Get into IT!

Psalm 18:30 "As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord's Word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him."

Thursday greetings,

One of my most-loved and valued possessions is my mom's old Bible.  She truly cherished it, and nearly every page has an underlined passage, which means those words particularly ministered to her.   One time two-year-old Hormone thought he would underline in the book of Ecclesiastes, and I thought my mom would be upset.  On the contrary. Her precious reaction was, "You're never too young to get into the Word!" Amen~

When I look at its worn pages I am reminded of a person whose faith was unwavering even when faced with the unthinkable.  My father left her and us a few days after their 25th wedding anniversary, and a few months later she was diagnosed with the cancer that would eventually take her home to Jesus at 47 years old.  Through all the pain, sorrow, confusion, and questions she held onto the Word for dear life, and I trust she knows  that I learned to do the same because of her.

For example, both my kids will be traveling this week, so I find Psalm 91:11 comforting: "He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

Through it all - the great, the good, the bad, the hard, the unfair - God's Word serves to strengthen our faith and bring peace to our souls.  May we all get into It today!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You for Your mighty Word.  The Bible, when we read It, blesses us, guides us, strengthens us, and builds up our faith to believe You for miracles. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

 

Worth it~

Greetings,

I finally decided that an old, Hunter green armoire that has been sitting in my garage for three years is headed to the Goodwill.  I am not going to go through all the trouble of stripping the paint and refinishing it in a blue/gray patina like I wanted to.  It's just not worth the effort.

"What is worth the effort?" you ask.

Strengthening our FAITH.

Hebrews 11:1 "The fundamental fact of existence is that trust in God, faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see" (Message Version).

Our foundation must be firm or everything will wobble.  And the way we strengthen our faith is through prayer and reading the Bible.

And remember, God's truth in this verse is not that life becomes bearable. Rather, an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom, and goodness of God makes life worth living!  Amen!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We choose faith.  We confidently believe in Your power, wisdom, and goodness AND in Your desire to share it all with us.  Faith helps us when we can't see the answers to prayer, and it sustains our souls as we wait upon You.  By faith we believe  today's prayer has also strengthened our foundation.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

A Love Letter~

Today's DEVO is a love letter from Christ to you straight from the pages of the Holy Bible: Ephesians 3:12-21

Dear Friend, 

Because of Me and the faith you have in Me, you can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.  So please do not lose heart. Instead, fall to your knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. From His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength. I, Christ, will make My home in your heart as you trust in Me. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.  And remember, God, through His mighty power at work within you, is able to accomplish infinitely more than you might ask or think. Glory to God forever, and blessings. Amen!

Love,

Jesus

The Nearer We Are to Daddy...

"I fall asleep in peace the moment I lie down because You alone, O Lord, enable me to live securely" Psalms 4:8.

Greetings in the mighty name of Jesus,

My precious Hershey Pie has been with my husband and me five months now, and we feel blessed!  He's so sweet and smart, and honestly, we could all learn a lot from him.

He has established a night time routine where I'll say, "Hershey, outside." And he will trot once around the entire yard, bark at imaginary monsters, relieve himself in the back corner near the gate where he exchanges pleasantries with the pit bull who lives on the other side of the fence, and then he trots inside.  That's when I say, "Hershey, go to bed!" And he races down the hallway, leaps onto my bed as though he were jumping a hurdle, and settles in right between Jorge's knees.

I suspect he has chosen this special place to rest because the nearer he is to his daddy, the better he sleeps.  Hershey Pie will not move for eight hours after he's lodged himself there, and Jorge, more than happy to accommodate his baby, won't move either.  More than once I have laughed myself to sleep at the site of these two all snuggled up, and I forgive Jorge for all the countless times he has stolen my covers to make sure Hershey Pie is warm.

What is true for my puppy is true for all of us as well: The nearer we are to Daddy, the better we will sleep.

When we draw close through prayer, when we snuggle up in praise, when we cuddle in gratitude, we sleep, and we sleep well because we know that God and God alone enables us to live securely.  He has settled us in hope, and faith rocks us to sleep.

