The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
2 Samuel 22:3 KJV
Happy Wednesday! It’s a great time to use your gifts to change the world!
Have you ever had a challenging day? I mean one of those days when people search you out to pick a fight. I have enjoyed a string of those days lately. It’s quite frustrating to know that you are minding your own business and folks are letting loose on you. Wow! I know God must be teaching us lessons or using us to teach others lessons during these trying moments, but I sometimes lose my temper. Growing emotionally and spiritually is tough sometimes! As I study my Bible, I realize that I’m not alone. The people in the Bible were constantly having trouble with others. So, I have concluded that life is an adventure. Everyone goes through trying times. It’s the attitude you take with you that makes the difference. You can wake up and say “I’m going to climb this mountain and enjoy the scenery”, or you can say “oh no, I’ ve got another mountain to climb.” You have to climb it anyway. Why not enjoy the trip! With the right attitude you can enjoy the trip and influence those around you in a positive way. That’s what changing the world is all about.
I challenge you to change the world by facing mountains with a positive outlook and a smile. God bless you.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Philippians 4:7
Happy Monday! The weather is changing here. The last couple of days have been cooler and damper than usual. Like TobyMac’s song, I feel it! However, what I feel is in my bones. The good news for me is I made it to work today! Some people dread Monday, but every Monday I work is check on my list.
I’m in the final days before receiving my B.A. in Theology. One of my last classes is on the Blood Covenant. Funny, on the way to work this morning I listened to Billy Graham preaching on the Blood of Christ. He told a story about a young college girl who had received a Guinness World Record for taking the longest shower. I don’t remember what the exact amount of the time was, but it was more than 100 hours, and that was many years ago. He went on to explain that you don’t have to shower for hours for Jesus. His blood washes all the dirt, we see and don’t see, away. That is so true.
Philippians 4:7 is one of my favorite Bible verses. Our church had a supply priest a few years ago who would finish his service with this verse. I could just feel the peace when he said it. It almost felt like my heart melted a little. When you think about a peace that goes beyond anything anyone can understand . . . Well, that’s something good! A couple of weeks ago there was some talk that the end of the world would be that week. Someone asked me about it. I really don’t worry about the end of days as we know it. First, I believe what the Bible says in Matthew 25:13. We won’t know the day or hour when Christ returns. Second, why should I worry. I have a pardon for all my sins through Jesus, and I have peace in knowing he’s with me.
As you go through your day, enjoy the Peace of the Lord. God bless you.
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
Happy Saturday! I woke up to this video and it spoke to me. You never know what someone else is going through. So, if someone lashes out at you, remember they might be tired from fighting a battle you know nothing about. I hope you enjoy your Saturday! God bless you.
He makes all things beautiful in His time. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Happy Friday! This morning I’m enjoying spending time with my grandson. He’s growing up so fast.
Speaking of growing, our kitten continues to grow. Last night my husband and I were reading, when Dominic decided he wanted to sit in a box that was too tiny for him. It reminded me of the many times I’ve tried to fit in, when I really didn’t. I remember a time when I was about 12 years old, when I wanted to be part of a group of girls. I had to do what they said to belong. One day I got my hair cut differently. They didn’t want to be my friends anymore. When there was a new kid at school, who they didn’t like, they wanted me to be mean to the girl. They wanted to choose my boyfriends. Well, as you can imagine, after a while I grew tired of their shenanigans. When I married my first husband, I didn’t fit in with his family. They loved to party. The booze drinking began early in the morning and lasted throughout the day. Marital infidelities were common. I just couldn’t fit it in.
You’ve probably never had problems with fitting in, but you may have noticed others who didn’t fit. Have you ever wondered why? Have you ever left someone out because they were different? Have you ever gone along with the group when they weren’t so nice to someone? Have you ever seen this group situation happening and didn’t know what to do? What usually happens is people go along with the group, even when they know the group is wrong. However, the same group will leave them out when they don’t do what the group likes. Over time my ex-husband’s drug and alcohol abuse, along with numerous infidelities tore us apart. The tighter I held on, the more he pulled away. After two years, we were divorced. While God wants us to love one another, He doesn’t want us to sacrifice our beliefs and behaviors. Fortunately, His love is strong, even when we make mistakes.
