Friday, February 28, 2025

Towel warmers…

 Towel warmers….


One of the homes we lived in had towel warmers in the bathroom…what a luxury….stepping out of the warm shower , to be  enfolded by a warm towel…wow…it felt so good…it wasn’t the shock one usually gets with cooler air reaching  for a towel…it was warm to warm…I didn’t even know there was such a thing until then…


So,what does that  have to do with real life? I don’t know…I thought it was interesting…

No, I was thinking about worry, anxiety …it can shower us, enfold us, keeping us, not letting go…and we go around shrouded in the covering, not ever leaving it’s “comfort”…not feeling the invigorating freedom of letting God take care of us, take care of the problem, giving Him the burden…not believing in his promises…not giving him a chance to work out the good he promises…not seeing Him work his will…instead of our finite solutions…


Oh, don’t even think I don’t worry…that would be a lie…..that I don’t get anxious…another lie…I want to get to the point where I immediately cast my cares on Him…I haven’t reached that point yet…but, there is a point when I realize, I cannot solve the problem and only He can…then the freedom in Him is amazing…God usually doesn’t solve problems “my” way, but always so much better…


Thank YOU…


 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 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? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. 

Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matt.6.25-34


I cast all my cares …


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKM4NoTKLzo





Thursday, February 27, 2025

In need of reassurance…

 In need of reassurance…


When wevisited Israel several years ago, we saw wine presses in various places…they aren’t that big….so reading about Gideon thrashing wheat in a  small confined  place was interesting…

First he is using the wine press for something different, hidden from the enemy, and then the Angel of the Lord visits him and calls him “a mighty warrior “…an ordinary man, the least among his family, becomes a warrior…


But before he accepts the challenge, he has some questions…and he needs some reassurances…

“If the Lord is with us, why is all this happened to us? Where are all the wonders that our fathers told us about….”


And God answers repeatedly, “I will be with you, do not be afraid,” to the  tasks that God has called him…

“His journey illustrates how God can empower individuals to rise above their circumstances and fulfill a divine purpose.”Bibledictionary.com


(My Bible notes I had written from previous reading were from five years ago…right before a second retina surgery…when the Word says “ peace,do not be afraid”…my reassurance at the time…with several weeks of recovery ahead..besides the surgery itself…and a cataract surgery ahead because of the retina surgery…I didn’t ask why, but just went forward… I didn’t feel brave, but resigned that this was the path set before me)…


Gideon, the warrior. ..did what was set before him …with God’s leading and promises..and reassuring…he overcame the enemy with amazing odds that only God can do…”I will be with you”….


He promises that to us all…”I will never leave or forsake you”…a reassurance…


 So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

For I am the Lord your Godwho takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear;I will help you.

Isa.41.10,Isa.41.13


Thank YOU…


In your hands…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxkMVhWUZw


Wednesday, February 26, 2025

The names of God…

 The names of God…


This morning I received a letter from friends in Uganda…we have known them since college years…we have supported them all of their missionary years…helped with weddings, drought at their Bible college, their medical travels and issues, prayed for them, received their letters-personal and public …and this year they are retiring…where have all the years gone…so long, so quickly…


Looking at this page from my Bible on names of God and situations of the authors were going through to be shown these attributes is a history book in itself…and looking back over the lives of these missionaries and our lives…God made himself soooo real in certain seasons and times of life..even though we know God is always present and there….there are times that are pivotal at His presence and care…stories, memories of comfort, provision, peace, etc…


Thank YOU…

God will make a way…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o


Awesome God…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcfpuWKC2jY


Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Belated wishes…

 Belated wishes…


When I was going through my earlier blogs, I found this from a .Valentine’s Day several years ago..it still fills a heartfelt wish…belatedly…but we need that wish every day…love…from one another, from the God of love…in lonely times, in emotional times, all times…


Thank YOU…


“Happy Valentine's Day....

Another day of giving heartfelt hearts and joy...or another flower buying day...wearing reds or pinks....

When I worked as a florist, this day with Mother's Day were the bread and butter days for them...getting as many arrangements out the door as possible., 3000 plus roses each year in varying arrangements as well as other red or pink flowers with balloons, cards, stuffed animals ,   Etc...we had lines of people waiting ....until we ran out of flowers....and we were exhausted....hired extra delivery people, started delivering by 8 am and were on the road continuously until each arrangement was home that night..girlfriends, daughters, wives, mistresses, husbands, boyfriends, and just friends....received and sent gifts....usually in the coldest weather of the year...it was a unique and tiring experience each year....

