Are you ready?
In your heart of hearts are you ready to welcome the greatest Gift ever given to mankind? Any gift... can be joyously accepted or coldly rejected, and this perfect Gift of Immanuel, God with us… is no different; it's given to all who are willing to receive it.
One of the most beautiful reactions to being the vehicle of bringing this Gift to the world was Mary’s. She knew that by accepting this Gift, she would certainly face incredible difficulties and if not for God’s intervention, Mary could actually have been stoned to death for being pregnant outside of marriage. Yet Mary's reaction to the angel who told her she would conceive by the power of God and the Holy Spirit was, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be according to your word." Luke 1:38
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And so the Gift was delivered to all mankind, through a young Jewish woman, a virgin, who trusted the Word of God given to her.
Angels appeared to shepherds. The shepherds went to Bethlehem and found the Baby as the angels said. They praised God for all they had seen and heard.
The wise men from the east sought him and found Him, bringing expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Simeon, a just and devout man of Jerusalem was visited by the Holy Spirit who told him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Simeon prompted by the Holy Spirit went to the temple, and when the parents brought in the baby Jesus to fulfill the custom of the law, Simeon took the baby in his arms and blessed God saying, “Lord, you are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; “For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people.”
He then blessed Mary and Joseph and said to Mary, His mother,” Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against, (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Anna, an 84 year old widow and prophetess, responded to Simeon’s words by giving thanks to the Lord and speaking of Him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
King Herod appointed by the Romans to rule over Judea, did not want the King of the Jews, mentioned to him by the Wise Men, to have a position greater than his. Reacting out of anger, jealousy and fear Herod had all male babies born under the age of two slaughtered in Bethlehem, and the surrounding areas. Herod's heart was unwilling to receive the Gift God had provided. In our current world, we see the results of rejecting the Christ are not that different from Herod’s rejection of Him.
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Through scripture we find that the birth of Jesus is the act of a loving Father providing the way Home for his children, and not just a touching story created so that we could give each other gifts. It is the POWERFUL story of God's Gift of Love… Jesus, our Immanuel who came to save the lost and show us the way to the Father.
Jesus walked this earth with power and compassion; healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, comforting the brokenhearted, causing the blind to see. He exposed the corruptness of men’s hearts and our inability to live as He lived if we reject who He is and why He came. Such a precious Gift, this baby, God incarnate! From the manger to the cross, He came to do what no other man or woman could do, set us free from sin!
Do you need freedom? Are you carrying the weight of a guilty conscience, or are you sick in mind and body? Is your heart heavy with sorrow and grief? Are you full of doubt and believe there is no help for you? Are you anxious and feeling lost? The answer for your state is Jesus!
Come to Jesus! Take a good look at what God has done! If you feel guilty, don’t try to fix it by punishing yourself. Come to Jesus! He bore the punishment for you on the Cross. You must tell Him you have failed, that you don’t know how to live as He would have you live. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ask Him to come into your heart and to give you a new life. “Salvation is found in no one else besides Christ Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven, given to mankind by which we must be saved.” “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
Please don’t respond to by turning away! Take a good look at the acts of King Herod, then look at the graft, murder and mayhem in our own society! “He came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10. But if you harden your heart and reject the Gift of God, your sin WILL increase, and you WILL have no compass and no comfort.
This Gift was given for you. . . For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 If you would like to receive this Gift now, please say this simple prayer...
Dear Lord Jesus,
I believe that You are God the Son, the Only One who can save me. Thank You for the Gift of eternal life which You offer freely to me. Thank You for dying on the cross - and rising again - for me. Today I ask You to forgive my sins and remake me into the person You want me to be. Please take the seat of honor in my heart now and forever. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
For those of you who have already asked Jesus into your heart, I have a question for you. Are you ready? Ready to share the wonder of the babe in a manger and Christ in you, the hope of glory? Is your heart tender toward this miracle? Are your responding like Anna, giving thanks to the Lord and speaking of Him to all who look for redemption? Are you ready with a heart that overflows with the love of God to respond to a world that has no hope?
If you decided to invite Jesus into your life and heart, we will be happy to send you free materials to help and encourage you in your walk with Jesus. “Cast all your anxiety upon Him, knowing He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7
Please email or write to us with your prayer requests,
and if you need supportive materials or are interested in CFC University.
You can text us at 951.315.4187 or email me at annelisa410@gmail.com.
May you have a Merry Christmas and may the Lord bless you!
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Living Out Our Lives As A Prayer
I have been thinking about what it means to live out our daily lives as a prayer "In the Name of Jesus". To live every breath... every word, action, text message, Facebook post, Twitter post in His Name! By living "In His Name" we reflect God's very character of power and love.
If our desire is to revolutionize the world for Christ, to be used of Him to show others the love of God, then we need to first acknowledge that apart from a total surrender to Jesus and His completed work on the Cross, we lack the ability to live a fruitful "Christian Life".
For without turning over of our hearts and lives to Him completely, we cannot be effective for His Kingdom for we can do nothing in His name if we are not in Him. John the Baptist said that "He Jesus, must increase and I must decrease." Jn. 3:30 That needs to be the cry of our hearts; "Jesus increase!" Otherwise, apart from God, our efforts resemble the work of well meaning self help or do good groups with no lasting, eternal impact. In other words... No Cross, No Glory (to God)!
And that is our desire, to behold His glory and to share the Gospel we have been given to lost and dying souls! Oh that we would permit Him to be in us, to increase as we decrease. Because by beholding Him we have the assurance that, "...nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Not death or life, angels or principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which in is Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38.
Let's pray without ceasing and have our lives exemplify the meaning of "In Jesus' Name." Signs and wonders will follow because there is Power in the Name of Jesus!
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National Day of Prayer
Thursday May 7th
30-Ways-to-Pray-Authority.pdf
Thursday May 7 is the National Day of Prayer and it's almost here. I personally can't think of a time in recent history where God's people need to earnestly seek Him, as much as the days we are living in right now. Let's prepare for this day of national prayer by starting now to examine our personal walk with the Lord and repent of the sin of pride in our lives.
Below is a link to help us pray for those in authority over us. Whether we like them or not, God has allowed our leaders to have their positions. Our responsibility is first and foremost to pray for them.
Shirley Dobson on the National Day of Prayer - Please watch this short video
nationaldayofprayer.org
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Good Friday
When God's love and amazing grace changed the world forever!
I awoke this morning with this scripture on my mind:
"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
You are friends if you do what I command." John 15:13,14
Since tomorrow is Good Friday, I would like to encourage you to meditate on our Savior.
Belief in the Son of God and judgement . . .
For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world but that the world should be saved through him." , John 3:17
"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18
Meditate on His great love, His great sacrifice, His friendship. He is your friend, are you His?
His mission
His is mindset
His heart
His choices
His actions
His sacrifice
Isaiah 53, Psalm 22
His success
Please look at Jesus on Good Friday: a man without sin who was beaten, despised, bruised, forsaken of men, smitten of God, pierced, crushed, scourged, oppressed, afflicted, cut off, crushed by God, full of sorrow and grief, rendered as a guilt offering when He was guilty of nothing......bearing the iniquity of us all. . .
Belief in the Son of God and eternal life. . .
John 3:16"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
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A Prayer Request...
I praise God that He hears and answers our prayers and I thank God for the CFC prayer warriors who will answer this call:
Prayer is needed for my dear friend Ashley Rothschild,who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Please pray for her, her husband, and her doctors.
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Thanksgiving Recipes Our Family Loves!
Anne’s Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
Directions
1 stick of sweet butter( or for lower saturated fats use ½ stick of butter and ¼ cup of olive oil)
4 leeks chopped( white part)
1/2 an onion chopped
3 large sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (cartons of organic chicken or vegetable broth are good)
1 cup white wine (or to taste)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/2 pepper or to taste
1 cup milk (optional)
1 cup heavy cream (optional) or Land of Lakes no fat Half and Half
1 lime, grate zest & juice
Lime quarters as garnish
1. Saute leeks & onions in butter until transparent and tender.
2. Add remaining stock, wine, chopped potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat; simmer for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3. Discard bay leaf. Add lime zest and juice of 1 lime. Cool slightly. Add milk and cream,
. In batches, in a blender,boil If adding milk and cream do not salt and pepper to taste.
process soup in batches until smooth. Or better yet, if you have a hand held blender, this
will make it much easier-just blend it right in the pot.
4. Garnish each bowl with Lime wedges
Fresh Cranberries & Marshmallow Salad
Ingredients
1 bag fresh cranberries (whirl in a blender but do not liquify)
1 bag of miniature marshmallows
1 can crushed pineapples
3 cups whipping cream
1 cup of sugar
1 T vanilla
The night before Thanksgiving:
Place cranberries in a large bowl, pour marshmallows on top of cranberries, top with
crushed pinapple with juice. Cover and set aside or refrigerate. Prior to serving stir
ingredients in the bowl. Whip cream adding 1 cup of sugar (or to taste) and vanilla.
Fold into cranberry mixture.
You can also add: chopped pecans, mandarin oranges, oranges, or more
of whatever you want…pineapple, marshmallows, cranberries…. to your taste
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Seek the Lord while He may be found..
