Quotes to Think On: Sin

I am always trying to stretch my brain my reading books written by the great minds of theologians and authors of long ago. Sometimes I feel like I know them, even though they are in heaven, because their godly wisdom has long since outlived them. Their wisdom has helped to guide my life. How awesome is that!!!

Recently, I was reading The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith (Barbour Publishing, 2010), 13. Originally published its first time in 1870, Hannah still speaks to me today from her book. In the first chapter, she is talking about how believers have the power to live in this world and overcome sin. She said:

You may be dealing with a sin that just keeps coming back and you don't think you will ever be able to overcome it. Trust Jesus. Bring it back to His feet. If believers were not supposed to have victory over sin and live victoriously on this earth, Jesus would have saved us and sent us right on to heaven. But we DO have power to live on this earth. We DO have the power to change. Isn't that encouraging!!!
The Bible says we are more than conquerors.

Romans 8:37 says, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

You are not defeated if you know Jesus Christ inside your heart. You are a victor!
Search the scriptures and seek God's word about the sin that is weighing you down. Pray. Don't keep doing the same thing. Yield to the Holy Spirit and quit giving in to the same old sin. To continue on in the sin is believing that you are not a victor and that Jesus has no power to help you live in this life victoriously.

Just for Women Wednesdays- Seeing

Sorry I missed Manna Monday...I am doing the best I can with updating Joy Treasure at this point. I know God is working in ways I cannot see and yet my heart still longs to be here more faithfully like I have been in the past. Please continue to be patient, I will be posting as much as time allows.

Today's Just for Women Wednesday's is about

It is so vitally important to spend time with other women who are believers.

There is something that happens when you spend time with other women who believe. I have made a list of a few things that have been important to me as I have spent time with fellow sisters in Christ.

1. I think the biggest lie women struggle with no matter their age is the lie, "I am all alone. No one cares about me. No one thinks about me." This is a flat out lie. It's not true! Dear one, don't believe this lie. It IS a lie.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

The evil one would love for us to become mired in the mud of this lie and stay stuck in deception rather than embrace God's truth. Not only are we not alone, God goes before us and makes a way for our path. 

One of the ways I have experienced freedom from this lie is by making it a point to fellowship with other women who are believers. When I spend time in conversation over dinner or coffee, I find I am not alone in the things I experience in my life. I find that other women too are walking through good things and bad things in life, too.

2. I am refreshed.

Every time I meet with other women through fellowship I become refreshed. It is the Holy Spirit that binds us as believers. That's why we feel connected when we talk about Jesus. I always feel better just by being in the presence of other women who believe. It is like water in a desert.

3. I laugh!

There is no better medicine than laughter. I love hearing other stories from women about their lives, their families, their workplace etc. I embrace their funny stories and they become a part of me. If you haven't spent time with a woman who can laugh, call her and make a date on the calendar to catch up. You will be blessed.

4. I learn.

When I spend time with other women who are walking though life as a believer, I grow. Their life testimonies, things they read, and how they apply scripture to every day life helps me learn how to live faithfully as a believer. When you spend time getting to know someones life story, you will be blessed. You too, will rejoice with them and be able to see God's hand at work in their life.

5. I grow.

There are those friends who just grow you to become more like Christ. Their walk with Christ is so strong that whenever you spend time with them, you leave with something to ponder in your heart. They may share something they have been reading or studying. Whatever it is, it is something they are not just saying, but are living or trying to live out.

Good Stuff! This is why I love to fellowship with my fellow sisters in Christ. They grow me to be more like Christ. They don't take things away from me. They enrich my life.

If you find yourself isolated and in need of some "girl time" make a call and set a time to meet with some fellow sisters in Christ. You need it. They need it too. Both of you will experience these benefits as you meet together. Work is always there. The schedule is always full. Time is always passing. But friendships are to be treasured and to be nourished and taken care of. Don't delay. Fellowship!!!!!

