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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all the things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33, NIV)

In my present reading, I ran across a statement that causes me to step back and think. The book, “When Your Children Hurt,” by Charles Stanley said He (God) uses adversity to get our attention. In my lifetime,I discovered something else; those adverse circumstances cause us to focus on what is important in our lives. In several instances, our priorities change. At other times, those things we hold dear become…  ( Click for more )

I write a list of God’s gifts to me throughout the year. Salvation is the best gift God gives his children.

As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, we spend time reflecting on what God has done in our lives, what he has given us, and we express our gratitude. Where would I be if Jesus hadn’t saved me? All I know is I would not be where I am nor who I am today.

Jesus spoke to an insecure teenager and said, “I can take care of those worries and fears you have.” But she really didn’t understand.

The LORD spoke…  ( Click for more )

Job 42:1-6

A study of the book of Job teaches us Job had been put through the mill; he lost his land, his animals and all his children. He questioned God but didn’t curse Him. His “best” friends try to reason why God allowed these events to happen. God finally spoke but He didn’t answer the questions Job and his friends asked.

In the last chapter (chapter 42), Job says, “My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (:5-6) Job gained something by having been put…  ( Click for more )

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant doesn’t know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known.” John 15:15 (NIV)

This scripture humbles me. It speaks of a new relationship between Jesus and His followers, of which I am one.

In Earthly Lives

In our earthly lives we are people with relationships. We may have siblings. We might have grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Sometimes people living in certain areas develop special camaraderie among…  ( Click for more )

We hear that we are to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. We wonder how this happens. We go to the altar and pray. We sit in the hospital and await surgery for a loved one. We waken to hear thunder rolling across the darkened horizon. We face difficult issues of life. We react to a deep hurt.

In all the above instances, God meets where we are. At the altar, He answers our invitation for Him to enter our hearts and lives. At the hospital, God is there with us. When, at the end of our wait, we are faced with dire issues, God through the Holy Spirit is there. Those late night…  ( Click for more )

“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in you.”

Psalm 33:22 (NIV)

This past Sunday was World Communion Sunday/Unity Sunday. The churches of my denomination in our town held a Unity Service at the High School auditorium.

This service came at the end of a weekend of being a part of a retreat experience with women from another church. As a result, I spent time reflecting on who I am, what I need to do to grow closer to the LORD, and how I can let the light of Jesus shine through to others.

Our bishop spoke…  ( Click for more )

Journal entry April 14,1997

Today’s scripture reading, Philippians 4:8-9, causes me to stop and think.

“Whatever is true:” I shared some information ‘as I saw it’ yesterday evening about two different situations that I was aware of. One concerned an elderly lady who kept violating confidences and reacting to her surroundings. The other lady only came to God on her terms and as long as it didn’t hurt her to worship God, if she felt she had to change then she {stayed away and} came back in times of crisis and only on her terms (looking…  ( Click for more )

“Catch for us the little foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,

our vineyards that are in bloom.”

Song of Songs 2:15

A discussion we had in a prayer group one recent morning got me to thinking about the vexing things that seem to bring us down. Our pastoral assistant referred to a devotion she read that began with my focus scripture.

Our conversation set me to thinking. Those ‘little foxes’ create a lot of havoc in our lives, personal as well as spiritual.

My Sunday school teacher calls the process of allowing insignificant…  ( Click for more )

Have you ever felt weak as you face a huge task or a change in your life? When we face these things as believers, have we admitted to God we can’t do them by ourselves? We have scriptural evidence that God and the Holy Spirit will help us through.

The Apostle Paul spoke many times of weakness, his as well as other that of other people.

He shares with the believers in Corinth what the LORD said to Him. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

As human beings, we will face circumstances that…  ( Click for more )

“God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.

This is what you are to say to the Israelites:

‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3:14 (NIV)

Moses had some concerns about the task God lay before him. Moses first felt that he was not worthy of doing the job. If someone had asked him he would have said he wasn’t the person to do this gargantuan work. God told Moses that He would be with him as he performed his part in the work to rescue the Israelite people.

Moses used second excuse to try to get shed of this. “If they ask me…  ( Click for more )

“I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the ones who seek him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Lamentations 3:24-26

Jeremiah calls the Lord his portion. God is his inheritance. An inheritance is a gift or a legacy given to an heir. He further states he will wait for it.

He speaks here of the benefit of waiting on the Lord. When a believer waits for His guidance and direction, he or she learns of God and of His ways. They spend…  ( Click for more )

His Peacefulness

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

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 (NIV)

As we advance in age, people seem to want less drama in their lives. We yearn for the serenity of the times we saw before we had the upheaval of the Vietnam Era.

Sometimes we ache to get away from the rut or from the grindstone we have in our lives. People take get-away trips just to relax and unwind. Sometimes we need a wake-up call from God.

