Changed By Love

Changed By Love

Following the Lamb wherever he goes… Revelation 14:4

Lessons from the Butterfly

If you followed my caterpillar-to-butterfly saga back in August and September, you might find this interesting. I was looking for the meaning of all that happened. I knew that God was speaking to me. But I wasn’t sure what He was saying to me exactly. These posts told more of the story here and here.

I think this paragraph gives some more insight into what he was saying to me through the process of my finding a surprise caterpillar and watching it transform.

WORD TO PONDER: CHANGING YOU
Just like the birthing of a butterfly, I AM changing you. I AM bringing you into alignment with My mind, the mind of Christ. Your mind, will and attitude will be transformed into the beauty of one who is meek, gentle and humble. I shall thoroughly prepare you to be among the living blossoms of glory and spread nectar to the world around you. You shall emerge with the full wings of faith and be a source of vivid, yet delicate beauty, displaying My glory and love.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom 12:1-2 NKJV)

I pray that He will change me into His image and prepare me to spread nectar to the world around me and fly with the full wings of faith, displaying His glory and love.

I found the above paragraph in an ebook I bought from The Elijah List today for only $4.99. It’s called Beautiful Butterfly – God’s Mystery by Sandy Warner. As soon as I saw the title, I knew God had a message in it for me. I didn’t get far before I found that amazing paragraph that I just quoted.

I have felt spiritually dry but restless and seeking and wanting more. I believe that God keeps giving me encouragements like these to let me know that I AM changing and things are happening whether I see them or not.

Praise Him for His abundant mercy and steadfast love.

Let me know how God is speaking to you even in the dry times when you feel like you’re not really connecting with Him.

You Can Help New Zealand Earthquake Victims

A powerful earthquake struck New Zealand’s already-bruised city of Christchurch on Tuesday, collapsing buildings, burying vehicles under debris and sending rescuers scrambling to help trapped people amid reports of multiple deaths. CurrClick and several publishers have teamed up to raise funds to aid those affected by this earthquake.

These publishers have a new bundle with over $230 worth of great products for a donation of only $20.

You can also donate directly with their $5 donation offer.

Giving Thanks Always

David Wilkerson Today

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2011

GIVING THANKS ALWAYS

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).

This matter of giving thanks always was so important in Paul’s theology, he repeats it three times.
(1) “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,”
(2) “Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” and
(3) “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 19-20).

Without faith we cannot do this as we ought. We are pressed down by so many problems and distresses. Of course God does not want us to fake it. It seems to me Paul has given us the key to it all when he tells us, “…do it unto the Father.” That great preacher John Calvin said that such singing and giving thanks always is all feigning and hypocrisy unless we are fully persuaded that God is our Father.

Our mouths quiver sometimes with grief so that we cannot sing; we do not feel like giving thanks. Dire circumstances shatter our spirits. There are times the
heart cries, “Lord, do you really expect me to sing and make melody when I hurt so badly?” “Lord, I am so burdened down with cares, I can barely lift my head.” “Lord, I find it hard to praise and speak hymns in my heart. There is too much fear, grief and doubt.”

Yes, it is not easy to respond to this important truth. God is not severe with us when we hurt. We are his children. But these words are given us to find solace and relief in such times. We become so focused on our difficulties that we lose more than our song—we drift further and further away from God’s eternal promises. In spite of all we face, our Lord says, “GIVE THANKS ALWAYS.”

We become ungrateful for all he has done in the past. We get swallowed up in praying only for ourselves, our needs, our families—we cannot lift up our eyes to others suffering—suffering more than us.

I am truly convicted by this word from Paul. I want to face tomorrow determined to sing to my Lord and give thanks for an entire day—for all things—in all things. It may be an inaudible song; it may be weak at first; but there must be a power in doing it, by faith, or it would not have been repeated three times.

Oh that ten thousand reading this message would endeavor to sing along with me—what a joy it would bring to Father’s heart. Then, to follow it up by resting in the truth that God has heard your cry, he is working out the solution even now and every day—so go on giving thanks always and never stop singing love songs to our precious Lord and Savior.

Read this devotion online:

http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/12398

Debunking the Myth of Early Childhood Education

If you have young children…

Read this! Read this! Read this!

This is a GREAT article about the benefits of delaying education. This mother of many is the voice of experience. The things that she says in this post resonate with me.

Let the children come… at their own pace. That’s what I always say. 🙂

Let’s not make the same mistakes at home that they are making in schools. Let’s not burn out our young children and cause them to hate learning by starting things too early and possibly before they are ready for them.

And don’t be intimidated or convinced by their propaganda. Only do what the Lord leads you to do. Don’t do things because others are doing them or because “the experts” say children need to do this or that or they will be behind and never able to catch up. Each child is different and on his/her own timetable.

We don’t know what the Lord might be doing through “learning delays or disabilities”. Lots of healing can happen as we go to the Lord about our concerns and ask Him for direction and help.

God is really after our hearts. He uses circumstances in our lives to draw us to Him. Circumstances like: problems in our children’s lives, in our marriages, our finances, and our relationships. These things touch us deeply. He is the only One who knows the answer to such things. Don’t skip the One who can help you and go to man for your answers. Our Father wants us to come to Him with our problems, not “the experts” or our friends. Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you. That’s really what everything in this life is about.

Ask for wisdom, and He will give it to you. Ask Him what you should do with your young children. I know you have to keep them occupied or they find things to occupy themselves that are usually messy or destructive or both. But how much formal instruction and control should you exercise in their lives? I believe they need to explore and discover on their own. In order to really become who they’re supposed to be they need some freedom to learn, following their curiosity and interest. Many times I pray that God will help the little ones to stay out of trouble while I work with the older ones. I pray for their safety. But I don’t lock them up. We check on them throughout our reading time.

They still manage to make messes most days, but we have learned to calmly (usually) clean up and tell them that they were supposed to play nicely and not make a mess. Then we give them another chance the next day.

Eventually, they learn how to play with things without tearing them up, and they are ready to teach their younger siblings the same lessons. And their curiosity has not been squelched. And they have learned some important lessons. Exploration and discovery are important parts of early childhood and at least some of it needs to be led by themselves.

And if you place any value on what the older women have to say and want to obey the spiritual directive to learn from the older women (Christian women who have been led by God into wisdom), then you might want to check out other things on Sherri’s blog, Large Family Mothering.

Large Family Mothering

House Votes 240-185 to Remove Funding for Planned Parenthood

House Votes 240-185 to Remove Funding for Planned Parenthood
By Susan Tyrrell • February 18, 2011 03:23 PM

Even Democrats joined in the chorus today as the House overwhelmingly voted to defund Planned Parenthood. Voting 240-185, the House voted in support of Rep. Mike Pence’s (R-IN) amendment that would bar federal funding of the abortion provider.

This historic vote came in light of Live Action’s undercover videos exposing multiple Planned Parenthoods’ willingness to aid in sex trafficking and offer advice on covert abortions for underage girls. Meanwhile, the nation has been shocked by Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s house of horrors abortion clinic in Philadelphia. All of these events, no doubt, precipitated the decision in the House which will now go to the Senate floor.

While pro-life advocates shout for victory, Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards immediately fired off a letter.

Minutes ago, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to bar Planned Parenthood from all federal funding for any purpose whatsoever. That means no funding to Planned Parenthood health centers for birth control, lifesaving cancer screenings, HIV testing, and other essential care.

Of course, Richards is once again crying wolf. As we have previously reported, Pence’s amendment doesn’t actually remove money that the government offers to health care providers, only those who kill babies as a result of having that money.

Planned Parenthood has crafted letters to the House and Senate. To the House they say:

How could you? How could you betray millions of women — and men, and teens — who rely on Planned Parenthood for basic health care? How could you condemn countless women in this country to undiagnosed cancer, unintended pregnancies, and untreated illnesses?… It was a vote against me.

What it was, actually, was a vote against the lying, deception, and death that takes place at the hand of all of our tax dollars. It was against deceit and against manipulation. And ultimately, it was against the very father of lies himself.

Make no mistake, this is a spiritual victory. As Richards herself wrote a few weeks ago, there’s been a “siege” against Planned Parenthood but the siege began a long time ago in the heavenly places by the faithful who pray. This victory was won in the heavenlies before it ever hit the House floor.

And we will continue. We will pray through the Senate vote; we will pray through the pro-abortion controversies; we will pray until every abortion clinic in America is a bad memory.

We stand against only one thing—the shedding of innocent blood. And that stand will not stop until the blood is no longer shed.

We praise God for this victory and we thank the United States House of Representatives that heard the voices of the voters they represent and stood for Life. That’s the kind of action for which God truly blesses a nation.

About the Author

Susan Tyrrell has her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Texas A&M University and teaches college to support her ballet habit.

http://bound4life.com/blog/2011/02/18/house-votes-240-185-to-remove-funding-for-planned-parenthood

This article was published in its entirety from bound4life.com.

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I’ve been letting my elected leaders know my opinion on this. I even urged Chris Matthews of CNN to watch the Live Action videos if he really wants to know all that Planned Parenthood is doing. He really put it to Marjorie Dannenfelser and tried to make her look like an idiot because she wouldn’t just answer his question about whether Planned Parenthood provides birth control and health services to women. She tried to explain that they were doing illegal, unethical, immoral things, too, but he wouldn’t listen to any of that. He was trying desperately to defend taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood and refused to hear anything to the contrary.

If they want to continue to offer services to women such as pap smears, treatment of diseases and birth control, they can stop doing abortions and cut their budget so that they can afford to do those things without federal funding. It’s not as if they have a right to federal funding!

They can’t be trusted with our money. I do not agree with them in any way and do not want to give them any of my money. And I know many people who feel the same way I do about it.