Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Paul to Colossians 4:5-6

! YEAH !

I walked into a small business yesterday, looking for a few Christmas items to mail. Nice that downstairs they had an upscale thrift shop stuff. When I came back up, neither the owner or worker were wearing their masks, were 1 foot apart discussing prices. I’m NOT a germaphobe, never was, but it AMAZES me that these people in this business are not as responsive to customers as you would think! This is not March, this is December in a post-thanksgiving spike. Many businesses ARE wonderfully compliant, some aren’t, and if front of the store workers aren’t wearing their masks, higher chances the backroom workers aren’t either). 

We must rely on GRACE.  GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. 

What do I say to the shop folks? So, you know as consumers we/I could have chosen a course of responses to the unmasked ladies. I wanted my items, didn’t want to walk away and not say why. I waited 6 feet away until I finally said I was ready to check out, they were oblivious to me standing there. The cashier lady scrambled for her mask, a cute Christmas motif even, complimented me on my purchases, and made nice. The owner lady in oblivion to mask wearing or my frown (couldn’t see it because I was masked). Even if she was certified clean, a proper mask would go a long way in comforting me that she cared. Perhaps and probably she cared and was ignorant to my opinion? GRACE. 

Let your conversation be always full of GRACE, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. 

I was stunned quiet, and if you know me, if I’m quiet, there’s a PROBLEM. But as the cashier apologized for her mask being down, I mentioned loud enough for both of them to hear that I have a friend and his wife and her mother all down with bad cases of covid, it’s still out there, he said it feels like a marathon to walk from one room to another. The cashier showed genuine concern, the other lady either did not listen or I just don’t know where he head was. She was being silly and showed the new baubles of Christmas decorations she was pricing, but really that didn’t amuse me. I cannot hide my quietness, it’s earth shattering quiet in my opinion, knowing me. I cashed out and dashed out. Open air, open windows, open prayers. And prayers for her too. Granted, cases are still scattered, still rare enough, but they are spiking because of traditional winter close quarters, it IS cold and flu season, why are we surprised at this covid spike?… Customer service could be consistent regardless of spikes, year-round. I just remember good advice: don’t challenge others, unless crucial. Keeping quiet was not hard when stunned quiet, but I could write volumes, of course. Seasoned with salt, our responses SHOULD be after prayerful pondering. 

I’m not a perfect mask wearer, I’m terrible to judge, I make my own faux pas in other crucial things, I know – take the log out of your own eye before trying to see the splint in someone elses.

This is a season of thankfulness and GRACE, actually EVERY SEASON is a season of GRACE. Jesus came to share GRACE. There are not as many “enemies to us” but “opposers to us” these days. We are judgmental folks, me too, and what can be done but for us to try to be better… In conversation try to speak up or shut up. Let life finish out its course with God’s judgement not ours. Meanwhile GRACE is needed. 

We are a world in need of GRACE. We are a people who are told to give GRACE, even under pressure. WE WERE GIVEN GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. God really really wants us back Home with Him – Grace thru Jesus is the only way He could make it – He loves us too much to not give it.

Why are we supposed to share and show GRACE? Share yes, because the Lord forgives us. Show? Because we are to model Christ-like behavior. Others are to know that we are Christians by our love.  And seasoned Christians are gifted seasoned answers and conversations. PRAY ON YOUR ANSWERS.

It is ours to speak up after seasoning-up or we are to shut up.

Grace under pressure is just the start…

Amen

It’s kind of cute the excitement of the two moving planets to create a double star image in the sky near Christmas time, but those planets are there all the time, and those planets have been edging closer every night, and those planets have been ignored most everyday and those planets are really very far apart and honestly when they come together it’s not gonna be that bright… but it’s ok, people like some good excitement. I’m all about good excitement, especially this year.

It’s NOT ok the excitement I just saw on video playback of a church shooting, at an outdoor concert in NYC. It’s NOT ok that people were forced hiding behind a light post, a traffic box, a trashcan. It’s not ok that the shooter was deranged and uncooperative and seemed to be seeking “suicide by cop”. It’s not OK that I could sense that either. It’s not ok that life and death situations are deliberately forced. It’s not ok that the world is broken. It’s OK to be sad. It’s OK to wish peace on earth. It’s our mission to seek PEACE ON EARTH.

The police officer on the right, behind his trash can barrier, was the first to run over to the scared people behind the traffic box, as soon as the shooter was downed, the cop yelled “move move move” and helped the two run further back. Then he crisscrossed the stairs with the other trashcan cop, and made his way to the ladies on the ground huddled behind a deep concrete step. “Move move move”. The crowd filming yells” “It’s ok, your ok” – the video picks up the crowd comforting the ladies. The crowd also praising the police who put their lives on the line. Those are the bright connections in the light of day. Those are people connections from a heavenly Spirit that shines BRIGHTER than humanity is darkened. Those are Spirit connections. That’s the planet we live on. Connection between good people outshines the bad people. Light overcomes darkness.

It’s ok and not ok that we don’t understand evil or even sadly mental illness that we can’t understand. It’s ok and not ok that we wish to ignore bad things.

Move move move. The stars are already moving everyday, and so are we. The human condition is movable and not. The Spirit desires to be moved away from humanness. The humans are to desire Spirit.

There’s nothing OK with the human condition, but know that it will eventually be OK after all evil influences are destroyed. It’s not us that can dispel the evil for all time, but we can wait and watch the Spirit use us and others for good. Remember, Mr. Rogers’s mother always said: in tragedies, look for the helpers.

That’s an alignment of human hope and sacrifice. Time is inching closer to the time the Lord will be overcoming all evil. Let us look to overcoming and practice peace now.

Move move move.

Amen, I believe in the Lord overcoming.

Of course I wasn’t going to eat a candy cane, too much sugar, but when offered last night at a tree lighting by the lady handing out song sheets, I changed my mind and took one anyway, figured I could pass it on to my son. But then ICK, a rainbow one? I’M A TRADITIONAL CANDY CANE SNOB. ICK… I put it in my pocket. 

I was excited about the song sheet! Singing Christ-containing Christmas songs! Outside!!! And I loved the quaint village and opportunity to be in Christmas Spirit. Yay singing!!! Joy to the World! I had visited Saturday, came back Sunday both to see the lighting and hang an ornament of a pinecone rolled in peanut butter and birdseed on the tree. These were free projects placed on the porch of the historical museum antique shop where I finished much Christmas shopping. The lady said “they’re not just for kids! Adults can do them too!” Yup, that’s me and hearing her plea touched me. Her concerns on the tree event and livestream. I took a bag, I really enjoyed making it, it’s a theme of birds weekend as the presents I bought were birdhouses. I made it and placing it on the tree and being present at the lighting was my present to myself in this Christmas covid complexity craze. 

Be present as my own present. 

Afterwards, I took my photos and the people (less than 30) dispersed, but this little boy was crying in an escalating tantrum, the kind a mother knows, the kind that can’t be smoothed over until the ORIGINAL issue is solved. Yeah, been there A LOT.  Crying but not my business, not mine to solve, but I listened in prayerful concern as I took a photo. Mom tried and said: “I will get more rainbow ones!”

OH!!!!!!!!

Rainbow connection, that RAINBOW CANDY CANE – not for me after all. A rainbow to remedy the pain. A candy to soothe the crying. All wrapped up in a disregarded pocketted rainbow candy cane of my discontent. Wasn’t for me after all. I can still hear the thank you and the crinkle of cellophane. I said Merry Christmas. 

But the thank yous from mom should not be at all placed into me, I was placed and paced, I can not take credit for something that I didn’t intend but walked into because of my brokenness to want to be in a collection of Christmas spirits. No, the thank you goes to the invisible Spirit who works all things for good, IF WE ONLY LISTEN!

My Rainbow Connection is Your Rainbow Connection too, it’s JESUS who came as the Promise, God’s promise symbol to Noah, God’s Promise to us. JESUS.  Jesus also Who ascended as the One to leave and to make Way for the Holy Spirit to guide. It’s a Spirit thing to hang NOT our ornaments on a string, to place our lives on a tree but to place them in Thee. Thee from hanging on a tree made us free.

Merry Christmas to not just the children, but to the moms who soothe, peace on earth and wishing peace in her ears. God’s watching out for you. God’s gift is for you. These Rainbow connections like candy canes are for blessings others. That’s God for you! 

Jesus’s present was and is to be present. See that His Spirit at Christmas Shines. 

Amen 

---

We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:10-12

Paul’s letter to the Colossians chapter 2:9-12 relates to the notion in my head recently about Godly Spirit and human form, what was masked in Jesus on earth but not lost, but taken away from Adam with God’s actions after the apple bite of disobedience. Then we, after being cut out for God’s plan, take on our Spirit life again. The Spirit nature on earth not of earth. The letting of our Spirit shine when our humanness is pulled back.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Paul speaks of being cut out of your human self by God’s precise cut, your humanness pulled back as an action for spiritual revelation. Raising in you life invisible to human eyes.

The cut of the Lord to achieve an alive nature for our spirit to be free from human form, although always tied and hidden to and in His purposes. We are not cut out to be escapees but to be made more movable and malleable for making a difference. Our sinfulness and humanness cut out and hung to that cross like dirty laundry. Then our life relocated into the Spirit realm WITH CHRIST, so that we really ARE revealed to Him but hidden in Christ as visible to the world. That makes it more likely to not sweat the small stuff. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God!!! That makes His motivations over ours paramount and we take a step back from taking any of the credit. 

V13-15 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Cut away from the rule of sin, we ask the Lord to continue cutting out our relapses of life, our scar tissue overgrowth and the gunk we accumulate. It’s easier to not get re-messed up in sin when we stay focused on above “Set your minds on things above” (probably one of my favorite things to say).

Ch3v1-5 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.

We can tell ourselves to “Cut it out!” Cut out that humanness for us Jesus, let out Spirit be yours, out for You to use and have unhindered and ALIVE. 

Amen!

I am often writing from “having to write” – but this time I simply want to write this – I am quite taken by the fact that I have approached then gone over 1000 devotions/blogs/processing writings especially since I begged the Lord to stop making me write at about 100 writings… Well, He said: NO!

But today I want to write this as a thank you note – specifically for the Lord picking up a task for me that I would have NEVER picked for myself – for showing me the better way when I myself was “in the way” – and for giving me an abundant feeling of blessings and a forever work-load which also feels light because Jesus takes our burdens. Whatever I am doing or supposed to be doing, I know that it becomes a puzzle piece in You Lord, and I pray that you move me to the parts of the picture where I connect. I often ask “Lord, where do I fit?” He says: “don’t worry where you fit – just be happy that you do.” – and I am Lord, I am happy to know You in me and me in You.

And I want to add to this a great Thank You to the Lord specifically for my friend with whom I first quietly shared my first 3 writings when I thought I was going crazy and didn’t know the Lord was taking over my brain. My friend doesn’t want thanks because He knows, like I know, that ANYTHING we do for the Spirit is FROM the Spirit… so I will say THANK YOU to the Holy Spirit for him, his service, his devotion, his availability. Thank You Holy Spirit for placing me in timing and space – moving me into place – and thank you for not moving him onto some other place before the Lord caught me up to catch up with him.

I would not be anywhere without the Lord – none of us would be, so with Holy Spirit place and timing, I had someone to talk to whom I sensed “got it” – even if I didn’t even really know him –  but I had heard his sermons and I just felt he would not ridicule me, and I realized soon that he was not just randomly placed – but moved by the Lord to do his job. He didn’t dismiss me or even try to change or affect me – I won’t recap the whole story (which of course I have written out) but just state that he was just doing his job of teaching and reaching – He was placed – and paced. The best advice he gave me about serving the Lord, a year later when I was preparing my first sermon, was: “You just do the best you can to present the scriptures.” That’s true – God wants to use you – just do the best you can to help Him shine thru.

I will always need someone to talk to – that is my known brokenness to me – and I also LIKE to talk to people too. Lord, I can always talk to You, and please forever take my brokenness to shine You thru. Please take my writings or the fact that I must write and use them for Your Glory. You took my time because it is Your time anyway.

I don’t know what this writing journey will morph into, Lord, but I know it will continue, until You change what I do. I don’t know this next stage of my journey Lord, but I do know this: that You will push me thru – especially for me to understand more of You.

THE LORD UNDERSTANDS.

THE LORD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.

THE LORD IS LORD.

AMEN AMEN AMEN

Whether 10,000 years or 1000 writings and forever more, we’ll have no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first begun…

Believe me, I have tears when I remember how God chose me to hear. Took many many a year. Am I special, no and yes. I am NOT special above others, I am not special. But without God’s timing, I would have never known how God connects in me and THRU me. So, I am SPECIAL in that I am His. Just that. He IS special in me. GUESS WHAT!!!??? YOU ARE SPECIAL TOO!!!   GOD LIVES IN YOU!!! TRUE!!!

Do you know that? I didn’t know that, I knew I HEARD from God, thought about God, but was it thru Jesus? I had no clue, neither did anyone who knew me. But God knew and He knows for you too. He knows… He trying to reach you thru the Spirit IN you. TRUE!!!

It’s not ours to understand, but God IS the One who opens ears, stops blockages of Spirit and softens hearts. We can encourage and we CAN keep reiterating that when we believed and continue to believe in Jesus, our whole perspective of life changes… TRUE!!!

Why believe in Jesus?

He rescued us from darkness.

He IS the Light.

He IS God in the flesh and Spirit in the soul.

Why believe that Jesus is bearing fruit in you? Because you are connected to Life thru Him. God the Father is the Vinedresser. Jesus is the Vine. We are the branches. The fruit of our living comes thru us from Him. In abiding in Jesus and loving Him, we can do all things. Jesus is in you. (Read John 15)

The best reason for believing in Jesus is that He already believes in you.

He chose you! Special? YES. His? YES.

If you don’t know Him – at least know that He knows you – and that He wants for Him in you to grow TRUE.

TRUE!!!  (and read the great description of Him in You in Paul’s letter to the Colossians 1:3-23)

AMEN!!!

—–

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,  and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,  and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. Colossians 1:3-23

“TRA-DI-TION, tradition,,, TRADITION” – I’m still singing with gusto after watching a Fiddler on the Roof special on PBS online – not traditional to watch it on a kindle like a personal TV, but what luxury! Broadway on Demand… “If I were a rich man”… I think we are rich in blessings, conveniences and yes, TRADITIONS!!! But in the play storyline, because of his traditions, the father had to try to shun his own daughter for marriage outside their faith,  let alone be pained but eventually disregard the arranged marriage traditions for his other daughter… some traditions made life so constraining… some traditions hurt…

Just after the show finished, I listened to Keith Green speaking about a Christmas song that he wrote in tears, having felt the heart and tears of Jesus beating thru him, and how sad he was that the “musak” canned industry of Christmas music in the stores became more about buying influences over knowing the real meaning of Jesus and WHY He came. 

(It is interesting to listen to Keith Green’s observation also about us worshipping the Christmas tree over Christ, quoting a warning from Jeremiah 10 (see below))… the point here is don’t lose the meaning of Christmas over traditions we invent. Don’t worship idols, including our ideas for ideals. 

Tradition! TRADITION! Isn’t it now SO traditional to give gifts? How true that “hustle and bustle last year after year”, as Michael Card sings, “but this little baby won’t always be here…”   it’s true, our windows of opportunity to soften our hearts is fleeting… 

Woe to us when we forget to unpack our Spirituality first before the decorations. We need Christmas for Christ’s sake, we need to focus forward and help with a revival of renewal. This has to be demonstrated not dictated. This year, we have to be OK with breaking with some traditional events (ah how stubborn a people we are, ugh) and with full force return to the Lord all that He is due… and place love and peace over idols  like the trees and the ornamentation and the purchases, which you know won’t last… We have to place others above our perceived needs, isn’t that what we witness when Jesus came?

And no worries, even if our Christmas is different, we can celebrate Christmas. We can cast off old moments, prepare mentally, rebuilding for future days, and yes dig deeper into our joy too.

I love the moment when I switch from shunning the work of decorating to snapping “into the zone”. At our house we alternate placement of the Christmas tree by the couch (my daughter’s choice) or by the stairs (my son’s choice). She’s away at college, and I have been gifted this time with my son – it is so precious to me – of course he gets star treatment and I know these days at home are not going to last. He directed the tasks after school was done, rearranging furniture, SWEEPING the floor WOW, setting where we will place the tree (it is a stairs year anyway), hanging lights, and oh such joy as we listened to his choice of Christmas music to prepare too (yeah!). I love the tree and the smell and the lights. Love comes in the logistics too for we are creating future memories filled with love. And a reminder, as I later sat in warm glow, that we carve out niches where we are not to be afraid even in trying times…

Ah, yes, don’t worship the traditions but work for and foster the peace.  I sat quietly listening to the silent house and being okay with the alone moments this year and sat quietly listening to my heart and loving it. The lights twinkling my eyes and my heart thinking about the blessed moment of peace and security around me. The quiet of the morning now also reminds in gifted moments to ponder Him and His mission over all worldly things. How can we, especially this year, use our unusual circumstances to break traditions that hurt, forgo traditions that distract, and hold onto traditions that help… all while making it hopeful for our children. We are stubborn people and so many want what they want, like they DESERVE Christmas and all the glitz and grandeur. Well, then Christmas wouldn’t be the GIFT, would it? Can we get an Amen?…

Perhaps we best teach our children, this year and always, to delight in the Lord first…  “This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24

Be Christmas, Be Christ-centered, Be Blessed. 

Amen 

—-

Jeremiah 10:1-10   God and Idols

Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. This is what the Lord says:

“Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them. For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk.

Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”

No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. Who should not fear you, King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise leaders of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.

They are all senseless and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idols. Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple — all made by skilled workers. But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.

—–

Tradition – Zero Mostel  https://youtu.be/kw2SJxPAp_k

Keith Green intro: https://youtu.be/G_nRDx43m9U

Keith Green Happy Birthday to You (Jesus) https://youtu.be/SIu-11q7Lsc

I saw a friend getting her mail today – she sure was happy about getting christmas cards – she sure was happy about the weight she recently lost and I saw her move effortlessly – she sure was happy to be happy! Plus it was 50 degrees out, OK for an outdoor visit and I brought her cheerful masks for her grandkids… When the pandemic first hit, this same lady was in TEARS thinking about her grandkids having to wear masks, and now such a change, she was cheerfully wearing hers and happy to be alive… Isn’t that what we all should be doing? Be happy to be alive and kicking and able to approach each day? And make a difference rather than a fuss? Tap into our life Spirit that brings life…. I bet it will so much LESS a hard winter for her because she will melt the snow with each of her cheerful steps… we should too.

It will only be a hard winter if we make it so – and around here there is barely any snow anyway… But it WILL be a brutal winter for others we know and SO many we don’t.  The loneliness or loss of loved ones, and there will be lost battles for those in losing battles, and we know it will be hard for those losing hope. It has to be our mission to find hope, and shine hope, so how will we maintain hope? Soften our hearts as well as our steps and feel for these friends and strangers… Let the Spirit shine – darkness needs light.

Soften our hearts to let the hope spill out of them, and they may be held together better for the good of all. Humble ourselves to be OK. Hope in the Lord to push thru another day. It’s a Hanukkah now too, a thank you celebration to God for the light that lasted so much longer than it should have. So, like that light and thru His Light, let us prove that our HOPE lasts too.

FEAR can be real and fear can be masked of course, and some spout anger because of it. Fear can also be hidden by putting on a brave face. But Light and cheer can NOT be hidden. Light shines in the darkness and dark has NOT overcome it. Therefore, fear has nothing on CHRISTMAS CHEER. You can not block the cheer of the heart, even if the spirit can not smile it will be known thru the quiet joy of knowing the joy… So how will we tap into this joy? You have to SOFTEN your heart as well as your steps… 

We can make it much less a hard winter if we soften the ground of others too, by not marking time but making it clear where our hope comes from. Clue in others on Who. My hope comes from the Lord.

 Isaiah says,“The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will HOPE.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15.

Amen. 

Keep softening hearts, Lord, show us Your Love and Light. Show us how to SHINE.

Amen Amen

I wonder why. 

I wonder why we wonder. 

I saw the moon, so beautiful and just a crescent this early morning. And why does the moon move? Why is it different everytime and everyday? Why does the moon affect the tides of the oceans which are so crucial to earth. And why do we have only one moon, not many?

I wonder why we wonder. 

The Tweedlebugs wondered, on Sesame Street.  Ernie wondered what they were doing and would look into his windowsill flower box to see their latest adventure. Make believe, yes, but always the Tweedlebugs were involved in a situation that required thinking and discussion and collective ideas and we could watch them through their mental thought processes, have discussion and make progress. Often they didn’t get far on their way, but the ideas made sense to them even if we thought they fell short of finishing their ultimate goal. We think they never got to reach the destination intended, like the beach or the zoo, yet we saw they were satisfied with the answer they discovered that day. Then they moved out with joy to accomplish it. They certainly always discussed the problem together. They wondered then THOUGHT, they THOUGHT then decided. They decided together. 

Togetherness, perhaps that’s the point of wondering.

Satisfaction, perhaps that’s the point of wondering. 

Joy in simple and complex solutions, perhaps that is the point of wondering. 

I wonder why we have joy.

I wonder why we wonder. 

God only knows. 

That’s not a wonder to me, but a wonderful GIFT of knowing that He knows. 

I wonder why it frustrates me when I don’t know everything, as if I should. But there is NO reason why we should. So, when I do know something, it’s not just because I took time to learn but also my brain is wired to learn certain things and not others. I can remember emotionally connected situations, like where people were sitting in a heated meeting, or when everyone was laughing at something someone did. I can’t remember many things, but I can remember being in the room where things happened.  Does God know everything or is God simply complexly everywhere or perhaps the point is not where He is but where He gives us free will.

I wonder why we have free will.

We certainly do. We can choose to not even go with what we know is a good idea. We can be stubborn to a fault. We can have hindsight to a problem. We can see our failures. We also can see when God intervenes despite ourselves to make something happen. 

Now that I have RAMBLED, and surely this is a ramble thru the randomness of my brain, I realized what I was missing was reading the scriptures. See when we wonder we often wonder “about me” – “were do I fit” – “how does this affect me?”… perhaps, no for sure, we are supposed to have the thoughts of “how does this help Thee?”

Someone remarked at me that I always look on the bright side, and in a down situation always looked where I myself could have an impact turning it to the positive. I already did that naturally, it’s not like I think why I do that, I just do. We are to think, not be rash but work at working things out… 

Now I have read and found the scriptures which found me. See Philippians 4

whatever is true,

whatever is noble,

whatever is right,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

REJOICE, BE GENTLE  THINK. Ahhhh….. THINK… 

When we are given wonder to think about Godly things, He wants us to not think the same but think of Him and His Ways. We are given moments to give back our mental energies for togetherness thinking. Not lone souls, but always together. Like Tweedlebugs who didn’t seem to get far, yet they ALWAYS got to a moment of togetherness, they made one decision, one step at a time. They would still be in progress achieving their collective goal, even as a functional family, and they are together in all kinds of weather.

How DIVIDED we are in this land. How tangent-driven we are. Surely if we stop to find peace, the common ground, we must acknowledge that it’s not the ground that brings us together. The ground grounds us, but the Lord lifts us. If we find peace, we must acknowledge it can ONLY be HIS PEACE. How much easier for me to move through my day by doing and thinking about God and what He would do. Oh, we have a model in Him too. What really would Jesus do? And remember, Jesus took time NOT to think about His next step, He took time to PRAY. He didn’t wonder what, JESUS KNEW, He prayed in free will for alignment under God’s Will. WE SHOULD TOO.

We should pray that same prayer. 

In all things, do what God would have us do, and keep moving….

Put into practice thinking of good things. 

Think of God… And the God of peace will be with you.

Amen 

---

Philippians 4:4-9, 11-13

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  

Finally, brothers and sisters, 

whatever is true, 

whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, 

whatever is pure, 

whatever is lovely, 

whatever is admirable

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 

…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I CAN DO ALL THIS through HIM who GIVES ME STRENGTH.

——

Video of the Tweedlebugs 

“What smart little bugs”

The scripture I read just now (Philippians 2) tells us that God KNOWS the way and also the TIME when every knee will bow to Jesus, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We THINK that we know His timing but we don’t and we think that we need to do to work to hurry His system along for Him, and we worry when we fall short, but HE is really aiming to use us in big and small things – and work us FOR His purposes in His timing... so we simply are to abide or work hard at abiding and let Him do the positioning…

It doesn’t have to be BIG work, for God is in all the small stuff too… Yesterday, I was feeling like every plate was spinning at the same time with me trying to work from home in meetings, taking care of my son – and making more Christmas cookies too – full spinning plates will hurl stuff off of them and crash to the floor – and then I just decided to give it up to the Lord and go grocery shopping at lunch time. So, I pulled up to my normal full-service station (I love full service gas stations) and the attendant had a sign in the window (be back 10 minutes) and I waited a bit… I thought to just leave, actually pulled out, but then backed my car back in because I saw the little old lady next to me, with her handicap window hanger on her mirror, and I said to myself: “Why am I being so silly thinking that I am out of sorts when I am NOT, especially when I am SO BLESSED.” So I just got out and pumped her gas for her (and then pumped my own)… She was thankful – it was so minimal of a thing for me to do – and reminded me to stop thinking that small tasks are nothing…  small tasks are still God’s tasks…

I think sometimes God also likes to have us wait just long enough so that we get out of our own heads and into His service… Just like I also shiver at the cold and then remember I am from upstate where it is MUCH MUCH colder than this and I am being silly and could simply put a hat and mittens on to go outside…

If God can exalt Jesus, then surely He can move us into position to be His helpers: even if just to pump gas and humble our heads… And bow our heads when we realize that our lives are lived for Him. Just keep working for Him.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2

Yup!!! Amen!!!

PS, after I got home from shopping,  my son wanted to bring out the Christmas stuff (really to earn money for chores LOL) and so we worked hard together in rearranging and cleaning, and putting stuff out, even spoke about his friends and school and lots of stuff… what a blessing… I got back to work work later, but that was SUCH a blessing to be with him!! Yay! And guess what? Christmas stuff is out!!! God’s timing and silver linings!!! Ask for the desires of your heart!

Life is not perfect, but that doesn’t matter this year. The house is a mess, the dishes undone but really no one is here to leer or sneer.

Christmas is coming, too fast to even fear. Some cookies are smooshed, some decorations dented. Even some will stay in their boxes. Oh dear! Regretfully some cheer might be held back until a non-covid year.

Yet it’s a BABY coming, NOT the fancy folks, my dear.

He wants your head to stop spinning, and actually for you to get your heart in gear.

He really loves you. He wants to give you PEACE and draw you near.

He also tells us it is God our Father, we should all revere.

Jesus will take our burdens and hold us wherever we shed a tear. He will be the founder of your cheer.

No cookies were ever needed for Jesus, He knows EXACTLY what He wants from you this year.

Jesus simply wants to BEND YOUR EAR.

Jesus gives you forever life, you are made new in Him. All He wants is for you to HEAR.

That’s why Christmas is still a blessed Christmas, even THIS year. 

AMEN 

I love Paul’s message to the Philippians, chapter 2. It’s an anti-rant teaching… A cajoling… A HOPE for a HUMAN CONDITION TO COMPLAIN…

This year, every year, it is good to think about NOT GRUMBLING… Not just because Santa’s watching “you better not pout” – but I KNOW it IS better to count blessings. It is better and best to not only count blessings but hand them back out to others. Let them see the Spirit SHINE like the stars – and in this light pollution of our times, show Spirit Shine brighter than bright, with all your might!

Smile and serve. 

If life inconveniences you, count your blessings. If people infuriate you, count your blessings because you CAN take a LONGVIEW. It’s not being a Pollyanna and forgetting the past as much as it is being a future-looker seeing fulfillment in the forever… SO MUCH to praise but not to boast. God gives us the power within His Spirit from His Spirit to simply smile, simply keep our mouths shut except to boast in God’s faithfulness…

If people wonder how – how you can be you – perhaps it is better if they will see humility displayed in you so that they may give credit to God.  It’s not being a pushover if you are already kneeling in servant position to God.  For it is God within you to help you be you.

Imagine putting others in front of yourselves… anti the rant with a prayer for others. Imagine that others have been doing that for you! Others have put you before themselves. Why? Because Jesus did too.

Did you ever see the news after a fire tears thru someone’s dwelling? They are often praising that they are still alive. Imagine how much more praising we could do when we are still OK. 

(And imagine when we are not OK, but we praise anyway.)

If we count blessings, they spill out everywhere. If we fall on our knees in prayer and thankfulness, our cushioning is covered by the blessings that can’t be contained…

Amen (and please read Paul’s anti-rant letter)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Paul to the Phillipians chapter 2

It’s cool how two planets are coming closer together as Christmas approaches. One is brighter than the other because of distance and size, making them distinct.  But there were much brighter lights in motion tonight as I traveled down the highway, BIG beaming lights, with flashing red and green side lights. One after another gliding down from the sky.   When I caught glimpses of the 2 planets again, sometimes they were mixed up in a show of 5 lights, sometimes there were 3. See, those were all headlights! BIG airplanes descending, dotting the night sky in a distance, coming in for a landing at an international airport… Busy busy busy and certainly BRIGHT. 

Objects in motion – stay in motion – and you have to pay attention. Car lights also – EXTREMELY important to pay attention to them… they all move FAST. 

It has always fascinated me that people pay attention to some fanciful moments but miss others. And now this significant planet alignment is cool, but not apocalyptic, is in motion. Yet, how about us remembering that Christmas has ALREADY been in motion, 2000 years, because Jesus has already been born. It’s not different or special this year, but every year is uber special. And the difference is in us! Yes, Christmas IS the motion, we are the objects all around, ready to be moved – needing to be moved – praying to be moved. 

We are sentimental people, and always looking for a sign. This Christmas, let’s look MORE for the big motion and not the nuances. Let’s look for the objects in motion to stay in motion, yes according to Newton’s Law, and then REALLY look at Jesus in motion in our lives, for Christmas in motion is UNSTOPPABLE and BRIGHT. God’s plan, His Light, our life. Christ is the revealed Way. Nothing could be brighter than Him or more monumental a movement for God to come with us, Immanuel. God for us, for Him, thru Grace. 

Movable… let us feel those tender moments of being emotionally and spiritually moved by the Lord. Mary, Jesus’s mother, was moved too… emotionally and spiritually moved, plus physically moved (to her cousin’s place and then to Bethlehem). Likewise, Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin was in motion and even her womb carrying John the Baptist moved, filled with the Holy Spirit, when hearing Mary’s voice. And then Mary sang of her Lord, moving the people closer to Him.

Yes, we are the objects, the people, that God wants to place into motion. Oh, how movable can we be? Lord only knows. Only as we humble ourselves can He lift us this Christmas and always… Let us look for the Holy Spirit moving in us.

Be movable.

Be in motion.

Be His.

Watch for God.

Amen 

—–

Luke 1:35-56

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

I love watching the planets Jupiter and Saturn as they inch closer and closer to each other each night and will become a star pair just before Christmas… This will be the visually closest that they come together for like hundreds of years… they don’t change brightness on each other but together they may look that way.

We too are inching closer to Christmas, so will our brightness and joy amplify?  We may not think we are ready for Christmas, but Christmas is ready for us. There IS One who makes us brighter, wiser, and more at peace. Our Prince of Peace, Christ is revealed and ALREADY ready and ALWAYS bright… He never stopped being with us, but since the Christmas spirit captures and softens our hearts, we want to meet Him fresh. 

Then we may foster that freshness for others and plant the seeds of growing faith.

Honestly, don’t you feel we NEED to think about Christmas more than ever this year? Not the presents but the presence.

Perhaps we need to explain Christmas in terms of how it gives us peace. We can show that we love and are even MORE relying on God this year for Christmas Hope.  Yes, we need to remember that Jesus came into the world with a very tough mission, with a very important mission, with a mission only He could fulfill. He made a Way where there was no way. The stars aligned to announce the Way, the angels sang to celebrate the Way, we are called to be reminders OF THE WAY. Jesus IS the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

As Christmas approaches, my prayer is that your star(dust) inches closer to the star (of the morning) Jesus. 

Morning Star – keep my heart.

Be at peace.

Share the peace. 

Shine the Love.

Love the Lord, He IS the ONLY Way…

Amen

Pulling on my favorite jeans, clean and WARM from the dryer – ahhh… They slip on tight and feel alright.

Isn’t that just like the Lord to make things seem and feel better? Better than OK. Better than alright.

Sure it was cold and is cold outside, BUT let’s not be blue, let’s stay OK knowing that the Lord stays with us, He IS forever and true. He IS our Light.

Slip on warm jeans, oh it gets better than that: let the Lord slip into, over and thru you, warming our hearts and hopes. Isn’t that better, better than OK for you? It is now alright.

Sipping a cup of tea. Slipping my hands around the warm cup – my Jesus and me – His Hands hold us to a T – how blessed to know that in Him, we are free. Slipping deeper into my favorite sweater – watching the world go by (wrong or right)… The world may look a fright, however, in HIM, life and we will be alright.

Yes, the world aches, creation groans and we don’t always get things right. But the Lord keeps working day and night. It will take time to weed out the worries, it will take work to keep sharing His news of glories. It’s not always going to be pleasant – not always going to be an easy sight. Yet we can be sure for everything we endure, He will help light the Light.

So, it WILL be OK. Today, it will be OK. Same tonight. 

Tomorrow we will worry about tomorrow on another day – remember that each day has it’s own light. 

Isn’t that just like the Lord to make things better? To right the right?

Better than OK, the Lord will light the light, today, tomorrow and tonight.

Amen

I love watching the movie the Bishop’s Wife. I love Cary Grant’s style as “Dudley” and his sureness as an angel, I love Julia’s sweet innocence and I love the joy that permeates the lives of everyone when the angel arrives, joy that had been slipping away from the stressful living under strongheaded people’s individualist plans. Joy returned, making it easier to then share that joy forward – experienced by the dog to the professor to the house staff to little Debbie. I especially like little Debbie, she was allowed to be a child, allowed to be in joy… and how about the strong-arm snowball throw that the angel gave her?  “She pitched a curve!” She didn’t know what came over her. She didn’t know her own strength. She looked back at the Angel in her new friend Dudley, knowing this was NOT from her, and kept running to join in the snowball game. She knew something had changed and this was an opportunity for fun and inclusion. Really muscles and miracles overcoming gloom and doom make for good movies. Good moves make for meaningful messages. And messages are all around from this movie…

Now, I’m not saying this movie is a documentary, LOL, it is JUST a movie, taking lots of liberties, but it has a message that IS tender and soulful. It warns of slipping away from the Lord. My how our hearts ache with the Bishop’s wife Julia, how they get soothed with hope from the choir boys singing, and how ours skips a beat when Dudley tells a story then recites Psalm 23 to little Debbie as King David’s thank you song to the Lord. Not knowing an angel helped him, but for sure knowing the Lord cared.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.

The Bishop sees his life slipping away. The others see it too – and don’t know how to bring Him back. Well, who restoreth my soul? Who restoreth our souls? Our Shepherd. Our Lord.

I go back to the scene with little Debbie being pulled into the snowball game unexpectedly because of what the angel did for her and how much she loved it. Did the angel HAVE to do that for her? No. Did she have a startling good time? Yes. Did she get to be in the fray of life and love it? Yes. Did little Debbie know her new strength was of a non-human source? That’s me too – that’s maybe you – or might be a new thought for you. Did the Lord or some of His angels pull you out of your stuck corner? Did they put you back into the game? Give you the strength? Did you have to navigate the fray? Will you always have to navigate? Does life get messy? YES on all counts. When angel Dudley answers mom Julia’s question: “Do you think she will get hurt?” with a statement of truth: “Yes, but she will love it.” – well, YES, that IS us and life. Will we get hurt? Yes, probably. But we wouldn’t choose to NOT be in the play. Life is not for slipping away. Life is not simple like snowballs and defending forts, but we ARE strengthened by the Lord, by the Armor of God, and we never know what can happen when angels are guiding us. Not knowing when an angel helps us, but for sure knowing the Lord cares.

Am I still in love with this movie? Yes 

Am I forever in love with the Lord? Forever… Life is for Living – He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We can do anything thru Christ who strengthens us.

Go enjoy Life. Don’t be slipping away/ Make the most of today.

Amen

———–

The choir boys’ scene – miracles in the making: https://youtu.be/EgIvJl2P3JI

The whole movie – a favorite! (but a website with commercials) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2chnjx

———

Phillipians 4: 4-9, 12-13

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
—-
Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Surprised is what happens to us. 

Prepared is where God wants us to find ourselves. 

Mary was surprised by the Angel who told her she would be pregnant.

Mary was then prepared for the pregnancy and birth by visiting her cousin Elizabeth to help with her pregnancy. 

Joseph was surprised by Mary’s pregnancy. 

Joseph was then prepared by the Angel’s instructions to not divorce Mary. 

Mary was surprised to be the chosen mother of the Savior. 

Mary chose to become prepared to be her Lord’s handmaiden servant.

Joseph was surprised to be the father of the Savior.

Joseph chose to become prepared to take care of his/His family. 

The scene, 30 years later, saw surprise by being introduced to the Son of Man who was prophesized to be Savior. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” they said.

John the Baptist beckoned others to prepare: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

John’s audience was surprised by this chosen moment. 

But the prophet Isaiah had prepared them (700 years prior) to hear: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ “

The paths to Him surely were surprised by their straightening. 

The Lord was prepared to make His Way.

The skeptics were surprised that they were not saved simply by being children of Abraham. 

John the Baptist boldly spoke to prepare them for demise or repentance. “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The surprise of deliverance brings desire of repentance and baptism.

The humbling thru repentance prepares us to be baptized “with the Holy Spirit and fire”.

We are surprised in life by the voice of Jesus calling us to come to Him. 

We are prepared for life when we hear the unchanging voice of Jesus saying “I am already here with you”.

We are surprised by our own experiences. 

We are prepared by the Lord to keep going. 

We are surprised by God’s love. 

We are prepared for God’s plan. 

We are surprised to be chosen.

Jesus was prepared to choose us.

We are surprised, but we are MORE prepared to be blessed.

Blessed. Be Blessed.

Amen

In the slow down I go out the door less, but I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE.

In the slow down I drive less, use gas less, and yet I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE.

In the slow down I wear the same comfy clothes, do laundry less, live more simply, but I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE.

In the slow down I work just as much, actually I work more, and for sure I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE. 

In the world of worry, I worry more and I worry less, but (and and) I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE. 

In a Spirit of Peace, I find more peace in the Lord, and I still need the Lord, I need the Lord EVEN MORE.

In a season of giving, I still need the Lord, I need to remember the Lord. I need to GIVE FROM the Lord EVEN MORE. 

In a season of life, I need to give credit to the Lord EVEN MORE.

In a season of hope, I need to look to the Lord EVEN MORE.

In a season of praying, I need to pray to the Lord EVEN MORE.

In a season of wanting more, EVEN MORE I need to KNOW that the Lord is ALL I NEED. ALL I EVER DID. ALL I EVER WILL.

EVEN MORE, I need to remember the Lord was never not here. Immanuel, God IS with us

EVEN MORE I Praise the Lord.

EVEN MORE I am OK.

EVEN MORE GOD IS GOD

GOD IS

AMEN

Was listening to the podcast of the radio preacher who said people were arguing with him in discussion of whether there were only some predestined to be saved and others who would never be saved. So, his answer to the arguer was: “Get saved”…  good answer…  if we know enough to argue then we should know enough to educate ourselves… then we should know enough to listen and witness and hope to hear God closer and closer.

We get to help. We get to love. I love the explanation my dear friend Pastor PJ, said to me long time ago: If I am not allowed into the pearly gates – at least I can be one of the people holding my hands for a foothold for others to step on and climb over. Yes. How humble and sweet PJ was and is. If he is still there when I get there – I would help him up and over for sure too…

That is why we work for the Lord now – to let those predestined get prepared. And to beg mercy for everyone else. I’m always praying for a last minute moment for all.

