Category: Relationship

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Of Great Value

We have been watching a pair of dove build their nest in the palm tree just outside our window. It’s well hidden from view, but we know it’s there. Many times a day the pair come with twigs in their beaks, sit on the palm frond and then disappear toward the trunk of the tree.

Just last week Dave had told our neighbor that he would be cutting some of the dead fronds from trunk and dispose of them for her but now that has to wait. The nest, eggs and bird couple need their home protected.

Yesterday it seemed like every bird in the neighborhood had joined the avian chorus and was providing us with a concert. A concert which would rival Handel’s Messiah. Before daybreak the birds are singing, throughout the day their chorus wafts on the breeze and each evening as the sun starts to set they repeat their melodious refrain.

“ Jesus said to His followers, “Because of this, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you are going to eat. Do not worry about your body, what you are going to wear. 23 Life is worth more than food. The body is worth more than clothes. 24 Look at the birds. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They have no grain buildings for keeping grain. Yet God feeds them. Are you not worth more than the birds?…Do not give so much thought to what you will eat or drink. Do not be worried about it. 30 For all the nations of the world go after these things. Your Father knows you need these things. 31 Instead, go after the holy nation of God. Then all these other things will be given to you. 32 Do not be afraid, little flock. Your Father wants to give you the holy nation of God.” Luke 12:22-32 NLV

“Are we not worth more than the birds?” “Do not be afraid, little flock.”

Words to live by! Of course, we are worth more than the birds. But even if we consider ourselves to be as insignificant as one of the feathered chorus, we are admonished to live fear free – we are part of the Father’s flock and He promises to care for us.

All of creation is a living example of how the Father cares for us; the seed in the ground, the birds in the air, the lilies of the field, the oceans with their tides, the changing seasons and even the heavens declare the glory of God.

Often when I stop to think about the way God provides for His creation I remember a little chorus we sang in Sunday School.

“The birds up in the treetops sing their song, The angels chant their chorus all day long. The flowers in the garden blend their hue, So why shouldn’t I, why shouldn’t you Praise Him too?”

It’s a simple theology that requires childlike faith.

Listen for the song of the birds, join their chorus and thank the Father that He provides for us!

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Spring Is Almost Here!

Last fall I purchased three mums at the home store. They bloomed nicely until we got our first cold snap and their growth was thwarted. Yesterday I noticed that the tops were spindly and dry. They need to be pruned, that will be one of today’s little chores.

That old dry growth needs to be trimmed away so the new leaves will thrive and the buds and blooms will return.

Much of the country is still experiencing cold and formidable weather. Crops are dormant, no evidence of growth. But don’t be fooled, the plants aren’t dead – they are resting. Some stock like grape vines and berry bushes are just waiting for the earth to warm and the sap begin to flow and new growth to appear. The tulip, crocus, daffodils and hyacinth are doing the same – waiting for the cold, frozen ground to give way to sunshine and they will blossom and color the landscape.

The vineyard stock has been cut back, pruned well so that the new fruit will be plentiful and rich.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5 NLT

Does it seem you have been through winter? Things have gone dormant and life hasn’t been as productive and full of growth as you had hoped? Take heart – spring is on the way.

We go through these seasons of pruning so that those things that are detrimental can be pruned and we can grow stronger. There are emotions that are unhealthy and ambitions that can sap our strength. The time of pruning isn’t meant for our destruction, quite the opposite. It is meant for our growth.

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 NLT

When we are rooted in Christ we have the strength to weather the storms of winter and produce a new crop of peace, joy, kindness, gentleness, mercy, love and grace. The world needs the fruit that God has placed within us. They need to experience the harvest of His character that we embody.

“Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. ” John 15:5b NLT

Get ready – it’s almost Spring and time for your fruit to grow!

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Love Forgives & Forgets

Love is… patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not inappropriate or selfish. Love is hopeful, faithful. Love forgives and forgets. Love never fails!

Love is a determination of will; it isn’t a tingling feeling that just overcomes you and leaves you breathless and titillated. It is a lifestyle – one that will stand the test of time when the feelings are nowhere to be found. It is a determination that will overcome hurt and not be selfish.