Psalm 93:4 says “mightier than the waves in the sea is his love for you.” Have you ever thought about the power of the waves in the ocean. The waves are so strong that they can overturn ships. They can erode rocks. The power of waves is used to generate electricity. Gazing at the ocean is hypnotic. We even have apps and devices that simulate the sound of waves, because of the relaxation benefits. So, in terms of might, God’s love for you is enduring and everlasting.
If you don’t feel like you fit in, maybe it’s because you don’t. Maybe the problem isn’t you at all. Have you ever considered that maybe you don’t fit in because you don’t want to be controlled? Maybe you don’t fit it, because you aren’t willing to lower your standards. Maybe the small thinking of the group puts you in a box that’s too tiny. While we can all be kind and love others, God doesn’t want you to lower your standards or treat others badly. If you feel like you don’t fit in as a Christian, maybe it’s because you are a leader for God. Rest securely in God’s love when you don’t fit with what society say says is right. Next time you don’t fit in, ask yourself two questions. Why do I feel this way and what can I do to show God’s love to others?
So, what can we do to resolve this issue? There will always be people who want to control us and make us feel bad, but the good news is they can’t make us do or feel anything. We are in charge of our actions and emotions. God is careful to protect our free will. Not only can we make good decisions about our behaviors and attitudes, but we can be Christian leaders. Our combined actions will help others to learn how to treat other people. Imagine what would happen if every time we felt left out, we used the opportunity to spread God’s love. Wouldn’t that be awesome!
When you go out today, start a new movement. Be a Christian leader spreading God’s love. God bless you.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
It’s Forgiveness Thursday and a wonderful day to serve the Lord. We celebrate Veterans’ Day in the working world tomorrow. You know that feeling you get at the end of your work week, that Friday feeling? I have it. Today, take time to tell a Veteran thank you.
I have so many people come to me hurting. Are you hurting? Do you have an emptiness or despair? There is only one thing that will fill that emptiness. You can eat, drink, take drugs, isolate yourself, go to parties, but none of these things are long-term fixes. Don’t waste any more time on these fillers.
Today, put your trust in our sweet Lord. God bless you.
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39
It’s Wednesday and a great time to make a difference in the world. When you go out today, look for opportunities to make someone else’s life a little brighter.
What is your price? The price you are willing to pay says a great deal about you. My aunt told me a story about my great-grandmother a while back. My great-grandmother loved me. Unfortunately, I didn’t know her very long. My mother was named after her, and I later named my daughter after her. My great grandparents lived in Mississippi when they were younger. As the story goes, my great-grandmother had the first Cadillac in the state of Mississippi. However, they didn’t have money to buy gas for the car. So, on Sunday morning they would push the car to church before everyone arrived, and after church they would wait for everyone to leave, and then push the car home. I tell you this seemingly silly story, not to make fun of my great grandparents, but to tell you that everyone has a price that they are willing to pay. What is your price? When I became a Christian, my friends made fun of me. They teased and tried to make me feel bad about my decision. They would say “we’re going here, but you can’t go because you’re a ‘Christian’”. That’s probably never happened to you, but it happened to me. That was the price I had to pay.
Have you ever wanted something really bad? Maybe it’s a special dinner, a date, or a new outfit. Have you ever wanted to get an education so badly that you could just taste the difference it would make in your life? How much would you pay? I have a friend who wanted a baby. She tried and tried to get pregnant for years. She would have done almost anything if she could just have a baby. Have you ever had a sick family member or child that you would do almost anything to help? I have some friends who want to help their adult children who have made bad decisions. They trade their own happiness to make a difference for their children. What is your price? How much are you willing to pay. The price you are willing to pay says a great deal about you.
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that we were bought with a high price. God loved us so much that he gave his son who died so that if we were willing to pay the price of believing in him, we could live forever (John 3:16). The price was high for God and Jesus, so that our price would be low. Yet, I look around me and many people aren’t willing to pay the small price of believing. What are you willing to pay?
