Tag: joy

Hosanna!

Posted on by Dorci

The God of Israel had just rescued His people from their mighty enemies through a parted sea on dry ground. Dry ground. They didn’t have to wade through a little bit of water or even slog through mud. God provided a red carpet toward the Promised Land.

Days later, they camped near some springs of water and seventy palm trees. (Countless studies could be done on the significance of the number 70 in God’s Word.)

Not too long after, God ordained certain holy days to be celebrated every year, one of them being the Festival, or Feast of Tabernacles.  During the seven days this feast was observed, the Israelites were to live in tents, or tabernacles, made from the leaves of various trees, including palm trees, as a celebration and remembrance of the Lord’s deliverance and provision in the desert.

Because this joyful holiday had been celebrated generation after generation, palm leaves became a symbol of victory, triumph, and faithfulness.

So when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey just before Passover, the crowds who had gathered there, recognizing Jesus as their savior (although their idea of what He was there to do would be vastly different), it was only right that they cut down palm branches to welcome Him.

“On the next day, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, a great crowd who had come to the Feast took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And they cried,

‘Hosanna (oh save)! 
Blessed is the King of Israel
who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
John 12:12-13

He did indeed come to save us, but in an even much greater way than they thought. He didn’t come to only save us from a cruel and unjust government, but to save us from ourselves, from our own sins that would have brought a certain death to our souls in this life and an eternal one in the next.

The next time the apostle John would give us a look at the significance of palm leaves would be as he was given a glimpse into heaven.

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

‘Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!’”
Revelation 7:9-12

 

 


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Sunday Praise and a Prayer of Gratefulness

Posted on by Dorci

Our dear, precious Heavenly Father, we praise your holy name, the name above all other names. We are overwhelmed at your goodness and provision. Thank you for seeing us and our needs long before we have them and for providing in ways we could never think or imagine.

We praise you and thank you for the move of your Holy Spirit on various groups around the world. May salvation, repentance, and the joy of your Spirit continue to spread as far and wide as your will determines, and may no one stop it.

Where space or facilities or food, whatever is needed, may you please provide. 

May revival come to all our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit.

We pray, too, for those impacted by the many disasters around the world. May you comfort the grieving, may you provide whatever is needed, and may you give strength and courage to the workers. Above all, LORD, we pray for the drawing of your Holy Spirit for salvation. 

There is no one like you, LORD, and we praise you and thank you for all you are and all you do. May our hearts be ready to honor and glorify you with our lives at all times in all circumstances. 

We echo the words of our brother Paul:

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

We pray it all in the mighty name of Jesus, amen!


I pray you carry the joy of the Lord with you throughout the week. As you abide in Him, may His Spirit fill you and rest on you to give wisdom, direction, and produce in you every fruit He provides. May His love lead you in all you do and say. 

In Him,
Dorci

An Encounter with a Warrior

Posted on by Dorci

After a week in the hospital and another at an inpatient rehab facility, I was dealing pretty well with all the affects of having had a stroke, especially considering the hospital had over-medicated me, causing my blood pressure to drop too much too fast, which then caused that damaged area in the left side of my brain to grow larger and my weakness to worsen. 

I’d seen countless doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists…  So many professionals. And they were good, well, most of them. They helped get me, literally, back on my feet. 

Through it all I’d had not only His peace that passed all understanding, but His joy, and I knew that was the Lord answering all the prayers from so many precious brothers and sisters in Christ. I can never thank them enough.

I could see the Lord’s hand in so many ways. From my sister, who alerted me that she thought I was having a stroke when that was the furthest thought from my mind, to the hospital where I was told I had a rare room with a view of trees and the sounds of birds singing. 

And then at the rehab I was given another room that was apparently so much bigger and nicer than all the others that almost every employee who came in was amazed by it, one even asking who I knew in order to get such a room. I’ll tell ya Who!

And later the Lord would show me even the over-medication was allowed by Him. That if I’d gone home when I was originally supposed to, my blood pressure would have come down even more, making the stroke and its affects that much worse.

Then a couple of days before I was scheduled to be discharged, the OT overseeing my case came to my room to give me her evaluation and what I could expect in the future. 

I still could not move my foot or toes at all, not even a little bit, thanks to that over-medication I mentioned. She told me there’s always hope, but she didn’t think I’d be able to move my foot again. 

