Category: Ephesians

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If Not Now, When?

Last month while Dave and I were in the mountains I took time to read. I don’t know why but I rarely take time to read at home…That’s not a completely honest statement. I do know why. There is always one more text to write, one more call to make, one more search for product or information that needs to be done and reading falls to the bottom of my list.

In the mountains, with the computer at home, cell service was virtually non-existent. So there was time; time to read, time to talk, time to walk, time to refresh. That’s when I read a book that had been sitting dormant on my bookshelf for years.

I had removed it from the bookshelf last fall while I was writing my book. I used it as a literary model; font size, chapter length, number of total pages, publishing layout.

It was written by a former pastor’s wife, she and her family moved to Yuma while I was in high school. Her husband married Dave and I. Her daughter and I had become best friends in high school and we are still dear friends today. The title of this book interested me so I took it camping. Singing the Song I Came to Sing by Joy P Gage drew me into it’s pages.

Here’s an excerpt: “We must seize moments of quiet interlude amidst hours of inescapable responsibility. We must find ways to connect with people who are important to us. We must ask ourselves, ‘If not now, when?’ That is how we celebrate life one day at a time…

I looked at my life and asked, ‘What matters most for me and what do I want to do about it?’ Like many other women I longed for more time to nurture relationships and I longed for quiet interludes in which I could refresh body and sprit alike. I yearned to take a break from my crowded schedule and celebrate life one day at a time.”

If not now, when? If I don’t take the time to celebrate each day that the Father has blessed me with, when will I?

Those words from the beginning pages of her book were the words of my own heart. I had to read on. Those aren’t just words from Joy’s heart and mine but they are words of God’s heart. After all, He was the one who said it was not good for man to be alone and then He created Eve. Mankind was the creative outpouring of God’s desire for fellowship. It was God who came to walk and talk with Adam and Eve in the garden at the end of each day.

It was God who said through Paul that we are all members of Christ’s body and we need to nurture and care for one another. We draw strength from our friendships, especially if they are with others who have a heart for the Father and His word.

“Christ gave gifts to men. He gave to some the gift to be missionaries, some to be preachers, others to be preachers who go from town to town. He gave others the gift to be church leaders and teachers. 12 These gifts help His people work well for Him. And then the church which is the body of Christ will be made strong. 13 All of us are to be as one in the faith and in knowing the Son of God. We are to be full-grown Christians standing as high and complete as Christ is Himself. 14 Then we will not be as children any longer. Children are like boats thrown up and down on big waves. They are blown with the wind. False teaching is like the wind. False teachers try everything possible to make people believe a lie, 15 but we are to hold to the truth with love in our hearts. We are to grow up and be more like Christ. He is the leader of the church. 16 Christ has put each part of the church in its right place. Each part helps other parts. This is what is needed to keep the whole body together. In this way, the whole body grows strong in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16 NLV

We each have a part in the Father’s plan. Sometimes life gets in the way. What is it that pulls on your heart but is being put off for “someday”? Let the Lord use those four simple words, “If not now, when”, to remind you to make every day a celebration of His love, cultivating and nourishing the relationships He brings to your life. 

(I found copies of Joy's book can be found on eBay and Amazon)

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Lions and Bears – Oh My!

We just got home from another camping trip to the mountains. This was our second trip this summer – the White Mountains of Arizona are beautiful and so relaxing.

However, they are also the natural habitat for many different kinds of wildlife. This trip we saw elk, deer, turkeys, the ever-present chipmunks and squirrels and a couple of skunks (but I’ll tell you about them a bit later).

For several days before we left I was reading systematically through Psalms and Proverbs. I was really impressed with the verses in those two books that promised safety and protection to “those who serve the Lord”. Now, I’m been walking with the Lord long enough to know that when there’s a reoccurring theme to my reading God is trying to tell me something.

“I can lie down and sleep soundly because you, Lord, will keep me safe.” Psalm 4:8 CEV

“You, Lord God, are my protector. Rescue me and keep me safe from all who chase me.” Psalm 7:1 CEV

“But if you listen to me, you will be safe and secure without fear of disaster.” Proverbs 1:33 CEV

“They will help you to live  a long and beautiful life. 23 You will walk safely and never stumble; 24 you will rest without a worry and sleep soundly.” Proverbs 3:22-24 CEV

“Let all who run to you for protection always sing joyful songs. Provide shelter for those who truly love you and let them rejoice.” Psalm 5:11 CEV

“Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. 2 Then you will say to the Lord, “You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you.” Psalm 91:1-2 CEV

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories.” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

These verses were planted in my heart before we left for camping and through my daily reading I was reminded of the Father’s faithfulness and protection. I knew the Lord was preparing me for a situation that might cause me to fear or to feel unsafe and so I began praying protection over Dave and I and our camping trip. I also prayed over our oldest daughter, Kim, her husband, Austin and our youngest grandson, Sam, who would be joining us on the weekend.

