To Vote or Not to Vote? By: Fayeson Tilley

To vote, not to vote

To vote, not to vote

What’s a woman to do?

You will know them by their fruit.

Matthew 7:16

Are you experiencing this dilemma just now? Are you feeling discouraged and doubtful that you know enough about any of the candidates to really cast a sensible vote?  Are you doubtful as to whether any given candidate really knows the Lord personally and therefore, will truly seek His wisdom?

The fact is . . . only God knows with absolute certainty those who truly belong to Him.  Yet, the Bible, God’s inspired word and our moral compass gives us some amazing guidance on this subject.

Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths.

Psalm 25:4

1.     We don’t know another’s heart but we can be “fruit inspectors”.  (Mt. 7:16-17) What is the fruit of his/her personal character and the party platform represented?  

2.   How do both line up with the scripture?

a.     Is God honored and acknowledged or basically ignored?

b.     Is the sanctity of life valued-from the youngest in the womb to the oldest living human being on the planet?

c.     Is the candidate’s stand on marriage according to the Bible:  one man-one woman?

d.     Does the candidate endorse coveting?   Are you beginning to think that you should have a portion of what someone else has earned?

e.     How about Israel? God says he will bless those who bless Israel and will curse those who do not.   I wonder, has America been so richly blessed because of her history of standing with the little nation of Israel?

We are to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which his God’s." (Mk 12:17)  Whenever the two conflict, we believers must go with God regardless of party lines.

Will you join me in praying for God to lead the citizens of this great country to have the courage to vote according to the principles of God ‘s eternal word upon which our country was founded?

Prayer Journal Demo, Part 2

Revelation 1:11, 19

"Write on a scroll what you see..." 

"Write, therefore, what you have seen..."

 

When the God of the Universe speaks personally to us, should we not write it down? 

 

Below is Part 2 to using the Prayer Journal, Intimacy with God, Your Daily Guide to Prayer.

Hope it helps!

 

 

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For more on the Prayer Journal, Click Here!

Prayer Journal Demonstration Video, Part 1

 

Psalm 118:28

"You are my God, and I will give you thanks."

 

 

If you have the Prayer Journal, Intimacy with God, Your Daily Guide to Prayer, attached is a demonstration video of how the first half of the Prayer Journal works.

 

Recently, I've received questions about specifics of its use.  I hope this video and Part 2 will answer those questions.

 

Doing this video series is out of the boat for me! Very uncomfortable.  But please know my heart, I'd rather you "get it" and use the Journal for your spiritual growth than for me to constantly do what's "comfortable." (Sorry, just being real!)

 

This one is 11 minutes.  Sorry for the length.  If you have the Journal and don't have time - save this blog post and watch later.  If you don't have the Journal - nor have interest in the Journal - go ahead and hit delete!

Hope it helps.

 

 

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Suspended in His Love

 

 

 

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Emphases mine.)

Ephesians 3:17-18

As I come before you for the first time, I’d like to say,  "Hello, sweet sister!"  

My name is Fuller, and it is my privilege to share this journey with you.  As you get to know me, you’ll learn very quickly that I'm an artsy, contemplative Jesus girl.  

So, here goes: In both my work (photography) and my life, I like to find what I call “Passion in the Ordinary.”  As I share ways God has guided my thoughts to grasp profoundly passionate ideas through ordinary words, objects or circumstances, I pray that you, too, will start to experience the same things.

 

Tara recently spoke at the October Iron Sharpens Iron luncheon on how to have a vibrant quiet time.  It’s so crucial! 

I won’t reiterate her points, but I will share that one of the key “tools” I bring to my quiet time is:  my imagination. 

Ephesians 1:18 says:  “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. . .” - - Do you see it?  My pastor tells me that  “eyes of our hearts” can be translated literally as “imagination!"

Recently one morning, today’s scripture verse was the focus of my prayer time.   Being the visual person I am, I tried to picture what “Christ's love” might look like.  I pictured a random object “out there” - -and tried to follow the measurements (“height, depth, width”) to grasp what it might look like. 

