January 10

The Rolling Stones said it best:

“You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You just might find

You get what you need”

I hear it said often, “I’m praying for you.” You might say it yourself, and it is important that we intercede for others, especially those who are weak in their faith, or those who don’t have faith at all. Take a look at the people praying for you, if they aren’t saved by Jesus, their prayers are a waste of breath. Over and over again, the Bible says to ask anything according to his will and he will answer you. My question to you is this; have you sought forgiveness for your sins before making your request? Another point, if Jesus isn’t your Savior, God can’t hear you, he is holy, and you are filthy. I can tell you with confidence that every prayer you pray will not be answered with a yes, because we often pray for things that are not within his will for us, or contrary to what’s written in God’s Word. Don’t stop praying, every now and then you will hit the bullseye with your prayer, but unless your prayer for that trip to Hawaii is to reach the people who are strung out on Ice, or for those lost in their native culture, your prayer is coming from your passion, rather than God’s will. 

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. John 9:31

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. James 4:3

January 9

There are days, thankfully only a few, that I cannot find within me the words needed to be written. I scroll through my mind looking for tidbits of information that God may have downloaded, the previous day, only to conclude that nothing is there. I will pick something out, start a story, but have trouble linking it to the scripture or text that I am studying. That’s when I realize that there is a presence blocking my ability to hear. Once I figure out what’s going on, I immediately go to the psalms, I will pick something randomly, or go to Psalms 91, and read it aloud. Doing this cleanses the air, and refreshes my mind, calms my anxiety, and floods my surroundings with the peace of Jesus. After doing this the words begin to flow. 

When you get stuck, no matter what it is you are doing, stop and pray, pull out a psalm, read it aloud, or sing it. Did you know that the Lord inclines his ear to you, and hears your cries? We are so privileged to have God’s ear, and the knowledge that we are not praying to the air.

By the way, nothing is random if you have the Holy Spirit! I say randomly choose a scripture, but when I randomly chose a psalm, the very first scripture in that psalm, fit perfectly with the scripture in my line of study.

"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry."  Psa 40:1

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us."  1Jn 5:14

January 8

Jesus visited me in a dream, and I want to share with you the details so you know how much you are loved, and summarize what he has done to show it. My dream was not fully visual, but more of an impression. It amazes me that he can speak without words or pictures, and still make his point. Here is my impression:

We follow a powerful Savior! Though he is powerful, he is also loving. He was here before creation, then moved heaven and earth to create a sanctuary where he could dwell, and walk with us in the garden. We denied him so he came again, showing us his power by being born of flesh, and then performed miracles as proof of who he is. We denied him again so he showed us his power by coming back from the dead after three days in the grave. He did all of this to show us his love, and give us a way to have a relationship with him. Do you know who benefits the most by spending time with him? You do! He loves you, and has pursued you for your entire life, it’s time to slow down, let him catch you, so you can make him the object of your adoration. 

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

January 7

Know this, the acts of war, or the acts that may be leading to war, you are witnessing, and that is playing out before your eyes, are all a part of the plan. Prophecy must be fulfilled before we are gathered to our King. If you are not living for Jesus, or do not know him, now would be a good time to declare him your Savior. Turn your life over to him, leave your sin, and put the past behind you. For some reason, we think it’s a better life, not to be confined, and to be able to do what we want, but that is far from the truth! My life is much better because of Jesus. God has a heart for his children, and whether we are here to watch the times play themselves out, or whether he brings us home early, and takes us out of the misery of this world, the things written about in the Bible will come to pass. Will we be taken up today or tomorrow? We don’t know. What we do know is that things written in the Bible have come true, and there are just a few prophecies left that need to take place before the end. Are you ready?

You may wonder why I would write this to the followers of Christ, it’s because many who call themselves Christians, are not true Christ followers, and have not turned away from their sin, to live for Jesus. They hold what they think is a “get out of hell free” card, but their life doesn’t reflect Jesus. If this is you, repent, and start living for him.

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:9-10

January 6

Occasionally, we will make our way to a local buffet for all you can eat. The one we frequent has the option of getting what they call the “blue plate special,” where they give you a blue plate, but you can only go through the line once; however can fill up that one plate with as much as you can fit. I’m usually very conservative when I fill my plate, but the last time I went, I decided to fill my plate with bacon! It was glorious sitting there eating it, but I had gotten too much, so when my daughter, who had also gotten a blue plate, said she wanted more bacon, it was the perfect opportunity for me to share. In the end, we were both happy, and satisfied.

