Whatever you have said, Lord

December 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mary and baby Jesus

This week we’re celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus. As I was reflecting on the Christmas story this morning, the response of Mary, the mother of Jesus, amazed me. I believe when Gabriel appeared to Mary to give her the news, it was a test from God. She could have refused to accept His great assignment for her life.  But Mary said yes to God, and God did the impossible in and through her life. God wants to do the same with you.  Will you be like Mary, who said, “May everything you have said about me come true.”  Join Beth today for this encouraging podcast. Simply click on the link below to download.

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Adorned with God’s beauty

December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Premier Jewelry

Last night I attended my first Premier Designs Jewelry*** show given by my friend Genevieve Burk, at the home of our mutual friend Christen Trumble.  In September 2010 I held a ladies’ retreat here in Butler and had asked Gen to display the beautiful jewelry on treasure chests for our retreat’s table decorations.  It was just the right elegant touch!

Getting some free jewelry was just too good of an opportunity pass up, so I hosted a show at Christen’s house last night and won over $120 of free jewelry, which will arrive just in time for Christmas!  With Gen’s “fashion show,” snacks, and fellowship, it was a fun girls’ night out!

Premier Designs show

Our daughters Heather and Leah both attended the show.  Heather had hosted a previous show and won a lot of free jewelry, which quickly spurred me to action because she had won my favorite piece, the gorgeous Glam Slam bracelet!

Heather and Gen

Here below is adorable Leah in Christen’s kitchen. Leah initially didn’t want to get out in the freezing cold and go (it was 16 degrees when we drove home after the show!), but she had a lot of fun when she got there, trying on the different pieces of jewelry.

Leah at Premier show

We all had fun!  Women love accessories – shoes, purses, scarves, hats, belts, and jewelry. One of the things Gen shared was how plain our clothes look without jewelry. At the beginning of the show, she was wearing a lot of the jewelry. She then took it off, piece by piece, to demonstrate how much jewelry enhances our outfits.

Genevieve's Premier Designs show

Just as the Premier Designs Jewelry is an asset and adds allure to what we’re wearing, making women feel beautiful, God’s fruit of the Spirit also adorns us as believers and makes us beautiful to God. The fruit of the Spirit are the very essence and the character of Jesus.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ” (Galatians 5: 22, NASB)

What fruit of the Spirit do you need to accessorize with today?

Premier Designs "Main Event" necklace

***I love what Premier Designs Jewelry co-founder Andy Horner said about each customer – that she is an infinitely valuable person made in the image of God:

“”I’m talking about a total life commitment to being a servant. This means that when one of our Jewelers walks into a home, she must focus on more than selling jewelry. She must see each of the individuals at the Home Show as an infinitely valuable person made in the image of God. She must care about those people and seek to build them up. Even if the retail sales are disappointing, a Home Show is considered a success if the Jeweler gives of herself — expecting nothing in return — and enriches the lives of each person there by caring, listening, encouraging, and helping each participant understand that they are ‘somebody.’ This is the heart of how Premier Designs defines success.”

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Gmail password and access to God

November 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Technology and I sometimes have a love-hate relationship. In today’s world, you have to be somewhat tech-savvy. For us tech-challenged people, our dependence on it can prove sometimes frustrating, especially when you can’t get it to work or something goes wrong – usually just when you need it!

Yesterday I changed my Gmail password and wrote down the wrong password.  (I know, I know, duh!)  Of course, Gmail won’t let me access the account without the right password (which is a good thing really!), and I now am completely dependent on Gmail staff’s mercy to get back to me  very soon at an alternate email, so I can access my Gmail email again.

 Although I have several backup email accounts in different places like Yahoo, my primary friendship and business contacts are in Gmail – and of course I have never written them down or created a backup file of them!  Lesson learned the hard way – my usual way of learning things! (If you need to get ahold of me meanwhile, email me at bethdiane68@yahoo.com.  The email name “Beth Jones” was already taken.  And say a prayer for me about the Gmail account, please! I am backing up my contacts as soon as I can access it again!)

I was thinking about needing the right password for the access to Gmail. This morning in impatience I tried several different ones that I thought were it, but apparently they weren’t exactly right. In our relationship with God, we can try to relate to Him or find Him in different ways. It may be through  going to church, reading the Bible or other devotional books, enjoying nature, doing yoga and meditation, being a good person,  joining religions like Islam, Hinduism, or New Age, or looking for God in any number of ways. But there is only one way to God, one “access” to an eternal relationship with Him.

That access is through faith in His only Son Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus, in the blood He shed for us at the Cross over 2,000 years ago for our sins.  He died for you and me so we could be forgiven of all our sins and have a relationship forever with God.  One day we will all die and give account to God for our lives, and it will be determined at that Judgment where we spend eternity, based on our relationship to God.  Faith in Jesus is the “password” to enter heaven for eternity.

I have such good news for you, dear friend.  It doesn’t matter what you have done wrong in the past or even right now. God will forgive you if you ask Him. I am so thankful for His mercy and forgiveness in my own life! You don’t have to get “all cleaned up” before you come to God. Jesus’ blood is what cleans us and makes us righteous before God.  “For everyone who calls upon the name of the  Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10: 13)

Do you have access to God through a saving faith in Jesus? If you don’t, I invite you today to meet my BFF (Best Friend Forever) Jesus. He’s waiting just for you.

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Be filled with the Spirit

May 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

When Nicodemus the Pharisee came to Jesus at night, he told Jesus that he knew that He was from God because His miracles were evident signs. Jesus replied that to inherit the kingdom of God, you must be born again. Born again? Enter a second time into his mother’s womb? What on earth did Jesus mean? Join Beth Jones as she shares about being born again and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Who is the Holy Spirit? What is His role and function in the Trinity? The Holy Spirit is our power source in the Christian life! Find out more tuning into this week’s podcast.

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Quiet Time For Kids

April 17, 2010 By 2 Comments

Today’s blog is a guest post from my dear friend, Lois Graham, speaker and author. Lois has two wonderful websites you will just love, http://lois-graham.com and Building Blocks 4 Life, http://buildingblocks4life.com.

Enjoy!

*****

Quiet Time For Kids

by Lois Graham

Encourage your children to have a personal quiet time with the Lord. Having a quiet time doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. Even young children can have a personal quiet time.

Spending time in prayer and Bible study helps us to build a close and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. The content will vary depending on their age, but the habit of having a time to grow in the Lord is what’s important. Don’t make having a quiet time a drudgery. It should be like spending time with a special friend.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8 (NIV)

Try these tips to help your child start a quiet time:

  • Work with your child to find a time each day they can have a personal quiet time. Don’t nag, but encourage them daily.
  • Find an age appropriate Bible and devotional that includes scripture.
  • Get a CD or Mp3 player with the Bible on it for young children.
  • Give them ideas on how to have a quiet time. Include reading their Bible and devotional and a time of prayer. Explain to young children how to listen to God’s word and pray.
  • Give young children paper, crayons, and a pencil. Let them draw pictures of the stories they are listening to.
  • Older children can dig into a topic that interest them or a study on a specific topic. It could be a book of the Bible, growing into a godly woman or man, or a specific character trait.
  • Teach your children that their time of prayer doesn’t need to be a time of just asking for things. Let them know they can talk to God like a friend. God wants to hear our requests and praise. Help them make a prayer journal they can write request and praises in.
  • Set an example. Have your own quiet time with the Lord. Dig into the scriptures and let God speak to you. Talk to God through prayer. Write your prayer request and praises in a prayer journal.
  • Ask your children about their quiet time. Show an interest in what they are learning.

Acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

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Interrupted by God

April 5, 2010 By 2 Comments

Have you ever had your day “interrupted” by God?

Simon and Andrew were having an ordinary day, taking their boat out on the Sea of Galilee and bringing in the day’s catch of fish…when God radically  interrupted their plans.  Jesus was walking by the sea, and called out to them, throwing them the greatest challenge of their lives.

“Follow Me, and  I will make you fishers of men.”

This was no simple task. It meant quitting their full-time jobs. No longer having guaranteed provision for their families.  Leaving the familiar, what was safe and secure, for the unknown and the fearful.

They didn’t know Jesus. They had just met Him. They had to put all of their trust and their fate completely into God’s hands right at that moment. They had to know without a shadow of a doubt this was God.

What astounds me is their response:  “They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”  They made a decision to pursue their destiny and purpose – letting go of what they were able to do to embrace what only God could do.

IMMEDIATELY. They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t pray about it for weeks on end “to hear God’s voice” and to make a final decision after three or four mature witnesses’ confirmations. They put down their nets – what they’d always known as their means of livelihood – and walked with Jesus.

It was the best decision they’d ever made in their whole lives. It changed them – and the entire world.

Could you, would you, do anything so bold and spontaneous?  It might be that today God interrupts your day in such a way.  Lay down your own little net, your own human abilities.  Grab hold of so much more that God has in store for you.  Follow Him.

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God’s unstoppable power

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Do you need a best friend who will be there for you forever?  Have you been praying for something for awhile and haven’t seen any answers? Do you have dreams in your heart but haven’t seen them manifest yet? Has the enemy satan been having a heyday with your life?   Then cling to Jesus!

As we draw nearer to God in prayer and in reading His word each day, we will begin to understand our true identity in Him, tap into our great potential and destiny, and walk in His authority wherever we go.

Your prayers matter. Your prayers make a difference. Your prayers are effective.  With faith and trust in Christ, you will discover GOD’S UNSTOPPABLE POWER in prayer!

God hears your voice. Do not stop praying! 

To learn more about this unstoppable power in prayer, click here for my LIVE recorded audio of my teaching in Phoenix, Arizona, Clinging to Him.

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