8.31.11

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

My Thoughts

This verse tells me that no matter what is going on around me, no matter what is happening to me if I keep my eyes on Him I am building up glory in heaven. I see it like this, at the top of a mountain is the house you have always dreamed about.... all paid for...  running water, electricity, gas... the perfect car in the driveway...sitting on a mountain where it is always springtime...we are at the bottom of that mountain...all we have to do is make it to the top and it is all ours...now to get to the top we have to go through rough terrain, deep dark forest...cross a couple of raging rivers... but we can always look up and see the house there before us.  We accept the challenge!!  Sometimes we get lost in the forest.. a little off track...then we remember to look up again... we are again reminded of our goal and we get renewed strength to carry on.  The prize is ours if we keep pushing on.  When we look up the struggle doesn't seem all that hard, after all look at the prize...but when we just look at what is in front of us all we can see are the trees, and the rivers in the way... when we look up there are often life ropes that carry us right over our troubles. We miss those life ropes if we are looking forward.  We would all keep on keeping on if we had a mountain with all that we ever wanted sitting on the top.  We might have to stop and bandage our bodies, renew our spirit...but we would keep on keeping on!

We have that wonderful place in heaven...something more wonderful than we can ever imagine.... our earthly bodies don't even have the capacity to comprehend all the splendor and glory and love and happiness that is waiting for us. God tells us it is there waiting for us...we just have to keep our eyes on him as we go through our forest and our raging rivers... nothing is too big or too hard when we keep our eye on God...and God even throws us a life rope when the rivers are too wide!! We may not can see the mansion, but we can trust God to know that is is there. When we keep our eyes on God the troubles of this world are put into perspective.  When we listen to the thoughts the devil puts in our head he makes our problems so big that all we can see is what is in front of us.  God is so much bigger than all our problems, so much grander than anything we can imagine... when we keep our eyes on God, he takes care of the rest. When we keep our eyes on God everything we face is scaled down to size in comparison to God  instead of in comparison to us.

It is like this...when we are up next to a tree... toe to tree... all we can see is the tree..... if we move back a little we can see a path around it...if we move back further we see the forest..... if we move back further the tree gets even smaller... we give it to God, from the heavens that big tree becomes a tiny speck. When we look up during our troubles... we can let God do the looking down and the taking care of... after all it is so easy for him!!

8.30.11

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

My Thoughts

I love learning about God and his goodness. With every tidbit of knowledge I get my life gets better and better. God is goodness and love. God is mercy and kindness. God is forgiving and caring...all of this make our hearts fill with light. The best picture I can give to this is the feeling our heart gets is when we see the morning sun shine on new snow...and the innocence of a rabbit sitting calmly in the distance.  All is perfect and peaceful. The day seems perfect for rest, for comfort. I also get a similar feeling during the first days of spring...you can open your door...the wind in the air is just right so refreshing, the birds are singing, the flowers make the day beautiful... it just makes you want to accomplish something wonderful. There are so many possibilities just in the air. God is like that, always giving us a new start, a new beginning, another chance to do life right.  I believe God made new days so we could always have a chance to begin again to do better and better and better.

The devil on the other hand is all darkness and gloom. When the devil can get you to believe all the bad he whispers in our heads he can send such a vale of darkness over our hearts. He can take one persons words and put thoughts in our head and  turn our day around in a heartbeat if we listen.  He can make us feel like the forest on a dark night with noises we don't understand, where every branch we step on feels like a wild animal about to attack.  All the shadows are ominous every noise seems loud. All the forest is out to get us it seems.

The funny thing about that darkness of the forest is  in the light of day it isn't scary at all.... Nothing is what it seemed. The monsters were the shadows of trees...the snakes were leaves on the ground... the moving animals were branches we stepped on. Our mind just played tricks on us.  All the innocence of the forest is still there... we just can't see it in the darkness.

God's love is like the morning sun...it enables us to see the world as it was intended to be.  With  the light of God's love in our hearts we can see love, we can have forgiveness's, we see the goodness in people. We put their words right in our heart, giving them the benefit of the doubt. We forgive and are able to move on.  We can know that the mistakes or unkindness-es of others is the devil spinning his darkness and we know to pray, and love and forgive.  That forgiveness, those prayers not only adds to the lives of others it also makes our hearts happier. When we mess up we know God will forgive us and make our lives like the sun on new snow... all the blemishes of our mistakes buried and gone. When we put God's words in our hearts we can use them to chase away the darkness the devil tries to put in our lives. We can make room for the springtime!!

The thing is we have to make the choice to have the light of the glory of God. We have to make an effort. But when we do and when we truly "get it," we have a spot light so shine, even on the darkest of days, that tells us the truth of the forest. We have new snow to bury our blemishes, and we have the springtime full of possibilities!

8.119.11

Job 32:8  But there is a [vital force] a spirit [of intelligence] in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives me understanding.

My Thoughts

I love this!! God puts the Holy Spirit inside us to help us understand his words, to help us understand others, to help us make intelligent choices, to help us love one another,  to help us understand God's plan for our lives. The more I learn to listen to the Holy Spirit the more I do understand. The more I listen to the Holy Spirit inside of me the more loving I am. The more I listen to the Holy Spirit inside of me the more pleased I am with my life. The more I listen to the Holy Spirit the more I want to know!! 2 Corinthians 3:17 says that "For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." I love the freedom we get from God...it is a freedom of spirit, a freedom of mind, a freedom to love others.  It is much like the freedom a baby has to learn and explore and grow, to love everyone around them... babies get to be all they need to be because there is somebody watching over them keeping them safe...guiding there steps, picking them up when they fall, providing for them. Babies have the freedom to be all that they can be with someone stronger there to watch over them and keep them safe. Does this mean they never fall? no...does this mean they never get sick? no.... Does this mean things are always easy for them? no.... Does this mean they don't have to try? no... but it does mean that they are being watched over, they are being provided for, they are being loved, they are being picked up when they fall, someone is holding their hand when it needs holding, the are constantly being loved and cared for. Babies have the freedom to grow into something wonderful, and joyous. So do we when we have the Holy Spirit inside of us!

