February 5, 2022

I recently sold a home for a friend Richard had made years ago; he passed away, but his wife kept in contact with him and called us to help with the transaction. They were much like us with rental properties, and the property I sold was one of them. The house was just average, but the location was perfect for investors. She immediately received two cash offers more than $20,000 over the asking price, and I had it priced right for this market! This transaction is not the point I want to make; this woman was the kindest seller I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve sold some of my own properties! She has other rentals that she will sell, and I can’t wait to work with her again. God sees the struggles we will face in the future, so I believe he sent a ray of sunshine to brighten up a gloomy time. God blesses those who bless us and curses those who curse us. I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of his wrath! I thank God for the kindness of others.

Remember your friends and family when it comes to business; they need us, and we need them.

Because we are children of God through Jesus, we are also blessed by the promises he made to Abraham. The enemy knows this is true but will continue pushing the issue and making us feel like his promises don’t apply to us. Don’t believe his lies, and accept the promises as your own.

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3

February 4, 2022

Things are looking up; I’ve gotten over myself and have begun to change my thoughts to something more positive. The most positive person I know right now is Jesus! I can always count on him to get me through a trying time. 

I’ve finished most of the sorting and a good portion of the cleaning at my father-in-law Leroy’s home. One of the best lessons I’ve learned from this experience is that things don’t matter. All the beautiful items that he collected and surrounded himself with are still here, and maybe they kept the memory alive of his past, but they are meaningless to almost everyone else. Do you know what I love finding the most? Photos! I’ve seen more pictures of Richard in his youth than ever before. Then there are youthful photos of Leroy that cause me to tear up as the memories flood back and remind me of why I’m doing what I’m doing. So, today, if you get nothing else out of this devotional, get this; stop wasting your money on useless items, and downsize your collection for the sake of those who come after you. Take a picture of it if it means a lot to you, but make sure you put your face in it! The best gift you can leave your family with is memories. 

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.

As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.

This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Ecclesiastes 5:13-16

February 3, 2022

I usually feel the Lord carry me through when writing each morning, but this morning, for some reason, I felt exhausted, and without direction, so I prayed for help. Forgive me for complaining. The intensity of everything going on in our family's life is more overwhelming than I expected. I know that I’m spoiled; Richard and I had everything under control with few complications, but now, we face challenges with something new every day. The enemy is hot on our heals in pursuit and is trying to shred us to bits, and if I didn’t know that we were under the direct protection of God himself, I would probably crumble. Now that I got that off my chest, I will buckle down, take each day minute by minute and rely upon the Lord’s direction and comfort to get me through.

I feel like David and his writing; he would start with immense pain and would end by resolving that the Lord was his strength and shield. I may not be a David, but I have this in common with him; neither is perfect, but we both rely on the Lord to get us through challenging situations.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalms 28:7

February 2, 2022

There are a lot of two’s today, 2/2/22! Too many twos. In honor of all the twos, I will cover the following verses:

Revelation 2:22

Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,

Revelation 22:2

through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

There is such a contrast between the two that you can see God’s intention for us in verse 22:2; he wants us well fed and healed. We, who are the followers of Christ, are not intended to be subjected to “the tribulation,” though each of us must contend with some tribulation, it is not God who will bring it against us. Even those God brings to justice have the opportunity to repent; look at verse 2:22! In that verse, God is referring to the church that allows Baal worship because it explicitly mentions Jezebel, who was a Baal worshipper. These people probably thought they were worshipping Jesus, but it was so convoluted and unbiblical that Jesus thought it was necessary to point out their mistake. 

Make sure the Jesus you follow is the real Jesus and not some imposter - JINO - Jesus in name only.

I can’t wait until 2/22/22!

February 1, 2022

And the hits keep coming. It will be okay, though. Defeated, we are not because we are more than conquerors! While I was sorting through belongings in the doorway of my father-in-law's home, a hornet kept flying around me. I didn’t think too much about it or let it deter me from what I was doing. On one of my trips back into the house after carrying some things outside, it hit me in my hand, and I couldn’t sling it off for a few seconds. The sting was painful, and now this morning, it is swollen and still hurts. Unfortunately for the hornet, he came buzzing around me again, and my nephew swatted him down to the ground, and I squashed him under my foot. Another victory against the enemy! 

