Category: September2017

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Cross the Finish Line!

Did you know that God desires for you to be triumphant today?

Well He does! He has provided a way for you to ALWAYS be victorious – not so, you say. Yes way! And when we do triumph and give Him the glory, it’s like the smell of a sweet perfume. So when folks ask “What’s that smell (i.e. how did you come out that victorious), we can say, “Oh, it was God helping me, taking me through, making me victorious.”

In the book of Daniel we read of 3 young men who refused to compromise their stand for God. The king had ordered everyone in the realm to bow before his statue and worship him. Take a knee! But these three, even though they were in the king’s employ, refused.

The king’s anger was out-of-control. He demanded their worship and their allegiance. Again they refused even though death was to be their most certain consequence. The king ordered the refining fires to be heated to the greatest possible intensity, seven times hotter than it had ever been. And when the three publically stood in opposition to the king he had them bound and thrown into the fire.

“So the soldiers tied up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and threw them into the flaming furnace with all of their clothes still on, including their turbans. The fire was so hot that flames leaped out and killed the soldiers.

24 Suddenly the king jumped up and shouted, “Weren’t only three men tied up and thrown into the fire?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the people answered.

25 “But I see four men walking around in the fire,” the king replied. “None of them is tied up or harmed, and the fourth one looks like a god.”[a]

26 Nebuchadnezzar went closer to the flaming furnace and said to the three young men, “You servants of the Most High God, come out at once!”

They came out, 27 and the king’s high officials, governors, and advisors all crowded around them. The men were not burned, their hair wasn’t scorched, and their clothes didn’t even smell like smoke. 28 King Nebuchadnezzar said:

Praise their God for sending an angel to rescue his servants! They trusted their God and refused to obey my commands. Yes, they chose to die rather than to worship or serve any god except their own.” Daniel 3:21-28 CEV

When we serve the King of Kings we aren’t promised a perfect life but we are promised a protected life. These men came out of a life threatening situation and they didn’t even smell like smoke. What obstacle do you face that could be any greater than this? God is the same now as He was then.

Here’s to victory today – Always! ” Now thanks be to God, who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” II Corinthians 2:14

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Clean the Windshield

I have a thing for clean windows. I’ve been known to wash windows when it was dark, in fact the other night Dave and I were sitting on the patio and I had to get up and clean the sliding door because I had seen all the smudges on it earlier in the day.

I also want to have the windows in the car cleaned. We do a lot of driving and I’m always wanting to get a good picture but if the windshield or the side windows are spotted with bugs it ruins the shot.

And if you’re not concerned enough about my compulsive cleaning I should mention that I have this same drive to clean mirrors and my glasses. I know, I know but I have a need to see clearly.

I realize that I come by this “need” for clean windows naturally. As a child, my dad was always cleaning windows. When I got married, Dave & I would go to visit my folks and as we were in the car ready to drive away, Daddy would stop us and clean the windshield. It didn’t matter we were heading to the gas station and would do it there. We couldn’t leave with a dirty window.

So as I was cleaning the windows in the dark (windows don’t streak if you wash them at night), I realized that not only had my earthly father given me a desire for clean, clear windows but my heavenly Father had as well.

“When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. 12 Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don’t know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. 13 For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.” I Corinthians 13:11-13

Sound familiar – these are the verses from the end of the “love chapter” I Corinthians 13. Paul draws a comparison between our thinking like children and the way we see God. We don’t have full understanding of things when we are children and while we are here on earth we really don’t have a full understanding of God’s character and His purpose for us. It’s like looking through a dirty glass – we just can’t see clearly but we will someday.

As children we don’t completely understand many things that we gain knowledge of as we grow into mature adults. And we don’t understand the depth of God’s love and His character as long as we are here on earth. That’s where faith, hope and love come in.

Our hope in God and His word is what feeds our faith to not only believe that God can do all things but that He will! Why? Because of His great love. Gaining knowledge of God’s love is like cleaning the windows, we get a clearer picture of who God is. Once we get to heaven, we will know as God does but until then we an keep growing.