8.28.11

Psalms 21:11 Why a I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again-- my Savior and my God!

My Thoughts

We have all been there, well most of us.  In that deep dark place, discouraged and sad not even knowing why.  Just that dark veil of emptiness. We can even know we could call out to God but what would we say? When you don't know why your are sad and discouraged you don't even know what to ask for! The devil loves when we get in that place, it is when we are most vulnerable. Here the psalmst gives us the solution... we just put our hope in God.. when we don't know what to say, what to ask for we just start praising God, drawing him near to us. God knows, God always know... he knows where the darkness comes from even when we don't.  We don't have to know!  All we have to do is call out to God praise him in the mist of our darkest and we will begin to see light. When we praise God we can feel, actually feel the weight of the world being lifted off our shoulders.

8.27.11

2 Corinthians 1:21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

My Thoughts

I love this...one it reminds us that we are to help each other stand firm in God. We all need help in this area, the Bible tells us to encourage each other. We need to be good to do just that!!  The exciting part is that every time time we feel the Holy Spirit inside us prompting us we can know that it is a reminder that we have so much more to come!!  We have all of God's wonderful promises of heaven to look forward to! Now that is something to be excited about!!

8.26.11

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.

My Thoughts

I use to see the poor as a money thing....but the poor can be a person poor in all kinds of things... poor in spirit.... poor in joy.... poor in happiness. So many times we think we can't talk to a person because we don't have a common ground.  We all have a common ground! We were all made by God. How can we be a witness to a person we don't connect with? We can't unless we find common ground... God tells us that we have a common ground with everybody. We are never to high up to reach down and we are never too low to reach up.... we all need to reach out with the love that God put in our hearts for each other. When we reach out to others in love we will connect. Sometimes all it takes to be a powerful witness for God is to reach our in love.  God will always give us the words if we take the steps.

8.25.11

Psalms 40:8 I take joy in doing your will, my God for your instructions are written on my heart.

My Thoughts

The Amplified Bibles puts this verse in these words: I delight to do Your will, Oh my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.

When we take the time to know God, to read his word and learn what He says about life. When we take the time to put it in our remembrance we can make it a part of our heart. We can feel in our soul what the right choices are. We we choose to do good, to do what God would want us to do we can actually feel the joy, the delight deep within us. I love when I have that feeling!!  I remember picking my kid up at school when they were in kindergarten, the would almost run to the car with their work in their hands. They would have joy written all over them because the knew I would be proud of what they had done.  They worked hard to do a good job so that I would be proud of them. I was proud of them.  When we take time to know what God expects of us we can feel that same joy when we do the right thing. As God watches over us he sees when we have done good and he is proud of us for making the right choices. God loves it when we "get it."

As I read my Bible I often read verses that I have heard all my life. Verses that were in my memory but never quite in my heart somehow.  I love it when one of those verses become perfectly clear... when I can almost feel it slip from my head to your heart. When I know finally how to apply it to my life. I think God must feel like we felt when we were helping our children learn to read.  Each night they struggled and struggled as they tried reading aloud. Then one day, almost out of the blue they are reading, not stumbling along but actually reading. One day they are working so hard at it the next day reading is just a part of who they are.  That is how God wants his word to be. He wants us to read it and study it and read it and study it.  God expects us to try and fail and try and fail. God also knows that one day if we keep trying, if we keep reading, learning and praying, on day his word will slip into our heart in such a way that his word, his instruction, his love becomes a part of who we are. Just like children learning to read we have to do our part for it to become a  part of our heart.

8.24.11

1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable.  Always work inthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

My Thoughts

I love this verse!!  "Nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." Wow that is so exciting.  We are to stand firm, be imovable alsways doing our best.  What God knows is that our best changes as we grow in Him.  Even Jesus grew in wisdom, he didn't have it all at once. Luke 2:52 tells us Jesus kept on growing wiser and more mature, and in favor with God. We need to do our best for God at the place we are and keep seeking wisdom.  We don't have to look back and say I could have done better. God knows that we grow, God recgonizes we we do our best at the place that we are at. God is pleased with us when we try our best where we are. It says right here that nothing we do for God is ever useless. The Amplified Bible says that nothing we do for God is "wasted or to no purpous." So each time we think "God would be happy with me if I ______________." Know that God is happy with us when we choose doing for Him. It can be as simple as being kind when we feel grumpy. God always knows when we make an effort. I think we all  need to know that we are noticed for our effort. So many times we feels that our efforts to please others simply goes un-noticed. Our efforts to please God never, ever goes un-noticed. For me that is such a comforting, rewarding thing to put into my rememberence. Anything we do for God, everything we do for God matters! Now that is exciting!

8.23.11

1 Corinthians 15:10 But what ever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. (Paul)

My Thoughts

I love this God took Paul who had killed so many Christians and turned him into a believer that went around starting churches that would reach so many! Paul a murder, Paul an unbeliever!  God took Paul and poured out his special favor and changed him so drastically. God turned Paul's passion against believers into a passion for believers!!  If God would do that in Paul what will God do in our lives.

