Through The Storms

Though the winds may blow,
you must always know,
there is one who walks beside you.

Though the earth may shake,
with a crumbling quake,
hold on to the one inside you.

When the fire is cast,
as a withering blast,
the angel host surrounds you.

For the Father of love,
lifts you over the flood,
So that peace and joy may find you.


copyright 12/25/2015

When I Need A Friend

Where do you turn when you need a friend, but no friend can be found?  Macaroni and cheese? Pot pie with peas?  A little - or a lot - of Rocky Road ice cream?  potato chips?

Where do you go when you need a friend, but no friend can be found?  A late night chick flick that makes you cry?  A place that's loud and raucous so you can escape? TV? 

Today I need a friend who understands; who will listen with me to rustling trees: walk with me through rays of glittering sun; tell me of the silent voice of living things.

Today I need a friend who speaks to me of hidden treasures deep within the heart. A friend that comforts me with their quiet presence, enduring even til morning light.

I have such a friend. To those who willingly open the door to the avenue of the soul He willingly shares His delicacies of wonder with every exchange along the way.


copyright 12/24/2015

My All To Give

Sing for joy to God our strength.

Shout out loud to the Lord of glory.

Clap your hands and praise His name,

for the Lord Almighty is with us.

Giving homage to the King of Kings;

A humble sacrifice I bring.

My all to give one life to live,

for the glory of His name.

copyright 11/11/2015

Experiencing His Presence

To experience the presence of God is to believe Him when He says He is with us and will never leave us or forsake us even when we cannot feel it; when everything we see and hear seems to shout "you are alone!"

copyright 12/18/2015

Where's The Rain?

 The Noah story has always fascinated me. There are so many aspects of this story that are relevant to me, as well to a great many others. 

I'm very curious about those 120 years of preaching. How did he vary a sermon about a doomsday flood that God told him was sure to come for 120 years? 

How did he explain a flood of rain when it had never rained? 

What kind of awesome connection with God did Noah have that even prompted him to believe God’s words in the first place? 

Did it really take Noah and his boys 120 years to build the ark or was a lot of that time spent talking to the people?

I could go on with the questions I have in regard to this epic story, but I would like to focus on the possible thoughts of the people who were watching this insanity unfold.

I can imagine them being very curious at the beginning, even to the point of concern for Noah’s mental well-being. But as time went by, the logic of such a devastating destruction might have seemed totally beyond comprehension. The longer it went on, the more bold they became in their opinion that Noah and his poor deluded family were nothing more than a joke. People might have come from far and near just to see the monstrosity they were building. “Where’s the water to float your boat Noah?”  This may have even turned into a great vacation destination; a superb entertainment as greater crowds gathered. Some of the locals might have even erected booths where trinkets were sold to commemorate their visit.  

As people were born and laid to rest and generations of time slipped by, Noah and his family finally finished the ark. "Now what?" the people asked. Do you suppose that most on-lookers reasoned that if Noah was right, they could just sit back and wait till it was certain?  Some may have thought, I’ll just wait long enough to see the clouds in the sky and feel a few drops of rain before I decide if this is legitimate or not.

What puzzles me most is the lack of response when the beasts of the fields, as well as an array of every species known to man, made their march, all in order, two by two, without man’s manipulation, into the ark. What?!! Come on, that’s got to stir something in the hearts of the observers.  Maybe fear?  Awe?  Wonder?  A deeper curiosity, perhaps?  Were they really going to just wait for the rain before they believed him?  

But Noah and his family entered the ark upon God’s command and the door was shut.  For the onlookers, there must have been a sigh of relief when a day went by with no rain. You can hear the crowd calling out to Noah, “Come on out Noah, the weather is fine!” Others taunting, “It smells lovely out here Noah, probably a lot sweeter than in there!”  Days passed and still no rain.  The crowds were sure to have considered themselves the wiser…

…until the rain came.

One might consider this story and apply it to our own current period in history and yet…. here we are again.

copyright 12/11/2015

In Or Out Of Line

There was a farmer who decided to test his sheep to see if they really were as dumb as people said they were. In order to accomplish this experiment he found a pole the length of the opening to the pen where they were kept at night.

