October 9

This past week, I received two different packages that were crushed. One box was dirty and looked like someone dragged it through the mud. The post office delivered one, and FedEx delivered the other, so it’s not one particular company being careless. There could have been sinister actors within those companies because one package was from MyPillow, which a vocal Christian man owns. The other was Cinchona bark, which is used to make tonic water, an herbal remedy that helps with certain illnesses. It might be a coincidence, or the enemy is sending me a message; I think it’s the latter because he knows I look for symbolism in repeated situations.

A box is symbolic of the heart and righteousness, so getting a crushed and dirty box, might mean he’s trying to break me or tempt me to sin, but there’s more! The content inside was in pristine condition, as if nothing had happened to the exterior, not one speck of dirt. He might be able to crush you on the outside, but he can never take what’s holding you together on the inside! I’m telling you this, so you know that the enemy is real, and he knows how to communicate with us if we are paying attention. God also uses circumstances to speak to us, but in this day and age where the enemy’s time is short, you might see him attack or discourage you. Sleep in your armor because you never know when he may choose to weaponize against you or send you an ominous message. Heads-up! This war is real.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

October 8

It’s getting close to the time of year where we can sit outside and enjoy an open fire in the fire pit. We had our pavers installed back in May, but the blocks for the surround for the fire pit were on backorder. So yesterday, we picked them up and tried our hand at creating a wall. Now we wait for a crisp, cool day to light a fire, but for right now, it’s still too hot!

In the Bible, fire is used as a means to purify, to melt down gold and silver to remove the dross. 

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16

The words Jesus spoke cut to the heart and burned like sulfur to purify us from the evil that creeps in unannounced. The problem we have is not heeding the warnings from him, ignoring his words by going about our world as if he never existed. Because we have accepted him as our Savior, we will pursue a different path and melt away the impurities, thus becoming refined and pure.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11

October 7

I’m trying to stick to the program and get through Timothy, but I seem to get sidetracked and drawn to other books in the Bible. Paul wrote to Timothy to teach him how to lead his church and give him the requirements for enrolling others as leaders. My new goal is to write at least one paragraph for each chapter of the New Testament, but Timothy is challenging me. However, today, I’m in chapter 6, and there it is! The most misquoted verse in the Bible! 

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 6:10

The love of money is not the root of ALL evil, but ALL KINDS OF EVIL! I would say the love of power ranks up there with the love of money. Then, some people have hate in their hearts, and that alone makes them evil. My lesson today: stop misquoting this verse, and stop anyone who does. Evil can come from many other sources, but money is only one of them.

October 6

Was anyone else hoping Facebook wouldn’t come back up after the blackout? All hopes were dashed when it came back online. What do you think was going on? Was it self-imposed so they could clean up their records because their whistleblower was testifying before congress? The conspiracy theories are running amok, though some sounded plausible. I think it was a “warning shot across the bow” or the “shot heard around the world” because the outage affected people from everywhere. I never realized how much it disturbed my peace until it was gone; I felt so relieved knowing it was out. I stopped checking my phone and lived a normal life for a few hours. Is it time for all of us to lay it down and move on with a healthy, normal life unencumbered by the tentacles of social media? It’s been a good run, reaching beyond our walls to bring the message of hope through Jesus, but now that the message has spread throughout the world, maybe it’s time to live our lives in reality, and give up the gossip and move on to bigger and better things. It’s just a thought. What do you think?

Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 1 Timothy 5:13

October 5

I grew up in the country and have been around animals all my life, but never have I ever been attacked by a chicken! However, we never had roosters at my childhood home, but we did raise some to eat one time. My father-in-law has chickens and hasn’t been feeling well, so feeding them fell on my husband, and then to me whenever he’s too busy to go there. Yesterday, while feeding them, I got spurred and scratched up by one of two roosters! Imagine attacking the person feeding you, but it happens all the time with humans to one another. That rooster is lucky to be alive; he got smacked in the head a couple of times with the bucket I was carrying and almost became dinner! There is an answer to spiritual warfare; use your prayer and rebuke to give the devil and his cronies a good smack in the head, and the next time you enter their territory, they will remember that you will bring down trouble if they bother you. However, don’t overdo it with your words, a simple “the Lord rebuke you” will be sufficient. I don’t imagine I will ever be attacked by that rooster again; he knows who’s boss and will remember the headache I gave him.

