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“Repent??!!”

Repent

Repenting can be a very hard thing; I think we can all attest to that.  But why is it so hard?  I would suggest that it is because pride is in the way.  In order to repent, we have to humble ourselves.

Relief

I can attest to the fact that when a person finally humbles him or herself and repents it brings such a relief to the soul.  I remember as a young adult going against my parents.  They had said no and I ignored that no and did what I wanted anyway.  For years I always defended my position and felt my parents were wrong, even though the choices I made were making my life miserable.  I did not want to admit that my parents were right and I was wrong.  My parents never brought up the fact that I had gone against their wishes they just loved me and tried to help me in any way they could.

Years later

Several years went by.  I had gone to some workshop and what I heard really hit home.  The realization came to me that even though I could not change the choices I had made I could humble myself and repent.  I went to my parents and asked them to forgive me for my disobedience.  Of course, they forgave me, they already had.  It was me that had a wall between us that made me feel uncomfortable.  Even though my circumstances did not change there was a relief that came to my life.  Remember repenting is not for the other person it is for us.  When we hold something inside it does not affect the other person it only affects us.  I also made things right with God as well, what a blessing.

Our day begins in the evening

I believe that is why God made our day to start in the evening.  We always think of it as the end of the day but it is really the beginning.  If we do not make the right moves in the evening it affects our sleep and the next day.

Before going to sleep at night going through your day and evaluating how your day went, what you learned, maybe how you could have done things better and setting goals for the following day is a good thing to do.

The most important thing is to go to the Lord in prayer and repentance for anything that you have done during the day that has been displeasing to Him.  If you have a forgetful mind like I do I need a little help and God can help us remember.

Psalms 139: 23, 24

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

God knows everything about us.  Our “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

As your allowing God to search your heart He will show you those that you need to go to and ask forgiveness.  As far as possible it is good to do it before you go to bed, which if it is a family member you can.  But if it is someone not in your home you may need to wait until the next day but make sure to make things right as soon as possible.  It is so relieving in the evening to make things right as far as possible and it starts your day right at night.

What does true repentance look like

You can go through the motions of asking someone or God for forgiveness but how can you know if it is genuine or you are just going through the motions.  The motive is very important.  I know that the Lord can help you see your motive.  There are a couple of stories in the Bible that make me think about the difference.  One is the story of Esau and the other is David.

Esau

Esau came from the field after a big hunt and he was hungry.  He felt he could not make it home and live.  His brother was cooking some food and he begs him for some.  His brother wanted the birthright that Esau had as the first-born so he said, “sell me your birthright and I will give you some food”.  So Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of food.  Later Esau repented but for what reason.  Was it because he was really sorry he had sold the birthright or was it because he realized the consequences?  The latter was really the case for Esau.  He could care less that he disobeyed he was just sorry for the consequences.  Esau did not have true repentance.

Hebrews 12: 15-17

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for on morsel of meat sold his birthright.  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was reject: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”

True repentance means change, not just words.  Esau was not living the life that he was supposed to live in order to receive the birthright.  And when he realized that he was not getting it he “repented” but it was for the wrong reason and was not true repentance.  He wanted to blessing without having to do the responsibilities that went along with it.

David

David is the second one I want to look at.  When you read the story in 2 Samuel 11:1-27 it is mind-blowing.  Here he committed adultery with the wife of one of his soldiers and when he found out she was pregnant, he eventually put him on the front lines so he was killed.  So he committed both adultery and murder.  This seems way worse than selling your birthright.

God sees things way different what we do.  To God sin is a sin.  There is no category.  Sin separates us from Him no matter what the size.  Sin also separates us from others.  True repentance brings down the barriers and is so freeing.

David had true repentance but he still suffered some consequences.  True repentance does not always take away the result of our sin.  David’s true repentance is found in Psalms 51.  Read it and make it a part of your life.  The first verse really tells us what kind of God we serve.  “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”  God says in Acts 13:22, “….I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill My will.”  David wasn’t perfect but he was humbled when God showed him his error.  He was truly repentant and that is what makes the difference with God.

Dear Father,

I want to have a repentant heart.  I know that even repentance is a gift from You.  Convict my heart of sin and give me a repentant heart.  Thank You for Your forgiveness and love.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember no matter how much wrong you have done God loves you and is just waiting for you to come to Him.  He is full of love and forgiveness.  Ask Him to forgive you and surrender your whole life to Him today.

