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HE’S COMING IN THE CLOUDS

27 Jul

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him. . . So it is to be. Amen”

The Future

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The future?! – Today it’s difficult to consider the future because we are so focused on the craziness of today. We are being boxed in in ways we are unaccustomed to, and we’ve lost some of the freedoms we have taken for granted.
I don’t know about you but, my attention has been drawn to the soon coming of Jesus more than ever. It’s an event that is kind of scary to think about because we don’t fully understand it. Actually, it’s a subject most of us have heard about as long as we can remember. We’ve seen so many wild and incorrect (false) “prophecies” that we have kind of pushed the coming of Christ aside, usually thinking we’ve got plenty of time.I certainly don’t claim to know when Jesus is coming – nor does anyone – if they claim they do they are false prophets. God’s Word tells us no man knows. BUT –

Signs Of The Last Days

Scripture does teach us how to recognize the signs of the end of the world as we know it – the rapture and the tribulation. I have asked God to help me to share what I can to cause people to be more aware of the soon coming of Christ. I don’t want to be guilty of having any of my loved ones ask why I didn’t tell them.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

2 Peter 3:3-4 “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

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Matthew 24:42-44 “Therefore, STAY AWAKE, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. . .”

The best way, of course, to secure your future, is by asking the Lord Jesus to come into your heart and to forgive you of your sins. It’s really that simple. He never intended it to be difficult for you and me. That’s why He, Himself, did all the suffering and gave His life on the cross, so it would be easier for us.
I can’t explain it, but I can tell you there is nothing greater on this earth than having the creator of Heaven and Earth as a friend, closer than a brother, closer than a friend, closer than a husband. No one, no thing, no circumstance can bring you the peace, the satisfaction, the completeness that He can.
I’m a very long way from being good, or right, or “spiritually correct” – I’m just an ordinary, person, having made (and still do) mistakes, bad decisions, bad attitudes, etc, etc. However; I can witness that God loves me in spite of myself and my wrongs. His Word promises that He has forgiven my sins, past, present and future! It’s not about me (or you) – it’s about Him.
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Ask Him into your heart today. It doesn’t have to be a long drawn ou prayer. Just acknowledge that you have sinned, you are a sinner (I am, too), and ask Him to come into your heart. HE WILL!  AT THAT VERY MOMENT! Then, ask Him to help you where you need help. You might not even know what help you need, but He knows you better than you know yourself and He will begin to walk with you daily and help you.

Jesus is coming soon, He gave us Scriptures of things to watch for, and we are seeing them take place.

Don’t Be Left Behind

Don’t be left behind. Say this prayer and mean it with all your heart:

“Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner. I ask you now to come into my heart and to forgive all my sins. Help me to learn more about you and to live my life for you. Even though I don’t know how, I trust you to teach me. Thank you, Jesus. Amen”
That’s it. You now are now “born again” – now, it’s just one day at a time. He will help you. He will speak to your heart and it might take a little while, but you will come to know Him more and more.

Questions?

Submit any questions you might have – I will do my best to answer them.

crop field under rainbow and cloudy skies at dayime

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com

 

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Jesus IS The Season

23 Dec

Without Jesus Christ there would be no Christmas! HE IS THE SEASON. We celebrate Christmas every year with all the hustle and bustle of the season. We rush around to decorate, cook, and shop – and shop some more. I’m just as guilty as everyone else. I find myself regretting I can’t buy the things I want to buy or “should” buy for others. Now that I can’t, I realize that I have always invested too much energy on trying to please those on my gift list. I worry that my gifts won’t measure up – if you know what I mean.

Funny how we link our value and the value of others to what we can buy for them – what we can give them. Sadly, as a society, we have gradually pushed Jesus aside, or at least not acknowledged His place – HIS gift of HIS life on the cross for us.

I find myself concerned that I will disappoint those I love if I can’t meet their expectations. How sad that is. I am still paying for Christmases long past and gifts that are now at Goodwill (at best), or completely forgotten – as I’m sure others are.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we worked as hard to make sure we pleased Jesus as much? HE is THE gift of this season, and of every minute of our existence. There is a song I love called “I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand”. Do we realize how true that really is?

