January 6, 2023

I've been glued to C-Span for the last few days, watching the vote for the new Speaker of the House. Even though we don't know everything going on, it's intriguing seeing the drama unfolding. It's encouraging that some representatives are listening to their constituents and using their votes to help bring change to the rules for the good of the people. I watched a couple of them praying together, right in front of the camera; God will prevail, and his will be done! 

In another spotlight on God this week, we watched as a football player was hurt on the playing field and commentators praying right on camera. I was concerned that he wouldn't make it and they would blame God because he didn't answer their prayers, but like a hero in shining armor, he did, and the man is still alive. 

Even though these events are newsworthy, most people still miss how magnificent our God is because they don't know him. Bring him up in regular conversation; some people will ignore you and brush quickly over what you say, others will join in on your praise of him. Ultimately, seeds of goodness are planted.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

January 5, 2023

One of the highlights of life as a grandparent is spending time with your grandchildren. Our youngest is not quite 3, but he has a mind of his own, and yesterday, though he loves to come to our house, he got pretty upset when his dad dropped him off. He began screaming and crying for him to return, and he did; what dad wouldn't return after hearing a heartbreaking cry? When you're a grandmother, you know they only cry for a minute when the parent leaves, so I encouraged him to leave quickly, like ripping off a bandage. Sure enough, he simmered down, and it didn't take long until he was back to being happy-go-lucky. I understand his sweet little heart; though we long for Jesus, we must continue our business until he returns. Can you imagine how it must feel seeing your children long for you, knowing it's not quite time for your return? He sees your heart and knows you love him, but we must persevere while living among the ungodly until the day of judgment and their destruction. Hold on to what you have! Jesus is coming back just as he promised.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.  2 Peter 3:9-10

January 4, 2023

After doing a quick word study on my word for the new year, persevere, I realized that it compliments the name God gave me years ago. When I worked at the crisis pregnancy center, my boss led a study and told us to ask God the name he would write on our stone, as Jesus mentions in Revelation.

I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ Revelation 2:17b

The name I heard was “conqueror.” Though my new name and my word of the year have different meanings, they go hand in hand. Together, they are words that every Christian must become familiar with because we are each called to persevere so we can conquer! It takes perseverance to hold onto our faith in Jesus; we must fight the urge to go back to our old ways; the way of sin is a much easier way to go because there is no resistance. Stand strong, mighty warriors! We must persevere to conquer!

For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:21-22

January 3, 2023

Yesterday, I talked to God about a particular individual who hurts nearly everyone they contact. My prayer was, “when will you bring this person to justice?” I immediately got a vision of Satan dragging them into hell. The picture he gave me was so powerful that I had to change my attitude toward them and pray for them to accept Jesus as their Savior. As much as this individual has hurt my family, I don’t want to see them go to hell. Hell is permanent. Though this person deserves hell, so do I; we all do! Jesus paid the price for all of us and delivered our sins there. That’s why none of us can boast about our righteousness apart from Jesus; we don’t have any! We must forgive; it’s for our benefit. We must pray for the salvation of those who’ve hurt us; we don’t want to be stuck with the guilt of not doing our part to help, even if it is just praying. Find it in your heart to forgive those who’ve hurt you or those around you. Pray for their salvation, even though they don’t deserve it; who does? Don’t let someone get dragged into hell when you could have helped by praying for them. Doing this will prove that you have the Holy Spirit, which is proof that you have Jesus. 

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:5-7

January 2, 2023

Every year, our family participates in an old southern tradition of having black-eyed peas on January 1st. I’m not fond of them, and most of my family isn’t either, but we do it anyway because it’s the one day of the year that I know what to cook. I have an old recipe called Hoppin’ John, and it adds a lot of different spices and a lot of fatty meats, which of course, I love. It changes the flavor, so you barely notice that it’s black-eyed peas. It’s supposed to give you good luck and lots of money, but we all know where our help comes from, and it’s not peas! The truth is that I will use any excuse necessary to have my family over, even though it can be a bit loud and obnoxious, especially in the small space we live in now, but I love them and like to be around them. Pull your families closer; this world is rapidly changing, and we need to form unbreakable bonds because we may have to lean on one another. What’s more, draw closer to Jesus; he is our hope for the future. Don’t be discouraged by what you see happening; these things must occur, and then the end will come. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to seeing justice come to all who’ve participated in the evil that is taking place. Persevere in your faith, pray, and get ready for the next chapter to begin. 

but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 1 Peter 4:5

January 1, 2023

Today is a new beginning, a fresh start. Near the beginning of every year, I ask God to give me a word I can carry and refer back to throughout the year. Last year my word was “fire,” which was unusual, but then again, it was an unusual year, and I believe the word fire explains it well. My word for this year is “persevere.” I didn’t want that word and asked for a different one, but God made it clear that it would serve me well and assured me he would help me persevere. Take a moment today and ask God to give you a word; you will be surprised at how he will use it to teach you his ways. It could be a prophecy. 

Begin by asking God for a word; it will be the first word that pops into your head; you won’t be able to shake it; believe me, I tried. My word came before I even finished asking. See if it works for you. Then, take a moment and look it up in the Bible and find a verse that seems fitting, and remember that verse and word throughout this next year. I would love to hear the word he gave you. Keep me posted.

knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21

December 31, 2022

We all go through trying times when the enemy chooses us to torment. I’m no different, except that I share those struggles as a way of teaching perseverance, self-control, and how to glorify God in the process. After all, he is the one who comes to our rescue and comforts us in our time of need. 

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:16

You are not alone in your struggles. If you’re not facing challenges, are you actually in the fight against the powers of darkness?

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I want to thank everyone who prayed. Yesterday was a great day with no new incidents. You got in the battle with me and fought the good fight. It’s funny how my experiences over the past week went along with the writings of 1 Peter; it makes me wonder if God allowed it on purpose. I don’t think I will be studying Job anytime soon! There were many lessons learned and shared. Keep up the good fight of faith and God will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

December 30, 2022

Since Christmas Eve, I have faced one attack after another. It is probably the strangest thing I have ever encountered. I didn't write about it yesterday because some who were a party to the attack need to be set free from the devil's clutches, so I wrote about how to become free. If you didn't accept Jesus's complete healing and cleansing when you accepted him as Savior, then that is something you need to work on. I'm saying this because all the attacks have come from people claiming to be Christ-followers. I began writing this blog to help people who think they are saved become the person they claim to be. It's not my job to determine if you are saved, but it is my job to help you make that determination and give you insight into how to live as a true Christ-follower. One of my attackers even disguised themselves as someone who needed help, and when I didn't play along in their game, they tried to use my faith in Jesus as a weapon and told me they would pray. The audacity! I held my peace through all of it and didn't call out their demons even though I could see them. When experiencing the enemy's disdain for you, maintain your composure and remember that you are a child of the Most High!

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14

December 29, 2022

Nearly all the ceiling has been removed from the interior of the house and is almost ready for spray insulation. It reminds me of what we must go through when we genuinely want freedom in Christ. We tear down all the walls and remove everything hindering us from reaching the pinnacle of the Christian experience. If you haven’t begun seeking the truth about why you think and act the way you do, today is a great day to start. It is a process of unlearning the habits and attitudes placed there by the enemy to distract us from living our best life in Jesus. If he can keep us in prison, he wins. But Jesus came to set us free from all encumbrances. Fear, trauma, unbelief, and rejection are some of the things you might look for that could be the causes of your imprisonment. To tear down those walls and insulate yourself from further damage, confess, repent, anoint, and pray. It’s not a one-and-done kind of process. You must go through those steps many times to get the freedom you can feel. If you don’t know where to start, ask God to show you where the lies began; if you keep asking, he will keep telling you all your areas that need improvement, and eventually, you will become your original self, the person he created you to be. Start praying now; the new year is only a few days away. Wouldn’t it be great to start the new year walking in true freedom?

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

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

December 28, 2022

Over the past several days, the enemy has tried to get me to react to negative words said about me. He though he could take me out of the game, but all it did was fuel me to further spread the truth about how great God is. What’s even better, the Holy Spirit had me studying in the perfect book of the Bible to help me counter the attack in a godly manner. Even though the things said were hurtful, my heart didn’t react, and I kept my perfect peace. The truth is that there is something wrong inside of them, not me. They couldn’t even come up with anything I had done wrong. This situation is the perfect example of why we need always stay in our armor. The enemy will come after you with both barrels using whoever or whatever he can to cause you discouragement and to soil your reputation. Stand strong, follow Jesus’s example, and let him fight for you, the battle is not yours anyway. Another thing that came of this is I still love them; only God can give you that kind of reaction when others hate you. Listen to the Holy Spirit in times of trouble; he will guide you into perfect peace. 

having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:16-17

December 27, 2022

I’m thankful that the holidays are nearly over. Maybe the demons will settle down a little. This world is getting crazier by the day! We know God is in control and can count on him to get us through. Remind yourself daily that you are a child of God, and he doesn’t want to cause you harm. We are righteous, though not of ourselves; we are sinners but are righteous through our trust in Jesus, the Overseer of our souls. Be careful not to get caught up in the madness, for we are a holy people, set apart from the general public, and must keep our composure under to stress of worldly affairs; we have the reputation of Jesus to uphold. Remember that the army of angels is ready for battle and is more than those who are against us. Only 33% of the angels were kicked out of heaven and are demonic, but we have 66% fighting with us. We have power behind us and going before us; we have the advantage. The fight is not of flesh and blood; it’s spiritual, so our armor must be spiritual; prayer, faith, God’s word, and the Holy Spirit. We will win! Armor-up!

