Happy Birthday Betty

Ephesians 6:2-3

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—  “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Today is my little sister's birthday.  Twelve days ago on the 1st of April,  on my birthday she sent me a message that read:

You can't imagine how blessed I feel to have you as my sister. Do you know one memory that I have when I was a little girl? When it was time for us to go to sleep I was afraid of the dark and you would tell me, just pray. This was the prayer. God help me sleep everyday and every night. That prayer has come along way. Here we are 41 years later and I could still

turn to you and say I am scared and you are there to comfort me.

Today I want to to tell you about this special lady.  She is the youngest of three girls. I'm the oldest :) She has the gift of service. She is a giver and her heart is big with love.

Betty, being the youngest in the home was the last to leave my parent's house. She worked side by side with my mom & dad when my brother Moses came along.

I know today is bitter sweet for her because she was my mom's little girl.  A big hole has been left in her heart with the passing of my mom just 8 months ago, and I know today is somewhat painful.

My sister has lived Ephesians 6:2-3, the command that the Lord left us to honor our parents. Now that my dad is alone, she continues to to serve my dad as a good daughter. My other sister & I are available for my dad too, but not like Betty.

So today on your birthday, I want to honor you and let everyone I know, that I am PROUD of YOU! Remember that God is pleased in how you care for our mom and how you continue to care for our dad. We understand that our hope is in the fact, that we will see mom again because she anchored to the

promise of God.

So....Happy Birthday little sister!! Enjoy this day.  On this day someone really special was born---that's

YOU!

Seek the Lord, press into him.  Continue to pray and search him out...he is not far off.

God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com

Are you Injured?

Proverbs 10:9 

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. 

Psalm 78:32-39 
In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. So he  ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek  him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God  Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him  with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet  he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he  restrained his anger and did not stir up his  full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. 

Yesterday as I was returning home from shopping with my husband, I had to slow down the car  because all cars in front of me came to a halt. I saw two cars in front of me go around an  obstacle. When it was my turn I saw a creature, possibly a possum; he had been hit by a car  and was struggling to scurry to the side, perhaps hide in the bush, die or try and survive.  I began to cry because I could see the little thing was in pain; he was hit and did not even see  the danger coming. My husband tried to comfort me and said, don't be upset you did not hit it. 

But that wasn't enough to bring me comfort. I began to tell my husband, "that little creature is where it's suppose to be, we are the ones that have intruded and put this crooked road in the  middle of his territory". I was hoping that the little creature had stayed in the green, safe, tree populated area of his little world; but he had ventured out. We drove home as I quietly whimpered. 

Later on that evening I thought about the incident again and again this morning, but  this time the thoughts were about us; yes, you and me. It was as if the Lord was ministering to me about our own "hit" that came in the garden. We stepped out of a place of safety and we were hit;  hit with temptation; and we entertained it and rolled out the welcome mat. Temptation that lead to sin with no possibility of escaping the repercussions. 

Our sin would immediately lead to death, no room for recovery or healing somewhere in the bushes. God himself would call us out and remind us of what we did. He himself would have to mend and fix this mess we made when we moved out of his protection and took the crooked road. 

This morning I thinking of the many, perhaps you, that are either entertaining sin, thinking of compromising or anything else you think "you can handle" 

DON'T DO IT! RUN--RUN FOR YOUR LIFE...Literally! Sin ALWAYS leads to death. It may not  be a physical death...but it is death. It separates us from God. God HATES sin and God LOVES  us. The worst death is when we find ourselves without God....we are walking but not living.  It's not too late to confess our sins and welcome the life giving mercy and grace of the Lord. We  don't have to stay injured and separated from God....run..and confess...he is merciful!  Hallelujah! 

I'd love to pray with you if you need someone to join you or feel tempted to turn from what you  know is right. 

God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com 

Mercy Seat Lyrics | By Vicki Yohe 
In the darkness, where everything is unknown 
I faced the power of sin on my own 
I did not know of a place I could go 
Where I could find a way to heal my wounded soul 
He said that I could come into His presence without fear 
Into the holy place where His mercy hovers near 
I'm running, I'm running, I'm running to the mercy seat 
Where Jesus is calling, He said His grace would cover me 
His blood will flow freely, It will provide the healing 
I'm running to the mercy seat, I'm running to the mercy seat 
Are you living where hope has not been 
Lost in a curse of a lifetime of sin 
Look, the illusions, they never come true 
I know where there's a place of mercy for you 
He said that you could come into His presence without fear 
Into the holy place where His mercy hovers near 
Come running, come running, come running to the mercy seat 
Where Jesus is calling, His grace will be a covering 
His blood will flow freely, It will provide the healing 
Come running to the mercy seat

Seeking His Face

Exodus 33:21-23 

Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

John 14:6-9

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Wives, do you remember what your spouse wore on Wednesday?  Husbands, do you know what kind of perfume your wife sprinkles on every morning and if possibly this week she changed the scent on you?   Why all the silly questions?