I was reading along and when I got to these words... "But what ever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me," these words made my heart jump ... I felt great joy in my soul.  I know that God has changed me.  God has given me such peace. I know that God's grace has made me able to do so much that I could not do before.  The more I seek after God, the more time I spend on having a relationship with God the more God pours out his grace on my life. The more I know God the more able I am to see all the blessings he has poured out on my life. The more I know God the better my life gets.  It is so exciting that someone as powerful, as wise, as loving as God is, loves me enough to bless my days!

Just think of those words...poured out his blessings...My visual of this is a pitcher of water being poured into a glass.... if you poured the pitcher of water into a glass and kept pouring it would fill the glass up, then it would over flow and surround the glass. The wonderful thing about God blessings is that he never runs out, we can never use them all up!!

8.22.11

Psalms 37:37 Look at those who are honest and good, for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace.

My Thoughts

I love that God lets us know that he has things in store for us.  We can work hard and do what is right, be good people and know that there is an end result of good things to come.  So often we go about doing and doing and we get discouraged because we feel like nobody notices.  When we read God's word we are often reminded that God does notice and he is storing up blessings for us, simply for being good people.  Next time you feel like the world doesn't notice what good you do, remember God always notices.

I like too that God has plans for people who love peace. I am such a peace maker. I avoid an arguement at all cost. The world can make me feel like a whimp, like a weak person.  But God tells me that blessed are the peace makers. (Matthew 5:9). I love that God makes us feel good about being good!

8.21.11

Psalms 37:23-24  The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

My Thoughts

I so love these two verses.... When we are doing our best...even when our best on a bad days is not as good as it is on a good day, God will direct our steps.  Even when we get off the path God finds a way to put us back on path. Because he loves us!!  God cares about every detail of our lives...I love that God cares if I knit a pretty hat!!  I love that God cares if my feeling have been hurt!!... I love that God delights when I get excited because I bowled a strike. God delights in every, every detail of our lives!! 

When we stumble God holds our hand!!  God does not let us fall!  We may almost fall but God will catch us every time.  What God ask of us is that we do our best. God knows that we have to learn, God knows that we grow slowly. but we grow. God appreciates our efforts, our baby steps. God knows that sometimes we get knocked down when we try, like when a baby is learning to walk, but God  is holding on to us and sets up back on our feet and smiles when we try again!! 

I love how much God loves us.  When I sits and think about all God has done for me it makes me smile every time!!

8.20.11

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

My Thoughts

Being a loving person is a choice..... Often we say we love somebody then we choose not to act in loving ways.  1 Corinthians 13 says that "Three things will last forever -- faith, hope and love -- the greatest of these is love." Jesus spoke of love all the time. God expects us to be loving.  We have to choose to be patient when we feel inpatient.  We have to choose kindness even it the mist of a busy day. We need to choose not to be boastful, proud. Rudeness seems to abound in today's world. People are rude in cars, people are rude in restaurants, in Wal-Mart. There is rudeness everywhere.... it can be hard not to be rude back...but the Bible tells us that we are not being loving when we are rude.  We are suppose to love everybody... that means strangers...one way to love strangers is by choosing not to be rude. Love is not irritable, sometimes we just wake up that way.... if we can only be irritable we need to go somewhere and be by ourselves until we can be kind... We can be loving enough to say, "I am sorry I am really irritable today please give me my space so I won't in any way be unkind to you." Love does not keep score, it does not keep a record of what somebody has done to you that was wrong.  The devil loves to remind us of what other people have done to us...the devil loves to get under our skin. When he does that we just need to tell the devil that we choose love, we choose not to keep score so he can just go on his merry way. Love does not get excited when somebody else is hurt in any way or when somebody "gets their comeuppance."  Love gets excited when we choose to do what God ask us to do. When we are loving we never give up on others. When we are loving we never loose faith that God is in control... When love abounds in our hearts we can always feel hope. Love endures everything....when we love others we stick with them through thick and thin..we don't go running off when things get hard.

Love is a choice...it is easy to love the lovable... we show God that we are loving when we love everybody else. I sure hope love wins out with the people around me when I am my least lovable.

8.19.11

1 Corinthians 12:24b-26 So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

My Thoughts

In this chapter Paul was explaining to the Corinthians how each person in the body of Christ had a part to play.  Paul compares the body of Christ, Christians to an actual body...some parts seem way more important in our body then other parts but we need each part and each part works together to make the whole.  Our legs may get us to the fields but our hands pick the fruit.  We are all important to God!  Even though we are not all the Joel Osteens or the Joyce Meyers we are all important to God's plan.  Our job may simply be to lead one person to Christ and that may be all we ever do but that one person my never know God without us doing our part.  Each person is that important to God.

We should never look down on another Christian because we think he/she isn't meeting their purpose we have not idea what that purpose is.  We should support one another, be glad for one another and protect one another.  We should love one another and make it where each person can reach the potential God has planned for them. We should celebrate each thing a person does that advances the Kingdom of God.  We should know and understand that we all matter because God made each and every one of us. We should never give up on ourselves because we are important to God and God has a important plan for each one of us.  What  we can do may not seem important to the world but it is important to God!!



8.18.11

Proverbs 21:20 The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.

My Thoughts

I feel like this verse is telling us we will have extras and we will have money we need if we are wise with the money we are given.  So many times we want to spend what we have, today we can even spend more than we have.  We spend it to feel good for the moment.  Often we spend it on something we sort of want because we at the moment we don't have enought money for somethign we really want.  Then something comes along that we need... or we get an unexpected bill in the mail and we don't have the money for something that is necessary.  The Bible tells us that if we are wise with the money God has given us we will have money for our needs and we will even have money for some of the luxuries of life. Here in Proverbs we are given instruction to be wise with our money. We honor God by treating what he has given us with respect, treating it like it is special, treating it like a treasured gift.  We we blow our money in careless ways it is like throwing a gift that God gave us in the trash.  As long as we treat our money carelessly God can not entrust us with more.

