August 25, 2022

Many people seek to become famous, but at what cost? Jeremiah is one of the most famous prophets of the Old Testament, but he was hated by kings and noblemen of that day. Not only that, but he wasn’t famous during his time on earth. He’s only known to us because God chose to use him to deliver a message to his people, and that message became part of our Bible. I would venture to guess that most people of celebrity status have taken an oath to another god who promised to give them fame at the cost of their servitude. In plain language, they are Satan worshippers. They are not limited to movie and television stars. I’m very cautious of famous preachers; what did they have to do to make it on TV or social media? Who have they bowed down to in return for their fame? Some of the best preachers and teachers I’ve sat under do not have a large congregation but produce some of the most meaningful and sound teachings I’ve ever heard. The others have a form of godliness but deny its power. This message is cautionary, so you carefully select the preachers you listen to or watch on television. It doesn’t matter if they are the ones who pay to be televised; it’s about who is providing those funds. I’m not talking about live streaming services; my caution is about television preachers you know by name. It’s best to go to church, hear your preacher and see their fruit for yourself. I wish this weren’t true, but the more I dig into the Word of God, the more this truth becomes unveiled.

having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:5

August 24, 2022

After planting a garden a couple of months ago, I finally got to pick some peas. I felt like I had entered a new era; the last time I picked peas was when I was a kid because my dad always had a garden and still does. So I picked, shelled, and cooked them, and they were delicious. It was a process to get to harvest. I thought it would be easy, but it wasn’t. After clearing the ground, creating rows, planting the seeds, and watering daily, I had to fight the pests. As soon as my plants began growing, I had something munching on their leaves and had to treat them with 7-Dust. After they got a little bigger and started producing peas, I noticed that aphids were causing the growth of the new leaves to stunt. I had to rinse off every bush to get rid of them. I didn’t even mention the weeds! That’s still a fight that I seem to be losing. Not only that, but I get bit by ants every time I try and pull weeds. And that, my friends, is a picture of our lives as followers of Christ. These same trials and tribulations exist as we set our minds to follow him. It’s work. It’s a fight. It isn’t easy, but the harvest is tasty and delicious and worth every ounce of energy and effort we put into our commission to go and tell the world about Jesus. You’ll slay a few pests along the way, and believe me, they will keep coming, but there isn’t anything else I would rather be doing with my time here on earth. God is good so keep moving forward with your mission.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

August 23, 2022

It’s primary day in Florida; make sure you vote! It takes a little effort to make sure you vote for the right person; I spent last night looking up each person on the ballot hoping to find clues into their character. Before I made my selection, I prayed for God to guide me through this process and show me things that would help me in my decision. I become very judgmental during this process of elimination. If the candidate wasn’t raised in Florida, they are out. We have too many people coming into Florida getting into our business when they know nothing about it. I do everything I can to find out if they are a Christ-follower. I also want to know if they are family oriented; how can they make a good decision about family issues if they can’t place themselves in the same situation. If any of them voted for the lockdowns in 2020, they are out, a least that’s the way I’m voting. We must take this process seriously. These people are making decisions that effect us, so we need to be responsible enough to choose carefully who will represent us. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you to make the right decision. 

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

August 22, 2022

Richard and I have jumped from house to house over the last several years. In my mind, I had specific criteria and expectations that I felt our home should meet. It never had anything to do with the interior design because Richard can fix anything. It was always about the land and something so simple as a fruit tree and maybe a water feature, but the fruit tree would be the sign. I knew if it had that, it would be the perfect place. I didn’t pray for it, but God heard my thoughts and checked off all my boxes, things that weren’t on my list! Did I know what I truly wanted? Of course not, but God did. Now we are settled on a property where I never imagined living. God knew I would love it. As for Richard, it brought him back home to a place his dad built from the ground up, and he loves it too. 

Call on God, and he will answer you and tell you things you didn’t know. Delight yourself in him, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3

Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4

August 21, 2022

Poor Jeremiah. He was locked away in prison because they didn't like his prophecy. But they were so intrigued by what he had to say that they moved him to the court of the prison where the elders and the king's officers might consult him with greater ease. He spoke out against the government, and they threw him in jail! Has anybody here been put in Facebook prison for speaking out and telling the truth? Facebook has become boring since it started cracking down and limiting free speech. I tread carefully in my post by trying to avoid certain words that might get caught in the algorithm, so my voice continues to stand out, but I still get censored occasionally. I haven't been banned from Facebook but have received limitations and had posts shadow banned from the newsfeed. I prayed for years for God to give me a voice, and I'm not about to lose it because of petty censorship. Jeremiah didn't stop saying what God told him just because they imprisoned him. They may not have liked what he said, but he still said it, whether or not it cost him his life; he wasn't going to disobey God. We should be as bold as Jeremiah and speak out so that all people hear the truth of God's word. 

