To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice- Updated for Lent 2026

This was originally written in 2010 in the midst of the Lenten season, and updated once again in March of 2019.  Thought it was worth updating again, as we begin this new season of Lent today, February 19, 2026, and I really didn't have anything new to write about right now, (except for a postscript at the end of this to bring you up to date on current events).
This post includes some pictures taken of the beauty of God's creation in our previous neighborhood, which always gave me moments to reflect on the Lord and His plans for my life, and what He is asking me to do for Him...So let's take a step back in time, but with a message that is still relevant and current for today as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the true meaning of Easter...

I Samuel 15:22  
"Has the Lord as great delight in 
burnt offerings and sacrifices, 
as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
and to heed than the fat of rams."

(Our Sand Hill Crane Couple are still faithfully walking together-perhaps preparing a nest?)

 Participation in Lent has always been something for me that is a personal decision for each individual to decide.  If you normally do make a decision to participate in the idea of making some personal sacrifices during this season, how does it usually go for you?  Do  you find it difficult to maintain your convictions?  What happens in your mind if you "fall off the wagon" so to speak, and give in to the temptation to do whatever it was you said you wouldn't do?  Do you get back up and start all over again? Or do you just give up altogether and decide this just wasn't a good idea for you?

My approach to Lent is that it is not so much about making a "sacrifice", as it is about moving forward in the right direction, a new beginning; a clear resolve to obey rather than sacrifice.  Writing a daily journal is one way God has directed my steps during this season of Lent in the past.   It has been a way that  I believe God has directed me to obey Him and trust Him to open new windows of opportunity as a result.  Writing something new every day is a real challenge for me, but it is also an opportunity for me to stop and listen to what God is saying to my heart, and also what He wants me to share with you.  Trust me, it has been a real lesson in obedience and self-discipline!  

Reflection of the clouds on the water...
'The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
the Lord is over many waters
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty"
Psalm 29:3-4

So, how about you?  What new sacrifices or challenges are you dealing with?  Are you finding it difficult to stay on the course? From what source do you draw strength and energy to keep moving forward? 

Let me share with you my secret...this is what "works" for me.  Perhaps it will help you as well:

1. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!  (Philippians 4:4)
2. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5)
3. Be anxious for nothing, (Philippians 4:6a)
4. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Philippians 4:6b)
5. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."     (Philippians 4:7)
6. "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Is it easy to "rejoice always" and "be anxious for nothing"?  Absolutely NOT!  It is Christ alone Who gives me the strength and energy I need to accomplish whatever task I fear or dread.  Without Christ living in me, I am powerless.  In my own strength, I fail miserably. He is my Power Source.

The question for today is this: Are you plugged in to the true "Power Source"?  If not, would you like to be? All you have to do is ask! He's much closer than you think!

"Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory 

due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the

beauty of holiness."

Psalm 29:1-2

So back to the present, February 19, 2026...This week has had its blessings and challenges for sure. I have had to draw heavily on those resources of faith found in God's Word, in the book of Philippians especially, that were quoted above so many years ago! Interestingly, our current Ladies' Bible Study is in the book of Philippians, and it's as if God keeps reminding me of these words of faith and hope and peace over and over again. You'd think I'd know them totally by heart by now...but this is why a season of "Lent" is so valuable...I call it an "annual check up", to see how things are going with my heart and soul and spirit. And then to work on the areas that I notice need some "tweaking" and improvement.

Speaking of "annual check ups"...yesterday afternoon we finally had our quarterly physical check up with our doctor, to go over the lab tests and anything else that needed "improvement".  One thing right away that I learned is to be patient and accept what God knows is best for you.  I had mentioned in my previous post that our appointment was supposed to have been on Tuesday, but it was cancelled for some crazy reason unbeknownst to us. It was just as well, because they were going to put us with a P.A. instead of the "the real doctor" that we wanted to see, and so by changing the appointment to yesterday, we would get to see the "real doctor" instead.  Well, who walks into our room but the P.A.!  I said to him, "I thought we were going to see Dr.---, because we were going to go over the results of my husband's PET Scan, which we had previously discussed with him prior to the test..."   He apologized, but said that he actually was the one who had made the arrangements for the test with radiology and that he had been very much involved in the report, etc., and basically he felt that he was probably the best qualified to go over the results with us...but he would get the Doctor if that is what we wanted...but I humbled myself and kept quiet and let him go on.  As it turned out, by the time we were through with both of our exams and his explanation of our VERY EXCELLENT blood work, BTW, Praise God!, my hubby and I were both very impressed with this young man and his knowledge, and I literally apologized to him for my previous questioning of his "authority".  He was very gracious and kind, and I learned a good lesson.

Remember when I said in my previous post https://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2026/02/just-quick-check-in-about-check-up.html, that God always works all things together for our good...here's the exact verse:

Romans 8:28 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, 

to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Yep...that's the one...and Yes, it is still so very true. Sometimes we just have to humble ourselves and sacrifice our own selfish will and accept that God DOES know best.  Remember the old TV show, "Father Knows Best"? Yes, our Heavenly Father really does know best.

As I said above, our blood work was excellent for both of us, and the report on the Pet Scan was also excellent...two big answers to prayer!

On  another note...this "Valentine's Tree" was in the waiting room at our Doctor's Office!  Can't say that I've ever seen a pink Valentine's Tree before...

The other issue we were being challenged with this week was the loss of our use of our "plumbing".  Finally we had to go ahead and schedule the septic tank to be cleaned out...

Turns out that the pipe going from the house to the tank had shifted somehow underground, and was not properly aligned with the tank,  so "things" were getting clogged at the entry to the tank.  The septic tank fellow worked very hard to fix that, and our friends from church who had done so much work the day before on the other end of the situation came back and did some more work under the house to get the pipe better supported and angled for better "flow".  Finally after two days of having our plumbing disconnected, we were able to "flush" again and take showers and wash dishes and laundry, etc.  We are SO thankful that is fixed, and the septic tank man said we should be "good to go" for maybe 10 years before needing another "clean out".  I hope he's right. This was an expensive week, but we are thankful it's done.  

Okay, that's all for today. Speaking of laundry...I am way behind in that and other cleaning jobs, so if you need me, that's where I'll be.  

Be blessed my friends. God IS in control!!!

One Word for 2021

It's that time again...time to select a "One Word" for the New Year...a word that will guide me through the year as I seek God's plans for my life in 2021.

Here is a link to the Post written in 2020 for my One Word, which was "JOYFUL". The most notable statement that I made in that post last year was this:  

"So I am going to be watching for those "signposts and landmarks" of joy along life's pathway...opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties.  No, I'm not looking for those things...they just have a way of happening without our seeking them out...so it is my desire to face each new challenge of life with a joyful heart,  knowing that the Lord, Who made me, is going to take care of all my needs regardless of what the world may say.   We are His sheep,  and we know that the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep.  So we can be joyful and trust Him no matter what.  

There you have it: JOYFUL!  Happy New Year!!! May all our hearts be joyful as we begin this brand new year and brand new decade. God is with us, so we need not be afraid to face whatever lies ahead!"

WOW!!! How little did we know just what was lying ahead for us in 2020...right around the bend from when I so "joyfully" declared my intention to "be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties."  I guess God was listening and probably was whispering to me, "Oh, My child, if you only knew just what was ahead...2020 with all of its challenges and "opportunities to be joyful even in the face of adversity or difficulties." He probably was thinking how little did I know just how much our faith would be tested throughout this year...but He knows His children, and He knows how much we can take...and He also knows how to rescue us when we are getting in over our heads.  I must say right now, looking back over 2020, that indeed God was there for me every time I needed Him (many times), and He also helped me to to remain "joyful" in the midst of the journey.  I can also say that God was very gracious to me and to our family, and He brought us through so sweetly, safely, and completely. Truly, I have much to be joyful about.