We want to keep Jesus first, we mean to. This isn’t meant to bring condemnation to anyone at all. I hope just the opposite. I pray that we will realize that the gifts we give to one another don’t show our love to our friends and families like the fruits of the Spirit –  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23.

These are the gifts that continue to give throughout eternity. They never grow old or unnecessary. My Christmas prayer for each of you this season is that you acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. All you have to do is invite Him into your heart and life. Approach Him just as you are – no more excuses – no more delay. It’s time – HIS GIFT for you is eternal life – a life of peace and joy unspeakable – even in the midst of hard times. HIS is the ONLY peace that will see you through whatever it is that you need Him for.

Ask Him now to forgive you of every sin – none of them are too great for Him to wipe clean and remember no more. He is so real. He wants to know you and for you to know Him. He wants a personal relationship with you. This is HIS birthday – a gift of your acceptance of Him would please Him more than anything else you can ever do, now or forever more.

It sounds simple; it is. He won’t force it on anyone. He doesn’t expect perfection from us because He knows it’s not possible. That was the reason He gave His life on the cross for us. He just wants our love and acceptance – that is the truest gift of all.

Meditate on the fruits of the Spirit, listed above. These should be the gifts we give to those we love. There is nothing more important, except for the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

If you are ready to receive Him as your gift to Him and to yourself, simply tell Him you are sorry for your sins and ask Him to forgive you. Then, tell Him you accept Him into your life. You might not feel any different. There probably won’t be bells and whistles sounding off. What happens is in your heart and in your spirit. He doesn’t get in a hurry. He will walk with you every moment and will help you know what to do. Just Be. That’s all. Just Be.

Merry CHRISTmas. Happy Birthday Jesus. This is YOUR birthday.

 

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My First E-Book Now Available On Amazon

8 Oct

Book CoverGrief, pain, hardship and tragedy happen to all of us equally. God gives us all the same opportunity to come to Him through Jesus, His Son. There is a misconception that Christians should be free from pain and suffering. They should have it better than everybody else, and that if they are having problems there must be some deep dark sin in their lives.

God is often judged by the circumstances that affect the lives of His followers. If something bad happens to them, it might appear that God failed or that He is punishing them or teaching them a lesson. The misconception is that Christians are loved by God more and therefore He treats them better and gives them more.

God is frequently viewed as a mere option in our world today. Even some Christians view God’s participation in their lives to be necessary only if they are unable to handle something on their own – especially a crisis.

This series of books will visit many of the hard questions asked about God and what it means to be a Christian. Step by Step guidance will help the reader understand how to become a Christian, how to live daily walking and talking with God, and how to understand His will for your life.

Walking with God is a deliberate action taken by those who want to be born again into life everlasting with Him – it requires only believing in Jesus Christ, asking for His forgiveness of our sins, and learning how to live and walk daily with Him in your heart and at your side.

God is very real. He isn’t a figment of our imagination. He isn’t spooky or strange. He is loving and kind. He is good and loves each and every one of us more than we can even understand.

God doesn’t just love Christians. He loves every single person in the world. He doesn’t favor Christians. Christians aren’t better than everyone else. Knowing and following Jesus Christ doesn’t mean a life with no sorrows or pain.
The difference is in our hearts. Walking daily with God and talking to Him at any time you want to is better than having your best earthly friend by your side all the time,and even better than any other person you believe to have everything you want and/or need.

God is the peace you need, and the protection you need, He has the provision you need, and the guidance you need. He can and will direct every step you take, if you let Him. It’s not always easy. That’s where faith and trust come in.

God is the one thing in this life that has never changed and will never change. But, it doesn’t mean He is old fashioned or out of date. There is nothing on this planet that wasn’t already arranged by Him long, long before time, as we know it, began.

The first book in this series is part of my testimony. It starts about the time I graduated from high school. I was raised in a Christian home, went to church because my mother made me, and all I knew of God was that I was supposed to love Him and be good.

