HeHeHe!!

HeHeHe!  My heart is tickled as I sit in my living room enjoying the company of my husband and four children.  I am reminded to keep on praying.  Sometimes God’s timing is not immediate.  He just wants us to strengthen our faith in HIM.  In these times God’s voice echoes in my heart:  “Wait on me.  Rest in me.  Trust me because I love you my daughter.”

He gives me Hope.

Psalm 27: 13-14 “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”

He hears me.

Psalm 28: 6-9 “Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

He helps me.

 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped:

He holds me up.

therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 

He hands me His blessing.

Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.”

KEEP ON KEEPING ON FOR THE LORD!

//////

I am Lynn Marie Crane (Eulian), born and raised in the mountains of Massachusetts. I spent most of my younger years engrossed in athletics, loving school and enjoying playing around in the fresh country air.  There was never a dull moment.  I have always believed that life is a precious gift from God, meant to be whole heartedly lived.  After graduating from Wahconah Regional High School in 1987 I completed a Bible degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education.  In May of 1992, shortly before finishing my college education, I became the wife of Ken Crane.   Currently I am filling the role as Mrs. Ken Crane and mother of four ambitious children in the State of Michigan.  Daily life for me consists of keeping up with my husband, a teacher and coach in the middle school, and my four children ages 18 years, 17years, 16years and 18months.  I enjoy making sure that my 18 month old not getting into too much trouble as curious “ Sam” as he keeps me smiling with his new accomplishments, and sticking my nose is into the lives of  my older three children. Each one of them blesses my life with giggles, tears, and those “I never knew that” moments.  In the midst of such a busy life, my love of the outdoors helps me to appreciate an occasional few minutes resting on the couch listening to the sounds of the birds and crickets outside my window while breathing in the fresh breeze.  I am not sure whether I will have more or less time to enjoy those sounds with three high school graduates and an 18 month old all establishing  themselves in this world.  My husband and I love riding our bikes after dinner most nights.  It is a refreshing time of exercise and chatting on the bike trail for Ken, Sammy and I.  Another thing that I enjoy as a big part of my life is music. Listening to cd’s, my children playing their instruments or spending time playing piano or flute encourage my soul. I hope to be able to share my love of music with others as I strive to establish myself as a piano and flute teacher, giving private lessons in my area.   Some share their -“bucket list”- I think of it as my list of goals and dreams.  It is never too late to learn something new or add memorable experiences that will help us grow as a person.  Publishing women’s devotional books and children’s books; advancing my painting skills; and making my Spanish skills useful enough to help others are all included on my list. 

hypocrites #1

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:

these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

-Matthew 23:23 

|| The Pharisee’s + scribes were the “high and mighty” “religious” men of the day. They spent their time “studying” and copying the law so that they might better “preach and teach” it.

Like so many of our religious leaders of today <Pastors, Pastors wives, Pastors children, Sunday School teachers, deacons, deacons wives, deacons children, etc.> these men had a lot of the wrong motives. They liked to stress the non-important issues while completely ignoring the things that were most important.

>>>Sound like anyone you know?<<<

=these religious people were good at giving tithes and offerings> and hefty showy ones at that. They weren’t concerned about giving money to help the missionary that needed to buy supplies to feed his family for the next month. They weren’t giving money so that the church could have nice chairs instead of the rickety old uncomfortable pews they already had.

They were concerned about it being known that THEY were the one who bought the missionaries food and fed them for a whole entire month. They wanted everyone to know that THEY were the ones who bought the chairs for the church so that they could say they went to a church with nice seating.

*They wanted to make a show out of church instead of taking care of the issues that were important like judgment, mercy, and faith.

>JUDGMENT- they forgot to judge themselves and their OWN motives. Instead they judged the outward appearance and actions of everyone else. While yes, we are told to judge sin, we are also COMMANDED to judge ourselves FIRST. If our lives aren’t right> if we are prideful, haughty, judgemental, etc> then we have absolutely no place pointing our finger at anyone but ourself!

>MERCY- The hypocrite conveniently forgets that God was so so so merciful to us. God sent His own Son to this world to save us from our sins. We consistently forget that. In Luke 6:36 God reminds us, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” We are to be as merciful to those around us as God was to us!