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” Jude 1:9

October 4

Yesterday, I talked about what you consume and how everything created by God is good. I, like many, have a sugar craving. I know it causes inflammation in my system and that I should avoid it. However, we had a family gathering for my father-in-law’s birthday, and there was cake and sweets, and I couldn’t resist. I slept late and ultimately had trouble coming up with a story this morning. I have better mental clarity when I eat only low carb, high protein foods; I know my system because the Holy Spirit gave me insight into the best choices that help me sustain my health. Most likely I will be fasting today. 

When I fast, my whole system becomes clean, and it helps restore my mental awareness. Fasting is healthy and creates autophagy which is good for ridding your body of the bad cells, so I’m sure that’s why the Bible recommends it. Fasting resets your system so you can start fresh again. If you are having issues with mental clarity, try fasting and make it a point to eliminate sugar and see how your mind and body react; I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6

October 3

When I was at a recent event, someone mentioned that an individual close to them asserted that the Bible says we shouldn’t eat red meat because it still has blood in it. I’m sure they got their information from the passage in Leviticus where God says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” Even the Israelites still ate beef. I’ve gone through issues with eating certain things, but in the end, I realized that if God made it, we shouldn’t call it unclean. However, if we are convicted that we shouldn’t eat something, it could be the Holy Spirit telling us to refrain. I have an allergic reaction to shellfish, so I know I can’t eat it. Specific warnings may only pertain to us that are not necessarily for the general public. We must be careful with our understanding of God’s word and rightly divide the word of truth. 

If you needed another reason to pray before your meal, besides Jesus telling us to, Paul makes a good case in the following verses. I’ve also included the whole passage because it pertains to what we see in society today, and Paul, through the Holy Spirit, said it better than I ever could.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-5

October 2

My dogs get up early for me to take them out, but who am I kidding? Coco only gets up early because she likes to eat! A few things made me realize that it would be a good day; I’m overlooking the beach and the intercostal, it’s always great to wake up on the beach, and the moon had a smile on its face! The air is cool, well, for Florida standards, it’s cool, and the coffee smells extra good today. Now, I’m waiting for the sun to make its appearance so I can snap a picture of it for you to see. 

This weekend is full of activity for me, and when I get a moment of pure joy, I take it all in, praise God for his goodness and mercy, and for giving me a glimpse of what heaven will be like when all the cares of the world are aligned as he wants them. 

Though the world is in chaos, mine seems okay right now, and I’m thankful the God created me for such a time as this. I may not always tread carefully on subjects of today, but God always brings me back to that which he commissioned me; to help Christians release all their cares and become truly free as God had intended when Jesus came to walk with us. Embrace your days; there’s always hope when you have Jesus. 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5

October 1

The ground is dry again from the lack of rain, and my landscape is suffering. Late yesterday afternoon, I decided to do some watering. Richard had recently moved the hose to another spigot, but I needed it at a different one. As I tried to move it, I realized that he had tightened it more than I could loosen, so I went in and got a pair of pliers. Well, that didn’t work either. Instead, I accidentally broke the whole thing off, and water began shooting out of the wall! Fortunately, he knows how to fix everything, and he came to save the day.

There are times we can’t hear from the LORD, and our communication feels like it’s drying up, and all we want is for God to turn the spigot back on so his Spirit flows again. You can’t force him to turn his communication back on because it wasn’t him that stopped communicating; it is our hearing loss that cuts it off. You have the tools to turn it back on. I equate breaking off the spigot to the occasional “being slain in the Spirit,” as you see in Pentecostal churches; it’s not wrong, but I prefer a nice even flow of the Holy Spirit throughout my day like the shower setting on my spray nozzle. Devote yourself to prayer and the reading of your Bible; those are your tools. When you commit to doing that, the lines of communication will open back up!

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 1 Timothy 4:13

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. Isaiah 44:3

September 30

One of the privileges of being a grandparent is getting to spend time with our grandchildren. Yesterday, while my daughter took my other grandson to the doctor, I spent time with Ethan, our youngest grandson. He is full of life and energy. He thinks he’s grown up and won’t let me hold him like a baby. He’s also astute for an 18-month-old and knows how to play his mom; as she and his brother walked out the door, he started making a ruckus, but as soon as she got about two steps past the door, he turned it off. It was so funny; I thought to myself, “that little toot knows exactly what he’s doing.” What a mess! He’s also a very rough and tumble boy, no weird pronouns for this kid; he's all boy, make no mistake about it! 