As it is said, “Life Happens”. I went to church from the time I was a little girl and accepted Jesus at a Baptist Camp at the age of nine years old, I didn’t really come to know Him until life started invading my space. Those were the times I began to “consider” God – wondering if He was really there and wondering what He wanted from me.

I am now 68 years old. I can tell you it has taken a long life of mistakes, pain, hardship, suffering and grief – just like everyone else I know – Christian or not. The only thing I would change if I had a “do over” would be that I would have worked harder at getting serious about my relationship with God and I would not have worked so hard at doing things my way. I would have spent the necessary time getting to know my maker and letting Him guide me rather than having Him constantly have to bail me out of my troubles and set me back on my feet.That’s life. After this one there’s one in eternity. Where will you spend yours?

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Like A Red Flag To A Bull

26 Feb

I posted the following article earlier, and it needs to be repeated. I find myself in the same position time and again. Hopefully, one day I will be more prepared for the “red flag” being waved in my face by the devil. He wants to steal from me, destroy me and kill me. He keeps trying but our God is always with us as our protector. We have already won the battle and it’s important that we know God is the One we listen to – not the enemy waving a red flag in our face to upset our lives.

The Red Flag Story

Becoming a child of God does not mean we are free from adversity. We will still face major challenges in our lives. There will also be times when we assume we are in a mess because we always do everything wrong. Satan works hard at putting condemnation on us. But, it’s all hype.

Moses answered God’s call to deliver the Israelites. He was given instructions to go to the Pharaoh and deliver God’s message to let His people go. Now it would seem to me that if God gave me instructions to do something and I did it just as He said, I would succeed in that task. But it didn’t happen that way for Moses. The Pharaoh refused every command he was given by God (through Moses). The point being, God had a master plan. He wanted the Pharaoh and all the world – forever to come – to see His glory and His power. So, what appeared to be Moses’ failure in the eyes of the people watching, was all part of a bigger plan to exalt God’s love and provision for His people.

Just because things don’t happen the way we think they should doesn’t mean God isn’t paying attention or that His plan isn’t working. It means that God uses all things to work together for good. All we can see is what is right in front of us. God sees the big picture. That is why Scripture tells us to walk by faith and not the circumstances that we see.

We don’t always know where our trials come from. We blame a lot of them on the devil. Becoming a Christian is like a red rag to a bull! But, don’t be discouraged by that. Jesus said we are more than conquerors. He warned us that we would have trials in this life. He also told us many, many times to “fear not”. He said that “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.”

Being afraid of the devil and what he can do should not be an issue with us as Christians. God’s Word gives us promise after promise of defeating the enemy.

When you think of the red flag and the bull – see yourself as the bull – not the red flag! What power could that little red flag possibly have over that big raging bull? (An average bull weighs from 1700 to 1800 pounds. I doubt seriously if the red flag even registers on the scale.) Selah, pause and calmly think about that.

According to askville by Amazon, the bull is being provoked and tormented by the matador. That is exactly what the devil does to us. He waves a red flag in our face to taunt us and to provoke us and to torment us. The bull can charge that flag all day and accomplish nothing. The red flag is powerless. It’s a tool in the enemy’s arsenal to keep us off guard – to keep us upset – when all we are really doing is running in circles and chasing something that can in no way hurt us.

Why in the world would you let a little red flag being waved in your face taunt you and cause you so much distress? See it for what it is. It is nothing but Satan trying to cause a distraction so that he can keep you from God’s best. And, take note of the fancy matador. He struts his stuff and makes a show but once the raging bull gets past that red flag to him – well, you get the picture. Kind of puts things in a different perspective, doesn’t it?

Jesus gave His life so that we could face anything that comes our way. We may run in circles chasing red flags, but in the end the red flag is just a red flag. It is otherwise useless against a child of the King.

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“Thank You” Doesn’t Seem Sufficient

11 Nov

I’m not in a habit of posting my personal prayers here, but this morning my time spent with my Heavenly Father was an expression of love that I want all the world to experience. I pray that as you read this you will open your hearts to a real, approachable God who loves you and wants your love in return.