>FAITH- having faith isnt always easy. Most of the time it isnt just there. Faith is something that we all have to work at- its something that we NEED people to encourage us to have!

These are the things that need to be emphasized first> matters of the heart< before the outward issues.

10 thoughts to ponder...

The LORD is nigh unto them 

that are of a broken heart...

He healeth the broken in heart...

Psalms 41:9, 34:18, 147:3

1. Who I am is NOT dependent upon anyone else.

2. My relationship with God is independent of any other relationship.

3. My dedication to the Lord is independent of any other relationship.

4.  My sense of value is relative to my relationship with God.

5. God is all-powerful in all situations.

6. Whatever circumstances exist, my inner peace comes from God alone, and not from any other relationship.

7. God is a jealous God; He requires total dedication to Him independent of any other relationship.

8. God alone can bring real peace and happiness.

9. God alone can bring good spiritual health.

10. God alone can bring good mental health.

My worth is immeasureable to God for He created me; He knows me thoroughly; He loves me eternally.

{excerpt: From My Heart to Yours by Glorianne Gibbs}

God Doesn't Hear Me?

     Have you ever prayed, but felt that no matter how hard, or how long you pleaded, you just couldn't seem to get a hold of God? You felt as if your prayers were only going as high as the ceiling, and you couldn't understand why?

I have. 

     One morning, as I was sitting and listening to a lesson being taught by a very godly, very wise preacher, I realized he was making a painstakingly good point. He gave three reasons as to why God does not hear your prayers. They were short, sweet, and to the point. Well, short and to the point, anyways, and full of wisdom.
     The first point he made, hit the nail on the head, at least in my life. How often, when we pray, does our prayer go along the lines of, "...Dear Lord, thank you for the day, bless it, keep me safe, and my friends and family, bless all who are sick and dying, be with so-and-so, forgive me of my many sins and where I fail you..yada yada...amen."? 
     I admit, I am guilty, as charged. Nothing wrong with that prayer though, right? Wrong. The problem? It's backwards. You do not pray, and then confess, you confess, and then pray. If you take a look at Psalm 66:18, you might understand why. 

  • If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me: 
-Psalm 66:18

That brings us to the first point.

  (1.) God cannot hear prayer because of unconfessed sin. 

     Good news though. God assures us in 1 John 1:9, that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.". When I heard this, however, I immediately thought, "Well, what if I can't remember every. single. sin. I had committed in a day? I mean, it could range from lying, to a bad attitude, to maybe contemplating swiping that nickel I found on the counter. I can't remember EVERYTHING." That's when the pastor seemed to have read my mind. You see, God says that if we confess our sins; the sins we remember, the ones that we know we're guilty of, then He is faithful and just to forgive us of them, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. All. Not just the things we remember. But the things we can't, as well. That's pretty amazing. We serve a merciful and gracious God! 

    The second point the preacher made, was this:

  (2.) God cannot hear our prayer because of unbelief. 

Hebrews 11:16 says that, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him.." The rest of the verse tells us that, if we come to God, we must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. However, before we pray, we must ask ourself the question, is it the will of God? If you can validate the will of God through the word of God, you are to step out on faith, and do it. James 1:5-7 tells us that, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." Notice the part where it says, "But let him ask in faith...", again bringing up the matter of belief. If we have faith that God shall bring something to pass, then He shall, in His will. Simple as that. He even said so, in Mark 11:24. 

  • Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 
- Mark 11:24

Believe, and "Ye shall have" is what He promised. 
    The next two verses in this chapter bring about the third, and last point. 

  (3.) God cannot answer prayer because of an unforgiving spirit.

  • And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
-Mark 11:25-26

     If you are not willing to forgive the wrong of others, then God is not going to forgive you, thus keeping that wall of separation between you and the Lord, and forming a rift in your relationship with Him. We are commanded over and over in the Word of God to forgive, even as Christ has forgiven us. Ephesians 4:31 tells us to, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." 

     Forgiveness is essential in the Christian's life, especially if we wish to have a close relationship with the Lord. 

     So, the next time you can't seem to get God's attention in the prayer closet, maybe it's because there's something in your heart that needs to be dealt with. I challenge you to ponder these things, and maybe even find a quiet place, where you can get things right with God, so your relationship with Him is once again restored. And remember that He faithful and just, merciful and gracious. He is wanting and waiting to forgive. :)