***God Always Has His Reasons***

Happy Sunday Everyone,

God has very good reason for allowing His children to suffer, but He is with us through all of the pain, heartache, and sorrow, no matter what our circumstance, when we respond as a child of God, we are not somber but Joyful as in:
2 Corinthians 4:8-12New International Version (NIV)

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18New International Version (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

and than we have this to look forward to in:
2 Corinthians 2:14New International Version (NIV)

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

So no matter how long we suffer, it is temporary, for if we compare it to the back drop of eternity, it is but a second, Paul fills my Heart with hope. May these scriptures fill you're hearts with hope today, no matter what we are all going through, I am so grateful to know we will know one another for eternity, hugs and love.

May the below poem from my upcoming devotional, "Poems of The Eternal Heart a Daily Devotional" inspire you're week, and may we all continue to feel the loving embrace of our Father in Jesus Blood and name amen

The Power of A Single Prayer

 

All throughout the Bible

our Father made it known,

Who stood right beside us

and is now seated on the throne,

 

He made us many promises

in which none did He say,

that the Christian life would be easy

or pain-free in any way.

 

In fact, it's quite the opposite

for those who love to boast,

about the power, love, and caring Father

Whom they glorify the most.

 

It makes the enemy angry,

so he sends his army out,

to attack the obedient children

where he manipulates with doubt.

 

for the power in a single prayer,

can convert darkness into light,

out of all the things he's up against

it is prayer that causes fright.

 

For he knows his days are numbered

till his world will no longer be,

so his demons are on overtime

to try and rob the souls now free.

 

But our Father did make a promise

that keeps our mind at ease,

not even death can keep us from Him,

and why we fight, while on our knees.

 

Patricia VanDenburg

7/5/14

 

 

 

****Being God's Ground Crew****

Good Morning Happy Sunday, I pray we all had a blessed weekend, and that wherever we are this weekend we be a blessing and a bright light, making those who know what we're going through ask us how we go through what we do with a smile, and than we get to glorify the Father, and bring one of His children home and back to the path that God chose for them to be on, or perhaps we will meet someone who can give us some encouragement and rejuvenation by talking ...and sharing our Father's words. All I know is that if we have God at the front of our minds than we are guaranteed a good day, because we have our eyes on Jesus and not our circumstances. As we read in:

Hebrews 12:2-3New International Version (NIV)
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Thank you Father for the Sacrifice of Your Son, our Savior, for walking by our side in all situations, I pray for those who are suffering in any way, and that we remember our Father's words above, remember He wants the best for us, that He equipped us for all circumstances with a full set of Armor as He speaks of in:

Ephesians 6: 10-17 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The world is beginning to resemble just what the Lord forewarned us would happen, and sadly He explained it was only the beginning, so you can only imagine how important it is we wear our armor daily. Would you walk into a quarantined building without a protective suit? I think not, nor can we go out into our day not knowing what lies ahead without first consulting with our Lord on the day which He has planned, and secondly, prepared by being fully equipped. May our week reveal all our Father's gifts and blessings on our path, may the enemy be kept at bay by our preparedness,
and may we all be a vehicle, that Shines our Lord's Light for all in the dark to find their way home. We lift this and all things up in the blood and name of Jesus Christ Amen

I hope the below poem from my upcoming Devotional "Poems of the Eternal Heart a Daily Devotional" inspires your week. :)

We Must Always Be Prepared

 

It's just a natural reflex,

when someone that you love,

is headed towards the danger zone

and suddenly needs a shove,

 

For how many times have we set out

on a path we thought was right,

only to find out once we arrived,

our assignment was not in sight.

 

That's why communication is

 the key we must behold,

though talking is important,

it's in the listening where we're told,

 

Exactly why He keeps us here

so He can use us as He needs,

for we're His mighty vehicles

with whom He spreads His seeds.

 

To rescue all His children

is the goal at hand,

if only we'd remember

it's His footprints in the sand....