That evening at feeding time he and his farmhand held the pole low enough for them to jump over but high enough to obstruct their way. When the pole was across the front of the gate, his son herded the sheep toward the pen.  The first sheep jumped over the pole, the second sheep jumped the pole, the third and so on until the farmer withdrew the pole.

Then the rest of the sheep… even without the obstruction, kept jumping where there had been a pole, only because they were following the lead of the sheep in front of them. 

So I have to ask myself, am I a follower?  Or am I willing to allow God to direct me on a different path, other than the one the world would deem to be the acceptable choice? 

I think most people would agree that it’s so much easier to follow the beaten path than the road less traveled.  But Jesus promised that if we choose to follow in His footsteps we will be in the minority; some may even oppose us.  The kind of opposition that will test the very fabric of our beliefs; especially when ridicule comes from the very people we love most. 

 

But in spite of that, today I choose the road against the expected flow, because I don’t want to fall into line with what the world is offering; wealth, lust, earthly treasure, prestige, etc.  Today I choose the road less traveled because on it I will find my God.  And my God is a personal God.  My God speaks.  My God laughs with me; never at me.  My God cries with me and for me.  My God loves me and accepts me right where I am standing.  

 

If you have never experienced what it means to know Jesus, if you are standing in line as a follower of worldly values, are you willing to be out of line in order to know what it means to really live?

12/6/2015

Songs We Sing

I love to hear the songs we sing,

of paying homage to our King.

We sing of blessing that He gives,

of hope and peace; good lives to live.

But what of those who’ve lost their way?

Do we sing for these throughout our day?

I hear the world sing songs of loss,

of broken hearts and bitter costs.

I wonder what the song would be,

if Jesus were to sing of me?

Lets Be Honest

I'm sitting here thinking about the importance of honesty, or integrity, truthfulness and being real. Whatever you wish to call it, my question is this: can any relationship survive without truth as it's foundation? 

I think that is the very reason why God actually hates lying. A relationship that is not based on openness and honesty is doomed from the start. Proverbs 6: 16 says He hates a lying tongue; especially since God is the truth and He is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and truth. John 4;23  

An honest person welcomes the light of truth. A dishonest person rejects the truth for the comfort of darkness, for truth brings to light the hidden things they wish to remain hidden in the dark. The fallacy of that conception is nothing is hidden from God. He sees what actually is. He sees who we really are.

So, I guess the point of all this thinking out loud stuff is to say there really is no way to have a real relationship with God without being honest...or with anyone else for that matter...is there?


11/16/2015

Hallelujah

If you think you are any different then the people written about between the pages of sacred scripture, you would be wrong. They had all the defects and shortcomings you and I possess. 

The only difference was they allowed themselves to be available. 

God said "hallelujah!" 


11/12/2015

God's Faithfulness

Again I am posting a poem written many years ago. It is a reminder of my unsecured relationship with God; when I felt very much alone in my struggle with sin and forgiveness. The abyss between how I was and what I wanted to be seemed never to end. I am so very thankful for my Jesus unrelenting love and patience. I never want to be in that place again! 

Many times I have promised,
Scraps of paper tossed aside,
Wishing wells and fairy tales,
Never seeing what's inside.

You vowed you'd never leave;
I prayed I'd do the same.
I didn't know what faithful meant.
and played you as a game.

I was angry when you smiled.
The sun was not my friend,
but you just kept on loving me,
and turn my world on end.

I'll tell you what amazes me,
no matter what I've done,
you stand before your open door,
calling me toward home.

It's your faithfulness that keeps me now,
your faithfulness, that draws apart.
It's your faithfulness, so much faithfulness,
that breaks my heart.


copyright 10/5/2015

Live In Love

When we strip everything down to the bottom line, what is man's basic need? Is our basic need money? Is it a husband or wife, a house with a picket fence? 

We can have everything this world offers, but unless we know love, we often find we are still miserable; and searching for the meaning of life. Babies die for the lack of it; children grow up filled with hate because they have never experienced what true love is, so they lash out in bitterness of heart. We create a replica of love and think we have arrived, but soon find out the object of our affection is altogether human and transitory, so we turn from it disappointed.