Manna Monday- God Thinks of Me!

It's Monday. Time to start a new week. Time to get going. Time to begin checking things off the calendar. But what we need in our Monday is not more things to do. We need to place our hearts and mind on focusing on what God thinks of us! God thinks about you!!!! God thinks about me!!!!

Say it aloud- GOD THINKS ABOUT ME!!!!!

It's great encouragement to the soul!

Today's verse comes from Psalm 8:4

The Hebrew meaning for the phrase "take thought"(ESV) means "to mark as recognized, remember, to recall silently, verbally." Wow! What an amazing thought. God recognizes us. He remembers us and knows our name. We are never out of His mind and thoughts.

I could go on and on about that amazing truth, but lets let it sink deep inside our hearts. Lets take time to ponder that this Monday. The lie that Satan would have you and I to believe is that no one thinks about us or remembers us. That we are alone and are insignificant. NOT true!!! God, creator God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, of all creation, takes thought for you my dear friend.

I don't know where you are today in your life, or what lies you have been pondering deep inside your heart, but they aren't true. Rebuke them and place your eyes back on the truth.

You are significant in God's eyes precious one.

He is smitten by you! He is always thinking about You!!!!!

I am thinking about you as you come here today and praying for you. Thank you for letting me encourage you in the Lord. Have a great Monday!!!!

Random Thoughts with Ashley

Since I have been working on my writing project this summer I haven't had much time to be with you here at Joy Treasure. I thought I would share with you some things that have been running around in my head and also share with you what I have been up to. So here is what I call "Random Thoughts with Ashley."

     I had posted "Running to Nowhere" a while back but was reminded of this post this Sunday morning when I was driving again to church on the same road. I always see runners every Sunday morning on my way to church on the sidewalk of the neighborhood. Normally the runners are alone. But this Sunday, my heart broke. I passed a young couple with their jogging stroller with two little ones. It was the picture of a family together running to nowhere when they could have been running to heaven. Am I making sense? People can take care of their bodies (which is good!) but yet their heart is dead. As I drove past them, I prayed for them to to know Jesus and if they did know Jesus to get back in church. 

This summer I had the privilege to lead an hour of worship with the ladies in my church. I cannot tell you how much it blessed my heart. As you can see our focus was on Grace. Our pastor has been preaching on grace this entire year. Every song had to do with grace. It was truly an amazing time of worship. I of course and the shortest one even with my heels on!

This fall I have been leading worship for our Wednesday Bible study. It has been a very worshipful time. God continues to stretch me. I have never enjoyed playing and singing for people, but God continues to stretch me to lead. Through the years I have surrendered to His calling and I am at a time now where it has become more comfortable for me to play and sing. I now am truly enjoying it and also worshiping Him as I lead. Thanks be to God!

At the end of one of our bible studies on Wednesdays, I got the privilege to pray with some older ladies in my church. I wish you could have heard their prayers. I was so blessed to be able to pray with them. I now know them in  a way I never did before. That's what happens when you pray with people. You get to know them. You get connected to them in a way that simple conversation can never connect you. Pray is like glue. I was inspired by these women of faith. I want to be just like them. The thought came to my mind, "What if women prayed more together?" Imagine the friendships in the church that could be formed.

So you can see, I have been busy this summer and why I haven't had time to meet with you here on Joy  Treasure. Please pray for me as I pray for you. And tell your friends about it.

The Project

As you have clicked on to Joy Treasure in the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed I have not been here much. It's not because I don't want to be here. I thought I had computer trouble, the guy at best buy even told me to get a new computer. But my laptop mouse began to work again. It's so crazy!!!! Computers right!! In the midst of computer craziness, I had been working on completing the project of a lifetime. Two years ago God called me to a specific task and I have been faithfully working on it during that time. Here lately, as it comes to light, my full attention has had to be focused solely on that task. I long to be here at Joy Treasure. I pray for you even though I am not here. But I admit I am not superwoman and there are just things I cannot simply do. Keeping up with this blog has been part of some things that I simply could not do. Please bear with me and keep coming back. There are LOTS of older posts to click on to if there are no new posts posted.