Love you all.

Do you have a testimony of God’s forgiveness?  I would love to hear it.  Share below.

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“You Have Been Commissioned For Duty!!”

Commissioned

We all, at least if we are 18 or older, have received a commission of some sort.  Maybe you have been commissioned for jury duty.  You might have even been commissioned into the Military, drafted.  Even sometimes people are commissioned for a particular job at where they work.

We have all been commissioned

It made me think about that as Christians we are all commissioned for duty.  It may be different for each person, depending on age, time of life, position, personality, etc.  But we are all commissioned.

When I was driving to work one day recently the car in front of me started losing control due to slick roads.  I had to pull to the left of him into what could have been oncoming traffic in order to avoid crashing into him.  It was in town turning at a light so traffic was slow and there wasn’t any oncoming traffic and they could have avoided me because there were two lanes.  Right behind me was a one-trailer semi and this gave him a little room to adjust and not hit me.  I am thankful to the Lord that all turned out well.  When you are in a situation like that you don’t always think about what to do you just react to the situation.  Everyone would respond differently depending on his or her experience in driving.

It made me think

When I was thinking my almost accident it made me think about our commission as Christians.  We want to reach out to those that may know Jesus but are discouraged and we want to reach out to those that do not know the Lord.  But how do we safely go about doing this?  How do we avoid having an “accident” (shipwreck our Christian experience by following them)?  What can we do to help those that are slipping off the path without joining in their folly?  How do we come alongside them and reach them for the Lord without losing our own way?  These are questions we all have to ask ourselves.

Different commissions

This is why I believe that all of us have different commissions.  We may have a struggle in a certain area, which makes it a risk for us to reach out to certain individuals.  We may have small impressionable children and we may need to avoid certain things as well.  And the main thing is that we have to be prepared for whatever commission God calls us to.  We need to be equipped.  And maybe He will call us to a place we thought we would never choose to go.  As we equip ourselves God can use us in a broader way.  We cannot do the duty of our commission unless we are equipped.  So the work begins with us.  We cannot share what we do not have.

Jesus has already commissioned us

We have been commanded to make disciples of all nations.

Matthew 28:18-20

“Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto

Me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach (disciple)

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things

whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,

even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

God’s Commands are like beacons of light that will guide us throughout the course of our lives.  When we violate God’s commands it will bring conflict and unhappiness.

God has promised great rewards for those who keep His commandments before their eyes.  John 14:21,

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

(Hath)  to have, i.e. to hold, to hold fast.  When we hold fast to Christ commands Christ will manifest Himself to us.  That is an amazing thing.

There are rewards for holding fast to Christ commands

We have already learned that:

  • God will reveal Himself to us.

John 15:10

“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept my Father’s Commandments, and abide in His love.”

John 14:21

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

Reward

  • We will abide in God’s love

1John 3:22

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

Reward

  • Our prayers will be answered

1John 2:3

“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

John 14:15

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”

Reward

  • We have assurance of our love for God

1 John 5:2, 2

“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His Commandments.”

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous”

Reward

  • Our love for the Body of Christ.

We may not think of all of these as rewards but they are.  They make life, a life of joy.

Navigators chart a course over the waters by observing.  The word that Jesus used when He said to “keep” the commandments has the same meaning “to observe or attend to.”  So just like a ship navigator gets his ability to navigate from the stars so we can get our ability to navigate life through studying and understanding Christ Commands.

How often should we be meditating on the Word?

Psalms 1:1,2

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

What might mediating day and night look like?

Pick a verse that you would like to start memorizing.  There may be something you’re struggling with, like anger, depression, unforgiveness, etc.  Pick a verse and go over it several times a day.  Make that the last thing you think about before you go to bed and the first thing you think about when you get up in the morning.  Even if you are up in the night think about the verse.  Keep it ever before you.  This is a habit that will have to be created in ourselves because most of us do not naturally have our minds going to scripture.

God created the day to start in the evening, why?

Genesis 1:5  “…And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

  • The evening is the most important part of our day because it affects the quality of our sleep and sets our mental attitude for the rest of the day.  So, in reality, we don’t “get up on the wrong side of the bed”; It is the attitude that we have when we go to bed the affects how we get up.
  • The evening is the best time to evaluate our day and to set new goals for the next day.  Making sure that everything is right between us and those around us as well as making things right with God by repenting.
  • As we go to sleep meditating on the Scripture and setting our goals before the Lord, it will make a difference in our lives.

