Saturday, April 29, 2017

When You're Hit With Life's Hammer

Ron Hutchcraft- Full disclosure here. I'm not the guy you want to call when you need a guy to do a job with a hammer.
  But I do know the fundamentals. A hammer can be used to build something - or to tear it down. Either way, what a hammer hits can't possibly stay the same.  (Ron's choice of photo)

Thursday, April 27, 2017

#110 Prayer Burden Described

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: A prayer burden is a spiritual concern on the heart of God that is imparted by the Holy Spirit to someone whose intercession the Holy Spirit desires to use.

   Jesus has been interceding for this need, and now the Spirit needs you to join with the intercession of Jesus. It is a specially sacred level of prayer intensity and prayer responsibility. (Google image, Praying together)

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

#109 Gradually Deepening Your Prayer Concern


Dr. Wesley l. Duewel: #3. Gradually deepening prayer concern leading to instant prayer burden.

   At times God may place a person, situation, or special need upon your heart in a gradually deepening concern. You may be reminded of it repeatedly during your prayer time.  (Google image, Man praying)

Saturday, April 22, 2017

God Knows


Jean Oathout: Have you ever wondered if God notices you, and if He knows your whereabouts? Well, be assured, He does know, and He cares. (Your whereabouts)

Thursday, April 20, 2017

#108 Carrying a Prayer Burden


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Level Five- Prayer Burden. We have discussed asking, seeking, knocking, and fasting. Now we consider the fifth level of prevailing prayer: interceding with a prayer burden.

   This level of intensity is marked by urgency, commitment to the priority of the need, and holy determination to pray until God answers. It is not only knocking at heaven's gate but prevailing in the Spirit. (Google image, People praying).

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

#107 United Faith with Practical Suggestions


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Just as there are situations that call for united prayer, so there are needs that can be met only by adding united fasting to united prayer. 

   Unity in seeking God by fasting confers the same multiple dimensions of effectiveness as unity in seeking God by prayer alone, only more. (Google image, Holding hands)

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Hope in the Strangest Places

Ron Hutchcraft- I've spent a fair amount of time in graveyards. 
Looking for some missing "leaves" on our family tree. 
   There's even a "find a grave" website. Run by some folks who've obviously spent a lot more time in cemeteries than I have! 
   And I actually found a lot of ancestors' graves. Which filled in a lot of genealogy blanks. graveyard's a logical place to go looking for history. (Ron's picture)

Thursday, April 13, 2017

#106 Fasting Feeds Your Faith


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: #5. Fasting feeds your faith. "When you add fasting to your prayer, you know you are following the example of prevailing prayer in both Old and New Testament.

   Your confidence begins to deepen. Your hope begins to rise, for you know you are doing what pleases the Lord. 
(Google image, Praying man)

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

#105 Fasting Strengthens Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Fasting is so closely related to prayer that it adds its blessing in many ways. Much of your praying will be without fasting, just as much of your prayer does not involve prayer wrestling or prayer warfare.

   But fasting always has this twofold capacity: First, it can bless and deepen your regular prayer. (Google image, Praying woman.."If only we would live in expectancy for
His constant intervention we would experience true kingdom living at its best.")

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Begin Where You Are


David Roper: I came across a solitary flower growing in a meadow today—a tiny purple blossom "wasting its sweetness in the desert air," to borrow from the poet Thomas Gray's wonderful line.

   I'm sure no one had seen this particular flower before, and perhaps no one will see it again. Why this beauty in this place? I thought. (Tiny purple flower)

Thursday, April 6, 2017

#104 In the Path of Prayer


Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Watch your motive. Remember, the motive in your fasting is all-important. Remember what fasting is not:

   1. It is not a way to earn God's blessing and God's answer to your prayer. You are never worthy of His help and blessing. You implore his love and mercy. You do not earn any aspect of His grace. (Google image, praying together

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

#103 Fasting As Self Denial

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: Fasting is a God- ordained form of self-denial. The  very nature of intercession calls for as much or more self-denial than any other form of spiritual activity.

   The major work of prayer and fasting from food is normally in secret. We think of fasting as abstaining primarily from food. However, fasting may include abstaining from such normal activities as sleep, recreation, and other special enjoyments. (Google image, Praying man).

