He will always
Be there with
Arms open;
Never Judgemental.
He will finish
What He
has started.
Loving you
All the time.
Always
Forgiving
Ever
Merciful.
Posts
Alfred E. Wiggam
1 day ago
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Saturday, December 27, 2008
STAND
Standing in Your
Presence
Being with You
We will all be in Awe.
Surrounded by Your
Glory
Will I be able to stand?
To feel Your Love
to be held by You.
To have you call
My name.
Presence
Being with You
We will all be in Awe.
Surrounded by Your
Glory
Will I be able to stand?
To feel Your Love
to be held by You.
To have you call
My name.
Awesome
Well, I found this poem I wrote back in High School. Enjoy!
How Awesome You Are
Gracious and mighty
King
In My Unworthiness
You have,
Loved me
and still do
You are
Awesome Lord
Totally and completely Awesome.
How Awesome You Are
Gracious and mighty
King
In My Unworthiness
You have,
Loved me
and still do
You are
Awesome Lord
Totally and completely Awesome.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Power in the Name of Jesus
Jessica was a prideful girl. She always thought she was a great Christian; in fact she led a small group of women in bible study. She was doing just fine. Or so she thought. She would lead one life in church and another outside of church. She was not doing fine at all, she watched what she wanted, wore what she wanted...etc. Never really took the spiritual world as something serious. Don't get me wrong, she was sweet as could be...but greatly misguided.
I have known Jessica for most of my life; she is not a woman to tell tall tales. She is not an exaggerator - well sometimes she is. But all in all, she is a level-headed, extremely logical woman. So when she told me this tale...I believed her whole heartedly.
I have known Jessica for most of my life; she is not a woman to tell tall tales. She is not an exaggerator - well sometimes she is. But all in all, she is a level-headed, extremely logical woman. So when she told me this tale...I believed her whole heartedly.
1Jo 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
It was around 5:30am one morning. Jessica woke up to hear her mother in the kitchen making herself breakfast.
Jessica was sleeping on her side facing the wall, when she felt someone else in the room. She turned her head to see if there was anyone in the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an old woman by her closet. The woman looked like death. She had gray skin that seemed to sparkle in the dim light, as if she was covered in dust. Her eyes were bright - like cats eyes reflecting a light. Her hair was white, but covered in the gray dust that covered her body.
She was just gray all over.
Jessica quickly turned on her back to sit up and scream out when the old lady ran out of her eyesight. Jessica tried to sit up...but she felt a pressure pushing her down. It was as if someone or something was pushing every body part down into the bed. Head, legs, arms, fingers, feet...everything. She felt arms wrap around her whole body, but there was nothing there.
"What the-?" Jessica's mouth clamped shut. She tried to open it but only her lips parted. Her teeth could not, would not separate.
Fear crept into her heart.
Then she heard the old lady talk, almost spitting into Jessica's ear. It was in a different language, but Jessica understood the hate and anger behind the voice.
She was going to die.
"Jesus," Jessica was finally able to mutter.
Yelping, the old lady stopped speaking. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." Jessica kept saying the sweet name over and over. As each time the name of Jesus came out, the pressure alleviated.
"Jesus," Jessica was finally able to mutter.
Yelping, the old lady stopped speaking. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus..." Jessica kept saying the sweet name over and over. As each time the name of Jesus came out, the pressure alleviated.
"Jesus save me." Jessica finally was able to talk. There was no more pressure, there was nothing.
Jessica jumped out of the bed and searched her room. She looked at her bed as she saw the imprint of her body still deeply impressed into the mattress. "Oh my goodness."
Jessica ran downstairs to tell her mother. "Mom, you will never believe what just happened to me." Her body was still shaking as Jessica retold the story to her mother in detail. When she finished she expected her mother to tell her it was just her imagination, or it was a scary dream. To her shock her mother said: "That has happened to me too." She smiled at Jessica; “God has allowed you to witness something that many people will never - so that you can finally know how to pray. Here are some verses that comfort me and I know it will help you to calm down now:
Jessica jumped out of the bed and searched her room. She looked at her bed as she saw the imprint of her body still deeply impressed into the mattress. "Oh my goodness."