People spend millions of dollars on psychologists, doctors, prescriptions, and books of self-help and philosophy along with a myriad of other things to bring light into their dark place. 

"What in this world is life all about?" is the cry of millions.

Where can we find the true meaning for our existence?

The answer is right in front of us where it has always been. Unfortunately, most of us turn our heads because we have had a negative experience where we have seen hypocrisy 
displayed from someone we've trusted. 

The answer is God. Yup, the One you have grown complacent about or perhaps even grown to hate. Or perhaps the One you just never took the time to really know. 

It is far easier, we think, to forge our own way. "God is love, whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16)  He is the only one that will never leave me or forsake me. He is the only one who never lies to me, is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus is the only one who can change my darkness into light, carry my heavy burdens for me without payment or price. He is the only one that loves me with a love everlasting, that changes me from the inside.

Why, oh why, do we give up on God so quickly and cling to our own willpower and determination as if we have had great success with that? 

Why do we make something so simple so difficult?

copyright 10/30/2015

  

Trick Or Treat

The dogs I house-sit for often teach me meaningful spiritual truths.

When the two dogs are out playing, running or wrestling, and it's time to come in, I will start by calling for Henry. Henry is the youngest and most apt to listen to my voice. 

The dogs have long since understood that I am the master, the alpha dog, and obedience is rewarded for those that respond. Yet even with that understanding, the dogs seem to wrestle with the decision to obey, much like we, as humans, struggle with that on a regular basis. 

When I call Henry, I do so by name and tell him to come. He stops what he's doing and looks right at me. That immediate response raises my hopes for a return. But then he looks at Cassie, the older larger dog, who is bounding off through the grassy acreage in pursuit of greater pleasures. Henry will then look back at me and then again at his older mentor and then bound out to meet her.  

After a few attempts he finally responds to my commands and he and Cassie come inside. But it is not without taking a few moments to decide if he wants to obey or not. 
 
There is a lure for independence and the desire to be the one to call the shots in even the animals we seek to govern. We house them, feed them, love them, accept them, want them, and have rules for them to follow because we want to protect them. There is a treat that awaits them upon obedience. But they often see my call to them as a sort of trick to lure them into my control and away from their freedom and enjoyment.  
 
There is a decision to be made here for more than just the animals in our care. What would you choose?  To believe God's care for us is a trick or accept the benefits of obedience?   Trick or treat...



copyright 10/25/2015

Confounded Laws

The universe is made up of laws in order for it operate harmoniously. Correct?

when I choose to jump from my house top I expect to hit the ground. If I brake my legs in the process, I don't blame God for breaking my legs because I know I violated one of the universal laws, the law of gravity.

When I choose to violate one of the moral laws set up for man to live in harmony with each other, I expect, or at least hope to get away with it. why is it we blame God for the losses and pain we experience as a result? What's with that anyway?

When I choose the action, I'm also choosing the consequences.



copyright 10/26/2015

Expect Great Things

As a child I would love to go to town with my mother. I wasn’t very interested in shopping, but was utterly fascinated with the people I saw walking down the street. I wanted to know who they were. What did their faces tell me? What about the way they walked?  What did their eyes reveal about the kind of person they were?  What kind of mood were they in?  What story lay beyond the externals of their appearance? 

Early on, my explorations revealed an understanding that expectations greatly affected people’s relationships and how they chose to act.  Those expectations also affected the way they ultimately presented themselves to others…sweet and lovely, or sour and cantankerous.  Their attitudes determined by perceived and unfulfilled expectations were evident even as they walked down the street.

I have a saying I often use — expect great things — driven by a firm belief that God is pleased when we come to Him expecting great things.  This expectation we have for God’s goodness is quite the opposite of the pressure we place on our human relationships.  Grand expectations from spouses or friends will result in unfair demands or strained relationships because of failed expectations.  What we expect from each other can be unfair or insensitive or unbalanced because every one has experienced a different life story that has shaped their limitations or ability to give of themselves.  But our God is different.  His story is written in the Bible for all to read.  His gifts; His abilities; His limitations; He’s an open book.  

