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.
Friday, August 18, 2017
AWAKEN ME!!
Luke tells us of a righteous man named Simeon and Anna, a prophetess, who were waiting for anxiously awaited "the consolation of Israel...the redemption of Jerusalem". On the day designated by the Law of Moses both were in the Temple as Mary and Joseph brought their son to be "consecrated to the Lord" (Luke 22:21-40). At this very same time in the Temple were priests carrying out their duties, teachers instructing their students from the Book of Moses, people praying and seeking God, money-changers, merchants, and people like Mary and Joseph coming to fulfill the Law. Only two people noticed the long awaited Messiah was in their midst.
Two thousand years later we too get so distracted by the events of the day, pointing fingers, petitioning God that we fail to see the One we so earnestly seek is walking in our midst!! Lord, let your Holy Spirit awaken me to Your Presence in my life!! Don't let me be so busy seeking that I miss you completely. AWAKEN ME!!!
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
LESSONS LEARNED
This is my first post since April. Probably the longest I''ve ever gone without writing since God called me to this ministry in 2003. Over these last few months, God and I have been addressing my feelings of inadequacy I've had since He called me to this ministry. Am I the only one who feels hugely incapable and highly inadequate when being called to do something in His service? I don't think that is the case. Although the insights have been acquired through reading of Scripture and Bible Study, it can best be told through the making of this quilt.
The first time I started to make this quilt, I was very confident in my own abilities and cockily went about sewing it my way. By the second row, it was so out of square I had to throw it away. The second time I started it, I asked God to be with me and guide my hands every time before working on it. It stayed perfectly square from the first block to the last block, from the first row to the last. In order to complete any task assigned to me by God, He must guide me from the first word to the last, from the first sentence to the last sentence.
During the last fourteen years of writing this blog and another blog, facilitating Bible Studies, and speaking I've experienced feelings of being inadequate and being ill-prepared. After all, the only biblical knowledge I had was what I attained through Scripture or Bible Studies; the only writing experience was what I'd done on term papers and essays in school; and, the only photography experience was the pictures I took on trips or holidays. But then,, God showed me that Peter and John were fishermen and Matthew was a tax collector. All of the disciples were taught by Jesus just like me. To keep a quilt square, you must start in the center and work out. No matter what our calling is we must keep our eyes on the One who centers us to be effective, Jesus.
We are told in John 10 that the sheep knows the shepherd's voice and will not react to any other voice. An important part of doing this work is hearing my Shepherd's voice. Over the years, several people have either stated or questioned my ability to hear God's voice. This ministry cannot be undertaken without the ability to hear God's voice. No task or ministry can be effective without hearing our Master's voice.Too many times the Enemy has brought me to a standstill because of this one fear, maybe I'm not hearing God's voice. After all, who am I that the God of the universe would talk to me? Whether He speaks to you through Scripture or music or Bible Studies or thoughts or sermons or a small still voice, don't ever doubt that He can speak directly to you. Just as He guided my hand, He guides my ministry and yours. If you can call God, Father, and Jesus, Savior you know your Shepherd's voice.
Finally, while making this quilt it was necessary to seek the advice of others. In completing any task we are called to do for Him, we should not be hesitant to ask others for advice or assistance. No where in the Bible does it say "God helps those who help themselves." Jesus chose twelve people to spread the gospel, not one.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
PHARISEE OR DISCIPLE?
As we look more closely to our relationship with Christ during this Lenten Season is your relationship one of a Pharisee or one of a disciple? Quickly we want to answer, "Why, of course, its as a disciple!! No way am I a Pharisee!!" That was my first response as this question tumbled around in my mind while doing my morning Scripture reading. But, some of the things Jesus is accusing the Pharisees of doing am I not doing them? Let's take a closer look at these two relationships, Pharisee or disciple.