Stroke in the left side of the brain means right-sided weakness. My right foot. My driving foot.  And for the first time in a little over two weeks, I became distraught, depressed, hopeless. 

The following morning I clashed with the doctor over medication, and that was it. I broke.

I lay there alone, sobbing. 

A woman from housekeeping came in to clean the room, and I tried to pull myself together as she mopped the floor. 

Very kindly she asked why I was there. I told her I’d had a stroke. Her eyes got wide as she said she’d never seen someone so young (ha!) who’d had a stroke, that she thought I’d had some kind of surgery. 

As much as I tried, I couldn’t completely hide the fact that I’d been crying, and that I was still near tears. 

And then the Lord began to speak through her the words I needed to hear. 

“God is with you! He is right here with you, and He’s going to be with you!”

My spirit engaged once again and the tears flowed down my face. My head bowed and nodded in agreement as she continued.

“Sometimes the Lord allows things to happen in order to show His power through us!” 

Right then and there, in that room, I had church. The Lord had brought my own preacher, clad in the power of the armor of God who wielded the sword of the Spirit like a warrior and chased away that stinking rotten enemy.

From the depths of my heart I agreed.  

When she left I was no longer distraught or hopeless, but filled with the joy of the Lord once again.  

With all those professionals I’d seen, it was Libby, a woman from housekeeping, but more so a woman filled with the Holy Spirit, who became my champion and the one who’d lifted my spirit, who’d raised my countenance, who’d helped me back to my feet. 

“So whether you eat or drink
or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31


We need to let go of the thinking that we have to be or do something the world calls “important” in order to be used by God. 

The Lord used fishermen, shepherds, children, a cupbearer. In the world they were overlooked, but in the eyes of God they were deeply loved and chosen to do His will. 

I will never forget Libby or what she did for me that day. She brought her love for the Lord to work with her, and though she had no idea what my feelings about God were, she didn’t hesitate to speak His name, to remind me of the truth, giving Him glory and bringing me back to life. 

I went home two days later, and two days after that my toes began to move. Soon after, my foot. I’m still working on strengthening the muscles, and still waiting for the day when I can drive again, but God’s brought me this far and I know He’ll take me as far as He wants me to go. 

With Him, nothing is impossible. 

For His glory,

 

The Light of the World

Posted on by Dorci

 

Darkness filled the earth. It had been 400 years since God had spoken, the last time through the prophet Malachi. 

“‘Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,’
Says the Lord of hosts.”
Malachi 3:1

Generations had come and gone since then and the silence persisted; the darkness remained. People came and went, having no idea when, or perhaps even if, God would speak again. 

Then one night, as some lonely shepherds in a field kept watch over their sheep, the light of the glory of God pierced the darkness. An angel stood before them with this announcement:

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” 
Luke 2:10-11

And before they could catch their breath, a host of angels appeared before them, too, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, 
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:14



God had broken the silence. His Word, the Messenger of the covenant (spoken of in Jeremiah 31:33 and Ezekiel 36:26-27) was born among them, and with Him an everlasting hope.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16

God’s love shone into the world that unsuspecting night. He’d come! The long-awaited Savior, born as a humble babe in a manger, sent that all who believed in Him would be born anew, filling each heart with a never-ending peace and joy, and the promised light of His presence shining in and through us, forever piercing the darkness. 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Those Pop Quizzes

Posted on by Dorci

Remember being in school, having gotten to the end of the semester, maybe the year. You walk into the classroom and sit down, thinking it’s going to be just another ho-hum day, when the teacher walks to the front of the class and announces there’s going to be a pop quiz on everything you’ve learned (or haven’t) up to that point. Soon you find out exactly how well you’ve been paying attention.

I recently had one of those days, not in school, but in life. 

I woke up on a Friday, looking forward to the weekend, and instead found myself hours later in a hospital bed hearing the doctor tell me news I never expected – I’d had a stroke. 

Suddenly I was faced with the constant choice, every minute of every day, with every new twist and turn, to believe what my God had taught me the last 32 years, or not. How well had I truly internalized what I’d read and heard; how well had I learned my lessons in previous “quizzes?” Did I believe He was with me, that His love was true, that in Him my suffering had a purpose, that He would never leave me or forsake me? 

Had I truly walked with my God, my Father, my Savior, my Lord, or had I been kidding myself? 

In the last three months I’ve had a few bad days, when it’s all been just too much, too overwhelming, too “unfair.”

