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Christmas is Around the Corner

Hard to believe

It is hard to believe it is already Christmas again.  When I was a kid, it seemed like Christmas took forever to get here.  The year just seemed to drag by.   Do you remember that feeling?  I have noticed something that has happened over the years; time flies fast for everyone, young and old alike.  It is because everybody’s life is so busy with many things.  When those of us that are older were young, we had many downtimes, and we would get bored.  Many do not get bored today.

The trap

This is the trap the devil has wanted us all to be in.   There are so many distractions with all the social media and everything so readily at our fingertips.  Young people today are so busy with so many activities, and when they aren’t doing something constructive, they are pulled into social media, playing video games, or watching movies.  There is no family time like there once was.  Everything is so fast that everyone is tired at the end of the day.
I remember the kinds of things we did when I was growing up.  Sometimes we just sat around the living room and talked. When does that happen anymore?  We read books, played board games, and took walks.  We had time to slow down and reflect.  These days, we don’t reflect anymore; we are just thinking about the next thing we need to get done.

Christmas

And then we add Christmas to the mix of things.  Everyone is in a hurry, trying to get the last-minute shopping done, which in one sense, has gotten easier because a lot of us do it online.  But on the other hand, we don’t rub shoulders with others.  In the past, people have been kinder and more generous this time of year.  You get this natural, cozy feeling.  What little I have been out and about this Christmas season, I have not felt that quite as much.  There are still ones that are kind and in that beautiful Christmas spirit, but so many are in too big of a hurry.  I, unfortunately, might be one of them.
My husband and I went to the mall, and there was no friendliness; it was just rushing people who wouldn’t even look you in the eye.  The only friendly person was a Santa waiting for kids to come and get their pictures done.  There were no kids lined up, so he was waving and saying a friendly greeting to those who passed by.  I find this so sad.  So many unhappy people are just trying to make it through the day.

Forgetting

The big problem is that everyone has forgotten what Christmas is about.  Many have become so self-absorbed that the real reason we celebrate Christmas has been lost.  It has become all about agendas and making money, not love and giving.  We have forgotten the most incredible gift this season should remind us about.  And that has taken away the love and giving spirit.
During this time of the year, we should be reminded of the greatest Gift given, and that is Jesus.  God was willing to give up His only Son to come as a lowly baby.  Jesus, the majesty of heaven, came down to be born in a stable with beasts of the field.  He was laid in a manger of straw.  Jesus was not born in a palace showered with money and fame.  He was born to poor parents; He was visited by shepherds from the field and eventually wise men from the east at a stable and humble home.  Jesus sacrificed everything to come here to this ungrateful world and die so that we may choose to live with Him for eternity.  Now that is a fantastic gift.

Our best gift

The best gift that we can give this season is our hearts.  Let’s give our hearts to the most amazing God, Jesus Christ.  This is the gift that He is longing for.  You may think, “But I already gave my heart to Jesus years ago.”  And that is wonderful; we also need to renew our daily commitment to Him.  It is a moment-by-moment experience.  Here is the most astounding revelation, as we commit our lives to Jesus each day, surrendering totally to Him, the gift goes on.  We start to give to others, not out of obligation or gain but out of love.  This is the most precious gift that keeps on going.  The kind of gift I want to give this year is surrendering my heart to Jesus so that the best Gift of all can keep on giving, love.  How about you?
Dear Father,
Thank You for giving Your only begotten Son as a Gift to each of us.  I want to recommit my heart to You so that I can have the Gift of love that keeps on giving.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Give your heart entirely to Jesus today and receive the Gift that keeps giving.
I love you all!  Have a Merry Christmas!
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I Will Arise

Knocked down!

My cousin told me a story I want to share with you.  A tree she walks by each day got knocked down while it was small from a storm or the weight of the heavy snow.  It was laid over on its side, mostly flat on the ground.  It is incredible how resilient a tree can be after going through the storms of life.  Each time my cousin walked by this little tree, she began to see a fantastic phenomenon.  This tree began reaching toward the heavens with beautiful green leaves.  The tree did not allow the storms around it to define its life but kept striving for the sun.  It is not a perfect tree; it is crooked and deformed.  But the tree has not let the storms of life get him down.
Have you ever seen a tree like this or something similar?  I know I have.  We go on many hikes in the mountains and through the woods.  So many times, I stop and am amazed at the strangeness of some of the trees.  And I am so curious about the story of the tree.  Suppose the tree could only talk and tell us what happened to bring about such a deformity.  I have seen some trees bent to one side and dead.  But bent going the other direction is a living tree.  A different type of tree that amazes me is when it forms a half circle.  Incredibly, it can be a perfect half-circle without evidence of what caused it to divert to that form.

What about

The trees made me start to think about our lives.  I know that many times in life, storms have come to me.  Some of those storms have been small, but some have been very large.  Sometimes I have wondered if I would live or die; some have been physical and some emotional.  I am sure each one of you can relate.  We all go through incredible trials.  The “wind” blows so hard that we feel it is impossible to continue standing.  And then there is the weight of the “snow” or maybe even the weight of a “rock.”  The weight is so heavy we can’t possibly make it.
I think we can learn a lesson from the trees.  When the storms of life are blowing, and life seems so overwhelming, we need to keep our eyes on the Son.  Our experience will probably reshape us, but we know that as we keep our eyes on the Son, the reshaping will make our lives more beautiful.  It may seem that we are deformed, but to those looking on, as long as we keep our eyes focused on the Son, they will see the beauty.  And it will draw them closer to God.  Once we have been reshaped, we can encourage others as they go through the reshaping process.

How

You may ask, “How can I keep looking up?”  It is not always easy when you get knocked down; the pain is real.  But I do know that it starts with a choice.  The tree has to choose to keep striving toward the sun no matter how much pain it is enduring if it wants to survive.  It grows through, around, and from the ground when completely knockdown.  It has such a desire to live that the tree does whatever is necessary to make it happen.  And there is only one thing that it has to do, choose to keep looking toward the sun.
We often get bogged down to the ground by our circumstances and trials.  But we will stay down if we don’t start looking up.  We have to choose, just like the tree, to keep our eyes fixed on the Son.  And God will do a work in us that will transform and shape us into His image.  Part of choosing and looking is spending time in God’s Word, claiming the promises that He has given us.  We need to spend much time in prayer, keeping all our cares, sorrows, and needs before Him.  “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:  Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you” 1 Peter 5: 6-10.
Like the trees become more robust as they weather the storms, we get stronger as we keep our eyes focused on the Son.  Every storm that comes our way that we survive through makes us stronger for the next and the next.  And our characters get more and more refined, preparing us for the goal, which is heaven.  In the Bible, Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh.  And I love God’s response to him; it is a promise for us to claim.  “And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee:  for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’  Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.  We have the promises that even in our weakness, we can be strong because of Christ.  He is our strength.

