Let’s remember to forgive them that know not what they do!

Don’t let the actions of others take you down a muddy path

Hello and HAPPY Saturday:)
And for the record, I’m aware the ‘s’ on satan should be capitalized, but I don’t like to make him any bigger than he actually ISN’T...sort of like those that mistreat people. Read that again if it didn’t flow 🙂
Do you know that half the battle of defeating satan is outsmarting him? The devil uses God’s Children against each other all of the time. We must stay guarded through prayer.
As Christians, we encounter the wrong behavior just like non-believers do, but I sometimes think when the actions come from our brothers and sisters in Christ it hurts us a little more. I’m not certain if the reason it bothers us is because we, as Christians, are supposed to prioritize our actions toward others, or perhaps it concerns us because it reveals the amount of priority that we hold in our heart for obeying Christ’s commands, or better yet, the lack of it.

Luke 23:34
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment and cast lots.

A perfect example for us to follow when mistreated by our brothers and sisters in Christ, as well as anyone who mistreats us. Jesus asked His Father, God, (The most POWERFUL OVER ALL) to forgive the people who were putting him to death-Jewish leaders, Roman politicians, and soldiers, bystanders-and God answered that prayer by opening up the way of salvation even to Jesus’ murderers. The Roman officers and soldiers who witnessed the crucifixion said, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). Soon many priests were converted to the Christian faith (Acts 6:7). Jesus could have asked His Father to smite every one of them, including ALL FUTURE people (us), but He didn’t because the Father had a plan just like He does today that includes us.
We must remember that satan uses whomever he can to help discourage anything that will glorify God. Another great example of why it’s important to have our Armour on so we stand against the wiles of the devil at all times.
satan arrogantly hoped to succeed in his rebellion against God by diverting Jesus from His mission and winning His worship. “This world is mine, not God’s,” he was saying, and if you hope to do anything worthwhile here, you better recognize that fact.” Jesus didn’t argue with satan about who owns the world, but He refused to validate satan’s claim by bowing to him.

So, the next time that you are mistreated, just remember that satan is involved in some way by using the ‘unprotected’ person for his gain. Let’s try to be like Jesus, and not argue with them because we know WHO we belong to in Christ. Keep on working for God and not be distracted by others SHORT COMINGS AND LACK OF PRIORITY for GOD.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION:
Let’s pray for those who mistreat us. Holding on to the hurt will only cause us to bow down to satan.

I hope this blog helps the lady who blogged about being so discouraged by the actions of fellow Christians that she wanted to just quit!!! Please don’t let ‘people‘ carry you down a wrong path. You must be doing something right that is causing them to to feel threatened. Our Lord was put to death due to ‘people’ and their need to feel more important and get rid of anything that possibly took the popularity off of them…HANG IN THERE!

 

If Jack can do it, we can do it!!

Don’t try to hide when you’ve done wrong…God knows everything!

Good Friday morning to you all:)

How many times do we allow ourselves to do something that we know isn’t “exactly” what we ought to be doing? Do you tend to think that it isn’t that big of a deal, and just go on about your day? When we opt out on confessing our wrongs, this is a form of hiding our sin. Although we may be temporarily hiding it, just know that it’s not being hidden from God.

The book of James exposes unethical practices and teaches right Christian behavior.

James 4:17
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

We tend to think that doing wrong is the sin, But James tells us that sin is also not doing right. (These two kinds of sin are sometimes called sins of commission and sins of omission.) It is a sin to lie; it can also be a sin to know the truth and not tell it. It is a sin to speak evil of someone; it is also a sin to avoid him when you know he needs your friendship. We should be willing to help as the Holy Spirit guides us. If God has directed you to some act to do, some service to render, or some relationship to restore, do it, and you will experience a renewed and refreshed vitality to your Christian faith.
We are told in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
True confession also involves a commitment not to continue in sin.
Pray for strength to defeat the temptation the next time it appears.

I did wrong…Here it is…

Let’s be like Jack, and give the wrong to God and quit hiding out, God knows it:)

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION:
Go ahead and confess it and get cleaned up in His sight, so that He can use you today and everyday! Hiding slows us down, just ask Jack:)

Please share where God revealed His Rainbow to you?