It is like giving a child a bicycle...if they leave the bicycle out in the rain... if they leave that bicycle near the street to get stolen ... if they give the bicycle away because they didn't much like the color. They have not taken care of what they have been given, so they don't get another one.  But if they cherish their bicycle and take good care of it...when they outgrow it they can have another one...then they can take the older one and sell it... then instead of having nothing at all they have a new bicycle and money in their hand.

It is important to God that we take care of our money, he took the time to make sure it was written in his word.  In return for God's gift to us we should respect God enough and our gift enough that it would make God want to shower us with more.

8.17.11

Nehemiah 12:43a Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy.

My Thoughts

Once Jesus died for our sins we no longer had to offer sacrifices. Jesus was our sacrifice. Now all we have to do is say thank you God for.  All we have to do is thank God with our mouths and our hearts. The people here were joyful, they had been given so much and they celebrated!

I remember my mom telling me, that she read once, that today we live like a house with a 100 servants did years ago before running water and electricity, piped in gas. It would take a 100 people to bring us our wanted to heat our homes, to can our food, to keep us as comfortable as we are today. God has given us all of this and we forget to say thank you.

I know that one of the sweetest things I hear is when a small child looks up and says "thank you." We are taught that when we help our fellow man it is the same as if we helped Jesus. Wouldn't a thank you to the people around us be the same too? Today many people are shocked when you say thank you...it takes them by surprise...I have seen it in their faces. The look puzzled, then pleased and light up and say your welcome. We need to wake up and thank God for a new day, for our families, we need to thank God for the food that is so easily prepared, we need to thank God for our cars, our health, our homes, our jobs. Every time we have reason to smile, we have reason to say thank you!!  We need to thank each other. We need to be constantly mindful of all that we have to be thankful for.  If we are busy being thankful, if we are constantly looking for a chance to thank God I bet our reasons to complain would seem small in comparison. If we were constantly thankful, mindful of things to be thankful for, I bet we would begin to overlook, to not even see the things we complain about now. 

Psalms 50:14 says "Let thankfulness be your sacrifice". God sacrificed his only son on the cross so that we could have so much! The least we could do is take time to notice, and tell God thank you.

8.16.11

Psalms 34:14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

My Thoughts

It is interesting that turning away from evil and doing good is right next to search for peace, and work to maintain it.  Doing what is wrong does not bring about peace.  A good example of this is gossip. Gossip always creates strife. Evil creates strife. This verse doesn't say be peaceful it says work for peace.  Peace takes effort. Effort takes action. The Bible tells us in Matthew 5:9 blessed are the peacemakers.  It is important to God that we go around creating peace.  Adding to chaos is never a good thing yet we do that all the time by listening  to or adding to gossip. Peace is not an easy thing to accomplish it takes effort. It is so important that we are promised a reward for being peacemaker... Matthew 5:9 says that the peacemakers will   be called sons of God. Making peace is important to God! Even when it is easier to add to the chaos we are still expected to do the right thing and make peace.  We are to search for peace...look for peaceful situations. Peace takes work and effort and we need to be willing to make the effort for God and for eachother.

8.15.11

1 Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

My Thoughts

This is a wonderful verse!! It tells us that that everybody has the same thoughts as us, the same tempting thoughts. It says that the devil is whispering the same thoughts in every body's mind. It is really comforting to know. We are not alone in our thoughts...everybody has them... we are no different in our thoughts than anybody else. Often we feel like we are but we're not!! It means that how we act on those thoughts and temptations is what makes us who we are not the thoughts themselves.

I remember thinking about myself that if people could only see my thoughts they would think I was a horrible, terrible, awful person! But the kind of person I am is how I react to those thoughts in my head, thoughts the devil puts there.  If I refuse to think and act on those thoughts I am a good person. If I dwell on those bad  thoughts and then act on them  then I have given into temptation. The Bible tells us that in Luke 6:45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. So when we choose to do good to say good, sweet, kind, encouraging words we are  good people. The devil likes to make us think our thoughts are what makes us bad. We have to guard our heads with our hearts by not dwelling on the bad thoughts the devil gives us. We need to move on to the good and the kind. We can do this better by storing Gods word in our heart and mind and calling upon what God tells us each time the devil tries to tempt us.

The next good part is that when we are tempted God always gives us a way out, always.  It is important to know this... to put it in our remembrance. There is always a way out, always. God gives us one!  So when a person is tempting us to do wrong, even a person in power over us like a boss or manager, God has a way out for us.  We need to be aware that God puts a way out in our path so we don't feel stuck to do something that we know we shouldn't. So if you know in your heart that you should not talk about people and your boss ask you to... God has put a way out there for you... you just need to be aware.  God takes care of his children. No matter what the devil tries to tempt us with, no matter what the devil puts in our path God has given us a way out. God always makes it possible for us to do the right thing.

8.14.11

Psalms 33:15 He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.

My Thoughts

I love this verse...I don't think I could pick a favorite verse I love so many of them. I love that God understands everything we do!! God knows our every thought. God knows why we are thinking the way we are thinking. The thing is that God knows our hearts better than we do.  So God understands better than we do how our thoughts and actions effect us and others.  When God corrects us it is because he loves us and knows we will be happier, more productive, more loving when we do what he ask.