Dear Father,

I am so grateful for the strength. You provide.  It is hard many times because we can’t feel it.  At times You feel so far away from us when we are struggling.  Thank You for the promises You give us.  Help us share all our wants, joys, sorrows, cares, and fears with You.  Thank You that we cannot burden or weary You.  I am so grateful that you are not indifferent to our wants.  Your heart of love is touched by our sorrows and our willingness to share them with You.  I am so grateful that we can bring anything that perplexes us and that there is nothing too great or too small for You to bear.  You rule the affairs of this universe, holding the world in Your hands.  I am grateful that anything affecting our peace, You take notice.  There is nothing too dark for You to read or too complex to untangle.  You observe and care about every aspect of our lives; what love.  I am grateful for Your all-consuming love and for always being there for us!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
What are you struggling with today?  Make a commitment to keep your eyes on the One that can bring you through.
Love you all!
What struggle have you gone through where you have seen the hand of God beside you and maybe even carrying you?  I would love to hear your story.  Comment below.
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The Most Amazing Thanksgiving Ever!

Thankful!

I think we all have a lot to be thankful for if we are willing to look. Often we can get so caught up in the struggles of life that we can’t see beyond our negative or discouraging thoughts. But Thanksgiving is a day that can help us to reflect.

Think back for a moment to what the Pilgrims had been through before their first Thanksgiving. They had escaped persecution to come to a country where they lost so many of their loved ones. They were struggling just to survive. Yet God was with them through all the trials and struggles by providing help when they needed it most.

We can often not see the help that is provided through the tough times but if we are willing to look back or even pay attention amid the trials we can see it. But too often we want to hang on to the negative instead of finding the positive. We complain about the trials and hardships and take for granted all the good that comes our way like we deserve it or it is owed to us.

Tradition

Thanksgiving seems to have become more of a tradition. And to be honest it has kind of gotten lost in Christmas. Christmas has become the moneymaker of the century so Thanksgiving, well it is just a day.  It is a day of gluttony and maybe family togetherness. But it is a day we should choose to be thankful.

For me, I have often dreaded it because there is so much work involved. But over the years I have realized less time and effort put into preparing is okay. It is really about being together with friends and family and reflecting on what we are grateful for.

Grateful

What am I the most grateful for this year? I am most grateful for the love and mercy of God. Where would we be without it? I see myself often taking His love and care for granted. And when something doesn’t go the way I want it, I question His ways.

The longer I live I realize if I would just stop and reflect I can see His hand in all of it. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Yet He loves us so much, despite our sin, that He keeps coming and wooing us to Himself. He never gives up.

When I am feeling down, discouraged, and realizing I blew it again, I am still His daughter. He is right there beside me, guiding, comforting, prompting, and loving me. Who in this life even does that? Parents are the closest thing to possibly being like God to their children. But as parents, we fail in so many ways. But God’s love never fails.

Hard to Fathom

God’s love is so hard to even fathom. Because no matter what we do He still loves us. We may crucify Him afresh every day but He is still there reaching out His love to us. He wants so bad to have a relationship with us.

Jesus gave up the majesty of Heaven to come down to a place like this. He was born in a stable with beasts of the field. He was ridiculed, bullied, tempted, and was killed but yet He never stopped loving each person. How can we even begin to thank a God with such a magnitude of love?

What God wants is our hearts. He wants to have a connection with us. A connection that is so strong that we will no longer want to do anything that will hurt Him. This is a love that only He can give to us. He provides us with the love to love Him. It is hard for my mind to even wrap around that kind of love. He will do the work in us if we allow Him in. Now that is something to be grateful for!!

Resolution

How many of us make a New Years’ resolution? Probably a lot of us have or still do. Well, this year I am making my resolution on Thanksgiving. My daughter has wanted to have a thankful jar. As we think of things to be thankful for, throughout the year, we write them on a piece of paper and put them in the jar. We did it a little one year but I want to make it more of a habit. So when we come together again next Thanksgiving we can look back over our year and reflect on what we have been grateful for. And we will see how God loves, cares, and provides for our every need.  It isn’t always easy but I am committing to start now.

Dear Father,

Forgive us for not being as thankful as we should be. Prompt our hearts each day, showing us You and what You are doing in our lives. We can be so blind and we need Your help. Thank You for being there for us every step of the way.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

I encourage you to start a thankful tradition.

May you have the most amazing Thanksgiving ever!

Love you all.

Do you have a thankful tradition? If so I would love to hear about it.

 

 

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Nature and Faith

Nature!

I love to spend time in nature.  It seems like there is an endless amount of lessons that can be seen through the observation of nature.  What is my favorite part of nature? It is hard for me to choose just one thing.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the colors in nature.  What would it have been like if God would have made the colors different than they are right now?   For example, what if the sky was red, the grass and trees were blue, and the branches and tree trunks were green.  Now, you may be thinking that’s crazy.  But the reality is that if God would have created it that way we would not have known any better.

I can’t imagine the sky red.  Just to think about it makes me feel totally on fire.  I mean red is not a relaxing color by any means and it just makes me feel anxious.  It seems that God has made the colors to reflect what He is and how He wants us to be.

Colors

Blue is a representation of the law of God.  And I love that our sky is blue because it makes me feel God’s protection.  We often think of the law as something bad.  I have to do this or that or I can’t do this or that.  But how do you want to be treated in life?  Do you want to have others steal from you or kill you?  To me, the law is a law of protection.  God loves us so much He wants to protect us from all the bad and evil.

I am grateful for God’s law of love.  He wants to have fellowship with us.  And not only does He want to have fellowship with us He also wants us to have fellowship with each other.

The law of God is all about love, love to Him, and love for those around us.  So when I look at the blue sky, it reminds me of love and God’s protective power.  And then there is the beautiful red that streaks the sky at sunset or sunrise.  It reminds me of the blood that Jesus shed, which brings me back to the love that, leads to wanting to obey His law.

Green is another lovely color that God has given us.  And as many know green is one of the most relaxing colors.  A lot of us know what it is like to go out in nature and sit amongst the green trees on the green grass.  The feeling I get when I do this is so relaxing.  The cares of the world seem to melt away.

Green

I think of green as a very significant color that God has given all around us.  He has made it one of the most prevalent colors around us, at least most of us.  I don’t think it is just because it is a relaxing color, although it plays a crucial role.  I think it is because green represents faith.  He is reminding us all around to have faith in Him.

What is the most relaxing thing that you can think of in this world today?  Well, for me, I think it is faith.  And without faith, it is impossible to please God (See Hebrews 11:6).  If we have total faith in God and His plan for our lives we can be the most relaxed people in this world, no matter what chaos is happening.  It sends chills up and down my spine when I think about it.  But I struggle to have this kind of faith.  Yet, God has given us so much to remind us what He wants for our lives, a life of rest and peace.

What is faith?

If without faith it is impossible to please God then we better know all about it right?  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1.  Here is how the Revised Standard Version states this verse, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

I looked up some things on faith and what it means and here is a summary of what I found.  Faith is an assurance or belief in something, and also a conviction of whatever truth we believe in.  I can have faith that when I sit down in a chair it is going to hold me up.  Most of us never even think about it or fear before we sit down, we just sit down.  Because our belief is so strong in the creator of that chair, the fact is, we don’t even think about it.  And believe it or not, we don’t even know the creator of that chair.

