Category: judging

Prayer for Monday

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, Enemies, governments, judging, love, persecution, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, victory, worship1 Comment

(I don’t normally include my prayers of repentance, but today I am.)

10-Daniel-KindleThumnailThe snowflakes outside my window praise you with all their intricacies and surprises. The icicles praise you as they hang on upside down and grow longer with each drip, drip, drip. The scampering squirrels and fluttering little birds praise you as they brave the cold outside and look in my direction every once in a while as though to say, “Come on out. The winter’s fine”. And, oh how the stars take on a special sparkle and effervescence in the wintertime when so much of the earth is asleep. It is as though they are saying, “Go ahead, world, and sleep. I’ll be here watching over you.” You are in everything because you made everything. How exciting it must have been for you those days of creation.

There are people in this world who seem to have no conscience. They had just as soon kill a person as to step on an ant.  I am afraid of people like that and do not want to be around them. Even though they are overtly doing the work of Satan, I must cover them with prayer. I don’t do it. I don’t pray for my enemies or the enemies of the world. Grab them, God, and stab them in the heart so the hardness will leave and they can catch a glimpse of you.

Thank you for little babies. They remind me of my helplessness to make food grow and my dependence on you. Thank you for little toddlers who patter around discovering their world and giggling in delight. Thank you for adults who are mentally still like children. They remind me of innocence in an adult body and how I should be more like them. As I look around this world, I see blessings you give me in every corner of the universe. And, oh how they make me want to worship you.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/2VrTab9

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10-Daniel-KindleThumnailDANIEL is storybook #10 in the series A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES.  Daniel got along with everyone, even enemy kings.  He arrived in Babylon as a slave and rose to what we today would call prime minister, second only to the emperor.  He did not lie, cheat, or steal to become that popular.  He stood up for right when no one else did. People respected him for that.  THINK & DO at the end of each chapter.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/2VrTab9

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Prayer for Saturday

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, governments, judging, love, patience, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, worship2 Comments

3 Great Kings Kindle-ThumbnailJehovah, you are the God of my heart. I trust in you. I believe you are here even though I cannot see you or feel you. If I could, you would be finite and not with everyone at once. You are infinite in greatness, in power, and invincible love. You are larger than the universe that has never been and can never be measured. And, just how do I trust you? There are some things I have hoped would happen for a very long time. Years. Sometimes I begin to worry but stop myself.  If it is your will, it will happen, no matter what people try to do to stop it.  If it is not your will, it will not happen.  I will continue on in my life feeling at peace because I trust your decision.  Oh, what an effervescent thought. You are in on all my decisions. I worship you.

How can I thank you, Lord Jesus, for willingly going through the pain I caused you in order to save me from the consequences of my own sins? You did not have to. But love is that way and you are Love.  Love compels and will not let go. You ran after me and said, “Follow me out of the darkness.”  I followed you and what an adventure it has been since then. The sad and remarkable thing is that I continue to sin over and over, and you continue to forgive me over and over. Oh, that I would have a love like that. As hard as I try, my gratitude is just a glimmer of a spark compared to you, my mighty sun.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/2uk8jQq

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3 Great Kings Kindle-Thumbnail3 GREAT KINGS is storybook #8 in the series A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES.  Saul got mad easily, but he was also a great warrior.  David sat around singing, but he was a great leader.  Solomon was a spoiled rich kid, but he wrote proverbs to live by that are just as life-challenging as when he wrote them 900 years ago.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/2uk8jQq

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Prayer for Wednesday 2/19

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, Bible, Enemies, faith, humility, Inspirational, joy, judging, love, praise, prayer, worshipLeave a comment

05-Joseph-KindleThumbnailI cannot help but praise you, my Adonai, each day and all day. I cannot keep my thoughts very far from you.  You lift my weary soul and soar with me through the universe and back. You are the life of my body and spirit. You are the love of my being. Your words are absorbed in my heart and treasured in my soul. I sigh with wonder, for the psalmist said you think about me all the time.  Me among untold millions?  How can that be?  Because you are everywhere just as you are in my heart, I am in yours and you are Love.