To get a good mental picture of God understanding our hearts because he made them I got it in my head this way. I love to knit and crochet. I love to take a wad of thread and shape it into something pretty.  When I give something I have made to somebody that doesn't knit or crochet they wear it, its theirs but they only know that is is pretty. They know how to keep it pretty if I tell them how to take care of it.  But,  if it begins to become unraveled they would not know how to fix it. They own it, it is theirs but they don't understand how it was made.  So if it needed to be fixed they would need to bring it to me because I made it and I understand how it works. If they follow the instructions for care of the scarf then I can go about making something else for them to ware and enjoy.  But if they keep doing things to harm their scarf I have to use my time fixing what they already have.

God knows how our heart works. God knows how it was put together and how it works best. God knows how to fix our heart when it comes unraveled or broken.  What the Bible does is tell us how to keep our heart at it's best. How to care for it to get the most out of it. When our heart becomes unravel we take it to God and God makes it right again.  If we follow God care and instruction for our heart it works better, it serves us better. If we take care of our heart the way we are supposed to then God can shower us with more gifts.  But if we don't follow his instructions he needs to fix us so that we are able to use the gifts he wants to give us when we are ready for them.

The wonderful thing is when our hearts are not working right we can go to God and God can make it better, after all he made our hearts and he understands every working part.

8.12.11

Psalms 32:4 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion the the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

My Thoughts

I love this!!  Love it!!  When we have done something wrong we just go to God and tell him, confess it and God forgives us!  This is a part we often miss... "All my guilt is gone." When we give our sins to God he throws them as far as the east is to the west (Psalms 103:12). Then we get to walk away guilt free, we have been forgiven!!  We don't have to go around feeling guilty. In fact God does not want us to go around feeling guilty... he wants us to be free to live the best life we can and we can't do our best when we are wallering in guilt.

One morning I was busy folding clothes, this was not long after my mom died.  I was taking to God here and there and I was feeling guilty about some things with my mom... feeling like I could have/should have done some things better.  Then these words came to my heart, I know from God  "When you worry about the person you didn't know how to be you can become the person you were meant to be." God does not want us walking around in guilt. God wants us to learn from our mistakes and do better.

The devil loves to bring up our past in our minds. The devil knows that guilt can stop us in our tracks. So he brings our mistakes, our sins to our memory. We have to use the power of God to rebuke those memories and move forward in joy! I have learned to say to the devil when he brings up those memories, "God has forgiven me, I have been made whole. I am wonderfully made and God loves me." When I give my sins to God and he throws them away, as far as the east is from the west,  I get to live a new day, to start over all clean and white with God's light leading my way!

Psalms 31:19  How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

My Thoughts

Remember here fear means extreme reverence or awe. When I took time to look up fear I felt so much better about the word fear in the Bible when talking about God.  When we are in awe of God when we revear him (revere is defined as to regard with respect) when we respect God. When we take time to know God, he stores us goodness for us!!  He doesn't just give us a little goodness he stores up lots of goodness for us. Imagine how big a storehouse in heaven must be. God stores up goodness for us and lavishes it upon us. When we love God with all our heart when we regard him with respect and awe God stores up goodness for us!! Wow...then, then after he stores it all up one day when we need God the most he gives us all those blessings he has stored for us for all the world to see!! How exciting is that!! 

I always have to put it in human terms to wrap my mind around what God will do for me. So I think of it like this. A grandparent has a trip planned to the store, then her/his grandchild calls and say Grandmother I love you so much and I wanted to call you and tell you. This makes the grandmother so happy it just feels her heart that her grandchild has taken time to call her/him just to say I love you. Then the grandmother  goes shopping...and she filled with happy thoughts about her thoughtful grandchild...she runs across something she know they will love. She can't help but spot it, after all that grandchild is clear and present in her heart and mind on this day. She buys that wonderful gift for that wonderful child and takes it home and stores it up for him/her. To lavish them with it when she sees them!! Well if they get in need before she sees them and she has to run and help them, she grabs the wonderful gift on her way out the door to make her grandchild feel better.

This is what God does for us, he stores up presents for us. When we take time for God it puts us in his mind and he can't help but want to put something special away for us because he loves us so much!! The people we love and trust are the people we go to when things are hard, but they are also the people that we just want to talk to. They are the people that we take time to check in with and let them know we are thinking about them. That is how we should be with God! We need to take the time to let God know how much we love and respect him. When we do God thinks of us when he goes shopping.

8.10.11

Proverbs 21:3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.

My Thoughts

This passage really struck me this morning... I though of how the Israelites had to make sacrifices of their animals. There was a lot to that... these animals sometimes had to be the firstborn male animal.... they had to be free or blemishes of any kind... and there is more to that list that I can't remember.  Just think of the part I do remember... the farmer had to be truly aware of which animal was first born... then check to see if it was a male.... it had to be keep it separate maybe so that it would not get mixed up with the others...then it was probably feed the best food....it had to be watched over so that it didn't get scared up or killed.  Then it had to be checked for any blemishes, moles for instance. So there had to be more than one animal that was kept safely just in case one of the animals developed a blemish.  Then they had to take this animal for miles and miles to the temple on foot.....All this had to be done to have a perfect sacrifice for God.

Proverbs tells us here that God is more pleased when we do right than when we offer sacrifices. So many times choosing to do what is right is just easy...sometimes as easy as keeping our mouth shut.  Sometimes it requires a lot of effort, maybe giving up something we worked hard for.  But I know most of doing right is much easier than raising a perfect animal for sacrifice. Yet often we disappoint God by not doing what is right. The thing is God wants us to do what is right because he loves us and wants us to be happy. Doing what is right changes our lives for the good. God is happier when we choose to make our lives good by by making the right  choices than he is when we give something to him. Actually being good, choosing to do good things is a gift to God.