What makes us believe a chair is going to hold us up?  Maybe we trust the place we bought it from, the reputation a company has, other people reviews of the product, etc.  I don’t even know if I have given it much thought of why I have faith in a chair to hold me up.  And there are many more things we have faith in every day, our cars, that our house will stay standing, or the building we work at has been built to continuing standing, that most people are competent drivers so that we don’t shake in our boots every time we go out on the road, how about an airplane, etc.  I could go on and on.

So how does this play into our faith in God?  It is kind of silly when you think about it.  Why would we trust a chair, car, or airplane manufacturer that we don’t know or even investigated but we won’t trust a God who loves us?  He has given all this green around us to say, “Trust Me!  Have faith in the plan that I have for your life, even though you don’t understand or know why just trust me.”  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding” Proverbs 3:5.

It is so…

Why is it so hard to have faith in a God who loves us with an everlasting love and yet we have faith in a chair, car, airplane, etc?  I think that this is a question that we need to chew on.  I know I do!  Believe me, as I write these things I am talking to myself.  When we go to buy a chair or even food for that matter, do we question whether it is safe?  Do we investigate the company to see if we can have faith that what I am buying is safe?  I can say for the most part I don’t.

How many of you order online?  When I order online I will often look at reviews.  But even those are not always helpful.  As a matter of fact, reviews can be downright discouraging.  And why is that?  Because you get these people that say how wonderful the product is and then there can be a small percentage that just is downright cruel about the product.  We have all see them.

The same can be true with Christians.  If we were to look at people’s reviews on Christianity we would get the same thing.  Some have had a great experience and some have not.  So how do we know?  When it comes to buying something the best way to know is to experience it yourself.  Even with reviews, you need to read between the lines.  Why don’t they like it?  Is it because it is not what they were expecting or wanted or was it because something was wrong with it?  Some would say that if the majority thinks it is good then it probably is safe to buy it.

Majority

When it comes to our choices with God should we seek the majority reviews about God?  Is there safety in the opinions of the majority?  Or is it safe to make our decisions based on what we see in other “Christian’s ” lives?  I would say not.  Just because a person claims to be Christian does not mean that they are truly like Christ.  True love gives everyone the freedom to choose whether they want God in their lives or not and whether they want to obey His laws.

Even though nature is marred by sin, it obeys God’s laws.  We are marred with sin as well but we can choose to obey God’s laws.  We can choose to have faith in His Word and the promises that He has given us.  He has given us so much evidence that He loves us.  Why is it so hard for us?  I can speak for myself, I am so much happier in my life when I have faith to lay my life in His hands. Trying to do everything on our own is such a miserable life, why do we choose it?

Look to Jesus

Why shouldn’t we look to people for our guide?  We are all sinners and make mistakes in our judgment, so there is no safety there.  The example that God gave us in Jesus Christ is the only perfect example for us to follow.  So the safest place for us to keep our eyes is on Jesus.  Read about His life, study His life, and then allow Him to emulate His life in you.

Every day as you see the green of the grass and trees bring to mind the faith that you can have in the One that is the most trustworthy.  God has put so much green around us to help us remember.  But often we pass by it all and don’t even see what He has to offer us.  God has put nature around us to remind us of Him and His power to save us to the uttermost if we come unto Him by Jesus, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us (See Hebrews 7:25).

What is our part?  Our part is to choose Him.  When we are studying His Word and we learn His ways we choose His ways but He does the work to change our lives.  Nature obeys God but it is God’s power that makes nature grow, makes the rain to fall, or the sun to rise, etc. (See Ps. 147:8, 16-19, Matt. 5:45).  And as we choose Him and His ways God will make the seed of truth to grow in our hearts and He will make us more like Him.  He will change our hearts.

Dear Father,

Thank You for giving us the beautiful things of nature to remind us of Your power and love for us.  Help us to see that full faith in You and the plans You have for our lives is the safest and happiest place that we can be.  You are the One that can help us choose You and make us like You.  Help us in the choosing process today.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Have faith and trust in God today!  You won’t regret it!

Have you had faith in God through a tough situation and God came through for you amazingly?  I would love to hear your story.  Share below in the comments.

 

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“How Are You?”

Questions

We get asked many questions every day and the question is how honest are we?  How many times a day do you get asked, “How are you?”  I believe we all get asked that question multiple times a day, especially if you’re working outside the home, going to church, school or shopping.  And what would your answer be?  I usually say, “I’m doing good.”  Is that always true? No!  Who wants to tell everyone how their day is really going?

Pain

There is so much pain today. It is masked by smiles, joking, laughter, etc.  Also, it may even be masked by other things like anger, unkindness, judging, gossiping, etc.  It is easy to point our fingers at others either in a way to make us feel better about our problems or to make us feel sorrier for ourselves.

The reality is that no one is exempt from a day, week, month, or even year of disaster.  It seems that things around us are getting worse and worse.  Almost every day I hear someone say at work, “Did you hear…?”  This world is falling apart as we speak.  Things are getting more and more evil.  Satan is working his hardest to destroy.  And there are many, many, many people struggling and suffering.  Some are obvious and others are hiding behind a mask.  And even with the ones that seem obvious they are behind a mask more than you may think. People are hurting.

Church

As Christians, you would think the church would be a safe zone.  A place where you would feel loved and accepted even when it may seem obvious that you’re struggling.  But, sadly, most of the time this is not true.  In a so-called Christian environment, there seems to be more judging than any other place.  This is not the way God intended for our Christian community to be.

How did Jesus say that others would know that we are His disciples?  “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also loved one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” John 13:34, 35.  And how has Jesus shown His love to us?  He laid down His life for us.  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13.  If nothing can separate us from the love of God as stated in Romans 8:38, 39, then there should be nothing that separates us from the love of our Christian brothers and sisters or in loving our Christian brothers and sisters.

Fear

There is a fear that comes to all of us.  We come to church trying to fit in and always look as if we have it all together.  And we smile and look cheerful while our hearts are hurting.  We are falling apart inside but fear to let anyone know.   Our thoughts are that we have to be always strong because we are Christians and we should always have things all together.  But inside we may be miserable.

There are some that are doing all the “right things” for fear that they won’t be loved or even liked unless they do.  They are concerned about what other people are going to think about every decision they make.  So they try to make all the “right” decisions at least at church.  Then they end up looking “good” but being one thing at church and another thing outside of the church.

And then there is another group, which a lot of time is where some young people fall.  A lot of times they get to the point that they don’t care anymore what people think.  The reality is they do care but they are trying to quit caring because they are tired of living a life to please others.  They quit coming to church because to be themselves they can feel the cold shoulder, they can feel the non-acceptance.