It's a beautiful thing, and here's a shout out to Hershey Pie for providing such a powerful image!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that we can sleep and sleep well when we draw close to You.  You and You alone protect us, provide for us, and bless us with everything we need for this life.  We look forward to enjoying a restful night's sleep because of the hope we have in You.  In Jesus' name, AMEN!

A Little Goes a Long Way~

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and gave an order to the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

We first looked at this verse a couple of days ago.  But there is another great message to think about. 

Verse 26 is Christ’s response to the disciples who were freaking out because a powerful storm came out of nowhere, and the little boat they were in was being swamped by waves.

His priority, nonetheless, was not to give the order to calm the storm; it was to chastise the disciples for having little faith.

I get it.  There are days when I could use more faith.  There are moments when I question whether God has heard me or even cares or not.  Sometimes I wonder if He is as near as He says He is. 

However, and let's really allow our weary souls to absorb this: The disciples’ “little faith” was enough because Jesus got up and gave the order.

Jesus never said, "You of no faith."  Instead, He took the little faith they had and worked with it, people.

Jesus works with us – always.  He may encourage us to strengthen our faith and bolster it up by praying and reading the Bible, but He never ever rejects the faith we do have.  Do not fret or worry that you are somehow missing the mark.

Faith-building point of the day: A little goes a long way with God.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that when we call on Christ He accepts all the faith we can muster and uses it to do mighty things.  Strengthen us and protect us.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Jesus, Give the Order!

Tuesday greetings~

Matthew 8:23-26 “Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then He got up and gave an order to the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

Let's examine a super duper sequence of events:

(1) A storm arises suddenly.

(2) The disciples freak out.

(3) They call on Jesus, Who is nearby and resting in the middle of the chaos.

(4) Jesus gives an order, and Bam! everything is completely calm once again.

My favorite number is four, so let's focus on that one.

Commanding the storm to calm down takes real power and authority, and Jesus has what it takes. This is reassuring to me as I am personally powerless to stop the storms in my life.  I want us all to think about where in our life we would like Jesus to give an order.  Now refer back to the sequence of events. Three comes before number four, so let's call on Jesus, Who is always nearby.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, We call upon You to restore calm in our lives. To bring in peace, joy, and hope, and remove fear, unhappiness, and discouragement. I ask You now to give an order to this stormy area of my life: ______________. Thank You that when You speak, everything and everyone must obey You.  In Christ's name we pray, AMEN~

The Perfect Seed~

Greetings, all you precious saints of the Lord!

Today we continue with our lessons in farming.  The most important thing to remember is that God has given 

each of us the perfect seed; if we plant it in rich earth, it guarantees a bumper crop!  What is this seed?  

Luke 11:8 “The seed is the Word of God.”

God’s Word needs to be planted and take root in our lives because, “There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing us the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us (2 Timothy 3:16-17).”

After reading these two verses I realize that there’s a lot at stake.  I want – make that I need – to make sure that the soil of my heart is receptive to receiving God’s Word because when my faith is optimized, when I have all the truth I need to address the problems in my life, when my hard-headed and prideful ways get in the way of enjoying relationships and God gently nudges me to make things right, when I love the way God wants me to love, and when I am able to serve my family and others, well then, that’s when life is joyful and worth living!

The key is to plant in rich, fertile soil because while God offers the same seed to everyone, where it’s planted is quite another.  This paragraph from yesterday’s DEVO reveals some hindrances to that seed being successfully planted:

Birds eat up the seeds, seeds land in gravel

and don’t grow for a lack of good roots, and

seeds fall on weeds and try to grow but those

weeds strangle them. 

How do we prepare the soil to avoid these pitfalls?  We will continue with our farming series next week, but in the meantime, let’s ask God to begin the process by protecting the seed He has given us from those hungry pesky birds and by gently removing any gravel or weeds that might be growing in our gardens.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, So much gets in the way of Your life-saving, joy-giving Word from taking root and growing into a beautiful crop of blessings.  Help us today to be receptive and ready to all the good You want to do in us and to all the good You want us to do.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

Unbound and Unharmed

Today we pick up where Friday’s DEVO left off.  How do we go from wondering if God can do something to knowing God can do whatever it takes?  How do we stop being fearful and start being confident like those three men who were threatened with being thrown into the furnace unless they worshipped a false god? 

