Saturday, July 11, 2020

July 11

My dad is a cattleman, and decided to feed out a steer to slaughter, and have his meat ground into hamburger. By the time all was said and done, we each got about 150 pounds of hamburger! It was too much for me and Richard, so I distributed some of it to my children. Now all their freezers are full. I love that my parents are still taking care of us, and are now providing for their grandchildren, and great grandchildren. 


When King Josiah reinstated the Passover, though he wasn’t as wealthy as King David, Solomon, or Jehoshaphat, it is said that he slaughtered more livestock than any of them, and gave sacrifices for the poor to offer. Then they shared in the feast. Did you know that when you share your love for Jesus with others, you are sharing the feast? Jesus is our Passover lamb. He is the bread of life, the living water, and is what our souls need to survive. As parents, we provide for our children's sustenance, but as believers, we provide living food for the soul, which is Jesus.


Then Josiah contributed to the lay people, as Passover offerings for all who were present, lambs and young goats from the flock to the number of 30,000, and 3,000 bulls; these were from the king's possessions. 2 Colossians 35:7


Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35

Friday, July 10, 2020

July 10

Hezekiah was a good king, but his son Manasseh was a bad king, and undid every good thing his father had done for the kingdom of God in Judah. After he was taken captive in Babylon, he prayed and God heard his voice, and forgave him. Then he began to try and turn things back around in his kingdom. This story made me think that the chronicles of the kings, might be a picture of the different types of people who come to know Jesus. Some start out good, then go bad, only to return to being good. Then there are those who were never good to begin with, but repent before it’s too late, like Manasseh. David was mostly good, but made a few mistakes. Others try to gain power without submitting to God. Each king has a story, and if we look closely, we may be able to see patterns that mimic our own life as either believers, or non-believers. The truth is, each of us has a story, a testimony that needs to be heard, because people are struggling out there, and need to know there is hope and forgiveness for them. Don’t hide your mistakes, flaunt them! They are now jewels in your crown because you overcame them. Other people need to hear your story so they too can overcome their past, and come to the realization that Jesus is the only way to redemption.


He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God. 2 Chronicles 33:13

Thursday, July 9, 2020

July 9

Fear can strike at any moment, especially seeing all the turmoil in the world today. We can see the forces of evil taking over, which largely includes the media, and their one sided account of newsworthy events. Their constant bellowing reminds me of the boy who cried wolf too many times, so when there was a wolf, no one listened to him, which will happen to us if we don’t get a grip on our fear, and stop believing everything that comes out of the mouths of liars. Fear is a tool of the enemy, and not an attribute consistent with a believer. If you feel you are immune to falling for it because you are a believer, I assure you that I see your posts, and you are not. Should we wear a mask or not? Should we send the children back to school? Are we being overtaken by a conspirator? Should we immunize or not? All of these things are forms of fear. It’s like we have the army of the enemy encamped around us, and we are trembling over what is to come. If we stop the flow of the water, like Hezekiah did when the Assyrian army was preparing to attack Judah near their border, and realize where our help comes from, we will be successful in overtaking the enemy forces just like Hezekiah. What we are hearing are national stories that rarely affect us; as a matter of fact everything seems quite normal except for what we hear in the news, and the regulations being enforced. Stop panicking over the things you hear, and start believing in the word of the Lord!


“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

July 8

I’m convinced more than ever that there will be those who are confident of their salvation, that will end up hearing the words, “I never knew you!”. How sad is it that many think they can go on hating others, continue in their sin, and have an unrepentant heart, and still make it into heaven? Did they ever have Jesus? There will be a change within you, a striving for holiness, and a heart change. Anyone would be foolish to believe they are saved and continue doing their sinful deeds. It is the worst kind of deceit from the enemy; he has them right where he wants them, on the path to destruction. This is not the way Jesus wants those called by his name, to behave, and unless they repent and come to the Lord, and confess their sin, they will be shocked upon their death, or when they are left behind at the rapture. If you harbor hate, ask the Holy Spirit to begin a good work in you, to bring healing to your heart. If you believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, then you will be saved. They work together! No heart change, no salvation. It’s as simple as that.


"For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:10

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

July 7

I love to dig in the garden, although I pay the price of sore muscles, and achy bones, I still can’t resist! I ran into some trouble while digging; a tree root was blocking my way, and had I not removed it, I would have had a gap in my plantings. I got it started, and worked really hard to try and get it out, but it was so tough, that I needed help. Even though I was determined, my husband saw me struggling, and came to my rescue, and uprooted it. We can sometimes become consumed by things from our past, or even situations in our lives now, that cause us trouble, anger, or bitterness. They can become rooted deep within us, creating many issues that can stem from it. Some of the things that cause a deep root include fear, unbelief, trauma, or rejection. As a Christ follower, you cannot allow such things to linger; they will prevent you from living in the fullness of Jesus, and will prohibit your freedom in him. We must work diligently to overcome these tough roots, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into confession, and repentance. If we don’t deal with these issues successfully, our peace in Jesus will be disrupted. Today, work hard to dig out any root that might be causing you trouble.


"See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;" Hebrews 12:15

Monday, July 6, 2020

July 6

The beach is calling me, but I still have a little bit to accomplish before I can go and spend time there. My patio is almost ready to enjoy. Once we finish with it, my house will be in almost perfect order, with a few exceptions that I can live with for now. I feel that way about myself, I have my house in order with the exception of a few things that I’ve learned to live with. One thing that I would like to overcome is freeing my tongue to speak openly in a public setting. I’m not afraid to be in front of people, but to be released from relying solely on notes. It’s much easier to write than to speak, because I can go back and perfect my writing, but open speaking, doesn’t give that option. If it is God’s will, it will happen, but for now, I’m satisfied with the voice he has given me. We are all a work in progress, don’t be too hard on yourself if you have things you want to accomplish, but aren’t there yet, some things happen with time; smaller experiences lead to bigger experiences. For example, I speak openly as a board member of my neighborhood, and it’s easy. When God is ready, he will release me to speak for him. The same thing can happen for you when your plan and God’s plan, match. Eventually he will release you into your calling. In the meantime, be patient with yourself, and accomplish small things that lead to your goal.


Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Sunday, July 5, 2020

July 5

People who do not believe in our God, will probably not be helpful when it comes to prayer and fasting for our country, but it seems like President Trump should call for a fast to help us get past the issues we are facing. King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast when they were about to go against the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites. This was not a civil war, but a war against invaders. They went out into battle behind their praise team! Judah did not have to lift a finger, God gave them victory, because he was the one who fought for them! Could we receive a victory like this? I don’t see why not, President Trump meets regularly with his Christian advisors, has filled his cabinet with Christians, and seems to be trying to do what’s right in the eyes of the Lord. We need to see a victory in the turmoil affecting our country, so we can return to the peace we once had. Fasting and praying worked for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and I think it would work for our president. Pray with me today, that the advisors to President Trump would recommend that he declare a fast among the Christians, and that victory over the turmoil would be in the hands of God. Go into the Bible and read 2 Chronicles 20, and see if you agree that this could work.

And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.” And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 2 Chronicles 20:21-22