Joy

Have any of you watched or heard of the popular television series, Survivor?  As it sounds, it is a show where the ultimate survivor is the one who outwits, outplays and outlasts everyone else. In doing so, he both received that prestigious title of Survivor, as well as 1 million dollars.

The spiritual game of Survivor is similar~to outwit, outplay and outlast~ but the rules are much different. Instead of using deceptive, cutthroat strategies against your opponents, God’s kingdom strategies are through actions of gracious, humble obedience.

Jesus Christ was our example. Although He came into this world in human form, He did not play the trump card of power through bullying, threats or self-aggrandizement. Jesus knew who He was, and where He had come from~He knew exactly why He was here, where He was going, as well as how He was going to get there.  He always kept the eyes of His heart stayed on the Father and the heavenly vision. He faithfully walked the straight path that was chosen and predestined for Him, regardless of personal comfort, prestige, rewards or consequences.

By doing so, He faithfully fulfilled His calling, as it was in heaven on earth, which included dying a agonizing death on the cross with grace and dignity. He did not entrust Himself to man, because He knew what was in man’s heart, but completely entrusted Himself to His Father, knowing ultimately His sacrifice would cause Death to be swallowed up in victory once and for all!

No matter what we are personally facing in the world today~because of Jesus’ faithfulness~there is always HOPE. Because of what He has already done, we too have outwitted, outplayed and outlasted our true enemy.  In Him-in Jesus-is our true reward; EVERLASTING LIFE!

In the meantime, why not choose to play the game of life like He did~faithful to heaven’s calling by living humbly, authentically, and willing to lay down your rights for the sake of others and the highest good, knowing, like Jesus did, you also will hear those precious words, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master!

~The Quilted Poetess

The Center of My Universe

Your Voice Holy Spirit~ oh, how I love hearing Your voice speaking to my heart about the things that concern You~ the things that concern me.  Through my dreams as with Joseph, offering warning, protection, direction.  Through your written Word, offering encouragement as You reveal to me Your  multidimensional nature that more than ABLE to meet all my needs. Through my circumstances confirming a yeah or nay in my decision making. And yes, through people, as spokesmen on Your very behalf.

I arise daily excited to sit at Your feet~as Mary did~anticipating Your touch and a freshWord from You~rarely disappointed. As I do, our relationship thrives and I find that nothing in my life is more treasured or valued than spending quality time with You. During that time I cultivate a listening ear to hear. To hear more clearly and with great sensitivity Your still small voice in the unseen realm that is always Present. I am filled to overflowing with such thankfulness that You still speak~as in times of old Holy Spirit,

You say in Your Word, He who has ears, let him hear.  Holy Spirit, help me to remove all that would hinder or separate me from hearing~busyness, fear, pride, laziness, hardness of heart, unbelief, disobedience, dependence on man, etc. Daily draw and woo my heart to You. May You always be the center of my universe. May I always listen, hear and obey……today I pray.

~The Quilted Poetess

 

Wise Men Still Seek Him

What drives me~ fear of faith?  What validates me~ who I am, or what I am in Him? Who do I worship~ myself, others, or the One and Only worthy of all my worship and praise?

The Wise Men followed the Star~ all Wise Men do.  Jesus is now the Star….He leads the procession~ He twirls the baton and we follow Him, with honor, worship and praise spreading everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

Not us, but Christ in us is the Hope of Glory.  To live~to truly live is Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He came that we could have life and live abundantly. It it found in Him.

As our eyes are fixed upon Him we have peace. As our hearts are passionate towards Him we have love, and as our minds are aligned with His, we have hope.

Live is found in Him

LIfe is sustained in Him

LIfe is transmitted through Him

He is our life

 

 

O Worthy are You, King Jesus to receive all our honor worship and praise!  May the fruit of my life glorify You in all I say and do. I choose to follow and worship You today with my whole focus, heart and mind.  Wherever you lead~ like the Wise Men I choose to follow and bless and bestow upon others all You’ve so graciously blessed me with.

~The Quilted Poetess

The Greatest Gift of All

Boy, am I thrilled that Holy Spirit reminded me today, It is not by my works of righteousness, but by His grace alone.  I am complete in Him.  I have been given freely, the greatest gift of all~ Jesus~and in Him, I am complete. There is nothing I can do to add to or take away from being 100% accepted, loved and cherished.

As Jesus never was stressed to impress, be validated or feel complete~ I also have no need to do so. Phew! Does that take the performance pressure off; especially this time of year! I then asked Holy Spirit,  Just what is the greatest gift I can give to You? He impressed upon me 3 simple directives:

• Trust Me 
• Love Me 
• Serve Me

Trust Me ~ that I am more than enough in the midst of your unanswered questions, disappointments, fears, injustices, the wait, trials, discipline, lack, unanswered prayers

Love Me~ by filling your heart affections with more of Me

Serve Me~ by humbly showing respect and honor to others, while at the same time speaking and serving their needs as I lead

With the anticipation of celebrating the remembrance of that first Christmas morn, “Christ’s wondrous birth,”  I am so blessed to be reminded of just how simple it can be.  Thank you Lord for giving us the Greatest Gift of All…..Yourself!

~The Quilted Poetess

All Because of a Dream

All because of a dream, Joseph betrothed Mary; pregnant with child at the time.  All because of a dream, Jesus was spared as a young toddler.   All because of a dream a Savior was born, lived, died and rose on our behalf.

God speaks to us in many ways; through His Word, people, circumstances, His still small voice and sometimes what might seem like a whack over the head.  As with Joseph so many years ago, He also speaks to us today through our dreams.  At night when we lay our head on that pillow and say, “nighty night,”  our minds take a rest from control of our will.  But during those hours, we go in and out of dream states where the  Spirit of the Living God, who never slumbers, can download all kinds of interesting impressions into our subconscious.

Dreams are worth paying attention to.  Although not all dreams are from  God, many are.  Paying close attention to those impressions can bring us fresh direction, confirmation and warning, as they did in the life of Joseph.  Many books have been written by authors who have been  led to ask Holy Spirit just how to interpret this dream life.

I have been journaling my dreams for a few years now. When I arise and realize I have had a dream, I try to recall and record as many details as possible.  I then research meaning of various symbols of my dream using a dream dictionary.  Next, I wait upon the Holy Spirit, asking Him for His interpretation of what He has to reveal to me.

As we have seen in Joseph’s life, dreams were a very critical witness from the Holy Spirit as to the ‘what” God wanted him to do.  His choice to listen and obey~ affected the entire future of humanity.  Your dreams can also have an incredible influence on your life and others.

God is so amazingly multifaceted in the ways He ministers to us, and dreams are just another avenue to be blessed by His touch, encouragement and vision for our lives.  When you lay that head on that pillow tonight…..begin asking Him to speak, and I am confident He will!

~The Quilted Poetess

Hope

There is Hope~ There is always Hope

A Hope that does not Disappoint~ A Hope that Transforms~ A Hope that Understands

Because of the All-Surpassing Miraculous Work of Christ on our Behalf~ Because of Who He is~

Because of What He has Done We live

We live Unashamed~ We live Free~We live Loved~ We live with Hope

Each Minute of each Day Filled with a fresh Supply of all we Need according to His riches in Glory

For Relationship~ For Love~ For Protection~For Provision~ For Direction~ For Fulfillment

He is our Everything~ And in Him is Everything we Need~ Through Him is Everything we Need

To Be~ To Become~  To Belong~  To be Blessed and to be a Blessing to others

In Him we are Cleansed, Refreshed and Renewed daily

Through His manifested Presence~His Living Word~ the Loving Touch and Words of Others

Although Life is full of Detours, Disappointments, Heartaches and Disillusionments

We Know that our Redeemer Lives ~ We know we Live in Him

We know Nothing~ no Nothing can Separate us from His Love

A Love that is Higher, Longer, Wider and Deeper than any Sorrow or Loss

A Love that is Eternal~ A Love that is Infinite~ A Love that is Unending

The Glory of the One and Only~ Full of Grace and Truth!

~The Quilted Poetess

The Miraculous Journey

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory;

the glory of the One and Only, full of grace and truth.

~ John 1:14

Jesus~ there is something about that Name. The Name above all Names. The Name at which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess ~ He is Lord!  Lord above the heavens, Lord above the earth, Lord of my life.  

Lord Incarnate. The mystery of Christ within us, the hope of glory. In Him we live and move and have our being. As He breaths His Zoe life, love and power into us, we become a taste, touch, sound and sight of Him; His Presence, knowledge and glory filling the earth.

Filling the earth as the waters cover the sea. Filling the earth with multicolored facets of wisdom. Filling the earth with the virtue of the kingdom of God. Righteousness, peace and joy through miracles, healings and deliverances. Filling the earth through loving God and than expressing that love to others, as He leads and directs ~ willingly and freely, authentically and unashamedly.

We are each on our own miraculous journey proclaiming His peace on earth and goodwill towards men. Jesus came, lived, died and rose to impart His life and life abundantly to everyone who would willingly receive it. This is the miraculous journey of His unfolding grace.

We, with unveiled faces reflecting the Lord’s glory as we are transformed into His likeness with every-increasing glory ~ the Glory of the One and Only ~ Jesus~ full of grace and truth.

O’Come Let Us Adore Him!

~The Quilted Poetess   

 

Choose Love

” I choose love.  No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness,

I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.” 

~Max Lucado

The fruit of God’s love will enable me today to endure long and be patient; not envious,  jealous or boastful. It will enable me  to act gracious towards others, not haughtily, conceited,  prideful or arrogant.  God’s love within me will enable me to be polite and not rude through insisting on my own way. God’s love will grace me with the ability to flee from becoming fretful or resentful by focusing on wrong, evil or injustice done against me. I will choose to believe the best in people and to have hope regardless of the circumstance, enduring all that comes my way.

Today I will CHOOSE LOVE!                    ~1 Corithians 13:4-8

~The Quilted Poetess    

Who Are You Listening To?

Yesterday, I was reminded to pay close attention to the “who” behind those voices I listen to~ that move in and out of my head daily. Sometimes, and often many times throughout the day they are not edifying, building up and life-giving. Identifying their source can make all the difference as to whether life of death is the outcome of my attitudes and actions.

Spirits, other than the Holy Spirit love to whisper morsels of deceptive lies to taint my perspective.  When those thoughts occur, I have a choice. I can choose to listen and believe them as truth, or identify them for what they are- lies. Lies that come to rob, steal and destroy my sense of peace, joy, hope and the abundant life Christ has given me in Him.

It takes diligence and discipline to STOP, discern and decide what is from Holy Spirit and what is not. I find that when I take the time to practice “active listening,” to these inner voices, I have the opportunities to identify their source and push the REJECT button, before they take root in my heart and mind.

Then there are times they blindly weave their way in, BEFORE I recognize them.  When this occurs, I can spot them by assessing my poor attitude, or lack of sense of well-being. I know when I become fearful, offended, obsesses, stressed, (you fill in the blank) some lie has come against me to rob me of my joy.

The great news is that is never too late. Never too late to take an inside look and ask Holy Spirit to show me just what thought/spirit has troubled/lied to me. Once identifying it, I can break the agreement I have made with it and replace it with the truth of that situation.  When I do, and choose to nail it to the cross, Jesus gives me back my life and life abundantly.

I don’t know about you, but I know I want to enjoy my days, loving and feeling loved and all the other amazing benefits promised to me by the Lover of my soul.  How about you? 

~The Quilted Poetess

One Thing

What is the One Thing that means the most to you?  Fame? Acceptance? Wealth? Health? Being Loved? Beauty? Intelligence? Worldly Success?  That One Thing is very important, as it will become the driving force in your life that will mold and shape the person you become.

You see, we all become like that One Thing we set the eyes of our heart on and worship. Our time, energy, money, interests, conversation and affection will always be influenced by that One Thing. One Thing………

My deepest desire, or One Thing is to dwell with the Lord. Ever since laying the eyes of my spirit on Him, it has been Love at First Sight! Nothing and no one has truly ever been able to compare or fill that gap in my heart and life. Oh sure, I have chosen to turn to other people and things, Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places, but only to find it to be a mirage.

The true and only Oasis has been found in that One Thing, The Lover of my Soul, My Savior, My Father, My Best Friend and Comforter, My Truly All and All! To be in His Presence; to gaze at His Beauty, to feel His gentle and loving touch is the One Thing that touches my heart the deepest. His Presence and Word has nourished me MORE that anything else.

I am so thankful for that One Thing!  No greater love or fulfillment has satisfied. Seek and you will also find the desires of your heart explode in that One Thing!

~The Quilted Poetess