Suddenly, I thought (and dared to ask God): “That’s redundant - -aren’t the height and the depth the same measurement?  Aren’t they the same thing?” 

And I heard a prompt in my heart say, “No, dear one. You’re starting from the wrong vantage point.  To see my love, start with YOU.”  And, suddenly, as I felt myself track out the measurements  - starting with me and going forever up, forever down, forever side to side – I realized:  I’m SUSPENDED IN HIS LOVE!

The poem below then flowed through me as I imagined with God what His love for me – and, yes, His love for YOU – looks like. 
 

SWIM in that love, girlfriend! 

SUSPENDED BY YOUR LOVE

Stop, O soul, from searching

For love somewhere ‘outside’ –

It can’t be sought, it can’t be found

Just ope’ your eyes – it’s all around.

(Chorus)

The length –

The breadth –

The height –

The depth –

I’m suspended

By Your love

I’m suspended

In Your love.

Where can I flee from your presence?

Where can I go and not be known?

You go before, You go behind. . .

When I feel lost, in You I find

The length –

The breadth –

The height –

The depth –

I’m suspended

by Your love

I’m suspended

In Your love.

(Bridge:)  Like a treasure in the amber

Like a child in the womb

Your essence means I’m free-

Kept so safe. . . fully me.

 In You, I’m safe – In You, I’m me. . .

---------------------------------------------------

 Fuller  11.10.10
(Copyright 2010, K. Fuller Harvey)

5 Parenting Tips in Helping Children Stand Strong

 

Proverbs 22:6

“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old 

he will not depart from it.”  

 

Peer Pressure is powerful!  Do you remember growing up how much you wanted to be part "of the group?"  This kind of pressure impacts both Christian and non-Christian young people.  So how can parents build a strong foundation of protection?

Let’s look at five principles to help our children stand strong under pressure.

1.     Teach biblical standards and convictions early.  Tough choices on morals, drugs, alcohol, and sexual purity are coming.  Talk about choices long before your child faces them.

2.     Teach your children to spend time with God every day.  Learning to depend on God, gives your children the strength to stand firm under pressure and stand up for the Lord.

3.     Teach children the importance of their decisions and choices.  One bad choice can ruin their lives and the lives of others. Let them know that decisions have consequences both good and bad.

4.     Teach children about danger zones.  If an activity or situation looks questionable, help them learn to back off and head home.

5.     Teach children the importance of Godly friendships. Talk about choosing friends who build them up and stand with them to make good moral choices.

Parents, you are the greatest influence on your children’s lives - greater than their peers, greater than TV and movies, greater than their culture.  Your time and energy poured into training your children will impact every part of their lives.  Don’t miss this wonderful God-given privilege and responsibility!

The Seasons of Life

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Have you ever sat down and looked back at the work of God in your life?  Taking special note of where you've been and where He could be leading?

Below is Nancy's story - as told through her seasons of life.  You'll note, she's a real woman, with real life issues - real disappointments and almost turned her back on God.  In fact, she was 43 when she came to know Jesus.   She persevered and as a result, Jesus has enabled her to impact her corner of the world profoundly.  (And many other corners as well!  Mine being one of them.  [Tara])

As you read this - keep in mind that if the God of the Universe will do this through her, will He not do this through you? 

I hope you answered, yes!  If not, you'll surely answer "YES" after reading her story.

SEASON I

SOVEREIGN FOUNDATIONS

 Experiencing God as Creator

Birth to 1972

1. Raised in loving home.

2. Was a treasured child.

3. Became aware of God when I

was about three.

4.  Loved Him with all my heart.

5.  I knew He created me.

6.  I hungered to know Him.

7. My father was gone much of the

time.  He was an officer in the Air

Force.

8. He loved me the most. He actually showed favoritism.

9. Being a child, I didn’t know this

was difficult for my mother to

deal with.

7.  Grew up in a church that

taught falsely about salvation.