My Father – my Lord – my King, and my Friend; my Counselor – my provider – You are so good, and so kind. You are beyond earthly words. My heart overflows with love for You. You are so immersed in everything around me. I see You in all things. You are my anchor. I am tethered to You and that brings security to my heart and soul. I search for words to express my love and adoration, but I cannot find them. My  heart is filled with gratitude for the peace and joy You bring to my heart.

Thank You doesn’t seem sufficient. I am grateful that You can see my heart, and know my every thought. All I have, and all I am are because of You. I could do nothing on my own. You open my eyes to many new things – things I would not know – they are beyond my capacity and my abilities. You create in me new things each day. I want the world to know You. I want them to know You are a real, and personal God available on a level that no one else is. You give me a love the world cannot possibly give because it is beyond their ability.

Even through all my hurt and pain – my weaknesses – my faults – my mistakes – my habits – You still love me with a love I can’t understand or explain. You satisfy my every longing. My every fear melts away because I know You are there shielding me. Nothing can breach the barricade you have place around me.

In every sorrow I have experienced – in every loss – in every trial and tribulation – You rise above them. Your presence and Your Spirit engulf me. You put all the pieces of my broken heart back together. You replace all doubt and fear with faith and hope in the future.

No matter how weak and frail my mind and body might become, You hold me in the palm of your hand as I look to You, knowing You are not going to let anything touch me that will destroy my spirit. I will be with You forever, and forever – no matter the state of my body or my mind or my emotions. My Spirit is one with Yours, and nothing by any means can hurt me.

Thank You, My Father, for a love the world cannot give – for Your peace that far exceeds my understanding – for the assurance that I will spend eternity with You and all those who have gone before me, and who will come after me.

In the mighty, precious blood and name of Jesus, Your Son, I pray. Amen

NOTE: – I shared this prayer with you because I want you to know Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour and the Holy Spirit. There is no other love or thing in this world that can fill any void in your life except for Him. There is no other God – no pill – no drink – no sex – no material thing – no experience that will ever satisfy you like the love, joy and forgiveness given to you by God. All you have to do is ask Him. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins, your mistakes and anything that concerns you. It’s not difficult – He will meet you right where you are – just as you are. He will give you what nothing else in this world can give you – the love and acceptance you long for.

I pray for every soul that reads this prayer. I pray that through it you will gain a sense of God’s outrageous love for you – so much so that He really did sacrifice His one and only Son, Jesus, so that you and everyone in the world as the choice of everlasting life in heaven with Him over hell and damnation. He loves you so much that He wants you to love Him because you want to, not because He can make you do it.

This will be the most important decision you ever make. Your future depends on it.

May the peace of God that passes all understanding be with you.

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You Don’t Have To Be Here To Be Here!

6 Nov

I was watching a movie the other night and was immediately inspired by a scene where a popular school teacher had died. Several children were sitting in a group, reminiscing about good times and feeling down and sad. They were interrupted by another teacher who wanted to encourage them. He said to the group,  “I know you are really sad that your teacher died but don’t you know you don’t have to be here to be here? Every time you give your knowledge away or what you have learned – every time you give something to someone – you give a little part of yourselves to them. You have a little bit of everyone who has given into your life. They are here with you, you just have to know where to look.”

Wow! So many thoughts and feelings flooded my heart and my mind. That is an awesome truth. First, I thought of my Mother who died a few years ago. I miss her so very much, yet so much of her is still with me. I  have many of her material things, but I don’t drag them around with me to keep her near me. My Mother is always – always – with me. She’s in my heart. I hear her voice when I do something I know she wouldn’t like. I hear her sweet, loving words to me when I am discouraged or hurt. I can see her face in my mind’s eye. So many of the things I learned came from watching her and listening to her. I hear many people say,  “I’m turning into my Mother.” Many of us say that as though it were a bad thing when, in fact, it can be a very good thing. That’s where the statement “. . .you just have to know where to look” comes in.