Daniel 3:17 says, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from your hand.”

However, Daniel 3:18 is an even bolder statement: “But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." 

It’s one thing to have faith when you know it’s going to work out the way you want it to.  It’s another thing entirely when you have no guarantees but you believe regardless.

Daniel 3:19-22 “Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.  So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.  The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.”

The furnace was so hot that even the soldiers who threw them in were burned up.  Life is kind of like this sometimes.  We are minding our own business when out of the blue our faith is challenged.  We are so sure of our faith, and sure that we are pleasing God, but we get thrown into the fire anyway.

Nevertheless, to answer the question – how do we become confident in our faith? – we read the next couple of verses 24-25: “Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, Your Majesty.’ He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like the Son of God.’”  

This is such a beautiful and reassuring passage from scripture.  Three were thrown in, but four were walking around.  Jesus was with them, and Jesus is with us.  We can become confident in our faith because no matter where we go, Jesus will go too.  There are no chains He can’t break.  There is no fire that is too hot.  This brings tears to my eyes!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that You are literally always with us.  Thank you for the assurance that even in the midst of trials we walk around unbound and unharmed. Since nothing is holding us back, we raise our hands and praise You! In Your name, AMEN~   

Growing Faith is Better~

Someone once said, “A trembling hand may hold a cup into which Jesus will not refuse to pour out the miracles of heaven, but the trembling hand will spill much of the blessing.”

The father of the little boy Jesus healed still received the greatest blessing of all when he child was healed.  But were there other blessings that were forfeited because of his doubts?

None of us wants to judge this poor dad; it’s hard enough that his child was suffering.  But I think it’s okay to point out that while weak faith is still faith, growing faith is better.  Weak faith takes unsure steps.   The dad approached Jesus with uncertainty, “If you can do anything, do it,” Mark 9:24.

Mature faith, on the other hand is bold.  Daniel chapter three details the story of three, faithful, Jewish men who refused to worship a gold statue made by King Nebuchadnezzar.  When this king found out he was beyond angry.  “Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Nebuchadnezzar said to them, ‘Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? If you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?’ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.’” 

One father feebly stated “If.” These other three confidently proclaimed, “Is able.”  Both of the situations these folks found themselves in were tough and rough. But if and when push comes to shove, I want to be bold, confident, and sure of the God I believe in.  It starts with prayer.

Dear Lord, We have all had times where we feel the heat of life and have felt our faith falter.  Strengthen our faith in You today so we have peace and joy.  We do not want to spill not even one precious blessing.  Help us be confident in You.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~   

Weak Faith is Still Faith~

Mark 9:24 “I believe, help me with my doubts!”

Last Friday we looked at this verse about a dad who desperately wanted Jesus to heal his demon possessed son.  This dad put into words what we have all experienced, and there are four points to consider:

1. No one is a perfect believer with perfect faith.
2. There may come a time when we face a crisis and discover that our faith is not 100%.  This should never make us doubt the fact that we at least have some faith and the faith we do have is real, legitimate, and genuine.
3. Life is a journey of faith. It progresses and gets stronger the further we travel along.  I bet you the desperate father who cried out the words in the verse above had stronger faith after Jesus healed his boy.  Amen!
4. Some biblical scholars have suggested that in the verse above the father asks Christ for a miracle with a 50/50 split of faith and doubt.

All four of these points can be summarized in one life-changing truth: Weak faith is still faith, and Jesus responds to it.

