Silver Lining Golden Threads Volume I

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chaplain Anna has a degree in Religious Education. She is a Sr. Chaplain for the International Fellowship of Chaplains and is also an ordained Christian Minister. Currently she serves at Turning Point Church in Ft Worth, Texas. She writes an online daily devotional and ministers to patients in the hospital. She serves the Scottish community as Chaplain to several different organizations.

Anna is married to her sweetheart Jim. They have 6 children and 14 grandchildren. Weddings have always filled her life with love and faith that true love does exist. She is an active member of the local and national Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution having served as Chaplain.

Anna fell into writing, after many years researching a labor of love that she had for Jesus. She realized that people needed to read God’s word daily. Just saying it to people at church was just not enough. That's how the Daily Devotional started. People read what's out on the social media Face Book and that was a good starting place. She has written 100's of devotionals. She was prompted to write and put together a collection of the Daily Devotional's because many of her friends saw the success not only their lives but in her life and wanted to have more of a collection of the writings.

Anna is a wedding officiate and can perform most basic ceremonies such as Traditional or Contemporary, Religious or Civil, Non-Denominational, Vow Renewals, and Family Inclusive Ceremonies. Your ceremony should be tailored to fit you. Her consultation process will ensure that you have your ceremony, your way. Visit www.anna-wedding-officiant.com for more information.

She has book fair exhibits around the country and is always open for speaking engagements. She runs her own publishing company E-Quil Works Publishing, Ft. Worth Texas. Visit http://www.equilworkspublishing.com for more details about her publishing company.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I will not attempt to tell you all that went into the text of this little book. That in itself would be a book. I have used several sources for inspiration for this book. Jesus Christ is number one. There are scores of pastors that have inspired me, but these are the special pastors I have known over the years that have inspired me to dig deep into God’s word. I want to thank each of you for your great messages of hope and encouragement all these years, Jesse DuPlantis, Ricky G. Rush, Jim Hester, John Osteen, Joel Osteen, and Billy Graham.

Scriptures referenced in this publication are from the Holy Bible by using several translations including King James, New International, Living Bible, New King James versions.

A Big Thank you to Annaette Crowder for editing content for e-book publication and a great book cover illustration.

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

We are living in very exciting times. God’s word is for everyone and it is not only what has happened in history but what our future holds for us. God has it all planned out like a map, there are very specific guidelines for our everyday life.

I would like to give you the opportunity to read a simple easy to read version of God’s word to us in a daily devotional E-book. I will try to show you how easy it is to follow God's plan for your life, how to love someone, how to be a friend, how to just be with Jesus.

I am publishing this daily devotional book in E-book form so that it will be easy for you to download and read. This book does not replace or supersede the Bible in anyway. It’s a daily guide for you, to help you in all areas of life. I have given the scripture so you can use this along with your Bible.

Sr. Chaplain Anna M. Miller

Burleson, Texas

WARNING / DISCLAIMER

This book is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

It is not the purpose of this book to reprint all the information that is otherwise available to authors and other creative people but to complement, amplify, and supplement other texts. For more information, see your bookstore.

Book writing is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Anyone who decides to write a book must expect to invest a lot of time and effort without any guarantee of success. Books do not write themselves and they do not sell themselves. Authors write and promote their books.

Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes both typographical and in content. Therefore, this text should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source of writing and publishing information. Furthermore, this book contains information on writing and publishing, which is current only up to the printing date.

The purpose of this book is to educate and enrich. The author and E-Quil Works Publishing, LLC shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

If you find typographical errors or in content, please send your corrections to equilworkspublishing@gmail.com for the next edition.

Where’s the Sauce

Several weeks ago, while eating in a new restaurant that so many of my friends had raved about, I tried one of the signature dishes that everyone had been talking about. On this specific day, as I ate the dish (trusting the word of mouth offered by others), I was quite disappointed. Initially, I thought maybe it was because everyone’s judgment was so high that I had unrealistic expectations about what to expect from the food. What I discovered, after sharing with a few others who were in awe of the food, was that they all asked about how it was prepared and what kinds of ingredients did I have in and on it. After I told with them my plate contents, they just, laughed me off, and simply said, You were missing one of the key ingredients that make it good. Like the sauce!

The life of one of God’s children is like that when the Holy Spirit is not present and active. The Holy Spirit is the special sauce that gives the life of the believer that WOW that makes their behavior; character, mind set, and approach to life stand out. The Holy Spirit is the ingredient, when added, it allows for people to be able to make lasting impressions on perfect strangers. The Holy Spirit is that special sauce, the seasoning that makes your voice not just heard, but respected and valued. With these facts it is very unfortunate when some have reduced the role of the Holy Spirit to only a theological fundamental belief versus an active mandate for everyone who is striving to live like Christ.

In Acts 19, Paul came across some Christians who had accepted Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. The good news is that as Paul shared with them about the role of the Holy Spirit, they were open to it. Their life with God moved beyond just the religious knowledge to an encounter that was dynamic, engaging, and empowering. That is the role of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives. The Holy Spirit turns a church service into a worship experience. The Holy Spirit turns a simple Bible reading into a truth showing experience. The Holy Spirit turns a song with a good melody into a life-giving, healing hymn that transforms a believer heart. That’s the role of the Holy Spirit.

