Rest and receive....

Beautiful....

Steve Eden

"Rest and receive as you abide in Me this day. As your good and faithful Husband, I lead you by what I supply not by what I demand. So live freely from My eternal resources. Live bountifully out of overflow. For you are not deficient in love, you are sufficient in love. You are not deficient in joy, you are sufficient in joy. You are not deficient in self-control, you are sufficient in self-control. Nothing by earning, all by receiving. I am everything you need, simply abide in Me."

Still....4 years later...living from His victory!

Starla Ellison

May 30, 2012 · 

For many years I lived on an emotional roller coaster. Ups and downs. Even when I became a believer I still couldn't climb off that roller coaster. But a few years ago, God began to speak into me the truth that what He accomplished on the cross was for me! IT IS FINISHED. Jesus Christ has WON the victory and now I can live in freedom and not defeat! I don't have to live on that emotional roller coaster anymore. He already as overcame sin, death, temptation, the world and satan. I have nothing to fear! I don't have to let my emotions rule me (cause even though emotions are real they are not always true). I can give over to them or I can allow Jesus to be Who He is IN ME! For He abides in me and I in Him. Now, I can live from the Truth, not feelings. Now I can Love, have Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control because that is WHO He is!

I have to admit it, I get tired of complaining. Of my own and of others. I hear and see such negativity. And honestly, it just saddens my soul. I think we just get in a habit of complaining and it's where we find our identity. Let me give you an example: when I was in my twenties when stress would get to me I would get a headache. I would constantly say, "I have a headache." Then one day, I realized I DIDN'T really have a headache, I just was always saying I did. See what I'm saying? My FEELINGS of having a headache were REAL but they were not always true. Emotionally I felt like I was having a headache but the truth was, I was not- it was just a crutch. It was a way of getting attention or dealing with stress or....the list could be many reasons why I was saying that- escapism? Either way- I began to realize that I needed to stop saying things that were not true. And you know what? My attitude began to get much better. It's amazing what happens when we just simply change our thinking!

Let God speak into you the Truth. Are you living from your feelings or the Truth (John 14:6)? In my head and heart the two above paragraphs fit together perfectly but to some they may be completely different subjects. Read them carefully. For SO long I was living from what I thought was truth but was actually feelings. Then when I came into contact with the REAL TRUTH, He began to change me from the inside out and strip away the lies I was living in and from.

Have you ever asked God to reveal to you the Truth- to strip away whatever lies you may be believing so you, too, can live a life of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control?

: )

Young love, strong love....

It's hard to believe but just 23 short years ago we were loading up our little blue Geo and heading to South Carolina from Kentucky.

I never thought I'd leave my home, my Dad, my siblings and move so far away.

I never thought once we got here that we would stay. : )

We were 23 and 24- with two little children and my 12 year old niece that lived with us at the time. I think about how naive we were. LOL

Two days later we looked a ramshackle house- it was all we could afford- and we've lived in this house ever since (with lots of renovations). Our little love shack where we raised 3 children and lived and laughed and cried and yelled and celebrated.

But God....

Although I was not a believer at the time of our move as I look back I see God's hand, intention and purpose all over our lives. His pursuing us- and His working to begin and complete His work in us.

So in honor of our 23 years of living in our lovely South Carolina and especially our little love shack in Pauline, SC....a song recorded in 1988 (year of our marriage) and came out in February 1989 just a few months after our marriage...and has become an anthem of our marriage:

Thank you, my love- my Nick Ellison- for just always loving me. Always. Without fail. Thank you for providing. For taking care of us. You are a wonderful husband. You are a dear, loving father. And you're gonna be a GREAT Pops!

"Young love, strong love, true love
It's a new love
They're gonna make it through the hard times
Walk those lines
Yeah, these ties will bind
Young love"

What if?

What if God's "great plans for me" is that I simply find my all-in-all in Him?

What if it's that I simply live in peace in my inner man?

What if it's that I simply choose to abide in Him?

What if it's that I am simply the bearer, not the producer, of His fruit in and through me?

What if it's that my mind, will and emotions are fixed on Him continually?

What if His "great plans for me" is simply intimacy with Him?

What if?

I wonder if anyone noticed....

So, I posted this a few days ago...and nobody finished either song.  I wonder if they realized that it was missing something?

....everything to God in prayer
....the Lord and leave it there

Starla Ellison

May 18 at 2:10pm · 

Oh what peace we often forfeit.
Oh what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry everything....

Leave it there. 
Leave it there.
Take your burdens to....and...

It all boils down to...do you believe this?

What heights of love!
What depths of peace!
When fears are stilled,
When strivings cease-
In Christ alone.

"There is NOTHING the nearness of Jesus cannot heal."- Mike Wells

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest....you will find rest for your souls." Jesus, Matthew 11:28-30

What good is a God who won't do what He says He will do?

"God, who cannot lie" Titus 1:2

If He said, He'll do it. Do you believe this?

10 days- John 10:10

In 10 days someone I deeply love and admire starts on a brand new journey! So in honor of this great new journey:

The thief comes only that he might steal and might kill and might destroy. I came that they may have Life, and may have it abundantly.- Jesus, John 10:10

Sometimes to have true, abundant Life we choose to let go what is temporal for what is eternal.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.- Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21

Love YOU and so proud of YOU! YOU know who YOU are, our Al!

Here in the power of Christ- I stand

Here in the power of Christ- I stand

Not in the power of Starla
Not in the power of my husband
Not in the power of my children
Not in the power of friendships
Not in the power of my job
Not in the power of possessions
Not in the power of an unscathed life
Not in the power of a life of turmoil or sorrow
Not in the power of the church body I gather with
Not in the power of Bible study
Not in the power of music
Not in the power of preaching

Here in His Power- I stand, live, move, breathe, abide, yield, trust, rest, surrender. 

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

1 Corinthians 6:14

Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.

Ephesians 1:19

and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

Ephesians 3:7

of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.

Ephesians 3:16

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

Philippians 3:10

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

Philippians 3:21

who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Colossians 1:11

strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

Colossians 1:29

For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

2 Thessalonians 1:9

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

2 Timothy 1:8

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

Hebrews 1:3

And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

2 Peter 1:3

seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:16

[ Eyewitnesses ] For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Revelation 12:10

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

Romans 8:28-30

I love to read literal translations- without adding in all of man's words for "clarification"

And we have known that to those loving God all things do work together for good, to those who are called according to purpose; because whom He did foreknow, He also did fore-appoint, conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be first-born among many brethren; and whom He did fore-appoint, these also He did call; and whom He did call, these also He declared righteous; and whom He declared righteous, these also He did glorify.- Romans 8:28-30

Young's Literal Translation

Baring my heart...

Friends, our God is a God of all times. 

Not just when things are "bad". Not just when things are "good". 

He wants to be intimately woven in all parts of you.
And He wants YOU to be intimately woven in all of Him.

So many say, "Yes, I know God I thank Him for everything when all things are good. I pray and tell Him to make all things better when they are bad. Yes. I know God." 

But does He know you?

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’- Jesus, Matthew 7:21-23

When Jesus came into my life He made such profound impact. Everything began to change. Not all at once but gradually as I've grown to know Him for Who He is...and who He has made me to be.

Jesus is not a moment in my history. He is my very life. He is the breath I breathe. He is the thoughts in my mind and heart. He is the greatest desire of my life. Knowing God, as He is- Father, Son and Spirit- is everything to me. Living in continual communion- fellowship and intimacy- is.... the ultimate desire of my heart and goal of my whole life. 

I don't want to live any other way. I can't.

The truth is....

The truth is...

I am not a perfect believer.

I have my doubts.  My faults.  My pettiness.  My fears.  I can get overwhelmed.  

But the fact is- despite me, myself,  and I- Jesus has changed me.  

I feel like the deepest part of me has been changed.

Oh how I wish I had the words to express what He has done to me.  

I feel so limited.  So surface.  

And yet- deep deep deep inside of me- my inner man- I am so different.  

Mere words are not enough-
 
Now likewise also, the Spirit joins to help us in weakness; for we do not know the things which we should pray for as it behooves (absolutely necessary), but the Spirit Himself makes intercession with inexpressible groanings.
- Romans 8:26 Berean Literal Bible

Intercession-
5241/hyperentygxánō ("intercede") refers to the Holy Spirit interceding in every scene of our lives so we can "come in line with" the Lord's eternal purpose. The content of these intercessions goes beyond human language, and includes bringing sacred mysteries into our daily walk with Christ.

Groan-
4726 stenagmós – groaning (sighing), especially brought on by circumstances creating great pressure. See 4727 (stenazō).

4727 stenázō (from 4728 /stenós, "compressed, constricted, narrow") –  

-stenazó: to groan (within oneself) 

-properly, to groan because of pressure of being exerted forward (like the forward pressure of childbirth); (figuratively) to feel pressure from what is coming on – which can be intensely pleasant or anguishing (depending on the context).

