Pain

Walking through the Dollar Store, suddenly I thought of all the errors I made in my life, inwardly cringing I looked up and saw a sign that began with the word “PAIN.” Appropriate. You really appreciate Christ’s forgiveness and love when you can’t fix the past and can only look forward. God’s word says it’s important to be humble.

“Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:10 (NIV).

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“‘God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.’” 1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV).

Parents

“Honour your father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:3.

My parents grew up during the depression, lived through World War II, and had a large family. They valued everything; knowing what could easily be lost: lives, loved ones, belongings. I enjoy relishing their strengths and joys and hope I can be as appreciative of what I have.

There was a teaching on Sid Roth about praying forgiveness for hurting or disobeying your parents, whether they were alive or dead, so that your heart is clear before God. This in turn opens the door to reconciliation and having your own children respect you. When people talk of shutting out their parents, I want to say: pray for forgiveness, peace, hope, love and reconciliation.

Dear Lord, Yours is the only way, truth and life in every circumstance.

Father, You’re so Beautiful

Psalm 8:3-4. “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man, that You art mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?”

Psalm 139, “You are fearfully & wonderfully made.”

“As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:3-4.

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29.

Song: 5:10-14, “My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.”

Love the Lord

your God will all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37).

How to do this? It’s so intangible…

Reading the Word let’s me know God’s heart, the more I know You Lord, the more I love You and don’t want You to be hurt. My very first Worship leader said God has the feelings of a Person.

A friend planning to write a sermon on God as our Father looked for scripture. One I found is: John 14:21, Jesus says, “he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father.” Hey, please add your favorite verse, if you want.

Blue Angel

“He surrounds you with songs of deliverance,” Psalm 32:7

Jesus says in Matt 26:53,54, “Think you that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

“And there appeared an angel unto Jesus from heaven, strengthening Him,” Luke 22:43.

1 Chronicles 21:16, “And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.”

Others have told me that they see angels, I don’t and that’s okay. Though three years ago, during great emotional pain, I had an awake, split-second vision of a blue angel hugging me, my face came to around his mid-section. No words, only relief and love of our Almighty Father God. Some time after, at church Bible study, a sister in the Lord saw a blue angel standing near the door.

It’s Cold Outside – Sign of Last Days

2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will become lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (without self-control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

In John 13:35, Jesus tells us, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another.” “The law of kindness is on her tongue,” in Proverbs 31:26. Forgive a man 70 times 7 times, says Jesus (Matt 18:22). “Love is patient and kind, love does not envy…doesn’t keep a record of wrongs (NIV)…, thinks no evil,” 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

Dear Lord Father, thanks for being Who You are, giving us hope in Your eternal truth.

You’ll Be Surprised

Doing Tai Chi with the seniors at the adult day care center, a guest who was new to it asked, “What’s that gonna do?” I told him, “you’ll be surprised,” knowing how Tai Chi is known to greatly improve one’s health. Many years ago I offered to pray for a man involved in a minor traffic accident. He was shaking and agitated with his two small sons in tow and concerned that he’d be formerly charged. He gladly agreed to prayer and became calm. Some onlookers though smirked to each other like, “what’s that gonna do?” Jesus says in Mark 5:36, “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”
Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest, August 28, said, “Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.”

Father, help Your people believe You and Your tremendous power and love. You never stop surprising me, but You’re just true to Your word.

Our Commandment is Love – 2 John 6

Dear Lord, every man, woman and child wants love. Help us to treat each person as You would love and honor them.

3 John 5, says, “Beloved, you do faithfully whatsoever you do to the brethren and to strangers…” “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do for Me,” says Jesus in Mathew 25:40. The need for love seems to be the common denominator to every person on earth! This makes all the difference when I have someone to share things with and when someone sees and understands me.

I Love Much

“Wherefore I say unto you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little,” says Jesus (Luke 7:47). “Love…rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things,” 1 Corinthians 13:6-7. “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Your name for evermore,” Psalm 86:12. Song 2:3, “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.”

You Lord, covered the long list of my sins, What can I do for You? “I delight to do Your will O my God,” Psalm 40:8

Land of Opportunity

is one way America is known. Have you heard that the same Chinese character is used for both opportunity and crisis?

Lord God, please help us to see how You see, to love others as You love us. Help us to trust You through thick and thin and to know You more and more fully. You don’t disappoint.

You said in Your word, there’ll be trouble in the world, but to be cheerful, because You’ve overcome the world (John 16:33). Help us to focus on Your abundant love and powerful truth.

Thank You for transforming our lives with Your Sovereign wisdom and love. “He makes all things beautiful in its time,” Ecclesiastes 3:11.