I have been reminded during this time that when God calls you to something, there is no contentment in your life unless you are fulfilling what HE has ordained. If you try and run from it because it's too hard, too difficult, too beyond your reach, you won't be at peace until you are DOING what HE wills.

In the coming weeks, I will be posting as I can, so keep coming by to see what is going on at Joy Treasure.

When I am able to reveal what I have been working on, I'll share it here on Joy Treasure. I can't wait to share it with you. I am looking forward for being able to write posts about it! But until then, I love you dear friends! You are precious to me in the LORD! Blessings to you this Friday!

Manna Mondays: Do you Hunger for People to know the LORD?

(I will continue blogging as I can but my posts will have no pics because my laptop is broken.)

      " For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved (Romans 10:13).

Do you really hunger for people to know Jesus? Do you have a burden for the lost? A heavy burden that leads you to pray and not lose heart for others to know Jesus and be set free from bondage in their sin?  Listen to this quote from the book, "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" by Mark Cahill. He make no bones about it when he describes a true Christian. Cahill asks,
                   
"A true Christian will have a hunger for the things of God-for witnessing, prayer and Bible study.  Are you faithfully sharing Jesus with the lost? Are you seeking God's face every day in prayer?
Do you read the Word daily?"

A heart question to ask yourself is, "When was the last time I shared Jesus with someone?" That's a revealing question as well. If you can't remember sharing Jesus then you have to ask yourself, "Have I been in God's Word? Have I been digging deep into Bible study? How is my prayer life?"

Everyone needs Jesus. Everyone around us is looking for Him. They are looking for salvation. Think about it. Superman saved Lois Lane. Batman saved Gotham City. Salvation is the theme of movies- not Jesus salvation but the idea of having a greater power that saves.

You are salt and light. Salt is meant to be poured out and light is meant to be shone in a dark world. Are you pouring salt out to those around you? Are you shining the light of God's truth to your family, friends and co-workers? Look for opportunities. They are always there. Always waiting.

Sometimes I seize opportunities and sometimes I don't. When I reflect back on the times I don't it is because I haven't spent time in God's word. When I miss opportunities it's been because I have been focusing on myself and the agenda I have set for the day. I miss those opportunities because I am not thinking heavenward. I am thinking on earthly things.

The REAL Reason we don't share faith.....we want to be liked. We don't want to be rejected. We don't want to face someone and have them reject us face to face. I say expect rejection and keep on sharing Jesus. Picture standing before Jesus and Him asking you, "What did you share about Me?" Would you hear Him say to you, "Well done?"

What to do?
Pray. Ask God to give you a desire- a deep hunger- to meet with Him through Bible study and through prayer. Ask Him to equip you as you step out in faith to share the life changing gospel. Ask Him to bring you to the person He wants you to share truth with and open your eyes to see and seize the opportunity.
Don't try to win a debate. Just keep sowing seeds. God will do the rest!!!!

Hey Friends!
Joy Treasure may look a bit differently over the next few days. Please be patient with the site. I won't have many pictures in addition to my posts because my laptop mouse doesn't work anymore. Oh, did I mention its connected to my hard drive? Yep. $400-$500 for new hardware or a new computer. Gulp. So thank goodness I have this old desktop. Eight years this desktop has lasted me compared to my two years with a laptop. Oh well.

Free Art Friday
One of the things about blogging is that you can't take things personally. Some people don't like your blog while others do. But I have learned as you create, you have to see what your readers are looking for or are not looking for. The content I write here on Joy Treasure reveal things I am living, thinking and working through in my own life. Sometimes they are even things I see or hear my friends or other believers working through in their own lives. Sometimes they are just things I see in the world and try to go back and biblically find the answer to. Each post is my journey through scripture to bring it to life in my life.