I was trying to get a picture of us together when he climbed up on the couch to sit with me, but after I snapped a couple, he had had enough and tackled me. He’s a handful, but no more than any of our other grandsons; his Pawpaw is a handful too, so I attribute his rambunctiousness to him.

Though we may feel we are living in a time of uncertainty, it’s our time, and God gave it to us because we are a special bunch; do your best to live it, don’t hide from it, embrace it! Make the best of your moments, and God will bless your effort.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. Psalms 127:3-5

September 29

We are finally getting a little break from the heat and humidity, so I decided to get out my fall decor. The house I moved from in May was a little bit bigger than the one I’m in now, but most of the extra space was in the bedrooms and closets. I do miss the storage space! When I decorated for fall, I had plenty; however, in the new house, I have more living area, and the decor seems thin.

So, I ventured out to Hobby Lobby and browsed through the holiday decorations. To my surprise, the fall decor was sparse, but I still found a few key pieces to add to my collection. After getting the fall stuff, I decided to look at the Christmas decor because now that I saw how quickly they ran out of fall, I decided that I needed to get a jump on Christmas. They have some Christmas, but had not yet gotten it all displayed, so that was a bit disappointing. I have plenty of Christmas decor, but can you really have too much? 

There is a point to this story; we must keep living. Even though there is a lot of nonsense going on in the world that is causing fear and anxiety, remember, we are not part of the world. We have a Father who loves us and has promised us the restoration of our soul, to feed us as the enemy watches, and to pour in our cup more than we can drink of his Holy Spirit. He is protecting us, and we should not fear. He has mercy on us, and his comforter dwells within us. Do not fret over what you hear in the back channels; take a break, do some decorating, and enjoy the new season.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:1-6

September 28

These are my notes from September 28, 2015

Be flexible, so you don't get bent out of shape. 

A big change is coming to the world you live in. 

During this time of change, you must be flexible. The situation may require it.

Why is our president (Obama) aligning himself with communist dictators? Most recently, over the past few weeks, Cuban leader Castro, China's dictator Zedong a few days ago, and Russia's Putin sometime this week. What is he doing now? Why are we just letting this happen? 

To the followers of Christ: We must do whatever possible to bring our country back into the goodness of the Lord and turn it from the evil path that is on. The Lord is not going to continue to bless our nation if we keep pushing Him out. 

Gather together, gather yourselves together, you shameful nation, before the decree takes effect and that day passes like windblown chaff, before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you before the day of the Lord’s wrath comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger. Zephaniah‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

September 27

After a refreshing weekend, it’s nice to feel rejuvenated to take on another week. Today is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. According to scripture, there were fewer sacrifices offered for that particular day. Today is a day of joy and celebration. 

“With joy, you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3. 

Jesus is our water source. Draw from him when you are thirsty; he is the living water that gives us total satisfaction. By drawing from him, living water will bubble over and flow from you. Drink from his well, and never be thirsty again. 

Celebrate this last day of the feast with joy in your heart and thankfulness for the eternal life he has given us. 

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

September 26

The truth is that if the people of this world don’t have Jesus, it doesn’t matter what’s going on politically. Nothing can protect them from what’s coming. Our time on earth is limited and waning. If we are enslaved by rulers and brought into submission by tyrants, those of us who are saved still have Jesus; no matter what they do to us, they cannot take him away, but the unsaved have nothing. Klaus Schwab said, “You’ll own nothing, and you’ll be happy about it.” The material things of this world are only temporary; they don’t belong to us anyway; God owns everything. He is the one who has allowed evil to exist, and he will be the one to remove them; hopefully, it’s soon. Who will survive if he doesn’t? 

Until we get a reprieve from Jesus, do your best to be informed. Carefully investigate the contents of your food and medications. Make sure that it is safe and includes nutritious ingredients that are helpful and not harmful. Become an advocate for yourself and refrain from depending on others to tell you what is safe to consume. If you knew what was in some of the things we allow into our bodies, you would start a farm and grow your own food and medication! Until that happens, stay informed and do your best to help the unsaved come to know Jesus.

Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him. Isaiah 3:10-11

September 25

There are protests worldwide against va**ine mandates and tyrannical lockdowns, but most people don’t know about them because the news media is purposefully quiet and cannot be trusted to give us the truth. They only say what Satan wants us to hear and are part of the underbelly of this world. 