The reality is they should want to please God more than to please people.  But in their struggle, they have no one to turn to because the Christian community seems to shun and not love those that are struggling.  The love of Christ is gone and a Pharisaical attitude has taken its place.

Sinners

I can guarantee that all of those that tend to point fingers or make others feel unaccepted are not perfect.  It is easy to point the finger.  But the reality is that we are all sinners.  We all struggle each day with temptation and we fail at times.  Those that seem “rebellious” are hurting inside and God so much wants to reach their heart.  But oftentimes Christians are a stumbling block to those that are struggling.

Unfortunately, as humans we tend to look at other humans and care what they think or how they treat us.   And then we interpret what they say and do with God.  Thus we suddenly have no desire for Christianity.  And then “Christians” wonder why.

We are all sinners and we all struggle each day.  In God’s eyes sin is the same no matter how “little” we may think it is.  “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” James 2:8-13.

As Christians

Christ’s method alone will bring those around us to a saving relationship with Jesus.  What is His method?  Study His life.  As Christians, we should be the most loving people.  We are going to be known for our love.  Do those around us feel so safe that they can come to us if they are struggling with anger, depression, discouragement, etc.?  Or are we so “perfect” that we expect others to be the same?  I have seen what damage those who look at others and see them as not “perfect” enough to be in their group cause.  Is that really how Jesus looks at us?  Thanks be to God that it is not.  If God looked at us the way we deserve to be looked at we would be in big trouble.  But thankfully He looks at our potential rather than our failings.

Dear Father,

We need Your love not only for ourselves but we need Your love to change our hearts.  Forgive us for not allowing the love that You give us to shine through to others.  Help us as we look at those around us, to see Your Son hanging on the cross for them.  I know that I need Your forgiveness.  Cleanse us all and give us Your heart of love.  Thank You for Your love and mercy toward each of us and help us to show the same to others.

In Jesus,

Amen

I challenge you to see others through the eyes of Christ and love them as He loves them.  If you are hurting and feeling alone and unaccepted I challenge you to reach out.  There are those that do love you.

Love you all!

Do you have a story where you loving someone “unlovable” and how it changed their life? Or maybe you are someone who had someone love you unconditionally, how did it change your life?  I would love to hear your story! Please share it below.

 

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“Really? What Does It Mean?”

Really?

These days you hear all kinds of words flying around, words of truth, gossip, lies (which are really the same as gossip), etc.  In a world where we could be more intelligent than ever, there is so much ignorance.  In an age where everyone wants to be accepting of everything, they are really accepting of nothing.  They want everyone to be tolerant but they are not tolerant themselves.  Accept me for who I am but do not expect me to accept that you don’t agree with me.

We live in a world where love is so misunderstood.  People don’t feel loved unless you agree with everything that they think is good and right.  They don’t feel loved by you if you have your own beliefs or standards of living that may be different than their own.  Unconditional love is unknown in this society.  The “love” of today is a selfish “love” it is not true love.

I remember when I was a kid my mom had a best friend.  Their lifestyles were totally different.  Each one was making different choices in life but they were still best friends and loved each other.  But today it is way different.  It is hard for me to even use the word love when speaking of our society.  There is this mentality, “Take care of me, accept my ways because they are right”, “love” me but I will only “love” you if you agree with me.  The fact is that you cannot really be a true Christian and not treat people with the true love of God.  But what does true Christ-like love look like?

Christ-like love

There are so many concepts out there as far as what Christ-like love looks like.  I think our human nature tends to take over and starts’ defining what we think Christ-likeness is.   But for the most part, it does not come even close to what Christ-likeness is all about.  So where do we even start?

What is unconditional love?  Is it a love that has no law or boundaries?  There is definitely a class of people that have that belief.  Is it a love that fences you in so tightly that you feel controlled?  And there is a class of people that also believe in this way as well.  And there are probably many other options out there.  But I believe Christ-like love is very difficult for us to comprehend.  It is beyond our scope of imagination.  But I believe the Bible gives us a perfect example that we can follow in the life of Jesus.  It is with His love and methods alone that we can win the hearts of men to true love.

You don’t have to agree with someone in their beliefs or ideas to love them.  True love is beyond self.  Self teaches, “You don’t love me unless you agree with all my ideas and beliefs.  Therefore I won’t love you and I will do what I can to destroy you.”  It is true that not everyone goes as far as to destroy someone’s reputation, business, family, etc.  We live in a society that makes us feel “poor me” if someone doesn’t agree with me.  But in reality, none of this is true love it is selfish love and is definitely not Christ-like love.

True Love

True love sighs and cries for the evils of this world, looks passed what things appear to be and sees the potential in each individual.  The only way that we can have this kind of love is to be filled with the love of God.  We are not capable of having this love with our own strength.  When we look at each individual we need to see Christ hanging on the Cross for them.  Christ died for every individual.

As Paul says in Romans 8:38, 39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  If nothing can separate a person from God’s love then why do we try to separate people from our love?  We may be the only “Jesus” they ever meet.  We should be so reflecting Christ that when people have been with us they should be able to say, “I felt like I have been with Jesus.”  And this is nothing of ourselves.  It is Jesus living in us and reflecting through us as we surrender all to Him.

True love does not condone sin and the standards of Christ.  But God gives everyone freedom of choice to choose and we should do the same.  One of my favorite stories is found in John 8:1-11.  This is a story worth reading and I would encourage you to do so.  Here is a couple of verses.  “When Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, ‘Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?’  She said, ’No man, Lord.’  And Jesus said unto her, ’Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.’”  She had sinned but Jesus did not condemn her, He loved her.  But He did give her admonition to go and sin no more.

Forgiveness

Although all have to go to God for the forgiveness of their sins we do have a part to play in forgiving.  We can’t forgive someone’s sins for them but we can forgive them for the wrong that they have done to us.  And we can love them through the process.

How could Jesus endure the shame and suffering that He endured here on earth without the love of God?  And the amazing part is that He still showed love and pity to all those that were treating Him with disdain and cruelty.  The love of God is so deep and unexplainable but we can have that same love if we allow Christ to dwell within our hearts.

God loves us so much He has given us the freedom of choice.  We can accept Him and allow Him to change our lives into a character that is fit to live with Him.  Or we can choose our own desires and ways.  He still loves us although He does not accept sin.  His ways and law never change because His law is the essence of His character; it is a part of Himself.

“Tolerance”

Satan’s ways and those who follow his ways do not give every person freedom of choice. The devil only gives “freedom” of choice to those who follow his ways and that is not a true freedom of choice.  He wants to convince all that God is not giving you freedom.

Satan convinced Eve in the Garden of Eden that God was trying to keep something good from her.  But if she ate the fruit she could “know” everything, she could know good and evil.  Knowing evil was not a good thing and led this world into sin.  God never intended for us to know evil.  And what misery it has brought to us all.  But the devil wants to convince you differently.  Thus he brings contention and arguing to our world.  He brings “tolerance” into the equation but tolerance on his terms, which is not tolerance at all.  He is only tolerant of his ways.  When it comes to God’s ways he is not tolerant.  Thus you see the chaos in this world today.