When we sit at the Lord’s table, we can eat all we want, and even go back for more; no blue plate needed. What he gives us can fill us to overflowing, if we allow it. He is the bread of life, and the living water; we will never thirst or go hungry. Feast on Jesus, and watch your life change; your outlook will be different, your desires will change, and things that once made you happy, will become trivial, and your love for worldly satisfaction will fade. Your plate will be so full, that you will want to share it! That is what I call living!

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

January 5

I was coming back on the ferry from Little Gasparilla, and as we came into the basin, I could see some dolphins splashing near the sea wall. They had rounded up some mullet, trying to get a bite to eat. The splashing stopped and then I saw one of them with a huge mullet in its mouth! That was the first time I’ve ever seen such a spectacle outside of Sea World. I’m thinking that they had run them into that area so they couldn’t escape, making them easy prey.

The school of mullet is like people who walk in darkness. The enemy is very clever, and will gather them together, funneling them into a confined area, guiding them away from the safety of the Savior so he can pick them off one by one. We see so much of this today; where people are calling the truth a lie, and a lie the truth. These same people will claim that they are walking in the light, but there is no light in them. Be aware, if you hear anything that is contrary to the teachings of the Bible, it is a lie, and a trap; do not stand with these people. To know the Word of God is to know the truth! 

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

January 4

I’m helping my friends with the landscaping of their yard. Since my husband is a contractor, we are able to buy plants wholesale. There are a couple of nurseries I like to use, but my son-in-law told me about one that’s a little further out than than the others. He encouraged me to go because they would have everything that we would need. As soon as we pulled into the office, we could see their beauty, and their abundance. I was overwhelmed with joy, and felt lavished in plant heaven; it was like the Disney World of nurseries! I had to contain myself, and step back to think about my friends needs for their yard rather than my own desires. I get excited all over again just thinking about it! 

God knows what makes us joyful, but who would have thought that helping someone choose plants for their yard could bring on such an overwhelming since of pleasure. Sometimes we have do monotonous things just to survive our days, but instead of going through our days with a ho-hum attitude, begin looking for God’s hand guiding your steps. When you start to see it, you will begin love your moments.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

January 3

Over the past couple of years I began collecting orchids. I had no idea how to care for them, but no worries, I found plenty of information online. During the summer, the only ones in bloom were the ones that were given to me as gifts that were already blooming. I thought I was doing everything right, but sadly, no blooms. Now that it’s winter, and what seemed like out of nowhere, I began seeing spikes, and shoots popping up! Now I wait in anticipation to see the colorful display that each one has in store for me. 

Isn’t that a picture of our lives? We go along from day to day, working and living with nothing extraordinary happening, then out of nowhere, things begin to change and you see a light at the end of the tunnel, or in the case of my orchids, bloom shoots. 

Today’s message is to encourage you to keep pushing forward even though things may seem bleak, or out of control, stay the course. Your life will not always be flowering, but the process is in the roots, and soon you will begin to see shoots forming, that will one day produce beautiful blossoms.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. James 5:7

January 2

My friends, don’t be arrogant about your salvation in Jesus; it wasn’t given to you because of anything you did, but because of what he did. You obtained mercy purely because of God’s grace. We should thank him every day that we are not receiving the payment that we deserve for our sins. Even if you’ve been good in your life, you aren’t good enough without Jesus. There is nothing we can do to cleanse ourselves of our sins, and no amount of good we do can cover the stains of our past. It’s only because of Jesus that we will not suffer the consequences of our former way of life. 

When I think back to my life as a young adult, the disgraceful things I did, and the crowd that I ran with, I’m lucky to be alive, and forgiven. Sin will bind you. I received a blanket of forgiveness, but because of the damage it caused, I felt it necessary to flush each sin individually. By doing that, I broke the chains that had me bound. I know what you’re thinking; how could I possibly remember all my sins? You probably can’t, but the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind what you need to turn loose of to be set free. 

Your new year resolution should include doing everything you can to be set free from the ties that bind you. Start today.

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14

January 1

My family has a tradition of eating black-eyed peas, hog jowl, and greens on New Year Day. I prepare it, and my children make sure to stop by to partake in the tradition. There’s an old wives tale that claims that eating this meal brings money and good luck for the year. It was believed to have come to the south by way of the Sephardic Jews who arrived in Georgia in the 1730’s. It was a custom of the Jews to eat black-eyed peas, as part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration, and can be found in the Talmud that was written around 500 A.D.

During the Civil War General Sherman tried to starve the Confederate army by taking their food supply. He didn’t consider the peas or the pork as consumable by humans, so he left it, and the army was fed for the winter. 

Most of our current traditions can be dated back to ancient times. I think it’s a good idea to research them to make sure we are not following something that was sinister, or from evil. We can never be sure, but at least identify why we hold it dear.

