Evil Tidings

A friend said to me the other day, "It's like you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop."  


After having lived for a lot of years, one learns that life can be a series of catastrophic events followed by the pain of dealing with the catastrophe.  During the calm times in between these hard events, we can become fearful of the next difficult season.  Life has taught us to expect that next catastrophe.


Yet the Lord knows our fears and addresses them in the Psalms.  Stand fast, dear Christian and believe God to provide His strength and establish His purpose through the difficulties of life.


He will not be afraid of evil tidings; for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord. 
Psalm 112:7


Sovereign Lord, give me Your strength to not fear the next difficult season.  Help me to believe in You.  Amen.

Daily Bread

When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," are we thinking of the loaf on the kitchen counter?  There are other types of daily sustenance that we need in order to get through the day.  Jesus called himself the "Bread of Life." 


Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Matthew 5:6


Jesus, give us Yourself daily.

Bearing Fruit

The scriptures compare us to trees.  We are called "living oaks" and "trees of righteousness."  We shall be known by our fruit - whether it is good or bad. 


What is good fruit?  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control exhibited consistently.  In essence, unselfish behavior - doing what is best for those around us and not just prioritizing our own needs. 


What is bad fruit?  Here is a list given in II Timothy:  lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,…


You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.… Matthew 7:16-18


Heavenly Father, Please confirm our presence in your orchard by bearing good fruit within us.  Give us the discernment to notice whether good fruit or bad fruit is being borne in the trees around us.  Amen.

A Heavy Heart

When during intense suffering, there is an inner heaviness. It is as if a block of iron is placed on the heart.  Yet, a mere kind word can lighten the pressure.

Here are some things said recently to me:

You are making a wise decision.  Chin up.
It's so hard when...
Praying for you.
Do what you think is right and pray.
God can create a lot of good things out of bad things.
Love you.

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop, but a good word maketh it glad.  [Proverbs 12:25] 

God of Love, lighten my heartache through the kindness of others.  In the same way, please allow me to be the giver of a good word today.  Amen.

A New View of Faith, Hope and Love

The last verse of I Corinthians 13 talks about faith, hope and love.  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  I Corinthians 13:13

When going through a difficult time, we cling to the promise that all we need is a mustard seed-size bit of faith.  That tiny bit of faith in God's promises allows us to have hope for the future, both on earth and in heaven.  True love only comes from God, and allows us to act unselfishly towards those around us, even if they are the very source of our difficulties. 

Verse:  We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father...  I Thessalonians 1:2,3

Prayer:  Lord, You do not treat us as our sins deserve, nor repay us according to our iniquities.  Grant us faith to cling to Your promises, hope for the future, and love for every soul you place before us.

Happy Mother's Day

To every loving mom on Mother's Day...

http://en.gloria.tv/?media=153401

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  Psalm 139:4

Being Still

There are times when life is so heavy upon us that we can only sit, doing nothing.  We are not able to move.  It is these times that we pray continually that we and our loved ones would be bound to God's perfect will and we can meditate on this verse:

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.    [Psalm 46:10]

The Perfect Parent

God was the perfect parent, but did He get perfect results?  The Israelites worshipped idols, had drunken orgies and demanded a king.  Yet when they repented, God always took them back.


When we have less-than-perfect results from our parenting, we can be encouraged that we are not alone.


TV~  (Today's Verse)
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.  [Matthew 28:20]

The Secret to Walking on Water

We are walking on a rough ocean.  Sometimes the waves are about to drown us.  We will drown in our own thoughts, fears, regrets, sorrows and sins, IF we don't keep our eyes on Jesus.  When Peter kept his eyes ON Jesus, not on the waves, he WALKED ON WATER!!!!!!!!!!!

TV~   (Today's Verse)
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. [Psalm 138:7]