Monday Musing-Prisoner's Chains

Belinda Kersey 8/27/07

God’s Word

Acts 16:25-26 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.”

My Thoughts

Have you ever sung in your pain? I have. Sometimes singing in my pain is all that gets me through the pain. The first time I was in rehab was painful mentally and physically. It affected me mentally because they were teaching me how to live in a wheelchair and physically because MS had so imprisoned my body that it was painful to try to regain any amount of movement that I had lost. I had Jeff bring me a CD player and some of my favorite music; between naps and the therapy sessions I would sit in my room and sing to the Lord.

Paul and Silas sang in their pain and Selah sings about them in, “I Bless Your Name”. It says “In prisoners' chains with bleeding stripes Paul and Silas prayed that night and in their pain began to sing.” Now if Paul and Silas acted like a lot of us today, they could have been sitting in that cell griping. All they had done was cast a demon out of a slave girl but now she was no longer going to earn fat wads of cash for her owners as a fortune-teller. Verse 19 of the chapter says “When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.” Then, without so much as a trial, “they were severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.” So, they had every right to be whining about their injuries, their unjust treatment and the painful position they were in. I know you’ve never done this, but I can even imagine other people complaining to God. “Lord, this is how you repay us for setting a girl free from demonic power? This is how you treat your loyal servants? What happened to the “beautiful feet of those who bring good news”? Our feet don’t look so beautiful in these stocks!”

That’s why I believe God has a special place in his heart for those of us who sing through our pain. He knows what we could sound like instead! Even if our song of praise is tentative or slightly off-key, it still sounds beautiful to Him. And just the act of singing His praise moves our mind from the situation and on to Him. There are times our songs can bring the miraculous. As the song says “Their chains were loosed and they were free”. Can you imagine their shock and awe? Or just maybe they were not shocked. When your faith is in a God who is all-powerful, how can you be shocked when he answers your cry? When you trust in the one true God, you can sing “I bless Your Name, I bless Your Name, I give You honor, give You praise. You are the Life, the Truth, the Way. I bless Your Name I bless Your Name .”

One scripture I find compelling says “and the other prisoners were listening to them”. I found that to be true in my own situation. I did not care who heard me as I sang to God in that hospital room. Some heard and were blessed and moved to ask about my peace. Our songs to God will serve as praise to Him, peace to our souls and a path to Him for others. So “some midnight hour if you should find you're in a prison in your mind. Reach out and praise, defy those chains, and they will fall in Jesus' name!”

Your Response

The scripture doesn’t tell us what words Paul and Silas sang. It simply says they were singing hymns to God. I am sure they sang the ones that were most precious to them and most ingrained in their hearts. Begin now to sing your favorite hymn or worship song to the God who frees us. Even if “Jesus Loves Me” is all you can think of, then sing it for all you’re worth.

Sophia Paper LO

 

These layouts are of the MS Walk we participated in on April 2nd.  It was a gorgeous day and we had lots of fun!  The LO is actually from the Miracle Workshop on the Go but I chose to use the Sophia Pack of paper from CTMH because the colors went with our shirts so well.  The stamp sets I used were Chocolate Alpha,  Take a Picture and Miracle WOTG.  The adorable pinwheels were made using the perfect pinwheel stamps from the Miracle set.  The stamps make it sooo easy to create these.  To accent the cuteness I used ric rac ribbon from CTMH as well as our fabulous Kraft color ready borders.  I sprayed one of the borders using our spray bottles with a mix of Perfect Pearls Paint, Reinker and water. The pink panel of cardstock on the bottom page was random stamped by lil' ol' me.   Ink colors used were Chocolate, Pear and Hollyhock.

Monday Musing-His Banner

Belinda Kersey July 20, 2008

God’s Word

“And Moses built an altar and named it, "The LORD Is My Banner." Exodus 17:15

 The Song

“Greatly to be Praised/I Offer Up This Praise” arranged by Joy Gardner and Bradley Knight

My Thoughts

We had a discussion in choir one night regarding exactly what God’s banner is.  In my youth one of the popular church songs sung in churches across the nation was “His Banner Over Me is Love”.  I’m afraid I never grasped the meaning of those words even though I sang them a million times with the obligatory hand motions.  I just envisioned a cloth sign over my head that said “Love”.  I guess I didn’t have much imagination or wasn’t interested in delving too far into the meaning of a pleasant little chorus.

During the rehearsal of “Greatly to Be Praised”, someone asked what exactly the words “your banner” mean.  By this time in my life, I knew a little more of what was behind that phrase.  I knew in my own life, I have raised his banner often and for so many reasons. I knew in Biblical times when the army of God was headed into battle, they would carry banners proclaiming the names of the Lord.  A visual that is a far cry from my hearts and flowers version in my youth!

When we raise God’s banner, we are showing the world and its prince of darkness we are on the side of  Adonai El Elyon, The Most High God (Gen. 14:22; Psalm 7:17; Psalm 47:2).   Our God is “greatly to be praised” and when we face a battle we must use every bit of our “heart, mind and strength” to raise the banner of God.

In this act of defiance against the enemy, we are given renewed strength to fight our battles, to face each day.  What are you going through?  Is your home rocked by chaos on every hand?  Lift up the banner of Jehovah Shalom (Judges 6:24), the Lord of our peace.

Are you battered and bruised from your struggle?  Do you need time to rest and heal?  Lift up the banner of Adonai Sal’i (Psalm 18:2), the Lord my Rock and hiding place. What disease has come upon you?  He is Jehovah Rapha, The LORD who heals you; The LORD your healer; (Ex. 15:26). 