Jessica ran downstairs to tell her mother. "Mom, you will never believe what just happened to me." Her body was still shaking as Jessica retold the story to her mother in detail. When she finished she expected her mother to tell her it was just her imagination, or it was a scary dream. To her shock her mother said: "That has happened to me too." She smiled at Jessica; “God has allowed you to witness something that many people will never - so that you can finally know how to pray. Here are some verses that comfort me and I know it will help you to calm down now:
Psa 18:2-6 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, [even] to His ears.
"Sweetie, God has shown you this so that you can understand. Understand how to pray. Take this as it is - a blessing. Don't be afraid."
"Thanks Mom." Jessica went upstairs, still shaky - but filled with purpose. God had chosen her to be a witness to this. How many times has she mocked those who went through similar circumstances? What a fool she had been, limiting...well, basically the whole spiritual world. God wanted to use her, and she was finally ready to be used for His purpose.
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Peace and Faith
The terrible tragedy that occurred on September 11th, 2001 will haunt many Americans for the remainder of their lives. It will definitely haunt Jessica. You see, she almost lost both her parents that day. Please allow me to tell you this story of faith and peace.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jessica grew up in Staten Island, New York. She was about to turn 21 in September, and things were definitely going her way. She was happy. She had great friends, a great family and was doing well in college. She had just started a new job at the local bank. It was challenging her faith...but by God’s grace, she was working through it all.
Both her parents worked in downtown Manhattan...right across the street from the Twin Towers. In fact each morning, as a short cut, they travelled through the towers to get to their jobs from the bus station.
Lastly, her younger brother was in high school. They all lived busy, happy lives.
The morning of September 11th was like every other morning. In fact, Jessica marveled at how beautiful that morning was. It was a beautiful day. The temperature was just right; there was not a cloud in the sky. It was picturesque.
She got ready at her normal pace, but for some reason did not listen to any of the news stations.
One thing she found odd was that she could not stop praying for protection over her parents that morning. She never stopped praying for them.
Arriving at her job, the bank’s assistant manager let her in. Jessica looked around to see a bunch of strange people standing around.
"What’s going on?" Jessica asked.
"We are being audited," was the answer.
Jessica walked to the teller area, got her cash box and sat down. One of her co-workers was crying, demanding to be sent home. "You should send us home. This is not right. We could end up dying here."
Jessica laughed and thought to herself "That girl is so dramatic." She turned to ask another co-worker what was happening.
"A plane crashed into a building and she’s saying we’re all going to die here."
"Oh wow..." Jessica turned back to watch the auditor and pray for those hurt in the crash. She thought they were talking about a building in Utah. She never would have thought it was in New York.
"There is another plane missing, they think it’s going to the White House," the district manager ran to the back to update them.
As the manager went back to his office, everyone cried out in shock. Jessica was finding it hard to absorb.
"What building did they hit the first time?" Jessica asked out loud.
"One of the Twin Towers," replied the auditor. Shocked, Jessica said a quick prayer for her parents.
"Oh my God, they hit the other tower!" someone yelled from the manager’s office. Jessica started to get fidgety. She wanted to call her mom and dad just to hear their voice.
"They hit the Pentagon," came yet another cry from the manager’s office. "Oh my God..." The district manager came back, "One of the Twin Towers just fell."
"I got to go..." Jessica could hear no more. "I need to call my parents to make sure they are okay," she explained to the auditor.
She ran downstairs to call her mom. At 9:15am she reached the phone to call her mother. The phone kept ringing. "God please let them be okay. God, don't take them away from me." She said aloud over and over. The fear started to grab at her heart.
She hung up and tried her father and could not get through. She kept trying both parents’ cell phones, but could not get a line out. The thought of raising her brother after this crept into her mind.
She slammed the phone down and screamed out "GOD PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME!" Her heart hurt so much, she thought it would break. She leaned against the wall, sobbing clutching the phone. “My brother. I need to get to Xavier.”
Jessica ran upstairs and spoke with the manager. "I need to get my brother, my parents are missing - they worked across from the Towers" she explained. She felt herself calming down, though the tears never stopped.
"Oh my God, go ahead go. Do you want someone to drive you?"
"No, I need to go now. I'm fine." Her red eyes said otherwise, but they let her go.
She was delirious with grief and fear. Her heart literally hurt at the thought of losing both her parents. “GOD DON’T DO THIS TO ME!”
She arrived home and ran upstairs to change. "Okay, I need to calm down. Xavier cannot see me like this. God give me grace. God please don't leave us alone. Please protect my parents."
The phone rang. "Mom, Dad?"
