January 3, 2009 Words Upon My Heart

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

-We know that the Bible says in Proverbs 18:21 that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Also the tongue is a fire, an unruly iniquity, full of deadly poison, that no man can tame.

-But, when we bridle our tongues, then the mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom, a wholesome tongue is a tree of life. This is speaking sound doctrine.

-Speaking of Levi, the Lord said in Malachi 2:6-7, The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

I have to admit, I have had alot of trouble bridling my tongue in the past. I've been so quick to speak that I've said things that have hurt other people, things that should never have been said, I've also said things that maybe should have been said but I had no business saying. I wish to use my tongue only to upbuild my brethren, to encourage others, to speak the truth, and to honor and glorify God.

Oh, Father, help me today to become a speaker of sound doctrine. Help me, O Lord, to bridle this tongue that I might be pleasing to you in all that I say.

Thank you, Lord, for all you've given me. Thank you for my salvation, and for using me in kingdom service. Thank you for my family, watch over them and keep them from evil, Lord. Let your will be done in their lives. Thank you for our home and our work that you've given us to do. Thank you for our health that we are able to do the work that is set before us.

Please remember all the prayer requests that have been lifted up by your people everywhere. Let your hand not be hindered in fulfilling our heart's desires if they be in your will. We know so many lost people, Father. Let us be a light unto them, speaking that sound doctrine, that they might be brought to repentance and be saved! Let us speak the truth with boldness that we might see lost people saved, sick people healed, and prodigal sons brought back home. We'll remember to give you all the honor and glory that you so rightly deserve. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen

In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 2009

I am so revived and refreshed, ready to draw closer to the Lord in some way every day of this new year, after the amazing Holy Ghost filled watchnight service we had last night! I am so thankful for all that the Lord has done for me and my family in the past year and I can't wait to see what He has for us to do this year!

January 1, 2008- We rang in the New Year in service with The Hawkins Family singers and Bro. Johnnie Fuller bringing the message at Mt. Vernon General Baptist Church. My husband was under deep conviction but somehow left that awesome service lost!

January 4, 2008- I left my husband after finding out that he was still drinking after he had told me he would quit. I only stayed gone a few hours because I knew the Lord was telling me to wait on Him.

January 15, 2008- My husband's father passed away after a battle with cancer that had affected his pancreas, bile duct, and lungs.

January 18, 2008- We laid to rest the first man I ever knew who was good all the time, not just when he thought others were watching. I loved my father-in-law very much and am so thankul that the Lord allowed him to be a part of my life.

January 20, 2008- The whole family was at church, except my 3 stepdaughters. We filled up 2 pews! After choir singing, Bro. Ronnie Proctor and Sis. Jean Hubbs got up to sing a special. They dedicated "Robe of White" to our family. As soon as they started, Bucky got up and went to the altar! Oh, how the Holy Ghost came down that morning!!! My husband was saved and delivered from alcohol by the Almighty hand of our merciful Father in Heaven!!!!

February 3, 2008- My husband and I were baptized. I chose to be baptized again as a symbol of our joining together as a spiritual team and also because I knew that my heart was not truly repentant when I was baptized before.

During the next several months, we were at church as often as possible, in Revival services, singing services, whatever was going on around here, we wanted to be a part of it. Bucky started singing for the Lord shortly after we were baptized. He said he didn't even know he could sing but it is wonderful! He's working on a CD project right now and I am so proud of him and the way he is letting the Lord use him.

But, all of a sudden, Bucky started not wanting to go to church on Sunday morning. Oh, I was so frustrated! I thought he was backing out on God. He had lost all his friends and business wasn't great. He had had to lay off the 2 guys he had working for him, who we happened to go to church with. Things were not looking good. I prayed and begged God to show me what was going on. Finally, one Sunday morning, I was getting ready to go to church and Bucky said he didn't think he was going AGAIN. I said we have got to talk about this, I can't take not knowing what's going on with you. That's when he told me he felt like the Lord was leading him somewhere else. Boy, was I relieved! He was still listening! And I knew that it was the Lord speaking to him because I had been getting the same message for a while.

That's when we started visiting other churches. We went to several churches around here, different denominations. We really enjoyed ourselves getting to know other brothers and sisters in Christ. We heard some good singing, we heard some great messages, but we still didn't know where the Lord wanted us to be. We were getting a little antsy because it seemed like we were going to run out of options close to home. What did God have in mind for our family?

During this time, the Lord laid it on my heart to organize a local prayer meeting for the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. I obeyed and proceeded to print fliers and gather information. I sent the event info in to the local radio stations to put on community calendar and one of them called me. They wanted us to be on air!!! I was soooo excited. Bro. Hank Hubbs is who I felt like the Lord wanted to lead the service. So, I presented him with my idea and asked if he would like to join us in this effort. He said it would be an honor. We were on the Dad and Son radio show on WEKT 1070 Elkton, KY on Election Day, Nov. 4, 08. I was so nervous but it went well.