Jesus did not sit there and preach to this suffering dad about his less than stellar belief system in order to increase his faith.  Rather, Christ met him in his suffering, accepted the faith that was offered, accepted the honesty that there was doubt in the mix, and did two amazing things: He helped the man overcome his doubts and answered the prayer anyway.  Win/win!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Sometimes when we are struggling, the last thing we need is someone to tell us that we don’t have enough faith.  That makes things worse and makes us feel as though we will never receive the answer.  Thank You that the only One Who can make that call anyway is Christ, and He always accepts us and our faith, no matter how weak or strong it might be.  Our faith united to Christ through prayer has unlimited possibilities.  May we never give up on You or prayer.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~      

Anything Can Happen~

TGIF greetings ~

A quick overview of the last five DEVOs shows that we need to tame our tongue to receive blessings, the keys to breaking free from any jail we find ourselves in is prayer, God is always nearby listening for us, He has plans to give us peace and hope, and we can make an exchange whereby God takes our sorrows and gives us joy.

And the one unifying element for these DEVOs and all the rest ever written is that we need faith.  Faith that with God everything is possible, faith that prayer is powerful, faith that God answers prayer, faith that God’s plan for our life is good, and faith that God gladly accepts our junk and sends blessings in return.

Faith faith faith…

What are we to do when we are lacking in faith?  Maybe we feel as though all the amazing things are like that carrot on the fishing rod that is dangled just out of reach for that poor harnessed donkey who walks and walks and walks and pulls that cart trying to reach that carrot, but it’s no use.

The answer is found in Mark 9:21-24.  A father comes up to Jesus because his boy has been tormented by a demon since the boy was little.  He says to Jesus, “If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”  I love Jesus’ response, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”

The father then replied with what is, at least for me, an accurate 100% on point description of where I am at some days in my faith walk.  “No sooner were the words [There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen] out of His mouth than the father cried, ‘Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!’”

Other versions of the Bible say:

“I believe my Lord; help the lack of my faith.”

"I do believe: strengthen my weak faith."

"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

How is it possible to believe and not believe, how can we have faith and a lack of faith all at the same time? 

We will tackle that question next week.  For now, let Jesus’ actions bless your hearts; He healed that little boy.  Mark 9:27 “Jesus gently took his hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.”

Jesus gets us back on our feet, even when our faith is not perfect.  Amen amen amen!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We do believe, but strengthen our faith where it is weak. Help us overcome any doubt we have about You.  This concern ________________ needs Your power.  Help ______________ get back on (his/her/my) feet. You are so amazing.  In Your name we pray, Amen!

Live Well, Live Blessed~

Today is the National Day of Prayer!  It blesses my soul that each of us will be joining millions across America raising our voices to the most High God seeking protection, wisdom, and health for ourselves, our families, and our great nation.

In fact, the woman with the bleeding problem from Monday’s DEVO serves as a testimony that this is exactly what Jesus wants for each of us.

Mark 5:34 Jesus said to her, “Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you’re healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague.”

After she muscled her way through the crowd to touch our Lord, she received an on-the-spot healing, and then Jesus Himself spoke into her life.  Could it be that the first step in living well and living blessed is to make contact with Christ?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

PRAYER: (Today’s prayer is from http://nationaldayofprayer.org/about/national-prayer-by-anne-graham-lotz/

Lord of our hearts, On this National Day of Prayer, we look to You.
In the darkness, You are our Light.  In the storm, You are our Anchor.

In our weakness, You are our Strength. In our grief, You are our Comfort.
In our despair, You are our Hope.  In our confusion, You are our Wisdom.  In times of uncertainty, You are the Rock on which we stand. Amen amen amen!

He's Only a Prayer Away~

TGIF greetings J

 

Hebrews 11:6 “It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. Why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.”

 

As I have thought about Bartimaeus for the last several days, I have been re-energized in my determination to pursue the Lord.  If a helpless, hopeless, blind man can go from begging to calling on Jesus, then I can make the effort too.  Bartimaeus heard Jesus was walking by and shouted, then he shouted even louder when others tried to shush him up, he also jumped up at the chance when Jesus invited him over, and finally, he did not mince words when asked what he wanted.  

 

What was the end result of all this?  He received an immediate, glorious answer and followed Jesus down the road.

 

It makes perfect sense to me to want to hang out with the One Who helps me so much.  And let’s not lose sight of an important truth: When we have an encounter with Christ, our lives dramatically improve. 