And so now we come to another new year, 2021. I've been praying about this "One Word" thing for the past couple of weeks, and trusting that when the time is right, God will reveal His word for me. I think I know what it is now. A couple of weeks ago someone at church approached me about taking over the "card ministry" for the church, which is essentially sending out greeting cards to people throughout the year for birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, get well, congratulations, etc.  The person who has been doing it for the past several years is no longer able to continue, but she had it all very well organized and has done a tremendously wonderful job.

My initial response when asked if I'd be interested in doing this was, "Please let me pray about this, and in the meantime please keep asking others who may not have as much to do already if there is anyone else who may be interested in doing this."  My concern was that I would not keep up with it and get the cards out on time.  I tend to put things off to the last minute and I would hate to be late in getting cards to people in time for their special day.  I was also concerned that it would become something that might become stressful to me and I really don't need anymore stress in my life.  But then again...I'd also been praying about ways to reach out to others in our church and to be a better steward of my time in service to the Lord.  And so once again, I received a phone call asking if I would please consider taking over this ministry, and after praying about it I knew that God was asking me to be obedient to His call.

I was just thinking about the Christmas letter that we sent out to our friends and family this year, and the opening paragraph said the following:

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37

Dear Family and Friends,

I don’t know about you, but the year 2020 is a year that I believe most of us want to get finished with and put it behind us for good! With all the horrid lockdowns, restrictions, mask wearing, and most of all the very sad and heartbreaking loss of loved ones and friends, of which there have been way too many, even if only one person that we know and care about, that’s one too many…we just want this year to be over. We want life to return to pre-Covid 19 normalcy, and yet we fear that may never truly happen again. What we really need in 2021 is to BELIEVE what the Angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary in Luke 1:37 above…  "For with God nothing will be impossible.” And to have the kind of faith that Mary had when she responded to the Angel, (vs. 38) “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”  To have that complete trust in God, that no matter what 2021 might bring, we will have faith in God and peace in our hearts that He is in control, and we need not fear."

(A journal book that I had good intentions of writing in last year but didn't get very far)

Matthew 19:26 "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

So, after thinking about this and working my way through this little story today...actually several words have come to mind:  Believe, Possible, and Obedient.   Like Mary in the Luke passage above, she BELIEVED what the Angel said to her and realized that nothing is impossible with God, indeed, as Matthew 19:26 says, "but with God ALL things are POSSIBLE." And then Mary was OBEDIENT to the Lord and trusted Him completely.  Eenie meenie, miney moe... the One Word that seems to stand out to me most is BELIEVE!

This was actually a new ornament I added to the Christmas tree this year. Perhaps it was one of God's ways of getting my attention...

In 2021 I will believe that God will help me to accomplish the things that He is asking me to do. I will believe that all things are possible with God, and I will be obedient to His calling upon my life to serve Him here in His church and community in whatever way He is asking me to serve.

I pray that God will help me to stay on task and accomplish the things that need to be done...and that I will remain obedient to Him in all ways, and serve the Lord joyfully.

So these boxes of cards are now in my home office, waiting on me to do this work faithfully.

May God help me to do it well and that He will be glorified and others will be blessed.

I BELIEVE He will see me through.

Amen.

*Post written in 2019 for my One Word, which includes a list of all my previous years' choices of "One Words".  *Note: If you tried this link earlier and it didn't work, please try again. I fixed the problem I hope!!

Have you selected a One Word for 2021 yet? I hope you will share it with us.

Sermon Notes: Jonah & The God Who Won't Give Up

Before we get into the sermon notes, I just wanted to share these verses with some pictures from my evening walk today.  I sat a long time on the dock and listened for the voice of the Lord upon the waters...and He met me there and encouraged me to get back to the job at hand...sharing God's message with any who will listen...

Genesis 1:2

"The earth was without form and void;

  and darkness was on the face of the deep. 

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

Psalm 29:1-3

"Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters."

Thank You, Lord, for meeting me here.

 Sermon Notes from Sunday, May 5, 2019:

Our message was taken from the book of Jonah...you most likely know the story already...but just in case you aren't familiar, please read the story of Jonah...chapters 1-4.  It's not a very long book...but filled with an amazing picture of human nature...perhaps you will even catch a glimpse of yourself here...I did...