Psalm 16:7

“I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”

I looked up these words in the Strong concordance so I could understand a little more about this verse.

(Counsel means to advise, consult, give counsel, purpose, devise, plan) (Reins mean seat of emotions and affections)(Instruct means to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish)(Seasons means night as opposed to-day). To me, this means as we keep God’s Word (commands) before our eyes that God will give us insights from His Word and clear direction.  This will dramatically impact the success of our lives.

Dear Father,

I want to immerse myself in Your Word.  I want Your love to shine through me.  Prompt me each time my mind is idle to think upon Your Word.  I am nothing without You and I need You desperately.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I challenge you to keep the Word of God ever before you.

Love you all.

Some of you may have this habit already in your life.  What method have you used to help keep God’s Word ever before you?

 

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“Another New Year!”

Another year!

It is hard to believe that it is another New Year.  I don’t know about you but it just seems like yesterday that I started writing 2017 and now I have to start writing 2018.

There are questions that come each New Year.  What is this year going to bring?  Is it going to be a better year?  We can’t change what is going to happen in this coming year but we can decide whether it is going to be better or not.

You Decide

We know that there are going to be good and bad things that happen in the coming year, that is just life.  But what we do with them is what makes our lives either better or worse.  The decision is in our hands.

A lot of people start out their year with New Year’s resolutions.  They may make it through the first month but then it seems to go by the way and life goes back to “normal”.   The “normal” that we are used to, our comfort zone.  We need to get out of our comfort zone and do the right things and stick to them.

I have some suggestions

  1. Start out the year with setting 10 goals. You do not need to set 10 goals but don’t do any more than 10.  These goals can be in multiple areas of your life, spiritual, parental (if you’re a parent), intellectual, emotional, physical, marital (if you’re married), social, vocational, avocational, and financial.  These are just some ideas.
  2. Once you have set the goals, break them down in small steps.  Break your steps down into monthly steps and then into weekly steps.
  3. Make sure to reward yourself. When you accomplish the goal make sure to reward yourself.  You can even write down a reward you plan on when you have accomplished your goal.  Some goals may be habit goals and others may be achievement goals.  For example getting out of debt.  Once you are out of debt you might reward yourself by having a special meal (as long as it is in the budget).  I think you get the idea.
  4. At the end of each week, review. Make sure to review each week.  You can write down what you have accomplished, mistakes you might have made, and what you could have done differently.  And then start a new week of steps toward your goals.

You can make the difference

You can make the difference to how your year turns out.  I know that the best decision that I have ever made that makes my years better is trusting God.  It really doesn’t matter what is going on around me I can trust Him with my life and goals.

Dear Father,

Thank You that we can have a wonderful year with You.  Help us to trust You more through the trials and hard times.  Thank You for bringing us through another year closer to Your soon coming.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Give everything to God today and trust Him with the outcome of this coming year.

Love you all.

What goals have you set for this coming year?

 

 

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“Merry Christmas!”

Merry Christmas!

It is hard to believe another Christmas is actually here.  Time flies so fast that it seems it is on us before we know it and it is hard to actually be prepared.  I am not sure I am really ever as prepared as I want to be.

As you gather with friends and family this year don’t forget the reason for the season.  And although we know that Jesus was not born on December 25th it is the time we celebrate and remember Him coming to this earth as a babe.  He left the majesty of heaven to come down to a place like this to redeem us.

Gifts

Christmas is all about giving.  “It is more blessed to give than to receive” Acts 20:35.  I know I receive more joy out of giving than receiving.

The Greatest Gift ever given was Jesus.  He was given to us.  The question is have we received the Gift into our hearts.  Let’s not forget the Greatest Gift today as we celebrate with friends and family.

Dear Father,

Thank You for Your most gracious Gift, Your Son Jesus.  I accept Your gift today into my heart.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Merry Christmas everyone and may the Lord bless you in a special way this Christmas season.

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“Creating a Silk Purse Out of a Sow’s Ear!”

Have you ever…

Have you ever felt like you were trying to “create a silk purse out of a sow’s purse”?  It could be in any area in your life personally or something materially that is connected with your life.