It was her grandma; "Jessica it’s me. I can't get a hold of your father." she said crying uncontrollably.
She had never heard her Grandmother cry before. "Grandma, have faith. Trust in God. Look in your heart; do you believe that Dad is still alive?"
"Yes," she replied quietly.
"Then pray Grandma, pray for his quick and safe return home."
"Thank you, Jessica. I will."
"I'm going to hang up right now, because I got to get Xavier. I want him to hear what’s happening from me."
"Okay, call me if you hear from your father."
"I promise Grandma, I promise. Let’s have faith together, he's okay. They are both okay." She hung up the phone and went to get her brother.
There were a lot of parents at the door to the school trying to get their kids. "I don't want my kids to die here." "Yeah, what if they attack the schools. Give us our kids!" They were letting no one in the doors.
Jessica went up to the security guard, "Please I came to get my brother. Both our parents are missing. I need to bring him home." The security guard brought her into the main office, where there were more parents demanding their kids be released.
The security guard went behind the desk to talk to one of the secretaries. "She's going to help you okay?" "Thank you so much"
After 20 minutes they were able to find her brother in the lunchroom, he was about to walk out the door. "Xavier, we need to go home." Jessica said firmly. "I know."
The fear in her baby brothers eyes, matched the fear in hers. As they walked out the door, the secretary tried to get them to talk about it. "Thank you so much for helping us, but we need to get home just in case they try to call us."
It felt like three years had passed by, but it was only 10am as they drove home. But she was no longer alone, she had her brother. "You know what?" she said to her brother, "I have this peace about me, like I know they are okay." Xavier stayed silent and said, "Yeah, me too. God knows we couldn’t handle living without them.”
They got home and waited in the living room for something...anything. 12:30pm rolled about and there was a jingling in the doorway. Someone was coming home.
Jessica ran to open the door to see the most beautiful site she had ever seen. Her mother covered head to toe in soot. "MOM!"
Jessica and Xavier quickly grabbed their mother in a bear hug. Her mother hugged her kids back but said, "Could you wait until I get these dirty clothes off?" They all laughed. "Where's Dad?" Jessica asked.
"I don't know." She replied.
More to come tomorrow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jessica grew up in Staten Island, New York. She was about to turn 21 in September, and things were definitely going her way. She was happy. She had great friends, a great family and was doing well in college. She had just started a new job at the local bank. It was challenging her faith...but by God’s grace, she was working through it all.
Both her parents worked in downtown Manhattan...right across the street from the Twin Towers. In fact each morning, as a short cut, they travelled through the towers to get to their jobs from the bus station.
Lastly, her younger brother was in high school. They all lived busy, happy lives.
The morning of September 11th was like every other morning. In fact, Jessica marveled at how beautiful that morning was. It was a beautiful day. The temperature was just right; there was not a cloud in the sky. It was picturesque.
She got ready at her normal pace, but for some reason did not listen to any of the news stations.
One thing she found odd was that she could not stop praying for protection over her parents that morning. She never stopped praying for them.
Arriving at her job, the bank’s assistant manager let her in. Jessica looked around to see a bunch of strange people standing around.
"What’s going on?" Jessica asked.
"We are being audited," was the answer.
Jessica walked to the teller area, got her cash box and sat down. One of her co-workers was crying, demanding to be sent home. "You should send us home. This is not right. We could end up dying here."
Jessica laughed and thought to herself "That girl is so dramatic." She turned to ask another co-worker what was happening.
"A plane crashed into a building and she’s saying we’re all going to die here."
"Oh wow..." Jessica turned back to watch the auditor and pray for those hurt in the crash. She thought they were talking about a building in Utah. She never would have thought it was in New York.
"There is another plane missing, they think it’s going to the White House," the district manager ran to the back to update them.
As the manager went back to his office, everyone cried out in shock. Jessica was finding it hard to absorb.
"What building did they hit the first time?" Jessica asked out loud.
"One of the Twin Towers," replied the auditor. Shocked, Jessica said a quick prayer for her parents.
"Oh my God, they hit the other tower!" someone yelled from the manager’s office. Jessica started to get fidgety. She wanted to call her mom and dad just to hear their voice.
"They hit the Pentagon," came yet another cry from the manager’s office. "Oh my God..." The district manager came back, "One of the Twin Towers just fell."
"I got to go..." Jessica could hear no more. "I need to call my parents to make sure they are okay," she explained to the auditor.
