hope

STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH

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ARMOR OF GOD
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13

Have you ever prayed this verse before? You probably have. I know I have.  It’s a part of what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” By the way it’s worded in the King James Version, it  sounds kind of like God would lead us into temptation. Not so! The Bible plainly tells us that God tempts no one…“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.” (James 1:13 NLT)

The verse from Matthew 6 in the New Living Translation reads this way, “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” And listen to the verse in The Message Bible…“Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.” I kind of like that. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed, “Father God, save me from myself!”

I know you’ve heard the old saying coined many years ago…“The devil made me do it!” Well, for one thing, it’s not very likely that the devil or anyone else could make you do something that you sincerely didn’t want to do. Now you may know that it’s not the best thing for you. You may WISH that you didn’t want to do it. You may even pray for the strength NOT to do it. But if you don’t exert some restraint on your part, it’s likely that you WILL do it. Even the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest men of all time, who wrote most of the New Testament said this...“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:21-25a)

Don’t get me wrong, God will help you if you really rely on His strength and draw from the power of His Holy Spirit within you. Paul plainly says so. But the fight between good and evil is an age old battle that will not be abated until the end of time, when Satan’s ultimate defeat is enforced and he is banned from roaming the earth.

But Jesus didn’t leave us defenseless when He returned to heaven. He gave us weapons of warfare that we can use very effectively. “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Ephesians 6:13-18 NLT)

We definitely are in a consistent battle with a very persistent enemy every day of our Christian lives. Some days maybe more so than others. God’s Word tells us, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (I Peter 5:8 NLT) Then He gives us the antidote in James 4:7, “So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 AMP) We resist him by putting on our armor and “having done all to stand, we stand firm!”

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE?

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MIRROR IMAGENow we see things imperfectly,
like puzzling reflections in a mirror,
but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete,
but then I will know everything completely,
just as God now knows me completely.
 I Corinthians 13:12

This post by my daughter Sherry Crowson Evans

So…how are you feeling today? Feelings can be crazy. One day you are just fine, and the next moment you are swept off your feet again. Despair creeps in stealthily. Insecurities are amplified. Failure seems imminent.

Have you forgotten who you are? Your feelings have deceived you. The deceiver has deceived you. You are a messenger…a messenger to the world. You have a job to do. God has a plan and a purpose solely for YOU. God has chosen YOU to be HIS light.

When you fail don’t crucify yourself. You are too hard on yourself! Look to God for reassurance and continue working. When your plans fall apart, look to Him. He will guide you. When your mind is confused, look to Him for clarity. When you’re depressed find comfort in the One who designed You.
Remember… it’s His plan and His purpose…for YOU…TODAY!

I know it’s hard to believe, but It is the truth. Take a moment… stop everything…find a quiet place. Now, think of your children. Think of all the love, hope, and dreams that you have ever wished for them. God gave you those hopes and dreams. They are a small glimmer of His hopes and dreams for YOU. Think back to all the times your heart has bled for your children. When they are hurting you hurt. You comfort them. You sacrifice for them. They are your hope and your future. You would die for them. God took His only Son. He sacrificed Him for YOU. His heart bled for YOU. YOU are the hope of this dark world because God’ s light shines in YOU! God loves you MORE than you love your child.

Remember who you are today. Look in the mirror…really LOOK…take off the mask. Don’t look at yourself with disappointment, disgust, or shame. Soften your eyes and look at yourself for who you are. God made you in His image. God is proud of you. He doesn’t see your flaws. He doesn’t see anything wrong with you. He sees your kindness. He sees your goodness. He sees you trying so very hard every day. He knows it’s difficult. He knows your struggles. God sees you making progress and He is PROUD! Believe in yourself. You can do it! God is with you. God believes in you and He is cheering you on!

GOODBYE GRANNY

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The following is post is a story written by my daughter Sherry Evans.  She is writing about the death of MY Mother, HER Grandmother and THE GIRL’S Great-grandmother, whom we all called Granny. I thought it would be an encouragement to those who have lost loved ones.

HEAVENLY DANCE 2
GOODBYE GRANNY
by
Sherry Crowson Evans

The two little girls knew their granny would die someday. They just didn’t expect her to actually…die. Granny was very old and she was very tired…worn to a frazzle, she sometimes would say. The girls would laugh and smile even though they didn’t know what that meant. Granny had always been old and tired as far as the girls knew.

Today however, was different. Today, when the girls went to visit Granny she was in a hospital bed. She looked so worn out. Granny started singing the sweet old hymns her grandmother had sung to her. The girls sang too and granny clapped when they were done.

