"Nevertheless"

There is a place inside of me that longs to be a 'giant' of faith. I want to feed and furnish that 'giant'  place and starve my flesh that says "I'll do it tomorrow... next time... later." Do it Now!   Be Tenacious! Be Steadfast! Feed that 'giant of longing' daily.   God will use the giant. "You say 'But He has not answered."  He has.  He is so near to you that His silence is the answer.   His silence is big with terrific meaning that you cannot understand yet, but presently you will."  (Oswald Chambers) 2:00 a.m. I finally get out of bed trying to talk with God and something inside me says "on your face before Him." On the floor, face down... mind rambling... still trying to talk with Him. "Shhhh.."  but.. "Shhhh." Finally, my mind quiets for a split second. I think (or does God say it?)  "Holy Spirit." and I am surprised as though I had forgotten He was there.

His friends were sleeping while He prayed.       He knew their hearts were hurting and their minds were troubled.  They did not understand what He was doing.  How could they? In the upper room after the feast of Passover, He had shared with them what would come.  Yet they still could not comprehend the final outcome of His life, His mission.  They had all boldly and courageously proclaimed that they would never let Him die alone.. not without them. In the fog of their understanding, His words of life and resurrection seemed to have slipped past them unnoticed. In the garden, He had asked them to pray as they waited for Him.   "Pray so that you will not fall into temptation." Yet, in exhaustion from their sorrow at the dreadful words of His portending death, they fell into  the temptation of sleep. While He prayed for them in that dark night, they slept.   While He pled with the Father to remove the cup of wrath, they slept.   As He prayed obedience  "Nevert

I was wandering around my home trying to figure out what to do with this cross.   My daughter had given me a beautiful wood and metal cross at Christmas.   Christmas had come and gone... several months ago.   It was way past time to find the perfect spot for it in my home. I carried it around with me to every room.   I tried it in an empty corner... or on a wall next to a picture.  After about 30  minutes of going in circles in my house holding this beautiful cross in my hands, I finally found the perfect spot. Yes, the cross has become a decoration.   They are so beautiful!   We hang them on our walls, set them on our tables as a centerpiece, wear them around our necks, on our wrists, on our feet.   They sparkle and shine as jewelry.   They are painted and decorated gloriously! For quite a while, this has bothered me.    The symbol of Jesus' sacrifice...  the cross which is an instrument of torture and death has been turned into a decoration, an ornament. I cringe to