Most everybody wants to be accepted. We do and say things to try to fit in and feel bad about ourselves when we find ourselves being rejected. But when the shoe is on the other foot, it really can be hard to accept other people who are different from ourselves. Yet, what does God have… Read More Accept one another
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way. Psalms 139:23-24 NASB Yes, Lord, we open our hearts to You today and invite You to do whatever cleaning needs to be done… Read More Scripture prayers #1
I’m writing this open letter as if to a sister, it could be a blood sister, an adopted sister, a spiritual sister, excetera. I think many of you can relate, as you also have someone in your life who comes to mind when you read this. Perhaps it is a friend, a spouse, a neighbor,… Read More Open Letter to a Loved One – when misunderstandings happen
I love to read passages of the Bible where God appears to man. If you haven’t read through the Bible, you may be surprised how many times this happened. Joshua 5 and 6 contains one of these passages. In Joshua 5:13-15 we see that a man is standing before Joshua with his sword drawn. At… Read More Appearances of God to Man – Breakthroughs
This summer I spent some time reading and pondering over several of the Psalms. As I was reading Psalm 37, I noticed in verse 7, “Rest (Be still) IN the LORD.“ IN Imagine yourself small and surrounded by His strong, loving arms that He wraps around you. IN In other words, remain IN or intimate… Read More “In” the LORD
Have you ever found yourself saying something like this: Crumbs don’t have any calories. Hahaha (as you eat them). I know this junk food is bad for me, but doesn’t God want us to enjoy ourselves? One little puff won’t hurt. If I say I’m sorry, they’ll take advantage of me. If I confess that… Read More What God thinks about Rationalizing
Thank You, Lord, that this is the day that You have made. I will rejoice and be glad in it! Lord, You didn’t attach any conditions to these verses. You didn’t say that there are some days that You didn’t make, and you didn’t say we don’t have to rejoice on days when everything seems… Read More Worship with me #18
Have you ever had someone in your life who hurt you, wounded you deeply with their words and actions, betrayed you, abused you in some way? You feel you need to stay away from them as much as possible, just to protect yourself from the negative vibes that they dump on you whenever you’re around… Read More How to Pray for those who have hurt you
Have you ever felt like some people are extremely hard to love? I’m guessing most of you can think of at least one person like that (if not, just give it a few years!) Several days ago, I started reading a really good book by Max Lucado called A Love Worth Giving, and already a few… Read More Steps toward Love
Have you ever read Scripture and tried to understand the passage from an opposite angle? Sometimes I like to do that. I find this to be particularly helpful when I have heard a passage many times, and I really think I understand it. Then I find out that, surprise! There’s something I had missed! (I… Read More The Just Shall Live by Faith
Not long ago I was chosen to sing the tenor voice in a duet to be performed with the choir at our church. My duet partner and I practiced our parts separately, each with our own CD, for weeks before we arranged to practice together. On the evening that we met to practice, we decided… Read More The Lord is my “Chauffeur”?
I was reading the story in the gospel accounts recently about the Gerasene demoniac that Jesus healed. Here’s this man who has been in physical and spiritual bondage for quite some time. He is hurting. He is violent. He lives in the graveyard. He spends his days and nights acting insane. “Constantly, night and day,… Read More Do You Want to See Jesus?
I had no idea that there were so many ways to break the tenth commandment. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17 But after observing the… Read More Tenth Commandment – Overcoming Discontent
How often do we live by feelings/emotions instead of living by faith? Putting things off again and again till they reach crisis proportion can end up being a lot more stressful than just taking care of it right away. And, if a person procrastinates on important things they should be doing too often, the avalanche… Read More Living by feelings vs. Living by faith
I can no longer move forward quite like I need to; I guess I’ve forgotten what the Lord and I agreed to, Forgotten the warnings that I should take heed to—- And, oh dear, oh my, what this just might lead to! I don’t always know just what could have caused it, But it’s surely… Read More Arthritis of the Soul
1. In a general sense, there is only one obstacle to having an intimate relationship with God. That one obstacle is sin, which can be any form of disobedience to God. It has plagued the human race since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. But what makes us go there? 2. … Read More Obstacles to having an intimate relationship with God
So, I’m praising the Lord that I survived another October. It’s a long story for another time. I felt so much spiritual attack that I had no desire to write anything. But, praise God, November 1st I woke up ready to write again! Anyway, on Halloween night, my youngest daughter and I participated in a… Read More Unwise Exchange – Tame vs. Lame
It has been said that in God’s eyes, the way up is down. In other words, before we can be exalted in God’s kingdom, we must first humble ourselves. When we try to manipulate people and situations to exalt ourselves instead of going about it in God’s way and in God’s timing, it will eventually… Read More On Wasps and Neb’s Advice
Romans 15:7 NASB says, “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” So how well are we doing at obeying this command? Do we ever use excuses to try to justify ourselves for our disobedience? Let’s see if we see ourselves in the following: But she’s different! Were… Read More Accept one another
