Where are you on that road?

Luke 24:13-35 tells one of my favorite stories in the new testament, the Walk to Emmaus. It begins with a simple reflection that sets the stage for the reader and draws into question the importance of this story.  Pastor Deb unpacked this narrative beautifully and I've added footnotes from her sermon below.

"Now on that same day..." What day? In looking just before those words, one will note that it is the resurrection day - Easter Sunday still. Christ rose from the grave and showed himself to the women and then we move quickly to this story on the road to Emmaus.

It shows how important we are to the Lord and how our concerns and troubles are of great concern to Him. Of all things He could be doing in those moments He took time to walk along two troubled disciples and open their eyes to His very presence.

Where are you on that road?

Are you troubled and in need of an encounter with Christ? Have the troubles of your situation or circumstance weighed you down so much that you fail to recognize Him because the wind and the waves are all but swallowing you?

Are you in a little further down the path (in the story) and in need of Jesus Himself to open the scriptures to you and speak truth into your life? Open your Bible and be blessed by who God is and the realization that you might have skewed him to be a harsh owner or a demanding father. You couldn't be more wrong.

Are you standing at the door of a decision or along life's ebbs and flows and hearing the soft knock to open up and let him in for the first time, or even deeper than He is already? Don't let him stand outside and knock, but like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus - invite him in to stay.

Are you seated at the table, assured of your relationship and living in the spirit each day and simply need to see him once again in the breaking of the bread? Prepare your heart and mind to receive His goodness and come expecting.

Where are you on that road, because I assure you, you are somewhere. Find your starting location today and move another step closer. Close your eyes and breath in deep as your heart burns within you at the very recognition of your Creator and King.

Ahhh... but the end is the best. When Christ left them they got up and returned to Jerusalem to tell the story that Christ was indeed risen. When is the last time you told your story? Surely your ashes have been turned into beauty because of who God is... not who we are or what we've ever done to deserve it. It was in the telling of the story over and over by the various disciples that you and I belong to a body of believers known as the church.

Don't keep the greatest cure known to humanity for all that ails us and leaves us awake at night. Share your story and remember how Christ has made himself known to you on your own personal walk to Emmaus.

LS

Verged from the Path

I was reading back through my journal recently and sat in amazement at the number of times in the last two years I've "verged from the path" God has me on. You know each time I moved away from him it wasn't that I made the decision to, it was a subtle small step of disobiedience. Something that didn't matter in my own eyes.


Joshua 1:7 says, “…do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (God is speaking to Joshua about sticking to the commandments given to Moses)

I knew God's instructions to me were to stay on the path, but my way seemed better, faster – more efficient. But it wasn’t any of the following, it was a way to rebel that I could justify and remain tucked in my ignorance that every decision I make, every step I take to the right or left of the path God’s planned for me is one that could continue to lead me into the next poor decision.

As I'm trying to correct my small rebellions, I can feel the brilliance of Gods glory warming my heart and a still small voice whispering in my ear, “It is in the little things that I seek your obedience, daughter. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Might sound trite, but make every decision you make unto the Lord - use his council and guidence and fall back on the old, "How would God feel about this if He knew?" Because He already does. :)

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him in all our ways and He will make our paths straight.


May your day be filled with Joy from the only joy-giver!

LS

A Resurrection Story

The chairs were full and the crowd brimmed with excitement at 9 and 11 this morning, the colors of life and joy spilling from every angle of our imaginations. 

The darkness of Friday was locked inside the sonrise of Easter morning and the praise that filled our small church left me breathless and on fire for God's glory to be magnified in a way that I've never experienced. 

Our beautiful preacher slipped off her lovely white sandals and pulled us deep into the story the began with a reminder of the darkness, a battle in the grave after redemption was offered in the form of a sacrifice nailed to a bloody tree and yet...

Before long we were right there with Joseph and Nicodemus, the women rushing into the scene next and the beautiful angel of God questioning why they were looking for the dead amongst the living?

Are you looking for the dead amongst the living, friend? Have you keep your eyes on things of earth and not of heaven for too long, so long that you might have forgotten the blessed message in our church today?

Just as Christ was raised from the dead, you too have been raised beside Him and offered new life. You have a story to tell, just as the women at the tomb did over 2000 years ago. What has God lifted you from? Where has he been active in your life?

Where have your ashes been turned to beauty? Don't think for one moment that your transformation cannot be a tool to bring others in, for it is in our greatest nightmares that we are rebuilt and remolded so that we can be living proof that God is alive, active and well TODAY.

Tell your resurrection story and if you need a place to start, start with the story of a God who loved you enough to sacrifice himself in the form of human flesh so that by his scars - you may be healed. 

