Don't Be Discouraged!

"Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged"

(Deuteronomy 1:21)

My favorite excerpts from the Above Rubies weekly devotional are as follows. Be careful of assimilation!

1. Assimilation keeps us from possessing the land.

   Leviticus 20:24-26 says “Ye shall inherit their land and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people… And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”

   "Assimilation is one of the greatest temptations of the enemy. It is so easy to want to be like everyone else around. In fact, you can assimilate without even realizing it. God’s plan for you is to be separated from the world--not from the people of the world of course, but from the deception, evil and materialistic spirit of the world.

   God does not want mixture in His land. It is not like other lands. Do you feel an oddball in the area where you live? Or even in your church? Are you the only one who is homeschooling? Don’t feel inferior. You are saving your children from being another statistic that is indoctrinated with humanism and socialism. Do you have more children than anyone else in your street? Don’t be ashamed. You are walking in the perfect will of God as you embrace God’s children for His purposes and glory. Do you have a holy standard in your home, different to the worldly-minded around you? You don’t have to apologize! You don’t have to be similar to everyone else. On the contrary, you are called to be uniquely different. Hold on to your difference and refuse conformity." ~Nancy Campbell, Above Rubies
   

   Entire message: Above Rubies Weekly
   

Will we stand alone? I hope and pray so. Have a sweet week in Jesus, He alone is worthy, His name is the sweetest name I know... I was thinking this morning of this old hymn... Tell it to Jesus.

Who and what are we living for? Oh friends, there is such Peace in Jesus, His ways are best, may we rest in His ways. Jesus, the sweetest name I know. ~Amelia

My other blogs; on everyday happenings at My Forest Cathedral and a wowee recipe & old movie review,' The Stranger' (1946) and others too on Thats-Italian

The Applause of Heaven

A MOST TIMELY MESSAGE: The Applause of Heaven ~Leslie Ludy

Short but on target message. Leslie hits the nail on the head on the approval of man verses the Lord. My husband and I often see the same problem in the homeschool movement, in the church etc. Oh that men and women would march to Christ's beat only and shun the voices of the world and the approval of man!

GO to my other messages:

HOW TO ENCOURAGE A WARRIOR POET

IS JESUS REALLY ENOUGH

THE GOSPEL & SINGLENESS

PUTTING EMOTIONS IN THEIR PLACE

WHITE AS SNOW

SOMETHING WORTH WAITING FOR

STANDING FOR THE LEAST

KEEPING SEX SACRED

KRISSY’S STORY

REVIVING ETIQUETTE

LADY-LIKE DIGNITY

...living for God’s approval alone, rather than pining after the applause of this world, re-evaluating our motives and priorities for the decisions we make.

Will you and I be willing to stand alone? Jesus is truly all we need.

Today's Home Church, Sermon by David Wilkerson

Who or what are we living for?

This was a great message that ministered directly to our hearts. Don't let the name of the sermon fool you...It goes far beyond what you may think and in many cases this may answer some questions for many of us as this age becomes worse and worse.

One of the names that I think would be fitting for this message is a quote from Brother Wilkerson:
When you no longer need Human Applause...

My husband says: When you no longer need accolades from men.

Click on the following link to hear this great message!
Full Time Ministry by David Wilkerson


More quotes I quickly jotted down are as follows:

A man or woman who has been alone is a reproof to many...

If there is one drop of apathy...Run to Jesus I beg of you...

Stir up your family! Wake up! That apathy can destroy you and send you to Hell.

Mothers get your kids awakened!

If I sound loud it's because there is a fire, jump!

It's life or death as far as I'm concerned.

Do you feel alone? God will see you through!
Isaiah 28:16:

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed.

For an Audience of One, ~Amelia

My other blogs; on everyday happenings at My Forest Cathedral and an old movie review,' The Stranger' (1946) on Thats-Italian

Home Church. Following Jesus: The Straight Gate

This is a photo of three eldest of our four daughters this morning listening very intently in our Home Church, the morning light was so beautiful there in our living room and the girl's faces were so very intent and contemplative as this must-hear message was playing. I'm not sure if I captured it just-so but I did try to quickly capture the mood without being a hindrance to the wonderful message.

