Words of encouragement taken straight from Scripture. They are from Romans 8:35-39 (NIV):
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us. For i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And from 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV):
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Monday, January 29, 2018
SHOW ME!!
For many years I lived in Kansas and Missouri. The state motto of Missouri is “Show Me”. In my study today, I saw once again how the people of today are not any different than the people in Jesus’ time. I’m no different than the people of Jesus’ time.
As Jesus was hanging on the cross, the people cried out their insults: “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days’, save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God! In the same way, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him!” (Matthew 27: 39-43, NIV).
Too many times, ones have said to me, “If there is a God, He wouldn’t let small babies die!” “If there is a God, He wouldn’t allow ________!” (You fill in the blank) Unfortunately, if I attempted to fill in the blank, you would lose interest before getting to the end of the many ways of answering. Am I not saying “show me” when I say I don’t understand why God allows: the shootings in churches, the cars or trucks running into crowds of people, the massacres of innocent people because they are Christians,.... Again, the list can go on ad infinitum.
Oh, how quickly I forget the warning the Apostle Peter gives us, “that our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8, ESV). How many remain lost because they want Jesus to prove Himself? The more personal question for me is, how many remain lost because I’m afraid to speak up or am I hindering another believer’s growth by remaining silent?
As Jesus was hanging on the cross, the people cried out their insults: “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days’, save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God! In the same way, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him!” (Matthew 27: 39-43, NIV).
Too many times, ones have said to me, “If there is a God, He wouldn’t let small babies die!” “If there is a God, He wouldn’t allow ________!” (You fill in the blank) Unfortunately, if I attempted to fill in the blank, you would lose interest before getting to the end of the many ways of answering. Am I not saying “show me” when I say I don’t understand why God allows: the shootings in churches, the cars or trucks running into crowds of people, the massacres of innocent people because they are Christians,.... Again, the list can go on ad infinitum.
Oh, how quickly I forget the warning the Apostle Peter gives us, “that our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1Peter 5:8, ESV). How many remain lost because they want Jesus to prove Himself? The more personal question for me is, how many remain lost because I’m afraid to speak up or am I hindering another believer’s growth by remaining silent?
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
SHAKE IT OFF
This is one of the teachings Jesus gave his disciples as He was preparing them to go off on their own “to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness”. Put simply, to minister to others. He knew the disciples would not be accepted in every town or house they asked to stay; so, He gave them this simple instruction, “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and SHAKE THE DUST OFF YOUR FEET” (my emphasis). Shake off the rejection, don’t hang on to it, don’t keep re-hashing it. SHAKE IT OFF, MOVE ON, KEEP DOING THE TASK I ASK OF YOU. This instruction is as good today as it was then. What a good reminder not to allow rejection to make me a victim or give me a victim mentality.
When I hear this instruction, I picture myself rubbing the sand of my feet before getting into the car when leaving the beach. Once the sand is gone, I’d put on my shoe and go on about my business never thinking about it again. Not a one of the disciples returned from their trip complaining about being rejected. Rather they returned filled with joy.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
MY AWAKENING
It has been five months since I’ve been here and many lessons have been learned. The strongest one is OUR GOD DOES NOT CHANGE. He may add but He does not subtract. God has done that with me and I’m sure its a lesson learned by many of you. The tone of this blog is going to change from devotionals to observations or things I’ve learned in my time with Him.
While reading the parable of the sower in Matthew, I was moved to check out my old blog site, www.faithfultraveler.wordpress.com to see if there had been any activity on it since starting this one. There had been some but only slightly causing me to think, “Well, this just proves I’m right in not writing anymore”.
Earlier in my time with God, I had watched a video study that focusing on the Christian based store Hobby Lobby and the family who owns it. During one of the episodes, one of David Green’s family members was faced with a situation where one of the managers during a training session gave her testimony and basically did an “altar call”. Immediately, being legal counsel for Hobby Lobby, he thought of all the legal implications and costs that could be incurred by this incident and if it was repeated. Alarmed, he called a meeting with David and some executives of the company and explained the situation. David listened intently as the legal counsel laid out his concerns. When the legal counsel was finished, David asked him how many had accepted Christ as a result of this situation and he responded 11. David looked at him and said, “Let me ask you a question, what is the price of one soul?”
This was the very next thought that came to me after thinking I was right in not writing anymore, “What is the price of one soul?” So I went to this site to see if there had been any activity. This is information only I can see. Again, the number was low. Again the thought, “What is the price of one soul?” This time I checked the countries on each site and they were from countries where Christianity is not prevalent. Once more, “What is the price of one soul?” Then I remembered a conversation I’d had with one of my daughters around Christmas where she told me maybe I wasn’t suppose to write devotional but observations.
Writing is a gift God gave me when I made the decision to walk His path, not mine. That is a story for another time. It’s a gift that I didn’t accept joyfully. For years, it was a double-edged sword. On one side it was a very heavy burden. But while writing, it was a joy to be partnering with God. For the words and thoughts are His, I’m only the instrument He has chosen to use.
In August when Hurricane Harvey struck Houston and the Texas Gulfcoast, God impressed upon me to start a ministry of quilts and pillowcases to send to Texas. Then Hurricane Irma hit in my home state of Florida, then Hurricane Maria hit in the Caribbean. So, my ministry quickly expanded to include disaster victims of natural disasters. All to say, this is in the very first stages of getting established.
“How was I to do both?” Quickly, God showed me it’s not an “either/or” situation. The writing can be done anytime. When one is completed, work on the other can proceed. What’s important in this process is to know I’m the instrument of the One who says in Matthew, “IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT DOUBT”. So, one day at a time...both ministries will proceed. My Partner has a plan, I trust Him.
While reading the parable of the sower in Matthew, I was moved to check out my old blog site, www.faithfultraveler.wordpress.com to see if there had been any activity on it since starting this one. There had been some but only slightly causing me to think, “Well, this just proves I’m right in not writing anymore”.
Earlier in my time with God, I had watched a video study that focusing on the Christian based store Hobby Lobby and the family who owns it. During one of the episodes, one of David Green’s family members was faced with a situation where one of the managers during a training session gave her testimony and basically did an “altar call”. Immediately, being legal counsel for Hobby Lobby, he thought of all the legal implications and costs that could be incurred by this incident and if it was repeated. Alarmed, he called a meeting with David and some executives of the company and explained the situation. David listened intently as the legal counsel laid out his concerns. When the legal counsel was finished, David asked him how many had accepted Christ as a result of this situation and he responded 11. David looked at him and said, “Let me ask you a question, what is the price of one soul?”
This was the very next thought that came to me after thinking I was right in not writing anymore, “What is the price of one soul?” So I went to this site to see if there had been any activity. This is information only I can see. Again, the number was low. Again the thought, “What is the price of one soul?” This time I checked the countries on each site and they were from countries where Christianity is not prevalent. Once more, “What is the price of one soul?” Then I remembered a conversation I’d had with one of my daughters around Christmas where she told me maybe I wasn’t suppose to write devotional but observations.
Writing is a gift God gave me when I made the decision to walk His path, not mine. That is a story for another time. It’s a gift that I didn’t accept joyfully. For years, it was a double-edged sword. On one side it was a very heavy burden. But while writing, it was a joy to be partnering with God. For the words and thoughts are His, I’m only the instrument He has chosen to use.
In August when Hurricane Harvey struck Houston and the Texas Gulfcoast, God impressed upon me to start a ministry of quilts and pillowcases to send to Texas. Then Hurricane Irma hit in my home state of Florida, then Hurricane Maria hit in the Caribbean. So, my ministry quickly expanded to include disaster victims of natural disasters. All to say, this is in the very first stages of getting established.
“How was I to do both?” Quickly, God showed me it’s not an “either/or” situation. The writing can be done anytime. When one is completed, work on the other can proceed. What’s important in this process is to know I’m the instrument of the One who says in Matthew, “IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT DOUBT”. So, one day at a time...both ministries will proceed. My Partner has a plan, I trust Him.
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