As a young believer, I can remember the privilege and opportunity I had to travel and speak with Great Hills Retreat ministry. One of the many memorable moments came at an encampment called “Falls Creek” in Oklahoma. Beth Moore was the platform speaker. I remember listening to her that day and thinking that I Wanted Some of What She HAD! Please hear my heart right now. I did not want to be like Beth Moore, God already made her for that. I wanted some of what I saw oozing out of her that day from the platform. I had seen this before oozing from my Spiritual Mom. Quite simply, I wanted Jesus to radiate from my life the way He poured forth from theirs. I wanted to experience that kind of intimacy.
John 15:5-8 (The Message Bible) says:
I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
Are you maturing in your walk with the LORD? Are you abiding in such a way that He is oozing from you in all areas of your life? May the world be able to look at us as believers and say, “Give me some of that”!
Hope everyone is enjoying our new Web design. Thank you to those of you who we have heard from. Please let us hear from more of you and don’t forget to sign up on the blog site to have the blog delivered automatically to your email weekly.
As always, remember Pure Joy International in your prayers as we desire His will in all things.
His,
vickie
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Get your Peanuts and Popcorn Here!!
Ok, just kidding. But, we do have something for you! The NEW WEB SITE is up and running!!! There are a few more tweaks to be made but the new look is easier and much more fun to look at!! Many thanks to Rachael Abanathy, Web Designer, and Patty Shipp, our web guru, for getting things up and going for all of you! There are a few things Patty is still working on after our Ministry Staff meeting, but that won?t take long.
Please take this opportunity to sign up to receive the Blog in your email box automatically each time we put out any new information. Go to the Blog page and sign up!
Also, I want to take time to thank those of you who give small and large portions of your finances each month to the ministry. Your giving allows us to take care of keeping the web site and other ministry tools in place to get the word out about Pure Joy. This week I want to challenge you to forward this blog to at least three to five friends!
Many thanks,
His,
vickie
Please take this opportunity to sign up to receive the Blog in your email box automatically each time we put out any new information. Go to the Blog page and sign up!
Also, I want to take time to thank those of you who give small and large portions of your finances each month to the ministry. Your giving allows us to take care of keeping the web site and other ministry tools in place to get the word out about Pure Joy. This week I want to challenge you to forward this blog to at least three to five friends!
Many thanks,
His,
vickie
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Couldn't we have taken a shorter route!
Exodus 13:17
When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
Whew! Have you ever just wanted to give up and go back to your Egypt? I praise God that He does not take us on the shortest route in our journey with Him so that we don’t mistakenly think we don’t need Him or that we did it on our own.
For sure in our walks with Him there have been times for all of us when we would have bailed out if there had been an opportunity. If that has never happened to you then you are either a Baby Christian or have a problem with story telling, (lying).
The next time you ‘feel’ like there is no way out of the battle or circumstance and you want to return to the world (Egypt) to help you, remember, God could have taken you on a shorter route but He loved you enough not to! Look up! And see His Glory as He works on your behalf! Amen!
Well, we are only a week away, at the most, from our new web look! The ministry staff has been looking over options for a month or more. Recently the ministry staff and Board of Directors/Advisors decided on the new style we prefer and have left it up to the Web Designer and Patty to tweak it into shape for next week! So, get excited and ready for the new look! Also, any comments you have about the web design, please share with us by directing those to Patty and she will share them with the staff and me.
Please remember to keep praying for Pure Joy International. Pray for God’s timing for all trips, contacts, supporters, givers, and goers. (hmmmm is that a word?) If it isn’t I have about three people that lovingly don’t have a problem letting me know! Ha,ha,ha
Love you all,
His,
vickie
When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
Whew! Have you ever just wanted to give up and go back to your Egypt? I praise God that He does not take us on the shortest route in our journey with Him so that we don’t mistakenly think we don’t need Him or that we did it on our own.
For sure in our walks with Him there have been times for all of us when we would have bailed out if there had been an opportunity. If that has never happened to you then you are either a Baby Christian or have a problem with story telling, (lying).
The next time you ‘feel’ like there is no way out of the battle or circumstance and you want to return to the world (Egypt) to help you, remember, God could have taken you on a shorter route but He loved you enough not to! Look up! And see His Glory as He works on your behalf! Amen!