Just think about how many people have become a part of us – our parents – our siblings – our friends, and so on. We glean from each and every one of them, even if it is to determine we don’t like certain things they do, and we surely don’t want that part of them to dwell in us. More than likely, we even catch ourselves picking up certain traits of others – repeating their phrases or their reactions.

Unfortunately, deposits into our lives by others are not always positive.  Some of the deepest hurts and fears left as residue from them may  keep us bound by vows we have made as a result of the pain they have caused. They are still with us. That means we are looking at the wrong place in our hearts. (We might say, “I’ll never let anything like that happen to me again,” or “I learned my lesson – I won’t do that anymore”). Surely there are also good things deposited into us by others yet we tend to focus on the negative things and not the positive. We then begin to put walls around our hearts and push others away based on what one person did to us. Over the years, the deposits made by others can even keep us away from the destiny that God has prepared for us.

The Scriptures tell us Eccl 5:5-6 ” It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.” NIV   We should re-think any vows that we may have made and ask God to forgive us. We can’t assume that because one person has hurt us that others will. That is when it is vital that we “. . . know where to look.”

My mind races with how many ways this affects us. I’ve had a good, long life. I’ve experienced a great deal of pain and loss. (See how I mentioned the pain and loss first?) I have also been blessed with so much good – more good than bad. When I think of the pain and loss, I think of the people who are here with me, even though they aren’t here with me! On the other hand, when I say certain things or experience some feelings of fun and joy, I think of others who are with me, even though they aren’t here with me. So many of life’s experiences have made me who I am today.

The most important fact of all is that God is with me – and He is here with me even though I can’t see Him – He is here with me! There is never a time He isn’t with me. He lives in me – He never leaves me. He isn’t just a memory. He’s alive and He is with me always – at all times – good and bad. He talks with me – He listens to me – He helps me to overcome the negative things that have been deposited in my life by others. His is the influence I need to live by – nothing else – good or bad. My memories of others are part of my life forever, but they don’t make me who I am. God does that.

If you don’t know the God of Abraham, invite Him into your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and to come and live in your heart. He is an amazing God – Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. NIV

Only God can see to it that our  hearts are cleansed and free from everything that would keep us bound.

 

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One Thing

25 Aug

Sunday morning our Pastor encouraged us all when he spoke to the children about starting the new school year. The title of his sermon was “One Thing“.  He wanted us all to know about the one thing  we need to remember at all times as we face life every day. The message inspired me so much that I wanted to expand on it. The following Scripture tells us what that one thing is:

  • Matt 22: 37-38 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  NIV

My youth and my prime are behind me. I am in the winter of my life. It’s been a rough life, but one thing has been consistent – God. All other things change. Just about the time we get comfortable, something (or someone) upsets the apple cart and we have to pick ourselves up, wipe off the dust, and keep going.

God isn’t shaken when we are. He is the one thing in our lives that remains steady. For that I am eternally grateful. He is my rock; without Him I’m not sure I could face today or tomorrow, let alone the future I face as a senior citizen. I find peace in His Word that promises me that He will never leave me or forsake me.  One thing I can count on is His faithfulness. So can everyone who accepts Him as their Lord and Savior.

I wish I knew how to express the peace and satisfaction life holds as we keep one thing in mind – He is always with us, we can count on Him – those aren’t  just clichés. Until we put our hope and faith in Him, and develop a one-on-one relationship with Him, we find life almost unbearable at times. With Him, life is not only bearable, it is fruitful, it is fun, and even exciting.

God is so real. He isn’t a figment of our imagination. He is alive. He is progressive. He knows how to speak to  us with the assurance of His presence, even though we can’t see Him. He is more real than any person with skin on! He is just as present with us as they are – even more so.  He is with me every moment of every day and He is the one thing that I can depend on when everything around me is unstable. He is available to each and every person that will call out to Him.

We all believe in something. We use our faith every day. Why not use that faith to believe in God and His presence? Why not do that one thing that would welcome Him into our lives – whatever it is that we might be holding back – maybe it’s yielding to Him – inviting Him into our lives. Or, it could be that we aren’t sure He hears us. That one thing might be stepping out to read the Bible on a consistent basis. That’s the main way God communicates with us. As we read it, we aren’t just reading an old Bible story. We’re reading about the lives of people who, back then, were just like we are today. They weren’t any more special than any one of us. They faced the same doubts, fears, temptations, and hardships that we face. God’s Word reveals how He helped them, and how He used them, and how He took care of them. Most important, we can read about how God forgave them and loved them no matter what they had done.

God doesn’t expect perfection from us. There is only One who is perfect – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He came to earth in the form of man (Jesus) and died on the cross to take our place for all of our sins – past, present and future. God is not behind the times. He doesn’t grow old like the rest of us. Nothing we have in today’s world would be possible without Him – nothing.

One thing I know without a shadow of a doubt – God loves us and He wants only good things for us. The one thing we have to yield to Him is our hearts. He will do the rest. He will come down to our level and help us out of whatever situation we are in. He is approachable, and forgiving. His plans for each one of us are for good and not evil. He wants to bless us and not punish us.

God  is the one thing I can count on in my life – nothing else.

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Contentment

2 May

Contentment is a feeling of calm satisfaction, according to Encarta Dictionary. How many of us can say we are content? Is there something in particular that gives you that feeling of calm satisfaction?

In today’s world there is so much stimulation around us at all times. Rarely do we enjoy the quiet. All of our senses are somehow ignited almost everywhere we go. Many of us can’t get away without taking along our phones, our tablets, or our gaming devices. I get frustrated with all those around me looking at their phones and engaging in something else at all times. To me, it’s kind of like talking to someone who isn’t really giving me their undivided attention. We call it “social media.” Call me old-fashioned, but, when I’m with my friends and family, I want their undivided attention.

The social media is a great way to stay in touch. It also keeps us from being so alone. On the other hand, it becomes more difficult to be content when we are not engaging in some sort of social interaction or being entertained by our electronic devices. Don’t get me wrong, I love having the ability to “reach out and touch someone” with an immediate response on Face Book, or get an instant reply from an email or text. Who wants to wait anymore for snail mail? Who wants to wait anymore for anything?

We can interpret “calm satisfaction” in many ways. To some, it may be difficult to be calm and/or satisfied if they aren’t constantly interacting, socially, in one way or another. To others, like me, calm satisfaction means not having a constant internal yearning for my cell phone, my tablet, my computer, or the television. Satisfaction is described in the Encarta Dictionary as “the feeling of pleasure when a need or desire is fulfilled; the fulfillment of a need, claim, or desire.”

Humans are definitely complex. As I am now a senior citizen (a new position in my long resume), I find myself looking back to the way things used to be. I suppose that is normal at my age. Actually, it is one of the ways I recognize I am, in fact, getting old. Anyway, interaction with others is still so important. It fills an empty spot inside that can’t be filled while trying to communicate in some other way.

Talking to God is the best wireless connection we have today! He isn’t outdated because of all the little devices that keep us occupied. Scripture tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecc. 1:9) Recognize that God created each one of us. He is the one who gave us the knowledge necessary to create all of the wonderful toys we have today. Psalms 139 tells us that no matter how high we go, or how low – we can’t get away from God.

Ps 139:7-12

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

NIV

 

Contentment, in my opinion, is more than satisfying ourselves with anything that will keep us occupied, just so we don’t have to deal with our emotions or be bothered with direct communication.  We need to examine what contentment means to us. Go deep. Determine whether or not there is something missing – a true inner peace that we can only find in one another and with God.

We were created to have fellowship – not just on social media. We all need one another. We need our friends who  have skin on! We need real fellowship with our Heavenly Father. We can’t send him a text message or an email. We can’t tweet Him. We have to take time out to spend true, uninterrupted time with our Lord. True contentment, peace, and joy come from our one on one relationship with Him. True contentment comes from Him. He’s still there when all the other devices, or even friends, aren’t. He is the only source of true contentment. He gives the calm satisfaction that we are all in search of. He is the only source of that true, calm satisfaction.