Just as a child would lift his hands to be picked up, raise your hands to Adonai Avinu, The LORD our Father (Isa. 64:8).  He will lift you and hold you in your times of loneliness and uncertainty. Adonai Eloheikhem, The LORD your God (Lev. 19:3) stands ready to be by your side in whatever battle you face.  He is Adonai Elohim, The LORD God (Gen. 2:4), the Source and Ground of all being but the personal God and Creator of each and every one of us.

You can rest assured He is Adonai Yir’eh or, The LORD who sees; (Gen. 22:14); Adonai sees all and knows our needs intimately.  Even if you don’t have the strength to whisper your need, lift your eyes to heaven and He will see you.

Your Prayer

With your “hands lifted high and a heart of thanks, offer your praise” to Adonai Nissi, The LORD my Miracle, The LORD my Banner; (Ex. 17:15).

I did several searches but could not find this particular song on the internet!  I apologize!

Hope for Japan Stamp Set

This card was made using the new stamp set from Close To My Heart that is a fundraiser for Japan.  100% of proceeds from the $5 cost goes to the Amer. Red Cross for Japan.  I used all products from CTMH:
Kraft paper
Hope Stamp Set
Twill Ribbon (I stamped the word Hope on it)
Foam Adhesive
Bitty Sparkles
Vineyard Berry and Blush Inks
Vineyard Berry Cardstock (I used a file to really distress it)
White Daisy Cardstock

April Showers Bring A Bird in a Teacup?

I don't always love my creations but this card is one that I do LOVE.  It started with the newest challenge at www.heart2heartchallenges.blogspot.com.  The challenge was to make something that depicted April Showers Bring May Flowers.  So, my rhinestones represent the showers.  All products are from Close To My Heart:

Sophia Pattern papers
Miracle paper for wing
Blush Cardstock
Sophia Journal Spot
Ribbon
A Tweet Stamp Set
A Sip Stamp Set
Miracle Workshop Stamp Set
Pear, Crystal Blue, Heavenly Blue, Smoothie and Blush Inks
Rhinestones
Blue Button
Foam Adhesive

Unchangeable

Belinda Kersey 7/17/07
God’s Word
Hebrews 13:8 NIV “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

My Thoughts

Bob and Debbie were the most influential ministers in my life during the confusing teenage years. They challenged my intellect as well as my spirit and created a desire in me to walk with the Lord in a complete relationship, not just in a religion of habit.

As so often happens, we lost touch when they returned to their native Colorado. A few years ago I was compelled to contact my former youth pastor and his wife. I was able to get their e-mail address and reconnect. I was so glad I made the effort to reach them because I was able to let them know how influential they were in my walk with the Lord. Also, at the time I contacted Bob, I discovered they had been going through their own medical minefield and had also experienced great loss.

Bob had lost both parents and a brother within a nine month time period, Bob had battled cancer and was doing so again. It was so refreshing and encouraging to me that those who had taught me so much about faith in my youth were still true to that faith even in the face of such sorrow as well as dire predictions by the physicians. At one point in Bob’s testing and uncertainty, Debbie shared how personally meaningful the following words were to them. “You are God alone from before time began you were on Your throne, you are God alone. And right now in the good times and bad you are on Your throne you are God alone. Unchangeable, Unshakable, Unstoppable that’s what You are".

It is so easy to forget in our times of crisis that nothing can change who God is, how God acts or what God can do. Absolutely nothing that occurs on this planet catches Him by surprise. He knew from before time began that Bob and Debbie would repeatedly face cancer and go through a time of traumatic loss. God was on His throne as Bob faced physical pain and bombardment on every side by the enemy.
Even in their time of deepest fear, they were able to sing this song and mean every word. They continued to minister as Senior Pastors when others may have felt justified to step aside. God provided His unchangeable, unshakeable and unstoppable love and sustaining power. They knew God could heal Bob with a blink of His eye and they would glorify Him. But they also would glorify Him if his healing did not come.

Today, Bob and Debbie are glorifying God in their Colorado home, a home that Bob built with his own hands. Hands that were willing to praise God in his trial and hands that now praise God in healing. Bob and Debbie know that in the good times and bad God will be on His throne ready to provide whatever his children need to sustain them through their circumstances. No matter what time it is on earth and in our lives, God is the same and nothing will stop Him, change Him or shake Him.

Your Response

Tell the God of the Universe how awesome and mighty He is. Tell Him you worship His majesty and glory. Thank Him for the good times He has given you and thank Him for being with you during this time of trouble.

2011 Mighty Spirit Walks for a Cure

God has been good to me, sustains me and gives me hope and peace.  My life is good and I am surrounded by friends and family who support and love me.  Most of all, I have a husband who is faithful, loving and my rock! But I do live every day with a MonSter.

Yesterday marked the 8th time my team, Mighty Spirit, has entered the MS Walk of Fort Worth.  That means this year will mark 10 years that I have lived with multiple sclerosis and 9 years that I have lived in a wheelchair.  Multiple Sclerosis is a MonSter of a disease that has many symptoms that affect one individual living with the disease in very different ways from others living with it.  It also may affect an individual differently at different times of their life.   Mine causes major weakness in my lower body but started with major fatigue and difficulty seeing (both symptoms disappeared several years ago praise God!).  Another person may have near or total blindness, speech difficulties, numbness in varying parts of the body, problems with cognition, the list goes on. 

The goal of the National MS Society is to eradicate this disease that now affects children and adults alike.  I have 30 more days to raise funds to count for this year's MS Walk.  If you are able, please donate today by going HERE.  If not, please pray that a cure is found soon!