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25

December 26, 2022

It is a great day when you learn to refer back to biblical teachings to handle life issues. As a conservative, God loving, right wing patriot, you will encounter those who believe differently from you. Though we may not agree with their thoughts, we can still love them with our whole heart even if they don’t love us back. Earlier this year, I had a friend that I feel betrayed me. It wasn’t anything major, but it still hurt. She and her husband didn’t have our same belief system, but we were okay with that; we didn’t have to talk about politics or our beliefs to still be friends. However, they couldn’t get beyond it because, their opinion was that the gap was too wide, and though we tried to build a bridge, all they did was tear it down. When it comes down to it, love is the bridge, but you will find that there are people who don’t understand real love; love them anyway. One day, and it may be in eternity, they will see the truth, but it will be too late for them, but you will have pleased God by your actions. Keep handling issues the way God recommends and everything will go well with you. 

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 1 Peter 2:19-20

December 25, 2022

Yesterday, I was preparing dinner for my family for Christmas Eve. I decided to use the electric meat slicer to cut up my potatoes for mashed potatoes. I got careless and didn’t use the guard to push them through, and I sliced open my finger right through the nail. I bled profusely! I probably needed some stitches, but because of the past few years, my trust in physicians has plummeted to near zero. I bandaged it up and kept going. 

We need our flesh to maneuver through this world; that’s how Jesus came to dwell among us. He knew the only way to show us how best to live and give us a perfect sacrifice was to walk with us. He had to become flesh and blood to teach us to live spiritually and to rely on our faith in him to excel in heavenly ways. I bled, and it proved that I have a physical body, and if I had bled to death, it’s of no consequence; I will live on in the spirit because God gave me the right to become his child. Remember why we worship Jesus today and celebrate his birth; he became flesh because he loves us. Merry Christmas!

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

As a side note: John 1:14 makes it very clear that Jesus was the only Son of the Father. If you believe Satan was one of his sons, you are in a cult and need to get out of it. 

December 24, 2022

People dismiss their dreams. I’m not talking about goals, but the visions in the night while you are resting. Not all dreams are messages, some happen because we ate pizza or tacos and are random, but others contain vital clues that can help us determine the right direction to go or give us a heads-up about a situation. If you ever find yourself saying, “I had a weird dream last night,” there is probably something in that dream that needs your attention. Imagine if Joseph had dismissed his dream where the angel of the Lord came to warn him to flee to Egypt with Jesus and Mary. Where would we be right now if Herod had gotten his way and killed our King, the Savior of the world? Can you even imagine a world without Jesus? People think they can live without him, but they are affected by Christianity no matter what they do. Charities, hospitals, colleges, and many other institutions came about because of Christianity. You can’t even open an interior door without noticing the crosses designed into them. It’s no wonder the demons are all stirred up; they can’t get away from Jesus; he is everywhere! When God gives you a warning, you need to act on it as Joseph did. He picked up his family and moved, then stayed until it was safe. Listen to the warnings God gives you and act upon them if necessary.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. Matthew 2:13-15a

December 23, 2022

For years, my daughters and I had traditionally gone to see the Nutcracker ballet at the posh Performing Arts Theater in Tampa. We got away from doing that because, as usual, they grew up and had their own families. Still, we tried to accommodate that tradition when we could. I didn't even propose the idea this year, but one of them found tickets to a concert by a string quartet who performed the Nutcracker music plus other notable classical pieces, and she insisted that we keep up with our tradition. It was in the Ybor City area of Tampa, so I wasn't expecting much, similar to going to an off-Broadway show. Well, all I can say is we were overwhelmed to tears by the music's beauty and the soloist's robust voice. It was one of the best concert performances we have ever attended. It was an utterly heavenly experience.

It reminds me of the humble beginnings of our Savior, whom most believed would be born in a palace adorned with robes and attended by many servants. However, he was born in a stable and laid in a manger to show that he was accessible to all, not just to the elite. The girls and I dressed in our holiday best because that's how we are, but others dressed in shabby attire which reminded me that the concert was accessible to all, just like our Savior. Jesus is the picture of beauty wrapped in humble garb, and all are invited to come to him. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12

December 22, 2022

Every year, about this time, my father-in-law, who had shopped only a few days earlier with my daughter, would have her over to wrap the presents he bought. He loved Christmas but always waited until the last minute to prepare. To honor him, we will gather the entire family one more time on Christmas morning as a tribute to him, so we went out and bought gifts just like he would have us do in the past. So yesterday, which seems last-minute, we spent several hours wrapping all the gifts.

Some of the things we do are rooted in traditions from the past, even though we may do them without knowing exactly how they started. I’m guessing someone, many years ago, decided that giving presents as a celebration of the birth of Christ was a good idea because the wise men brought gifts to Jesus; at least, that’s what I keep telling myself because I like giving gifts. Whatever we do, we must honor God and worship him because without him being a part of our celebration, it becomes worthless and time-wasting. Make it a tradition to glorify God and praise him as the shepherds did on the night of Jesus’s birth. 

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:20

December 21, 2022

We have foolishly fallen for the notion that there were three wise men, but the Bible doesn’t specify. That number is arbitrary and was assigned by the Roman Catholic Church. We have also been falsely led to believe that they visited him in the stable, as depicted in the nativity displays. Another lie is that they were kings; the Bible doesn’t say that either. These observations further make my point that we need to read our Bibles carefully and not read into it what is not there. 

My question today was: How did these gentile wise men know that the star indicated that a king had been born for Judah? After a bit of reading, I discovered that it could be because the star had suddenly appeared over that country, and that’s how the wise men knew that a king for Judah had been born. They first went to Jerusalem and inquired of King Herod, who probably got all in a tizzy thinking he was about to be replaced. He asked them to report back to him when they found the newborn King, but they were warned in a dream not to return to him. They followed the star that led them to Jesus. When I look at the stars while riding in the car, it seems like they are following me, so I assume this star was lower in the sky and moved, giving them a beacon to follow. It had to be moving because the Bible says it came to rest. The point is to be careful what you believe and study your Bible because it is the ultimate truth.

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:9-10

December 20, 2022

As Christ-followers are exalting our God and Savior for his gift and his sacrifice for us, much of the news of the day shows the utter contempt our government has for its people, especially Christians, but we know that God is in control and he will be the one who administers pure justice. In the whole scheme of things, what we see is petty and will make no difference in our salvation. However, those caught in treasonous activity will have much to account for. We cannot ignore what is going on, but we can continue to worship our Savior, who left Heaven to participate in the human experience and to give us a worthy sacrifice to cover our sins. Though Christmas may not be the actual season that Jesus was born, it is exceptional that the entire world, Christian or not, worships him together for nearly a month. Keep this season holy; our Savior deserves nothing less.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Luke 2:9-10

December 19

My niece gave birth to a handsome baby boy yesterday. She was in a sterile hospital environment with people around her caring for her every need. I’m sure her new baby will be brought up to love Jesus and become his follower as he grows in knowledge. Can you imagine Jesus, our Savior, and King over all the earth, being born in a stable and placed in a feed trough as a cradle? It’s unfathomable. However, it was part of God’s plan to make him relatable to everyone, rich or poor. He may have been born in a stable, but his reception was beyond what any other human on earth has ever seen; an angel and a multitude of heavenly hosts announced his arrival. I’ll bet they lit up the sky with their presence. You know his birth was the talk of the town. The shepherds witnessed the miracle that we still talk about today. They were the instrument God used to spread the word in those days. Little did they know that Jesus would call himself the shepherd and his people the sheep of his pasture. It’s amazing how God orchestrates everything, giving detail to even the most mundane, everyday occurrences. 

If you feel insignificant and unseen, here is a reason to change your mind: Did you know that heaven lights up with rejoicing when a person accepts Jesus as their Savior? Probably the same heavenly host who announced Jesus’s arrival on earth praises God that you turned your life over to him. We are indeed a blessed people.

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7

December 18, 2022

“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;” Luke 1:51-52

Mary was blessed. Not only was she chosen by God to carry our Savior, but she spoke prophetically about his future. I’ve not heard anyone mention that she was prophetic, but remember the wedding at Cana when they ran out of wine? 

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” John 1:3-5

Wasn’t that a bit prophetic? She knew her son would help her in this touchy situation. 

Mary’s whole song in Luke had a dual purpose, remembering what God had done in the past and praising him for it, but also a projection of what is to come through Jesus, our Savior. Catholics may honor Mary by exalting her, but Protestants, seeming to go in the opposite direction, may not give her enough credit for her contribution. So today, I thought it would be fitting to honor Mary, not only as the chosen one to carry our Savior in her womb but also as a prophetess whose words, at least some of them, are still waiting to be fulfilled.