Thank you, God, for the little birds I see outside my window each morning. There they are, ready to greet me. And the sun. Each morning it rises just to say, “I’m back. Didn’t I promise you I would be?”. The darkness is good because it makes me rest. But how I love the morning and the world waking up with it. And thank you for pouring your heart out to the world in your Bible. Now I can know you and have no doubts. How many in this world are willing to pour out their heart to others as you did?

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/2uR5B5o

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05-Joseph-KindleThumbnailJOSEPH is book 5 in the series A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES.  Joseph thinks well of everyone, even those who are mean to him.  He only thinks good about others ~ his hateful brothers, slave traders, the jailor.  And what a friend: He goes out of his way to find things to do for others.  “Think & Do” at the end of each chapter for a good work.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this………. https://amzn.to/2uR5B5o

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Prayer for Monday 2/17

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, ego, Enemies, forgiveness, humility, joy, judging, patience, persecution, praise, prayer, sinLeave a comment

03-Abraham-ThumbnailCoverAh, Lord God, when I look at the mountains, I see you standing on top of them with laughter on your lips, power in your legs, protection in your arms. When I look at the animals in winter, I see you with determination, resilience, and strength against the winds, the sleet, the snow. One of these days I will see the crocuses peeking their heads through the snow and saying to the world, “Hi! Remember me? You’ve almost made it through the winter. See I’m proof.” Oh, the beauty of your universe and all the promises it reflects of their Creator.

Thank you for life and love, for peace and freedom, for family and friends.  And, well, it’s hard for me to do, but well, here goes.  Thank, you for people who talk mean to me, are impatient with me, who mock me, who hate me even though they do not know me.  Thank you for people who misrepresent me, gossip about me, and do not see things the way I do.  Thank you for all these opportunities you put in my path to love those who do not love me.  Like you. Just like you. Thank you for the opportunities to smile when I want to frown, sing when I want to cry.  As you once said long ago, “What does it profit me if I love only those who love me?”.  And, yes, the biggie:  You loved me before I loved you.  I guess it’s my turn now, Lord.  But what’s this forgiving 490 times the same person for the same thing over and over?  Oh, that’s me. I think now I understand.  I am most blest.  Thank you for forgiveness and all those second chances you have given me. How can I ever thank you?  Hmmm… Looks like I’ve gone full circle, my Lord.

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I pen my thoughts to encourage souls. Will you help me share today’s book with someone?          https://amzn.to/38wmroy

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03-Abraham-ThumbnailCoverABRAHAM is Bible storybook #3 in A CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES series.   Sometimes Abraham would go see old Noah. But when he was 58, Noah died.  The city of Ur went wild after that. A few years later, God told Abraham to leave that city.  Come along with me to learn all the unexpected twists and turns in Abraham’s life. “Think & Do” at the end of each chapter.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….  https://amzn.to/38wmroy

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Thursday 12/26 ~ True and eternal honor

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, ego, eternity, humility, judging, Life of Christ, praise, things, weakness, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 26 (12/26), is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-new“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Ah, Lord Jesus. We claim we understand how humble you were, then build great cathedrals which we claim are to your glory but which are really to our glory. We organize great musical performances which we claim are to your glory, but which are really to our glory.

Just where was Jesus when he was on earth saying this?  In a posh hotel in Jerusalem? Did he have great musicians performing in the background? Did he stand on a podium and declare this to multitudes? Who are you fooling when you declare you are his servant?  

Who or what are you really a servant to? Power in a workplace, club, congregation, neighborhood? Prestige in a community, an occupation, an organization? Self-indulgence of money, music, entertainment?

While you are pursuing things in life, is Jesus there with you? Are you doing what he would be busy doing?  Are you where he was when he said this?

Dare to be a servant to the power of Jesus’ love, prestige in the eyes of God, self-indulgence in the joy of worshiping Him. In this only is there true and enduring honor.