LS

Saturday of Holy Week

Remember these words we read at Christmas?

Luke 2: 34-35

34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

"And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Do you think Mary is remembering these words this morning?

Do you think she knows exactly what Simeon meant now?

Do you think she feels like she too has been beaten and a big part of her died last night as she watched her Son take his last breath?

Did she pray this morning before she got out of bed..."Please God let that all have been just a terrible dream...Let my Son still be here with me."

What pain and sorrow she must have felt as she gets up and realizes it was no dream.

Tomorrow, Everyone will celebrate his rising from the dead...But today..

Jesus lies in a tomb.

No one will mourn him more today than the woman that gave birth to him.

The woman that picked him up when he would stumble and fall as a child.

The woman that laughed when he said something funny and the woman that would give him those "momma looks" when boys will be boys...

For last night..."A sword pierced her soul."

In the name of Mary's baby boy...

Amen....

In His Time

The devo this morning comes from a friend of mine. Thank you, Emery for sharing this beautiful poem.

In His Time

For everything there is a time

For rain to fall and sun to shine

A time to build and plan to stay

A time to leave and walk away

Sometimes it seems a mystery

These twists and turns we did not see

They create a great confusion

Disrupting our grand delusion

We are but seeds divinely sown

Our lives are God’s and not our own

Accept the change with humble grace

Knowing you have been put in place

God designed for us all to find

Not created by mortal mind

Heavenly hands guide all you do

Perform his will, heart pure and true

Your eyes will see, your heart will fill

Just listen and fulfill his will

-          Emery Fontenot

Miracles come in CANS....

I was listening to Joyce Meyers yesterday and of course when she said that, I gave all my attention to the show.

What was she talking about?  Miracles come in CANS?  Like a can of peas?  Just open it up and pour it out?

At first I was like "ok.. I am not watching you no more!"  God might catch me and then I would be in real trouble!

But as usual things are never what they seem.  The show was on having the courage to step out in Faith.  Believing in yourself through the power of God.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

So How are your "cans" this morning?

Are you struggling with something in your life that makes you feel like you "can't"

You can't take that job?

You can't speak out?

You can't teach that class?

God is asking us today to open our CANS...  Believe in yourself and the power HE gives you.

Don't let Satan tell you what you CAN'T do... 

The ALMIGHTY GOD...TELLS YOU THAT YOU CAN!  UNLEASE YOUR MIRACLE!

Love to all

revdeb
--

Pastor Deb

Imprinted Words

Hey everyone! I hope your day is going great!!

I was preparing for my women’s bible study tonight and the topic is going to be on temptation – how we deal with it when we come up against it.

The two characters we’re looking at are Eve and Christ. Eve accepted the lies of the great deceiver, but Jesus used weapons to fight against those lies.

In digging a bit deeper into that same line of thinking, I want to (once again) encourage you to pick up your bible – it is called the “LIVING word” for a reason.

Jesus used scripture to combat the devil and to teach the disciples and to rebuke the Pharisees, the list could go on and on…

He used scripture because he knew it. Notice something… did he say, “In Isaiah 25:11… or In Malachi 1:7…” Did he quote the actual scripture or did he just speak the truth of its message?

Being able to deliver the message, the meaning, yield the weapon, use the TOOL is so much more important than knowing exactly where to find it.

Read your bible and keep a notepad next to you – write down those things that you think, “Hmmm.. there is a nugget of wisdom… there is a verse that answers Joe Bob’s question… there is a phrase that will give comfort to my sister in need…” Or even better yet – “There is a verse that I can use against myself to remind ME that God sees something in me that I can’t began to comprehend, so today I’ll repeat this verse and choose to believe what God sees in me, instead of what I see in myself.”

Don’t focus on memorizing the bible – focus on imprinting its truths on your heart, and then – share them.

Laurie

Waiting...

The only thing more aggravating than the word...is the deed.

This is one of the hardest things in life to do.  Especially if you are "waiting" on an answer from God.

If you are waiting .. in line, a Dr. office, traffic...  You pretty much know it will be a while but the answer to that wait is within reach.

Waiting on God is a faith issue only.  At 5:00 the Dr.'s office is going to close, at 5:00 God is still silent.

There are some BIG issues I am currently "waiting" on God to put light into the darkness for me, as many of you are.

I am tired of waiting.  Anyone out there with me?  Many people think those of us that have answered a higher calling (Pastor) has a direct connection to God...you know the "God phone".  Like Batman and the bat phone.

As much as I wish it were true, it’s not.  We have to "wait" like everyone else.  The blessing is I know I am in some great company.

Even King David felt our pain..

