October 9

Bible truth alert! No cute story today.

Why did Jesus say, when speaking to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”, in Matthew 24? His disciples had asked him what the signs would be for the coming of the end of the age, and this was a part of his answer. You see, this answer could lead to some confusion because Jesus is speaking only to the Jews, not the Church. What does he mean by “this generation”? Many, many generations have passed since he spoke these words. The answer is in the term “generation.” It would be nice if the translators would use words that make things plane and not appear to be contradictory. When I looked up the word, here is what I found:  

From (a presumed derivative of) G1085; a generation; by implication an age (the period or the persons): - age, generation, nation, time. 

The Bible is not contradictory; the translators may be using words that we understand differently. If they had included the word “nation,” we would understand the text to mean the Jewish nation would not pass away until all these things take place. 

Why do some people think Christians will face tribulation? Because he also mentions “the elect,” which are the saved. If all the saved are ruptured, it can only mean those Jews who accept Jesus as Savior after the rapture of the Church. 

Forgive me for rambling this morning, but if I’m a little confused by some words in this chapter, I’m sure others are too. I’m just trying to clear up the muddy water. 

And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Matthew 24:22

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34

October 8

I had coffee with a friend yesterday. She and her husband live in a community outside of town; it’s a sprawling development that has attracted many businesses because of the sheer size and the excessive number of homes located there. The people that had occupied that area before the developers came in were there to get away from the city, but when this subdivision popped up, the city came out to them, and the rural country was eaten up. It’s a beautiful area with trails and other amenities that attract families, but the location is odd. My friend loves it there, and I don’t blame her; their home is beautiful. 

Speaking of developers, after having our coffee and chitchatting, her husband brought out Donald Trump! I know, it shocked me too! Here I am posing with him; unlike what we see on Twitter, he was reticent. All joking aside, we must all vote in this upcoming election, and hopefully, most of you will align yourself with the party that recognizes the value of all life, including life in the womb. Both parties are corrupt, but only one believes in life and freedom. No matter the result of this election, God is still on his throne, and Jesus is still in charge of the government, even if you don’t like it.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

October 7

It’s been a grueling process, but we are finally moving forward! I spent the entire day yesterday running all over Tampa, picking up permits, delivering blueprints, and recording a notice of commencement so we can start building duplexes. Richard has been clearing trees, installing a fence, and preparing the ground, among other things, for this project. We started this over a year ago, and we haven’t wasted a moment, but we must depend on others to fill in where our abilities end; such as architects and engineers, who don’t always work at our pace, and then there are the county employees, who could care less about us or our project, so they intentionally make it difficult. Not only that, but then COVID slowed the process by more than six months! But we made it! Now the fun begins! This process is much like our growth in Jesus. It starts in its simplest form of accepting Jesus, then as we grow, we must contend with the enemy throwing roadblocks in our path. There is a lot of clearing out of trees and underbrush to prepare the ground; then, we begin to build on the foundation of Jesus. When all is said and done, we will have created a magnificent mansion! Don’t give up when things get difficult; it’s all part of the process, and it will work out in the end. You are not alone in this life; you have the Holy Spirit as your companion; his guidance and wisdom is what will help you as you move forward; so keep building up your life in Jesus; it will be worth every challenge you face.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

October 6

So, about that bird feeder, it’s just as I suspected, a maker of weeds! My perfectly manicured yard is now a weedy mess due to the birds spilling their food out of the feeder! I may have found a solution; we’ll see if it works; it’s a tray hanging under the feeder to catch any extra seed that’s dropped. 

For this same reason, the Pharisees got carried away with instituting rules, making it impossible to be righteous in the eyes of man. I’m sure they had good intentions, like me wanting to feed the birds, but the rules got out of hand, so Jesus came to straighten them out by teaching us what God had intended by the original rules. Jesus taught that when you love God and love people, the rest will fall into place, and the need for other regulations becomes unnecessary. 

If the birds didn’t spill their food, then it wouldn’t be necessary to have the tray below the feeder, and there would be no evil weeds growing among the intentionally planted shrubs. When you love Jesus, your mind changes, and it’s easy following God’s rules because everything falls into the place he had intended. 

