August 11, 2022

The world is in turmoil, but we are not of this world. We will not receive God’s wrath; we are under his grace because we trust in Jesus. The wicked should be scared, and I believe they are because they sense their doom on the horizon. Look how hard they are pressing in against the ordinary people, trying their best to silence us, but we are riding the train that will run over them! I’m so thankful and happy that I have Jesus! Pain is coming, but not for us! 

The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD has an indictment against the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh, and the wicked he will put to the sword, declares the LORD.’ Jeremiah 25:31

Though these scriptures come from the days of Jeremiah, the warning still rings true for today, and anyone who doesn’t listen to our warnings to seek Jesus before it’s too late, I expect, will get caught in the crossfire between God and Satan. Here is a word for them:

You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, saying, ‘Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. Jeremiah 25:4-5

August 10, 2020

We have several duplexes under contract. We’ve offered them as a package, which makes it easier for us, but can become confusing for the title agent. I spent some time in their office yesterday trying to help them understand so that the pro-rated rents would come out right on the closing statement. It was a mess in their mind until I explained it. It makes sense to them now and will give us confidence in their numbers. Sometimes there is a simple answer for the chaos we experience; a misunderstanding, hurt feelings, a comma when there should have been a period, you name it; and the results can come out much differently at its cause. In the case of the closing, there were too many unexplained papers. I expect that much of the upheaval the world is experiencing is a product of something simple. The enemy comes in, puts his spin on our troubles, complicates it, and causes confusion. When misunderstandings begin, know that it is not from the Lord. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth and for him to sort it out, so you have clarity. Don’t get confused; wait on the Lord to give you the answer.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

August 9, 2022

Things aren't always what they seem. When the Chaldeans took Judah into captivity, at first glance, you would think God was punishing them and had set them up for death. It ended up being more like a spanking rather than a death sentence. God had a heart for them and was turning their love back to him and would eventually bring them back into their land. The ones left in Judah faced more trouble than the captives and probably even death. Consider what we are seeing now, like the FBI's raid on Mar-a-Lago and the additional IRS agents hired to take what's left of our money so they can replace the billions they've given to Ukraine. Maybe these things will shed some light on the government's corruption and wake those still sleeping. Perhaps what appears to be punishment is merely God's hand at work exposing the evil within our country. Some things are so unbelievable and almost comical that it makes me think we are watching a movie and the characters playing their role are bad actors. Don't get too anxious about what you see; we are on the right side of history. Relax, sit back, and eat your popcorn. It's going to be okay.

I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. Jeremiah 24:6-7

August 8, 2022

Did you know that God sent the prophets of the Bible to turn people away from doing evil? They were not fortune tellers like we see on television and in some pulpits sent to give you a personal word. God sent prophets to warn his people of the pending disaster that would come upon them if they didn’t repent and turn from their evil ways. Though I believe if we tune in to hear his voice, he speaks to us to help others who need to feel God’s love or to show us who needs help. If you are walking in the ways of the Lord, doing what’s right in his eyes, and you hear the words of a prophecy, those words are not for you but are for those doing evil in the name of the Lord, though we can benefit from hearing them; to help keep us on the straight and narrow path. Be careful who you listen to; use discernment to assess the intentions of “so-called” prophets; many are out to line their pockets at your expense; God will deal harshly with them if they don’t turn away from their evil practices. If you need to hear a word from God, the best place to get one is from your Bible. If you comb through the pages daily, you will get a word from him every day because it is the Living Word!

“Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the LORD. Jeremiah 23:11

In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.” Jeremiah 23:13-14

Salvation

 I’ve noticed a lot of people dying lately. I’ve been to more funerals this year than my entire life. I thought it might be a good time to put this out there.

Faith in Jesus is the only way into Heaven. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY! You cannot get there by being a good person. God only allows entry into Heaven to individuals who have trusted their lives to Jesus. Some of the people who’ve died recently were saved by their faith, but others, I’m not sure if he knew them. The most dreadful thing to hear Jesus say when you pass from this life is: “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:23

I guarantee you will hear those words if you die without trusting your life to him.

Don’t let another minute go by without Jesus in your life. Death comes to everyone, and none of us know when our time is up. Ask now for Jesus to become the Lord of your life, to forgive you of your sins. He will accept anyone who asks. I know what you’re thinking; it can’t be that easy, but it is! And, believe me, it’s worth the change of direction. The Bible says in Romans 9:10, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 

If you have no idea how to pray, pray this:

Heavenly Father, I recognize that I am lost in my sin. I need a Savior. I accept the sacrifice of your son Jesus, who laid down His life for me. This day I choose to believe in him and ask for forgiveness of my sins. I ask Jesus to reign as Lord of my life forever. Thank You for drawing me to you and accepting me as your child. Amen.