“But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. 9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life.” Romans 5:8-10

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Sit – Stay

When Kaci was small we had a wonderful Australian Shepherd named Bear. He had been badly abused when we adopted him and made him a member of our family. He had trust issues to say the least. We were given the name of a good trainer and once a week I took him to class. It didn’t take long for him and I to learn to work together. The commands of sit and stay were some of the first we worked on. He needed to know that when I gave those commands he could TRUST that I wasn’t going to leave him or beat him into obedience.

Presently I am in a sit still stage of my life. I’m not doing it very well. I have things to do, places to go, people to meet and minister too and God is saying “Sit Still”. I have learned in the past and am learning again that it’s just as important to be obedient to that command as it is to “love thy neighbor” or “pray without ceasing”.

If you know me at all you know I always have a list – things need to be done! I don’t do SIT – STAY very well. Years ago I read a book by Tim Hansel, “When I Relax I Feel Guilty”, that describes me to a tea. Retirement isn’t easy for a “list person”. I had a very dear friend tell me that it’s just as important to wait as it is to march forward. Both have their place but we have to be obedient to what God is saying and when He’s saying it.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” Psalm 46:10-11

The children of Israel had a tangible, visible sign that they followed. The Lord placed a cloud over the Tabernacle and when it moved the moved; and when it stayed they stayed.

“Sometimes the cloud was over the Holy Tent for only a few days. So the people obeyed the LORD’s command—they followed the cloud when it moved. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only during the night—the next morning the cloud moved. So the people gathered their things and followed it. If the cloud moved, during the day or during the night, they followed it. 22 If the cloud stayed over the Holy Tent for two days, a month, or a year, the people stayed at that place. They did not leave until the cloud moved. When the cloud rose from its place and moved, they also moved. 23 So the people obeyed the LORD’s commands. They camped when the LORD told them to, and they moved when he told them to. They watched carefully and obeyed the LORD’s commands to Moses” Number 9:21-23 ERV

Obedience! That’s the key. We say “Lord, speak to me and I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.” And then He speaks something so simple as to stay – rest and we sit for 15 minutes and then want to get up and get back to our normal routine. It’s hard to rest!

Once again it’s the Holy Spirit teaching obedience and most of the time obedience involves crucifying the flesh. God’s way of doing things is generally contrary to the natural way. He told Joshua to march around a city and they would capture it – Jesus told us to achieve greatness we must strive to be a servant. Paul said when I am weak then am I strong. See – these things seem to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but that’s God’s way.

I’m learning and I imagine I will be learning this lesson again. I hope what I am being taught will encourage you when it comes your turn to “rest”.

“The LORD is good and merciful;
our God is so kind.
6 The LORD takes care of helpless people.
I was without help, and he saved me.
7 My soul, relax!
The LORD is caring for you.” Psalm 116:5-7 ERV

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Over and Over!

Do you get tired of hearing the same thing over and over? You remember – brush your teeth, look both ways before crossing the street, put on your seat belt, don’t run with the scissors, don’t ride your bike in flip flops. The list goes on and on.

Most of the things were learned by repetition we didn’t have to learn by experience. You know the old adage – learn by my mistakes. And isn’t this the reason we are mentored or tutored? We learn from someone else by example and experience.

Sometimes when I sit to write in the mornings I find myself saying to the Lord “but I’ve already told them that last year, last month, yesterday. Do I really need to go over it again?” And then creation reminds me that we learn from repetition.

There are only 4 seasons. It doesn’t take long to learn what to plant when – time to get out the jackets and long sleeve shirts, that those are rain/snow clouds and this is going to be a warm day. Yes, we learn by repetition of natural events so we should also learn by repetition of godly principles as well.

“But you must be strong and brave about obeying the commands my servant Moses gave you. If you follow his teachings exactly, you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Always remember what is written in that book of law. Speak about that book and study it day and night. Then you can be sure to obey what is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything you do. 9 Remember, I commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 ERV

Study God’s word everyday. That means repetition! Go over it again and again. Stay with the things that work.

““Now, if you will be careful to obey the Lord your God and follow all his commands that I tell you today, the Lord your God will put you high above all the nations on earth. 2 If you will obey the Lord your God, all these blessings will come to you and be yours:

3 “He will bless you in the city and in the field.
4 He will bless you and give you many children.
He will bless your land and give you good crops…” Deuteronomy 28:1-4 ERV

There are a list of 12 verses of blessings in Deuteronomy 28 to those who learn to listen and obey the Lord. Repetition!

I had a woman ask me once how I study the Bible. I told her I found things that I needed in my life and looked up the verses that dealt with those issues – worry, fear, health, joy, marriage, children, peace – and the list goes on. I would find verses that helped with those areas and write them on an index card and I kept those cards with me all the time. They were in the truck, in my purse and on the tractor. They sat on my desk and in my kitchen. When I would feel overwhelmed in a situation I would grab the cards and read God’s word to myself, reminding me that God has a plan and He is working on my behalf. Over and over again – repetition.

“My son, pay attention to what I say. Listen closely to my words. 21 Don’t let them out of your sight. Never stop thinking about them. 22 These words are the secret of life and health to all who discover them. 23 Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life.

24 Don’t bend the truth or say things that you know are not right.” Proverbs 4:20-24 ERV

Find a modern version of the Bible if the King James language is too hard to understand and read what the Lord has to say about your situation. You don’t need to read chapter after chapter if you don’t understand it. Read a couple of verses and let them stick with you all day.

These truly are the words of life and we need to apply them over and over again!

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Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something valuable? A ring, money, your keys…

I remember when our youngest daughter was in preschool. Her class took a field trip to Sea World. I’m not sure how many mothers and fathers went along to chaperone but we had a large group and I’m so glad we did. There were two pre-school classes, teachers, helpers, parents and kids.

We had a wonderful day! After we had gone to several of the scheduled shows we broke up into smaller groups and visited the aquariums and tide pools. We were all to meet back at the main gate by the fountain at a particular time, ready to go home.

When we arrived at the fountain we asked the all important question, who has to go potty before we start back. Several hands were raised and so some of the moms and dads escorted the students to the bathrooms while others of us waited back at the fountain with the rest of the children. And then the unthinkable happened.

One of the mother’s let out a frantic cry – my kids are gone! She had brought her two younger children on the field trip with the rest of us and while she was looking after a couple of the students, her children had wandered off.

She called their names over and over again, we prayed and gathered up the rest of the children, had them sit down on the ground by the fountain under the watchful eye of 2 of the chaperones and all the rest of the adults spread out to find the missing two.

It seemed we searched for an eternity but in reality it was probably only 15-20 minutes and there they were. Hands dipping in one of the tide pools to touch the star fish. Not frightened, not worried just playing as children do!

The relief, the tears, the joy, the lecture…what was lost had been found!

Have you lost your relationship with the Lord? Maybe you’ve just wandered away for a bit – looking for something fun to do? Not realizing that you could be in danger out there in the big world all by yourself. The Bible promises us that if we seek the Lord we will find Him and that there will be a reward for seeking Him.

“Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.” Hebrews 11:6 ERV

I encourage you today to search for God, search His Word and you will find that He’s right there waiting for you.

“I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 ERV

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Don’t Worry – Be Happy!

Time to start a new week. What’s on your calendar today? Bring strength to your life today. Bring health to your body. Don’t let stress or “dis – ease” rob from you today!

Be thankful – focus on God and what is has done and is able to do and live in peace, joy, health and strength.

” Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. Give some food and drinks to those who didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to our Lord. Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.” Nehemiah 8:10

” A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

“The Lord gives perfect peace to those whose faith is firm. 4 So always trust the Lord
because he is forever our mighty rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

So many times we end up thinking that if we live a godly life we’ll be missing out on all the fun. However, just the opposite it true. God will show us the answer to our problems and fill our lives with joy and pleasure! If you are anxious, worried, stressed out and don’t know which way to turn – hang out with God today – there’s joy, pleasure and peace in His presence.

“You will show me the path of life, in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

Let the Lord fill your life with joy and bring you pleasure today!

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Looking Good

We just got home from Texas yesterday. What a trip! We drove through the Hill Country and saw some beautiful ranches.

Made me stop and wonder what’s on the inside? Do you ever drive by those big, fancy homes and wonder who lives inside? Is it a business mogul, a movie star, an athlete or someone who inherited family money? I think we’ve all done that.

When people see you do they ask “Who lives inside”? What makes this person so special? Why do they have such a peace – why can they smile in the face of adversity – why do they reach out to others unselfishly when they are going through a terrible situation themselves? What makes them different?

“Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful. 16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.” Colossians 3:15-17 ERV

Let peace – let thanksgiving – let the Word – let praise, dwell (live in) you richly! This is the treasure that sets us apart. BUT, we have to let (permit, allow) it to live in us. We have to choose these things, we are the deciding factor. God has already given us the ability to live this way but we can stop it with an act of our free will.

So I will ask again – what lives on the inside? Let the life of Christ live in you richly!

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Are You Grounded?

Are you grounded? If I asked that question of a teenager, I might get an answer of “not currently”.

Being grounded can have several different connotations. To a pilot it means they can’t fly; to a kid it means they can’t hang out with their friends; to a horticulturalist it means their plants have a good root base and to an electrician it means the wires are safe.

The basis is the same. Grounded: rooted attached, secured, stabilized, immovable.

Yesterday a friend told me that my morning devotions were peaceful and got her grounded for the day. That stuck with me!

Lord, I want to be grounded. I don’t want to fly off if conditions aren’t safe. I don’t want to be hanging out with people that can cause me harm and I certainly don’t want to be touching something that could be shocking.

“16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built (GROUNDED) on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is.” Ephesians 3:16-18 ERV

I want my life to be like that of a tree that’s grounded. The roots run deep keeping it stable during the high winds and strong storms.

“Great blessings belong to those who don’t listen to evil advice, who don’t live like sinners, and who don’t join those who make fun of God.
2. Instead, they love the Lord’s teachings and think about them day and night.3 So they grow strong, like a tree planted by a stream— a tree that produces fruit when it should and has leaves that never fall. Everything they do is successful.” Psalm 1: 1-3 ERV
So I’ll ask again…are you grounded? I hope so.

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Coming Home

Home! There’s something comforting in that word.

When I got up this morning there was a big prompting on my heart. We’ve been on vacation for the last week and had a wonderful time but today we’re heading home.

Today I want to write this for those who believe they have wandered too far from God. For whatever reason you have been living life your own way. You have completely forgotten about God and may have even wondered if God is truly there.

You want to go home but you’re scared!

Now in the midst of trouble and difficult times you want to pray, you want to reach out, you want to ask God if He is really there for you but you’re afraid.

Afraid that He won’t answer. Afraid that He will reject you. Afraid that He doesn’t really care!

God is there for you – be honest. He knows your heart before you call. He knows your doubts and your fears. He knows your weaknesses and your failings. He knows everything there is to know about you and He LOVES you!

“We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. 17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

19 What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God.” II Corinthians 5:16-20 CEV

The reason God sent Christ to this earth was to make a way for us to have be reconciled to God. Reconciliation is to make right, to put in balance. In Christ we are put in balance with the Father.

God, the Father, is waiting for us to come to him and when we do He rewards us with His love and grace.

“Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.” Hebrews 11:6

God isn’t mad at you. He’s not holding your past against you but instead He is waiting for you with open arms. He’s here to welcome you home!

“20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”

22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24 CEV

Come Home! The Father’s waiting…

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Keep It Simple

Simple but true!

The way to faith in Christ is simple. We are told to be childlike in our faith. Coming to relationship with Christ is acknowledging our need as sinners for a Savior.

Everyone of us have sinned and Christ’s death paid the price for all sin. Simple & true. Even children can understand this and accept it by faith.

Once we have received what Christ did for us, we need to continue to keep it simple. Religion will try to make things complicated and difficult to understand but relationship with Christ simplifies our lives.

“Just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so go on living in him—in simple faith. Grow out of him as a plant grows out of the soil it is planted in, becoming more and more sure of the faith as you were taught it, and your lives will overflow with joy and thankfulness.

8 Be careful that nobody spoils your faith through intellectualism or high-sounding nonsense. Such stuff is at best founded on men’s ideas of the nature of the world and disregards Christ!” Colossians 2:6-8

Enjoy simplicity today – enjoy your relationship with Jesus.

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