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0-BK 4-FolkHero-Cover-Kindle-thumbnail-newTHEY MET JESUS:  FOLK HERO. Jesus was a hero but never had a cathedral to preach in.  He never had a great choir or grand orchestra as a mood creator before his sermons.  He never wore clothes that were different from other people or insisted on people bowing and kissing his ring.  When he performed miracles of feeding thousands, he never had fine crystal or silver urns to distribute the food or gather up the leftovers.  How we, in our misdirected zeal, shame him.  We bow at his wounded feet and ask his forgiveness.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2EXU85s

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Tuesday 12/24 ~ Exciting new discoveries

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Inspirational, judging, knowledge, Life of Christ, Scripture, teaching, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 24 (7/24), is Matthew 7:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

0-Michel-COVER-Kindle-ThumbnailThe problem we have with putting into practice the Words of God is that we sometimes read blindly. We don’t see the significance of something. We may read it over and over for years and never see its significance.

Take, for example, the story of Jesus’ birth. We sometimes see pictures of baby Jesus in a stable with the shepherds and three wise men all gathered around him. But Matthew 2:11 says by the time the wise men arrived, Jesus and his parents were living in a house. Further, the Bible does not say how many wise men there were; it just says they gave three kinds of gifts ~ gold, incense and myrrh. There may have been ten or twenty wise men. And, Jesus’ age was close to two by then.

How about 1st Timothy 3:2?  “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” This word “overseer” is sometimes translated bishop, sometimes elder, and sometimes pastor. It’s all the same office. We might think at first glance that we believe all this. But do we glaze over the fact that he must have a wife? Hmmm….

Here’s another one. At funerals, we often quote Psalm 23:4, “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.” But for the Christian, there are no shadows in the valley of death. Jesus was born “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:79).

Did you know the word “baptism” is never translated in most Bibles? It is a Greek word meaning immersion. Did you know the word “unknown” never appears next to tongues in the Bible? Did you know the word “tongues” is translated most places as languages?

Oh, so many things we overlook ~ meaningful things. Let us continue to study God’s Word daily with our mind and heart open to new things our religious leaders never told us so that we can build the house of our lives “on the rock.”

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0-Michel-COVER-Kindle-Thumbnail99c today and tomorrow.  MICHEL: THE FOURTH WISEMAN is based on a possible descendant of Daniel whose family stayed in Parthia and was in the court of King Phraattes.  He lost everything to make his dream come true: Restore the Garden of Eden so God will walk the earth again.  He was interrupted by a strange star and went on a journey with nine other wise men to find the meaning of the star.  After traveling two years, they find the meaning and go to Bethlehem. There Joseph tells them little Jesus is God walking on earth. Michel goes into a meltdown.  99c today and tomorrow.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/377DRH6

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Thursday 12/19 ~ Sweet revenge. Or not.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, Enemies, Fear, forgiveness, healing, judging, persecution, sin1 Comment

The Scripture for today, December 19 (12/19), is Romans 12:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Old Testament Survey-Cover-thumbnail“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Thank God, he took away the old Law of Moses and gave you the new Law of Jesus instead. Under the Law of Moses, you had to take revenge yourself. You had to stone adulterers and children who were disrespectful to you as their parent. If someone killed a relative, you were obligated to go out and kill the killer. If someone knocked out the eye or tooth of a relative, you were required to go out and take that person’s eye or tooth.

Now God says to forgive and do good to your enemy (verse 20-21). That’s what God did for you who once was his enemy as a sinner. As you are merciful to others, he is merciful to you.

Forgiveness is not condoning evil, but wishing a better life for whoever did something bad to you. You may forever be afraid of that person, but you must forgive. Hard to do? Indeed! But, with God, anything is possible. So, let go of it. Let go of them. Let God take care of it. He has released you of that burden. Released you to “overcome evil with good”.

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Old Testament Survey-Cover-thumbnailOLD TESTAMENT SURVEY AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE NEW TESTAMENT is an easy fill-in-the-blank workbook to help you see the contrast in the Old Testament laws and the New Testament “laws”. O.T. leaders were taking revenge everywhere, and so God took revenge on them. The prophets warned them and gave them promises of good to come ~ the Savior.  This is part of the EASY BIBLE WORKBOOKS series.  Great for homeschoolers, private study, small groups.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2tt58Fc

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Tuesday 12/17 ~ Fight the Good Fight

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, discouragement, ego, Enemies, judging, power, problems, Satan, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 17 (12/17), is Revelation 12:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

07-Samson-KindleThumbnail“Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring ~ those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

Verse 9 says the dragon is also the serpent which is also Satan.