 

 

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A Done Deal

24 Jan

Following is my latest entry to a weekly writing challenge at FaithWriters.com:

Pat Robertson said, “The Bible is not only a book about an ancient people but also a book as current as today’s newspaper headlines.” I would add that the same goes for God. He is not ancient. He is just as relevant today as He was when the Bible was written.

Having said that, let me introduce you to the God of the universe whose being is endless – whose love is endless – whose understanding is endless – and whose forgiveness is endless. He is my creator – my redeemer – my constant companion and my friend. You can have all of this – His love and His friendship, too. God made it simple. All you have to do is ask!

There is no form to fill out, no special requirements, no ceremony required. You don’t have to change anything to make yourself acceptable. Your invitation for Him to come into your heart, and your request for Him to forgive your sins, is all that is required. He loves you just as you are and wants you as His own. He won’t turn you away.

We were all born into a world full of sin and somehow inclined to discriminate about it. We have the idea that there are some sins that aren’t as bad as others. That is just not true. To God, sin is sin.

From the moment – the very moment – you invite Jesus into your heart and ask Him to forgive your sins, it is a done deal! You have a brand new, clean heart and are instantly a part of the family of God – His child. The simplicity of it may be hard to accept. He is, after all, the God of the universe and everything in it.

Jesus paid an enormous price so we wouldn’t have to. He died on the cross to make it happen. I can’t explain it. But, I experience His love, His guidance and His friendship every day.

When you invite Him into your life, you may not feel any different, but you will be. Your heart will be cleansed of all sin and the Holy Spirit of God enters into your clean heart. He then becomes your teacher, your helper and your counselor. He speaks to you by making an impression in your spirit (your heart) of what is true and what is false.

God is a Spirit. We relate to Him with our spirits (hearts), not our souls (emotions), or our bodies (flesh). Being a child of God is all about faith. Living by faith means we don’t make decisions by what we see or by circumstances that may pressure us. We go to God in prayer, and apply our faith. We believe that He hears us and will guide us into all truth by His Holy Spirit as He promised.

The next step is to become acquainted with God. You can get to know Him intimately by reading the Bible. The deep things of God can only be understood by those who have accepted Him.

God inspired men long ago to record the events that were taking place before and after Jesus was born, so we would have examples to follow and could learn about His ways. In Bible times people were ordinary, like us. They made mistakes, big ones. But God loved them enough to use many of them to do great things. We too, can learn how to know God’s will and how to avoid making bad choices as we study His Word and the Holy Spirit reveals truth to us.

You can also talk with God any time – He is always listening. He will communicate with you and He will make certain you recognize His voice in your spirit. As you make decisions, the Holy Spirit will guide you through a situation with peace in your heart or the absence of it, depending on the course of action He wants you to take.

Knowing and experiencing God is like nothing you have ever known. Your relationship with Him will be unique. He will make Himself known to you so that you will experience Him personally and learn just how much He loves you.

Becoming a child of God doesn’t mean that you will have no more adversity. Indeed, you will. But, He will be with you every step of the way. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is yours and you are His through all eternity.

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A Love Letter to My Lord

17 Jan

My Lord – My King – My Father and My Friend;

I cannot do anything without you. There is no one else like you. I just need to be in your presence. I need to be with you. I fall short in so many ways.

My frustration melts away when I come into your presence. I know that I don’t even have to speak a word – just sit at your feet and soak up your love. It is truly inexplicable!

When nothing feels right around me, I know you are there – loving me – touching my heart – looking into my inner most thoughts and fears – my doubts and hurts – all my concerns. I feel inadequate to put into words all the things that constantly fight for a place in my mind for attention – all to keep me from you and your presence.

Oh, how I love you. You have proved yourself strong in so many ways. You are such a personal friend. I wish with all my heart that all your people could give themselves fully to you and know your love.

Breathe upon me, Lord. Nothing satisfies like you, my God. Forgive me for the times I walk in rebellion to your instruction. It is so hard sometimes to yield to you. My flesh is so weak and wants gratification. Help me to see that gratification comes from you alone and nothing else will do.

June 24, 2009

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