Tag: Christianity

Locked Up

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Are you locked up?

Are you paralyzed with fear?

Filled with anxious thoughts, unable to move forward?

When we choose to rely on our own strength, we tend to lock ourselves up, away from everyone and everything.

When that happens, we choose to remain alone.

Stuck.

Separated by God’s peace.

Why do you choose to do that?

Don’t you trust God to help?

When life seems impossible, that’s when God can step in, revealing His purposes.

But only if we let Him.

God gives us a choice.

To move with Him or without.

If we choose to ignore Him, we will become stuck.

Stuck within our selfish strength or stuck within our paralyzing fear.

But if we let God help us, our lock will relent, releasing the door to open.

God promises to enter, but only if we say yes.

How have you said no to God?

What areas of your life are closed or even locked to God?

Time to allow Him to unlock your prison door!

Photos by Beth Macdonald, Shazaf Zafar, Everyday basics, &  Jornada Produtora on Unsplash

The Lord Goes Before You

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

When God goes before us, He knows before we do.

He sees things before we do.

He feels things before we do.

He literally clears the path before us.

Picture a shepherd or a warrior.

Taking their weapon, they sweep the weeds, creating a path for you.

Scouting their eyes, they notice dangers.

They note possible wild animals.

Depressions in the earth.

Approaching weather.

Even good things, they notice.

Then He runs back to you, walking by your side.

He’s your protector.

Your shield.

He’s your dad.

Never leaving.

Always available.

For your safety and wellbeing.

How can I ever be afraid or discouraged with God going before me?

Facing an uncomfortable situation?

Picture God already going before you, literally clearing your path.

Picture Him running back to walk with you every step of the way.

He’s got you.

He’s got me.

He’s got this for us and more.

Photos by Emma Frances Logan, JOHN TOWNER, Karl Anderson, Subhadeep Dishant, & tamara garcevic on Unsplash

Zero Opportunity

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

And give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:27

That seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it?

Why would we ever want to give the devil an opportunity to reign in our lives?

To take anything over?

Why would we grant the devil a foothold into our lives?

If refusing the devil an opportunity is common sense, why would the Bible need to remind us?

Because we need it.

Constantly.

We are always inviting the devil back into our lives when we sin.

Through our thoughts.

Our actions.

Our words.

Sometimes all three.

Do we consciously invite him?

Like offering him a physical invite?

No.

But we do when we fight with our loved ones.

We do when we cause others to sin.

We give the devil opportunity when we listen to his lies planted into our mind.

Fights with your spouse come to mind.

Ever think the other person acted a certain way when they didn’t intend to?

Calm the heck down and lovingly talk with them.

Or, you can react within yourself, recoiling in anger.

That allows the devil his opportunity.

How about your child’s selfish retort towards your careful cooking?

Into your head pops a lie from the pit.

If you allow that sudden untruth to cement into true reality, you’ve given the devil his opportunity.

Cheating at work?

Or on your taxes?

There are millions of ways we can provide the devil an opportunity to step into our lives.

He’s literally standing right there, simply waiting to jump back.

He can’t wait.

Let’s make him wait.

Purpose in your mind to close the door on his schemes.

It takes God’s strength in you to fight off the earned selfish retorts you could honestly repay others.

When others hurt you, that’s when Satan comes full force as we seem weak.

And we are when we are hurt.

We start believing his lies about our loved ones.

Stop.

Stop giving the devil any opportunity in your life or your relationships.

Praise the name of the Lord instead.

That will send the devil and your self-pity ways screaming down the road.

And oh ya: don’t let the door hit you on the way out 🙂

Photos by Brina Blum, Van Tay Media, Jan Tinneberg, Maick Maciel, & Wolfgang Rottmann on Unsplash

It’s a Wonderful Life

Published on by amylinnea4 Comments

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Is it?

Is your life wonderful?

George Bailey’s life was.

But He didn’t see it.

All he saw was what he didn’t have.

He chose to view life through that lens.

The lens of what he didn’t have instead of what he possessed.

He had little material wealth.

His job was stressful as a loan officer in a small town, riding through the depression and WWII.

Yet through his control and influence, he seemed to hold things together.

Until his Uncle Billy, who lost the $8,000 on Christmas Eve, sent George over the edge.

Because he viewed his life considering his many problems, he was filled with despair when control slipped through his fingers.

God proceeded to teach him a lesson by way of his guardian angel Clarance.

George began walking through his town as if he had never been born.

That messed with him as he no longer saw love by giving or receiving it.

No wife, children, job, or legacy.

Even his friends no longer knew him.

When George saw all of this, he realized what was truly important, beyond the money crisis gripping his soul.

He had a precious family who loved him.

He had multiple friends.

He lived in a wonderful town.

And he mattered.

What lens do you look through to see your life?

Do you look past your blessings, gazing only upon your problems?

Or do you look past your problems, focusing instead on your blessings?

Guessing we won’t wake up tomorrow, looking at our life as if we never were.

Also guessing we won’t have a dream tonight that, like Scrooge, takes us into our past, present, and future dependent upon our present choices.

But we can decide to repurpose our new year, looking to God for our strength, wisdom, and peace.

We can walk in George’s shoes, realizing how material possessions simply do not matter when love is absent.

We can remind ourselves how every moment in our lives is placed by God.

And that we matter to not only God, but dozens, if not hundreds of other people.

This new year, walk with your head held high.

Connect with others and in the process, you’ll connect others to Him.

There is nothing else to do that really matters.

Photos by David Beale, Honey Fangs, & Ryan Wallace on Unsplash

But God

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to Himself. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14

It’s impossible.

But God.

Utterly unattainable.

But God.

Completely devastating.

But God.

Simply too much.

But God.

It’s like you’ve forgotten all about Him.

His power.

But God.

Two words with big meaning.

Heard this phrase years ago, don’t remember where.

Today, those words plopped back into my brain.

But God.

The first word is a conjunction – a coordinating conjunction if you care to know the type.

Connects words and phrases together.

One could use the conjunction and instead.

And God.

That works as we include God.

Not as powerful in my humble opinion.

But God shows me everything stops because God enters.

It’s all impossible, except for one variable: God.

Almost like you’ve forgotten the climax to the movie, or the surprised twist at the end.

By placing the phrase But God at the end of your story, there’s hope.

A future.

More to come.

And that future has the all powerful, all knowing Lord writing the end of your story.

Each situation, big or small, can include God.

But it’s up to you.

What words will you utter when faced with difficulties?

Why me?

Or –

But God.

Go ahead and ask God why He’s given you this trial.

But end your whispers with But God.

Ask Him to finish your story.

He has a beautiful ending, if you’ll only let Him enter in, bringing Himself in all His glory.

Photos by Vladimir Fedotov, Pawan Sharma, Mantas Hesthaven, & Dalton Touchberry on Unsplash

Warrior

Published on by amylinnea4 Comments

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 1 John 5:4

Where are you?

