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Archive for the ‘Biblical’ Category

A Stiff Backing

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on October 13, 2013| 2 Comments »

SqueezeIt kept flopping over in a wilt. The picture I’d printed of my new book and glued to a piece of card stock would not stand upright in the little ringed holder at my vendor booth. With the moisture-laden gray clouds hovering overhead us that day, it was just too humid – even in an air conditioned room. I kept straightening my sign in the stand, and then out of the corner of my eye, I’d see it slowly bow towards the table in a wimpy droop. How would people be attracted to my book?

Then a wise friend came up and said, “Here. I can fix that.” She peeled the paper from the card stock. Next she accordion-folded the card stock in a tri-fold pattern and set it behind the paper.  Viola!  My sign stood straight as a soldier, and remained that way the rest of the day.

She shrugged with a grin. “It just needed a stronger backing.”

So do I, I thought. I need the tri-fold power of the Trinity to support me and keep me straight. That way,  I will – pardon the pun – stand out. Soon, people will take notice. They will be attracted to my message of what Christ has done in my life.

When I try to stand for Christ on my own, soon I will begin to droop against the elements of this world.  I just don’t have the strength that is needed. I need to stand firmly on the promises of the Word and let God be my strong backing.  If I lean on Him, God’s Spirit will bolster me.  I will not be toppled, I will not wilt.

Who is backing up you today?

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  2Thessalonians 2:15

 

 

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Which way?

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on October 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Have you ever come to a crossroads in your life?  It’s that tough decision between two or more choices you have to make.

You can’t go back. The past is the past.  But you can’t go ahead the way you had been either, because there are now several paths open to you.

Which do you choose?

Robert Frost wrote a poem called the Road Not Taken, and how choosing that lesser traveled path made all the difference in his life.

Jesus talks of the narrow road (Matthew 7:14) – and it, too, is the one fewer people choose to travel down.

But what if the signs are not that clear? You peer down and both seem narrow. Both veer off so you can’t see where they lead. Maybe both are filled with potholes?

Isaiah was given a clue – and your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” (vs.30:21)

ID-100146465So often we try to figure it out on our own. We expect God to send up smoke signals, or leave a piece of thread dangling on a branch. Maybe a footprint or two would help.  Bread crumbs?

When, all we need to do is stop, ask, and then listen.  The answer may not come right away. That doesn’t give us permission shrug it off and trek out on our own.

If we wait patiently, we may see a barricade pop up, or see sunbeams shine down on the direction we need to go. We may even see one way disappear entirely, as if it was a mirage.

Or, we may just hear that voice inside of us, which we know is not our own, whisper, “Go this way my child. It is the way I’ve prepared for you.”

One thing is certain. God will always go with us, no matter what direction we choose –even if we choose poorly. All we need to do is ask.

After all, no matter where life leads,  one thing remains the same.  Jesus is The Way.

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Running Into It

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on September 30, 2013| 1 Comment »

Black letters on an illuminated white screen. The Bible verse of the Day on my phone app.  Simple verse, powerful message:

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. Proverbs 18:10

Paul tells us that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the name of Jesus.  (Philippians 2:11) But, on the street today, it seems the average person either rolls their eyes or gets glassy-eyed if Jesus is mentioned. Some wrinkle their brows and just walk away.

Yet, He is our refuge. We can run into His arms and be held. He still calms storms – the ones that rage inside of us.  Whengods-love-2[1] the world is shaking us up, we can dash to Him and He will give us something firm to hold onto during the tremors.

We can call on the name of Jesus in our prayers and watch the enemy flee with his hands over his ears.

We can whisper it in the dark, or shout it in praise with hands lifted.

There is truly power in His name.

Call on him, hear Him say, “Here- I AM.”  Run into His arms of love- the one He stretched out on the cross for you.

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Walking in the Fire

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »

When the fires of life’s demands are blazing around you, and the corruption of the world is lapping at your hands and feet and threatening to suffocate you – how do you react?

© Sergiu Bacioiu Dreamstime.com

© Sergiu Bacioiu Dreamstime.com

Recall the three young men – Shadrack, Meshach and Abdenego ? Their story is found in the third chapter of the Book of Daniel. They refused to denounce their faith so the king threw then into the fiery furnace. At first they crouched down. But, instead of the fires consuming them, the Lord came and protected them from the flames. Together, they walked in it and through it.

The Lord promised He would never forsake us (Psalm 37;28), and that He is with us until the end of the ages. (Matthew 28:20). Even when we feel the heat of evil and worldliness flickering around us, He is always present.