Are you willing to give up an hour or two a week to worship God at church, or is sleeping in worth much more to you? Do you make excuses about church? One I often hear is “I don’t go to church because the church is full of hypocrites.” This one makes me laugh, because churches are made up all kinds people. None are perfect. If perfection were required, no one would be there. We all have issues that we need to work on. What price are you willing to pay? The price you are willing to pay says a great deal about you.
Some of the easiest decisions seem the hardest. A few years ago my family watched Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. We wouldn’t watch it at first because it seemed much like being a spectator at the crucifixion. Then, there was also that whole issue of someone portraying Christ. As we watched it, the agony of His death became more real. How many times have we tried to avoid a small punishment? He endured unimaginable physical pain, and the pain of people not believing. Are we going to add to that pain? The price we are willing to pay says a great deal about us. Are we willing to spread God’s love today?
Today, take time to spread God’s love everywhere you go. God bless you.
Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically as something done for the Lord. Colossians 3:2
It’s tell me something good Monday, and the church shooting in Texas is heavy on my mind. I ask you to remember these families and the entire church congregation in your prayers, as I will.
So, how do we maintain optimism in a world where there are terrorist attacks every day? I heard Billy Graham preaching on Serius XM this morning (Ch 145). The time of his sermon seemed to be in the late 1970s or early 1980s, but the message was similar. He referred to a failing economy, terrorist attacks, and a search for truth. He even said he’d heard some say it might be the end of days. Does any of this sound familiar? Jesus said in John 8:32 “you will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free.” Jesus also said “I am the way, and the Truth and the light. No man comes unto the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus is the Truth. We can be optimistic in a world full of evil when we know Jesus is with us. We don’t have to be fearful. That’s today’s Good News.
As you go through the day, have no fear. Jesus is with you. God bless you.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Good morning. I hope your Saturday has started out wonderful and will be a great day!
Renewal in God builds our strength and eliminates fear, distrust, and evil thoughts and words. When I was a teenager, I thought I was in love with a young man who I had known since preschool. I would get weak in the knees at a glance and I couldn’t think of anything or anyone but him all the time. Doing homework was impossible. Of course, my adoration for this boy was a concern for my parents, who did everything they could to keep us apart. As you can probably guess that didn’t work. This young man cheated on me with other girls, but I didn’t trust my parents who wanted to protect me. I trusted the guy that hurt me. I finally broke up with him and moved on to dating some other guys. I still didn’t trust my parents. If they liked a young man I was dating, I stopped dating him. I did some things I am ashamed of now and wound up feeling bad about myself. Later, I married a man who my parents didn’t like. After a few months he was cheating on me. I fought to hold the relationship together, but we were divorced two years later. Well, I blamed everyone. I moved away from God and my parents. I didn’t want to live anymore. I felt hopeless.
Have you ever experienced distrust? Have you ever had evil thoughts that turned into evil words? Have you ever wondered why everything is going wrong in your life? Have you moved away from God? When we move away from God we begin to experience distrust and fear. Fear leads to resentment, which leads to anger. First thing we know, we are having evil thoughts, which leads to evil words. The good thing for me was God never left me. I started renewing my relationship with God and my parents. I placed all my hope in Him, and there was hope. A friend set me up on a blind date with someone I probably would have never dated by choice. Why? I was stuck in a rut of foolish thoughts and fears. I felt hurt, weak, and not strong enough to stand on my own. With this man I found true love and I have been with him since that day over 31 years ago. Now, we renew our relationship with God separately and together as a couple. We are very strong spiritually.
Renewal in God builds our strength and eliminates fear, distrust, and evil thoughts and words. Isaiah 40:31 says “[t]hose who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.” You see when we focus on building our relationship strong with God first, and loving others as ourselves second according to the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39, we will renew our relationships with God and others without even realizing it. We will become stronger without even knowing it. I once had terrible social anxiety, and from time to time it still peaks it’s head out. Let’s face it. I was afraid of everything. God fixed this anxiety for me. One day I was telling a lady I had just met about my shyness in groups and my fear of public speaking, when a friend said “I don’t believe it.” It occurred to me at that moment that while I was renewing my relationships with God and others, I became strong enough to soar like an eagle without even knowing it.