 

Patricia VanDenburg

6/28/14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Part in the movie "Life on Earth"

Good afternoon Dear Friends, I pray we are all having a wonderful weekend, remembering that our God, our Heavenly Father, is working through all circumstances. including those which at the moment may make very little sense. Having been sick throughout my life, and surviving only by the power of the Holy Spirit, whom permitted me a life I never thought possible, even if it wasn't the one I envisioned, it was a life all the same. I turned 54 on Monday, and  I never thought I'd see 25, so could it have been less pain-filled, less hospitals, less surgeries, for me, No because this is the Life God made for me, Have I questioned, absolutely, do I still, having 2 more surgeries just around the corner about to happen, yes, but not as much, nor with the depth of puzzlement I once had.

 Now I have come to know that maybe I am suppose to share and witness about these surgeries, or perhaps my roommate will be on the fence about God, or will be more intimate with Him, and help me grow. Maybe a Dr. I meet will be a future husband. You see there lies the difference; once where there was anger, confusion and disappointment, I truly know that all this pain, these changes, and struggle are for my good, and the good of the family. God wants what's best, not just what's good,
(Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.")

 Each of us has to be put in every scenario that will come up in this life, everyone has a part in the show, and this is my part. So when we are praying today and tonight, let's try and remember, (1)who our director is, and (2)who gave us our part in this movie called "Life on Earth." Because the reality is; this is our work and when we're done, we get to go home, and if we can remember that, than somehow it all gets easier to handle and understand. Have a week full of love, wisdom, clarity, and peace.

 May we hear the discernment of the Holt Spirit so we may be a blessing to others, and see the gifts God has placed on our individual path's. I pray we are all there to receive them, and that the enemy doesn't trick us onto another path where we think we are helping, but it's a distraction to keep us from being where God intended, that is why daily discernment is vital to hearing from the Father after we speak, we must wait on His direction.

God's timing I as important as His plan, so though He may call us to help a specific someone, we must make sure it is when He sets it up, and not the deceiver, because if we are early, we may be missing something wonderful on our path, if we're late, we may prevent a blessing meant for someone else. So the study for the week is all word pertaining to discernment.

We lift this and all petitions up in the blood and name of our loving Savior Jesus Christ amen blow is a poem from my upcoming Devotional " Poems of the Eternal Heart a Daily Devotional" love, hugs, and payers Patricia

Crystal Clear

 

When something lays upon our hearts,

and we just can't let it go,

remember that a loving heart,

is where the Spirit flows.

 

He's who our Father uses,

to make things crystal clear,

so that the lies of the enemy,

can no longer build up fear.

 

For when the Father is close to us,

and we keep in touch each day,

than we know without a single doubt,

there is no one in our way,

 

To complete each task He's given us,

is our only job at hand,

and since our Father won this war,

His Finally will be "Grand".....

 

Patricia VanDenburg

6/22/14

 

When tThings Don't Always Start Out Right

 I hope as the day went on our pains and troubles faded, as we leaned on our Father and surrendered the burdens, deceptions, and roadblocks to Him. As is the purity and beauty of this rose, so is the unconditional, never-ending, blissful, serene love, and plans, our Father has for us. He gives us a glimpse of that beauty, for as in our carnal state of mind, we could not handle the wonderment, joy, and serenity, of our forever.

 But when we smell the fragrance of the trees, grass, flowers, we see the artwork that could never have left a brush unless inspired, when we hear the poetry or the sound of a violin or a flute, as if that were the sound of peace itself, than I remember why we must ignore the deceiver, look at the eyes of the Father, not the circumstance of the lie, so we can spread light where there is darkness. Our Savior filled us with the Spirit, a beacon of light and hope. He is a book full of all knowledge and wisdom, and He is our guide through this world, through discernment, allowing true communication with the Savior, who in turn stands up for us to the Father.

 It is so glorious when we sit still, listen, remember, and apply. I pray we all are able to apply as much as possible the rest of the week and until we head home, may we be tricked almost never, and that we bask in the light, love, and wisdom that indwells in us, How we thank you Heavenly Father for this gift of Grace, to know this is temporary, our work address for You, till we are all together forever, in Eternal Joy, love, happiness, and purity. We lift this petition and all things up in the blood and name of our precious Savior Jesus Christ amen

Below is a poem from my upcoming devotional "Poems of the Eternal Heart
 a Daily Devotional"

Through It All

 

 

In the still of the night,...
by the light of the day,
when things start to look iffy,
We kneel down to pray.

 

 For it's a wonderful blessing,
to know it's all true,
that each promise in His word,
our Father will do.