So, now that you've read the story, here's the message for us:

As Christians we've been given a burden to carry...but are we carrying it?  Jonah hopped into a boat and ran away from what God had given him to carry.  He tried to get as far away possible.
But you can't get away from the Lord. He will find you.
How often do we as Christians decide to head in the opposite direction from what God has called us to do?

"I'm retired...I'm not going to do anything..."

Sometimes we want to run from God.  He may send us someplace out of the way...to someplace like "Interlachen".

God will not send us to what He has not prepared us to do...

Jonah was running from the Lord.  A storm came up...and he told the ship's crew to throw him overboard.
Can you imagine what they were thinking?  (see Jonah 1:12-16)
But when they threw him overboard, a "great fish" came and swallowed Jonah.  For three days and nights Jonah was in the belly of that great fish. (vs. 17)
Finally Jonah prayed (2:1) to God from the fish's belly.    How hard headed do you have to be to wait three days to pray??
So now we come to chapter 3:1-2, and God gave Jonah a clear message:

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."

So Jonah obeyed God, but not very enthusiastically.  He did not want to go to Nineveh..they were enemies of his people.  He was trying to avoid God's will...

Are we so set in our ways that we think they shouldn't be saved???
Do we want to pick and choose who should come into the Kingdom of God?
God is concerned about ALL people...not just "the Israelites"...(or people like us...)
In Jonah's mind the Ninevites were terrorists...He really didn't want God to save them...
But Jonah heard God's call once again.

And here is the sermon he preached...eight words only...

"Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"  (Jonah 3:4)

Hey, don't say you can't preach a sermon of 8 words!!!  But these words caused the people to stop what they were doing, from the King all the way down to the beasts of the field...

The essence of this message was this:  (for Jonah as well as the Ninevites, and for you and me today)

1.  Repent...Change direction...change your priorities
2.  Believe...Trust in the hand of God.  Take a leap of faith...no turning back

God is with us to the very end...Are you answering the call of Christ on your life?

Jonah was angry with God. (Read chapter 4)  But look at what God told Jonah in verse 11:

"And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left...and much livestock?"

Jesus has given us a mission and a "burden" to carry the gospel message to the world.  See what He told His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. 

Just as Jesus called His disciples from what they were doing...fishing, tax collectors, ordinary people, He is calling us and giving us a mission and a message to give to the nations. But He promised to be with us to the very end of the ages...He will never leave us nor forsake us.

The power of the Gospel changes people.  We have a tendency to resist change.  

Jesus promised in Revelation 21:5  "Behold, I make all things new."

So the question to us today...what are we doing with the "burden" we've been given to spread the Gospel to a lost and dying world?  Where is our "Nineveh"?  And where is our heart?  

Some things to think about. I know this certainly made me reevaluate where I am and what I'm doing...I've been about ready to give up on ever going anywhere or doing anything else...but God has revived my heart and made me want to get back into action...What about you?

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Pastor A.C. Myers, 5/5/2019

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Third Sunday of Advent & Sermon Notes "Joseph's Dreams"

Our Home Advent Wreath for the Third Sunday of Advent

Click HERE for "The Angels Were Talking" from our home advent service.

This morning in our church worship service we were blessed to have the children from "Children's Church" sing for us.  This was my view from behind them in the choir loft as they were singing...

And this was the view of them after they were finished singing and headed to Children's Church for their own service...

Aren't they wonderful?  It is always such a blessing to see the children in church and to hear them sing. We are so blessed to have so many sweet and wonderful children...and the willing workers who do so much to teach them from God's Word.  Thank you, Lord, for these blessings!!!

Then we settled back down and began our regular service with the lighting of the Advent Candle. This week's candle was reflective of Christ as our Light and the source of our JOY.

We read responsively:

"In the season of Advent, we celebrate with Joyful hearts.
Christ is our light and the source of our joy.
We count our blessings, and give thanks for God's goodness and grace.
Christ is our light and the source of our joy.
We strive to search for the good in neighbors near and far.
Christ is our light and the source of our joy.
We remember that God has promised us full and joyful lives.
Christ is our light and the source of our joy."