I envision a smile across the face of God when we trust Him completely with the greatest of all of our desires. Webster says that to expect is “to think something will certainly happen.”  When I pray to my God, I certainly expect Him to act.  And because He is faithful, He always acts.  No matter what we’re praying about, He will move, for our good and for humanity’s good.

Now comes the consummate question: Do we expect God to work as we expect, or as He understands that we need? You can see that the earlier definition of “expect” gives us the answer. “To expect is to think something will certainly happen.”  It doesn’t say that we should expect a specific thing to take place, but simply something.  God is working toward answering our prayer for help, not toward giving us whatever we want or demand.  

With human relationships, if we are not receiving what we feel is what we deserve, we are tempted to walk away from that relationship and maybe never return.  If we treat God in the same way — by walking away for good — we end up robbing ourselves of a great blessing.  We will never know what our Lord had in store for us, something better than what we were expecting because He knows what will ultimately make us happy. Yes, there are scenarios that would seem to belie what I just said, such as the loss of a child.  But we cannot see the end from the beginning as Jesus can.  We do not see what lies just around the corner that would be far more devastating if we only knew. 

We cannot always expect people to satisfy our every need, but we can always expect our Savior and Friend to satisfy our every need! 

Expectations.  What a complex word. Or is it?

Prisoner At Large

I wrote this piece about 20 years ago. As you can see, I was in a very different place than I am now. I wish to share this  with all those who feel trapped in a place they see as impossible. When we finally allow our heavenly Father and best Friend to the governing of each day, each obstacle, each overwhelming circumstance, we will find what we are looking for. We think we have to find a solution, we have to decide, to do, to set goals, we have to make something happen. But we don't, He does, and will!

There is a road I've never taken;
There is a way that seems less sure.
Reports are not exciting
with struggles to endure.

Is it possible to let go of me,
and let another be in charge?
I'm afraid of what might be;
afraid of what I cannot see,
yet something keeps on calling me.
I'm a prisoner at large.

Is there a word that can be spoken,
Is there a prayer that can be said
to loose this bound-up heart of mine;
breath life into the dead?

Let me hear the voice that whispers,
Let me reach the hand that saves,
I am longing for peace,
I am poised for release.
Will this fight ever cease?
I'm a prisoner at large.

I'm a prisoner at large,
Trapped inside of me.
Moving around, working the crowd,
Looking to be free.
I'm just a prisoner at large.

What Love Is

               

Wandering your world

in search of love? 

Let's speak of its meaning.

Let's ask What is love?

It is the tree in winter, 

ever holding its green,

The bloom in the desert,

with fragrance unseen.

It is the voice of peace

along darkened streets.

The hope of tomorrow,

for the wayward and weak.

It rises from valleys,

and rests in the storm;

it is balm for the weary,

and strength for the worn.

Love brings wanderers near,

makes cloudy skis clear;

believes everything possible

for trust without fear.

It will never be found

when you selfishly seek it.

But will be waiting for you, 

when you graciously give it.

What more can I tell you?

what more can I say?

Love is the picture

of God and His ways.

copyright 10/4/2015

To Praise Without

Having a place to go 

at the end of the day,

is called home.

Having some one there 

who loves you,

is called family.

Having a constant, 

understanding friend,

is called blessing.

Praising God when 

none of these gifts exist,

is called trust.

copyright 9/26/2015

Waking Up To Reallity

 "That's so cool, isn't that sweet; I wish I had a relationship like that. It's no secret that he loves her. He talks about her all the time and they've been married for years now. It seems the longer they are together the more they love each other."

Those of us who are watching such couples applaud them. We cheer them on and have a desire to replicate such a relationship. Even though such a devoted relationship is a rarity in this world, we wish for such a blessing to be ours as well. 

It is not considered weak to love another with such devotion. We would never consider them trying to draw attention to themselves or entering into this relationship to make themselves feel good or even that they are just faking it. You can only fake love for so long. True love is an internal thing. Fake love is an external effort that is impossible to maintain forever.