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name: Jeremiah 33:1-2

August 20, 2022

Where are the children that come across the border without their parents? There is no record of them, so nefarious people do with them whatever they want. Do they end up being trafficked and considered expendable? What if they become part of a satanic ritual like Baal worship? I find it hard to believe that this behavior still exists in modern history. However, people still worship Satan under the disguise of Baal, where children are sacrificed to Molech, even here in America. I don’t understand parents sending their children off to a distant land under the supervision of a mule who doesn’t care about what happens to them after they cross the border. These are humans, not cattle! We must get a handle on the border and discourage parents from sending their children to the United States alone. I can’t even imagine the desperation they must feel to cause them to do something like that. We need to band together and pray for God to end such rituals, punish the evil people involved, and bring whatever is cloaked in darkness into the light for all to see.

They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah 32:35

August 19, 2022

Trust what God tells you through his Word. What if the earth's shape is not as we've been led to believe by so-called scientists? Are they telling us the truth? How can we be sure? A scientist recently took a picture of a piece of pepperoni and tried to pass it off as a planet.

CNN)A French scientist has apologized after tweeting a photo of a slice of chorizo, claiming it was an image of a distant star taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. 

I don't care what shape it is. Does it matter? No. I don't understand why the government wants to control what we think. Control the mind, control the people? I'm not trying to throw a wrench into what we've been taught throughout all our years on earth, but we've got to start thinking for ourselves and trust God and what he says. Here's a verse to stir up some truth that the liars don't want us to believe.

"If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." Thus says the LORD: "If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD." Jeremiah 31:36-37

foun·da·tion | founˈdāSH(ə)n |

noun

1 (often foundations) the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below ground level: build the arch resting on top of this solid foundation.

Israel still exists and has not been cast off. That tells us all we need to know.

August 18, 2022

During Israel and Judah’s captivity in Babylon, Jeremiah gives the people hope for the return to their land. His words are not only beautiful and exciting, but he also predicts the future birth of our Messiah, that he should be born of a virgin. 

How long will you waver, O faithless daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing on the earth: a woman encircles a man.” Jeremiah 31:22

Where it says “a woman,” in this instance, according to my commentary, a woman is considered an unmarried virgin; otherwise, it would say ‘a wife.’ The words “encircles a man” means a pregnancy with a male child. Why, while telling about their release from captivity, does he predict the birth of Jesus? I think it’s because Jesus is our ultimate freedom. This same chapter talks about the new covenant; Jesus is the new covenant! The words that God gave him are so beautiful that Jeremiah woke up happy from dreaming.

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.” At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me. Jeremiah 31:25-26

This chapter, by far, is my favorite of Jeremiah. I’ve been chewing on his words for a couple of days, so I haven’t written about it until today. Jeremiah went from weeping to gladness with good reason. Jesus is everyone’s source of peace, and Jeremiah hadn’t even met him yet. Find your rest in Jesus. The world is in chaos, but our hope is in Jesus and his return. Do not put down your weapons and continue to fight the good fight, but stay hopeful.

August 17, 2022

I spent the entire day with my youngest grandson Ethan, who is two years old. He is full of life. Richard and I took him to his first closing; it probably won’t be his last. After business, we spent the rest of the day tooling around the house, and he got to do whatever his heart desired. My house was built in the 70s, and it was fashionable to have a garden area inside, so we have a dirt pit beside the front door full of mulch. Ethan loves to dig in the dirt with his skid steer, so when he’s at my house, that’s his favorite place to play. He had a hole a foot deep, and mulch piled a foot high, and it was everywhere, and he was happy. He never did reach the dirt, which makes me wonder how far down the soil is. My daughter asked me if I planned to leave the dirt pit when we remodeled; I had to laugh, Ethan will grow up, and we would still have a hole in the house if I did that, so that’s not going to happen. It will get filled in with concrete and covered up just like my sins! Thank you, Jesus! I expect that Ethan will be committed to Jesus as an adult, being his parents are dedicated to helping that happen. He will help others dig through their sins and clean up the dirt like he loves exploring the ground with his skid steer. He will excavate their soul terrain, and Jesus will cover their sins and seal them in concrete.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

August 16, 2022

As I try to fit years of work around the property into a few days, I usually end up with scratches, bruises, and cuts. I feel like I'm being careful, but obviously, I'm not. A few days ago, I'm guessing because I can't be sure, I must have stepped on something thorny without realizing and had a piece of that thorn stuck in my toe. I could only see a tiny black dot, so I wasn't sure if I had been stung and still had the stinger or if it was a thorn, but it was beginning to fester and hurt. I got out the needle and began surgery on my toe, and successfully removed it. It was so tiny, yet it caused so much pain. I feel like our minor indiscretions are much like that little sliver of a thorn. Though they seem insignificant, they are causing us much pain and discomfort. When will we learn our lesson? God put safeguards into place to help us, not to limit our pleasure. We will find peace and feel protected when we view his word as a helper rather than a limitation. 