Well, we are only a week away, at the most, from our new web look! The ministry staff has been looking over options for a month or more. Recently the ministry staff and Board of Directors/Advisors decided on the new style we prefer and have left it up to the Web Designer and Patty to tweak it into shape for next week! So, get excited and ready for the new look! Also, any comments you have about the web design, please share with us by directing those to Patty and she will share them with the staff and me.
Please remember to keep praying for Pure Joy International. Pray for God’s timing for all trips, contacts, supporters, givers, and goers. (hmmmm is that a word?) If it isn’t I have about three people that lovingly don’t have a problem letting me know! Ha,ha,ha
Love you all,
His,
vickie
Monday, January 25, 2010
Deliver us...
Today we finish our look at The Lord’s Prayer. I hope over the last few weeks, more than anything, you have stopped and thought --if the disciples asked Jesus how to pray and He gave them this instruction concerning prayer then we as His disciples should also desire to know what He is saying to us. The last portion of the prayer reminds us that there is an evil one out there and that he is like a roaring lion and we need to pray for God’s help in fighting the battle.
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Before you start thinking that the portion of the verse that says, “And do not lead us into temptation” means that God is capable of tempting us, He is not.
James 1:13-14 tells us: Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death
The key here is the interpretation of the word “temptation”. Modern translators use the definition of the word to mean things such as “testing, proving, trying, struggling, etc.” In other words it is okay and appropriate for us to pray God don’t allow this storm or struggle, etc. to come into our life unless it is your will for our molding and shaping into your image.
Many are the times I have given a testimony about something and then said to the Lord at the same time, God I really don’t want to be tested on this please!
Then the passage goes on to say “but deliver us from the evil one.” Daily that roaring lion comes to steal, kill, and destroy! We have the opportunity to pray to be delivered from his paws, but do we?
Today, have you asked God to deliver you from the schemes of the enemy?
Would you be willing to be let loose in a lion’s cage with no way out? He has made a way out of the lion's den for us. Are you calling on His name daily?
Hope everyone is doing well. Our NEW web look is on the horizon, only weeks away! You won’t want to miss it!
His,
vickie
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Before you start thinking that the portion of the verse that says, “And do not lead us into temptation” means that God is capable of tempting us, He is not.
James 1:13-14 tells us: Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death
The key here is the interpretation of the word “temptation”. Modern translators use the definition of the word to mean things such as “testing, proving, trying, struggling, etc.” In other words it is okay and appropriate for us to pray God don’t allow this storm or struggle, etc. to come into our life unless it is your will for our molding and shaping into your image.
Many are the times I have given a testimony about something and then said to the Lord at the same time, God I really don’t want to be tested on this please!
Then the passage goes on to say “but deliver us from the evil one.” Daily that roaring lion comes to steal, kill, and destroy! We have the opportunity to pray to be delivered from his paws, but do we?
Today, have you asked God to deliver you from the schemes of the enemy?
Would you be willing to be let loose in a lion’s cage with no way out? He has made a way out of the lion's den for us. Are you calling on His name daily?
Hope everyone is doing well. Our NEW web look is on the horizon, only weeks away! You won’t want to miss it!
His,
vickie
Monday, January 18, 2010
Forgive Who...
Well, now we come to a part of the Lord’s Prayer that is absolutely one of the things that is hardest for us to do and causes more suffering, hardness of heart, anger, bitterness and yes, eventually hatred.
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Really. Have you really forgiven those people who have hurt you, lied about you, cheated on you, abused you, gossiped about you, stolen from you, disappointed you, and the list could go on and on. Have you really forgiven those individuals?
Funny how we so desperately cling to His forgiveness and ask for it every time we sin, believing His Word that we are forgiven when we ask from a sincere heart. Yet, we withhold forgiveness from one another.
What are some reasons we withhold forgiveness?
They never asked for it.
Can I share with you that some people will never be coming to ask you for forgiveness because they don’t even know they have hurt you. It does no good to tell everyone else about how a person has hurt you if you haven’t told the person themselves. It’s called gossip. Don’t assume they know because they just may not. So, take your hurt to your brother.
They don’t deserve forgiveness. (The hurt is too deep)
True. Something may have taken place toward you from another person and nothing they could ever do would cause you to want to forgive them. That is why forgiveness CANNOT be earned. It is always a gift.
Afraid if we forgive them they will do it again.