I’m over here.

Where?

Here. In the corner. I’m a huddled mess.

You are? Oh, now I see something over there. What did you say you were? A huddled mess?

Yes. I’m crouched down in the corner.

No, you’re not. All I see is a giant warrior standing tall.

You do?

Yep, in the same corner you say you are.

What do you see?

A giant warrior wearing shiny brass armor covering every square inch. And a gleaming helmet. Oh, and a beautifully sharp sword.

In my corner? You don’t see me?

Hold on, let me walk over. Now, do you see me?

Yes, I see you coming towards me.

But I’m walking towards the warrior. Wait. That’s you.

Me? I’m the warrior?

Yes. Look down. What do you see?

Oh my goodness. I see a sword. And armor. And I’m looking through a helmet.

God has covered your weak self with His very own power. You are literally no longer a huddled mess.

But I still feel like a complete wreck.

You might feel like that, but you don’t look like that with God’s power covering you.

I see a warrior.

God’s warrior.

Remember when you prayed for God to fill you with Himself?

Well, He came and did just that. You are now completely covered by God, because you have chosen Him.

Guessing the devil won’t bother messing with you looking like this as he sees you as God’s protected child.

I sure wouldn’t want to mess with you covered in God’s power like you are.

So even though I feel like the same person, when I prayed for God to fill me with Himself, He actually covered me with His power?

Praise God! Well, this changes things, now doesn’t it?!!

Watch out world, here I come, a beloved, protected child of God!

God has set me free and I will stand tall because His power lives in me.

Oh God, please fill us up with Yourself today, tomorrow, and always.

May we constantly be reminded that we are Your child.

Loved.

Protected.

Safe.

And let us never forget to live within Your power as we fight every lie, sinful deed, or selfish way.

Photos by Nik Shuliahin, Brownyn Erb, & Jon Tyson on Unsplash

No Condemnation

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

There is absolutely zero condemnation when you are His.

God’s.

When you have given your life to God, the world’s condemnation no longer sticks.

It’s no longer your identity.

You are covered, instead, by God Himself.

Chosen.

Loved.

Valuable.

Are you still living under your old identity?

Your old condemned self?

Why?

Whatever for?

Because it’s what you know.

Your old ways are safe.

Known.

When you face trials, you revert to old labels.

Because they are like old familiar blankets.

Wrapping up in self-pity feels normal.

Clothing yourself in anger feels justified.

When you choose to become God’s, you are changed.

Your identity becomes new.

Condemnation falls away.

Fear goes.

Anxiety flees.

But only if you choose to stay under the new identity from God.

The choice is yours.

Romans 8 reminds us God declares we have no condemnation when we are His.

But He gives us free will.

You can choose at anytime, to walk from under His wings.

Out from His identity for you.

Your old identity is out there.

Easily attainable and readily available.

But with it comes the usual fear, anxiety, and angst.

Because it also includes the absence of God’s peace.

Reaching for your old identity results from walking in the flesh.

In your own sinful self.

Romans 8 urges us to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

Because when we walk with God according to His will, we are within His peace.

Not condemned.

Choose every day to walk with God.

Choose every day to refuse the pull of the flesh.

When you do, condemnation will fall away as God Himself remains.

Photos by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

God Sees You

Published on by amylinnea3 Comments

He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4

Adonai El Roi is the Hebrew term for “The God who sees me”.

Meaning this: God sees you.

God, who created all things, sees you.

You.

Little ole’ you.

Ever feel invisible?

I know you aren’t, but you might feel unseen.

Not cared for.

Unvalued.

Invisible.

You might be among the living, but feel dead inside.

When we do not feel valued, we feel dead.

Invisible.

But God sees you.

He sees all of you, the good, bad, and the ugly.

He sees your heart.

He sees your dreams.

He sees your ever hopeful anticipation and your extreme disappointments.

Is that enough?

Only if you allow Him to cover you.

Because He sees you.

Psalm 91:4 reminds us that “He will cover us with His feather and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.”

He covers you because He sees you and He cares to be your comfort.

Your protection.

Your protecting shield.

You are not invisible to God Almighty.

He is your Adonai El Roi.

Your God who sees You.

Photos by Mick Haupt, Caleb Woods, Annie Spratt, & Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Prickly People

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

You know the type.

Recoils when you give a loving pat.

Or even a loving word.

They shun it, choosing instead to dwell on their own misery.

Their prickles scream stay away or else.

You don’t see them at first.

But after the initial reaction, they are completely obvious.

Well, they are obvious, plus you notice a trickle of blood down your arm from their stab.

Ouch!

What did you do?

Think back.

Anything there?

Maybe if you have a teenager, you looked at them wrong.

Or you limited their freedoms based on their choices.

Or insisted they eat veggies before dessert.

Oh the horror!

Guessing you saw prickles.

Maybe your spouse isn’t themselves, responding to your loving words with apathy.

Or they recoil in horror when you suggest a change.

Ouch!

Maybe your friends have a prickly text response.

Maybe your boss is unapproachable and all you feel are prickles.

How about the checker, assuming you still use a real person.

Through no fault of your own, they might be prickly because of their job or life circumstances.

What should you do when encountering prickles?

If you fight back, deliciously succumbing to fleshly desires, you’ll get pricked.

Stabbed.

Blood will trickle out.

Ouch!

Sometimes, their attitudes have nothing to do with you.

You are simply in the way.

Other times, it is directed specifically at you.

I’ll ask again.

What should you do?

What would Jesus do?

Love them.

Provide grace through strength.

Infuse His peace into the circumstances.

While you must stand firm with adolescent discipline, sprinkle in some grace.

Don’t allow yourself to be wounded with someone else’s pricks.

Those are meant to harm you.

But only if you let them.

Stand tall.

Wear your crown, and declare none of this moves me.

I will stay in His peace as I keep my eyes steadfast on Him.

The author and finisher of my peace.

Photos by NeONBRAND, buddika Gunathilaka, & frank mckenna on Unsplash

The Witness of God

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

Are you living in the authority of one whom God has saved?

Are you remembering God’s promises, pointing your very existence to Him?

Are you seeking God’s face for the souls of your family?

Are you asking God to show you how you should serve Him today?

Our eternal salvation is for later.

When we’re standing at the judgement seat of God.

But Jesus saved us for today.

He saved us to be His witness.

He chose us to spread His good news.

He uses us to be His hands and feet to those we meet.

Yes, God died to save us from our sins.

For eternal life praising His name.

But He also saved us from ourselves for today.

Today and tomorrow.

For the world.

The world needs to see your salvation and what that looks like.

Reasons why they should follow you to God.

You are a witness of Almighty God.

Walk in His power.

Stand in His faithfulness.

And show the world just how amazing He is today.