In Romans 8:28-30, Paul teaches: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

I believe that our “conformed to the image” includes both politeness and boldness. And for sure includes us KNOWING that the Spirit is placed INSIDE of us, to use us and move us. So we are too polite to tell people that God’s looking at them or much anything – gee if we are too polite to tell people to put a mask on in our presence (which shocked me twice this half week alone – the car repair shop and the grocery store – not just behind the scenes folks but out-front folks required to but not wearing masks), then I am NOT surprised that we simply don’t jump right out and speak scripture to everyone.  But we CAN walk in scripture, walk in faith, show them we are Christians by our love…. I want to try to be better and more educating to anyone who will hear, but I KNOW that I am being watched as a Christian for my actions. 

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

I thank God that I get to write. I thank God that of the many ways He forced me to stop seeing things “my way” and into seeing His Way, is that I simply want to share cool stuff that I read and that I experience. How blessed I feel in a pandemic that the Lord gave me a “backup” task – grew me into this way of serving – wakes me up and gives me rest so that I can get on with the rest of His work in me, for me, for others… I might be too polite in blasting my Facebook page every day with scripture – but God is FIRM in WHY He wants us to share. Remember the Holy Spirit doesn’t come simply “to us” – but “thru us”.  We are to share… In writing to the church folks in Ephesians 4: 12-13, Paul says: “…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.“

I appreciate those scriptures that tell us to be ready for Jesus coming again – I appreciate the workload because our work is a way we help the Way. Actually, another pastor’s sermon this week said “God doesn’t actually need our help”- True, but He wants it anyway! and so as we see the Way – we encourage others, the masses of people who have not heard. To reach unity in the faith, we are tasked to be sometimes polite and affirming and sometimes not even polite at all but always FIRM in sharing so that: “speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Each part does it’s work. 

Paul continues in chapters 4 and 5 to say:, “don’t give the devil a foothold” – I see that as taking a moment to listen to the Lord on how to react and not rashly react – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”…

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.“…

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.”… “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Amen!!!

I heard the news report about the weather, such terrible storms rolled through!!!  And the newscaster told of a roof HVAC system that is now in the middle of a parking lot. “But was it a tornado?”  Isn’t it interesting that we always ask that question!!!

I am a weather junkie, and I do care – BUT a tornado diagnosis vs straight line winds makes NO DIFFERENCE to the HVAC system or the people affected. The weather did make a difference whether it was which weather or what. 

Does God make a difference? 

Does it matter our perception or not?

Well, yes, of course He makes a difference whether you or anyone thinks He does or not. See, God makes the difference, the equals, the quotient and the sum. God multiplies and divides. God adds it all up in one lump sum because He never DIDN’T make everything. He always had everything. He then SHARED everything. We are made from His discernment. We ARE the dust in HIS Tracks.

So, the splitting of hairs on semantics is not of importance in the long run with weather or even with descriptions. But what IS important to how we live and feel about life is how we perceive God. If we see God only as a force of nature that is different and incomplete than seeing God as Creator of nature (which He Is). And it goes much more personal than that. If we see God as making a difference in our lives, we will look for Him more and more. And then we will realize He was there always, we just didn’t notice. And better yet, we won’t ask Him to lead as much as we will ask Him: HOW CAN I BETTER FOLLOW?

God has always been making our dust particles into someone making a difference for Him. He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the coming of our Lord Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Perhaps the better question to ask is: how can I see the answer that You have already written on my heart: Let me see what you have made me to be: Yours.

I was thinking about Luke, the doctor in the bible, who identified with and told the stories of some of the invisible people from history: including the women, the shepherds, the slaves, and how they all “got Jesus” when they were in direct interactions with Him… The servants and the hidden folks…  God sees them, Jesus knows them, and they are willing to be known to Him.

With Covid these days, it is the nursing homes that are both the hardest hit and the hardest to keep safe from viral spread… It has always been a shame that the nursing home folks are kinda invisible to the world in a normal day – let alone these days… My grandmother was in a home for over 10 years in the 70’s and 80’s – I helped sing at the communion services in nursing homes here – the people are wonderful, the staff do the best they can – but they are coldspots of warm visitations… there were never enough visitors…  Now there are practically none. Sad.

My isolated hometown had so few deaths pretty much this whole time and now a nursing home there became a hotspot with 52 cases, 3 deaths in one week… my prayers for all… With advancements in testing, it’s hopeful that somehow a hedge of protection will be possible to contain everything and regain control as we are in a spiral of non-containment right now. Yes, it is going to be tough…

My work sent a note about something that could happen to any workforce – putting the same critical people in a room together without taking enough precautions. They used the example of the Denver Broncos having to play a game without a starting QB as one of their QBs tested positive for Covid during the week and the other three QBs on the roster had been in a film room session with him and didn’t follow protocols like mask wearing, so they were not allowed to play due to contact. They said in the article below that they thought being forced to still field a team with no quarterback meant they were being used as an example… well, whether they were used as an example or not is irrelevant to them being an example (and they lost the game) – a reminder to not put all your eggs in one basket, or your good eggs at least…yup…  That is a visible result from an invisible issue.  here’s that article: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30418190/quarterback-less-denver-broncos-rolled-saints-kendall-hinton-finishes-1-9

The last article I read today, related to all this, was about the South Dakota American Indian reservations – that they were putting in more strict rules for people who visited or crossed their lands, than the state wanted them too… it is hard to protect people when there are invisible communities… the Native Americans have always felt invisible…

I don’t know where we are going to end up in the fight of covid before the vaccinations take place – I don’t know how invisible people can become visible – but I do know that the Lord knows them all… I pray the visible parts of our society catch on to help those less visible.  I do know that the Lord has ALL the power to make Himself known to all – but He will do that one person at a time.

I am comforted to know that the Lord has not stopped being present with the forgotten folks – they are first on His visitation list.

A thoughtful Amen…

Just Because it’s Raining

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t turn on the lights and brighten the room.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t put on a smile on the brighten the mood.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t walk in the rain and splash some too.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t call a friend to splash cheer there too.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t eat just as healthy as you usually do.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t have pie for breakfast, TRUE!

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you can’t watch the rain falling.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean you have to.

Just because it’s raining doesn’t mean be blue. 

Whether it rains on your day or not, just be you.

Let the rain just be rain.

You, just be you.

Certainly, your Facebook feed is a diverse set of friends. Certainly some people are more venting than others. Same would be true at a big party, say a new year’s eve party, where you meet friends of friends and decide to chat or move far to the other side of the room. 

On Facebook there’s a snooze button. I use it. So that what I see doesn’t make me upset. I like to stay friends with all, but wow some with their visceral wall.

Apostle Paul saw these attributes in his time and longed for people learning and maturing. Yes! We, like Paul writing to Ephesians, are all at different stages of reaching unity in the faith. Honestly, I think that we are walking up many ladders – I hope they are built strong. 

Paul spoke of listening to the gifted servant teachers who: equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Paul wanted all of us to “Grow up!”

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Paul wanted us to GET REAL and speak truthfully to our neighbors, as members of one body in Christ.  In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Yeah, I bet Paul would have liked to see not the rage of the “information age” but growth in the spiritual age of the information…  I bet if Paul had a Facebook page, he would post this:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 

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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 

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be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5

Naturally when I watch my all-time favorite movie, Miracle on 34th Street, I am reminded of my faith journey, and how I came to believe in Jesus, because I didn’t… six years ago, I didn’t. 

How my tears flow in awe-filled JOY that Jesus was really patient and waited, and even if God presented His case over and over again, I didn’t get it – until I saw it – until I felt it – until I knew it – until I believed. Actually, He had to reveal the missing links in my logic, then He gave me the facts to fill them in. No one knew. He knew how to get thru. I could not deny anymore, even if I had no idea what i was denying. 

No one makes you believe. You have to see it for yourself, an unreal reveal that is real. Really. 

This time watching the end of my favorite movie, a fresh revelation: the time and place was determinant upon all factors coming together JUST RIGHT… winning the case in court, the morning Christmas party wrap up with a start of a reconciliation of Doris and Fred, their driving thru the suburbs not the city, see, this all lined up the necessary prevenient stage… but little Susie, even all while trying to convince herself of faith, was still not buying it. Then with all pieces in play, when she sees WITH HER OWN EYES the house that she has dreamed of, that no one knew but her and “you know who”, it is an amazing movie moment – it is an amazing non-coincidence – it is a moment of an unreal reveal that is real. Really. 

She saw… she believed…

I saw… I know…

I don’t know what God had/has up His sleeves in your faith journey. But in mine? Not tricks, just truths. Not silly moves, but mountain moves. 

Here’s writing #16, 6 years ago, half way thru my awakening 2 months. I wasn’t quite there – to have faith when common sense tells you not to… I wanted to, I wanted to drop thinking it was silly. He knew what to do.

How blessed to write my own – I mean HIS own – Way…

Blessed. 

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#16

Miracle on 34th Street – “I Believe, I Believe, it’s Silly but I Believe”, 04JAN2015

My favorite movie – not just Christmas movie – but all time movie – is Miracle on 34th Street.  Not the ’70’s version, not the colorized version but the original 1947 version – Edwin Gwynn as Kris Kringle – Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood as mom and daughter…  and Fred Gailey the lawyer (John Payne).  yes my favorite movie of all time – ever since I was a teen…

Little Susie says “I believe, I believe, it’s silly but I believe”. She was talking about Santa Claus – but the movie goes much deeper than that – see Santa (Kris Kringle) was looking for belief in people – in everyone who didn’t believe – looking for hope to continue in his line of work – to continue hoping for the world.  Fred was asking Doris (Maureen O’Hara) to believe – to believe in him – to believe in anything – she swore off fairy tales, swore off any belief in what she wasn’t in control of.  she suffered from too much reality check – “should be realistic and completely truthful with our children and not have them growing up believing in a lot of legends and myths” … “And by filling them full of fairy tales they grow up considering life a fantasy instead of a reality.” Fred will work on Doris – Kris Kringle work on Susie too – together they can make this happen – it is a movie after all – together we will see how it all unfolds…

At the pinnacle of the movie – Doris is upset that Fred throws away his career by taking on the seemingly win-less case of proving that Kris Kringle is indeed Santa Claus – the one and only Santa Claus… Fred urges her “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. It’s not just Kris that’s on trial. It’s everything he stands for. It’s kindness, joy, love, and all other intangibles.” “Someday, you’re going to find out that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn’t work. And when you do, don’t overlook those lovely intangibles. You’ll discover they’re the only things that are worthwhile.”

Fast forward to Doris trying to reassure Susie that Mr Kringle will be ok – Doris is not sure she yet believes what she is telling her daughter – but Doris tells little Susie that she has to have faith – Doris even adds to Susie’s letter that “I believe in you too” – win – Kris Kringle gets the letter and all the other dead letters at the post office and Fred wins the case – Kris is recognized by the federal government to be the “One and Only Santa Claus” – WIN!

Susie has asked Mr Kringle for something big – bigger than a normal present – she asks for a house – one of those Long Island cape cod’s – similar to the suburb house that I live in today  quaint, quiet and family friendly… Susie expects Mr Kringle to deliver – big time – expects a miracle – expects that snap and she will have this house – puts it as a test to him…  No – she doesn’t get it at the Christmas morning party – Doris has to say – “You must believe in Mr. Kringle and keep right on doing it. You must have faith in him.” … “you’ve still got to believe in people. I found that out.”

“I believe. I believe. It’s silly but I believe” – Kris has orchestrated a car ride home with Fred – down a quaint quiet street – in a family neighborhood. “I believe. I believe. It’s silly but I believe” – Susie repeats and repeats – and then – oh snap! there it is – the house – on a quaint and quiet street – the perfect house – it’s for sale – it’s unlocked – with a swing in the back – WIN.

Fred learns from Susie that Doris told her “Mommy said if things don’t turn out right at first, you’ve still got to believe. You were right Mommy!”  – WIN – Doris to Fred “I never really doubted you. It was just my silly common sense.” WIN – BIG WIN. Kiss – realization that believing is seeing – believing came first – then seeing Kris Kringle’s cane in the house – hmmm….

Believe – it was and is that belief has to be there first – the rest follows – you have to believe  – to have faith when common sense tells you not to…  BELIEVE

https://debbieupper.blog/2015/12/20/miracle-on-34th-street-i-believe-i-believe-its-silly-but-i-believe-04jan-16/

You know what the best Thanksgiving leftover is? (And I have some GREAT leftovers in the fridge)… No. It’s not food.

The best Thanksgiving leftover is THANKFULNESS.

Just in this relaxing weekend and great weather, I have had unusual moments of pause, but what is NOT unusual is my thankful spirit prodding me to thank the Lord even more. And as I remember WHO, the Great I AM, who gives peace and pause… I ask why? FOR HIS CAUSE, lest we forget. 

What is another so thankful leftover I just now had? Well, time to catch up listening to Pastor deliver a deep Thanksgiving Eve message of what he is NOT thankful for, and what he is. 

What struck me as a Holy Spirit combination was that I had just read an article of the horrible bombings in the UK in WW2, and here Pastor mentions the horrors of WW2, and so many other times that really were much worse than now… yeah,  I agreed so much with his statement that times ARE stressful now, and yet for many of us, we have a cake walk now, even thru covid, compared to the intense level of other people’s lives then (and even now). I agree that we have blessings beyond blessings, ESPECIALLY knowing that we have JESUS. And He has a personal connection with us.

To me, when I read this old article about the villagers of Coventry, and how EXTRA anxiety ridden they were in the bombings, the line that struck me was it felt worse to them because of the nearly 600 people who died, knowing many of them in a small knit village, it felt so personal. As a war strategy, and an evil-related tactic, the disillusionment was just as bad as the damage, and infighting started to take place. They recovered from the devastation, but not without people coming to help – including Americans who felt a personal touch of their hearts to help intercede in the war. The statement in the article was that the CHRISTMAS SERVICE FROM A BOMBED-OUT CATHEDRAL drew the international news broadcasts. Light from dark won.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-34746691

And I thought that isn’t it interesting how compliance with covering their windows was not only so important in wartime but they probably didn’t fight it, and they did it for the sake of all. (I don’t know, I wasn’t there, but I hope it was).  My thoughts are that blackouts were not the stressors, but the bombings were. Yeah, we have no idea how bad those people were shaken, but I believe that they pulled together: blackout curtains pulled together, people pulled together. I recently saw the YouTube video of the 96yr old Queen knighting Captain Tom who did 100 laps of his garden for his 100th birthday, raising money for the English healthcare system. Well, he knew the British Spirit to pull together, and raised 30 million pounds!!!. Here’s a 96 yr old and a 100 yr old who got to chat and count their own blessings. They both did their part then in WW2, they both do their parts now in encouragement. How can we not? How can we not???!!!

What’s our biggest part to play? SHARE THE LOVE. See, with God, it’s ALL PERSONAL. He knows and created EVERY ONE of us. Not just all people who love Him, He knows all.

Pastor’s sermon also reminded about how we are to LOVE on people to bring God’s peace to fruition… that is so true, how will hearts change? Not thru hate, thru LOVE. How will this be achievable? Not thru anything else but JESUS. How will He be known? How about us helping!

We still have Thanksgiving leftovers, and Christmas is coming fast. JESUS is not lost in the shuffle, especially if YOU deal Him and His peace into your next hand. DEMONSTRATE HIS PEACE. We don’t have time to keep stirring up angst of “woe is me” – let us trade that strategy into “wondering where God is needing me”. Let us trade the “I can’t wait until this is over” into “I have many missions over my mumblings”.  And what perfect timing for us to get as PERSONAL in our praise as we can. For Jesus, PEACE IS PERSONAL!

Don’t bemoan the bothers, be in thankfulness for the blessings. Be the example of the Lord raising you up, because you know that He will, that He did, that He does.

I always say that God pays me to smile. HOW DARE I SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. I’m human and I do whine, but God PERSONALLY reminds me to be THANKFUL EVERY TIME. 

AMEN.

Bless this mess.

I was thinking that we watch the world of people who do things that we would NEVER dream of, and instead of giving in to the temptation to say statements like: “I told you so.”, “what did you expect?” – and taking the stance, that is SO tempting, of: “they were asking for trouble!” – that instead we should ask God for mercy over them… bless them too… 

Yeah, wake them up Lord, but bless them please while I avert my eyes from their train wreck. (Wouldn’t you be happy if others prayed against your train wrecks too?) That crash that you DON’T hear? That is from Jesus blessing you and blessing them too… He’s got the SAVING GRACE, and who are we to withhold ours. Who are we to pray for less. (When we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us. The Spirit can not help but intercede.)

We should forgive, pray and ask the Lord to bless them too.

God never shuts His eyes. Jesus says: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” The Spirit in us already knows.

Jonah, as so famously is known for being forced to go to Nineveh, carried in a whale, also is known for wanting/expecting to watch the people suffer. He didn’t like them, what they did, but when he delivered God’s message, they themselves repented. Jonah thought: Huh? Where’s the train wreck? The Lord said: I can and will save my children… God has first and final say.

In the book of Ephesians (chapters 3, 4 see below), Paul is praying for those working for spreading the good news among the gentiles. Imagine if collectively we could pray this same level of blessing to whom we perceived as those masses of misguidedness, those throngs of wrongs, those neighbors of naysayers. 

We SHOULD pray for all, especially for those whom we disagree. 

Lord, bless the mess.

Amen 

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:2-6)

THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

A tremendous bible study teaching I heard on the radio today, from the book of Romans (that HUGE book of Romans, how convenient to have this teaching), explained about Apostle Paul’s observations of the WRESTLING back and forth in our consciousness of spiritual battles between us being slaves to sin and to the Lord.

Paul gives an “if this, then that” detailed sense, in an almost mathematical proof, of how he wishes that he didn’t do sinful things, knows better, and yet his mind and body does them anyway.  Romans 7

The bible study pastor also spoke of how this IS an example of our born-again nature. To accept Jesus and know we are dependent upon Jesus, we are born again of the spirit (John 3). That we are made aware of our wrestling back and forth, this means that our fight within us makes for moments as Christians which may feel like our “long sufferings”. These could be intense moments of mental stress – even for what used to be simple decisions which were simply NOT thinking but human nature default actions, These could things that we see others doing and say “well, so and so is doing that”. Remember that we were all born into original sin, God has been pulling us back out of the mud ever since. (And remember that the evil one can not touch us, being sealed by the Spirit. We are HIS!)

THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

I can think of personal examples, I’m sure you can too. And can I urge delighting in God and His power to pull me thru them. (I’m not intending to detail them lest I glamorize my sinfulness, we do that too much). I will say that we do wrestle with many things… more than I could or should list… you get my point… we are human. 

THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

How about how we treat people?

How about how we focus or don’t?

How about how about????????

THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

(And don’t dwell on the list, because you become fodder for the devil as if he was playing bingo and saying gee, since you mentioned your sin, let’s take you down that road of not feeling worthy)… LET’S NOT.  Answer instead with Paul’s words and OUR born-again blessing: THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

Like I said (and the radio pastor said), this list of our humanness is long. Paul details humanness to explain that we all go thru wrestling… and because our hope IS, and has to be, IN JESUS, we put ourselves back on track of denying our sinful selves and reaching for Jesus to live within us less cluttered. Jesus will bring the joy over the junk. He will take care of your sin, live in Him.

AMEN 

Romans 7:14-25

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

THANKS BE TO GOD, WHO DELIVERS ME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

Once again as I start reading a new book of the bible, Ephesians, I find it to be such a gem of a chapters.  Lot’s of THANKS-GIVING in this!!!  Paul writes of the whole of God’s mercy and how it happens.  “For He Himself is our peace” speaking of the unity Jesus desires and makes – not only wants but essentially takes it upon Himself to accomplish, by giving of Himself over death, and by being the cornerstone in a new temple where we are the building blocks that God is making new. We are all included, we have grace to save us – even while we were and are sinners.

Not much more I need this Thanksgiving day to say about this great chapter, except to say I’m so thankful for Jesus – so thankful for the Holy Spirit – so thankful for Our Father – from whom all blessings flow.

Thank you for allowing me to share my musings and my thanksgivings and even my endless processing…  Thank you for being moved by Christ to be His, there is not much more encouraging that an encourager can see… Alive in Christ is Thee!!!! “For He Himself is our PEACE!”    

😉

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Ephesians 2 – Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

I don’t think there is a more apt scripture lesson for today’s covid-era Thanksgiving celebrations, yours, mine or others (whether small or large, mixed family units or basic bubbles) than this: “Don’t Judge“.

I don’t think that we can stand on our idealized thoughts of ourselves doing everything right and others being wrong – we are all a mix of each – we must take the specks out of our eyes (Matthew 7:3). We are all in this together and we are all human and certainly in a broken world. Yes, spiritual battles abound, and the Bible instills in us that God loves us ENORMOUSLY enough to forgive us – SO MUCH to give His only Son for us – Forgiven and THEREFORE we are to forgive others. Forgive and Don’t Judge.

There is no one who can love as much as He loves us, individually and collectively. We are loved and therefore we love. Love, Forgive, and Don’t Judge.

We are not perfect. We are not even close. We are fraught within a spiritual battle over the world. We must participate in this fight by praying and not only put on the armor of God, but also choosing offensive tactics of speaking and believing in the Word of God, the most powerful of all. The Word IS Jesus, the Word made flesh. We must believe in Jesus to win our ultimate battle. Believe, Love, Forgive, and Don’t Judge.

We Believe – as God believed in us first.

We Love – as God loved us first.

We Forgive – as God forgave us first.

We Judge – whoops – we are human and we do judge… perhaps if we spend time counting blessings we would run out of time to look at what others do.

God could judge us now – BUT, if we believe in Jesus and Salvation, we are judged only to know how deeply He needs to save us. End times may be tough and we want to be in the sheep rather than the goats, so we want to take Jesus as our ONLY WAY, apologize, and recommit to LOVE another day. 

Today the Way is looking for you, so we best try not to be a judge of the people in the fray. We have a better Way. Let us say: we simply Loved, Forgave and Believed in this day. 

Thanksgiving – giving thanks for our Way.

Amen

Matthew 7:1-2   Jesus said:

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Hard to believe that it is just one month until Christmas.  Time to open the windows of the church. Brrrrr…. Wait, isn’t that COLD? Actually no, that’s the warmest thing you can do. It is always a JOY to “Spill the Spirit” out from the church to those whom God needs us to reach. Loving the lyrics by Paul Balouche: “Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord – I want to see You”. Yes, He is in view when we look – He will come close to us especially when He is using us to get His message to others – yes we want to see Him in action. We must invite the people in and BETTER YET: go to meet the people where they are. Jesus did.

I was sitting in a recently re-opened church, still in covid-times, and oh that sharp breeze… in November?? Bring not a good sweater but your winter coat! Actually, we are having a warm autumn, and I do have many warm coats, so whom am I to complain. These windows are open for the breeze to enter to increase airflow to combat and break up the potential pockets of airborne Sars2 virus. The “solution to pollution is dilution” – this takes on a whole new meaning today. 

The other of my church families is having extra Christmas eve services inside the building, to reduce close quarters and for one mid-afternoon service they are bringing a big circus tent to their parking lot (and heaters), complete with Living Nativity. The airflow will be good for the health of the people and the outdoor openness will be good for the flow the Spirit and to warm the hearts. I was THRILLED to attend Easter sunrise service in my car there and went to many outdoor events all over the place all summer. This time we won’t wear an Easter bonnet but our Cheerful Christmas Caps). And a mask is a must. I wear mine, even outside, it keeps my rosy cheeks less chapped. Whom am I to complain as I have knowledge to play it safe, comply and smile with my eyes.

Recently, I visited a hilltop church graveyard near my work, where I walk occasionally. It was a brilliantly blue-sky day, so loving the fresh air and good exercise. Sheep usually roam this church yard but it is quiet now, the playground is empty, the services online.  Pulling up the quaint tree-lined path there are cute signs – spaced like the Burma shave road sign advertisements of old – “Help Us With” – “Our Godly Task” – “Now’s The Time” – “Put On Your Mask”. Yes so cute. This church surely has seen its share of challenging times, more than most, having been built in 1711 (YES!) Pre-Revolution – before King George was even King – 20 years before George Washington was even born!  And the gravestones are old, sometimes just marker stones next to the main family headstone. Scattered among them are the Revolutionary soldier grave markers, these stand as testaments, like the trees, that those peoples would have seen MUCH MORE tough times than we could ever imagine. Can you see the stark contrasts of cultures and yet praise from these people who had it tough yet praising the Lord enough to build a church. It has withstood the test of time and the Lord certainly was sustaining these people. If their gravestone could cry out, we would hear tales of lives lost young and praise for long lives lived. We too should praise the Lord in our modern times, for He has gifted us worldly conveniences and improved health.In this cemetery, the people may have died from something that you take for granted is curable and now preventable. Like from every virus in your immunization chart.

Historically there was another time where church windows were opened – holes placed in walls – to allow attendance of those who suffered anything that was thought to be leprosy. The windows were called leper squints. (FYI Mycobacterium Leprae infection is now treatable and curable with courses of antibiotics –  believe it or not, it still affects 250,000 people worldwide).  In Jesus’s time and for a thousand years plus, the lepers were also forced to live isolated from the rest. Unclean – but allowed to listen to the gospel by the church servants who knew that everyone could be cleansed eternally by Jesus’s Love. 

Are we open now to helping those who perceive themselves “unclean” and bring them the Good News of Jesus? Are we open now to making the best we can in the circumstances that we have? It is NOT JUST by putting on our best Christmas Cheer, but by us opening the windows for new ways to worship – to walk – to wait on the Lord – to share the Good News.

I heard a saying that Christmas is not cancelled this year. True! Because Christmas IS the birth of the One who saves us all. We must adjust logistics, sure, but isn’t our best mentor in the ONE who changed His logistics but not His Will to accomplish saving us.

So, put on your cheerful Christmas cap, and your Godly task of a mask, and get OUTSIDE – open the windows of the churches and pray the Lord to open the eyes of our hearts.

Help Jesus be known.

Amen

I am thinking that Facebook, in becoming our latest system for venting, shows us that people who speak nicely in person and during the day, can then online endlessly swear and be filled with dissent and these days folks partake in conspiracy theories like never before. You never saw such harsh words from old and new restrictions due to the pandemic, you never saw such divisions fueled by the devil in this election season,  you never saw such GRUMBLING!!!!!!!  However, we do know Someone to Whom this is nothing new… Jesus has seen it all, been there, felt that. Oh how painful, so sorry Jesus…  and yes, Jesus taught despite all the bitterness in the world… Because of the dangers and trappings of living in this world, He gave advice for rising above it. It wasn’t unity in the government or in the fads of the day, but unity in the Spirit. One Lord. One mission of LOVE.

It’s like questioning if you spend time stopping or gawking about all the bitterness battles one by one OR spend time speaking about the One who Won it All.  

I doubt that I have ever seen so much griping about what people want to do over what’s good and prudent to do. The grumbling about stopping liquor sales at 5pm on the biggest party night of the year, during a pandemic, just now seems to have exploded my newsfeed… “People want what they want when they want it !!!”… I drove by the liquor store and wow it was crowded. I might get something too, but in moderation of course…  Corrective Scripture that comes to mind: “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. DO EVERYTHING WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR ARGUING, so that you may become BLAMELESS and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like STARS IN THE SKY, as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Paul writing to his Godly penpals in Philippians)

We are observers and walk in this world, but we tend to be grumblers too – I don’t think we can help it even though we should. We of course are told to take the logs out of our own eyes to help anyone with a speck in theirs, meaning don’t pick on others without knowing you yourself are acting just as bad, and worse. Just as we have to know the different audiences that we are talking to, we have to know the One-ness of the Lord.

I am reading in Galatians today, and I appreciate the long-windedness of Paul, the writer and writer and writer…. but WHY were there so many writings? Oh, because they are letters to different groups, different start up churches, different issues, different failings. And there was no cut and paste on a computer program to make it easier. Letters from Paul were to be an education for all, but tailored to the right audience. Paul says to the Galatians, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all.”

A corrective penpal, at minimum, Paul wanted to warn and teach…  Yikes how people these days have opinions. People are people…. Paul knew that and all while under threat for teaching, he had to hone the tactics of sharing the UNCHANGING message for personally reaching folks. Paul reflected: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Paul details how it took him a long time, YEARS, to consult privately with the Lord. When Paul awakened (only Jesus was and is that One who shakes your world all while holding you, His touch is on a personal level as needed), Paul before all these letters was a changed man, ruthless Saul met Jesus – blinded and had to re-see.  So Paul commissioned by God did not FIRST go to people, he went straight to God. He realized God Himself “who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.”

Paul continues: “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”

We have divisions in the world now, and forever more. There will be MORE division based on the riches we have rather than on the things we lack. Before we fuel fires, let us bring our concerns to the Lord. 

Galatians, grumblers and God penpals alike:”Set your mind on things above.”  

“Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces.” (Paul to the Galatians)

A prayer:

Lord, I’m a grumbler too. Lord forgive me. Make me a Thanksgiving giver and not just the Turkey. Open up my eyes to the goodness and glory, and not distracted by the grumbling, lest we all become goats… Lord, Morning Star, shine Your love, and help Your people Shine You.

Amen 

There’s no place like home – except an even BETTER HOME, brought to us by Jesus in forever reign, at end times of the earth but a new Jerusalem of Heavenly gifting. There’s nothing that doesn’t sound as AWESOME as the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, where all who love the Lord will dwell WITH HIM forever.

Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3

John, the beloved disciple, many years after Jesus was resurrected and ascended, was told to record these observations when he was “carried away in Spirit”. He was NOT having an imaginary vision, or sleeping into a dream, this was real and a revelation. The Spirit of living in the Spirit transcends our earthly existence. John was told, shown, and experienced the future NEW EVERYTHING, so that we would know – and this will encourage us to go with Spirit Flow! We too have God’s Spirit indwelling, in us, with us. 

With the new hope, we are NOT told to cast off all precautionary living, we are NOT told to abandon our senses. We are always told to ABIDE IN HIM. YES, ALWAYS. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

We will be judged to acknowledge Him as Lord and evaluated how we served Him. We will then be inhabitants of a new and stunning Kingdom where the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are in residence. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

There’s nothing I can add to these glorious descriptions in the last bits of a long chapter of Revelation -please read for yourself of this new life (posted below).

A life in Spirit forever. Yes, we too can be carried away in Spirit! (Read ahead!)

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Revelation 20:11-15

The Judgment of the Dead

 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21 A NEW EVERYTHING!!!!

New Earth

 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb

 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.  It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.  The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.  The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:1-11: A NEW EDEN 

 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

John and the Angel

 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.  But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.  Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2021&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2022&version=NIV

Oh WOW! The description of Jesus is AMAZING in Revelation 19 scripture: “King of kings and Lord of lords”! FIERCE WARRIOR!!! Eyes like fire, a mouth of a sharp sword – riding a horse. Ready for battle winning.  Which is next in chapter 20 on…. This is the Winning Word of Jesus. And with battle, the birds were called in to scavenge, to eat the flesh of those killed by the warrior. Eww, but a mighty image of huge scavenger birds of prey. Except they didn’t have to do the killing.  That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Hone in (and Harvest).  

It triggered in me another thought of scavenger birds, little birds I imagine, when Jesus taught interested listener ears about the four soils, as the capacity for one’s faith (Luke 8). If you have dry soil, meaning His scripture and teachings will bounce off you, and not sink in to do any good, you will not grow your faith at all. When  the spiritual seeds bounce off,  there are scavenger birds who will eat those wasted seeds. Gone. Those are birds eager for the Word… and didn’t have to work for it. That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Partake (and Grow). 

Birds – Jesus also told us about birds who are taken care of by our Father, who eat and sleep and don’t worry. (Matthew 6)  And being a monitoring bird Himself,  Isaiah taught that: “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies will hover over Jerusalem and protect it like a bird protecting its nest. He will defend and save the city; he will pass over it and rescue it.” chapter 31.  That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Abide (and Serve).

Actually so many bird scriptures abound, and we are also captivated by the birds today. My father loves watching the birds from the porch, many folks do. The feeders are full, hoping to keep the squirrels at bay, the birds come in. We have to be aware when we partake in life too, be on the lookout for the evil schemes and pitfalls. Our Heavenly Father loves feeding the birds, taking care of His children, reminding us of harmony with Him. We need to be IN HIM to be safe from the snatches. Jesus needed to come slay the evil in the beasts, the false prophets, dragons, which ruled on and off for times calculated and ruinous. Jesus always triumphed and the birds still ate.  That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Watch.

Are we not MORE LOVED and valued than the birds? God created man and said: “VERY GOOD”. Man, you and me, are for whom Jesus WENT TO BATTLE, gave His Life, came again.  Birds are called to hover and go. We are called to learn, to grow. The Lord would not have revealed the end without both being in control of everything and triumphing over evil.  The Lord would not have told us to stay close to Him for any other reason than to keep us UNDER HIS WING. That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Listen.

I heard a sweet interpretation of the first of Jesus’s miracles, the turning of water into wine.  It was not just any wine, but the best. They exclaimed that usually in history, when the wedding guests are drunk from the first wine, they bring out the worst wine. This is akin to the devil attempting to tempt with cheap stuff that does damage. But thru Jesus making the wine, maturing the water, the BEST wine was kept until last. This pastor (on the radio each weekday) spoke of how if we follow Jesus, remain in Him thru trials and the devil’s schemes, we will see the BEST come to fruition. We will take part in the triumphant time after continually stirred up evil has been defeated – a few times and once and for all. That is a GOOD WORD for us to learn: Wait.

Chapter of Revelation is Revelation of The Future, but we can get started in the present day and listen for the Lord now. If the birds can listen, so can we. 

He will reign, because He does. That’s the Good Word of today. That is a VERY GOOD WORD for us to learn: Jesus.  

Amen 

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https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Birds

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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2019&version=NIV

Revelation 19:11-21

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,  so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.  But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Even life has a continuation after death, when our loved ones pass, we pray they find their way. The Way finds them. The Way finds us – the Way has always been asking ahead of time for us to find the Way…

When my aunt passed away, I didn’t feel “a disturbance in the force” – like Yoda or Obi-Wan Kenobi when they sensed a whole planet being destroyed by the dark side in fictional movie form. I didn’t think she had disappeared into nothingness. Her soul was searching whether she was or not. I know that she didn’t display book knowledge faith, but her simple lifestyle and pure heart registered her as eligible for Jesus as anyone, to show Himself unveiled and the “as plain as plain could be” GOOD decision. He could and would be in those last moments, to be the explaining voice when she slipped away.  She was a great and good person, the Spirit won’t leave her as a loner. Jesus, I pray her found.

I believe that we do intercede for others with our prayers.  What is not named in people’s faith is still identifiable as good and bad attributes. Some may have denials but many simply have “un-reveals”. The blockage from open eyes does not mean their hearts are not already open for good influences. My aunt was as good as you could get. She certainly heard of Jesus thru Christmas time and Easter. She was on the good side, not the dark side.

(Fictionalized, the Dark side Darth Vader also could sense the Force. Even though evil reigned, the light never was gone… and yes even the biblically described evil-spirits, knew of and know of Jesus as powerful and as God even if they didn’t call Him Lord.)

So, I didn’t feel a disturbance that day, actually I didn’t know until the whole next day that she had passed, my Mom didn’t want to disturb my sleep. I didn’t tell my daughter until the end of that next day, she’s deep in college deadlines. Neither my mother nor I wanted to disturb the flow on earth.  But did I sense that disturbing earthquake in a distance, the shift of souls when she passed? I did not. Certainly, I can say that I am too distant in miles away and not feeling the major impact for those closest. They physically deal with the loss, as I only emotionally deal with it. Yet spiritually I had felt connected and relieved that I had talked to her, if only briefly, three times that week. Even the zoom video just watching her for a moment was comforting to my soul. I will always want to call her up – but at least she can see now and not just hear.

So my point to this long experiential explanation is that I hold onto the truth that earthly death is part of Heavenly life. A pastor I heard, in a recording that same week, sermonized his sense of Heaven being: “just one breath away” – and how this is true before life on earth and after – the Spirits of our souls never “didn’t exist” or “won’t exist” – ALL IS CONNECTED. 

Babies born (and not born) are all accounted for in the Spiritual world. That’s what the recorded sermon spoke of, and that’s where the minister of my aunt’s funeral looked to understand my aunt’s faith, having never met her. He sought to understand the family’s connections to each other, spoke to each person, and found out about her love to a stillborn older baby brother, not unusual for the early 20th century, and he was buried in the baby section of that cemetery. This was evidence to the pastor of her faith thru love to this baby that that he could hang his hope on for knowing that she had a spiritual connection. There was LOVE in the longing. There was spiritual-generated love transferred back and forth. All this is knowing that Heaven is only being a breath away. Love as deep and as wide as love could ever be, in the crossings of the Spirit across the Heaven-earth-Heaven barriers of life in flesh. There’s no barrier for LOVE.

My aunt’s funeral at this lake overview cemetery, overlooks down the hill. (I was on zoom and stayed away for logistics and covid reasons). The site of family plots on this curvy turn on a steep cliff gives quite the view, I can see it with my eyes closed. I’ve spent more time in that cemetery in memory and in honoring, in learning family history, in taking care of the flowers, than attending actual funerals. More time living in memories and learning more than mourning passings. 

My future grave plot is also there, waiting for me (even if I am not waiting for it!)… it is on the hill near my aunt’s plot, they opened the section special to raise extra funds, still it was an inexpensive location on the cliff of the roadside across from the first generation of our family to enter America. Us next generations would be lucky if that hill holds up in torrential rain! I am sure they will catch the caskets. I’m sure of the soul Catch ahead of time by Jesus as well. I’m not wanting or waiting to die, but logistically we should all be ready – not JUST by physically preparing our wills (updated and kept in a firesafe), by paying for life insurance, and by buying a funeral plot ahead of time to make it easier on our children. I’m talking about preparing ourselves emotionally, registering within our “wills” a strong WILLingness to be led to Heaven (even in torrential life storms), and our desire to share Heaven ahead of time by us bringing Heaven on earth best we can… Take the time telling and showing those around us how much we love them – that is time well spent. And time spent talking about, knowing, acknowledging, speaking of, and pursuing the LOVE of the Lord, the Owner and Creator of ALL, especially LOVE. Showing and believing in our worth thru Him AND speaking of our connection to Jesus in terms of His connection to us. Jesus is already at the ready, we have to make ourselves ready to realize. 

My funeral is not planned, neither is yours. But your forever future IS planned, thanks to Jesus, LIFE with the Lord. You won’t fall off the cliff of life, no free-fall, if you are tied to His free-saving gift: extending the Grace of God. You do have to say Yes, but know He never stops asking.

It’s not “May the Force be with you” but “May you know the Grace within you.”

Be ready for the catch. 

Amen 

We know it is going to get worse before it gets better – and we know it is going to be bad.

That is an explanation of the covid cases yes, but that is ALSO an explanation of the coming ending of the world too – before Jesus comes again.  Likewise (but different), we will see the worst – but we WILL see the Better.

We know that there is a remedy coming soon in a vaccine that will reduce cases, we don’t know when we will personally get it, but we at least hope that as many people can get this preventative measure before the cases rise and rise. That is an explanation of covid vaccines, yes, but that is ALSO an explanation of the coming of Jesus once again. Likewise (but different), we don’t know when He is coming, and we hope that as many people can get to prevenient Grace thru Jesus, and He to them, before it too late.

We won’t know how bad it COULD get with covid, because the timing will bring a vaccine soon. Likewise (but different), we won’t know how bad it COULD get for each of us within the Revelation Ruinous Realm, because Jesus will save many BEFORE they are lost. We won’t know how bad it would be without knowing God, because Jesus already knew to grab us.

We do know it will get worse before it gets better, but with everything – we know that we need to be ready – and we know Jesus is the Way. Jesus is the Way regardless if we talk about calamities or calm. 

In Revelation 18 and 19, we hear that Babylon figuratively stands for so much that will be destroyed, never to be inhabited by the faithful who stood strong despite all the crises.  but in chapter 19:6-10, we learn the time that Jesus HAS come to meet His bride, the church, that is us.

John writes in witness: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

We ARE blessed as we have Jesus to follow and as slaves to the truth, we will be set free. We won’t know how bad it will get, because He already found us, and He already won.

