October 24

I, like many of you, have been fretting over this election, so much so that it has become an obsession, and like any obsession, it’s unhealthy. It’s just getting worse as each day passes, especially after reading that a record number of young people have voted, which automatically leads me to believe that they will turn the vote away from pro-life. I was praying this morning, knowing that God is hearing from his elect who are petitioning him repeatedly concerning the turmoil we are in and what we expect to face. As usual, I turned to the scriptures for comfort. I’m in the book of Mark, combing through the parables, but it’s time to move to the next chapter, but I didn’t feel ready, so I backtracked and decided to read the last section of Mark 4, and like usual, Jesus is there asking me and all of us “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” I broke down in tears because here is his answer to our storm. 

I don’t like being in the middle of a storm; it robs me of my tranquility and puts me into the fight or flight mentality. Here I am searching the globe to try and find a place to go to get away from these reprobates who are wreaking havoc on our society, and there is no such place anymore; we're living in the last frontier, and here is Jesus, speaking words to calm the storm, “Peace! Be still!” I know I’m not alone in this; I read your posts. Today is Saturday, the Sabbath; let's use this day to rest our weary minds and focus on Jesus. Then tomorrow, we will be ready to praise and worship him on his day, the LORD’s day. He is our peace in the middle of the storm; there’s no need to worry, he’s in the boat with us!

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Mark 4:39-40

October 23

What talents and gifts do you have that are from the LORD that are sitting unused? He has given us all a measure, but if we don’t use them to benefit his kingdom for his glory, he will take them away. However, when you put them to use, he will give you more. Jesus explains this in the parable of the lamp; you need to let your light shine for all to see, and not hide it under a basket. What if it’s your talent or gift that is necessary to shed light for all to see the evil that is hidden in the darkness? Use it or lose it! 

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4:21-25

October 22

I don’t think I’m the only one feeling stress right now, but even with only 12 days left until the election, I don’t think it will go away any time soon. As one of my friends puts it, “so we pray!” Lately, I’ve been praying more than ever. I’m ready for all of this to be over and have some normalcy restored. 

When you are praying, pray for our fellow Christians in Lagos, Nigeria, they are facing times of trouble and need for us to come together as their brothers and sisters in Christ and bring our petitions before God on their behalf. Many young, peaceful protesters were killed by government soldiers and left to die in the streets, while the soldiers blocked the ambulances from going in to help. This atrocity was uncalled for and procured by their corrupt government.

Will we as Americans face this same thing if a corrupt regime takes office? You can count on it. So we pray. The world has gone mad, so we pray. Pray for peace in your heart that only Jesus can give. Praying for someone else will help bring healing to us. In this world, you will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

October 21

There are days that I have a lightbulb moment while reading the scriptures, and something obvious is highlighted and explains the situation of today. It’s a sad commentary, and maybe the separation of the goats and the sheep in modern Christianity. Many “Christians” have eyes to see and ears to hear, but they can’t perceive it; I believe these are Christians in name only. Hate is not a trait of a Christian, so if you feel hatred toward anyone, you either need to ask forgiveness or seek salvation. 

There are Christians, in name only, who hate President Trump. I didn’t care for the Obama administration, but I never hated him. I know and love many people who call themselves Christian, that detest and have a severe hatred toward our President; their eyes and ears are closed, their hearts are hardened, and they need our prayer. These are the people who hear an amusing story and laugh at it, but do not understand its meaning, like in the parable of the sower who dropped seeds on rocky ground, and the seed sprang up quickly but had no depth. These are the people that the devil has hoodwinked, and they will be voting for the slaughter of innocent children who are locked in a womb. Hatred and murder are not a fruit of the Spirit.

If these people are successful and vote to install a product of the devil into the Whitehouse, where will we go if their socialistic administration has its way? There is no new land to which we can escape. Surrender everything you have to God today; it’s our only hope for freedom, both physically and mentally.