Why is it, then, when one falls in love with Jesus with this same devotion, some in the world view it with disbelief, disdain and mockery? Why does the world see a love affair with Jesus as a weakness, or an embarrassing spectacle? They want to know: How can you devote so much time to this religious stuff? They say: There are far more important things you could be devoting your time to. According to a world's point of view, to step out of "normal" pursuits of this world is just plain stupid!

They just don't get it!

The love relationship Jesus invites us into doesn't mimic the relationships we experience with each other. It is the other way around. God gave us the ability to love each other here to help us see what a relationship with God might look like. But even if it may be similar, there are vast differences as well. Our relationships here on earth are temporary and often dependent on circumstances, whereas our relationship with God begins here, but carries on throughout eternity with far greater benefits and unhindered by circumstance. 

Inconceivable? Not at all. Just like the Matrix, we need to wake up to what reality really is.

copyright 9/19/2015

The Tower

I heard the story of the last survivor who was rescued after 27 hours in the rubble of the collapsed towers on 9/11. Realizing she was going to die she started talking to an unfamiliar God. She had heard about Him and how He had performed miracles for others so she told Him she did not want to die.  She was a desperate mother calling upon Him to help her. 

After a time she realized someone had found her. A man had moved close enough to touch her, encouraging her that everything was going to be okay. He even reached out His hand and held hers for support. He invited her to keep hold of His hand until help arrived. She asked him what his name was and learned that it was Paul.

Finally, the fire-fighters cleared away the rubble enough to set her free and bring her out of that dark place and  into light and safety. As they were loading her into the ambulance, she ask them to stop so she could thank Paul, the man who had held her hand through the awful 27-hour nightmare. They said that there had not been anyone else with her and there was no fire-fighter present whose name was Paul.  

Proverb 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower. The righteous run to it and are safe.” This precious lady called out to that name and He came to be her fortress and hold her hand. 

Man-made towers crumble and fall, but the name of Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus can take on the form of maybe Paul or Dick or Jane.  But one thing is for sure: He will hold your hand for however long it takes to bring you to the light and to safety.

The love of Jesus changed her that day and now she proclaims that name because He became her fortified tower.

copyright 9/12/2015

  

Dark Corners

The light of God's presence illuminates

the dark corners of our lives.

For those who wish them not revealed,

the light becomes an offense.

copyright 9/1/2015

Our Words

The greatest influence in our life is our own words. Once something is said we can never take it back, yikes! Saying things we wish we could take back may go so far as to destroy a relationship, which changes things in our lives forever.

Sometimes we voice an opinion that is similar to the opinion of the one we are speaking with, but given the time to think it over we realize it really isn't our opinion at all. However, once it is spoken we now feel we must defend it rather than change it. 

What we say does influence us positively or negatively. That is why the wisest man who ever lived said, “A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11  

Consider the power of words. Especially the ones we speak!

8/28/2015

8/28/2015

Lonely

What do you do when you get lonely? What does it mean to be lonely anyway? Does it mean you’re alone?  Is being alone a bad thing? 

I’m quite sure there is a difference between being alone and being lonely. one is a fact; the other a feeling.

I don’t think I’ve ever given this much thought, so let’s reason this out together. Together. That sounds nice. So if we do this together, then we wouldn’t be lonely. 

When someone is lonely they are likely missing something or someone, right? But what if they are not missing anything in particular and yet are still encompassed by an air of loneliness? 

I think God has something to say about this subject: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  Deuteronomy 31:8.

Sometimes we forget that the Lord is always with us.  That knowledge will help keep the feeling of loneliness away. For it is indeed a fact that we are not alone. Ever.

copyright 8/18/2015

Just A Smile

Look at what a smile can do.

It says that someone cares for you.

Even through the darkest day,

it says the sun is on it's way.

It has the power to move you on.

It has the power to sing a song.

So smile today at all you see,

and know your smile will set one free.

8/13/2015

Full Of Praise

There are times when I am so full of praise for Jesus because of the love He has lavished upon us.  In times like those, I am at a loss to know how to express the magnitude of it all. 