Amen

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2018&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2019&version=NIV

James 5: 7-11 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.  As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

This writing is spilling so fast in my brain, it’s like the Lord chomping at the bit for me to wake up. 

Life is NOT a Raffle, but money is a tool for God to use.

Raffles, I enjoy raffles. Yesterday at work, they held a fundraiser for the foodbank netting 1500 dollars for raffling off two expensive Yeti coolers.  Big prizes, big excitement. I didn’t win, but that’s ok. I didn’t need it anyway. I bought some extra tickets for my immediate coworker crew, as thank you’s. It’s good to simply say thank you for all you do. 

Why does John Wesley, of the Methodist church making, thought to frown on raffles? Gambling? I was raised catholic so this intrigued me, and whether that’s now a relaxed view or not, the good intention was and is to not tempt people who have few means into an addictive gambling moment, or to not take money from your neighbor, or to not fall into a destructive lifestyle. And whether John Wesley said it or not, I heard once: no gambling because life is not up for chance. That’s where I will pick up on the current running thoughts…  Life IS secured by Jesus and our belief in Him as Savior. Our buy-in to believing is paramount. And of course, we cannot buy, purchase tickets for, or steal salvation. That is the gift of God to Himself to have all His children (us) come home. The ultimate price He paid was Jesus for the necessary prize of saving us all.

I agree 100%. I believe in Jesus. I need Jesus. I love Jesus. We are chosen by Jesus before He chooses us. Not a coincidence or chance.

Yet I still enjoy raffles, my family had a one-armed bandit for nickels as a kid. I still enjoy bingo. I was raised catholic and in catholic school that was the lifeblood of fundraisers for education. Tuition was minimal then, outrageous in cost now, but necessary to run a building. Most schools have closed. It’s expensive. My parents helped at bingo, the cigarette smoke in the gymnasium rafters was thick in the 1970s, the Sunday night smoke was often still there Monday morning when gym classes started. Ugh. Bingo once only on Fridays became twice a week, Friday and Sunday. That was gambling some quality of life for exchange of money to run gym.

God choosing us by chance? No. Life is not a chance. Jesus is not a fluke. I liken fundraisers like this: you are hoping to win but you are ok if you don’t win. Some purchase and never check their tickets. In raffles, you like helping others, and really you could have given the money straight but that excitement about winning builds jackpots. How different is giving money directly to the church building? Well, similarly different. God bought you and your tickets and handed them to you, but if you never use your ticket, never open your eyes of your heart, even crumple your tickets, you miss out in knowing Him. If you lose your tickets have you lost your way? Well the WAY is already looking for you. JESUS WILL ALWAYS WANT YOU. 

In Christian living, you are supposed to tithe, 10% of gross income, plus talents and time, that is the interpretation of many biblical scholars.  Tithing is straight off the top giving – giving back the best to God who owns it all anyway. He doesn’t want leftovers, not bottom of the barrel. The first fist fruits, and directly to the house of God. Jackpot of life is salvation, so are we buying our ticket to heaven? Nope.

No ticket could be bought to send yourself to heaven. Why give money and time and talents to the church? Are you buying for yourself? Nope. You are not buying tickets but you ARE funding the means to get the message out. You ARE helping others. You are fueling the fire keepers of the Word, the pastors of purpose, and the workers for the Way. Perhaps you could see the giving as sacrifice for others in all this. So perhaps or YES, you see Jesus, the first born, first top cream of the crop, a blessed gift giving of Himself because He knew He was from God for God for us forever.  No sacrifice of our money could ever equate, but regardless, we are a gift to give back. We are to steward that money as well. An investment not a tax.

Tithe for life that is not just your own. Help the others see the Way. Dust off your dust and join in for fellowship for fueling faith-sharing. And not just money, but your time and talents. Your time reading the Word is time well spent, pondering the Word is golden time, writing and wondering, then acting out the Life gifted to you by living from the Word. Salvation secured, get back out there and see to the church helping secure more souls.  The world is not your prize, but seeing workers being able to work is a win. 

It’s not a raffle, but there IS excitement in saving souls. It’s not you saving others, it’s God who waters the seeds you plant. He does give you plenty of reasons to plant: the whole Kingdom of His Love is awaiting awakening of His children.  It’s not what He gambles because Jesus already won it, but it’s His mission and therefore ours too. Jesus finished the bridge between sin and death to freedom and life. We get to help spread the Good News. We get to Watch For God. Bingo – He’s got out number as planned, not pop-up.

So, we give unto the Lord for Him. We cheer as He is winning souls for re-claimed lives.

Amazing Amen !!!

—-

John 15:16-17 NIV

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  This is my command: Love each other.

James 1:17-25 KJV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

So much evil in the world, but we knew that. So much stubbornness in the world, that’s what’s sometimes surprising. “I don’t want to” – “You can’t tell me what to do” – “I don’t deserve this”…. you understand… we have to remember that we are subject to God’s wrath just as much as the worst (or growing worse) folks you could imagine. We have mercy and forgiveness, but we could all use some cleaning up of our act. But it is God’s wrath, not ours…

Revelation 14 states that an angel calls out: “Babylon has fallen” – and reminds that the evil in Babylon spread to all nations and those worshipping evil will “drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented“… “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.”

Patient endurance… I heard once in a bible teaching that all nations will eventually become Babylon-like. And we do know that evil is epidemic in the world. We are called to ask for the Lord’s help: “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:24   God’s wrath, not ours…

I’ll attest to say that it’s a gift and a necessity to ask Jesus to help remove the evil in us and keep us safe and keep us from spewing. We are to clean up our own houses before criticizing others. We then have to be patient in all, not losing focus on Jesus, keep forgiveness and mercy, speak up to injustice, call it out, but let God avenge in His own way the wrongs, wrath is HIS not ours. Easy? No. Imperative? Yes.

God’s wrath awaits according to Revelation 14-15. The earth people and all will be harvested, and God’s wrath will be in a cup, thru a winepress, after more plagues. Earth will be harvested. “Seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head……. swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.”

“Another angel… too had a sharp sickle…. swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.”

Within these extended periods of harvesting, there will be SINGING, from those victorious over the beast of evil, singing: “the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?’ “…

The wrath of God, is real and planned out that it will touch all evil-following, unrepentant people and kill the false prophet, the dragon and the beast. This occurs with the opening of the ark of the covenant, releasing seven angels with seven plaques to be given “seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.”

Wow. 

Wow, God’s wrath will be fine and dandy? No, severe and scary. Who are we to wrath on others ourselves? Jesus says turn the other cheek for good reason, let God handle it. If anything, our forgiveness will stand out.

The next Revelation chapters explain these symbolisms and events. I’ll get to those tomorrow… whew…

I knew God meant business, but the business God that means was new to me. 

How blessed are we with Jesus as example and Savior?

More than we could ever know…

How important to speak of God’s power and glory over singling out our strife? Paramount. 

Pass the peace today. Jesus gave you peace to share. It’s God’s wrath, not yours. 

Amen 

—–

Links:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2014&version=NIV&interface=amp

Someone must have moved the Ark of the Covenant out of storage, remember that Indiana Jones movie scene? That government warehouse vault, boxed up and hidden in plain sight of endless boxes, lost in artifact lockdown? Safe keeping? Eh, it is a clever movie moment but God’s vault, always was and is where God could reach it. 

We too are nowhere God can’t reach. (Psalm 139)

Revelation 11 – 14 scriptures tell us after the seventh trumpet sounds, that the Ark of the Covenant was opened. That sounds scary enough, but surely the next intense moments are more awe-filled: a dragon with a tail that knocks a third of the stars out of the sky, fighting in heaven against Michael and his angels, being hurled from the heavens to the earth, only to pursue a woman who birthed a child taken up to the throne. The earth, being merciful, swallows the woman who flew with wings to escape.  The beast then has a meeting on the sea with a beast of 10 crowned horns and 7 heads. 

I’m surely reading this yet NOT understanding the reality or symbolism or non-symbolism, and I can not comprehend even the length of these battles either, given with specific days. The fight between creatures being bloody and cruel, I get that. The causes of evil vs good, or evil vs evil, continues in all realms. The second beast appears urging more worshipping from those on earth being deceived.  These creatures and their deceptions, that’s just sad and mayhem mania. This chapter ends with me not understanding either the symbolisms or the plain actuality. The confusion and distractions that existed? That I see painfully always. 

What I do understand is the deceiver always aims to deceive. That evil plots against God’s children. The dragons would be clearly seen, but today’s evils linger deep and stealth as distractions and derision. Division, bickering, bad-mouthing, bleh… 

I started to read the next chapter but will pause here to listen more deeply for where I can make and promote peace in my small realm of life. Where can we take a step back and NOT get swept up in distractions from our peacemaker positions or from our worship. How can we remain as un-defiled as possible? How can we keep our mouths shut and our hearts open? I only know the best advice: that we are to REMAIN IN HIM. Armor of God and all, Jesus is the Only Way, Truth, Life.

Chapter 14 of the Book of Revalation tells us the truths of us remaining in Him being played out: The Lamb appears with 144,000. An angel says in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Another angel speaks of the wrath against anyone who follows the evil one. Then a voice speaks to John from Heaven says, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”  – “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

WE WHO ABIDE IN, REMAIN IN HIM WILL REST IN HIM AS WELL.

God has us, we must remain strong in our faith, not waiver in walking with Him. Keep going… Jesus showed us the Way, we are not uninformed. Sure, the heavens and earth battle, it IS a broken world, but we are to walk where we are led.

Let us:  Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.

PRAY to see hear know – most importantly, where Jesus leads, GO.

AMEN

——

Revelation 11 thru 14

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation11&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation12&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation13&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation14&version=NIV

The book of Revelation is very REVEALING, except there’s one part that John is told to NOT write down. 

I can imagine there is so much he understands and so much more he doesn’t, nor could we, since the vastness of God is immeasurable. The “second WOE” is recorded but John is told to not record what the seven thunders said. No.

John and we see a Heavenly pause, before the seventh seal is opened. Yes, Heaven rolls thru a great plan, but there’s a classic God pause – WHY? A pause as the Lamb opens the 7^th seal.

That’s mysterious and comforting, as I believe that God will pause anytime He wants. God’s plan does not mean He won’t wait for us to catch up. (but don’t wait too long). God does not change but His power is His. With God, I can always imagine His LOVE winning. I can’t picture all the destruction described in the book of revelation, but I can FEEL the LOVE to those who made it thru. And I see the harshness to those who denied His sovereignty as well as His existence. 

“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

Woe 2, it seems, still has God’s mystery within it to accomplish. God’s mystery, His Majesty, His Own.

See, even having never read these passages and the destruction, I still knew, I KNOW, IN TRUTH, ABOUT JESUS.  Jesus may be shielded in mystery to some non-believers, reluctant believers. But JESUS IS THE MYSTERY GOD WANTS US TO KNOW. Jesus is ready to be revealed to anyone whose eyes will open, whose ears will hear.

In Revelation, even John asks questions! So, for Heaven’s sake we should be asking questions about earth and about life and about believing even stronger in the Lord. How will we scratch the surface of understanding if we fail to dig into it. I believe that we are never going to understand everything (yet), but we can always try to learn more. Endless references to spiritual maturity are flooding my flooded faith right now. The “what now?” is replaced by the “what don’t we know yet?” What can you do? Read more. Love more. Abide more. 

Yes, there is a second woe (and a third), but if we “remain in Him“, Jesus, His Love and being Jesus-like in our love to others, these are our revealing our Way to go and our Way to know. We can ask for revelation, but truly the greatest mystery is solved: Jesus was, IS and will be THE ANSWER all along. 

Amen

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2010&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2011&version=NIV

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2^nd Peter 3

I remember a really adamant pastor friend who said that we really DON’T want to be around when Heaven starts the plaques and signs of advanced Revelation events… uh,,, ugh… NO! They may be ONGOING – but I doubt we would have gotten to any of that really rough stuff yet!!!

Have you read these scriptures? WOW! John has recorded a GIFT of knowledge for us. A Preview of Pure Power over strife. Oh the strife!

Sure, I would like to see Jesus riding in on a cloud, but ugh and WHOA to all those “woes” before that.  How awful will that be? Awe-filled in an AWFUL way. If the Bible calls them woes, you bet it’s NOT going to be fun.

Revelation chapters 8 and 9, WHOA! Hail, fire mixed with blood??? And we think the insides of our microwaves looks disgusting… we have no clue… a battle in heaven for sure… and heaven will be silent for a half an hour just before this starts? Wow, I will accept the sound of howling wind and rain and thunder and lightning anytime now in comparison.

People dying from bitter water, a third of sea turning to blood, a third of the moon, sun, stars dark? And I’m worried about milk going bad. a little mold on cheese never looked so good.

And 5 months of torture for anyone without the seal of God on their heads… I’ll complain less about the 5 months of cold winter… Waiting for something? Just accept the pause! Bundle up and be glad.

Locusts like horses prepared for battle with hair and lion-like teeth? Maybe I’ll stop complaining about the leaves blowing in my door, cluttering my floor. And those people blowing leaves out back into the street – not taking care of them – really? How annoying is that? and yet we have NO IDEA what annoying really is – OH, how bad those Revelation times will get.

If people in those days “seek death and can not find it”, WHOA, who are we to worry about our aches and pains. Painful refining is not to be ignored but attended to, pain is purposeful if it gets you to act. If creation is groaning, then our groaning means we CAN do something about spreading the Good News about Jesus while waiting, even if we can’t ease the speed. I am so glad my friends and family who have passed won’t see these things in horror, but in fulfillment. 

And UGH and WHOA, those horrors John saw were ONLY in “woe #1″… I bet “the 2^nd woe” and “the 3^rd woe” are not as pleasant either so I certainly won’t rush listening for those trumpets 1 thru 7.  If I think I am going to be sitting on the side, like John was, as if we were watching movies and get a scroll to eat that tastes like honey – well, I would say to myself now: “Honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Yes, Yes I am looking forward to Jesus coming again – but We have time – we need to take the time – we need to remember to be thankful for TIME – as it will be may only be a day or maybe years and years more than we can humanly imagine before Jesus comes again… 

SO, why are we STILL here on earth, when it has not yet happened? Why does John get this backstage (upstage?) (Preview?) Pass??? Because GOD DOES NOT WANT US UNINFORMED!!! God is merciful to try to get everyone – all His children gathered –  in His Merciful Grace. God LOVES us to let us know!!! we are to share that information and be the retro Noah and get everyone on board for the Lord!!!

Will I complain about waiting? About inconveniences? About life? Yes, likely yes, because I am human… But today I have an opportunity to say: “Sorry for my complaining Lord!” Yes, THANK YOU LORD for toughening me up! Thank you because You HAVE made us INFORMED.

Do WE get to pick and choose who we are to educate and get to listen about these warnings and workings? Well, God puts certain folks in our earshot – but God is responsible for the ear openings. Our jobs are to pray pray pray for their opening today.

PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!

Where is our HOPE? our HOPE is in JESUS.

JESUS JESUS JESUS

HIS ARMS are so strong holding us – He is the WHOA of all WHOAS!  The Alpha and Omega! The Prince of Peace! Thank You, Jesus, for calling us your own. Your Vine extends our lives for all time. Thank YOU for giving us the TIME to know You.

Amen

The links of these sections of the Book of Revelation are here chapters 8 and 9. Going to need more than popcorn for these stories – sitting back and watching for when they happen, it will be too late then to read ahead… 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%208&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%209&version=NIV

2nd Peter 3:3-18

Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

How beautiful my red maple decorates my life and my driveway.  Intense color is revealed as GLORY-full goodness that was always there. These discarded leaves of the trees are SO beautiful and then they get scattered and returned to dust. Therefore imagine how MUCH better the Lord is finishing GOOD WORKS IN US, while we are still alive and in our prime, before we go back to His dust… and even post prime we can still feel unbelievably a blessing to be alive and to be able to complete some of His Work thru us… Oh, so Good of God to Golden us in age… GLORY in HIS glorification. 

So appreciative of our opportunities to GLOW for Him FROM Him. The leaf colors in the fall reveal the inner workings of pigments, masked all spring and summer by the green. We didn’t see them until now, but God did. Our inner GLORY of God working in us and thru us is masked all along by our humanness from Adam forward. That fall for Adam affected us all. We didn’t see it, but God saw all. Original sin, not our fault but our flaw, which heaven will forgo when we accept Jesus, who brings us back. Shedding sin is like leaves falling, we are exposed and ready to bear new growth and new fruit as new renewed creations. Otherwise Adam and we would always be walking in GLORY all along thru the world. Jesus came into our world to save us, not judge the weight of sin against us. Jesus came in measure of how much GLORY it would take to bring us back. John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus was telling Nicodemus about being re-born and how we reach the Father, our Father, thru His Son.

A prayer warrior recently thanked me for my prayers, I said God must have laid his name on my heart “out of the blue”. It was as if Holy Spirit ANGELS ARMIES are always praying for all of us (they are), especially him at that/this moment by name, and when the right ear hears the right message from the right whisper down the lane,  they become prayerful moments – the Spirit connects – heaven on earth is and will be and can be full of GLORY – and that’s how good words get continued along the way – completing a spiritual circuit. No wonder Jesus many times said: “Let all who have ears hear!!!”

We can choose to see NOT the worldliness in glory but attempt to see the GLORY shining thru beauty placed into the world, and yet all this is so temporary. Then, when we leave the world, we can leave it MORE beautiful because we get to share the glory of God overflowing into the moments that catch our eyes, move our hearts, and fill our souls. That’s most GLORY-fulfilling.

Glory is all around, just reconnecting heaven and earth. 

Glory is heavy like the cloud of God flowing through. 

Glory is catching the Spirit of God even when we are failing, falling like leaves, fulfilling life, then returning to dust. Let us leave the world more Glory-full in our dust… 

God dust is Golden. Shed some today thru His Special Way.

Amen 

—-‘

Philippians 1:1-11

A letter from Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.  God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.

When I share about the Lord, I still have a filter of me. I know that what I say is not for everyone but God knows it is coming thru me.    

It’s like we move in our own circles, but the Holy Spirit moves us out into the world of other circles to touch family members of others who may achieve deeper understanding of Him thru us. The family of believers realizes their family of His blood not theirs. Therefore He can call in all cousins to complete the family tree.

I’ve had so many blessings from writing, and life. Perhaps other writers also experience that we sometimes write in joy but it can be taken differently by others. Also, what is sometimes released in grief can be considered joy of processing…  either way Jesus understands – we just serve the Lord and look NOT to disregard the others, but work to look above the fray. We pray to be placed and paced in His best interest. I wrote nearly 1000 devotions so far – yes 1000… processing and praise – some personal and some for a generalized audience, or maybe just you since it is the Spirit that I pray directs what I do. I am not looking for accolades or fortunes, but I see spiritually and humanly that I write probably from the need to express myself coupled with the Spirit pushing my forced processing thru me, out thru my fingers and to achieve peace known in places unknown. The Lord is as personal as personal gets. The Lord will parlay our hearts and our work for Him into the world for us, we really can just let it go and let God…

Yes, Jesus experienced all the same things we experience… And Jesus ALWAYS gave credit to the Father and drew attention away from Himself (as if He could).

Matthew 12:46-50 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”  Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”   

Matthew 13: 54-58 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?  Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

I’ve often wondered if it is MY job to do my job for Him. Actually, NO!!! It is our job to let Him do His Job thru us. Change the format and He can change the world. Find the peace, don’t force it. Be His. Remain in Him, and rest on things until He settles your dust. Whose Dust? His Dust. Let Him be in charge of your pile of His dust.

Amen and thanks for listening. 

I love the scriptures that tell us the Lord can make things more obvious for us – if we just pay attention to our deep gut feelings. There are things and notions and directions that we get torn between but when we settle down and just pray, He shows us the Way!!! Maybe that’s why we often must sleep on decisions, so He can sort out our thoughts. (Classic example is me editing this in the morning when I am fresh and not falling asleep, but this pertains and includes major decisions today about weighing travel concerns and family things,  honestly I can’t think of a better time to hone our hearing for trusting the Lord)…

I came across this old devotion I wrote about taking big and little steps and trusting the Lord – especially since I was riding a motorcycle that day (now years ago!). Riding any motorcycle is foolish to some, adventurous to many and a basic need to a few.

Decisions in life, with big and small steps should have considerations before we make a choice. Sometimes decisions will affect our peace, sometimes they will affect others, always Jesus wants us to put others before our own wants.  Decisions we may make, about what we say or do, can involve putting other people’s calmness first even if you think they are overreacting. 

It’s ALWAYS a good time to simplify the choices and give our burdens of decisions to the Lord.  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

When we look to Him, we get clarity (sometimes we wait for that) and ALWAYS PEACE (sometimes that waits for us). “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:7

See it’s not peace in a vacuum, we shouldn’t be searching for neatly tucked away problems, we really should significantly stuff our stress further out than we place the peace of Jesus nearer in. It can feel like we are pressing that jar of clay stronger and filling our souls with Spirit. 

Can you know Jesus? Yes. Is He always there? Yes.

Then press on… (Amen)

——

Here is an excerpt of the motorcycle devotion (and the whole thing) So totally fitting for more than just that day’s ride:

Clarity of mind and balance of life…We pray: Clarify for us, oh Lord, the path… Clarify your WILL… so that we can loosen our fear of this world and walk in line with your LIGHT. Clear the fog from our lines of sight Lord, to see ourselves – actually so that we can see YOU in us. To balance us Lord, we need YOU ahead of our steps, we need to rest our fears in YOUR precious gentle hands. We need to hear YOUR voice inside, please quiet the clamor…

——

the whole blog about my motorcycle ride that day:

https://debbieupper.blog/2017/03/13/clarity-of-mind-balance-of-life-04-nov-291/

Clarity of mind, balance of life… 

1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

So, yes I am ever blessed…. I had a sweet motorcycle ride today… only the fourth in my life.

It’s a balance between faith that you won’t get hurt and the thrill of life on the edge… And I mean that for BOTH riding the bike and loving life… Honestly, I knew and trusted the safe care of my wonderful generous friend (who knew I just needed to clear my mind that day)… I felt very little fear… I was likely more safe on that bike than some other thrill situations I could have put myself in… I was being taken care of the best I could be, and we rode a sweet fifteen minutes thru beautiful fall foliage over back roads, past flowing water, into the valleys, and warmed by the Sun… Yes, I went from initially gripping tightly for my life to soon feeling the balance. I was nestled on this massive (and new) Harley and my fear dissipated… but as ALWAYS my respect remained for I was being held in the balance of life by both the bike and by the firm hands of God’s faithfulness…. I do respectfully fear the Lord, I trust in HIM, and because of that, I found how (both in life and on the bike) I was able to loosen my gripping fear of death, relax and enjoyed the ride…. Life is for enjoying the ride…

With God, we will overcome. We will overcome this world and the evil ways of torment because God blesses our journeys when we walk with HIM… We have the One who overcame in our souls – that’s Jesus… Yes it is… Yes HE is… He is right there, homegrown in our hearts, ready to lead us home.

Clarity of mind and balance of life…We pray: Clarify for us, oh Lord, the path… Clarify your WILL… so that we can loosen our fear of this world and walk in line with your LIGHT. Clear the fog from our lines of sight Lord, to see ourselves – actually so that we can see YOU in us. To balance us Lord, we need YOU ahead of our steps, we need to rest our fears in YOUR precious gentle hands. We need to hear YOUR voice inside, please quiet the clamor… Oh our precious Lord, rise us above this world… when we overcome fear to find peace IN YOU, then we will know we are made OF YOU…

I will wait on YOU, Lord, and trust in your WILL. I will return myself back to YOU, and then I will be balanced and whole.

Amen

I might be buying a WIFI extender – and that thought, to remove dead zones around the house, extends me to think about the truth that Jesus brings us life – and thru the Spirit, we have life extenders. Unlike WIFI repeaters, we are to be Jesus-extenders, not a copy but reaching others FROM His Spirit THRU US. The signal strength is hopefully getting stronger and stronger, especially as we approach end times and are reminded to keep strong in the faith. The Book of Revelations tells us all about those – but right now as far as we know we are in the midst of the middle, where God is rallying and herding and nurturing and feeding. Our earthly life will end, but how we are being made into His Kingdom is what eventually will be the recounting of us for the “rest of the story” like Paul Harvey would say on the radio…

I don’t like nitpicking facts with scripture writers – not a good idea – but this one statement gave me pause just now – that “Jesus is firstborn from the dead” – recorded in Revelation which is a fitting name for revealing the end of the “rest of the story”. Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Gee, I haven’t even gotten off the first 2 paragraphs of this chapter and I have had to write 2 devotions so far! This one started as nitpicking, which led to questioning, which led to pondering, which leads to God being right (because He always was and is), and this always leads to me being taught!

John says in Revelation chapter 1:4-5: “…Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” The King James version of the bible uses: “the first begotten of the dead.”

Jesus surely is the witness, ruler and raised from the dead. But at first I actually thought to nitpick (I either have too many questions or not enough) and say: Hey, but what about Lazarus? What about Jairus’ daughter? What about – what about??? Weren’t they ALL risen from the dead – and weren’t they all early – earlier than Jesus? I had to DISMISS that notion right away, because it is not a simple thing, and even though I know they were risen back up into our earthly world again, they technically were not raised into eternal life, as of yet… See, that is where this notion in my head is going – that Jesus was double born – or never unborn – or repackaged – or clothed in flesh until glory revealed again – or don’t even worry about these things in terminology or logistics – Jesus is the Word and our words (lower case w) won’t describe the God reality – but dead we all were and dead we all will be here on earth – dead in transgressions and dead in flesh – and born and then reborn we all can be in Jesus. We MUST be reborn – be awakened – “get it”. And raised? Jesus Firstborn of the raised? Yes. Ah, I am thankful for Google because it told me that in the Greek, John wrote the word prōtotokos, a word that literally refers to birth order—the first child born…

We have not enough language in the world to describe Jesus, let alone God and the Holy Spirit. We have the bible written in multiple languages from the start, Hebrew and Greek. And Jesus Himself spoke in the local dialect as well, a common language of Arameic… Jesus must have said so many things that we don’t have captured, as He did so many works on Earth that it is said there aren’t enough pages of books to describe it all (John 21:25) – and Jesus thru the Holy Spirit is STILL working and will not rest until all work for the Father is done by helping us realize His Way. 

The statement RAISED from the dead means something else too. The dead are the people dead in sin, all of us. So life in and thru Jesus is not physical although He can alter that too, life thru Jesus is spiritual – and raised from the dead really is raised away from the physical aspects of life. Raised from sin. I bring this notion in from a radio message podcast Pastor Joe, where he described aspects of Adam, who lived to be 900 yrs old humanly,  and life before the fall – that Adam was in the image of God, clothed in light – multidimensional – and all spiritual access to God. Therefore, we will all be risen from the dead – we will be light and back in God’s image. (Death in Adam, Life in Christ Nov 11th  https://subspla.sh/fzkznqs)   

Raised from the dead, means reared away from sin, brought up in the faith, fed with spiritual milk and meat, raised away from earthly trappings. We have to leave this dead zone to extended life (just like the wifi extender).

Jesus was first born of those who walked the earth because Jesus was and is Alpha and Omega, existed at the beginning and will forever be the LIGHT.  “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” –

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” Rev 1:17-18

FIRSTBORN, prōtotokos, thanks for breaking thru.

Amen

Love sound bite scripture that pops up in email, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” So the longer version of the whole scripture from Joshua is VERY important, it’s about throwing away false idols and fearing the Lord, it’s about remembering how the Lord brought the people to the promised lands, and how He is a jealous God. It’s about the grumbling they did that kept them wandering,  and it’s about promises made. Joshua, before he died, well over 100yrs old, had them make a promise to serve the Lord over ALL the false idols. 

We have false idols too, including ourselves and our perceived worlds. We worship our schedules and desires, we want what we want when we want it! The Lord has given us brains and skills to serve, but He also wants us to be sheep, yes, and be led. Yes, bear fruit, but let God place the fruit. Be His and be humble servants.

I loved running the science station at a kid’s fest yesterday, oh fun. Made foaming elephant toothpaste and oobleck and SLIME!!!!  One recurring observation is that the kids get extra excited when they can get their parents to join in – to feel the slime or participate in some way. One kid said “my mom never lets us do this” – so I invited mom to join in too!  Oh the scared looks on the parents, loved it. Oh the joy on the kids’ faces. Oh the good messy fun. Isn’t that fitting for God wants us to have faith like a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and we are to enjoy the joy of the moment. If we are stuck in our agendas, we won’t see the sunset or the sunrise and know that we were gifted another day. We won’t know the path unless we look for the Way.

We can serve the Lord with our skills – and in doing so, if we can give moments that give memories to people and families, then we are finding the niche that is increasingly hard for them to find. If you go to an amusement park or pumpkin patch, hordes of families, herds of sheep just wanting to be together. Church can be this way too – and we do have the resources, we just have to direct them.  I took my own moment to be a sheep too, and go see the actual sheep, get some popcorn and enjoy some cider (I missed the smores, rats), and to be with my church family. North, South, East and West, as long as we are anchored (which was on the t-shirt I wore yesterday) I believe that we all can be led to serve wherever the Lord fits us in! Be portable and flexible.

The evening fell so quickly but brought me many helpers to clean up in the dark while we watched a brilliant sunset. I was seeing it over my shoulder, but spent the last moments with teenagers. One said “oh no my mom is coming” – so I said “come here mom”, and handed her a slime cup. Good times! Then it was my time to go.  

A helper made me stop and look at the sunset. Yes, we need to pause our agendas and choose to see the beauty of the Lord in all. The sun will set and rise, so as for me and my eyes, I will look for the Lord! I will try to remember that I want to be His sheep. Lead on…

We are all children of God. 

Amen 

—–

Joshua 24:14-28

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

“See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

We are waiting and waiting… I’m not just talking about election results waiting, but people are waiting for medical reasons and diagnoses and game plans, the imminent decline of a loved ones health, waiting for improvement for health, waiting for perfect timing for special occasions, waiting for everything, waiting for what WE THINK that we need to know. We don’t always NEED to know… perhaps we are waiting and God is busy rallying something without us even knowing. (I’m even waiting for things I can’t control, are you?)

Blessed are the people who keep busy and have a game plan, no matter what the future.  Blessed are the people letting God pick some future focus for themselves… blessed are those not waiting for God to reveal what He ALREADY told you to do.

Fittingly, I am listening to the book of REVELATION and we are all waiting (not that everyone pays attention) for the end of times and beginning of the New Jerusalem… I find an audio reading of the bible, by David Suchet, so convenient and it really makes the word come alive in certain ways…  Honestly the whole book is so deep and vast, that you have to take it in small chunks.

I could write a lot about what is written but today’s soundbite is about the people who are WAITING. https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/suchet/nivuk/Rev.6

Revelation 6:9-11 John writing all this about what he saw:

When he [Jesus, the lamb worthy to break the seal] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’. Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Yes, wait…  Jesus had to wait, we have to wait, these martyrs have to wait… and wait we shall, until God has said it’s time. 

Yes,  but wait before you complain and think we have seen tough times, there are tougher times ahead, and wait before you just give up waiting, because there are many things to be done. And wait before complaining because there are many things to get lined up and lived up.

Wait because we have it easy compared to those who don’t…  Things we complain about would be a dream scenario in other parts of the world.  And those martyrs? they are working in the world for the WORD, under punishment of death…  Let us remember them today. Wait it out WITH them… even better, pray for them… 

AND DO SERVE GOD… NO WAITING REQUIRED. 

God’s timing is worth the wait… GOD PRAISE IS WORTH THE TIME. 

AMEN 

Sing it with me! To the tune of “It’s a Small World”:

Da da da da da dada da da da….

It’s a short world after all, it’s a short world after all,  it’s a short world after  all,  it’s a SHORT SHORT WORLD!

Days seem long but years seem SHORT to us, don’t they.  I can’t even imagine how God sees time! I know scriptures say that a day is like a 1000 years and a 1000 years is like a day, and I do believe that God can spin the world in any way He wants, but I can’t wrap my head around it all!!!   I also know that many people (especially now in covid times and in this election season) are trying to tease out and identify the Book of Revelation events to now and see what matches what. But don’t. Simply don’t. For God did not create Earth as a “paint by number” canvas for us to guess. He just wants us to be. God did not hide Waldo in every riot or in every plague. Every earthquake is not the game “Perfection” running out of time. God surely even has lots of good things on His plate for us in the near future, but we are often distracted by the smudge marks of the world seemingly gone mad. Remember God is in control. Remember sometimes the Lord calms the storm and sometimes He calms the child.

I’m pretty sure it’s a short world and I know that Jesus is coming sooner than later, especially because the scriptures constantly tell us that we should be ready. (Book of James)  Everyday draws closer to the end times, therefore prepare your heart!  But don’t shuffle the Book of Revelation events like cards or cut and paste them in any which way, because that was not what John wrote down. And worrying about it would be akin to riding those fabulous Disney rides distracted while trying to figure out how all those animatronic moves happen behind the scenes, rather than simply enjoying the ride. You would not get your money worth out of that ride. You might even fall out of your seat leaning over the edge of speculation. It would also be like talking through the whole ride and missing the enjoyment of the moment (and probably annoying all the people in the movable cars next to you). You would miss the whole thing because you were distracted by your matching game of revelation vs rumination…  Don’t.

Don’t – It’s a short world after all – don’t waste your time. God put you on this ride, and He IS the Operator and gave you the free ticket. So, if He was going to put you behind the scenes instead, He would have told you by now and pulled you off the ride!

So don’t fret – don’t over react to the world – participate but don’t anticipate. Glide above the fray in your Spirit movable way and don’t unbuckle your seat belt until the ride comes to a complete stop. 

Share all the love you can, it’s a short world after all. Soak in the grace not the grief, it’s a short world after all.  Wait your turn and don’t bump the line, God’s timing is right and fine.   It’s a short short world!

Amen 

PS Jesus gives out “E” Tickets – for “E”ternity – Let’s Ride with Him!

—-

Revelation 1 prologue:

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

(A little rhyme in play)

Hey

Hey, Plan to PRAY, every start, middle and end of the day. Plan to SLEEP, don’t let worry take that away.

Plan to PLAN making a difference today! If you know the plan, stick to it. If you don’t know the plan, keep asking. If you don’t know the question, God will forever be your truth. God already has saved your day.

Plan to play, make the most of every day. Don’t worry life away, God holds the world’s wild sway. Every day.

Plan to return to the first line of business, talk to God and PRAY. Say that you can pray.

Plan to work, work the plan today. Make a difference, because that can and will work God’s plan in play.

Plan to pay, pay your debts and pay your way in the world. Pay the Way to Heaven? No way! The WAY is already paved and PAID thru PAIN to grant us Kingdom STAY. Lord, you gave forever to us that day. Thank you is the least we can say.

Plan to Kingdom Stay. Don’t plan to stray.

Pray and pray today. God loves hearing what we, His children, say. Hooray.

Amen

Amen all the Way.

Scoffers… the book of Jude warns about scoffers… the world needs mercy!! Hey book of Jude, you’re right!

3rd John warns: “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God.”  And Jude calls it right out – persevere in the times of scoffers… 

Jude warns about terrible division in the world. This means that we are distracted from walking with the Lord ABOVE THE FRAY. Jesus has serious work for us in big issues and sharing Him for wholeness. It’s not that discussion is bad, but agreeing to disagree allows more forward progress. Persevere my friends on both sides, keep focused above! Jesus works to pull us all above the fray! 

Jude’s scripture:

A Call to Persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen

Listen to the whole chapter: I love David Suchet!!!!

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/suchet/nivuk/Jude.1

I’m glad election season is almost over, there’s much to hurdle in repair, regardless of today’s results. 

I have had to hide a good chunk of people in my Facebook newsfeed, people whom I love, because it’s not pleasant to see what they post and many don’t even realize who in family or friends they are insulting or insinuating. I’m thinking Jesus didn’t have that luxury of not hearing the insults. 

A few years back, a wise advisor told me to not post anything controversial since people looked to me as a leader in the church. When they saw me they were supposed to not be distracted by private stuff made public. They were to not be distracted away from worship. Before posting, critiquing, complaining,  we are to get our own houses in order, not create more chaos. 

Same reason why I have not posted anything about the political races. Yes, I’ve encouraged folks to vote, but not how to vote, even though I have strong opinions.  I also want to remind everyone that we are blessed to vote, to live in freedom, and express our opinions without harm. Free to speak up to keep the peace and free to keep quiet to keep the peace. What did Jesus do to his persecutors? Keep quiet. What did Jesus say to His Father? Forgive them. What did Jesus say to everyone? God loves you and wants you to love Him and His children,  your neighbors. 

Let us EXPRESS LOVE by sharing the Word. And with our time, use time wisely. We are stewards of God’s time in us on earth. (That was a great message this week from a great stewardship sermon). The truth is that the TRUTH is the only thing that we all can agree on. Even the negative spirits acknowledged Jesus, scripture says. Actions in love triumphs over actions taken in ignorance or hate. 

I pray to stop seeing so much negativity turned into anger – and wouldn’t anger be better used to fuel action not friction. How many times I wanted to post “do you realize that you are insulting me?”…  I don’t think anyone’s political views are changed on Facebook. Only result is sadness that we are distracted from spreading love. Similarly, if we did not educate about love, who will?

I saw 2 posts back to back today, uncanny duplicates, with the same Ephesians 4 message: Be kind and compassionate. Forgive. 

John, was writing letters to keep the faithful strong. To remind us to love. Love involves lots of forgiveness. I pray that peace today. I pray we learn from the Lord that sacrificial love. Loving all. Forgiveness. And fueling flames of love not friction and hate.

The truth lives inside of us, God put it there for a reason so it’s easy access for us to share… it’s still all about sharing LOVE.

Amen!

—-

2nd letter of John, The elder,

To the lady chosen by God and to her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth—  because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.  And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.  And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.

I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

The children of your sister, who is chosen by God, send their greetings.

A good read for me which was better than any distraction that kept me away from reading: Peter and Jesus – so much to learn.

I am reading and absorbing the last paragraphs in this Michael Card book: A Fragile Stone and as I close the back cover – I remember oh how much I loved this book. He reminds us to be both Peter and Paul as we continue our Christ-like journey – Paul, a pillar of the church for his “passion and exactness” and Peter, a pillar of the church for his “courage and simplicity”.

My goal, our goal, is to find both of them in us – be bold in faith and be a “bridge” to faith (like Peter to the Gentiles). Michael Card says Peter teaches us that we need to “[let go of our possessions and power, let go of our position and authority]” – to be a towel and basin servant, to be Jesus-sharing to peoples unknown… Far and wide we must travel like Peter to meet the people Jesus needs us to meet, not just physically but culturally. We are the hands and feet to reach the ears and hearts for the next awakening souls. We are to serve at the call of our Lord, not lord over our causes.

Our goal is to find Jesus in us – not to hold on to our presets and goals. We must serve – and we must listen. We need to be built upon, learn spiritually and soulfully, like Peter – and grow old in our faith years. 

I know if God had a plan for me, He has a plan for each and every one – He has a plan for you, and Jesus is our navigator. Let’s keep making time to travel ,grow, and be. Let’s be of Thee!.

Amen

————

PS

I did not know about Peter in the many ways that I do now. If anyone would like a copy of this book – only $4 on ebay – I have bought 4 of them now. so good… so good…

Found the scripture to finish this silly not so silly writing from a couple weeks ago.. 

1John 5:18-21 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.  Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

I don’t know anything about why cats have instinctual cat movements,  but they are curious for sure. My cat will cover her food symbolically, will shake excitedly, and instead of simply covering the litter she spends her time brushing the sides of the little box.. weird,  cool, funny, instinctual… since our cat is so smart, an engineer cat and nursemaid cat, she also seems that she knows she’s “just going thru the motions” which are archaic and vestigial with not of house-living physical value. It is as if she says with her eyes: “don’t judge me – I can’t help this.”

Scrape scrape scrape unless she catches you watching her.  Yup.