 

For with each step we take,
on the path that He chose,
even through the rough trials,
our life continually grows.

 

And the best part of all,
is that one day we'll be,
not just with the Spirit and Savior,
but at home with all three.....

Patricia VanDenburg
6/9/14

Blessings Come From God Who Sees All Things

The below story was shared this weekend by a friend, she posted it on Face Book because she was in shock at such a strange, ugly, reaction to an act of kindness.
The truth is, without God's ability to use His believers, who are His vessels on earth, used as beacons of light to cut through the darkness, the earth without His presence, would evoke the same response by all humankind.

For without God there is no light, peace, or joy, only mirages of what the deceiver, Satan, would like us to think is peace and happiness. He is the master manipulator and this is his territory. OK, so I will share what the Spirit has shown me once you have had a chance to read the encounter below. Thank you Jackie for sharing,<3

"So I paid someone's toll going over the Rip Van Winkle bridge, someone I didn't even know, just as an act of kindness. I told the toll collector "just tell the person behind me ,the girl in the blue mustang says "Happy New Year." As the man's truck that I paid the toll for approached, I thought, he is going to wave and say thank you, instead he gave me the middle Finger. Really? An act of kindness deserves that reaction."

Our first Carnal knee-jerk reaction for most of us, would be the same, Unbelievable, really? how discouraging, how rude, how ungrateful, how ugly, what a jerk, etc. But God spoke so much more in that one simple act, and not just to us as believers, but to this man, this very lost man, who needs our prayers, as Jesus showed us in the scripture below.

Luke 6:27-36
[27] "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. [29] If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. [30] Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. [31] Do to others as you would have them do to you.
[32] "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. [35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

My friend Jackie did that from her heart, as the Spirit laid it on her to do so, by obeying and being obedient the Father showed us many things and will bless Jackie as He promised in the above verse.  He tells us this as we read His word every day, but as we know, reading and actually living and doing, have very different responses.

We know the world is dark and evil, and belongs to Satan, and that those who don't know Jesus are lost, and don't know peace, the kind our Father speaks of. Unbeliever's can't see the warmth and comfort of His amazing light, love, and joy, but instead they live in fear and darkness, under the control of the deceiver. He keeps them in the dark so they can't see or feel the truth, that is why God needs us.

Our physical bodies are His Vehicle to use. He shines through us in all different ways, for all different circumstances, the more obedient we are, the more light that takes over the planet. We see in this story how we would respond without the Living God within, He wants us to pray and keep praying, He wants us to keep being kind, knowing how hard Satan is going to make it for us to do so, by making people respond just in this same manner ugly and hateful. As with so many of His promises in His word, we find strength and encouragement as in:
 Hebrews 13:5
⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you or His promise in Romans 8:31  ³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

 

Over and over in His word God reassures us that through all things He is beside us, in us, and with us. I am so grateful for this little story, because I find it so helpful and confirming, that now more than ever, the Spirit wants us to put God's love out there.

He wants us to share our testimony, keep on witnessing and to remember that when we are kind and give, it is only through God, the glory belongs to Him. It is not meant to stroke our ego, or make us feel good, that's what God's love and mercy are for, that is why He filled us with the comfort and strength of the Holy Spirit.

 

He has many blessings for all His children, both here on earth and in Heaven. What can we gain from this earthly world that can possibly top that? I pray we all have an awesome week and that this story enlightened us, not discouraged us, but propelled us even further in our quest to be more Christ like. I pray we all have a pain-free as possible week and that we all continue to feel our loving Father's embrace through all circumstances.

 

I hope the below poem from my upcoming book " Poems of the Eternal Heart a Daily Devotional" will add to the inspiration for you're upcoming week. Love, hugs, and prayers, Patricia xox <3

I Am Always Near

 

There are days when you can feel me,

and other's you may not,

but always know I'm with you,

to give you all I got.

 

When you walk along the path I made,

and are doing as I ask,

it allows me to keep on giving,

those crucial, vital, tasks.

 

For to fulfill My will and purpose,

you must shine brightly every day,

so that Satan's ugly darkness,

shrinks smaller and moves away.

 

From all my loving children,

for whom I prepared a place,

I look forward to that glorious day,

When I  look upon you're face.....

 

Patricia VanDenburg

1/13/14