Will you be ready?

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV)
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Stephen is stoned to death.

Acts 20:24 (NIV)
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Acts 20:24 is the verse-of-the-day from Bible Gateway, reminding me of the ultimate purpose of this blog and the responsibility of every believer.

Reading this verse brought the Great Commission to mind. You remember Christ’s call to his disciples after his resurrection when he met with the 11 in Galilee – Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I find myself thinking of this charge more and more each day. I find myself wondering what more I can do to fulfill our Lord’s direction.

Even though I am not one of the original disciples, I am a follower of Jesus. It is therefore my responsibility as a Christian to share the Good News with everyone I come in contact with on a daily basis.

Most times I fail miserably.

When I fail, I ask myself, ‘Why?”

 

After all, the original spreaders of the Good News faced physical abuse, even death, for spreading the message of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:27-32, 40-42 (NIV) ²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” ²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” ⁴⁰ His [Gamaliel – a Pharisee] speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

One follower, Stephen, was the first man martyred for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His death is recorded in Acts 7:59-60 (NIV) ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. Interested in reading more about the events that precipitated the stoning? Read the speech Stephen made to the Sanhedrin prior to his death sentence. Find it in your Bible in Acts 7 or click here to read it online.

OK, I fail in most all aspects of spreading His message to those I meet. Time to change that. Time to follow Jesus’s advice and, and do as recorded in Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me…”

Now, my question to you - Do you spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If not, ask yourself today, why not?

May God bless you all every day in every way. Amen.

Pray for His direction

Saw this greeting card from GodVine on Facebook, and thought sharing its message would be a good one for today’s Retreat to Belief© blog post.

I know God has a plan.

I pray for direction to follow it,
Patience to wait on it, and
Knowledge to know when it comes.

Wow! This one hit close to home. I find myself looking for God’s direction on a daily basis. I must admit that patience is not my strong suit, but through His guidance, I seem to have more patience than I have ever had in the past.

Through Scripture, I know God has a plan. He said so in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I know too that he provides direction for our lives – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Gardeners and farmers must have patience, so to must the faithful - James 5:7 (NIV) Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.

I know that through prayer, I will have the knowledge only He can give. Because, as the disciple Matthew said in his Gospel Chapter 26, Verse 41 (NIV) “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

I know too that God provides the intelligence necessary to follow Him in our day-to-day endeavors. I turn to Proverbs 18:15 (NIV) for direction and discernment - The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.

How about you? Do you know God has a plan? Do you pray for direction? Do you have patience to wait on His guidance? Do you have the knowledge so that you will know when His leadership is, just that, HIS leadership?

Yes? Great!

No? Then pray that His plan for you will be revealed through prayer, patience and knowledge.

My prayer for you is that God will bless you and keep you every day in every way. Amen.

 

Pray for our military

Today is the day we remember our men and women in uniform, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Take time to recall their contribution to our freedom as you go about your holiday routine. May God bless each and every one of them. Amen.

Do you have a clear conscience?

Singleness of the Heart (Proverbs 11:3)

Some mistakenly associate the word integrity only with reputation—an external appearance. True integrity is a quality of character—an inward reality that refers to singleness of heart or mind, the development of a blameless character by adhering to an exemplary moral code. The Biblical model of integrity is marked by several distinct features:

• innocent actions (Ge 20:5);
• a clear conscience (Ac 24:16; Heb 13:18);
• fear of God, truthfulness and opposition to covetousness (Ex 18:21);
• blamelessness and uprightness (Job 2:3; Ps 25:21);
• righteousness (Ps 7:8);
• freedom from that which is shameful, crafty or deceitful (2Co 4:2);
• refusal to serve idols (Ps 24:3–5);
• disassociation with evildoers (Ps 26:4);
• honorable behavior (2Co 8:21; 1Pe 2:12).

The Hebrews understood that:

• integrity of heart guides a person into right and rewarding situations (Pr 11:3);
• integrity is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Pr 21:3); and
• a person’s integrity silences critics (1Pe 2:13–17).

Integrity provides a mindset toward righteousness and an abiding intent to do the will of God and to walk in his ways. Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible

As mentioned in yesterday's blog post, I start every day off with a devotion, and sometimes more than one. Recently, the NIV 365-Day Devotional has been sharing thoughts on integrity. Today's post references many scriptures, listed above, dedicated to that topic.

The dictionary defines integrity thus:

1. Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty;

2. The state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire;

3. A sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

 

Obviously, since all Scripture is God-breathed, the Creator of the universe had a lot to say about principles, and how we as followers of Jesus should conduct ourselves on an ongoing basis.

 

A Chinese proverb aligns integrity quite severely in this anonymous quote - "To starve to death is a small thing, but to lose one's integrity is a great one."

 

H-m-m-m-m-m...

 

While you are absorbing the wisdom of this quote and the Bible verses relayed here, please know that I pray every day that all of you will know the Jesus of the Bible and become a true follower of His way. May God bless you all every day in every way. Amen.

Start your day off right

Mount Whitney

Good morning, everyone.