Please reveal where God showed you His Rainbow…You never know who’s looking for His PROMISE

Ok, IF your willing, please share your first or many experiences or places that you saw your first rainbow once you understood the Promise. You can also share what thoughts occur when you see a Rainbow:)

This will allow others to see exactly how our God shows up!

My first experience came on a day when visiting the funeral home. It was the first client that I had lost to cancer. As a co-worker and I waited to go inside, We both saw the Rainbow shining through the sun roof of my car, and we knew that God was brightly shining to let us know that He was with us through such a sad time. My client was a Christian, so all was good for her. As Paul says in Philippians 1:21: For to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

A Rainbow usually makes me smile, knowing that God is always with us…

Perhaps, you didn’t know the Promise of the Rainbow, but by reading the most recent blog you will know. Which is a great reference to why I’m blogging in the first place. To help others grow in their knowledge and be encouraged:)

 

God’s Promise to us isn’t tiny

God shines His PROMISES to us, we just need to be looking for them!

Hello and HAPPY Thursday to you all:)

This past Sunday afternoon, I heard several excited, not to mention very loud voices beckoning me to “COME HERE“, “HURRY UP” they sweetly YELLED…You’re going to MISS IT if you don’t come here!!!! SO, with that type of invitation, needless to say, I went quickly…
As it turned out, a small rainbow was shining through a tiny opening of the blinds that are enclosed in the glass of our door.

Who would’ve thought it? It hadn’t even rained! So, with my excitement, it led me to this blog:)

Most Christians know that the meaning of a RAINBOW is a sign of God’s PROMISE.
Genesis 9:11-13
11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud.
Noah stepped out of the ark onto an earth devoid of human life. But God gave him a reassuring promise. This promise, or covenant, had three parts: (1) never again will a flood do such destruction; (2) as long as the earth remains, the seasons will always come as expected; (3) a rainbow will be a visible sign when it rains as a sign to all that God will keep His promises. The earth’s order and seasons are still preserved, and rainbows still remind us of God’s faithfulness to His Word.

We must remember to take time and sit quietly in God’s presence, and take the time to read His Word and Promises. We don’t always need a rain storm to find God’s promises to us. We can find every imaginable problem that any of us can and will face in this life while reading God’s Word.

If you are in need of encouragement or answers for your current situation that this life has brought to you, then I want to recommend that you search your index/concordance section of your Bible. I assure you that whatever problem that you’re up against today will be found in the Bible. Look for the particular area and read the scriptures that are referenced. It will encourage you if you will allow it to do so.
We often think that we are going through certain issues as it has never happened before, but rest assured, IT HAS, just maybe not to you!
We don’t have to see a rainbow to be reminded of God’s promise to us, but one thing is for sure, If you’re not looking for a rainbow, chances are you definitely won’t see one!

Don’t wait for God to beckon you to COME HERE,  and HURRY UP...Instead be willing to show up, because if you don’t, you might MISS what God has for you today! Even if you only have a tiny amount of time…show up, don’t miss it! Remember, it was through the tiny opening that God was shining His rainbow inside.
A FRUITFUL OBSERVATION:
Learn how to TRACE THE RAINBOW WHILE IN THE RAIN!

Did you know that UNITY exist among the ducks?

Unity doesn’t just happen; we have to work at it.

As I saw the unity, I had to take the picture. This shows us that unity can and should exist among all of God’s creation and creatures. I’m sure that they get their feathers ruffled toward one another some days just as we can get aggravated toward one another. 

Let us see what God says about unity…

EPHESIANS 4:1-7

Unity in the church

1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

“There is one body,” says Paul, and we have been given many gifts and abilities. Unity does not just happen; we have to work at it. Often differences among people can lead to division, but this should not be true in the church. Instead of concentrating on what divides us, we should remember what unites us: one body, one Spirit, one future (“calling”), one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God! Have you learned to appreciate people who are different from you? Can you see how differing gifts and viewpoints can help the church as it does God’s work? Learn to enjoy the way we members of Christ’s body complement one another (see 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13 for more on this thought).
God has chosen us to be Christ’s representatives on earth. In light of this truth, Paul challenges us to live worthy of the name “Christian,” meaning Christ’s one. This includes being humble, gentle, patient, understanding, and peaceful. People are watching your life. Can they see Christ in you? How well are you doing as His representative?
No one is ever going to be perfect here on earth, so we must accept and love other Christians in spite of their faults. When we see faults in fellow believers, we should be patient and gentle. Is there someone whose actions or personality really annoys you? Rather than dwelling on that person’s weaknesses, or looking for faults, pray for that person. Then do even more – spend time together and see if you can like him or her.

