June 6

If you read my devotionals, even on occasion, you will find that I encourage everyone to read the scriptures for themselves. If you do, you will find that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes and give you tidbits of information little by little. You won’t get this amazing download all at once, because it is a living word, and it gives you what you need when you need it. I was reading 2 KIngs 14 today and Jonah was mentioned, which brought the following information to the forefront of my mind.

Jonah was a prophet. God gave him an assignment to go to Nineveh and speak against them because of their evil deeds. He didn’t want to do it, so he tried to run away from God. God insisted that he obey, and sent him through all kinds of distressing events to put him back on the path to obedience. 

Do you feel like you’ve been swallowed by a whale, and puked out? Maybe you should do a quick check list to see if you are disobeying God’s calling on your life. Not every tragedy will be because you’ve neglected your calling, but it might be a good place to start analyzing the occurrences of your life.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:38

June 5

Money and power will make people do things they normally wouldn’t do. Corruption goes back to the beginning of time and can be found throughout the Bible. People think financial control will bring them happiness, but it never does, you have to find that within yourself. 

Officials don’t get rich holding public office! One must commit themselves to serve the people, and make a difference. When a person enters public office, that hasn’t been corrupted by politics, the country soars to greatness, for example, look at our country under the leadership of President Reagan. We are much better off when someone with a heart for the people is put into office. We should never choose a fox to guard the hen house!

Our country is in an election year, and could be the reason for the craziness. Please be mindful of how you vote, and weigh your choices carefully, we want our country to stay free, and God loving. One wrong vote could put us straight into communism, and those struggling for control would be more than happy to accept that as our fate. Remember what happened during the pandemic, and the officials who let power go to their heads, we must be very mindful, being they have more control than we thought.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

June 4

We all have a lot on our minds concerning what this world is coming to. I think we can all get on board with Joshua when he says, “choose this day whom you will serve.” I can guarantee you that if you choose wrong at this point in time, you will be left behind. 

Did you know that worshiping the “god of convenience”, by sacrificing children, babies, and the pre-born, comes straight from the pit of hell? Did you know that if you agree with allowing a woman to sacrifice any child to the “god of convenience”, you do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you? If you choose a candidate for public office who is of the notion that it is within the rights of a woman to kill her child, you are as guilty as they are, and you have blood on your hands too. 

If you choose to follow a political party who is complacent to lawlessness, and allows the destruction of property, you are as guilty as the lawbreakers. I’m not crazy about the actions of some who are in office, but I have weighed them carefully, and must make the best choice possible. The person you choose must uphold the law, will vie for the rights of Christians to serve Jesus, will be against ab**tion and killing babies upon birth, and will do the best they can, to serve our country. 

And another thing, if the mainstream media is for your candidate, you can bet you’ve chosen wrong, because they are the puppets of the enemy, and are full of lies! I’ve been quiet long enough, and I don’t want anyone to end up in hell because they lack the Holy Spirit; you only get him if you have chosen Jesus and can see a complete turn around in the way you think, because he will make you aware of the evil you do, and the sins you commit, but will also make you aware of the sins of others, and the evil they do. Don’t get left behind because you chose wrong.

This is my post, be careful with your comments.

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”" Joshua 24:15

June 3

Unbelief is crippling to a Christian. How long will you go on dismissing the truths written in God’s word? I’ve heard it taught that God will not do anything contrary to nature; for instance, gravity. Then lo, and behold, I come across a segment of scripture, denying that lie. This is not the only one, just the one that I’m dealing with today. Elisha was the head of a group of prophets, and they congregated together, but needed more space. They decided to build a new place, and during the process one of the prophets dropped his axe head into the water. He freaked out because he had borrowed it. Elisha dipped a stick into the water, and the iron axe head floated to the top. This was unnatural, defied gravity, and yet, here it is in the Bible. Elisha was given double the ability to prophesy, because he saw Elijah carried away in a chariot of fire into the heavens, (another unnatural occurrence), but we have access to the same Spirit, but because of our unbelief, we prohibit ourselves from walking in these types of miracles. We need to go back and relearn the truth, and stop dismissing notions in the Bible that don’t fit the narrative we’ve been taught by man; then, maybe, we will begin to see and experience God as never before.