I have found the best way to start my day off is with a tried and true devotional. Since I have been reading Our Daily Bread for as long as I can remember - at least 30 years - I am sharing today's link with all of you.

Be sure you read the Scripture, Romans 13:10-14, consider the Insight associated with today's devotion and pray the prayer. I submit that all these elements enhance my experience with the Lord.

Take time to read One Step Closer. Then maybe you'll go back often for more of your daily dose of the Bible, and use it to apply to your life. Many times these devotions have been just what I needed on just that day. Perhaps Our Daily Bread will encourage and ground you much the same way it does me - one day at a time, one verse at a time, one prayer at a time.

My prayer for you today - May the God who sees and knows all, see and know you and bless you today and every day for as long as you live and beyond. Amen

Just checking in today

A Minister passing through his church

In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
To see who come to pray.
Just then the back door opened,
And a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw the man
Hadn't shaved in a while.
His shirt was torn and shabby,
And his coat was worn and frayed,
The man knelt down and bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed at precisely noon,
The preacher saw this chap,
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.
Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,

He decided to stop and ask the man,
'What are you doing here?'
The old man said he was a factory worker
And lunch was half an hour
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.
I stay only a moment
Because the factory's far away;
As I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kinda what I say:

'I JUST CAME BY TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS BEN,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY.'

The minister feeling foolish,
Told Ben that it was fine.
He told the man that he was welcome
To pray there anytime.
'It's time to go, and thanks,' Ben said
As he hurried to the door.
Then the minister knelt there at the altar,
Which he'd never done before.
His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
As he met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed down his cheeks,
He repeated old Ben's prayer:

'I JUST CAME BY TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That old Ben hadn't come.
As more days passed and still no Ben,
He began to worry some.
At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried,
But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Ben was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles and joy contagious.
Changed people were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Ben could be so glad,
When no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends had come to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.
Looking surprised, old Ben spoke up
And with a winsome smile;
'The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
He's been here all the while.'
Every day at noon He comes here,
A dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down and takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME BY TO TELL YOU, BEN,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.

I THINK ABOUT YOU ALWAYS
AND I LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
AND SO BEN, THIS IS JESUS,
JUST CHECKING IN TODAY.'

I need...

I need:

 To make more money;

To have more business;

To get more followers;

To be happier;

To get things done;

To be the best;

To be perfect;

JESUS!

Yes, I need Jesus, the one and only! He is everything to me, and all I need now and forevermore.

 

Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

 

May God bless all of you every day in every way and may you know Him completely and without reservation. Amen.

Time to reflect

How was your Mother’s Day?

Mine was extremely busy. Since we had spent Friday and Saturday traveling, Sunday became a day of work – not rest, as the Master intended, Genesis 2:2 (NIV) By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

Now, because of that 10-hour work day, which included nine loads of laundry, baking cookies and cornbread, cooking dinner, writing and much, much more, I am typing away on my laptop, sitting on the couch with a heating pad on my aching back. When will I learn that I am no longer that 25-year-old, never-say-quit young woman? My husband says I need to rest today. Perhaps he is right, although I hate to admit it! Besides, the heating pad feels s-o-o-o-o good.

Anyway, this restful day has been a time of reflection for me and my plans for the future of the Retreat to Belief© ministry.

As I meditated on a plan of action for Retreat to Belief©, I considered a chance encounter at the Newberry United Methodist Women’s White Breakfast in April, an encounter which has been weighing heavily on my spirit. And now, on this day of reflection, I think this episode may have been God’s way of telling me how to spend this ministry to significantly glorify Him.

I believe the apostle Paul explained the Christian’s responsibility best when he penned in his first letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 31 (NIV) So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. I would guess that Paul would have singled out writing as one of the ways to glorify our Creator. This former persecutor of Christians sure did enough writing in his time on this earth, didn’t he?

According to The American Journey of Biblical Theology, “Paul…is responsible for writing two thirds of our present New Testament, for which he is accredited for approximately fifty percent of the 27 extant letters; which equates to 13 letters (14, if Paul wrote Hebrews).”

Given this information about the make-up of the New Testament, Paul probably intended to specify writing in this passage, don’t you think?

As I researched Paul’s ministry, I came across this tidbit, which I am sure most of you know, but I’ll include it here for history’s sake if nothing else – Paul, a persecutor of Christians, Acts 9:4 (NIV)  [Saul/Paul] fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” started life as Saul of Tarsus, Acts 9:11 (NIV) The Lord told [Ananias], “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,” and Acts 13:9a (NIV) Then Saul, who was also called Paul…

Anyway, I have seemingly gone off topic, but I believe this sidebar journey helps draw closure to my plans to expand this ministry in the form of a Bible study. I am currently in discussion with my former magazine editor in the hopes of working an understanding of just how to move forward with this Spirit-led idea.

As such, please pray for me as I begin this Jesus-following endeavor. As you are aware, the Bible says a lot about praying. One of my favorite passages comes from Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. {emphasis mine}

After all, Paul, who also penned Philippians, said in Chapter 4, Verse 13 (NKJV) wrote, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

And, I can do all things with His strength because, “With God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26b (NIV)

May the Lord above, Creator of all creatures big and small, bless you and keep you in His loving arms today and every day. Amen.

