Month: May 2018

For Mother’s Day

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Saturday 5/12 ~ Can I ever become wise?

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The scripture for today, May 12 (5/12), is 1st Kings 5:12 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

 

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“The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him.”

 

God makes a promise of wisdom to Christians today. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Amazing! God doesn’t sit around and tell certain people, “You really messed up. Your life is full of turmoil. Now you come to me expecting me to fix it for you.” No, God does not throw your faults in your face. It’s no use dwelling in the past; that is history.

He is ready and willing to provide guidance for the present and future, the now and later. How can you know God’s wisdom? He certainly does not make you guess.

He put everything he wants you to know in his Word, the Bible ~ examples of people who did and did not mess up their lives and words of advice. All you have to do is open it, and ask God to help you understand it and apply it with wisdom.

God promised. And he keeps his promises.

Friday 5/11 ~ So, ask.

On By In blessings, faith, power, prayerLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 11 (5/11), is 1st Peter 5:11 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

04-FOLK HERO-Child'sCartoon-Thumbnail“To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.”

God has the power to do more for you than you ever dreamed. He can take you in new directions in your life; arrange for you to meet wonderful people; provide the ability to overcome not-so-good things in your life.

All you have to do is ask. Perhaps more than once. Perhaps many times. But he wants you to ask. Why?

Parents sometimes tell their children “no” the first time they ask for something. Maybe it’s because the child needs to find out for him/herself how badly s/he wants it. It’s in the asking that they find out. So God waits for the request. Sometimes the request never comes. And so the blessing never comes.

Remember, God has the power. It is the same power he used to create this amazing universe. He may have something special in mind for you. So ask.

 

 

 

 

Thursday 5/10 ~ You’re not home yet

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The scripture for today, May 10 (5/10), is 1st Peter 5:10f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong and firm and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever.”

This earth is not meant to be your paradise, to be your eternal home. This earth is just the foyer. God stands at the door to heaven and calls you.

Are you too busy watching over things here to look over at his door? Are you too caught up with temporary things of this world to stop and listen for God?

Is there too much noise in your life? The noise of problems with job, home, family, government, neighbors, health? Remember, you are only in the foyer.

Life is not always easy. Do you have the stamina to not be sidetracked? Do you have the fortitude to keep walking toward his door?

God can make you strong and firm and steadfast if you will stop the noise and listen for him. God can make you strong and firm and steadfast if you keep your eyes on his door.

You’re not home yet.

Wednesday 5/10 ~ Are you a peacemaker?

On By In death, Death of Jesus Christ, EnemiesLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 9 (5/9), is Matthew 5:9 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Thumbnail“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.”

Jesus, the only begotten Son of God (Christians are adopted sons) was a peacemaker. He came to earth to help us make peace with God. After all, “all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It only takes one sin to be a sinner. And God cannot dwell with sin. What was the solution?

Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. In Old Testament times, God let people kill a perfect animal in their place and collect their death wage. But they kept having to do it. Finally, Jesus came to earth and lived that perfect life that is impossible for us to live as the perfect Lamb of God. Then he allowed himself to take our punishment for our (not his) sins and collect the death wage in our place.

His was the final sacrifice. Now, by following Jesus, God adopts us and makes us his children. Jesus was a peacemaker between God and man.

You, too, can be a peacemaker. You can help people be at peace with themselves. You can help them be at peace with each other. And you can help them be at peace with God. Thereby, you can share in what God’s begotten Son was ~ a peacemaker.

Tuesday 5/8 ~ Deadends blocking heaven

On By In attitude, Enemies, Heaven, Inspirational, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 8 (5/8), is Psalm 5:8 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies ~ make straight your way before me.”

An enemy would like nothing more than to get into a good fight with someone. Do not let that happen. You have better things to do than argue with people.

Set your eyes, not on your enemy, but on the Lord. The path of enemies will take you on all sorts of side trips that lead to dead ends. The path of God rises up before you ~ straight and direct. Never let your attention stray from that path.
Keep on walking on the path of God.

And keep on walking,

and keep walking,

and walking, and walking….

….Until at last, you walk right through the gates of heaven.

Monday 5/7 ~ Lord, why don’t you stop all this suffering?

On By In discouragement, Heaven, Inspirational, Loss, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 7 (5/7), is  1st Peter 5:7 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Oh, how hard life can be sometimes. We wonder why God doesn’t stop all the bad things. But, if there were no evil and bad things happening, we would have heaven on earth. Satan is the Prince of this world. 

How many times in a week are you anxious about something? Your job, your home, your children, your neighbors, your government, your health? How many times in a day? Are they heavy? Sometimes almost too heavy to bear?

Name them to God. Tell him all about them. Go into as much detail as you like. Then put them all on his shoulders. That’s what he wants you to do. He will carry those burdens for you.

Yes, this is not heaven on earth. But Jesus provides a way for us to escape to the other world in heaven.  We don’t have to escape; he doesn’t force us. In the meantime, he calls out, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Why? He cares for you.

 

Sunday 5/6 ~ Where has Jesus gone?

On By In emptiness, eternity, Inspirational, loveLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 6 (5/6), is Song of Solomon 5:6 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-new“I opened [the door] for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.”

Jesus is the lover of your soul. He opens the door for you, but perhaps you’re spending all your time thinking about material things. His heart sinks when you run away from him. Oh, how his heart aches with loneliness for you.

So Jesus goes out looking for you. He looks everywhere you go. He calls you by name. But perhaps your life is so full of the noise of doing and going and accomplishing, that you do not hear him.

Stop! Allow some quietness into your life. Then listen. Do you hear that? Jesus is calling for you.

Saturday 5/5 ~ Seek peace. Deep peace.

On By In discouragement, Inspirational, Loss, love, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, May 5 (5/5), is Micah 5:5a as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“And he will be their peace.”

The little book of Micah was written during a time when his country was full of prosperity. But it was also full of abused power. The lower on the social scale, the more the people suffered at the hands of the powerful few.

In the midst of warning the social elite, Micah offers comfort to their victims. You may be going through economic distress such as losing your job or losing your home. You may be going through social distress such as being passed up for a promotion or losing friends because of your moral code.

Seek peace. Deep peace.

Sometimes, it is only possible to reveal powerful abusers by revealing their victims to the world. Sometimes our job is to just survive so that a future generation can find justice and acceptance. Or sometimes we must lose everything so that we can quit worrying about this world and look forward to the next.

Seek peace. Deep peace.

So when you feel left behind with nothing, look up! God is still on his throne. God still holds out his arms. God still wipes away tears. Possibly it is at such times that you can feel God’s love most warmly and God’s peace most deeply.

For Mother’s Day

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