This year I hope that you will begin to identify the reasons you do what you do, and think the way you think. Don’t do things just because it’s the way you’ve always done them, dig deep and find out why!

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8

December 31

Some of the pictures we see on social media, look nothing like the person we see in the flesh. Technology has given us filters to make us look better than we do, and into something we are not. 

God does not love sin. What does that mean? Our pure and holy creator is separated from sin, cannot look at it or love it. That seems so harsh, but he will not change who he is; if he did, we wouldn’t have a perfect God, because he is unchanging. If he didn’t spare the angels who rose up against him, what makes you think he will spare you? You should have a good answer for this; if you don’t, see me after class. When they sinned, they changed from being holy, and loved by God, to evil; and God doesn’t love evil.

I know this is heavy for the end of the year, but we need to know how detestable we are in front of God, so we can understand how merciful he was when he sent Jesus to save us. God cannot look at us without the Jesus filter. Without that filter, you are hideous and disgusting. Thank God we are hidden in Jesus, otherwise we would face the same fate as the fallen angels.

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— Jude 1:5-6

December 30

At the beginning of the year, I ask God for a word that will define my year. It becomes a prophecy. I’ve already asked about mine for 2020. I usually get the answer right away, but I wait for confirmation. If you would like to hear from God, it’s time to pray about your word. Mine in 2019 was “adventure,” and then later in the year it became “sojourn.” I had an adventure standing still! Ha-ha! The way I confirm if I’m hearing him correctly, is the word will seem to appear everywhere, because he brings it to my attention; that’s how I knew it had changed part of the way through the year. Not only is this a fun thing to do, it is practice for hearing the voice of God, but what makes it even more interesting is watching it play out in your life. Don’t be shy about doing this, just ask God for a word, and then listen. God is a lot quicker than we are, with me, the word popped up before I got the question asked. 

My unconfirmed word for 2020 is “lavished.” I found the word lavished in Ephesians 1:8, and it refers to grace being lavished, “which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” I may be just hoping for this word since 2019 was such an adventurous year.

If you pray and God gives you a word, and he will because he says he will make known the mystery of his will, please share it, even if you haven’t received confirmation. By sharing it, you will be stepping out in faith. 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ Ephesians 1:7-9

December 29

There is an undercurrent in society today that is so sinister, and manipulative, that even some of the most beloved evangels of the gospel have fallen for it. They are spreading the misinformation among many sects of religion. Somewhere along the way they lost sight of God, and ventured in their own direction with the guidance of the enemy. It’s important for you to stay aware, otherwise you could also be led astray. 

Did you know that just like we were predestined to follow Jesus, there are people who are predestined for evil? It doesn’t matter how hard you try to convert them to Jesus, they will not turn. They may seem loving to start, but they are nasty individuals whose only purpose is to pervert the gospel. Be mindful of who you are believing, pray for discernment, and always find biblical backup for enticing teachings that say what your itching ears want to hear. 

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

December 28

I write these devotionals daily as the Spirit leads. Some may be for you, but some may not. They may lead you to believe that there is a lot for you to do, but there is not. We are to live a life worthy of our calling in Jesus, follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, turn away from evil, and give praise to God. 

I try to encourage you to tell others about Jesus, but know that the Spirit will lead you if you are to witness to someone about Jesus, he will nudge you if you are safe to share your testimony, and will give you the words that they need to hear. 

I try to encourage you to refrain from sin, but you must know, that if you consistently give into sin without a check in your spirit, you may not be saved at all. For me, if I am about to sin, for example, utter a lie, as insignificant as it may seem, the pressure of the Holy Spirit will come down on me so hard that I would rather live with the consequences of the truth than disappoint the Father. 

I encourage you to read your Bible because it’s the best way to know the truth, and get to know Jesus. 

I try to get you to leave your past behind, because dragging it around, crushes your spirit, and keeps you from living your best life here on earth. 

If anything I write doesn’t strike a cord with you, it’s probably not for you, and you can scroll on by, but if it touches you in any way, it may be a reminder from the Holy Spirit of something you need to work on.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21

December 27

At one of our family gatherings, someone gave my two year old grandson a round donut hole that was covered in chocolate. He popped the whole thing in his mouth, and began to run around the house. The chocolate began to drip from his mouth, getting it everywhere. One of his aunts cleaned him up and turn him loose with his mouth still full, so I decided that he probably needed to spit out what was left, and to my surprise, the donut was still whole, but the chocolate was gone! All he did was lick off the sweetness, and spit out the delicious cake.