It's been over a week know that I changed my eye glasses.  I swapped them out for an older pair, you know, just for variety. And guess what, NO ONE NOTICED; I mean no one.  Not my son, not my friends, not even my husband.  So last Sunday at church, I looked at my husband and said, "notice anything different"?  He looked straight at my face, and said, no, I don't think so. To that I replied, " I changed my glasses and you did not even notice".  Then he said, " yeah, yeah, I was going to say that". Of course we both laughed and we knew he was fibbing.  My reply was "yeah right"  :)

All week the Lord has been speaking to me about seeking his face. Really, spending time and looking into his face.  We have to make sure that we don't miss God.  Sometimes the Lord will speak specifically to us through a friend or a song; sometimes via the Sunday message and even through an unbeliever.

I'm asking the Lord, Father let me know you more.  Lord help me see the fullness of your character. God doesn't change; his Word says that he is the same yesterday, today and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8), therefore I have my entire lifetime to get to know him. He's not going to change but by his grace, I WILL! I want to know all that the Lord wants to show me.  I want to recognize him wherever I am; wherever he has me.  I don't want to take it for granted that I am familiar with all the different attributes of my Father. What I desire is that my eyes and ears be attentive and very well acquainted with the character of God.  I will only learn this as I sit at his feet; as I meditate on his Word day and night.

If God were to speak to me through my son, would I recognize him?  I hope so, I really do.  Just yesterday my son and I were talking about the Lord, his Name and his character.  A few minutes into the conversation, I said to myself, ok Lord, I recognize you.  My son and I spoke about Yahweh, God's name and it confirmed to me yet again, that I must recognize him; my God and my Lord!

As I was getting the worship song list ready for this Sunday, once again, it was about his face and knowing him. I pulled out an old song, "Awesome in this Place".  Some of the lyrics go like this:

As I come into Your presence

Past the gates of praise

Into Your sanctuary

'Til we're standing face to face

I look upon Your countenance

I see the fullness of Your grace And I can only bow down and say You are awesome in this place Mighty God

You are awesome in this place

Abba Father

You are worthy of all praise

To You our lives we raise

You are awesome in this place

Mighty God

Yes to know him; we have a short time on earth to know him more and enjoy him until he calls us home to be with him forever.  Even in "forever" I wonder if we will ever fully know our Savior; the fullness of his Grace and Mercy!

Join me in seeking his face more and more each day. I trust you are in the Word, if not, pick it up today.

In the midst of our search ( though he indeed is not far away) ; in the center of our exploration we find that we become worshipers of the One who gave us Life.  We encounter the One we desire to know more and our hearts begin to sing, something like the song above and we find that in the midst of worship the transformation that we desire is actually occurring. Praise be to the Living God!

God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

Ready to Follow

Matthew 4:19

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

When the Lord called disciples to himself I'm sure they did not realize all that it entailed. I can specifically think of two quick instances....both involving Peter. At the Mt. of Transfiguration, when Peter, James & John saw the Lord speaking with Moses & Elijah; Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:4-5). I'm sure they felt pretty foolish...this is God's son...his beloved son.

 

Peter, after walking with Jesus for some time, vowed he would never turn his back on the Lord.

So here we are Jesus is arrested and just like Jesus said, Peter denies the Lord.

The facts verified that Peter was with Christ. A witness came forth; a second witness, and lastly the third witness speaks....that he was with Jesus. This time his own accent gave him away. His accent, the way he spoke told other that was from Galilee. A fisherman, called and sold out for the cause of Christ...ready to die, but made to be a liar; an additional witness; the crow, a bird; a bird, is the instrument used to remind Peter, the Lord was correct, you have denied the one you said you would die for.

These men that God handpicked to carry the Good News, failed often.....they were not perfect men; they were men being refined and changed daily to reflect their Rabbi, their leader, their God and Redeemer.  We know that later on Jesus speaks to Peter and charges him to "feed my sheep".  Peter feed the sheep? Peter to take care of the flock? Peter given responsibility over others; that's big stuff; he can't even speak up when asked if he was with Jesus?  But that's exactly what the Lord does. I'm sure Peter held on to these words and caused them to play and replay in his mind. The Lord was able and willing to use Peter regardless of his shortcoming, regardless of the disappointment he felt when his opportunity to "stand up" was stolen by fear. The Lord knows what we are made off. Our weakness at times does not have make us less effective, if we are those that yield to the Lord, God can still use us.  And truly Peter was used to bring the Gospel to all who would hear!

 

The Lord calls & equips.  He makes simple men wise. He takes the yielded and gives them courage to proceed even if failure has visited us.

 

God is the one who "makes us" ...we "just follow".

 

Father in heaven, take our hearts that are yielded to you and use us. Cause courage to rise and faithfulness to lead us.  Help our ears hear when you say follow me and let all that we are chase after you!

God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com

Happy Birthday Stephanie

Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of
trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion;

3 May He remember all your offerings,

And accept your burnt sacrifice.  Selah

4 May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,

And fulfill all your purpose.

5 We will rejoice in your salvation,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

8 They have bowed down and fallen;

But we have risen and stand upright.