Photos by Silvestri Matteo on Unsplash

Jesus Loves Me Still

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12

Jesus loves me, this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me;

For the Bible tells me so.

All of us remember that song well, yes?

One of the first songs we learn as children.

It’s so profound as the basis for our literal existence here on earth.

Jesus actually loves us.

The Creater of the universe, who gave Himself for us on the cross, loves us.

Knows us.

Chooses us.

And I know this, because the Bible, God’s breathed living Word, tells me so.

There are so many places in the Bible that share God’s love for us.

Little ones to Him belong.

We belong to God!

We are God’s sons and daughters, inheriting His kingdom, living under His love and authority.

And we are so weak, but You, Jesus are our strength!

Jesus, thank You for Your love, that fills us up when we are empty.

Thank You for dying on the cross for our sins.

Thank You for setting us free from our worldly cares.

Thank You for being near to us each and every moment.

You are here with us whenever we call out to You.

And when we are silent, You are still there.

Your faithfulness astounds us.

Jesus loves me, this I know.

Do you?

Photos by Fadi Xd , Jon Tyson, &  Jez Timms on Unsplash

Our Smelly Stuff

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Ever wonder why God takes it?

Our smelly stuff or sin, whatever you want to call it?

I bring it up, because it’s not His.

None of our smelly sin is His.

Never was, never will be.

Why does He choose to take it?

He is holy.

Pure.

Undefiled.

Author of all things.

Literally the Most High.

And yet He wants us.

Not only us, but our stuff.

Our messy lives.

Our problems.

Our very messed up selves.

He wants our unloving attitudes towards children who selfishly taunt us.

He wants our broken hearts, which yearn for uncomplicated stories.

He wants our problems, dripping with unforgiveness.

He wants all of us.

God, who is pure and void of any sin, wants us.

Unbelievable.

If you remember the Old Testament, there was attonment for sin.

God had rules.

But with Jesus, the transaction was paid.

And with that, God continues our relationship with Him.

Because He loves us.

He created us for love.

For relationship with Him.

I find it incredible that God, who is completely pure and undefiled, wants a relationship with us.

We, who bring complicated and messy problems to Him, are wanted by God.

So, the question that remains is this:

Do you want Him?

Because He wants you.

All of you.

And all of your smelly stuff, too.

Photos by Marian Kroell & Hans Isaacson on Unsplash

Sovereign Over All

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways! Romans 11:33

God, You are sovereign.

Sovereign over all.

You are the Creator of all things.

The Author of all life.

All of our lives filter through Your hands.

Every little piece.

The happy times.

The gut-wrenching moments.

All of us filters through You.

Because You are sovereign over all things.

We wonder why You allow suffering.

Why you allow our lives to fall to pieces.

Why our prayers seem to fall on deaf ears.

Why our tears seem to make no difference.

But underneath it all, You are sovereign.

You never leave us, nor are we absent from Your thoughts.

Within the pit of despair, we must remember You.

If we don’t, we will fall prey to self-pity, overcoming our reason with faulty feelings.

Satan would like nothing better then to silence us.

To silence God when we find ourselves within the pit.

Do you want Satan to grasp even a tiny bit of triumph on your behalf?

You don’t, but he does when you fail to remember God within the pit.

When your mind fills with rejection or despair, Satan wins.

He wins because he causes you to become stuck.

Stuck because you are without the remembrance of God’s ultimate power.

His sovereignty.

Our world is broken and God has a redemption plan.

Jesus came to save us from ourselves.

To redeem our souls for eternity.

But as we remain here on earth, we must remember Him.

We must shine our light for God as He redeems our lives while here on earth.

It’s so hard when in the pit, to stop and remember Him.

But that’s what makes us different from the world.

What sets us apart.

When the world breaks us, as it will in degrees to us all, we will be different.

We will, with God’s help, shine as a light for Him, bringing others to Himself.

Your God loves you.

He craves you.

He’s never going to leave you.

Bring all of it to His feet.

Allow Him to scoop you up into His arms.

He will soothe every hurt.

Wipe every tear.

And walk along side you down the path He has for you.

Because He is sovereign over all.

He is here.

He loves you and He’s got you.

Shine brightly through your broken life to others.

Show the world the love of God.

Your choice to choose God when faced with the brokenness of this world.

And your witness will transform the world.

Photos by Josh Boot , Dave Hoefler,  Sandra Seitamaa, & Kawin Harasai on Unsplash

Our Highest Help

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

Need help?

I know, we all do with anything and everything.

This life presents challenges which come and go, both internally and externally.

We need help with our jobs, family relationships, and extra commitments we join.

We need help with our minds to focus on what God wants us to do.

We need help to purpose our hearts, aligning them to God’s.

We need help to follow through with God’s purposes for our temporary lives.

We need help to filter through all of the world’s noise, attempting to constantly distract us.

We sometimes even need help to simply place one foot in front of the other.

The psalmist begins by deliberately choosing to lift his eyes to the hills.

Deciding to ask for God’s help is first, realizing we cannot perform our best apart from God.

We remind ourselves we cannot do things on our own.

We must ask for help.

We then declare our help comes from God.

Finally, we declare God’s power to help as we affirm Him Creator of all things.

Who better then the Creator of all things to help us with our small needs?

God created us.

God created our desires.

And He created us to need Him.

Only with a relationship with God will you become fulfilled in this life.

When the many needs press you for a solution, remember to raise your eyes to heaven.

God is always ready and willing to help you.

All you have to do is ask.

Ask Him to fill you up with Himself.

Then keep your peace, knowing the Creator of heaven and earth will give you everything you need.

Lift your eyes to God, asking Him to work through you.

And He will, every single time.

Photos by Hans Isaacson on Unsplash

Hurled Upon

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 2 Samuel 22:17-18

Insults, heard or implied.

Words that bring death.

When sitting near these toxic fumes, there’s not much we can do.

Especially when directed towards us.

They can explode out of nowhere.

Suddenly covering you with filth.

Covering you with filth you believe.

Covering you with lies you begin to agree with.

All from insults hurled towards you.

Like an arrow piercing your soul, words can carry death.

While they can carry death, the arrows don’t have to deliver death to you.

It’s your choice to accept the lies or not.

Your choice to keep the painful arrow stuck where it hit.

What is your other choice?

To yank it out, immediately forgiving the sender.

Impossible in your own strength.

Literally.

But that’s where God comes in for you.

When you ask God to cover you with His feathers, He will protect you.

Literally, He will.

Emotionally, and spiritually, He will cover you.

Protected by God, arrows will still come.

They will be hurled at you with frightening speed.

But – by choosing to ask God to keep you whole, you won’t absorb the arrow’s poison.

Sure, it will try to pierce your soul, spreading it’s toxic substance.

And until you are trained to immediately refuse with God’s help, it could hurt.

Even for awhile.