This story is a living prophecy. The enemy attempts to overtake us; though he is small in stature and number, his sting is quite powerful, and he gets angry when Christ-followers win! We must acknowledge that whatever the worldwide governments have planned against the people will fail because we are bigger and stronger than they are. We must join together to defeat them. When one country is under attack, we join with them and swat the enemy to the ground and crush them under our feet!

If you are still getting your news on the television, you may not know of the truckers who have rallied together in convoy to defeat the mandates in Canada or the truth about why. Big trucks are coming against the few government officials who have overstepped their authority and are using their power to terrorize the people with unconstitutional orders. I expect the big trucks to win. Though it may sting for a minute, God’s plan never fails. 

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:36-37

January 31

Saturday morning, my husband and I made plans to go to his dad’s house to do some cleaning. He was quite a collector of many things, and we needed to begin sorting them out. I was a minute or so behind him as he went to unlock the gate and the door to the house. When I got there, there was something odd; the garage door was partially opened. Just as I noticed, he called me and told me to meet him on the next road over, and he was out of breath. So, I hurried over there to find out what was going on. He had chased a thief who had tried to steal some coins that were hidden in one of the many barns on the property; the coins were too heavy for the thief to carry, so he dropped them so he could run. However, he also dropped his phone, and it was found!

Many unscrupulous actors are out there trying to steal from the vulnerable, but not in the way you might think. The most precious thing we have is our salvation through Jesus. There are people out there hiding in the shadows with nearly the same message of “salvation,” but only slightly off so the unsuspecting don’t notice their thievery; I’m referring to the false teachers and prophets. We have our salvation, but it’s the people who don’t know Jesus that are subject to their lies. The devil has been around for a long time and has infiltrated some of the most popular church denominations. We must be careful, and we must know the truth for ourselves and chase the bad guys out so they drop everything they’ve stolen so we can recover those he tried to carry away.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

January 30

Is heaven a holding place for our soul until the earth is redeemed by Jesus when he comes to rule and reign? 

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’ Daniel 7:18

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Another question; who will we reign over? Evil? The land and the creatures like God had originally designed for Adam and Eve? We certainly do not rule now; if we did, the world wouldn’t be in such shambles. I would like some answers and, I hope, after digging a bit, we find out.

January 29, 2022

John records what he saw when he entered through the opened door in heaven. It is fascinating to read about what is in the throne room and the activities. The incredible living creatures, also seen by Ezekiel, are there. Who do they represent, or are there creatures like that at heaven's throne? After all, both John and Ezekiel had this vision or dream, and we all know that dreams can have some kooky characters, but for them to see the same thing, it makes you think about the possibilities. I’m sure, as we go further into Revelation and compare it to Ezekiel, we will begin to uncover the meaning, hopefully. 

Whatever becomes of this chapter we can be sure that John gives us some words to use in our worship of our Savior and the Father. I have prayed these words for many years now, and they help comfort me when I become fearful of the enemy’s plan. I pray them before I recite The Lord’s Prayer. Maybe they will become useful to you also.

Some of the verses are only partial because I wanted you to see how I pray and worship the way the creatures and elders worship in Heaven. 

... “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” Revelation 4:8

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Revelation 4:11

... “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12

... “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13

January 28, 2022

Clutter is overwhelming to me. I can’t stand it, and when I see it, I need it to go away! However, some people love that kind of environment and feel comforted by having all their belongings surrounding them. I’m in the process of downsizing the clutter in the office because the first of the month is upon us, and rents from my father-in-law’s commercial properties are beginning to come in, and his office manager is out, which means I have to be in the office to help! 

I am a free person, meaning God has set me free from encumbrances of the mind like fear, trauma, and rejection. Christ-followers are all set free, though most don’t accept it. The office I’m working in is not free; it’s cluttered, but I’m going through it bit by bit, clearing out the debris so that it can function. If it were a person, it would be debilitated because of all the clutter. 

If you are like this office, it’s time for you to ask God for help. Let him take you from hoarding your past to living in a clean and clear environment so that you function properly as a Christian. 

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

January 27, 2022

It’s been a little less than two weeks since my father-in-law passed, and I have learned some precious lessons. First, our Father in heaven is faithful when we trust him. He strengthens us when we think we cannot go on; he lifts us and carries us by his power. I’ve also learned that my leisurely lifestyle is over for a while and that a 12 hour day is barely enough to get my work done; that’s where God’s strength comes in. This adventure that our family is experiencing is both scary and exhilarating, but it will give me a different perspective and new topics for my writing. Only God knows where this is leading, but with him in control, I know we can rest assured that we are in good hands. The Bible is right when it says that when we are weak, then he is strong. 