You may have thought what could I do for God? I have thought that many times! This verse makes it clear...we can do what is right.  Next time we are tempted to gossip, we can think to ourselves if I keep my mouth shut that will be the same as giving God a present!! If I take time to be nice to the lady checking me out at Wal-Mart that is the same as giving God a present. If I hold the door for someone that is the same as giving God a present. If I take food to my neighbor it is the same as giving God a present. If I do a good job at work all the time that is the same as giving God a present. When we put it in this light we can do for God all day long every day just by choosing to do  the right thing. What are you going to give God today?



8.9.11

Psalms 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

My Thoughts

Anguish is defined as excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain. I love this God cares about our distress, our suffering our pain. God cares if we are anxious.  When we are in pain, when we are suffering or are in distress those are the times we feel most alone. We don't have to be!  God cares about every detail of our lives.

So often we see God's all knowing as "Oh no! God knows all our sin." He does know our sin and He always loves us in spite of ourselves.  He always forgives us if we confess.  I love to think of God's all knowing as him knowing me so much, in such detail that he understands my suffering, my joy, my pain, my happiness.  God knows and more importantly God cares.  I love the quote "Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in their shoes." As people we can only see people from our perspective and our experiences. God sees us with a  full knowledge of all that we have been through, all that we have done.  He knows the scars that we have suffered from those experiences. God know the pain and suffering we have gone through. God loves us so much and he cares about the anguish of our soul. God scatters our sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). Then after God separates us from our sin he comforts us and loves us and repairs our pain and hurt. I have sat and felt God engulf me in his love. It is an amazing feeling to sit quietly with my eyes closed and ask God to surround me with his love, then to sit still and feel Gods presence. It is a healing of the soul that only God can do. God does this because he cares and he loves us so much!

I love that the more I know God the more I know to expect from God. I love that now when I am in the mist of a storm I know that God will get me through. Storms use to feel like the end of the world, like I was falling in a deep dark whole never to return. Now I have learned to feel calm in the storm because I know that God has me in his hands and I will still be standing when the storm is over and I will walk away with more knowledge of how amazing God is.

8.8.11

Proverbs 20:28 Unfailing love and faithfulness protect the king; his throne is made secure through love.

My Thoughts

I learned recently that the last third of the book of Proverbs is written for kings so that they can be the best kings they can be. To teach them wisdom about being in charge.  I though of how this could apply today to anybody "in charge." A manager, a teacher, a parent...anybody over a group of people.

When I was a teenager I worked at Wendys... we had this amazing boss..... he actually spoiled me, all of us to what a boss is suppose to be like. I have never again had a boss that could so motivate people!  He did this through love...he was only in his 20's but he was a brilliant manager. As I look back I know that what he had for a group of teenage kids was unfailing love and faithfulness. God commands us to love one another and to be good to one another. Kevin, that manager did just that! He did special things for us all the time... on Valentines day he would bring all the girls a flower and if you ran the register you could put it at the register.  He had monthly store meetings where he handed out all manner of pins for accomplishments.... we wore those on our uniforms, proudly. I had about 15 pins in the 18 months I worked for him. When the district manager would come to the store I would get so nervous!!  He always told me, "Jeannie don't worry I am your manager and I am the only person that has the power to fire  you and you are not going anywhere." He made me feel safe!  He planned hay rides in the fall and organized ball games with other stores. He was amazing.  Kevin  left for bigger and better things and we got a new manager....no more pins were handed out....no flowers on Valentines, no ballgames or hay rides.  The new manager always made us feel like we would be in trouble, we became afraid to breath. He ruled with an iron fist. Kevin ruled with love and faithfulness.  Kevin's love and faithfulness paid off too. There is nothing we would not do for him!  If he called us in  to work when were were not scheduled we would cancel plans to work.  If the store was going to have an inspection we would show up and work for free getting the store in tip top shape.  When the new manager came we didn't do those things.  We missed the days where there was nothing Kevin would not do for us and nothing we would not do for Kevin. All because of  his love and faithfulness to us. 

When we are loving and faithful to others we are showing the love and faithfulness of God.  As children of God we should be what God is. God is all about loving us and being faithful to his promises to us. 

Love and faithfulness are seeds that grow wonderful rewards!

8.7.11

Pslams 29:11 The Lord Gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

My Thoughts

I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 9 years old.... I was 48 years old before I really "got it." People would talk about the peace of God. I kept wondering where mine was. I wondered where peoples strength came from... those that you could see loved God... like my grandmother... she had strength...she never looked back with regret she just moved forward and trusted God.  That tiny little lady was probably the strongest person I have even know. My Mawmaw got her strength from God.  I went to church on Sundays for years at a time... I would still feel lost, so lost. I just somewhere along the way didn't understand that I had to pursue a relationship with God. I had to take time to get to know God.  I had to spend time with God. My grandmother spent time with God, how did I miss that most important part of the puzzle?

I love that it is never, ever too late to get to know God. I wish that I had sat down with  my grandmother years ago and said "Mawmaw what is it that I am missing here?" She would have told me! It is not enough just to ask Jesus into your heart. That is the most important part, that part is a must.  But taking time with God each day that is what will change your peace and your strength.

David spent time with God. The Bible shows us how David talked to God about everything. David talked to God when he was angry and when he was happy. David went to God when he did something wrong and David went to God when he did what was right. David was a great man of God not because of his accomplishments... David was a great man of God because he spent time with God.  Then God accomplished great things through David. David trusted God.

