May 21

How fortunate are we that God chose to give color to our eyesight? What more will our eyes see when we enter the gates of Heaven? We don’t know what he is holding back from us. One thing I know is that Paul had gotten a glimpse of Heaven. We don’t know if he was in the body or out, but we do know that he poured his soul into his teachings, which comes with warning as well as wonder. What did he see that we have yet to see? He abandons his care for his life and focused on bringing others to know the Lord; he was more about meeting our spiritual needs, and less about our physical needs. There is life living among us that we don’t see. I believe we may have seen it at one point, when we were young and untainted by our physical sight. When I’m holding my newest grand baby, I can see him look away from me and smile, as if someone else has caught his eye. Jesus tells us that every child has a guardian angel; do babies see theirs? For us, our greatest hope is for the next phase of our life, and dwelling in the house of the Lord, and seeing with our own eyes all the wonders that God saved for those who love him.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Philippians 1:21-24

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 18:10

May 20

One of my favorite pastimes is walking on the beach; for a couple of reasons, one, it’s great exercise, and two, I can get tanned on all sides without rotating. On my walk down the beach, I noticed a blue heron standing in a swimming pool, I suppose he thought he was going to catch a meal. On my way back, I saw that he had moved from the pool to the beach, my guess is that he didn’t have any luck fishing in the pool. We have choices to make, do we continue to beat our heads against the wall teaching or witnessing to unbelievers who refuse our Savior, or do we move on to where the prospects are better? It took the heron a minute to figure out that there were no fish in that pool, and after not getting any bites, he moved on. Sometimes we need to cast our nets on the other side of the boat, or maybe even change ponds. Take your cues from the Holy Spirit, and move on to where the prospects are more plentiful, when you find that those whom you are witnessing to, are not ripe for the Lord.

He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. John 21:6

May 19

Are you happy? We were never promised happiness, however, because of the peace given to us by Jesus, I can truly say that his peace gives me contentment which leads to my happiness. The storms of life will roar around us, and things of this world will fall apart, but we are not of this world! We have been appointed ambassadors to bring the knowledge of Jesus to an otherwise chaotic place. We are to show unbelievers our peace, so they see that we are not rattled by the circumstances surrounding us, and that our peace comes from somewhere beyond us. If you continue to show others you are fearful, how are you any different from them? Stop promoting tragedy on your social media! Start promoting Jesus. Show others that you have confidence in the One who saved you. Jesus was never overwhelmed by the things going on around him, nor should we; if you are, pray, and ask for his peace. If you ask, and it goes away, ask again, and again, until it sticks.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

May 18

As a treat, I had two of my grandsons over to play together. It may have been a treat for them, but Namaw was worn out after two hours! One thing about these two, they are full of energy, but are loving to me and Pawpaw, and to one another. The precious hugs, and cuddles made the mayhem worth it. In a matter of seconds, we had nearly an entire box of crayons spilled, and a cup of ice water poured onto the floor! I clean up the water while the older one picked up the crayons. Though it was a chore, it was delightful to have them, and watch them interact together. In this world, we are unsure what tomorrow will bring; will it bring a blessing or a curse? So today, I choose to be thankful for the little things that bring joy into my heart, and focus less on what’s wrong and more on what’s right. Will you join me in an attitude change today? Let us focus our day on something positive, and offer thanks to the Lord.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. Proverbs 17:6

May 17

Tamar was raped by her half-brother Amnon. Absalom, who was Tamar’s full brother, avenged her rape by killing her rapist, their half-brother. She was devastated, and never recovered, and lived in Absalom’s home. Tamar, Absalom, and Amnon were all King David’s children. The king did not rule on Tamar’s rape, but mourned over Amnon’s death. Did he excuse Amnon since he violated Bathsheba’s marriage, and therefore felt unable to make a sound ruling? Probably. Tamar was left with the guilt, and the scars of being raped. Such a heinous act, but death was too good for him! This is why justice is so important. King David should have handled this better.