As the third Advent Candle was lit, the Pastor prayed:

"Gracious God, as we continue our Advent journey, we ask that you open our eyes to the beauty and goodness around us, and fill our hearts with grateful joy.  Remind us that Christ is our light and the source of all joy, and that we are here to serve You and to spread that joy to others. Amen."

Following the sermon and during our Communion service, I was blessed to sing the following song in a quartet.  What a beautiful message about our Savior, Who is the very "Breath of Heaven".

Our message today was about "Joseph's Dreams", which came from portions of Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:13, Matthew 2:19, and Matthew 2:22.  I commend these scripture portions to your reading while I share the interesting points from therein.

I wonder how many of us realized just how often God actually communicated with Joseph, Mary's espoused husband, regarding not just the birth of Christ, but also regarding His safety and protection to preserve His young life.  I think we are all aware of that first encounter that Joseph had with the Lord in a dream (Matthew 1:18-25), when Joseph was thinking about having Mary "put away secretly" because she was "found with child of the Holy Spirit" before they had come together as man and wife.  Joseph was obviously concerned and afraid of what people would think when they found out his betrothed was already pregnant.  He knew that he was not the father of her child...so what was he to do?

But "an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream," (vs. 20), telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, "for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." The angel goes on to explain to Joseph that her Son will be called "Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." The Angel further explains that this Child, who is to be born of a virgin, shall be called "Immanuel", which is translated, "God with us."   

Joseph awoke from his sleep, and did exactly as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife...and did not know her (as his wife in a physical sense) until she had "brought forth her first-born Son.  And he called His name Jesus."

• Joseph obeyed God in spite of the stigma, the possible ridicule from others, and probably loss of respect for both of them.  He did not hesitate to do exactly as the angel had commanded him.

Then we go to Matthew 2 and see the story of the Wise Men who came from the east in search of the King of the Jews.  This was most likely about two years or more after the birth of Christ. They had seen the star in the sky back at the time of the birth of Christ, but they traveled many, many miles in search of this King.   When they finally reached Jerusalem, they asked King Herod where they might find this "King of the Jews."  Herod was rather troubled by this news, but nonetheless, he told them that according to prophecy, (Micah 5:2), the "Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel" would come out of Bethlehem. When the Magi went on their way, the star reappeared and led them to the Christ Child Jesus, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and then went on their way.  

Joseph was once again warned in another dream by an angel of the Lord (Matthew 2:13) to

"Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."

• Joseph arose, "he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt."
• He obeyed the word of the angel again explicitly...and saved the life of the young Jesus.

You can read for yourself in verses 16-18 what King Herod did to all of the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts from two years old and under.  Had Joseph not obeyed the angel of the Lord, Jesus would have been killed.

But the story doesn't stop there.  In Matthew 2:19, after news came to Joseph that Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph while they were still living in Egypt.  In verse 20 he said to Joseph, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."

• Joseph again obeyed and arose, "took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel."
• Verse 22:  "But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. "And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
• Verse 23:  "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

The thing that stands out in all of these events between Joseph and the messages from angel of the Lord is that Joseph never questioned the angel of the Lord once.  Instead, Joseph awakened from his sleep, got up, and obeyed the word of the Lord.  He did not object or argue or  question.  He obeyed. He said "yes" to God.  God said it, and Joseph obeyed.

What did Joseph get out of this whole experience?  We really don't hear a lot about Joseph from this point on in Jesus' life, but we do know that Jesus later was known as "The carpenter"...(see Mark 6:1-6), so he apparently had taught Jesus his trade as a carpenter.  And in Luke 2:41-52, when Jesus  was twelve years old and the family had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, Jesus stayed behind in the Temple...and Joseph and Mary were very concerned when they could not find him...and it says in Luke 2:51-52 "Then He (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them...", "and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."  Joseph had the opportunity to give appropriate training, discipline and guidance to the young boy Jesus.  Joseph was a major player in the story of Jesus' life, all because he obeyed God even in the face of possible ridicule, danger, and fear for their own lives.