We just need to seek Him.  If we cry, “Daddy!?,” He will come. He will take our hand, and walk us through the situation, or if we are too weak to walk, like a heroic fireman, He will carry us out.

As Natalie Grant, and others, sing in the song, In Christ Alone, there is no power of hell nor scheme off man that will ever pluck us from God’s mighty and loving hands.  But even more than that, His holy fire protects us.

In the Texas Hill Country, when a brush fire forms, the volunteers often start a barrier fire in it’s path to thwart it’s  spread.

The fire of the Holy Spirit is stronger than any other fire. He will thwart any scorches of hell or schemes of the secular world from consuming our souls once we ask Him into our hearts. We may feel the heat, but we won’t be eternally singed.  So walk- heh, why not dance?  You have a covering of holy asbestos.

In the midst of the flames, let people know you are “on fire” for Jesus.

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Silvered Image

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , , on August 26, 2013| 1 Comment »

This is floating around the internet- it is worth the time to read. God bless whoever wrote this.

Malachi 3:3 says: ‘He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.’
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ‘He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.’
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, ‘How do you know when the silver is fully refined?’ He smiled at her and answered, ‘Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image in it.’

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
‘Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.’

800px-One_dime_1976_revisedWhen I look at a dime now and see the words “in God We Trust”, I will see it differently. May it always remind me to reflect His Truth and mercy to everyone I meet and to use what He has given me to His glory.

May the love of Christ be reflected in you more and more each day. 

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What the Devil??

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????On Sunday, Anglican Bishop Fanuel Magangani  of Northern Malawi visited my church. He told us that in Africa, people still have a superstitious nature. It is easy for them to see demons with red faces and horns, and to have visions of angels in glowing white. It is not a leap of faith for them to see miraculous healing taking place. In fact, our missionary team just came back from there about six weeks ago and told us how they’d been  vessels of healing, both physically and spiritually.

The Bishop said that in more technologically modern countries, the demons must be more clever. Because we are so scientific and logical in thought, the devil must find other ways to fool us. Subtle ways that seems logical, like the stories in the Bible could never have scientifically happened. They must be metaphors.  Or, we need to reinterpret Biblical Truths to fit our modern era. Even that logically, the devil doesn’t exist. It is all neuro-stimuli and hormone balances in our brains.

He smiled and said, “Here in your country, the devil wears a business suit.”

Think about that for a minute. I have – a lot.

I don’t think he was slamming modern business men and women. I think he was saying that by wearing a suit,  a person often exudes authority and a successful lifestyle, A person called “a suit” is expected to be knowledgeable, and perhaps, to be admired.  They represent power, wealth, and the logical, educated mind. They are also innovative, clever, and yes, they can step on backs as they climb the ladder to success – which is more and more an admirable achievement in the business world today.  But, that type of attitude is very ‘me-centered”  and relies on one’s own gumption and smarts. It can also stir up emotions of greed, envy and jealousy. That is fertile ground for the devil.

But, Christian bushiness men and women wear suits as well.  Each day they live out their lives trying to be obedient to Christ.  Their actions portray trustworthiness, honor, fair dealing and giving sacrificially of their time and talents.  They will take off their coat to help a widow change a flat tire, or give half the suits in their closets for the unemployed to  dress well for an interview.  They will whip out their checkbook as they blink back a tear when they hear a missionary’s testimony and roll up their sleeves to serve in a soup kitchen

The difference? Under their suit is the armor of God.  And, it is drenched in the Blood of the Lamb.  Take to heart what Paul says in Ephesians 4:22-24:  put off your old self,  which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

No matter if you wear a name on your shirt or have it on the corner office door, being Christ in today’s business world isn’t easy. There are a lot of demons out there wearing suits (and, by the way,  blue collar uniforms and jeans  as well).  Be sure to dress in your armor each morning before you head out the door. And, if you display a Fish symbol on your business cards, your lapel or your car, then please act the way Jesus would as much as possible in public and in private. Don’t give the devil a chance.

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Why IS This Happening to Me?

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , on August 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »

There it  was – in the middle of Rebekah and Isaac’s story in Genesis 25. Verse 22 suddenly became bolded and two fonts bigger in my mind.

The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.

Okay Guys –  even though this is about Rebekah’s pregnancy, don’t click off just yet. This is about any idea, dream, passion or hope that is growing inside of you, waiting to be born – whether you are a man or woman, child or senior citizen.

How many of us struggle with our deepest desire – the one we are sure is God-given? We wonder, if I am following Your ways Lord, why is this so hard? Why the roadblocks, the difficulties, the jostling inside of my gut? Why is this happening to me?

As a Christian writer, I can tell you this is a common story. We have a message that is itching to come out. A Divine revelation we know we are called upon to share. But no agent looks our way and we get rejection after rejection from publishers. Or, once we are published, we get an unkind review , or our book only sells 20 copies that month.  Why is this happening to me, Lord?

If you have a dream in formation, don’t be impatient with the growth process. When the timing is right, it will come forth. And yes, there may be pain. But there will also be joy.

Do as Rebekah did – go, inquire of the Lord. You just may be surprised at His response. She certainly was!

And truth be told, if this dream or desire is of God, it will come forth when He deems it. So be a willing vessel in the meantime. Your dream is not the only thing growing inside of you, so is your walk with the Lord. Oh, that’s why this is happening to me.

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He meant to pass by

Posted in Biblical, Christian, Devotional, tagged , , , , , , on August 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

cropped-storm-clouds-2-134981298598261vgu1.jpgAnd he [Jesus] saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them… Mark 6:48

Does it seems as if God has passed you by in the midst of your struggles? Why would He?

Look at Mark 6:48 again. He meant to pass them by? Seriously?

It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t care. It wasn’t because He could walk on water and he wanted to rub that into his disciples’ faces – “Hey, look at me. A bad storm doesn’t phase me.”

Maybe Jesus meant to pass by to –

1. Get their attention so they would look to Him and not their problems.

2. Show them the way, like a beacon.

3. Prepare the way to calmer waters for them.

But instead, when they look upon God in the flesh, they were frightened and that fear clouded their belief. They thought they saw a ghost. How could this man they’d followed walk on water in a storm (even though he’d just fed thousands of people on one boy’s lunch)?

How often do we not trust God in our circumstances even though He has come through in the past in some miraculous ways?

So, according to Mark:  immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.  (vs.50-51a)

In the midst of our fear, God can speak to us, calm us down, or stop the winds that batter us.  Or He may choose to just get our attention so we focus only on Him.

Either way, we can rest assure He will not ignore our plight.

 

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From the Ark

Posted in Biblical, Christian, tagged , , , , on July 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

A friend emailed this to me today – I know the “Everything I learned” was popular about a decade or so ago- but I loved this. Hope you do as well.

Noah's ArkbwNoah’s Ark:

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah’s Ark.

ONE: Don’t miss the boat.

TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!

THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark .

FOUR: Stay fit. When you’re 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

FIVE: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

SIX: Build your future on high ground.

SEVEN: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.

EIGHT: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

NINE: When you’re stressed, float awhile.

TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

 

May you always seek the rainbow through the clouds.

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Is Being Angry Okay?

Posted in Biblical, Devotional, Life Experiences, tagged , , , , , , on June 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »

 

You may be familiar with the passage in Ephesians 4:26 which says to not let the sun go down on your anger. It is often given as marital advice.

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????But, anger itself is not evil.  The first part of verse 26 says: Be angry, and sin not, it doesn’t say to  never be angry because that’s a sin.

So where does the sin part come into the picture? It is all in how you handle your anger.  Anger that brews or broods can become toxic.  In fact, the next verse, 27, says to give no opportunity to the devil.  When we mull over our hurt and angry feelings like a cow chews its cud, that is like sending the evil one a personal invitation to come into our hearts and minds.

Anger doesn’t have to be a destructive emotion. It should be the catalyst that drops us to our knees, not fly off the handle.  Righteous anger happens when something vehemently against the Word of God happens. When that anger rears up inside of you, it is a prompting by the Holy Spirit.  It is a call to action – to pray, to  peacefully protest, to speak truth.  It is not a call to lash out, say things you will regret later, or hold a grudge. You can find God in the middle of your anger.  In fact, you should.

So, go ahead – be angry. Righteous anger over being violated or robbed, or hearing about atrocities such as sex slavery and child trafficking should get your bile boiling.  When someone hurts our loved ones, we should get riled. But, stop it there. Give it to God and let Him channel the anger according to His will. Remember that God is the one who has the right to judge others, not us. We are to forgive so we can be forgiven.  Like separating the shaft from the wheat, we must ask God to separate our emotions from our anger.

And, if you are angry at God because you don’t understand why or how He could allow something to happen, that’s okay as well. Beat on His chest and scream like a two year old. That’s being honest and raw. God can take it. Just don’t turn away from Him. Ever. Give Him the chance to heal you, correct you or comfort you.

Be angry- that’s okay- but don’t turn it into a sin. Don’t let it separate you from the One who loves more than anything, or the ones who are trying to love you the best they can yet still manage to step on your feelings. Before the day is over, lay that anger in the hands of the One who knows the best way to handle it.

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