When we arrived at the campground on Tuesday afternoon we were excited to get camp set and begin enjoying our time in the mountains. The camp host gave us the customary reminder that there are bears in the woods although none had been spotted for quite some time. But then she said something I had not expected…3 male mountains lions had been spotted close to the campground the day before. We needed to be alert when out walking, especially if we had small children or small dogs. We should also keep all our food locked away in our vehicle during the night.

At that instruction I felt fear begin to grip my thoughts. We were in a tent – this was not good news. Now I knew what the Lord had been preparing me for – I needed to trust Him to be my safety.

The first night I slept very little. Most of the night I was quoting the Scriptures above and reminding myself that the Lord was my safety and protection. I heard every sound and my body was on alert. During the day there was no worry or fear – none. The second night I was able to sleep better and found a greater sense of peace and rest.

On Thursday it was even better. Friday I was able to get a text out to a friend and asked her to pray with me over the situation. I know her to be a prayer warrior and knew she would join me. It was that day that the Lord gave me these verses:

“You let us rule everything  your hands have made. And you put all of it under our power— 7  the sheep and the cattle, and every wild animal, 8  the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and all ocean creatures. 9 Our Lord and Ruler,  your name is wonderful everywhere on earth!” Psalm 8:6-9 CEV

The Bible isn’t just words on a page to me. The verses above, and all the verses from cover to cover, as God’s promises to me that He is my protection, my safety, my salvation, my healing, my joy, my peace, my wisdom and my strength. Regardless of the circumstances my strength comes from trusting Him and knowing that He will never lie to me – if the Father promises to be my protection then that’s exactly what He will do!

Kim, Austin and Sam arrived on Friday morning. It was Sam’s first camping trip and we had a wonderful time. Nature walks, discovering old dead trees, seeing wild turkeys, fishing, making s’mores and so many other things. We took over 300 pictures in two days to document all the fun.

Friday night I went to bed confident in God’s protection. Sam wanted to sleep in the RV that night so we read stories, had prayer time and everyone was ready for bed. Now, to the skunks. I had forgotten to put Glory’s dog food up and at 10pm Dave and I both heard a noise in the camp. We looked out with our flashlights but couldn’t see anything. Dave softly yelled and whatever it was ran off. Then about 2am we heard something else – this time we were able to see that it was a couple of skunks. They were not going to be run off and we weren’t going to disturb them. It was only when we got up in the morning that we discovered they had found the container of dog food, gotten the lid off and eaten to their hearts contentment.

We knew they would be back on Saturday night for a second helping so Sam slept in the RV again instead of the tent. It was an interesting end to our camping. We also learned that the lions had been chased out of the area – hunting season started and they, the lions, weren’t staying around with all the hunters and their dogs who were arriving.

Fear is real! The purpose of fear is to break our confidence in God’s word. I’ve heard it said that fear is a fact that we have to deal with but that God’s word is truth and truth is greater than facts – truth changes facts. Facts must submit and conform to truth.

Jesus told the disciples who were on a ship about to sink to “fear not”. The truth was Jesus had said that the boat would go to the other side of the lake. Fear saw the waves and felt the wind, the facts, but God’s word, the truth, calmed the waves!

I would love to say that I live “fear free” but I have to deal with it as much as anyone. However, I have learned that God’s word makes me an overcomer in fearful situations when I let the peace of God rule my heart.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

I’m not sure what “lion” is bringing fear into your life – it may be a health issue, finances, relationships, your job, physical danger or some world crisis – but I do know that our command from the Lord is to “fear not” so commit the situation to Him and His peace will guard your heart.

One final word on our camping trip – we were not foolish in our actions; we were alert to our surroundings, we didn’t allow Sam or Glory to run off unattended, we had bear spray and we also had other forms of protection and we covered every circumstance with prayer.

God is ALWAYS faithful and He can ALWAYS be trusted!