What does this story have to do with us?  Well, in what ways has God asked us to obey Him? We may not have such an important role in life as Joseph did...but then again, maybe we do. When we choose to obey God, we get to see God restore broken lives, relationships...and we are rewarded with the joy of living a life of peace with God.  We are given the opportunity for eternal life when we choose to obey the Lord...and we may be instruments for leading others into a personal relationship with Christ...when we obey the Lord.

We are invited to adopt this attitude of obedience as a part of our Christmas time of worship and celebration.  In what ways is God asking me to obey Him today? What about you?

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL., Pastor A.C. Myers, 12/16/2018

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.

Sermon Notes "Just Like Them!"

Before I get into the message from Sunday's sermon,  I'd like to share these thoughts from my morning meditation beside the waters as I watched the mist rise up from the surface much like the Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters:

Genesis 1:1-5

1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2.  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.

 And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

 3.  Then God said, "Let there be light";

and there was light.

4.  And God saw the light, that it was good;

and God divided the light from the darkness.

5.  God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.

So the evening and the morning were the first day."

What a powerful way to start the day! I Praise God for this gift.

This past Sunday was "Laity Sunday" at our church, and thus the Pastor was given the day off from preaching and our lay people took charge of the service.  This is also in conjunction with October being Pastor Appreciation Month.  Of course, our Pastors should be appreciated every month because they are there for us 24/7/12 months of the year. Trust me, I know...my hubby spent quite a few years in the ministry, and as the Pastor's Wife, I know what kind of hours the Pastor puts in.  But it is a calling...called to serve the Lord and His people, and any person who believes he or she has been called to serve in the capacity needs to be aware that it is a full time, life time commitment. Not something you can just walk away from, even when retired.... (and wives and family are a big part of this "calling". If you don't think you can take it, best not marry a pastor!)

All that being said, we appreciate our Pastor very much, and thank the Lord for his dedication to the flock of God at our little church.

In light of this special day, one of our laymen delivered the message entitled "Just Like Them",  from the scripture passage found in I Samuel 8:4-20.  In this passage the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel the Prophet and demanded that he "make us a king to judge us just like all the nations." (see verse 5)

Verse 6 says, "But the thing displeased Samuel when they said , 'Give us a king to judge us.'  So Samuel prayed to the Lord."

7.  "And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them."

God apparently was not surprised that His chosen people of Israel would demand a king to reign in place of Him.  Way back in the book of Genesis 35:11 He told Jacob (who was renamed Israel by God), 

"I am God Almighty.  Be fruitful and multiply; 

a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, 

and kings shall come from your body..."

Israel had rejected God's leadership. Their basic problem was disobedience to God.

• In Leviticus 20:26 God said to the people of Israel: "You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the people, that you should be Mine."
• Israel was called to be a holy nation, but they no longer wanted God to be their nation's ruler.
• They wanted to be like other nations with a human king
• They did not understand that only God's strength can make them flourish.
• 
  
• We, too, are disobedient to God and not listening to Him as a nation (and as a people)
• In Deuteronomy 28:1, God told Israel:
• "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth."
• But we, as a nation, have turned away from God. Our nation is divided.
• We are His people also, not just Israel.  
• Romans 12:2 says: "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."
• The world is corrupting our minds and our nation.  
• Our refusal to conform to world "values" must go deeper.
• Only when the Holy Spirit renews, educates and redirects our minds can we be firmly planted in Christ.
• We need to pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us.
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• Read God's Word, the Bible.  Let God's Holy Spirit do His job of leading us.
• Romans 8:5 says:  "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
• There are two kinds of people:  Those who let themselves be controlled by SIN
• Those who let themselves be led by the Holy Spirit.
• Ask yourself:  What would Jesus want ME to do? Then do it eagerly!
• Make God YOUR king, and follow Him!

Thank you to our layman and Sunday School teacher, David Perez, for this excellent message from God's Word. We are so blessed to have such excellent leadership in our little church.