LESSON LEARNED:  The Lord’s

purpose will be served no matter

what family or religious

background one has.

SEASON II 

INNER-LIFE, GROWTH

Experiencing Jesus as Savior

1972-1981

1. Married Ray, had 4 children.

2. When I as 34 I turned away

from Jesus, believing He was

impossible to please.

3. Asked a friend how I could

become a Christian. She feared telling
me would damage our friendship.

4. Bought my first Bible in 1979

5. Received Jesus as Savior 10/81

LESSON LEARNED:  Jesus can

break through mind-sets, 

traditions, and false teaching,

revealing Himself as Savior.

Experiencing Jesus as Lord

1981-1982

1. Discovered Jesus wanted to be

Lord of my life.

2. Began to teach children.

3. Struggled with surrendering

everything

4. Surrendered my life

completely. 12/81  After realizing it
wasn't my husband who needed to change, but
me who needed to change. 
5,  Began to seek God's will. 

LESSON LEARNED:  I was quite surprised that the Lord wanted to "run my life", since I had been a Christian for eight weeks.  My question was?  "Well, who will I be?  I won't be me anymore.  I'll try it for three days to see if it works?"  Those three days, turned into 30 YEARS of ministry beyond my wildest dreams.  

SEASON III 

MINISTRY MATURING

Experiencing Jesus as Shepherd

1983-1988

1.Baptised 1/3/82

2. Gave testimony to Anne

Graham Lotz one year after

surrender.

3. Became discussion leader in

her class, and was trained for five

years in how to:   lead women, lead

discussions, do homiletics, teach,

pray, discern God’s will.

3. Without knowing it, Anne was

preparing me to take her place.

4. Ray and I became members

of Colonial Baptist Church, Cary, NC.

5. Began to teach women at

Colonial

6. Received call to be Teaching

Leader (class of 500 women)

12/11/87

7. Became teaching leader. 9/88

7. Selected/trained 65 leaders.

8. Invited to be on Anne’s team at

The Cove (Christian conference center in

Asheville, NC), for two years until we

moved to Omaha.  (No men were

taught.)

LESSONS LEARNED:  The Lord can use a new Christian in ministry, if she is willing to follow Him, learn about Him, and spend time with Him.

SEASON IV 

Life Maturing

Experiencing Jesus as King

1983-1994

1.Learned to teach.

2. Taught 32 weeks a year for

four years.

3. Parents moved in with us

three months after I began

teaching. 1/88

4. Mother terminally ill.

5. Ray’s company was sold.

(He was the president.)

6. He was very wounded.

7. Everyone needed me.

8. Ray took job in Omaha.

1/91

9.  Mom died in my arms.

2/91

10. Dad moved. 3/91

11. Sold house. 6/91

12 Moved to Omaha 6/92

13. Began to seek God’s will for my life
in this new season.

SEASON V 

CONVERGENCE

 Experiencing Jesus as Beloved

1994-2012

1. Discerned God’s leading

    to serve in Church 11/10/95

2.  Pastor’s message on 11/26-95

3.  Met w/him for direction 12/95

4. Began teaching two studies

5. One was “The Wife” Class” 9/96

6. Met Connie Grigsby 9/96

7. Invited her to co-author 11/96

8. Was asked to be Director of

Women’sMinistries 12/17/96

9. Contract first book 1997

10. On Staff at Church 5/99

11. Four more books, many translations

12. Dad died 9/8/02

12. Ray/cancer 2/06

13. Ray Died 12/10/2006

14. Served on Staff until 2008

14.Back to Cary/Colonial 2009

15. Teaching/Mentoring at

Colonial 2010

16. Writing two new books.

LESSONS LEARNED: Abiding in Him is my part and He works out details. I must cease concerning myself w/myself. Becoming preoccupied w/Him is my goal. To know Him is the primary

issue of life; all else pales in comparison.

Stay at His feet spending time with Him each day, dear sister and marvel at all God will do through you as well!