Come To Me

Come to Me
By Denise WarwegDecember 1-14, 2010

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 KJV

This time of the year, God sometimes dresses the trees with white snow. They are beautiful! You could say, “the branches are laden with snow.” Or, “the branches are burdened with snow.”

Definition of Laden: burden, encumber, freight, lade, load, lumber, saddle, weight

This time of year sometimes our hearts are laden with cares…
· We may be missing a special loved one during the Christmas season.
· Family gathering or lack of gathering causes stress.
· Financial burden as we try to give gifts or be giving.
· An overburdened schedule as we try to pack in parties and gatherings to celebrate the season.

Jesus says, “Come to me”…spend time with me, talk to me, listen to me. This season is a gift of love from God. Let us not forget what that first gift was. God gave of himself! That gift was the ultimate gift of love. Let us love first and realize that love IS a gift! Sometimes the material things get in the way. One of our strongest needs is for love and that is what God sent us on Christmas so let’s pass on the love first and not get so focused on giving material things. Take your burdens to God and allow him to lift them from you. Love others. Allow God to lead knowing that Christmas can be all year long and not just a season in December. Celebrate the gift that was given us and share Christ with others. Carry Christmas in your heart each day.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

Whiter Than Snow

Whiter than Snow
By Denise Warweg 11/23/2010

…“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18

As I was prayer walking this morning, I was delighting in the new fallen snow. It reminded me of one of God’s promises in Isaiah…”Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

I think of how God knew we would sin and that sin separates us from him. He calls our sin scarlet. Scarlet is defined in the dictionary as “any of various bright reds.” Sin is defined as an offense against religious or moral law, an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible , an often serious shortcoming: fault, a transgression of the law of God, or a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God. Our SIN is something that is seen especially by God and is bright to him and can keep us from him.

The Lord offers a repentant person true and complete cleansing from sin. Our condition of sin can be transformed from deeply stained to completely white. Jesus took upon Himself our stain of sin, and God judged sin perfectly and completely in Jesus, so we can be accounted white as snow and as white as wool.

How do we repent? We confess and turn.

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

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin…
2 Chronicles 7:14

As you reflect upon the new fallen snow and the fresh whiteness it gives, think about the grace that has been given us through Jesus and his blood. His blood washes us whiter than snow and that is how the Father will see us.

I Shall Be Whiter than Snow James L. Nicholson

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul;

Break down every idol, cast out every foe—

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain:

Whiter than snow,

yes, whiter than snow,

Now wash me,

and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,

Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain;

To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,

And help me to make a complete sacrifice;

I give up myself, and whatever I know—

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,

I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet,

By faith for my cleansing,

I see thy blood flow—

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait;

Come now and within me a new heart create;

To those who have sought Thee Thou never said’st “No”—

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;

Oh, glory! my soul is made perfect in love;

My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,

The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

We are forgiven, free and washed whiter than snow! It makes me so happy I think I will dance!

Old Time Dancing

Saturday night....

I requested to go dancing for my birthday and dance we did. (I did mostly.) Mike paid his buddy to come and dance with me. We were probably the youngest members of the crowd, but it was great fun. I even learned a new dance, the "Circle Schottish". The "Night Owls" played and it reminded me of my dad playing the accordion and my grandpa playing the drums. I danced the polka like I did with my grandpa as well. Fox trot too. It was so kind of the gentlemen to invite me to dance. It's been such a long time since I have done it.

Coming up.....

Mike found a place for me to tap on Monday mornings. I'm dusting off the old shoes and getting ready to tap my toes! (So excited!)

Joy....

There is nothing like dancing to express your delight and joy in the Lord!

Delighting in my Prayer Friends.

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20

When we moved "Up North" five years ago, God put me at Grace Lutheran Church as their secretary. He blessed me with some very special friends there.

God put it on the hearts of several women to pray. And, even though they weren't sure how that should look, they were obedient to the call. Those women invited me to join them. We have been meeting ever since that time.

I delight in my time spent with these special women of God. We gather, share God's Word and lift our friends and neighbors in need to the throne of God. We have been blessed by each other's presence and the answers to prayer. Our God is awesome! We laugh, cry and love each other through trials and triumphs in life. God speaks to us through His Word and though each other. We have a special friendship with our Father and His Spirit has drawn us to himself and drawn us closer to each other. This has been a place that has filled me up so that I can overflow with His love for the rest of the week.

Don't miss an opportunity to gather as two or three in Jesus' name!

Together for Christ,

Denise

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Dancing For Him

Today I am just dancing in my heart for Him. He is my delight and He brings me joy to dance.

Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre,

praise him with timbrel and dancing,

praise him with the strings and pipe,

praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 150

Doesn't matter where I am or what I am doing all that I do is in Praise to HIM! I love you Lord.