If those birds don’t stop spilling all that seed onto the ground, I’m going to take away the trough, just as God will eventually remove his followers from the earth, then there will be no one to feed the world.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

October 5

 

Any sin against the church and Jesus Christ is an offense that could damn someone to eternal hell; if two or more believers agree together, whatever they bind on earth, will also be bound in heaven. In my opinion, Plann** ******hood and child sex traf****ing fits the description. I know this is unconventional. We may not be gathered physically; however, I ask that you agree with me today that these two industries be stopped by God and sent to the eternal pit of hell and that the enemy be forced to release these children from his grip. Let’s work together within the spiritual world to stop this travesty against the children of today and the generations to come. Wouldn’t it be incredible if our simple agreement on this issue dissolved it from the earth? I would love to see the hand of God move quickly on these issues, and see all the people involved pay the price with their lives. 

If you agree with me on this, please indicate by commenting “agree.” I will then know that you have prayed and that we have an agreement in the spiritual world. I don’t know what this end will look like, or how quickly it will happen, but rest assured they will pay the price for their heinous acts against the children.

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:18-20

October 4

My brother gave away his daughter yesterday. In many cases, the family of the bride may not find anyone to be worthy of their precious jewel, but God blessed her with a man we have all grown to love as our own. We had to contend with the weather, so my sister and I prayed with the bride's uncle that the rain might go around us. God kept most of the rain at bay, but it sprinkled just enough to anoint the celebration with the presence of God and wash it clean for a beautiful new beginning. 

God gave away his precious son as a groomsman to us; we are the bride of Christ. We are adorning ourselves just like Esther when she was given beauty treatments for her wedding to the king. We are now awaiting his return from the Father’s house where he has gone to prepare a place for us and is adding on to the house so we will be comfortable there. I think we can all say that we are anxious for that day and are waiting at the gate to hear his call. 

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3

October 3

 

If you don’t know Jesus, my posts are not for you. I’ve been sent to minister to the lost “Christians” to help them renew their faith, or even gain trust that they never had. If you learn something and accept Jesus as your Savior through these posts, then good, I will then help you strengthen your faith.

If you are happy, or even smirking over the situation going on in our country and the illness our president is facing, you are not saved, so keep scrolling, and remove me from your list of friends; we don’t see eye-to-eye.

To the followers of Christ: How serious are you about Jesus? I’ve watched those whom I thought trusted in him fall apart over the situation going on right now in politics, the terrible debate, and now President Trump and Melania with COVID. The lack of faith in the Christian community is astounding! Are we going to fall in line with the evil people of this world and trust man over God? Last night I watched as a news commentator nearly began to cry as she told of how nasty people were over the president’s illness; she almost had me in tears! I am concerned about his health too, but I also know that God is in charge. God loves me; he is my protector, my counselor, my peace in the chaos, and the one whom I place all my trust. I’m blown away by the lack of faith. If you are distraught, get over it! Cry out to Jesus to help you shore up your faith and trust in him, and then get on with your life.

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Matthew 15:24-27

Look it up if you want the rest of the story.

October 2

Have you ever felt refreshed and exhausted at the same time? My husband and I have worked hard while here in the mountains, but somehow, though we are both quite tired, the cold air, the trees, and the scenery have left us feeling energized. We are heading back home today, and though it’s been nice, it will be good to get back to our routine and our own bed. 

I get this same feeling after waking up early to meet with the Lord. I may feel too tired to get up, but once I begin digging into his Word, I become refreshed and rejuvenated. Reach out to Jesus, even when you don’t feel like muttering a word; he will give you the will and the energy to continue doing the things you need to do. 

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

October 1

One of the things that makes me happy is gardening and landscaping. We are still in the mountains. Because we aren’t here very often, the yard if you can call it that, has become overgrown. Near the bottom of the mountain, there is a waterfall, but because of the overgrowth, you could barely see it. I intended to cut away the branches overhanging the staircase so we could easily get through, but after seeing how amazing it looked by only cutting a few, I couldn’t stop. I spent the entire afternoon cutting down and trimming trees off the side of a mountain with a small clipper and a saw, all the way down to the waterfall. The transformation is dramatic! 

Jesus has transformative power, and it only takes our willingness and trust in him to receive it. Like the waterfall, there is a flood of powerful living water that’s available to us when we submit to his will. The transformation is similar to the mountain submitting to my will and tools when I cleared out a few trees and weeds; it opened up a whole new view.

And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. Matthew 14:35-36

September 30

The cabin in the mountains is a new environment, and I’m not used to the layout of the house. When I got up this morning, I couldn’t see anything; it was dark without a glimmer of light to be seen. I felt my way past the bed, but after that, I was on my own. Suddenly, I found the door by running right into it! After opening it, I felt free to move and ran into another wall and nearly put my eye out. Now that’s a rude awakening! I’m surprised I didn’t wake up the whole house. 

When Jesus came into the world, he became our glimmer of light in the darkness. Imagine the people who’ve never heard of him; they are just like my experience this morning, groping around in the dark, running into walls, and doors, with no light marking their way. Jesus had compassion for people like these, and healed as many as were brought to him, and gave them food to satisfy their appetite and spiritual sustenance to nourish their soul. Remember, you may be the only light someone sees; refuse to allow your testimony to be tainted by unfruitful works, because you may be the only thing that stands between that person and the darkness of hell.

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

September 29

When my father-in-law purchased the mountain cabin, it came with all the furnishings. He’s probably owned it for ten years and hasn’t changed a thing. Each time we come, he comes with us, and he likes to keep everything! The last couple of times, we traveled without him, and it has allowed me to sort through some of the old stuff. The last time we came, I sorted through the kitchen, and there were four or five pitchers for beverages, an assortment of ancient small appliances that had seen better days, and an abundance of other things that we didn’t need. This time I’m going through the closets; I’ve only seen more blankets than what we have here in stores! The woman who lived here before us was a packrat! Up until yesterday, it had curtains that were lace ruffled with fabric from that 80’s style country decor; they were so old that the material stuck to the curtain rods! I hope he doesn’t get mad when he notices that they are gone! It’s amazing how refreshing it is to get rid of the things of the past. 

When Jesus comes to rule in his kingdom, he will send angels to sort the people and remove the evil ones who’ve been allowed to grow with the good; much like I’m sorting out the good stuff from the bad stuff. The old stuff, much like the evil of the world, will be gathered and eventually be burned. Then the righteous will shine like the sun.

The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like th

September 28

 

I’m sitting in the mountains of Georgia right now at a little cabin in the woods that belongs to my father-in-law. It sits right on the side of a mountain, and it is constantly wet here, so the mold grows rapidly on the stairways and walkways. The first order of business was to clean those areas with bleach to keep us from slipping and falling. We had a method to our madness and needed to get it done before the rain so that it could wash away all the debris and filth. It’s incredible what bleach can do; the number of walkways compared to the amount of bleach it took to get the process started can be compared to a little leaven added to flour that causes the dough to rise; not very much. 

For those of you who think you’re not doing enough for the Kingdom of Heaven, let me stop you from feeling guilty. All it takes is a word or phrase to spark a heart of sin. That spark can sit there a while, working into full-grown repentance, and all it took was a simple word from you. People will fill Heaven that came to know Jesus because of your obedience to speak what the Holy Spirit placed on your heart. What’s funny is, you may not even know what you said that brought about their salvation; it works secretly within them and manifests into the most beautiful thing a person could receive. 

Just as we planned, it’s raining this morning, washing away the filth and making it all new again.

He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:33

September 27

We planted a crepe myrtle tree a few months ago. It was grown in a nursery in the shade amid other trees of its same size and protected from the overwhelming harshness of the sun. It was very well taken care of in the nursery and looks healthy and robust, but in the late-day sun, it begins to wilt; this is a twelve-foot tall tree! As soon as I notice, I rush out and give it some water, hoping the water will help it survive the trauma. Just as my crepe myrtle tree, we were grown with special care; then we were planted in this world to bring life to it. With all that’s going on in the world, I feel like we might be wilting under the pressures of today, but God, with all his love keeps giving us a drink of the Living Water to quench our thirst and give us hope. Don’t wait until you are entirely exasperated to reach out and take a drink from the cup of Living Water; drink often, so you don’t become dry and brittle.

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

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

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

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

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

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