I feel like we have been trying to do that all our married life with our “60’s” mobile home.  I think the first time we ever really did something in it was back in December 1995, just 3 months before one of our babies was to be born.  We totally ripped out the mobile home kitchen and put in a new one.  We did all the work ourselves because my husband is a cabinetmaker.  I don’t know of anyone with such a nice kitchen in an old mobile home.  We have had to do wiring changes over time, replaced all the plumbing, and furred out walls in bedrooms to add more insulation.

I am not sure what they were thinking way back but this mobile home really lacked in insulation.  We qualified one year for our electric company to come out and do some extra insulating.  They blew insulation into the belly of the mobile home and they also replaced all of our windows.  Wow! What a difference that made.

Recent changes

The most recent changes have been the living room floor.  We have changed the carpet probably twice since we have owned it but last week we did a drastic change.  I decided if I ever did flooring again it would not be carpet.  When you have those that will not take off their shoes and dogs that can’t take off their paws it becomes rather messy.

So last week we ripped up the carpet and put down laminate flooring.  We did almost the cheapest we could find so who knows how long it will hold up but for the time being, it sure looks nice.  And it will be easier to keep clean.  I have to say that it shows up things more but that is a good thing.  The carpet hid a lot of dirt.

It made me think

This project made me think of our spiritual lives.  It seems that for whatever reason we want to hang on to the old things in life.  And a lot of the old things are not things that are good.  They are destroying our lives spiritually.  We want to look good to other Christians so we try to dress up the outside and make ourselves look pretty good to those around us.  Here is a little secret though, our families know the real us.

We may do the “right things” as far as what people can see but inside we are full of sin.   Are we doing things for the right reasons?  We are trying to create a spiritual silk purse out of a sow’s ear.  And the reality is we are totally ugly.  We may even be doing a lot of external changes that look good but we are full of anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc.

There is hope

I am so grateful that there is hope.  There is no hope in us but there is hope in Jesus.  Jesus can create something beautiful out of our lives if we surrender to Him.  He does the work and our job is to cooperate with Him.  He doesn’t just come in a pretty up the outside He changes things from the inside out.  If the inside is created new the outside will show it.  But if we are just trying to clean up the outside, it doesn’t clean up the inside.  What we need is a totally new heart.  If we allow Jesus to give us a new heart our desires will be different.

Good, I am glad Jesus does all the work

Wait!  We do have a part to play.  He does not force.  We have to make a choice and whatever choice we make He accepts.  If we make the choice to sin He steps back.  He does not go against our will.  In James 4:17 it reads, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth if not, to him it is sin.”  If we know what God would have us to do and we do not do it then it is sin.  But if we step forward and make the choice He will give us the power.  I am grateful that God did not make robots out of us.  He gave us a free will to choose.

Dear Father,

“Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me; cast me not away from Thy Presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation, and uphold me with Thy free Spirit.”

 

In Jesus Name,

Amen

 

Surrender all to Him today and cooperate with His leading.

Love you all.

How has God helped you to grow in Him?

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“We Did Not Know That Today Was Our Last!!”

“A day that will live in infamy”

This last week we had a day, “A day that will live in infamy.”  This is the day that in 1941 a “surprise” attack was made on Pearl Harbor, or was it.  It was a surprise to a lot of people but not to all people.  There were many that did not know but there were those select few that knew exactly what was going to happen but they did not warn anyone, they had an agenda and that was all they wanted to accomplish but I am sure there were, even among those who knew, ones that never thought their decision was going to turn out the way that it did.  They weren’t truly prepared for the devastation of their decisions.

There is a day that is coming and I believe it is in the very near future, the coming of Jesus.  It will be a surprise to most people but not all.  There are some who will not be surprised at all when He comes, they are preparing and telling others so that they can prepare.  But there are those that know He is coming, they are preparing but they have just one thing in mind, their own Salvation only.  They just want to make sure they are ready and they are not warning anyone else.  The sad part is that when the time comes they will not be ready, even though they think they are.

What is the solution?

I believe the solution is to truly fall in love with Jesus.  If we are in love with Jesus we cannot help but share.  And you may not even share in words.  We share a lot just in our actions.  If our actions are revealing the love of Jesus it will draw people to us and then we can show them the One that is abiding in us.  The bottom line is that we cannot share in action or word without having a connection with Jesus.