Our judicial system must stay in place, with balanced judges, who can make fair and unbiased decisions. We the people must fight for this! Do not leave the judges blank on your ballot! Do a little background research, check their Facebook, Twitter, and their websites, to make sure you agree with their thoughts on issues. Use the power of your vote to install the best representatives possible.

Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’” 2 Samuel 14:34

May 16

Over the past few days, I’ve been cleaning out closets. There is so much excess, that I couldn’t possibly need all of it. It was full of useless items that have created clutter. Of course, as I pilfered through the mess, I came across photos that stir my memories; my children when they were younger, school pictures, and our rambling adventures from our vacations, and other times spent together. You see, among the clutter and useless items, are precious memories, even among the items that have become too much; it’s what you do with them that matters the most. It is so important that we clean up our memory, and refine it with the fire of the Holy Spirit. We need to look at our past as stepping stones that got us where we are, whether that is good or bad. Many people have gone through trauma that has led to disaster within their heart, and need for God to use his refining fire to reclaim it for his good. No matter how heinous the crime against you, remember that this world never changes, and the enemy uses the same tools over and over again. You didn’t go through what you went through to let it go to waste; use it to help someone else, let them see that healing is possible with Jesus. Clean out the closet of your heart, and let Jesus show you the good that can come from your experience. 

For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance. Psalms 66:10-12

May 15

Can you imagine getting a call from the king for you to come before him so he could show you the kindness of God? God’s kindness is the pinnacle of kindness, and with that kindness, God had King David restore to Mephibosheth all that his grandfather, King Saul, had owned, appointed servants to work the land for him, and gave him a place at the king's table. Mephibosheth was crippled, and now he would never have to worry about where his next meal would come from. King David did this to honor Jonathan, Mephibosheth’s father, who had died in battle, and to fulfill the covenant he had with him. 

Be patient in your waiting; God has heard your prayers and is aligning things so that those prayers may be answered. Write down those prayers so you don’t forget about them, and can give God all the glory he deserves when he shows you godly kindness.

"And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”" 2 Samuel 9:3

May 14

And just like that, things change! We make plans, but the Lord establishes our steps. For as long as I can remember, my mother has been a hairdresser, my hairdresser! After this coronavirus shut down, she decided that it was time for her to retire. I know a lot of people are disappointed; she is truly an artist, and her skills go beyond hair. This new lifestyle is going to be quite a transition for her, but believe me, she will find things to do; she doesn’t sit still for very long. When you are an artist, you are usually creative in other areas; she is a gardener, painter, flutist, pianist, and the list goes on. She never stopped doing those things, but now she will have a little more time to enjoy them. I’m so blessed to have her, and now I will be able to spend a little more time with her. God truly knows what the heart needs, and he blessed me with an amazing mother to guide and direct my path. Happy retirement mom!!

Would you join me in praying for my mother today? Pray that she would continue with good health for many years to come, and that she would do well with her transition into retirement. 

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

May 13

Have you ever watched a clock with hands as the seconds tick away the time? It is amazing how quickly it changes. I’m reminded of this because I have two clocks in my living area, and when it’s quiet, I can hear time dying, never to be recovered again. The older I get, the more I realize how precious time is, and it disappears with every tick of the clock. However, each of our personal time span is different, and our clock may tick faster or slower than others because we are not the ones who set the alarm to tell when time is up; it is God. Life is not about things, it’s about a relationship with God through our Savior, Jesus. Many will not realize this until they begin to see the end, if they get that opportunity. If you set your heart on God, time won’t matter anymore; and if you truly believe that all things happen in God’s timing, then you will leave anxiety with the being who created it, the enemy. Place your trust in God’s hands, and you will live a peaceful life, even when the world is tumultuous.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

May 12

We judge people so severely without knowing what’s going on in their heart. Remember the story of King David bringing the ark of the covenant into the City of David? Scripture says he danced before the Lord with all his might; he was a happy man! However, Michal, the daughter that Saul gave to David as a wife when he paid a brides price, was embarrassed by the way he acted and lashed out at him. It made me angry at her for being unkind to the king we all love.