If you accepted Jesus as your Savior, and experienced the delicious cleansing of your sins, and haven’t begun to live for him, it’s like licking the chocolate off the outside of the donut, and leaving the rest for the trash. The chocolate is not going to fill you up, and keep you satisfied, you need to eat the cake too! Dig into the Word of God, and start living for him, and get to know his character. You can’t just lick the icing off the cake! The Lord is loving, but he is also just, and fair; if you haven’t turned away from your sin, and begun to live for him, are you really saved? Persevere, and contend for your faith!

"Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude 1:3

December 26

Young children are not very interested in opening presents; it’s the adults who get excited to watch them open them. I watched a few videos of the unveiling of gifts, and when one gift was opened, all they wanted to do was play with that one gift, but because there were more gifts to open, they were encouraged to put the one down to see what else they got. It was a lot of work on the part of the parent to encourage them to keep going. 

Today, I am going to play the part of the parent, and encourage you to keep opening the gifts that God has given you. When you became a Christian, you were imparted gifts as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to use in bringing others to know Jesus, and to help you draw closer to him. Most people have more than one gift, but like children, we want to play with the one while the others are left unopened. I like to encourage believers to use the online tools that are out there to help make that determination. Once you know, you can become better at using them. Take a gifts survey, and open the presents that you may have left sitting under the tree!

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

December 25

Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate our God becoming a man, and him stepping off of his comfy, cozy throne to join us here on earth. In perfect fashion, we celebrate ourselves as we are lavished with gifts. Don’t feel bad about it, if we only knew how much God loved us, we would understand the thrill he gets seeing us enjoying these moments. What parent doesn’t want to give their children whatever they want? 

The most important gift we’ve ever been given, was the gift of his Son, our Lord, and Savior Jesus, whose birth this is all about. In Luke 2:14, we are reminded that the angels rejoiced at his birth; “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

We may not fully understand why he had to become a man, and suffer on the cross, or why there needed to be a blood sacrifice, but if there hadn’t been, would he have been remembered today? It’s not likely. God knew he needed his birth and death to be dramatic to keep our attention for thousands of years. So today, go ahead, and enjoy this celebration. Eat, drink, and be merry, because our Savior is worth celebrating!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:2-5

December 24

And after three days in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead! He made sure that those who loved him were not left perplexed by his disappearance from the sepulcher, and appeared to many of them as witnesses to his resurrection, before his ascension back into Heaven. Everything that was written about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms were fulfilled by him. 

Christmas, the celebration of our Savior lowering himself to become a man so that there would be a pure sacrifice for our sin, was the only way for us to become righteous in the eyes of God. If not for his blood covering our sins, we would all perish into our eternal grave. Because of him, we have a way to live on, but only if we accept that he is who he says he is. We don’t have to accept him as our Savior, he allows us that choice, so in this very short time we have on earth, we must choose wisely. Is this really our choice, or did he choose us? The answer is YES! It’s both! Why do we need to choose him if he has already made the choice for us? I accept this as one of those things our finite minds can’t fully understand, but I do know that he wants us to want him, and we must repent. Don’t take a chance! Follow him today and accept his free gift of salvation!

and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47

December 23

Pilate, and Herod, had found no guilt in Jesus, but because they desired to stay friends with the people, gave in to their shouting, and mob mentality. They were at enmity with one another before this, but after this, they became friends. We see the same thing in our government today; the crowds shout “crucify him, crucify him,” and the powers that be, set out to do just that.

Our president is far from being Jesus, but the things happening to him is a perfect example of mob behavior in this day and age. Who incited the people back then? The enemy! He is doing the same thing now; because if it worked for Jesus, surely it would work with a lesser man, and the enemy was right. After the enemy cleaned the White House of any signs of Christianity in the previous administration, the current administration is putting it back, and the devil is vehemently angry, and causing a stir in his compadre. 

The similarities are striking, but rather than saving us from our sin, the president is trying to save our country from the hands of the depraved. I expect after this sham of an impeachment, our president will come back bigger and stronger than ever. The prayers of the true Christians are with him. Never doubt the power of praying believers!

Pilate speaking of Jesus: “and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him.”” Luke 23:14-16

December 22

You can never be too sure in this day and age, who is really your friend, or who might have set out to betray you. I hate to be cynical, but if you’ve ever experienced the hurt of betrayal, it creates a stronghold causing you to examine everyone more closely. Pray for Jesus to release you and give you freedom from such as this, but give you the ability to use your experience as a tool of discernment. 

Jesus, who knew the hearts of his disciples, was able to call out the weaknesses of those who were amongst them. During the Passover meal, he warned them of what was coming next, and that he would be betrayed by one of them. Even so, they were still in shock when they witnessed what had happened. 

Be wise in your dealings, and protect yourself with prayer; because even at church, like among the disciples, there are people whose hearts have not been cleansed by Jesus.

But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” Luke 22:21-22