August 17

Back in July, I mentioned that I had gone to the Caladium Festival in Lake Placid. While I was there I bought three bags of caladium bulbs. I could tell they were ready to sprout, so I hurried and planted them. One by one they began to break through the ground like a sleepy child stretching out its arms awaking the beauty that was coiled up within it. There must be something supernatural about the soil in which the living seed was planted, because after only seventeen days, my caladiums are bursting with color and beauty. When you’re planting the seeds of God’s Word, the ground may or may not be ready, but you are to plant the seed anyway. The seed may fall onto rocky ground, or possibly get choked out by thorns, but that’s not for us to decide, we are to spread the seeds of salvation through Jesus, just as He commanded. It’s He who determines whether they receive it or not. 

Today, we are seeing very vocal believers falling away, getting choked out by the thorns of riches. Don’t be alarmed by this, Jesus said it would happen. Those are the ones getting tangled in the wiry thorns of fame and fortune. If you want an explanation of what’s going on, read Matthew 13:1-23. Jesus taught the parable, and gave an explanation.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13;22-23

August 16

Have you ever became desperate to hear from the Lord? You think you’re not hearing Him, but it’s usually because the noise around you is drowning out His voice. A couple of years ago, I went on a retreat, and was required to take a chair, a Bible, and a notepad into the woods. I was given a few verses to look up, and some tasks to complete, and when I finished, it was as if I had tuned into a new frequency, giving me the ability the hear the Lord more clearly. It wasn’t the task, it was the commitment of time given to the Lord, it was being alone, and away from the busyness, with nothing on the agenda but to sit and listen to what God had to say. It’s amazing how He can speak to you through His creation. He created everything for a reason, not only for our comfort, and for our need, but I believe there is wisdom to be found within it. Look how Jesus used parables to teach the disciples, and He used the things around them as tools. Get away for a few hours to sit with the Lord, you’ll be amazed at the things He will reveal. 

And the hand of the LORD was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.” Ezekiel 3:22

August 12

Even though you have been cleared of all charges, you remain in chains. The enemy’s power over you is so strong, you don’t know how to be free. You replay in your mind, over and over again the reasons for your captivity, because no other being could possibly release you from the consequences of your heinous acts, not even Jesus. You say you know Him, but you do not rely on Him completely, and feel that you haven’t suffered enough for the crimes you committed against Him. When will you fully believe that your sins are forgiven? He did not come to torment you for your past transgressions, He came to relieve you of them, so you will become a powerful and useful tool for His cause, and so you will live your best life while you are in this world. Reach down deep, and clear yourself of the charges, and turn away from the power of darkness to the power of Jesus. Give up the guilt and use the scars of your past to help release others from their imprisonment. You say you want peace, well, this is how you get it.

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 26:18

August 15

We are not Ezekiel, who was sent to the people of Israel to warn them of their wickedness, but we do have a mandate to follow. We may want to shrink back and let the world go by and continue in their evil ways, and let them deal with the consequences of their own actions, but if we don’t warn them, we could be held responsible, and their blood could be on our hands. The world we live in is detestable, and the vulgar and profane acts of evil are not even hidden anymore; corruption is practiced openly for all to see. If you really believe in the Almighty, your confidence in His protection will help carry you through. I’m not saying you should become a news channel, but I am saying that you are responsible for those you come in contact with, your family, and your friends. Give them a warning about their actions, if they continue in their ungodly ways, leave them to the wrath of the Almighty; then you can be sure that you’ve done all you could do. 

If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Ezekiel 3:18-19

August 14

Most days I just live my life in a usual manner, then the next day, God helps me turn it into a message. However, this day, as I was walking on the beach, I began to notice a pattern to what I was seeing. I found fishing bobbers, and a very large lure, and then more bobbers! Then I remembered the previous day, where I had found the buoys from crab traps. I also noticed that I was seeing a lot of soles of shoes. What does all of this mean? For one thing, there was a lot of trash on the beach that I wasn’t prepared to pick up! But, what is the significance of what I was seeing?

*Bobbers and lures are fishing equipment, we are to be fishers of men.

*The buoys were loosed from their traps, meaning the traps are lost forever.

*The soles of the shoes are now separated from their shoe.

My interpretation: The tools for fishing were lost at sea, and are now trash. Those buoys on shore mean the traps are now lost forever, and what was trapped will now die at the bottom of the sea; those are the people who will never know Jesus. The soles that were separated from their shoe, are the lost souls, never to be recovered.

Time is short, people die without knowing Jesus, and His return is near. Act before it’s too late. Use your gifts/tools to bring others to Jesus before those souls are lost forever. He has made you fishers of men, go fishing!

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Matthew 4:19

August 13

After spending a long day on the beach, then relaxing by the pool for a time, I came back in to find that dinner was being prepared. It’s not usual that someone other than myself prepare a meal; what can I say, I’m a pretty good cook, and no one cares to challenge me. However, on this day, I found a delicious meal, perfectly created, with an enticing aroma filling the air, and Richard, my husband, was responsible! If you aren’t allowed time for rest, God will divide your time, and carve out a portion for you. When you are married or have a family, your time is not your own, and the demands of a spouse or children will sometimes wreak havoc on your body and weigh you down mentally. But God, in His great love for us, will set aside a time for our rest, and will stop the world from moving when we need a break. Are you getting a break? Pay attention, you may be resting without recognizing it. Remember to thank God for giving you that time, and thank anyone else who may have helped.

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Mark 6:31

August 11

We’ve all been dealt a few blows, but who are we to complain. Most would say, “if I had more money, things would be better.” Yes, maybe some things would be better, but that brings on other troubles. Rich or poor, you will always have issues; the form of them may be different, but issues still. That’s why God’s way is the best way, He does not see you as rich or poor in the material sense, but in the ways of your heart. If you do not show love and compassion, you are poor in heart. If you do not know Jesus, you are poor in heart. We know the Way, our path is clear, and it runs straight to Jesus; this makes us rich, even though we may be financially poor, our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and we are heirs. Your goal should be to trust God in all things, He has already written the outcome, and you can’t change it by anything you do, but you may delay it by trying to control it. Relinquish control, do your part as he guides you, sit back and watch the magic happen, as God’s outcome is better than anything you could ask, hope for, or imagine!

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21