When I read David’s psalms, I can feel his struggle to empty his spirit into words that would do justice to His Savior.  I recognize the overwhelming desire to express love and commitment to his faithful Lord.

I can understand the passion Handel felt as he grasped the pen and sat to write what was bursting from his heart and soul.  As the ink flowed onto paper, the magnificent, God-inspired “Messiah” was created and continues to resonate with my own praise.  

There are many avenues through which we can express our love, whether it be through poetry, music, art or a well-delivered speech. Jesus’ own desires are satisfied when He sees us pour ourselves out in word and song, and in deeds and acts of kindness, for the sake of His children that are walking in blindness.  His heart is filled with joy beyond comparison, beyond words and beyond music.  And through this expression we are united in love with the One that created everything worth praising.  

8/12/2015

  

What A Life

I don't know how to sing,
but my heart does.

I don't know how to pray,
but my spirit does.

I don't know how to speak,
but my love does.

I don't know how to fight,
but the Word does.

I don't know how to win,
but the Lord does.

Now, I know how to dance.
What a life.


copyright 8/4/2015

From The Clouds - 5

It was a warm afternoon and I was sitting out on the built-in bench that borders the deck, facing the mountain.  It's not a large mountain but it forms a grand centerpiece for the view to the north of the property.  As you can probably ascertain, I am again house-sitting two dogs and one cat on 7 acres of peaceful loveliness. 

I was swinging my legs, as a contented child would in the summer sun, when I noticed a round portal in the white cloud before me.  The message that quickly came to mind was:  “The window of opportunity is quickly closing.”

I laughed and said to myself, “Okay, now you’re just making it up. A round portal, a window of opportunity?  How obvious is that?  Besides, how many windows are even round, right?” 

Well, I guess Jesus took issue with my doubting heart because I watched as the round window suddenly became a perfect square.  A moment later, the perfect square formed into a perfect rectangle.  And when I say perfect, I mean the corners were perfectly squared; not a single rounded corner!  That was certainly something I had never seen before. 

As I watched this picture moving before my very eyes, the open portal closed and morphed into the shape of a bell. The words I heard next startled me.  I sat there motionless for quite a while.  No swinging of my legs anymore.  The unmistakable message was different then all the rest in that this was the first time God had given me a command.  A command to do something. 

"Sound the alarm!"

I thought to myself, How do I do that?  

I realized that whenever given the opportunity, I can tell the story of the messages God has given me from the clouds. I know to some it will seem as foolishness, but to me it couldn’t be more real or serious.  I know the one who shared His thoughts with me, and I am most humbled to think He would share them with someone so utterly unlike Himself.   And now I have shared them with you. 

Please feel free to share these warnings with others.  Time is short, and now is the time to come out of the shadows and voice a stand for Jesus. After all, He didn’t hesitate to give it all for us.

  

copyright 7/27/2015

He's Got This

Fear is the most deadly emotion a person can struggle with in their spiritual life. Fear has the power to incapacitate to the point of rendering total disability.

Fear has a voice and it speaks.  But the voice of fear is not the voice of God. 

God has nothing to do with fear that assails the place where we are standing, making it impossible to move forward.  The enemy tries to paralyze us under the guise of “caution” while Jesus beckons us to change our position, our thinking, our ways of doing things. 

Fear robs us of the blessings that await those who respond to the sweet voice that gently bids us "this is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21) 

Fear has eyes. Fear sees what may happen if we choose to step outside our comfort zone. Fear of the unknown is terrifying because we might lose control.  And after all, it is the loss of controlling of our own lives of which we are the most fearful, is it not?

Fear… think about it.

How does this insidious invasion of our mind take place? When I am afraid, I desperately look for solutions to the problem.  I feel as if I must do something to counteract what might turn out to be hurtful or painful. Of course in attempting control of the situation my desire is to relieve the fear. 

What if I looked at God as a child looks at their mother or father?   What difference would that make? As a child, when afraid at night, I would run to my parent’s room seeking comfort and assurance. If I were too afraid to move, I would call out for my mamma to come to where I was.  I knew I could depend on her to come.

If, as a small child, I had stayed in my room, crippled by fear, I could have tried to control the situation by forcing myself to stay awake to insure that nothing would snatch me in the dark.  But that would be a foolish way for a child to deal with fear.
  

And yet, when gripped by fear, in our adult lives, our instinct is to take the control rather than take it to the Father. 

But the problem with that is that fear escalates when we depend on ourselves for the solution.  Our control does not dissipate the situation.  It does not make everything okay.  It just perpetuates the fears, growing them into irrational levels.

It is Satan’s gateway into our mind.  After all, spiritual warfare is the battle for the mind. 

So if we open the door to fear and choose to hang on to it, we allow the enemy to distort our ability to make good choices. He suggests all sorts of irrational “what ifs" in order to gain control.  Because, like it or not, whoever has control of the mind has control of us. But the choice of who we relinquish control to is ours to make.

But with God there are no irrational "what ifs," no “coincidences.”  Just the promise to guide our understanding and our decisions with His faithful hand. With God there are assurances and absolutes to hang on to.  He absolutely loves.  He absolutely works all things in our favor.  He absolutely forgives.  He absolutely frees. He absolutely directs us onto the right path and He absolutely never leaves us or forsakes us.  

So… Shut the door!…
  

Start choosing to open the door to Jesus and closing the door to fear. That decision is ours; the one thing we actually control. When that decision is solidified in our mind, God is then able to seal us with a seal of protection that is not penetrable by the enemy of fear. Jesus is emphatic in His statement in John 10:27, 28 "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." 

copyright 7/17/2015

Love And Law

Obedience without a love relationship
capitulates to the letter of the law.

Obedience within a love relationship
results in the fulfillment of the law.

For without love the law is a set of rules.
with love the law is a natural offspring.



copyright 7/22/2015

From The Clouds - 4

When I began blogging about the clouds, I decided I would omit one of the five messages I had received from God.  I figured it wasn’t quite as meaningful as the rest.  Yet when I shared all five with the women in my study group, one of them was most impressed with the one I decided to omit.  So who am I to decide which of God’s messages I should share?  I understand, now, that all the messages He shared are equally important.  Otherwise, why would He have shared them.   

A couple a months ago I was looking out the window at a clear blue sky.  It was morning, and the day held promise to be beautiful and warm.  I thought about how it had been a while since I had received a message in the clouds.  As I looked at the open sky, I laughed and said to my Father, “It’d be pretty hard to speak through clouds that aren’t there, wouldn’t it.”  I went about my business, not giving it much more thought, since I didn’t know if the cloud messages were expected to continue or not.  Besides, there wouldn’t be a message in a clear sky anyway.  A few minutes later, I looked out the window once more and a smile spread across my face, for there in the middle of the sky was a small cloud in the shape of an “S.” 

Again I challenge you to consider what the "S" could represent. Actually this one is not as difficult as perhaps some of the others. Well, now that I know what it is, it doesn’t seem so difficult. 

So did you get any ideas?  

The right answer? 

Are you sure?

So the answer is……

**Soon**

I could feel His presence bending close to me, whispering, “Soon…”

A cloudless day wouldn’t stop my Jesus from sending forth His message.

The first message, was the warning of darkness swiftly covering the earth. 

Some time later came the second warning (or harbinger).  A great shaking was coming where we won’t be able to rely on any other person, church, denomination, belief, or theory. Our only safety is our trust in God alone.

The third cloud message was the four tornado-shaped clouds that represent the four angels of Revelation 7:1, holding back the winds of destruction on the earth for those servants who are not yet sealed.

And now the Lord of hosts has spoken again in His mercy, to warn us that these things are not far off in the future but SOON!  Yes, our God is merciful and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  He has given these warnings so we can prepare; for along with His mercy He is also just. 

There is a day of judgement coming soon. We must decide for whom we will stand and now He’s given us that chance to take that stand.  How gracious and all-loving and patient He is.  I don’t want to make Him wait any longer than He needs.  I choose Jesus.  Today.  

copyright 7/14/2015

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