August 7, 2022

I spent half my morning looking for an extension cord and a longer charger cable for my keyboard. I never found one, and I had to use the short charger, which required me to change my position on the couch, which was utterly uncomfortable. I failed to keep it properly charged, so I wasn't prepared when it went dead this morning. I shouldn't have allowed it to go for so long without a recharge. God forbid I should have to write my blog by hand; that would be so inconvenient and impractical for a digital post. 

When was the last time you recharged your spiritual life? Do you pray daily? Do you read your Bible? The best way to hear God's voice is by reading your Bible. Suppose you don't engage daily and communicate with him. In that case, your spiritual battery will run down, life will become uncomfortable, and you will waste a lot of time trying to catch up to where you should be in your relationship with him. Make sure you keep your spiritual battery charged and ready so that when life becomes difficult, you are prepared and can hear the direction of the Lord.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

August 6, 2022

There are days I feel that I cannot write another word. Then God refreshes my thoughts and reminds me that he is my strength and that it is he who keeps me going. When I try to accomplish the task he assigned me without his help, I fall flat, but when I remember that he is in control and not me, the words nearly write themselves. If you feel inadequate or unworthy in God’s ministry, it’s because you are. Without his strength, we are nothing. When you set out to fulfill the command to go and tell everyone the good news about Jesus, the Holy Spirit propels you. If you try without his direction, you will fail miserably. God equips the called and will draw you to his Word, counsel you in prayer, and invigorate you when you praise and worship him; for now, those things may be your only assignment until he’s ready to release you. With that said, don’t fret over feeling you are not doing enough for the kingdom; you will know when God calls you to complete a task; he will make it obvious.

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

August 5, 2022

Yesterday, I spent the entire day with home inspectors. Fourteen inspections, three inspectors, and a box full of keys! That's too many for one day, but at least it's over. Home inspections are the most dreaded part of my job, but when they are rentals, it's even worse because I'm invading the tenant's privacy. There is no getting around it, especially when an insurance company or a buyer is involved. They want to know what could be wrong with the property so the homeowner can make corrections and the party to the transaction can make a sound financial decision. 

It's for the same reason God searches the hearts and minds of those he loves, ensuring every iniquity is repented, cleaned up, and we make corrections to our behavior. Through Jesus, every sin is cleansed, but we must confess them and remove any unrighteous from our being that may have crept in and sullied our reputation as his follower.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalms 139:23-24

August 4, 2022

Jeremiah prayed for God to turn his wrath away from his adversaries, yet they plotted against him, dug a pit to capture him, and made a snare for his feet. They didn’t like his prophecy for them and wanted to keep doing their evil deeds rather than turning away from it so God would relent from bringing disaster. So Jeremiah prayed for them again; only this time he prayed against them!

Therefore deliver up their children to famine; give them over to the power of the sword; let their wives become childless and widowed. May their men meet death by pestilence, their youths be struck down by the sword in battle. Jeremiah 18:21

These people were nasty! He told them what God wanted him to say; he prayed for them and instructed them to turn away from wickedness, and yet they came after him because they didn't like what God said. They had the opportunity to change, not unlike today's evil. They've had warnings, and we've prayed for them to relent from their evil practices; it's time for us to pray against them. Pray that everything terrible they've planned for the ordinary people would fall back on them. Like Jeremiah, I'm tired of being nice, and now I'm praying that God would unleash his wrath upon them and remove them from this earth so we would have peace again.

August 3, 2022

After selling the cows in one pasture, we moved other cows into their vacated field. We weren’t sure how to get them to cross over, but we set up the panels across the driveway and moved their feed, hoping they would go on their own. At first, they didn’t move. We thought we might have to cut off their water supply so they would look for it in the new pasture. Thankfully we didn’t have to do that because it seemed cruel. They must have become curious because by the following day, that had all moved over, and we could close the gate behind them. They seem okay, but we can tell that they want to cross back over because they keep gathering near the access. 

