Month: June 2015

I LOVE BURNED BISCUITS

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BURNED BISCUIT ON PLATE
Above all, love each other deeply,
because love covers over a multitude of sins.
I Peter 4:8

Someone recently sent me this story via e-mail. I don’t know who wrote it, but it brings across a powerful point. It is as follows…When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

 When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned biscuits.”

 Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides, a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!”

What an awesome picture of unconditional love! How many of us would have been thoroughly aggravated at such an action, even though it wasn’t deliberate. We often tend to make mountains out of the mistakes of others and minimize ours to the size of a mole hill. I have noticed that at times I get so angry with people for doing certain things and then the Lord reminds me that I do the same things and they don’t seem nearly so bad. Do you think maybe we have a double standard going here?

What about our actions in relationship to the Lord? How many times do we serve Him burned biscuits? We are so tired from work and extracurricular activities that we don’t give Him our best. But He just takes that biscuit, smears the oil of His Holy Spirit on it, adds the sweetness of His love and eats it anyway. His mercy covers our mistakes and failures and gives us an opportunity to make a new batch of biscuits every day. How awesome is that!

Father, forgive me for the times
I’ve served you burned biscuits,
And for the times I’ve been intolerant of others
who have done the same to me.
Help me to sweeten my life and the lives of others
by loving deeply and forgiving freely.

A JOURNEY OF HOPE, CHARITY, FAITH AND A LITTLE GRACE

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BABY - GIFT FROM GOD
The following is a true testimony from my daughter,
Sherry Evans:

“And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You.” Psalm 39:7

I was saved at a young age but drifted away from the Lord in my teen years. I became a teen mom. My first daughter, Hope, was born shortly after  I turned 16. I went through a period of depression as I was finding my way back to the Lord, but God is faithful and He brought me back to Himself with open arms.
“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloud And your sins like a heavy mist. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 44:22

“Charity suffers long, and is kind.” 1 Corinthians 13:4a.

A couple of years later we were blessed with another daughter…Charity. Shortly after she was born, I was given a shot at the doctors office which caused me to be unable to stand. My vision became fuzzy, my thinking cloudy, and my speech slurred. My muscles tensed and would not relax.  No doctor could find the cause or offer any hope. However, I had Hope in the Lord.

Now He had provided me with Charity (love) when I had no control over my circumstances. Over the years my symptoms improved and today simple seizures remain.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” Psalm 28:7a

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1

Ten years later we became expectant again. However,  the baby was not thriving. We arrived at the hospital to undergo a DNC, after testing revealed no heartbeat and blood tests showed the pregnancy was not viable.

As soon as we arrived, the nurse, on the spur of the moment decided to run one more unscheduled test and found a heartbeat. Thus, we were given Faith, our third daughter, in our time of need.
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Five years later, we were blessed with our fourth child. The baby was diagnosed in utero as having only one partially functioning kidney. The other kidney was an unformed mass of cysts and tissue. Surgery was imminent according to the doctor. The outcome looked bleak.

We prayed for her to have two kidneys at birth. We prayed that there would be no surgery. When Lilah Grace was born she did have two kidneys. However, the doctors said she would need one kidney removed and a portion of the other removed as well. She had cysts in her bladder which could block her kidneys and those must be removed too.  Because of our reluctance, the surgeon agreed to wait and watch the situation. She continued to improve dramatically, astounding the doctors. Today, Lilah Grace has two functioning kidneys. Both kidneys are normal size. As for the bladder cysts, one disappeared completely, and the other shrank to a minimal size. No surgery has been performed. She is on no medication. By God’s grace the doctors say she is very remarkable.
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3-22-23

Throughout everything,  God has given us His Grace to hold on to Hope in order to trust Him in Faith, while He wrapped us in His love (Charity). How truly blessed we are!

“DUH” MOMENTS

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DUH MOMENT
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce
this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22

Have you ever had a “duh” moment? If you have, you definitely know what I mean. If you haven’t, you may not be completely human! : ) Most of us have them more frequently than we’d like to admit. I had one just the other day and afterward I started thinking about it…not just in the sense of being embarrassed, but in the sense of self-analysis. I came to the conclusion that many of those “duh” moments have to do with the way we think about things. In other words, are you a serious thinker or do you just think about things superficially? Perhaps you’re like my sister… she is always saying, “You know how literally I take things!” This is especially true when I get exasperated with the way she perceives something I said. All the while I’m thinking, “How could you possibly have taken it that way? Are you just dense?” (And she’s probably thinking the same thing about me!) Don’t tell me you’ve never thought things like that before! Are you wondering by now where I’m going with this?