And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” Mark 4:11-12

October 20

We’re back at home. I’m happy to be out of the cold weather; this Florida blood can’t take those lower temperatures. We did most everything we wanted to do while in the mountains, and have no regrets for the things we didn’t do, but I can’t say that in general; there are things that I didn’t do when I was younger that I regret and I tend to beat myself up over them. 

One recent regret is not insisting that my mother stay the night at my house after the long drive back. It was still early, and her drive home is just an hour away, so I never thought about it again. On her way home, she got into a fender-bender. It wasn’t her fault, but if I had insisted she stay, her car would still be intact. I’ve been beating myself up over it since last night.

There are some things I have to remember; she wasn’t hurt, but she’s probably sore from the jolt, and nothing that either of us did was the cause of this; it was just an unfortunate accident. 

I know a lot of people torture themselves over the things of the past, but God has removed them from his view through your covering of Jesus. Try to let those things go; God can’t see them, and what other people think about you doesn’t matter. Let it go, and live the best life you can from this day forward without looking back in regret.

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Isaiah 43:18

October 19

It’s incredible the difference a little bit of time can make. We were at the cabin in Georgia ten days ago to do some work. It was raining then and slightly cool, and the leaves had hardly begun to change. Two weeks later, the leaves have changed color, are beginning to fall, the weather has cleared, and is much cooler. The difference is dramatic, and it shows how time transforms things. If you are going through a difficult situation today, wait; as the days pass, you will see it change, and hopefully, it will be for the better. However, remember whether your days are good or bad, God is in your midst; rely on him to get you through when it’s bad, but don’t forget to give him praise, and worship him through the shift in your season.

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28

October 17

Because of a cold front coming in, we had a mostly overcast day while “leaf looking” in the mountains. We could see the colors, but because of the lack of light, they were somewhat muted. As the day wore on, the clouds broke, and the sun came from behind the clouds and lit up the trees so we could see the spectacular reds and yellows. Though we had some good color in the foothills, we decided to travel to a small town called Highlands; I like Highlands because it is meticulously manicured, and I like things clean and neat. My friends have a home there, so we decided to drive up and look at it. They didn’t tell me that the road was steep and had a few hairpin turns before getting to it. I had to get out of the car once we got there to settle down a bit before the drive into town. They have a breathtaking view of the mountains! When we got into the higher elevations, the colors took on a dramatic change and were vivid; the cooler temperatures must have brought on the color a little earlier than the lower elevations. Though the road was winding and steep, we saw the most striking beauty on that short detour before heading home. My analogy of this day is the closer you get to God, the more beautiful the scenery, but I’m not referring to your physical elevation; I’m comparing it to our growing love for the Lord, the closer you get to him, the more beautiful he becomes, and the life we live upon this earth has a real purpose. 

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. Psalms 27:4-5

October 16

I’m intrigued by the waterfall beside the cabin. One thing that can be seen is two small creeks that run into a small lake that then spills over to create the cascade of the waterfall. You would expect that a raging river would make such as this, but that is not the case for this fall. What is the explanation for it? The lake is merely a pool that holds the water before it is funneled toward a dam that directs it to run in a specific direction, which, in our case, is right by our cabin. It creates such beautiful scenery that I can hardly get enough of it. If you think about it, that’s how the Holy Spirit works; he begins as a trickle when you first become saved, but as you increase in the knowledge of God, your faith increases and in turn the Spirit within you advances. The sound is soothing, and because it’s flowing down from a mountain, it’s cold, crisp, and refreshing. I hope to someday become like a gushing waterfall, spilling over, and flowing into a raging river of living water. It’s a worthy goal, and will be accomplished as long as I keep my eyes on God. Consider setting a spiritual goal, and watch as God works with you to achieve his purpose, and sends a rushing flow of living water that spills on everyone you meet.

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38

October 15

My mom and I are headed up to the mountains to see the seasonal color of the changing leaves that we don’t get to see here in Florida. So as I prepared, I decided to clean out my car and run it through the car wash; because I don’t want complete strangers judging me on my filthy car. It’s been a long time since I’ve sat in my car as it goes through the cleaning process. As it began, I glanced down at my phone for just a second, and when I looked back up, it was dark and scary! The brushes, foam, and the water spraying caused the car to become completely covered, and I couldn’t see a thing. It finally rolled closer to the end, and the sprayer began to rinse the suds, and the blower began to dry it off, and I could see the light at the end. What a grueling process! If I didn’t know what was going on and where I would end up, I would have been full of fear. 