Let those who have an ear to hear, hear. This blog as all my blogs are the Lord's blogs.

The sermon from this morning truly is as my husband would put it, A MUST HEAR from SermonIndex.net

ONLY 25 MINUTES LONG:

Following Jesus: The Straight Gate Hans R. Waldvogel Topic: Following Jesus
Description: Brother Hans Waldvogel shares powerfully that salvation is in the person of Jesus Christ. Not in sects, denominations or specific doctrines or theology. But in the blood and work of Christ and His indwelling us by the Spirit. May God bring us to a place of reality in our walk with Jesus.

We personally do home church these days because in our area there are no churches within a well over-hour radius that we know of that would be safe for our family to attend. We are prayerfully looking as we have moved to a different area so we shall see.

It wasn't always this way, my husband and I both were Sunday school teachers in adult Sunday school, my husband is licensed and ordained for prison ministry and still is...

But in these last days things are a bit different. There will be times we must walk alone as most churches become more and more apostate dancing to the culture and less in love with Christ conforming to loving His image.

We've never seen such a great falling away as the Bible warns! Not to mention the many empty headed theologians talking babble with no seeming relationship of Jesus.

Here is an excerpt from Streams in the Desert yesterday's devotional:

"...We must die to ourselves before we are turned into gentleness, and our crucifixion involves suffering. It will mean experiencing genuine brokenness and a crushing of self, which will be used to afflict the heart and conquer the mind.

...Today many people are attempting to use their mental capacity and logical thinking to obtain sanctification, yet this is nothing but a religious fabrication. They believe that if they just mentally put themselves on the altar and believe the altar of sanctification, they can then logically conclude they are fully sanctified. They then go happily on their way, expressing their flippant, theological babble about the 'deep' things of God." ~G.D.H

Jesus. The sweetest name I know...When was the last time you heard His precious name?

May God be glorified through these typing fingers. If you like you may enjoy my journey at MyForestCathedral.

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

This is Esther our toy poodle and I taken last week on our front porch.

(This is an edited re-post of my last blog.) The edit is in bold below as you read on.

This blog was originally published two days ago 6.04.11.

The Grapes of Wrath, the movie (1940)

"This is it! This is the movie to show to your preteen children to give them an understanding of what it means to struggle for something, for the barest of necessities.

John Steinbeck and John Ford did America proud, allowing us to look inward to discover solutions for our social problems. As a country we would do well to do the same again."

~JP Wheeler

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) one of my husband's favorite movies. This is such a much needed movie to be seen today by older children and suburban moms and dads...not to mention new grand-moms and grand-dads too...It is made from the Pulitzer prize winning novel by John Steinbeck. It depicts what it was really like for many families during the Depression and Dust Bowl.

EDIT 6.06.11

I do need to say here that the movie has no profanity in it or obscene material. From what I am understanding from a documentary, the actual book is rather racy. The movie is not racy but real and sobering. We are very careful of what we allow in our home as I'm sure you are too. We have four stay at home daughters, ages 17 to 28, my husband and I are very particular that we not watch anything that would hurt the Lord or damage our family spiritually.

In this age of folks who think they must have the latest and greatest cell phone and car, kids who think they must have certain name brands, young women and their moms maybe even now-grandmothers who don't even know the difference between a needle and a straight-pin, this is a much needed view.

Anyone who doesn't remember or know how to make-do or do-without should see this movie.

For those of you who do know how to make-do or do-without you will appreciate this film.

The Grapes of Wrath
(Wikipedia Article)

The Grapes of Wrath
Article and trailer, very interesting trivia such as the caravan of trucks being the real deal in the movie...Real families migrating during the Depression.

"While filming the Joads' car traveling down the highway, John Ford wanted to add a shot showing the large number of caravans heading west, so the film's business manager stopped actual cars making the trek and paid the drivers five dollars to escort the Joads' jalopy for the cameras."

"Prior to filming, producer Darryl F. Zanuck sent undercover investigators out to the migrant camps to see if John Steinbeck had been exaggerating about the squalor and unfair treatment meted out there. He was horrified to discover that, if anything, Steinbeck had actually downplayed what went on in the camps."

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

This is ultimately a movie about hope and the human spirit. ~RHKLWK

Of course you will be able to find clips on youtube as well. Most libraries will have copies of this classic movie and it's available for purchase from various sources.

If you get the druthers you may also enjoy my personal blog of life here in the country at:
My Forest Cathedral.

Til the next time.... ~Amelia

P.S. If you are enjoying or gleaning from these blogs please leave a comment if you have time to do so, I appreciate comments greatly and consider them a blessing and encouragement. I'm feeling under the weather thus I'll be laying low this week.

Modesty, Entertainment and Busy-Bodying

Just a quick link to an AMAZING READ.


There are articles here that are EXCELLENT and MUCH NEEDED!



An article on MODESTY will be found here, by the way would you wear a typical bathing suit to the bus stop? Isn't it true that the typical bathing suit is nothing more than underwear?



An article on BUSY-BODYING and ENTERTAINMENT CHOICES.


Mrs. Leslie Ludy tells it like it is!



MAGAZINE HERE:
SET APART GIRL



I hope we won't be too busy to take the time to glean from this great online material, the articles are so very, very needed today...

The spirit of busyness is alive and well.

B.U.S.Y. = Being Under Satan's Yoke

We just moved to a new area and the one thing that seems to keep people from even being hospitable, grateful and gracious is BUSYNESS. Busyness is a trap! It hurts others! It keeps us from the better, sweeter things of the Lord. Beware!





I hope you enjoy the refreshing read!

Have a great day, reach out and touch someone in Jesus! : )

Reflect...Take Notice...Be Still

Me and our daughter Michelle on Mother's Day.

Much of what is sacred is hidden in the ordinary, everyday moments of our lives. To see something of the sacred in those moments takes slowing down so we can live our lives more reflectively. ~Ken Gire

Many times I have to stop and reflect on God's blessings in my life, there are so many. My family is one of the most huge blessings ever.

Lately I've been so blessed to enjoy the countryside here where we recently moved. It's like going back in time for me and there are evenings as I walk on our property and I see God's greatness and handiwork in the sweet solitude, I have to throw my hands up and praise Him for what He has done!

Before you think oh she is so spoiled please know, our home here isn't finished, closets are filled with tools as my hubby is working on our old home for resale still working on this one in between times. Things I took for granted in the city, now are things we say prayers over...our water well, our ill septic system, etc. But through the little inconveniences and the newness but yet wonderful familiarity I appreciate the beauty and solitude here so very much. It gives me time to think and appreciate and it really puts things in perspective...

The beauty of the little town and the elderly people there as I watch widows and widowers with such sweet hearts and such great attitudes on life as I notice them at the store shopping for the necessities of life slowly pushing their carts...But very quick to give me a loving smile...Oh how I love that!

Many days it's the whir of my sewing machine, the delight in creating my own clothing while listening to sweet music, lately the soundtrack to The Best Years of Our Lives (1948)...

Many a blessed evening it's the laughter of our four daughters...Watching Hubs on his old tractor...Knowing that the years of homeschooling has been and is a privilege and never ever to be taken for granted...

Watching the clouds go by in the evening...

Our four doglets and their sweet smiles, yes our dogs do smile...They are perfect examples of unconditional love...

Perhaps these are the best years of our lives if we will allow them to be and shun the busyness of Babylon...It's funny, sometimes people will look at me so very seriously and ask this gal...

"How do you like it there?"

I smile...and tell them how I do like it very much...

The only regret that I have is that I ever left here in the first place. Perhaps I'm a little older and a wee bit wiser now...

Be still and know that He is God.

Blessings to All, may we lift our country up in prayers.

Until the next time... ~Amelia