She ran downstairs to call her mom. At 9:15am she reached the phone to call her mother. The phone kept ringing. "God please let them be okay. God, don't take them away from me." She said aloud over and over. The fear started to grab at her heart.
She hung up and tried her father and could not get through. She kept trying both parents’ cell phones, but could not get a line out. The thought of raising her brother after this crept into her mind.
She slammed the phone down and screamed out "GOD PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME!" Her heart hurt so much, she thought it would break. She leaned against the wall, sobbing clutching the phone. “My brother. I need to get to Xavier.”
Jessica ran upstairs and spoke with the manager. "I need to get my brother, my parents are missing - they worked across from the Towers" she explained. She felt herself calming down, though the tears never stopped.
"Oh my God, go ahead go. Do you want someone to drive you?"
"No, I need to go now. I'm fine." Her red eyes said otherwise, but they let her go.
She was delirious with grief and fear. Her heart literally hurt at the thought of losing both her parents. “GOD DON’T DO THIS TO ME!”
She arrived home and ran upstairs to change. "Okay, I need to calm down. Xavier cannot see me like this. God give me grace. God please don't leave us alone. Please protect my parents."
The phone rang. "Mom, Dad?"
It was her grandma; "Jessica it’s me. I can't get a hold of your father." she said crying uncontrollably.
She had never heard her Grandmother cry before. "Grandma, have faith. Trust in God. Look in your heart; do you believe that Dad is still alive?"
"Yes," she replied quietly.
"Then pray Grandma, pray for his quick and safe return home."
"Thank you, Jessica. I will."
"I'm going to hang up right now, because I got to get Xavier. I want him to hear what’s happening from me."
"Okay, call me if you hear from your father."
"I promise Grandma, I promise. Let’s have faith together, he's okay. They are both okay." She hung up the phone and went to get her brother.
There were a lot of parents at the door to the school trying to get their kids. "I don't want my kids to die here." "Yeah, what if they attack the schools. Give us our kids!" They were letting no one in the doors.
Jessica went up to the security guard, "Please I came to get my brother. Both our parents are missing. I need to bring him home." The security guard brought her into the main office, where there were more parents demanding their kids be released.
The security guard went behind the desk to talk to one of the secretaries. "She's going to help you okay?" "Thank you so much"
After 20 minutes they were able to find her brother in the lunchroom, he was about to walk out the door. "Xavier, we need to go home." Jessica said firmly. "I know."
The fear in her baby brothers eyes, matched the fear in hers. As they walked out the door, the secretary tried to get them to talk about it. "Thank you so much for helping us, but we need to get home just in case they try to call us."
It felt like three years had passed by, but it was only 10am as they drove home. But she was no longer alone, she had her brother. "You know what?" she said to her brother, "I have this peace about me, like I know they are okay." Xavier stayed silent and said, "Yeah, me too. God knows we couldn’t handle living without them.”
They got home and waited in the living room for something...anything. 12:30pm rolled about and there was a jingling in the doorway. Someone was coming home.
Jessica ran to open the door to see the most beautiful site she had ever seen. Her mother covered head to toe in soot. "MOM!"
Jessica and Xavier quickly grabbed their mother in a bear hug. Her mother hugged her kids back but said, "Could you wait until I get these dirty clothes off?" They all laughed. "Where's Dad?" Jessica asked.
"I don't know." She replied.
More to come tomorrow.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Suffering
Several months ago, I suffered a miscarriage. I was so devastated, but God, in his His grand and wonderful mercy, has brought Dave and I through this time. There are times that I get sad...but I pray and know it was for a reason.
There was someone who was found out she was expecting the same time I was. I just found out today she's having a girl. God in heaven, why does it hurt so much? Anyway, I came across this awesome devotional that I wish to share with ya'll. I love how God knows what we need to hear and when.
2Cr 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,
Steel is the product of iron plus fire. Soil is rock plus heat and the crushing of glaciers. Linen is flax plus the water that cleans it, the comb that seperates it, the flail that pounds it and the shuttle that weaves it. In the same way, the development of human character requires a plus attached to it, for great character is made not through easy living but through suffering.
Consider the diamond; it is formed through YEARS of extreme heat and pressure. It starts out looking like a piece of coal; but then turns out to be this thing of beauty. Don't think that this situation you are going through, is a form of punishment. Suffering is a wonderful fertilizer for the roots of character.
Remember Psalm 37:5 - Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass.