9 Save, LORD!

May the King answer us when we call.

Today is my Spiritual Birthday Week.  I turned to the Lord one winter week in January many years ago.  The Lord had been preparing my heart to know him.

On vacation, in a small church in Tampa, Florida I called on the Name of the Lord and he saved me. This Psalm below was the first Psalm that was read to me by my cousin Maria.

I remember the week this transformation happened to my life because my niece Stephanie had just been born.   I remember I held her in her new crib, a beautiful new life, how precious.....and then my husband, my son & I went on vacation.

I too became new  that week.  Praise the Lord! Stephanie is 23 years old today and I have been serving the Lord for 23 years as well. Happy Birthday Stephanie...I love you! Stephanie never forget that the Lord loves you!  Draw close to him, he indeed is our help!

God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com 

Pray With Me

Hebrews 11:6

  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is,     and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Pray with me...

Father it's the beginning of another new year. Already one week has passed us by. Even as the holiday season quiets down and we come back to a "routine", Lord quiet our soul. Let your peace reign and flood us.  Forgive us when we have left you last on the "to do" list. We acknowledge that your Word is True. Yes, you are a rewarder of those who diligently seek you. Those who carefully & attentively search your word. The Bible has the truth and instructions for our lives. We read how you care for the fatherless and the widow. We read how you shut the lions mouth and preserve your people. We study and see how lives are transformed when one encounters your presence. We see ground becoming holy and a

  bush ignited but not consumed.  We comprehend that you call men out of troubled

situations and deliver them even if the "impossible waters" have to be parted. Those that are willing you transform, you change men's hearts. Like the potter on the wheel, you can take a piece of clay and make something beautiful. Glory to your Name oh Lord! You take what's barren and bring life. You examine the hearts of men and cause their pride to be exposed.  You take the humble and raise them up. You fill the hungry soul with goodness. Lord, we understand that you stepped down from glory so we would know you. We understand that a great debt had to be paid for us and that Jesus paid for that which we could not. Your Word is filled with mysteries that we don't always understand. We pray that your Spirit would teach us and give us wisdom and revelation. Help us to be sincere in our search and study of your Word. Lord we pray for a refreshing to come to us, that our soul would be reignited by the Fire of God. We know you will return. We know that every knee will bow in your presence.  We know that no one is good except for you. You have taken our sin stained lives, redeemed, cleansed us and have given us purpose. We search diligently Lord and know that no reward compares to knowing you!

Please feel free to reply with our own prayer for the new year.....

God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com

Shake & Tremble, you are in the presence of the King!

 

Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

I'm sure we have all been at a stadium or concert when the host of the show or the one preceding the "star" is making introductions and we are just waiting for the words that will announce the "big one" on stage.

I read this passage four times yesterday and this morning was brought back to it.

It’s pretty simple; the God of all creation is ready to enter on this scene and give a charge to Isaiah. The prophet of God will get a message and encouragement to continue the work that God has given him. But before Isaiah would tremble, before he would say the words "woe to me!" the seraphs would make the announcement that the LORD was about to enter, the Lord was about to speak.

At the sound of the seraph's voice, the celestial beings, the entire room begins to quake. The doorpost are shaking, the threshold, the very floor is moving and the temple is filled with smoke. It's no wonder Isaiah is crying out he is ruined! I mean, really, this is just the announcement that God's Glory is now present.

I'm surprised Isaiah did not die right on the spot. It does not take much to frighten us humans. The Lord is constantly saying in the Scriptures, "do not be afraid”. It’s hard for us to understand things beyond what our natural eyes can see.

Lord the pillars are moving, there is what feels like an earthquake under my feet, there is smoke everywhere, and the thing that I can actually see, are these creatures with wings! Six wings! Their eyes are covered but somehow they know where they are going. They are calling out one to another, "Holy Holy is the Lord" and they keep repeating it.

I could imagine it getting louder as the Glorious One was arriving. Can you hear the cheer? They are "looking" at each other (though their eyes were covered) and praising God.  There is no chaos here! 

"Holy Holy Holy" is the Lord God Almighty.  Listen all creation, listen Isaiah it's the Lord's message. The whole earth is full of His Glory!! He is going to speak, so listen closely.

Woe is me! Why didn't Isaiah die? Because the one that gives Life sustained him, then he cleansed him and the Word says his sins were atoned for.

Listen Isaiah...listen Liz (put your name here) when God speaks we must listen.

Feeling unequipped, I AM the Lord who will help you. Feeling discouraged, I AM the Lord who is the Lifter of your Head. Not sure if you heard correctly when God charged you with this work, I AM the Lord that goes before you. Feeling weak, I AM God and when you are weak, I AM Strong.

You are mine! I purchased you with the Blood of my Son, Jesus!

Now Isaiah, now Liz be encouraged! This is your charge, your calling. Go and do as I say.
Each of us has a charge, a calling from the Lord.  He has equipped us with gifts that reside within us.  He has given the gifts to us.  It's all for His glory!  Let your Kingdom come.

Here I am Lord, send me.

God bless you!~Liz