Psalm 27:14¹⁴ Wait for the Lord.
Be strong and don't lose hope.
Wait for the Lord.

Let's all do it together...lets hold Spiritual hands and be strong together..

Love to all

revdeb

It's all about you, Jesus

"Heart of Worship" is a song we sing a lot at Living Water Church. Many of you know it.

The chorus starts out like this:

I'm coming back to the heart of worship

The words would indicate that while sitting in Church your heart and mind have been in other places.

It’s not ok just to check the box and warm the seat. What is the "Heart" of Worship?

Jesus of course...

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it

This sentence in the chorus always convicts me.

Why do we also try to make GOD fit into a neat little box?

We don't like this song; the music is too loud, or not loud enough!

This is how it is "supposed" to be done...

God invites us, by name, to come into HIS living room every Sunday.

We would NEVER enter into any one else's home and start trying to make it something other than it is…

Why do we do it at God's house? (Remember HE sees into your HEART).

So how do we make it better? Keep Singing...

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

And Then...Remember...

It's all about You, Jesus

Love to all
revdeb

Jesus Calms the Storm

Matthew 8:23-27

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

I’m sitting here waiting for my friend to meet me.  It’s a like a little piece of heaven is here on earth today. The sky is a beautiful shade of blue with fluffy white clouds playing in the air.   A breeze is blowing-teasing my hair and the trees.  I lean back and look up.  A tall pine tree is swaying and bending almost in time to the beautiful music I hear playing.  I feel the breezes in my life-tossing me about-teasing and testing my faith.  Will this breeze turn into a storm?  There was such a storm that tossed me about, bent me to the ground and left pieces of me lying around. I thought I had split in half like some of the trees do sometimes, but God was not finished with me.  He had not left me alone.  I found out he had barely begun on me. 

By his grace, he bent me to the ground and brought me back up again.  I see the old pieces of me lying around on the ground.  The pieces of worry, fear and mistrust were left behind. Like bark off a tree the control I wanted to have blew off me.  Jesus touched my soul and gave me life.  Just as the pine popped back upright, he brought me back upright.  My soul healed, the Lord has claimed my life.  He will never leave in the storm.  I may sway and bend, but I will not break.  He is my strength and my life is his.   He has rescued me and poured his love over me.  His sacrifice allows me to have the breezes and the storms in my life.  His sacrifice has shown me how to trust him and leave the fear and worry to him.  His hand is always there, reaching down to pull me, to pull all of us, up from the ground and up from our storm.  Will you break or will you reach up for the hand of Jesus?

Romans 15:13

            May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Laura Olsen

Eye's Up!

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

My girls and I try to do a nightly devo, just a small 5 minute reading and scripture that allows us to share the word together. We forget more than we should, and I’m often reminded how important it is to them when their opening prayer each time we DO it includes, “Dear Lord, please keep us doing this devotional each night…”

Last night’s devo was about when you are down and out and life just isn’t want you want it to be. Darkness is surrounding you or your depressed or your angry and just can’t seem to get out of the muck. The verse we read was the one above and I kept thinking – how is this going to tie together? I was grumbling in my head because I was exhausted and figured I’d have to tie it together for the writer, but God whispered hush and I did.

The theme of the devo was to encourage someone else – to forget about your situation and circumstances and instead to love and do for another. To shift your focus from your problems to someone else’s and reach out even though you don’t think you can. I read the other day that 90% of happy people all have 1 thing in common – they give to others.

Lift your eyes today and give someone else the encouragement that you need in your own life, and watch what a change in perspective will do to your ability to persevere and not give up.

“Set you mind on things above, not on earthly things.” Col 3:12

Verged from the Path (Devo)

I was reading back through my journal this morning and sat in amazement at the number of times in the last two years I've "verged from the path" God has me on. You know each time I moved away from him it wasn't that I made the decision to, it was a subtle small step of disobiedience. Something that didn't matter in my own eyes.

Joshua 1:7 says, “…do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” (God is speaking to Joshua about sticking to the commandments given to Moses)

I knew God's instructions to me were to stay on the path, but my way seemed better, faster – more efficient. But it wasn’t any of the following, it was a way to rebel that I could justify and remain tucked in my ignorance that every decision I make, every step I take to the right or left of the path God’s planned for me is one that could continue to lead me into the next poor decision.

As I'm trying to correct my small rebellions, I can feel the brilliance of Gods glory warming my heart and a still small voice whispering in my ear, “It is in the little things that I seek your obedience, daughter. Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Might sound trite, but make every decision you make unto the Lord - use his council and guidence and fall back on the old, "How would God feel about this if He knew?" Because He already does. :)

May your day be filled with Joy from the only joy-giver!

Laurie