“We are still alive because  the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ERV

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Our Armor is God’s Word

Did you know that the seeds of God’s word grow and when they are developed they produce a harvest of armor? Think about that for a minute.

What happens when you plant God’s word in your heart? It grows! It provides you with strength, strength for daily living. The Apostle Paul tells us to put on armour for daily living so that we can stand strong. Each piece of armour can be tied to God’s word so it is safe to assume that the crop produced when we harvest the seeds of God’s word is armour.

“Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. 11 Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. 12 We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. 13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day[a] comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

14 Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God’s justice protect you like armor. 15 Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. 16 Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Let God’s saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God’s message that comes from the Spirit. 18 Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18 ERV

Let’s look at the individual pieces of our armor:
Belt of truth – Jesus said “Thy word is truth” John 17:17
Breastplate of righteousness – “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172
Shoes of peace – ” God has spoken to the people of Israel. He sent them the Good News that peace has come through Jesus Christ, the Lord of all people.” Acts 10:36
Shield of Faith – “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
Helmet of Salvation – “…whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.” Acts 13:6
Sword of Spirit – “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,” Hebrews 4:12
Prayer – “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:” I John 5:14

Prayer is effective when we speak the will of God which is his word.

When we plant seeds we will get a harvest. I am praying that you have a harvest of armor from God’s word today and that you stand strong!

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Sealed

A few days ago I visited my neighbor and she couldn’t wait to show me the kitchen table they had built. She told me how just the day before they had put on the third coat of sealer. Now it was fully protected and she didn’t have to be concerned about water rings or food stains getting through and spoiling the surface of the wood.

It was sealed!

That’s an interesting word – sealed. There are so many different pictures that come to mind. A letter can be sealed to keep it’s contents private. If you have a tent you will certainly want to make sure the seams are sealed so the rain water doesn’t get in. Concrete floors and counter tops are sealed just like the wood of my neighbors table. Food packages are sealed. Medicine is sealed. Sweaters are sealed in bags.

The sealing serves a purpose – protection. Protection from destruction or contamination. It also denotes importance.

When treaties were struck or laws were written the king’s seal was placed on the document to verify that it had come from his hand. The most trusted advisor was the one in the king’s court who had access to the king’s ring and his seal.

“The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.” Esther 8:10 NLT

Kings continued to use seals up to the 1800’s. And then nations developed seals, we have the great seal of the United States.

But there is another kind of seal, it’s the seal that God the Father puts on us, his children; it’s a seal of protection and a seal of importance.

“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” II Corinthians 1:21-22 NKJV

or in more modern language: “God is the One Who makes our faith and your faith strong in Christ. He has set us apart for Himself. 22 He has put His mark on us to show we belong to Him. His Spirit is in our hearts to prove this.” II Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT

The seal that God has put on our lives shows that we belong to Him, the Holy Spirit living in us proves that.

“It is the same with you. You heard the true message, the Good News about the way God saves you. When you heard that Good News, you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark (seal) on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he promised. 14 The Spirit is the first payment that guarantees we will get all that God has for us. Then we will enjoy complete freedom as people who belong to him. The goal for all of us is the praise of God in all his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 ERV

Jesus said that the reason Holy Spirit came was to be our comforter, our helper, our teacher. He is the seal that shows we are valuable to God and He brings the Father’s goodness and blessings to our lives.

“Do not make God’s Holy Spirit have sorrow for the way you live. The Holy Spirit has put a mark on you for the day you will be set free. 31 Put out of your life all these things: bad feelings about other people, anger, temper, loud talk, bad talk which hurts other people, and bad feelings which hurt other people. 32 You must be kind to each other. Think of the other person. Forgive other people just as God forgave you because of Christ’s death on the cross.” Ephesians 4:30-32 NLV

When I read this verse I am reminded of my friend’s table. The wood has been sanded, several times, removing the elements that made it ugly and rough. The surface was smoothed and cleaned showing the beauty that was beneath the surface. Then it was SEALED to protect the beauty and the quality of the wood.

We are to remove those things that make our lives ugly. Then we let Holy Spirit “seal” us for our protection and preservation. Our beauty will shine through, it’s the beauty of a life filled with Christ.

There will be times when our surface gets dusty and dirty by the things we say and do. We will need to be cleansed by repentance but we are sealed by the Spirit of God and our beauty will remain protected. We are God’s workmanship, He created us for good things.