God is working through you, for a reason. Just wait on Him and He will bless you.
There was someone who was found out she was expecting the same time I was. I just found out today she's having a girl. God in heaven, why does it hurt so much? Anyway, I came across this awesome devotional that I wish to share with ya'll. I love how God knows what we need to hear and when.
2Cr 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,
Steel is the product of iron plus fire. Soil is rock plus heat and the crushing of glaciers. Linen is flax plus the water that cleans it, the comb that seperates it, the flail that pounds it and the shuttle that weaves it. In the same way, the development of human character requires a plus attached to it, for great character is made not through easy living but through suffering.
Consider the diamond; it is formed through YEARS of extreme heat and pressure. It starts out looking like a piece of coal; but then turns out to be this thing of beauty. Don't think that this situation you are going through, is a form of punishment. Suffering is a wonderful fertilizer for the roots of character.
Remember Psalm 37:5 - Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass.
God is working through you, for a reason. Just wait on Him and He will bless you.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Be Still...
Hey all, I've been suffering from a bad case of Bronchitis so I've had no time (really brain power) to write something. So here is an awesome devotion for today from Streams In The Desert by L.B. Cowman.
Is there any note in all the music of the world as mighty as the grand pause? Is there any word in the Psalms more eloquent than the word "Selah," meaning pause? Is there anything more thrilling and awe-inspiring than the calm before the crashing of the storm, or the strange quiet that seems to fall upon nature before some supernatural phenomenon or disastrous upheaval? And is there anything that can touch our hearts like the power of stillness?
F0r the hearts that will cease focusing on themselves, there is "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Phil 4:7); "quietness and trust" (Isa 30:15), which is the source of all strength ; a "great peace" that will never "make them stumble" (Ps 119:165); and a deep rest, which the world can never give nor take away. Deep within the center of the soul is a chamber of peace where God lives and where, if we will enter it and quiet all other sounds, we can hear His "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12).
Even in the fastest wheel that is turning, if you look at the center, where the axle is found, there is no movement at all. And even in the busiest life, there is a place where we may dwell alone with God in eternal stillness.
There is only one way to know God: "Be still, and know." "The Lord is in His Holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (Hab 2:20).
All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired from the lack of light from the sun, moon and stars. The gloomy darkness loomed above us as if it would last forever. And from the dark, there spoke no soothing voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed even a wild clap of thunder, if only to break the torturing stillness of that mournfully depressing night.
Yet Your soft whisper of eternal love spoke more sweetly to our bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across a wind harp. It was Your "gentle whisper" that spoke to us. We were listening and we heard You, and then we looked and saw Your face, which was radiant with the light of Your love. And when we heard Your voice and saw Your face, new life returned to us, just as life returns to withered blossoms that drink the summer rain.
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Is there any note in all the music of the world as mighty as the grand pause? Is there any word in the Psalms more eloquent than the word "Selah," meaning pause? Is there anything more thrilling and awe-inspiring than the calm before the crashing of the storm, or the strange quiet that seems to fall upon nature before some supernatural phenomenon or disastrous upheaval? And is there anything that can touch our hearts like the power of stillness?
F0r the hearts that will cease focusing on themselves, there is "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding" (Phil 4:7); "quietness and trust" (Isa 30:15), which is the source of all strength ; a "great peace" that will never "make them stumble" (Ps 119:165); and a deep rest, which the world can never give nor take away. Deep within the center of the soul is a chamber of peace where God lives and where, if we will enter it and quiet all other sounds, we can hear His "gentle whisper" (1 Kings 19:12).
Even in the fastest wheel that is turning, if you look at the center, where the axle is found, there is no movement at all. And even in the busiest life, there is a place where we may dwell alone with God in eternal stillness.
There is only one way to know God: "Be still, and know." "The Lord is in His Holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (Hab 2:20).
All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired from the lack of light from the sun, moon and stars. The gloomy darkness loomed above us as if it would last forever. And from the dark, there spoke no soothing voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed even a wild clap of thunder, if only to break the torturing stillness of that mournfully depressing night.
Yet Your soft whisper of eternal love spoke more sweetly to our bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across a wind harp. It was Your "gentle whisper" that spoke to us. We were listening and we heard You, and then we looked and saw Your face, which was radiant with the light of Your love. And when we heard Your voice and saw Your face, new life returned to us, just as life returns to withered blossoms that drink the summer rain.
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