God’s way

There are only two powers in this world of ours and we get to choose which power we want to follow.  We can choose the power of the evil one that is “tolerant” of all those that choose his ways.  Or we can choose God’s ways.

God’s way is a way of love, a love that came to die for you and for me so that we could live with Him forever.  He loves the sinner so much that He doesn’t want to leave them in a state of sin.  But while we were yet sinners He died for us (Romans 5:8).  He does not condone sin but He loves in spite of the sin.  He lovingly draws the heart of the sinner to repentance.  God’s love is so unconditional that He never gives up on you and me.  He sees potential in us.  His heart yearns to give us peace and happiness, which comes with repentance and forgiveness.  The freedom is so amazing.

I want to go with God’s way in my life.  Does that mean I am going to be perfect at it? Probably not, but I am going to strive to look at others as Jesus looks at them.  I want to see Christ dying on the cross for them and love them with Christ-like love.  A love that does not condemn.  I want to have a love that shows in my face when others are not tolerant of my choice to follow Christ’s ways.

As Christ was beaten, spat upon, and condemned to death He still showed love and pity for those around Him.  That is a love that is hard for our minds to comprehend but it is the love that we must have to be a follower of Christ.  And with the love of Christ that flows through us plant seeds that can bring change to the lives of many.  We can only do this as we allow the Lord to dwell in our hearts.  Judgment will come to those that want “tolerance” for themselves with no consideration for others.  My heart longs to plant as many seeds as possible so that each of those individuals will surrender their lives to Christ so that in the judgment they will have been forgiven with the blood of Christ and be saved.  What a glorious day that will be.

Dear Father,

We live in a sin-sick world that must grieve Your heart beyond words.  But You have an amazing love for all.  I pray for that love to flow through me so that others may see Your love.  You are waiting with open arms to save all who come to You surrendering to Your ways.  I want to praise You for Your ways of forgiveness, peace, and life.  The joy that comes to life with full surrender to You is so amazing.  Thank You for loving us with such amazing love.  Today I want to surrender my life to You again.  Prompt my heart to be more like You in showing your love to those around me.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Surrender your life to Jesus today.  Love all those around you with the true love of God, not with condoning sin or joining in with sin, but with a love that makes people know that they can come to Christ.  You may be the only “Jesus” they meet.  How are you representing Him?

Love you all!

Do you have a testimony of how the love of God has changed your life?  I would love to hear your story.  Share below.

 

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“Do You Know What I Just Heard?”

What?

“The President just said this…”. “Did you hear what Senator _______did?”  Oh yeah, and we can’t forget about the shooting in Texas, the Pastor that said this, the church that has split over that, or the Congresswoman who said…. I could go on and on and on.  I think you all know what I am talking about.  All the things that are happening every day worldwide are astounding and I hardly hear anything because I do not listen to the news or commentaries that talk about the news.

But you may be saying, “You need to keep up with what is happening because we need to be prepared for the crisis that is coming.”  Am I going to be prepared for the crisis if I am focusing on them?  How do I prepare for the crisis ahead?  What does it look like?  And does it matter if I know?

Truth

To me, the only way that we are going to be ready for any crisis is to be focused on the important things.  “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.  To me, this verse says it all and should be our criteria for everything that we listen to, watch, read, or think about.  I want to break it down a little and talk about each phrase in the verse.  I am not perfect at accomplishing this verse in my own life but I am striving for it.

“…Whatsoever things are true…”

So where do you get your information is it the news, a talk show guy, a friend, church leader, etc?  How do you know what you’re hearing is true?  I mean let’s face it; everything that probably comes to you has come through multiple people before it ever gets to you.  So how true is it when it does get to you?  And then there is the agenda that the person talking is trying to push so they are coming from their agenda’s perspective.

If you want to believe that there is no agenda and things passed down get accurately repeated then even if it is true does that mean we should be dwelling upon it?  Is dwelling upon these things going to get us prepared for heaven?  But what about…

“…Whatsoever things are honest…”

It seems that true and honest are the same thing.  There are similarities but there is also a difference.  This is where the agenda really falls into play.  Details are presented in such a way to deceive the people into believing that what is said is the truth.  You might call that propaganda.  You know if you tell a lie big enough and long enough eventually people believe it.  And as people believe it someone or something control them more.  And is what they are allowing to control them bringing them love, joy, peace, etc.

“…Whatsoever things are just…”

Is what we are filling our minds with upright (just)?  Is it approved and acceptable to God?  Do we have to dwell upon those things that are not just and right in order to know what is just and righteous?  We should be filling our minds with things that are innocent and holy. We should be doing those things that are innocent and holy.

Instead of focusing on the bad things that are happening in the world and within the Christian community and complaining about it, do Christ method.  It is His method alone that is going to win the hearts of the people.  And what is His method?  Keep reading.

“…Whatsoever things are pure…”

What does it even mean to be pure in our society today?  Everywhere you look purity has been thrown out the door.  I had someone say to me one day, and I don’t even know if he is a Christian, “Most of the TV programs and movies today are pornographic. I won’t even watch them.”

The fact is if what is on media today would have been shown in the ‘40s society would have put their foot down.  But it has come so gradually that people don’t even think about it.  I don’t really know what is on today but you don’t have to watch it to see advertisements plastered everywhere.  And to me, if we are watching those things we are condoning them.  We are in the getaway car so to speak.  If we were in the getaway car at a robbery we would be held just as guilty as the person robbing the bank.

We can choose to be pure in what we allow into our minds.  The temptation is not a sin.  So when we see something that could be sinful it is not a sin unless we continue to look or dwell upon what we have seen.  I wish I could get young people today to understand this concept.  I seen something totally by accident when I was probably 10 and I still have that in my memory.  It comes in a lot quicker than it leaves.  It can be like a virus that destroys your life.  Guard yourselves as much as it is possible to do.  Dwell upon the things that are pure.

“…Whatsoever things are lovely…”

Oh, how pleasant it is to dwell upon the lovely things.  When I think about lovely it makes me think of nature, the birds, deer, trees, flowers, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, etc.  Also, the truths of God’s Word are lovely.  There are so many things within this world that are not lovely.

If every time you went to listen or watch something and you thought about whether it was lovely it would change the trend of what you do.  And I am not talking just about worldly things, like movies, news, and gossip, etc. I am also talking about religious things.  What are the Christians dwelling upon in their sermons, songs, gossip (yes, I mean gossip and it can be more poisonous than worldly gossip), etc.?  Is it lovely?  There may be things that happen in this world whether in the Christian community or the worldly community that is not worth dwelling upon or preaching about.  How do we deal with the crisis we are in today?  Christ method alone will reach the hearts of the people whether they are Christians or the ungodly.  And what is Christ’s method?  Keep reading.

“…Whatsoever things are of good report…”

Good report, something that is well-spoken and reputable, and something that is well thought of, highly regarded, well respected, respectable, and of good repute.