“God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 ERV

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Under Construction

Strong as a brick house! You remember how the story goes: Three little pigs, one built their house of straw, one built their house of twigs and one built their house of bricks. The big, bad wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first two houses but when he came to the house of bricks he huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and huffed and puffed and he couldn’t move the house.

Children’s stories have a lesson to teach if we are smart enough to look for it. Did you realize that story is an example of the believer who is standing on God’s word?

“You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. 21 The whole building is joined together in Christ, and he makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in Christ you are being built together with his other people. You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21-22 ERV

The cornerstone or foundational stone for our lives as believers is Jesus Christ. We are in Him! And in Him, the Spirit of God dwells, so the Spirit of God dwells in us, giving us strength to stand, empowering us for victory.

“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock. 26 “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 ERV

Jesus is called the “Word made flesh” so when we accept Him as our Savior he becomes our chief cornerstone. He is the true foundation for our spiritual lives, we become grounded on the rock.

Jesus told Peter that when we build our lives on the knowledge that Jesus is the anointed Son of God that we are built on a rock and death will not be able to destroy us.

“Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter spoke up, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus told him: Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed! You didn’t discover this on your own. It was shown to you by my Father in heaven. 18 So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it.” Matthew 16:15-18 CEV

I used to clean a house that had a bad foundation. The soil had not been properly compacted and as the soil settled cracks began appearing in the concrete floor. Some were more obvious than others. As I cleaned I saw the cracks were in every room in the house. I can’t help but wonder about the condition of the house ten years from now. It looks good from the outside but the foundation is compromised. It’s not stable.

When we recognize our need for Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior we build our lives on a sure foundation, a rock. We don’t just look good but we are solid to the core.

“You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house. You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ. 6 The Scriptures say, “Look, I have chosen a cornerstone of great value, and I put that stone in Zion. Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” I Peter 2:5-6 ERV

Let me be the first to compliment you. You look like a brick house, you’re solid, unshakable and when you trust the Lord you’ll never be disappointed.

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Learning More

So yesterday morning Dave and I sat here and discussed how far technology has advanced in our life time. I told you a couple days ago that I remember when television broadcasting ended each day with a poem and a test pattern. And…there were only three stations – NBC, ABC, CBS. But what a marvel that was, our parents had thought the radio was a major advancement.

Telephone was absolutely amazing; when Dave’s parents got their first phone they had a party line. For those of you younger than 40 let me explain, a party line was a phone line that had several households using the same connection. Each home had a distinctive ring and you didn’t answer if it wasn’t your ring because the call wouldn’t be for you.

Now we have smart phones! No more three rings and talk; it’s an amazing little computer in your pocket. Does everything for you – gives you directions, alerts you to upcoming appointments, aids in your banking, does a search, shows a video, makes a call. About the only thing it doesn’t do is dress you in the morning and feed you lunch. I’m sure that’s coming.

But with all the technology, all the advancements in information gathering people still feel weak and inadequate. Stress levels are as high or higher than they’ve ever been, feelings of inferiority grip so many who live around us and suicide is rampant. We have more modern conveniences and “time-saving” products to help deal with the small daily chores and we find ourselves working harder and longer.

Somedays it’s really hard to face the day. Those feelings that you’re unappreciated or under valued for who you are flood in. If that’s the case then here’s your answer to end those days of malize. The answer comes from God’s word – it’s time we learn more about God’s plan and desire for our lives. Technology cannot improve on what God has said.

“I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 16 So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers. 17 I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. 18 My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people.

19 I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used 20 when he raised Christ from death and let him sit at his right side in heaven. 21 There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well. 22 God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything. 23 The church is Christ’s body and is filled with Christ who completely fills everything.” Ephesians 1:15-23 CEV

The Lord wants us to have an understanding of the hope that He has given us, the power that He has made available to us (raising from the dead power) and what it truly means to be a part of the body of Christ!

I know this is a weak analogy but I will use it just the same. Many christians are like a new smart phone user. Only using their phones to make calls and send a few texts. They don’t know how to use it anymore than that…

It’s time to get educated about who we are in Christ. Download the apps, take pictures, use the GPS, on-line banking, the language translator, etc. Utilize what’s been given to us. The data plan is unlimited and we’ll never have a power outage or dropped call. The Father has given us wisdom, understanding hope and power.

I’ve been at a place where things seemed hopeless and I felt left out and alone. I didn’t realize all the Lord had made available for me. Through believing God’s word I have found that life with Christ is unlimited and I’m still learning more each day. I pray that we all will learn more about what God has made available to us.