The lesson today is for you to put all your trust in God, be grateful for what he gives you, lean on him when you are in pain because he has something good waiting for you on the other side of your trials, though sometimes it takes a minute to get there; be patient and rely on his strength.

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21

January 26, 2022

Jesus doesn’t play around; lukewarm, middle-of-the-road neutrality will get you sent to hell. You are either for him or against him. In this passage, he is not talking about Christ-followers; we’ve already decided in favor of him; this is about people who don’t believe in anything, like atheists. He makes it clear by putting a line in the sand, figuratively speaking, and a person must stand on his side, make a decision, or their decision will be made for them. A lack of decision is a decision against Jesus. 

According to the Matthew Henry Commentary, the Church of Laodicea was demolished long ago, and nothing remains but the ruins; that tells you something about how serious he is. 

How boring must it be to remain neutral? We all know people in this category, and the burden is upon us to keep them in our prayers. Then if God allows us to speak to them on his behalf, the Holy Spirit will guide them into the relationship, and we will be the vessel to help. It brings great joy when he uses us as that vessel, so keep praying for your friends and family. 

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16

January 25, 2022

Little bits of information are finally spilling out into the mainstream media that some of us have known all along. After two years, the narrative is falling apart, and the garbage that they’ve poured out to instill fear is slowly fizzling. The truth will ultimately prevail, and God always wins. The regime will still try to keep their narrative going, but hopefully, they will receive proper punishment for their treasonous acts upon the American people and others who were ultimately affected worldwide because of what they have done. We are at the beginning of the end of the lie, and every day that passes, more information is coming out to stop the forced control. It had to happen this way to wake the people to the truth about all the corruption in our government and to know how little they are to be trusted. Are we nearing the thousand years of peace where Jesus comes to rule and reign? Maybe! It’s exciting to think about it; let’s hope.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Revelation 3:10-11

January 24

The children knew of key pieces of jewelry worn by their father and wanted to find them because they brought back sweet memories of him. After days of searching, they found them hidden in a remote area. They were stored in a dusty cabinet and looked a bit tattered, but with a little cleaning, surely they could return to their former brilliance. Unfortunately, after having their favorite jeweler look at them, they were told they were fake. 

There is a crucial Jesus lesson in this; do not trust everything you see or hear. Many things I learned as a child had to be unlearned. Even childhood Christian songs can be misleading. The only way to tell the difference is to become familiar with what is real, like the jeweler who, upon first glance, knew they were fake. He knew the weight, the color, and other aspects of these pieces and didn’t hesitate. Our relationship with Jesus must be as intimate, so like the jeweler, we know the difference when a false teacher tries to sway us. Our knowledge of Jesus must be refined by fire and any lies we’ve come to believe, burned up and replaced with the truth. Jesus is our riches!

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Revelation 3:17-18

January 22, 2022

Jesus wept. John 11:35. Why did Jesus weep? I think I’ve figured it out. Other theologians may have a different option, but I am excited about my answer. 

Let’s think about it for a minute; Jesus, who is God in the flesh, cried at the death of someone he loved, and indeed Lazarus loved him back because Jesus called him “our friend.” He wept as he neared the tomb. Lazarus has been dead for four days, and he already knew it. Where was Lazarus' spirit for those four days? Jesus knew he was about to yank him out of paradise to live, once again, and bring him back to a place where the devil is around to torment and challenge him at every step. Can you imagine how many people Lazarus brought to know Jesus after experiencing Heaven? I’ll bet he had a following of his own. Jesus didn’t weep over his death; he cried because he was about to put his spirit back into his body to live on earth again.

Lovers of Jesus don’t mourn over the death of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as others do; we grieve for ourselves because they’ve left us behind.

January 21, 2022

Are you there yet? Have you had enough of the fake preachers and distrust the words coming from their mouths? I have! The enemy has infiltrated every aspect of society, so what makes us think he hasn’t sullied the schools that teach our preachers? There are good ones mixed in with the bad, but I’m having difficulty telling them apart lately. Even minor inaccuracies could cause some to turn away or even cause innocent people to repeat their lies. You must know the Word of God! Catching it on the fly is not good enough. Spend time reading and studying daily. When you engage with the Holy Spirit, he will guide you to the truth and help you avoid being misled. 