One of the things I offer is Free Art Friday. This past week I opened up a week long opportunity to share Joy Treasure with your friends by having a Friend Sign Up Day. In humility, I have learned I don't think you all are looking to enter your friends and win a painting for you or your friend. Sounds like a good idea, but because no one entered this week- (which has never happened before here on Joy Treasure), I am thinking its not a good idea. So I humbly admit, I made a mistake in trying to change up the Free Art Friday  to Friend Sign Up Day. I know you share Joy Treasure with your friends and I thank you! Please continue to do that! But from here on out, Free Art Friday will continue to be a question for you to answer, a best idea, scripture or story, or simply leaving your name and letting my son draw it out of a bowl.

I take great pride in providing a blog that is encouraging that also uses the gifts God has given me. Sharing my art with you  is an outflow of my heart. Each painting is different and special to me. Its almost like having a child. I remember each one. I treasure each one and it brings joy to my heart to know a piece of art is hanging in your home that reminds you about Jesus. Art is not supposed to be kept to myself but to be used as an extension of my heart for the LORD. Thanks for your support. Blessings to each of you this weekend!

Just for Women Wednesdays- Who I am at Home: Encourager

Today we continue the "Who I Am at Home" series. Last week I discussed how women's inward attitudes can impact the atmosphere inside their homes. This morning, I want to discuss how easy it is for women to encourage others outside the home than encouraging their own family. Whether you are single, married, divorced or widowed God calls all believers to encourage others. Sometimes we fail to consider our family as a ministry.

The thought occurred to me how it's sometimes easier to be a great encourager to other believers outside the home than to my own family. I can send cards, make calls, take meals, buy little presents or books to encourage others, but how good am I at encouraging my husband, child, or my parent

s. If I had siblings I would be encouraging them too but I am an only child but I mention them because a lot of you have siblings and have an opportunity to be encouraging them in the LORD no matter their age. What about you? How good a job are you doing building your family up in the LORD?

It's easy to take our families for granted. When times are good, we can easily fail to consider their needs, ask for prayer requests or even take time to consider what their needs may be. Because they don't come to us with a prayer request or tell us something they are struggling with, we can fail to see the need to encourage them like we should. In fact, we have countless opportunities to be encouraging them day after day. But encouragement requires time and energy. It requires us to pray, think, and consider how we can encourage our family and then be committed and deliberate in seeing it through. It requires us to consider their needs before our own. What if we woke up every morning thinking of others in our family before we ever thought about our self? Imagine how our homes would be transformed to be more like Christ?

The bible says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Encouraging means we build others up. We don't tear them down. Sometimes in families, its easier to criticize (the material is never ending right!) and find fault with family members because we see everything. There is nothing they can hide from us or vice versa. It's an open book. Therefore its easier to find fault with them. But it's not biblical. It's selfish.

Spouse

We encourage our spouse by saying nice things and replying in a gentle tone. We encourage them by telling them what we appreciate about them and what we see God doing in their life. We encourage them by saying 'thank you' and noticing things they have done to help around the house. We encourage them by leaving a note in their car, in their briefcase or in their bible. They don't expect it. It lets them know we think about them. Making time for them and giving them undivided attention lets them know we value what they have to say and aren't in a hurry being a superwoman multi-task master.

Parents

We encourage our parents by calling them and checking on them. We encourage them by telling them we appreciate all they have done for us to get us where we are today. We can still take a meal to them out of the blue or buy them gift cards if they don't cook anymore in their old age. It lets them know we think of them. If they are struggling with a disease, we can encourage them by telling them we are proud of how they live each day to the fullest despite their struggles and offer our help even when they never ask.

Children

Kids are in need of encouragement all the time. They are growing each day and are faced with new opportunities to learn new things. It's hard growing up! They need to know they are doing a good job. Tell them what you see them doing right and that you notice it and you are proud of them. So many times we discipline them and at times all they hear is what they are doing 'wrong.'

