Thursday, July 23, 2009

Importance of Memorizing

When my granddaughter Mattie was probably 7 or 8 she had been given memory verses to learn at a kids krusade and she new them right off. A week or so later she was asked by my Aunt to tell them to me. She sat there and I said "we all should memorize God's word and hide it in our hearts. Can you remember your verses?" She looked at me and said "I did hide them but now I can't remember where I put them." We all just lost it and laughed and she was off the hook. I tell you this because we all should put Bible verses to memory(and not forget where we put them) so that we can recall them when we need to. PS 119:11 "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."(KJV)

There has been two instances lately that I was so glad that I had put some verses to memory because I couldn't read my Bible. The first was when I was having the chemical stress test done and the verses I remembered were a comfort to me while that test was going on. I recalled the verses and prayed and praised God during the whole test. I was so thankful that I knew the verses to recall. The other time is when my diseases act up and I can't read my Bible.
With my Myasthenia Gravis sometimes I have trouble with my eyes focusing and can't read easily. This is a nuisance to me because I read all the time but most important is I try to start each day off reading my Bible and spending time with God. When my eyes don't want to work then I resort to going over verses and passages I have put to memory in place of reading the Bible. This way I am still in God's word and he still speaks to me through his word.

Another reason that I think it is important to memorize God's word is that when we are in a place where we need comfort, guidance, help in resisting temptation, or reassurance, God will bring those verses to our minds. This can be anywhere at work, school, driving down the road, or yes even during medical tests. 2 Tim 3:16 (16)"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17)That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."(KJV)

I am going to try to learn at least one new verse a week so that when I need to recall them I will know them.
My verse for this week is: Is 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

We have a friend

A FRIEND


I’m there to hold your hand
When you desperately need a friend
I’m there with open arms
To keep you from all life’s harms
My arms are opened wide
So in them you can abide
I watch over you both day and night
Making sure that you are alright.
In times of sorrow and grief
I am there for you to call on so you see
You are never alone for I am always with you
I know where you are and all that you do
I am your friend and on me you can call
I am there to catch you when you fall
My love I give to you
I am always there to give help to you too
I know you and you know me
So I know what it is you need.
I call you mine now and for all eternity
You are so important and special to me
I am your Savior and I am your Lord
A friend to you I am for now and forever more

By Deb Forbes
July 21, 2009


I was talking to someone the other day and they said they really didn't have any friends. They just didn't have anyone they could count on and that they could trust. I was thinking that is kind of sad but I understood what they meant. People can come and go and sometimes you don't feel like you have anyone you can turn to or count on when you really need a friend. I told them that they could always have one friend they could count on that would always be there and they could always trust. The best friend you really can have is Jesus. Heb 13:5b "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."(KJV) Jesus never leaves us and will always be right there for us. He understands what we need and what we are going through. It says in Rom. 8:38-39 that nothing can separate us from him Rom.8:38-39
38 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(KJV)

What better friend could you ask for than one that understands, stands by you, and never leaves you. Jesus wants to be your friend and all you have to do is ask him in to forgive you and to live in you and you will always have a friend. Jesus loves each and everyone of us and we can talk to him any time any where and about any thing. What better friend could there be. Last he gave his life for us and that is someone who loves us and cares about us. He is interested in every part of our life so next time you think you don't have a friend or know someone that thinks this remind them of your friend JESUS.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dash between the years

I heard more than once from our pastor friend that on our headstone there will be the year we are born, then a dash, and then the year we die. That small dash between the years represents our life. It is such a small thing that represents all that we are and have done. This got me to thinking what will that dash represent for me? What will I have accomplished and how will I be remembered.

I want to be remembered for being a good wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, mother in law, and friend. But most of all I want to be remembered for being kind, compassionate,loving, and above all else as an obedient, loving, follower of Jesus. I don't want to be remembered for the things I have or for being famous, but for being a person that loved God and my family and did good for others. What really is a better legacy than to leave with the people you love the knowledge of your love for God and your love for them.

I want to live life where I can serve God and others. I want to give love to as many people as I can and make their lives better. I want to tell all I meet about my God. I want, in every part of my life, to glorify God. I want to share and spend time with my husband and family and make good memories with them.

At church, Westside Family Church, our new series is on Treasure Hunt and what treasure do we hunt for, is it stuff or God. I want my life to be a hunt for the treasures of God and heaven and not stuff. The verses we studied were Matt.6:19-20 (19)Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20)But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.(NIV)I want, when people think of me, to know that I was on a hunt for heavenly treasures through out my life, treasures I willing shared with all.

Here are some of my quotes I have made into bookmarks:

MEMORIES TAKE A MOMENT TO CREATE AND A LIFE TIME TO ENJOY

REMEMBER WHEN ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPEND TIME WITH EACH OTHER

WHAT IS A LEGACY? SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU RICH AND FAMOUS OR SOMETHING I CAN LEAVE TO YOU TO REMEMBER THAT I WAS HERE AND I LOVED YOU

GO THROUGH LIFE MAKING SURE YOU TOUCH THOSE AROUND YOU IN A POSITIVE WAY

STRIVE TO BE KNOWN NOT JUST FOR HOW YOU LIVE BUT ALSO FOR HOW YOU GIVE

MAKE SURE WHEN PEOPLE SEE YOU THEY SEE CHRIST

Let us all take time to make that dash between the years stand for a life well lived loving, giving, and sharing but most of all serving and glorifying GOD!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Our Lighthouse In Life

My Life’s Light

I will trust you where ever you lead me
I will trust you in both the calm and stormy seas
I will follow the path you set before me
I will lean on your love and hope you give me freely
For you are the light that guides my path along my way
You are my guide through each and every day
Like the captain on the sea I will look to the light
Always keeping that beam in my sight.
For you my Lord, are my light
On whom I will keep my sight

By Deb Forbes July 2009


If you come to my house you will see lighthouses everywhere. I love lighthouses and collect them in all forms. I have pictures of lighthouses on my walls and just about everywhere you look you will see at least one lighthouse in some form or another. The lighthouse is a reminder to me really, that Christ is the lighthouse or light in our lives.