But every time you yank out the arrow, God’s peace will dispel the poison.

Even heal your wound.

But you must ask Him every single time.

And as you retrain your reactions to insults, God’s feathers will become stronger.

So strong, the arrows will fall away as they bump you.

Who are you going to believe?

An insulting arrow filled with someone’s jealousy, selfishness, or evil intention all filled with lies?

Or who God says that you are to Him?

Choose to remember Whose you are.

Choose to remember Who your Father is.

The One who desires to protect you from everything evil.

Humble yourself, and ask Him to protect you.

Protect your mind, body, soul, and spirit from anything not from Him.

Apart from God, we can do nothing, especially avoiding arrows filled with poison.

Psalm 121:7-8 reminds us that God will keep us from all evil.

He will even keep our lives.

Safe.

Secure.

Even more – He will keep our going out AND our coming back now and forever.

There’s nothing more we could possibly need.

Hurl away, people.

We’re ready.

Photos by Laura Crowe. Lindsey Duce, Gioele Fazzeri, & Denise Johnson on Unsplash

Rest in God

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Psalm 62:1

blake-meyer-336619-unsplash

Summers are for rest.

At least for teachers.

We plan summer projects and accomplish home things, but we are in rest mode.

We become like old farmers, driving the truck on a country road.

Not in a hurry.

Or like old Southerners, shooting the breeze on the porch of an old store, chatting with anyone and everyone.

Why?

Because we can.

Do you have periods of rest?

Days or seasons when you can even forget what day it is?

Yes, it’s important to accomplish things when you have more time to spare.

But don’t forget to simply be.

Allow your mind to rest as well.

Disconnect from social media, emails, and the news.

Close the door to all the noise.

And rest.

Unfortunately, my summer has ended.

The rush has returned.

But even so, take time to rest.

Fill yourself up with God and His peace.

And take the time to rest.

Photo by Blake Meyer on Unsplash

July 2, 1776

Published on by amylinnea1 Comment

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. John Adams’ letter to Abigail Adams, July 2, 1776

Before America’s birth, John Adams predicted we would celebrate America’s independence.

Her birthday.

Fireworks, games, and parades.

From Maine to California.

Celebrating our Day of Deliverance by our solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.

He knew it will be hard.

Birthing our country.

Separating ourselves from England’s tyranny.

Untold toil, blood, and treasure to spend.

But with those solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty, he saw the End is more than worth all the Means.

He saw our country free, celebrating our freedom every year for generations.

America was birthed almost 250 years ago.

We’ve never been perfect, but we’ve tried to do our best.

We fought against ourselves for the end of slavery.

We’ve produced unending talent easing our modern selves with food, industry, and entertainment.

We’ve fought to protect innocent lives around the globe.

America’s story is a beacon of hope for the world.

More than merely a nation fighting for independence so many years ago.

America stands for freedom.

Freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Freedom to say what we want.

Freedom to defend ourselves.

With hard work, we have endless opportunities in this great land of ours.

However…

Only with God’s sovereign help will even keep our country alive.

As our country was founded on the foundation of God, we must fight to keep Him firmly planted within our laws, actions, and words.

As the Israelites saw God’s provision, they would eventually forget, walking away from God.

Repeatedly, they would follow God, living within His blessings and protection.

And a few generations later, they would forget, falling down to worship false gods out of God’s protection.

As our country has systematically removed God from many avenues, may we repent for our actions.

May we seek God’s direction for our nation.

May we remind ourselves and our children how blessed we are to live in America.

And may we rise up as leaders to protect and defend our nation under God.

Photos by specphotops,  Luca R, Samuel Branch, Trent Yarnell, NASA, & Luke Stackpoole on Unsplash

John Adams letter: https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond

Living with a Purpose

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I will walk with integrity of heart within my house.

How does one walk with integrity of heart in his house?

And is the Psalmist speaking of his actual house or inside his very self?

Walking with integrity within yourself means aligning yourself to God.

Asking Him to fill you up with Himself.

His very wisdom and power.

And choosing to keep doing that, looking away from evil.

I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

How does one not look upon worthless things?

Things not worthy of God?

Maybe God wants us to concentrate on Him, not worldly cares.

We should only purpose to look upon or seek out what He wants us to do.

See what He wants us to see.

Notice what He wants us to notice.

I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.

How do we hate the work of those who fall away, not allowing it to cling to us?

When people fall away from God, they tend to spread poison.

Words.

Accusation.

Fear.

They fall away for a reason.

Don’t cling to that.

Don’t accept it or allow any of it to cling to you.

Fling all of it off, pursuing God’s truth instead.

Pursuing the truth you know is God’s.

A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. Psalm 101:2-4

How do we keep our heart from being perverse?

By concentrating on God’s sovereignty.

His purpose for us.

His identify for us chosen before we were born.

Align yourself to God’s heart and your heart will be far from perverse.

As the Psalmist ends, they purpose to know nothing of evil.

Nothing.

Evil creeps in every moment of every day.

Are you purposing to know nothing of evil?

We all say so, but do we actually mean to?

Believing lies in your head is evil.

Refusing to believe how loved you are by God is evil as you call God a liar when you declare yourself unlovable by Him.

Creating space between yourself and God, wanting your own way is evil.

Selfish.

Purpose to know nothing of evil.

I’m going to try my hardest.

You?

Photos by Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash & https://unsplash.com/@inchristalone

Friendship with God

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“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He will pluck my feet out of the net.” Psalm 25:14-15

God, who created ALL things, wants to be my friend when I place my trust with Him.

When I declare He is my God, He becomes my confidante.

When I decide to live how He wants me to be, He becomes my personal companion.

Someone who listens when I’m lonely.

Who watches me through the night.

Who longs to hear my voice.

Who wants to know all about it.

Every day.

Additionally, God will make known to you His covenant.

His unbreakable connection with you.

Forever.

Forever and always, God promises to be by your side as you fear Him.

May our eyes ever be towards the Lord, as the psalmist says.

As we continue to trust God for our everything, He will rescue us.

Our tangled ugly mess will become pretty as He plucks our feet out of the net.

I don’t know about you, but I regularly need God to rescue me.

Usually from me, myself, and I.

Our sinful selves rise up, don’t they, demanding we place our needs above all else.

May we continue to fear the Lord.

May we listen to the instruction He gives.

May our souls dwell within His peace.

May God’s friendship walk with us all of our days.

May we truly understand our incredible covenant with God.

May our eyes be ever focused towards the Lord.

And may He continue to rescue us from not only others, but ourselves, too.

Photos by chris liu on Unsplash

Abiding in Him

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His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. Psalm 25:13

Remember last week?

We talked about fearing the Lord.

And when we do that, God instructs us in His best way for us.

The psalm continues this week as we note your soul abides in peace or well-being when you fear the Lord, trusting only in Him.