I like what it says in Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  Words usually start with our thoughts.  If our thoughts are going in a line that is unacceptable it will eventually come out via our words.

We think with horror of the cannibal who feasts on the still warm and trembling flesh of his victim.  But here is the question.  Is the ruin caused by misrepresenting motive, blackening reputation, dissecting character any better?  In God’s eyes, I would think not.  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” Proverbs 18:21.  Those whom God accounts worthy to be citizens with Him is he that “walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour” Psalms 15:2, 3.

We need to close our ears to things that are not of good report and also do not speak those things that are not of good report.  Christ method alone will reach the people of this world whether in or out of the church.

“…If there be any virtue…”

We need to have a virtuous course of thought, feeling, and action.  And we need to be full of moral excellence, as modesty, and purity.  We cannot be virtuous in our thoughts, feelings, and actions if we are filling our minds with things that are not virtuous.  We need to guard our ears and our eyes.  What we listen to or see with our eyes affects whether or not our thoughts, feelings, or actions are morally excellent.  This is not easy to do in our society today.  We may be made fun of because we won’t take part in certain things.

I remember being told, as people laughed, “You were born under a rock.”  And this was as an adult.  I then became more “worldly-wise” and believe me it did not help me in my spiritual growth.  Of course, I am still not as “worldly-wise” as a lot of people but way more than I wish.  I was way better off in my innocence.  If I could say anything to young people it would be, “It is really okay not to fit in.”  Once you have made unwise choices life will never be the same.  And remember what did it get our first parents, Adam and Eve, to be more worldly-wise, knowing good and evil?  It got us where we are today and it is not pleasant!

“…And if there be any praise…”

Are the things that we are allowing into our lives praiseworthy?  If we keep our minds and hearts stayed on Jesus it doesn’t mean there will not be bad things that come or happen in our lives or in the lives of those we love.  But through all these things we can still praise His name because “…We know that all things work together for good to them that one God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” Romans 8:28.  God has chosen all of us but not all of us choose Him.

The bottom line is we can’t control everything that comes into our lives but we should control those things that we can control.  We need to make sure the things we can control are praiseworthy.  If they are not praised worthy we should eliminate them.

“…Think on these things…”

If we are thinking about “…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, our lives will be reflecting Christ.

I believe as we choose to only allow these things into our thoughts and hearts we will have a joy that will reflect out to others.  We will have a joy that is overflowing with the love of Christ in our hearts.  There are so many things that the devil wants to use to distract us.  But if we stay focused on the genuine, Jesus Christ, He will be able to mold us into His image.  And we will be able to reach those around us with Christ method.

What is Christ method?

If they are hungry we should feed them, thirsty give them a drink, be kind to strangers, clothe those that are naked.  When there are those who are sick we should visit them, we should be reaching out to those that are in prison.  When we do for those that are in need we are doing for Christ.  This is what will draw people to Christ.

When He went through a town those that were sick were healed, whether they were emotionally or physically sick.  Now we can’t heal like Jesus did but we can help encourage and direct them to things that can bring healing to the body, mind, and soul.  This is my passion!  I want to teach people natural ways to live healthier despite disease, live emotionally vibrant and spiritually uplifted in the midst of depressing circumstances.

Christ method was to teach in such a way as to not condemn but to uplift those that needed Him.  They felt His love and compassion for them.  Sometimes the emotional or spiritual healing is needed more than the actual physical issues people may be dealing with.  And God can show us what is most important in reaching each person as we stay in connection with Him.

Dear Father,

We live in a time where we are bombarded with so many distractions.  Draw close to us and prompt us to stay focused on what You would have us stay focused on so that we can live a happier more productive life for others.  And as we do this it will bring more satisfaction into our own lives as well be more pleasing in Your sight.  Help us not to look at negative things or be condemning but to focus on what You have told us should be our focus so that we can bring joy and happiness not only to ourselves but to others.

Thank You for Your Word that brings hope and courage.  Help us and guide us as we read and study Your Word.  As we continue to study help us to grow in grace and truth.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

As you reach out to others keep in mind Christ method.  Read the Gospels to discover more about how He taught.  Make sure to examine your life and take those things from your life that does not fulfill those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report; and fill your mind with those things that are virtuous, and praiseworthy.

Love you all!

What has been your experience when you stay your mind on what God has in mind for us?  Share your experience below in the comments.  I would love to hear it.

 

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“Is She Going to Make It?”

Anxious!

Have you ever had something occur in your life and you get really anxious over it?  I am sure you have.  We all have events that take place that gets us anxious.  There are things that take place where we need some answers but we don’t know what the answer is and we aren’t sure where to get it.

I recall an event in my life that led me to this anxious feeling.  As far as how old I was I am not really sure but I think I was around 14 or 15.  At that time my dad was traveling on the road for his work.  So he would leave on Monday and then arrive back home on Friday.  We lived in an old farmhouse that was built back in the 1800s.  I loved that house.  We had two little ponds with several apple trees around them.  When we moved into the place we acquired a male and female goose and also one male duck and two female ducks.  They were lots of fun, most of the time.

Devastated!

One morning when my dad was out of town, I went out to feed the animals.  One of the ducks never arrived for the feeding time.  I grew concerned and went looking for her.  I found her in the second pond.  She was out in the middle, soaking wet.  As you know when you see a duck, soaking wet you know that there is a problem.  I don’t rightly remember how I even was able to get her but I finally got her.

As I picked her up I saw that she had a big hole in the back of her neck.  It was around the size of a silver dollar.  I could see the tubes that run through the throat.  She also had received damage to her body and her oil glans.  Things did not look good for her.

Let her go.

My mom was trying to figure out how we could put her to sleep.  I was not in favor of having her put to sleep.  I am an animal lover and I will do whatever it takes to save an animal if I possibly can.  So I said to my mom that I wanted to talk to dad.

For those of you that are younger it is hard for you to believe but cellphones were not a thing then.  And because my dad was on the road we could not readily get a hold of him.  He called us each day, morning and evening.  I can’t remember for sure but it seems the time to talk to him had passed.

I can’t readily remember how we got a hold of him.  But it seems that we had to call the main office.  He called into the office more than once a day at times and then, of course, when he got the message he would have to use a payphone.  He finally called us and I was so grateful.  When it came to animals my dad has the same heart I do.  And the reality is that God has the same concern for His creatures.  He sees when the Sparrow falls!  He loves the creatures that He has created.  My dad told me to call a vet and see what they suggested.

What?

Remember no Internet.  I had to grab a phone book and start looking in the yellow pages.  When I dialed the first vet I was shocked at the response from the receptionist.  She started laughing.  There was no sympathy or concern.  She let me know that they didn’t treat ducks.  I got the same response from one or two more vets.  At that point, I felt discouraged but unwilling to give up.

I finally got a sympathetic receptionist and doctor.  They let me know what cream I could get to put around the edges of the hole as well as her body.  It would take some work putting it on, keeping her warm, and getting her dry.  I did have concerns about her oil glans but the vet assured me that he felt they should heal without a problem if I just followed the directions.  There was still a little question but it was so worth trying.

Preparing

Some of the memories have gone from me, but my mom must have taken me in somewhere so we could get what we needed and get started with the treatment.  We also were able to find a large box to put in the house to place her in.  Somehow we put some heat in the box to help get her warm and try to get her dry.  You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult to get her dry but it was not easy.  It was amazing to be able to learn what those glans do to protect them.  And realizing how the oils coming from the glans keep the water from soaking in and sheds the water was so fascinating.

…Stomach

It did require a strong stomach in order to treat the duck.  I did not really want to do it before or right after eating.  As I recall my mom did not want to do it at all.  We had bought this cream and the vet said to take it and smear it around the opening of the hole.  It amazes me that the hole was not bloody.  So it was not to terribly difficult to smear it on.  I did wear gloves to do it though.

Now when it came to her back and wing area it was bloody.  It wasn’t massive amounts though, thankfully.  I can’t remember for sure but I think I used the same cream on them as well.  If I am remembering correctly it was a process that I did more than once a day.  The poor baby was so scared but seemed to know that I was helping her.  She allowed me to do what I needed to do without any complaint.

Healing

I don’t remember how long it took but her glans started to heal and the oils started to work again.  There was a question as to how long or if the glans would heal.  When we took her out to the pond for a test run I was so grateful that she did not get all soaked again.

It took quite a while for the hole to heal and fill in again.  But it finally did.  It amazes me at the healing power that God has put within our bodies and the bodies of an animal if we give it the right conditions.  God has made everything with amazing wonder.  And as I study more and more about our bodies I am even more amazed.  We definitely did not get here by chance.  All of creation was designed with such amazing intricacy it is impossible to be put together by chance.  We serve such an amazing God.

Thinking…

I started thinking about this experience a few days ago and it made me think of our lives in relation to God.  To most of those around us, we may look like an impossibility.  Our lives are full of holes and so many wounds that they may think for us to be made whole again is out of the question and fully impossible.  How can all those wounds be healed?  How can there be any hope?  I mean they are soaked in sin.  They are bleeding and fearful, which is covered with anger.

They don’t reach out to someone for help because of their fear of rejection.  So you try to find someone that can reach out to them.  Everyone you turn to laughs at you.  “You have got to be kidding me, you really think there is hope for them?  We don’t work on those kinds.”

But then you finally find Someone (the right Vet) that gives you some help in knowing where to turn.  He tells you about this amazing Salve that can help to heal the wounds.  There is no guarantee that the wounds will be healed because there is a factor that can keep those wounds from healing.

Choice…

The most amazing salve that can help heal the wounds of the most wounded soul is God’s Word.  There are a couple of factors that can stop the healing.  First, it has to be applied with prayer.  Because the healing is brought about by the power of the Word as it is applied through the power of the Holy Spirit.  And the second factor is the power of choice.  The person that is wounded has the choice to be helped or not.  Some people reject help.  They are so used to going through life with holes in their heart and with bloody wounds that they feel uncomfortable being out of their “comfort zone”.

They also need to be surrounded by those that are allowing the Word to work in their own lives.  People who have allowed the Word to so pray their lives that they have a warmth that will draw and warm those who are cold.  Assembling ourselves together with others helps to keep all of us warm.  It is like a lump of coal, if you take it out of the fire it will become cold.  Or if you take a cold piece of coal and lay it in a fire it will start to warm and glow like all the others.  Again it is still a choice.  You can’t force someone to join in and be close to those that can warm him or her.  But we can continue to love and to draw them.

Faith

It does require us to have a strong “stomach” (Faith).  Reaching out to people that are wounded requires a faith that will withstand the wounds that may lash out at us.  Wounded people can be full of so much anger that they lash out at those that even love them.  But on the same token we can be so turned off by the way they portray themselves because of their wounds that we may not want to even be around them.

By faith, we need to claim the promises of God and know that the “Salve” (Prayer & the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit) will accomplish the healing.  It may take longer than we think but we need to continue to be consistent.

The healing may take time and may not happen depending on their choice but never give up.  If the duck had fought me and resisted she would have never lived.  The same is true as we work with wounded people.  But we should never give up.  Even if they will not accept anything we can pray for them.

Also, remember as people surround us that there are those that we don’t even realize are wounded.  So we need to be sure that as we interact with those around us that we are much in prayer.  We need to be as Jesus was when He was here on earth.  The method that Christ used on those around Him is how we should treat all around us.  It is His method that will when the heart of each person.  Remember it is not about us and what we think it is about Christ and what He thinks. As you look at people see Christ hanging on the cross for them.  Love them with a Christ-like love that only He can give as we surrender self to Him.

Healing

Healing can take time.  But the most amazing thing is that it will happen and they can be the most amazing people when their wounds are healed.  They become stronger than they have ever been as they cling to the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to wash them clean.

Maybe you who are reading this are the wounded one.  Let people love you.  Read God’s Word and claim the promises that He has for you.  Spend time in prayer pleading for God’s blessing.  Do not let Him go until He has blessed you.  There may be those around you that will hurt you, even those who claim to be Christians.  But don’t get discouraged because no matter what people think God loves you with an everlasting love.

Dear Father,

I ask for Your wisdom, as a Christian.  Help me reflect You to others.  I pray that each of us will see the value to work with others as Christ worked.  Help us to set self aside and only see You.  And allow You to work through our lives.

Lord, I also pray for those who are wounded.  I prayer that You will wrap reaches arms around them and that they will feel those loving arms.  Forgive us if we have wounded a hurting and fragile person.  Keep us focused on You and the love that You would have us spread to these hurting ones.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Remember to draw close to Jesus; He is the healer and reach out to those around you.

Love you all!

Do you have an experience to share about how God has helped in your healing process?  Or maybe it has been a person who has helped you?  Comment below about your experience.

If you are hurting and have no one around you to reach out to, reach out here.

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“Are You Serving?”

Honor!

I want to honor those that have given their lives for this country called America.  There have been many that have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others.  This is the weekend to think of those men and women who have served to protect their loved ones.  This is also a time to remember those people that are left behind.

I think of those who have served and made it back home.  Some have made it back because a comrade gave his life for them.  Many when coming back are treated with disrespect because maybe the war they fought in was considered wrong.  Or maybe they have had to do some unthinkable things to save the life of their comrades.

I think that these men and women deserve something different.  I may not agree with the war but not all people have chosen but were drafted.  And those who have gone in on their own thought they were doing the right thing for their country.  They deserve our honor and our help.  Those who do not honor have never experienced what they have.  We cannot judge someone unless we have walked with him or her and know every circumstance.

What if…

Before I was born my father was drafted for Vietnam.  Fortunately for my dad, he had just received back surgery and was unable to go.  Dad would have received disrespect.  It makes my heart ache to think about it.  He had a cousin that went and was never the same.  And partly because of the treatment that he received when returning.

