April 4

Have you ever bitten into a persimmon before it was ripe? It is so beautiful on the outside and appears to be ready, but I can tell you that it's awful, bitter, and it dries out your mouth, and you wish you had never seen it, touched it, or tasted it! When it is ripe, it's a very sweet and delicious fruit, but having experienced such a bad taste, it makes you leery of trying it again. I think church can be like that too. Many people have had bad experiences in church and now reject it completely. It is hard, once you've felt mistreated, to want to try again. Every church is not full of spiritually mature believers, even though they talk the talk and look pretty on the outside, there are some that may be like that persimmon, bitter and nasty. If you are one of those who have felt rejection in a church, just try again. It's like dating; you don't always marry your first date. There is a community of believers just waiting to welcome you in, so get out there and try again!

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

April 3

As believers in Jesus, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. That happened the day we accepted Jesus as our Savior. He is a permanent fixture in our life and will never depart from us. He was a gift to us from Jesus, someone to accompany us and give us comfort. Jesus knew we needed him because of the trials that we face on a daily basis. He helps us by convicting us of sin, illuminating the truths of the scriptures, and draws us close to Jesus. So much of the scripture points to Jesus and the Father, and that's the job of the Holy Spirit, to shine the light on their holiness; I think sometimes we forget how important He is because of that. Jesus spoke about Him and His name depicts who He is and shows His deity. He is the one who gave the writers the inspiration for the scriptures. He is very humble and doesn't toot His own horn, because of this, we may not notice Him, but don't be naive, His seal is on every word of the scriptures. 

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:13-14

April 2

Do you get late afternoon cravings for a snack? Sometimes I just need a little something to tie me over until dinner. So, I'm standing in the kitchen munching on some peanuts. I had just gotten back from taking my dog to the veterinarian. He gave me some new food for her because she's a little chubby. As I'm eating, I'm reading the bag to see how much to feed her. I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing and accidentally grabbed a handful of kibble and threw it into my mouth like peanuts! I immediately spit it out! What if I had no knowledge of how peanuts were supposed to taste? Would I have known the difference between the peanuts and the dog food? The same thing is true about the spiritual food you are receiving. If you have no knowledge of biblical truth, how do you know what you are getting fed is true? You can't. Unless you study your Bible diligently, you are susceptible to being mislead and feeding your soul dog food.

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Acts 17:11

Dog food is not for you!

You know your food and what you're eating. Do you know about what's nourishing your soul? The scriptures included in this video are Matthew 7:15-20 and Acts 17:11.

Here's the correct pronunciation for Thessalonica  [thes-uh-lon-i-kuh]. I tripped over it a bit in the video! Hahaha!

April 1

Football is such a grueling sport. The players punish their bodies through the tireless training, practices, and workouts. Their goal is to achieve victory when they meet their opponent. Day after day we are assailed by a relentless enemy who only gives up when we fall into sin. Let me take that back, he never gives up! Once we fall into sin, he keeps reminding us of how worthless we are for having fallen. The truth is, we try to meet our opponent without being prepared. We enter a fight without ever having trained! What happens when you're not prepared? You lose. In a game, even though there can only be one winner, the training will make you fierce! You would never step onto a football field as a player without the proper training, so why would you engage the enemy of this world without being properly equipped. Ready yourself for battle, study God's Word, pray, and worship Him.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

March 31

To the followers of Christ: It is human nature to protect those you love. I have been in situations where I had to choose between those I love and someone that I saw trying to hurt them. Even though that person hadn't harmed me and I still love them, my loyalty stayed with my friend because they are a part of the body of Christ. If I had to choose between Judas and John, I would choose John every time. Loyal friendship is sometimes hard to find, so when you find that beautiful gem, you want to protect it from the enemy's snare. Jesus is that kind of friend to us. In this world where the enemy rules, we have a beautiful friend in Jesus. He is so full of love for us that He laid down His life because of that love and to protect us from the enemy. Death is what we faced until Jesus conquered it through His resurrection, and now because of that, we too will overcome the grave. That is the perfect picture of love.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