When I think of how God expresses his love, I think of his creation for us to enjoy...His son he sent for our salvation, His hand holding mine in times of hurt, his comfort in time of need, his provision in times of want, his compassion, his written word to ponder and meditate upon, his ever present presence...all the ways in which we have needs, he is there....caring, comforting , loving...not necessarily with red valentines but Himself...or maybe someone as a messenger...all the red roses in the world aren't worth a thing next to His love....

Thank YOU for your great love, I realize that I don't understand it all, but I know it in my heart, soul and mind....

Psalm 19:8
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 30:12
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Psalm 31:24
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 32:11
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!


Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Mark 12:31
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 4:9
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”


The love of God…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LapBD802O0 


Friday, February 21, 2025

How quickly “we” forget….

 How quickly “we” forget…


Reading about the Israelites as they enter the promised land…it is a sad  commentary about “teaching”…what was taught or not..to succeeding generations…

The really sad part though is that it really hasn’t changed over the generations…

Alas, we are still people just as they were…we really haven’t changed over the millennia…and God knew and knows that…and he continues to love us, leading us through our deserts, sending his Son to die for our sins…to raise again…in his grace,  forgiving us as we choose to believe…he listens to our woes, our cries for help just as He did for the Israelites…he goes before us…


Thank YOU…


 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. 

After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.

Judg.2.7,10


 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

Judg.21.25


 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 

Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 

Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. 

Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. 

Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.

Deut.6.1-2, Deut.6.4-8,Deut.6.13-19


Our God will go before us…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmEYeZB8dDI




Wednesday, February 19, 2025

 “I am old and well advanced in years”…Joshua 


The passing of another baton…


Joshua=God delivers…the Lord is salvation…God saves…


Joshua, born in Egypt, mentored by Moses, a spy who was ready to go into the promised land-but was voted down, had to live with the Israelites while his generation died off, waited 40 years before they could finally enter the promised land, led the Israelites into Canaan to the take over of the land, divided the land by tribes…


Still in his old age he followed God…what an epitaph…


“The name Joshua continues to hold spiritual relevance for contemporary believers. It symbolizes hope and salvation, reminding them of God’s unwavering support. In times of uncertainty, the narrative of Joshua encourages individuals to trust in God’s plan and promises…

In everyday life, the principles embodied by Joshua—strength, courage, faith, and obedience—are applicable to various challenges. Whether facing personal struggles, leadership roles, or community service, the name Joshua inspires individuals to act with integrity and faithfulness.”

Bibledictionarytoday.com


His life and actions epitomize faith, obedience, and divine guidance. Joshua's name symbolizes hope, redemption, and unwavering faith in God's promises…namealways.com


 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Josh.1.9


 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. 

But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Josh.24.15


Thank YOU…


Find us faithful…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKT5BCmvmq0




https://www.lovetoknow.com/life/grief-loss/what-should-i-write-headstone





Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Order out of confusion ….2…

 Order out of confusion….2…


I found this early blog as I was copying mine to paper these last weeks…

We are living in a confusing world…more and more turmoil, mankind desires so much, covets so much, …

I was listening to a news commentary the other day, that the younger generation are desiring more and more traditional values to have more stability in their lives, more connections, less stress and less confusion…more order…they actually want to sit down and have a conversation and not just on their mobile devices…


Funny, isn’t that what God wanted, fellowship,order…delight in his world, his creation…


It fills a void in our world as well…we are created in His image,  after all….


Thank YOU…


Father of creation….


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AtGRBcOC3Lw&pp=ygUQc29uZyBvZiBjcmVhdGlvbg%3D%3D




“Order out of confusion.....


I have a friend  who excitedly told me that their first child just found her tiny toes...so cute...the baby is following a fairly orderly pattern of learning about her world and herself...

 

My grandchildren are all doing the same with their lives...first their toes, followed quickly, it seems, by high school subjects....how time marches on ....learning, discovering, doing , growing ....but there is a natural progression of growth....

 

God created the world in order...from light and dark to people...with each day in between created in order...

 

The Israelites marching through the desert, did so in an orderly manner, knowing what to do and when...

Numbers 2:17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard. 

 

If there is no order, confusion comes quickly...

Isaiah 41:29 See, they are all false! Their deeds amount to nothing; their images are but wind and confusion. 