But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 2 Kings 6:5-6

June 2

There was a little girl that was carried off in a raid, who became a slave to her captors. She served under the woman of the house. The man of the house was a warrior but had a dreaded disease. This little girl never forgot about God, and suggested that he go and seek a prophet that could heal him in the country that she was brought from. As I read this story, I became bitter; what a heinous act to steal a child and make them serve you as a slave! Why didn’t she just let him die from that disease? I don’t know what happened to the child in the story, in fact, that’s all that was said about her. But there’s more! Because of the kindness of this girl, the warrior sought the prophet, and was healed by him. This man called Naaman, came to know God that day, and declared, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel”. That little girl had saved the life of her master. Sometimes our situation is grim, and unimaginable things happen to us, if you find yourself in a dreadful predicament, try to figure out what God is doing, look at it through his eyes, and maybe he will give you a glimpse into what he has planned. This story is found in 2 Kings 5.

Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:2-3

June 1

It’s a fresh new month, and Pentecost is over, so hopefully the devil’s diversion away from God’s holy time is also over, and we can get back to our lives, instead of fearing what will come next. Let’s be honest, Christians don’t celebrate Pentecost like they should, and make it a Holy convocation in honor of all that Jesus did for us by giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. It means something different for the Jews, but for us, it was a day of new beginnings, a day when our lives changed to become a temple of the Holy Spirit. How can we go on as if it wasn’t significant? I’ll tell you how, it’s not taught. It is glazed over, and quickly and quietly forgotten, so we don’t stir up the kooks who use it to show off. Most churches don’t want that kind of drama, and want their parishioners to sit quietly, and listen, and to take their spiritual revival somewhere else. That's why, instead of celebrating the Holy Spirit, we get rioting, and other diversions such as a pandemic. How long are we going to entertain Satan with our unbelief? Christians, this whole ordeal played right into his hands, and there is celebration in hell today. Wake up and pay attention! Jesus celebrated all the feasts; why don’t we? I celebrated this holy day by honoring God, and pleading for an increase in my gifts. It may not have looked like a Jewish festival in my house, but I took time out to acknowledge the Holy Spirit, and I hope you did the same.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

May 31

My husband and I are moving across the street into a slightly smaller space. I know what you’re thinking, “they move too much,” and you’re right! We’re downsizing again! The collection of things I’ve been carrying from one place to another is ridiculous! Why do we need all this stuff! Dust collecting objects that just sit there. I do like to be surrounded by beautiful things, but the items collecting in my closets, hidden from sight, need to go! I don’t want my children to have to worry about all of this garbage when we pass on to Jesus, they will have enough to deal with when they sort out the rental properties. Imagine how freeing it is to be loosed from the weight of all this baggage! Our minds also collect baggage, useless, unwanted thoughts that collect in our heads, cluttering our minds, and creating heartache. If you have things in your home that cause painful memories, get rid of it, not only that, as you part with it, recreate the memory to show it as a stepping stone to where you are now. Do the same thing with the clutter in your mind! Don’t wallow in self pity for the rest of your life, it’s too short for that. Collect the fruits of the Spirit and crucify your desire for the flesh! Live unencumbered by clutter, and set yourself free. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-24

May 30

What more could happen to stir the anger of the enemy? Tomorrow is Pentecost, and the enemy hates when we celebrate Jesus, and the Church. If you don’t recognize the torment of the day as a spiritual war, you need to pray that your eyes be opened. This current trouble is not about flesh and blood, it’s about the power and principalities of the air. I went to bed praying Psalms 91, a prayer of protection, and I woke up to the same prayer, but the Holy Spirit added Psalms 51, which is a psalm of repentance. The enemy wants us to think this current tragedy was brought on by humans, but the truth is that a demonic presence was stirred in the heart of a depraved individual, and it released a legion of demons bringing an uprising in hearts that are weak, and unprotected by the Holy Spirit. This war looks like one thing in the flesh, but something different in the spirit. The world thinks it’s a fight over race relations, but the enemy knows that if he can destabilize the world, he can conquer it. He will not win! Those on his side will lose, and their fate is inevitable. Hell is rejoicing; but not for long. With the prayers of those who love the Lord, “no evil shall be allowed to befall you”, and “You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.” Armor up!