Siblings

Siblings either have a good relationship, a bad relationship or no relationship at all. Whether they are walking with the LORD or not, as a believer you will be accountable for how you treated them. Would God say 'well done' or 'why didn't you seize the opportunity?' For some of you, your sibling may be your best friend and you are a great encourager to them. For others, you haven't talked to your sibling in forever. There is much water under the bridge or they will not talk to you. Maybe you have tried to encourage them but you have been rejected. Remember, it's not about you! It's about you being faithful to Christ to build the body of believers up. I encourage you to reach out to them whether or not they reach back to you.

The Time is NOW

Oftentimes we have good intentions to encourage others but we procrastinate. The bible says,"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness" (Hebrews 3:13). Encourage your family today. Don't delay. You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Manna Monday- Faith Leads to Faithfulness

Sometimes we need a good reminder about faith. I pray this post meets you where you are and encourages your faith walk for Christ.

What does it mean to have faith and how is it connected to faithfulness? Do you consider faith and faithfulness separately or do you view them as a whole. One leads to the other.

FAITH

Faith is simply believing in a greater reality. It's believing in something you cannot see.

"..faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1).

But we do waver and at times walk by sight instead of faith. When we go back to the bible we are reminded that believers are to, "...walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

FAITHFULNESS

Faithfulness is an action. It reveals our inward beliefs. It's the outward proof that God is who we love and desire to obey.

On the road of life, faith is the driving force behind our faithfulness to God. If we are lacking faith in believing His word, our faithfulness to Him will waver. At other times we will be close behind Him because we are convinced of His truth and our faithfulness to Him will be solid and strong.

Romans 1:17 tells us that “The righteous shall live by faith.” Believers don't sometimes live by faith or kind of live by faith. They LIVE by faith. Live, move, and breathe by faith. I love how the great theologian John Wesley illustrated what it meant to walk by faith.

They that live by faith, walk by faith. But what is implied in this? They regulate all their judgments concerning good and evil, not with reference to visible and temporal things, but to things invisible and eternal. They think visible things to be of small value, because they pass away like a dream; but, on the contrary, they account invisible things to be of high value, because they will never pass away. Whatever is invisible is eternal; the things that are not seen, do not perish. So the Apostle: "The things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal." Therefore, they that "walk by faith" do not desire the "things which are seen;" neither are they the object of their pursuit. They "set their affections on things above, not on things on the earth." They seek only the things which are "where Jesus sitteth at the right hand of God." Because they know, "the things that are seen are temporal," passing away like a shadow, therefore they "look not at them;" they desire them not; they account them as nothing; but "they look at the things which are not seen, that are eternal," that never pass away. By these they form their judgment of all things. They judge them to be good or evil, as they promote or hinder their welfare, not in time, but in eternity. They weigh whatever occurs in this balance: "What influence has it on my eternal state?" They regulate all their tempers and passions, all their desires, joys, and fears, by this standard. They regulate all their thoughts and designs, all their words and actions, so as to prepare them for that invisible and eternal world to which they are shortly going. (Source:http://christianbookshelf.org/wesley/sermons_on_several_occasions/sermon_113_the_difference_between.htm)

I love what he said, "What influence has it on my eternal state?" Do you ask this question when you make choices in life? Or do you make choices and never think about how today matters for eternity? Do you make choices to be faithful to God based on His word or based on how you feel? Do you consider your eternal future as somewhere down the road or do you consider it today, right now, in the present? Are you living day to day based on what you see OR are you living your life to prepare yourself for a greater reality of Heaven. WOW! A different way of thinking each day.

Last, life is hard and we face difficult times. It's easy for our faith to waver during these times. But what does the bible tell us to do with our eyes?  It says, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Your faith walk reveals your faith.

Don't let it waver any more.

Fix your eyes back on Jesus.

Stay fixed on a greater reality.