Here is the lesson I learned; living in the world is not easy, and it’s becoming a lot harder to live in, especially as a Christian, but God has us encapsulated, like me being safe inside my car. In the end, we will be clean and living in the light of Jesus. Put your fear away, and trust that God is in control.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4

October 14

We’ve had some trouble with the reception on our television lately. It’s a smart TV, but its connection to our internet seems a little sketchy. It’s getting a bit obnoxious when watching, and suddenly you get that twirling ball and a blank screen.

There are days when I feel like I’m getting that twirling ball and a blank screen when trying to hear God’s voice, and I’m unsure of myself and question my reception; am I tuned in or out of tune? On those days, I rely heavily on the scriptures and the perception of a trusted commentator and Bible scholar. That keeps my teaching on-point and truthful. Consulting the scriptures is the right thing to do; even when you are sure you hear God’s voice, it helps to confirm and keeps you from taking God’s Word out of context. The scriptures are God’s voice, and you can guarantee that what you hear him say to you will not go against what the scriptures tell you. 

I don’t mean to pry into your lives, but I’m seeing a lot of twirling balls on your screens, and believe you need to plug in the cable and consult the scripture for clarity. Don’t go another day with a fuzzy screen and a twirling ball.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

October 13

Lately, those who’ve come out fighting are doing it to disguise their lies. The darkness is being uncovered and brought into the light. Scandal after scandal on the evil side of politics is exposed. When real journalists begin following the money, the truth comes out and what we are experiencing here in the United States becomes clear. For too many years, the American people have been gullible, and taken advantage of by the political swamp. Now that we have a no-nonsense leader, the swamp is getting drained like the Everglades. Soon we will build on prime property. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. I’m blown away by the number of Christians who have fallen for the deceit. God has a plan for all of the turmoil we are experiencing, and like it or not, he will prevail, and his plan will go forward with or without the help of so-called Christians. Pray that you are on the right side. Pray that you’re following biblical principles as you maneuver through this political climate. Pray that you have ears to hear. God help you if you follow the murderous into hell. 

Remember the lynch mob sent to get Jesus? They had nothing but lies to find him guilty, but eventually, the truth came out and the darkness was brought into the light. Our President is not Jesus, but he has been sent to help the real Christians.

The following scripture is happening right here, right now, just like in biblical times!

For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Mark 4:22-25

October 12

My computer was malfunctioning; it became locked in a thinking state with a twirling rainbow ball spinning and spinning. It sat unused for months because the Apple store shut down because of COVID, and the repair business they refer to was too backed up to take on new clients. Apple finally opened, and I made an appointment to have it checked; there was good news and bad news. The good news is that it was repairable; the bad news was that the memory would be wiped clean. Now I start fresh, but because most of my business files were on that computer, I will have to retype all my lease forms and create all-new spreadsheets, financial statements, and property lists. The good thing about this is that everything will be fresh and up-to-date, and I will have clean, verified information going forward. 

When you became a Christ-follower, your slate was wiped clean; fortunately, but unfortunately, we get to keep our memory. That’s why it’s up to you to reprogram yourself and start clean. Just like me rewriting my forms, I will use them as a guide, but will make them better, and learn from them; you must also rewrite your life, using your old life as a guide, but now you have a clean copy, without the sin from the past blocking your blessings. Isn’t it amazing what Jesus can do? Learn from him.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

October 11

As a Christian, you are a servant of Jesus; he is your master. Each of us has received a substantial gift from him that he expects us to invest in others. If you think Jesus is passive, you have mischaracterized him! He doesn’t chase us around with a whip, but he does expect us to be obedient and invest our gift to increase his power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise. He is worthy of all of these things, and every faithful servant should increase them. Some will increase the gift, but unfortunately, many will bury it and bring it out when he comes to rule on the earth, but that will be too late; those who hid the gift may end up in hell. 

