May 11

We’ve all been to those parties that we can’t leave fast enough. There was one time Richard obligated me to go to this scuba dive club party; the people were nice, but I was uncomfortable, and we stayed a little too long. They had been diving together for a while, and we were the newcomers just trying to find out what it was all about. They seemed to know what they were doing, but my first instinct was, “I’m not diving with these people!” They were having fun and being a little ridiculous by painting a dive flag on their big toenail, men and all, and sang the child song “Baby Shark,” because they thought it was funny. They hadn’t done anything wrong, they were just not my kind of people. I’m sure God had a purpose for us being there, and maybe our words had made someone feel included when they felt alone. My point is, if you wonder how such things could make a difference, remember, God has a divine purpose for the things we do. It’s like a puzzle piece, it's all part of the picture, and fits in to create a beautiful design. Remember, if you hadn’t been at that party, the picture would be incomplete.

The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. Proverbs 20:5

May 10

The woman that owned my home before me, planted fern in the flower beds. The fern is absolutely beautiful, and like a vase full of flowers, it adds to the bouquet in my yard. However, as luscious as it is, it’s invasive and grows where I don’t want it to grow. I don’t mind a little, but with fern, you can’t just have a little. If I don’t pull it out, and get rid of the whole bunch, it will keep invading my easy going plants that just want to be where they are. The enemy is the same way, he will tempt you with a simple sin, maybe something that doesn’t hurt anyone, but that sin just opened the door for him to walk through. Like the fern in my yard, he gets comfortable there, and begins to spread out into other areas of your garden, and eventually takes over. Then all of the good that you’ve done will be overpowered by the sin you’ve allowed in. That white lie and those half-truths, become a foundation for the enemy to build upon. If you keep letting sin invade your life, and you don’t feel immediate remorse, you have to ask yourself, if it’s that easy, have I really surrendered to Jesus? 

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.1 John 1:6

May 9

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had a huge limb cut off my neighbor's tree that hung over our house. Self employed business people know what happens when a contractor gets into a neighborhood, other people need the same thing done, and it often draws more business. Low and behold, the tree guys are back today to work on my neighbors trees. When they saw what a great job they had done in my yard, and saw  their diligence and the courteous and respectful behavior of the employees, they knew they could expect the same work ethic in their yard. Word of mouth tends to be the best advertisement you can get. The same thing holds true for your profession of faith in Jesus, your life is an example of your love for Him, and your behavior is a mark of His excellence. Therefore, word of mouth could be enough to make the lost come to faith in Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want anyone to think that just living a good life will bring others to the saving knowledge of Jesus, you must open your mouth and tell them the reason that you are different.

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 1 Peter 3:15

May 8

I’m sitting here trying to write, but I’m running into a brick wall. I’ve written two devotions so far, but none worth posting. Now I’m overwhelmed because we have tree guys coming to remove a branch from my neighbor's tree that hangs over our house, so that one day, we don’t end up with our entire home crushed when it comes down. When you live in the hurricane zone, you have to take precautions, or end up dead. Now I’m a nervous wreck because the branch is huge, and worry that it might drop on my house as they take it down! Well, I’ll look on the bright side, if it falls on the house, it will give me a reason to redecorate. If you are going through something life changing, just know, that God can turn it into something positive, use it to make you a better person, or redecorate your life.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

May 7

The sun rises and sets in a pattern, its pattern doesn’t change. God also created the earth to move in a manner that is consistent. Even though we may feel that we are entirely different from one another, we end up being similar in our ebbs and flows. Along with our joy will eventually come disappointments, and unfortunately that is guaranteed. This is why we should not rest all of our cares on our feelings, and we should remember to seek God in everything, whether it is joy or sadness. What is consistent, is that our life will seem inconsistent, even though what we are going through is nothing new under the sun. Though it may seem that way, we are not living in the worse generation, the things that happened during biblical days was pretty raunchy and disgusting too. Our best hope is to rely on God, seek Him, because He is never changing, powerful, always present, and all knowing. When we finally get sick of living our life in a hopeless manner, He is there to scoop us up.

That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. Ecclesiastes 3:15

May 6

Our kids are grown and have been out of the house for many years, but I still remember, just like it was yesterday, the day the last child left the house. It was a very sobering reminder that your children aren’t yours forever. I cried, and hung my head in depression for a couple of weeks; it was the end of a season. The end of a season means that a new season is beginning, and something to look forward to. When I realized that I no longer had to clean up after a house full of people, and set my schedule to theirs, the sadness left me, and for the first time my husband and I could get acquainted with one another as husband and wife, and not as mom and dad. My pastor mentioned seasons yesterday, and then Steven Furtick sent me a 1 Minute message this morning about seasons, so I thought it might be the Holy Spirit saying that this is the topic of the day. Here’s the message in this, one season must end so a new one can begin, and just maybe, it’s time to dance. Begin looking for the light as a new day dawns, and embrace what the Lord has for you in this next season.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

May 5

Now I know this is a tough pill for most of us to swallow, but these are not my rules, I’m just the messenger. God’s word is very clear on this issue, and always has been from the beginning of time; the man is the head of the household, but is required to love his wife the way Jesus loves the church, not the building, but all of us who make up the church. This means that the wife should not be ruled over harshly, making it hard to love the husband. My favorite commentator says it like this: 

“The love which God requires from the husband on behalf of his wife will make amends for the subjection which he demands from her to her husband; and the prescribed subjection of the wife will be an abundant return for that love of the husband which God has made her due.” Matthew Henry

The lack of love in the relationship is probably where this whole thing goes wrong. However, if love is done right, then this should never be a problem. If you hear of a woman being upset that God included this in the Bible, they are probably not getting the love that He demands.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, Ephesians 5:24-25