But for the most part I’ve looked around and seen God’s grace and mercy in a myriad of ways. So much grace and mercy. I’ve felt His presence, His indwelling Holy Spirit, giving me joy and hope, even in the face of reasons to have very little.

There are many of those stories to tell, and God willing, I will. 

But the good news is my faith has once again been proven to be real. If it were never real, if it was only a “said” faith – in word only – but no real belief, no indwelling and sealing by the Holy Spirit, I surely would have dropped out by now. 

Oh, I’ve had days where I questioned, I’ve been angry, but God’s been there even in the middle of that. His understanding and compassion no one can fathom. I am still His child and He is still my Father, and no one can separate me from His love.

For a while I’ve kept a flip calendar that has a new scripture for each day. I have yet to flip the page from the one it was on the day my life changed. 

“I will say of the LORD, 
‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.'”
Psalm 91:2

Those words have been a reminder to me every day where my hope lies. 

So, when the next trial pops into your life, will you be ready? When your faith is tested, will you persevere because you’ve been learning to trust Him all along? Are you preparing now by seeking Jesus with all your heart, by building on that relationship with Him every day so that you know Him, and when the trial comes, you’ll know He’s where He’s always been – right by your side?

I pray your hope lies in the only One who is completely trustworthy, that your faith, your belief is in His Son Jesus as Lord and Savior, for “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

If not, or if you’re not sure, just ask Him. Ask God to forgive you of your sins, and tell Him you’re putting your faith in His Son Jesus and His blood that was shed on the cross to pay for your sins.

Read, listen, and learn all you can. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love others as yourself. And when life hits you hard, as it does for everyone, you’ll be ready, and He’ll be there. 

 

 

 

From Darkness to Light

Posted on by Dorci

There are times the enemy comes out from the shadows and we can scarcely take in its evil. It shows itself for what it is, and the darkness is so appalling, so depraved, so hideous, we can hardly believe the depths it will go. 

Yet this is only a glimpse of the evil that’s all around us. So much is hidden, but he’s there, vile and lurking in the corners, whispering in the ears of the suffering, lying to those in pain, until the anger within begins to boil, tempting its victims to poisonous “solutions,” until the bitterness cements their hearts and acts as a cancer on their souls.

The enemy then seeks out an agreeable, moldable partner, one who has given over to that bitterness, and waits for an opportune moment.

But God…

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Rom 5:8 MEV

“But God raised {Jesus} from the dead…” Acts 2:24a NIV

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ…” Eph 2:4-5 MEV

God loves His creation more than we can ever know. His light and life are available to anyone who will believe in His Son who willingly gave His life as payment for the sins of that one. 

His Spirit will come and reside with that one, and will be a healing balm who can and will soften the heart and give peace to the soul of the one willing to receive Him. The dead will be made alive, hatred will turn to love, anger to forgiveness, sorrow to joy. 

As his end gets nearer and more and more people unknowingly believe the enemy’s lies and push God out of their minds and society, he gets more brazen, coming out from the shadows and is received.

The blinders on the eyes of the world may not see his surreptitious nature, but those of us whose eyes have been opened and hearts have been filled with the Truth know who he is, and our Lord Jesus has charged us with a mission: 

“…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matt 5:16

AND

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20

If there’s anything events in this world should teach us, it’s that the enemy is moving, and time is short. he will take as many victims as possible, but God…

God desires to shine His light through us to act and speak as His ambassadors who will first keep ourselves in God’s love, then extend that love, grace, and mercy to the lost, and through prayer and the power of Christ, lead them from darkness to light, turning victims into overcomers.

The enemy can be defeated, one soul at a time, and whether we plant, water, or harvest, who knows what souls, and futures, might be saved.

 

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Acts 20:24

***

Heavenly Father, we ask you to make us willing vessels to shine brightly, and that your power and favor rest on us and the gifts you’ve given us to save the lost and bring glory to your name.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

Love Letter(s)

Posted on by Dorci

If you’ve been putting off reading God’s Word, knowing you need to, reminding yourself you’ve got to do it, but continually find the day is gone, you’re tired, and you haven’t read it, again, I get it. Our lives are busy and complicated and it’s hard to squeeze one more thing into the day. And that’s exactly why it’s so important.

If there were ever a time to start reading the Word God’s given to us, to start studying it, devouring it, memorizing it, loving it, it’s now. 