That’s God’s kind of love. He doesn’t think evil of us when we fail and He doesn’t keep count of the things we’ve done wrong but He looks to see what we’re doing right and always, always thinks the best of us.

One day, I heard the Lord speak so loudly in my heart that I thought others could probably hear it. I was correcting one of the kids and in my frustration found myself bringing up a past infraction; one that they had already been disciplined for. As I did, I felt the Lord say – “I don’t bring up your past. I forget all your sins and shortcomings and I only think the best of you. Don’t bring that up again because they are my kids too.” With that I meekly answered “Yes Sir.” Then I had to apologize to my child. I went on to correct what they had done wrong without making them relive their past.

” 4 This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. 5-6 Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. 7-8a Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.” I Corinthians 13:4-8

Thank you Father for forgiving and forgetting and covering me with Your love!

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One More Time

Every couple of years I am reminded of “one thing” and you know if the Lord reminds me, I’m going to remind you.

We’ve just completed the first month of the year and before we advance another week, I want us to stop and focus in on the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha.

“As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. “Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand.”

41-42 The Master said, “Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.” Luke 10:38-42 MSG

Martha wanted Jesus to be comfortable, well fed and rested. Extending hospitality can be a lot of work – everything has to be perfect. The bread, the wine. Cheese and olives. Cakes to bake.

And where’s Mary?!

Looking out from the kitchen, wiping flour from her face, counting heads to know exactly how many need to be served, Martha sees Mary sitting in front of the guest of honor, hanging on His every word. Martha would love to be sitting there too but there’s just too much to do.

When Martha can stand it no longer, she complains. She actually makes a bit of a scene, complaining publicly about her sister. Surely, she thought Jesus would understand her plight. He would have Mary get up and join her in the kitchen to finish the meal but no.

Instead, Jesus addressed Martha’s busy-ness, pointing out her fussing and frustration. Martha had the Master Teacher in her home and instead of honoring Him with her time she complained.

Just a few days before, Jesus had taught his disciples on sowing seed and good ground. Jesus was teaching (sowing seed) and Mary’s heart was good soil for those seeds to be planted in. Martha, on the other hand, had thorny ground filled with the weeds of distraction and care.

Jesus’ words are clear, “One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and won’t be taken from her.”

I can identify with both these sisters. I want to hang on every word I read but sometimes I get distracted. There are mornings I sleep a little later than normal and feel rushed to get through my Bible reading. Other days I may be distracted by making my list for the day, doing some quick research on the computer, read a couple of emails and before I know it the day has taken me captive, and I’ve missed out on those moments of quiet communion, peaceful prayer and joyful conversation with the Lord.

That’s when I hear those words, “Kristi, Kristi – only one thing is essential, choose the good part”.

Join me in putting aside the busy-ness for these morning moments and spend time listening to the words of Jesus.

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Unconditional

This morning my mind is filled with memories; a Montana sunrise, an Arizona sunset, snow sparkling on the branches of a fir tree, a baby’s smile, my husband’s blue eyes, a cup of steaming hot coffee, a plate full of rolled tacos with guacamole. Seeing our daughter as she walked down the aisle at her wedding, my oldest daughter and I as we sat in the middle of a mountain stream in our lawn chairs, our son at the helm of his boat, friends gathered on the deck/patio of our home for good bbq; yes, it was quite a way to wake up and start the day!

Then I asked, “Father, all of these images that I see can be described but how do I describe Your love?” For the most part, I’m pretty good with words but when I try to describe God’s love I am seriously at a disadvantage. However, this morning I heard the answer to my question and it was “You just did!”

You see, every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father. Every good thing that we enjoy comes as an outward expression of God’s love; that’s the way He has always been and that’s the way He’ll always be!

In every circumstance and situation that I live, I can sense the love of God and know that He is there because God is LOVE!

“In the past God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke to them many times and in many different ways. 2 And now in these last days, God has spoken to us again through his Son. He made the whole world through his Son. And he has chosen his Son to have all things. 3 The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God’s nature, and he holds everything together by his powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3

Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to bring God’s love to each and every one of us. He brought the message that God isn’t mad at us and that God desires to have relationship with us – a real, where-the-rubber-meets-the-road, every day, I’m always here type of relationship.