There’s nothing worse than tasting food with missing ingredients. That cake needs butter and egg, that chicken needs its seasoning and that pasta its sauce. Without it, it becomes clear that something is missing. Just as every Christian needs the Holy Spirit. Without it, there is frustration, no fruit. Today, invite the Holy Spirit to come into your life and you’ll see a noticeable, supernatural (and sometimes unexplainable) difference. It’ll be worth it…and your life will taste so much better.

And asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." - Acts 19:2

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Why a Manger, why a lowly Birth

A few years ago after my Mom passed into heaven I found the Nativity scene that was in our house when I was a kid. It sparked wonder in my early years, and it's still wonderful, but there's something not quite right about it. For one thing, the figure of Jesus looks more like a two-year-old than an infant. For another, He has blond hair and blue eyes—and from what I know of the Middle East, I have kind of a problem with that. Obviously, this Nativity set was crafted by a European!

The manger is made out of wood. Of course, that's how most of us think of it. But the word in the Bible translated manger could mean either a feeding trough or an enclosure for animals. In that part of the world animals were kept in caves, and feeding troughs were made out of stone, so Jesus was probably born in a cave around Bethlehem somewhere, and laid in a stone trough.

Now, I know I've probably destroyed a lot of your mental pictures of Jesus' birth. But the important question is Why a manger? Why wasn't He born in a palace, and His birth written about in the Jerusalem Post?

The answer is in two words, humility and accessibility. His mother wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, like any peasant baby of the time. This great gift came in simple wrapping. The one who would be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)—the Creator—became an embryo, and then a baby. It's amazing, and the more you think about it, the more minding boggling it becomes. This lowliness would be his entire life and ministry. And when He died He was buried in a borrowed grave, another cave similar to the one He was born in.

Because He was humble, He was accessible. Going into a throne room to see a king would be intimidating, but there's nothing intimidating about going into a cave and approaching a feeding trough. You don't need special credentials; you don't need to have an appointment. The shepherds could just come in.

And again, this marked not only his birth but his entire life. Jesus was always accessible to people. He said, Let the little children come to me (Matthew 19:14). He also welcomed the woman with the incurable disease because of her faith (Luke 8:43-48).So it's not really important what your Nativity scene looks like. The important thing is what you think about the Child who was laid in that manger. In the words of an old Christmas carol, Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall; oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the babe is Lord of all.

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."- Isaiah 7:14

God Showed Up

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

For so many years the people of God would go to the Tabernacle to worship. The Tabernacle was the movable tent that was built by Moses and the Hebrew People with him in the wilderness. Then came King David who longed to build God a House, but because David had shed blood, God said he could not. Yet, God told David that his son Solomon could build it. Solomon was now the King of Israel. He brought to the Dedication Ceremony of the Temple for God, his contributions, his father David's and all the people brought their offerings too. The Bible says that there was so much given that it could not even be counted (Verse 6)

Also at the dedication ceremony the priests, musicians and singers all began praising God with their instruments and their voices IN UNISON. They were loud and determined to let God know that they had come to praise Him with all of their might. And what was the result of those people all in one voice, in unison, in giving, in praising God with all their strength? GOD SHOWED UP He filled up that new Temple WITH HIMSELF and what happens when God shows up in a place? Just like these priests that day - SOMETIMES YOU JUST CANNOT STAND! I have been in God's presence like that before. God was SO STRONG in the room and on me that my body just could not take it. I fell to the ground and could not get back up myself, matter of fact, I could not even walk right for hours. I know I will never forget that day and I am sure that these priests never forgot either. Let us all decide today to love on God and praise Him with all our might, our gifts and our strength And in return God will love us back, even to the level where we just CAN'T STAND UP!

And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. - 2 Chronicles 5:13-14

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Pressure Point

There was a popular TV show several years ago called Boiling Point, where people were unknowingly tested while being filmed on hidden camera. The point was to see how much each person could endure without getting mad and reaching their pressure point/boiling point. Those who did make it were rewarded at the end with a cash prize. The show was very popular and even addicting. Watching people's reactions under pressure is a trip! Those high-pressure situations allow us to see what is REALLY inside of people - even ourselves. Some would start out patient and grow impatient gradually. Others would respond with threats and profanity. Some even reached the point of a near violent response. So here is my question to you today: What is YOUR Pressure Point?

What’s a Pressure Point or Boiling Point, you asked. When you put a pot of water on the stove, there is pressure all around its atmosphere. We call that pressure gravity. There is also pressure inside of the water in the pot. When the water inside matches the pressure of gravity outside, the water begins to boil and reach its highest temperature—its boiling point. Let's parallel this with spiritual things. In our everyday life, there are pressures, seen and unseen all around us that attempt to weigh us down in our effort to be like Christ. Some pressures are very open or public. Other pressures are not so obvious and gradually eat away our spiritual endurance. But by the power of the Holy Spirit, God has equipped those who have received the filling of the Holy Spirit so that instead of reaching that pressure point, we can build up our spirits so we know how to respond from our spiritual being.

Jesus tells us in John 14:26, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. He also says in John 16:13, However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The Holy Spirit's ministry is AWESOME! He helps us to be mindful of spiritual things so that our spirit will be built up to resist the pressures of the flesh. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

The Holy Spirit will ALWAYS lead us back