"Trading Spaces"

There is this TV show, which takes two households and remodels one room of each home for under $1,000! There are interior designers and carpenters, and the homeowners trade spaces for two days as they remodel each other's homes! Most of the time the new space is responded to with much joy and delight! Then there are times when that remodeled space is met with disappointment and chagrin. (With Jesus, the former always happens!).

"Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call.'" (Acts 2:38-39). Repenting is another word for re-thinking or in our framework, remodeling! Instead of interior designers coming to take the old room and transforming it with new ideas and new designs, Jesus comes into our hearts and does a make-over in us! Just like a re-model, many times our insides have to be gutted and replaced with new things. In other cases, our old furniture is re-upholstered and gives the room a new look!

Jesus is calling us today to examine our hearts. Have we given ourselves to His remodeling offer? It only takes one decision, and the rest is history! If we have said yes, then the next steps are laid out for us -- we are to be baptized into His family, and we will be forgiven our sins, and best of all, we get the gift of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit is the One who continues to work in us in interior design. You see, Jesus is the One who traded spaces with us, with His sacrifice for us on the cross. Our sin is nailed up there on that cross! And it is Jesus who sends us the Holy Spirit to keep our space transforming and growing closer to Him, for us, our children, and even if we are far away! What a blessing to be a part of Trading Spaces, with the best interior designer of all time!

Until next time, make it a blessed day,
Pastor Ellen

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Why would God want me?

I'm not perfect.
I have all kinds of problems.
I have no ability. I have no gifts.
I'm just not worthy.

Why would God want me? Well, did you know that....

Moses stuttered.
David's armor didn't fit.
John Mark deserted Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich.
Jesus was too poor.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a persecutor of the church.
Moses was a murderer.
Jonah ran from God's will.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
Martha was a worry-wart.
Noah got drunk.
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn't require a job interview for salvation.
He's our Heavenly Father.
He doesn't look at financial gain or loss.
He's not prejudiced or partial,
not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy,
not deaf to our cry,
not blind to our need.

He knows who we are and what we are and loves us in spite of ourselves

SATAN SAYS, "YOU'RE NOT WORTHY."

JESUS SAYS, "SO WHAT? I AM."

SATAN LOOKS BACK AND SEES OUR MISTAKES.

GOD LOOKS BACK AND SEES THE CROSS.

He doesn't calculate how you failed last year. It's not even on the record.

Sure, there are lots of reasons why God shouldn't call us. But if we are in love with Him, if we hunger for Him,
He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, what we have done,
or the fact that we are not perfect!

As seen on Heart to Heart

"Well, We've Always Done It That Way!"

Breaking with tradition is not an easy thing to do. Change in general causes anxiety and stress. And the catch phrase in most churches is, "Well, we've always done it that way." God is not necessarily against tradition. But the Lord doesn't want us to get stuck in what we do and say just because it's church! God wants us to follow His lead, not maintain the status quo.

"They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with His brothers." (Acts 1:11). Now the disciples and Jesus' family were used to worshipping in a traditional setting, where men and women had separate areas. The Upper Room, where all this was taking place, wasn't like that, and so they were creating new space and new ways of gathering together, breaking with tradition!

We often get set in our ways, whether it's church or work or home or even how we go on vacation! And I suppose there is nothing wrong with that. We tend to be creatures of habit. Sometimes we eat the same thing on the menu, just because it's safe. We are missing out on other possibilities of life! Sometimes the things we choose will be worse than what we are used to. That's all right! It's good to know that some choices are better than others! But for goodness sakes, let's not keep ourselves contained and safe in only things that are familiar and tested out. Let's be bold and take a risk for God! Even if we mess up, the Lord will come alongside and help us get back on track, today and forever!

Until next time, make it a blessed day,

Pastor Ellen

Bloom Where You are Planted

Sometimes it feels like we are in a very hard place in our life. Living is hard, our circumstances are challenging and some relationships difficult or painful. None of us will escape seasons of life that are hard. It is so easy to wish we were somewhere else.......anywhere but here God!

Although we may not see a reason or a purpose while we go through those times of pain and hardship, God remains at our side. He has not abandoned us. He has a higher purpose, a different perspective, and the resources to get us through. He has the ability to create beauty from ugliness, life out of death, joy from the ashes of mourning. He looks at our life from the perspective of eternity, He sees our beginning from the end. He alone can turn our impossiblities into possibilities, and He does so in ways beyond our imagination.

So hang in there, turn your face to the Son and bloom where He has planted you. In time you will see the seeds of your life that have appeared to have died, grow shoots of new life and the promise of coming spring.

"The Real You"

We often put up different faces for different situations. We have a "church" face; a "work" face; maybe even a "daddy" face or a "mommy" face; and a "happy" face (even when we aren't!). We hide our true feelings from others. Sometimes our cover-up leaks out a truth about our real selves, and it can scare us and those we love!

