaniel was invited to meet Jesus he was downright skeptical. "Can...any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see" (John 1:46) Even after 3 years of exposure to His miracles and messages, they still had doubts. Check how often He says to them, "O ye of little faith...why do you not believe?...If only you believed you would see." Knowing they were anxious about what would happen when He left them and went back to heaven, Jesus said, "I will ray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter (the Holy Spirit), that he may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). The Greek word for comforter is paracletos which means" one who comes alongside to help." There will never be a day when you won't need god's help!

So, come as you are. Come with your self-righteous or sordid past. Come with your halo or your hang-ups. Come, even though you wonder if He can do what He promises. Let His power and presences rub off on you. What do you have to lose? You've tried your way and it didn't work, now try His way. Come. You won't be disappointed!

This above is the Word for You Today for March 5th but I don't know the year. I picked it up and the words spoke to me. How many times have I tried on my own to be better, to act correctly, to speak well but always falling short. I've been a Christian for many years but I continue to learn His ways are better than my ways every time. He continues to say to me "FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU."

Father, holy is your name. I will bless the Lord at all times. Thank you for always being patience, kind and loving toward your creation, your children. Thank you for the reminder that I'm your responsibility, I follow, and you will make me what you want me to me. Continually working one me until I become the likeness of Your Son. What an awesome God You are. In Jesus' precious, holy and powerful name I pray. Amen.

TUESDAYS WITH TIZ

Resting and walking in Jesus

Jesus saith unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk" John 5:8

In the Gospel of John the 5th chapter, we have the story of a certain man who had an infirmity for thirty eight years. He has had his eyes on the pool of Bethesda for his healing. He has had his eyes on the people around him thinking someone would help him into the pool where he hoped to find his healing. Thirty eight years this man has had his eyes on the pool and the people!!! and he is still sick!!! And along came Jesus and showed him the way to healing. Jesus told him to get up, take up his bed and walk. His bed was a place of rest. He is to rest and walk in Jesus and as he does he is made well!!! Glory!!! He just believed Jesus and took up his bed and walked.

Friends, let us get our eyes off the pool and the people and just rest and walk in Jesus. In doing so we will experience a Walk of Victory!!!

"Father, I thank you that you have shown me your Grace and your Victory. I chose to rest and walk in You. I pray that each person reading this blog today will find their rest in You. In Jesus Peaceful name, I pray. Amen"

SUNDAY SONG FOR WORSHIP