I can promise you that someone is going to hurt you again intentionally and/or unintentionally. It is part of life. We cannot withhold forgiveness just because they might do it again. Why? Because we would become a very bitter person.
Afraid if we forgive them they will think what they did was okay.
You know I wish I could tell you that they are going to recognize how deeply they hurt you and all will be well. But, there are people around us who are going to think what they did was okay no matter what. We still must forgive.
We want them to suffer.
Withholding forgiveness until we decide the person has suffered enough for hurting us - so, how long is long enough? Till you both have developed a hardness of heart?
We think forgiving someone means we have to continue in the relationship with them.
Now, if you are married and/or a parent or child, there is some truth in this even though there are some exceptions. As for the rest of us, the truth is that we don’t have to continue to be in relationships with people who are unhealthy/dysfunctional. But we do have to forgive them as we move on.
Having said all of this…..never forget that forgiveness is always a gift.
Jesus demonstrated that truth on the Cross and we too are to demonstrate that truth in our daily walks.
I pray that God gives all of us an attitude of forgiveness daily!
His,
vickie
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Really. Have you really forgiven those people who have hurt you, lied about you, cheated on you, abused you, gossiped about you, stolen from you, disappointed you, and the list could go on and on. Have you really forgiven those individuals?
Funny how we so desperately cling to His forgiveness and ask for it every time we sin, believing His Word that we are forgiven when we ask from a sincere heart. Yet, we withhold forgiveness from one another.
What are some reasons we withhold forgiveness?
They never asked for it.
Can I share with you that some people will never be coming to ask you for forgiveness because they don’t even know they have hurt you. It does no good to tell everyone else about how a person has hurt you if you haven’t told the person themselves. It’s called gossip. Don’t assume they know because they just may not. So, take your hurt to your brother.
They don’t deserve forgiveness. (The hurt is too deep)
True. Something may have taken place toward you from another person and nothing they could ever do would cause you to want to forgive them. That is why forgiveness CANNOT be earned. It is always a gift.
Afraid if we forgive them they will do it again.
I can promise you that someone is going to hurt you again intentionally and/or unintentionally. It is part of life. We cannot withhold forgiveness just because they might do it again. Why? Because we would become a very bitter person.
Afraid if we forgive them they will think what they did was okay.
You know I wish I could tell you that they are going to recognize how deeply they hurt you and all will be well. But, there are people around us who are going to think what they did was okay no matter what. We still must forgive.
We want them to suffer.
Withholding forgiveness until we decide the person has suffered enough for hurting us - so, how long is long enough? Till you both have developed a hardness of heart?
We think forgiving someone means we have to continue in the relationship with them.
Now, if you are married and/or a parent or child, there is some truth in this even though there are some exceptions. As for the rest of us, the truth is that we don’t have to continue to be in relationships with people who are unhealthy/dysfunctional. But we do have to forgive them as we move on.
Having said all of this…..never forget that forgiveness is always a gift.
Jesus demonstrated that truth on the Cross and we too are to demonstrate that truth in our daily walks.
I pray that God gives all of us an attitude of forgiveness daily!
His,
vickie
Monday, January 11, 2010
Debt...
That’s a word most of us don’t like to hear and most of us have experienced financially and or may still be experiencing. I suspect we are a lot like the servant in the story in Matthew 18:19-35 when he pleads with his master to be patient with him and he will pay all the debt.
Today, we continue our look at the Lord’s Prayer with our thoughts turned towards the black print.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
Wow! Would it be so unbelievable to those of us who have debt, no matter whether small or large, if someone came up to us right now and said, “Don’t worry I’ve taken care of ‘all’ your debt. You are debt free. Most of us would not be able to believe it but would be more than willing to say, "great!" Some of us would say, "I can’t receive that from you, it is not your debt". Others of us might say, "this isn’t your debt but I really need it so, yes I will receive it".
That is kind of how we are with Jesus and the debt He has paid for us. Some people will say, "you want to take care of that for me great I’m in". (No true salvation here!) Some would say, "it’s not your debt and I can take care of it myself". (No true salvation here - works) And even fewer will say, "yes I am in over my head I have a debt I can not pay and will receive the offer". (True salvation……Admit the problem, Believe He paid it all, Confess you are a sinner in need of a Savior!)
Oh, how I Praise Him that He has paid it all! No matter the cost it’s covered! Coming to the absolute depth of this truth should bring us to our faces before Him!