There is a backstory that is forgotten because we read chapter by chapter, and don’t put the storyline together; at least that’s my experience. Out of anger for David, Saul gave Michal to another man after she had become David’s wife, but David never forgot about her, and asked the King of Israel, Ish-bosheth, to return Michal to him as part of a covenant between them. Ish-bosheth took her away from her husband, all while her husband followed her sobbing, and returned her to David.

Her anger towards David for dancing in the street nearly naked may have had little to do with the dancing, and more to do with her circumstances. She had probably never forgiven David for upending her life. It wasn’t her fault that her dad the king, had given her away to another man, and it wasn’t her fault the Ish-bosheth took her away from that husband. My heart breaks for her now that I know the rest of the story. Some people are just nasty because they’re nasty, but some have suffered; all the more reason to be kind to others, even when they lash out.

As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:16

May 11

The Christian and secular world are always in turmoil when Bible scholars, and translators try to correct inaccuracies found in some translations of the Bible. Unless you read Greek or Hebrew, you are getting a translation. Today’s versions are not a re-translation of other older versions, but a new, and probably a more accurate version of the original manuscripts, and more understandable to us in the current language we speak.

The reason I mention this is because as I read the story of David and Goliath, I wonder why Saul speaks as if he doesn’t know David at all. The order of the story would place David in his home playing the lyre the help him calm his angry mind. Saul was a little crazy because the Spirit of the Lord had left him, and that could be why he didn’t recognize him after he killed Goliath. According to the scholars that I follow, if you placed the story of David working in Saul’s home playing the lyre (1 Samuel 16:14-23) between Joshua 18:9 and Joshua 18:10, then it would make more sense as to why Saul didn’t recognize David after he killed Goliath. In doing that, it would disrupt the whole world, and that’s most likely where Samuel put it, so it must stay there; but that’s probably why it reads the way it does. This is not up for debate, just me thinking out loud. Your Bible is not wrong, and you have all you need to make a good decision about following Jesus.

And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” 1 Samuel 17:58

May 10

We, as Christians, don’t fully understand how much God is for us, and how he fights the evil that comes against us. I think it behooves us to refrain from becoming overzealous when going after our own because they are still chosen. We are imperfect as humans, and sometimes we get it wrong, but God is still for us. We may suffer the consequences for our behavior, but we are forgiven in the eyes of God because of our Savior Jesus. There are ministers and denominations that I don’t agree with, but other than making corrections to their misunderstandings by showing proper backing in the scriptures, we should not pursue to kill, but to correct. 

King David, even though Saul had pursued him to kill him, he didn’t commend the one who killed Saul, but had him killed. Saul was still chosen, even though he did evil. During the time when there were two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, Rechab and Baanah killed Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, king of Israel, and brought the head to King David. Though they thought they had done a good thing, David considered it evil, and called Ish-bosheth a righteous man, and had Rechab and Baanah killed. Let us not slay one another, but wait for the recompense of the wicked to be brought about by God.

when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 2 Samuel 4:10-11

May 9

You will be rejected; it’s more about who you are, and less about how you are. David had taken up residence among the Philistines, and was headed out to help them in a battle against Israel. Even though he had been kind to Achish, the commanders of the Philistine army made him send David and his men away, and wouldn’t allow them to fight with them in case David decided to turn on them. I’m sure this was God orchestrated, because David shouldn’t have been readied to fight against Israel. God had saved David from becoming a stench among his own people. When you feel the sting of rejection, analyze it carefully, which is what we all do anyway, but look at it through the eyes of God. What is he protecting you from? Is it designed to push you forward into other pursuits? Is this rejection saving you from future heartache? Don’t look at it with a “woe is me” attitude; even though it still hurts, know that because you are chosen by God, he is protecting you and guiding you for his purposes. David was to become King, and had he killed even one Israelite, his future would have been ruined. Without God protecting David, our future would have been destroyed, because David was the set up for our own future King, Jesus!