War is never something we love but we live in a sinful world.  And maybe the wars have not all been what we think they should have been but that doesn’t mean we should not honor those who suffered for it.

The leaders of any country may be making the wrong choices, which bring wars.  And I don’t want to hear all the gossip or conspiracy theories about it.  But I do know that most of our men and women that go and fight are doing it for the right reason.  They believe they are protecting those they love and we should honor them.  I would be honoring my dad right now if he had fought in Vietnam.

When parents fight and have issues who suffer?  It is the children.  They are innocent and they did not choose any of it.  That is exactly how I look at our country.  There are guilty parties.  Do I know who they are?  No, I don’t need to.  I can still honor those who have fought.  God knows the guilty and He is the only one that needs to know.  Jesus showed love and honor to all.  Those He rebuked were the religious leaders who spoke one way and lived another.  But He even loved them.  As Christians, we need to rethink how we treat those who have fought no matter what our political view is.

He gave His life…

I think of Jesus, who came and gave His life so that all can be saved if they so choose.  The same is true of many men and women who have gone in to fight without hesitation.  And their reason is to protect their families from the evil around them.  Jesus came to fight.  He came to fight against sin without hesitation.   So we can be protected and live if we so choose.

You might be thinking that Jesus coming was not a fight.  Yes, it was a different kind of fight.  It was a fight with self.  If He would have done anything for self we would have been lost.  He came to do for others no matter how He was treated to protect His family from the clutches of the enemy, Satan.  He came to lay down His life so that we would have the opportunity to live a life of freedom.  And I am not necessarily talking about physical freedom but spiritual freedom.

There is still a battle raging.  And until Jesus comes in the clouds to take us home there will continue to be a battle raging.  This battle is mostly unseen but we do feel it coming to us through trials.  And the question is how are we going to respond?  I want to respond but continuing to fight the battle with sin with the help of God.  And in the end, we will come off as the victors.  What a day that will be.

Dear Father,

When we look at what is going on around us it seems easy to point fingers and condemn.  Help us to realize that You love all people.  We need Your help in being more honoring to those who have fought for our freedoms.  And honoring You for fighting for us so that we can go home to be with You.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Go out and honor those that have fought for the freedoms of this Country. Quit analyzing and realize these are souls that Christ loves and we should love them with His love.

Love you all!

Many people who have served for our freedoms have come back with mental health issues.  They have suffered much and sometimes they do not have a good support team.  My son has seen the issues of our nation with depression and suicide issues.  Because of this, he is doing something to help.  He wants to raise money to help support a local organization that helps those that suffer from depression or suicide issues.  For more information about how you can help click on this link.

If you have been in the military thank you for your service.  Have the people you know received honor?  What has been your experience in this area?  Share below.

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“40 Years?!!”

Life is short!

When you think about the average of lifespan on this earth it is a very short time.  The older I get the more I realize it.  The average is what?  Around 80 years, give or take a few.  There are so many factors but we know that it is short.  And the bottom line is that it can be even shorter than that.  We never know when we walk out the door in the morning if we are coming home.  So this day could be our last no matter what your age, 18…40…50, you name it.

Accident

It came to my mind more vividly one day as I was driving home from town.  At one of the lights, I was going through, there had been a recent accident.  One car had been really smashed on the driver’s side.  It appeared to me that they were working on cutting him out.  I was driving and wanting to make sure I didn’t cause another accident so I couldn’t take in what might have happened.  It appeared that he was alive and I pray that his injuries and all that were involved will heal quickly.

But it made me think.  All it takes is one accident and your life can be over or changed forever.  And the big question is, am I ready?  My judgment has been decided if I die and have allowed God to keep my heart connected to His.  I know that if I am permanently damaged that God will give me the strength for as I need it.  But if I am not staying closely connected with Him now it will be harder to stay connected through difficult times.  We need to stay focused on Christ and not lose that focus.

Distractions

There can be so many distractions that can keep us from keeping our eyes on our Savior and staying connected with Him.  There are many that I could address here but I am going to tackle one that I believe is a big one.

Taking our eyes off of Jesus and placing it on others distracts us.  It is so easy to get caught up in looking at others and seeing their wrongs.  As we point the finger or just have negative thoughts about their choices it draws our attention away from where it should be.  We are responsible for ourselves and no one else.  Now some may be saying, “We are responsible for others’ salvation.”  There is truth to that but where our focus is, determines whether we can help others.

When we keep our focus our Jesus and allow Him to work in our lives we then, and only then can we properly witness to others.  We need to have a Christ-like love for others and we cannot do that without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  We are the seed planters and the Holy Spirit is the One that makes it grow.  Somehow we think that we have to make it happen.  We plant seeds and love them even if they don’t accept what we have shared with them.  God is working with each person and He is the One that knows the right timing for each individual.  God doesn’t always bring change overnight.  He brings them through step by step.

How much time?

So how much time will it take for someone to see the truths of God’s Word?  I think one thing that we do is we forget what our own journey has been like.  We want to bring people to our level of knowledge and commitment overnight but how long did it take us to get to where we are.  And another thing, we should be realizing that we have a long ways to go and we have not arrived.  The Lord keeps growing us and we will be growing and learning how to walk the walk until He comes.  We need to give others the freedom to grow.

This reminds me of the story of Moses.  How long did it take for Moses to unlearn the ways of Egypt and to have such a walk with God that he would not waver?  God worked with him for 40 years to get him where He could use him to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt.  This shows God’s patience and He knows what is needed in someone’s life to bring change.  God has perfect timing.  He is never late, rarely early but always on time.

We are only the seed planters and the only way those seeds can fall and maybe come to fruition is if we do it in love and let the Lord take it from there. We need to get out of His way and let Him work.   And as He works we continue to love and be there for the person through whatever difficulty, without condemnation.  This is a hard thing to do and it cannot be done in our own strength.

Human Nature

Our human nature tends to want people to be where we are in our spiritual journey and if they are not we tend to want to condemn and be critical.   We need God’s help in this area of our lives.  As we look at people we need to see them through the eyes of Christ, who came and died for them.  We can only do this as we stay connected with God.  This makes me realize how much we need to be in prayer and in the Word each and every day.  And spending time each day reading and/or thinking about the life of Christ, especially those last scenes.  If we can understand what He has done for us we can have more compassion for others.  We also need to reflect on where He has brought us from.  How long did it take for us?  We tend to forget how patient the Lord has been with us.  We need to have that same patience with others.

Dear Father,

Help us as we see others to see You as You hung bleeding on the cross for them.  Give us the ability to be earnest, broken and humbled 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.  We can only help in the saving of others as we stay surrendered to You and as we allow You to work through us so we can reflect You.

Forgive us where we have fallen short in reflecting You and work now in our lives that we can perfectly reflect Your character so that we can go home.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Commit today to not say anything negative about another person.  And commit to continue planting seeds in others lives, loving them, and not shunning them because their choices are not what you think they should be.

Love you all.

What thoughts have gone through your mind when you have seen an accident?  What lessons have you drawn?  Share below.