Todd, my daughter and I are preparing a missions trip in Aug. to go to Rochester, NewYork with 13 other people.  As I was thinking about our trip and what God is wanting us to do I read several different scriptures.  My main focus was on Ephesians 1:18-21 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may KNOW the hope to which HE has Called YOU, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, vs.19 and HIS INCOMPARABLY great POWER for us who believe.  That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms vs. 21 far ABOVE all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given not only int he present age but also in the one to come.  ( PRAISE THE LORD) Friends... what incredible power God has placed with you.  It is like a mighty power that raised Christ from the dead ( Eph 1:19-20) This is overwhelming!  We must Realize this!  God's power is immediately available to you.  Question is are we using it?  We have all been given an assignment; bring healing to the wounded and hurting ( Mt.10:8), offer freedom to those in spiritual bondage ( Isa 42:6-7) and spread the gospel, which is the power of God for salvation ( Ro 1:16, 1 Co 1:18) We are not capable of doing these things on our own we are only able to do them in the power of God.  So my question for you?  Is your power and authority limited? Yes it is, however by God's will just as Jesus power was  Jn 5:19.  The degree to which God can use us is determined by his discernment of his will.  We must line up our will with his and ask according to his will.  1Jn 5:14. We can discern Gods will in order to effectively use the power and authority God has given us.  We must develop a close, intimate relationship with the father.  If we lack the power necessary to live out the assignment God has given us then follow the example of Jesus and his disciples:  We must ask for and wait for the Holy Spirit power and develop an intimate relationship with God in order to discern his will and move out in faith, NOT human wisdom the flesh.  Remember our faith plays an important role in regard to power.  It is God's power in us, but it is appropriated through your faith.  So lets ask God to fill us with power through his Spirit.  Pray for his wisdom.  Pray for the faith to go out and be his disciple.  Then Go!   One more time! Reflect on this! vs.19 and HIS INCOMPARABLY great POWER for us who believe.  WOW!  By Kris Smith

In the Heat of the Moment

The Lord showed this to me this morning during my quiet time:  I pray this will help you along with your journey with God: 

Why is it, that when we give something over to God for God to handle we then take it back within a day, week or month.. The Lord wants us to depend on him with all things.  Prov. 3:4&6 How quick the devil comes to steal our dreams or steal the freedom that God has put into us.  The Freedom of trusting God and letting go of our selfish pride and trying to figure things out our own way.  Isn't God the Potter and we are the Clay?  Yes!  The scriptures do not say... God is the Clay and we are the Potter.  But Dang... We sure have a habit of switching the scriptures around to fit our own benefit.  Does that Help you but doing that?  NO!  God's word is our protection.  God's word is our Guide! 

Let me give you an example... A construction worker is out working in 98 degree heat.  No clouds... This guy is so hot and he is covered with clothing for protection.  So with this heat he starts to get weary thinking... ok Maybe if I take my shirt off I would feel cooler... (So he takes it off.).. Then he thinks  Man I could just take these Hot boots off!  My feet are so hot I would surely feel much better.. What would it hurt.. Just one time?  Really fast... ( Again he is thinking with his own thinking)  So he doesn't push through this heat and still gets weary and then takes the boots off!  So what happens?  His feet touches the Hot pavement and he actually burns them!  You know kinda like taking your flip flops off at the beach because you want to walk gracefully on the sand and take in the beauty and scenery of the ocean in front of you? And when you take them off what happens? 

OH MY STARS you start jumping around like a rabbit trying to get to the water.  Your feet are on fire!  Was it smart for that Construction worker to take his boots off? (NO)! Was it smart for that person to take their flip flops off?  No... So see God says today... Stay faithful.. Don't waiver in your faith with me.  Keep alert and stay strong until you have completed the race! If the Construction worker would have just pushed through his day and drank cool refreshing water and would have gotten through it.   See his boots are his protection. 

 Just like God's words is our protection.  If we do not hold onto God and are not being in the word of God daily we can loose sight of what God is doing in us and through us.  We cannot go by our own emotions and feelings on how WE think things should be in our life or in a situation.  We can be like that person at the beach and enjoy the things God has for us around us. The beauty, the warmth, the scenery... But be careful that you don't do things your own way or own thinking and take your flip flops off to soon.  You will get burnt!  Instead lets walk slowly with assurance of what God is doing in our life and in a situation and get to the end of the (beach) and then take our shoes off and step into the fresh cool water ( Which is God and what he has promised in doing for us) .  We need to taste and see that the Lord is Good and wait on him and his perfect timing.  2 Cor 12: 9,10 , Phil 4:13.  So how else can we do this?  By doing what the scripture says: Col 3:2 set your mind on things above and not things of this earth! And we must daily Renew our mind! Eph 4:23  

This is posted by Kris Smith... (Todd's Wife) 

Who's Hunting for You??

   I was reading through the Bible a few years ago and came across a couple scriptures that were shockingly similar, yet worlds apart.  I came across them again a few weeks ago skimming through my Bible reviewing my notes, recalling some of the intricate things the Lord showed me in His word.   I came across 1 Peter 5:8 ".....Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  I was sharing the following scriptures with a friend concerning resisting the devil, just encouraging him during a struggle he was going through.  Noticing the scripture reference I wrote next to it and looking into the old testament at 2 Chronicles 16:9 - For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.  
   Being a hunter, the Lord showed me that we are being hunted, like a wolf picking out the weak deer and pursuing it until it is too weak to resist.  We are being hunted by two hunters, our Lord who Loves us and wants to strengthen us, and the enemy who wants to kill us.  Anyone who has hunted much knows that when prey get scared they run to a safe place, for deer it's a thick peace of woods, a rabbit jumps in a hole, and squirrel run to the tops of the trees as far away from the predator as possible.  This is what we should do also.  Run to the Arms of the Lord.  God is looking to strengthen those that are committed to him.  
   Are you committed to the Lord??  I know most of us think "Ya, I'm committed" I'm not like the other guy or gal, I'm not bad, I even serve in my church.  But are you committed to the Lord or to your church?  I have been there.  I have been committed, I thought to the Lord, but in hind site I was committed to the Church and my Pastor, not to the Lord.  I was weak, and easy prey for the enemy.  I was too busy with my commitment to the church to see the devil prowling ready to devour.  But then the Lord brought someone into my life that helped me see things the way God sees them, not man.  I remembered that I used to see things that way........what happened?  The enemy snuck in and was deceiving me, and working in my thoughts.  I had become critical of others, and pride had shown it's dirty face.  I was doing things for mans approval, ya I wanted God to accept it too, but so did Cain.  He wanted God to accept his offering, but his motives were wrong, just like me.
   After recognizing my sin, praying for forgiveness and returning to doing the things that I once did, I now felt as if the Lord had Strengthened me.  I am thankful my Lord was Hunting for me, and pulled me out from under the snare of the enemy.

Have you been trapped in the snare of the the enemy?  Run to the Lord, into his arms.  Proverbs 16:3 says - Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.  Commit yourself to the Lord, for the first time, or for the 10th time.  You see, Gods Love is not dependent on what we do for Him.  Read Romans 8:28-39 - there is nothing that can separate us from the Love of Christ.......nothing we do can cause Him to stop loving us, or hunting us.