And Achish answered David and said, “I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us to the battle.’ 1 Samuel 29:9

May 8

Is it a setup? Many times the Bible mentions that we should stay away from fortune tellers, astrology, tarot cards, palm readings, and other such influencers. What do you think happens when we delve into such as this? Do they really tell us what is going to happen in our lives, or is it a setup to put into motion the devil's plan? 

Saul was so afraid to fight against the Philistines; he inquired of God to see what he should do, but got no answer. Saul knew the ways of the righteous, because he had gotten all the psychics and mediums out of the land; but when he didn’t hear back from the Lord, he decided to seek the services of a medium and conjure up Samuel who had died, and it worked! However, we have to ask, was it Samuel or was it the devil in disguise? Bible scholars have differing opinions about this, but when you thresh it out with the help of other portions of scripture, you get a good answer. When God tells us not to seek out psychics or mediums, there is a reason; it opens us up to demonic influences. Remember, Paul told us that the devil will disguise himself as an angel of light. After hearing what the medium told him, he lost all hope, because, “Samuel” said that tomorrow he and his sons would be with him. During the battle with the Philistines, he killed himself, because he had been injured and didn’t want to be killed by the uncircumcised. Would he have lived? Who knows, but his sons and his armor bearer died that day too. 

The lesson: don’t read astrology, seek the services of a psychic, have your palm read, get a tarot card reading, or any other such things; they are products of the devil and may influence you in his ways, and send you down a path of destruction.

Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.” 1 Samuel 28:19

May 7

At the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak, and before wearing a mask had become popular, I began making masks for my neighbors, and my family. One such receiver of my gift, made me a little regretful of my compassion for them. After giving these people special PPEs, and kindly leaving it at their door, I get a call complaining that it didn’t fit, and that it was too small. This same design had fit every person that I had given it to, and this person’s head wasn’t any bigger. I hurried and made another one, extending the length, only to find out that they had put it on upside down. It made me think of the saying, “no good deed goes unpunished”! Even though these same people continue to be harsh, I will reach out to them, as the Holy Spirit leads.

David had a few regretful moments, one of them for guarding Nabal’s shepherds, and keeping them safe while they were in the wilderness. After this kindness, David sent his men to get food from Nabal, but he turned them away, and treated them harshly. Thankfully, Nabal’s wife Abigail, heard what he had done, and gathered food for David and his men. After Abigail told Nabal what she had done to save them, he had heart failure, and died ten days later. The Lord had avenged David and his men, then he made Abigail his wife. 

The lesson: if you have been treated badly, don’t take the matter into your own hands, the Lord will avenge you.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the LORD who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The LORD has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. 1 Samuel 25:39

May 6

I’ve been writing this devotional for several years. When I began, I made a commitment to post a scripture each day; then scriptures on pictures. Once I got comfortable with that, I included a short commentary on what God had shown me, and it grew from there. He even gave me the ability to publish a couple of books. There are days that I feel empty, and don’t know what to write, but God, in his compassion for me, will give me words to help me along. Sometimes I will write a sentence, and use words that I don’t know the meaning; this is how great he is, and how I know he is helping me. The reason I’m telling you all of this is because if God can do this for me, he will do this for you, but it may not look the same because we all have different spiritual gifts. It doesn’t happen all at once as you can see from my own progression, but if you will be faithful and commit to a small thing, he will bless you, and give you increase. I get very emotional when I think of how he has trusted me to feed his sheep; it is the most fulfilling part of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful that he allows me to serve him. The Holy Spirit has something for you; today, ask him to show you what it is.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Luke 16:10