We are all different in the way we think…in the way our brain processes things. A lot of it depends on the way we grew up, our personality, our education…even our genes. Therefore we may perceive what someone says or does in a very different way than it was intended. My point is…that’s when we have to put into practice what the Bible calls long suffering or patience or maybe even kindness. The Lord has been speaking to me lately about being aware of this and being more tolerant of people. Things aren’t always the way they appear. And sometimes when you know the whole story, you think, “Oh that’s why they did or said that!” I’ve even gotten irritated with someone in traffic and then thought, “Hey, I’ve done that same thing before.” Life is so much more harmonious for us AND OTHERS when we ask the Holy Spirit to help us with our thinking. We all remember the Bible verse we learned as children, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Luke 6:31) Jesus Himself said these words. Would you like for someone to try to “understand where you’re coming from” when you say or do something? Then perhaps we should try to understand them. I’m not saying this is always possible. Some people mean things exactly the way they say them! But the Holy Spirit will help us discern those who need more understanding, if we just make an effort rather than jumping to conclusions.

Okay…I know you’re just itching to know what my “duh” moment was! I recently bought a new car…a Hyundai Elantra. But seemingly there was something wrong with the automatic key fob. Sometimes it would open the trunk and sometimes it wouldn’t. It was very annoying. I would have to open the door and pull the manual lever. I had already called the young man who sold me the car and made arrangements to come in and have it checked out. When I got there, Brian said, “Let’s just check it again before we go to the service department.” I gave him the fob. He pushed the trunk button and the trunk opened. I said, “Give me that thing!” and tried to open it to no avail. He said, “You do know you have to hold the button down for three seconds before it will open. It’s a new feature to keep you from opening it accidentally.”

Sure enough, Right there on the button beneath the picture of the open trunk it said, “Hold”. “Duh!”  I thought because it was a foreign car, they were calling the trunk, the “Hold”…you know, like a cargo hold. I had no clue it meant to hold down the button! My other cars were…push…open. Probably no one else in the U.S. would have thought that, but I did! I guess that makes me really unique! (Don’t you dare say a word!) And that’s what got me thinking about this whole devotional.

We are all unique and I dare say no two of us think the same way! Remember that next time someone tries your patience.

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other,
making allowance for each other’s faults
because of your love.
Ephesians 4:2

DON’T GIVE UP!

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KITTEN, FROG, CRANE
SONG: DON’T GIVE UP!

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Psalm 27:13-14

Don’t ever give up!!! It’s a choice YOU make, you know! Even if you can’t justify hanging on to God’s promises simply because it’s the right thing to do, do it for this reason…“There’s just no way I’m going to allow Satan to win!” As I look back over the years (many for me!), I see that Satan has tried to destroy me from the time I rolled out of the comfort of my mother’s womb. (I’m telling you…someday I’m going to write a book!) But I have just enough of my dad’s tenacity and my mom’s stubbornness to say…“No way, Devil! Get behind me, Satan!” Now if I’m totally honest, which I try to be, I will admit that there were times I was tempted to give up. I felt like the picture of that little kitten hanging on a rope with only one paw and one claw! But by the grace of God and drawing on His strength another picture flooded my mind. Probably you’ve seen this one too. It’s a picture of a frog in the mouth of a huge crane that quite apparently has plans to have him for breakfast. But with every ounce of strength within him, the frog manages to free his two front legs and is choking the crane with all of his might! The caption reads, of course, “Don’t Ever Give Up!!!”

Needless to say, just like that crane with the frog, Satan would love to have us for breakfast! The Bible plainly tells us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10a)  Did you get that? The only reason Satan even comes around is to steal, kill and destroy…YOU!  It is his sole purpose on this earth. And you actually wonder why you are having problems?   But let me tell you, God didn’t have a thing to do with it! “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 1010b)  “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone…Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) Our Father God never changes. He is always good! Neither does Satan ever change. He is always bad!

Well are we going to just hang on by our last claw for the rest of our lives? Absolutely, unequivocally, undisputedly, irrevocably not! But the one thing that determines our success or failure is this…We can NEVER GIVE UP! Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Don’t let Satan defeat you! He is not stronger than God, therefore he is not stronger than you, for God is in you in the presence of the Holy Spirit! Let me give you a few verses to hold on to. Speak them out loud. They will put a chokehold on Satan! And before you know it, just like that little frog, you’ll be jumping right out of those difficult circumstances. I’m personalizing the verses for you!

Lord, I will hold fast the confession of my hope
without wavering,
for You promised and You are faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

Lord, grant me, according to the riches of Your glory,
to be strengthened with might through Your Spirit
in the inner man.
Ephesians 3:16

Thank You that “No temptation has overtaken me
except what is common to mankind.
And You, God are faithful;
You will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear.
But when I am tempted,
You will also provide a way out so that I can endure it.
I Corinthians 10:13

I thank You, Lord, that I am strong in You
and in the power of Your might!
And above all, I will take the shield of faith
with which I will be able to quench
ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Ephesians 6:10,16

Lord, I WILL NOT fear, for You have redeemed me;
You have called me by Your name; I am Yours.
When I pass through the waters, You will be with me;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow me.
When I walk through the fire, I will not be burned,
Nor will the flame scorch me.
For You are the LORD my God,
The Holy One of Israel, my Savior!
Isaiah 43:1-3

And I WILL overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of my testimony!
Revelation 12:11

IN CONTEMPT OF COURT

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JAILED
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more.”
Hebrews 8:12

A while back I had a problem with someone who was living in a rental house that I owned.  Despite countless efforts on my part to reason with her, the person had decided that she could pay rent whenever and if she decided to do so.  I talked with her, was patient with her and gave her several written notices, but she refused to move out!  Bottom line…I finally had to have her evicted, much to my chagrin.

My daughter went to court with me and she, the lady and I came up to the judge’s bench when the case was called.  Now I’m kind of like Clark Kent… I’m a mild mannered person until I feel an injustice has been done.  Then, (even without a phone booth) I turn into Superman, avenger of all evil!  Well it so happened that this woman was telling the judge all kinds of things that just were not true.  My daughter, who was standing at my right side, could feel the transformation taking place.  I wasn’t even aware, but she said I was slowing shaking my head and there was a small amount of steam coming out of my ears and wafting through the courtroom! She just kept patting my hand and saying softly, “Mother, just calm down.”  I do thank God that she was there, because otherwise Superman may have fully manifest with red cape flying in the wind as I verbally flew into that woman full force!  I do hope you know that I’m kidding…not about being angry, for I definitely was, but about not restraining myself.  

Now I gave you all this background information for two reasons: First of all, I thought it might give you a good laugh and secondly to tell you about a conversation afterward.  Without my knowledge, my daughter thought it would be funny to play a trick on my son-in-law John, who knew that she would be accompanying me to court.  She called him and said, “John, the judge put mother in jail for contempt of court.  What are we going to do?”  John didn’t even hesitate in disbelief.  He simply said, “You’ve got to be kidding! Well, we’ll have to get her out.  How much is her bond?”  At that point my daughter started laughing and he realized it was all a ruse.  Later I said to him, “John, I knew you loved your mother-in-law and this just proves it!”  (Never mind that he didn’t hesitate to believe such a thing!)

I don’t know why but I was thinking about this again on the way to work one day and laughing about the joke on John.  John and I have always teased about our mother-in-law / son-in-law relationship although I love him dearly and I know he cares for me.  Then it just came to me how much that is like our Heavenly Father.  We are His children and it is our desire to please Him and continue in fellowship with Him.  But when we mess up and end up behind the bars of unfavorable circumstances, He still loves us and will bail us out if we call on Him!  Not only so, but He covers the indiscretion with the blood of His Holy Son Jesus and will remember it no more?  Oh, what love!!!

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father
and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son,
will be with us in truth and love.”
(2 John 1:3)

BALLOONS OF WORRY

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BALLOON THOUGHTS
Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Philippians 4:6
The Message Bible

There has been many a devotional written on the topic of worry. And I think we all know why that is… because no matter what your status in life, it is an emotion that we, as human beings, have to battle on a regular basis. But, as Christians, I firmly believe it is something that we can overcome and actually rise above. Indeed, it is an emotion that we, as children of God, should overcome and rise above! How it must sadden our Heavenly Father to see that we do not have complete trust in His love and provision for us in every area of our lives.

As I was reading this verse in Philippians 4:6, the Lord brought an illustration to my mind. He often shows me mental pictures to help me understand a passage or concept. Worries themselves are like balloons that have not been inflated. They are simply passing thoughts of what could come to pass. But when we start to meditate on and embellish those thoughts, we begin to inflate the balloon. The more we meditate on (worry) about the matter, the larger the balloon becomes. We can let those renegade thoughts continue until the balloon reaches its full capacity and you know what happens then…pop! It explodes and little pieces fly everywhere. By this time, our nerves are shot…literally!

But have you ever seen anyone who does balloon art? It’s so cool! They blow balloons to probably three-quarter capacity and then they make them into wonderfully fun shapes that bring joy to the onlookers. They twist and tie and manipulate those elasticized containers of air into objects of joy…a graceful swan, a cute puppy, a lovely flower. Why can’t we learn to do that with the anxious thoughts and worries that try to invade our lives and fill our minds until we reach the breaking point?

When worrisome thoughts come, and they will…when they start to inflate your mind with all sorts of scenarios that likely will not even come to past…stop! Realize what is happening and turn those thoughts around. Twist them and tie them and turn them around until they are totally transformed into something beautiful that fills you with joy and gladness and complete peace…so much so, that it spills over onto those around you!

You may be thinking…well, that is a lovely illustration, but how do I possibly go about it? Well, if you call yourself a Believer, do you or do you not believe God’s Word? Do you believe the verse that says that He will work ALL things for good to those who believe? (Romans 8:28) Do you believe that He will meet ALL your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus? (Philippians 4:19) Do you believe that He loves you with an everlasting love? (Psalm 103:17) Do you believe that He directs your steps and delights in every detail of your life? (Psalm 37:23) Well then, begin meditating on these thoughts and start turning those worries around to objects of beauty! Let’s make some beautiful works of art from what is trying to cause us potential disaster! The minute the worries try to creep in, recognize it and start turning them around! God is faithful. He will NEVER let you down!

 Give all your worries and cares to God,
for he cares about you.
I Peter 5:7 NLT