But how do I find the people to share with?

The people are everywhere.  We tend to limit ourselves as to where we can share.  I learned a long time ago that I don’t even have to worry about who I am going to share with.  Remember we have the most powerful Person we can turn to.  He knows who we need to come in contact with and He can lead us.  He will give us divine appointments if we ask Him.  And that divine appointment may be just living out a truly Christ-like life in our homes and workplaces.  Talk is cheap.  We can share the love of God through words but how we live speaks louder.

Spend time to get to know Jesus and allow Him to live through you.  As you reflect His love in your life with full surrender and obedience to Him, He will direct your path.  He will bring people across your path for you to minister to.  He will lead you to those that need to see and hear about His love.  So stay connected with Him.

Dear Father,

As we draw closer to You, surrendering our lives in obedience to You, shine through us to others.  As You direct us with Your Spirit help us in the sharing process, leading us to those that we can minister to.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

As we are preparing for that Great Day let’s surrender all to Jesus so He can shine through us to others.  And as He gives us opportunity let’s not keep it to ourselves.

Love you all.

What divine appointment has God-given you?  I would love to hear your story and it would be an encouragement to others to hear it as well.  Share in the comments below.

 

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“He Was Healed?!!”

How often have you seen a miracle?

Sometimes I think there are many miracles that happen around us but we don’t seem to pay attention.  It needs to be something big to draw our attention away from the things that we think is “important”.  When a big miracle happens we forget the blessings of the Lord.  It is like it is just expected that He should do it.

I remember when my son was in India.  He had gotten very sick.  The people that were with him felt he may die.  My son was even ready to give up the fight.  But then a local pastor came by and he was asked to have an anointing of healing as state in James 5:14 & 15.  Many prayed that night and there was a miraculous healing.  The tenancy is to forget these things.  Yes, we know that it happened but as time passes we forget.

The Bible

I have been reading through the Bible and it amazes me what miracles God did for different people and how easily they forgot.  There are a two that stand out to me.  One was the Children of Israel.  The Lord did mighty miracles for them and they were happy when the miracles came but they quickly forgot them.  Secondly, I have been reading about the life of Christ.  Jesus had crowds that followed Him.  When He performed a miracle the people were so amazed.  It is like they were so amazed every time as if He had not already performed a miracle before.

What about us?

It makes me think of myself.  How do I do at remembering the miracles that God has done for me?  He does little miracles for me every day but I tend to shrug it off as if that is just the normal expected thing.  I mean it is His job right?  And then when there is a big one, like my son being healed, it amazes me and I tend to share it more often.  But there again as time passes I forget.  And then when things seem to be going wrong I get into a frenzy forgetting what God is capable of if I just allow Him and trust His ways. And I tend to share the big miracles but don’t consider the little ones worth sharing. But the reality is they are all a blessing.

How much faith do I need?

Matthew 17:20 says, “…If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”  Wow, I don’t have much faith.  It doesn’t take much faith to accomplish mighty things.

We are told, “But without faith, it is impossible to please God…”Hebrews 11:6. So I can’t even please God unless I have faith?  I think there are two aspects to think about.  One is unless our obedience to God is due to our faith in Him, trusting that He knows what is best for us, we can’t really please God with our obedience.  Secondly, as we are living in obedience to God through faith diligently seeking Him, His power will be made manifest through us.  We will have a testimony to share of how God has been faithful.  And not only that He has been faithful but that He has been faithful in the little things in life as well as the big things.

How can I strengthen my faith?

I believe a key way to strengthen our faith is to pay close attention to how God is working in our lives and be willing to acknowledge it no matter how small.  As we see the Lord working each day in our lives and we take it to heart our faith will grow by leaps and bounds.  And journaling how God has been faithful can help us during those times of forgetfulness.  The more we seek God and allow Him to work within our lives we will grow in faith.

Dear Father,

Increase our faith.  We can all struggle with not having the faith and trust in You that we should have.  Continue to draw our hearts to Your love and strength.  Help us all to move forward in faith without fear.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

In faith, take God at His Word.  He is more powerful to save than any other, so trust Him today.

Love you all.

What has happened in your life that has helped your faith to grow?

 

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“Who Are Your True Friends?”

Have you ever really wondered who your true friends are?