 

This blind beggar is actually a faith hero who is the perfect example of what the verse above means.  He did not doubt that Jesus could help him, or he wouldn’t have shouted so much and so loud, and when invited over he literally jumped at the chance.  Any hesitation on his part would have indicated doubt.  How could he have known so much about the Lord?  Jesus’ reputation preceded Him, and you and I have the wonderful Bible at our fingertips whenever we want to read about it and strengthen our faith.

 

Maybe some of us have been feeling a little like Bartimaeus did sitting on the side of that road—trapped by our circumstances without a clue as to when Jesus will show up.  The good news is He’s only a prayer away.

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Bartimaeus’ faith is inspiring.  What a beautiful example of what trusting in Jesus looks like.  Today we approach You believing that You are real and that You care enough to respond.  Help us believe.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~

I am Not Thankful...

A Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving to all!!!

This morning at exactly 6:16 AM I read the following:   

A five-year-old girl was asked to say the blessing at Thanksgiving dinner. She began by thanking God for all her friends, naming them one by one. Then she thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, Brother, Sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all her aunts and uncles. Finally, she gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes. Then she paused. After a long silence, the young girl looked up at her mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t He know I’m lying?” And the point of the story that followed was that all of us have "broccoli" in our lives that is hard to give thanks for. Ain't that the truth!   1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you." God knows this, which is why we must look closely at His Word.  We are to give thanks "in" everything not "for" everything.   I am not thankful that Jorge's grandmother is in the hospital right now, or for her weak heart that makes breathing difficult.  But I am thankful that she is surrounded by loving family, that she is receiving excellent care, that she is comfortable, and that she knows Jesus. Big difference. I never said, "Thank You, Lord, that Jorge has skin cancer! Yippee!" But I did say over and over again, "Thank You that Jorge kept the appointment with the dermatologist because he really didn't want to go, and Thank You that it was caught early, and Thank You that You watch over even our tiniest cells..." Giving thanks opens our eyes to God's presence in our lives, and it strengthens our faith. No matter what "broccoli" you have going on, there is some aspect to be thankful for.  Think about it:) PRAYER: Dear Lord, We are thankful for You.  You are aware of every single thing that we are going through, and by encouraging us to be thankful, our faith is strengthened.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Faith Under Pressure~

Faith Under Pressure

That's the title under Chapter One in the book of James, and I think we all know about pressure.

I certainly have been feeling it lately. And my hubby, God bless his honest soul, was pulling out of the driveway last night and hit my soon-to-be-son-in-law's new car. Ouch!

I always say that if material damage is the worst of it, then no harm/no foul. It's still a bother and an expense sis boom bah, but Rayray's future husband took it in stride, and I love him :)

But what about other pressures? Health, relational, emotional, financial, familial...that's where we really feel the strain sometimes.

Is it possible to have strong, unwavering faith in certain circumstances?

Yes, but before James One even addresses that, look at what it says:

Verse 2-4

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Pure joy? Really? Is that even possible? Is God toying with us? I am supposed to look at the mess I am in and have joy? So what if testing produces perseverance? What if I don't want to let perseverance finish its work so that I can be mature? Maybe I like being a spiritual toddler.

First thing to consider: Like it or not, no matter what, you will face a trial. Not wanting to go through one won't help you avoid it. It's called life. So now that we have agreed that trials are an inevitable part of life, let's proceed with the attitude that if God is telling us to have joy in the middle of them, then it is possible and it will lead to good things.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You know our hearts and You know that we don't always--okay--practically never ever--have joy as we suffer through a difficulty. But because you are encouraging us to go for it, we ask You to fill us with joy no matter what. We do not want to be lacking in anything. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

A Little Goes a Long Way~

Wednesday greetings~

 

A few of you lovely birds were a little startled to read that Jesus was asleep in the middle of the storm.  I prefer to look at it like this: If Jesus is in the boat, there's never any real danger to begin with. Amen~ 

 

Matthew 8:26 He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then He got up and gave an order to the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 

When the disciples screamed for His help, Jesus' priority was to remind them that they needed to have a little more faith. 