Just Before they left she whispered to the girls, “Jesus is coming to get me in a few days. Soon I’ll be dancing a jig in glory.” Then she reached out her hand to the girls and reminded them, “Girls remember, always trust in Jesus. That’s’ the only thing that matters.”

And for a moment Granny had a twinkle in her eye as she smiled and said goodbye. But the girls wore concern on their faces. Momma could tell the girls were upset at what Granny had told them. The girls hugged and kissed their Granny for, as it turned out, the last time. They could hardly wait to get out into the hallway to ask their questions.

“Momma, we can’t really see Jesus right now. How can He come and take Granny away?”

Momma explained that Granny’s body was tired. It would stop working one day and then she would go live somewhere else. The girls were happy now. “Oh, then we can still visit Granny!” Momma explained that it was too far to visit but if we trusted Jesus just like Granny said then we would all go live there one day.

The next day Granny went to sleep and didn’t wake up for a few days. Then she was gone… Granny drifted off to sleep still hearing the girls’ voices singing sweet hymns. She even dreamed she was still singing with them…“♫ when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be ♪… Her own voice sounded so pure, so beautiful, and so young? She could feel her lips moving as if the beautiful song was coming from her own mouth.

Slowly Granny opened her eyes and there she was lying on a bed of the softest silk she had ever felt. She sat up and looked around. This was the most lavish home she had ever seen!
But somehow she knew it was her home…her dream home that is. The bedroom was a beautiful shade of yellow, Granny’s favorite color. Everything was just as she had always imagined a perfect home to be.

She was so happy she wanted to dance but she knew her old legs wouldn’t hold her…and that is when she realized this must be a dream! There was no other explanation. In dreams you can do anything you want. So she might as well try. Granny started to dance…slowly at first, then faster. She danced and danced! She remembered dancing this way before, but that was many years ago. She lifted her hands in the air and twirled in a circle! From the corner of her eye she saw her own hand, spotless and creamy white.

“I used to have beautiful hands like this when I was young,” she thought. Just for fun she reached out and pinched herself. She didn’t feel a thing, but she didn’t wake up either. The pinch did not even leave a red mark. Granny wondered could this possibly be real? Can there really be something this wonderful? She had never felt this great…ever before. A ring at the doorbell stopped her mid-thought.

“Who in the world could that be?” she said aloud. Even as she said it her voice sounded strangely sweet and soft. She ran, actually ran, down the stairs. She opened the door and there stood the most handsome man she had ever seen! She gazed deeply into his blue eyes and recognized him.

“It’s time to go dear,” her beloved husband said.

Without thinking she followed him. Walking hand in hand they strolled down the street of gold. Friendly neighbors smiled and waved from their homes.

“Don’t you want to know where we are going?” Paw paw asked his beautiful bride.

Granny looked down and realized she was in a flowing gown of purest white. The bridal dress had diamonds that shimmered and sparkled in the light. They were heading toward a terrific warmth and brightness. Sounds of a party drifted along.

“Where are we going?” Granny confusedly asked.

“Why to your birthday party of course.” Granny was led to the head of the table.

“Happy birthday!” they all shouted.

The young man beside her hugged her and said, “Welcome home my Darling Daughter. I have missed you!”

She looked into his eyes…“Daddy!”

On her other side a beautiful girl who looked somewhat like herself had tears in her eyes…
“Mother!!!!!”

Many people she had known and loved stood clapping for granny. Suddenly, there was complete silence, then, “Ruth…..may I have this dance?”

Granny hadn’t been called Ruth in a long time. Ruth was her name before she was called Granny. She looked over to see who had spoken. A kindly man walked up, shining in the most beautiful light she had ever seen. A pure uncontrolled love shone from his eyes. Streams of light showered down upon Him from the throne on the hill.

As Granny looked up she saw God shining from His Own light. Raining down gleaming bursts of light and warmth, God in all His glory smiled and nodded His head at Granny. She immediately threw herself upon the ground and covered her head with her hands in shame.

Gently, Jesus uncovered her hands and lifted her up. He tilted her chin up and looked straight into her eyes. Grinning, Jesus asked, “Ruth may I have the first birthday dance?”

Before she had time to answer Jesus grabbed her and wrapped her in a big bear hug. Granny was so startled she began to giggle. She then heard Jesus laugh out loud in pure joy as he swung her around in wide circles.

Suddenly her Daddy had her in his arms swirling and twirling her around. Granny laughed and laughed. She was so happy! She thought she would cry for happiness but no tears came.

Back in her home after the party there was no need to rest. Granny thought about all the times she had said her old legs would give out. But now her legs were new and she would never say that again!

Granny thought about the little girls. She wished they could know how wonderful heaven really was! But no one could believe without coming. She knew the girls would be sad and miss her. And she would miss them too, but she wasn’t sad. Heaven was more than Granny had ever even imagined! She smiled as she thought about the little girls’ birthday party one day. When she saw them again she would stand and clap and dance and dance! Granny was thinking of all the fun she could have with the girls and never get tired.

Just then she heard a scratch at the door. It was a little dog the girls’ used to have. He was so excited to see granny that his little doggy tail shook his whole body. Granny took him up in her arms and surprisingly he didn’t stink. He then let out a small whimper.

“Yes, I miss them too”, she told the little dog as she scratched behind his ears. “You can live with me now and we’ll wait for the girls to come home to see us. I don’t mind waiting. It won’t be too long. You know what little doggy, if time flies when you’re havin’ fun, then time will soar here…I just know it!”

YOU ARE VALUABLE

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SPARROW LG
SONG: YOU CAN MAKE IT

What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin?
But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground
without your Heavenly Father knowing it.
And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God
than a whole flock of sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31 NLT

Do you feel valuable? If you’re like me, it probably depends on what day you’re asked. Some days I feel valuable and some days I feel somewhat worthless! But know this…You are ALWAYS valuable in the eyes of your Heavenly Father. Matthew gives us a vivid illustration of how much we mean to God.

I can’t imagine how many sparrows there are in this world. When I checked the dictionary, one classification alone had 140 species. And there are several different classifications all over the world. But Matthew tells us that our Heavenly Father knows when even one of them falls to the ground. He also tells us again in chapter six to “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” (Matthew 6:26) If the Lord feeds the little sparrows and keeps up with their coming and going, how much more will He take care of us, His children?

I don’t think anyone put it more succinctly than Peter. “Cast the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (I Peter 5:7-9 AMP) Read that verse again slowly, emphasizing the word “all”…and make it personal. Lord, I “Cast the whole of my care [ALL my anxieties, ALL my worries, ALL my concerns, once and for ALL] on You, for You care for me affectionately and care about me watchfully.”

You are valuable to your Father God! And if He is caring for you, why should you take the care also? Cast it on Him today!

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE?

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ONE WAY
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
John 14:1,6

There are so many people today who say they believe in God. But many of them never mention Jesus. Or if they do believe that Jesus is the Son of God, they haven’t received Him as their Savior and Lord of their life. It makes me so sad, because there are so many good, honest, benevolent, loyal, salt-of-the-earth people out there who think that because they acknowledge God and Jesus in their head, they have a chance of going to heaven. I put it that way because when you ask them if they’re going to heaven, they will usually say, “I hope so.”

But we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are going to heaven. “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)

Now, does this mean that we can just say that we believe that Jesus is Lord and we are automatically saved? The Bible says “even the demons believe and tremble.” (James 2:19) They believe, but they definitely haven’t made Him their Lord. We have a perfect example of this in a marriage. One can say that they love someone and believe that they are the only one for them. But if they really love them, they will commit their life to the relationship. As a matter of fact, the body of believers is called the Bride of Christ.

I can tell you my own personal experience regarding this. When I was about ten years old, the pastor of the church that I attended came into our Sunday School room and said we needed to start thinking about joining the church. I and several others in the group soon went up front during the invitation hymn. We prayed the sinner’s prayer and by all appearances accepted Jesus as our Savior. I was sincere in what I did and I believed that Jesus died for my sins. But I did not make a total commitment from my heart to make Him Lord of my life. Later on when I got out into the world, I allowed other people and circumstances to influence me in an ungodly way. It was not until I was twenty-five years old that I truly accepted Jesus as Lord of my life and made a commitment to serve Him at all costs. Since that time I have never doubted the fact that when my life on this earth is over, I will go to heaven to be with Him. You can have that same assurance.

If you’re only hoping that you’ll make it to heaven, examine your own heart. Do you have a committed, personal relationship with Him? If you do, you’ll know…and if you don’t, ask Him to come into your heart and be the Lord of your life today. Heaven awaits! And…hey…spread the Good News!

Thank you, Father
That I have an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled
and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for me!
I Peter 1:4

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!

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

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

BEWARE OF BUG BITES

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BUG BITE
SONG: MY LORD WON’T LET ME DOWN

Let us strip off every weight that slows us down,
especially the sin that so easily trips us up.
And let us run with endurance the race
God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,
the Champion Who initiates and perfects our faith.
Hebrews 12:1b
New Living Translation

I woke up in the middle of the night the other night with an itch. An itch is such a small thing, but has the ability to make one miserable to the point of screaming…especially if for some reason you can’t scratch it. I discovered the source of this itch was a bug bite…on my stomach, no less. Now how did a bug get to my stomach to bite me? It’s an absolute mystery! Anyway, back to my story… I was so comfortable in my warm, soft bed, not to mention extremely sleepy. I didn’t want to get up to put cream on it, so I procrastinated for a while. But eventually I realized that the itch was not going away without some intervention on my part. So I boost my resolve, get out of bed, find the cortisone cream and apply it. The relief was not instantaneous; nevertheless I knew it was on its way.

You may be thinking to yourself, “What in the world does a bug bite have to do with the things of God. As you know from reading my devotionals, the Lord uses the simplest things to get a point across to me. (Hey, I’ll have no comments on that one, please!) Anyway, as I pass them on to you, hopefully we both will learn a spiritual truth. The Bible talks about how a small amount of sin can wreak havoc in our lives. And just like that bug bite, it can cause a large amount of discomfort. That bug didn’t buzz in front of me as if to say, “I’m going to bite you now!” Nor does the devil announce to us the plans for his subtle temptations. He sneaks up on you and attacks you in the most unexpected places. At first you feel an itch, a little discomfort, as though something in your spirit man is not quite right…those thoughts you’ve been having…those words you’ve been speaking. But if you don’t get out of your comfort zone and apply the Word of God to the area, not only will you have no relief, but the poison will spread. A guy in my office had a spider bite. That’s the worst kind of bug bite! If it is left unattended, the poison can get into your bloodstream and cause severe complications. Jesus said sin is like that. He likened it to a small amount of yeast put into dough. That tiny bit works its way through and eventually permeates the entire lump, making it rise to double or even triple proportions. It is so important that we be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If you have the slightest feeling that something is not right, deal with it immediately. Don’t allow it to spread. Some of my friends lovingly tease me about the fact that when I say something I know I shouldn’t have, I immediately say, “Father, forgive me.” It’s because right away I feel a check by the Holy Spirit. I want to do what’s right, but once again that “bug of sin” bites me and I have to apply the healing Balm of God’s Grace to keep the poison from spreading.

Therefore submit to God, Resist the Devil,
and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 NKJV

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE SPIDERS

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LILAH SLEEPING

At that time the disciples came up and asked Jesus,
Who then is [really] the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?
And He called a little child to Himself
and put him in the midst of them,
And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent
(change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving],
you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].
Whoever will humble himself therefore
and become like this little child
[trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving]
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:1-4 AMP

Have you ever heard of the show back in the days of black and white TV called “Kids Say the Darndest Things”? It was hosted by Art Linkletter and was very popular for a long time. It was based on the premise that you never know what kids will say when asked certain questions. Most young children just “tell it as they see it” with no reservations or filters. It can be quite humorous at times (or embarrassing), which accounts for the popularity of the show.

While adults often get caught up in the politics of things, children just look at the facts and accept them in blind trust. Why else would they accept it when they ask a parent why they can’t do a certain thing and the parent says, “Because I said so!”. End of conversation.

Jesus knew the trusting, loving, humility of little children when He told the disciples that the only way to attain greatness in the kingdom of God is to attain the purity of spirit that children display…the honesty, the blind trust in the things of God. We, as adults, tend to complicate things too much. Have I prayed enough? Do I have unconfessed sin? Have I been good enough? If all those things are necessary for us to come before God, why do we need Jesus blood? Those things are based on pride…what do “I” need to do? Jesus has done it all. We need to come before Him in faith in what He has already done!

Having four granddaughters, I have the perfect example. How it blessed my heart when my daughter gave me the following testimony of God’s goodness! My almost three year old granddaughter, Lilah, had not been sleeping well for months. She would wake up several times each night crying and screaming that there were spiders in her bed. We had no idea where the fear started, but we knew who started it…the enemy of our peace, Satan himself! My daughter prayed with her and I prayed for her every night before going to bed.

A few days ago, at this writing, Lilah stood beside her bed and told her mom, “God helped me with the spiders. Jesus tell me not to be scared of spiders an’ then He give me a hug. Then I hugged Jesus an’ He give me a kiss an’ I said, ‘Ewwww, dat was gross…like dat.’”

She has had no problem sleeping since then. Our God is so good and He does answer prayers! He knew what it would take to comfort my granddaughter and He revealed Himself to her in a very special way. Lilah related the experience in a very matter-of-fact manner. She knew what Jesus did and it was no big deal. It was just Jesus being Jesus.  Why don’t you let Him be Jesus in your life today!

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.
Don’t stop them!
For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those
who are like these children.”
Matthew 19:14 NLT