March 30

If you believe that God can change, where is your hope? If the God of the Bible can change, who can you trust? Someone once told me that the God of the Old Testament was mean and nasty, I've got news, that is the same God we are living with today. God does not change!  We are the ones that shift and are not fixed - our minds vary so we attach that way to God because that's our perception. Not only is He unchanging, but He is also all knowing, which means that He also knows the way that He will act according to our obedience or disobedience. He may give us the opportunity to repent before calamity happens, and it may seem to us that He change His mind, but we are the ones who made a choice. God is loving but He is also just. You can't continue in your sin and expect that you won't have to pay a price for that sin. He wouldn't be perfect and holy if He could be less than holy and then go back to being holy. 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

March 29

My dogs have to go out early in the morning. My yard is somewhat like a jungle, so it's easy to lose sight of them. One dog came back in the house, and I thought the other one was coming in too. I turned around for just a second and he was gone. I searched the whole yard, but couldn't find him. I went back inside just to make sure he hadn't sneaked past me, and there he was, standing on a chair looking at me. I knew he couldn't be far away, I had just seen him. We need to remember that about God too; He's right there! You just saw Him when He answered your prayer, He never left! He has promised to never leave you or forsake you, so if you feel like you've lost Him, go back to where you last saw Him, you'll find Him as you remember that answered prayer or the other good things in your life. This is why it's so important to write down or bank in your memory the things He has done for you. 

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

March 28

Do you like to watch mixed martial arts (MMA)? Even though it can sometimes be bloody, it's also quite exciting. This is a sport where there is no mercy. A fighter could have their opponent's arm in a position to break it, and that's exactly what they are going to do. It is merciless! There is only one thing that they can do and it's what could save their arm, and it is to tap out. It makes you cringe when you think that pride is getting in the way of them receiving mercy. When they can no longer take the pain you'll see them give up and tap their challenger, then the fight is over. But, what if the underdog fails to tap? No mercy will be shown and it will be a long time before they can fight again because of that broken arm. We are to always show mercy. How do you show someone mercy? Show them Jesus or they will face judgment where there will be no mercy. Give them to opportunity to tap out!

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13

March 27

Have you ever said something or laughed at something that was completely off color? I'm guilty! These things are quite unbecoming of a Christian and is not in the character of Christ. There are sins that may seem small, and may even go unnoticed, but they are still sin. Words may seem harmless, but they can cause hurt that penetrates to the core. Not only that, but to the ears of the hearer and to God Himself, course talk can be vile, putrid, and have the aroma of rotting meat. We certainly do not want to offend God with words that stink. This type of behavior could taint your testimony, and you never want to be a party to it. On the other hand, our words should build others up and be spoken with love and grace so those hearing them are edified. They should be a fragrant offering full of kindness and a pleasing aroma to the hearer and to our Father in heaven. 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

March 26

I have a friend who just loves dogs; so much so that they seem to find her if they need to be rescued. One evening, we were with her and her husband taking a ride on the golf cart after dinner. When out of nowhere, this beautiful golden retriever comes running down the path with no human companion. We stopped, and she loaded it into the cart with us. We went back to the house and she found its owner within, what seemed like, minutes. It had become frightened by some lightning and ran off. This is a story of grace. We are like that sweet dog, but Jesus is our rescuer. We were running down the path, out of control, frightened by the evil of this world, looking to be rescued. Jesus, because of His great love for us, loaded us into the cart, and delivered us to the Father, and now we will live in the house of the Lord forever. Did we do anything to deserve that? By no means! It is only by His grace that we were saved!

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

God's Grace

Grace, is God's free and unmerited favor; what we do not deserve.

In this video, I give you a glimpse of how God's unmerited favor has helped me break free from the chains that had me bound. I also give you a few clues to help you start breaking free from your own bonds.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—Ephesians 2:4-5

March 25

As a part of my spring cleaning, I decided that one of my rooms needed fresh paint. I started painting using some paint that we already had. As I was cutting in, I noticed that the paint was making the trim look dingy. The trim color is not your usual bright white, I've always felt that it was too blinding. If I continued to use that color, all the trim would need to be repainted too, and my intention was just to do a touch-up on that. So, it's off to The Home Depot to get a more complementary color. Is your friend's character complimentary to yours? Or, do they make you appear to be dull? Sometimes we choose friends that make us look dingy, and their character does not match that of our Savior. We need to have people around us that will encourage us to be a better Christian and will walk with us towards holiness. If you continue to associate with a person of less than noble personality, you may become the same. Be wise in your choice of friends.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

March 24

What is grace? A quick definition of grace is: free and unmerited favor. Look at the order of things God has set in place to bring you to where you are now. If you're currently going through a hardship, it will pass, and you will see that it was by God's grace that you managed to get through it. I know that it's not easy to look back, and just like everyone, there are some things in my life that I would rather forget too. But, even in those difficult times, I can see a silver lining and a piece of the plan God had for my future. When King David was just a shepherd, he didn't know that the difficulties in his life would lead to him becoming a great King, but he used every trial as a testimony. What are the things that led to your salvation and how is He using you now? Everything you have gone through is your testimony of God's grace and He will use it to help bring others to salvation. So, don't forget to share your testimony.

"Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. Luke 8:39

March 23

So, I opened the blinds in my room to let a little sunshine in. I love the beauty of the dappled light filtering in, it's so cheerful! As I'm sweeping the floor I noticed out of the corner of my eye that there is something that's not sweeping up, so I kept sweeping that same spot and it didn't budge. Then I smiled when I realized that I was trying to sweep up the sunlight! Just like that bit of light on my floor, no one can remove the light that's within you. People may come along and try to scrub it off of you like my broom to the floor, but as long as Jesus is the light that shines within you, it can't be taken away. We are challenged daily by others who are struggling to find happiness. They will often try to make those around them as miserable as they are, so it is very important that you remember who your Father is and that your loyalty is to the Risen King. Anyone who tries to dim your light will have to deal with our Almighty God!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

March 22

They will know you by your fruit. Many people along our way in life have disguised themselves as Christians for dishonest gain. We've all seen them! They show up as television preachers, singers, and others, looking for a quick buck or a walk into fame; we tend to notice the ones we see everyday on social media or television. They like to prey on unsuspecting and forgiving people. I guess they think we are weak. God knows these people, and sometimes He points them out as they reveal their true intentions. But, how do we protect our hearts from these types of people? We must stop hiding our heads in the sand and take a closer look. What do you notice when a person takes a selfie? Is it the person in the picture that you see, or do you give notice to what's lurking in the background?  We would all do well to notice both the background and the foreground. Are they producing Godly fruit? If not, use caution.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?... Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-16, & 19-20

March 21

Have you noticed how God is refining you and seen the slag that is disappearing into the fire? Some of the trials that we go through are God's way of changing our hearts. We may not think we are too far from our example in Jesus, but when we start seeing the results and the sparkle of the precious gold beginning to show within us, we then realize how far from perfect we really are. There is an act of obedience and follow through that we are responsible for, but we are not the goldsmith. God is the one responsible for bringing out the best in us. It may take some time to bring us to perfection in our personalities, not because this is a hard job for God, but because we are so obstinate. It's sometimes like trying to pull a donkey when he has made up his mind that he's not going. That's probably why our trials seem to never end, because God is not seeing the results that He desires.

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7

March 20

Sometimes God asks you to do things that you are not accustomed to doing. In yesterdays devotional, I wrote about being stretched by God to do a video. Little did I know that He had plans to stretch me even more, but this time it was physical. We have a friend who just got out of the hospital and lives alone. She called us because she didn't have anyone else to turn to. Her head was unclear and just needed a little guidance and someone to help her get comfortable. You can ask any of my children, I'm not very comforting when it comes to illness. When they would get sick, I would give them their medication and send them to their room. Then I would spray down the house with germ killer. In a way that's what I did for this person. I got a little taste of what our nurses and CNA's go through. My hat's off to those professions! I found out that she's a child of God and He just wanted me to help a sister in need. This was the physical act of loving one another. He met her need and taught me a lesson.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:16-17

March 19

In my great wisdom, I decided to jump into something new. I don't know if you noticed the common thread of the messages from this weeks devotionals, but I've been focusing on some of the attributes of God. He is my favorite subject to study. Why wouldn't He be? He's the only reason we live and have breath! I feel that He may be leading me in a new direction, so I've been studying and getting ready to dive right into this new adventure. It's exciting and scary at the same time, plus I don't know what to expect! So here it is, I recorded a video message! I know what you're probably thinking, 'oh, that's not such a big deal',  but to me, this is way outside of the cozy little box that I like to stay within. But, you know, if you are comfortable with everything going on in your life, you are probably not making much of an effort to advance the kingdom. So, get out there and do something uncomfortable for Jesus. 

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Who is God?

A quick study of Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

Other verses used in this study are: John 3:16 & 18 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. In the first few minutes of the video, I misread the verses used. 

This is my first video so please bear with my mistakes. I'll get better as I become more comfortable. 

Thanks for watching.