As a return for your loyalty, God brings you His peace.

Choosing God, your pitiful soul becomes full of God’s peace.

Filled to the top with God’s calm.

His protection.

Resting within His peace.

Not only that, but the psalmist also declares your offspring will prosper.

Godly moms and dads who surrender their households to the ways of God will not only have peace in the now but will influence their children to live for God.

God will be with you when you place Him first, spreading His ways to the next generation.

In this life, people do almost anything for peace in their cluttered lives.

You’re telling me that all I have to do for real peace is to live in fear of the Lord?

Yep.

Dethroning yourself daily and placing God on the throne of your heart will bring you peace.

Not only momentary peace, but you will abide in His peace.

Abide means to dwell.

I, for one, would like to dwell within the perfect peace of Almighty God.

You?

Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

Fearing the Lord

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Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will He instruct in the way that He should choose. Psalm 25:12

Are you someone who fears the Lord?

Fearing the Lord is not cowering in the type of fear we think of first.

It’s honor.

Respect.

Submitting to the One who created all things.

Putting God first and foremost in all things.

Knowing how small you are in comparison to all of creation, eternity, and God Himself.

I know we cannot always put God first, but you can think about Him and what He would want you to do.

With even tiny things like your response to literally anything.

Thinking about what God would want you to do brings security knowing you are under the shadow of His wings.

In return for placing God on the throne of your life, He promises to instruct you in the way He chooses.

And God chooses the best for you.

How do we know that?

Because Romans 8:28 reminds us that “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose“.

Walking with God, submitting to Him, brings us to God’s purpose for us.

And that is good.

Maybe your life has been affected by other’s poor choices.

And maybe you bear the brunt of that.

Remain under God’s instruction as He works everything out for good.

Through trials of your choosing or not, choose to remain God’s.

Confident He will work everything out for your good, because you love Him.

Photos by BRUNO EMMANUELLE on Unsplash

Walking With God

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You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fulness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Do we have to know?

Do we have to know everything about our future?

How this decision will affect that one later on?

No, we do not.

In fact, we can not.

It’s impossible.

We can plan, but ultimately God is in control.

He is the author and finisher of all life.

When we daily place our trust into His capable hands, He guides us through all of life’s murky waters and the crystal clear ones, too.

I liken life to doors when I think about life’s decisions, big or small.

Sometimes God opens doors.

He opens them wide.

Step through with confidence.

Knowing God opens a door for you should remind you how much He thinks of you.

He knows your heart and as long as you are trusting Him with every breath, rest in the confidence of His goodness and mercy.

Even if the door is open just a crack, knowing He wants you to participate, open the door just a little bit more.

Tell fear to take a hike and stand confidently with God.

But sometimes He slams them in our face.

You might be walking down a certain path, but all the doors are closed.

You see an open door, run to it, but it’s slammed shut before you get there.

Ask God why.

Maybe He’s teaching you patience.

Or maybe He’s telling you no.

So, what should you do when you think you know what God wants you to do, but you’re not totally sure as you have let fear or anxiety in for a visit?

Walk confidently towards the door.

Push on it, and see if it opens.

If it does, take the hand of God and walk through.

Whatever is on the other side will be ok, as long as you are walking with God.

Walking with God means you have given yourself over to His purposes, trusting Him for every breath, every decision big or small.

Your heart is His.

Well, when you put it like that, let’s go!

Where do you want to take me, Lord?

You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands. How wonderful are Your gifts to me; how good they are!

I praise the Lord, because He guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. I am always aware of the Lord’s presence; He is near, and nothing can shake me.

And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure, because You protect me from the power of death. I have served you faithfully, and You will not abandon me to the world of the dead.

You will show me the path that leads to life; Your presence fills me with joy
and brings me pleasure forever. Psalm 16:5-11

Photos by Jacob Culp, Denny Müller, Ibrahim Rifath, & Shiraz Muhamed on Unsplash

Wisdom

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For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of His saints. Proverbs 2:6-8

Isn’t it amazing the Lord simply gives wisdom to us?

From His mouth comes forth knowledge AND understanding?

God actually stores up sound wisdom for us?

You might argue we’re not exactly upright people.

Yes, but no one is perfect, except God.

The upright are those who seek God for their very lives.

I guess the question remains, do we want God’s wisdom?

I suppose if you say No, then I’d say why the heck not?

Walking with God is not stifling.

Doesn’t cramp my style in the very least.

It’s freedom.

Let’s continue.

Verse 7 shows us how God’s wisdom is an actual barrier to evil.

His wisdom protects us from poor choices, which, one could argue, could easily become evil.

Think about the recent looting.

Poor choices which have become evil.

Destruction is evil and one has the choice to participate.

Making it relevant to more, putting yourself above your spouse is a poor choice.

Do that again and again and the relationship will never be the same unless you return to God’s wisdom, asking forgiveness of the one you love.

How many hundreds of choices do you make on a daily basis?

Too many to count.

So many opportunities to walk under God’s protection using His wisdom.

And so many chances to step out from His umbrella, choosing instead to follow the flesh.

Stand with me under the shelter of Almighty God.

Proverbs 2:8 closes with reminding us how God guards and watches over the ways of His saints.

Doesn’t mean we won’t have trials or pain.

But standing under God’s umbrella, His wisdom will guide us, inviting the very peace of God.

Photos by Marionel Luciano, Wilhelm Gunkel, Joyce McCown, and Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

Perspective

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There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

As I sit in my freshly built suburban home, I can pretend to know what it’s like growing up in the South during the 1930’s while reading To Kill a Mockingbird or Roll of Thunder.

From either person’s perspective.

I can pretend to know what it’s like as a poor desparate child in war-ravaged Ethiopia or Sudan while reading A Long Walk to Water.

I can pretend to know what it’s like as a wild animal, imprisoned in a concentration camp during WW2 while reading The Hiding Place, Lilac Girls, or The Tattooist of Auschwitz.

Books are wonderful windows into other worlds.

I can glimpse another reality while safely seated in my chair, feet propped up, coffee in my hand, wind settling the air on my covered porch.

Books fill in the gaps.

They help you see perspectives from those you have never met.

And help you understand those you have been introduced.

Our God has mercifully given us life.

He’s given us all life.

And with our lives, He asks us to be His hands and feet to all we meet.

What does that look like?

Smiling at strangers.

Holding doors.

Respecting and honoring others before yourself.

Our country has a rich history.

Like anything in this world, it’s not perfect.

But America is filled with wonderful people.

Hard-working, honoring people who want their fellow neighbor to succeed like themselves.

Keep spreading God’s love.

Stop participating with lies and hate.

Honor others before yourself.

Peacefully protest, but honor the curfew when it’s set because of rioters.

Remember that most Americans, including police, have good hearts.

Purpose in your mind not to assume the worst.

