Saturday, September 26, 2020

September 26

Have you ever had plans for a leisurely day and had those plans sidelined? It happens all the time! My itinerary was to go to the doctor, and then spend some time gathering items needed for a combined birthday party for some of my favorite people scheduled for today. As usual, well-laid plans are thwarted when we have to tend to the needs of others. I ended up spending the day caring for a family member who wasn’t feeling well and sat with them in the emergency room while the doctors tried to figure out what was wrong. All the tests came back good, but they didn’t come up with a diagnosis; however, after they pumped him full of liquids, he miraculously felt better, so my diagnosis is that he was dehydrated. He also needed some of that Living Water that I talked about yesterday, but he’s too stubborn to drink it. What’s funny is that it didn’t take me all day to gather what I needed for today’s party. The moral of this story is for you not to get too upset or anxious over a change of plans; remember, we make plans, but God establishes our steps; it is especially true when someone needs a little extra love and care. Stay flexible, so you don’t break when you get bent!

For those of you who are caregivers, don’t allow yourself to become exasperated over your current situation. I know you need a break, but often that break will only come when someone passes away. You are right where God wants you to be; stay in close contact with him, and he will help you get through it. I began hearing God’s voice while caring for a loved one many years ago, and that is probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Wait for it; the good will come.


The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

September 25

 

Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear? When I write my post each morning, I begin by telling a story. At that point, it’s just a story, and I have no idea where the lesson is leading. By the time I get to the end of it, the Holy Spirit gives me the answer; it’s not until then that I understand. Sometimes when I’m going through a situation, I can see the lesson spelled out before me, but that’s usually when a crisis has unfolded. Jesus taught in parables, and I learned everything I know about teaching in parables from him; he is my teacher, counselor, and savior.


In most cases, the scriptures I’m reading that day will draw my attention to the lesson. If I use a verse that doesn’t seem to fit the story, I can guarantee you it was that verse that led me to the revelation. What I’m trying to teach you today is to begin thinking about your day, and try and figure out what God is revealing to you through the everyday things. It’s better to learn through the minor occurrences than to have him teach you through dramatic events. When I heard him tell me to follow his steps, that’s what I did. What he told me was not only for me; it’s also for you. Follow his steps and see all that you can learn from him.


Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. Matthew 13:10-11

September 24

 

Jesus held nothing back in his teachings, so neither will I. 


No matter what President Obama said, the United States is a Christian country, and the founding fathers based our constitution and the amendments on biblical principles. Our safety and security have always given us the peace we needed to go about our daily activities without worry. The problem we see now is that many have rejected Jesus and have turned their backs on him, and though some think they are rejecting the things of the past, they have become slaves to the evil parts of it. The difference between then and now is the enemy is using the spirit of slavery to keep people in line to do his will, and cause chaos. Anyone who falls in line with the party of slavery is still a slave to them and is a useful tool of the enemy. When the enemy establishes Planned Parenthood in poor communities, he is purposefully there to kill their children; they can’t see it because they are hoodwinked. I am pro-life and will always side with the party that promotes life; there is no if, ands, or buts about it! If you think you are doing God’s will by voting another way, you need to do some soul searching and ask God if you’re doing the right thing and confirm your salvation. Reject the spirit of slavery, Satan is the one pulling strings and is behind the whole thing!


Will the same fate be ours, as will be Capernaum?


And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” Matthew 11:23-24

Friday, September 25, 2020

September 23

Yesterday, I bought a bird feeder. I set it up and began to watch. It sat there for a while before it drew in the first guest, but when he found it, he was delighted! Guess who was back for more this morning, the same little bird. I watched as more came and perched on the fence waiting to jump in and enjoy, but still a little skittish, not believing that the trough is there just for them. Then, along comes my noisy little dogs, barking and intimidating them, and they fly away. They don’t realize that the dogs can’t reach them, but the noise is enough to keep them away. 


This same thing happens to people as their eyes begin to open to Jesus. It takes a heart strengthened by the Holy Spirit to believe and to overcome the obstacles placed by the devil as a strategy of intimidation; he’s like my noisy dogs scaring the birds away from the feeder. Don’t let anything stop you from feeding at the trough; it's free, eat, and enjoy!


No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

September 22

After spending a few days at the beach, we’re back home. I try to keep my routines the same, whether at home or away. I’m a creature of habit, but there are slight differences in our homes because it’s nearly impossible to duplicate an environment, even though I’ve tried. While at the beach, I must reach into the cabinet above the coffee pot to get my k-cup to make that delicious jewel that helps me wake up a bit, so I did the same thing this morning without thinking; it had become a habit. By 8 a.m., I’m usually wide awake, and the scriptures are leaping off the page, but this morning the coffee tasted bad, and I was still sleepy; I blamed the bad taste on the different water sources, and my sleepiness on, well, just a bad day. When I went to make my second cup, I realized what I had done; I had reached into the cabinet, but all that’s in the cabinet is decaf! My regular coffee sits in a canister on the counter. That second cup woke me right up! 

Is your daily routine too routine? Maybe you need to mix it up a bit, do something different, so it doesn’t become stale and ordinary. Look at what a mixed up routine did for me; it made me realize that I may be too dependent on coffee. God help me; I love coffee so much. The mix-up happened for a reason, probably so I would have a story, but it became twofold by teaching me a lesson. Listen for God’s voice in the mundane; he speaks in many ways.


Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalms 51:10

Monday, September 21, 2020

September 21

 

Jesus taught with authority, and the people hearing him, knew it; there was no denying it. Matthew wrote down one of his sermons, and Luke gave a bit of a summary of the same sermon. In Matthew, his sermon spans three chapters and lays down the law on how you should live and how you should treat others. I read the whole thing making sure I didn’t miss anything. Surprisingly, there was no “but” at the end of it! He didn’t say, ‘when I die on the cross, it’s over, and you don’t have to follow what I’m commanding you anymore.’ We have to remember that Jesus is the final authority; there is no other authority! If he says to lay down all other ways of living and live your life following his ways, you had better do what he says. I challenge you to go and read Matthew 5-7 and see if you don’t agree.

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29

Sunday, September 20, 2020

September 20

I got up, got moving, and walked five miles on the beach yesterday. I walked past some charming homes of either extremely wealthy people or extremely poor because the cost involved in owning a beachfront home is crazy. Everyone has their own taste when it comes to their residence, and the styles vary from traditional Florida style to modern, to the “why would you build that on the beach in Florida” style. Some people are just plain quirky, and included oddities as decoration, like the people who have mannequins displayed in their yard, one of them has no pants! I’m sure they must have a good reason for it, but I can’t figure it out. Maybe to creep out robbers when they come in the darkness to do their stealing. God made us each different with our own personalities and preferences; if not, then those mannequins wouldn’t be entertaining to see. 

The Bible has one source, the Holy Spirit, but the personalities of the writers differ; that’s why when reading the gospels, you get a slightly different spin to the same story. Remember, the Holy Spirit has a reason for the things he includes and the things he leaves out. I use an app called e-sword that allows me to read them simultaneously, which helps me see the whole story; it’s a great tool to have for in-depth study. Do whatever you can to help you get to know God; the closer you get to him, the less you will concern yourself over what seems like the crumbling of the world around us. He is in our midst, nothing gets past him, and your trust in him is all you need to calm your concerns, and to quail your anxiety.


The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17