 

Sometimes I feel like I could use more faith.

 

However, and let's really let this absorb into our souls, their little faith was enough because Jesus calmed the waters.

 

Jesus never said, "You of no faith."  So He took what little they had and worked with it, people.

 

Jesus works with us--always.  He may encourage us to strengthen our faith and bolster it up by praying and reading the Bible, but He never ever rejects the faith we do have.  Do not fret or worry that you are somehow missing the mark. 

 

Faith-building point of the day: A little goes a long way with God.

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Thank You that when we call on Christ He accepts all the faith we can muster and uses it to do mighty things.  Strengthen us and protect us.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Trust God~

TGIF Greetings~

 

I read a news article earlier this week that says that beer drinkers, pregnant women, and o blood types are the top mosquito targets. Now I know why Jorge, who is type A, can be outside in the middle of a mosquito swarm and never get bitten. Where as I, being currently pregnant--NOT--I am am type o blood, can be indoors, fully swaddled, and one little preemie mosquito will find the tiniest slit in my clothing and attack and become so engorged on my blood that it swells to three times its normal size.

 

Nevertheless, sometimes it's good to get the answers.

 

But in reality there are many things we will never understand or know. And sometimes these unanswered questions, many of which are born out of painful life experiences, tend to get us riled up at God.

 

Okay--I will not judge you; I will only speak for myself.

 

"Why did my dad abandon us?"

 

"Why did my mom die so young leaving me with so much responsibility?"

 

And when I asked God these questions He was very silent. Perhaps there is no answer that would have satisfied me anyway.

 

And yet in the pursuit of finding answers that would bring me peace I discovered a foundational truth, and it has to do with the verse from earlier this week.

 

Hebrews 11:1 (Message Version) "The fundamental fact of existence is that trust in God, faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see."

 

It all boils down to a choice: Either trust God or don't. When we trust God, life is worth living. Somehow, someway, taking the time to get to know God has a way of making everything else--the pain of life included--pale in comparison. I can't explain it; I just know it to be true.

 

Besides, if we get so angry or hurt that we shut God out, who else can we turn to? He is the end all be all source of everything we will ever need. There is nothing or no one who can take His place. Think about this carefully. If we get so upset at God by all the junk in life and tune Him out, where can we go? No where, and then life would not be worth living.

 

I do not know where any of you are right now in your faith journey, but I encourage to muster up the faith to have faith.

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, So much in life makes no sense. Yet over and over again in Your Word You encourage us to cry out to You--to get to know You. You desire for the focus to be off our problems and on You. So we purposely focus on You right now and ask You to bless us. Spread Your wings of love over us and those we love. In Jesus' name. AMEN~

Choose Faith~

I am sitting here all cozy, keeping an eye out for the neighborhood fox, which comes by regularly to visit.  Rayray wants to trap it, inject it for rabies, train it, and keep it as an exotic pet.  She shall name it Nispero--an ode to the loquat tree that grows in the back yard.  I personally feel it's not worth the trouble.

"What is worth the trouble?" you ask.

Cultivating and practicing the one thing the Bible says that makes life worth living.

Hebrews 11:1 (Message Version) "The fundamental fact of existence is that trust in God, faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see."

Maybe if some of us are feeling a little discouraged or blue we need to redirect our efforts and strengthen our foundation.  If our faith foundation is weak, everything else will wobble.     

Consider these two scenarios:

So and so's husband loses his job and suddenly money is tight.  Day after day after day brings new worries, new fears, and less and less enjoyment of life. 

So and so's husband loses his job and suddenly money is tight.  Day after day after day brings new opportunities to trust God through prayer that He will provide everything that is necessary.  And in the middle of this economic uncertainty, there is actually joy and plenty of laughter.

I have seen both those scenarios play out, and taking the time to fortify the foundation through daily prayer is the way to go.  It's not just about making life bearable, but making life worth living.

Not everyone feels like life is worth living; take a look at the recent headlines.  