I’m not saying that everything will be perfect in our lives because our lives aren’t perfect! But I do know that in the imperfect, trying, challenging, frustrating, ugly times of our lives that God is always there and He doesn’t abandon us! He’s always there to offer comfort, help, wisdom, peace and joy even in the midst of our storms. God is love!

Jesus brought comfort to those who had lost family and friends to death, He brought compassion to the prostitute, food to the hungry, wine to the wedding, sanity to the demonic and love and forgiveness to all.

“You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him.” Acts 10:38

The experiences we hold most dear are tangible expressions of God’s unconditional love for us!

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All, Always, Everything

For the past forty years I have read Psalm 145 nearly every morning and almost every time I read it, I stop and focus on how many times in these few verses the writer uses the words all, always and everything.

The nature of God’s love reaches out to all! He provides for all we need. He picks up all who are fallen. He is good to all!

When I read these words I feel like a kid – a child who has been given not just a piece of pie but the whole pie. It’s overwhelming!

“God is all mercy and grace— not quick to anger, is rich in love. 9 God is good to one and all;
 everything he does is soaked through with grace. 10-11 Creation and creatures applaud you, God; your holy people bless you.

They talk about the glories of your rule, they exclaim over your splendor, 12 Letting the world know of your power for good, the lavish splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom eternal; you never get voted out of office.

God always does what he says,  and is gracious in everything he does. 14 God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit. 15 All eyes are on you, expectant; you give them their meals on time.

16 Generous to a fault, you lavish your favor on all creatures. 17 Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love. 18 God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. 19 He does what’s best for those who fear him— hears them call out, and saves them. 20 God sticks by all who love him, but it’s all over for those who don’t.

21 My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!” Psalm 145: 8-21 MSG

Our God is more loving and gracious that words can express! May our mouths be filled with His praise and our hearts with His love!

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A Day of Victory

Last weekend our youngest daughter competed in her third half marathon. We weren’t at the finish line, but we were there in spirit. She competes against herself, not others, and this was a personal best for her. We were so happy for her.

That’s how it should be for all of us – not looking around to see who we can be better than or who we can defeat, other than our enemy the devil, but doing our best to be our personal best each and every day.

“ We do not compare ourselves with those who think they are good. They compare themselves with themselves. They decide what they think is good or bad and compare themselves with those ideas. They are foolish. ” II Corinthians 2:12 NLV

There is only one we should compare ourselves to and that is Jesus! He is our example.

“…Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. 2 Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect. He did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. Now He is sitting at the right side of God.” Hebrews 12:1b-2 NLV

Each morning when we rise we should have praise in our hearts for what God has done, is doing and will continue to do! He is Lord God Almighty and He is our Father. Jesus is our older brother and advocate. He is the One who proclaims that we are justified and reconciled to the Father. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our counsellor and instructor.

We are on a winning team.

We have a written instruction for winning. The Father has given us His word, His infallible word. He never lies and His word has never been proven false nor will it ever be. Reading His word, meditating on it and making it the final authority in our lives brings us to victory.

“ I will give You thanks with all my heart. I will sing praises to You in front of the gods. 2 I will bow down toward Your holy house. And I will give thanks to Your name for Your loving-kindness and Your truth. For You have honored Your Word because of what Your name is. 3 You answered me on the day I called. You gave me strength in my soul.” Psalm 138:1-3 NLV

Life is like a race, not a sprint but a marathon. When we run with our eyes on Jesus we will finish victoriously!

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Mountains & Valleys

When I was a girl I would hear the people in our church talk about “mountain top” experiences in their walk with the Lord. It was wonderful to hear those testimonies. However, quite often they would also say, “we can’t always live on the mountain top, we have to accept the valleys too”.

Frankly, that was confusing to me. It sounded like they were saying that we couldn’t always have that closeness with God in the valleys of life.

