Category: Relationship

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Good To All

Here we are about ready to step into November. The month when kids look forward to a few extra days out of school, when Moms look forward to having family “home for the holidays”, and Dads await the football games.

It seems there is something for everyone to anticipate. But there is also something for everyone to experience. No, it’s not the joy of having too much turkey and pumpkin pie. It’s not the smell of fresh baked rolls or green bean casserole or mashed potatoes and gravy.

It’s a different kind of yummy goodness. It’s the goodness of God.

All year long I indulge in this goodness and never gain a pound. I have been reading this chapter in Psalms daily for over twenty thirty-five years. This one Psalm talks about God’s goodness for ALL. As you read it this morning, I want you to stop each time you read the word “all” and say that’s for me, because it is.

“The Lord is full of loving-favor and pity, slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all. And His loving-kindness is over all His works. 10 All Your works will give thanks to You, O Lord. And all those who belong to You will honor You. 11 They will speak of the shining-greatness of Your holy nation, and talk of Your power. 12 They will make Your powerful acts and the great power of Your holy nation known to the sons of men. 13 Your holy nation is a nation that lasts forever. And Your rule lasts for all time.

14 The Lord holds up all who fall. He raises up all who are brought down. 15 The eyes of all look to You. And You give them their food at the right time. 16 You open Your hand and fill the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is right and good in all His ways, and kind in all His works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. 19 He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The Lord takes care of all who love Him. But He will destroy all the sinful. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. And all flesh will honor His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:8-21 NLV

That’s a whole lot of ALL! No one is left out; God’s love is all-inclusive. If you’re not sure of God’s love and goodness toward you, I encourage you to go back and read those verses again or maybe you will be like me and now begin to read them every day.

Now say with me, God is good to all and that means God is good to me!

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Promises Kept

We all know what it’s like to have someone break a promise. It can be heart-breaking but on the other side of the coin we also all know what it’s like to have promises fulfilled. That is what I want to talk to you about this morning.

Fulfilled promises.

God’s word is filled with promises and He is a promise keeper.

“God is not a man, that He should lie. He is not a son of man, that He should be sorry for what He has said. Has He said, and will He not do it? Has He spoken, and will He not keep His Word?” Numbers 23:19 NLV

When I was little I remember singing a chorus in Sunday School, “Every promise in the book is mine. Every chapter, every verse, every line. All are blessings of His love divine. Every promise in the book is mine.”

Some of you who have been christians for a while know what it’s like to believe God’s word and then to stand, maybe for years, waiting for God’s promise to come to pass. We are tempted at times to get weary and give up but we can’t because it’s God’s Word and he never lies and His word never fails.

When Jesus was born his parents had to take him to the temple and offer the sacrifices that were required since he was the first male child to be born to them. That was the custom, so when Jesus was 8 days old they went to the Temple.

In the Temple were two people who had looked each day to see the promised Messiah -one was Simeon and the other Anna. Both were very old but each day they waited and today was the day!

Luke 2:36-38 tells of Anna’s reaction when she saw the baby. “There was also present, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, who was a prophetess. She was a very old woman, having had seven years’ married life and was now a widow of eighty-four. She spent her whole life in the Temple and worshipped God night and day with fastings and prayers. She came up at this very moment, praised God and spoke about Jesus to all those in Jerusalem who were expecting redemption.”

Another version says Anna gave thanks – she had waited all her life to see the Christ and Simeon made comment that now he could die because he has seen the promised Messiah. There was no complaining about why it had taken so long to see the promise but thankfulness that they had been able to see the wonderful blessing of the Messiah.

As parents, grandparents and adults in general it’s important that we don’t give up on God’s promises. Hold on to them, they will come to pass but it’s also important that we raise our children and grandchildren to know faithfulness and His commitment to never break a promise.

If you’ve been waiting – don’t complain but rejoice and thank God that He is faithful to His word and it will come to pass and share that testimony with those in the younger generation.

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Gratefully Clean

This morning I’m recycling a blog from a few years back. We are at our granddaughter’s wedding and there’s lots of activity as you can imagine. Quiet time was a bit harder to come by.

We see a lot of pumpkins around this time of year. Most still have their yucky parts, those have to be cleaned out to make then usable. But it’s not just pumpkins that need to be cleaned. We are all in a process of cleaning!

” 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 5:17-20 CEV

I read this little blurb a few years back and it really resonated with me.

‘Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God picks us from the patch and washes all the dirt off. He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate and greed. He carves us a new smiling face and puts His light inside to shine for all the world to see.’

This was passed to me by another pumpkin. Now it’s your turn to pass it on to the pumpkins in your patch.

I am so grateful that the Lord has filled us with His light!

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Good Reception

This past summer our communication, both cell and internet, greatly improved. Those of you that spend most of your time in the city probably don’t understand not being able to communicate efficiently but it’s very frustrating.

But no more. We purchased the Starlin link system and things started coming in without interruption. We finally had good reception.

More important than advancements in technology is my ability to communicate with the Father. He has provided each and everyone of us with our own “heaven-link”. The band width is massive and the upload and down speed top the charts.

“‘Call to Me, and I will answer you. And I will show you great and wonderful things which you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:3 NLV

When I think about God’s goodness one of the things that I appreciate is His ability and desire to communicate with us. He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden, He wrote His laws on tablets of stone, He came in visions and dreams to men like Joseph and Daniel and He used men to write His love letter, the Bible, for generations of people to read.

The communication lines with heaven are always open. Never any down time.

“I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah” Psalm 3:4

“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears” Psalm 18:6

“O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.” Psalm 30:2

“Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:6

“I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.” Psalm 142:5

I think of Dave’s relationship with our kids. There was never a time when they cried out “Daddy, I need you” that he didn’t respond. He was there for them, and our Father is here for us too.

The writer of Hebrews told us to come BOLDLY to the throne of God’s grace and find help in time of trouble. (Hebrews 4:16)

And Jesus said for all those who are weary and weighted down to come to Him and find rest! (Matthew 11:28)

Jesus invited ALL to come so that includes well…everyone! He’s there to help!

Our Father is the master communicator, and His reception is always good! For that I am grateful.

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Define Good

As we spend the next month thanking God for His goodness, I thought it might be helpful to define “good”.

The other day I fixed Dave one of his favorite meals, beef stroganoff. Not with noodles but with mashed potatoes. It had been a long time since I made it and with each bite he said, “this is good, so good”.

Then yesterday I went for my regular eye exam. As the doctor looked at the images of my eyes he said, “They look really good – no signs of cataracts, degeneration or retinal tears”.

Add to that the reports that parents like to hear about their children, “He’s such a good boy. She’s a good listener and so kind”.

Good food. Good report. Good kids.

But God…He is the embodiment of goodness! Not just the taste of a meal or the report of a physical condition. Not even the assessment of character. He is good and His goodness endures forever.

“You are my friend, my fortress, where I am safe. You are my shield, and you made me the ruler of our people.” Psalm 144:2 CEV

“My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.” Psalm 144:2 KJV

I found these verses this morning and it struck me in a different way. In the old King James language the word goodness is used but in a more modern translation of the language the word goodness is replaced with “friend”.

God shows us His goodness like a trusted friend.

“Tell the Lord how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful. 2 Let Israel shout, ‘God is always merciful!’” Psalm 118:1-2 CEV

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 118:1-2 KJV

And here the word good is translated kind.

“Discover for yourself that the Lord is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad. 9 Honor the Lord! You are his special people. No one who honors the Lord will ever be in need.” Psalm 34:8-9 CEV

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.” Psalm 34:8-9 KJV

Again, good is translated to kind.

Our God, our Father, is a kind and trusted friend. His goodness and mercy will always be!

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Busy Day Blessings

Those of you who have been a part of my daily blog for the last year know we have gone through some changes.