1 Corinthians 14:33, 40 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. 

 

Galatians 5:10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 

I remember some of the intersections we have driven through in populated cities...it seemed like utter confusion, with all modes of transportation trying to get from one side to the other, honking horns, raising of fists, punching,,shoving until movement... as the traffic light finally changed colors... 

 

There is order and without it there is confusion...Satan lives in the confusion.....wanting us not to find the peace of God...


We develop in order, as the baby does, day by day, line upon line...if we don't, we may have to return to  a time or spot to pick up that was ignored or out of sequence....there are some behaviors in children who have skipped a normal progression that have to return to fill in the gaps of that development to be able to move on correctly...one thing leads to another to another...with no confusion..


There are times in my life that I have to step back and ask..."is this from God or is Satan bringing confusion and fear to make chaos?...."  God brings order and peace....not chaos...babies don't go from birth to immediately walking...without learning the steps in between or gathering the strength to do it..there is developmental between...order...

Thank YOU that You Are a God of order ....You don't  confuse, You are not chaotic..


Baby’s First Year: How Infants Develop

By Gina Shaw
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Renee A. Alli, MD

WebMD Archive 

From helpless newborn to active toddler: It takes just 12 short months for your baby to undergo this incredible transformation. Babies grow and change at an astounding pace, and every month brings new and exciting developments.

New moms and dads often wonder what to expect next and how to know if their baby’s development is on target. Instead of focusing too much on developmental milestones, however, it’s important to remember that babies all develop at their own pace. There’s a fairly wide “window” for when it is normal for a baby to reach a particular developmental stage.

“If your baby reaches one milestone sooner, she may reach another one later, because she’s so busy perfecting the other skill,” says Jennifer Shu, MD, pediatrician and co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn.

Some babies may say their first word at eight months, while others don’t talk until a little after the one-year mark. And walking may start anytime between nine and 18 months.

Keeping those kinds of variations in mind, here’s what your baby may be doing during each three-month stage of the first year.

Baby Development: One to Three Months

During this first development stage, babies’ bodies and brains are learning to live in the outside world. Between birth and three months, your baby may start to:

• Smile. Early on, it will be just to herself. But within three months, she’ll be smiling in response to your smiles and trying to get you to smile back at her.

• Raise her head and chest when on her tummy.

• Track objects with her eyes and gradually decrease eye crossing.

• Open and shut her hands and bring hands to her mouth.

• Grip objects in her hands.

• Take swipes at or reach for dangling objects, though she usually won’t be able to get them yet.

Baby Development: Four to Six Months

During these months, babies are really learning to reach out and manipulate the world around them. They’re mastering the use of those amazing tools, their hands. And they’re discovering their voices. From 4 to 6 months old, your baby will probably:

• Roll over from front to back or back to front. Front-to-back usually comes first.

• Babble, making sounds that can sound like real language.

• Laugh.

• Reach out for and grab objects (watch out for your hair), and manipulate toys and other objects with her hands.

• Sit up with support and have great head control.

Baby Development: Seven to Nine Months

During the second half of this year, your little one becomes a baby on the go. After learning that he can get somewhere by rolling over, he’ll spend the next few months figuring out how to move forward or backward. If you haven’t baby-proofed yet, better get on it!

• During this time period, your baby may:

• Start to crawl. This can include scooting (propelling around on his bottom) or “army crawling” (dragging himself on his tummy by arms and legs), as well as standard crawling on hands and knees. Some babies never crawl, moving directly to from scooting to walking.

• Sit without support.

• Respond to familiar words like his name. He may also respond to “No” by briefly stopping and looking at you, and may start babbling "Mama" and "Dada."

• Clap and play games such as patty-cake and peekaboo.

• Learn to pull up to a standing position.

Baby Development: 10 to 12 Months

The last development stage in baby’s first year is quite a transition. She isn’t an infant anymore, and she might look and act more like a toddler. But she’s still a baby in many ways. She’s learning to:

• Begin feeding herself. Babies at this developmental stage master the “pincer grasp“ -- meaning they can hold small objects such as O-shaped cereal between their thumb and forefinger.

• Cruise, or move around the room on her feet while holding onto the furniture.

• Say one or two words, and "Mama" and "Dada" become specific name for parents. The average is about three spoken words by the first birthday, but the range on this is enormous.

• Point at objects she wants in order to get your attention.

• Begin “pretend play” by copying you or using objects correctly, such as pretending to talk on the phone. 

• Take her first steps. This usually happens right around one year, but it can vary greatly.”

 

 

 

Monday, February 17, 2025

Roots…

 Roots….


