Sunday, December 24, 2017

That little baby in Bethlehem was sent to reinforce the message from God in the verses below. As always the battle is between the goodness in our hearts and our stubornness. I promise if you open your ears to the Word of God the answer is there.

Zechariah 7:9-11
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another,
do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.”
But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

My Angels come to me in human form, blessing and changing my life with a comment or gesture. It fills me with radiant gratitude and always makes me worship Him who made heaven and earth and Angels.

Revelation 14:6-7
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.
And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

When I feel the weight of the world and I’m so overwhelmed I feel there is nothing I can do, OR I must to do something, anything. That’s when I open the Holy Bible and run across a verse such as this.

Psalm 138:7-8
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Can it really be so simple? What a great New Year resolution.

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Think of all the chance encounters that lead to your existence. Generation after generation, so many things worked out perfectly for you to be here right now. God had a plan for Jesus, "Son of David." Is there any doubt you too are here for a reason?

DNA
Psalm 132:11-12
The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.
If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.”

Sunday, December 10, 2017

I remember the moment when my new life started. My fire for Christ was a piddling little spark, but gratefully the fire has grown and grown. What a good time of year to rekindle that first love of Christ. Be on fire!

Revelation 2:4-5
But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Ripped from the headlines! I love it when my daily Bible reading coincides with the news of the day! Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem.

Joel 3:17
“So you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall never again pass through it.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Wow, there certainly is a lot of this going on. Last days or not, I think I’ll take the advice to be a “lover of God.”

2 Timothy 3:1-4
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

This, I'm happy to say, is my life now. On that long ago night He was there to rescue me. I chose life over death. I am so grateful.

Psalm 56:12-13
I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.








Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

They broke his heart! In trying to keep Paul from harm, his fellow followers failed him. All of us of little faith, we DON'T know how to protect ourselves against the world. Only God knows.

Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Monday, July 3, 2017

Obviously our Founding Fathers took this ancient advice when forming the backbone of our great country. I pray we don't blow it now.

1 Chronicles 28:9
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

This is why people evangelize. It is part of the red letter commandment to love your neighbor. Don't be annoyed, be saved.

John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Monday, April 3, 2017

In my depths I was drawn to the Psalms. I never knew exactly why. Now I do. He heard my cry.

Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Changing our actions can change our hearts. If that fire doesn't seem like a good alternative you might open your mind to the advice given by John, the guy who baptized Jesus.

 Luke 3:9-14
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”
Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Saturday, March 18, 2017

No wonder we weep. We are such cowards, and so messed up and weak, and yet, we are still forgiven. Look at St. Peter!

Mark 14:71-72
Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

I can do this! but only with God's help, and His forgiveness when I fail.

Psalm 34:13-14
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Monday, March 13, 2017

Whenever I imagine I'm a self-made woman I know I'm in trouble. Nothing I own, no one I know, no amount of discipline or will or determination can rescue me. He fashioned my heart and is my Savior.

Psalm 33:13-17
The Lord looks down from heaven;
 he sees all the children of man;
from where he sits enthroned
 he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
and by its great might it cannot rescue.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Monday, March 6, 2017

Affliction, distress of the soul, deliverance. The six-word story of my life. I stand in a broad place now and am grateful daily for such grace.

Psalm 31:7-8
I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, 
because you have seen my affliction; 
you have known the distress of my soul,
and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; 
you have set my feet in a broad place.


Monday, February 27, 2017

Despair was once a buddy of mine. By grace, I now walk hand in hand with hope.

Psalm 27:13
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

Friday, February 17, 2017

I have lifted up my soul to quite a few idols: alcohol, work, food, clothes, golf! Having a pure heart is such a challenge, but I need that blessing. Lord, I need that promised blessing.

Psalm 24:4-5
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, 
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, 
Nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.


Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Blood and guts, animal sacrifice, REALLY? It all seems so awful, irrelevant and archaic. Thank God, Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice who made all that other stuff meaningless.

Leviticus 3:7-8
If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the Lord,
lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.
Bible Gateway link: Leviticus 3:7-8 (ESV)

Monday, February 6, 2017

This 24/7 thing we're doing is not working out that well. We're running each other ragged. If everybody just gave it a rest on Sunday, maybe Monday wouldn't be so awful.

Exodus 23:12
Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.
Bible Gateway link: Exodus 23:12 (NKJV)

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Picking judges is a process as ancient as Moses. We didn't get the basics of our judicial system from nowhere. And happily we have the greatest book ever for reference.

Exodus 18:21
Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Words matter. You are free to test the words of the Lord but you will find that truth is truth, and it lasts.

Psalm 12:6-7
The words of the Lord are pure words, 
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, 
Purified seven times.

You shall keep them, O Lord, 
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Dysfunctional family? Even in the most dysfunctional families God is at work. Joseph, spared by Judah, saved his family from famine. Judah's family eventually produced Jesus who saves anyone who believes.

Genesis 37:26-27
Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.
Bible Gateway link: Genesis 37:26-27 (ESV)