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

August 15, 2022

I’ve heard people say they love the book of Jeremiah. I think I’ve finally figured out why. I believe it’s because it contains the verse that I hear quoted time and time again; Jeremiah 29:11! I can’t say this book is my favorite. I like it because it’s God’s Word, but if I could sum it up, it’s about repentance. When the people failed to repent, God sent them into exile to Babylon as punishment. God was correcting their behavior but also wanted to give them the hope of returning to their land. However, if you were 20 years old, you probably weren’t going back home, and if you did, you would be 90 because this exile lasted 70 years! So God told them to live and prosper where he planted them.

Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. Jeremiah 29:5-6

After giving them the bad news about having to stay there for seventy years, he followed it by consoling them.

“For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:10-11

God has plans for all of us, but I don’t think this promise applies to those who do not seek him and pray to him with all their heart. 

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

We can expect good things from God because he loves us, but we need to honor him by reaching out to him in prayer, worship him as our loving Father, and praise him for his goodness.

August 14, 2022

There is so much going on worldwide. Russia, Ukraine, China, and other countries have involved themselves in these shenanigans. We can’t see the whole picture, but if we could, we would probably be shocked. The enemy may not be who the media has portrayed as evil. Pay attention to who gets in line to visit certain factions. Who have celebrities and American dignitaries visited on the frontlines of the war going on right now? We know they take part in the propaganda. We must consider that what we think we are witnessing is a lie. No matter what the case may be, God will win! He uses whatever means necessary to bring his children to repentance and back into the sheepfold, even through countries we consider our enemy. If you don’t believe me, read these scriptures:

“It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. Jeremiah 27:5-6

It’s crucial that we dig below the surface of what the media tells us; they get paid big money to lie to help keep the world under the control of “Babylon” - who are the “few” that are quietly controlling what the “many” are seeing. However, God may be using the king of Babylon again, whoever that is, to serve him and bring a wake-up call to his people.

August 13, 2022

You have to pay your dues. I read a meme that one of my friends posted yesterday, and it said everything you need to know about the trials you may be going through, especially if you are a servant of the Lord. 

"Anointing didn't take David straight to the palace, it returned him to the sheep pen. Anointing doesn't bypass process, it binds you to it. It's dangerous to be released without bearing responsibility. It's dangerous to become a King without first being a Keeper."

Before being taken captive by Babylon, God told Jeremiah to prophesy to Judah and their allies:

Thus the LORD said to me: "Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck." Jeremiah 27:2

God warned them to accept their captivity, or otherwise, he would destroy them. Wow! God wasn't playing any games. He is the same God we worship, and he doesn't change! God puts us through a rigorous process, so we become obedient to him. He molds us into valuable tools for his kingdom. It might be a good idea to recognize this process; maybe you will get through your trials more quickly if you are cognizant of the molding God has you going through. God also warned them to stop listening to the lying prophets telling them what their itchy ears wanted to hear. Being a Christ-follower may not be easy, but the rewards are incredible if we submit to his process! Remember what Jesus said about his yoke:

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

August 12, 2022

They tried to kill the messenger, but Ahikam intervened on behalf of Jeremiah, and they let him live. He had stood right in the court of the Lord's house with a message to the people of God from him that they didn't like, and rather than repent of their evil ways, they got angry and threatened to kill him. Is the warning he gave them something we need to hear? As Christ-followers, are we doing things that go against the things of God that he has put in place to keep up from harm? Jesus told us to love God and people; are we doing that with all our hearts? Are we engaging in a lifestyle that reflects those around us rather than following the ways of Jesus? If you were standing in front of Jesus and he began assessing the things you do, would he be pleased? 

Think about some of the things you engage in daily that could be disappointing to the Lord. Maybe you read astrology, get lost in salacious books, or look at pornography. What if it's simpler than that; perhaps you are portraying a blissful lifestyle on social media when it doesn't reflect the truth. Isn't that a lie? What about coveting? Wow! I may have forgotten about that commandment. This post is hitting home for me today! What about Saturday the Sabbath? Do you keep it holy? The point is, stay repentant! It's nearly impossible to keep the commandments strictly; Jesus knew we couldn't do it, so he chose to die for us. He covered all our sins, past and future, but we still need to reach out to him and ask his forgiveness every day.

“Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. Jeremiah 26:2-3

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