Maybe you even question whether you have a true friend?  True friends seem to be hard to come by these days.  Then the question would be, what is a true friend?

I remember, as a kid having what I thought was a true friend.  Then one day someone came to visit our home.  And then we went to the home of my best friend and her family.  After this person visiting had said something to my best friend, which to this day I don’t know what was said, our friendship was over.  It was like it never existed.  I am sure each of us has gone through similar situations.

I was reminded this past weekend how important friendships are.  Our family spent Thanksgiving with some great friends.  Friendships are a blessing and we don’t want to lose them.

A Friend

Friendships are either like a two-way street or they can be like a one-way.  I think friendships can start out as a two-way street.  Your both going opposite directions, one is following Christ and the other the world.  We have these friends all around us.  They may not be our best friends but we still call them our friends.

Two-way street

The question is, what brought the two of you together as friends?  I mean your goals are obviously not the same.  Hopefully, they see something in you that they are attracted to, Jesus. And hopefully, you have a love for people and want them to know about the love of Jesus.  I would caution you here to be careful.  We need to build a friendship with people to reach them for Christ but we need to be careful that we don’t let their friendship drag us in the opposite direction that we want to be going.  We need to love them where they are at and join them in activities that are not displeasing to God.  But we need to stay away from the things that we know will get us on a one-way street going the wrong direction.

One-way street

One thing about one-way streets is that there is more than one lane.  And the other thing about one-way streets is that you can be going in the wrong direction.  Spiritually speaking one way goes toward God and His ways and the other way goes against God and His ways.  The best kind of friend to have is one that is traveling the same direction you are, toward God.  Now there is still more than one lane.  We are all on a different journey.  The Lord is working with each one of us differently so we are not all going to be in the same lane (growth level) but our goals are the same, to reach heaven.

When we have a best friend going in the same direction we need to accept them where they are and love them and we always hope they do the same for us.  This doesn’t mean at times out of love we don’t go to them and share something that we see in them that may need improvement.  But when we do we need to make sure our motives are right and God is leading us.  I would hope that my best friends would do the same for me.  We need to pray for one another as well.  We can be so close as best friends when our goals are the same.

The Best Friend

There is One Friend that is the best.  He will always love us no matter what we do.  He longs for that mutual love.  No matter what direction we go He will always be there prompting us to a better way of life but He does not force.  He wants to spend time with us but He will not join in anything contrary to His Father’s will, He will not join us in our sin.  But he is still there waiting when we come back.  He is a friend that will always lead us in the right direction.  But we have to choose it.

Our earthly friends may disappoint us but Jesus will never disappoint us.  We may be disappointed in the direction that He leads us. At this point, we need to examine our hearts.  Do we really love and trust Him?  Trust is a part of friendship and our earthly friends may not always be trustworthy but Jesus always is.  He knows everything about us. And He knows us so well he knows what is best for us.

Dear Father,

Thank You for giving Your Son.  Thank You that He is the best friend that we can have. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  Continue to prompt our hearts to be on the one-way street toward You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Make a commitment to be on that one-way road toward heaven.  The way is narrow but there is room for everyone that wants to go there.  Praise God!

Love you all.

Do you have a best friend?  What makes them so special to you?

 

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“Do I Have to be Thankful?!”

Thanksgiving

This is the week that most people focus on thankfulness.  There is so much planning that goes into that one “special” day that we “try” to focus on being thankful.  I think that mostly it has become a commercialized, have fun day.  A lot of work goes into fixing a big meal, most people overeat and go away feeling less than thankful.

What does the word Thanksgiving really mean?

1) The act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favor, especially to God.  2) An expression of thanks, especially to God.  3) A public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor or kindness.  4) A day set apart for giving thanks to God.

I wonder how many of us really think about what this day is all about.

Looking back.

When the pilgrims set out from England they wanted to live somewhere they would be free to worship how they wanted.  They landed on the shores of America where they worked on building homes and finding food.  But then winter came and it was very hard.  There were many people who died.  Much more would have died but one particular Indian stepped in and helped them.  They were shown how to plant corn and other plants.  He also showed them how to identify plants that they could eat and also use as medicine.  At the end of that summer, they had enough food to make it through the winter.  They decided to celebrate.  A day of prayer and Thanksgiving was declared.  They invited their Indian friends and they feasted, played games, and celebrated.  The hardships were difficult but the blessings of God were abounding.