May 5

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church, our services were quite mild. Everyone sang the songs from the hymnal, and then quietly sat and listened to the message. No one got out of control, or raised their hands in praise, no one answered back to the preacher, other than an occasional “amen.” One time I was invited to go to church with my friend, who was a Pentecostal, boy was that an eye opener! I was struck with fear because I had never seen anything like it. There were people running up and down the isles, others speaking in tongues, and I even saw someone healed! I was young, so I didn’t know what to think about it. As an adult thinking back on that experience, I rationalized that it wasn’t real, and it certainly couldn’t be biblical! I was wrong! After studying the word of God over the years, I realized that the move of the Spirit is real; falling out is real, speaking in tongues is real, and healing is real, and it’s biblical. Don’t get me wrong, there will be fakers, and those seeking to impress others by their “spirituality,” but repentance is due from them because of their lies.

Saul had sent his messengers to capture David, and bring him in to be killed. David was hiding in a town of prophets, and when they came to get him, they fell under the control of the Spirit, and they prophesied. It happened several times, until Saul came himself, but, he fell under the Spirit too, and David was able to escape. You may say, “oh, this is Old Testament teaching,” don’t kid yourself, it's in the New Testament too. You would know these things to be true, if you read your Bible, especially when you read it with a surrendered heart. Surrender, so God will open your heart to the truth.

And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” 1 Samuel 19:23-24

May 4

The story of David and Jonathan, and the friendship they had, was not only beautiful, and something to emulate, but it was also a divine appointment by God. What was more important than the friendship, was the act that took place that sealed the deal for David’s future. Jonathan loved David, and as an act of kindness he stripped himself, and passed on to him his robe, armor, belt, bow, and sword; by doing this he made a covenant with him, and paved the way for David to become king. Jonathan was in line for kingship, but he unknowingly gave it up to David in this act of love.  

In our daily lives, we sometimes do or say things that become a prophecy, and set the stage for our future. One example is, as a youth, I remember saying to myself that I was only going to have one child; I couldn’t be happier, but I could almost hear God laughing when I said it. Though I only gave birth to one child, I raised six others to adulthood. The reason I’m telling you this is so you will be careful with your thoughts, and the things you speak over yourself; just as Jonathan, you may be setting the stage for your future. Watch your words and actions, there may be consequences for them.

Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:3-4

May 3

The story of David and Goliath gives all of us hope. When we face the challenges of life that seem bigger than we are, it’s nice to refer back to the story of a warrior, who relied on the power of God to defeat the likes of a 9 1/2 foot giant! Though what you are facing may seem insurmountable, nothing is impossible with God. With all challenges, there will be pessimist who will try to defeat you before you even get started, just like David’s older brother who was harassing him for being on the battlefield. If David had listened to him, and not gone on to defeat Goliath, all of Israel would have become the slaves of the Philistines, and David wouldn’t have become the superhero that he was. It’s nice to have such a person to emulate when facing our own battles, and someone to look to as an example as we place our faith in God when we go on to defeat our own enemies. Today, as you face life’s challenges, remember David and Goliath, and put your faith in the Almighty, just as he did.

This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand.” 1 Samuel 17:46-47

May 2

You are chosen. Samuel had Jesse bring his sons before him, but the Lord rejected each of them. I’m sure Jesse thought that one of his older sons would be the one, surely it wasn’t the youngest! Samuel had Jesse send for David, who was tending sheep, and as soon as he appeared, he was anointed, and the Holy Spirit rushed upon him from that day forward; then Samuel left! That was it, no further need to hang around or advise him. He didn’t become king that day, he wasn’t ready; however, he had been anointed for service, much like when we accept Jesus as our Savior. Now he had to go through trials, and learn to listen to the Lord, and follow him closely. We don’t think about that when we become a Christian; accepting Jesus is just the beginning, there is much to learn. God sends us through rigorous training, but not like we expect; you don’t even know you are being trained! If you pay attention, you will notice his hand in every aspect of your life. What you learn during that process is to trust him, and to acknowledge that it is he who is taking you through the trials, how you handle it is up to you. Bend so you don’t break; that’s what it means to surrender.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13