-[This term "denotes feeling which is internal and unexpressed" (J. Mayor, Js., 162), i.e. to sigh, moan (groan) with frustration.]  

Inexpressible-

unutterable, that baffles words, unexpressed.

That's how I feel sometimes.  I simply cannot express what He has done, is doing- all the thoughts of Him- that flow through me.

My center?

This is where You saved my life....

I was driving down 221 in Woodruff, SC on Sunday when I saw the crosses in a field near a church.  At the same time Chris Tomlin's song, "At the Cross" was playing...

And it just came together...yes...

the cross is where Jesus saved my life.  

Prayer

Prayer is such an intimate act, a place of vulnerability. 

It is, hopefully, when we are our least guarded, our most honest selves. And this is good, of course; this is as it ought to be. When we come to God, we certainly want to come as honestly and openly as we can; we want to be our truest selves before him. Prayer lets us be in a place of need.

-John Eldredge

Moving things around!

We moved some furniture around to get ready for Roman!  He's got to have somewhere to sleep at Happy and Pops house, too!

Pentecost!

40 days after Jesus was resurrected He ascended into heaven. (Acts 1). He had told the believers He would send Another:

John 14:16-21 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7-15 and Ephesians 1:13

10 days after His ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit of promise. Through the Spirit of God, Himself, living in the believer- we have all we need to live this life. Christ in us. Galatians 2:20. Constant, continuous intimacy with the Father-

"they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. "- John 17:21-23

You know, sometimes I think believers feel like we have to beg or demand of God- to protect us, to sustain us, to provide for us- when He makes it so plain in the Scriptures that He has ALREADY done all that we could every possible need or want.

When we boil it all down, we don't believe Him. Unbelieving believers. Why? Because life doesn't look like what we thought it would or should. We don't trust Him. If we beg enough, if we prove enough that we WANT to be pleasing to Him, if we demand enough (like spoiled children) THEN God will do what we want Him to do. We gotta make God be the god we want Him to be.

But God. He simply states through Peter in whom preached the very first sermon after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2):

" those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature"- 2 Peter 1

- received faith

-grace and peace multiplied to us IN THE KNOWLEDGE of of God and of Jesus our Lord (this knowledge is spiritual intimate awareness through experience)

-His divine power had granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness

-we are called by His own glory and excellence

-by His own glory and excellence He has granted us His precious and magnificent promises

-we are partakers of His divine nature

What more could you possibly need?

Today is 50 days after that wonderful Resurrection Day! 

 

Today- trust in His promises, declarations, truth, grace and peace!

Choose believing today.

Hungry. Chained. Lost

I read this this morning:

-Our present spiritual climate:  a great deal of religious activity but little spiritual growth.  

Boy, I see that on facebook a lot.  People reposting about God but when you meet them in person there is no evidence of God in their life.  But it's not just on facebook.  What about in every day life?  We go to church and we serve in some capacity yet- we live in fear or mistrust.  We worry about things.  We wallow in our self- wants and desires- and become disillusioned when "God"doesn't make our life what we want it to be.  Or, "we" storm the gates of hell and dare satan.  Or, "we" scream at God to do what we tell Him to do!  BLESS ME! 

-Believers may not often realize it, but even as believers we are either centered in man or centered in God.  There is no alternative.  Either God is the center of our universe and we have become rightly adjusted to Him or we have made ourselves the center and are attempting to make all else orbit around us and for us.  

People, believers and unbelievers, are hungry.  They feel empty and that life, their life, is meaningless.  

-One well-know diagnostician writes: "About a third of my cases are suffering from no clinically definable neurosis, but from the senselessness and emptiness of our lives.  This can well be defined as the central neurosis of our times."  (This was from the 1960's.  Here we are almost 60 years later and I would say that well-known diagnostician would say that it's more like 90% of his cases.  Because we are a people now totally centered in self- positive self or negative self, it's still self.) 

We are hungry.  
We cannot be filled.  
We are chained.
We are lost.
We are in chaos.

We.  We.  We.  Me.  Me.  Me.

What happens when it all fails?  Those you trust in? The religious activity?  The neurosis?  Self?  

