WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME #9, KNOW GOD IS WITH YOU

2016-03-29 9. WGS Know, God is with you Hibiscus

WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME, KNOW GOD IS WITH YOU

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

Be encouraged in knowing , “God is with you!”

You can be around people all the time and still feel alone.  We have all felt that way at some point in our lives.  The important thing to remember is you are not alone, God is with you!

Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel” (which means God with us)

Joseph probably felt alone, rejected, and forgotten.  His brothers sold him!  He was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and then thrown into prison and basically forgotten by Potiphar.  God was with him the whole time.  God not only delivered him out of prison, but used him to save a kingdom as well as his whole family.  Genesis 37-45

When you start to feel abandoned, forsaken, and forgotten, remember the God you serve has not, nor will ever forget you! He’s right there with you!  Fix your eyes on Jesus and remind yourself to “Hope in God!” 

Paul sets a right perspective on our situations.  No matter how hard they may seem, Paul called them  “light afflictions that are but for a moment.”  Look at what all Paul went through and he calls them light afflictions!  2 Corinthians 11:23-25  

I remember after my mom died, the silence of not hearing her voice was so loud, it was almost ear piercing.  At 36, I felt alone.  She’d not only been my Mom and Confident, but also covered for my Dad after he died when I was 14. Thankfully, my husband helped me through the grief process.  Although I miss her greatly, to this day, I know God is with me!  He is my comfort!

I pray God comforts and encourages you as you draw close to Him.

SONG: By Your Side – “Tenth Avenue North” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU

PICTURE:  Pink Hibiscus from my Garden

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME #8, TRUST

2016-03-22 8. WGS TRUST Red Ginger

WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME, TRUST

by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

“In God We Trust!”

Psalm 91:2 “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress:  my God, in him will I trust.”

Proverbs 3:5, 6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path.”

Who can you turn to?  Who can you trust?  We live in uncertain times in an ever-changing society.  God doesn’t change.  He stays the same.  You can confidently rely on the Lord!  He is faithful and true!  Trust in God!

Do you trust God with some things and not everything?  He doesn’t want part of us.  He wants all of us!  We aren’t asked to trust in Him.  We are told to trust him with all our hearts!

Let go of trying to figure everything out.  Don’t limit God.  God is Omnipotent!  Let God be God!  Trust Him with all your heart!

While en route to pick up VBS supplies, my children and I were driving through what looked like the aftermath from an action movie!  A storm had passed through previously that left cars in the ditches and pile ups on both sides of the highway. We were able to get through and collect our shared items for VBS unscathed!

Whatever you are facing, trust in God!  He is with you through every storm!  It’s not always easy, but it’s comforting to know that when you are trusting Him implicitly, He will direct your path!

Pray with me, “I trust in you, Lord, with all my heart.  I will not lean on my own understanding.  In all my ways, I acknowledge you, and I thank you for making my paths straight.”

SONG: Lauren Daigle – “Trust in You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs

PICTURE:  Red Ginger from my backyard Garden.

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME #7, WHEN GOD SPEAKS – PRAY

2016-03-15 7. WGS Pray

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – PRAY

Aloha!

Don’t wait until you’re in a Crises situation to pray.  Pray now!  Make a habit of continually turning to God in prayer.  Living a prayerful life is a good thing.  A prayer may be as simple and short as, “Help!”  Know that the Lord hears the cry of our hearts and every prayer we pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (kjv) “Pray without ceasing,”

2 Chronicles 7:14 (kjv) “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Jesus was our perfect example in teaching us to pray.  You are acknowledging God as our heavenly father and giving Him reverence.  Your attitude is for His will to be done. It’s not a blanket for all time prayer.  It’s a personal, daily prayer.  Ask for provision and sustenance.  We ask God to forgive us and we forgive others.

Matthew 6:9-13 (kjv) “After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.”

I’m visiting my daughter, who is expecting a baby any day, in Louisiana.  Rather than being overwhelmed during the extensive flooding in Louisiana, we have had opportunity to trust in the Lord during this very trying time.  It can become stressful when you can’t leave the house due to bridges and roads being closed.  The phones are out and there’s no water, except for what you’ve caught in buckets.  We are thankful the electricity is working and are on high ground.