Keep it simple, and just don’t quack at each other:), INSTEAD PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER!

 

A flipped over pool and a moldy ball

Everything has it’s season, But only for a while

Hello, Everyone:)
I saw this pool, along with a moldy ball on the roadside today, and I thought of how many memories that were probably made during the summer season. All the laughter, and possible tears when it was time to get out of the pool.
I snapped a picture to share it with you all. It led me to think about how quickly time is passing and the seasons seem to come and go so quickly.

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8

1 To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace

Solomon’s point in this section is that God has a plan for all people. Thus, He provides cycles of life, each with its work for us to do. Although there are many problems we face that seem to contradict God’s plan, these should not be barriers to believing in Him, but rather opportunities to discover that, without God, life’s problems have no lasting solutions!
Timing is important. All the experiences listed in these verses are appropriate at certain times. The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept, and appreciate God’s perfect timing. The danger is to doubt or resent God’s timing. This can lead to despair, rebellion, or moving ahead without His advice.

What is the purpose of life? It is that we should fear the all-powerful God. Fear does not mean to cringe in terror, but to respect, revere, and stand in awe of God because of who He is.
The purpose in life starts with whom we know, not what we know or how good we are. It is impossible to fulfill your God-given purpose unless you fear God and give Him first place in your life.

Bubble Wrap CAN NOT cover sin!

There are many uses for using Bubble Wrap AND COVERING UP SIN ISN’T ONE OF THE USES!

 

My sweet niece told me today is National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, SO guess what today’s topic is about? Yep, you guessed it:)

Bubble Wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material used for packaging fragile items.

In the BIG scheme of things, us humans are somewhat fragile and we do have an area that we try to cover up on a daily basis…Sin. Let us take a look at what the Bible has to say…

Proverbs 28:13
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

It is hard to learn from a mistake you don’t acknowledge making. And To what good is a mistake if it doesn’t teach you something? To learn from an error, you need to admit it, analyze it, and make adjustments so that it doesn’t happen again. Everybody makes mistakes, but only fools repeat them.
Something in each of us strongly resists admitting we are wrong. That is why we admire people who openly and graciously admit their mistakes. These people have a strong self-image. They do not always have to be right to feel good about themselves. Be willing to reconsider-to admit you are wrong and to change your plans when necessary.

We see in Genesis 3:7,8, After sinning, Adam and Eve felt guilt and embarrassment over their nakedness. Their guilty feelings made them run from God and try to hide. A guilty conscience is a warning signal God placed inside you that goes off when you’ve done wrong. The worst thing you could do is eliminate the guilty feelings without eliminating the cause. That is like using a pain killer but not addressing the disease. Be glad those guilty feelings are there. They make you aware of your sin so you can ask God’s forgiveness and then you can correct your wrongdoing.

The thought of two humans covered with fig leaves trying to hide from the all-seeing, all -knowing God is humorous. How could they be so silly as to think they could actually hide? Yet we do the same thing when we try to hide things from God. Share all you do and think and don’t try to hide.
It can’t be done!

 

Being obedient due to EASY CHEESE

Who would’ve thought it? Easy Cheese? Cheese in a can. The vet that I use for Jack, my doodle, uses a dab of Cheese to calm him down while they are doing something that he’s opposed to having done. So with today being bath day for Jack, I grabbed the Easy Cheese to make it easier. While doing so, I observed his behavior and my thoughts led me to this blog today.
I thought about how God requires obedience from us.
The word obedience is defined as submissive to authority; to comply with orders.
In fact, 1 Samuel 15:22 is the first of numerous places in Scripture where the theme “to obey is better than sacrifice” is repeated (Psalms 40:6-8; 51:16, 17; Proverbs 21:3; Isaiah 1:11-17; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8; Matthew 12:7; Mark 12:33; Hebrews 10:8,9).

Was Samuel saying that sacrifice is of little importance? No, he was urging Saul to look at his reasons for making the sacrifice rather than the sacrifice itself. A sacrifice was a ritual transaction between man and God that physically demonstrated a relationship between them. But if the person’s heart was not truly repentant or if he did not truly love God, the sacrifice was a hollow ritual. Religious ceremonies or rituals are empty unless they are performed with an attitude of love and obedience. “Being religious” (going to church, serving on a committee, giving to charity) is not enough if we do not act out of devotion and obedience.
As I couldn’t afford to give the whole can of Easy Cheese to my beloved pup just for him to be obedient and listen to my commands, I realized as he had squirmed himself back as far as he could go into a corner. It was then that I thought about how God will allow us to back ourselves into a corner through our not being obedient to Him.
By this time, I was experiencing some physical pain along with burning sensations in my back and neck, and all I was trying to do was clean him up and make him all better.
I’m sure that our Lord experiences some Spiritual burning sensations in His heart while He tries to clean us up and make us all better!
Let’s not have to be backed into a corner to sit still in His presence.
We need to be obedient to His Word daily and seek Him through Prayer.

 

OK, this is really starting to be fun:)

So wow! Who would’ve thought that blogging would be so much fun:)) I’ve not put anything together as yet because I’ve been playing and learning, but i will get my hat buckled on her in just a bit:)) So many categories,so many thoughts…Ahhh where to begin:))) Prayer…We should always begin and ask where would He have us go…In the meantime, has life ever left you feeling unprepared for the day like my puppy Jack?

Do you ever feel un-prepared for what life brings?

A wall of faith requires prayer

Good Friday morning! And what a wet one for us here in Alabama. I was reading the book of Nehemiah this morning, and once I took my puppy, Jack, outside, I thought about how Nehemiah had been a cupbearer to the King, and now I found myself being an “umbrella bearer” to my “somewhat of a boss” Golden doodle. Ah, it’s great to be needed right? LOL
Nehemiah was an ordinary man in a unique position. He was secure and successful as cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah had little power, but he had considerable influence. He was trusted by the by the king. He was a man of God. Concerned about the fate of
Jerusalem. Seventy years earlier, Zerubbabel had managed to rebuild God’s Temple. Thirteen years had passed since Ezra had returned to Jerusalem and helped the people with their spiritual needs. Now Nehemiah was needed. Jerusalem’s wall was still in ruins, and the news broke his heart. As he talked to God, a plan began to take form in Nehemiah’s mind about his role in the rebuilding of the city walls. He willingly left the security of his home and job in Persia to follow God on an “impossible” mission. And the rest is history.
From beginning to end, Nehemiah prayed for God’s help. He never hesitated to ask God to remember him. Throughout the impossible task, Nehemiah displayed unusual leadership. The wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt in record time, despite resistance.
Even Israel’s enemies grudgingly and fearfully admitted that God was with these builders. Not only that, but God worked through Nehemiah to bring a spiritual awakening among the people of Judah.
You may not have Nehemiah’s unique abilities or feel that you are in a position where you can do anything great for God, but there are two ways you can become useful to God. First, be a person who talks to God. Welcome Him into your thoughts and share yourself with Him-your concerns, feelings and dreams. Second, be a person who walks with God. Put what you learn from His Word into action. God may have an “impossible” mission that he wants to do through you.

I couldn’t help but think how thankful I was for the privacy fence “wall” this morning because it “protected,” if you will, from the words of my relatives that live next door. For they would honestly think that I’ve lost it. Barely able to take myself outside, and there I was an umbrella bearer.
Remember God keeps a “wall” of protection about us even when we are met with opposition from others who mock us for our faith or criticize us for doing what we know is right, let us refuse to respond in the same way or to become discouraged. Telling God how we feel will open our heart and mind to receive His strength to carry on.

Let us make sure we are standing on the right side of the wall, where we are safe and protected from evil. 

Nehemiah never hesitated to ask God to remember him, closing with these words:

“Remember me O God , for good.”

Key verse:

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the kings words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengtheened their hands for this good work” (Nehemiah 2:18).