When God moves you into a new pasture that is green and lush and sets a meal in front of you, don’t try to cross back over. Be thankful that your past is behind you and that God moved you forward. Your life in Jesus is about moving closer and closer to him and turning away from past sin into a new direction. Don’t look back! The promised land is just ahead. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:2-3

August 2, 2022

After carefully placing my newly filled paint tray away from the ladder so I wouldn’t step in it, I stepped in it, and paint went everywhere! Not only that, but the flooring is green carpet that I had covered with a tarp, but it sloshed onto the carpet and seeped through the tarp. We have plans to replace the carpet, but not yet! After scooping most of it up, I had the presence of mind to pour Fabuloso on it to keep it wet until I could get some water to pour over it. After working diligently for about an hour, I got the paint out of the carpet and was able to finish the job. I didn’t get anxious but worked steadily through this unplanned situation.

Though this is minor and not world-changing, it’s an example of our challenges as citizens of God’s Kingdom. Life is certainly not easy, and even though we may face a delay for a time, if we work steadily, we will get through it, accomplish our goals, and receive our reward. If you are going through a situation, whether it’s your health, finances, or relational, don’t give up! Don’t rely on your own strength; have faith in God’s power. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

August 1, 2022

I did some weeding in my vegetable garden on Saturday. I had allowed them to become too numerous, so it took me a while to get them cleaned up. The gnats were bothering me, and the heat was intolerable. I decided to bring a fan outside and set it up in front of me, and it kept me cool and the gnats out of my face. It was the best idea I’ve had in a long time. Plucking them out gives me such satisfaction and immediate gratification. If only I had made it a daily practice to remove them, it wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand. 

The weeds are like sin, the heat and the gnats are like the enemy, and the fan is like Jesus. It will become overwhelming if you don’t pluck the sin from your life daily. Then when you decide it’s time to clean it up, the enemy will come along and torture you. However, you have Jesus, and he will help you keep the enemy at bay if you are sincere in your desire to remove it from your life. It is best not to sin, but sometimes it happens; clean it up immediately to avoid accumulation. 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

July 31, 2022

You must remain strong in this day and age.

*Become bold in your convictions.

*Stand firm in the Lord.

*Do not waiver in your belief.

The enemy is throwing everything at you because you belong to Jesus; don’t let that sway you. Think about issues happening in the world right now and lay these verses over the people causing them. The entities creating all the problems for the world will be brought to justice by God himself; he will remove them from his sight! 

Then the LORD said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go! And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’ Jeremiah 15:1-2

God will use the very things they used to oppress the people as punishment for themselves. He is going to give them a dose of their own medicine. They will not get away with what they are doing to the people. Pray that all eyes open to the truth, and those lulled to sleep by the evil of this day will wake up.

“Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare? You have rejected me, declares the LORD; you keep going backward, so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you— I am weary of relenting. Jeremiah 15:5-6

July 30, 2022

God gave Jeremiah a task to purchase a linen loincloth and wear it. Then he had him take a journey to the river Euphrates and hide it. Later, God made him return to get it, and the loincloth was spoiled and good for nothing. “Then the word of the LORD came to me: “Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.” Jeremiah 13:8-9

At the time, God commanded Jeremiah to do something that didn’t make sense, but after completing the task, he revealed the lesson. I’m no Jeremiah, but I understand why God spoke to him this way: He sends me to do things and later tells me the significance. He’s never made me bury my underwear by the river, but I can come up with lessons from everyday living. 

Here’s an example: Over the past couple of months, we have been trying to get a few of our cows penned because we’ve sold them, but they are as wild as deer. Earlier this week, Richard decided to refrain from feeding them for a few days. Last night, after praying to God for help, he went to feed them; they ran into the pen, and he caught them. If we don’t appreciate God’s word and consume it daily, he will remove that blessing from us so that we will beg him to feed us again. Then when he relents, he may capture our hearts and become sold out for him. Consume God’s word daily, so you don’t become like a wild deer or need to worry about him removing his blessing from you.

July 29, 2022

Last evening, we had our family over for a combined birthday celebration. We haven’t gathered since April and missed a few, so we had dinner and enjoyed one another’s company. The grand-boys had such a good time and loved being together. Two of us had been to two different funerals that day, so it was good to end our day on a positive note. Hold your family close, gather often, and tell them that you love them because you never know when God will call them home. Sickness and disease are rampant, so make sure you love them enough to tell them about Jesus, so their lives don’t end when their bodies give up. 

The following verses are often used to show people the way to salvation. They are lovingly called the Romans Road because all the verses are from Paul’s writings in the book of Romans. 