After you pray, it’s a good thing to do what you need to do.  Don’t shirk your responsibilities by just praying.  God wants us to pray and trust Him!  He also wants us to be doers of the word and not just hearers only.  God may have blessings and answers to your prayers, but you need to step out of your boat and trust Him.  If you are praying for something, what do you need to be doing?

Please pray for those who are facing challenging situations due to the massive flooding from all the rain.

SONG: Andrea Bocelli – “The Lord’s Prayer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEplqV0scyo Matthew 6:9-13 (Beautifully and prayerfully sung!)

PICTURE: flower from my backyard garden (blooms once a year)

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, Pt. 2 of 2

All things are possible

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, Pt. 2 of 2

Understanding The Nature of Salvation

3-13-16

Pastor George W. Black

Confession: I am a victorious believer, redeemed by the Lord, washed from my sins in the blood of Jesus my Savior, saved by grace through faith, filled with the powerful Holy Spirit, poised for God’s eternal purposes, and boldly sharing the joy of God’s love, with my world.

I am a faith walking, Word talking, over-comer in this life. I am a Victor, not a victim. I can do, all things through Christ. Today, my mind is open and alert, and my heart is good soil, for the seed of God’s Word.  I will be a diligent disciple, to apply its’ truths, for from this day forward, by the miracle of spiritual growth, I will never, ever, be the same again.

 

OPENING SCRIPTURE:

 Matthew 19:16-26  “Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

 

  1. The nature of salvation is it is a free gift. We can’t earn it, but we do have to receive it.

To receive a gift from another person, we have to be willing to receive it. If I extend a gift to you and you don’t reach out and take it into your hands, you have chosen not to receive it. The same is true with salvation. If God offers us salvation, but we do nothing to reach out and welcome it into our lives, we have chosen not to receive it. A gift may be free, but it does not enter our life until we are willing to make it our own.

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Ephesians 2:8 NLV “For by His loving-favor you have been saved from the punishment of sin through faith. It is not by anything you have done. It is a gift of God.It is not given to you because you worked for it. If you could work for it, you would be proud.”

 

  1. Jesus wants to save all the lost places in our lives, not just take us to Heaven.

Jesus has come to seek and save the lost, and that which is lost in us. Every one of us bring a broken life to Christ when we are born-gain. Even after our sins are forgiven and we start living our new life in Christ, Jesus is working to heal our brokeness. We are like the clay on the potter’s wheel. He is molding and shaping us into His own image. This includes healing and deliverance where we need it.

Luke 19:9-10 NKJV “And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

 

  1. Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a part of your complete “salvation” package.

The Bible teaches that born-again believers were never meant to try to live the Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowerment or “endument” that is subsequent to being born-again and water baptized, and is promised to us. However many are not taught about this gift and live a life of repeated rededication seeking God’s fullness.

Acts 2:38-39 NKJV “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

 

  1. Once I place my trust in Jesus Christ through repentance, faith, and obedience, I am a “forever” child of God.

Becoming a child of God does not make us perfect, but it does plant a perfect seed of the Father’s nature in us that begins a process of becoming like Christ. The direction of our life changes, and even when we make mistakes, we continue to seek God’s grace and strength to make changes and continue growing in our faith and obedience.

Hebrew 5:9 NKJV “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,”

John 10:27-29 NKJV “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

Jn 5:24 NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

 

  1. “Eternal Salvation” and “Eternal Security” do not mean the same thing. The first means we are saved forever as long as we want to be saved; the second means we can never be lost again no matter how we live our lives. The Bible does not teach “Eternal Security.”

There are no perfect Christians. But every truly born-again Christian has a new nature that wants to be like its Father. This means we have a deep conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgement. For a Christian to continue in habitual sin, there are only two possibilities: either we have never truly repented of our sins and had a spiritual new-birth, or we have consciously and knowingly rejected our salvation and thereby committed what is called “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.”