Am I instinctual? Are we? Yes of course, hormones and brain workings, fight or flight, and being risk averse.  Parental instincts. We are human too. However, we ARE different than animals in our consciousness. However we ALL have our moments of “I can’t help this.” But for us we are to TRY to think of why we do things. And ask for Heavenly Help when we want to stop.

I, like many, find myself in plenty of opportunities to grow in my spiritual journey. With awakening, I went from 0 to 60 Spirit miles per hour in like double four time. Took so long, years and years, for the Lord to snap me into my spiritual car seat with a Jesus seatbelt. Let’s face it, our Holy Spirit lifeplan has us in a supersonic vehicle with no release lever. Once Jesus has you, He has you.

Let’s get back to that cat. Our cat is missing her cat mom, my college daughter, and I am a poor substitute in entertainment. So she is biding her time in this house entertaining herself, basically she owns the whole house for her choices of where to lounge. She surveys the scenes from her perch on top of the stairs, and had at least 6 cat beds/boxes she created herself. Unlike my cat growing up who simply came to snuggle, this cat comes with her own agenda. 

I like it when she kneads the bed, it’s instinctual and I get that. Likewise it takes me a while to settle down too into any task or rest. But in the morning, I have now had, a couple times, the feeling of a phantom cat kneading.  Weird. Nice? Scary? What? Weird. I try to shake it off but it is weird and I want to anticipate it.

I do not know if I am imagining this or maybe there was a possum inside my bed mattress (highly unlikely).  I don’t believe in ghosts but I know there are angels and I know there is a spirit world where good battles evil all the time. So was my phantom cat kneading as an angel cat or something else.  After I thought it was cute it did concern me and this happened a couple mornings but then I realized I need to remember that good ALWAYS triumphs over evil, even if it is not immediately seen. If this kneading was not of the angel nature, then surely an angel or Jesus could take care of it. (I anticipate that it is a good sign for me to simply get out of bed and get moving, but I linger.) So surely a BIG angel cat would probably feel stronger than a light simple cat kneading. Not long after these ponderings and feelings, my live actual cat has leaped on the bed and her kneading is MUCH stronger with MUCH more weight applied, and it is ALL OVER your legs climbing all over you and even coming up to study EXACTLY where to give you a BITE on the hand, arm, toes, forehead, to GET YOU OUT OF BED. I told you, she HAS an agenda. Whether it is time for cat treats or time for opening the front door for cat TV, you serving her with your hands, for things she can not do, is in HER agenda.

Of course this helped me realize that if my actual living cat had so much more power than any phantom cat or whatever, and she’s only one small cat,  then imagine that INTENSE LOVE and care from angel armies for us. My angel cat can be the sunshine of the day, so imagine how BRIGHT the LIGHT of Jesus and all the Spirit blessings are. Imagine how STRONG the GOOD WINS OVER EVIL, even in a broken world. Instinctual behavior or not, we can overcome all, in a heavenly sense, as we know the Spirit lives inside of us. 

Yes, the scripture says: “the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.  We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

I have not felt that sensation since but ALSO because I have NOT looked for it, because our focus is supposed to be on Jesus, not leading ourselves astray. Keep focus edand let Jesus lead, we are in the world but not of it. I’m not supposed to get carried away in distractions. We are to remain in Him. It is not silly to talk about this and I honestly would prefer if the evil one KNEW exactly how much I LOVE Jesus and pray that Jesus would make him stand down. How about an action that is better than praying for myself, and to pray for the world’s people, for the good over evil – yes to fight the good fight in the world. Jesus is of course personal and prays for the Father to intercede for His disciples.

Yes, don’t trample my angel cat’s walk – and surely don’t underestimate Jesus – He ALREADY won over evil, won over death, and lives inside of us.

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Amen and amen

Remain in Him. 

All Souls Day after Halloween is remembering those who have passed. So how are they remembered? By their LOVE and our LOVE for them. By the LOVE in them, from them, not stifled or lost.

Halloween night, I love because I love to see the love of families together. I decorated real quick with lights because I wanted the families to know they were welcome at my house. (Too cold for our neighborhood firepit collection of friends, brrr, happy to be in the house). Yay, we had almost 25 kids, seemingly either aged 3 or 13… awesome… so excited… and my teenager went to walk too, I hugged him when he left, he is so grown up.

I love Halloween but I have seriously grown distant from the blood and gruel, and evil hauntings on Halloween. I’m good with spiders and webs, but I’m not going to use death decorations. No. (This was clear path ahead for the sake of a friend’s little son ever since he was lost a few years back, oh the horror of that day, that week, that month, no way. No Way….  Death be banished. Life be lived.)

So I LOVE the fall fun of the season, the joy of the children, the LIFE, the LIGHTS, the comradery, the costume fun, the walking thru the neighborhood, YES the LOVE. I’m all about the LOVE. The children do indeed LIGHT up the faces of the world, especially the people whom they visit. It’s a blessing to be visited!!! The teenagers give hope too, I gave them everything teenagery I could find: candy, poptarts, water bottles. 

1st John 2:15-27 writes all about knowing where to place your focus. Don’t love anything of the world – and beware of those denying Jesus. I appreciate how John in his letters speaks encouragement: “you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it.”     WE DO KNOW IT.

It’s good to be the sharer of LOVE in a conversation, be the truth keeper and seeker and speaker, be quiet to listen spiritually, not the spouting about worldly mirings… to remain in Him. 

Remain in Him. That’s sage advice and scripture soothing. No matter how tough or easy life is, remain in Him. 

At the pumpkin patch, I like the name of this flat variety of squash pumpkin “Zombie Bliss” – a flesh not sweet but still good for savory flavors. That’s like our walk with Christ with knowing our bliss of everlasting life, all while knowing that we are in a world of worldly attractions that may seem sweet to some but are trappings not truth. Beware the fake bliss of blindness.  We are to Remain in Him, be more true to the Truth. Let us NOT walk like a dead ghoul zombie but walk with life in resurrection-loving born-again bliss. Sprinkle real light, shine light, and be a savory-savoring Savior-seeped soul. 

Humbling isn’t it? to know our walking with the Lord doesn’t mean we have to catch up with Him, like the stragglers in a trick or treating bunch tripping over their costumes, we don’t have to run but walk, even wait AND SIMPLY LIFT OUR EYES TO HIS. And as He knows where we are stuck in worldly costume snags, and how we are HUMAN with too many human trappings, so He waits for us. HE WAITS FOR US to notice Him. And runs to catch us. He never lets us go. 

Blessed in Bliss,

Keep Walking in truth. 

Be the Light and 

Anti the Anti-Love.

Remain in Him. 

Amen 

——

2nd John 

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Warnings Against Denying the Son

18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

I really find this passage from 1st John 2:3-11 is a good pause for us to think about not hating, or fueling the fire of hate, fitting for election season, unrest in pockets, and general ugh. Wow. Just wow. Let’s do love instead.  If we only focused on the work of the Lord thru us, we would have less time to hate. Distraction is the deed of the devil.  Derision is feeding the delight of the divider.

Grumbling is not a good thing, but an appropriate word for what we see on our Facebook feeds, TVs and mail. I didn’t know anything about a particular local candidate except that people mailing these flyers harbor hate for her. Negative publicity or fear fueling is just wrong.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.  Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 1st John 2:9-11

It is not bad that we debate topics, but mob mentality is very easy to cultivate, too easy. True that I don’t like some candidates, opposite to my thinking on certain topics, but that’s for debate not hate. Yes, just like the dried paint I just cleaned up,  and oh yeah the cat surprises behind the furniture, these grumblings and attacks of mudslinging stain the microcosms we live in, how is it on the next day we are going to forget the flinging? Not likely. How will we teach our children to be polite, maybe bite their tongue for keeping the peace. And focus on not making it a messier world than it already is. Dump the divides and clean up the causes.

I don’t post political humor or commentary on Facebook, even if I have strong opinions, I don’t want any friends blocking me. I want to show them happy posts, my kid photos, trips, and of course the cat. 

A particular Facebook post this week was like a cat catastrophe ON the furniture, not behind it. Ignore,  block,  report,  or comment? That is the modern question. I have “snoozed” so many it’s not funny. 

My prayers are for not for unity in worldly things, but unity in love. My prayers are against dribbles and deluges of hate stirring. Verify, validate, vote. Clean it up not clutter life with crud.

Don’t let the darkness overcome, we have an overcomer in Jesus, our Light, who wants to shine love thru us. What we miss being mired in mud, oh what we gain in grace both given and received!

Let’s love first, ask questions second.       

Amen 

—–

1st John 2     Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers  3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them

I am in 1st John. Where are you? I really knew that one has to read the bible deeply – but like a good beach book, people start and stop whenever a good wave goes by. I have started and stopped reading lots of little bible bits – but whole books are where I need to be – chapter by chapter – continuous in my reading. BUT also important is stopping to place Word in my brain and life – actually I mean place my brain into the Word that is ALREADY in my Life because the Word is life and I am the reader of Him in me. Just like we should not miss the scenery if we read the whole time on a train trip and forget to look out the windows. Life IS a journey and really where we are going is out into it, out into LIFE to test our own truth and understanding. To share His Light in the dark world. We need to carry these truths to light the way.

I have benefited greatly from reading all of Luke, then Mark, then Matthew, then John – the 4 gospels read deeply took me 3 years (?) because I was absorbing all that I could and re-reading when I needed to. I was wanting to read the commentary of Michael Card in his Biblical Imagination series, so to understand commentary you have to read source material FIRST. The scriptures are the actual Word of God – the sword of truth – cutting thru to the message – and that makes sense because you have to pierce the gobbly gook in the world with truth. Just like when soap hits oil and it scatters it to the side, the truth reveals clarity.

After the 4 gospels, and the book of Acts (as a church project), my next reading was the letters from 1st and 2nd Peter – I paused my summer reading book about Peter and Jesus (another Michael Card favorite) to absorb the whole letters. I certainly had read them piecemeal – great scriptures everywhere. Now in my “methodical for the moment” scripture perusal/absorption, I am in 1st John. I don’t plan on stopping until I hit the end of the New Testament with lots of backtracking and forward thinking. The time factor is NOT important here but the TESTAMENT of what I will have learned IS!!!!   I think there is nothing better for a “new-in-Christ” or “ongoing-in-Christ” soul than to soak up the source scriptures. Like wisdom from 1st John – we need Jesus to purify ourselves from unrighteousness – to get us back on track and stay on track – to break up the clouds of our own fogginess. We need to know that we go nowhere without the Light of Jesus, we go somewhere WITH the Hope of Jesus, and we are not to even worry when He is going somewhere taking us.  God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

OK – all aboard for a track thru 1st John – I hope you are reading somewhere on your own tracks – from your station – keep steaming ahead and keep looking out the windows to see where the scriptures fit the scenery – or the scenery fit the scriptures. Don’t read to race but read to embrace.

(I encourage you to journal too! You never know where the Lord is taking you!)

Amen here means we have just begun!

1st John 1:5-10, 2: 1-2   This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Oh such an important message today in the devotion below. I’m super blessed busy with work right now that only small tidbits of writing fit my schedule, but this matches my thinking… 

God doesn’t need BIG things from us, just for us to let the Holy Spirit move thru us to be His Hands and Feet.

I have always suffered from under-confidence for what I know, even though I know that I know lots of things. I do have a PhD not from a whim of the Lord and have survived or thrived nearly 20 years at my job. So why I still have this issue, I don’t know. And that’s where the evil one tries to attack me, my stability and confidence. Well, I’m thinking that if I keep busy and listen to the Lord, His confidence in me replaces anything lost. I know this is true but I have to remind myself!  I am His for some reasons I know and many I don’t need to know. I thank Him for the blessings I have and the stability He shows me.

I walked into work yesterday and on Mondays there’s always SOMETHING new to shift your weeks priorities. No doubt yesterday that’s what happened. My biggest advantage yesterday was my listening and reading skills for editing an important memo and hearing the emotions of the people whom I was around. Oh, same skill God has ALWAYS given me. He reminds me to just use my skills and He will fill my brain when the timing is right. Yup.

Yes, my education is important, my memory is key in my job, and my dependence on God is 100% to see where I fit in. He doesn’t always need me to be big in a project, just His. Our skills are His at any and ALL jobs. He can make your day, or make other peoples day and life by using you.

Yes, my needed placement and timing yesterday and now today started with 30 minutes reading, 30 minutes editing. I could have stopped there but I invited myself into the conference call, so 30 minutes being chatty on the virtual meeting with 10 people all over the country. And 30 minutes of being available today for editing and signing off on a final statement. My role was and is not BIG but small and crucial – someone else could have done it yes, but how God placed me into the right time right place to be crucial is the opportunity He took with me accepting – that’s what we should ask the Lord to show us when we are feeling lost. He had a tendency to deliver, huh? YEAH!

Best we ask everyday, as I walked in yesterday asking the Lord what my purpose was that day, and He quickly showed me. I’m humble in His service because I never think I know enough and He has shown me that nervousness is not a problem, just keep working, let Him move me. Open minds to listen, open hands to type, open hearts to discern. What IS important is that we know and remember to rely on Him. Every minute, He’s got this. We are not big, but His. We are “cogs in something turning” always. We aren’t just counting time on this planet. We need Him all the time and He needs us.  He’s making the time to get His job done. He has shown us that many hands make it all work, we all have a tiny slice of the puzzle. Let’s keep solving it!

Thanks for the reminder Lord that You are Lord, let’s crack open that laptop this morning and get to work.

Amen 

He seals the deal for us doing His Work at work and everywhere. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10  Romans 7:4-6 

We often make this way too complicated in trying to hear something big that He wants us to do, when He simply wants us to be His hands and feet by loving those that He has placed around us and placing their needs above our own.

Amen

—————————-

A great inspiring devotion from Bob Bennett, Real Men Ministries

The Daily Dose, Copyright © 2020 Real Men Ministries. All rights reserved.

God is Always Faithful! 10/27/2020

Good Morning,

God will always be faithful to finish the work that He began in each of us!

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

While each of us are unique creations of God with different paths to follow and different crosses to bear, we will all go through similar stages of growth that are common to all who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Here is a few things that I have learned in almost 50 years of following Him:

God is faithful to constantly remind us that apart from Him….we can do nothing! John 15:5 He wants us all to abide and remain in Him, so we do not go our own way, which will eventually lead to spiritual and possibly even physical pain. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4 God will allow us all to fail at times, in order to bring us to the place, where we realize we can achieve nothing of value without His divine guidance and power.

God is faithful to allow our pride to cause us to fall, as it is a threat to our spiritual growth. “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Proverbs 16:18 God knows the deepest feeling of our heart, and all He really cares about, is changing and conforming our hearts to His. If we begin to think in our heart that we have accomplished something great without Him, then we chance being deceived and eventually following our own heart and dreams, instead of His. 

God is faithful to discipline any of His children who worship other things ahead of Him. He has been very clear in His Word on how He feels about us placing other things before Him. “Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods; I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:4 He will be faithful to eventually bring all of His children face to face with whatever holds them captive, as He is a Jealous God. Exodus 20:5

God is faithful to open our eyes to the things that are evil, as our enemy comes sometimes as a wolf in sheep’s clothing with the desire to deceive and devour us spiritually. “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:14-16  “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:11-13

God is faithful to remind us that this life is not about us, but that we are to all live a sold-out life for Christ, instead of ourselves each day. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Galatians 2:20 He wants us all to become living sacrifices that are not tossed about in their faith by every whim and circumstance that comes our way. “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.” Ephesians 4:14 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Romans 12:1

And finally, God is faithful to remind and empower us to do His good works. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10  Romans 7:4-6 We often make this way too complicated in trying to hear something big that He wants us to do, when He simply wants us to be His hands and feet by loving those that He has placed around us and placing their needs above our own.

Lord, please draw us into a more intimate relationship with you today. Thank You for being so faithful to finish the work that You began in each of us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Have another powerful and prosperous day of being about the kingdom work by serving others in the workplace and at home!

Bob Bennett, Real Men Ministries

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” — Philippians 2:3

So much lately I have been thinking about Spiritual maturation, about growing in dependence on the Holy Spirit. Not simply book knowledge of scripture to increase as we get older, but hopefully APPLICATION of LIVING scripts of scripture as we play out our days. 

It’s my birthday, and I have been gifted with another day, another year. LIFE IS A GIFT. I have prayers for another great year, and a prayer for a closer walk with the Lord every day. It is a hard walk to give up self – but it is easier when we give Jesus the chance to carry us thru another moment, another decision, and to unburden our days. 

It’s time for churning up the spiritual milk that I have been feeding on and have forever been craving for. Churning and whipping up spiritual milk into aged cheeses, butters, and dollops of enriched cream for living more mature. It’s knowing better and living better. 

Whipped cream:  yet a time to NOT add too much artificially sweet sugaring to scripture, not sugar coating any biblical teachings when applying to life. A natural sweetness of joy is enough for us as we are learning to live more true. 

Butter: yet a time to NOT add way too much salt to scripture, not dehydrating the day. A natural saltiness of flavor is good for learning to live more true. Salt that loses saltiness is useless. Life without Spiritual sprinkling goes bland. Savoring the Savior gives life flavor.

Cheese: yet a time to NOT let spiritual milk spoil, but age it into nuggets of wisdom to live, keep, and share later. A natural flavoring of wisdom helps living life more true. A creaminess like mascarpone or firmness like parmesan, aged or fresh, smoky biting or tender flavors, shows us diversity in our days. Our walk without wisdom becomes wandering. Aging without hope grows old. Maturing is life living in the Spirit.

I pray on my 51^st birthday, and forward, to be closer to our Lord, to His sweet, salty, selfless soul. To listen and ask the Lord for His Joy, His spice of flavor, His wisdom to enrich and fortify my witness. To pray years to extend my life and protect me and all whom I love. To give comfort to the hurting and direction to the lost. To quiet the chaos and especially to open up the conversation with the silent souls.

Always birthday cake candles will be hard to keep lit in the winds of life. However, I pray that the true fire in our hearts for Jesus only intensifies. Jesus lights our way – He wants to be our re-birth hooray.

Amen 

—-

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1st Peter 2:1-3 NIV

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 14:33-35 KJV

I am nearing the close of Michael Card’s book “The Fragile Stone” about Peter and Jesus.  This crucial section is about Peter in the Book of Acts being interrupted by the Holy Spirit! I will finish – well I won’t – because we are never finished in our movement by the Holy Spirit are we ? ! ?

Fittingly, I was interrupted many times reading and writing this about the Spirit interrupting! Just now I am waiting for an elderly neighbor at a store, then will take her to the post office. Interestingly she was going to call me for a ride this morning, started walking instead and then I drove by, picked her up. Like the theme of the day – to be where the Holy Spirit needs us to be.

The last bits of Michael Card’s book about Peter tells how he grew up in faith, how Peter spiritually MATURED –  and he was EVER realizing that if the Spirit doesn’t lead, we all go nowhere.  Peter was led into the world’s nooks and crannies to where God needed him. We don’t get a biography of the journey, but you can bet Peter never lacked being in the Lord’s plans – we, like he, will NEVER be bored…

For Peter, as Michael Card educates, this increasingly meant he was in the world of the Gentiles – unclean to a Jew, but included, loved and blessed by God. Grace for everyone under the Son. Peter lived in a tanner’s house (unclean and yuck!) and later was called to Cornelius’s house, unclean unclean, but true believers they became! Grace Grace Grace. Peter was forced to explain his actions to the Jewish Christian community. STUNNED. Peter was led by and pushed by the Spirit. And we, like Peter, often see the Spirit moving way ahead of us.

Yes, Jesus did say “the harvest is plentiful but the workers few”.

Peter was tasked by the Lord to reach past “his people” to reach Gentiles. Cornelius was visited by an angel who told him to call for Peter, and Peter went! Peter saw how God’s Holy Spirit poured out onto them, the members of a Gentile’s house, and this Holy Spirit movement was crucial for the growth of the church and Spirit-directed. The Holy Spirit also made it so important for Peter to recount the story back to “his kind”. He had to get alignment to not his plan but The Plan, to SPREAD THE WORD.

Peter, such an important piece of the puzzle, the building of the church, well known hands and feet for the Holy Spirit to be used… He got to see such a powerful and generous Holy Spirit. So will we.

How fitting – we too are on a journey and have to know that God is going to push us too – to GROW.

To feel the Spirit push you, stop fighting the winds.

To see the Lord put you somewhere, ask Him for directions.

To be interrupted by the Spirit? Welcome to the generous nature of God. 

All LEADERS, MUST be a follower FIRST. 

“Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me”

Amen!!!

Well, do you have a direction in life? Got any open roads and not know where to go? Got not enough roads or no lines on a really wide road???  Ever just get lost in your own shuffle of choices in life? Would you wish for more choices or less? Do you wonder if each step is the right one? Are you stuck and scared to even move? Are there wrong steps? Yes. Are there many right steps? Yes. What about side steps when you almost go the wrong way? Yes you can recover. Do you have to figure out all the steps ahead of time? No. Is there someone to help you step? Yes. Is there someone who will even make a path? Yes.

Jesus asks us to abide in Him. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4

We are free to live freely but isn’t it going to be much better and more fruitful should we choose to live ABIDING in Him? Once you choose to serve Him it seems that you wouldn’t take any other choice. You could say it is not freedom, and it is not, but it IS Kingdom-living and that’s really a lot! Live in Him and He will provide.

When you get to the ice cream place, you have choices, all are probably pretty good. Do you have to put all your energy into the choice? No. Life is more complicated than ice cream, but choosing what to do should not be so complicated. When we abide in Him, we have a range of choices too. But this abiding and Kingdom talk is not intended to be about material things. More about those life choices, those roads to take – and those choices in life, so very important, about using the abilities HE has given us. Why are we given abilities? Because we are made in His image, all with fruit to bear.  Fruit needs STRONG branches first. Weak branches not only will drop fruit, but will be damaged themselves. SO WE MUST GROW AND GROW STRONG! Are we placed in challenging life instances from where we can GROW? That is the point. We should all pray for strength. Even if you are placed “in kind” with comfortable surroundings, you can still grow – spiritually – you can be challenged to use your talents – challenged to reach people for the betterment of mankind. Yes, even the plants are in places suitable for bearing fruit and seeds “according to their kinds”. Therefore we must be in even better circumstances since we especially have the ability to bear not our fruit, but HIS FRUIT – which He will place on us – then we can grow.

In Genesis, God planned everything to thrive “according to their kind”. For the people, He allowed eating from any tree except the one He said not to, which meant they were free to choose amongst so many good things already placed. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. Genesis 1:12.  This meant they bore what they were expected to bear….  

Genesis 2:15-17 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

I listened to an old recording of band practice with my first band leader, my dear friend Anthony, for a new beautiful song he had just written. We were learning our parts which were up to us to develop – and Anthony, even in such few words that I already understood,  said: “There’s all kind of room in there to do (trails off)… you know what I am saying?” (“Yeah“) “Just find your spot and do something.”  That’s what I needed to hear today and always: “Just find your spot and do something” – That is what the Lord is allowing us to do – have freedom within limits of His goodness – and do things for Him, including just being us. What we do is not always but sometimes a direct command and not always but sometimes a path that we ourselves have to figure it out. Either way, we have to “find our spot”, abide in Him, listen, be His, and do something. Another song I was being taught, Anthony said “Don’t rush it”. TRUE!. In all ways, He has given us the Spirit to guide us. We are not alone.

That something of doing something always starts with loving God, when we abide in Him, we will be free to live. If we are free to eat from any tree, and there are multiple, then we are free to choose so many things. Surely we first should choose to serve the Lord and not worry about how. Simply abide, find your spot, and do something.

Amen

PS – this leaf all colorful for the fall – the green was pulled back as it reveals all the extra pigments that were doing so much without us knowing. how colorful and beautiful we all are inside – God knows – God knows you are all beautiful.

Amen Amen

Number one message from God to me these covid months has been: “REST“. Maybe that’s what the cat hears half the time from God too, because even when I had this wake up call at 130 am from God, the cat was still sleeping. I’ve now moved around, because I’m awake, the cat is not amused. Creation is groaning (Romans 8) and the cat’s face grumpingly says: haven’t you figured out that we need rest to be God’s best?

Rest – why? Declutter my brain, make room, process to help tuck loose pieces of the day away. God is wanting to speak into my head to conjoin what is already written on my heart, that which was written before I was born. As a child of God, God reads the Word to you while you sleep.  If you are cluttered in your house, it’s a fire trap, it’s a sign of mental something, or it’s just because, like me, we kinda like lots of good stuff – right? Stuff doesn’t mean that it’s expensive or showy, it’s just accumulated, useful for purposes known and unknown. Maybe you need better storage space for stuff so people don’t know what you have hidden, and instead they can complement your organizational skills. IKEA here we come! 

What about the Word written by Jesus lived by Jesus that rests on your heart? Can you hear Jesus thru the dust? Can you hear Him and see Him clearly? Have you made enough room? Dust His Word off? What about storage space? How organized are you or did you just dump scripture into the big bible bin? That’s what spiritual maturation is all about, pull pieces from the bin to let it sink in. How is your sorting? Need a yard sale? Better yet donate your mental state to others who need more scripture stuff. It is said about stuff: “If you really needed it, you will acquire it again”. SO BETTER than stuff, scripture is what sticks with you. AHA! SCRIPTURE STICKS WITH YOU! You can’t give it away. You can try decluttering but the declaration of the Word, for the Word, is trying to get your attention. It pre-knows placement, if you would only give it time to mentally stick. Your stuff can be pre-drilled as puzzling pieces, waiting to fit.

REST – my brain never gets caught up with God, now God is catching me up. REST – SO WE CAN WAKE UP – because GOD’S CALLING. 

I just now caught that sneaky Holy Spirit parsing out some messages in my latest dreams from God -about my future – it was 3 dreams back when I awoke at 1:30 am. Something Holy Spirit for sure. I can barely remember, if I did I would write it, but the next 2 dreams cluttered my now awake brain and yet those dream memories are escaping quickly.  I surely pray my heart brain connection won’t lose whatever God said. The point is that God’s in charge. God’s Spirit is decluttering your brain in dreamland to sort, store and give away. IKEA has nothing on God’s ability to process and position your mind. God says: “REST: so you can then TEST what new thinking ground has been uncovered. 

What did God say? My friends have been resting too, they have been hearing from God’s angels sorting their dreams, fears, plans, blockades, stuff. Now that’s a mental mystery – angels moving stuff. You heard of angel armies? How about Angel  “You got junk?” Armies angling for your attention? No worries, they are pre-paid.

Yup. We got junk. I got junk. God’s only trying to get your Spirit out from under your Stuff. God is decluttering your brain. 

Mentally let the dreams come. Let go of the old you.

Move forward – Jesus said let the dead bury the dead – the Holy Spirit works to herd haul the junk away for every day to become a fresh day. Our loss is His Gain. 

Move into your new mental space – Jesus is already speaking into your heart, ask the Lord to lighten up the mental path for you to follow. 

Move – ask the Holy Spirit to help you move. Look – look at your new place, your new space – then pull out your toolbox of faith building and grace. 

Grace – start freaky fresh. GRACE. Out with the old you. You, you are a new creation. You bee new. New you is now real. You aren’t just dreaming about your life changes, you are ALIVE in CHRIST implementing them.

Hang up a new sign: “This is Jesus’s Place”. He already knows my name. My loss is His Gain. 

Amen

—–

Romans 8:26-30

the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

So often we enjoy “soundbite scripture”, Jeremiah 29:11 is the perfect example:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

For all of us facing difficulties, the HOPE  OF THE LORD is precisely what we need. Let’s dig deeper, as there is so much more to this teaching than the soundbite. There’s an action plan for living in not so perfect times.

A major prophet (meaning a thick chunk of the old testament chapters), Jeremiah speaks to an exiled people, in chapter 29, and relays a message that urges them to prosper in exile, multiply, and live well. (Few verses below, but not all 52 chapters, wow). He especially told them to do their best while waiting to be delivered. 

What if God told you to do the best that you can with whatever life has handed you? Even better, God says: do the best with what I AM helping and blessing you with!!!!  Would you choose to bloom where you are planted? Or sit and stew? Put your energies into living well with no qualms? Or holdback to wait for greener pastures, even pass over blessings to ask: You got anything better???? 

What if our own placement is temporary, and it is, well that doesn’t mean to NOT till the soil. PERHAPS we are preparing something for the Lord to use, even if we don’t see it, even if we won’t see it bloom, or even if it is not for us. So, until the time you get moved on to another pasture, keep your mind on the matter at hand – as well as your hands on the plow – and maybe in prayer you will get a handle of where and what God is moving you to. 

In exile, aren’t we all in exile from the Garden of Eden? In transition, aren’t we all temporary on Earth? In place, aren’t we all currently somewhere? In momentary pause, aren’t we each evaluating our lives? Especially now? In movement, aren’t we supposed to be ready to go where the Lord takes us. 

If we are called, we should listen. 

If we are calmed, we should quiet. 

If we are to continue, we should continue. 

Watch out for the derelict deceivers, seek the Lord. Seek the peace, prosper and PRAY…

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.

Wherever you are today, seek and praise the Lord. 

Amen 

‐———

Jeremiah 29 – A letter to the exiles

This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

—–

Bible Project video:

Jesus, you have to “hand it” to Jesus. He knows what we need, works for our Father, and was there at the beginning and will be there at the end. He will open the Revelation-told scroll, that only He, as the Lamb, can open. 

Jesus’s hands have been on my mind from two different songs by Michael Card (Scribbling in the Sand, and Come to the Table). Describing Jesus’s hand that scribbled in the sand as those potential rock throwers set their rocks down. Describing Jesus as the Word being the hand of God writing the commandments.  And Jesus with His own hands breaking the bread to symbolize Himself, just before His hands became pierced in death.

I expand on this handy thought of Jesus, I remember so many other “hands-on” Jesus moments, with scripture and with me. Jesus has the Hands to handle life and He handled death too. Please hand everything you have to Jesus, He will “give you a hand” to lighten your load. He wants it all. Jesus is best in our lives when we appreciate watching His “hands on” approach. We can “give Him a hand” and cheer on His amazing journey thru others, thru us. 

Jesus’s hands at the beginning of His Written Ministry opened the Temple scroll of the prophesies to the passage that described His coming and His life. He essentially read Himself, a first-hand account if there ever was one. Jesus was raised to learn to use His hands from His carpenter father Joseph and Jesus was raised to learn His place next to His Heavenly Father’s Hand. 

Jesus’s hands lifted children, and made mud for a blind man to see. Jesus hand cooked fish for His disciples; He hand-picked those disciples too. Jesus took the hand of a child to raise her from death’s sleep. Jesus put his hands inside the ears of a man needing to hear. His hands washed the feet of His disciples whom then became, like us, His hands and feet. 

His Hand will always knock on our door to see if we will open up our lives to Him. Jesus took my hand to remind me that He is ever present. He wants His church (all of us) collectively to live hand in hand as His Bride. 

Is Jesus worth holding on to? HE IS. He makes us worthy thru Him, to become whole from His handcrafted love. Jesus gives us Spirit within us which should be handled with care by us, fed, nurtured, shared. 

One day, Jesus will hand you a stone with a new name on it for you. Jesus will call you, reach for your hand to pull you up into forever life. Peter sunk but was raised up from the water and his wandering. We, like Peter, will always have Jesus’s hand to grab. Jesus will handle your situations on earth and then handle your case with God when you stand together in forgiving judgement for your life. Jesus will fight for and win your soul, hands down. 

Jesus, Hand it to Jesus. His are the Hands that Save.

Amen

Without getting into details of all my sinful ways, I can generally see or at least guess that the Lord has gotten more LEVERAGE out of my recent strife, drawing me closer to Him. He gets more movement out of our down times and foibles then the devil has ever gotten from inciting dastardly derision of us. I believe in the Lord’s Leverage. I pray peace and purpose. Prayer Warriors unite, we can be part of the Lord’s Leverage thru all.

In my awakened morning just now, instead of confusion, I get contemplation. In quiet time,  He quiets me so I can watch His brainstorming into my life.  I listen to His Love. In my time sharing, the Lord gets my longing, and my thankfulness. In everything, Jesus gets my soul, because He took it anyway, Jesus chooses to choose us, to judge without weighing sins against us. For all my awakened awareness, I can tell you that Jesus was never NOT going to go after my soul. His leverage in me is from taking me. Jesus got to me first, and I pray He always does.

If the Word was with God and is God, our foundation is fundamentally in Him, no matter how human we are.

Leverage. Many convergent conversations recently have been about the coldest person being easier to become on fire for the Lord than any lukewarm person is. Better than continued mildness, the Lord leverages miraculous life overhauls.  He is just looking for the opportunity to slide under like a crowbar and flip your lid. Be open to the cracks under your feet. Be ready for the Lord wants to rock your world. Be ready for belonging. Be His.

We ask Him to leverage all that’s lacking in our understanding. Ask Him for a new start. Buy into His Plans, because He already thought of you when He made them. 

Lord, please make warriors from worriers.

Make men from mice.

Make molehills from mountains. 

Make us thine, keep us in line. 

Keep our eyes open, keeping you in mind.

Bless and LEVERAGE our time. 

Amen 

We can make many claims and reasons for personal being, self-awareness, our connections to certain people, how we deal with life, but REALLY, LIFE IS supposed to be ALL ABOUT GOD. Because GOD is ALL about LIFE

God is to be respectfully feared.

God is to be unashamedly loved.

God is love. 

Jesus is to be actively reached. 

Jesus thru sacrifice teaches unselfish love. 

Jesus surely loves.  

Holy Spirit knows.

Holy Spirit grows.

Holy Spirit shows how love flows.

How will we know our place? 

By the love. 

How will we know our Grace? 

By the love. 

How can we define our life?

By the love. 

I can not do anything except by Christ.

Christ did not do anything except by God’s guidance, they are in each other. The Holy Spirit works Christ’s mission into the world by using us, light and life thru us, strengthening us and fine tuning our actions of sharing. 

Healing thru Hearing…

By our searching for God’s plans for us, we gain direction. 

By our studying the Spirit’s actions thru us, we gain an understanding of our purpose. 

Then like Jesus, we seek not to please ourselves but Him who sent us.

Jesus’s teachings thrive thru our lives. 

His LOVE we can honor by a devoted life.

REALLY LIFE IS ALL ABOUT GOD and GOD is all about LIFE. 

Be like Jesus and let our lives serve Our Father.

Amen 

—–

Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,  that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him. 

‘Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.  Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

‘Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” John 5:19-30 KJV 

Have you ever been in one of those fancy movie theaters or even fancier Broadway musical or plays? The drama so deep, the theaters so posh, and then there’s a hush of silence except “crinkle  crinkle  crinkle” – Oh yes, the crinkled crinkling crinkles of SNACKS. SO LOUD!

At church today it was SO QUIET! Solemn, but a deafening quiet when I was seated, during the prelude, as I was late, of course… When we went to prayer, we were QUIET, when we heard the deep sermon we were pensively QUIET (except for laughter at the jokes,  haha), when we went to have Communion, what did I hear?: “CRINKLE CRINKLE CRINKLE” !!! WHAT??? Most everyone was opening their individually-wrapped communion wafer and cup, except me (OOPS), I had forgotten to pick it up, I sat quietly bundled up in my warm sweater, and wondering  if anyone noticed… I sat in AWE of the CRINKLE, that something so small could be so loud even in a big space. Was it a good crinkle? Yes. It made me smile, and smiling is good.  And was it my daily bread? Yes, today it was, even though I forgot to get a sealed cup and wafer pack, the unsealed Jesus IS my daily bread. I am amazed how small a time on Earth can be so Earthshattering. The UNSEALED Sound of the Spirit – in the people in the pews – oh it surely pleased my ears. The CRINKLE breaking the audience silence meant God’s children were breaking into their hunger and thirst for Jesus.  Jesus was broken to make us whole. How could one man, so small in the worldly world, break the religious rigidity of the time and make such a big noisy impact?  Jesus came to be known. How can faith in Jesus be so transformative? It is YOUR Spirit pushing out of your humanness. A jar of clay hard pressed on all sides but filled with spirit.  You are God’s child unwrapped. Even if your faith is small, the size of a mustard seed, it can move a mountain. Jesus is God. CRINKLE thru that. 

What’s the next step after we step out of church, having partook in the Crinkle Community of Communion? WE ARE TO: CARRY ON THE CRINKLE!!!  Jesus, is to be shared.  Broken body, broken chains, broken out onto the world… Jesus spread to others longing to know Him. 

If we don’t take our CRINKLE out into the world and make a joyful noise for Jesus, how will anybody hear?

If we don’t transmit the message of Jesus to make it a louder CRINKLE sound than the noise of the world, how will anybody hear?

If we Carry on the CRINKLE, we can BE the CRINKLE of CHRIST!!!

AMEN 

Listening to a great sermon on “Distractions”, about Martha and Mary, was perfect for my commute home – especially the part about not being distracted while driving. Oh yes, the small distractions, the human existence we live… Sermon starts at the 45 minute mark, found this church googling a few months ago – it is so nice that Jesus is universal, and so are the lessons of how to live. https://youtu.be/mqtdhw_ZWm8

My take home messages besides the distracted driving which unfortunately we are all tempted to do, were that distractions keeping Martha away from visiting with Jesus were exactly what Martha suffered, and she even started demanding Jesus do something, even though she knew He was Lord, He was God and also a revered teacher. She was demanding for her sister to stop what she was doing and come help. Martha was blinded by Martha’s agenda. This Pastor said the tone Jesus took was soft and “look, you are SO distracted.” – not harsh as some would say. Mary was allowed to sit at Jesus’s feet (unusual at those times for women to be included and mixed in with the men for the teaching of rabbi teacher-types) demonstrated, like the woman at the well, that Jesus’s message was for everyone equally, not restricted.  

Here is the part that touched me deeply in a healing way: JESUS WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY. I get to ponder the blessings that I have by my virtual sitting at the feet of Jesus, by insights and wonderment. I get to ponder my blessings and NOT whether I deserve them or not. Sometimes I think of work that I THINK that I should be doing instead of writing so much, and yes speaking of Jesus, understanding His love, certainly I could never be listening enough. Jesus said: “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:42 NIV

This reads differently in the King James Version: Jesus says: “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

How wonderful and healing is that? Pondering allowed. If it seems like “overindulging” in studying and sharing Jesus, I think Jesus says to soothe that worry too. How could the Lord NOT be setting aside time for us to simply be with Him. He has created early morning quiet times, sometimes 4am wake-up calls after plenty of sleep to give me no worries that I am taking away time from my actual and perceived jobs. Even the cat often comes sit with me while I am writing rather than bite me to get me up to play. Even the cat is resting and watching…

Mary and Martha too (and Lazarus) were such deep close friends with Jesus that they felt comfortable with Him. Martha especially felt comfortable enough even to complain (so do we). In a busy household like that, did Jesus slip into the kitchen to chat with her specifically so that no one else heard? In a crowded house, how did Martha get the full attention of Jesus at that moment? BECAUSE JESUS WAS LOOKING FOR HER.

Martha also chose that evening to use her freedom to speak – to release her stress on Jesus maybe because He was the only one who actually came to seek her out. Martha chose to confide. Jesus wants us to confide in Him too. Martha could have continued being distracted and disgruntled all evening and taken it out on Mary after all the guests left, but if Martha did not approach Jesus then Jesus went to Martha to intervene, seeing her still preparing even though the party has already started (how many of us do that? yeah, guilty as charged), Jesus had given full attention to Martha to give us another example of His healing power. He soothed a situation BEFORE it exploded. Isn’t that why Jesus singled out Martha – and continues to single each of us out for intervention?

Jesus grabs our attention and it is not for temporary gain – but for eternal keeping.  James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James in chapter 5 tells us: “8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” KJV…  Yes, be ready for the Lord, prepare your hearts. Jesus has already intervened for us, with us, for us, saving us, as we now have to keep paying attention.

Jesus wants us all at His party, He wants the Mary’s and Martha’s. He wants us.

Jesus will not be taken away. For all of us He says: “Rest”. For all of us He would intervene to bring us rest, For all of us, Jesus will not be taken away!!! The quietness is a gift, the readiness is a command, the PEACE? that is Jesus 100%.