• “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23
• "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
• "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
• "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
• "For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

July 28, 2022

For the last couple of days, I’ve wanted to use the word “stupid” in my post. I refrained because it’s not a nice word and thought it probably had no business in a daily devotional. Then I started reading Jeremiah 10, and he uses it three times! He used it to describe the people worshipping idols made of wood that have no power and to describe those who reject God. The other day (posted on July 25), I wrote about an audacious secret cult society trying to overtake God; there is no better way to describe them than stupid! What power could they possibly have other than deception? Maybe weapons of war? Who could go against God and win? They use every bit of cunningness they have to lure stupid people into their realm and hypnotize them into believing in their phony power.

“They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood!” Jeremiah 10:8

My point today is to use our wisdom and ask God to guide us to the truth. Much of what we see and hear is false, an illusion, and we need God to show us the truth about everything. Biblical history is repeating itself, and because of our stupidity, Babylon is ruling over us.

Here’s the good news, justice is coming! “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.” Jeremiah 10:10

July 27, 2022

You cannot inherit your Christianity. Even if you grew up in a Christian household, attended church, and heard the truth about Jesus, it doesn’t mean you are automatically saved. And just because you repeated a few words and got baptized doesn’t mean you’re saved. There is only one way: to accept Jesus as your Savior and everything that comes with having him. It may seem like an easy thing to do, but the reality is that you must deny yourself. 

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? Luke 9:23-25

It's like taking a bath and changing into clean clothes. You'll still stink if you put your dirty clothes back on. It's a complete change of direction, denying your old way of living and committing to living for Jesus. I suggest you take your baptism seriously; Jesus instructed us to do that as a symbolic act of washing away our filthy sin and coming out clean. Do not put those dirty clothes back on; deny them! If you grew up in church, I'm telling you something you've already heard, but time is short, and you need to get right with the Lord.

July 26, 2022

Richard’s dad built the house we live in back in the ’70s, which still has much of that ’70s look. He had plans to remodel the kitchen, and there were brand new appliances in the garage. I’ve hesitated to deep clean anything in anticipation of the coming deconstruction, but I finally couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to scrub the range that is as old as the house, but now it looks brand new! It has minor wear and tear, but it works perfectly, unlike most appliances today that tend to wear out in a couple of years. This thing is almost 50 years old, was top of the line in its day, and is still going strong. Isn’t that crazy? However, after years of use, grime built up, and it needed a good scrub, just like Judah. They lost their former beauty because they tainted themselves by worshipping idols and turning their backs on God. God won’t put up with that kind of behavior for very long; he will unleash his wrath. Judah ended up in captivity, and our country is headed in the same direction, though it seems we are already in captivity. Pray for our country; the entire world is rejecting God, and he won’t put up with this behavior for much longer. The clean-up starts with the church and trickles down through society. Do your part by putting away sinful behavior that taints your testimony, repent, and begin living for Jesus. The clean-up starts with us.

Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD. Jeremiah 8:12

July 25, 2022

You may not know this because the mainstream media doesn't report it, but the world is in turmoil. Events are happening in every nation that points to a sinister plan that is falling into place. So, I will become your Jeremiah occasionally and raise the alarm of concern. I watched an interview with Lara Logan, an alternative news reporter; she knows someone who has infiltrated a cult that is out to replace God. Can you imagine the audacity of these people? This group's sick idea is to go after children because we are created in the likeness of God, and children haven't been tainted yet. This cult group must be widely prevalent and highly influential because we see the effects of their influence infiltrating our schools and pediatrics. Though we know Satan is defeated, he hasn't faced the ultimate punishment yet and is still roaming around seeking whom to devour. Hold your children and grandchildren close and teach them the truth about God. If these sickos had their way, they would eliminate all the children. This disturbing activity is nothing new; the same thing happened in Jeremiah's day.

“For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the LORD. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Jeremiah 7:30-31

July 24, 2022

I want to be encouraging, but when I read Jeremiah, I realize that everything is not always roses and butterflies. God sent Jeremiah to warn the people of Judah and Jerusalem of the coming doom. His warning included instructions to ask for the ancient paths where the good way is and find rest for their souls. He gave them a way to avoid the pending doom, but they rejected it. Though our own outlook may sometimes seem gloomy, God always provides us with the opportunity to readjust our ways and set our path straight. We must repent, turn, and look to Jesus; he is the ancient path.

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Jeremiah 6:16