Saturday, April 1, 2017

White Robes





Robes of white of seamless light
With ribbons trimmed in blue
These are the garments God provides
To place on me and you

The robes of Christ's own righteousness
Clean washed of spot or stain 
The Emblem of His Sacrifice 
Humility and Pain


(Google image, White robes)


For Christ bore not the attitude
Of preachers that we hear
Who in their own self righteousness
Have made God's Truth unclear


But lived a pure example
Of what He hopes we will be
Expressions of God's loveliness
For all the world to see

Who honor God through sacrifice 
Of all that we possess
Not trifling with common things
That have no usefulness

In sharing of His gospel
To the poor and needy soul
The gospel that is more than words
But works to make men whole

By reaching them where they may be
With goods to meet their needs
Or taking time to listen 
To the emptiness that pleads

For comfort and assurance
Of a God that's real and true
The God Who gave His all through Christ 
To save both me and you

To make of us disciples 
Who would share our Master's mind
By living love in service
To the broken sick and blind

The broken by the burdens
Of their sins from days now past
The sins that burned the years away
When life was free and fast

But when faced in reality
By where they are today
Have placed on them a debt they owe
That they could never pay

And those who bear the sickness
Of a weakened sinful life
Both weakened by intemperance
And self inflicted strife

That chose instead of Godliness
A life of sin and vice
Where on the altar of the world
Their lives were sacrificed

And then the blind in vision
Of a soul who will not see
The Beauty of the Price God paid
Through His divinity

When on the cross our Saviour died
For every soul that's lived
If they would only turn to Him
And let His grace forgive

Their past with it's iniquity
Impurity and pain
To lift their heavy burdens
Wipe away their guilt and stain

And heal them of their sickness
That pervades their very soul
That from the Great Physician
Cures and makes the sin sick whole

And cleanse their eyes with holy salve
To help them now to see
The beauty of Christ's righteousness
His robe of purity 

Isaiah 66:1-3; Revelation 7:9-17

Lee Forbes

Let's pray-


    Father, 
may we reach out to those we find who have emptiness of soul, by taking time to listen, and to tell of Christ's Sacrifice for them.
   We'll do our best to share the gospel to the poor and needy, by helping them see that Christ was more than just a good man: He died for them!
   May we help others see that the debt placed on them for their sinful life could never be paid for, no matter what they could do.          
   But Jesus took their sins on His back, allowed sinful men to crucify Him, was buried, and in 3 days rose from the grave a Victor over death and the grave!
   May their eyes be cleansed with holy salve to help them now to see the beauty of Christ's righteousness and be clothed in His robe of purity.
   We ask this in Christ's name, Jesus. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

       1 Chron. 17:20 (KJV) "O LORD, there is none like 
       thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according 
       to all that we have heard with our ears."

       (Ezra 3:11 KJV) "And they sang together by course 
       in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; 
       because he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

       (Is. 1:16 KJV) "Wash you, make you clean; put away
       the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to
       do evil."



Today's special link-


I invite you to check out my friend, Debbie McEwen's blog post and find out why she asks:






Today's sermon spotlights-

March 26th, 2017

Speaker: Eldon Wilson   Listen
Location: CFC Potsdam

Speaker: Ben Levendusky    Listen
Location: CFC Madrid




Upcoming posts-
#103 Fasting As Self Denial
4th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#104 In the Path of Prayer
6th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Begin Where You Are
8th- Saturday's post by Dave Roper

#105 Fasting Strengthens Prayer
11th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel


Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of recent posts)
Below, you have an opportunity to leave a comment.
Or email me at jowildflowers@gmail.com





31-day Devotional 

+ Jean's testimony


[Maybe just choose a title each
day that interests you]

Sample verses from p. 25-

You'll Need to Know
What is God's View

"God wants husbands to learn to be
The ones who are to lead.
They are to have authority
to guide in every need.

The Lord will tutor them along.
The way is in His Book
He wants to help them to be strong
If in His Word they'll look."


(Published by Lighthouse Publishing 
                         of the Carolinas. Used by permission).

 A great gift for someone who may need help 
to prepare for marriage, and for those in a
marriage, wanting some helpful advice.