Hope everyone is starting this year out with a commitment to be in His word daily! Remember to pray for our missionaries all over the world and remember to pray for Pure Joy. I’m ready to be on the road visiting some of your churches.
Pray and if it’s God, call me!
His,
vickie
Today, we continue our look at the Lord’s Prayer with our thoughts turned towards the black print.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
Wow! Would it be so unbelievable to those of us who have debt, no matter whether small or large, if someone came up to us right now and said, “Don’t worry I’ve taken care of ‘all’ your debt. You are debt free. Most of us would not be able to believe it but would be more than willing to say, "great!" Some of us would say, "I can’t receive that from you, it is not your debt". Others of us might say, "this isn’t your debt but I really need it so, yes I will receive it".
That is kind of how we are with Jesus and the debt He has paid for us. Some people will say, "you want to take care of that for me great I’m in". (No true salvation here!) Some would say, "it’s not your debt and I can take care of it myself". (No true salvation here - works) And even fewer will say, "yes I am in over my head I have a debt I can not pay and will receive the offer". (True salvation……Admit the problem, Believe He paid it all, Confess you are a sinner in need of a Savior!)
Oh, how I Praise Him that He has paid it all! No matter the cost it’s covered! Coming to the absolute depth of this truth should bring us to our faces before Him!
Hope everyone is starting this year out with a commitment to be in His word daily! Remember to pray for our missionaries all over the world and remember to pray for Pure Joy. I’m ready to be on the road visiting some of your churches.
Pray and if it’s God, call me!
His,
vickie
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Tears...
If you will, I would like to take a break from our journey through the Lord’s Prayer to share something I believe God put on my heart this past week.
Each year since I have been a believer I spent the last part of the year (such as 2009) in Prayer and Reading the Word and the first part of the New Year (such as 2010) in Prayer and Reading the Word. So no matter where I am I take time to spend this time with the LORD and end the year and start the year in His presence.
At one point in my prayer time, I said "and LORD I pray a Happy New Tears for" ….and I stopped. What? Did I say Happy New Tears? Hmmmm. Obviously a slip up or was it? I started to think about that. You know every year we experience “new tears”. Those tears can come from a multitude of emotions……new baby, your marriage or the marriage of a child or sibling, laughter, passing of a loved one or friend, physical hurts, emotional hurts, sadness, joy, fear, anger, and my favorite tear producer… hormone imbalance! Truly the list could go on and on because what causes tears for one person isn’t always what causes tears for another.
I suppose my point is this…this year I want to encourage you and myself to embrace the "New Tears" and KNOW:
He sees them…. (2 Kings 20:5)
“Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord,
They do not go unaccounted for…Psalm 56:8
Thou numberest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle; Are they not in thy book?
As we step into 2010, I ask you to be ever prayerful concerning Pure Joy International and God’s plans for us. We pray that we only turn to the left or right at His Word! Please join us by being a part of Pure Joy International in 2010 through prayer, giving and going!
His,
vickie
Each year since I have been a believer I spent the last part of the year (such as 2009) in Prayer and Reading the Word and the first part of the New Year (such as 2010) in Prayer and Reading the Word. So no matter where I am I take time to spend this time with the LORD and end the year and start the year in His presence.
At one point in my prayer time, I said "and LORD I pray a Happy New Tears for" ….and I stopped. What? Did I say Happy New Tears? Hmmmm. Obviously a slip up or was it? I started to think about that. You know every year we experience “new tears”. Those tears can come from a multitude of emotions……new baby, your marriage or the marriage of a child or sibling, laughter, passing of a loved one or friend, physical hurts, emotional hurts, sadness, joy, fear, anger, and my favorite tear producer… hormone imbalance! Truly the list could go on and on because what causes tears for one person isn’t always what causes tears for another.
I suppose my point is this…this year I want to encourage you and myself to embrace the "New Tears" and KNOW:
He sees them…. (2 Kings 20:5)
“Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord,
They do not go unaccounted for…Psalm 56:8
Thou numberest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle; Are they not in thy book?
As we step into 2010, I ask you to be ever prayerful concerning Pure Joy International and God’s plans for us. We pray that we only turn to the left or right at His Word! Please join us by being a part of Pure Joy International in 2010 through prayer, giving and going!
His,
vickie
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