The Pharisees that were following Jesus from place to place were there to attempt to entrap him for the sole purpose of finding something they could use to crucify him. They were not seeking answers to improve their relationship with God but to kill His Son. When Jesus was twelve, on the verge of becoming a man, he was found by his parents "in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." At every opportunity the Pharisees were constantly testing him with their questions; constantly attempting to entrap him. Have we not, at some point in our life, attempted to entrap Jesus with our questions?
Jesus criticized the Pharisees because they washed their outsides but not their insides; tithed but neglected to show God's love; loved praise and attention; load ones down with laws and rituals and do nothing to ease the burden; not accepting the truth about Jesus; and they prevented others from knowing the truth about Jesus. We do the same when we do things to be seen rather than from the excess of our love for Christ. We do the same when we attend church on Sunday to be seen or because "its the right thing to do" rather than to worship the One who has saved you. We do the same thing when we "wear our Christianity" on the outside but our actions do not reflect God's love on the inside.
Jesus tells us to be on guard against "the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy". The New International Version Life Application Bible tells us the signs of hypocrisy is "knowing the truth but not showing it. People can say they follow Jesus, but not be obedient to his Word. 2) Hypocrisy is living a self-serving life. People may desire leadership only because they love position and control, not because they want to serve others. 3) Hypocrisy reduces faith to rigid rules. People can end up worshiping their own rules and regulations about what they think God wants instead of worshiping God Himself. 4) Hypocrisy is outward conformity without inner reality. People can obey the details but still be disobedient in general behavior. For example, a person may carefully tithe but be rude and obnoxious to his co-worker...Consider these signs of hypocrisy and make sure you are not guilty. Then ask God to help you live rightly."
As a disciple, "a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another" (Dictionary.com), of Jesus he tells us the greatest commandment is to "love God with all our heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbors as yourself". At one point he looked at his disciples and asked "Who do you say I am?" If your answer is like Peter's , "You are the Messiah" after honest introspection do your actions tell others you are a Pharisee or a disciple of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?
The Pharisees that were following Jesus from place to place were there to attempt to entrap him for the sole purpose of finding something they could use to crucify him. They were not seeking answers to improve their relationship with God but to kill His Son. When Jesus was twelve, on the verge of becoming a man, he was found by his parents "in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." At every opportunity the Pharisees were constantly testing him with their questions; constantly attempting to entrap him. Have we not, at some point in our life, attempted to entrap Jesus with our questions?
Jesus criticized the Pharisees because they washed their outsides but not their insides; tithed but neglected to show God's love; loved praise and attention; load ones down with laws and rituals and do nothing to ease the burden; not accepting the truth about Jesus; and they prevented others from knowing the truth about Jesus. We do the same when we do things to be seen rather than from the excess of our love for Christ. We do the same when we attend church on Sunday to be seen or because "its the right thing to do" rather than to worship the One who has saved you. We do the same thing when we "wear our Christianity" on the outside but our actions do not reflect God's love on the inside.
Jesus tells us to be on guard against "the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy". The New International Version Life Application Bible tells us the signs of hypocrisy is "knowing the truth but not showing it. People can say they follow Jesus, but not be obedient to his Word. 2) Hypocrisy is living a self-serving life. People may desire leadership only because they love position and control, not because they want to serve others. 3) Hypocrisy reduces faith to rigid rules. People can end up worshiping their own rules and regulations about what they think God wants instead of worshiping God Himself. 4) Hypocrisy is outward conformity without inner reality. People can obey the details but still be disobedient in general behavior. For example, a person may carefully tithe but be rude and obnoxious to his co-worker...Consider these signs of hypocrisy and make sure you are not guilty. Then ask God to help you live rightly."
As a disciple, "a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another" (Dictionary.com), of Jesus he tells us the greatest commandment is to "love God with all our heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbors as yourself". At one point he looked at his disciples and asked "Who do you say I am?" If your answer is like Peter's , "You are the Messiah" after honest introspection do your actions tell others you are a Pharisee or a disciple of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?
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