My Divine Notes

May 15, 2011 Luke 9:62   But Jesus told him, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Distracted Christian living leaves me frazzled. My carnal side has a hard time following Christ and giving up the busy-ness and plans of my lives. I know. I’ve just had a weekend full of distractions even though I had planned to spend quality time with the Lord. Quiet time with God before the day starts is essential for me, but I am going to be honest and admit that this has not been happening lately. I love the Bible and I spend quality time immersed in it. But even though I love the word, nothing compares to time spent with God. Spending time with God means that I come to know his heart.   I also get to share my life, my struggles and my love for him. That’s also when I intercede for others and get answers (or not) to the things in my heart. A relationship with God takes time, effort and the desire to walk the wa...

Divine Note #27 - July 6, 2009 Let God meet all your needs  Psalm 103:1-3 (NLT) 1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. I recently learned that another one of my girlfriends is going through health issues. As usual, I hadn’t seen her in a while and I almost cancelled our lunch plans because I had overbooked my schedule. As I sat listening to her story, I realized that God had put me at the place where I needed to be, at the time I needed to be there and my job was to be His ears and heart. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 1:2). So I sat across from her listening to the concern in her voice. My job was only to listen and offer practical assistance. We had a wonderful lunch and I told her about the amazing things God was doing...

Divine Note #26 – June 29, 2009 Let God meet all your needs Therefore, don’t be like them. For your father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Matthew 6:8 It was hard to ignore a very popular entertainer’s very sad death this week. I followed the news mostly through social media and then I turned the TV on late in the evening and was touched with comments made by a popular author. He talked about how the entertainer dealt unsuccessfully with unmet needs as a result of sad things that happened in his life. It was eye-opening for me because God has been talking to my heart about how to deal with unmet needs through Dr. Charles Stanley’s sermons all week. In previous notes, I’ve discussed how we deny issues, so we try to avoid the consequences by riding the merry-go-round of strongholds until we hit the bottom. As in the parable of the lost son, many times our deep level of misery is of our own making (Luke 15:13). God has placed in all of us have a need to belong, ...

Divine Note #24 – June 15, 2009 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 (New Living Translation) Dear Sisters, Each week the message becomes louder and clearer in my heart. We must become effective disciples for Christ. We are His hands, ears and feet while we are on Earth. You will not fulfill your God-given mission on this planet until you step out to serve others and share how your life was transformed. So…this Divine Note is to encourage you to cry out to God, so that you can feel comfortable having an open dialog with Him. Once you open that communication with God, it changes your life in a huge way. When you cry out to Him, it establishes a powerful intimacy that allows you to walk in His power. When you develop the ability to cry out to God, you will be empowered to pray out loud on behalf of your children, spouse, family, friends and all the people around the world who are hurting or who do not know Him! You may be uncomfortable with ...

Divine Note #22 - Ten reasons to trust God with your future – Psalm 40.5 This Divine Note is based on one of the greeting cards that I chose for my daughter and is dedicated to all moms and dads who have a son or daughter graduating from high school or college. She graduated from high school on Sunday. How did 18 years pass so fast? This message is also for you, if you need a new beginning or if you need to know that God has a future planned for you and your children. Psalm 40:5 (Contemporary English Version) You, LORD God, have done many wonderful things, and you have planned marvelous things for us. No one is like you! I would never be able to tell all you have done. Ten reasons to trust God with your future 10. He planned your life before you existed 9. You get a 24-hour hotline that’s available your entire lifetime 8. His training manual is a best seller 7. Miracles are part of His outstanding reputation 6. He doesn’t ask questions about your mistakes 5. What He says goes 4....

Dear Father, Please allow Your nature to flow through all of us. We are in need of your love and mercy. I ask that you allow us to be more God-seeking than self-seeking so that others want to join your Kingdom. Please help us use our gifts and abilities to introduce your loving kindness to those who are living in silent desperation. Please help us to tune in to all those souls around us who need you! We need you every hour and every minute of our existence on Earth. We love you Holy Father! Everything we ask is in the name of Jesus who gave His life for us. Amen! Love, Blanca

Divine Note #18 - May 4, 2009 Luke 8:22-25 (New Living Translation) Jesus Calms the Storm 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” Isn’t it amazing how many of us spend our lives in relationship with Jesus, doing good things for the church and our families, but when life’s storms arrive, we bail out of the boat? Come on now, do you believe in your heart t...