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.  Revelation 2:2

January 20, 2022

God has a purpose for death. It’s not for the dead; it’s for the living. Miles and years may have separated families, but death can reunite, rekindle, and heal. I know that doesn’t always happen; it can also cause division and pain if minds don’t come together in agreement. The broken seek to divide, but those who are united in the love of Jesus are equally yoked and can put away childish arguments and pull together for the sake of the memories of the loved one who was lost. Isn’t that true in most situations? The broken divide, but those healed in Jesus unite. Pay attention to yourself; if you see a pattern of divisiveness in your life, you may need to seek Jesus to heal your pain. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

January 19, 2022

When extraordinary circumstances arrive at the doorstep, the human acts in such a way to meet the expectations they present. I know this is true because I’ve watched as my husband and his sister have delayed the grieving process to handle the business at hand; checking off the boxes on the to-do list of funeral arrangements while continuing to keep a business running that they were thrust into, all the while still managing their businesses. The appearance is as though chaos is the new normal, but the reality is, it’s only temporary. Life and death are now tangled together in a beautiful dance that will eventually lead to a memory explosion; the living will remember the deceased in the glorious light he once held, all while making new memories as family and friends come together to pay tribute to a soul that made lasting impressions on everyone he met. 

Death is sure; life is not guaranteed. God created all of this but didn’t leave us alone; he gave us Jesus, who did not escape death but changed it, so we no longer have reason to fear it, and he holds the keys to the everlasting. If you are unsure which direction you are going upon your death, seek Jesus now because, at any moment, God could call you home.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Revelation 1:17-18

January 18, 2022

 

At long last, my father-in-law, Leroy Gonzalez, Jr., lost his battle with heart disease. The hearts of his children, grandchildren, and loved ones are broken. However, we do not grieve as others do because he accepted Jesus as his Savior about a year ago. He wasn’t a perfect Christ-follower, none of us are, but he knew he needed Jesus. He was a hard worker and experienced what it was like to be poor, so he fixed his mind to never stop until he achieved every goal he had set. He fought hard to reach the pinnacle of human existence and dreamed big. He enjoyed his work more than anyone I’ve ever seen and worked up until he took his last breath. The riches and lifestyle Leroy worked so hard to achieve, were forgotten when he took his first breath in heaven, and now he can finally say, “Thank you, Jesus. You’ve fulfilled all of my dreams and restored my soul!” 

We miss him already.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:3

January 17, 2022

Today’s message is to provoke thought.

We must consider information uncovered in the Bible. For example, the Israelites followed a cloud by day and a fire by night; both represented the presence of God. So when we venture into the New Testament, what changed to make us think that those two clues would have a different meaning. Let’s consider the cloud and become rational in our thinking. If a cloud represents the presence of God, then after the resurrection when Jesus was taken into the clouds, wouldn’t that mean he was enveloped in God?

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. Acts 1:9

The part where it says “lifted up” also has the meaning: to exalt. So, when Jesus returns, will he come exalted and enveloped in the Spirit of God? Of course! But, will we visibly see him coming in the clouds? Seriously, it can be all the above! But another question I have is if the earth is round like we’ve been taught, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, how will we all see him at once, when some of us will be on the other side of the earth? God is big and can accomplish this extraordinary task, but my finite mind seeks to grasp something rational. God is not ordinary; for goodness sakes, he created everything we know; who am I to question? You may think you know the answer, but I’m trying to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.  Revelation 1:7

January 16, 2022

Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Instead of pursuing goals that lead to material wealth, why not go after the precious gifts only attainable through Jesus? When he went to the cross, he promised to cleanse anyone who believed in him of all unrighteousness; that includes wounds left behind from past sin and the sinful actions of others who caused you pain. He stops the gashes from bleeding, heals them, and gives you a testimony to share with others who are bleeding, and that, my friends, leads to peace, and satisfies desires you never knew you had. You cannot get that from worldly possessions. 

How do you get there:

I wish I could teach you what I already know. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to put the Father first. Spend time with him as soon as your eyes pop open in the morning; you’re rested, and your mind is fresh; give him the best part of your day, even if it’s ritualistic prayer. Do whatever it takes to cultivate a loving relationship with him. Then, one day, you’ll see the precious gifts he has waiting for you because you sought first the kingdom of God.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33