Manna Monday- Thoughts on a Ferry

F---A---I---T---H
(This post was born in my brain while sitting in a rental car on a ferry boat in the Caribbean this past June while my husband and I celebrated a milestone wedding anniversary.)

FYI-To get to the island we were vacationing on, we boarded a local ferry boat. To get back to the island where the airport was located at we boarded the same ferry boat again upon departure. 

Upon Arrival I didn't think much about having to ride on a ferry boat in our rental car to get to the island we were staying on. But because I'm a big girl I didn't lose my cool. I wasn't scared..really...I just had never experienced it before. I didn't know what to expect. (My first trip turned out great.)

Moving on....

Upon Departure we waited in line at the ferry dock to return to the island where the airport was located. Dockside, to my left, was a white, dirty, smelly garbage truck. Both the driver and the other worker were at a stand still with both doors opened. The worker on the passenger side sat with his propped up on the dash while the driver hunched over his steering wheel gazing at the ferry.

Me: "hmmmm.... I wonder what they are doing here?"

My husband: "I don't know. They probably will board the ferry."

Me: Surely not!

My husband: "Well, why else would they be here? They probably have other places on their route on the other island."

Me: thinking......

Me: thinking......

The Scene: car # 1 boards the ferry, #2, #3, #4, then our turn. We back up into the ferry and wait. The air is on keeping us cool- it's hot! It's a Sunday morning and we find a Christian channel on the radio- actually Moody radio! YAY!!! Enjoying the sermon that morning as the sun shines brightly while sitting in the rental car on the ferry. Still looking back at the garbage truck on the dockside and still thinking...

Garbage Truck: Still waiting by the dock. No movement. More cars are boarding the ferry boat.

Me: thinking. looking. wondering. listening to the sermon.

The Scene: A red dump truck drives up and waits behind the dump truck.

Me: thinking, "Not the dump truck too!!"

The Scene:Yep the garbage truck and the dump truck too! Guess who the dump truck parked next to on the ferry? hmm hmm....us!!!

Me: Feeling a little claustrophobic. Need some fresh air. Must get out. Can't get out because the dump truck is so close to our car. One whiff of its smelly aroma reminded me it would not be a good idea to travel to the top of the ferry to seek fresh air. The air inside my car is just fine!!!

I felt trapped and frustrated. I wanted to SEE the ocean and SEE where the boat was headed and that I was going to be OK and make it across to the island.

Oh me of little faith!

But as I always say, God is always teaching us lessons if we will just pay attention. That's what He was doing with me that morning.

As I sat in the car feeling pinned in between the garbage truck, and the high wall of the boat, I began to think about faith. How trusting everyone was who boarded the ferry boat. It seemed easier for them to board the ferry than trust in Jesus. It was nothing to ride with the garbage truck for the locals. But for me, I couldn't see where we were going or if we would be alright. I felt out of control. Why did I feel this way? I think it was because of the largeness of both the garbage and dump truck. I kept thinking, "They are too big, what if they make us sink? What if something happens to the boat? What if the garbage truck doesn't have its parking brakes on and it smooshes into our car?"

Quickly, GOD reminded me of the verse, " for we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) ESV.

Me: Oh.... OK God! I get it.

I wasn't supposed to see the ocean that day. I wasn't supposed to get out of the car. I was supposed to trust God and enjoy the ride. It's easy to trust God when everything on the ferry boat looks good and normal. (My first ferry boat only had cars and pick up trucks.) But upon departure, things looked different. They looked big and large and I wondered how it would all work out. The largeness of it made me question if I would be OK?

Riding on the ferry boat is like life. God is in control of the boat. He knows what He can load and unload. He knows our direction and destination. He knows what we can handle and what we cannot. And through it all, we are supposed to trust Him completely by faith, not by sight. We are to look to Him in faith and not fear. We are to remember He is with us and is control. We aren't supposed to be fixated on our situation but solely on our God.