"'How do you know me?' Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, 'I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.' Then Nathanael declared, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.'" (John 1:48-49). Jesus, of course, can see through all our different faces. Just like Adam and Eve, who had to cover up with fig leaves, Nathanael was "discovered" under the fig tree by Jesus with his true self revealed. And just like Adam and Eve, whom God gently clothed with animal skins after the Fall, Nathanael was promised even more than Jesus knowing his true identity. "Jesus said, 'You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. I tell you the truth, you shall see heave open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'" (John 1:49-50).

We are no different from Adam and Eve or Nathanael. We, too, have our fig leaves to hide behind! But the Lord knows the real "us," and He loves us anyway! He assures us and promises us amazing miracles to come. All we need to do is declare Jesus our Lord and Savior, and the rest will be His to reveal to us today and forever!

God Opens Doors

'The Holy, The True, David's key in His hand, opening doors no one can lock, locking doors no one can open, speaks:

"I see what you've done, now see what I've done! I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep My word. You didn't deny me when times were rough" '

Revelation 3 verses 7+8
The Message

God Spilled The Paint

The east side of the Carrizo plain, in the Temblor Range, about 50 miles due west of
Bakersfield, California.

What a beautiful example of God's creativity!

I wonder how many individual flowers there are in this valley? When I saw this picture I was reminded of this verse:

"If God gives so much attention to the appearance of wild flowers - most of which are never seen - don't you thinkHe'll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you?

Matthew 6 verse 28 The Message

Barbara

Near and Far

Our God is so wonderful! When we experience the pain of a broken heart, He never too busy or too far away to say, "I know how you feel. It hurts, doesn't it." When we feel mortally wounded from the pain of hurtful words or a broken relationship, Jesus is near us, helping to mend our hearts and bind up our wounds. What an awesome God we have! Yet our God is so huge and sovereign that He can even relate to distant galaxies and starts (because He created them!) and even knows each one by name! How intimate God is with remote entities like stars!

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name." (Psalm 147:3-4). How great is that! God is so near to us, yet also intimate with the farthest elements of the universe! It's impossible to comprehend how God can be both near and far at the same time!

Sometimes the only thing that can heal a broken heart is the Lord's tender and gentle touch. He comes just at the right time to soothe our pain and He gives us the miracle of healing. Often we want to nurse our wounds and take care of ourselves on our own, but how much better it is when we allow God to do the mending. Our wounds can heal so much faster with His love and care. Just as God calls the stars each by name, He is also calling each one of us by name. Whether or not we have broken hearts, God knows exactly what our hearts need. Let's give Him our hearts today and always, whether we feel Him near or far!

Until next time, make it a blessed day,

Pastor Ellen

Extract from Psalm 119 The Message

164 Seven times each day I stop and shout praises
for the way you keep everything running right.

165 For those who love what you reveal, everything fits--
no stumbling around in the dark for them.

166 I wait expectantly for your salvation;
GOD, I do what you tell me.

167 My soul guards and keeps all your instructions--
oh, how much I love them!

168 I follow your directions, abide by your counsel;
my life's an open book before you.

169 Let my cry come right into your presence, GOD;
provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word.

170 Give my request your personal attention,
rescue me on the terms of your promise.

171 Let praise cascade off my lips;
after all, you've taught me the truth about life!

172 And let your promises ring from my tongue;
every order you've given is right.

173 Put your hand out and steady me
since I've chosen to live by your counsel.

174 I'm homesick, GOD, for your salvation;
I love it when you show yourself!

175 Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well,
use your decrees to put iron in my soul.

176 And should I wander off like a lost sheep--seek me!
I'll recognize the sound of your voice.

Your Anchor in a Storm

By: Daniel Brown,

Many times, when we fall into trials we may be tempted to ask, "Where is God?

Well, God is there even when we can't see Him.

On gray, gloomy, rainy days, high above the overcast sky, the sun continues to shine. We can't feel its warmth or see its beauty, but it still exists.God's beauty and His love for us are real even when our circumstances are difficult.

If we think "above the clouds," we can have hope knowing that God is still there.Just as gray, gloomy, overcast skies are temporary, so are our difficulties.

If you are facing a discouraging situation in your life right now, remember that God is still there and rejoice in the fact that this too shall pass.

Sometimes, things are a little more intense than just a lttle rain. Many times, there are huge storms that come into our lives. But again, these shall pass as well.God uses these storms to produce good fruit in us. The bible says we should rejoice and "Count it all joy when we fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience so that we may be made perfect, complete, and lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4).

Stories have been told about the only thing that saved the lives of people aboard a ship in a storm was a strong anchor. But, there are also stories of those who perished when their anchor did not hold........

Finish reading

Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur, teacher of biblical success principles, and the author of the popular ebook, "5 Biblical Keys to Your Abundance and Prosperity." Get his FREE report entitled, "How to Receive from God" when you sign up for his FREE weekly newsletter. http://www.secretplaceonline.com/

God is our anchor in times of trouble