I know what you are thinking; what gift did he give us that we haven’t invested? The Holy Spirit! We each received the special gift when we accepted Jesus as Savior, but if it sits dormant and doesn’t increase, in the end, he may say that he never knew you. It would be like receiving a ticket to the Super Bowl, but locking it away in a vault and never using it to get into the game. Is Jesus’s investment in you increasing? If not, it’s time to use that ticket to get into the game!

How do you get into the game or invest the Holy Spirit? It’s steps of faith. The more you trust him, the more trust he gives you. When your confidence in him increases, you are less likely to worry about what others think of you, and you will tell everyone about him. The more people you bring, the more they will bring, and so on. That’s how the Kingdom increases. Start with your children and family; they are your first order of business; it’s like putting money in the bank!

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matthew 25:29

Read the full parable in Matthew 25.

October 10

I don’t know much about solar energy, but I do know that it takes the sun to create it. The sun is converted to usable energy when the panels absorb the sunlight. No sunlight, no power. The sun is vital to our lives; it helps our food to grow, and it provides heat.

Like clockwork, the sun rises daily and on time. There is a period of darkness before the glory of the light is seen. We must fuel up while the light is shining because night will come again. What will happen when the sun no longer rises? Will you have enough oil to keep your lamp burning, or are you only bringing enough for the here and now? I can tell you that we are facing a coming of darkness, and it is here; and though we may fall sleep, we must have a tank full to light our way when Jesus appears to take us home. I prayed a prayer as a child, “if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul, to take.” That may have been enough to fuel me as a kid, but my knowledge has grown, and I, therefore, need more fuel to keep me alive. 

We must fill up while the sun is still shining, just like solar power, we need to absorb the light of Jesus so our oil tanks are full when he appears on that great and glorious day. We don’t want to buy more after he calls us; he will shut the door, and we will be left behind.

And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:10-13

October 9

Bible truth alert! No cute story today.

Why did Jesus say, when speaking to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”, in Matthew 24? His disciples had asked him what the signs would be for the coming of the end of the age, and this was a part of his answer. You see, this answer could lead to some confusion because Jesus is speaking only to the Jews, not the Church. What does he mean by “this generation”? Many, many generations have passed since he spoke these words. The answer is in the term “generation.” It would be nice if the translators would use words that make things plane and not appear to be contradictory. When I looked up the word, here is what I found:  

From (a presumed derivative of) G1085; a generation; by implication an age (the period or the persons): - age, generation, nation, time. 

The Bible is not contradictory; the translators may be using words that we understand differently. If they had included the word “nation,” we would understand the text to mean the Jewish nation would not pass away until all these things take place. 

Why do some people think Christians will face tribulation? Because he also mentions “the elect,” which are the saved. If all the saved are ruptured, it can only mean those Jews who accept Jesus as Savior after the rapture of the Church. 

Forgive me for rambling this morning, but if I’m a little confused by some words in this chapter, I’m sure others are too. I’m just trying to clear up the muddy water. 

And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Matthew 24:22

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34

October 8

I had coffee with a friend yesterday. She and her husband live in a community outside of town; it’s a sprawling development that has attracted many businesses because of the sheer size and the excessive number of homes located there. The people that had occupied that area before the developers came in were there to get away from the city, but when this subdivision popped up, the city came out to them, and the rural country was eaten up. It’s a beautiful area with trails and other amenities that attract families, but the location is odd. My friend loves it there, and I don’t blame her; their home is beautiful. 

Speaking of developers, after having our coffee and chitchatting, her husband brought out Donald Trump! I know, it shocked me too! Here I am posing with him; unlike what we see on Twitter, he was reticent. All joking aside, we must all vote in this upcoming election, and hopefully, most of you will align yourself with the party that recognizes the value of all life, including life in the womb. Both parties are corrupt, but only one believes in life and freedom. No matter the result of this election, God is still on his throne, and Jesus is still in charge of the government, even if you don’t like it.