And read about someone else’s perspective.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.”

Thanks for the reminder, Atticus.

Photos by frank mckenna, Christopher Jolly, Nick Fewings, Jessica Furtney, & Will Esayenko on Unsplash

Attracted to Godliness

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…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

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Are you?

Attracted to godliness?

Or are you enamored by the things of this world?

Enthralled by power, status, money, and things?

Do you desire goodness or do you selfishly want whatever toots your horn?

Is your first thought the service of others or do you want others to serve you?

Are your needs first or are the needs of others above yours?

When you are all by yourself, would God himself be at home by your side or would you be covered in embarrassment at your actions, thoughts, or attitudes?

Deep down, do you cherish God’s opinion, or do you want to feed the hunger of your flesh?

Are you attracted to godliness?

Or are you living for yourself?

Think a moment.

And repent, knowing it’s impossible to be completely attracted to godliness aside from the grace and strength of God Himself.

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Photos by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Hiding

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“Am I a God at hand,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 23:23-24

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What are you hiding?

A secret?

What is your deepest fear?

What are you hiding behind?

Job status?

A relationship?

Sin?

Do you subscribe to the notion that no one would like you if they really knew the whole you?

These all boil down to fear, due to misplaced trust.

Trusting in yourself before God.

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When you hide in your fears, you place yourself in charge.

You are telling God you don’t trust Him.

Come out.

Come out from behind the couch and place your hand into God’s.

Tell Him your fears.

Tell Him your anxieties.

Ask Him to replace them with the truth.

His truth.

He’ll do it.

He’ll cover you with His feathers, encapsulating your very self.

Instead of hiding from God, hide within Him.

Use His protection against fear.

Use His protection against anxiety.

Use His truth to replace the lies you’ve believed your whole life.

After all, He already knows everything.

And He’s still right beside you. Always.

Photos by Caleb Woods & Annie Spratt on Unsplash

 

Today’s Redemption

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I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I know live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

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Jesus died for our choices.

All of them.

He died for our attitudes.

The good, the bad, even the ugly.

He died for our selfishness.

Every single bit of it is covered by Him.

By His holiness.

He died for our pain.

He died for our tears.

Good and bad, He paid for it all.

In full.

Completely.

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Redemption will come when we die, but folks, it actually begins now.

As you lay your burdens down at His cross, Jesus takes them as His.

He takes them upon Himself.

He literally takes your burdens and sins as His own.

He takes it all, exchanging them for redemption.

Exchanging them for His peace.

His perfect peace.

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His death provides a relationship here and now.

A real relationship with Jesus.

More than spending eternity with Him, Jesus wants His death to bring you to Himself here on earth.

When He died, the veil between heaven and earth was torn forever.

Originally, He created you for a relationship with Him.

Remember the Garden of Eden?

God talked with Adam and Eve every day.

Sin marred that forever, but Jesus’ death cancelled sin’s debt.

Jesus can now be as close as you want.

Or as far as you want.

Remember, He give us our own choice.

He wants your trust for eternity, but also your trust for today.

And tomorrow.

He wants to fill you with His perfect peace.

As you meet Him at the cross before glorious Easter morning, leave your burdens.

Let Him take them completely away.

And receive His peace.

Surrender yourself, allowing Him to fill you with His new life here and now.

For now and always.

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Photos by Alicia Quan, Dylan McLeod, Rod Long, Marco Allegretti, Joseph Barrientos, & Allen Taylor on Unsplash

Alone

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Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23

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I’ve come to realize something.

We are all alone.

Yes, we might have a spouse or children if we’re adults.

We have parents, friends, maybe even a best friend.

But ultimately, we are alone.

We stand all by ourselves.

Our spouse might have other loyalties.

Our children grow up and move away.

Our friends choose others with whom to spend their time.

Our parents love us but have their own lives.

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Ultimately we are alone.

Someday, we will stand alone before God.

Giving account for our life.

On that day, Jesus will step in for us.

He will show payment for our sins.

He will if we trust in Him.

If we trust in Him for our very salvation.

He will step in for us on judgement day, but He has already stepped into your life.

He has already joined you here in this life.

Here.

So you’re not alone.

Psalm 73:23-26 says Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand.

Jesus is always with us.

He holds us by our right hands.

Psalm 23:4 reminds us Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Walking through dark times, or even daily life, we do not fear.

We do not feel lonely.

Why?

Because God, Jesus, is with us.

With us.

While you feel alone,  you are not.

You might feel lonely, but you are not.

Feelings are not accurate.

Facts are.

And the facts are this:  God is always with you; you are never alone.

Remind yourself that God, who created ALL things, is with you.

He cares.

He knows.

He loves you.

You.

And that, my friend, is why you are never truly alone.

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Photos by Thomas Q, Gabriel Garcia Marengo, Rodion Kutsaev, & Ben White on Unsplash

God’s Provision

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Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  Matthew 6:26-27

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Thought I’d remind us of God’s provision today.

His provision of earthly needs like TP, food, water.

His provision of spiritual needs like forgiveness and grace.

And His ultimate authority over the devil.

And also His provision of emotional needs like comfort and peace.

God’s storehouses are always filled to overflowing.

His power knows no bounds.

Even for our physical needs?

Yep.

Remember the Isrealites?

He fed them in the desert.

Every day.

He knows your every need.  Even your physical ones.

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Funny story:  yes, I’m still stuck on finding toilet paper.

Where is it all, I still beg to know?

Recently, my son, who lives on his own, was over for lunch.

Said he was down to his last roll of TP.

Discovered my mother was rationing as well.

My daughter calls, says a pallet of TP has literally just been unwrapped on the floor of the store.

Immediately, we jump into the car and run into the store, locating our mystified treasure.

Sure enough, there’s some.

Not a ton, maybe 50 packages.

My son, husband and I each grab one.

Score!

Literally feel as if we have won the lottery.

We deliver one to my folks, not getting too close, of course.

They are truly grateful.

And so is my son.

Have I seen any more TP in the stores since then?

Nope.

Still don’t know where it all has gone.

But when my son and parents needed it, God delivered.

Shouldn’t be surprising.

God sees you.

He sees your every need.

And He’s got it.

He’s more than enough to cover you emotionally.

He’s more than enough to cover you spiritually.

And He’s more than enough to cover you physically.

Keep trusting Him for enough.

Because He is.

He is enough.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

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Photos by Claudiu Hegedus, Markus Spiske, Will Bolding, & Guido Jansen on Unsplash

Definition of Fear

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When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3

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Fear is the absence of peace.

Fear is behind the desire for mortal knowledge when the world offers none.

Fear is the belief that God is not enough.

That God is not here.

Fear showcases our deepest fears.

Fear brings us to our knees.

Fear paralyzes our next move, hijacks our thoughts.

Fear wraps us tightly into bondage.

Sounds horrid, yet we often choose fear, inviting it to stay.

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If you are reading this today, you are living in the midst of our society’s fear.

The fear of the dreaded killer virus COVID-19.

Fear of the economy taking a nose dive, taking your 401k with it.

Fear of losing your job or income whether short or long term.

Fear of running into someone less than 6 feet away.

Fear of running out of food or, gasp, toilet paper.

In this life, God has given us choice.

We may choose to believe the truth or not.

We may choose to believe His very Word or not.

Psalm 56:3 says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.”

When I am wrapped up in fear, I choose to unwrap, and decided instead to wrap myself in Your peace.

In Your presence.

In You, the absence of fear.

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Photos by Laurene Gicquel, Kelly Sikkema, Jon Tyson, & Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Reflecting

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But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

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Reflecting.

We reflect what we honor.

We reflect what we love.

We reflect Whose we are.

Do you reflect God?

Or do you reflect things of the world?

Or yourself?

The Bible talks about us becoming so filled with God, that we reflect His glory.

When we continually seek His will,

When we consistently empty ourselves,

When we continuously purpose to be His alone,

Our mirror will reflect the glory of God more and more.

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What does your mirror reflect?

If we’re honest, our mirrors mostly reflect ourselves.

Our wishes.

Our demands.

Our needs.

Keep your open conversation running with God.

Continually seek His wisdom and peace in every situation.

In every moment.

And slowly, your mirror, too, will begin to reflect the glory of God.

When your mirror reflects more of God than yourself, others take note, polishing their own mirrors for Him as well.

Photos by Alex Lopez, Noah Buscher, Inga Gezalian, & Kenzie Kraft on Unsplash

Security & Honor

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However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Ephesians 5:33

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Security.

It’s the number one need women have from their husbands.

We need to feel protected.

Valued.

Loved.

Secure.

Once that’s covered, men, we’re good.

Seriously.

Most of our issues boils down to this one issue.

Are we your priority?

Do you have our back?

Will you fight for us?

We need to know this.

Our cups are filled to overflowing when we feel defended.

First in your life.

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Honor.

It’s the number one need men ask of their wives.

Do we value our men?

Raising them up, not tearing them down?

Listening to them, not rolling our eyes in response?

Respecting their wishes?

Withholding the nagging and esteeming him to your friends?

Greeting them with a kiss when the day’s work is done?

Men need to know this.

They need to feel valued through your honor of them.

When husbands feel honored, they feel secure and loved.

When wives feel secure, they feel loved.

When both feel loved, marriages thrive.

God’s intention is for your marriage to thrive.

Thriving is more than simply existing.

Thriving is bounty.

Bountiful marriages yield fruit.

Lives that reflect God’s love and grace, thriving in the security and honor of marriage.

Treasure your wife.

Honor your man.

And you will reap a hundredfold.

Photos by Ryan Franco, Brooke Cagle , &  frank mckenna on Unsplash

 

Controlled by Anger

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And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

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Is it ok to be mad?

Super angry at an uncontrollable situation?

Yes.

It’s ok to be mad.

Just don’t let it control you.

There’s a difference.

A difference between anger and a life dictated by it.

The anger.

Sometimes situations in life have justifiable angry responses.

Literally justified.

But if you hold onto that anger, it controls you every time.

Every time you are reminded of the situation, your body will respond as trained.

In anger.

Blood will boil.

Tempers will flair.

You will lash out at people for no apparent reason.

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It’s sin.

Why?

Because the anger controls you.

You have trained your body in that way.

And don’t sin by letting anger control you.  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.  Ephesians 4:26-7

When God talks about letting go of anger, He means just that.

Let it go.

Guess He coined that phrase long before the Norwegian ice princess movie we have all watched way too many times.

Doesn’t mean to forget or allow yourself to be hurt again in the same way.

It simply means to keep your peace.

To surrender the anger, knowing God is in control.

To  choose peace over anger, learning instead from the pain.

Giving a foothold to the devil is keeping your anger.

Choosing to wallow in it.

Probably deservedly, yes, but that’s not the point.

Living in freedom with God sometimes defies all logic.

Logically, you should be mad as you know what.

But God wants you to live in freedom.

And you cannot dwell in His freedom if you are shackled by anger’s prison.

Break free and allow God to heal your wounds.

How?

Ask God.

Remember, forgiving is not forgetting.

But it’s freedom.

Ask God to forgive through you.

Then whenever it pops back into your brain (you know the devil will insist on reminding you often!), throw it back to God.

Forgive again and again.

Your body will begin to retrain itself, reacting instead with peace.

The absence of anger will release you from the prison of pain.

Learn from situations, yes.

But don’t keep the anger.

It’s simply not worth your time.

Or your peace.

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Photos by Clem Onojeghuo, Kenni Fil , &  Lauren McConachie on Unsplash

Appetite

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O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1

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How is it?

Your appetite for God?

What’s on the menu?

Heart sugary with a side of forgiveness?

Worship and thankfulness?

Gut wrenching prayers?

Pleas for change?

Or have you been skipping meals?

Ignoring your appetite for God?

Maybe you have a snack once in awhile, whispering a prayer here and there.

Sure way to lose the weight of God’s influence.

His blessings.

His peace.

When one’s appetite for God is healthy, the body is strong, resisting easier Satan’s taunts.

However, the opposite is also true.

When we indulge on worldly gain, ignoring the meat of God, our bodies rarely resist the devil’s temptations.

Even worse, when those worldly gains eat up our time, it always becomes more and more and more, never really satisfying.

And God becomes less and less and less.

Where are you?

Where do you fall on the menu of God?

If you have fallen into the circle of poor diet, stop.

Decide today no more.

Open Psalms and begin again.

Grab that pen and begin to journal all God has done for you.

Pray earnestly, seeking the face of God and His will for you and your loved ones.

And do it again the next day.

And the next.

And the next.

Your strength will grow and before you know it, you’ll be craving God more than the world.

Then, my friends, you’ll know you’re appetite has changed.

For the better.

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Photos by Bundo Kim, Erik Mclean, Stella de Smit, & Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Bigger Person

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Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

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Ugh.

I don’t like that.

Being the bigger person.

Don’t like being the one to apologize first.

To begin the amends.

To swallow my pride.

To open the floodgates of forgiveness.

Rather have the other person go first.

Makes me feel better.

You?

When my honest selfishness invokes horror upon reading what I wrote, I stop.

I think about what God would want me to do.

1 Peter 3:9 reminds us not to “repay evil with evil or insult with insult.”

That’s pretty clear.

Doesn’t mention being first, but fortunately the verse goes on.

Verse 9 continues, ” On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

I for one want a blessing.

You?

The other side of the coin is this: who do I want to please?

God or Satan?

I’m guessing Satan is pretty darn pleased when I stick my feet in the mud, determining to withhold forgiveness unless asked and pleaded with from the other guilty party.

Know God is pleased when I make the first move.

While it’s fun to feed my flesh, it, in turn, pleases Satan.

Yuck.

Double yuck.

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I want to please God.

More than anything, I want to give Him my everything.

That includes forgiving others when they wrong me.

First.

Being the bigger person.

And what if they never ever apologize?

I can move on, because I don’t need it.

All I need is God.

I am responsible for me.

Can’t be responsible for others.

Can’t let others’ sins weigh me down anymore.

As 1 Peter says, “I will be blessed when I repay evil with a blessing.”

Time to make the switch and be the bigger person.

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Photos by Lina Trochez, Felix Koutchinski, Alvin Mahmudov, & Dương Hữu on Unsplash

 

Bible Plan

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Ever read the Bible all the way through?

I have 3 times.

First time was as a 5th grader.

The boy who liked me at the time challenged me to read it.

He read it too.

Didn’t understand everything I read, but it was a start.

Fast forward a few years and I read through another time.

And this past year again, finishing a few days ago.

While I love reading the whole way through, going forward, I decided to take more time.

I adore the Psalms, Proverbs, and New Testament, so that’s what I’m trying this year.

Couldn’t find one that simply required a chapter per day, so I made mine up.

It’s simply 1 chapter from Psalms or Proverbs and 1 chapter from the New Testament.

That’s it.

No breaking up long chapters, no chunking smaller ones.

Simple.

Hoping this idea will allow more time to simply think about what I read.

To ingest the wisdom, grasping the understanding just a bit more.

The Psalms and Proverbs will be read twice through each.

Just allow yourself a few more minutes when Psalm 119 pops up. 🙂

Join me?

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If not this plan, choose another.

I challenge you, too.   🙂

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Photos by Aaron Burden, Bethany Laird, & Ben White on Unsplash

Interrupting Plans

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“for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Joseph and Mary had big plans.

They were simple folk with regular plans.

Get married and build a life, working hard to produce an honorable Jewish family.

Probably were going to stay in town, as folks didn’t regularly move away from their communities.

I can imagine Mary collecting recipes from her mother, gathering the skills needed to run her own household.

Joseph, too, honing his carpentry skills, collecting tools, starting on their forever house.

They had plans.

Plans that were normal, thoughtful, accepted, and logical.

Accepted.

Then God stepped in.

He changed their plans.

Radically.

Disrupted their entire future.

Joseph and Mary went from knowing how their future would proceed to trusting God with everything they had.

Went from predictable reliable plans to an unknown, scary future.

Scary, yes, because now they had no one but themselves.

And God.

Their friends probably thought they were crazy.

And their family hopefully believed them, but the Bible doesn’t record their reactions, so who really knows?

All we know is both Mary and Joseph said yes to God.

They trusted His words and each other.

They chose to walk a difficult journey because they KNEW God had ordained it.

They were confident God would be with them always.

That they were IN His plans.

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And what about you?

What has God interrupted in your life?

What plans of yours has He changed?

It’s irritating, I know, when things change.

Guessing Mary and Joseph weren’t always in great moods about the whole thing.

But they kept going.

They remembered they were in God’s plan.

That God Himself was in control.

And you, too.

When God interrupts your plans, you fall back into His.

His great plans for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Like Joseph and Mary, allow God to interrupt.

Accept His perfect plan for your life.

And take comfort knowing He wants the very best for you, His child.

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Photos by Alex Gindin, Roman Kraft, Luca Baggio, & Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash

Scrooge

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Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 12:28

Ever read A Christmas Carol?

My eighth graders read it with me this month.

I know we’ve all seen the movie or the play twice or a dozen times.

We know the story well.

But have you actually ever read it?

It’s so much better.

The text portrays the struggle like no movie can.

The struggle between selfishness and generosity.

Between hate and love.

Good and evil deep in one’s soul.

The wrestle between habit and change.

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The text opens depicting Scrooge as a vile human being.

He’d rather kill the poor than shove meager crumbs their way.

He looses the love of his life because his “golden idol” has replaced her.

It takes trips to his past, present and future to finally change Scrooge’s heart for good.

Stave 4 depicts his future.

His soul is overcome with grief at how his sorry life is forgotten, all his worldly gains vanishing into the hands of thieves.

His grief is profound, even gut-wrenching.

At the end, Scrooge is found begging for the chance to change his future.

He is pleading with the Ghost of Christmas Future, desperate to know if there is still time to change what is to come.

To my eighth graders, I posed a question:

What if God showed you a movie of your future, based upon your character of today.

What would you see?

And I ask you.

Are the choices you make today creating the future God wants for you?

Or are you forging ahead on the path to death?

May it not be so.

Let us wake from our sleep, recognizing how much God can accomplish through us.

May we recognize the choices God brings to us and choose wisely.

And may God bless us, every one.

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Photos by Erwan Hesry & Greyson Joralemon on Unsplash

Watered Wood

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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. 1 Kings 18:38

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What watered wood do you have on your alter?

What?

You heard me.

What wet, un-burnable wood do you have on your alter?

Meaning, what unbelievably impossible burdens do you carry?

What disastrous situations are you declaring unsolvable today?

That’s what watered wood is.

Situations that seem utterly impossible.

That’s because they are.

Utterly impossible.

In your strength.

But not in God’s.

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God doesn’t care if your wood on the alter is soaked.

He’ll still send the fires of heaven to burn it up.

Accepted.

God does not care just how big your burden is.

Because He is always bigger still.

Always.

Remember Elisha’s altar when he was proving God’s superiority against the enemy’s false gods?

He bet God would burn his sacrifice even with the extreme amounts of water.

Remember, fire and water don’t mix.

And God came through.

He was more than enough, burning everything in an instant.

And He’ll do the same with you.

He’ll take your burden, your seemingly impossible situation and take care of it.

Completely.

But only if you trust Him.

Allow Him to work.

Allow Him by giving everything to Him.

Then watch Him work it all out.

Completely.

Photos by Ramiz Dedaković, Gregory DALLEAU, Joshua Earle, & Nathan Lindahl on Unsplash

Triumph

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Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

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Are you winning?

Are you living in triumph?

Unbended trust in Christ results in triumph.

1 Corinthians 2:14 reminds to have “thanks be to God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.“

When our ways are hidden in Him, we are confident and fruitful.

No matter the trial,

No matter the circumstances,

Wherever God places us, we are led in triumph.

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Want to be on the winning side?

Of course you do.

We all do.

I can tell you whose side you must join.

God’s.

Live for Him.

Allow Him to work through your every choice.

Rely on His wisdom to guide you.

And whatever comes your way,

You’ll know He is sovereign.

In complete control.

And the triumph He gives will begin to create your beautiful countenance.

May we purpose in our hearts to be thankful, surrendering each moment to God for His glory and triumph.

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Photos by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash