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I picked a book out of a basket in my writing room. The title of the book, “If my people. . .” , a 40 day prayer guide. I leafed through it and decided to use it in the 40 days of Lent. Later in the day, I realized how I could utilize the passage 2 Chronicles 7:14, as a beginning point of my Lenten observance.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

God speaks to…  ( Click for more )

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

We all have dreamed of doing something only to have it not happen. Looking back on my life I believe if I hadn’t been so self-assured of myself, I might have had better results for my efforts. Actually, I might not have tried to do some of the crazy things I did. Can we learn from our mistakes? Yes, we can and we should. If we have questions, it’s all right to ask them to seek guidance on an issue that arises out of our efforts to advance in…  ( Click for more )

Again, Jesus spoke, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (NRSV)

In our lives, due to our humanity, we, as well as others, have times of experiencing darkness. Uncertain times can bring times of fear. Financial difficulties, health crises, unemployment and marital problems all have caused people to begin to doubt themselves.

Some of these issues can cause people to sink into depression. However, there are remedies to looking at things cheerily while others might have…  ( Click for more )

Pray

She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give your servant as son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” Hannah was speaking in her heart” “I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11,13, 15 (ESV)

This is one of the passages included in my prayer folder for Lent. As…  ( Click for more )

Choose this day who you will follow. . . . As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Choose life that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him. Deuteronomy 29:19-20 (ESV)

Choose Who We Follow

These two passages remind me that we have choices we make every day. We choose when we arise and how we spend our days. We choose where we worship God or how we worship Him.

The passage from Joshua was one I heard at a church service, probably, a revival service. Joshua speaks to all…  ( Click for more )

“To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the

LORD comes the reply of the tongue.” Proverbs 16:1 (NIV)

In my Life Application Bible I read that all outcomes of the plans we make are in God’s hands. He wants us to use our minds, seek the advice of others, and plan. In order for God to look favorably on our plans, we have to pray about our goal and the path we choose to reach it.

When my husband talked about retirement, he usually talked as if it was going to affect him and only him. One day he started that conversation but, this time he asked…  ( Click for more )

"But seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness. . . ."

Matthew 6:33 (NIV)

I had an issue bothering me. I tried to pray about it. As I went out to get some supper, I realized I could go to the golden arches, drive through, and then travel down the east artery of our city and go pray at church.

One section of the church parking lot faces a large expanse of grass. In one area of the verdant yard is a playground and an open shelter house- a beautiful peaceful scene. As I ascended the hill, I noticed geese-yes, geese- all over the…  ( Click for more )

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make his paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-3 (ESV)

Two days ago we observed Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a time of preparation to celebrate our LORD’s resurrection. During the 40 days of this season we focus on our relationship with Jesus and how we can improve it. Basically,…  ( Click for more )

God’s Love Seen

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. John 14:21 (ESV)

The Apostle John gives us the basics to God’s love for us. He tells us that Jesus instructed whoever has and keeps my commandments does in fact love Him. Jesus also enlarges this thought to further say that those who love Him will be loved by our Father God.

Let’s see, if we love the Son, He will love us, and the Father will love us as well. As a result,…  ( Click for more )

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you. Jeremiah 31:3b (ESV)

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)

Everlasting

Our Father God conveys to us three very important messages in the 16 words of the first verse through the prophet Jeremiah. Let’s explore what these messages mean.

The first thing He tells us is that He loves us. Do we realize what all that entails? God looks at us with eyes of love. No matter what we may have done…  ( Click for more )

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,…  ( Click for more )

New Covenant

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke though I was their husband, declares the LORD. I will put the law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more. Jeremiah 31:31-32,33b, 34c (ESV)

God…  ( Click for more )

New Heart

And I will give them one heart and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 (ESV)

Happy New Year to each of you. We seem to always look forward to something new, be it a new outfit, a new piece of furniture, or a new vehicle. God plans to do new things for us if we are willing to let Him be in control. Our focus passage will help us understand more.

…  ( Click for more )

This question comes to my mind as the year 2017 comes to a close as I sit in ‘God’s waiting room, seeking His guidance for my life. Here are some answers that come to mind.

He wants us to come to Him. (Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28. ESV)

He wants our whole hearts. (You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 ESV)

Our God wants us to trust Him. (Trust the Lord your God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Psalm 3:5 ESV) …  ( Click for more )

WITH

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23 Isaiah 7:14 (ESV)

Do you understand the significance of the angel’s message? This message refers to a prophecy of Isaiah some 4oo years earlier. God is with us!

Even today, we see evidence of God’s presence in our world. The end of last month, I received a prayer request from a very dear friend. Her husband’s nephew had called and asked her to pray for his new-born granddaughter. The baby was born with three…  ( Click for more )

SHINE

It is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NSRV)

We have often heard we are to show Jesus to those we meet. Also, we hear we are the only Bible some people read. What can we do when we try to incorporate these thoughts into our personas?

At my Tuesday morning prayer group, I shared a reading entitled “Shine”, from an Advent devotional book Pauses for Advent Words of Wonder by Trevor…  ( Click for more )

AWAKE

What I say to you, I say to all: Keep Awake. Mark 13:37 (NRSV)

Have you ever felt you have missed something when someone said or did something that ultimately affected you? Did you feel as if you had sleepwalked through the event?

During the season of Advent, we find ourselves having certain realizations about God. The morning I wrote this I had to sleep in and get some more rest before starting my day. Hubby had some business to take care of. He couldn’t find out information he needed over the phone. He believed he would have to drive all over town…  ( Click for more )

Thoughts about Praise and Rejoicing

Rejoice, Praise, and Be Glad

This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

On most days, I repeat this verse while I am still in bed. Doing this helps me have a good outlook on my day. However, this does not guarantee me a perfect day or a day without trials.

The Message That Changed Me

I heard a friend of mine preach a sermon on living in the moment. In it she told us about taking each day as it came and not to look ahead to the next one, especially if we may have fears about…  ( Click for more )

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all and his mercy is over all he has made.

Psalm 145:8-9 (ESV)

David gives praise to God in this passage. Let’s see what he says about our heavenly Father.

The Lord is gracious and merciful,

We have scriptures that tell of the Father’s grace, His granting things we don’t deserve. He gives us evidence of showing His people His mercy, the withholding of what we do deserve.

Slow to anger,

Have you even know anyone who…  ( Click for more )

As we hear of more and more instances of man’s atrocities to man, we begin to wonder what causes one person to bring harm to another.

As I read our local newspaper two days ago, I noticed the front page had stories that I found distressing. Earlier, in one of his columns, the editor of our paper stressed the fact that the editors try to find good news stories to place on the front page. Since then, I have watched and tried to note the good news stories. They are fewer and further between.

I wonder what God thinks when He looks down and sees people being killed…  ( Click for more )

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand

In the evil day, and having done all stand firm” Ephesians 6:13 (ESV)

In today’s world we see a lot of activity that does not speak of Christianity but of the world.

My heart goes out to those in Sutherland Springs, Texas. A friend pointed out to several of us that that one small church had 60 members and lost at least 26 of their people. We prayed for that church and town during our times of prayer this week.

The gospel hymn, “Stand…  ( Click for more )

. . . in this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (ESV)

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Dear Father God;

We have seen a lot of heart-wrenching events take place in our world. Several of my friends believe they are unable to watch the news broadcasts because of what they see. Your people are concerned about the state…  ( Click for more )

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27 (ESV)

Each time I hear of a bombing or a shooting, my heart becomes heavy for a short time. Those who lost their lives in the Paris attacks, the magazine and the multiple sites in 2015, those who became victims in Nice, Berlin and in Turkey at the end of 2016, those who were in that night club in Florida all come to mind. And I can’t forget the bombings of 9/11/2001 in my own nation. The metropolitan…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Came and Said, “Peace”

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week,

the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,

“Peace be with you.”

John 20:19 (ESV)

The risen Christ came into the midst of his followers. They locked the door because they feared the Jews and those in power. The first words He spoke were words of comfort to them, “Peace be with you.”

His followers had been turmoil, the like of which they…  ( Click for more )