Saturday, February 29, 2020

Live in our joy/joys...

 Live in our joy/joys....


“When we serve someone else, we’re too busy to think much on our own problems. Leastways, our problems don’t seem so big in comparison.”

Patience had always believed God never let their troubles go to waste, that He was always using them to bring about good, often in ways they couldn’t see.

“When we show kindness to someone, we never can know exactly how many lives that kindness may affect.

Jody Hedlund “The reluctant bride.” Bride ship series...

I read Christian novels at night...if I read anything informational, my mind doesn’t slow down and rest,...no new crafts, no news, no new recipes, no business, not even Christian helps/devotionals...pure fiction...

I captured these few quotes and  typed them out quickly to save for later the other night...when I could think through them...


Then this devotion popped up this morning for our perusal...God’s  unfailing love...His work in our lives, His promises, His Joy, His kindness, His Character...and soo very much more...

Thank YOU for your unfailing love toward us...

Thursday, February 20, 2020

What are you making....

What are you making...

I stood before the mirror the other day...ready to leave, checking my hem, hair, clothing, etc...
Suddenly, I was asking, “God, where did I go?, I see my mother at seventy, but not myself , my hair has turned to streaked gray, gravity and age has sagged my skin, etc...”
Then as I read this passage today... I was caught by the phase, “ what are you making,” as the clay asked the potter...
Oh, the passage addresses much more than personal appearance, it is the creator of the universe setting man straight on who is who...

There is so much more to life than the daily reminder of an aging body, we are but a vapor, the Word says... 

I need to be more concerned about where my true treasures are...who has my allegiance, am I growing, being transformed in Christlikeness, 
My neighbors, my family, those whom I meet,...

Thank YOU...help me bow before you and no other...remembering you as the Maker, the Potter, a righteous God and Savior...



“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. 
Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’? Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?’ “
This is what the Lord says— the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands? 
It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. 
I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free, but not for a price or reward, says the Lord Almighty.” 
This is what the Lord says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans — they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. 
They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’” 
Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savior of Israel. 
All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced; they will go off into disgrace together. 
But Israel will be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting. 
For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited — he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. 
I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ 
I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right. “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 
Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? 
And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. 
“Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 
By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 
They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. 
But all the descendants of Israel will find deliverance in the Lord and will make their boast in him.
Isaiah 45:9-25 

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The burning bush...the blinding light...

The burning bush...the blinding light on the road to Damascus...

Found an interesting  comparison...the burning bush and the blinding light...Old Testament, New Testament...

Two men going about their business, called to change their direction in life, given instructions, lead people down a different path...called by God...jewish spokesman...leader...murderer or in agreement murderer...writers...encourager...followed God til death...travelers, by land and sea,,,mentors..

Bring people out of slavery to freedom , bring them out of darkness into light...show them the way ....

Just a thought,  thank YOU...how you use people as tools for your glory...

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey —the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. ” Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “ I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘ I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob —has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob —appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’ “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.” Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”
Exodus 3:1-4:1 



As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,  “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Acts 9:3-16 

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Treasured possessions ...

Treasured possessions....

There is a time when we have to whittle down our treasures...things we have collected over our lives, trinkets, baseball cards, special occasion cards from parents or children or spouses, antiques handed down over time...it may have no value to anyone but us...or much money for rarity...

In the Old Testament, God speaks to the Israelites as his “treasured possessions”...they were not “stuff “ but a people group especially chosen to be His people..loved, holy to Him...treasured...

Can you imagine? Treasured above anyone else...when my husband was alive, I felt treasured...he chose me as his life long partner...my parents birthed me, but I felt treasured by them as well as my grandparents and relatives...I feel treasured by my children and friends...but treasured by the creator of the universe...wow, beyond words...

Now, I move onto the New Testament, and find in
Ephesians, that as a believer I was chosen before the foundation of the earth...that’s a long time ago...He knew me, planned for me...or anyone believing in His Son, Jesus.....what a promise...chosen...by the Most High...thank YOU...it can’t get any better than that...those earthly trinkets do not compare...


Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
Exodus 19:5-6 

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 
The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 
But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:6-9 

And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.
Deuteronomy 26:18-19 

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
Malachi 3:16-18 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesians 1:3-10 


21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21

Friday, February 14, 2020

Sit, soak, sour....sit sulk and sour...

Sit,  sulk, sour...

Sit, soak and sour...

I use a sponge for dish washing.  If I let it sit for a time in water, it will sour, or a washcloth in the bathroom without much ventilation, it too will sour...

We had a bathroom once that was not properly ventilated and our wet after-shower towels would turn sour...I had to dry them in the dryer to make sure they dried well.  Finally found a “towel warmer” that would do the trick...(felt so luxurious having warmed towels after a shower, but it really had a duel purpose)...

It is so hard to get that sour  smell out wet items... when not properly dried...

So what does that have to do anything?...

I, too, can sour if I let my attitude sit in places that are not appropriate...if I continuously think on my problems, not getting my way, hold resentments, hold on to anger...and on and on...fill in the blanks..

I need that proper ventilation or sometimes venting...I need the truth of the Spirit, the “warming” of my attitude, the “think on these things”...the letting go and let God...the “thank you” in my vocabulary rather than the “I deserve it”... the “hellos and greetings” to neighbors and strangers... the giving of a smile rather than a frown...

I am ambassador for Christ in whatever I say and do...as are all believers...don’t we have a great God? I need to show it, not hide it away  under a sour outlook...

My current audio book in the car is 
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What a delight to hear, ponder, execute...

Today is Valentine’s Day...let His love shine...to those around ....

Thank YOU...

 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20 

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Psalm 19...

Psalm 19...

Verses 7+

Have you ever noticed...

The WORD..........................DESCRIPTION      RESULTS 
The law of the Lord                Is perfect              Reviving the soul 
The testimony of the Lord.     Is sure.                 Making wise the simple
The precepts.                          Are right.              Rejoicing the heart
The commandments.              Is pure.                 Enlightening the eyes
The fear of the Lord.              Is clean.                Enduring forever 
The rules of the Lord.            Are true and righteous
                                                                       Servant warned, great reward

Then we go to Psalm 119 and it expands the list of descriptions and results...as well as other passages...

But, bottom line...we pray that....

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Thank YOU that your Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true , righteous....that we can be revived, made wise, rejoice, enlightened, 
warned.  That we can choose to be pleasing on your sight...You have made the way...

Monday, February 10, 2020

Acts...

Acts...

The pastor is studying through the book of Acts in the New Testament...saying it will take awhile...
A pivotal book, the church comes to being...the new leaders, the growth to the world, the sorting out of doctrine, the testimonies, the encouragement, the dispersion, the sacrifices, the travels, truth...adding the letters to the new churches, individuals...

 It is like reading a life story of an individual...all the in and outs, the ups and downs, the various chapters of life, the connections or disconnects, making up the whole story of their life...how God was working over and over again...the changes throughout their life to bring them to new places, new people and how it all works together...

What a glorious path the church has trod and is still treading ...it has not been destroyed, but rather blossomed because God has been glorified and continues to be so...He is God after all...He lifts up and tears down...He Forgives that we might do so as well...He moves the world and man as He planned...He is loving, comforting, building...while He judges as well...the sin...

One portion of Acts reveals one man’s deep questions...

After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 
When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. 
At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 
The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 
But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” 
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 
At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 
The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. 
When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “
The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
Acts 16:23-36
I can’t imagine the jailer in the beginning treating Paul Silas with any  kindness...but he is transformed in this small narrative...from placing them in stocks to washing their wounds, feeding them and telling them to go in peace...and bidding their leave...
He is not only transformed in actions but, in heart..believing, being baptized...
What we all need to do... believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent, accept Him as Savior...

God was building the church with jailers, crowds, rich, poor, various cultures...everyone... because He is for all...all mankind...thank YOU...

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Pictures and memories....

Pictures and memories...

As I sat in my women’s Bible study yesterday, I was listening to prayers and requests....it took me back over life....I have been going through our family albums of pictures, purging, sorting...

As I sat there, I was impressed with the prayers of not only this group, but of years of prayers I have joined in various of groups...godly men and women who have been a part of my life...who have encouraged me, whom I have encouraged, encountered in many places...both far away, and near...around the world and next door...these pictures weren’t in my albums...but in my memories...

I have said in previous blogs how much I appreciated having these people in my life...

As our world has gotten smaller, it seems, instant communication, quick transportation, we still need those wonderful people to stand by us in prayer, encouragement...

I had wonderful sets of grandparents, parents, friends, family, a wonderful faithful husband, four children who have great kids...oh, there were bumps in the road, some huge...some small...but there were always praying friends and family...those who cared, stood or sat by...

Thank YOU....

 The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Proverbs 12:26 


One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. 
Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,....
Proverbs 27:9-10a

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Jude 1:20-21

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:3-6