It is certainly thought provoking and gets me imagining what it will be like the moment after I have passed from this life & into eternal life."One Minute After You Die"I‘ve been reading a book,
The best current example I can see of someone who exemplifies the reality of facing the reality of mistakes, presumption, deceit, omissions, greed, is Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s personal physician & who is on trial for involuntary manslaughter.
I am not saying he is guilty or innocent but when I see him, I see a man who at first glance, makes me feel badly for him. He looks so grim, faced with the reality of regret. As witnesses take the stand, detail their remembrances of the night Michael Jackson died, and indicate omissions of details by the Dr., testimony against his character.
And when I think of him, I try to imagine myself standing before The Judge. Charged with omissions, so sorry I didn’t do the things I knew were the right things to do. Seeing my character the way He and everyone else see. The actions, inactions & intensions exposed with no defense. If only I had listened to & obeyed that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit! If only I had allowed Jesus’ precious blood to cover every sin, if only He was here to defend me! Oh, if only I had allowed His life in Me, then I would not be in this position! It could have been so simple! His Love, His Covering, His Forgiveness, His Life…. Why didn’t I share Him, His great sacrifice, His Blood, His forgiveness with everyone I had the privilege cross paths with? Do they stand before the Judge because of my omission, my negligence, my sins?
And so, every evening I will confess my sins and ask for forgiveness and every morning I will dedicate my day to the Lord and ask for His guidance. And for Him to live through me. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.
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Ascribe to the Lord
Psalm 29 says to Ascribe,(or let's say, give credit) to the Lord for His glory and strength.
Give Him the glory due His Name!
Worship in the beauty of holiness.
What is so wonderful about this Psalm is that once you have read it and meditated on it there will be no question that His Voice causes a response in nature. There is non as powerful as He!
His voice should cause a response in us....A healthy fear of Him and His power is appropriate. Worship and praise for our God who sits on the throne FOREVER is appropriate!
The last verse give us just what we need as we walk through each day.
"The Lord will give strength to His people:
And the Lord will bless His people with peace."
Hellelujah! Praise God in the midst of trouble! Hear His Voice and be strengthened, be blessed with peace.
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In Remembrance of Chaplain Dr. Clifford Musgrove
Absent from the body, present with the Lord
When a man of greatness leaves us, there is a vacuum that can’t be filled and a sense of loss that is not just for ourselves, but for the world – A world seemingly void of his example graciousness, love for laughter, music, good pie, order, and the art of sharing Jesus' love.
When a man of greatness leaves us, we realize what he knew - Perfection is not greatness… but there is greatness in walking with faith in a perfect God through failures, difficulties, disappointments, & blind spots.
When a man of greatness leaves us we miss his sense of adventure because he has shown us that a safe life is not necessarily a great life.
When a man of greatness leaves us, we realize that a healthy body is a blessing- but greatness is cheerfulness & joy in the midst of pain and suffering, & sharing the love of God to the doctors, nurses and others on the journey.
When a man of greatness leaves us, we feel inspired to do what he did. ..keep our eyes on the Jesus, walk through our lives filled with the Holy Spirit, & above all else, be faithful to Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
We love you and miss you, Chaplain Dr. Clifford Musgrove, Dad.
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Dad's
My Dad’s, Dave Meals and Dr. Clifford Musgrove, were gifts that can’t be put in a box, a gift bag or wrapped in pretty paper. They were better, stronger, wiser, funnier and more awe inspiring than any men I have known.
Dad could give a “look” and I knew I had better not….
Love was given with the expectation that I would be my best.
Discipline was given to help me be my best.
With the weight of the world on their shoulders, it seemed that weight was a helium balloon most of the time, sheltering me from fear and uncertainty.
I would listen for that laugh and know all was well.
Dad could place his hand in mine at just the right moment, & give a word of encouragement spoken with such faith and conviction that I knew it must be true. He could give comfort when no one else could.
Dad’s, you showed me a brief glimpse of God the Father.
Thank you. I love you. I miss you & look forward to the day we will see each other again.
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Friendship
A friend of mine, Susan High, who is the person who led me to Jesus when I was 20, gave me a plaque many years ago that says much about friendship. I find when the Lord is the one who binds us together; no time or distance can separate us when we find each other again. I hope you enjoy what the plaque says as much as I.
Time
Goes so fast,
Life Asks so much.
No wonder Friends get out of touch.
But in our hearts deep,
True unseen friendship
Stays forever green.
- author unknown
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In Search of God.....
I can remember a time in my life when I didn't know the Lord. I was actually an enemy of the Cross, searching in many directions for something to fill the void in my life. When I came to the point in my life where I was empty and hungry...He met me....and I met Him, Jesus.
"God does not necessarily commit Himself to scratch every intellect that itches, but He will always respond to a sincere and hungering heart." "War in Heaven", by Derek Prince
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