Amen and Peace

Home and Heart Maintenance!  The scriptures remind that we can be blind, especially if we just don’t know.  For me, I feel that I don’t know a lot of things and I’m always trying to learn, which is probably why I NOW know a lot of things.   I knew PRACTICALLY NOTHING about my heating system, but there’s no reason why I should, until it went down, it’s not a sin but a situation, so now I research options and timelines.  I have learned oh so very much!

I’m close to a decision,  many reasons to continue with my oil, spending 2 weeks to cover my bases (and my baseboards). With all my investigation, simple pieces of advice help me immensely. Something that I knew I already knew, but rarely paid attention to, is that I was blocking my own heating systems airflow. I was blind. Yes, I did back vacuum the my baseboards, once a year, but not always below if I could not reach them because of blocked pathways. And of course I remember the airflow is crucial to the heat flow.  Blockages where I actually need heat, or the opposite of open heater coils where I don’t need so much heat… yeah I can only do better… so regardless of money thoughts, an oil/gas conversation discussion, what’s best to do? Improve the air flow. 

I was blind and now I see.  I see the papers that snuck underneath the baseboard in one room. No they have not been there long, just since the summer, but if left, the blockage would be severe. The 1st paper I picked up (classic Holy Spirit fashion) is of a tremendous teaching: Jesus, gives sight to a blind man. 

“If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”  How good it is to open my eyes to my blockages, and yet it still took someone else reminding me how heated air flow works, silly me I know… Fittingly my heat air flow is dependent upon water flow (sound familiar?). Jesus living water is best in flow.

Jesus let the man discover his own answers of who gave him sight, God!!! The man did this by reasoning – all good things must come from God… This blind man likely already knew that, and had seen the glory of God within His heart. Given the opportunity, the now sighted man told the truth, even if it got him tossed out of the temple and shunned by his parents. He knew the Way this unknown man performed a miracle could only have been thru God. Then, Jesus confirmed that He indeed was the Son of God. Jesus said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”   “Who is he, sir?” the man asked.  “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

We often need a small reminder, sometimes a big wake up call, or at least a clue… Maybe we just need to take time to think? talk it out? pray on it. When we do know, we are also called upon to witness, give advice, notice things and pray to help others open . Harnessing the Holy Spirit is a flow to know. 

Mostly, like my baseboards, we are to do maintenance, clear blockages, and think. How else can we harness and be a part of the POWER of God, unless we ask to see and we then believe… Like in a Pharisee, who speaks of God but refuses to believe the signs of Jesus, blindness and blockages come thru pride, unbelieving stubbornness, and fear of losing control. Give up the unknown for the known: Love God, because you can see Him without using your eyes. 

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Know the Power of God in your heart. Believe in Jesus, heat up your faith.   

Go for the FLOW!!!

Amen 

---

John 9

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”   But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”  10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.  11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.  “I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. 17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

One truth in the Lord is very understandable to those who understand. One truth is a centering feeling but actually more like a base from which we are to grow, gives us a nourishment to grow, builds in us a spiritual influence that grows, and has a safety net of everything else.

Division exists in all levels of the world’s people. Division in politics, religions, sports, educational perspectives, and of course health concerns. Division exists but division itself, simply 2 sides, does not divide, no. It is strife and evil powers that makes division into separation, fractionation into fractures, whole into lost bits here and there, who are fooled into thinking there’s no common ground.

Jesus knows what pulls people apart, Jesus knows the human struggle with earthly influences, derisive thoughts and being lost in the crowd of crowd mentality. Even the mob mentality that urged crucifixion to Jesus, He saw as a spiraling away from the truth. “Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.” – well that’s still true: we in humanity get carried away – and He in Jesus still saves.

If we take the truth, instilled in each of us, cultivate our understanding and our dedication to the heavens for focus,  the earthly angsts can fall away. Serious issues abound, so divine love must be shared, applied, graced with care, and applied with ample forgiveness. There is One Truth don’t try to stretch it or split it. One truth does not shift like shadows.  James 1:17-18 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Will we suffer? I see and feel the suffering of watching derision, which is energy-draining and distracting, preventing action taken for the Lord’s sake. We will REALLY suffer surely and be destroyed if we don’t work for Jesus, or at least acknowledge Him. Therefore bringing Jesus and His mission to the world, to help bridge the gap to those suffering for lostness, is the least we can do, yes even if we are suffering for good, it’s GOOD. 

I’ve seen people suffer for much less, projecting hardships on themselves in advance. I’ve seen people sell themselves, and others, short. We are to stand for our truth and Jesus’s Way. We are to humble in His Work. Even be generous to the point of not letting one hand know what the other hand does in generosity. Let each hand, soul, servant SERVE. The servant will be saved, God will see to that.

Keep Living in One Truth. Loving in His Name. Helping in His humility.  Even suffering in His Name. God will bring you thru.

Amen

Within Paul’s letter to the Philippians,  He urged all to live a “Life Worthy of the Gospel”

* conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. 

* stand firm in the One Spirit.

* together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 

* For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.

I understand that craving for scripture and especially for Jesus.  If you can’t get enough of the Spirit it’s because you can never get enough!!! I can attest to that!!! What exposure to the scriptures presented has not sunk in, rolls off like you were wearing  a raincoat, beads collected roll off faster. Dry soil. So when you do start to understand, you realize that you didn’t,  but you now do. AND YOU ARE THIRSTY.

Are there other thirsty souls? There must be. Yes there are. Pray for the Lost. Prayers collectively are not just the least we could do but the most important activity we could do. And prayers for and with the lost are not wasted but wanted and warranted. 

And I don’t know how to explain it “nicely”, but a church needs to reach people, using as many opportunities as it can create, not just leaving it up to the higher ups. We all need to reach people and provide opportunities for spiritual feeding. All activities need a moment of looking for the lost, a scanning of the crowd, pulling aside the parched, in need of a moment to learn about God’s love and purpose for them. To reach one person deeply only comes by looking for them just as deep.

If we realize how we are lost, then Jesus makes more sense to us. If we realize why we are lost, then the shame dissipates. If we don’t know either how or why, Jesus looks for us even deeper. If we know Jesus looked and found us, then when pray for the lost, we are to pray knowing the how of Jesus’s intervention is divine and the why of Jesus’s intervention is because of the deepest of LOVE. No shame or blame, Jesus reaching others is a divine directive for God’s gain. JESUS HAS NEVER FELT SHAME FOR SHARING LOVE, JESUS IS LOVE. 

OUR WITNESS, in our worship, is our witness to being thankful, it is our window to our souls being spiritually seeking. Opportunities abound for people lost and found to see us seeking. We can make open window displays of thankfulness but not pride. For we were lost and pride got in the way.  If we don’t display our open windows of humbleness and seek-ful spirituality, the lost are going to keep walking on by. Even if they are becoming more and more alive and aware in spiritually seeking, they might keep walking to find a more welcoming party to the well, people like them. Sometimes the looking lost will seek those who show their faith MORE THIRST-ILY, those seeking the waters of Jesus to quench their own thirst.

If churches were watering holes, better to be open streams than closed off spas.

If we were lone hikers and had water, and came across a lost and thirsty soul, we would share. Let’s not keep Jesus to ourselves. 

“PRAY for the lost” – that was the best advice I have received in months and months.  It’s a soul-centering call to action. It puts my focus off of me, and gives me, and us, a wide window of opportunity for helping Jesus to help others.  PRAY FOR THE LOST. That’s EXACTLY what Jesus Himself was and still is doing for you.

“Strengthen your brothers” – Pray for the lost – Be an open book of faith.

Amen

In 1st Peter, we hear about LOVE. In 2nd Peter, we hear about BUILDING on KNOWLEDGE, because we LOVE. 

Peter speaks with such love, deep love, especially because he knows the feeling of forgiveness, having betrayed Jesus most terribly, only to then have been amazingly reconciled so specifically… 

Have you ever been sunk only to be raised? Stuck only to get the free pass? Do you keep that memory or rather share: the Way Forward. 

Jesus rose Peter from sinking, us too, not just physically but emotionally of course, lifted by the Spirit within us. WHY? Jesus choose Peter to lead, to “Feed My Sheep” and Jesus chooses us to live our lives in Him for Him for God’s people, for the sake of the Spirit. Saved to help share the in saving.

In faith and life, where do you go from here? Peter had to become BOLD and lead.  Peter blessed with Jesus’s forgiveness, from Jesus Himself, gained new memories to layer on memories that he likely could never forget. Peter, on that day of reconciliation on the shore of Galilee, did not stop because he obtained life, on that day he actually STARTED his life ministry. 

In 2nd Peter (even if some debate direct authorship by Peter), we hear advice from a wise man of many years, advice of how to live and how to not. We hear wisdom that rings true BECAUSE we know there is evil in the world. Better yet, we KNOW Jesus’s goodness and glory. We are called to remember Jesus’s escape from worldly influences and avoid them ourselves.  “… to make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

If we forget that we are cleansed from past sins, if we are not humble enough to see a clean slate and a fresh start each day, we are losing ground, we are sinking again. Perhaps it would be inconceivable for us to forget our monumental saves, but perhaps they fade away from memory. Noah surely could never be forgetful about the Ark saving him from the flood, I bet every future rain drop reminded him of his save. He likely revered the rain, knowing Who is in charge of it. Noah became responsible for teaching about their rescue, but what about generations after him? Stories, did it just become another of the stories… 

Noah needed that boat rescue because of the rain. God needed that rain because He needed to start fresh. God needed Noah to start again. Rain was the plan. A fresh start to reduce the evil was the plan.  And now, as Peter warns, we have false teachers and troubled times, but are they worse than in Jesus’s time? Probably not. But they still are the harsh reality and the reasons for not rain this time to abolish, but for Jesus’s REIGN to save. Jesus was the plan. Jesus IS the plan. Jesus is the WAY. 

2nd Peter speaks further of end times, prophecy, the reasons for us to be ready, to be wholesome and true. Peter reminds us that the Spirit of God desires all to know, to hear, to learn. We are to know we are walking through these times with hope and knowledge of the future, understanding Jesus as the Son of God, as the Chosen One. His work done and yet just begun. Peter shared as the Lord wants us all to be “in the know” so that we can continue to live, make a difference, and stand firm thru faith. 

Next, 2nd Peter speaks of pitfalls… false teachers… blasphemous folk speaking of things they don’t even understand… bold and arrogant… “Springs without water”…   Some even having been saved then turning their backs on salvation by FORGETTING what Jesus did for them, salvation for all who call upon His name. 

Peter and the disciples devoted their lives to remembering and teaching about Jesus and salvation. Saving from sinking.  “If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.” THE RESCUES!! Peter knows all about the RESCUES. 

Through rain, Noah was CARRIED in rescue. Then on solid ground, was Noah’s job done? No.

Through sinking, then denying Jesus, Peter was CARRIED and reconciled. Then chosen as the rock, was Peter done? No.

If the earth, formed from water, was not going to be refined by a trial by fire, could we, crested from dust,  have been made into a form able to survive? No.

If the fire didn’t refine the dust He had begun in us, could the treasure in us have been uncovered?. Then as spiritual beings, thriving as recovered remolded reborn dust, are we done? No.

But they deliberately forget that long ago, by God’s Word, the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.  By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.  By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 2^nd Peter 3

If the present heaven and earth do not burn away, could the New Kingdom come? No. We are to be ready, and share for the sake of those unknowing. When God’s plan is done, it’s another time that we are re-begun.

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2^nd Peter 3

TO BE FOUND. We are to be FOUND, just like Noah, just like Peter, just like the folks not yet found. Let us all be FOUND, REFINED, RESCUED and READY.

The Rain and Reign WAS and IS the Plan, let us remember our RESPONSIBILITY and our RESCUES. 

Revere the Reign 

Amen 

It’s time for me to dig deeper into the scriptures that talk about the disciples after Jesus’s earthly walk.  PETER LEARNED A LOT in those many years after his years with Jesus. He may have seen so much, heard so much, but it took many years of processing surely for it to sink in…(Haha, that is funny, Peter sinking in)… That would be so true with us too. We need to let our faith sink in. We are to become more wise and more purposeful. And learn… BECAUSE HE KNOWS, we are to LEARN TOLERANCE and FORGIVENESS and LOVE. 

Putting praise and prayer into practice: Salvation is the beginning of life, not just a holding place for the end of earthly lifetime. It’s an opportunity to grow. 

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Here are some scripture tidbits from 1st Peter… (I recommend the whole chapter!)

LOVE IN ENCOURAGEMENT:  1Peter4:8-11 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

OUR FAITH IS SUPPOSED TO MATURE:  We are to know and grow. From 1Peter2:  Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,  now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

OUR WITNESS CAN TEACH. And we can learn from the learned. I think simply about learning from older cousins and friends. How about learning from our past mistakes and learning from friends who have navigated pitfalls, our witnessing so that we don’t repeatedly fall. Sometimes I think that we are in a situation because we are to learn how to deal with a worse situation later. Better to learn now and strengthen up…  From 1Peter 5: To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

PETER LEARNED – Learned by the Lord’s leading. Because he learned, so can we. From 1st Peter 1:3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

SERVE OTHERS WITH YOUR FAITH:  12 It was revealed to [the prophets] they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

IT IS LOVE THAT WE MUST SHARE. LOVE is all that will ever last… For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”

THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.

Amen 

Although I’m writing this on the 20th, I don’t plan to release this devotion for a week. Because in pre-writing, I’m pre-praying best outcomes. I wrote a devotion about Jesus in processing the previous morning (All things point to Jesus, 19SEP) because of this crucial reason: a friend said he had a fever and I feared a Covid situation. More than a small ugh. Not something to brush off. Thank God, it turns out all is OK. These incidents are going to be common to us, and most frightening… There is good reasons in FORESIGHT that Jesus said “Don’t worry about tomorrow, only worry about today” – tomorrow has enough to deal with. And Jesus has said that days are evil, to be aware, because of the world influences of evil – which in turn ALSO become the inner influences of FEAR. Here is my deep processing devotion about FEAR after writing the first one. I share this openly a week later to not add extra fear and angst into the situation. When I read this a week from now, I hope I can say that I believed that Jesus would have handled me all week long with finding me, and un-finding my fear… taking on precautions and not paranoia. (AND HE DID! I add this note on 25Sep – Yes He Did! All is well.  I even ended the week with my first non-family member hug in 6 months, details below, after the scriptures)

Fears are Always UnFounded

Instead of saying Fears are unfounded, maybe it’s better to say Fears are PRE-FOUNDED, as “unfounded” fears are before finding, before one’s lostness becomes re-found, before you remember to look at the one who found you and you are to find. I mean fears are unfounded before Jesus gets a hold of the fear to take care of it for you and Jesus gets ahold, especially, of you. Days are evil, therefore hold onto Jesus because He is already holding on to you. 

Being found by Jesus is LIFE CHANGING, therefore until you ALSO put your fears into His Hands as well, your fear can unhinge you. It IS still normal to be afraid, yet you will never be Un-Found by Jesus,  He never loses you. Even if you, with your fears, sometimes get carried away, Jesus is the better Way. Real fear is unfounded when JESUS IS SO MUCH MORE REAL.

I had tremendous fear Friday night, 9/18, a late night just before bed when I woke up from my couch collapse and read an email of a colleague who offhandedly said something about having a fever. There’s nothing that can ever be retro done, removed for hope. What’s done is done and I had been sitting 2 solid hours in a conference room with him only 2 days prior,  2 feet apart. Yes, we were wearing masks, but still fear fear fear. Although other fever-inducing ailments and Covid cases are low right now, and he could have been joking, the word FEVER begets FEAR at FEVER PITCH.  I’m not a germophobe and my fear was so small for me, of my fear of getting sick, but at that very moment having my college daughter home for just that one night struck fear fear fear. Not even much fear for her getting sick, but carrying asymptomatic cases back to campus, to roommates, to roommates’ families especially elderly grandparents.  Fear fear fear. I had already felt like I killed a grandparent and I had only read an email. That’s conviction without trial, that’s what makes days evil. Jesus replies with “I’ve got you.”.

Was my fear Founded or UnFounded?

Real concern is warranted, but fear is unfounded when you find the One who can help you to deal with your fear. If you can give up your fear, you can concentrate on your concern and create a plan. You can rely on Jesus to shine light on plans.

Only learning of this fever (or pure joking) incident AFTER bringing my daughter home, I felt stuck. But thankfully we had ALREADY decided to wear masks all weekend, especially in the car, around each other. Best precautions we managed for moving her into school, this was 3 weeks later for a quick visit home, so best precautions were already in place. Best to get off to sleep. That’s when I had the nightmare of falling, falling into a chasm of nothing to catch me, that got incorporated into an awful dream sequence, oh…. it’s not a good feeling… the falling fear is un-grounded not just un-founded, but it’s SO SCARY.  

Jesus. Jesus is the name to call. He can catch. He can save. He can hold. He reminded me when I woke up that I was NEVER NOT OK. I praised Him for my wakefulness and realizing that I had never fallen or dropped.  Waking up, my Fear Fell but I had NOT. 

Fear fell, but I did not fall, because I reached for Jesus. 

Late morning, finally a plan began falling into place, so I texted my friend at “fevered pitch”: “Are you OK?”, “Are you serious?” “Prayers for you, and no worries either way, but I would like to know more!!! I can sel-isolate if needed. ” Whew. Whew.

Jesus held me and fear fell. My friend said that the doctor said NOT Covid. I decided to be watchful anyway. I’ll hope and pray. Not sure really what was up but for that very moment my fear WASN’T. Fear fell.

My normal routine of masks and distance brought me comfort in my plan, as we went shopping and back to campus. I changed my mask 5 times that day but I never changed my mind on the real truth in Jesus to comfort, catch, find me where I was. 

Jesus is the founder of us being found. Without Him, we have no other ground. 

My heart and my burden are in His Hands. My hopes and dreams are in living in Him as He lives in me. My best Thanksgiving is nothing compared to His Giving. In Jesus is Found Living.

Found. 

Found. 

FOUND. 

Amen 

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Such important scriptures:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 

Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you. 1st Peter 5:7-11

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1st Peter 5:7-11

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1st Peter 1:3-9

The LORD is my light and salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of what shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

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FYI – Monday I questioned “do I work from home or not?” well, apparently I did not even have to think about that, with the new circumstances of a heater repair putting me firmly at home waiting for the service technician. The boiler is needing to be replaced so the next day put me firmly at home again too – funny how the Lord often provides in a sideways fashion to achieve something (sideways to us but always in direct understanding to the Lord). And hmmm, the money to pay – I don’t know the amount yet, but the Lord will provide a plan I am sure of that – I just have to worry about today not tomorrow…

Tuesday I cannot even remember, except for the sticker shock of the oil burner boiler replacement estimate at $7600. Um, yeah. Tuesday. Then Wednesday I worked so much it was crazy but good, really good that I felt well. Wednesday, feeling healthy, I allowed myself to go to work for mostly outside things, online meetings, a walk, a flu shot inside the building for the briefest moments, picking up a fruit share of apples and wow hearing of a spot bonus of $100 for being on the activities committee,  wow crazy.  I also delivered chocolate (another thank you gift from work) to a pregnant coworker friend, working at home, tending to her older son. I left the chocolate at the door. Her place so CONVENIENTLY near a retreat camp, where I took a wifi field trip, sat outside their main building on a wooden chair, gladly my computer already knows their wifi password. Got work done plus got in some needed prayers. I weeded a prayer garden brick path because I could.  I then sat on the bench and I HEARD GOD SPEAK. Focusing away from the fray of life, to set busyness to the side, I prayed and listened. In firm bold letter phrasing “TAKE CARE OF MY SON”.

OK 

More about Wednesday, this year’s flu shot arm pain was not to be denied! Ouch but important. And home afterword, I had a total couch collapse,  but not from the shot, just from the day. Yes, that spot bonus was nice, so at a farm stand I bought myself lunch then an ornamental pepper plant.

Thursday – that’s today and this morning I am wrestling with ear pain, oh must be allergies, oh rats… arm pain ibuprofen helps yes, and a cup of tea soothes my 5AM cat wake up call. 

Friday- no ear pain – no worries – no need to fear – still time to work and still time to enjoy – Friday is fabulous to those M-F workers knowing Saturday is a day off – Friday is Friday – woohoo!  And I did an important moving forward step by visiting a little shop on my way to work, which became less about why I was there and more about being blessed to be there, with the most marvelous conversations with the owners and workers. And I continued to be the social one, when I went to work, as I had hands on work to do in the building. And wow I talked to 50 people as I often do. AND I also got a hug tonight, with masks on, with a cherished coworker who is leaving for a new job. Every decision we make is a gamble for human life and death, and that hug felt so worth that gamble at that moment, actually we took 3 hugs before I left. It was the first hug other than my kids that I shared in 6 months. Wow. Yes it is a gamble and I have to trust in the Lord. From the scary beginning of this week to now the Spirited end, God never left me and I say that it was a great week. Jesus always shined, the Spirit always showed up to work with me. As I close this Friday, I keep in prayer those sad situations of illness for friends and family, new deaths, and new cases of Covid in friends of friends that I just heard about. New concerns on top of old concerns for the world. I will not worry today but pray, and let tomorrow worry about itself. 

And remember that in EVERY moment that we can live IN THE SPIRIT with no gamble at all, every moment of being alive in the Spirit is NO gamble – it is only life…

Tonight, I pray thankfulness for the week,  thank You Lord, for the trials and the joys. I pray that all become one with the Spirit and live each day for unity. 

Saturday? That whole day is a NEW BEGINNING. Let’s make it FOR THE LORD.

Amen Amen Amen 

I’m thinking this morning of a church declining, not one here where I currently live, but long ago, in another state. A place many years ago, where I went to help a friend serve pie. Yes, pie and dealing with pie on that day became a symptom and symbolism of the beginning/ongoing decline of a church building to me, because there were so many unwritten rules and expectations about pie at their chicken barbecue. Pie. The chicken cooking probably had far fewer hang-ups than the pie.

I came into the kitchen with my pies (I used to bake so many, had quite the excitement about my pies from work folks) but my pies and their quality are NOT important here, it was about attitudes in an established church – and here I came as a stranger. I stepped in with my smile, my willingness to help, to step into a kitchen of people that I did not know, it was about my fearless method to cut the pies, and probably my generous portions. I shook the kitchen establishment of pie ladies, and their rules, just by being me. God forbid that day if I crossed the social lines out to the men cooking the chicken, invading their turf, LOL. I remember there were some grateful women in the kitchen as I was a breath of fresh air to chat with and did not get stressed over pie. And I really don’t remember any flack, I was told there might be, but I don’t remember any to my face, I don’t even thing there was any behind the scenes, I remember only nice people, gratitude that I came to help them that day. I really only remember standing cutting pies, the mission of pie.

Pharisees were shook up by Jesus stirring up the church of His earthly times.  Jesus shook up the people by being so smart and teacher-like but He had come from humble beginnings, how could this be? The rulers were shook up. And others were interested in Jesus not even knowing what the rulers were saying. Jesus stepped outside the box. Jesus even talked to women, crossed the lines of social norms, and oh wow, He touched unclean people.  Jesus came for a mission. People were shocked when the One person that scripture had told them was coming had actually come. Learned, established folk could not shake or share their establishments to comprehend what was happening.  “You can read the weather, but can you not read the signs of the times.?”

I’ll put it in plain ole English: “When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?”

All of Luke 12 gives volumes of wisdom. How earth-shattering it was that CHANGE had to be understood by the people. Even though Jesus performed miracles, people doubted. Even though Jesus rose from the dead, people doubted. We are a human race of humans. Stuck in our method of pie. Obviously the pie story is just a small incident, not deep scripture teaching, but it is a common tale of people being people. I even will say that no flack came my way that pie cutting day, but the PERCEPTION was that I was going to upset the kitchen, tip the carts, be too bold just by bee-ing me. People sometimes can not wrap their heads around changing things that others, who are now long gone, cared about. Imagine if I had brought a cake to the pie kitchen! Oh dear. Would I have been tossed out? No. Of course not. They were wonderful people. But the breath of fresh air to some ladies was such a great thing that day. Can you feel their sighs of relief? I only visited that church a couple times. Is this church thriving today? 30 years later? No. I don’t think it’s any different than many churches fading in their reach to others. Less people means less workers and less outreach. Imagine if that church or any church could become a place again that thrived. Where pie did not even have to be a fundraiser, but where FREE PIE was given out instead. Where slices were generous and marvelous but better than fluff – where the food was fulfilling and good. Imagine a place where resources like daycares and counseling services were open and easily available. IMAGINE THE FREE SHARING OF JESUS.  Imagine a place where the lost could be found. The workers are few and the harvest is many. Don’t be afraid to change the way of the pie, don’t be afraid to make new plans in the devotion to make new disciples. Be like Jesus and cross boundary lines to meet the people where they are. Be open to change, especially since the Change has come to the world, born a child of a virgin, suffered died buried and rose again. Don’t doubt that the dead can rise again. Don’t doubt that faith is not fuel-able. Don’t be afraid to seek feeding in order to feed. Just look to the times and learn how to read the Spirit that still exists, never changing, ever present.

Change the pie and change the feeling of the moment. Change the moment and bring it back to mission. The mission is to share Jesus. 

Bring Jesus into every situation. Choose to serve Jesus and change the world. Harvest the crops, but first help plant, help nurture seeds that are sprouting, and tend to young plants maturing. And bring it out of the kitchen, out into the world. 

One more scripture, from Paul to the Corinthians, about building up churches, people, and fanning into the flames of faith: “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Paul continues, reminding the church folks: “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.“

Pie, it’s not about the pie. It’s not about earthly things. It’s about Jesus. Pie won’t last, people won’t even remember the barbecue, the flames will burn the things that are not going to last. But Jesus lasts… JESUS IS GOD, AND GOD WANTS US TO SHARE. 

Amen

I want to help out the Kingdom here as it is in Heaven: I want to Pray.

Who Will Pray? How Do I Pray? GOD Says Just Do! GOD Asks You!

Lord, I don’t always take time to pray? What can I do?

Start Today, take time to pray. Every day, you can start anew.

What if I don’t know what to pray about? Well, here is how I will simply start, I will pray to YOU!

What if I don’t know all the details of the issues? Well, You do, I will pray to acknowledge YOU!

What if I go to bed forgetting to pray? Get lost in my day? Well, You won’t forget, and each day You will see me thru. At the end of the day, my prayer is that I listened to You.

And I do Lord, need to hear and want to hear YOU.

I went to pray in a prayer garden – it is peaceful and that is because PEACE COMES FROM YOU.

Walking in, I noticed bricks with names – Oh, these are Your children, Lord, they Love YOU.

Bricks in memory and honor – but the weeds blocked the names – yet You can read them, actually You are why they were all made NEW.

I weeded the weeds silently, enjoying dirt under my nails and seeing names come back to my eyes, these names made prayers in my heart. I don’t know them – but YOU DO!

Sitting now to write these words, I know really it is YOUR SPIRIT that chimes thru.

So, I now do pray God: “What can I hear from YOU?”

You then clearly said: “TAKE CARE OF MY SON.” I heard You, clear as clear can be. Yes God, I heard YOU.

My son is Your son, my children son and daughter are Your children. You already take care of them with me, for me. You do. Thank You.

You said “MY SON” – well Your Son is Jesus, the LIVING WORD, He is whom I truly live thru. Take care of Him in Me, because Jesus LIVES and the Holy Spirit advocates for You.

Because He lives in me, I find His Life want to break thru mine, His Words want to burst thru mine, His Love is ALIVE. His Life is True.

God – even in my wordless groans, Your Spirit in me means that I am able to pray to YOU.

I heard: “TAKE CARE OF MY SON.” YES, GOD – I GET YOU!

Make me aware for any time I can share – that Jesus is YOUR SON, OUR SAVIOR in Spirit and Truth.

Lord Jesus, shine thru me – less me, more You!

Amen Lord, and THANK YOU!

Overlapped, the Lord has us overlapped and carefully carried to bridge us thru this world. We are not to fret or fight, but to look to how He takes care of us. The biggest mental overlap to bridge us from us here on earth to Eternity is that He has already and ALWAYS wanted us in His Kingdom. We go from here to there. The best possible overlap is our salvation, in our Savior Jesus, thru our Vine, our forgiveness and our hope. The emotional intensely feeling of deliverance, overlap between ourselves and our Father can be shared in a gifted prayer, given for any moment that we don’t know what else to say or pray, Jesus gave us these words: Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. 

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Any and all unknowns, we have a bridging prayer. We have both a requesting prayer as well as a requirement prayer: Give us this day, our Daily Bread. (That’s Jesus!!! That’s not simply our meals but our whole sustenance that we need daily)…  And forgive us our trespasses (that’s a request, that requires us to follow Jesus) As we forgive those who trespass against us. (That’s a requirement)

If we have yet to forgive others, it’s an action plan. If we have yet to forgive ourselves, it’s a command. If you look at different versions of the bible, there are differences in tense. Past tense: “as we have forgiven” vs present tense “as we forgive” vs future tense “keep us forgiving“… I never noticed the difference before, in these differences in translation, and yet all are true as there is one Christ Jesus and one forgiveness and one hope. Past, Present,  Future,  all forgiveness requires Jesus. 

NIV: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

NKJV: And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

MSG:  Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.

And Lead us NOT into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Ah, we are human beings, so human, and the blessings we have that we forget, the yearnings we have that cloud our hearts and minds, the omissions we make that clutter our sight… human human human. What are we to do? Believe in the One God sent. Trust in Jesus to see our Spirits out of our fray.

To add the extra verse is to know these given truths of our lives IN Jesus, that EVEN JESUS would attest that God is all in all. Jesus even being one with the father gave ALL credit to Our Father:

For THINE is the KINGDOM, and the POWER, and the GLORY, FOREVER. 

AMEN 

Yes Amen, and yes forever ago and forever forward into forever. As far as east is from the west we forgiven and are wanted. As fallen we might feel from our view of Him at times, His love takes a never ending view of us. HIS LOVE never ends, He always has us in His sight. Jesus has us in His Care. The Spirit advocates for our inclusion. 

We are OVERLAPPED by Grace. Forgiven by Grace. Included as Children of God.

Praise the Lord. 

Praise the Lord, oh my soul.

Amen 

———-

Psalm 103 (NIV)

Praise the Lord, my soul;  all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits — who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

The life of mortals is like grass,  they flourish like a flower of the field;  the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children — with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,  you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works

    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

I rewrote the thought of “In all things, point to Jesus.” – to be: Living Jesus in our lives IS the point. We want Jesus to Make a Point. We want to make a Jesus Point.

Scary things? Give comfort and take comfort and let Jesus make a point of showing you where and who comfort comes from. Weirdly enough times? Give comfort and take comfort and let Jesus make a point.  Exciting news times? Give thanks and make a Jesus point. 

Ever have a moment when you start to worry about tomorrow, next week, anything and everything that HASN’T happened yet but yet you are consumed with fear? Today has it’s own real troubles so don’t go beyond those to newly imagined troubles tomorrow. Jesus said that. Jesus was making a point about not worrying: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:33-34 …That’s a good point, thanks Jesus.

I have found that keeping sight of today and today alone is the best way to stop letting my worst fears get away with me. Sight of today is best done the Jesus way, just keep sight of Him in the day, live the Jesus way.

I’ve had many night scares throughout my life, replaying where I am in danger of falling. I know these are random things, my past fears being processed in ways that I don’t understand but with our dream method of healing us, our fears are processed and dealt with. When I have woken up, I realize it was a dream not reality. I had not fallen, I’m not at that place, I realize I would have surely either caught something or hit rock bottom, but I wake up before that happens. I wake while I am not yet finished falling…  Um… I am pretty sure that is true of our lives in Jesus too, we have not yet finished – not just falling but rising and being held. We are not yet ever too far gone. When we wake up, we realize we are OK. We WON’T hit rock bottom of death, because Jesus rocked out death first to instill life.  We WON’T forever fall, because Jesus CATCHES. If you want to understand PEACE, peace WITHOUT understanding, just reach to JESUS. Just Jesus.  Isn’t that the point? Jesus is the point.

If you are scared, reach for Jesus. He is already reaching. 

If you are lost, look for Jesus. He’s the Light and already looking for you.

If you are peaceful and protected, thank Jesus for you have felt His net.

I worry, we all do. We all die eventually, but not today. Don’t worry about dying today, only living today. 

We worry about our family and friends, we all do. Don’t worry about their demise today, celebrate their living. Celebrate their hopes and dreams. Be their comfort and love. Be their Jesus net. Point to Jesus for the source of their strength and joy. Make a point to point out your hope and joy in Jesus, thru Jesus and Jesus thru you.

Looking at the King James Version in such poetic verse:  “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

It is not you who would worry about tomorrow anyway – but Jesus’s point is that TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW. It is not you who should worry about today anyway – today will take care of itself. So just today, Just you, Just Jesus, Just sharing Jesus to comfort others. That’s today’s mission. 

Jesus Just Jesus. Spread the news.

Amen 

—–

Philippians 4:4-9 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

LOVE is Never Wasted 

Especially LOVE given to you.

All Love comes from the Lord, do we have to worry if it sometimes feels wasted? No… the Lord has shared endless LOVE, so can we. LOVE is Never Wasted. 

If we give you LOVE to a level that seems foolish, will we be a fool for LOVE? Yes. Yes, yes, I am a fool for LOVE because it is a spillover from being a fool for the Lord… Jesus said we will look foolish to the world… We now know why He did LOVE us foolishly and still does… So, is it foolish of Jesus to LOVE us so deeply? Not to Him. Therefore it shouldn’t be to us. Because Jesus IS LOVE. He gave it all because He was All,  He is All.

LOVE is foolish to the people who see a fool. LOVE is gifted to the people who see a gift. LOVE is LOVE to the LOVED.

LOVE is not a given but a gift. It never disappears or is wasted. LOVE is simply passed along. 

LOVE looks for LOVE’S return, but it’s not a back and forth as much as it is a spiral LOVING reaching forward. 

LOVE grows deeper to those who have opened up their heart to receive it. More LOVE is refilled and restored to those who share it … LOVE is not to be shut off but often to be redirected … LOVE never comes up empty. 

LOVE forms, flows, follows, forevers, forgives, forgets, fills, finds, fuels, finds, focuses, flames…. LOVE is lovely…

If my LOVE is too over the top, let me try opening my heart deeper, wider, fuller… how else could we contain LOVE? We cannot. We should not. LOVE is not containable when LOVE passing thru me is intended to be splashed on you. 

The Lord LOVES lavishly, how can we not? When we realize that we are LOVED so intensely,  we might be overwhelmed… to be OVERWHELMED, to be so saturated with His LOVE that there’s no more place to store it, that is so we must splash it back out…

God knows how to LOVE us…

We hope too,  splash but not spill, inspire but not inundate.

Because God does LOVE you. God LOVES you for you. 

OUR Lord LOVES thru you. LOVE shared serves even more. 

To serve the Lord with His LOVE, is a LOVING thing to do…

LOVE is God in, to, and thru. 

Amen 

My summer reading, I’ve never had one before but this summer is different and has me extra blessed to have time to focus on faith. I’ve REALLY enjoyed reading this Michael Card book “A Fragile Stone” and I’ve gotten to the chapter about Jesus forgiving Peter for his 3 denials the night Jesus was being arrested. Yeah, reconciliation on the beach shore, Jesus asks 3 times “Do you love me?”… I’ve read this chapter piecemeal at a few different shore locations within 2 weeks… I’ve read it again and again for it resonates with me – feed My sheep – and it is a pivotal beginning to Peter, to his relationship with Jesus AND the others, pivotal to the beginnings of the spread of the news of Jesus, pivotal to Jesus Himself finally getting thru to Peter for good….  and to me – especially to the Peter-tendencies in me…

WOW – so strong a message… souls so incredibly broken, feeling the deepest repair…

Love qualifies Peter to be whom Jesus needs Him to be… LOVE so divine to reconcile and recruit… 

And oh how Peter must have felt he was refined in the fire, to become the complete follower of Jesus and called to be Jesus’s chosen leader of the others… Jesus says: “Follow Me”

It is one thing to know how blessed you are, but a totally deeper thing to know how forgiven you are. Don’t recount your deepest flaws but know they are forgiven. You have been recovered and rescued from the depths.

Oh, to feel that immense deep love from Jesus – Yeah – wow… Peter, and me, and us… oh yes, he was THAT broken, then he was repaired THAT much…

YEAH… if you know repair and love, you know…  if you know, you follow… if you follow, you lead… if you lead, you follow…

Even if sin is all equal, our distance from Jesus can feel varied. Our brokenness and our denials of His plan for us are overcome with the deepest widest of catches. Yes Jesus reaches and looks and He will scrape the bottom of the depths of everywhere to find you – to recover just one soul… to get me, to get you…  YEAH… if you know, you know…  if you know, you follow… if you follow, you lead… if you lead, you follow…

Then, the second part of follow is to do our part, embracing the role the Lord has for us. Just like Jesus knew of Peter’s purpose, He knows our potential purpose. We must embrace our purpose. It’s great to be a believer but to believe to move where Jesus leads? YEAH…

A Savior’s calling needs a listener… a listener needs processing… processing needs a process… a process needs a Savior. A Savior needs His saved ones and His saved ones need to head their Savior’s calling. 

This is not a circle but a growing spiral… natural patterns are full of spiral shapes, following mathematical and personal rules like the golden ratio and the golden rule. A spiral goes places… so we are to go, with faith, places too.

Yeah… YEAH… if you know, you know…  if you know, you follow… if you follow, you lead… if you lead, you follow…

YEAH, you GROW…

The one thing I know about The Bible is that I don’t know enough about The Bible. Lately I have been intrigued by scriptures of the ANGEL ARMIES. Two recent sermons RE-rekindled my intrigue. About Elisha and Daniel. I know in my heart that Angels exist. Once on a camping trip to a revolutionary war fort, 3 scouts didn’t want to do the evening ghost tour,  I volunteered to sit it out with them. I said in comfort to them that I don’t believe in ghosts, but I DO BELIEVE IN ANGELS. 

Oh I can picture them. Can you? Angels cushioning car accident damage, shielding children, calming moments, stirring up Spirit flows… sitting with dying friends… lifting up the hurt, the scared, the hopeful, the believers, the maybe-ers, the lost.

I saw this little girl, maybe 3, reticent to get on the beach from the boardwalk, her sweet family cajoled her, with trinkets and reassurance. We as strangers walking by (and 2 moms ourselves) started working together in the goal of helping. What a live action mini-moment that must be played out by angel armies constantly, daily, again and again helping motivate, people-move, and prevent meltdowns. 

A sweet boy I know, my former pastor’s grandson, and his classmates were sleeping in a daycare building when a car ran into the room. How could there not have been ARMIES OF ANGELS taking the brunt of the force. They are all fine now. Wow. 

WOW.

I can imagine. I want to believe. I ask to know and see, but I am OK with just believing. 

Prophet Elisha SAW God’s Chariots of Fire, His Angel Armies. Oh what a movie moment, wow, can you even picture the scene? In 2 Kings, Elisha prophesies led to actual visualizations of the ever-present surrounding angels, a spirit realm ready to go all out for God’s Kingdom purposes. (Scripture below). And because Elisha understood the immense protection he had by these warrior angels, he could step out in faith, he was able to not only remain calm, prevent his own death and those of his servant but also stop the impending battle, save those Israelites AND send the invading Arameans army home without killing them. 

Another battle time, it was the SOUND of ANGELS ARMIES: “the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!”  So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.”

The attacking army left because they heard what God needed them to hear. The faithful servant and prophet saw what God needed them to see to have peace. I believe that. Can we also ask today proactively step out in faith? Can we trust in His protection, process our blessings, and put them to use for God’s purposes?

Perhaps. Maybe. Yes! 

In my looking at the angel face of the little boy, who was in the daycare, how could I not believe in an angel save, a save when no one knew in advance to ask. Prayers that are prevenient always help and Angels are readied for just these times. Therefore going into our futures, can we also ask, in advance, for guidance and protection? How much more peace we would have if we ALREADY knew we were walking into places where Angels set up shop.

Like Prophet Daniel in the Old Testament, we must wait for intervention because our war is in the spiritual realm. We must trust and let the angels focus on fighting the right battles. Daniel’s saving angel was rescued by angel Michael. Oh the battles for us, our souls and His plan, are just as intense. 

Let’s step out in faith knowing that these battles however fierce are not ours to bear, step out in faith to know and to show the war that the battle is already won.

Angel Armies are our Amen. 

Amen Amen 

Amen

—–

Scriptures:

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans 2 Kings 6

8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

—-

From 2 Kings7

Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”

5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.

I can’t help mentally sing the song: “Love the one you’re with!” thinking about our Covid era. Yes…

Some families can’t see their families now, but they can see their neighbors. Some can’t wait to get home from work to see family and now some can’t wait to get back to work to see work folks.  Some really want to be at work to feel normalcy and some want to be at work to make sure they are not forgotten…

Are we forgotten? Not by God. Never is He not thinking of us with love. Are we forgetful? He is always looking for us to remember Him.

Do we love? We are commanded by our Lord to “love the ones we’re with”… AGAPE love… AND love strangers AND love neighbors AND love enemies. “And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” Matthew 5:47

If a widow offers her last coins to the church (Mark 12), surely we can offer our LOVE, which comes in excess to us. God is love, and love keeps giving.

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:41-42

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 4:7

Can we go the extra mile today?

Can we love the one we’re with?

God does, He is love. And love will prevail.

God’s LOVE loves all.

Amen

---

Love the One Your With song versions:

1971 Stephen Stills

1971 Isley Brothers

1971 Aretha Franklin

There’s no doubt in my heart that our ingrained spirits LOVE to smile. Baby oh baby, I live and love to smile too… I smiled with a giggly baby today, 9 months old, in the store, oh cuteness… Mom says the baby KNOWS when people are smiling no matter if they have their masks on or not.  Let me say that again: even with a hidden smile, this baby knows when you are smiling! Oh baby!

The Smiling Spirit Shares Sweet Spirit Smiles!!!

Oh Spirit!

I do smile with my eyes, but oh so much more uplifting is when we can smile through our spirits… and who are we to stop the Spirit from Smiling? Are we to stop the Spirit from moving? Are we to stop Sweet Shining? 

Isn’t it so amazing… isn’t it SO Holy Spirit… isn’t it so sweet…

Smile baby Smile…

Spirit Flow Spirit...

Smiles 

Because I know that Jesus heals, and am a witness to many healings physically and emotionally, I must praise His healing to our brokenness. Spiritual brokenness is real and only bridged by the bridge builder Jesus. We are to continually look towards Him to heal the scattered parts of our soul. I know He wants us WHOLE.

It is because of Brokenness that we need Jesus, and as God’s love always overcomes brokenness, Jesus’s repair stitches us INTO His Net. His love heals our broken connection. Love gives and IS a net gain of infinite strength. Jesus repairs despair. 

Risen Jesus, on the shore of Galilee, called to the boat of fishing disciples in the sea, fishing for fish like the old days but in new times: “Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.”

The NET was NOT torn, oh how true that Jesus and God’s love is an UNBROKEN NET. Once we have been caught by Jesus, we may fall out of the boat on occasion and we certainly ARE big fish that thrash about, but we will NOT fall out of the unbroken net, for Jesus and God thru the Holy Spirit LOVES to rescue us, pull us in. Their love holds us in. The Savior saves the day. A strong net that will never tear. Their net is always stronger than how evil may fish for you.

After their meal of fish, fish newly caught from the boat as well as some already cooked by Jesus, our flawed friend Peter was specifically called out and reconciled by the Lord. Around the fire, these memories of Peter’s three denials just a few days earlier must have been so strong, those denials to curious crowds that Peter was Jesus’s confidant. 3 denials, 3 crows of the rooster. We now see Peter being readied by Jesus’s mercy to be returned to ministry, to be given a clear and all-encompassing mission as leader to his fellow disciples and all… Peter will even learn about his own future death at old age, but most importantly Peter will learn that despite His shortcomings, He is STILL loved and needed. 

Oh, the GIFT of forgiveness. The knowledge of acceptance. Jesus knows Peter needs this. Peter knows He needs this too.

“Do you love me?” 

“Do you love me?”

“Do you love me?”  

Jesus questions Peter three times with the same question, Peter pleads his love three times, then Jesus answers three times with an all-encompassing meaning, ALL based on ONE command: “FEED MY SHEEP”.

Peter is now us, we are now Peter. All repurposed to original purpose. Restored to be repaired and keep being repaired. All called to strengthen our brothers. If we are surprised by God desiring our repair, we shouldn’t be because it is because of each person’s unique brokenness that God COULD repair each person uniquely. And then the witness of our healing as a sign to all that God heals. As Romans 8:28-29 (a repeated scripture for me this week) avows: “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

In my brokenness, I saw the light of the Lord looking for me.

Brokenness is NOT broken nets, the Lord’s net will hold you. Brokenness of human righteousness allows for Jesus to break curses that stop you, break chains that bind you. Jesus is remembered in broken bread – which is only shareable when broken. Broken souls are for healing.

Brokenness is NOT broken love, God is Love. Brokenness IS breaking blockades, breaking blinders, breaking cycles of sins, breaking pride. Broken souls are for healing. 

Because we have denied Jesus in the past, His LOVE given for reconciling us has been Affirmed. And Reaffirmed. 

Because of weakness in us, we have become restorable using His Strength.

Because we were lost, we have been Found. 

Because we have hungered, we have been Fed.

Because of Jesus, we are One with Him.

Because of brokenness, we are made WHOLE. 

Because Jesus reinstates us, like Peter, we are wholly His.

Amen 

——-

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish (John 21)

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus Reinstates Peter:  When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”     Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”

I was sitting in gridlock this morning at a Dunkin Donuts and how  amazing that we all can be stuck in the midst of extravagant excess. This is not a line at a gas crisis but for coffee and egg sandwiches we actually could make at home for pennies on the dollar. No coffee for me but for my son, I always get his favorite egg wraps. We do get stuck in our routines, our plan, our excess. Sometimes stripping all fluff away, removing our burdens of busyness,  we could actually see the road laid down for us to traverse and find our way, if only we would choose to see… When we are disconnected, if only we at least know WHOM to ask. We need to Connect thru Christ. We need to try to connect Him to the disconnected in our lives. We could wait for our Faith Fuel but we don’t have to, He has no line and no waiting!!!

Sometimes we are so worried about ourselves that we forget we are part of a whole ONE body in Christ… We are on this journey together and yet some people have forgotten to pack their maps, some people were left at home, and some people think we’re done and already at our destination… 

The truth is we still have others to reach, fill their emotional tanks with fuel, draw out new versions of maps to a God who is unchanging. We can point in the way of the WAY. Jesus has already laid out the map but we need our GPS “God Positioning System” to Jesus… Paper-based maps work – electronic maps work – people whispering down the lane works.  A trail not of breadcrumbs but planted seeds works. And combined with the internal navigation thru Jesus and the Spirit, we hope to read the signs of the times…

Jesus asked our Heavenly Father, God Almighty, to designate an Advocate. He back-filled the position, to entrust our journeys to the Holy Spirit. He also left detailed maps in the Word, and inspired blessed mapmaker scribes. We continue to be living scribes, witnesses of Him saving our lives.

So what about this trust, this unknown found in disconnected folks and often us? Can we ask for directions? Often we are not knowing where to look, or even where to start, so let’s simply hop right into the journey, start now to walk more closely knowing the Light of the World IS Jesus. Just ask Him to turn on the Light even BRIGHTER for you to see. 

Jesus laid down His life, surely He can lay out a path. It doesn’t matter where we start as long as we know Jesus already finished. In our time on earth, we just have to finish our jobs to spread out these maps of the Way to all corners of the globe… that’s sharing the good news… CONNECT with Jesus for Jesus.  Connect with all – for all. 

Jesus, please strip away our clouded views and self-righteous empowerment and our fuzziness of focus. Remove our disconnect from YOU and each other… Connect us, so we shine YOU thru us…

Help us keep journeying. Fill in our map gaps. Fuel our faith… Shine on…

Amen 

I just looked at this set of beach sunrise photos now and OH WOW that IS a BIG “I” the Lord has!!!… not “eye” as in eyeball but “I” as in the Lord saying: “I AM”.

The Sun and my cellphone camera may have made an optical illusion of sunshine so bright on the horizon, a perfectly framed glowing eyeball shape, but there is no denying that God is so much bigger than THAT. Not external from us but integral – Him in us and us in Him. God is bigger than our thoughts of Him, God is watching everything, but NOT from afar, because God’s I is not an eye to see but an I to BE, a LOVE to KNOW, and a LOVE in us to GROW. 

God had a promise to keep and give, by giving forgiveness thru Jesus to us. With Jesus asking Our Father for the Holy Spirit to lift us and move us.

John spoke of the Lord saying: HE is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1,22). Jesus took human form then He then spoke of Himself being appointed by the Father, although not equal to the Father, still One with the Father (John 10)… 

Prophesized and Planned, Jesus Was and most importantly Jesus IS.

Jesus said “I AM”

We also can say: “I AM”:

I AM HEALING

I AM HIS

I AM A CHILD OF GOD

I AM FOREVER YOURS

I AM A SINNER

I AM A SALVATION SEEKER

I AM A SOUL

I AM SAVED

I AM SATISFIED IN CHRIST

YOU LORD, ARE THE “I AM” THAT WE SEEK.

AMEN

——-

The seven I AM statements of Jesus (gathered on google)

1) I Am the Bread of Life.
2) I Am the Light of the World.
3) I Am the door or gate

4) I Am the Good Shepherd.
5) I Am the Resurrection, and the Life.
6) I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
7) I Am the True Vine.

——

Ninety “I AM” statements in scripture that we can speak at: http://www.risenking.org/Resources/90_Statements.pdf

——-

Romans 8:10-18, 28-29

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

—–

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The sunset was pink, one of the most beautiful – but by the time I got outside it had changed to golden, and I missed my photo of the picture perfect provision of pink. Golden was my consolation prize. That’s pretty good too, huh? Captivated. 

Isn’t that life? We have paths of consolation by looking for the light. We have hope in consolidated lives, all found in the Lord. 

Life is short, yes, we miss things, we miss a lot – but if we keep looking for the LIGHT, at least we will have direction. I don’t think anybody’s life is perfect. I don’t think anybody could say they wouldn’t change something. In my heart I know there’s a consolation prize for us always looking into His direction. We don’t always see it immediately, but surely it is there.There’s a captured feeling that captivates me. In Him, there’s always possibilities to open, there’s always answers to questions (if we ask the right questions), and there’s always more questions to ask. Better yet, there’s more than just pat answers for us, there is soaking in His presence for all. 

A fellow walker just now smiled while walking by and said “enjoy your night”. Yes, I am. See, it’s STILL summer, there are STILL summer bugs so loud, I’m still ALIVE… and I have direction… And a ladybug just now landed on me. I have been found. 

Found and I am captivated but it is because I am CAPTURED, really, and I now work for the Lord. What about you? I work for the One who never overlooks us, who looked for me forever, who found me knowing I would look for Him at this very moment, every moment. For in God, each MOMENT can feel like FOREVER and each FOREVER a MOMENT. Today, right now? He gave me THIS moment…

And golden sunsets… 

No, the Lord won’t always have to put pink or gold in our eyes, He won’t ever need flashing lights or fuzzy glows to captivate us. He won’t need light in our eyes but He will LIGHT our souls to shine us towards Him. He simply lights up life with love. Securely, He gives us longing and belonging…  

So, direction for me is going to be different than direction for you, but the rescue in His reach is always universal. The unifying force of love is love. The mystery is the mystery, but He never wants us guessing, only listening. Only listening to Him. Looking for Him. 

He needs us to think: Knowing He’s there. Knowing He’s here.

He needs us to love: Knowing He’s there. Knowing He’s here.

He gives us life to live:  Knowing He’s there. Knowing He’s here.

There is no Godly golden sunset picture tonight, because He can not be captured, only we can be captivated and captured, captured by Him. 

Capture. Captivate. Don’t let go. 

Captivate us all Lord. 

Amen

I decided to return the favor. I had a moment at the local 911 memorial, sitting on the bench and I left a note painted on a blue rock. “For He Gave His Son. John 3:16”. Oh Lord, you gave a Labor FOR Love. A Labor for Mary to birth Jesus. A Labor of the Lord Jesus to birth a plan with You the Father to birth the church. A Labor of Love to toil and work in being a human as God for 3 years on earth. A Labor of Love to bring us all to You. We Labor too, because of Your Favor.

That the Holy Spirit gave us such favor, it is a partial favor that I returned today, placing this painted rock on a bench, because on the day, Sunday 01FEB2015, when I knew I had awakened 100% to Jesus in me, I was at a 911 memorial garden and I flipped over a coin to read John 3:16. What amazing confirmation and reconfirmation of the Holy Spirit moving me to accept Jesus, of believing in Him, thru Him, with Him 100%. I knew that day that I knew that as Truth. For He gave His Son for us all. Really God did. And Jesus labored to tell us all about God and about Himself, how He is given us by God’s direction and how now the Spirit is His advocate. For Jesus, this is a Labor for Love. That day, after months of God making me reborn, I learned and I understood. Not everyone does, actually many are lost or stuck in their own pre-born-again cold labor. For Jesus, this is a Labor For Love.

Fittingly this is Labor Day weekend, I have the rarest of rarities, I have time to think… time to read… time to be… Tomorrow I will plan to get to the beach. Today I tidied up my chores, picking goodies in my garden, cooked, ran loads of dishes and laundry. Now I can sit, but instead I am floating. I’m blessed to be on a dock, a boat launch, down the road from wildlife preserves. No one seems to mind me being here with no boat. I am reading and I am writing. I am floating in LOVE. My blessing of a calling is these writings then cataloging, posting and printing of 900 plus blogs. I don’t need a following but Jesus does. I need to Labor for Love for Jesus said so, and I know so. It’s a calling,  but getting Jesus to everyone is more than I could ever share, it is team effort. Jesus has to be born within each person. Each follower becomes reborn in Christ. If you don’t know what that means, it means Jesus’s Labor for Love is for you too. You don’t have to go thru another physical labor to be born of the Spirit, but you have to acknowledge Christ’s Labor for Love. You must be born again – and you won’t know how that feels until you are.

Next, my mini labor for the day, after visiting the 911 memorial, I placed one of my blog business cards out in public. I placed a purple “LOVE” rock with a card at a takeout place. I also placed one at the grocery story today, that is not easy for me even secretly to be bold. It’s time for me to get over my shyness of sharing more openly. I pray the Holy Spirit to brush off my dust and for me to embrace His Ways.  That’s part of my Labor for Him – my Labor, His Love…

I’m returning the favor, Labor FOR Love.

Amen 

“You have set our iniquities – in the LIGHT of Your presence” – from Psalm 90. WOW, can you even imagine the immense presence of God?  Can you imagine how intensely stunning and powerful God is? NOTHING could compare to “the favor of the Lord our God on us”.

Oh, it struck me so strongly tonight, listening to Psalm 90 read outloud, that NOTHING we have EVER  DONE or NOT EVEN DONE could even think to compare to the PRESENCE, the POWER, the PEACE of God. Nothing we have done or not done can negate the place of us NEXT to God. We forget, but He has us. We think that we are lost, but NOTHING is impossible with God. No one in Jesus is lost. Before You Lord, we are washed clean. 

Moses prayed this prayer in Psalm 90 and he was one who actually spoke to God. God allowed Moses to see Him pass by and hear Him. God Himself took care of Moses. God takes care of us all. He is our dwelling place. 

God Himself planned for us to have Jesus as our forgiveness in Grace. NOTHING can change the immense love of Jesus who will stand with us in front of God. NOTHING can separate us from Jesus. Our iniquities are gone. Our iniquities are forgiven. Our iniquities, and when we are thinking we fall short, are not even a small disturbance in the dust compared to the GLORY of God. 

The time we have on earth, or time we don’t, is a blink of time in comparison to the infinite time we have in God. The glory of God has gathered us, His GRACE is given, not to be taken or earned, but given because of God’s EXTRAVAGANT nature. 

And because our time is His, we pray that He “establish the work of our hands for us” – yes, establish the work of our hands. Pray for the Lord to make your days purposeful and strengthened and SATISFIED. How could we not look to Him, His Amazing Grace, for He is above all. He knows where we all truly belong: DWELLING WITH HIM.

Our iniquities compared to Him not judging us are gone. Everlasting to everlasting, our forever life is in You Lord, because You won’t let anything separate us from You. 

Amen 

—-

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place  throughout all generations.

2 Before the mountains were born  or you brought forth the whole world,

    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”

4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.

5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death — they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.

7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.

8 You have set our iniquities before YOU, our secret sins in the light of YOUR presence.

9 All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.

10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures;

yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.

12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

13 Relent, Lord! How long will it be?  Have compassion on your servants.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16 May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.

‐—-

Music of Psalm 90

“When the sun comes up, satisfy us with Your Love.”

PSALM 90 | Shane & Shane” on YouTube

Great video, to watch Jonah and about the extravagant love of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIabZc0O4c 

That same theme – God decides that His people are worth it….   I really liked the Jonah Sight and Sound version as well, which I recently watched on video…

On YouTube, the Bible Project, is neat. It’s like a story book drawn from the scripture but spoken for a lot of info to be presented at the same time…

I just happened to see it while searching for info about Jonah. The kids books are not as in depth as this video… God’s message always comes with a lifetime of learning. 

The take home message (there are many) is Jonah, as a prophet, was told to go to a certain place, Nineveh, but he DIDN’T want to go… then he ran away on a ship towards a different place but there was a giant storm and he ended up making the sailors toss him overboard, he realized that running away from God was making God chase after him... in the sea, he got swallowed by a whale, he lives 3 days in the belly! When Jonah told God “OK I will do whatever you tell me to do”,  the whale spit him out onto the land of the place where the Lord want him to go originally, Nineveh…

In this place,  Nineveh, Jonah thought he could just tell them the Lord’s message, that they would be overturned in 40 days and just be done with it, then he travelled outside of town to camp and watch the destruction (popcorn anyone?)… but it turns out the people started to repent, the wicked people LISTENED wow, turned away from evil and listened to God, so God decided to spare them. Jonah was mad again! He wanted God to destroy the wicked people and here God showed them forgiveness, isn’t that fitting for God to be GRACE-giving. God is an extravagant generous forgiving loving God…. He is… Jesus tried to tell the world this… 

In the desert, Jonah got a small dose of relief from the sun’s heat by God growing a tree,  just for Jonah, that grew rapidly to give him shade, and then God sent a worm to destroy the tree. Jonah was upset, he loved the shade of the tree. Then God essentially said: “look, if you loved the tree so much, then why can’t I love and forgive all the sinners and spare their lives, and the lives of their cattle too???!!!. I’m God and I can choose to LOVE and FORGIVE.”

It’s a double lesson that even though we may have enemies, God loves them. We can’t wish evil on them, we are to leave them in God’s hands. We are to love our enemies and even tell them that they are loved by God. 

And of course the lesson that God has a mission for us, whether we like it or not, we are to go where God needs us.  He will even use storms in our lives to bring us there. And He will send us love and forgive us for our actions and thoughts, extravagantly. He loves us and first asks for our love in return. God loves all, we are all important to Him.

 That’s my take on Jonah and the whale, in a nutshell…

God in a God-shell is:

LOVE FORGIVENESS MERCY HOPE FREEDOM OF LIFE, AMD MORE….

GOD DOES NOT FIT IN A NUTSHELL!!!

God decides that His people are worth it…   That same theme occurs over and over with God, and between God and us.

I suggest a great video, to watch the story of Jonah and about the extravagant love of God:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLIabZc0O4c  “The Bible Project”, is really a neat way to present the Bible. The kid’s books about Jonah are not as in depth as this video… God’s message always comes with a lifetime of learning when studied at all ages. This video is like a story book drawn from the scripture but spoken, a lot of info presented at the same time. (I really liked the Jonah Sight and Sound live musical play version as well…)

The Jonah story take home message (and there are many) is that Jonah, as a prophet, was told to go to a certain place to deliver a message from God, Nineveh, but he DIDN’T want to go… so he ran away on a ship headed towards a different place. There was a giant storm and he ended up making the sailors toss him overboard to save their ship (the soldiers quickly believed in God’s power). Jonah realized  that running away from God was making God chase after him... in the sea, he got swallowed by a whale, he lived 3 days in the belly! When Jonah had that time to think it over, he then told God “OK I will do whatever you tell me to do”, so the whale spit him out onto the land of the one place where the Lord want him to go originally, Nineveh…

In this place,  Nineveh, Jonah thought he could just tell them the Lord’s message, that they would be overturned in 40 days and just be done with it, then went outside of town to watch destruction… but it turns out the people started to repent, the wicked people LISTENED wow, turned away from evil and listened to God, so God decided to spare them. Jonah was mad again! He wanted God to destroy the wicked people and here God showed them forgiveness, isn’t that fitting for God to be GRACE-giving. God is an extravagant generous forgiving loving God…. He is… Jesus tried to tell the world this… Jesus, thru death and resurrection, became the solution to God’s desire to bring all His children back into His Grace.

In the desert, Jonah got a small dose of relief from the hot sun by God growing a tree, just for Jonah, that grew rapidly to give him shade, and then God sent a worm to destroy the tree. Jonah was upset, he loved the shade of the tree. Then God essentially said: “look, if you loved the tree so much, then why can’t I love and forgive all the sinners and spare their lives, and the lives of their cattle too???!!!. I’m God and I can choose to LOVE and FORGIVE.”

It’s a double lesson: even if we have enemies, God loves all. We can’t wish evil on them, we are to leave them in God’s hands. We are to love our enemies and even tell them that they are loved by God. 

And of course the lesson that God has a mission for us, whether we like it or not, we are to go where God needs us.  He will even use storms in our lives to bring us there. And He will send us love and forgive us for our actions and thoughts, extravagantly. He loves us and first asks for our love in return. God loves all, we are all important to Him.

That’s my take on Jonah and the whale, in a nutshell…

God in a God-shell is LOVE FORGIVENESS MERCY HOPE FREEDOM OF LIFE, AND MORE…. GOD DOES NOT FIT IN A NUTSHELL!!!

We wonder how to serve the Lord. The Lord says “Let me figure that out for you!”

Our purpose in life is to LOVE God, and LOVE all His people.

Our promise in life can be to do our best to serve God, which helps Him Save His people. Our how? Use the gifts He gave us. Simple. Sacred. Spirit-driven.

Do you know that you DO HELP, just by praying? You do. Do you know that you do help by using your gifts? You do. …  because God does.

I made a promise to serve many years ago as a Girl Scout. Whether I understood that or not at the time, I always knew that God was in charge and that people needed help. I have continually converged those thoughts and continually wondered how I can help. 

Many promise to do their best to serve God, which helps Him Save His people.

A promise I made to God, which I was reminded of this morning looking at my 40-year old girl scout wood plaque, is a re-promise today in a pledge:

“Oh my honor I will try: To serve God, my country and mankind, and to live by the Girl Scout Law.”

Yes, to serve, to do our best, to let Him pick our plan.

SO…..  this is the message for this musing (to myself and to all):

Be inspired and be inspiring.

Be purposeful for God and be purposed by God.

Be promise-keeping and be aware of any opportunity to share His Promise of Salvation made to mankind.

Be at His calling and call unto Him.

Be useful to God and acknowledge the gifts He gave you.

Be sure to simply do you best.

Simple. Sacred. Spirit-driven.  

 Amen

Sometimes I feel I never do enough. Sometimes too much. Maybe we all just aren’t perfect, are we?… I’m not. Who is?

Only Jesus. 

Need to choose focus?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Want to go to Heaven?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Need guidance?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Want to live with no fear?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Need comfort?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Want to lighten your burdens?   Jesus.   Perfect!

Want to know God?

Want to know yourself?

Want to understand life?

Jesus   Jesus   Jesus 

Whose been frustrated like us?   Jesus 

Whose been sad like us?   Jesus 

Whose been betrayed?   Jesus 

Whose been misunderstood?   Jesus 

Whose understands our JOY?   Jesus 

Who knows our HOPES?   Jesus 

Who sorts out good and bad in life?   Jesus 

Who forgives you before you do?   Jesus 

Perfect provisions for saving. 

Perfect plan for purpose. 

Perfect man, lamb, servant, Spirit, God.

Perfect.

Jesus. 

Jesus is Enough. 

Amen 

It’s Truth, that our love for Jesus comes from knowing Him as Truth, comes from one mind within the Spirit.

If only we did not bicker about everything else. It’s so painful to watch derision. Bickering from our mouths prevents praises which should be coming out instead. Complaining prevents compliments. Curses prevent blessings. Worldly opinions prevent Heavenly truths from being shared. We are to teach and reach. Tell all that even if we live so humanly in the world, we are to look for LOVE and be a part of the LOVE to share. Life tarnishes but Love shines. No wonder the Lord keeps wanting us to look for Him, then we would be focused, glow love, and just imagine what would fade away. 

We believe in Jesus because that is Spiritual Truth, not because that is an opinion. We don’t have to crack knees to teach that, every knee will bow to Jesus as Lord because God Himself has raised Jesus to be praised. We do need to share and shine the same LOVE regardless of our affiliation with anything earthly. We must keep spreading the Good News of Jesus, because LOVE comes from God.

Love is the Way, because Jesus is the Way. Love is our rainbow in the storm when we look to the Light, Love is our rainbow to shine from within. 

There’s something about seeing a rainbow when there is no rain. When I looked, only enough rain from one cloud was present to make one intense rainbow in the distance, while I drove through sunshine yesterday. Remember that dark days are always followed by light. I think that rainbow must have been placed by angels for someone who just came out of a storm. I pray all will see the glory of the Lord. I pray that those recipients of the storms also stayed faithful enough during it to keep looking towards the Light, the Lord, the Future.  To see any rainbow, you still need to choose to look outside, look forward with the sun to your back, and look with forgiveness to the past, yours and others… 

Love is our rainbow in the storm when we look to the Light, Love is our rainbow to shine from within. 

In life, Jesus became like us to become a servant. If we are to be Jesus like, we are to serve one another, not some, not ourselves, but all. We are to have and share the same love. If we are to LIVE life, and LOVE in Spirit and in Truth, then we must become servant-minded. If we are to share Jesus and be Jesus-like, acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord, then our service will be to the glory of God the Father. Servants shine because Love shines.

Love Shines. 

Share Love. 

Amen

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Paul to the Phillipians 2

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,  he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

I appreciate that this year we have been put in a new navigation thru life, it is tough to some, no different to others, should be opportunity for many. Every day is an opportunity. Just change your perspective.  It may shock us at times, by what is happening, but actually and probably that’s because many of us have ALREADY been living such a blessed life. That’s truth for anyone who counts their blessings. 

I imagine those old time cartoons of the city mouse moving to the country and the country mouse or cat or person moving to the city. Gives them a new view. Everyone has their own perspective. Everyone looks for familiarity. Everyone is shocked at how the others in the world live. Imagine someone else from perhaps a third world coming to live your life, would they feel privileged? Ready to seize the opportunity? Amazed? I always say a bad day here is still probably better than a good day in impoverished places.

In those new drone videos you can look at the landscapes and life from a new perspective, the air, but isn’t it amazing that we tend to look for the familiar landmarks. Ride a hot air balloon and you look for people and places. In all, life too, we look for what we know.

How fitting for new life in the Spirit that we do that too. But now we ALSO are not to worry about unknowns. Look for the familiar, yes, and then, with a new life in the Lord, look thru His perspective when you think to stop looking thru your own. Look to be amazed. Look to be challenged. Look thru Spirit Perspective and Spirit Focus.

Imagine how you could and would change perspective. Would you feel privileged to now know you are living thru the Word? Would you feel driven? You bet. Would you feel compassion or comfortable? Not comfortable. Ready to seize the opportunity or rest? Not rest. Except resting assured. 

Would you feel ready? The Spirit in you has always been ready, willing, able… just waiting for you to catch up, to gain a good perspective. A Spirit Perspective from above, the whole world looks whole only when the Spirit fills in the gaps. A Spirit Perspective from inside, where you are crucial to the wholeness of not the world but the Way. You are Spirit Flow the world needs to know.  The Spirit desires to help the children of God achieve where the world needs to go.

Would you feel amazed? Be AMAZED.

Go with your Spirit Flow.

Amen 

—-

Jesus said: “But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well…..

Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.” Matthew 6:33-34

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

Office Use Only, God’s Office

Yeah, my brain and my time has relaxed after my marathon sprint last week – my son’s wisdom teeth surgery and my daughter’s move back to college. “WHEW” cannot describe this feeling – and to catch up on sleep, oh Blessed.

Oh, so Blessed that EVERY MORNING the Lord wakes us up and prepares us for a new day. Today I can work from home – sitting outside – I knew that I had the opportunity to enjoy the last bits of summer – so today I knew that I was blessed to even be alive. After my morning 7am walk, I started the ping-pong session of the thousand things I wanted to accomplish around the house and then to sit down and work at work-work. I did get a lot done – and I then got the call – a call to help someone in need – yes time to switch gears, to help, to work on God’s time. Was it cutting into my non work-work free time? Well, NO because ALL time is all GOD’S time. I knew that I was to go, how could I not toe the line, in wait for His instructions, because we are ALWAYS working on God’s Dime and in His Time.

And it all worked out, all is OK. While I was later standing in the dollar store, passing the time waiting for my friend, sure enough there was a sign – always a sign – a God sign. Today’s sign said “Office Use Only”. Say What? God’s Office, our ultimate Home Office, is in charge of our time. This was a true sign, physical paper too, taped to a misplaced bucket of office supply stuff, left on a random shelf probably when the cashier was in a rush, this was a sign that reminded me that my time is not my time. I cannot rush my time, halt my time, be stingy with my time. My time is God’s time, ALL THE TIME. If I have misplaced myself in God’s Time, He will find me. Hunted down like Psalm 139 for sure.

If we plan something, well we need to work that out with prayer. How often does God work that out with us, knowing all will be fine? All the time. Remember James 4 for sure: Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

The Lord’s Will.

Let that sink in. We are blessed with time. Why? 

Sometimes we don’t seem to have enough time. Why?

We cannot make time. Why?

People need to spend time thru God’s blessing’s time. Why?

Because God Makes Time.

Why and how can we work for God? We already do, don’t even ask why.

Why and how can we ask God what He wants? We often don’t see that He has put the task to us before we even have to ask.

God’s Office requires us to leave space in our time for “Office use only” – to be in a movable place – a flexible space – allowing enough personal grace to be forgiving and realize His giving grace. We are best to set aside time for, and be willing to give back time to, the One Who Makes Time. 

It is ALL His Time. Give it to God and we will be fine.

Amen

Oh the scars we carry… scary scars, brutal scars, tiny bits of us disrupted and faded but not gone. Scars are reminders. But scars DON’T have to be open. No. The scars in your life, on your heart are now CLOSED. If it’s healed enough to be a scar, then it’s all healed from within,  it’s not open anymore. If it is a visible scar, you have a story to tell to anyone who is thirsting for knowledge of how the Lord heals

Heaven knows, Jesus understands your scars. Jesus has them too.

Yes, the One (whom Thomas doubted) showed His Scars to all, but not because He was still bleeding, or to cause alarm, but because the scars showed history, identity, and realness. Not because they were relevant anymore. Scars and all, JESUS WALKED ALIVE. Scars of past pain left behind, now present was PRESENCE. Jesus did NOT let His Scars keep Him from moving forward, neither should we. Jesus did NOT continue to bleed from His Scars, did NOT stay crumbled. Jesus Overcame. So can we. 

What scars represent is ACTUALLY precious healing, whether precise or haphazard these are repaired wounds, sometimes processing is long but truly these become closed cases. Scars remind you where you came from, identify what you HAD gone through, and are not corrupted with now. You should be able to look at a scar and remember that you HAVE healed. You ARE still you, a better you, a wiser you. You are a survivor, a Spirit-fed and Jesus-filled survivor. 

Jesus, He gained His scars to take away the pain and bleeding from ours. Jesus, He heals by deliverance, He is the Deliverer, your Deliverer, mine too. What scars I have, I remember but they no longer reverberate, Jesus silenced them from His Healing from deep within my soul.

Let your scars be. Walk Whole. 

Amen 

—-

A powerful song, My Deliverer, speaks of Jesus heard the whole  world cry, and He was knowing the healing that would flow from His Own Scars. He will never break His promise. 

Song by Richard Mullins, just before he passed, sung by Ragamuffins

Perfect time to watch Jonah online from the Sight and Sound theater, a free showing, amazing production. It is Sunday, I have finished a MARATHON of mom-life this week, between packing and moving my daughter to college and wisdom teeth surgery for my son, fully working too. It was raining this afternoon and so God gave me this as a good opportunity to just be. The story lines of Jonah resonated with me. Four short chapters, forever the bible has a lifetime of lessons. 

Jonah loved the Lord but did not want to do what God commanded. He did not want to go to Ninevah, a terrible place, so AFRAID to go, plus he really did not like the people either. Jonah ran away but God found a way to pull him back. Hurled into the sea off a boat, God scooped Jonah up inside a whale, then spit him to where he was supposed to be. Whale or no whale, God can be very persuasive. Have you ever been saved to be placed where God wanted you to be? Our best plan, like reluctant Jonah, is obedience to God. He’s got a mission for you, starting with accepting His LOVE. 

My kindle battery then ran out, mid-song. Apparently God also reminding me that I am NOT supposed to sit and watch movies all day, I recharged my kindle and my activities. The song the show stopped on was: “Everyone has a Ninevah, God gives you strength to go.” Yes. God’s plan is for us to act. This does not mean we are going to be a full-blown prophet like Jonah, nor that it will be easy to decipher God, or even make sense of the plans, but it is to His profit that we seek to serve Him for the people whom He puts in front of us. Enemies and friends alike. It always takes forgiveness for the full fruition of LOVE to flourish… Jonah learned that too.

God has made you very special AND very ordinary, BOTH, so that He shines thru your regular acts of kindness, hopeful smiles, and simple words… it might not be a whole country you need to help but a small country lane of folk. Not a donkey to ride, but anything driving you to a purpose. Perhaps a group of people whom you don’t know. Perhaps those whom only would hear the truth from your testimony, because they trust you. They may know it was God who reached them in a whale of a scoop and He had saved you too. Whomever, wherever, you just be ready to be you. Prepare for Journeys. Read the signs. Be willing to walk into His opportunities. 

It stopped raining but I didn’t run outside to see a rainbow, His glory is everywhere. I know to share that Jesus came as our guide, the promise, the Greater sign. As Jesus mentioned Himself, His message is greater than Jonah’s, Jesus IS the Prophecy fulfilled.

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” Jesus answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. Matthew 12:38-42.

Jesus was the sign that some just didn’t read, some still don’t… blinded, stubborn, lost, unable to let their faith be their guide… OR like some on Ninevah, and today, they simply have not heard…. Jonah,  Moses and many prophets knew of the tough sell, we surely do too. Jonah was happy to obey God by delivering His message (Ninevah to be destroyed in 40 days) but then he got upset that they actually got rescued!

Jonah 3: And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

The best song in the play is “For now I’m free” – yes like for Ninevah,  it is our FAITH that sets us free.

Jonah was directed to speak prophecy, but it was FAITH that made the difference in the lives of the Nineveh folk. This was a surprise to Jonah (as portrayed in the play). Jonah was upset enough to die to see people so freed who had been so wicked.  But it wasn’t Jonah’s mercy to withhold, was it? God declares the plan. God gives mercy and only God. Mercy is not a given, it is a GIFT.

Jonah saw this LOVE firsthand. God, Almighty Powerful God finds a way to give mercy, just like when even sin’s ransom took giving His only Son for exchange to regain ALL His children. Only Jesus makes us worthy of this level of LOVE.

For us, we must remember and speak of this Mercy, our Jesus as the gift of forgiveness, the difference for saving all lives. We simply are saying the truth: I need Jesus and you need Him too. We find it not so simple to forgive enemies, rotting souls, ignorant ones, but we must. Like Jonah, we can be SURPRISED at the level of God’s Mercy, Love, Forgiveness. That IS the Truth. 

Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?

God, our God of Love delivered the people and us: “Why wouldn’t I save, redeem, love?”

This is the Good News.

This Good News is ours to share. How can we not dare.

Amen

“Ranked #1 for student upward economic mobility” – that’s the banner on the main bell-tower quad at my daughter’s college. Upward Mobility is achievable, desirable and smart. In order to get this education for her, I’m not letting my own debt increase worry me – I have Upward Mentality (not upward mobility) – a mentality that is an overcoming sense of faith which rises over being overwhelmed by unknowns in the future. I’ve structured knowns best I can, the rest we trust in God. He has taken us “safe thus far”.

Upward Mentality

Credit counts also when we look at our forever, as our Lord has all the credit to take us farther, based on how He has brought us so far. Yes, our Upward Mentality is for our salvation. Yes we can salivate “forever life” because we are living on Jesus’s Credit. With Jesus,  our debts of sins are erased, our mobility is restored, our “only way to look is up”. Our faith is our ultimate Upward Mentality. 

I have faith and I have earthly reasoning and both tell me to keep moving,  keep planning, keep keeping on. When I am gone, I expect and count blessings that my children will keep moving up too.

I stepped into the college quad yesterday because I heard the bell tower. After successfully depositing my BEST investment into school, my daughter and her dreams, I was driving thru campus soaking in the moment. I parked my car and listened to the chiming. This is not my college bell tower, but hers. This is not my dream, but hers. My bell tower and campus were in totally different times, but these chimes and this adventure of opportunities feel the same. Upward Mobility and Upward Mentality.

Bells chime so that we know that time is moving on – not slipping away. Bells chime as simply a signal that we made it to today. We are still here. We are to chime too, ring out our hopes and dreams and find opportunities. JUST like the clock and the time, we can move forward. Just like the clock face, we reset not just once but twice a day, each new day has new beginnings.  

(We sometimes find ourselves doing the sad bell tolling too, having to acknowledge gloomy things around us. But we don’t have to dwell on the lows. We don’t have to stay stuck in time. Don’t dwell and don’t try to hold the arm of time from advancing.) 

We don’t know what tomorrow brings, but we CAN and SHOULD bring our best to tomorrow. Don’t dilly dally, tomorrow will be here before you know it. Be upwardly mental mobile movable. 

The best mountain for God to move is YOU! The best way to look is UP. The best sight to see is HOPE. 

Thank You Lord, for our lives – today and forever – we can strive to make the best as you ALREADY made the best possible. The best mentality is giving credit where credit is due.

Amen 

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Colossians 3:23-24 ESV
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:17 ESV 
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Matthew 11:5-6 NIV

Jesus said “the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

---

PS – a song I heard AFTER writing this is so fitting “Make a Way” by I AM THEY – about “You brought me this far, You will make a way!” SO TRUE!  https://youtu.be/yiTMPWG3C4M

I’m so proud of my daughter, today she goes back to college. 

What a GIFT it has been to watch her grow.

What a GIFT it has been to listen to her planning things where I would wing it.

What a GIFT it is that she’s such a smart cookie. 

What a GIFT that she was born 6 weeks early and opened up an early entry into kindergarten. 

What a GIFT it is that she with her roommates will navigate this new adventure together. 

What a GIFT that she is only an hour and a half away.

What a GIFT that her school is even opening and has a great plan. 

What a GIFT that she is not only a student, but also a work co-manager, a peer mentor, and on a professional society organization. 

What a GIFT that she’s making her own choices and living her own dreams and being able to venture out into the real world. 

What a GIFT that she’s prepared for cautious living in these times. 

What a GIFT that God has blessed her with a brain to think, a heart to love, a direction to follow. 

What a GIFT that I have to step back and let her navigate herself. 

What a GIFT that she will facetime me so I can peek into her future. 

What a GIFT that keeps on giving…

Go change the world my daughter. Actually You Already Have…

Love you!

Mom

2020

Maybe THIS is THAT Year

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone was supposed to have more time.

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone did NOT miss their child’s special birthday because of their work conference, the fair, the big game, the college reunion, or the VBS prep that DIDN’T happen. 

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone had more time at the lake, the cabin, their parents, their grandchildren’s house, their garden, their home.

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone learned new things, taught a youngster, wrote a book, tried to cook, cleaned out the garage, found a new job, wrote a song, made new adventures. 

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone smiled more, heard the birds, went outside, listened to the rain, fell in love, held a hand, touched a heart, took a moment to cry, sat quietly, learned to be OK with being alone. 

Maybe THIS is THAT year someone heard the Lord calling, reconciled their past, felt healed, forgave someone, was forgiven, met Jesus. 

Maybe God says: I have been waiting for you. This year was My Year to find you too.

Maybe THIS is THAT year for all these things, all those things, no one ever usually got around to do.

Maybe THIS is THAT year set aside for someone special, like you.

Maybe THIS is THAT year special things got arranged, just for you.

Enjoy this year. Life is a gift. 

2020 should give hindsight of how many ways God has blessed you.

Amen 

My Favorite Favorites, 20AUG

Scripture tells us we are not to show favoritism,  but that’s quite the human trait huh? It’s not exactly what James 2 means about favoritism but I just have to say that I am asking prayers for my favorite favorites who are my favorite iffy believers.  Honestly we are to love all. James writes that MERCY triumphs over judgment. We should be merciful. Pray loving forgiveness for those who need it and act appropriately humble because we need forgiveness too. I have been the one others prayed for. Let me appreciate that. I am also the one needing forgiveness and Jesus came. Thank God for Jesus. 

Our gracious Lord Jesus loves to show us love, so that we may know how to share it. Our Father will not weigh our wrongs, nor our original sin because of Jesus’s act in securing forgiveness thru salvation to all who affirm their need for Him. I need Jesus, how about you?

My favorite iffys – oh…. oh, they are in my prayers today – and I pray that they are not even iffy – I pray that what I have heard of their vows of God not existing, that they themselves doubt their doubtfulness, that they are leaving the opening to their ears and hearts cracked just enough to let Jesus in someday… a last minute save is still a save…. ah, I have my favorite favorites and I don’t want them to be left behind. I also want them to believe now, so they help open up the cracks in others hearts.

See everyone does have a level of faith,  deep down faith that bubbles out sometimes, they’ve buried it with too many burdens, sticks in the mud who have seen so many storms bury more mud on them that seemingly no one can find the stick anymore (but Jesus can). If you can wash away enough mud, be part of the solution, then try to get that stick exposed just enough to get a grip on it. Thru higher water pressure, Living Water presence, and angel forces surely the Heavens are working on the Way to move them from “stick in the mud” to “productive branch of the Father”, ready to bear fruit. Love is the only way. 

Perhaps your favorite favorites who are stick in the mud people can be unburied and NOT left out high and dry BUT protected, continually hydrated by the Spirit splashing off you so they won’t get cast as dry fruitless branches into the fire. (John 15) Let’s pray productive mud. Let’s keep mud moving. Today Lord, I ask Your love to be at work in freeing my favorite sticks in the mud. I will mentally name them, but you already know: ………….

Lord, let us look for cracks in the mud, let us keep digging for these favorites whom I know. You water, we will dig.

Lord, let me show Your love to all, for you know the ones whom I don’t know.

Lord, let me grow and flow because of Your flowing love and reach. Let me work for You and against all evil. Lord, protect us and protect our hearts as we fight for all to know You. 

Maybe as Your mud-bee I can help. I’ll be busy for Thee.

We are the hands and feet of the Lord. We send prayers for leveraging LOVE.

Amen

Social Creatures, 19AUG

If nothing else, I am the classic social creature – sanguine – I enjoy people. I am social.

With the craving of spiritual milk that overtook me 5 years ago, I am the same person and also a totally new person – with understanding that my socialization is not just for fun – it is for real, it is FOR serving the Lord, it is with purposeful intent. And I am a new person in contentment to sit or walk or be alone, for I am OK with just being with the Lord – socializing with the Spirit, mentally healing without speaking, yet still conversing. We tend to process life by talking. Well, who better to process life than with the One who created it!

Yesterday I spent the whole day for people at work – it is not something I can chart on a bar graph – nothing I can measure in widgets made – nothing but helping others – well I guess it was a GREAT day then. I helped in places, learned about projects, was even in charge of the ice cream truck and social distancing folks and tallying the bill, money well spent. I went to the other building and socialized with so many there too – it was good for me and it was good for them. Today is different, today I will be quiet at home for a while – work this morning on the laptop until my daughter wants to start the day – I promised her to take the afternoon off for her – the last day that she is free until computer-based and in person based college. With live college move-in day on Saturday she expects to stay in her bubble on campus for quite a while… so today I will take the time with her – that is not a social thing but as much it is a serious thing, a special thing, a sacred thing, a super thing, and a smart thing to do…  

I need to balance both… I had opportunity all week, a hectic good week. On Sunday, even God rested.

I know this sounds long winded without a scripture, so here it is:

“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39 

The LOVE of God is what keeps us going – the busy times the slow times – the everything times we are to listen to God – nothing in creation or anywhere will separate us from HIS LOVE that comes in reading faces, in listening to chatter that enforces our connectedness, in being present to being hospitable, to being nice. His Love comes in sorting thru thousands of places to be, people to see, but acknowledging One directing the situation. It seems many options to take are good ones – many roads weave thru our days – sometimes it is a minute by minute decision to follow the right one.

Hope everyone lives in the moment today. 

#910, 17AUG

All Things Work Together

A friend told me about this devotion series, and both yesterday’s and today’s are very good…  that God works things to the good and for us not to store of our treasures on Earth…

https://us3.campaign-archive.com/?u=5a7bbf443189708255b21f430&id=38ae291fb2

I like the points made in this devotion that we are being pruned we are being made to be like Jesus… And I believe that in the 5 months of this shutdown we should be more lean and more focused and more Christ like than 5 months prior…

So it’s a good time to take stock and say going forward 5 months from today: can I be leaner, more faith focused, and more Christ like??? Am I better than 5 months ago and can I be even better yet?

God prunes the branches like a Vinedresser, and the Vinedresser prunes his vines in winter when they are dormant… I was pruned in winter,  in my faith, then my flesh… it would be good to work with God today to get ready for the next few months and for the Kingdom to come…

It’s always good to be God-focused.

It’s God who is working all… to get all together…

God is working because God is. Amen

#909, 16AUG

Then I Called and Jesus Came

These were a start of song lyrics in my head when I woke up, so I wrote more…

#908, 14AUG

Daughter of THE King

I had an opportunity yesterday to shine – to be an encourager – to speak to 170 Human Resources and Communications leaders at my company – about a small slice of our science and about me, but most importantly I took the opportunity to thank them for doing their work. I knew it would make their day. I KNOW that the Lord gave me that opportunity – I tried to make the most of it for Him. and yes I had fun too, at the end I even put up my photo of when Elvis gave me a stolen kiss on my birthday at a work volunteer event at a nursing home, the king! But I know who THE REAL KING IS.  Someone called me a star for giving the presentation but it is He, our God, who aligns the stars. I believe that those people needed encouragement, so He found a way and made room in my day. Gave me the peace and the place. I even was forced to finish the presentation slides last week before the power went out only a few hours later, and stayed out for 4 days. He, our God, is the director, who knows, who goes ahead… if only we would listen more. He is the ultimate in making things work for His best interests… Even though the folks heaped their praises after the presentation, it is me who should be praising Him – He needed this – even the rocks will cry out if we do not praise Him. Give credit where credit is due. He deserves it all, and only Him.

Daughter of THE King, 14AUG

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? NOT because I need to show people my crown but instead to tell the world that I have been healed because of our brother and Lord, His Son, who traded His Heavenly crown for a thorny earthly one so that we all could be saved.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King?  NOT because I should glamorize myself, even when treated like royalty. Remember, even Cinderella had to get her own dishes done before heading out to the ball.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? NOT because I should be treated like a rock star but learn to acknowledge the star which rocked our world, a bright one over a baby in Bethlehem.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? Because He is the one who makes me sing.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? Because I need to tell folks that my shine is His, not mine.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? Because I am branched from His Vine. Fruit, gifted to us, is intended to point back to Him.

Why was I made the daughter of THE King? So that I would crave the pure spiritual milk that He feeds, so that I may grow up in my salvation.

Who makes us His Daughters? His Sons? Our King does. He is our Holiest of Holies, our Father above all others, our God.

Why? So that we would be His.

We are given freedom to serve.

I am thankful to live for Him.

Amen

---

1st Peter 2

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—  you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,  “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.  “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”  For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

#907, 12AUG

The Mystery

If there’s one thing I have learned with following the Lord, it is: Don’t stop what you are doing just because you don’t understand how it will finish!!! (One example currently is preparing my daughter for returning to college in 2 weeks – just keep doing the prep, the journey is as important as the destination.)

Somehow, in a great mystery the small tasks or the large tasks will be completed, either successfully or in a detour, or halted clearly in a stop. The answer will be provided or you yourself will be redirected. In the meantime, keep working the work that works.  Drop the fluff that fails. Don’t be blind to the need to change.  Listen to your heart. Keep the faith. Perhaps you will understand. Perhaps you won’t. Perhaps you can’t.

The mystery…

The mysteries are endless in faith, and even the faith is mysterious to me, but I know that I must keep it. I believe, therefore I will delight in knowing God knows. The mystery in how – what – when – why is NOTHING compared to the WHO. God knows. 

I have thought that when I reach heaven I will know everything. I guess I don’t really know if I will. It must be even more mysterious. I’m guessing that I won’t mind if I don’t know all because I DO know that I will see the Glory of God and that will be sufficient. How could it not be enough just to be in His presence. Therefore, is not the Glory of God sufficient for us right now?

I wonder if like Peter, we can really step out in faith forever or only for a few steps, or if we will continue to reconcile our faith after denying our thoughts that God has things under control. He built it and us, and He still does. I wonder if we really can see how we ourselves ARE becoming part of the Kingdom of God – only by being strengthened by God Himself. If He is the builder, then in addition to the rocks, He must be providing the mortar too Keeping it and us all together. Some builders can put perfectly matched rocks together and some rocks need mortar to stay where they are built. I would be one who is not perfect and needs the essential mortar of faith to fill me in. Fill in my gaps. Fill in my faith gaps. Be fulfilled. Be placed. Be.

I’m a mystery in myself, yet God knows me and what it takes to build me up. So won’t I let Him build me? Won’t I let Him direct me? Won’t I let Him place me.

In a combination of faith mystery and life mystery, we continue our journey, we must continue as God has never stopped – has He?…  He creates His new Kingdom with us in mind. HE knows where we fit. He will even try every angle, knock off the rough edges, anything to keep us from the discard pile. He has a purpose for us.

In the Book of Revelation chapter 5, John writes that Heavenly creatures say: “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” Then clearly Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, steps up, He is worthy. Jesus WAS and IS the answer. So can we understand that deep but revealed mystery now? We question and are to know: Jesus is the answer, let Him take the lead for us too. Build. Fit. Trust. Know. Be. Live. (And keep moving).

The Mystery of Faith is rooted in Faith. Faith holds us, Jesus made us all worthy.

We have God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and life, what more do we need to know?

Amen

#906, 10AUG

Love is the Best Fruit Worth Sharing

Picking blueberries yesterday afternoon (in perfect summer weather with the sun at my back) reminded me that God has plenty good still prospering out in the world for us to enjoy and sustain us and be in the norm of His creation… and I had the opportunity so I took it. My conversation with the farmer, I could have continued it all day, about his family, about mine, about him being off the grid as a dream… About his life, I told him about my father working 50 plus years at the bank, his dream to work just as long as his father worked the railroad,  and about his dream for each of his kids to go to college, we did… I  told him that a favorite Facebook post of mine is “it’s not your job as a parent to get your kids into Harvard, but Heaven” about teaching the next generation how to live and love what they do rather than what actually to work at… I said how blessed I am that both my kids have direction and dreams.

All my conversations in life and interest in people remind me how different people take the same thing VERY differently… Surely some people would never dream to live how this farm family lives (they do use electricity now) and his dream of the future. It looks idyllic in summer, but I wonder about winter though… It’s a privilege either way to choose a life that they can work towards.  Many in the world are stuck in bad circumstances,  we in America are generally not, but some are… so if we are privileged, we also have the ability to modify our attitudes and steps. The farmer told me about his daughter, my son’s age. He is motivating her to get her driver’s license as she depends upon them to get her to work. She just started at the local organic store, she dreams however to live in the city… my daughter loves the city too… All their kids were/are homeschooled. They all have dreams about traveling…

I only paid $4 for the blueberries, so I gave him $20 and a note for his daughter to use it for gas money. My father gave me $ for gas money, I can share some.  Most importantly I wrote in the note with the money about if God takes care of the birds, then surely He will take care of us…

And He does. My father and mother take care of me too as I take care of my family… and we all take care of each other.

And God’s love?… That’s always my twinkle in my eye, bringing  me my smile, seeing the extravagant LOVE and generosity of our God who is also to be feared, is jealous, and firm… He is watching us thru His angels too. Moving us thru His Spirit. He is a good God and if we watch where and when to take our steps, He will guide them best… for kids, for travel, for patience, for life, for blueberries that I got to pick, just like when I was a kid… i thanked this farmer for sharing the outside with the kids of today’s world, that’s rarity these days… the fruits of his labor brings joy.

God’s joy? That we are loved, and have our love for God – and have our love for one another – these ARE the fruits of His labor…

Love IS the best fruit… worth sharing…

#905, 08AUG

IMMENSE and INTENSE

How far away we are from the stars, but no doubt that looking into the breathtaking depth of the shining stars, we have no idea how deep and how wide and how vast and how IMMENSE and INTENSE the array. Their display of light dazzles from so far away, just like our sun, the intensity carries that far to our eyes. And there are SO MANY.

Tonight I am camping, in deep enough wilderness that I could see such intense, deep stars, so many that it is like a freckle-face field of star dots. I saw 3 shooting stars, I did not think to make a wish, I was in God’s Hand and there is nothing else I needed just then. He knows better than I what I need. His plan plays out best. He got me here, safe thus far.

If we realized we are sitting in the palm of God, our Creator, perhaps looking up at the stars would akin to looking at the twinkle of God’s eye. Perhaps we are that close to be in His LOVE that we don’t know – we don’t know how deep how wide how everything His Love is in us and around us. YES, we are that close and Him to us, that we are immensely immersed. Even remember  that if the stars display such light that travels from so far, His love surpasses that in wideness, God is bigger.  So IMMENSE that His Son, who is also God in person came to be intensely close to dwell with us, came to our level so we could all arise to Heaven level.

Even remember in that Vastness, that if God is SO CLOSE to us, we can feel His presence in and thru us. His love surrounding is even deeper. His Glory is so intense, His love so much light in darkness.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2nd Corinthians 4:6

How fitting for we are that close that we don’t always see. Just like the stars, light pollution from us prevents us from seeing.  But strip away us, cast off our earthly interference,  our distractions, and focus on feeling and seeing Jesus as our Savior and feeling His Spirit as our motion and knowing Our Father as Love. Feel that, seek that, know that intimate FULLNESS of God.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

My how CLOSE God is…

Surpassing all knowledge and simply becoming a presence to know.

Draw close, see and feel, and know that He was never far.

May you feel His Love always.

IMMENSE AND INTENSE

Amen

#904, 06AUG

Good Things: Grace and Flush Toilets

Your Grace is sufficient Lord.

I did ask for CAMPING, so I didn’t expect a power outage, so I guess it’s like camping, except with flush toilets. Yeah.

Thank you Lord for the Grace. Thank You Lord for the Good Things. Thank You Lord for the flush toilets.

I did ask for more family closeness Lord, so I didn’t expect to see my son more because he’s got no A/C or computer power in his room now. And he said: “do you need a hug?” Oh blessed. So I did hope for teaching lessons for my children, and I got them and I learned too. Yeah.

Thank you Lord for Your Grace, Thank You Lord for my children,  Thank You Lord for flush toilets.

I did ask to be outside more Lord, like camping, so I didn’t expect to hang laundry on the outside line, to learn how to use a borrowed generator (power still out).  To have non-random helpers. Yeah.

Thank you Lord for Your Grace, Thank You Lord for my children, Thank You Lord for friends and generators, Thank You Lord for flush toilets.

I did ask to have a cleaner house, so I didn’t expect to be vacuuming freezer coils, eat down pandemic stockpiles. I did work at what You put in front of me this week, and I mopped up the messes.

Thank You Lord for Your Grace, Thank You Lord for my children, thank You Lord for friends and generators, Thank You Lord for the time, Thank You Lord for the mess, Thank You Lord for flush toilets.

I didn’t ask for Grace because I didn’t understand. I do now. I do need Grace and it IS sufficient, and everything else will fall into place. I now ask for extended Grace to all. May all know You. May all learn. May all be patient with Your Pace.

Thank You Lord for Your Grace, Your lessons, Your love, Your hope, Your Love. And Your pace for my race, You can plan my plan and I will try to understand.

And oh yeah, those Flush Toilets… You inspired Good Things,  You made Good People who made Good Things,  You are Good. You are the Power and the Light in the dark.

Goodnight.  Thank you for the day Lord. Thank you for the night… Thank You for all Good Things…

Amen

#903, 02AUG

There will be Time, Now is a Sacrifice of Praise

I miss my praise band people so very much, it was actually very upsetting to me tonight, enough that I had to write, but a certain song set me straight… “Sacrifice”… a sacrifice of praise…

I miss seeing raised hands in the service, I just loved it… I miss singing my praises to our Lord, in a group, for sure I do sing in the kitchen, but I can’t justify singing without mask inside a building right now, nor justify the time away from the kids right now when we circled the wagons in the spring. Even work is urging us to not get sick, of course. Maybe I feel selfish for not singing and yet I could be considered selfish for wanting to be singing… Well, what is one to decide to do? Well, when we LET JESUS DECIDE, then it’s a no-brainer… 

We need to focus on Jesus to get peace instead of playing the ping pong game back and forth of our earthly wants.  Jesus KNOWS what we need. Jesus knows what He needs and where He needs you.

God initially, and I myself, hit the continued pause for me in praise band. I call it a Sacrifice of Praise (which is an old praise band song from my first band that I miss so much too.)… a sacrifice either way, either your time one way or another. But isn’t it better to have a sacrifice of PRAISE?

It’s a sacrifice, because I choose to opt out, as it’s my discernment that that’s probably safest and needed in these times but mostly after surveying the scene, it is what I needed in my times… and my times will change, THEY WILL. I can justify everything until the cows come home, even if I don’t have to at all… and surely the best justification is not justifying, only praising, only listening, for we don’t know the best plan, only the Lord knows… all we need is worship and praise. Discernment comes with divine direction.

Why does it become a “sacrifice of praise”? Because I praise that I have much I am able to sacrifice.  A praise also on my mind for Jesus and God’s sacrifice to guarantee our placement home.  Sometimes we are sacrificing somethings for others, sometimes we are sacrificing for peace of mind too. It’s my praise that I do have people in my life who do mean so much and I sacrifice for their sake… it’s my praise that we are called to drop our personal agendas too… it’s true that we are to praise the Lord even in the storms. Focus on Him and tears flow back in.

It’s our truth that Jesus as our focus must knock out all the other noise.

“Man looks on the outside, You look on the heart.”

It’s odd to me that I am like the least germaphobe, I eat stuff off the ground, even from my rug at work, but I feel what I feel, and so I can’t justify myself in the band mix right now… Thankfully, with Jesus my decision burden became light… I’m even a gambler, risk taker (sorry John Wesley) but my gut tells me solidly where to be…  With Jesus my “me” decision tree became “we”.

“To truly live for you, to truly seek Your Face.”

We justify with Jesus.

“Man looks on the outside

You look on the heart

That’s where my worship has to start”

A month from now is not now, and times will change. And my choices then will too… I don’t have to justify sending my daughter back to college, both because she is an adult whom I can’t prevent from making her own choices AND I won’t stop her school progress AND she moves from my bubble to hers, learning her way in the world.  I transfer much to her decision process,  but most importantly I must transfer my control to God (so hard!).  I justify also a month from now allowing my son’s wisdom teeth surgery… I may sacrifice some peace of mind then, but that same month he turns 16 and wants his driving permit. YIKES, so yes there are risks everyday… whew… Jesus take the wheel!

Well, there will be time later for my praise band time, God-willing…and if there isn’t? Well then there will be eternal praise time for the Lord,  there will be all the time not “in the world” but “out of the world” then.

“For all eternity, with every breath I take, I want my life to be,  a SACRIFICE OF PRAISE…. to You!!!”

So a sacrifice of praise it is… 

God, thanks for pulling my worries into worship and my pensiveness into praise.

There’s always time for PRAISE!

Amen

 

—–

 

Sacrifice,  Paul Baloche 

“Man looks on the outside

You look on the heart

That’s where my worship has to start

—

Words fall short to tell You

Yearnings that I feel…

I want to worship You for real

For real

—

To truly live for You

To truly seek Your face

To turn my heart towards You

A thousand times a day

—

For all eternity

With every breath I take

I want my life to be

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise to You

—

Man looks on the outside

You look on the heart

That’s where my worship has to start

—

Words fall short to tell You

Yearnings that I feel…

I want to worship You for real

For real

—

To truly live for You

To truly seek Your face

To turn my heart towards You

A thousand times a day

—

For all eternity

With every breath I take

I want my life to be

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise to You

—

To truly live for You

To truly seek Your face

To turn my heart towards You

A thousand times a day

—

For all eternity

With every breath I take

I want my life to be

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise

A sacrifice of praise to You

#902, 31JUL

Patient Praiseful Endurance

It’s a summer of patience, it’s a time of waiting but still working. Pandemic and all, you must say it’s been an interesting year…

PATIENCE is needed – and I’m talking only about grocery store shopping! LOL… I watched a very long line, a very patient set of people… Everyone was polite and surely for the privilege of Trader Joe’s premium food, it was worth the wait. I was just walking by this time, but I know it is good stuff!!! The clerk at the fabric store next door was wiping down the carts as I walked in and later as I waited to check out. She said it takes time if you want to do it right.

It takes time… it takes patience…

“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” Rev14:12

That scripture is not about shopping, but enduring trial, waiting thru evil in a broken world, and remaining faithful to fulfilling God’s commands, one of which is to share the Good News about Jesus. So, wait we must – but work we must do too – now and for end times. John was given an actual trip into the Spirit realm, to witness what leads up to end times, and to write about what he saw. “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” ” Rev14:6-7

Let all those with ears hear this too, so that they will understand – and let us understand how important it is for us to praise, fear God and give Him glory.

John wrote so that we may understand about endurance, be encouraged to remain faithful regardless of the afflictions of evil. We are called to be patient and we are called to shine the light…  So as tempting as it is to be emotionally feeling down and grumpy about our circumstances, we must still be encouraging and uplifting… We must shine even brighter right now…  God is patiently waiting for all of us to worship, to love, and to praise. God is giving us Time for He wants all to meet and be saved by Jesus.

I placed a blue painted rock on the bench near the end of the grocery store entrance line, stating the importance of patience… We need all to focus on God, we need all of God’s plan to reach all. God needs that too… God is very patient, but there will be a time when earthly time will cease… a NEW JERUSALEM will emerge… Jesus says get ready and God surely says about our work:  It takes time if you want to do it right…

Since God is in charge of time, surely we can take time to share the Good News…

Amen

#901, 29JUL

Chain Reactions

God did good today, and so did His Angels. Especially for my daughter’s birthday. A chain reaction of car accidents stopped right in front of us, everyone was fine, but not those cars or tractor trailer frames, ouch, mangled bumpers and we were all so glad the tractor trailer hit the guard rail to take most of the brunt and that he didn’t tip over.

We were fine, amazingly a police officer was in the backed up traffic too and instantly there. We saw the people get out of the cars. Thank God the car behind me stopped in time too. A hedge of protection for sure. I raised my hand to the sky in thankfulness, heaped praises to the Lord in humbled halleluiahs. My daughter had just finished saying she preferred taking the train to inner city. It was stressful driving, it was a great save in our day.

There is something to be said for keeping a safe following distance,  it helps give angels more time to move in. 

Chain Reactions are bad on highways, angels are always needed.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME.

It was my daughter’s 19th birthday, was a fabulous day, she and I spent all day together, from presents to free Starbucks to a trip to a fancy art store in inner city, to a bubble tea place, to home, time for painting and resin pouring, kitty time, takeout steaks and movie watching – and our new norm is always prayers at night. Thankful prayers.  REALLY thankful as it could have taken a REALLY bad turn at that moment on the highway, but it DIDN’T. Just luck? No, because God INTERVENED thru our Holy Spirit. I didn’t really even think of the “what ifs”, I just reacted, then we kept moving… We were and are blessed with a chain reaction of Spirit flowing, of Angel-catches, and of paced timing.

Chain reactions in life can be harsh like car accidents or an intricate process for good – like God starting something, angels intervening, and so forth down the line… Everything is connected like a chain. Death could have been the end of the chain, our individual chain, except it isn’t – because when we accept His gift of salvation, JESUS RESTORES OUR LINK TO LIFE EVERLASTING.

There is another chain reaction to consider – but it is the reaction of our chains to Jesus, He breaks the chains that bind us, our chains forged in life and originally by sin, worldly things, death – these are broken and we are supposed to shake them off because Jesus broke them thru His death and Resurrection. Jesus is our Savior. His Alpha and Omega are not on separate ends as much as they are linked together. Love links all. The reaction chain of Him saving us means that our Father in Heaven can have us home.

SO…, live today like you should, form new links of life knowing Jesus is our link, our vine. Keep a safe following distance and watch for changing times. Keeping linked with others and with Jesus, faith in faith…

Thank You Lord for my children, my life, my links, my missions and Your SAVE.

Thank You Lord.

Whew.

AMEN

#900, 28JUL

Jesus Knows Your Name

There’s a little tidbit in scripture which means everything. Jesus KNOWS your name. Scripture tells of white stones inscribed with names and those He calls will understand… will know Him… a REVELATION for sure…

“I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it”. Rev 2:17

Jesus knows your name.

The little white stones at the beach are scattered and moved by the waves, they are smoothed by the friction, they stand out from the endless grains of sand when revealed, and even though they may exist only in the depths of the ocean, or buried under the shore, they exist, they are retained, they are strong enough, they are like us. These stones can represent our lives smoothed out from rough patches by abrasion and water flow, our lives held together by faith even if sometimes we are whirled in motion, or lives sometimes seemingly lost in the world but never out of sight of the One who made us. We are rolled by the rock tumblers of this world, but that also means we are SHINED by the Light Within. We live: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” 2nd Corinthians 4:7-9

Not only are these stones and our lives known by the Lord, we are called by name. Jesus knows the whole world, but it’s your name He is specifically calling, because He is the one who has gone ahead of you. He knows your hopes and wants to lead you to share His: the time when everyone knows His.

The time draws nearer and nearer to the end of times, and we are called to serve, share and let others know that they are known. It is not our curiosity that we need to feed, it’s His Kingdom we need to fill!

Read the book of Revelation, read the scriptures, read the signs of the times. But most of all, hear and heed the call of your own name by Him.

Go then and tell the others…

Amen

---

The rest of the story starts here:

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” – keep reading Revelation,  AMAZING…

#899, 26JUL

Turn the Page for Self Care

What does “self care” look like? That’s the new hot term “self care”…  Does it mean spoiling yourself or does it mean just remembering to take care of yourself – to put your own oxygen mask on first before putting it on others. I can call this particular moment “self care” as I just sat down at the beach this morning, a friend will be coming but I decided to come early since the cat wakes me up at 5:00 a.m. anyway. I got a free parking spot – I hope to get a beach tag but the best is that at least I got here. At least I got here.

Creating a self care plan to me means that I made a plan and I was able to run with it (when you know all plans don’t actually get to be run)… Self care means I took care of my other obligation cares first, to be able to just be. Self care to me also means accepting what I can’t do and taking advantage of anything good I can. Being here at the beach is a successful moment of “I did“.

Self care is best achieved in being aware of being in the care of the Lord. Focusing, sitting down with the Lord – walking with the Lord – and resting with the Lord. Listening and remembering HIS care is infinitely better than your own self care.

New book I have – reading about Peter and Jesus walking on the water, about Peter sinking and Jesus lifting, that is me too. I went to take this beach photo,  but the page kept turning and I thought: isn’t that true for our lives: DON’T STAY ON THE SAME PAGE, accept the save and turn the page.  Get-up-and-go. Take time of course to sit down and rest, but Peter didn’t stay “standing still” with Jesus after he was lifted, they got back onto shore swiftly. They keep moving…

If you listen to the waves, listen to the birds, feel the sun, that’s self care time well spent but most importantly listen to your heart – your heart is where the Lord resides. He can help you there and everywhere, help you in a way that directly speaks to you. In everything the Lord has created, He specifically made YOU. And what has the Lord has deposited in You?  HIS SPIRIT.

There is no better self care then SPIRIT CARE.. His Spirit is for you.

Keep turning the page, for you, for your care, for your plan, for your hope, for your mission. The Lord ALWAYS has something to say about your walk with Him.

Amen

898

Stop Focusing On Your Fears, 25JUL

Stop Focusing On Your Fears.

Easy to say. Not easy to do.

Best way? Focus on Jesus instead.

We say that all the time, Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Perhaps often my distractions are that I see my fears being played out in someone else’s life, and I forgot that it’s NOT happening to me, I forget my blessings of being “safe thus far”.  Perhaps through somebody else’s situation, I get paralyzed by watching when I should be thinking of how Jesus would get them out of that situation.  (And sometimes we are but perhaps we are not always on the rescue team).  None the less, we are ALWAYS on the prayer team. ALWAYS.

FOCUS ON JESUS. You will find praise. Praise that He knows you and knows your fears. Praise that He forgives you and forgives your forgetfulness. Praise that He is True. Praise that He has gone ahead. Don’t let your fear make you forget your faith. Your steps are sure if you surely can remember to trust.

Perhaps better than worrying about train wrecks, let us all go in advance to the intersections of people’s faith and strengthen them with ours. Perhaps you will find others strengthen yours too. Perhaps better than being the spoiler, or stopping traffic, let the trains cross slowly and see if it all fits together in a plan better than you could have imagined. Don’t be afraid to cross if Jesus is directing. Crossing intersections of faith could involve the Cross, sometimes sacrifice, and always praise.

Adding onto the famous lyrics:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, [not the world or your perceived future].

Look full in His Wonderful Face, [not at shadows that your fears hide in].

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim, [because Jesus seriously IS THE ONLY LIGHT].

In the Light of His Glory and Grace, [as nothing earthly, even death, can touch His Glory and Grace].

Nothing can even touch His GLORY and GRACE.

Always remember: JESUS SEES WHAT HE WILL LEAD YOU TO.

AMEN

#897, 24JUL

You’ve Been Paced

I’ve watched and heard the sweetest goodbyes between a little kid and their dad. The dad drives such a slow pace each morning leaving the house a few doors down from mine, and he and his little child yell goodbyes within earshot to each other for at least half a block. Dad leans out his work van, drives at just the right pace. Awww… I bet the child will remember that all day.

The pace of our lives are just that, a certain pace in a certain place.

Yesterday was my first turnpike slowdown in 5 months of the lightest traffic, never a stop but a 45 minute crawl covering only 10 miles. I heard about the construction set up, I chose that path anyway, since it is most direct. The radio traffic report said the cars were being purposefully “paced”.

PACED.

Today I was “stuck” behind the train crossing, with both kids after the dentist, it was ok I had nowhere super urgent to be, I was not far from home so I waited, checked my email on my phone and waited. It doesn’t pay to bail at that intersection anyway,  there would be an extra 10 minute drive around, not worth it…. and I could see the fast but long train. Just wait it out. Life slowed down but stay on track.

Just before the train finished and the track crossing opened, at least half a dozen cars bailed – waited for a long time and then bailed so late. Seriously, how long would you wait before bailing? I watched one car that did just before the opening and was then stuck at the light in the opposite direction. When the opposing traffic started to flow, he realized that he should have waited 30 seconds more. His face told the whole story of ugh…. he lost time trying to save it.

He had been paced.

I have been paced.

You’ve been paced.

We, we are being paced by life, paced by ourselves, paced by God.  Which is the best, right, smart way to live? We cannot outpace or out-race God.

No matter what you do,  if you don’t do it in God’s terms, He will pace you.

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” Ecclesiastes 11:5

If you build a plan without God, it will fail. Psalm 127

If you rush, you will be paced back to His schedule.

If you think you can out-run God, you can’t. And you wouldn’t want to anyway.

If you try to slow down something God is doing, you can’t. His timing,  His place,  His pace.  Accept the pace. Sometimes the pace is a race but with God, let Him win the race.

You think things are falling into place, just right? You also have been placed, traced, spaced, and embraced. Paced.

Take the time that God has given you, use the time wisely, spend time with loved ones, work diligently. Embrace the pace, God has made time for you and me. He says we are worthy of His time, worthy not by our doing but by His Grace.

His Pace, His Place, His Grace.

Amen

#896, 21JUL

Calming the Waters

How many times do we think that we are in choppy waters in life  – too many…

How many times we realize that we are actually in CALM waters – we don’t notice this enough.  But I bet we are in calm waters more often than not. We see choppy times ahead but today look to see where your calm is placing you. If we have a moment to rest enough to pick up anything to read, we are at that moment calming down. If we sit and observe, we have an opportunity for calming… even moving water can still be calm… even ear-filled moments can be calm… and the eye of any and all hurricanes can be calm… BECAUSE calm is from WITHIN. Calming is an action. Calmness is.

Jesus is.

I sat looking at the “Calm Waters Cafe” sticker on my daughter’s laptop. It’s a great cafe run by spiritual folk. It has seats in the window for you to watch the world go by while you sit calmly… Jesus calmed those waters and those times. Jesus calms these times as well.

Sitting calmly I was looking at the sticker, but we were busy, we were shopping for birthday presents online with 2 laptops,  2 phones, 5 stores, coupons vs free shipping, delivery time vs pickup, gifted Grandma money vs ours… a burst of “hard work” for ease of easy times. Jesus calmed those waters and these times.

The cat is studying the world outside as close as we let her, through the locked screen door at 5am. I’m studying the cat who was gifted into our lives. At times when strife could erupt, the volume instead of moments of cat cuteness or coy cat-purposely-in-the-way-ness is a true calming influence in this house. Jesus calmed those waters and these times.

Looking across this floor to the door, there used to be times it was filled with junk, there used to be times when I had not yet had the money for furniture, there were times I didn’t even have times to look. Jesus calmed those waters and these times.

And there were times of joy. And there were times of pain. And there were times of strife. And there were times of loneliness. And there were times of stillness. Jesus calmed those waters and these times.

Jesus calms life sometimes “just enough” so even though there are big waves, you know which direction they come from. Jesus calms life sometimes most of the way and waits for you to stop making your own rough seas. Jesus also calms you sometimes instead of the waves. Jesus made these days for our realization of His Way.

Jesus calmed those waters and these times, these waters and these times.

Maybe we need to choose to look at the world and get ready to calm it ourselves. So don’t be afraid to step out of your boat today.  It’s ok to venture. Jesus will be there.

Jesus already knows the Way.

Amen

895, 20JUL

Written for a friend who is struggling with the frustrations of people and life…

But LOVE is BIGGER

Evil is evil. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Nutty people are nutty. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Distractions big and small eat away at your day.  But LOVE is BIGGER.

Horrible people do horrible things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Lonely people do lonely things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Cantankerous people do cranky things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Thankless people do thankless things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Annoying people do annoying things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Stuck people don’t do many things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Shallow people do minimal things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Boastful people do too many things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Silly people do silly things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Smart people do smart things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Cool people do cool things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Bold people do bold things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Humble people do humble things. But LOVE is BIGGER.

Lovely people do lovely things. But LOVE is BIGGER than even that.

People cannot out love LOVE. For LOVE comes from ABOVE. 

LOVE IS BIGGER THAN BIG. LOVE IS WILLING TO SHARE LOVE THINGS EVERYWHERE.

LOVE GIVES ITSELF AWAY WITHOUT DIMINISHING.

LOVE SPRINGS FROM LOVE WITHOUT DRYING UP.

LOVE IS BIGGER THAN YOU AND ME AND ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE TOO.

LOVE ENVELOPES YOU AND ME AND ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE TOO.

LOVE LOVES ALL. THE FALLEN AND THE SMALL. THE SHADOW AND THE LIGHT.

LOVE KNOWS THAT LOVE IS WHAT IS RIGHT.

AMEN

 

894, 15JUL

“No Way” vs The Way

I appreciate this small book written specifically about the relationship between Peter and Jesus,  “A Fragile Stone ” by Michael Card. (FYI there are $6 used copies on ebay). It’s not just commentary,  it’s opportunity to learn about our own relationships with Jesus and Jesus with us, as we learn our humanness.

I appreciate that conversation between Peter and Jesus is our conversation too… we can see/hear ourselves in Peter’s humanness for sure… we can feel Jesus’s tenderness in understanding Peter who takes a while to understand who Jesus really is, and we can feel the occasional “what were you thinking!” “ughs” in Jesus’s tone towards Peter… it was important that there was a friendship between Peter and Jesus, the man and Messiah, a familiarity and openness. We also see the rebukes of Peter’s messiness by the Messiah thru His Message, and we see the reconciliation. Peter being Peter is our example of why Jesus chose us too – Jesus came to save, to heal, to teach. Jesus came to get into our mess.

The Matthew 16:13-23 passage about Peter’s shock that Jesus would die on the cross is a blindside that he didn’t see coming and it took a long time for it to register with Peter. Peter essentially abruptly said: “NO WAY!” Jesus said “Satan get behind me.”

Peter: NO WAY!

JESUS: WAY!

We say NO WAY in disbelief all the time. I can hear myself say that. I’ve heard it a LOT recently. We get shocked. The satanic reference (and worldly existence of distractions getting in Jesus’s Way) in conversation between Jesus and Peter behooves us to be examining our life thru our human point of view. Are we also trying to second guess Jesus? Isn’t that surely from the bite on that apple? The human brain lost its way, but Jesus’s Way brings us back on our way to His Way. If all will kneel for Jesus, and follow Him, then He can guide all.

That bite, we weren’t there, but that is what took a bite out of our lives. And Jesus was made for the healing.  Jesus gets us out of the mess. This and all ages of mess bested by the Messiah of Ages, the Message.

That Peter moment is us. Totally us. We put the “No” in front of the Way. We cannot fathom all the Ways of God. Jesus wishes us to see life in His Way. We have to admit that sometimes instead of standing still, we still stand in our own way, blocking our way, not seeing clearly. We are human. Jesus is divine.  Way divine. WAY WAY WAY DIVINE.

Jesus sees from God’s point of view. Can we glimpse that? climb past ourselves? look forward and leave the rest behind? Can we understand that Jesus put Satan behind him, moved the snake and eventually crushed the snake as He arose defeating death. Jesus kept walking and working forward, He still does to this day. His Way is the High Way, the Right Way, the Only Way. The Way that saves your day.

Jesus is the Way. The “NO WAY” of Peter (and us) is WAY behind us now. We are Peter people too, but we can learn. Peter and we can ROCK the Way.

Amen

 

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Matthew 16

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades  will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

 

 

#893, 12JUL

Time, Time, Time

I know there is a time and place for everything… Ecclesiastes 3 always rings True

True.

True.

True.

 

Pandemic outside, Turn Turn Turn.

Not the first one, Turn Turn Turn.

People are scared, Turn Turn Turn.

God is in charge, Turn Turn Turn.

 

Use your time wisely,  True True True.

Feel God’s love deeply, True True True.

ONE DAY AT A TIME, True True True.

Don’t worry, just BE, True True True.

 

Tomorrow takes care of itself, Time Time Time.

Live in the present, Time Time Time.

Today His Grace is enough,  Time Time Time.

Embrace peace right now, Time Time Time.

 

He hath made everything BEAUTIFUL in His Time. Amen Amen Amen

All are of the dust, Amen Amen Amen 

All turn to dust again. Amen Amen Amen 

Rejoice in THIS season. Amen Amen Amen.

 

Praise Him FOREVER.

Praise

Praise

Praise.

 

Amen

---

 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

 

 

#892, 10JUL

Remember the Rescues

This passage from Michael Card is great for today…. it’s not the miracles that convince us,  it is those rescues from sinking that we remember… yes, the rescues…

Like Peter and sinking after walking…

We remember the rescues.

“[There] was a deeper lesson [Peter] had to learn, and Jesus is intent on him not missing it, even as now you and I must learn it if we are to move forward as we walk through the wind storm of following Jesus. It is almost never heard in American churches. Indeed there are some congregation who would call it heresy. The lesson is that Peter needed to sink in order to take the next step of faith in Jesus. Because walking on the water does not ultimately increase our faith, only sinking does! Those who ask for miracles and receive them soon forget. But those who suffer for Christ’s sake never forget. They have their own wounds to remind them. When we are hurting we do not flee to the rich and healthy for wisdom and real comfort. We seek out those who have fellowshipped in the sufferings of Jesus.”

Michael Card, p53 A Fragile Stone

#891, 09JUL

Restore us Lord

In life I’ve burnt my left leg badly, twice. Both accidentally because of rushing, oversight, oops… the huge burn from 4 years ago you wouldn’t even know it now (but I saved photos). My recent burn still hurts and is healing. I am OK! Walked into a hot iron I placed on the floor. Thank God it is healing and I believe that I am over the worst, but I must still apply anti-microbial medicine. I learned from the last wound, so I can be more knowing this time. Healing takes time.

But I am not really only talking about my leg, I’m talking about spiritual growth...  our burns and burdens are not to be ignored but dealt with and set aside. Learned from and left. Scars remind but they are not to overwhelm our lives, we are to deal with our own selves with grace that covers us from Jesus, otherwise the devil will have a field day. Be forgiven and move forward.

If I did not take care of my wounds, my body would still fight for its survival. If I way prematurely assumed gangrene and leg amputation, then I might give up taking care. If I assumed the worst, I would be too distracted to live.  That’s the distraction of the devil who wants you to be hung up and paralyzed in fear, overthinking, and wrong. That’s the conviction when you have not had the trial. Don’t go that far. Jesus will fight for your soul. Don’t worry about tomorrow,  tomorrow will worry about itself. Stay in the present and tend to the moment. Be attentive to the Lord and let Him handle things.

If I cover my wound, there are less likely chances that microbes that will infect from outside, but I also have to watch for any pre-existing embedded bacteria and fungi which might flourish. I must cover and treat. I must also not inflict false cure attempts that are worse. I must find the balance. That’s not just my wound, that’s also my soul. Jesus and repentance. Jesus covers us. Jesus fought and won the battle over sin and death. Jesus’s blood covers us. And Jesus IS sufficient. Any false cure will hurt more. The treatment for our own sins is repentance, but from pre-existing sin, original sin, human nature sinfulness, you can only be treated and healed by Jesus. And He has saved us, so we MUST ACCEPT His victory and cover ourselves with Him. (and it is easier to cover our wounds if we would only: BE STILL).

Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

And we are to remind ourselves that we do have Jesus, we need to not waiver about our need for him. We must believe that He will bind our wounds and heal us. We are His to heal, He will make ALL wounds disappear. He will create in us clean hearts. He restores the sparkle to our eyes… He will make our fears dissipate. He restoreth our soul.

Lord, restore our sparkle, heal our wounds, cover us with You.

You are our possible.

Amen

 

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Psalm 13:3-6 NLT

O Lord my God!   Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.  Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”  Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.  But I trust in your unfailing love.  I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.

---

Psalm 147:1-11 NIV

Praise the Lord.  How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;  he gathers the exiled of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.

He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.

He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

#890, 08JUL

I’m Still Here, Lord

Thank you Lord.

Good morning Vine.

If You awoke me, I must be fine, as long as I remain Thine.

These mornings I wake up and say: “I’m still here, Lord.  Thanks.”

Sometimes it’s said with a “whew”  sometimes with a cheer, sometimes in disbelief.  Often times it is in quiet, as these summer days we should try not to wake up in alarm but just in a natural quiet.

The rest of the day will not always be so natural, neutral or even nice. But this morning can be ours – the moment of realizing God’s faithfulness. First and foremost because: We awoke.

“Good morning Lord, I am blessed to be with You, here on earth, my temporary assignment. Not a vacation but a vocation for eternal living. Thank you always dear Father, for my connection to the Vine.”

There are many held in fragile health, and we too are fragile,  a delicate balance of molecules and motions. There are many held in fragile emotions, a spiritual balance of purpose and prayers. There are many in great fear, an anxious unbalance, and there is anger too. Then there are many who don’t even think, they just get up and go, or there are some who purposefully stay slow.

The Vine. Jesus is the Vine. Remain in Him. Regardless of how we all wake, we are all HELD and we are all LOVED. Jesus holds the hope of reaching them to be awake in Him as Lord, not just awake in the world.

The Vine holds us flowingly and lovingly. We can sway and move with the winds of time. We can not bear fruit in life without our connection. We will be fed forever and taken home in Him.

The Vine.

Hold onto the Vine. Yes, hold onto the Vine with man-made tendrils, but flow your life from within, thru Spirit-made purpose.

The best purpose is LOVE. Live love, teach love, be love.

Love flows in, so that it flows out. Love from the Lord, then love to the Lord. Love from the Lord, then love to the Lord’s people.

Jesus: ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:1-4

Our branch to the Vine grows physically ever longer and stronger and could emotionally grow ever closer and weaker. But we don’t grow our own branch to Vine, He grows us, closer to our Father.

That is love worth waking up for.

 

Amen

 

 

#889, 04JUL

Already Been Fished

Phishing – I walked into a phishing phone call yesterday – I googled and grabbed the wrong number in haste – I didn’t give them too much information before I got very suspicious and hung up the phone. CLOSE… it’s a terrible thing to stress about it and it’s sad those who perpetuate the problems… I’m sorry to not realize, and I reported them… I hope for the best.  No one can say they have been not been phished, and some do take the bite, it’s frustrating but human to be tempted  by bait. So it is important for us to say: “Wait!”

Before I started rolling thru all my other guilty thoughts of “oops”-es, so much woulda coulda shoulda, I realized my own advice, about the experience, also pertained to me: if they keep you on the line and start to aggravate you (like this guy did), you are prone to give even more information about your situation, it’s best to stay calm, don’t give yourself away.  It dawned on me that the devil does the same thing, aggravate you and go phishing for inroads to your sanity. It’s up to us to not give ourselves away.

Tell the phisher you’ve already been fished. Jesus fished!

Ask Jesus to guard you, to answer the mental door. Tell the devil to stand down. Tell Jesus you are sorry, thank Him for forgiveness, and accept it. ACCEPT IT AND MOVE FORWARD.  Next time, ask Jesus to pick up the phone.

I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, basically He walked into my heart and life before I ever asked. Then, when He awoke me, and held me, I really had to accept Him as real. And to accept Jesus is to accept our humanness and accept His forgiveness. We all must say YES! We are not baited but netted. He has fished for us all. We may not have wanted to be caught, yet we are best to stop wriggling away. Now we know, we can not live without Jesus.  Jesus catches us with His Love, holds us with His Hopes, saves us with His Life. We have been fished, for He will bring us back to the Kingdom for Our Father.

Tell the darkness in thoughts that you have SEEN the Light.

Tell the bait you are already FED.

Tell the false freedoms that you are not entangled with false hope, but secured with the Truth.

It is not a net loss but a net GAIN!

Instead of dread, accept the bread.

“Savior,  please save my day.

Capture me from my human way.

Fish me and net me.

Pull me away from the enemy and traps of phish-food.

Jesus, tell them I’M YOURS!!!”

 

Amen

#888, 03JUL

THE Story

Such a blessing to see Hamilton from the comfort of my couch, with my college-aged daughter, who kept checking to see if I was watching… oh yes for sure… In addition to being a huge Broadway fan, I appreciate that it cost less for a month subscription to Disney streaming ($6.99) than it would have cost to simply get Dunkin Donuts food at the train station on the way to surely what could have been $750 ticket cost plus in a theater… yeah… any bargain is a bargain…

The priceless part of each day is spending the time with my kids… the priceless take home message of the Hamilton story includes the lyrics: “who tells your story…” well, often it is your children, your co-humans, your letters, your trace.

Not lost on me was the lyric: “you write like you’re running out of time?” Yes, that’s Hamilton, he wrote and wrote and intensely impacted the formation of the United States like you imagine a founding father would. Hamilton ran out of time, with Aaron Burr’s duel. He really did run out of time but was blessed with a legacy because of Eliza, his wife, who told his story, their story, for 50 more years.  This musical writes her story too…

Legacy…

Why do I write? I have to.  I have no choice.  Whose story? Not mine. Yes I am in these writings, but I KNOW that I am to write to tell about a bigger Story than mine.  Whose legacy? Not mine. What is mine is my personal filter within my writing. My story includes how I need to tell how His Story has an impact on mine. HIM, THE BIG H, the uppercase and only God, the Lord of Lords… the Word of Words… Maybe my kids will read my stories, or not. Maybe others will. But either way, I want all to know that it is His story rather than ours… and when you want to write His Story, you have to put your own pen down. Give Him the opportunity to publish thru you. Be His heart, hands, feet, and certainly be His open book. Be human humbly, hoping to heal in a broken world. Be the help you know the world needs. We all will be healed because we know the end of THE story.

His legacy is life everlasting. His Story is His Life.

So, why do I, like Hamilton, write and write and write? like we are running out of time? Because we are.

But He is not. 

He MAKES time.

It’s His Story, all about Grace, Life, and all of us are in it.

God Bless every Willing Word.

Amen

887, 30JUN

God Wants a Relationship

When I finally organized my recent newly cut piles of fabric for face mask sewing,  it looked pretty, I love fabric, but it also looked sad to me, overwhelming, it looked like I bit off more than I can sew, plus I know that we are sadly in the depths of unusual times and a bad pandemic. When I got back into it and started sewing this batch, I felt much much better, as I felt I was being very purposeful making them for specific people. I imagined progress (half of these are not for anyone, yet, and so it is just an overwhelming pile of half done). I’m sure I will get more energetic about the extra, because God will find purpose for me because  of my relationship with Him… I will probably make some for a nursing home or food bank or homeless  shelter…  I know that I don’t have to finish them all at once… See, sharing JUST with friends is fun, but we need to go further… Sharing our faith is like that too… we need to share for the sake of people whom we won’t even know.  God knows them all. God wants a relationship with all. God wants progress to reach all…

If I can be in joy working for friends and family,  imagine how much JOY that God has working for all of us, reaching all HIS FAMILY.

Imagine how joyful each person’s relationship with God could be, then imagine how JOYFUL God must be!!!

God wants relationship.

Imagine how painful the world is, then imagine how much pain the Lord has for all His children.

God wants relationship.

Imagine the peace of a relationship with God, then imagine how peace-filled God would be if He knew He had reached each child of His.

God wants relationship.

Imagine the organization of the world with God-fearing, God-loving people putting things into perspective,  less bickering,  more giving,  then imagine how perfectly placed all of our needs would be with God regifting the garden caretaking to us.

God wants relationship.

Imagine bleakness, but then eternal glory in Heavenly realms. God provides those heavenly hopes.

God wants relationship.

Imagine NOT bleakness but imagine HEAVEN ON EARTH,

HEAVEN ON EARTH is REALLY what RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD could accomplish.

Imagine that…

Amen

#886, 30JUN

Fear Not

A perfect new read for me, Michael Card’s “A Fragile Stone”. So good…

Nice small book, easy read, with deepest of thoughts… this section was all about Jesus saying: “Fear not” after the miraculous catch of fish. How earth-shattering the realization of Peter who caught the fish only to be overcome with a fear of complete success – unworldly success – not success measured in human terms – but an amazement that knocked him down to his knees – of all people, Peter was realizing that he himself Fimawas being pulled out of the net of people. Peter was given the job to fish for men. Peter, imperfect Peter, was paired with Perfection of Grace.

Peter that day saw an example of complete success in fishing, of extravagant success.  Peter would not barely even grasp what was next, that Jesus IS God… therefore there is no way he would understand what would be needed as a sacrifice for the rest of his life. Imagining the notion to be given the chance to see scripture fulfilled, to see first-hand God’s plan in sending His Son to save the world. How overwhelming… for right now, Jesus is only asking Peter to follow. Jesus never asked Peter to lead.

Jesus calls, we must answer. But wow, it’s Jesus! Are we ready to walk thru the door as He leads? Are we ready to leave our thoughts of “I’m not worthy” – of “I’m too sinful”… Or “there is no way this will succeed…” Can we grasp that it is God Himself who says: Yes, seriously, YOU… I WANT YOU! I HAVE A PLAN AND YOU ARE IN IT!

The best Michael Card sentence is: “[we stand before these terrifying possibilities – to let go of our security, to open ourselves to the frightening possibility of complete and utter success, to leave all that is familiar and safe for an unknown world – but then we noticed that standing beside us is Jesus.  He confidently whispers: “Don’t be afraid, after all it’s me“… ]

We have the perfect imperfect life, like Peter. We are the rash ones, the ones who are used to dealing with failure. If we see our perfect Savior, then we know our sinfulness, but the reverse thinking is best: when we see our sinfulness, we see our Savior looking at us, He sees just us. He walks us away from the sin. He is our Way.

Jesus says fear not, be not consumed by your fear nor be anything but you. JESUS SAYS: BE MINE.

Walk and Be.

Amen

 

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Luke 5:1-11  NKJV

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”

 

#885, 28JUN

Nesting as a Kingdom Homebody

There is no doubt that I have been feeling a resurgence of a “NESTING” for my children, my house, my days of peaceful homebody-life… I’m not pregnant but that NESTING feeling was real then, and real now, 19 yrs later… HOME is where you raise your brood, excursions are where you teach your brood, vacation is where you escape,  HOME is where you long to linger… NESTING…

My active day yesterday was ultimately focused back on my nest. I moved carloads of stuff out, moved only a $mall carload of IKEA furniture $tuff back in, and caulked holes in a damp corner of the house to keep the bugs out… today will be home NESTING by rearranging furniture, lives, hopes, bugs… (the bugs have plenty of room outside, not IN my house… 1AM is not my favorite time to catch pincher bugs…)

Home, is not an oasis but a lily pad… we are all getting ready to jump, but surveying the scene… Earthly home, it is a temporary dwelling in which to raise kids and live in whatever comfort you can find and afford… home can give peace beyond measure… home gives best sleeping potential… even the cat is sleeping… Home is where I thank the Lord that I circled my wagons to be home.

Yesterday, within the breaks of carloads of moving stuff, a favorite scriptural song and sight and saying resurged again and again to calling out to me: birds chirping and daylilies blooming… birds were noisy in their nest, reminding me that the Lord will take care of me and my brood. Daylilies were grand in their blooms, reminding me that even how intensely beautiful they are, they will fade, so how much more will the Lord bloom us, clothe us, feed us, prosper us… and intensely I am reminded to stop focus on temporary things so much as to miss the point that our KINGDOM home is where GOD HAS BEEN NESTING FOR OUR ETERNAL LIFE. oh, yes, we can be a KINGDOM HOMEBODY here on earth… “on earth as it is in Heaven”

There’s a great deal of teaching in Matthew 6,  Jesus came to SAVE, and He longed to teach… the amazing thing about being at home is being gifted the quiet peace to read and learn and live… Jesus pours out Kingdom NESTING teaching in Matthew 6,  it is a teaching for a lifetime of learning…

Jesus circled wagons with His life to surround and complete God’s circle of Home.

Today is an open day, an open opportunity, and an opportunity to rest so that with the Holy Spirit’s Help we can start to work on the rest. Keep working the walk Jesus is leading, prepare for His next Step for your life. Soak in today, as today (and everyday) the Lord thinks about living Home in His Kingdom NEST with His children, ETERNALLY…

ENJOY EVERYDAY: Be a Homebody for the Kingdom…

Amen

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Matthew 6 (the second half, NKJV)

6 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 

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Matthew 6 (the first half, NKJV)

Do Good to Please God

6 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

The Model Prayer

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

 

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches)

#884, 26JUN

Give it up to the Holy Ghost

Have you ever had such fear, such anxiety that you were very crippled? But you kept trying your best to be walking with the Lord? Knowingly or unknowingly, surely He carried you!

How does Holy Spirit refocusing us save our day? We must “Give it up for The Holy Ghost!”  Giving up problems, big problems, little problems, all problems, to the Holy Spirit means TRUSTING, it means you are remembering you are not yours but His.

Regardless of issues, and everything is relative, I’ve been to a place where I was gripped with the worst fear, where all I could do was pray (which is the best thing to do in any situation). I have had my wind was knocked out of me so fully, that my air life-support MUST have been from Him as it is only His to give. To have no breath of my own I had to to keep breathing the Spirit of Hope. In this place the Lord stayed near and all I could say was He was in charge. Actually that is the best way, His way, it is a saving grace way. I also realized He’s much better at handling me than me. He showed me what was good and praise-worthy. I watched Him pull my brain back after I let my brain run away in fear, where the demons were egging each other on… Oh Lord, I cried out to You and then I KNEW EXACTLY the moment where the demon attack left me like a snap of fingers, a rush of wind whipping me back to me. I knew, I know, I’ve not forgotten that moment, after soul-searching, scorching pain, suffering, I was rescued to pray another day… and with that SNAP, with a flip of a switch, the devil stood down.  I give it all up to the Holy Ghost.

The devil stood down.

GOD TIPPED THE SCALES. 

When? When I stopped focusing on me.

WHEN I STOPPED WORRYING ABOUT ME and focused on another!

When I lived in the moment, HIS MOMENT, and not in my perceived future. The present is a present for us to open.

THE DEVIL DROPPED HIS ATTACK LIKE A HOT POTATO BECAUSE I STAYED ON FIRE FOR THE LORD AND I GOT PASSED MY OWN ISSUES. When my soul sought to help encourage another person, I was returned to me.

Will the attack linger, yes like hot coals still being unearthed in places, but they will grow colder every day. Time heals but any inkling that the devil gets hint of where you are weak, he will try. The best defense? Tell the devil that even when I am weak, the Lord is STRONG!!!!

How did I keep moving? I never lost Hope. I never hoped more in the power of the Lord to protect me, forgive my humanness.  I KNEW I was never dropped out from grace. I knew my place in the heavens was secured because I was and am placed there in advance by His saving Grace. I was taken, netted, by Jesus and taken care of by Him. Kingdom captured, Jesus NEVER lets us go.

Jesus will NEVER let you go.

Whoosh, how would I have known this was an attack unless I was rescued. I knew, I know, and now I need to share not the attack but the RESCUE.  When we say: “Jesus, I’m facing an incident. I NEED YOU!”,  JESUS FOLLOWS THRU.

How did the Holy Spirit make a difference? By reaching me, teaching me, in advance. Mostly by showing me where I needed to grow and how I grew. When I said “I’m sorry Lord, but I learned, I grew” my tears rolled back in.

God wins. If the balance is off in your life, it’s not our scales to tip, it is not the devils to dip into. It is the LORD who weighs all, forgives all, sees all, knows all.

All in All, He will NEVER let us down.

Keep praying for He has ALREADY won the battle.

 

Amen

 

Amen

 

Amen

 

883, 23JUN

“I’m Not Throwing Away My Shot”

There’s a new classic line in modern culture from the musical Hamilton,  “I’m not throwing away my shot.” It’s Alexander Hamilton’s determination to work hard to achieve a dream – not a shot with a bullet but a shot at making a difference in a new land – and he knows he needs to work. And work pays off. All his intense work and life were fueled by not throwing away his opportunities – before that fatal bullet.

A little devotion booklet was handed to me by a new friend, and I turned to a passage that speaks of Nehemiah who desired to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. He wept, prayed, fasted. He spiritually prepared and believed in the project, he knew he had a shot to improve their future, then he and his co-laborers got to work. The booklet devotion reminds us that the Lord’s protection is around us. That the Lord is building and rebuilding our lives. That people who have a “mind to work” can work hand in hand with the Hand that loves them, with His guidance and strength. The scripture (pasted below) tells of the workers building and being called to defend their positions and families all while working.

And they don’t “throw away their shot” at a better future. Over and over again  in history we see people striving and working together to improve lives. Alexander Hamilton and all workers for their individual causes don’t want to throw away their future. Nehemiah (2:20) said: “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding…”

Of course we are to remember that any work that is not built with a firm foundation will fall. Psalm 127 reminds:

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”

Nehemiah instructs his worker families to trust the Lord:  “Don’t be afraid of them [their enemies]. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

In reading about Peter in a wonderful book by Michael Card,  “The Fragile Stone”, I understand more of why Jesus was building His church on the rock that Peter will become. That no matter how emotional, quick to anger, fragile, humanly human Peter was, Jesus built him up spiritually and forever, and commanded him to feed, strengthen and buildup “His sheep”…

Jesus builds and rebuilds us too. Jesus grows us, the Spirit protects us, God holds us in His LOVE.

It is a world of anxieties and strife that invades our peace, today more than ever. Yet, we are to rebuild our opportunity to establish peace, whether a wall of peace that brings families together, or an opportunity teaching peace which helps others have more reliance upon our Lord. We are to fear the Lord for His awesome power, outwardly focus and pray for others above our issues, and work knowing that He will protect, provide, and prosper our next generations.

Blessed are those who count their blessings and don’t let anxious times shake their faith. Keep praying forward.

Without God, we are laboring in vain. With God, we are laboring in LOVE.

With faith we won’t fall.

 

Amen

 

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Fight to improve our future, future for all!!!

Nehemiah 4:

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,  and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.

16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”

21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.

#882 – 22JUN

Psalm 121 – “Casting Crowns – Praise You In This Storm”

Storms… sometimes storms rage and we are in the middle and sometimes we have no idea, we might see them but not take the brunt of them because we are held or positioned just out of the fray. We sometimes see the aftermath,  but storms can be so localized that we have no idea the issue only a few miles or lives away.  There are storms… floods… tornadoes so specific… no clue… we often have no clue and live so locally. Life storms, whole catastrophes too. No clue.

I was camping (in a strong house) during a storm, it protected me. I got in from a walk just in time. Last month I didn’t,  I was caught in a rainstorm,  I huddled in an old stone house. I was protected.  I was fine. If I didn’t have that coverage I would have had a different story today. Tomorrow I will probably forget that storm even happened. But I will try to remember that I had coverage under His wing.

In life too. We are in storm season of late… But we are to remember that we have coverage under His wing.

So sometimes we also put ourselves into storms that are not ours to weather… But we are to remember that we have coverage under His wing.

We have coverage, the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD.

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

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This song by Casting Crowns sings of praising the Lord in the storm, the lyrics include the first 2 lines of Psalm 121. https://youtu.be/0YUGwUgBvTU

—-

We are held.

I was sitting on the camp porch, beautiful day and barely remembering the storm that raged two nights before. Even the locals praised that storm because it brought needed rain in a localized near-drought this early summer. I didn’t even worry that night,  I wondered with awe at the thunder. I knew I was covered. I didn’t even close the windows.

Can we ALSO know today that we are covered by the MIGHTY Hand of the Lord? His protection is a promise. His reminder to watch our steps is because He is guiding them. We are really watching His protection in every good thing we experience, ALL GOOD THINGS ARE FROM HIM. and He is the only One we can turn to, to knock down those anxieties of life. By our looking at Him SHINE HOPE, we are reminding the storms themselves that WE CAN and WILL PRAISE HIM…

I was pondering (on that porch) a decision about something and I said to myself: “should I?” And as soon as I said: “I should,  BECAUSE I AM BLESSED” – WOW the clouds opened with an intense flash of sunlight. Wow Lord!!! You are in the minutiae of showing signs. You are the guidance of us, even when we don’t even know it. You go ahead. And what we do, or don’t do, compares but a fraction to what You have already done and will do for us. You save us from storms that DON’T happen, even MORE often than save us from storms that do. You go ahead of us. I believe that You hold us in Your hand, therefore we are to praise you in any storm, yes praise even louder above our fears. You are never asleep and allow us to rest. Your Work and Word saves.

When we lift our eyes unto to the hills, we can see HOPE and we might think how the mountains also block the storms. Even heavy clouds can’t rise above.  If they drop their rain,  they can be lighter and rise. We can too. We are lifted rather than weighted down if we drop our burdens to Jesus. We should always lift our eyes to see where we are – under the watchful eye of Our Lord.

Amen

KEEP PRAISING

Amen

 

#881, 20JUN

Fossil Found

I am the fossil I was looking for – I tried looking for a fossil here in the creek bed – but I forgot my glasses – I am old and need glasses – I am a fossil at fifty – I suppose that I am the fossil I was looking for.

I am the long walk I was looking for – I like to walk and look and be – no one wants to walk or look or be involved in this old-time family time much anymore with me – life is life walking away from kid things when we used to dig in the mud and hike the land – it walks away from when we had that kind of outside fun. I still would do that – I want to do that – I must be the long walk I am looking for.

I am the quiet that I am looking for – no one wants to stay out on the deck with me –  I have the opportunity and without cars it is peace-filled with the sound of peepers, peeping birds, prominent frogs – and a splash of geese retiring for the evening on the lake right in front of me. I am waiting and I am being the quiet in a world filled with good natural sounds, even the red squirrel has retired for the evening by climbing up a pipe to sleep in the roof section next to me on this deck. I am the quiet that I am looking for.

I am the shooting star that I am looking for – no light pollution and no more clouds – no rain and no snow – temperature is perfect to be out here tonight – no way I am going to miss this opportunity – I hope it is an opportunity because last time I actively looked for shooting stars I was scared off by a skunk. I hope that I do not become the “shoot, let me get out of here” star that I am not looking for.

I am the summer time that I am looking for. I have never had such an open summer – never had free time neither. I seemed to never had time for summer – this summer I am going to take/make/be time because I am going to be the summer time that I want. This summer I am going to do summer – enjoy summer – be summer. I am warming up to summer – I love summer.

I am the Milky Way that I want to see. I am one little speck of light in a sea of milky light. you can’t see the Milky Way unless you get yourself into the pureness of dark – you have to give up the light you usually thrive on – you have to allow yourself to be brave enough to be a lone quiet light and wait in the dark. I am waiting to see the Milky Way tonight – I want to see that there is light in the dark that is not seen in the light.

I want to be the light that was lit by the Light, the little light that shines. I am not the source of Light – but catch me on fire, Lord, and let me be the reflection of Your Light. Jesus, You are the Light I need to be, I want to be, I long to see. I am in the dark of me – fill me with Your Light of Thee.

Oh Jesus – let me see You be with me.

This summer, I will just try to be.

 

Amen

 

#880, 20JUN

God’s Consolations

I was driving a familiar road, to camp, up home. I anticipated what was around the bend. Life is not always like that. Bet merely 6 months ago you could have not predicted how today would be, and yet some of the constants in life are still here: the weather with it’s summer heat, the land responding to the weather, and an ever constant in the Lord responding to our needs.

In the unbelievable contrasts in life, there is nothing like our God who majestically just IS. Life changes, God doesn’t. There is no doubt that we are self-absorbed as humans, that we cry out like Old-Testament Job for what we perceive as torment and for those things we humanly want. What a contrast when people are idled and God is strong.

There is nothing and no one that compares to God. And when you stop worrying about human aspects of life, you are called to remember that God is still here – strong,  unchangeable, waiting for whatever God is waiting for.

I am at camp, it is private, golden, stilled, quiet, 200 acres nestled in miles of state forest. It is just amazing and just here. No kids camp this summer. I stood alone in a beautiful chapel, away from chaos of these worldly times, but feeling strong in the Lord’s Peace. Even though I did not have all the mental peace I wanted, I was standing in His Peace gifted to me to experience.  There is much reckoning with aging and fading, life purpose and pitfalls that place our minds in some chaos. It’s important to return to a place that still just IS. Yet, this place, the work at the hands of man, and all places of the earth will fade away. The Kingdom here on Earth will be renewed only on the Lord’s terms… The scripture I flipped to, in a Gideon’s Bible, is from Job 15:7-11:

“Are you the first man ever born?  Were you brought forth before the hills?  Do you listen in on God’s council?  Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?

“What do you know that we do not know?  What insights do you have that we do not have? The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father. 

“Are God’s consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you?”

Thru my mind runs the wonder of nature, both green and human, it’s intense peace of aloneness that’s not alone. Contrasts abound between nature and the man-made world… When it may seem so different, idleness is not so idle when nature continues without man’s influence. Last night intense thunderstorms cropped up, it was needed rain. God is letting His creation be, live and continue.

Our lives seem so real and big to us. How much bigger is God? There’s not even an answer big enough to answer that. Job was asked if he knew everything that God knew. He didn’t, we don’t.

God knows all and if we don’t take a moment to let God handle the worry of our lives, what could we possibly accomplish that He won’t. What possibly could we save that He hasn’t already. 

How and why do we wrestle with God’s plan for us also, when we should humbly just be. If the hills can be so intensely beautiful and real with life, can we navigate the bend in the road for our lives? What’s around the bend is still God’s plan. Let’s continue to be consoled by Him. Let us continue to seek His peace. God loves us so much, He has made the road back to Him, of course there will be bends in it, but He knows the path.

Change happens, but God IS.

How will this road end? Perhaps it is best to think of how it doesn’t. Our Lord Jesus was sent to forgive, to place us back into God’s Kingdom, to teach love. Jesus loved us before we knew of Him. If we accept Jesus then we can walk with His Love. We have these words of consolation: Jesus saves, Jesus knows the Way. Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life.

Keep living, for life is in you. Continue to live.

Keep looking for God around the bend.

Keep Jesus in heart and hand, for He already has kept His promise to God to bring us consolidated in the Kingdom. That is God’s consolation to us.

Continue around the bend.

Amen

#879, 03JUN

Grandma’s Stitches

It’s hard to break up a house,  my neighbor’s children are now dividing and tossing, but very slowly as they have much work and many memories to sort and ponder. I didn’t actually know this neighbor, except only that she gave cans of soda and big juice boxes for Halloween night, what a GREAT reputation, one for the ages, according to my children!

She passed away last month, age 80 plus, declining, after living in her house for probably 50 plus years…  In a roundabout way, I was given her classic embroidered tablecloth doilies which apparently didn’t make the “keep pile”. I washed, bleached and ironed them. How beautiful. Maybe I will someday find them a home, simple designs and simple stitches but hard work and beautiful examples of a craft of old… recent old, but still, those times seemingly would have felt more still than life now.

I always embroidered as a kid, at Grandma’s house, so did all my male cousins and brother, a great rainy or snowy day activity. Sit down and make cross stitches on a stamped pattern. I still have a pillowcase that my Grandmother made for me, a doll with a pink doily skirt. I have a little duck swatch made by my brother. All these are tucked away. Mentally I can see myself sitting on the 1970’s couch practicing my stitches, I can feel it in my fingers.

Women learn and work in double time, even when resting – they sat down to practice their alphabets and numbers in olden times of the 1700’s and 1800’s, it was part of their education to practice their stitches in “samplers”.  These doilies from my neighbor are decorative, and I have now pressed and folded them. As classic Grandma’s stitches, what do they represent?  They represent her hands working while her body was resting.  They are Grandma’s “DOWN TIME”, Grandma’s precious little “me time”. Grandma surely had VERY LITTLE “down time”.

My own sewing Grandma had a farm and 5 kids, 6 grandkids, her down time was earned. My Grandma was not known to have any religious background, but I can imagine that her thoughts were filled with her busy life when she sat stitching away and sorting through her thoughts. Grandma’s stitches are her own way of thinking thru life. Grandma could also “think work” while others or the TV talked in the background. Grandma could have some time to just be.

Looking at the precious french knots on these, I know they are a mini art that required practice. Looking at the vibrant colors 50 plus years later, these are simple beautiful. They lasted 50 years, but won’t last forever.

Look what holds up best in time, not Grandma’s stitches but her prayers for our lives. Prayer lasts forever in time. I can imagine how Grandma might say: someday my child will pass this to their children... Someday perhaps my grandchildren will know how much work their ancestors put into them having a better life… Yes, any child to raise and any stitch to sew might represent precious time that this particular or any Grandma would have welcomed into time to pray. We are blessed with things and lives our Grandparents would have dreamed about. How strongly their prayers worked. Our lives are vibrant and fulfilled in ways they wished and worked.

How could each stitch we NOW make in our own mental downtime become a prayer? For now and the future. Whether sewing machine or embroidery stitch, whether passing thought or purposeful practice, mentally we can meet with our Holy Stitch-maker every day… God has knit our hearts together before we are born, He knows us and we are to know Him. He can run His Graces over our lives in a Way that feel even better than when we run our hands over embroidery stitches. He can admire His Work. He can see and feel His Love placed in our lives. Can we?

The Lord can see simple stitches which He has combined to make an elaborate pattern we call life, and He can see deep in thru time, where He has made a mesh of beautiful moments. We can also appreciate that there are people who work hard tidying up the frayed ends of life to set things right for all. Thru it all,  God provides His Word as a crucial Healing Thread.

How hard my Grandma (and Grandpa) worked, all my family, and how amazing  stitching downtime was work too. How precise and precious all these little stitches are, and even the backs are neat, secured to endure. How my memories secure me to know that my amazing ancestors worked so very hard to secure my future and my heritage with their background of work ethic.

And of course we are to remember how short earthly life is, how all threads will be removed from any deep tangles of life and reset into His Kingdom.  “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40.

We are secured, eternally, thru Jesus, held for preservation into our Father’s House.  How Holy Spirited our Creator works in His Way. How precise and precious. How carefully we are given into this world for this time – “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2

Keep stitching your life while weaving His Story. Keep praying His Legacy for Your children. Keep the faith, for we are all are already stitched into His Kingdom. 

Amen

878, 14JUN

Jesus Knows What is in Our Hearts

Amen Amen…

“Jesus knows what is on our hearts”.

I read and lived that sentence tonight and instantly my room light clicked off. That timing for my light’s timer is timeless. I saw it as a signal it was time to get to sleep and rest. It was also a sentence of truth to comfort, to counterbalance conviction. Jesus knowingly wanted to soothe my soul and address any dread in my racing thoughts from the day – did I do right? Did I risk things? Did I mess up? Did I fail to act… Know that with Jesus it’s about motivation,  it is truly the thought that counts. Jesus knows what is on our hearts and in our hearts. He understands and wants us to move forward.

“Jesus knows what is on our hearts” was apt for Peter, rambunctious Peter, for he too is rash. Rash moves, emotional reactions, imperfections galore.

A great reminder of a heart who is human. We are human too. Jesus knows… Jesus forgives…

Forgiveness from Jesus is both for sins knowingly committed, and the oops too. The mess ups and the sins of omission as well. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. It’s the secrets shared only with the Lord that can give the quiet calm where there should be waves of storms lashing you.

Lord, we all pray forgiveness for all we do and don’t.

The Word is the final Word, as well as the beginning. Alpha and Omega. “Jesus knows what is on our hearts”.

Psalm 51:9-12  Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation….

And renew a right Spirit within me.

Amen

877, 10JUN

Net Your Strawberries and Guard Your Heart

Was it worth 20 minutes extra drive and $6 of netting to protect $5 worth of strawberries from the birds? Tasting the taste of today – YES!

These are precious moments remembering garden toiling for 2 plus years, even if for only 2 weeks of taste. I had to save what I started. And now that tis the season of strawberries, I have to physically take the time to harvest them too.

Unbelievable! I need to guard my strawberries from those hungry birds…. blocking some strawberries is not depriving the birds of life-giving food, as they feast plenty-fine at the neighbor’s feeders,  so protecting my crop for me seems appropriate.

God protects His crop too.

God nets His flock.

God goes after His heart, which is all of us.

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We all need to guard our hearts, as everything we do flows from our hearts.

We all need to balance.

We all need to serve while keeping sacred Whom we ultimately serve.

We need to build strength reserve so that we can serve. Perpetuate peace.

Protect what we hold in our hearts, all while giving our all.

The sweetest outcome for the Lord is to build peace, and see the fruits of His labor from His long planned devotion to His mission: net all of us so we come home. Home Sweet Home.

Amen

 

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Proverbs 4:20-23 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

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Phillpians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

#876, 08JUN

I Don’t Have All the Answers

I have lots of ideas, many good ideas. However, I doubt that I’m supposed to have ALL the answers, but it’s upsetting to me when I don’t. That’s natural of course,  we want to help, know, act. Lately I’ve realized that perhaps I’m NOT supposed to have all the answers and when it’s clear to me that my mind is BLANK, it’s not for lack of TRYING, it’s from a lack of RELYING ON THE LORD TO FIGURE  IT OUT.

Actually I realize more and more the things I don’t understand… so, maybe I’m dumbfounded on purpose or have a block or because someone else is supposed to shine with their idea? (yes that has happened a few times lately) Yes, it is MORE important that an answer is found than for me coming up with it! It’s more important the praying out than how it plays out for me.  My job? KEEP THE FAITH.

Now I’ve been ruminating about important things to me, but not things of everyone’s concern. I even stress over broken situations I didn’t bring about, but still think it’s up to me to fix. What do you think I should do, what we should do in our own dilemmas? KEEP THE FAITH. Keep the walk and keep trusting.

And (clearly with many world examples) even if things go haywire on any terms – small or large scale – what should we do? CALL OUT TO GOD, and KEEP THE FAITH.

Of course, as I was thinking of these unknown answers in me, the Holy Spirit had me pull a loose thread of my lack of knowledge, my earnest attempts to learn, and I realized while reading a “scripture of the day” that I had never heard the scriptures from Habakkuk. And WOW… the answer that grows in Prophet Habakkuk’s conversations with God is : “KEEP THE FAITH” !!!

The awesome video teaching from “The Bible Project” reminds that in everything, we are to keep the faith:  https://youtu.be/OPMaRqGJPUU

Fabulous Faith Forever Fulfilling…

Keep the Faith

Pull the strings of unknown, but meditate on the known: God has a plan. In strife  and good times, KEEP THE FAITH.

Amen

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The book of Habakkuk offers hope to people – BibleProject™

https://bibleproject.com/explore/habakkuk/

 

#875, 07JUN

Dive In for Jesus

My Word… how blessedly we can dive right into the life stories of Jesus. My deliberate pace thru the 4 gospels, with commentary by Michael Card in His Biblical Imagination series, has been a joy of learning. There’s no better way to learn about your faith than thru His Word. His story is our story, His disciples are our teachers. His life is worth learning. He is the Alpha and Omega. He’s the Word worth taking in.

The gospel of John was written when John was very old, recounting the stories and teachings from his witness as the “disciple Jesus loved” as a teenager, from his life with second-mother Mary, and the other disciples. John spent volumes of time teaching. We are able to dive in to be alive with these stories and we can fish for our lives as well as our direction, our hope.

John 20 concludes His Gospel teachings of the Resurrection of Jesus on that first Easter morning and John 21 adds a few more stories about their fishing after Jesus rose. Jesus watched them fish all night, empty nets. One direction from Jesus and their nets were full. This mirrored the same way that Jesus gave direction and encouraged the disciples the first day He met them and other times. This repetition of direction overfilled their nets, again.

How fitting that His encouragement fills our nets as well, with resources, fulfillment, faith and food of life.  Peter dove right into the water that morning when he learned it was Jesus on shore, nothing could keep him in that boat and he swam the Sea of Galilee to see his friend. We too must dive in full force into our future. Jesus provides and Jesus calls… in this day, and always, Jesus is already here. No long term wait, He’s prepared today for us, and started us with daily bread.

Jesus gives directions to His disciples and to us for where to catch fish. He gives us moments and tools to harvest what others have seeded and the Lord has grown. Jesus already knows where the fish are. Once the catch of the day is made, we are able to be Peter-like and dive into His Divine Presence. Each new day will be another day for Peter to fish for men. Likewise for us, each morning will be the best time to fill our hearts and souls with Jesus knowledge for the tasks ahead. Take one day at a time.

Go seek Jesus and learn how He has been watching for you, always, and waiting for you each morning with nourishment for the day’s tasks.

Listen to Jesus and learn where you best cast your nets.

Fill yourself with Jesus as Word and be filled.

DIVE INTO EVERYTHING JESUS IS!!!

Amen

 

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John 21:1-14

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.