"Obedience or Sacrifice~Which Will it Be?" Recycled

Good Morning Friends...I've been a little out of sync here lately when it comes to writing and posting...it's been too hot and dry to sit in the Secret Garden...mostly I've been watering flowers and trying to keep them living...and I've neglected my own thirst for the Living Water that only time spent  alone with Christ can quench.  So here it is Sunday morning, and I'm feeling dry and empty.  So I went back to the "well"...prayed the Lord would refill my cup to overflowing and help me to be able to focus my thoughts and heart on Him and Him alone.  Easter is coming in a couple of weeks, and my heart needs to be prepared for all of the sorrow mixed with joy of these events, as we walk through the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus, and up onto the cross on Calvary...as we remember His death and sacrifice for our sins...MY sins...and then as we rejoice with Mary and the Disciples at the Empty Tomb...yes...my heart needs to be prepared.

I was searching back through some of my old posts and came across this one that was originally posted here in 2012, for what was then called "Random Journal Day"...a day when we open up our old journals and post something randomly chosen...so that is what this is, and it was from my journal back in 2002.  As I re-read what was written here, I was reminded that "obedience is better than sacrifice"...and perhaps that is where I need to return...back to "obedience".






From My Journal, Written on Tuesday, January 22, 2002
"It would appear that I am home "sick" a lot, because that seems to be the only time I can find the time to write!  I am home from work today with a bad cold or sinus infection.  It is a gray, cloudy day, but doesn't seem to be too cold.  (We live in Florida, so I'm sure it wasn't too cold, even in January)

I have been thinking about yesterday's devotional reading from I Samuel 15:22-23 ~

"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?   Behold, to obey  is better than sacrifce, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."

Although this was directed to King Saul, it has application for us today.  I know that I must obey the voice of the Lord in all things~in every area of my life~regardless of what sacrifices may have to be made. 

Sometimes it is easier to say, "But Lord, look at all I've done for you~And look at the sacrifices I've already made to serve You."   And God says, "Yes, child, I know you have been faithful in many things~but you must continue to obey Me and trust Me in ALL ways.  Don't give in to the "martyr" syndrome.  Keep your eyes fixed on ME, Jesus, the Author and finisher of your faith...

"Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:2

A song I am listening to while I write is "Where There is Faith": 

"Where There is Faith" by 4Him (click on this link for a video of this song)

"I believe in faithfulness

I believe in giving up myself

for someone else;

I believe in peace and love,

I believe in honesty and trust;

But it's not enough~

For all that I believe

may never change the

way it is,

Unless I believe that

Jesus lives~

Where there is faith

there is a voice calling

'Keep walking,

You're not alone in this world~

Where there is faith~

There is a peace like a

child sleeping~

Hope everlasting

in Him Who is able to

bear every burden,

to heal every hurt

in my heart~

It's a wonderful, powerful place,

Where there is faith."

Christ's bequest of peace:

"Peace I leave with you~My peace I give to you~ Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27

Isaiah 26:3-4 says:

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."

Back to the present:  I guess that message must have helped, because I didn't write for quite a while after that...life became very busy.  God opened a new window of opportunity, and we were soon called to obey  and move to another place to serve the Lord after a time of rest and recuperation from some difficult things we were going through during that time.  God restored my sense of peace and gave me the faith to keep going in the face of some very hard obstacles.  That doesn't mean that life became perfect and I never had any more struggles with obedience or trust...no, that seems to continue in cycles...but thankfully God continues to meet me in those hard places and carries me through.  He keeps calling to me to

"Keep walking...you're not alone in this world...where there is faith..."  (4Him)

 
So what about you?  Have you found that it is better to obey than to sacrifice?  

Postscript:  In writing a response to one of my blogger friend's comments (see Modern Day Disciple below) I added these thoughts that I felt needed to be added to the body of this post:

Yes, it is during those times of trial and testing that I discovered the riches of God's grace, mercy, and love. I also found out that it IS truly better to obey than to sacrifice...oftentimes our "sacrifices" make us feel self-righteous and holier than thou. But when we humble ourselves and OBEY God's word and His leading in our lives, our sacrifices seem very small compared to the joy and glory of following our Master and Lord in His steps.  