How many believers do you know that choose to fix their eyes on Jesus so they don't grow weary and lose heart?  Desire to live in deep intimacy with Him?  Allow Him to be their life?  Who has set their mind on things above and not on this earth?  To trust in His working all things to their good because they love Him?  Who choose to abide even when it seems to be the hardest thing?  To live in peace and not fear?  To love rather than belittle?  Who has joy flowing in and though them?  Who is patient?  Who is kind?  Who is gentle?  Who is faithful?  Who has self-control because they are trusting Jesus to live in them and through them?  How many believers do you know that not only say Jesus is Enough but live from Him because He is More than Enough?  To know that God is their Center- not their spouse, their children, their parents, their jobs, their church, their sports, their self?  

Saying is one thing.  Doing is one thing.  Being is saying and doing because it's coming from Another and not self or anything else.  

Are you God-conscious or are you self-conscious?

Are you God-centered or are you self-centered?

Are you God-centered or are you man-conscious?

Are you God-centered or are you man-centered?

The only One that can truly feed and nourish us is God.  He must be our all in all.  
Our Provider and our Sustainer.   

In Him, we have all we need for life and godliness.  

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.- 2 Peter 1:1-3

Everything,all, we need is God. 

 

What would you say God's ultimate intention is?

The Ultimate Intention of God is fellowship with the Father, through the Son-

all other "themes" are strands in a cord:

creation
providence
government
redemption
sanctification
begetting
revelation

these are all parts of a whole.  

-from Devern Fromke, Ultimate Intention

Less than 9 weeks until....

It's the little things...

Macey laying beside me as I read this morning. 

Before....before God began....

Can you believe it's May 11th already? Nick and I have spent all the year so far working in our yard, our house and the buildings- cleaning, repairing, organizing, painting, putting in french drains and gutters, Cody's bathroom, sowing grass, cutting trees, opening the pool- work work work- so that we can spend the summer just enjoying our first grandchild, Roman, who will arrive in less than two months.

Now that most of the work is done (except the chicken coop!) and it's mainly yard mowing from here on out- I am going to start rereading Deverne Fromke's Ultimate Intention again. My goal is to finish it before Roman gets here!

This is the starting question:

"What was God's intention before He began any activity on earth or in the heavens? Let's go back in time- back into God's heart before He began creating anything, back before redemption was even necessary. Let us go back to the "blueprint" stage of His planning."

Have YOU ever wondered what was God's original intention?

That's my prayer for our dear Roman- that he grows up with a real, true understanding and concept of Who God is- and who God created him to be.

My Connie!

I recently used the term "motherless". That I have spent most of my life "motherless". But that isn't the truth. 

I have a mother, Laverne Cleary, that gave birth to me and cared for me for 9 years of my life. She just doesn't live on this earth anymore. She is now with Jesus. And I, too, will join them someday. I love her and miss her but I will see her and we will never be separated again.

And then-

In a great surprise in and around 2004 God brought Connie Beasley into my life (and dear Beas!).

Our relationship has grown so deeply and so filled with Jesus and love that I am not motherless. Oh the void God filled when Connie came into my life. I am a rich woman in so many ways. 

Connie- always a source of encouragement. One who prays for me- intimately with our Lord. Best Friend. She laughs with me, cries with me- hangs out with me. I have learned more about grace, giving, endurance, perseverance, abiding, surrender and love from Connie than anyone. Isn't that what mothers are to teach their daughters by example? 

Father, thank You for the richness and fullness of being loved as a daughter and being able to experience that on this earth through Connie. 

You're a good good Father. 

Happy Mother's Day, my Connie!

A little of this next week!!!

I am really looking forward to THIS next week. 

Trails, Sebastian and Nick biking!

Final night

So- here we are. Final night I'm staying with Dad. It's been a busy yet lovely week all around. 

Life- is changing. For the good. Truthfully, I wish I knew Gail better. But- I don't. All I  know is that I prayed for God to bring someone into my Dad's life that loved Him and him. : )

I'm trusting God that He is in this marriage. Not only is He in the marriage but is the Author of this marriage. For if He is- then for sure and certain He is the Completer and Finisher.  

When you have prayed for your children and then to see them married (as I have one of three) and KNOW that God was the Author of that marriage then there is no trepidation- only excitement. Yes, a vague feeling of emptiness but that is natural and you expect that. 

But- when your Dad who has basically your whole life not been married (but a widow) gets married- it's such different feeling.  I'm not the parent sending my child off into this new world full of my blessings- I AM the child (who has been married almost 28 years) sending my parent, my only parent, off into this new world with my blessing. 

My life here in Kentucky will change no ask You Father to not only give me grace in these changes but BE my Grace.

Grace in me and Grace through me. 

Thank You for Your loving kindness. 

Amen