Do you want to spend your life in fear and distrust? Does worry control your life? If you are having worry, fear and distrust there must be something wrong. These feelings are not what God wants for you. Do you wish evil on others? Even worse, do you speak evil? Everyone gets caught up in these feelings and behaviors from time to time, but you have to turn to God in order to get things straightened out. God’s word tells us in Isaiah 40:31 that when you renew your strength in God, you will not be faint or grow weary. In fact, you will run and soar like an eagle. How do you do this? You put your hope in God.
Our world is beautiful, but can sometimes present challenges. Last night I was watching the news and I heard a heart wrenching story. A man retired from the United States’ military turned his young son in for joining ISIS, killing a neighbor, and plotting to kill people at a concert. While he seemed heartbroken, he didn’t seem to have fear, regret or evil thoughts. How difficult it must have been for him to turn his son, who he loved with all his heart and who he had once hoped would follow in his own patriot footsteps, over to the police for a punishment, which could very likely be death. Are we strong enough? Do we soar like eagles? If we are to have the strength to stand up to evil in these types of situations, we have to put our hope in God.
Renewal in God builds our strength and eliminates fear, distrust, and evil thoughts and words. Today, renew your relationship with God. God bless you.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Happy Friday! It’s a wonderful to be thankful and spread the love of Jesus!
Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that Jesus can do more than we can even imagine, if we ask. That verse is a little mind-blowing for me. If I can’t imagine, how can I understand. When we can’t understand, we must have faith. Of course, that’s wonderful news, but how do we spread Jesus’ love when we can’t even imagine how expansive it is? Have you ever stopped to think about this? Jesus died on the cross and bore all the sins of the world. That means the sins of those before him, of those living during his time on earth, and for all future generations. How can we even begin to fathom the sacrifices made for us? The good news is we don’t need to understand! All we need to do is study God’s word, have faith, and ask for help in prayer.
Ask Jesus to help you today when you spread his word, and trust him. God bless you!
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Good morning! “This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24) It’s a glorious day here in Florida. We have mild temperatures and the sun is shining bright. The leaves are changing and it feels good to be alive. It’s Forgiveness Thursday and some of us are on the downside of the work week. Don’t let a moment go by without getting right with God.
Often I hear people say “I’m broke” or “I’m broken”. What do these phrases mean to you? Does “broken” mean brokenhearted? Do you have a broken bone or are you sick? When you hear the word “broke,” does your mind immediately go to financial matters? Does “broken” mean unworthy? Do you think of relationship problems? Maybe you think “I suck at being a Christian”.
I have thought all of these thoughts at one time or another. Regardless to which one comes to mind, there is one answer that will solve the problem. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God has promised he will never fail or abandon us. So, no matter how broken you think you are, you can always turn to him. When God does the mending, broken things become blessed. We can also rest assured in knowing that in all things God works for the good (Romans 8:28). While we may not understand now, we will one day. Remember, that no one is too broken for the grace of Jesus.
So, today if you feel broken, rest in knowing that grace is enough. If you know someone broken, stop what you are doing and pray with them. God bless you.
Growing emotionally and spiritually is tough sometimes! As I study my Bible, I realize that I’m not alone. The people in the Bible were constantly having trouble with others. So, I have concluded that life is an adventure. Everyone goes through trying times. It’s the attitude you take with you that makes the difference. You can wake up and say “I’m going to climb this mountain and enjoy the scenery”, or you can say “oh no, I’ ve got another mountain to climb.” You have to climb it anyway. Why not enjoy the trip! With the right attitude you can enjoy the trip and influence those around you in a positive way. That’s what changing the world is all about.
The good news is we don’t need to understand! All we need to do is study God’s word, have faith, and ask for help in prayer.
I have thought all of these thoughts at one time or another. Regardless to which one comes to mind, there is one answer that will solve the problem. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that God has promised he will never fail or abandon us. So, no matter how broken you think you are, you can always turn to him. When God does the mending, broken things become blessed. We can also rest assured in knowing that in all things God works for the good (Romans 8:28). While we may not understand now, we will one day. Remember, that no one is too broken for the grace of Jesus.