After…  ( Click for more )

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such

a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off

everything that hinders and the sin that so easily

entangles, and let us run with perseverance

the race marked for us.” Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Our Cloud of Witnesses, who is in it? The writer of Hebrews tells us the heroes of the faith from chapter 11 are there. We believe that people who walked with God and whom we have known when they lived are interspersed throughout.

Can we imagine being in that cloud of witnesses…  ( Click for more )

Love, Mercy, Grace

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,

made us alive in Christ Even when we were dead in transgressions—

it is by grace you are saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)

“But because of his great love for us. . . ” We know God has a motivation for all He does. It is a simple one. He loves us.

“. . . God, who is rich in mercy. . . .” When we list the attributes of our heavenly Father one of the ones we mention is mercy-the quality of withholding just punishment for our…  ( Click for more )

“For, ‘the one who desires life, and good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.’ 1 Peter 3:10-11 (NASB)

The Apostle Peter sets down some guide lines for His readers. He encourages them, and us, to refrain from gossip (keep our tongues from evil) and not twist facts to suit us. (to steer away from untruthful talk.) We have to learn how to steer clear of evil and place our focus on the good things of life. He tells us that we who want to have…  ( Click for more )

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

“Be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 (KJV)

God’s word through the Apostle Paul, admonishes us to be kind and considerate to all we meet. The person ahead of us at the grocery store check-out line sees we have one or two items and tells us to go ahead of him or her. The member of the gas crew, working at a neighboring house,…  ( Click for more )

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NASB)

“Lord, what can I do about that?”

“Jesus, how did that happen?”

“Lord, why would he do something like that?”

“God, what can we do to help them?”

How many times have we asked God questions like these? When we find ourselves face to face with a circumstance we don’t understand, James tells us how we can receive answers to our questions like this.…  ( Click for more )

Courage

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage,

and he shall strengthen thine heart:

wait, I say, on the LORD.”

Psalm 27:14(KJV)

I found the above scripture in a Bible Promise Book for Women. It makes me slow down and think about its message.

David tells his readers, then and now, to ‘wait on the LORD.’ He wants those readers to fully understand it because he says it two times in twenty words.

How many times have I run ahead of the Lord? If I were to have instant replay of my life events, I would see several times I forged…  ( Click for more )

Praise

“I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your our marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name.” Psalm 9:1-2 (NKJV)

Praise—we don’t do it often enough. We gripe about the weather, as if we could change it. We complain if we have to do something extra for someone. Have you ever thought about how things could be if we gave praise to God instead of grumbling about what is before us?

I find one of the best parts of a church service is when people give praise to the Lord…  ( Click for more )

We make choices every day of our lives. When the alarm goes off, I decide whether I get up or roll over and go back to sleep. When we go out in the afternoon, I chose what I will wear. As we make out our grocery list, we decide what we want to have to eat.

Just this last Sunday evening, my hubby called me to the backdoor. One of the boys next door turned seven years old. Hubby was holding a mini cupcake in each hand. They chose to share with us in a small way.

Our choices sometimes are dictated by factors such as health issues, and finances. These decisions shape our lives.…  ( Click for more )

‘” The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD

make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

I remember back in high school the Choral Club ended each performance with a musical arrangement of this passage of scripture. I was not a member of this group or any chorus but I enjoyed hearing those groups perform. I had forgotten how special the passage was.

This passage, a part of my devotions one recent morning, touched me as I read it. I felt led to…  ( Click for more )

God told King Solomon that His people, those who claim to know Him, are to pray and how to do it. When God’s people are confronted with illness, other people intercede in prayer for them.

As Jesus ministered on earth, prayer kept Him in touch with His Father. When Christ was physically exhausted He got away from the crowds and spent time conversing with God.

As Jesus knelt in Gethsemane, He communicated with His Father about the most important deed of His life- that of shedding His blood for you and me. (Matthew 26:36,38-39,42, 44)

Prayer became important…  ( Click for more )

Complete Joy: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.” 1 John 1:3-4 (NIV)

Have you ever shared some good news with a friend so they can rejoice with you? Families of high school graduates usually have open house parties to honor the work of the teens. Newly married couples have receptions to greet their friends. Brides-to-be and mothers-to-be receive shower gifts to help them being new chapters…  ( Click for more )

I like the Biblical character Ruth.

She gave up living in her native land to accompany her mother-in-law Naomi through the wilderness back to Bethlehem. It could have been very dangerous for travelers, let alone women, who went into the wilderness Enroute to distant places.

Ruth chose to adopt Naomi’s faith in one God. She treated Naomi as well as any daughter would her mother.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, she chose to stay with Naomi and work in order for them to have food.

Boaz owned the fields…  ( Click for more )