God bless all mothers

 Blessings to one and all on Mother's Day.

Proverbs 31:10-31 (MSG)
Hymn to a Good Wife [and Mother]
A good woman is hard to find,
    and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
    and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
    all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
    and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
    and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
    for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
    diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
    reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
    when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
    and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
    and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
    her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
    but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
    The woman to be admired and praised
    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
    Festoon her life with praises!

May our Creator bless each and every one of you every day in every way. Amen

Dear God...

Today's prayer -

Dear God,

Thank you for the beginning of a new day.

I ask that You would renew my heart with Your strength.

Please forgive me for every time I fell short yesterday, and please help me walk closer to You today.

May every person I meet today feel You presence through me.

An please hold me tight because I cannot make it on my own.

I love you.

Amen.

Considering today's to-do list

Ever thought about your To-Do List? I sure have.

My list is a constant companion. It’s either on my phone or on my Snoopy calendar on the refrigerator door or even as a reminder from Alexa.

Everywhere I look lists, lists and more lists – lists that signal appointments, lists that reveal missing kitchen cupboard items, lists for the pharmacy, lists for a Menard’s trip, lists for a Walmart trip, lists for a Gordon’s Food Service trip – WHEW, that’s a lot of lists – agreed?

Probably should change the blog post lede to to-do lists (plural), instead of to-do list (singular). No, not probably – definitely.

I am guessing you who are reading this message have many, if not all of these lists yourselves. Quite possibly you have even more, although I hope not!

As I was thinking about all these lists, I ran across a list that I call – The Jesus Follower To-Do List. Now I have decided this list, with the scriptures I added to show Biblical instruction, is much more important than those mundane, and never-ending lists I just wrote about, so I am sharing this all-important list with you today.

Here’s the list:

1.    Walk with God – Galatians 5:16 (NKJV) I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh;

2.    Live like Jesus, loving God as He loved Him – Mark 12:30 (NIV) [Jesus said] “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength;”

3.    Listen to the Holy Spirit – Galatians 5:25 (NIV) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit;

4.    Count your blessings – Ephesians 1:3 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ;

5.    Practice kindness – Acts 28:2 (NRSV) The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it;

6.    Let go of what I can’t control – Proverbs 25:28 (NLT) A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls;

7.    Pass this on to encourage someone else – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (AMP) Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.

Why not take time to absorb this list of things to do in His precious name. Then follow the list’s recommendations. I am confident you will be blessed as a result.

After all, we are definitely on God’s to-do-list, right?

My prayer for you today – May God answer your prayers and keep you in His loving arms today and every day. Amen.

No one is without sin

Don’t you just abhor those who would play the “holier-than-thou” game? I know I do.

None of us are without sin, no not one. John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, said it best when he wrote in 1 John 1:8 (NIV) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Jesus even spoke a parable about those who would feign sinlessness. Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector? No? Read on…

Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Instead of lording it over those of us whose past sins have been made public by those who consider themselves without sin, shouldn’t everyone accept the fact that all of us have sinned at one time or another in our lives, that all of us are sinners by definition, that all of us can be forgiven, that all of us who have been forgiven can do the proverbial 180 and devote our lives and our talents to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that all of us can and should follow the instruction given in Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Why not consider this today, and then give up the holier-than-thou persona and get busy loving one another as Jesus directed and was recorded by the disciple John is his Gospel, Chapter 13, verses 34 and 35 (NIV) 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Wouldn’t this be a better world if we all did “love one another?”

My prayer for all of you today -
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us (Psalm 67:1 NIV) May God enter our hearts and give us peace and understanding today and every day for the rest of our lives. Amen

Are you ready?

Received the following during a six-week-long Bible study, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, completed last night. Since I sincerely believe this applies to all of us, thought I would share the wisdom with all of you today.

Yes, I am a Christian.

Yes, I can be the biggest hypocrite ever.

I backslide.

I stumble.

I fall.

I stray onto the wrong path.

But God is working in me.

I may be a mess, but I'm His mess.

And He is slowly straightening me out.

And the day will come when I will be by His side,

His work in me completed.

And until that day I will take His hand,

And let Him do in me whatever needs to be done,

No matter how painful it will be for me.

When He is finished, [I am confident] it will all be worth it.

 

When I considered this message, I praised God that we are blessed to be a part of His overall plan.

 

As the apostle Paul penned, we, as true followers of Jesus, are called, justified and glorified. Paul's message appears in Romans 8:29-30 (NIV) ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 

Paul also explained how this can happen in Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) where he wrote, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

Bottom line, it's all about God's grace, grace that ensures us an eternal resting place in Heaven. Grace that allows to us live a full life in Him here on earth.

 

Grace (and mercy) that allows us to accept the direction found in Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

 

Have you taken up your cross today? Are you ready to commit 100 percent to His way? Are you ready to follow Him?

 

My prayer for you today is that you are ready, that you will take up your cross, that you will commit your life to Him, that you will follow Him, no matter where He leads you. Amen.