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Washed by Love

I was reminded this morning of something that happened when our son was little. We had friends who owned a dairy. We took the kids down to see the new calves and were helping bottle feed the ones that couldn’t be fed by their mothers. Our son was running down the lane between the pens when he stumbled and fell.

When he stood up he was sobbing. I was concerned that he had hurt himself and I ran to see what was wrong. I got to him and he was looking at his hands saying “get it off”. His tears still flowing, I was trying not to laugh. He wasn’t hurt but he was distraught because his hands were dirty; they were covered with mud and other such things as you find in a calf yard.

Of course, we got him to the nearest water spigot and washed him up.

That’s the way it is when we come to Jesus.

I only washed our son’s hands but Jesus cleanses us completely.

“But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.” I John 1:7 CEV

“The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth.” John 1:17 CEV

Both these verses were written by the same person, John. He wanted everyone to know that Jesus had washed ALL our sins away; we are cleansed because of what He did. He brought us undeserved kindness, or in other words Jesus brought us grace.

Every once in a while I find myself looking at my “dirty hands” and bursting in to tears. In fact, I used to let the dirt of my sins overwhelm me! But the more I studied God’s word, the more I learned about grace. And the more I learned about grace the more insight I got into the Father’s love.

I’ve been cleansed! God gave me His word to cleanse my thoughts of guilt.

“Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:22-23 ERV

The cleansing agent that removes our sin is the blood of Jesus and grace is the washing that applies it to our hearts. We don’t have the power to clean our own lives but by grace we have been cleansed.

“I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. 9 You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. ” Ephesians 2:8-9 ERV

Thank you Father for washing me with grace!

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More Than Enough Power

I love that my husband is handy – doesn’t really matter what needs to be done around the house he can do it.

We’ve been talking for the last week that we need shelves in the garage for all the new camping equipment we have acquired. We both like things organized. So yesterday morning we headed to Home Depot and bought the building materials we needed. Upon arriving home, we pulled the car out of the garage and moved all the stuff to one side and building began. Measuring, cutting, nailing – it was all happening. And then…

Stopped by an uncharged battery. Limited power, low power and then no power! Not having the proper power source will stop us every time.

Life is like that nail (*screw) gun. Its filled with things that are beyond our ability. There’s a key element that must be present for blessings to overflow into our circumstances. What you ask?

Simple. The power of God!

“With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 ERV

Why would God fill our lives with power? It’s so people can see that it’s the Father who pours out good things on our lives! God, the Father, has always wanted His goodness and love known in the earth. The Apostle Paul wrote that it is the goodness of God that draws men to relationship with Him (repentance).

When Jesus walked this earth He healed the sick, raised the dead, cleansed the lepers, spoke with love and compassion to those who were hurting. People were drawn to Him. For the first time in their lives they saw unconditional love!

His unconditional love changed people. The tax collector gave back money to everyone he had cheated; the demon possessed were restored to their right minds; the prostitute left her way of life and followed Jesus. The disciples gave up their livelihood to follow this man. The thief on the cross defended him with his dying breath!

What was the dynamic force that changed those people and has changed million of lives through the ages? Love! God’s amazing love.

Each one of these people I mentioned saw their lives changed by the power of God working through them, doing exceedingly above all they could ask or think. They had plugged in to God’s source of power, His love.

Now look at the verses just prior to the two I have already used above.

“So I bow in prayer before the Father. 15 Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. 16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.

20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of.” Ephesians 3:14-20 ERV

In knowing God, being in right relationship with Him, He strengthens us in faith and love. The love of God is so great that it’s impossible to understand with the human mind. The only way to truly understand it is to experience it!

When we begin to experience that love, His compassion, His UNCONDITIONAL love and see that He accepts us as we are; knowing that we can’t earn it or deserve it, we begin to grow in understanding of its depth, its height, its width and its length. God’s love knows no bounds!

Once we begin to know, truly know, the love of God we will experience the power of God working in us and through us for His glory! Take some time today to meditate on God’s love for you and you will see the circumstances of your life begin to change!

As we plug into our Father’s love we will never be without His power. Our battery will be charged and He will do more than we can possibly imagine!!

*Had to make a correction here. The nail gun is pneumatic and doesn’t require a battery. It was the screw gun that needed to have it’s battery charged.

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A Real Budget Buster

Have you ever taken time to evaluate your spending habits? We have lived on a budget all our married life. Everything has a category and an amount and to the best of my ability I try to make it all line up each month. Need to be good stewards right?

