Someone You Should Know!

Michelle taking the children through a song.





We continue with our talk with Michelle about her music.

Jewel: How important was it for you to complete the task, even with all that you faced during this time?

Michelle:Wow, it was important becasue God was very specific as to the assignment. He spoke to me during the Youth Convention in Orlando, Florida in December of 2006. He had me fast, coupled with prayer of course to truly discern His direction and voice, for all the details (example - location, song-choice, musicians, date. etc.). So it was important that I received His consultation and direction for every facet of the project 'cuz actually, it could have easily become 'overwhelming', in my own flesh. That's when the Spirit-man (Holy Spirit) and His ultimate leadign makes all the difference. The project wasn't daunting but became joyous, light, fun and a total adventure.


Warriorz of Praise CD (for more information about how to obtain this CD, send us a line and we'll pass on the information.)

Words of Encouragement

When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. – Matthew 27:35-44

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. – Mark 8:34

Christ and the Cross. The truth of the cross. We often times look at the cross of Christ and think about all that we received because of the cross, but we tend to miss all that Christ gave because of the cross.

The cross was an insult. The cross was punishment for the criminal. There was horror in the cross. The cross was a means of disgrace to the one being hung upon it. As we read the scripture in Matthew we see the treatment Jesus received. He was charged as a criminal, yet he was innocent. He was counted among the criminals when he was placed between the robbers. Those that stood around insulted him. He was mocked and told to show himself by coming down off his cross. He was yelled at to save himself as they continued to heap insults upon him.

This did not stop Jesus from finishing the task of the cross. Jesus was counted as unrighteous so that the righteousness of God could be fulfilled. Jesus withstood the insults and the mocking because he knew in God’s perfect timing he would be shown righteous again.

Jesus was counted as a mere criminal so that you and I could be counted as children of the most high. Jesus did not come down from the cross because he knew that if he did, all would be lost. He willing died so that we could live.

So when we hear the command from Jesus, to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow him, what does that mean for you and I? The truth in the cross is you and I were give liberty or freedom from sin, so that we could be the avenues for freedom for someone else. When we take up our cross we must be willing to stand under the insults and mocking. There will come those that will insult you for what you do and mock you as a fool. There will come those that will count you as a criminal, yet God knows you are righteous. Yet you willing stand up to the mocking because you know in God’s perfect timing he will show you righteous before all. To take up your cross you willing die to your desire to prove who you are. Jesus could have proved who he was and come down from the cross, but in doing so, he would have turned aside God’s plan. So instead he stayed on the cross and proved who he was that way, but showing his ultimate power over sin.

You and I must withstand the trick of the enemy to make us come down from where God has placed us. We must resist the pleas to show who we are. Instead we must continue to carry our cross until God himself shows to all, who we really are.

Today I pray for us that we thank the Lord for not only what we received from the cross, but to show our thankfulness for all that Jesus gave up for us. He gave up all, and mainly he gave himself. Today let us take the stand, the challenge of Jesus, let us give up all, and mainly ourselves and follow him.

Something New!

I was on Amazon.com and came across some really interesting information that I thought you would like to know. As I was reading some of the post, I stumbled across a blog called "Teen Lit Review". The blog reviews different books that our kids want to read. If you go onto the blog you can be entered to win free books.

The creators of this blog decided to start a teen book review in order to help parents find out what really is in the books they allow their children to read. Since they could not find anything that was doing what they were looking for, they decided to do it themselves. I found the site helpful.


If you are interested go to: Teen Lit Review

http://teenlitreview.blogspot.com/

Words of Encouragement

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." – John 3:16-21

What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Love. Image if you will that you have done a crime punishable by death. You stand before the judge awaiting your sentence. Someone steps up to speak. The person that steps up to speak is the person that you wronged. What they say to the judge astonishes you. They tell the judge that they will take you punishment of death.

Or what if you had a debt that was over a trillion dollars. There was no way you could pay it. You owed it and punishment for not being able to pay it was coming soon (in ancient times, you were put in prison or your family until you could pay off the debt). Yet to your surprise the one you owe the debt to says, I’ll pay the debt in full.

These two attempts really cannot explain the fullest of what we were forgiven of when Jesus stepped in to take on our sins. When he took our sins on himself he paid the penalty for our crimes and he paid the debt we could not fulfill.

God loves mankind so much, that he sent his son to die for you and I. All he requires from us is the belief in his plan. We have to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We cannot try to make our own way, decide our own plan of salvation because there is no other way other than through Jesus Christ.

The message in the scripture is clear. If you do not accept the love of God you are in fact condemning yourself. I’ve heard many a person say, God is love so he wouldn’t send anyone to hell. The truth in that statement is this, because God wishes none to perish, he made a way of escape. However, he will not force you or I to take it. If we decide to miss the avenue of escape it is in fact our own foolishness that sends us to hell, not God. The scripture tells us that the verdict is this; some do not come to the light because they do not want their deeds exposed.