Did you know that Arizona has completed its audit, and there is enough factual evidence to overturn its election results? Did you know that other states have already begun the same process? Probably not. Our freedom is in jeopardy as we sit quietly by watching it dwindling. We are a picture of the frog sitting in a pot of water, not realizing that it’s about to boil. Satan thinks he’s won, but God’s sovereign plan is falling into place. These irresponsible government officials who want to control the population and take over the world are about to learn their fate, and it’s not good. The people who are awake have had enough and are standing up for the rights of everyone, even for those who are asleep. Keep praying! Those who are for us are more than those who are against us. God’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:9-13

September 24

Habakkuk’s complaint is similar to what we’ve all been complaining about lately; “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.” Habakkuk 1:2-4

The Lord responds to his complaint, and it says, “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” Habakkuk 1:5

The LORD is on his throne, he sees what’s going on, but we must wait patiently for him to act. He knows the pieces that need to fall into place so that his revenge is sweet and justice is served. I wouldn’t want to be standing near any of the satanic people when the earth opens up to swallow them! 

Don’t worry about what may happen to them; keep yourself clean and unblemished by sin.

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3

I believe we may be living in the appointed time; I could be wrong, but what we are experiencing right now makes me feel like we are about to see this word come to pass. Watch and witness what the LORD is doing. Justice will be sweet!

September 23

Unsettled. Knowing that our current situation is only temporary keeps us from truly settling in and becoming comfortable. When you think about it, isn’t that the reason God instituted the Feast of Tabernacles/Sukkot? He wants us to trust him alone and rely on him for our every need, including our home and freedom. He wants his people to set up temporary shelters as a memorial to what he did when he brought his people out from under slavery in Egypt. I believe he intends to release us from our captivity again, but this time it is a worldwide event! As soon as we comprehend that we have the power through God to overcome the evil that has overtaken and is currently dominating this world, he will set us free. He freed his people from Egyptian tyranny through Moses; then, he freed our conscience through our salvation in Jesus; next, I believe he will set us free from the clutches of Satan and bind him to give us true peace. Don’t give up hope, and hold on to what you have until Jesus comes again.

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. Revelation 22:11-12

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:19-20

September 22

My favorite time of year has finally arrived, autumn! Wouldn’t it be awesome if Jesus decided that today was the day for him to come back to reign? After all, it’s 9-22-2021

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Revelation 22:20-21

The numbers line up. It’s my wishful thinking, but what a fantastic surprise that would be to finally see the face of our Savior and to get relief from the wiles of Satan and see him locked away for 1000 years. I’m ready for the peace that would come with his presence. I’m ready for his lies to be displayed for all to see. I’m ready for Jesus to bring relief to his people. Are you? We don’t know the exact day of his return, so we must stay prepared. It will happen quickly. Come, Lord Jesus.

September 21

God must have a blessing prepared for me today! I took the dogs out, and the first noise I heard was an owl. Owls creep me out, and I associate them with demons. They are cute, but they can see in the dark and are nighttime predators who take their prey alive. Then when I sat down to begin my study, all I could hear was a backup beeper from heavy equipment in use across from my house. But what the enemy intended for evil, God meant it for good. Now, instead of being discouraged because my day started awful, I’m looking forward to what God has in store for my day. The lesson is about optimism versus pessimism; when you trust the Lord, you should never be pessimistic and should always look for the goodness he has waiting for you. Now, because of the signs I heard this morning, I hope to hear good news today, and I will not let the enemy bring discouragement. I plan on waiting to hear from the Lord like a child waiting to open a gift! So, for today, I will associate the owl with wisdom! If your day starts a bit rough, wait to see what blessing the Lord has for you and put a smile back on your face in anticipation.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20

September 20

Tonight at dark begins the Feast of Tabernacles. It is believed that Jesus was born during the time of this feast; the Messiah came to tabernacle with us; “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It was on the last day of this feast that 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.’” 

The most significant point of this feast is that it is a precursor and ritual that depicts Jesus coming back to dwell with us and rule and reign, giving us a thousand years of peace. The world needs him to return now and for him to take out the enemy of the people. It’s becoming harder to watch as Satan perverts the truth and uses human sacrifices to satisfy his taste for blood. We need him to come during this feast to save humanity from total annihilation. If you haven’t prepared your heart for his return, I encourage you to do that now. Do not hesitate! If he is to return to us this year, it will probably be during this feast. Come, LORD Jesus.

“Speak to the people of Israel, saying, On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the Feast of Booths to the LORD. Leviticus 23:34