This morning I was thinking about spending; spending for groceries, vehicles, clothing, furniture, entertainment, health and extragavences. The way we assign value differs from category to category. I want to get a “good deal” on vegetables and meat and so I set an amount that I won’t go over when it comes to a pound of meat or a pound of grapes.

We shop for the best buy when it comes to our furniture and vehicles and are always looking for a super sale. Then there are those things that we will willing go into our savings to purchase; a child’s wedding or college education, medical expenses for a loved one. These require sacrifice but a sacrifice of love.

As I was reading in I Corinthians I saw Paul repeat a phrase that he had used earlier in the book.

” God paid a high price for you,” I Corinthians 7:23 ERV

I want you to stop and think about your value this morning. Do you understand how priceless you are to the Father? We’re not like a bunch of grapes or a bag of tomatoes that can be bought cheaply for $.99 per pound. We’re not like the new dress or new car that He waited for the big sale to purchase. We are invaluable to Him.

Our value is so great that we are “Budget Busters”!

“God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure. He hid it again and was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned and bought the field. 45 “Also, God’s kingdom is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 One day he found a very fine pearl. He went and sold everything he had to buy it.” Matthew 13:44-26 ERV

The earth is the world, God the Father is the man, we are the treasure or the pearl and Jesus is the price that was paid!

What is it that would cause you to sell all you have – your home, your jewelry, your cars, your boat, your horses, your RV, cash in the CD’s and empty the savings account? What would be valuable enough to have you sell all to buy one treasure?

We are that treasure! God gave His only begotten Son to purchase us!

No words can convey what I am feeling in my heart this morning as I realize in a deeper way God’s love for me.

” And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.” Ephesians 3:18-19 ERV

Father, I will take my words of praise from the Psalms
“Your faithful love is better than life, so my lips praise you. 4 By my life, I will praise you. In your name, I lift my hands in prayer” Psalm 63:3-4 ERV

Thank you for seeing me as valuable!

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Keep It Clean

I used to clean a home that was used for a vacation rental. I was surprised quite often by the way the tenants kept it. Some were neat and tidy while others were sloppy and never even tried to pick up after themselves. I find it hard to leave a hotel room without making the bed…

I like a clean and tidy house. It’s hard for me to sit and relax when I know that the bathrooms need to be cleaned or I can see dirty floors and dusty furniture. I’ve always been that way. It’s a part of who I am. My mom kept a tidy house and from what I’ve read, it’s a part of my heritage.

I once read a book on a Norwegian family. The woman, who was a bit older than I, told stories about her Mom and her complusion for cleanliness. At one point in the book she said they moved into a home, it was clean or so she thought but her mother had them scrub the floors just in case the family that had lived there before wasn’t Norwegian and didn’t understand the importance of cleanliness the way they did.

Now I’m not that bad. My husband and children may take umbridge with that last statement. However, cleaning for me isn’t a chore, it’s enjoyable. I am thankful for my home and the things I have in it and want to keep them looking nice and not let them deteriorate or come to disrepair.

And with that confession I’m sure you are wondering how all of this applies to this morning’s blog. Let me draw the correlation.

I know that the dust seeps in and requires my attention. Then there’s the dog hair and dusty feet or food spills in the kitchen, dirty sinks and smudged windows. It all requires my attention. I would have a real problem if someone wanted to march through the house with muddy feet or walked through the rooms spilling garbage. More importantly, I would stand up to anyone that wanted to vandalize my home or bring in a bag of snakes and scorpions.

So how do you think the Holy Spirit feels when we let our actions, our words and our activities “dirty up” His home?

“You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. 20 God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20 ERV

We are a valuable dwelling place – a temple, as it were, for the Holy Spirit to live in and there are times we carelessly vandalize His home.

As I grow older I realize more each year how important it is that I keep my house clean. There’s no room for dishonesty, no room for bitterness or petty jealousy. I don’t want the garbage of lying, gossip, or criticism spread about and I certainly don’t want my dwelling to be vandalized by immoral living.

“And don’t make the Holy Spirit sad. God gave you his Spirit as proof that you belong to him and that he will keep you safe until the day he makes you free. 31 Never be bitter, angry, or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. 32 Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Christ.” Ephesians 4:30-32 ERV

Take a look around. Is it time for a good cleaning? Make your earthly home a place of welcome and comfort for the Holy Spirit.

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