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

October 7

It’s been a grueling process, but we are finally moving forward! I spent the entire day yesterday running all over Tampa, picking up permits, delivering blueprints, and recording a notice of commencement so we can start building duplexes. Richard has been clearing trees, installing a fence, and preparing the ground, among other things, for this project. We started this over a year ago, and we haven’t wasted a moment, but we must depend on others to fill in where our abilities end; such as architects and engineers, who don’t always work at our pace, and then there are the county employees, who could care less about us or our project, so they intentionally make it difficult. Not only that, but then COVID slowed the process by more than six months! But we made it! Now the fun begins! This process is much like our growth in Jesus. It starts in its simplest form of accepting Jesus, then as we grow, we must contend with the enemy throwing roadblocks in our path. There is a lot of clearing out of trees and underbrush to prepare the ground; then, we begin to build on the foundation of Jesus. When all is said and done, we will have created a magnificent mansion! Don’t give up when things get difficult; it’s all part of the process, and it will work out in the end. You are not alone in this life; you have the Holy Spirit as your companion; his guidance and wisdom is what will help you as you move forward; so keep building up your life in Jesus; it will be worth every challenge you face.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

October 6

So, about that bird feeder, it’s just as I suspected, a maker of weeds! My perfectly manicured yard is now a weedy mess due to the birds spilling their food out of the feeder! I may have found a solution; we’ll see if it works; it’s a tray hanging under the feeder to catch any extra seed that’s dropped. 

For this same reason, the Pharisees got carried away with instituting rules, making it impossible to be righteous in the eyes of man. I’m sure they had good intentions, like me wanting to feed the birds, but the rules got out of hand, so Jesus came to straighten them out by teaching us what God had intended by the original rules. Jesus taught that when you love God and love people, the rest will fall into place, and the need for other regulations becomes unnecessary. 

If the birds didn’t spill their food, then it wouldn’t be necessary to have the tray below the feeder, and there would be no evil weeds growing among the intentionally planted shrubs. When you love Jesus, your mind changes, and it’s easy following God’s rules because everything falls into the place he had intended. 

If those birds don’t stop spilling all that seed onto the ground, I’m going to take away the trough, just as God will eventually remove his followers from the earth, then there will be no one to feed the world.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

October 5

 

Any sin against the church and Jesus Christ is an offense that could damn someone to eternal hell; if two or more believers agree together, whatever they bind on earth, will also be bound in heaven. In my opinion, Plann** ******hood and child sex traf****ing fits the description. I know this is unconventional. We may not be gathered physically; however, I ask that you agree with me today that these two industries be stopped by God and sent to the eternal pit of hell and that the enemy be forced to release these children from his grip. Let’s work together within the spiritual world to stop this travesty against the children of today and the generations to come. Wouldn’t it be incredible if our simple agreement on this issue dissolved it from the earth? I would love to see the hand of God move quickly on these issues, and see all the people involved pay the price with their lives. 

If you agree with me on this, please indicate by commenting “agree.” I will then know that you have prayed and that we have an agreement in the spiritual world. I don’t know what this end will look like, or how quickly it will happen, but rest assured they will pay the price for their heinous acts against the children.

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:18-20

October 4

My brother gave away his daughter yesterday. In many cases, the family of the bride may not find anyone to be worthy of their precious jewel, but God blessed her with a man we have all grown to love as our own. We had to contend with the weather, so my sister and I prayed with the bride's uncle that the rain might go around us. God kept most of the rain at bay, but it sprinkled just enough to anoint the celebration with the presence of God and wash it clean for a beautiful new beginning. 

God gave away his precious son as a groomsman to us; we are the bride of Christ. We are adorning ourselves just like Esther when she was given beauty treatments for her wedding to the king. We are now awaiting his return from the Father’s house where he has gone to prepare a place for us and is adding on to the house so we will be comfortable there. I think we can all say that we are anxious for that day and are waiting at the gate to hear his call. 

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3