Trust..... now that is a powerful word.  We have to truly know somebody to really trust them. Before I knew God, really knew God I didn't know what to trust God with.  I didn't know what of me I could give to Him so I never gave God much at all...I kept it all to myself. When I prayed I talked at God not to Him... not with Him I talked at him.  Sure I asked him to forgive me!!  Of course I did that.  But I didn't know to I could tell him "God I have messed up!!... and I will mess up again if you don't help me!"  I just didn't "get" how much God loved me. How much God would do for me! How I can always go back to go no matter how far away from God I wander.

The more I know God, the more I spend time with God the more of God's strength I have and the more peace I have. Relationships take time and effort. You will get more for your time and effort with God than you will get with anything or anybody else on this earth. If you miss that peace of God and that strength of God stop and make time to truly know God and see what wonderful changes He will make in your life!!

8.6.11

Proverbs 20:24 The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?

My Thoughts

God sees the big picture and God sees the tiny details. God cares about each and every one of His children.  God provides us with the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and directs our steps. Have you ever felt your gut arguing with your brain and your logic? Sure you have we all have. Sometimes what our gut is telling us isn't logical! But, when we think about doing what our gut says we feel at peace, then we think about doing what our mind says, what seems logical and we fell really uncomfortable.  The Holy Spirit works in our gut...in our center... the Holy Spirit gives us that feeling of peace when we do the right thing. The devil loves to use our logic against us.  We have to learn to trust God to understand that when God is in control we don't  have to know because God knows!  God sees the big picture and the tiny details.  I wonder how much we miss out on when we let logic override our gut? When the devil puts questions in our brain and we listen to the questions instead of listening to the Holy Spirit inside of us? The great thing about listening to God is that we don't have to know. We just have to listen to God, do what He prompts us to do and sit back and enjoy the journey. Will God ask us to do some hard things? Sure He will! But those hard things help us stretch and grown into better Children of God. The hard things make us strong!  The hard things prepare us. We don't have to understand everything along the way when we "let go and let God."

8.5.11

Numbers 15:38-30 (God said)“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord.  When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.  The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God. ...."

My Thoughts

When I was a little girl every day in each classroom across my school the teacher lead a prayer. Children were respectful then and parents backed the teacher if the student got into trouble.We were reminded each morning to be good by prayer. We were reminded that God was in control.  I think that prayer was much like the tassels hanging from the hems of the clothing of the Israelites.  We didn't even realize how much it reminded us to be good, to do what is right.

What I love about my daily Bible reading is that I get reminded daily of something that God expects from me. I get reminded daily how much God loves me.  I get reminded daily that God forgives me. I get reminded daily that I can go to God with anything.... the most important part is that I go to Him. I get reminded daily that I am not alone... I get reminded daily that God expects me to do my best. I get reminded daily that God loves me now matter how bad that I mess things us. I get reminded daily how to make my life here on earth a better place.... I get reminded daily that heaven is my future. I get reminded daily that we are all God's children. I get reminded daily to love everybody, not just the lovable.

I heard recently about a psychologist (I think) that decided to have each of his patients read, not reciete but to read, slowly and carefully with much thought to each sentence the 23rd Psalm. Thy were to read this three times a day for two weeks and then come back to his office.  The patients that did this were better, many needing no more treatment in just two weeks.  I bleive this is because they were reminded over and over that God is in control and that he loves us and he cares for us.  The were not without their tassel and it changed them.  What if each Christina in America did this three times a day for just two weeks?  I think it would turn our country in a new directions... it would turn each of our lives in a new directions I know.

The 23rd Psalm

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

8.4.11

Psalms 27:3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked , I will remain confident.

My Thoughts

About three years ago I found out I needed surgery. I was terrified! I cried for days leading up to the surgery. A sweet lady that I knew, that I had gone to Church with in the past came into the store and I asked her to pray for me.... at the time I had not started reading my Bible daily.... she asked if she cold tell me a story about her.... five years earlier she had found out that she had cancer, her husband was in the hospital with a stroke the day she found out.  She said that she went home that night and prayed to God that everything would be ok...she told God "that she had said her Bible verses and sang her praise songs and was still afraid and that if her husband were home with her that he would hold her and tell her everything was going to be ok".  She told me "at that moment she smelled the strongest sent of Baby Powder and then she new that God was with her and even if shed died she knew everything would be fine....and as she drifted off to sleep she felt a hand slip into hers".... and when she felt that hand she felt the nail scar in the middle."  I was thinking "oh to have that kind of faith in God."  Three years later she found out that Baby Powder smelled like Frankincense and Myrh..... I have since found out that that Baby Powder scented candles are scented with  Frakincense and Myrh.  Wow!.... I went back to work and told God "God I don't know my Bible verses like Ms Bonnie and if you stood in front of me and shook me I would not know if it was you talking to me...but I so want to know that I will be ok." Then a lady came on the isle I was working on...I asked her if she needed help...she said "no" and when she walked off I felt the strongest sents of ......... Baby Powder...and a calm came over me that was amazing.  Ms Bonnie is cancer free now... her husband is fine ...and instead of cutting me from hip to hip like they thought I only have 3 tiny incisions.  God is good. 

I didn't understand Ms Bonnie's kind of faith....and if I had read this verse at that time I would not understand not being afraid.... especially I were facing death... if I were being attacked by the devil.