Are you one of those people who seem to be enraged all the time? You may have long ago given up on being able to change.  But you can direct your anger. If you want to be enraged at someone, be angry at Satan. Go to war with Satan. Rage at everything he is doing. Lash out at everything he stands for.

Are you angry at the church or at God? Keep that energy and switch sides. Be a spiritual warrior, a Christian soldier of the Lord.

Have you tried and just cannot get rid of anger in your life? You may mellow in your old age, but that mellowness is a long way off. You have never experienced rage until you have understood Satan. He is enraged at you. He is enraged at anyone who loves God or good people. Go ahead. Get on God’s side, enroll in the army of the Lord, and use your anger against Satan.

Does it work? Paul said in 1st Timothy 1:13, “I was a violent man.” Yet, he saved the souls of thousands of people Satan held hostage all over southern Europe, as he “fought the good fight”.

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07-Samson-KindleThumbnailA CHILD’S BIBLE HEROES: SAMSON was a judge over Israel.  Yes, we hear about his selfishness, but he was also a one-man army against the kingdom’s enemies.  He had anger issues but learned to direct his anger.  Samson fought the enemy alone.  And, between amazing demonstrations of strength, he lived a little like John the Baptist out in the wilderness and people came to him to make judgments over their problems.  He did this for forty years.  Let us not forget the good Samson did.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2tsOZjg

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Monday 12/16 ~ Feel the harmony

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, #Handicaps, Daily, ego, humility, judging, love, patience, persecution, weaknessLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 16 (12/16), is Romans 12:16 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

Who do you associate with? Just people who are like you?

Do you consider people richer than you as greedy, uncaring and uppity? And people poorer than you as lazy, users and lowlifes?

Do you consider people smarter than you as impractical with their heads in the clouds? And people duller than you as incapable of understanding anything important?

Do you consider people stronger than you as egotistical show-offs? And people weaker than you as not worthy of notice?

How this hurts your Savior who died for everyone. We are all sinners. We all need the same saving grace.

Live in harmony with all. Make everyone ~ both those “above” you and “below” you ~ feel the love of God through you. Apply the Golden Rule to your life:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). Then feel the harmony.

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0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbTITUS: THE ARISTOCRAT.  Tradition tells us that Titus was from Antioch in the province of Pisidia in today’s Turkey. It was a city full of aristocrats. No one spoke the Greek of commoners. They spoke the Latin of aristocrats.  Titus became a lawyer and brilliantly solved crimes his poor clients were falsely accused of committing. After Paul converted Titus, he sent him as an arbitrator to Corinth, then Crete, then up in “barbarian” southern Europe around today’s Albania.  He was gifted in helping people get along with each other. He even found a way to get the “false apostle” in Corinth to voluntarily resign and leave and like doing it. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2YSG8Tu

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Take the clouds away and bring back the sunshine

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, #Handicaps, attitude, death, ego, Enemies, family, forgiveness, healing, Inspirational, judging, love, patience, persecutionLeave a comment

How to Forgive but Not Forget | Mark Manson

Hebrews 12:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Really?  Bitterness can cause us to miss the grace of God? Bitterness only causes trouble for yourself and others, and defiles you. Bitterness comes from you thinking of yourself more highly than you ought (Romans 12:3), and forgetting that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Bitterness leads to either bullying or shunning, and ends in broken relationships and a cancer of the heart. It can cost us our eternal salvation.

The opposite of bitterness is forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean you condone what someone else has done. It means you let go of it and let God handle it. It means you wish the best for the offending person or situation. You can wish even the most hardened criminal will someday turn to God and turn his life around. How many times in your lifetime have you asked God to forgive you for the same things over and over?  God forgives you as you forgive others.

Forgiveness lifts weights off of you until you feel as though you could soar. Forgiveness takes the clouds away and brings back the sunshine. Forgiveness makes sure you do not miss the grace of God.