What about us?

When you think about your everyday life how thankful are you?  When I was thinking about the coming Thanksgiving I wonder if our focus is where it should be.  We spend a lot of time making a nice meal.  Some people spend time watching sports, others are spending time doing things with their families and/or friends, and still, others may be alone.  But where are our thoughts?  Is it just another holiday?  What can we do to make it different for us this year?  Let’s try to really make it a day of Thankfulness.

Thankfulness

I know having a thankful/grateful journal would be a good start for all of us because we need to be thankful every day, not just Thanksgiving.  Here are some things that we can be thankful for.

  1. We can be thankful to God and His Son. When I think about what They were willing to do for me it gives me a sense of thankfulness.  I like how one author puts it; “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ…especially the closing ones.”  If we could just really realize what Jesus did for us how can we not be thankful.
  2. Be thankful for the trials. This can be very difficult.  What I have found is that I need to realize everything that comes to me passes through the hands of Jesus.  He has a plan for each one of us.  He knows what areas of our lives that need refining.  It is through trials that our lives are refined for heaven.  As we grow through those trials it gives us the opportunity to uplift others when they go through things that are similar to what we have already experienced.
  3. Be thankful that you woke up today. We often take for granite that we can get out of bed in the morning.  If it were not for God keeping our heart beating we would not be here.  He continues to keep us alive.
  4. Be thankful for your safety. We are often protected each day and don’t even give recognition to God for it.  I am looking forward to heaven so that I can see all the times the Lord has protected me and I was unaware.
  5. Be thankful for family. A lot of times we take for granite our family as well.  We just expect them to always be there and that they will do certain things to make our lives a little easier.  We expect it but often don’t thank them.  We need to be more thankful for the things our families do for us and that the Lord has given them to us.

These are just a few things that we should consider; there are many more things that could be added as well.  We need to go through life with more thankfulness.  Seeing the good in every situation will help us stay focused on thankfulness and in the end, we will feel way happier.

Dear Father,

As we focus this week on being thankful, help us to see You and what You have done for us.  Thank You for Your everlasting love.  I am so grateful for Your forgiveness.  You have given me life for which I am also grateful.  Thank You for my family and the work that You are doing within my family.  Keep me focused on You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Start a thanksgiving list today to share it on Thanksgiving.  Let’s not forget the meaning of Thanksgiving.  And remember it throughout the year.

Love you all.

What are you especially thankful for this year?

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“Another Shooting! What Next?!!”

What next?

It seems, not a day goes by that we don’t hear of another killing or disaster. It seems impossible not to live in fear.  Do we really need to live in fear?  Is there something to be fearful of?  Do we really need to be afraid of all the things that are happening around the world?

Over the years I have read several stories about WWII.  It is one of the worst disasters in our recent history.  The amazing part of the stories that I have read is the courage and strength that these individuals had through their experiences.  Some of these stories covered people who were in concentration camps and how the Lord sustained them, as they trusted in Him.  And also of how they were a witness to those around them of the love of God.

I have read other stories that talk about German families that lived through the war and even served in the German army.  Yet, they trusted God and obeyed His leading.  They trusted God in the midst of one of the most heinous wars.  Any Christian living in that time must have thought that the world was coming to an end.  How much worse could it get?

A big thing that has changed between now and then is technology.

Yes some of them did have access to radios, going against authorities that did not want them to know what was going on.  But how did knowing what was going on change the way that they lived and what they did?  It didn’t.  They were just hoping to hear good news about an end to the war.  There was a lot of propaganda so the reality is they still did not know what the truth was.  What they learned, for the most part, did not help them through the war.  My observation was that it only made them struggle more with hating those that were doing wrong.

What about today?

We have technology at our fingertips.  We may think we know what is going on because we watch or listen to the news, we see things on Facebook or read something in a news magazine and we think we know what is going on.  And of course, Google must have the answer so we may even Google something about a rumor we heard to see what the truth is.  How can we know what the truth is?  It doesn’t matter where you look there is a bent to everything.  Everyone is sharing what they believe is happening with whatever political or religious bent they may have.  And people suck up whatever direction they want to bend.

How much do we need to know?

This is a great question.  And I believe we don’t need to know as much about what is going on through the avenues that are common today.  Why?  Because how do we know what the truth is?  Every time something happens there are people who take it by the horns and start predicting what it means, whether political or religious.  We are dealing with the mastermind of evil, not with people; we are dealing with the one that they listen to, the devil.  And a lot of them don’t even know it.  And some of them may even claim to be Christians but their focus is in the wrong camp.

What should we focus on?

Let’s focus on the Genuine, Jesus Christ.  We need to get off the negative of this world and focus on Jesus.  When we hear of things that may be happening politically and/or religiously it should send us to our knees.  We should be crying and sighing for the abominations on our knees rather than getting caught up in talking about the negative.  Everyone is a soul for the Lord and we need to pray for him or her.  We need to love them.  It is impossible to love those we despise. We need to work as Jesus worked.  He focused on the ones that had their hearts open, the ones that felt their need.  And He drew them to a connection with Him.

How do we keep the right focus?

Read & study the God’s Word.

Get into the word.  Don’t just spend time reading it but study it.  Knowing what is happening in the world is not going to get me ready spiritually.  A lot of times people talk and focus more on the evils that are happening than on God’s Word.

Make this verse the focus.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.

When I really contemplate this verse it really makes me reevaluate what I am doing in my life.  Just because it might be true, of course, how do we really know, is it of good report and praiseworthy.  This is a powerful verse.  Everything that we do and say in life should filter through this verse and not just one aspect of the verse.  Everything we do should be able to fall under every word of this verse, not just one or two words.  One saying that I heard that really is thought-provoking, “Evaluate your activities with these questions.  Will this count in 10 years?  Will it matter in eternity?”

Spend time in prayer.

When we happen to hear about things that are happening that are not pleasant, prayer should be our response.  First, we should be sure that we are fully surrendered to God and don’t have anything in our own lives that will keep our prayers from ascending to God.  We cannot solve what is happening in our world today but we can pray.  Neither can we solve what may be happening within our families but we can pray.  We may need to ask God for His love in our hearts because we may be struggling with loving those that are doing wickedly.  Our goal should be to love all and want their salvation and work toward that end.

Let Jesus shine through us.

We need to trust in Jesus through all things.  People need to see in us the love of Jesus.  If we are caught up in the things of this world we are only going to show discouragements.  And we probably will have a downcast countenance.  We need to keep our focus in the Joy of the Lord.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. What do we have set before us?  We have a cross to bear.  And what is the joy set before us?  The things of this world are fleeting and our joy should be in the Lord.  The joy of the Lord should be our strength as we surrender to Him.  And through all the trials our countenance will show the joy of the Lord and someday soon we will sit down with our Lord in His kingdom.  What a joy that will be!

As we stay focused on Christ we can love the unlovely.

We always need to remember where the Lord has led us from when we look at others.  We need to see what God can do in their lives.  And as we look at them, see them through the eyes of Christ, who went to Calvary for them.  He died for all.  We can only love the unlovely as we stay surrendered to Christ.  He will love them through us.  We need to remember that we may be the only “Jesus” they ever meet.  Let’s plant the seed of Christ love.

In a world that is so corrupt at every turn, we need to keep our focus on the Lord.

We need to focus on being in right relationship with Jesus.  We need to focus on being like Christ to our families.  And as we are reflecting Christ others will want what we have.  Then we can bring others to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus.  We don’t need to worry about being ready if our focus is in the right place.  Remember focusing on the counterfeit does not help us identify the counterfeit.  Focusing on the Genuine, Jesus that will help us recognize the counterfeit.  And as we keep ourselves focused on Christ, surrendering to Him each day, we will be ready when He comes.

Dear Father,

The devil does not care what rabbit trail he gets us going down.  All he cares about is distracting us from You.  Forgive us for not always staying on the straight and narrow.  Protect us and direct us.  Help us, as we see others in this world or within our churches that do wickedly, to pray for them.  Give us your power as we see them to see You as You hung bleeding upon the cross for them.  Help us to be earnest, broken, and humble as our petitions ascend to You for wisdom that we may have success in saving not only our own souls but the souls of others as well.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender all to God today.  Stay focused on Him and being in line with Him so that you will be ready when He comes.  Today may be your last.  Always be ready.

Love you all.

What do you do in order to keep your focus on the Genuine, Jesus Christ, and your mind away from the counterfeit, the things of this world?