This morning I was reading in I Kings 20 and that was what the enemies of Israel were saying about God. They had gone out to make war against King Ahab. King Ben-Hadad had the armies of 32 other kings with him, the Israelite army had 232 valiant rulers and a marching army of 7000. It appeared the Israelites would be easily defeated.

But God…

“Now the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Israel’s gods are gods of the mountains. So they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and for sure we will be stronger than they. 24 And do this. Take each of the kings from his place, and put captains in their places. 25 Gather together an army like the army you lost, horse for horse, and war-wagon for war-wagon. Then we will fight against Israel in the plain. For sure we will be stronger than they.” And Ben-hadad listened to them and did so.” I Kings 20:23-25 NLV

So, at the beginning of the following year King Ben-Hadad went out against Israel again, this time in a valley. The description given of the Israelite army is they looked like two little flocks of goats while the Arameans covered the land. Once again, they were greatly outnumbered.

“Then a man who spoke for God came to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says. ‘The Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys.” So I will give all these many people to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”  I Kings 20:28 NLV

Whether we are experiencing mountain-top victories or the battles in the valleys God rules. He promises us that when we walk through the valleys of the shadow of death, He is there with us and we have no reason to fear.

God is not limited by location or by circumstance! There is nothing too hard for the Lord. When we keep our eyes on Him and follow His leading, we will see the same thing that the Israelite king saw and “Then you will know that I am the Lord”.

There’s a song that I used to sing years ago, and it came to mind this morning as I was reading these verses.

“For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day is still God in the night”

Mountain-top or valley – we will experience both, but we will never be alone for God is with us!

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Falling In Love

Last night in moments of nostalgia, Dave and I discussed old friends and acquaintances, wondering where they were and how their lives had turned out. We talked of childhood friends and wondered if they remembered us with the same kindnesses as we remember them.

Dave asked me if I had any regrets for things I had done or dreams I didn’t pursue. Although there are a few, I really wouldn’t want to go back and do them over. I would be concerned that I might make the wrong choices again or even worse ones.

I am so thankful for God’s grace! His grace is truly one where He forgives, removes our shame and then forgets our past, never holding us in bondage to a guilty conscience.

“And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:21-22 NLT

There is one thing I would do again; it was a favorite time for me. Times of faith building and relying on the Father’s goodness for every need.

It was a time when we brought ranchers and farmers together on a Friday night or Sunday morning or even those weekend long gatherings. We would worship, study and grow together in the love of Jesus.

A song we use to sing in Cowboy Church was “I keep falling in love with Him over and over and over and over again. He gets sweeter and sweeter as the days so by – oh, what a love between my Lord and I; I keep falling in love with Him over and over and over and over again.”

This has been my daily ambition. Falling in love with Him and getting to know the depth of His love for me. That’s what the Apostle Paul prayed for Christians nearly 2000 years ago when He wrote these verses. It is my prayer for you today.

“ I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT

May you experience the depth of the love of Christ and the complete fullness and power of life in God.

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Prayer Works

This morning I want to continue on with yesterday’s teaching on prayer. I have had people tell me, “Kristi I pray but you just never know what God is going to do”.

If that’s your attitude on prayer let me share some Scriptures that will give you a greater confidence in your prayer life.

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” I John 5:14-15 NLT

Here is the biggest key to answered prayer. Asking for those things that we know please the Father. I can hear you asking, “Ok, so how do I know what pleases Him?”.

When we ask for things that He has already promised us in His word we know that those requests will be answered in the affirmative.

“ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” James 1:5-8 NLT

Do you need wisdom? Ask for it and be assured that God will give it to you. Do you need strength? Then ask for it because He has promised that we can do all things through Him who gives us strength.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NLT

Jesus gave his disciples specific instructions on prayer. “Our Father”.

“Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
    but rescue us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13 NLT

The Father has promised to provide and we can trust Him to do just that. He provides forgiveness, He promises our need for food, clothing and shelter. He promises to give us protection from the works of Satan.

Jesus went on to say in this teaching:

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 NLT

The Father doesn’t want us asking prompted by selfish ambition but when our eyes are focused on Him and His word He says ask and you will receive.

Yes, prayer works!

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