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

May 29

Do you think God listens to the prayers of the unsaved? My pastor friend posed a question about strange fire that was mentioned in Leviticus. Two of Aarons sons were excited to be newly advanced to the priestly service; they got carried away by their excitement, and stepped out of bounds by offering fire and incense to God, which was strictly forbidden by the law. It’s possible that on this day Aaron was the only one to perform such duties. My thoughts are that they wanted a bigger, more prestigious role, and because of their arrogance, God struck them down. That day, they had been appointed to assist, not lead, and God was not going to have it, and took them out. 

Many people, who do not know the Lord, take for granted that he listens to them, even when they have no relationship with him. God has a particular order, and if you haven’t surrendered to Jesus, he can’t hear you. Aarons sons neglected God’s order and paid the price with their life. The same thing happens when the unsaved pray; they’ve neglected God’s particular order, so he can't hear them, and will pay the price unless they surrender to Jesus first. As Christians, we are of the priestly order, and can go to God because of our relationship with Jesus; he is our High Priest, and intercedes for us. We are not worthy to stand before God without him.

And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Leviticus 10:2

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. John 9:31

May 28

What we, “The Church,” have just experienced, by being unable to meet together, could be called an Elijah moment, because we were not physically standing in the gap together for our sinful world. During the time of Elijah, Israel was full of idolatry and being ruled by Ahab and Jezebel, who were wicked in the eyes of the Lord. Elijah was sent by God to stay near the brook Cherith for three and a half years, during that time he prophesied that the heavens would be closed up without rain, thus causing a horrible drought. Elijah was in hiding, as well as the other prophets of that time, and unseen by anyone, so he and the prophets were unable to bless them with their presence, or give them hope. Has the cry about the coronavirus been a trial for the churches, or a way to bring about change in our sinful world? When we come out of hiding, like Elijah, will eyes be opened, like the prophets of Baal, when their fake gods didn’t answer their call to burn their sacrifice? My prayer is that something significant happens on Pentecost to show the world that God is the only God, like what happened when God burned up the water saturated sacrifice that Elijah presented. Israel saw what God had done, and fell to their knees; we can only hope that this happens around the world on Pentecost.

Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” 1 Kings 18:38-39

May 27

I miss church. There is something beautiful about congregating with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and this absence has made my heart grow fonder. We are fairly new to the church we are attending, but even then, I still miss the comfort of being around others who are saved by the grace of God through Jesus. Is this the gift of the pandemic? Is it a great reset in our hearts to remind us of how important The Church is? Whatever sinister act created this plague, I expect that God will gain the most from it, because he always does; then he will hand the harvest over to his beloved. Though I’ve been taking every precaution, I’ve not lived in fear, because God replaced my spirit of fear, and has given me a sound mind. Use this opportunity to reset your mind to focus on Jesus, and the peace he brings, and to avoid the chaos brought on by the media; as we can see, the media has been bought and paid for by the enemy. Listen to what God is telling you, because that is good news, and don’t get caught up in the hysteria.