Let me be quick to state that if this latter explanation is possible, it would be very difficult. Before a person could ever walk away from and “lose” their salvation, the Holy Spirit will do everything in His power to prevent this from happening. But if we continually harden our hearts against Him, our conscience can become seared to the point we no longer feel conviction for our sins. At this point we will have crossed the line and “blasphemed” the Holy Spirit by our rejection of Him. It is this point that the following Scriptures seem to explain.

Hebrew 6:4-8 NLT “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame .When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.”

2 Peter 2:20-22 NLT “And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

 

  1. The nature of salvation is that we are saved for a grand and glorious purpose that only begins when we repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord (Leader, Boss, CEO) and Savior. This grand purpose has no end and is the reason we exist.

God has a GREAT BIG PLAN that begins with salvation through the new-birth. However, becoming a Christian so you can go to Heaven when you die is not the full spectrum of salvation. God wants to put Heaven into our lives right now through a rich and fulfilling plan. Jesus said He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. Jn. 10:10. Your inheritance in Christ begins the day you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, not just when you die.

Ephesians 2:4-10 NLT “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

What Is The Nature of Salvation?  WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

WHEN GOD CALLS MY NAME #6, WHEN GOD SPEAKS – WORSHIP

2016-02-30 6, WGS

WHEN GOD SPEAKS – WORSHIP

Aloha!

I love to praise and worship the Lord with all my heart!  Even when I’m in a room filled with people, it’s just me and Jesus when I worship Him!  He’s worthy!

We are created for His pleasure!  God created us to fellowship with Him.  There is an unmatched satisfaction to the depths of your soul when Jesus is truly Lord of your life!

Revelation 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power:  for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they were created.”

True, heart felt, worship comes from a humble heart reverencing, honoring, and adoring the Lord.  You are actually bowing before God esteeming Him as Lord.

“Worship” (shachah) in Hebrew, means to bow down. “Worship” (proskuneo) in Greek, means to fall or bow down before the Lord.

Most church services begin with “Praise” songs and then sing “Worship” songs.  You can tell a difference in the words that are sung and the attitude of the people when praising and worshiping.

Psalm 95:6 (NKJV) “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

Psalm 96:9 (NIV) “Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.”

Worship is not just singing a song, but it’s a heartfelt attitude coming from deep within that affects your whole life. You can live a life of worship. Songs of worship are a mere overflow from a heart of worship expressing loving adoration of our almighty, omnipotent, and holy God.

John 4:24 (NLT) “God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

One day I was washing dishes and looking out of our kitchen window at the beautiful Kuliouou Valley.  My heart welled up in song and I began to worship the Lord.  He gave me a beautiful worship song for Him.  The presence of the Lord cannot be adequately described.  You must experience it.

I invite you to take time to praise and worship the Lord simply because He’s worthy!

SONG: Lenny LeBlanc and Greg Gulley “No Higher Calling New Version”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FRATV6WHGE (This is the way I sing it)

PICTURE: Double Ruffled Hibiscus in my Garden

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, Pt. 1 of 2

All things are possible

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, Pt. 1 of 2

Understanding The Nature of Salvation

3-6-16

Pastor George W. Black

 

Confession: I am a victorious believer, redeemed by the Lord, washed from my sins in the blood of Jesus my Savior, saved by grace through faith, filled with the powerful Holy Spirit, poised for God’s eternal purposes, and boldly sharing the joy of God’s love, with my world.

I am a faith walking, Word talking, over-comer in this life. I am a Victor, not a victim. I can do, all things through Christ. Today, my mind is open and alert, and my heart is good soil, for the seed of God’s Word.  I will be a diligent disciple, to apply its’ truths, for from this day forward, by the miracle of spiritual growth, I will never, ever, be the same again.

 

 

OPENING SCRIPTURE:

 Matthew 19:16-26  “Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

 

  1. The nature of salvation is that we can never save ourselves. It is a supernatural gift that we receive by faith.

Titus 3:5 NKJV “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”

A.  Salvation begins as a “seed” of new life that is planted in our lives by God.

 Peter 1:22 NKJV “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever”

B.  This “seed” of salvation is planted when we are born-again.

John 3:3-7, 9-10, 16 NKJV “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

  1. The nature of salvation is that it is a process, with a beginning and an end. This process begins in our spirit and travels outward, rather than the process of religion which starts on the outside and attempts to travel inward. This process is called the “Tenses Of Salvation.”

Matthew 13:33 NLT “Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23 NLT “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.”

TENSES OF SALVATION

A.  We Have Been Saved – Justification.

This is spirit salvation when we are washed from our sins in the blood of Jesus and become born-again, or born anew, or born from above…a spiritual re-birth. As a legal matter, this is when all of our sins are expunged from our record. We are now “justified”, which means “just as if I never sinned.

B.  We Are Being Saved – Sanctification.

This is soul salvation, which is a process. We are being changed by the renewing of our minds, and continually being conformed to the image of Christ in thought, word, and deed. We go from faith to faith, and from glory to glory. Sanctified means “set apart” from our old life and way of living and thinking, and becoming holy. Holiness is the nature of God. It is through sanctification that we can have the mind of Christ.

C.  We Will Yet Be Saved – Glorification.

Glorification is the final salvation of our body when it is transformed from mortal to immortal, and from corruptible to incorruptible.  God has promised us that in the resurrection we will have a glorified body like that of Jesus Christ when he arose from the dead. This new body will never die, never grow old, and never be subject to sickness, disease or decay.

 

  1. What must I do to be saved? We must do what the early Christians did when they repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Acts 16:29-33 NKJV “Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

The statement “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” meant something different to the people of Paul’s day than it does to us. Instead of adding faith in Christ to whatever other beliefs they may have already had, to them it meant “exchanging” their faith from other gods or religions, and placing it fully in Christ alone. Inherent in this process is that of repentance – a change of mind and direction. Jesus never said “only believe.” He said “repent and believe.”

Mark 1:14-15 NKJV “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The Amplified Bible translates the original Greek text of “Repent, and believe” in this way:

“repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].”   Mark 1:15 Amplified Bible

Acts 2:38 NKJV “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The Amplified Bible translates the original Greek text of “Repent” in this way:

“Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah]”   Acts 2:38a Amplified Bible

 

  1. The nature of salvation is that we are saved for a grand and glorious purpose that only begins when we repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord (Leader, Boss, CEO) and Savior. This grand purpose has no end and is the reason we exist.

God has a GREAT BIG PLAN that begins with salvation through the new-birth. However, becoming a Christian so you can go to Heaven when you die is not the full spectrum of salvation. God wants to put Heaven into our lives right now through a rich and fulfilling plan. Jesus said He came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. Jn. 10:10. Your inheritance in Christ begins the day you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, not just when you die.

Ephesians 2:4-10 NLT “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

What Is The Nature of Salvation?  WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

TIMES OF REFRESHING #5, TESTIMONY

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

Times of Refreshing #5, Testimony by Cindy Bice

Aloha!

~♥~ Please join with me in Celebrating One Year of “Times of Refreshing,” e-votions! ~♥~

After writing weekly e-votionals, based on the “Women of Faith Study Guides,” I now write my own e-votions.

♥March 2, 2015.  I began “Times of Refreshing,” Home/Garden, Bible Study, weekly e-mail, and Blog.

♥January 2016 Completed 4 Study Guide Books.

♥February 2016 Began writing my own e-votionals.

♥March 1, 2016 Celebrating One Year of “Times of Refreshing,” Weekly e-votions!

Great is Thy Faithfulness!  I hope you all remain encouraged and refreshed in the Lord!

I wanted to share how this weekly, e-votional, (Devotional e-mail) started for me.  I continually meet ladies in different places and situations: on the plane, at Sam’s, etc. and I am able to invite them to my weekly e-mail bible study.  I briefly tell them about it and share how I want to encourage other women in their faith in God.  It’s amazing how many women also desire a closer walk with the Lord.

We all need loving encouragement.  Many are hurting and facing insurmountable odds in their lives.  I also receive personal replies in response to the e-mails that are sent out.  I don’t share contact information so the comments are private.  I appreciate and welcome your thoughtful comments!