You might ask how I ended up with Ms Bonnie's kind of faith....I will tell you.... the Bible.... reading my Bible every day.  Christmas of '09 my son, John-Robert gave me a One Year Bible.... I started reading it on New Years Day...I have missed maybe one day since....and I caught up  that time.  I started reading it because it was a gift from my son.  I read it now because of all I have learned.  I have learned to know God... to truly know God.... now I know when God is talking to me...now I know that no matter what happens to me that I will be okay!!! I  use to be filled with anxiety over most everything..... now I hardly ever feel anxiety and when I do I go straight to God. Nobody still in my life has changed they are all the same they were good to me then and they are good to me now....but I could still have great anxiety around them. God has blessed my life in so many way and now I am able to see His blessings and I have been showered with even more blessings than before.  Did I love God before... I loved God because I was suppose to... I had asked Jesus into my heart.  But now I have a relationship with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit.  I would have never know how without reading my Bible daily.  The more I read the more I understand God and all his wonder.  The closer I draw to God the more His Joy fills my life.  I didn't even understand most of what I read for the first few weeks.... but I kept reading.... and now on my second journey through the Bible I learn more and more and more. I now have confident hope in God.  God's word can change your life!

I recently had to have another surgery.... God told me that morning during my quite time with Him..... in the middle of reading my Bible to call the doctor now!... I did..... I went to the doctor and told him only two things that were going on... he knew what was wrong with me from those two things...that was God.... less than a week later I had surgery.  This time I did not have one moment of being afraid. As Ms Bonnie had said "even if I died I knew everything was going to be okay."  I felt such peace about that surgery, after all God had sent me to the doctor, I was going to be just fine. I had not been afraid even under attack! That is when I knew without a doubt that I finally knew how to really love and trust God.

God can change us!  God's word is powerful! If you need the peace and joy of God pick up the Bible and start reading!... Don't give up keep reading and praying and reading and praying. Soon you will find yourself with confidence in God. You will know when God is talking to you!  You will know, that you know, that you know!! God is good all the time!!

8.3.11

Psalms 26:2-3 Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.  Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.

My Thoughts

I pray that I live each day, one day at a time in a way where  I could say this prayer at night with confidence that God would find my motives pure and my heart loving.  I pray that I am always, always aware of God's unfailing love and that I live according to God's truth. I believe this is possible one day at a time...I believe that we get tripped up when we see so many days stretched out in front of us that we expose our weaknesses to the devil.  If we leave yesterday in the past and leave tomorrow for tomorrow and just live today it is much easier to keep our eyes and our heart on God. Matthew 6:34 tells us "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Today I will keep my mind on God...The only thing I need to know about tomorrow is that it is new and I get to start over and try my best.  Today I will do my very best to love God with all my heart and love my neighbor as I love myself. 

8.2.11

Proverbs 20:17 Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth.

My Thoughts

The older I get the more surprised I am at how "honest" people steal.  Good, upstanding people that do their best to do what is right actually steal. I have worked with the public and heard people brag about stealing. When I was a hair stylist I did it myself and I am now bothered by what I did. I did not  report all my tips...so I didn't pay all my taxes... I did it for the same reason so many people do it...that is what everybody else did.  The Bible tells us in Romans 13:6" Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do." It doesn't matter if we think our government is doing good or doing bad... it matters if we are doing what God ask us as individuals to do. If everybody is sinning, it is still our sin if we join in because everybody else is doing it.

We have all seen people do it... we have seen people work under the table... we have seen people pay cash for something to get a discount.... when they knew paying cash would mean the person they paid cash to would not pay the taxes on that purchase. It can be big...or it can be small and seemingly innocent...something that "everybody" does. I even heard a story once, years ago about a deacon at a church cashing checks from the offering plate and then claiming those checks on his income tax to lower his taxes.

I have seen people cheat on their taxes to qualify for extra tax money from the government... that is taking taxes that somebody else paid, their neighbor maybe,  and getting it because they didn't pay all their taxes.

The thing is that stolen money is stolen money no matter how you twist and turn the numbers... how often are people not prospering like they should all because they twisted some numbers?  How often do those tax returns that were suppose to help so much disappear without helping at all? I think that is because Stolen bread taste sweet, but turns to gravel in the mouth.

I don't write this to fuss... I can't fuss....I after all didn't report all my tips years ago...I am guilty of this very sin.  I just know that when I know better I do better...I know that when we do what God ask of us our lives are blessed beyond measure.... I know too that when we don't do what God ask that we are choosing to live outside the protection of God.  I just want people, including myself, to stop and think, we need to always ask ourselves  "Would God be happy with what I am about to do?"  If the answer is yes God is going to bless you in some way, some day for your actions! If the answer is no, there will be consequences to living outside the will of God.  God's blessings are far greater than anything we get when do something we know is wrong.

8.1.11

2 Chronicles 31:10 And Azariah the high priest for the family of Zodok, replied, "Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lords Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare.  The Lord has blessed his people, and all this is left over."

My Thoughts

This got me thinking ... have we forgotten God?  Have we forgotten that all we have comes from God? Our nations is thinking about defaulting on its loans because we are out of money!!  Homes are being foreclosed on ...one number I heard was that one million homes were foreclosed on last year.  Record numbers of bankruptcies are on the books. State and local governments are running out of money.  If all the Christians of our great nations would tithe I believe we would see a complete turn around!  God even tells us to test Him on this.  Malachi 3:10 says Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

What if we were to get together as Christians and make a commitment... each and every Christian of this great nation for one month to bring in their 10% to God... to give back to God only a portion of what he has given us.  I think we would see a huge difference.... God says we can test him on this!!  God will prove himself if we give back to Him.  We don't need to run around grumbling and complaining about our government... we need to call out to God... we need to give back to God.  If we show ourselves faithful to God, God will show Himself faithful to us, to our country!! 

I would love to see every person who is on roll at a church show up on Sunday morning and give back to God.... I believe if we did this that we would make the news... and God would show Himself through a turn around in our economy!