The summer my husband went on his  first short term mission trip to Mongolia our water stopped a couple of days after his return…we had huge water tanks which had been full when he left…so,he had to search out the problem asap.  Our water came from a spring about 300 hundred feet from the storage tanks…unbeknownst to us, roots from the forest trees we lived amongst had found the pipes and their roots grew and filled the water pipe, slowly using the water that was supposed to fill the tanks…hence dry tanks…


The trees had done what they were supposed to do to survive, seek water with their roots…to grow and thrive…the trees were persistent in their pursuit of water…but, thankfully the spring had not dried up and runs still ….

 (It was amazing to see the length of the roots and how bound up they were in the pipe…)


We all need water…it is essential to life…but there is water that is for our bodies and there is living water for our souls…living Water which only comes from Jesus…his is essential for eternal life…


Thank YOU…

P

 He is like a tree planted by water,that sends out its roots by the stream,and does not fear when heat comes,for its leaves remain green,and is not anxious in the year of drought,for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Jer.17.8


 It was beautiful in its greatness,in the length of its branches;for its roots went down-to abundant waters.

Ezek.31.7


 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

John.4.10-15


 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power rest through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph.3.14-19


 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Col.2.6-7


Living water…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7rhojTnlOk

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Marching orders…

 


Marching orders…


I thought this phase for sure came from the book of Joshua…but, no…first used in 1714 by someone’s estimate…but it fits regardless…

Purported to be one of the oldest cities, lowest in elevation…about six miles from the Dead Sea…Jesus visited it, met and dined with zaccheus, healed two blind men…

God destroyed it in Joshua’s time…by the walls falling down after days of marching around it…one time for six days, silently , and on the seventh day, 7 times…about 1 and a quarter miles around…then times 7 …with shouts and the blowing of the rams horn…

If I were a resident of that city, it would be a bit creepy having people walk around each day…the silence would be deafening…the rumors and murmuring would be tortuous…and then the victory that only the Lord of all the earth could do…


“March·ing or·ders

1.
instructions from a superior officer for troops to depart.”

The Web dictionary…


 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

Josh.6.2-5


What are the “marching orders” that God gives us…what is He teaching from His Word, the Holy Spirit…we know that what God promises he will do…we know that He is with us…

Jesus changed Zaccheus’ heart…healed the blind…he came to a city that has been destroyed by God for its wickedness …rebuilt at a cost…He gave those a second chance…He redeemed…


Thank YOU….


Jericho….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr_zxRxwK0Q



https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/powerful-lessons-from-the-fall-of-the-walls-of-jericho.html


https://bibleatlas.bibleodyssey.org/dictionary/jericho/


Biblehike.org


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg_W-YhZltU


Saturday, February 15, 2025

Able men..,

 Able men….


The other day, I had to deliver some food to the church for a memorial service…trying to quietly go to the kitchen without disturbing the meeting being held in the adjoining room…the room filled with men studying God’s Word…my soul was so pleased to see so many there…(I am not putting down those who weren’t there,not my intent) I was just grateful…(as I am with the women’s groups or children’s groups, or teen groups, etc…) getting grounded in the Word….


Over and over throughout the Word, men are chosen for specific tasks, leadership, disciples, etc…in need of specific training, obligations….God uses these men for His Glory…it continues through the generations…He is still calling …still training…still sending out…these able men…to do his bidding….


Thank YOU…


 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 

Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Exod.18.21, 25


 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”

Josh.4.1-7


 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matt.4.18-22


 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Matt.10.1-4


 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Titus.1.6-9


Firm foundations….


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9xzWoTGkKg

Friday, February 14, 2025

Memorial stones…

 Memorial stones…


Joshua 4 speaks of memorial stones reminding the Israelites of the crossing the Jordon at flood stage on dry ground, finally entering the promised land…


“He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”Joshua 4:24…


I have to quickly admit ..l started crying when  I read this passage…God does work mightily on our behalf…sometimes we know it and other times He is working steadfastly “behind the scenes”…moment by moment, day day, year by year…I need the memorial stones as a reminder…He is powerful…


I hugged a friend yesterday after she has gone through chemo this past year…was sooooo good to see her…God worked powerfully in her life as He did in mine…as he does in so many others…they may not all overtly  “positive” outcomes…but He is working good for our lives…



Thank YOU…


 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” 

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 


He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

Josh.4.4-7, Josh.4.21-24


 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Rom.8.28


Nobody loves like you do…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KicvBB2L68

Thursday, February 13, 2025

The Lord of all the earth…

 The Lord of all the earth…


A new phrase crops up in Joshua 3, “the Lord of all the earth”…


The LORD your God still is included, but this new phrase starts here and is used over and over…He is the one the helps them walk in dry ground across the flooding river Jordan…because He is the Lord of all the earth, the creator, their God like no other…

The phrase is not in the New Testament, but Jesus tells us that he and the Father are one…soooo…

But, Moses repeatedly says the LORD your God…he is making him so personal…the Joshua expands the concept to show that He is the Lord of alllll the earth as well.

love it…


Thank YOU…


 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

Josh.3.11-13


 You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Neh.9.6


 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seasand established it on the waters.

Ps.24.1-2


 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,before the Lord of all the earth.

Ps.97.5


 “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”

Isa.37.16,20


 “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:I am the Lord,the Maker of all things,who stretches out the heavens,who spreads out the earth by myself,

Isa.44.24


 For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;he is called the God of all the earth.

Isa.54.5


 I and the Father are one.” But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

John.10.30, 38


Lord of all…


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=69vzhLo8kj4&pp=ygUTbG9yZCBvZiBhbGwgY3Jvd2Rlcg%3D%3D


Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Thank you…

 Thank you…


This was from Samaritan’s purse news…


I am just a participant like millions of others…but when I see new like this, I am thankful to be able to participate…and thankful that there are others to share the good news…


These small shoe boxes impact children’s lives, their parents lives, their community’s , the world and eternity… pray doe the distributions in the coming months…


From Samaritan’s Purse News…

“God did amazing things around the world through Operation Christmas Child in 2024! 

We thank Him that 11.9 million shoeboxeswere prayerfully packed and collected. 

That means millions of children will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be discipled in 2025!”


Thank YOU….


 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1Tim.4.16


 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Jas.1.17


 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1Pet.4.10



Thank you…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lVzeS5i8WQ

Monday, February 10, 2025

Rahab enters the picture…

  Rahab enters the picture….


Rahab, a prostitute by profession, loved her family and was brave enough to fend for them, to beg for their lives…willing to lie to the king of Jericho….she and her family were saved from the downfall of Jericho…and became a part of the lineage of Jesus…


A friend of mine goes to brothels in Nevada to tell people there of the Love of Jesus…she may talk to the owners, the bartenders, the     women…she and a team, hand out books, Bibles, pamphlets, treats, clothing, handbags, etc…”the Bible ladies”…those people  who live such a hard life deserve to hear about Jesus too…several have left that life, changed theirs as Jesus has touched their hearts, many ask for prayer, etc…


When you think of Rahab, she was trying to save her family…not knowing she would be in the lineage of Jesus…or written about in the faith chapter along with Patriarchs…


We may never know how our obedience affects generations down the line…but faithfulness, obedience is key…


Thank YOU…


 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.” 

But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut. 

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 

When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.” 

“Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.” 

So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.” 

Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

“Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

Josh.2.3-22


 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 

So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel. Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 

But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

Josh.6.22-25


Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife.

Matt.1.5-6


 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

Heb.11.31


 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Jas.2.24-26


Trust and obey…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4B-vzNHPw

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Warm water…

 Warm water…


Warm water is a luxury that many do not have in the world…and I for one take it for granted…


I was giving my little dog  a bath the other day and he was totally enjoying the warm water with scrubbing …he stood patiently taking  it all in… a free wet massage…


I realized I like the same thing, I will sometimes just stand in the warm shower or bath tube, soaking in the warmth…


There are songs that feel like that to me as well…

One of which is…

There’s a sweet spirit in this place…


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WAPFp4raTR4&pp=ygUqdGhlcmUncyBhIHN3ZWV0IHN3ZWV0IHNwaXJpdCBpbiB0aGlzIHBsYWNl


It makes me remember…the verse..


 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Exod.40.34


Or the songs of Moses, Mary, or Zechariah…and others when they paused the Lord…thanked Him…proclaiming Him…or when in Acts,  the people were filled with the Holy Spirit…


 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts.2.1-4


Holy Spirit rain down..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SI_HRWooA&list=RDd-SI_HRWooA&start_radio=1


Thank YOU…

Saturday, February 8, 2025

LORD your God…

 


LORD your God….


He praise, “LORD your God” repeats 272 times just in the book of Deuteronomy…out of over 600 in the whole Bible…talk about repetition!!!! The Word lists what He did, what he will do, who he was to the nation of Israel….he was everything and he reminded them over and over and over…blessing, treasure, care, comfort, etc., etc.,etc…..


I am not an Israelite…I am adopted into God’s family by my redeemer, Jesus, God’s son, who died for my sins, who has saved me, prayed for me, loves me, sent a comforter to live in my heart…but not just for me, but the whole world…He is the LORD my God…


Thank YOU…


 The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

Deut.2.7


 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.

Deut.7.6


 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’”

Num.15.41


 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John.3.16-17


“The phrase "The LORD your God" appears frequently throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the Pentateuch, the historical books, and the prophetic writings. It is often used in contexts where God is reminding His people of His commandments, His promises, and His role as their protector and provider.”……


“While the exact phrase "The LORD your God" is less common in the New Testament, the concept of God as a personal, covenant-keeping deity continues. Jesus reaffirms the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37 , quoting the Shema: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’" This continuity underscores the enduring nature of God's relationship with His people through Christ.”…..


“The phrase "The LORD your God" encapsulates the essence of God's relationship with His people, highlighting His sovereignty, faithfulness, and the call to love and obedience. It serves as a powerful reminder of the covenantal bond between God and those who follow Him, a bond that is both personal and communal, rooted in love, holiness, and divine promise.”

https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_lord_your_god.htm


https://namesforgod.net/lord-your-god/


The Lord our God…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTbY24n-8Ik


Thursday, February 6, 2025

Widows all around…

 Widows all around….


I found this blog from several years ago and wanted to reshare….

For whatever reason,(divine appointments) this week I have met widows, each with their own unique stories, pain….I was  wishing for a place, a retreat that could be offered for widows like the marriage retreat for couples…encouragement, growth, camaraderie, a place to get away, be real, cry, share, grow, delve into God’s Word…


“Widows...loss..


.

This message was very good...I wanted to share it...

Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord . A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
Psalm 68:4-5

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked...psalm 146:9




Thank YOU....




“What Do Widows in the Bible Teach Us about Loss?
Dr. Julie Barrier 

My best friend Abby was widowed at 44. Her husband John passed away from sleep apnea. He was healthy. No warning. Four little faces greeted Mom at the breakfast table. They had no idea their Daddy was gone. Ten years later, Abby cautiously remarried.
Two years after she tied the knot, Abby’s second husband died following a gruesome battle with cancer. Abby loved and lost. Devastating!
Over 220,000 Americans died in World War II. Men and women who sent their loved ones into battle kissed their spouses goodbye never knowing if that goodbye would be their last.
According to wiserwomen.org, 50% of women will lose their spouses by age 65.
My Mom was happily married to my Dad for 63 years. She told me her deepest hurt was going to sleep at night in an empty bed. My mother-in-law lost her first husband in World War II. My husband Roger never knew of his Mom’s first marriage until long after his mother’s death. Helen never grieved openly, and because she hid her pain, she was fearful and angry most of her life.
How will you face the empty bed? The empty pew?
Many women tell me that losing a mate is like losing a limb. They have to redefine who they are and how they relate to others. Couple friendships may be awkward. Income may be reduced. It's a torturous, treacherous journey. Only by the grace of God can one survive it.

The Bible is filled with stories of widows. We can learn much from them.
Ruth and Naomi demonstrated two different ways of dealing with grief. Naomi cried, “Don’t call me Naomi (which means pleasant)” she told them. “Call me Mara (bitter) because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.” (Ruth 1:20)
Ruth, also heartbroken, showed incredible love and loyalty to her mother-in-law:
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Ruth taught us two invaluable lessons about grief:
From Ruth, we learn to not grieve alone, and to face the future with faith.
Too often we pull away from comforters because we are afraid to show our weakness. Too often we turn away from God because we are angry with Him for taking away the love of our life.
Naomi wallowed in self-pity.
Ruth clung to her dear mother-in-law. She forsook the worship of Chemosh, the Semitic god she feared, for a life-long commitment to Yahweh, the God she had yet to know. The Moabite widow became a beloved wife, mother and the great-grandmother of Jesus.
Joppa’s widow Dorcas blessed others in her sorrow.
Instead of allowing her overwhelming loss to engulf her in self-pity, Dorcas used her solitary moments to minister to the poor:
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor...
When he (Peter) arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.” (Acts 9:36-41)
Dorcas cultivated a community of widows, a safe place for women to share their pain and an outlet to use their gifts to help others.
God not only blessed Dorcas for her generosity and faithfulness, He raised her from the dead!

Anna continued to worship God through her loss.
The prophetess Anna is only mentioned in two short verses of the New Testament, but her story gives us the greatest inspiration in the loss of a spouse:
“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36-38)
Anna, alone and probably destitute, lived her life worshipping God. She drenched the temple floor with her tears. How unfair to lose her family at such a young age! But Anna prayed and praised her entire life.
Her unfailing devotion to God was rewarded. Anna saw the Messiah and joyfully foretold His ministry and coming kingdom.
Anna probably lived 65 years without a husband. I’m sure there were mornings when she didn’t even want to get out of bed. But she kept coming back to God, giving Him glory day after day.
Christ created the church as a place of comfort, safety and service. Only in God’s presence do we find God’s healing and rest.
Ruth, Dorcas and Anna teach us that tragedy and loss does not have to define us.

Widows have the unique opportunity to experience God’s sweetest favor, (Psalm 68:5) protection, and blessing (Psalm 146:9)

“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy!” (Psalm 38:11)




Dr. Julie Barrier, along with her pastor-husband, Dr. Roger Barrier, have taught conferences on marriage and ministry in 35 countries. The Barriers are founders and directors of Preach It, Teach It providing free resources in 10 languages to 5 million visitors in 229 countries. The Barriers pastored 35 years at Casas Church in Arizona, Julie has served as a worship minister, concert artist and adjunct professor at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. She has authored or composed of over 500 published works.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tom-Merton”


Heart of compassion…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrDxtxqWL2o



Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Prepared place…

  Prepared a place…


Reading through the Old Testament books again…


The promise of a promised land for the Israelites is a major theme…over and over…generation after generation throughout history…and that small piece of land continues to this day to be in dispute…at some point in time that promise will be fulfilled…maybe this generation or the future…only

God knows the time, the final circumstances… they wait expectantly…


As Christians, we have a “promised land” as well…no given date on it yet either… 


We all have to trust in the preparations…promises…we wait expectantly as well…for the return of the Messiah…


“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

John .14.1-3


 But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,nor the heart of man imagined,what God has prepared for those who love him”—

1Cor.2.9


 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Heb.11.16


 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Col. 3:24


 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Heb.9.15


 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 

This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

1Pet.1.3-6


Thank YOU…


prepared a place for me…


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XzYstkSNc88&pp=ygUncHJlcGFyZWQgYSBwbGFjZSBmb3IgbWUgc292ZXJlaWduIGdyYWNl

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

2604+1

 2604+1….


I started printing off my blogs on to paper this week…all 2604 of them…I could hardly believe there were so many…I had no idea that when I started in 2013 where they would take me, how long they would continue.…I still don’t know….most days the words bubble up within my soul and I can hardly wait to transfer them to the written word…other days the words have to simmer for a day or two, awaiting further instructions…it may be just a verse that captures my heart or a song that won’t stop singing ….or a lesson that God  is teaching me to share…the Word translates to everyday lessons…and I am soooo thankful…I am glad the Holy Spirit teaches us…so glad for the gift that Jesus left us…so glad for His love…

The following is one blog from the past…a poignant one…for this season…for prayer requests that come  my way…for prayers of my own…

Thank YOU….

Entrust....

Okay, last year I wrote about my husband-"forever 67" and now another year has passed since he has died...this year seems to have  gone even more quickly than the years before...with so much activity. 

But even though he has died, there are still many times that I turn to share, to point out and realize that I can't. It is a rude awakening again and again. But, I continue to go on..the ache of aloneness is still there, maybe less than last year and the year before...the ambushes of emotion still hit without rhyme or reason at times....the wish for that partnership that we shared is still strong....especially when I am around others whose marriages are intact....

Reading this Jesus Calling this morning, I admit, was hard...I thought I had entrusted my husband to God....But, His decision was to take him home...not leave him with his family...that wasn't my Plan....I wanted to hold my husband's hand...not God's...

I remember the day of the diagnosis, the tear filled, stricken faces of my children, my father, myself, when the doctor told us the prognosis of my husband, their father, his son in law....it is engraved in my mind..."this can't be happening, not us, that only happens to someone else"...and then the resolution, "move forward, day by day...."  And we did, holding each other and holding on to God's mighty hand....entrusting ......

thank YOU for always being  there to hold us.  Help me to entrust You with each person in my family, knowing that You have the Best in mind for each of us. Help me not to hold them too tightly or too loosely, so that You have full reign in their lives. You work mightily on their behalf....

 

Jesus calling-August 23

Entrust your loved ones to Me; release them into My protective care. They are much safer with Me than in your clinging hands. If you let a loved one become an idol in your heart, you endanger that one—as well as yourself. Remember the extreme measures I used with Abraham and Isaac. I took Isaac to the very point of death to free Abraham from sonworship. Both Abraham and Isaac suffered terribly because of the father’s undisciplined emotions. I detest idolatry, even in the form of parental love.

When you release loved ones to Me, you are free to cling to My hand. As you entrust others into My care, I am free to shower blessings on them. My Presence will go with them wherever they go, and I will give them rest. This same Presence stays with you, as you relax and place your trust in Me. Watch to see what I will do.

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
—Genesis 22:9–12

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…
—Ephesians 3:20

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
—Exodus 33:14

“ 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcXzSYUjchU

2604+1

Monday, February 3, 2025

Scar tissue…binding…

 Scar tissue…binding…


This past week, I was encouraged to start rubbing all the scar tissue I have  accumulated this past year, to break down and soften the areas, break down the fibrous areas…all the fibrous bindings that scar tissue makes as wounds heal…

As I looked up the word, “bind”, here following definitions were suggested…

Bind….
“To make secure by tying,
To confine, restrain or restrict as if in bonds,
To put under obligation,
To constrain with legal authority,
To wrap around with something so as to enclose or cover,
To fasten round about,
To tie together,
To cause to stick together,
To make a firm commitment for,
To protect, strengthen, or decorate by a band,
To fasten together,
To set at work as an apprentice,
To cause an emotional attachment….”
Merriam Webster 

We are bound by soooo many things…legal obligations, worry, pain, scars, vows, thoughts, things that may consume our minds, etc.,etc….
In Deuteronomy God wanted the Israelites to bind his 
Word on their hearts, their minds, their souls…
Solomon spoke of letting love and faithfulness bind us…
Isaiah speaks of the Lord binding, healing the brokenhearted…
Jesus speaks of what we bind…
Paul speaks of what viruses bring unity…

I had to ask, what am I bound with…what needs softening, what worries/anxiety are binding my mind…do I bind love to seek unity…do I bind God’s Word to my life…(as I looked at these various definitions of “bind” and each could have a unique, spiritual application…)
What should  I be learning from them…

Thank YOU…

 
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 
Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deut.6.6,Deut.6.8,Deut.11.18-19

 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;bind them around your neck,write them on the tablet of your heart.
Prov.3.3

 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,because the Lord has anointed me to  proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn,     
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
Isa.61.1-3

 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Matt.18.18

 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. 
Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Col.3.12-14

Blest be the ties that bind….










  1. “Scar tissue forms as part of the natural healing process after surgery.
  2. It is made up of collagen fibers that replace normal tissue.
  3. Scar tissue can be less flexible and weaker than the original tissue.
  4. Some individuals may experience pain or discomfort in the area of the scar.
  5. The appearance of scar tissue can vary, ranging from red and raised to flat and pale.
  6. Treatments for scar tissue include massage, silicone sheets, and laser therapy.
  7. In some cases, surgical revision may be necessary to improve appearance or function.
  8. Factors influencing scar formation include genetics, age, and the type of surgery performed.
  9. Proper wound care can help minimize scar tissue development.
  10. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice and treatment options.” 



Saturday, February 1, 2025

When, but if…

 When, but if…


As parents we want the best for our children…as we raise them, we realize there are consequences for good or bad…and usually we want them to choose  the good…we should learn from the good and bad choices….

We don’t put our hands on something hot and expect not to get burned…but little ones have to learn that…


We say, “when”…such and such happens, this will usually be the outcome…

The other day, I heard a young woman say, “I wouldn’t make a good mother, because I don’t like to repeat myself”. And as parents we get to repeat often!


And then there are the times, we say “if”…such and such , this will be the consequence…


God wrote, “ when “ in Deuteronomy 30…he knew the Israelites would return…and had promises for their return…


But, He also wrote “if”…there would be those who chose not to return to Him…


Oh, how he must agonize over those who turn away…

As He said, “choose life”…he has so much abundance to give…”for the Lord is your life”…


Thank YOU….


 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. 

Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 

Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deut.6.4-9


 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. The Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you. You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The Lord will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deut.30.1-10


 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. 


See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 


But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. 

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Deut.30.11-20


My life is in you Lord…


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBYCsNCnNk4