After Mary heard the Angel tell her she was highly favored and chosen …she spoke “Be It unto me according to thy word.”

Most anyone would agree that being visited by an Angel of The Lord would bring a submitted,
humble and head-bowed
confession.

As did Mary,
as did Saul/Paul,
as did Joshua,
many have responded accordingly.

You might say that if you were visited by an Angel of God with Words from The Father, you would act as they did.

I encourage you to consider that the words you hear from the Teachers you sit under at Church, in your study group or small group… or the Preaching you may have heard yesterday……
carry the same messages those Angels
carried to Mary and others.

These people speaking to you are Gods assigned messengers.

God has not ceased to message you.

If you sit under a sermon…
You hear His Words.

If you read and digest the Scriptures…
You hear His Words.

If you watch and listen to a preacher on television,
you are most likely hearing Gods Word.

Never discount the Words spoken by people who have been led, directed by and who are constantly seeking God.

They are probably speaking the words of The One they seek.

The Word I read says what you seek…
you speak.

Rather than dismissing The Word you hear on
Sunday or in a study group…because you have heard a lot of teaching or preaching…

give God access to your heart as Mary did…

give The Spirit of God control of your mind and allow the expressed intentioned Word to penetrate and consecrate you for that day,
that task,
that assignment.

The Word is being spoken to you.
The Word is being sent and revealed to you.

Join with Mary and reply,
” be It unto me according to Thy Word”

Terry
December 2015

“For There Stood By Me
The Angel of God…
Whose I Am.”

These words of Paul’s were penned in description of his trip from Crete, when a storm rose in the Adriatic.

Read those words again from Acts 27:23.

Do you know this has been the case with you
many times…and you might not have known it.

The God Who guided Paul guides you.

The Spirit that guided Paul, guides you.

The Angel of God Who stood by Paul…..
stands by you.

In 1988 on the way home from Church and from engaging in a spiritual struggle…the car in front of me swerved left leaving me open to hitting a car parked on the freeway. Traveling at 60mph+
I swiped the car and retained control of mine.

At that speed,
with that velocity and possibility…
I could have hit the parked vehicle head on and been severely injured or worse,

I was not.

I believe with all my heart that ” there stood by me
The Angel of God whose I am”.

Two weeks ago in Atlanta, crossing a street next to CNN I stepped out, knowing that the traffic was coming from the right…
and happened to look left.
It possibly saved my life
as I saw a vehicle coming the wrong way…
and hopped back onto the curb.

Was I being protected?

I believe so.

The Angel of God protects you more than you know.

You have stories like these as well

He protects and guides not only our physical bodies…
but our minds and hearts at the same time and in similar ways.

Ways are paved for us to walk away from temptations.

Scripture comes to our remembrance to direct our choices.

People and relationships are in our lives to support us and lift us when we fall or are in grief.

The Spirit of God guides you daily…
Just hear Him and be aware.

He cares for us as we do for little children….
watching and being aware.

As he had intentions for Paul to be in Rome.

He has intentions for us.

“There stands by me
The Angel of God,
whose I am.”

Terry
December, 2015

I bet you have done it.
I have.

Think back on your life and consider how many times you have cheated the gifts you have.

Could you have had more success had you worked harder…
smarter?

Could you have developed a relationship
to a greater level had you not been distracted by whatever seemed more important at the time?

If you are over 45 and been involved in athletics you have most likely heard of Steve Prefontaine.

One of the best distance runners ever, “Pre”, as he was called, set records in high school, at Oregon and was a favorite in the Olympics. He died at 24 in a car wreck.

In spite of living a short while…”Pre” affected and still affects many with some thoughtful quotes about running.

He said once…
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift”.

I also heard it as “cheating the Gift”.

Fairly good wisdom for a young guy.

How many times in my life have I “cheated the Gift”….of an ability or talent gifted to me?

How many times have I “cheated” the Gift given me by Christ?

How have you “sacrificed” or “cheated” the gift of relationship between you and a great and close friend?

Have you ” cheated” the gift of the love between you and your spouse?

Not immorality…
But giving less than all of yourself…
withholding affection or intimacy to get your way or to win an argument… or just manipulate the other???

If we have heard The Word or heard from the guidance of The Holy Spirit …
and then rationalize away what we KNOW to do….
we are sacrificing the gift of intimate communication between God and us, earned and achieved by Jesus on The Cross.

My encouragement would be to treasure each Gift and give it prominence in your life.

As Steve Prefontaine always worked beyond a good effort to never cheat his talent, his “gift” ….
may we hold the Gifts given to us…
those talents and abilities within us, as well as the Gifts we have in people and relationships….. in high esteem.

May we treasure them and sacrifice anything but them.

May we…
at a time of reflection
be able to look back
and say that we did not sacrifice or cheat the great Gifts we have.

Right now…
think of the two or three greatest Gifts you possess…
and purpose to never cheat them.

As our Great Example did…
may we give to the full extent,
may we do what we are lead and instructed to do…
in spite of what might lie in front of us
and allow The Gift to be
put to greatest use.

Terry
December, 2015

Allow this to be the motto you live by

What better testimony than this for your days.

The verse gives Glory
where it’s due.

It gives credit where it’s deserved.

It gives honor where it’s earned.

Read Isaiah 41:20

Live today to where those around you know where your gifts come from, where your abilities arise from.

This verse calls for you to be clothed in humility,
to reflect the One Who
gave you everything and to deflect any praise
away from you toward
Heaven and it’s
Chief Resident.

Terry
December 2015