Sometime during all this moving of the Lord, I went to a revival service with Bro. Hank at a church we hadn't been to before, Pea Ridge House of Prayer. Bro. Johnnie Fuller, who preached the Watchnight Service at Mt. Vernon is the preacher there. I fell in love with this little church out in the sticks. During prayer request, a lady was telling about a woman she knew who was having to move out of her home and she knew she didn't have any income so she didn't know where she was going to go, how she was going to eat or anything and a lady sitting behind me spoke up. She said "Well, maybe we oughta just find this lady and take her some food and see if we can help her with her housing. That's what our tithes and offerings are for, they aren't to build all these big fancy buildings and things." Oh, what a relief, how refreshing those words were to my soul! I had been praying to find people who cared more about the people than the numbers in the bank account, more than the size of the building! It seems like everywhere we had been, there was fundraising for this and that to improve the "church" but it always seemed that true outreach was so lacking. I came home and told Bucky, who had to work late that day and didn't get to go with me, how much I enjoyed the little church and how I thought we needed to go back.

So, the Sunday before our prayer meeting, we finally got the opportunity to go. Bro. Johnnie was so glad to see us! The Lord moved in the service and in our hearts and we knew we would be back after that service! The prayer meeting went by smoothly, we didn't have many people but we did get to meet some new people who love the Lord and I'm always thankful for that. We went back to Pea Ridge the following week and have been there ever since.

Several of the Pea Ridge church members were in service with us last night, back at Mt. Vernon for watchnight service with the Hawkins Family singers again. Them people can sing for the Lord!!! This time, Bro. Willie Trawick brought the message. Jail Break at Midnight is what he called it. He brought out scripture that talked about how God moved at midnight such as the passover, the breaking of Paul and Silas' chains. He said it was time for release. He also spoke about consistently offering our children up to the Lord to keep them from evil and how we really should try to seek the Lord before the last minute when we can. For instance, in asking for God's blessings for the new year, most of us will wait until new year's eve, or at least I know I do, but Bro. Willie said he starts praying and fasting, seeking God's blessings for the new year way back in October. That made alot of sense to me.

So, I'm full to overflowing with God's blessings even though I'm sitting here broke and all our bills are past due and I have no car because it broke down months ago for the third time in a year. But, that ole devil ain't gettin' no victory here because I know that sometimes the Lord will put us through the refining fire and I know that He said He will never leave us or forsake us, so if He's putting me through that fire, He's right there with me and I can count on Him to finish the work He has started!!! I'm ready for the breakthrough so people can see the mighty works that God has done in/for us so they will want the same for themselves. I'm ready to see lost people saved, sick people healed, prodigal sons brought back home. I'm ready to see the hand of the Lord move in a mighty, mighty way in this land, bringing His people back to Him!

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember me in your prayers that I can remain strong and willing.

God Bless and Agape, Annie

Study to shew thyself approved unto God...

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It seems as if so many people want to believe that all they have to do to please God is go to church every now and then, maybe enjoy a gospel singing here and there, and be sure and ask the blessing before their meals, with a prayer or two occasionally thrown in for their children and their health. Paul is telling us here in his second letter to Timothy that we should study God’s word to be pleasing to Him.

The word of God is just as much a gift to us as the free gift of salvation. The only way for us to know the Lord is to study His word and meditate upon His truths. How can we sing or preach or witness about a God we don’t even know because we have rejected the gift of His word. The Lord has revealed His very essence to us in His scripture. As we study, He enlightens us with wisdom and understanding, just as Jesus did when He told His disciples the meaning of His parables. Truths that are hidden from the rest of the world are free for our taking when we choose to obey and study to show ourselves approved unto God.

I don’t want to be like the Sadducees whom Jesus said erred by not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. I wish to be like David who said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” and like Jeremiah who said, “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” I wish to be the good ground on which the seed was sown and brought forth good fruit with patience.
Solomon said in Proverbs 1:2-7, “To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Don’t be a fool and build your house upon the sand, be a wise child of God building your house upon the rock of His word. We should never think that our wisdom is so great that we have no more need to study, for the Bible says those who think they stand should take heed lest they fall.

Ephesians 5:15-17
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
The Bible says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” If we believe that, as we should, then we will delight in His law and meditate upon it day and night.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

God has an answer....

HANDY LITTLE CHART - GOD HAS A POSITIVE ANSWER:

You say: 'It's impossible'

God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'

God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'

God says: I love you
(John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on'

God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'

God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'

God says: You can do all things
( Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'

God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it'

God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'

God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage'

God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid'

God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'

God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'

God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone'

God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)