It’s been said the written Word of God is His love letter to us. God reveals Himself to us on its pages, beginning to end, from one miraculous, mind-bending story to another, showing us His vast love through His grace and mercy, and the plan for His most precious creation.

The Holy Bible is not just another book (or 66 of them to be precise). The writer of 2 Timothy, Paul the apostle, tells us in 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed…”

Throughout the ages God Himself spoke through flawed but chosen people to proclaim a Holy God.

Paul goes on to say scripture is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

This is the crux of His desire for those who would believe in His Son and follow Him. Sin comes so easily to us, and seems to be even easier as the world around us devolves into a state of maddening chaos.  

But God’s Word is the place we can go for refuge, for truth, for all those much-needed disciplines Paul lists so we can be in the process of maturing and fulfilling God’s plan for us: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

The writer of Hebrews (probably Paul) also tells us in 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 

Through God’s Word-its incredible stories and the people who lived them-the Holy Spirit reveals to us our own hearts and the ways He desires to heal us, give us purpose and the abundant life we were meant to live. 

Since the moment we were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, we became soldiers in a spiritual battle and God’s Word is the beginning of our training so we can overcome the enemy of God who is always on the move.  We need discernment and wisdom so we know a lie when we hear it, always alert to his ways, and trained to be attuned to the Lord, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by the world’s noise. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, none of us knows what a day will bring. No matter what happens, we want to be found with our spiritual armor securely fastened, strong and courageous, walking with the Lord. 

By starting the day with scripture, even if it’s just one verse, and a prayer, we take His hand and turn our hearts and minds to the things of the Lord, allowing Him to prepare us for what lies ahead, so we can walk in the Spirit and not in our flesh.  

I can’t tell you how many times the Holy Spirit has brought scripture to my mind as a warning, for healing, and for hope and encouragement. But He can’t remind me of something I’ve never bothered to read in the first place.

So I’m giving you a challenge. Start with just a verse. There are a lot of verse-of-the-days you can have sent right to your email to start you off. But don’t stay there. Add a second verse, and a third, and then a chapter… 

And when you truly begin to study it, to make it the priority of your day, you’ll find hidden treasures in the meaning of its words and context that will show you even more the depth and beauty of our God and His love for us. 

And pray! Pray for understanding, for wisdom, asking the Lord to speak to your heart in a personal way as you read through its pages.

It may be hard at first, but keep at it. Before you know it, you’ll find you love it and its Author more and more. 

As you walk in what you learn, you’ll find yourself bearing His fruit of love, joy, and His peace. 

Let me know how it goes!

For Him,
Dorci

Heavenly Father, remind us as we begin each day to begin it with You. Help us be consistent, and fill us with a love for the precious word you’ve so thoughtfully composed because of your love for us. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.

 

 

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer For Continued Joy

Posted on by Dorci

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day
in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.'” 
Luke 2:10-11

 

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your holy and precious name. You are glorified in the birth of your Son, and though the world’s celebration ends, may our celebration of the birth of our Savior continue every day of the year.

Lord, only you know what the coming year will bring. No matter what we go through, the good times and the painful ones, may we glorify you by walking in the joy our salvation brings.

In the good times, may we remember to thank you and give you all the glory. And when we face difficult days, we pray your Holy Spirit will sustain us with your peace that passes all understanding and remind us of your loving care to the brokenhearted.  

No matter what, may people see you in us and know our celebration of Christ’s birth never ends. We pray it all in the mighty and victorious name of Yeshua HaMashiach, our Savior and Lord, amen.

***

Please remember, if you have any prayer requests you are more than welcome to leave a comment or email me your request and I will be honored to stand with you in prayer.  The Lord bless you and keep you!

Scripture Picture – I Will Give Thanks

Posted on by Dorci

Operation Christmas Child

Posted on by Dorci

 

Is there anything more beautiful than the joy of a child?

Children are so precious that our Lord Jesus held them up as an example to us:

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.”
Matthew 18:3-5

Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child is underway, and the deadline is quickly coming to a close. Collection Week is November 15-22. 

If you’d like to give a shoebox (or two or three!) and put a smile like these on a child’s face, go here to find out all you need to know, how to pack a shoebox, gift suggestions, and how to find a drop-off location near you.

And if you can’t get out to buy items yourself, you can pack a shoebox right on their website here.  

Not only will you give a Christmas gift, but an opportunity for a child, and maybe a family, to hear the gospel and receive the most important Gift of all.