MaggieBelle

Beloved–

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent and it starts 46 days (40 days not counting Sundays) before Easter.  It falls on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter.  It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

The purpose of Lent (recalling Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness) is to be a season of fasting, self-denial, prayer, scripture reading, penitence, conversion, and simplicity. Lent, which comes from the Teutonic (Germanic) word for springtime, can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him.

Scripture Reading:  When facing temptation in the desert, Jesus relied on Scripture to counter the wiles of the devil. It is a formidable weapon for us as well.

Pray that we can be diligent in our “spring cleaning process.”  I’m praying for you morning, noon and night for the next 46 days.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth . . . But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.  (from the book of John)

During my first 18 months as a believer the Lord guided me to a group of believers that studied the Bible verse-by-verse and in context.  And yet, it took me another 5 years before I began to faithfully read the Word on a daily basis.  Chaos had to reign supreme in my life before I first heard the Holy Spirit speak to me very clearly.  I continue to seek the Holy Spirit’s leading so that I don’t do anything, say anything, feel anything or think anything that doesn’t come directly from the Lord.  I pray for you to desire to be guided by the God who is . . . Father, Son and Holy Spirit! 

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (from Psalms)

I confess my sin of not completely trusting the Lord in the medical journey with my husband.  He had his annual medical checkup.  The doctor said that his laboratory results were outside the normal parameters. Over the next eight months more and assorted tests were scheduled including 3 invasive procedures.  The doctors have now pronounced him “good-to-go.”  I’m praising my Lord God Almighty for his blessing, grace, mercy and forgiveness.  Please know that an unwillingness to be conformed to the Lord’s will caused me much suffering of my own making.  Choose HIS way!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Victory in Christ: In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  (from Romans)

I was being berated and bullied by a dear friend; I was overcome with grief,  I just couldn’t understand what or why.  Then, I heard the Spirit speak to me “is this the person you have always known?”  No, no, I cried and at once calm reigned, I had recognized my attacker and he lost his power.  I pray for you to daily experience the presence of the God who is  . . . Father,  Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does . . . He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.  (from Psalms)

Reading and re-reading the Bible with faith I can learn God’s perfect will for me to follow.  I also learned that trying to stay on his path using my own wisdom, leads to the bushes of chaos because I didn’t focus on my leader.  I pray for you to focus on the God who is . . . Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus . . .  Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace . . . The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  (from Romans)

If I have learned anything the last 40+ years reading and re-reading the Word, is that some of my attitudes were/are rebellion and are not appropriate given my place in Christ and his spirit in me.  Praise the Lord God Almighty that he renews his mercies every day.  I pray for you to desire to hear  the Spirit speaking to you. 

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”  (from Hebrews)

Wallowing in the cesspool of bitterness is detrimental to my physical, mental and spiritual health.  To be willing to forgive is a powerful remedy and a weapon against the enemy.  Only with the grace of my loving heavenly father am I able to forgive and forget.  I pray for you to desire to bask in the grace of the God who is . . . Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.  Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.   (from Ephesians) 

As a young Christian, I learned that most of my rebellion was/is in my thoughts. As I search my heart to find and confess all types of my evil thoughts, the most difficult to let go is bitterness.  To treat someone just as I would want to be treated and then they “stab me in the back” in return, no, that’s too unbearable.  It also was unbearable that my sinless savior, Jesus Christ, had to endure the shedding of his blood so that my rebellion of unrighteousness could be covered in the presence of the Lord God Almighty!  I pray for you to want to choose Jesus Christ over trying to get even, you never can anyway. 

Luv Ya!

1/5/2022

… Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  (from Romans)

The History of “It’s Wednesday”

The power of praise and prayer has been a passion of mine since I was a very young Christian.  As a church secretary, I took on the prayer ministry, especially for students and teachers at the preschool located on the church campus.

The prayer ministry came to include actual hands-on prayer, Wednesday was the designated day.  One particular teacher would often say to me “It’s Wednesday, isn’t it?”  When she resigned to return to school, she said she would miss our weekly prayer time.  I told her, “don’t worry I’ll email you your prayer.”

In her first emailed prayer I wrote on the subject line “It’s Wednesday” and the title just stuck.  I would like to introduce you to that weekly email known as It’s Wednesday, that began in 2003.

I’m praying daily for YOU and that you will fall in love with Jesus more and more everyday; He has taken out your heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh and blood … His blood!  

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.  (from Romans)

Reaching the end of my rope, I called out “the Lord is my shepherd!” and I KNEW that it was TRUE !! Psalm 23 (saved).  As a new Christian I learned that to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey.  Daily reading of the WORD taught me to be praising the Lord and praying Psalm 34 (trusting) back to God. I struggle daily to stay silent but Psalm 141 (a reminder), Isaiah 26 (my focus), Acts 2 (not alone), Psalm 51 (forgiven) and Psalm 91 (safe) helps me to hear the Spirit speaking to my heart. I pray for you to desire for our Triune God to guide your heart.  Start the new year with determination! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR