Just wanted to share something from this mornings devotional. (Thank you Alisha for giving us this book, I am really enjoying it.) Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT) 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Imagine that, Joshua who had been with Moses as he wrote the books of the law and probably was able to be one of this first to read them was told to always study it! That just blows my mind! If God thought it was so important to remind Joshua to study it continually, how much more to I need to be in it! 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” What words of encouragement from the Lord, I claim that He is saying these words to me and to all who are seeking Him and His will in our lives. Praise His Holy Name! May you all have a blessed day, May our precious Lord cause His face to shine on you today and to grant you His peace.

does saying a prayer really save anyone?

John 7:10-13 (NLT) 10 But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. 11 The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. 12 There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, “He’s a good man,” but others said, “He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.” 13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. The thing that struck me in this scripture was that no one wanted to say anything that the leaders might find offensive. I was not raised Baptist but joined a Baptist church when I was in my early 30’s. I was told that to receive salvation I had to say a prayer, in the prayer I had to admit I was a sinner (no problem there!) and ask Jesus into my heart. If I would just say the prayer I would have eternal life and no one could ever take it away from me. Now to question this would have greatly upset the church leaders. Does just saying the prayer give me eternal life? Does believing that Jesus died for my sins so that I can now spend eternity in heaven get me there? Let me give you this illustration to help you see what I am saying. For those of you that do not know me I am about 5 ft 2 inchs tall and I weigh 230 lbs as of today. Now I gotta tell you that I believe with all my heart that if I ate less, if I ate healthy food, if I exercised more I would lose weight. So does believing all those things make me any thinner? No! So, where does that leave us? Well, first I do have to understand I have a problem or that I am a sinner. I need to see my need of a Savior. I need to understand that the Creator of everything (including me) wants a relationship with me, that is why He took the time and effort to create me. I can know that He exists, that does not give me a personal relationship with Him. Relationships take time and effort. If I want a good relationship with Him I need to know what He wants from that relationship not just what I want from it. He wants me to get to know Him, to spend time finding out what He wants. That means taking the time to read the book He provided. But just reading the book will not change our relationship, even the devil has read the book! Just like if I want to lose weight I have to start doing the things necessary to make a difference, then if I want a real relationship with Him, a wonderful relationship I have to start doing the things in the book. I need to allow Him to change me into the person He wants me to be. I don’t need to become who I think will please Him, I just have to give Him permission to remold me into who He wants me to be. Bottom line, yes, say the prayer but MEAN what you are saying!

Some times good things give very bad results!

So one day I had a taste for cream of broccoli soup. I looked in the freezer and found just enough broccoli to make one bowl of soup. Very happy about this I got out my pan, put a little butter in it to melt, got out an onion and chopped up a little to sauté in the pan. When the onion was just right I added the broccoli and covered it with water. Once that had cooked until the broccoli was just the right shade of green I added milk. Next I got out my container of cornstarch. I prefer cornstarch to flour for thickening. I added a spoonful of cornstarch and stirred but the soup did not thicken, so I added another spoonful. Still it did not thicken so I added one more with the same results. Next I tasted the soup! That is when I realized my mistake….. powdered sugar does not thicken soup! And it tastes really really bad with broccoli! The point here is that something that looks right isn’t always right, and even when things are good things (after all powdered sugar is a good thing) it turns out bad when not used in the right way. Lesson learned! I also learned to keep my cornstarch in one colored container and my powdered sugar in another, to this day the one with the light blue lid had cornstarch!

My question about this blog

So, I am wondering why no one leaves a comment on this blog. Do you actually have to be a member of blogger.com to leave a comment?

What can I learn from Judas?

What if Judas did believe that Jesus was the Messiah? You need to understand what that meant, the Jews were looking for a King to overthrow the Roman government that were in control at that time. The Messiah was to restore Israel as the world power. Judas was ambitious; he had aligned himself with the one he thought was going to bring all this about. What if his reason for betraying Jesus was to force Jesus’ hand? Maybe he thought that if Jesus were arrested He would have to show Himself for who He really was. Then with Jesus as King Judas would hold an important position in that regime. So how does any of that apply to us? When we study the Bible should not the end results be to learn something that we can apply to our lives? So, this is what I learn from looking at Judas. When we think we know how things should turn out and we do whatever we think it will take to get the job done as we think it should be , we are in trouble. I have learned to depend on God’s wisdom and to hold onto His pant leg, clinging for dear life as He works things out for His glory not for my convenience. After all I was created for His glory so that should be my goal in all that happens in this life, right? Just saying!

If you want to know all about God, read His book!

Think about this, how do you develop a relationship with someone? Say your friends tell you about someone they think you should know, you hear about this person from others. Then you meet this person for yourself and you agree He is someone you would like to get to know. So, how do you go about getting to know Him? Do you rely on others to tell you all about Him? Well to a degree it is good to hear what others have to say about Him, but what if He wrote you a letter and told you all about who He is and why he wants to get to know you. Would you ask someone else to read the letter and tell you what it said? Would you take the time to develop a relationship with Him? It depends on how much you want a relationship. He will not force Himself on anyone. God has written an entire book about why He created us and why He wants a relationship with us. He has invested a lot in this relationship, even gave up Heaven where He sat on the throne and became man. We cannot say that God does not understand what it is like to be human because He became human, dealing with all that life means. And as if that were not enough He then gave up His life so that we could have that relationship with Him. It’s all there for us, everything we need to know about Him and about us, all we have to do is read the book! Just saying!

Using your gifts for an eternal reward

Luke 16:9 (ESV) 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9 (NLT) 9 Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home. So reading in Luke 16 we find the story of a dishonest man who is about to lose his job because his dishonesty was discovered by his boss. To be sure he won’t be out on the streets without means of income he further cheats his boss by going to those who owe his boss money and reduces the amount they owe. He does this so that they will welcome him into their homes after he is out of a job. The boss hears about this and acknowledges how shrewd the employee was. In verse 9 it almost sounds like God is saying this is how we are to behave but after much prayer and meditation on these verses this is the conclusion I have come to. God gives us the means to earn a living, all are abilities are His design so we do owe our ability to work to Him. So we earn money, what do we do with that money? We buy the things we have to have to live but here in the US we usually earn more than we have to have. Again I ask what do we do with our money? We usually buy the things we want. What if we looked around to see if someone else had a need that was not being meant? What is we helped others with what we have instead of putting our wants first? If we ‘used our worldly resources to benefit others’ what would the results be? Well, probably they would appreciate it and think well of us, a bond would be formed. It might be a testimony to them and help them see how they should treat others. It might be a lesson to our children as to how they should live. But I am thinking it also has eternal value. When we understand that the things of this world only benefit us in this world and have no eternal value. If we use the things God has given us for His glory it has eternal value, if we use the things we have for our benefit it only lasts for this lifetime. This isn’t just stuff, it’s talents and abilities. One more thought. You know when we have a need ourselves and someone offers to help but we, in our foolish pride, say we can take care of it ourselves we deny another of the gift of using their talents and abilities for the Lord. Just saying!

Adoption into the family

Imagine with me if you will a family offering to adopt a teenage child. Let’s call the child Frank. Now Frank was living in a less than good environment and he hears that this family wants to adopt him. They offer him a home with loving parents who will meet all his needs. Frank thinks that this sounds like a good idea and accepts the offer. The family gives him a rule book so that he will know what is expected of him. However he does not want to take the time to read the book. He wants someone else to read it and tell him what it says. After hearing some of the book he decides he wants to stay right where he is, living the life he has been living but he wants everybody to know he is part of this other family. My question is: is he really a part of that family? Every household had rules so that it can function well. There also are things each person has to do to help the home function well. And that is why Frank does not want to actually go and live in this home, he does not want anyone else to tell him how he can live, he does not want anyone to expect him to do anything he does not want to do. My question is, are we like Frank? Do we want to be called Christian but not put in the effort to learn the rules for ourselves, to actually read the book ourselves? Do we expect a preacher to tell us what the book says? Do we think it is ok to decide what we can and can’t do? Do we understand that in a home there are things that need to be done and if we have the ability we are the ones who should be doing them? If Frank’s situation were presented to a judge, would that judge declare that Frank was part of that family? Oh he has the papers signed but honestly is he part of the family? Just saying!

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. I guess I really should take the time to tell you that I believe I know ‘Why Am I Here Anyway’ Have you ever thought of something you would like to make, it could be a meal, maybe you knit or crochet or quilt or something like that, maybe you paint or even have a garden. So, there is a picture in your head of how it should look. And so you begin to make it. Sometimes things go right where you want them to and sometimes it requires a lot of effort to accomplish what you are trying to do. But once the job is done and you can step back and look at it that is when your efforts are rewarded. If it has turned out how you wanted it to or even better than you thought it might, how does that make you feel? When it does not turn out how you wanted it to, how does that make you feel? What if God has given us the abilities to make stuff just so that He can help us see how He feels about us? According to Eph 2:10 we are His workmanship. When we allow Him is mold us into the picture He has in His head of what we should be like He is happy. But how often to we resist His will in our lives??? Look at that verse again, we love the fact that we were created in Christ Jesus but we miss the for good works. It blows my mind to think that God has this plan, things He wants done and he allows me to be part of His plan. He actually wants to work through me. Now that gives life purpose. So, there you have it. I was created to do God’s will. Sure wish I would remember that 24 7! How about you.

does God get angry?

I heard someone say that being angry is a human quality not Godly. If only people would read the Bible they would get to know God. Psalm 2:1-5 (NLT) 1 Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? 2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against his anointed one. 3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” 4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. Just wondering if as a human I can have any emotion my God has not righteously had??? I was made in His image after all.

Luke Chapter 10: 21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit Who is the One Who reveals Who Jesus is to us. Jesus was seeing His dream come true. He had created us to love His Father and now as His time to fulfill the plan was approaching He was rejoicing as He saw those who would follow Him. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” The Son has an intimate relationship with The Father, they know each other better than anyone else. Have you ever wanted others to know just how amazing the person you love is? This was how Jesus was feeling I think, He wanted others to know all about His Father, He was doing all He could to tell them and to show them what His Father was like. At this point He could see come results of His project. I do not begin to understand the Trinity but it is clear here that The Father has given the Son permission to fulfill His plan. This scripture can be used to say that God Himself decides who gets saved and who does not. I am not sure how all that works but I do know that if we do not have a free choice then the gift of us from Jesus to the Father has little value. It requires a choice, when men make the wrong choice the Father gets angry, when we do not live in a way that honors the Son it makes the Father angry. What is the sin we have to repent from in order to be saved? Is it not the sin of choosing our will over the Fathers will? Regardless of the action it is selfishness, we are our own god. When men do this an anger rises in the Father, all 3 members of the Trinity understand that man cannot endure the anger of The Father. The Father does not even want to look on anyone who puts themselves first. We all do that until we realize we are wrong and we need to put God and His will for us first. Jesus understood that even doing that would not stop His Father’s anger so He offered to allow The Father to take His anger out on Jesus, that is our salvation. Jesus took the Fathers anger in our place. Amazing

Luke Chapter 10 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. Jesus sent these people ‘ahead of Him’ they were like John the Baptist in that they were to get the people ready to hear what Jesus had to say. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. If you ask me the harvest is still plentiful but we do not see our role as laborers in those fields. Somewhere along the line we have gotten it into our heads that it is the pastors responsibility to bring in the harvest and we miss out on the blessing for being a laborer for the Lord. We are not just to go ourselves, we are to encourage others, to teach others how to go, mostly to ask the Lord to put it into others hearts to understand their role in His harvest. According to Eph 2:10 we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do. Harvesting is one of those ‘good works’ what a blessing to be part of His work and by doing so give my life meaning. When I am fulfilling the purpose I was created for my life has value.

Many times I have tried to figure out just what Adam and Eve's sin was. Was it pride? Was it disobedience? Satan told them they would be like God if they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was he lying? Since God knows all about good and evil but before eating Adam and Eve only knew good did they not become 'like God' in their knowledge? Just a thought! Anyway, what if their sin was that they wanted to be their own God? If we have inherited that sin from them what does that look like? I do love babies but think about it, who is more self centered? They want to be fed, changed, held, rocked, sung to and even left alone without regard to anyone else. Do we not grow up thinking we are in charge of our life? We feel the importance of the decisions about our lives. There was a point in time for me when I realized life is not about me! (hateful moment really!) It's not just that Jesus gave up Heaven for a time to live on earth among humans, He actually became human. It's not just that He suffered the death I deserve for choosing me over God. He suffered the hate of His Father, the One He loves more than anything else. And because He did all that I can know Him and His Father and the Holy Spirit. Shouldn't life be about telling others what God has done for me, not what I have accomplished? I have not accomplished anything that He did not give me the ability to do. Everything I am is because of the One who knit me together in my mother's womb. He designed me to glorify Him. That is one reason I am writing this blog. Others need to hear Who God is. He is Creator, Father, Savior, Comforter, Teacher, the love of my life, my all in all. Praise His Holy Name.

I just really enjoy talking about God and so a dear lady suggested I start blogging about Him and that is what I want to do. I used to think that God had so much love that He just had to create something to love and to love Him. My opinion has changed over the past month or so. Oh, the creation of mankind is all about love but I think it is more about the love the Son has for the Father. I believe in the Trinity, can't even begin to understand it let alone explain it but then isn't that how God is. I don't want a God I can explain. Anyway, back to our creation. Have you ever been so proud of someone you just wanted everybody to know all about them? Since I am a Mom and Granma there are several people in my life that I like to brag about. Well, I think maybe Jesus feels the same way about The Father. So He had a talk with The Father which included input from The Holy Spirit. Jesus wanted to give His Father a gift by creating humans so that we could see just how amazing The Father is. The Holy Spirit might have pointed out that in doing so there would have to be a choice for humans to acknowledge Who God is and how wonderful He is, otherwise it wouldn't mean so much. Hearing this the Father was concerned that He might not be very happy with something that His Son created if they didn't fulfill the purpose they were made for, that might hurt the Son's feeling and make the Father mad. So, since this was a gift the Son wanted to give the Father He realized that a gift has a price so He purposed that He would absorb the Fathers displeasure with mankind. And so they made a plan and creation of mankind began.