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

May 26

I’ve never seen more friendly birds than those that are on Clearwater beach. They don’t move out of your way when you walk by, and they seem to have little fear of humans. My daughter and I were sitting on the beach watching my grandson play by the water's edge, and out of the blue, a cormorant waddled over to him, and was so close that he could have reached out and grabbed him. Why did that bird feel safe, even my dogs are a bit scared of him? I was amazed, and had never seen anything like it. These birds must not watch the news, where everyone is taught to fear. It’s a sad day when a wild bird is less fearful of humans than humans are of other humans. We are to love one another, and greet one another with a holy kiss; now if I don’t know you, you better not kiss me, but I might hug you upon introduction, at least I would have, before this pandemic. Now I see people who are walking for exercise, wearing masks, and avoiding people by walking around them by 10 or 15 feet, and not even acting friendly about it! Are we becoming antisocial? That’s what the enemy wants, for us to fear one another! I’m with the bird, greet others without fear, or social awkwardness, and for goodness sakes, be friendly, even though you aren’t in close proximity; we still represent Jesus, make sure he shines through.

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 2 Corinthians 13:11-12

May 25

There are false prophets, and evangelicals, who have been sent to lead gullible people in the wrong direction. I have encountered the followers of one such minister, who teaches in our area. I’ve watched as families from all over the United States, and beyond, come at his call while he offers them free things such as education, housing, bills paid, and so on. This one poor, and desperate family, who had moved to our area because of him, came into the place I worked, looking for help. It seemed as though this evangelist hadn’t held up his end of the bargain, and sent them out into the community to seek help on their own. In addition to that, because our business is home rentals, we had several of his people rent from us, of which none were able to continue to pay as required by their lease. These same people had quit their jobs, being drawn away from security, to follow this evangelist. Don’t think you won’t be held accountable for following someone like this; God has given you every opportunity to do your own research to see if a church leader is sent from him. I looked into this evangelist’s teachings, and found that he had twisted some scripture to suit himself; I washed my hands of him! Please, don’t let anyone lead you in the wrong direction; do your research.

for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 1 Kings 13:17-18... And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 1 Kings 13:23-24

May 24

The people who fought and died for our American freedom are brought into memory on this Memorial weekend. Many faced the battlefield to save us from tyranny, but more and more it seems that we’ve forgotten their sacrifice, because the freedom we love is slipping away, one law at a time. Why is it so easy to forget all that God has done for us through these great warriors? 

Did you know that God appeared to Solomon twice? God had given him wisdom, and riches beyond anyone, and yet he forgot, and turned away from him, and built high places for other gods. How are we any different than Solomon? God has given us freedom through those who fought for us, and yet here we are, forgetting their sacrifice and allowing our local officials to rule over us. I hope God uses this tragedy to shake out those who are evil among us, so we make better decisions on who we elect in the future. Don’t let this weekend slip away without honoring those who have fought and died for us. Keep their memory in the forefront of your mind so we may keep the freedom we love. 

And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the LORD commanded. 1 Kings 11:9-10

May 23

As I was reading in 1 Kings 10, a few things peeked my curiosity. This chapter covers some of King Solomon’s riches; what he had built was incredible! His throne was made of ivory, and overlaid with gold! It had six steps leading up to it with lions on each step. It was beautifully detailed and intricately designed.

The fleet of Hiram brought Solomon many things, and with them was “almug” wood for supports. Almug, according to Strong, was probably sandalwood! Not only was the temple and Solomon’s home beautiful, but they had the scent of an earthy musk with woody undertones. One of the descriptions of the sandalwood tree, said it was small, but these beams were not small, and the Bible says, “No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.” 

God had given Solomon wisdom beyond anyone; if he created such beauty with man’s wisdom, how much more beautiful, and fragrant will the Kingdom of Heaven be? We must not worry about our eternity, because what we see now is so bland compared to what we have to look forward to. Live for Jesus now, then live with Jesus in his kingdom for eternity!

And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day. 1 Kings 10:12

The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 1 Kings 10:18

May 22

Sunrise might be my favorite time of day. My eyes are usually a little sleepy, but to see the rays of the sun peaking just above the horizon, and the blaze of God’s design, bringing light upon the earth, gives me a sense of awe. How great is it that God chose to give us another day, and how could anyone deny his existence when they see such an incredible sight? I guess if they deny his existence, they can do what they please without consequences. Oh, what a sad day it will be when they encounter the Truth! I imagine the day that Jesus comes to gather the saints will be like a sunrise; that’s as close as my imagination can get to how incredible it will be. Whisked away at the angels call and the trumpet sound, we will be removed from the earth, and chaos will ensue; the worldly will be left alone in their sin, and the Antichrist will come to deceive them more. Anyone who survives that time, and comes to follow Jesus, will be tormented, and will loathe the sunrise, and be martyred for their faith. Those of us who believe now, will not see that day! 

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

May 21

How fortunate are we that God chose to give color to our eyesight? What more will our eyes see when we enter the gates of Heaven? We don’t know what he is holding back from us. One thing I know is that Paul had gotten a glimpse of Heaven. We don’t know if he was in the body or out, but we do know that he poured his soul into his teachings, which comes with warning as well as wonder. What did he see that we have yet to see? He abandons his care for his life and focused on bringing others to know the Lord; he was more about meeting our spiritual needs, and less about our physical needs. There is life living among us that we don’t see. I believe we may have seen it at one point, when we were young and untainted by our physical sight. When I’m holding my newest grand baby, I can see him look away from me and smile, as if someone else has caught his eye. Jesus tells us that every child has a guardian angel; do babies see theirs? For us, our greatest hope is for the next phase of our life, and dwelling in the house of the Lord, and seeing with our own eyes all the wonders that God saved for those who love him.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Philippians 1:21-24

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 18:10

May 20

One of my favorite pastimes is walking on the beach; for a couple of reasons, one, it’s great exercise, and two, I can get tanned on all sides without rotating. On my walk down the beach, I noticed a blue heron standing in a swimming pool, I suppose he thought he was going to catch a meal. On my way back, I saw that he had moved from the pool to the beach, my guess is that he didn’t have any luck fishing in the pool. We have choices to make, do we continue to beat our heads against the wall teaching or witnessing to unbelievers who refuse our Savior, or do we move on to where the prospects are better? It took the heron a minute to figure out that there were no fish in that pool, and after not getting any bites, he moved on. Sometimes we need to cast our nets on the other side of the boat, or maybe even change ponds. Take your cues from the Holy Spirit, and move on to where the prospects are more plentiful, when you find that those whom you are witnessing to, are not ripe for the Lord.

He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. John 21:6

May 19

Are you happy? We were never promised happiness, however, because of the peace given to us by Jesus, I can truly say that his peace gives me contentment which leads to my happiness. The storms of life will roar around us, and things of this world will fall apart, but we are not of this world! We have been appointed ambassadors to bring the knowledge of Jesus to an otherwise chaotic place. We are to show unbelievers our peace, so they see that we are not rattled by the circumstances surrounding us, and that our peace comes from somewhere beyond us. If you continue to show others you are fearful, how are you any different from them? Stop promoting tragedy on your social media! Start promoting Jesus. Show others that you have confidence in the One who saved you. Jesus was never overwhelmed by the things going on around him, nor should we; if you are, pray, and ask for his peace. If you ask, and it goes away, ask again, and again, until it sticks.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

May 18

As a treat, I had two of my grandsons over to play together. It may have been a treat for them, but Namaw was worn out after two hours! One thing about these two, they are full of energy, but are loving to me and Pawpaw, and to one another. The precious hugs, and cuddles made the mayhem worth it. In a matter of seconds, we had nearly an entire box of crayons spilled, and a cup of ice water poured onto the floor! I clean up the water while the older one picked up the crayons. Though it was a chore, it was delightful to have them, and watch them interact together. In this world, we are unsure what tomorrow will bring; will it bring a blessing or a curse? So today, I choose to be thankful for the little things that bring joy into my heart, and focus less on what’s wrong and more on what’s right. Will you join me in an attitude change today? Let us focus our day on something positive, and offer thanks to the Lord.

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. Proverbs 17:6