Sunday Meditations

"The statutes of the Lord are right,

rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

The fear of the Lord is clean,

enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether,

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb,

Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

and in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 19:8-11

"Let the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

Psalm 19:14

Amen

May you rejoice in God's Word and His enduring promises today.

Have a blessed Sunday, my friends!

Random Journal Day...Sacrifices or Trust?

If you have followed my blog throughout the past year you will remember that at least once a month I join up with some other blogging friends for the "Random Journal Day" Blog Hop..(.Click on this Link to Random Journal Day Blog Hop for January info) ...It's where we go pull an old journal off the shelf (or out of the bottom drawer of the dresser, in my case today), and randomly open to hopefully a journal entry that can be shared with others!  Sometimes they cannot be shared, and I have to turn a few more pages...and then I wonder if I've already shared this one or not...but oh well! If I have, you'll just have to endure it again, because this is where God led me tonight.  The first part sounds a bit depressed...but I was going through some difficult days.  We all go through deep water and difficult days at one time or another...maybe something here will help you if you find yourself in such a place...

This particular entry comes from Thursday, December 27, 2001,(excerpts) followed by Tuesday, January 22, 2002...Here is what I wrote...

(Dec. 27, 2001):
"I just re-read the entries in this little book that I've written throughout this past year--God was truly ministering to me during those days of convalescence from my surgery.  I see that I haven't written anything since going back to work in May...So much for goals and keeping up with writing! But I guess it has been all I could do over the past six months to keep up with house and home and work~let alone try to write a book! I really haven't the physical energy~as well as the spiritual power necessary to write all that was on my heart.  Looking back, I realize that I have been in a real emotional fog for most of this year.  I wish I could say that the fog has totally dissipated and I am walking fully in the sunlight at this time.  But I cannot honestly say that.  Each day seems to bring new challenges to my faith and mind.  There are days that I find myself wishing there were some means of 'escape'.  And yet, I know that is not what God would want for me.  I know I must persevere and remain faithful to His calling on my life.  To quit now would show a lack of trust and faith.

     Lord, You know I believe, but help my unbelief...I am only human, after all.  There are days that I fear that I will either lose my mind or my life~but then I remember that God is able to sustain me throughout all of my life~in all circumstances. I need not fear what man may do to me~I am safe in the arms of Jesus.  He continues to carry me and protect me.  Praise God! Jesus NEVER fails!


(January 22, 2002):

"I have been thinking about yesterday's devotional reading from I Samuel 15:22-23; 

'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.'

Although this was directed to King Saul, it has application for us today. I know that I must obey the voice of the Lord in all things, in every area of my life~regardless of what sacrifices may have to be made.  Sometimes it is easier to say, "But Lord, look at the sacrifices I've already made to serve You"....and God says, "Yes, child, I know you have been faithful in many things~but you must continue to Obey Me and Trust Me in all ways!  Don't give in to the "martyr syndrome"...keep your eyes fixed on Me, Jesus, the Author and finisher of your faith..."Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

A song I am listening to right now as I write this, "Where There is Faith"...by 4Him:

"I believe in faithfulness

I believe in giving up myself for someone else.

I believe in peace and love,

I believe in honesty and trust...

But it's not enough

For all that I believe may never change the way it is,

Unless I believe that Jesus lives...

Where there is faith...

There is a voice calling

"Keep walking...You're not alone in this world~"

Where there is faith~

There is a peace like a child sleeping

Hope everlasting in Him Who is able to bear every burden,

to heal every hurt in my heart...

It is a wonderful, powerful place~

Where there is faith..."

"Where There is Faith" by 4Him 

Christ's bequest of peace=  

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

Isaiah 26:3-4:  "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."

This was the last entry written in this particular journal.  It was a long time before I started writing again...so many things were going on in my life and I didn't feel like writing it all down at the time.  Thankfully God has restored my desire and joy in writing...it has been a healing balm in so many ways. I trust that others who may now be reading what has been on my heart in the past and now the present will find His PRESENCE in these words...and find hope and rest and peace for your own souls.  Amen.