The lighthouse was there for the sea captain and its ships to guide them safely into the harbors and to keep them from running into trouble of unseen hazards coming into shore. The lighthouse is also a fixed point that the captains and ships can keep their eyes on to guide them in calm and stormy seas. It is a comfort and a security for them when they follow it they will be kept from harm until they are safely in port. The light was there to help in the worst fog and storms but also there to guide in the calm and clear times.

As followers of Christ we can say that Christ is our lighthouse. He is our guide and safety in calm and stormy seas. John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."(KJV) John 9:5"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world"(KJV)Christ is the one we should keep our eyes on because he is the light in the world of darkness. If we, like the sea captain, keep our eyes fixed on Christ, our light, then we will not lose our way and he will warn and keep us safe. He is there in calm and stormy times lighting our way as long as we look to him. If we take our eyes from him, our light, that is when we lose our way and run in to the hazards of life. Just like the sea captain if we don't follow or look at the light that is there to help and keep us then we like the captains ship will be lost or wrecked. We should always look to our light which is Christ till we have reached our harbor of eternal life in heaven.

Christ is the one we should look to and trust in our lives. He is our lighthouse and guide in our journey of life. Keep your eyes on Jesus and don't look away. If you fix your sight on the Lord and follow the path he shows then your life will be complete and your way made for you till you reach that heavenly shore. Sometimes when the storms of life are calm we want to look away from the light and try to make the way on our own, but just like the captain of the ship he needs to watch the light even in calm seas to warn and keep him from straying off course or running aground, we need to still keep our eyes on Christ to guide us even when things are going good or we tend to get in over our heads and lose our way till we again look to our light, which is Christ. Christ is the light of the world and the light in us. Let's try to keep our eyes on the light and let the light shine in and through us.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

There in the Scan Machine

I was in the hospital after having trouble and they were running a chemical stress test on me. They did the first part and then I had to do the resting pictures. The problem with my having Myasthenia Gravis and my other diseases is that I can not lay flat and breath too. Breathing is a necessity I have found so this test in which I had to lay flat and not move in a scanning machine was going to be a challenge to get through since only a few seconds can cause me to struggle breathing. I asked my husband to pray with me and then when we got to the test and they were getting ready to put me on the table in the machine the technician said she was there and if I got into trouble they would stop and go from there. I told her no problem I had prayed and God was going to be with me during this. She looked at me funny and got me ready to go. They started the test and I started saying Bible verses in my head that I knew and praying. The longer I laid there the more I hurt and I then prayed and sang along in my head to some of my favorite worship songs from church. Finally after 20 minutes, which with out God's help wouldn't be possible, I had to literally be helped up off the table because my muscles in the rest of my body were too weak and I hurt so bad and my joints would not work, so they had to pull me up and support me to get me in the wheelchair. The tech. looked at me in amazement and said well you made it with no breathing difficulties and I smiled and said I knew I would because I had prayed and God was with me. When I got back to my room they told me they had seen something and needed to repeat that part of the test tomorrow which meant another 20 minutes of lying flat again. I just laughed and said to myself okay God must want to prove something to this tech. The next day she came to get me again and said well it will be just like yesterday and I will be with you all the time. I smiled and said thank you and God will be with me too because I prayed. Again she just looked at me funny. We went through the same thing getting me set up and starting the tests. I started praying the minute I was laid on the table and reciting verses I had memorized. I repeated the same process from the day before but the thing was it was harder the second time because I was still feeling the weakness and hurting and stiffness from the day before. I just prayed all the more and after 25 minutes we were done and again I couldn't move, not even to put my arm down from where she had it strapped above me. She literally had to pull it down. They had to lift my legs and pull me up off the table and my body was shaking so bad from the muscles giving out and she looked at me and said well you made it again. I smiled and said yep because I prayed and God was with me. She didn't say any more until we got to the room and my muscles still didn't want to work so I was helped to bed and when she was leaving she said you have a good spirit and I thanked her and said that's because God goes with me even in your Scan machine. You see they were prepared for the worst, for me to stop breathing and God had taken care of me and made sure that I was able to breath until the test was done. The nurses hurried in and said that the tech. just couldn't believe how well it had gone both days and she was telling everyone what I said about God going with me. The nurses had to come see for themselves and I got a good laugh because what they see as being something amazing, which it was, I knew could only happen because God had been with me and provided a way for me to do what I can not do with out his help, which is lie flat and breath too. I have not been able to lie flat in over 9 years and even have to sleep in a recliner chair at home and not a bed. So God is good to us and he goes with us every where even in a scan machine to comfort and provide for us all we have to do is ask. Praise God