Divine Note #8– Feb. 23, 2009 I shared my love of Christ and how my entire life has changed at Celebration and paid tribute to three women who have helped me get closer to God. When I heard Joan Murray say that prayers go into eternity and that they are heard, my soul was touched and I remembered my grandmother. She would testify about how God changed her life and you can imagine my teenage embarrassment when she would talk about me! After my dad passed away, she often told the church family that she put us in the loving arms of Jesus. God answered my grandmother’s prayers for me through righteous women who love God. Can you imagine if Fern had not encouraged me to do God’s work through Celebration (James 5:14)? What if Lorraine had not prayed a powerful prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help me share what I have been through, so that I might help others because it’s not about me (James 5:16)? My child, Jackie, loves God and is determined to do His will for her life. I give Him all cre...

Divine Note #7 – Feb. 16, 2009 It’s not about me. As I grow in my relationship with the Lord, I realize that there are so many people who desperately need the love and comfort of Jesus Christ that we are all called to share. In verse 4, Paul tells us that our God comforts us in our affliction so that we may comfort others in their time of need. It’s so easy to go about our daily, busy lives and not think of those close to us who may need a comforting word. Maybe it says something about our society that even while we’re so connected by technology such as cell phones, computers and e-mails; we are still very much in need of a friendly voice or hug to comfort us during a valley period. Do you ever find yourself e-mailing or texting with family and closest friends and then realizing that you don’t really know what’s going on in their lives? Welcome to my world. Technology has made our lives so much less personal. If our friends and family feel like they can’t get enough of our time, what...

Divine Note #6 – Feb. 9, 2009 All it takes is a word of kindness, a hug or a smile to tell people around us how valuable they are. The apostle Paul was encouraged when Timothy returned from visiting the Thessalonians with good news of the faith and love of believers who had limited access to the apostle’s teachings. Paul knew how important it was to encourage and to be encouraged by believers. Over lunch a few months ago, a long time friend told me that because I took the time to listen, to ask questions and to tell her to get a grip and get help, that I prevented her from committing suicide many years ago. That’s mind boggling. What if I hadn’t taken the time to be there for her? Many of you have recently been praying for another friend’s family as they removed their loved one from life support, agonized over hospice care and are now facing funeral arrangements. As a result, I know that God is wrapping them in His loving arms during this painful time and they appreciate your prayers. ...

Divine Note #4 - Monday, Dec. 29, 2008 Next year decide to move on to the next stage of your life. Just as Paul encouraged the church during his time on earth, today the Holy Spirit guides believers to fulfill their God-given purpose. If you believe in God’s inspired Word, then you must move beyond the walls of home and church to share the news with everyone! Your ministry is everyone who is around you! Please don’t wait to be healed, to feel anointed, to get over grief, to have time, to have enough money or until the kids grow up. Whatever gifts you have been given, I promise you that God needs your service now (1 Corinthians 12:7). Challenge yourself to move out of your ‘comfort zone’ and share your gifts with those whom God puts in your path! First, have a plan. Pray and ask God for guidance on how you need to grow and serve during the next year. It’s critical to seek God’s direction and then take His hand! Second, find out what your ministry gifts are. Talk to your pastors or trus...

Divine Note #2: Monday, Dec. 15, 2008 Every day we’re bombarded with competing messages about how we should behave, what God’s expectations are and how we should live our lives. We get messages at church, from family and from society. But really, I have found that it’s in the quiet times and when I am genuine, that I am open to listening to God. He speaks to my heart, I just have to be still and listen. In the Old Testament, God spoke through prophets, but now we have His Son – that wonderful Jesus! Don’t get ahead of yourself or try too hard to “get a message.” Instead, listen with your heart and obey the promptings of His Holy Spirit. Consider writing down your thoughts and perhaps starting a journal to help you connect with Him. This also helps you remember the good things He has done for you when you are in a valley season. Maintain a continuous conversation with Jesus during the day; don’t just just pray at night. And remember to listen, quiet your spirit and hear His messages for...

Divine Note #1 - Monday, Dec. 8. 2008 I've been thinking about how He came to earth and lived a pretty typical human life, so He understands how we, his human creations, feel. I am very touched by the fact that when he was told that Lazarus had died, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. The two words in verse 35 have been in my heart for a couple of days, Jesus wept. Can you imagine the Savior of the universe weeping? He very much cared about Mary and Martha during their time of anguish over the death of Lazarus. He cried, He wept! He loved Lazarus! Think about how He loves you! Never doubt that He loves you because He created you and he understands how you feel. Talk to Him like you would your best friend, He’s ready to listen and He loves you for you!