It was just a year ago we came home from the mountain, put our home up for sale, sold it, downsized, and moved into an RV fulltime. Yes, all that took place in less than two months. Then we moved to a little community called Queen Valley. It’s southeast of Phoenix, remote enough to be out of the metropolitan area and close enough to see our daughters and their families without a three-hour drive.

We feel we have the best of two worlds. The mountain in the summer months and the desert during the winter. Dave calls it chasing 70*.

We spent this weekend going through our little storage building and eliminating some more “stuff”. The additional need to purge was prompted by the scheduled delivery of my new washer and dryer today. Out with the old, make room for the new!

“ Brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.” II Thessalonians 3:19 ERV

We were grateful for the strength to do the work that needed to be done. Last night, with our weekend job complete, we sat. The Lord blessed us with this beautiful sunset. It was good!

This morning I was thinking about how much we cleaned out, threw out, gave away and sold just a year ago. It seems there are times like that in our spiritual lives as well. It’s important that we get rid of things that are unnecessary and add nothing of value to our lives – anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, lying, selfishness. If we let them go unchecked these old habits could fill a dumpster when we get serious about removing them. Then once purged, it often only requires a quick clean-up to remove any new debris.

“ Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete.” Colossians 3:9-10 MSG

So, what’s all this got to do with gratitude and our focus on the goodness of God? Glad you asked.

Our Father wants nothing but the best for us, that’s why He asks us to put off the old and take on the new. He doesn’t condemn, although, He is quick to convict. Condemnation comes from the enemy. Condemnation tears down and seeks to destroy, like a building that has been condemned.

Conviction points out what needs to be corrected and changed for our betterment. The Holy Spirit becomes our cheerleader – you can do better, you can succeed because Christ has given you all you need to be victorious!

“If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. 2 The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death.” Romans 8:1-2 CEV

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” John 10:10 CEV

Our Father is a good father. I’m so grateful for His love and for the beauty He has created!

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Jesus Does a “Good” Job

Today, we’ll look at Jesus and the good works He did while He was on earth.

“ For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.” John 6:38 NLT

It all started with the angels’ message to the shepherds. “Peace on earth, good will to men”.

Jesus birth was the beginning of His mission. It was the entrance of God’s good will to men through the life of His Son. The long-awaited Messiah or Savior was born. Men’s lives would be radically changed, they would see and experience miracles. They would see the goodness of God first hand.

Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding. I really like this. Today our granddaughter is getting married. I can imagine Jesus coming to that wedding. He came as an invited guest but had no place of prominence. However, his mother found out that they were running low on wine. She came to Jesus and asked him to do something about it, she didn’t want to wedding host to be ridiculed for lack of preparation.

So Jesus did a good thing, He turned the water into wine. After that we know that He healed many, many people – the blind, the lame, those with fevers, the crippled, the lepers, those with defects from birth.

He healed those with mental illness and demoniacs. He brought forgiveness to the outcasts – the tax collectors and prostitutes.

“And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” Acts 10:38 NLT

For all the good He did He was hated by the religious zealots. They despised Him for His good deeds and plotted His death. Even then they couldn’t destroy Him, He rose from the dead and continued to preach the message of good will, reconciliation, from God, the Father.

The works of the Father, His good will, and the works of Jesus continue today.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NLT

This means that Jesus is working good in our lives as well. Just like those in the Bible who came to Him for healing and deliverance, those who needed a miracle, we can come to Him and find that He is willing to work things out for good for us also.

Jesus is still doing good. He is still the miracle worker!

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In the Will

Several years ago, we updated our Family Trust. I guess it’s something that people our age do. We desire to leave an inheritance for our children and grandchildren.

In our case, there seems to be more sentimental value than financial but all the same we wanted these things written down.

It amazes me that God, the Father, has done the same.

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” Romans 8:15-17 NLT

God the Father, has made us his children, He has adopted us. If that isn’t amazing enough He has given us an inheritance and made us heirs – it’s His will! He gives us the same inheritance He has given Jesus. We share in the Father’s glory but like Jesus we share in the earthly suffering. Not a suffering like some think but the suffering that Jesus experienced was separation from His heavenly home, ridicule of His peers and denying His fleshly desires to live a life that was honoring to the Father.

We are called to do the same. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “For me to live is Christ”. Our lives should be a living example of the Christ-likeness.

Here is another reference that Paul made: “Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. 4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7 NLT

God gave us a new life, He gave us an inheritance, an inheritance of His grace.

God isn’t looking for us to fail. He has equipped us with all we need to live a new life, no longer full of envy and hatred, no longer slaves to sinful lusts.

“ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11 NLT

By His grace, amazing grace, we have been saved. Our lives are God’s masterpiece. He planned for us to do good things. He has given us an inheritance, it’s His written will, it’s called the Bible and it’s for all the world to read!

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Ready, Willing, & Able

When I was a girl, I had a wonderful example of those who were “ready, willing and able”.

My parents had an open-door policy at our home. Not only did we have company for meals on Sundays but there were times throughout the week that there would be extra chairs at the table.

I remember go fishing with Dad and we always stopped to get worms at one little store. One day he saw a man who you could tell the man was hungry. Dad bought him a loaf of bread, some lunch meat and peanut butter. We didn’t have much more than that ourselves but Dad was ready, willing and able to take care of someone else’s needs.

God, our heavenly Father, is able!

Able means He has the ability to do or complete the task set before Him. He is able to work on our behalf and He is always looking for ways to show us His goodness.

He is a loving Father and He won’t force us to take the benefits He has for us. But if we will allow Him to work in our lives, we will see His ability working on our behalf.

The prodigal son came to his senses in a pig pen. He knew if he went home and asked to be one of the household servants his father would provide for him. What he didn’t realize was the depth of the father’s love.

His father welcomed him with open arms. He didn’t make him a servant but restored him to his rightful place as a son.

“Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you. 20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:19-21 ERV

When we know God’s love, His power can work within to bring Him glory. Our heavenly Father wants us to know His love and our place of sonship.

“18 Because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted, He is able to help and provide immediate assistance to those who are being tempted and exposed to suffering.” Hebrews 2:18 AMP

He is able to help us immediately when we are being tempted because He was also tempted and suffered.

“God is strong and can (is able to) keep you from falling. He can bring you before his glory without any wrong in you and give you great joy. 25 He is the only God, the one who saves us. To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord for all time past, now, and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25 CEV

God is able to keep us! He is able to save us!

“But Jesus will never die, and so he will be a priest forever! 25 He is forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25 CEV

Our Father is ready, willing and able to show Himself strong on our behalf.

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Heading Home

Yesterday was that day. We left the mountain at 9 a.m. and we’re back in the Valley shortly after 1 p.m. It felt strange to say we were heading home. To us, we’re always home.

This last year, since we have been fulltime RV living, home has always been with us. Our earthly home that is. When we left the mountain it was 37* and when we arrived in the valley it was 91*. For the last several weeks, we had been wearing long sleeves and jackets, running the heater at night and sleeping under blankets.

Yesterday, we were using fans (the a/c for a little bit), wearing short sleeves, and sweating as we set up. But we were always home.

I remember when my Mom was in her final year of life she talked about heaven alot. At one point we had a long discussion. She recalled everything she had read in the Bible; no more tears, no sickness, no pain. Streets of gold, pearl gates. Seeing Jesus, being in the presence of God the Father.

She would be home.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:1-3 NLT

“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home”. Amazing!

For all the millions of people who have accepted Christ as their Savior through the ages, there is enough room.

The Father has a purpose and a plan for each one of us in this life on earth but this really isn’t home.

“By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God.” Hebrews 11:9-10 MSG

Abraham’s purpose was to believe God’s promise and be the father of a nation of people who would honor God. But in all of that he was still looking for the eternal city, his heavenly home.

The Apostle Paul says we are ambassadors for God. An ambassador is someone who leaves their home country and travels, with a mission, to another land. Once their work is through, they come home.

“ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” II Corinthians 5:19-20 NLT

May we always live with our sense of purpose and look forward to heading home!

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