October 12

How do we know Jesus came back to life after his burial, and that he wasn’t stolen from the grave? Just because he wasn’t there, doesn’t mean he came back to life. First of all, we have the account of the disciples who saw him after his resurrection. However, if we were to believe the Jewish officials the way they tried to spin it, we would believe that Jesus’s followers had stolen his body away, as most Jews today still believe. What about the cloths lying in the tomb? If his body had been stolen, why would the cloths be in the tomb? Wouldn’t they keep him wrapped? They definitely wouldn’t fold up the face cloth, if it fell off while they removed him, it would be on the floor, certainly not folded. This was to be a sign to them that Jesus was resurrected, and it must have been significant because it ended up on the pages of scripture. Today we have little proof of his existence, only the account of those who knew him personally, the account of historians, and the account of those who were witnesses to seeing him resurrected. So why do we believe? Because God, being God, made a way! The manuscripts were preserved, and the Holy Spirit made it known to our spirit. Besides, how could a story so old still be circulating if it wasn’t being made manifest by God? You only need to believe the truth. 

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. John 20:6-7

October 11

It sickens me to think that the crimes I commit against God fall upon the back of our perfect Savior. He took my punishment! He was whipped, then nailed to a cross for my sake. Pilate tried to release him, over and over again, because he knew he was innocent, but because he was part of the greater plan, he had no authority, and succumbed to the will of the people. Why do I then turn around and doubt his love for me by not believing that he released me from my punishment by continuing to fret over the things of the past? Why would I turn around and sin again after receiving him? It’s because of unbelief. We block the voice of the Holy Spirit, and come into our own lack of knowledge and reject him all over again. Are we even worthy of his love? He thinks we are. He wouldn’t have bothered going to the cross if he didn’t think we were worthy. Jesus was pronounced innocent in court, but we are guilty and will never have to pay for our crimes because we are hidden in Jesus. God doesn’t see our crimes because they were transferred to Jesus. I will say it over and over again until you get it; stop living in your past! Move on! God has already let it go, and so should you.

Jesus’s innocence:

Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” John 19:4

Our guilt and continued sin:

They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, John 19:15-16

October 9

Each word of scripture has a purpose and intentional meaning. To haphazardly speak it or write it out of context is a travesty, and causes you to become a liar; and one verse out of context can cause more harm than good. There are also portions of scripture that seem like meaningless filler, but believe me it isn’t. Take, for instance, the portion of scripture that tells us about Jesus being seized and presented to Annas before he was sent to Caiaphas the high priest; it had to happen that way because it has a symbolic meaning. Why was it important to take him to Annas first, because it didn’t seem to be a necessary step? Here’s why: Dr. John Lightfoot, a well know Bible scholar, believes Annas was the one who inspected all the sacrifices to make sure they had no blemishes, and then send them away bound and approve as ready for the altar. If true, it’s just more evidence that Jesus is who he says he is. It is also proof that every jot and tittle of scripture has importance. The Bible gives necessary information, even if it’s not for you. Some of it may only be important to the Jews, or someone else who will come to believe in Jesus because of the added information. God knows what he’s doing, it’s up to you to believe it.

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. John 18:12

October 8

Have you ever started a project but failed to finish it? I usually finish what I start, but recently I noticed that I had about four projects going that I hadn’t finished. Remember me painting my two white rocking chairs brown? Well, I’ve only finished one of them! That’s now the last of the projects that need to be completed. The good news is, I will probably start another project, but maybe not until I get that chair painted. One project that I don’t plan on completing is working on myself. I’m a work in progress and will continue digging deep to route out anything that hinders my growth in Christ. Know this, you are a good work, worthy of the time and effort it takes to bring you to complete freedom. You are made in God’s image, hidden in Christ, you are perfected because of him, but you don’t believe it, that’s why you still have chains. Do whatever it takes to believe; your freedom is at stake. There’s nothing better than living a life loosed from the burdens of your past. If you continuously seek Jesus, he will reveal himself to you, and you will begin to believe the truth about yourself, and find your freedom.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

October 7

Disappointment is a daily occurrence; we’re not in heaven yet so it’s to be expected. Life is short and we should enjoy it as much as we can until Jesus calls us home, but sometimes we don’t. Solomon says that the day of death is better than the day of birth, and I would agree with that unless you’re already dead, by that I mean an unrepentant sinner. Until that day, we must continue to contend with the devil. Jesus prayed that we be kept from the evil one, I just wish that meant that the evil one had to leave us alone and not toy with us, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. There is some good news, we are just beyond his reach, and are protected from him taking us with him upon his demise. Though Jesus didn’t take us out of this world, we are allowed some pleasure in it; I live for those days and relish in them. Whatever disappointments, hurts, pain, and anxiety you’re dealing with in your life today, just know that better days are ahead of us, and things aren’t always bad. Remember, we have an eternity to live the blissful life when Jesus reclaims us and sets up his kingdom. Until then, hang on to what you have!

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. John 17:15

October 6

My husband and I are real estate agents and property owners. The main thrust of our business is property management, which makes us landlords. On occasion, we have tenants that refuse to pay their rent, but also won’t move out. When this happens, we have no choice but to file for an eviction with the court and schedule a date to be seen by the judge. We then go before the judge and try to convince them of our right to payment. Then our tenant, tries to convince them otherwise. After the judge hears both sides, a judgment is made. Did you know that this same process is set up in the spiritual world? When we sin, we have an adversary who brings a case against us in the courts of heaven. We are fortunate to have Jesus as our advocate, and he states our case before the Father; because of his sacrifice and his blood, the case is overturned when we repent. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes us aware by convincing us of our sin. Once we know we’ve sinned, we must repent so payment can be made on our behalf. You will sin, and you must repent, otherwise the enemy continues to have the right to torment you. Search your heart, and repent so that your peace returns to you.

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:8-11

October 5

There is a lot of hatred in the world today, mostly without cause. Lately, it is due to political differences, and the assumption that because you are a certain color, or nationality, you believe a specific way. The upheaval is mostly felt because people are living vicariously through the eyes of those reporting the “news.” The news is not truthful anymore, and you can’t count on it being reported fairly and unbiased, because each station bends it in their own political direction. Some stations are even biased against Christians, and cause hatred towards us because we love Jesus. There is some good news though, if you live and follow the words of Jesus to love others, and love God, you will find that all of that hatred is located right inside that box you’re peering into. Outside of that box, for the most part, you will find people genuinely caring about one another. Use wisdom, and search for the good that dwells within all of us, and don’t let the enemy win!

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. John 15:18

October 4

There are some hibiscus planted near the edge of my yard. They’ve been there for a while and are fully grown. The problem with them is that because they are planted in the shade of the oak trees, they lack sun and seldom bloom. If those plants were on my property, I would probably take them out and plant something shade tolerant. Their lack of bloom makes them nothing more than a hedge plant. As a follower of Jesus, we are planted in the sun, and should bloom and produce fruit, so the truth about him spreads to the world. Did you know that Jesus is the vine and our gardener is the Father? He will prune us and cut off any branches that do not produce fruit. That’s a little scary! Don’t worry! If you love Jesus, you will produce fruit. Some till the garden, some plant the seeds, some water, and others harvest the fruit. All are an important part of the kingdom of God. Remember, just because you are not active in ministry right now, doesn’t mean you are not producing fruit. Maybe you’ve brought up your children to love Jesus, and they are producing fruit. I know that I could quit right now without fear of being pruned because of my children. I don’t want anyone to be frightened, I just want you to know the scripture.

"Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."  John 15:2

October 3

We all have things we like to collect, I have a passion for plants, art, and decorating. All of these things require some amount of work, and toil. I’m currently studying Ecclesiastes, and John. They may not seem to go together, but the words of Jesus are all wisdom! Solomon says that the gathering of stuff, and toiling over it is vain, and Jesus says to store your treasures in heaven. How? It’s about redefining yourself. You can’t take your possessions with you into heaven, unless your possessions are stored in your heart. Jesus doesn’t give to us the way the world gives, his gifts are matters of the heart, and the results are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Rather than toiling over possessions that you can’t take with you, start collecting spiritual gifts. If you want to collect something meaningful that doesn’t rot, toil over the souls of your friends and family, and maybe a few strangers, and gather them into heaven. Those are possessions worth attaining. 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."  John 14:27

October 2

After posting a video yesterday, I began criticizing myself over some of the details, like, why was I looking off, why didn’t I do something with my hair, I need more makeup, and so on. Self talk can be such a downer. Then it hit me, I was criticizing one of God’s magnificent creations! Who am I to be critical of the Father? When you put yourself down, aren’t you also putting down his masterpiece? He created you! Who are you to judge the Almighty? We are created in his image, you wouldn’t tear God apart the way you tear yourself apart, would you? At some point in your life, the enemy whispered lies to you, and you believed him. Make it a part of your mission to praise God for his creation of YOU. You have a purpose, you belong to him, and he deserves credit for creating you. You have to take care of yourself, but let go of the things you cannot change, and praise him for the vessel he has given you. Also, remember that God is the creator of other humans too, don’t hurt them either.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  Genesis 1:27

October 1

Thank goodness it’s nearing my birthday! I shattered the screen of my iPad! I use my iPad to do all of my writing, and will probably get Richard to buy me a new one as a birthday gift. I can justify this purchase with God, because it helps me move in my spiritual gift. Speaking of spiritual gifts, it just so happens that I’m in the study of John where Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, imagine that, what a coincidence. The tragedy of my broken screen gives a way for me to bring up the gift of the Holy Spirit. Did you know that this gift, came with an “if?” Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper, to be with you forever.” If you want the Holy Spirit to dwell within you, you have to love Jesus! And if you love him, you will keep his commandments. He makes it easy, but the key is that you must love him. The commandments will fall into place, as you build your love for him. The Spirit is a magnificent gift, and I wouldn’t want to live without him. Love Jesus, and the rest will fall into place.

"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”"  John 14:21

September 30

When I have guests coming to visit, I become a crazy person, working and cleaning to make my home more presentable. For the most part, I maintain it daily, but the anticipation of guest encourages me to go beyond, and clean things that they probably won’t notice anyway, like the top of the refrigerator and baseboards. I know I’m not the only person that does this, but why? I think it’s so we can relax without worry of being labeled a slob. The thing I notice most when I’m a guest in someone’s home is how they treated me upon arrival. Was I welcomed by them, or were they pre-occupied with preparations? When I have guests over, I have everything completed before their arrival, so they have my full attention, and I’m not off in the kitchen making preparations. I went to a party one time, where the host never greeted me, and I’ve never forgotten it. People are more concerned about how they are treated, and accepted by you. Make it a point to clean up your personality, and put on a friendly face; that’s what people will remember the most about being your guest.

"Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ."  1 Peter 5:14

September 29

You are not going to reach your God-given destiny and purpose if you continue to listen to the accusations of the devil. It is very important that we deny Satan power over us, by seeking forgiveness of our past sins, and accepting that forgiveness. Some of our potential is diminished because we are chained to him, and he keeps reminding us of our captivity, and his hold over us. You will continue to be tormented by your past unless you seek the counsel of Jesus, and go before the throne of God to silence your accuser. Until you have dealt with your past sins, the devil will continue to throw them in your face. There is a simple way to find out what the enemy is holding against you; ask God, and he will tell you. Ask, then listen, don’t keep babbling on and on. God will impress upon your heart the areas of your life that need repentance. You may have asked forgiveness for your unknown sins, but the enemy will use whatever he can to throw you off track, and keep you under his power. Ask, listen, seek heartfelt forgiveness, and this will silence your accuser.

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."  Proverbs 28:13

September 28

I take a bath every night, I can’t sleep with filthy skin, but my dogs are not done for the day and still need to be taken out for a walk. I slide on my flip flops and walk them around the neighborhood right before bedtime; I’m a little selfish because I don’t want them waking me up too early in the morning to go out. Being I’ve already had a bath, I don’t need to take another one, but may need to wash the dust off my feet. Jesus used the symbolic gesture of washing the feet of his disciples as an example for us to follow. If you are saved, baptism is usually the next step as a public profession of your faith, and is symbolic of washing away your sins, and is a ‘one-and-done’ ceremony. The reason it’s a one time thing is we’re clean, however, we still live in the world and will get a little dust on our feet. That dust is sin and we need to repent of that sin, but you don’t need to be baptized again. Confess your sin, and repent daily, because we all get a little dust on our feet, and need Jesus to wash it off.

"Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”"  John 13:10

September 27

There are times during the month when the tides become unusually high, like during the new moon and the full moon. I’ve noticed that the Holy Spirit works in a similar fashion. Most days you will have normal high and low tides with the Holy Spirit, but then there are times when He fills you to capacity, and even overflow your banks. 

God does things on purpose. For instance, he has holidays and Sabbaths that are set aside for the nation of Israel. The Bible refers to these holidays as feasts. I’ve noticed the flow of the Holy Spirit is stronger during these times, including the weekly Sabbath, Saturday. My writing becomes much more fluid and improved during those times. Though we are not all of the Jewish lineage, we have been grafted in, according to God’s Word. It seems fitting that we, in the very least should acknowledge those feasts. We are coming into the Jewish high holiday season; as an experiment, see if you notice a difference in the power of the Holy Spirit during those holiday feasts.

This year, The Feast of Trumpets spans September 29-October 1

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. Leviticus 23:23-24

September 26

The shift of the light during the fall, brings a perfect glow, especially during the mornings and in the evenings. It filters through the trees and wakes up the day, and then brings it to a close. The shadows shift so that even in Florida, though the heat is oppressive, you can still tell that fall has begun. It may only be a subtle change, but if fall is your season, then any change will do. Just as the earth has seasons, our lives have seasons. As you enter a new season, your view changes, and what was once important, now seems trivial. For instance, when you accepted Jesus as your Savior, you entered a new season. The drinking and rebel rousing become a thing of the past and should no longer bring you pleasure. Within your life in Christ there are also seasons. You begin as a baby and grow to maturity by feeding on God's word. The more mature in Christ you become, the sooner the folly of your youth will fade, and you will set your sight on the good of the future and a more pleasing life following the precepts of God. 

"So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going."  John 12:35

September 25

Have you found what you were looking for? You wake up every day, go to work, or go about your business, eat, drink, sleep, then do it again the next day. What’s the point? To stay alive? If so, for what purpose? Life has no point if you’re not living for Jesus. You chase after a dream in your youth, and once you achieve it, you’re too old to enjoy it. The only thing that makes sense is living a life for Jesus. He gives meaning and purpose to those who love him. You might say that when we die while living for Jesus, our goal is achieved, and that is true, however, you should do your best to live your best life while you have it, by serving him. This world is not easy because it is ruled by the enemy, for now, and because of that, around every turn there are new challenges. If you want to live just to live, go ahead and continue without Jesus, but if you want to make a difference in your life, and change the world around you, then you must live for him. 

If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. John 12:26

September 24

Back in July I sprained my foot and it swelled up like a balloon, and then turned black and blue. It took me a while before I could get back to normal activity, even then a portion of my foot was still swollen. Now it’s September, and we had one of our grandsons over to spend the night and to go to church with us the next day. We have a car seat, and I was transferring it from the truck to my car on Sunday morning, I lost my balance and fell, twisting it again! I laid on the wet ground, crushing some of my caladiums, writhing in pain. I made myself get up, because no one saw me fall. You may say that this was just an accident, but I say that it was part of the enemy's plan to keep us from attending church, because as I laid on the ground dressed, and ready to go, my first thought was that church might be out of the question. I pushed through, got up, change clothes, and went anyway. The enemy lost. We will be fighting him until the end, but he will not win every battle, and he definitely lost the war in the end. Our best life is yet to come, hang in there until Jesus returns.

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25

September 23

When my son’s father passed away in 1995, I prepared for his funeral. My pastor asked if I wanted the gospel to be presented, and of course my answer was yes. Before he passed, he was quite zealous for Jesus, and was thankful for his salvation. He had lived a rough life, and got caught up in the things of the world, which made his salvation all the more sweeter. He told everyone he knew about Jesus, and when he died, a seed was planted, and a vine began to grow. The funeral was unlike any that I had ever seen, the church was packed to capacity with standing room only! People from all over Florida, and some from out-of-state attended. Then, as expected, the gospel was presented, and we saw the vine produce fruit; hands went up all over the church. It was something that I will never forget. The truth is, that was his second death, because while he lived, he had died to self, and lived for Jesus. When he met Jesus the day of his passing, I know he heard the beautiful words, “well done.” Live your best life and die to self by living for Jesus.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

September 22

Mary took a pound of expensive ointment, and poured it over Jesus’s head, and then wiped his feet with her hair. He said that the whole world would be told what she had done. Are you so worried about what you will eat or drink, or what you will wear, that you deny giving the Lord what rightfully belongs to him? Do you steal from him by withholding your tithe? The truth is that you are not robbing God, but yourself, he already owns everything, but he gives you the opportunity to trust him, and receive further blessings because of your faithfulness. Judas was in charge of the moneybag and would help himself to whatever he wanted. When you withhold your tithe, you are just like Judas, a thief. Judas was full of greed, and questioned why Mary’s perfume was not sold and given to the poor. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” It is never a waste when you pay your tithe or give an offering. You can look at it like you are anointing Jesus, and should treasure that more than your own material wealth.

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:4-6