We have a decision to make.  Crumble right along with our problems, or make life worth living by choosing faith.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We choose faith.  We choose to trust You even when we can't see the outcome.  We trust that everything is in Your capable hands.  And by faith we believe that even today's prayer has helped make our foundation stronger.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

I Dare You~

Greetings and blessings :)

 

Tomorrow we will wrap up the story of Ruth; today is shout-out day.

 

Here's a shout out to a phenomenal mom who took a step of faith yesterday and faced her child's health issue head on by boldly going up to her adult-aged offspring and praying--out loud and fearlessly--for his healing and recovery.

 

Of course I asked for a detailed report on how it all went, and I am happy to say that mom and child will be praying again today.

 

Never ever underestimate the impact we have on others when we do something spiritually bold. And never ever underestimate the power that comes down from heaven when we invite God into the midst of our lives.

 

Maybe most of us did not grow up with such public displays of prayer and/or faith. But hopefully we have been bucking that trend and others are taking note.

 

I invite you all to do something crazy today and pray out loud over someone you love--right in front of them. Put your hand right on their shoulder and say, "I bless you in the name of Christ with health, peace, and joy."

 

I double double dog dog slathered in onions and mustard dare you.

 

It is no secret that I am a little pushy--just a little. So for the past few weeks a special person and I have been praying together for break through. Talk about a well-rounded mess--every area of this young person's life was in shambles.

 

But there are few things in life more joyous to me than coming alongside someone who is willing to take a step of faith and together believing God for the seemingly impossible.

 

Sometimes things are so messed up that when situations start to turn around we can only conclude that it was God's handiwork. No mere mortal can take the credit. So consider this turnaround.

 

From heartbreak over a relationship to peace and joy that God is in control.

From being out of work to working and making a good income.

From being on your own to being reunited to family.

From never going to church to going every week and loving it--and getting your family in on the blessings!

 

And all this for one person! Hallelujah!

 

Think about the circumstance you face and take heart--God has an answer. He fathers millions of millions of kids, and He has seen it all. Surprise! We can't surprise Him!

 

And I do not know who said this but it is so true, "If you never ask, the answer will always be no."

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, We do ask because we need Your yes--yes to health, yes to peace, yes to provision, yes to joy, yes to hope, yes to guidance, yes to love. Thank You that are always willing to give to those who ask.John 16:24 "Ask and ye shall receive." We have prayed and we are grateful for the answers that are on the way. In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Choose Faith~

I trust you all had a wonderful weekend:)

 

What kind of people are we? Allow me the pleasure of answering that question:

 

Hebrews 10:39 "But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved."

 

There are those out there who, when trouble comes their way, become fearful or refuse to acknowledge it. They hope that whatever is wrong will go away on its own. What is the result? Destruction.

 

But that's not our case. We have learned that no matter what we will pray. We have faith, and we are saved.

 

There are moments when we will have fear, but we will turn it around and go from being cowardly to courageous.

 

Why? Because destruction for someone we love or even for ourselves is not an option when the Most High God Creator of heaven and earth is on our side.

 

Case in point--my friend whom I'll call A.

 

Yesterday her daughter got married to an amazing young man! The wedding was beautiful and the reception a true celebration of love, family, and friends.

 

But A has had plenty of difficult moments in her life. Not only is she herself currently undergoing chemotherapy, her brother died of cancer six weeks ago. She, however, did not let that stop her. She did not give in or give up. Rather, she exercised her faith--sometimes every moment of every day--and plugged into God for His strength. I watched her glide around the party welcoming guests with such warmth. If I would have had a crown at that moment I would have gladly placed it on her head and declared her the Epitome of Grace.

 

At one point she made a bee line for me and we exchanged hugs. I choked up because I have such profound respect for her. She is one of my faith heroes, and I hope that her story will inspire each of you to engage. Use your faith! Never shrink back! No matter what it is, declare today that there will no destruction in your future--only salvation.

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, Every day we have a choice. We can either turn away and become despondent, or we can use our faith and have victory. We choose faith, and we choose You. Help us today. In Jesus' name, AMEN~