October 30, 2017

Good morning,

"18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. "
(2 Corinthians 4:18 NASB) 
The things which are seen are the things of the present life.  The things which are not seen are the things that God has promised in the future. We can only see them with the eye of faith.  Faith is belief that what God has promised he will certainly fulfill through Jesus Christ. Amen!  Be blessed and love always!                           

In Memory of Your Grandmother, Mrs. Odell Lee

“Have You not made a hedge about his and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “   (Job 1:10 NASB)

Dear John and Aaron,

I am very sorry to hear about the death of your grandmother, Mrs. Lee. I so wish you had been able to spend more time with her.  Last night, I was thinking about my first encounters with Ms. Lee, Deek, and Statesboro, GA. Even though I was raised in Kinloch, MO, a small, all-black city outside of St. Louis, I wasn’t familiar with the south and farm life. Ms. Lee and Deek introduced me to slopping pigs, bar b que goat, coon, picking peas, jelly cake, and eating rice at every meal, as well as, eating your largest meal at noon. Now, you know I didn’t eat any goat or coon! I can see both your grandparents now laughing at my reaction to those things. The jelly cake…well you know I would always look forward to having a piece of jelly cake when I reached Statesboro.

 One day Ms. Lee really had me puzzled. You know your grandmother was always so busy running from the store to house all day long. This day she was talking about going to “a planting”. I thought she was going to the farm to plant something: peas, beans, tomatoes, something. She never left to go to the farm, but she continued to talk about this “planting”. As the day grew old, now she was coming through the house talking about she was going to be late for the “planting”. She rushed into her room to get ready to go. She appeared back into the living room dressed up. Yes, dressed in all white, Now, I was ready curious, more like confused. I knew that she wasn’t going to the farm to plant anything all dressed up in white! So I had to ask just where are you going. What is a “planting”? It turned out that a “planting” was a funeral.

 I can see Ms. Lee running from store to the house. She was such a beautiful lady and hard worker. She was always moving. I never heard her complain about anything. She always welcomed me and told me she had us in her prayers. That’s what I always admired about her… she loved her family and most of all she loved God. When you got to Statesboro, you knew you were going to church and it may have been more than once a week when you found yourself in church.

Let me go back to that “planting” but in relationship to Mrs. Lee and your family. You know the definition of planting is - placing (a seed, bulb, or plant) in the ground so that it can grow). I’m not a farm girl, but I do know the roots of a plant anchors the plant’s body to the ground and support it. It stores food, water, and nutrients for the plant. They’re the lifeline of the plant. The bigger and healthier the root system, the bigger and healthier the plant will get before harvest time. Yeah, I googled that…  LOL... I could not have said it any better.

Your grandmother “planted” a seed for you and your entire family with her prayers and faithfulness to God… “Have You not made a hedge about his and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “   (Job 1:10 NASB) entered my spirit. I don’t know if you know the story of Job. I hope you’re curious enough to find and read it on your own. Job was a faithful servant of God. Job loved God, praised Him, and thanked Him every day. Job obeyed God at all times and was blessed by God for it.

The enemy of God, Satan, is an evil spirit who is continually seeking to distress, to lead astray, if possible destroy those who love God. We are in Satan’s reach while we are here on Earth.  (2 Corinthians 4:4) says, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” This is why Mrs. Lee put The Lord first and prayed for her family. Through her prayers the Lord has built a hedge around you guys for many years. If you don’t know, a hedge is a fence or boundary formed by closely growing bushes or shrubs. So, what am I saying? Let me expound again!  Her prayers have created a protective defense against Satan around her entire family and, we must continue to prune and nurture that hedge around the family. You have families of your own and you want them safe, as well as, wanting the best for them in any endeavor they may encounter.   

This story of Job is even deeper than that. Satan was on Earth doing what he does best. Need I say what that is? “… roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” (Job 1:7) Satan’s restlessness!  It was God that said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on Earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil’” ( Job 1:8) Satan said, “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “   (Job 1:10 NASB) God told Satan that everything Job had “was in his power, but do not put forth your hand on him.”  God gave Satan permission to test Job’s faithfulness. As a result, Job lost everything his livestock, servants, house, sons, and daughters. God purposely allowed the hedge over Job, His beloved, faithful servant, to be opened to Satan. What did Job do?  He tore off his robe, shaved his head, and still fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job did not sin nor did he blame God. Finally, Job was restored back to health, wealth, family and above all right relationship with God.