Yet, let us not be fooled. Even if we try to hide our deeds in darkness, there still comes a time when the light will expose that which we do. It would be better, however that we allow God to remove the darkness so that we can live in the light than to be eternally engulfed in darkness and miss heaven. To miss heaven is what we would not want to do. To miss heaven means when you stand before the judgment seat of God in that moment I believe you will see a fuller understanding of God to quickly have it removed. The real punishment of hell is you will forever remember that moment when you were exposed to the fullness of God’s love and to know eternally you will never have it again. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.

Today, I pray for us to really meditate on God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us all; let us not reject God’s love. I pray that we would examine all our deeds so that they will be done in the light so that it can plainly be seen we do all things through Christ.

Words of Encouragement

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." – John 3:16-21

What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Love. Image if you will that you have done a crime punishable by death. You stand before the judge awaiting your sentence. Someone steps up to speak. The person that steps up to speak is the person that you wronged. What they say to the judge astonishes you. They tell the judge that they will take you punishment of death.

Or what if you had a debt that was over a trillion dollars. There was no way you could pay it. You owed it and punishment for not being able to pay it was coming soon (in ancient times, you were put in prison or your family until you could pay off the debt). Yet to your surprise the one you owe the debt to says, I’ll pay the debt in full.

These two attempts really cannot explain the fullest of what we were forgiven of when Jesus stepped in to take on our sins. When he took our sins on himself he paid the penalty for our crimes and he paid the debt we could not fulfill.

God loves mankind so much, that he sent his son to die for you and I. All he requires from us is the belief in his plan. We have to believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father. We cannot try to make our own way, decide our own plan of salvation because there is no other way other than through Jesus Christ.

The message in the scripture is clear. If you do not accept the love of God you are in fact condemning yourself. I’ve heard many a person say, God is love so he wouldn’t send anyone to hell. The truth in that statement is this, because God wishes none to perish, he made a way of escape. However, he will not force you or I to take it. If we decide to miss the avenue of escape it is in fact our own foolishness that sends us to hell, not God. The scripture tells us that the verdict is this; some do not come to the light because they do not want their deeds exposed.

Yet, let us not be fooled. Even if we try to hide our deeds in darkness, there still comes a time when the light will expose that which we do. It would be better, however that we allow God to remove the darkness so that we can live in the light than to be eternally engulfed in darkness and miss heaven. To miss heaven is what we would not want to do. To miss heaven means when you stand before the judgment seat of God in that moment I believe you will see a fuller understanding of God to quickly have it removed. The real punishment of hell is you will forever remember that moment when you were exposed to the fullness of God’s love and to know eternally you will never have it again. If that isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.

Today, I pray for us to really meditate on God’s love. God’s love is freely given to us all; let us not reject God’s love. I pray that we would examine all our deeds so that they will be done in the light so that it can plainly be seen we do all things through Christ.

Words of Encouragement

Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes. It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken. – Psalm 119:124-126

What Jesus’ Gift Brings. Discernment. This is a long Psalm and it broken into several sections. The overarching theme in this scripture is following the precepts of God. In this section titled “Ayin” there are eight verses. The writer states he has done what is right so do not leave him to those that would oppress him.

The writer states he is looking diligently for God’s salvation. The writer understands that as hard as his situation may be, there is only one place to find help and that is in the Lord. He says I am your servant so deal with me according to your love and teach me your decrees.

The writer says he needs discernment. He needs God to help him have the ability to judge what is right and what is wrong. He also understands that he needs the ability to be sensitive to spiritual things. Without the help of the Holy Spirit we cannot be sensitive to the workings of the Spirit. We cannot see clearly the tricks of the enemy without the ability to be sensitive to the Spirit. The ability to discern helps us to separate what is good from evil. We can detect the smallest things that would slip right past us in our own abilities.

With the ability to discern we are able to then understand God’s way. This is another way that the comforter helps us in our daily walk. He will tell us what is truth and then we are able to determine what is right before God. If Jesus had not come and opened this gift to us, we would not be able to understand or discern those things that are spiritual. We would not understand them because we would be lost in darkness. That is still true today. There are those that do not understand and are not able to discern the enemies hand in events in our world, their actions or their lives. They are not able to discern the source of these things because they are in darkness.

Those of us that are in the light understand the things of the light. Those in the darkness do not understand because they cannot be understood in the darkness. That is why we that are of the light do not always understand the foolishness of the actions of people. We are discerning the outcome of their actions, which they cannot see. This is then the place that we can rejoice in knowing God’s gift to us allows us to see clearly the affects of good and evil. So today, let us thank God for his gift of discernment. Let us also pray for those we see that are making decisions in the dark. Seek God to open their eyes to the light so that they can move from darkness to light and receive the ability to discern what is right in the eyesight of God.

Someone You Should Know!

Some proud parents sitting and watching our children (that's me in the blue/green outfit).





This minister working with the children also signs during the recording. She has often offered her time to teach the children sign language during the VBS (Vacation Bible School) season.




These children were all prepared to do their part. These two that are leading this song are top students and are involved in many programs that they excel in.




We had many proud grandparents and great grandparents as well. This is my mother-in-law smiling at the children. There are some other proud grandparents seated next to her.

Come back for some more of the pictures from the Smart Museum taping.