Saturday, February 3, 2018

February 3

When my kids were growing up, I was not having whiny, crying over a scratch, kind of children. My motto was “if it’s not broken or bleeding, don’t bother me!” As I’ve gotten older, my compassion has matured, so my grandchildren get the new me, a grandmother with sympathy and a heart for the tiny things that make them uncomfortable. There’s a bandaid for everything! “Are your feelings hurt? Let me get you a bandaid.” Did that bug touch you? I’m so sorry, here’s a bandaid.” It’s amazing how compassion grows as you grow closer to the Father. The Father is just like this with us! He is compassionate when He needs to be and firm when it’s necessary for us to learn. Sometimes He’s firm just so we will submit to Him and let His power handle the situation. Learn to give Him the power and submit to His authority! He’s much more able to handle it than you are.


"Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. Job 22:21-22

Friday, February 2, 2018

February 2

Many look at church people and see them in their Sunday best, dressed up to present themselves as clean before others. They are sometimes seen as hypocrites, because many times their actions outside of church don’t reflect a Christlike attitude. Then there are people who want to attend church and feel that their attire is not acceptable to wear into a “holy” place. Jesus invited all of these people into His home; dressed up hypocrites and regular sinners! He reclined at the table with them! Imagine that, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Creator of the universe, hanging out with a bunch of regular people! It may be harder for the dressed up, proud “Christians” to hear the truth because they think they’ve got it already, but don’t you worry about them; be concerned about you! Humble yourself, because believe me, you’re not that good! We’ve ALL sinned and fallen short of the example of perfection, Jesus. 


And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. Mark 2:15

Thursday, February 1, 2018

February 1

The first of the month is the busiest for me and my husband. It’s when our tenants pay their rent, move out, move in, and when we pay bills. I tend to get anxious and sometimes a little overwhelmed, especially since my “boss” gets quite anxious too! I know in my heart that it does no good to get stressed over things I can’t change, especially because the push mostly comes from within myself and not from outside sources. Nevertheless, the stress is real, whether it comes from within or not. We all have things that overwhelm us and though we know that Jesus told us to be anxious for nothing, we tend to do it anyway. So, how should we combat it? Just talk to Him! Prayer is nothing more than having a conversation with Jesus. It’s realizing that your current circumstances will not affect your eternity. So, that’s what I do, I ask myself, “Will this affect my eternity?” The answer is always a resounding “no!” 


do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

January 31

Bath time is always a challenge when you have two Yorkies! They hate it, but sometimes their aroma is too much for these sensitive nostrils. They each have their own special personality. Coco, my female, fights me the whole time; water and soap go everywhere and it takes so much longer! On the other hand, Rudy my male, is pretty easy. He’s submissive which makes grooming him a breeze. He wasn’t always like that; as a puppy, he would try to claw his way out of the sink, but I think when he realized that he wasn’t going to die, he decided to let me do what I needed to do so we could get it over with. As God tries to groom you and clean you up, which one are you, Coco or Rudy? Do you submit or are you strong willed and resist? Things go a lot easier if you will just submit; you will become your original self, the person whom He intended you to be, much quicker. 


But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:6-7

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

January 30

This seems to be a very busy flu season. So busy that every state in the union has been touched by it. Can you imagine living in a day when medicine was undiscovered or not so readily available? Then this guy who seemed to be an evangelical doctor, comes to your town preaching and healing people so they didn’t even have to take medication. His point was to get the attention of everyone, to do these miracles as proof of who He was. I think He also used a little reverse psychology when He told some of those He healed not to tell; they surely didn’t contain their excitement over it! He ended up having to leave the towns for a bigger venue, the open country side. We would never hear about Him today, the media only wants to tell us the bad stuff. I’m glad He came when He did because we now have a written account of what He did for us, but if you don’t read it, it will stay contained in those pages.


But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter. Mark 1:45

Monday, January 29, 2018

January 29

There are unclean spirits in our churches! How do they get there you ask? They walk right in attached to humans! Jesus had to deal with one as He began His ministry. This particular spirit tried to undermine His credibility by calling Him Jesus of Nazareth, because it was said that no good thing can come from Nazareth! Jesus would have none of that and yanked that spirit right out of that man by telling him to “Be silent and come out of him!” Jesus’s credibility was enhanced causing the people to see the power behind the scriptures. At that point word spread like wildfire throughout the region about Jesus. I believe that it is important for others to know that not every person walking in the doors of the local church is a believer, and may be sent by the enemy to cause disruption and to try and soil the reputation of the church. Hopefully they will be quickly spotted before too much damage is done. 


And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" Mark 1:22-25

Sunday, January 28, 2018

January 28

When Jesus met the woman at the well, she didn’t know who He was. She figured it out very quickly that He must be some kind of prophet because He exposed her sin. Just imagine someone coming up to you today and uncovering all of your sin! You would tell them to mind their own business and call them all kinds of names! When you became a Christ follower, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within you, if you are continuing to go about your business as usual, before your conversion, you may need to consider that you being “saved” was just empty words you said to keep you from going to hell. If the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you don’t want to sin! When you do slip up, you are guilt ridden! Before Jesus left the woman, He told her to go and sin no more. You’ve received salvation through Jesus and you have the Holy Spirit, now go and sin no more!


For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." John 3:20-21