This story of Job it is hard to wrap your mind around the fact that Satan was acting on God’s behalf. God told Satan to do this to Job. What is this saying to us? IT IS GOD WHO IS ULTIMATELY IN CONTROL. The Devil, Satan, Lucifer wasn’t in control of anything.  God directs the affairs of the world!

So, why do we suffer? You cannot go through life without some trials and tribulations. It is a process that one must go through to walk with the Lord. And again I say, God was testing Job’s faith and because he remained faithful in the most difficult of circumstances those worldly needs were given back to him more abundantly…” The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold." (Job 42:10) We don’t think like God and don’t understand why God does what He does.  I know that sometimes God causes good things to happen from our tragedies… “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)  When you think of God’s promises to his followers…in comparison to our sufferings, those sufferings become so minor.

I don’t mean to be long winded but … well… maybe I do. LOL To me, Mrs. Lee was a modern day Job. She planted seeds of prayer around her family building that protective hedge from the Lord around her family. Her spiritually intimate relationship with God protected the family and allowed her the strength to withstand any hardships from the results of some of us stepping outside that hedge of protection. Oh yeah…now I’m about to get on another subject. LOL Just know, we can always step back into the protective hedge that your grandmother has nurtured for us through her prayers by being obedient to the Lord.

 I’m wondering how many souls Mrs. Lee must have ushered into those “pearly gates.” Mary Baxter wrote in her book, A Divine Revelation of Heaven, “The magnificent gates that stood before me in splendor were made of solid pearl.” (Revelation 21:21) “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”

 As we usher her into her final resting place, I know she will be welcomed by a host of friends and relatives.  Even my relatives that have passed on will be there to greet Ms. Lee because she surrounded me in that hedge of prayer. The Bible refers to this host of friends and family as “a cloud of witness.” in (Hebrews 12:1) Mrs. Lee was a praying mother. She lived a fruitfully long and blessed life. I pray that if you have learned anything from your grandmother it is the power of prayer and the power of your walk with THE LORD.

                                                                                                With all my love and sincere sympathy,

                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                Momma

                                                                                               

Written by: Nola Lee, May 2017

October 15, 2017

Good morning,
"Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground."
(Psalms 143:10 NASB)
Have a blessed day! Love you always!

June 21, 2017

Good evening,
"So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you."
(Colossians 3:12‭-‬13 NASB)  It is our duty to forgive one another, imitating the forgiveness through which we are saved.
Love you always!

November 8, 2016
Daily Prayer

Good afternoon, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Joshua 1:8 NASB)  No man's dignity or dominion sets him above the law of God. He is to encourage himself with the promise and presence of God. Dust those Bibles off and crack it! Love you always!

November 6, 2016
Morning Prayer

Good morning,
"He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof Will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding."
(Proverbs 15:31‭-‬32 NASB)
If you listen to constructive criticism,
you will be at home among the wise.
If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself;
but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.
Have a blessed and enjoyable Sunday. Love you always.

 July 26, 2016 
 6:14 am

Since my retirement, I have been spending time reading my Bible, reading articles about the Bible, and making myself more knowledgeable of God's Word. Recently, I was asked by someone, "Why aren't my prayers answered?"  I ran across this article on line thought I would share with you.

A must share article:

Is all prayer answered? Scripture teaches that God does answer our prayers (John 16:24); but Scripture also says that there are some conditions for effective prayer. What are some reasons the Bible gives for God not answering our prayers? We don’t really believe God can answer them. Jesus said: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22) James wrote: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:6-8). Believing is perhaps the best known condition for prayer. But there are other reasons prayer is not answered. We ask with wrong motives. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He will not hear. “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities (sins) have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2). We set up idols in our hearts that come between us and God. “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?” (Ezekiel 14:3). We don't answer those who cry to us for help. “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered” (Proverbs 21:13). We don't remain in God/God's Word doesn't remain in us. “If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you” (John 15:7). What does God always promise to give to those who believe? Salvation “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). Forgiveness of Sins “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Wisdom “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Most importantly, we must belong to God before we can communicate with God. “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” (John 8:47). Sometimes we don't see or understand God's answers. God is all-knowing and can see things that we can't. The Bible tells us to trust God, rather than our own understanding of what's best for us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). The Bible also says that God works in ways that we sometimes can't understand: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declared the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). 1 Corinthians 13:12 tells us that now we see things dimly, as in a mirror, but someday we will see clearly and understand how God answered our prayers. [ If this information has been helpful, please prayerfully consider a donation to help pay the expenses for making this faith-building service available to you and your family! Donations are tax-deductible. ]

Read more at: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-dml/dml-y002.html