What desires has God placed in your heart?  What has He called you to do? What has God placed in your hand?  Commit it to the Lord and trust Him completely.  He works outside the box and blesses you back so much more in doing it His way than you could ever imagine!

God gives us the desires of our hearts.  He places them there and then He makes a way for them to come to pass.  Don’t let the self-doubts or negative comments from others (or what you may think they think), dissuade you!  God will give you wisdom, open doors, and surround you with favor!  Guard your heart!  Wear your armor!  Keep Jesus the main thing!

I’m an encourager (exhorter), prayer warrior, and worshiper.  When my Pastor asked me to do a Ladies Bible Study last Spring, I told him I’d pray about it.  I’ve been involved in ladies bible studies for years.  I’ve been the worship leader, Assistant to a leader, etc.  I prayed and sought the Lord and talked with my husband. Basically, the Lord told me that if I did it, He would take care of me and the details.  I was instructed to find a study guide and was initially challenged in finding one that was brief and in a format I liked for the way I desired to do the study.

After researching and praying, I was shopping at Sam’s Club and decided to look at their books.  There were 4 different Women of Faith Study Guides.  I bought them on a Friday and presented them to my Pastor on a Saturday.  She loved them!  I made an announcement at church on Sunday and started the meetings at my house on Tuesday, March 2’nd.  But for the grace of God go I!

My heart’s desire is to encourage women in their faith and walk with the Lord; and to refresh and renew them in their spirit.  The study is to, not add one more thing on their already full plate, but rather, be a moment just for them to be blessed, refreshed, and renewed.  Sort of like a spiritual spa.

I enjoy photography and wanted to share a different picture with each message.  At some point, I may put pictures from the mainland, but for now I’m sharing Hawaii pics.  I try to post a picture that goes with the message.  There is such a variety of music to choose from on you tube!  I try to find a song that I believe will be a blessing.  Again, my heart is to draw women closer to the Lord.

The studies have been a wonderful devotion for me in my private walk with the Lord.  Doing the weekly e-mails has come from my own devotion to the Lord.  There’s also a deadline to be accountable to send it out.  Most of the ladies here in Hawaii work or have little ones and weren’t able to come. After inviting ladies to the bible study, I had many ladies tell me they’d like to come but couldn’t.

I’ve been writing the emails of the messages from the start.  Thus, e-votionals.  Many have told me they were sharing with their husbands, friends, and families.  What a blessing it is to share Jesus!

I never stop praying!  I played my guitar and autoharp at my home bible studies sharing a worship song. I’m only doing the online bible study now.  Worship comes through in sharing a song with each study.  Sort of like “Dinner and a Movie,” I have a “Picture and a Song.” There were many Bible studies when no one came.  I would take that time to worship the Lord and sometimes take pictures in my back yard. Before I quit having them at home, I only had 1 or 2 ladies coming and the fellowship was so sweet and the time we shared was precious.  I’m thankful for those precious “Times of Refreshing!”

Thankfully, my Pastor has been very supportive.  There’s an insert included in the Sunday bulletin of my weekly Devotions with a picture.

My brother has been very supportive!  He was so excited when I told him about the studies that he offered to make me a blog on his web site from the start!  You can check it out and see all my past devotions.  georgewblack.com

The studies and sharing via e-mail have been a very growing experience for me.  I know that being a teacher of the Bible raises us to a greater accountability for what we teach.  Because of this, I’m very humbled and continually desire to lift Jesus up.  The study has been a conduit and a means to share Jesus.  I’m also challenged to continue growing deeper in my commitment to the Lord in this new endeavor.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV) “The Lord bless you and keep you;  The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;  The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”

2 Peter 3:18 (NIV) “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen.”

Jude 24-25 (KJV) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

I’m so thankful to the Lord for what He’s done, is doing and will do!  God is Faithful!

God bless you in all your endeavors as you take up your cross and follow Jesus every day!!!

CREDITS: My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and my family

PICTURE: The first picture for the T.O.R. Bible Study taken in my beautiful, tropical, back yard.

SONG:  Marty Nystrom, “Times of refreshing” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMbDzb6fsu4

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

Cindy Black Bice, Aloha Garden Bible Study

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice