Category: Hebrews

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A Good Coach is Essential

Dave is in the process of building a shop. He’s been building on it for the last several weeks. I am amazed by his ability to create the plan in his mind and transfer it to an actual building. He had a couple neighbors come help him set the walls after they were framed, Austin, our son-in-law, came and helped him with the rafters last weekend and Lonny came and helped him do the siding and the windows this weekend. He has been working diligently and it’s really taking shape. I’m so proud of him!

He did ask me to help him stain the wood at the foundation line and also the exposed wood at the roof line. Up and down the ladder I went. I could reach only so far and then would have to move the ladder a few feet, stain the boards, come down, move the ladder and go up again. Let me tell you that was a work out! Not nearly as strenuous as what he was doing each day but it let me know that I was out of shape and needed more exercise.

When you first realize that you “need” to exercise it’s never pleasant. Accepting that you are out of shape and not as healthy as you should be is the first step. So you decide to exercise.

The first few days you have a real commitment or at least that’s what you tell yourself. But then comes day 7 or 8 and it becomes harder to stay committed to the goal. Your muscles hurt, you’re not seeing any results yet, you start making excuses and when you do that you are on your way to failure. I know, I’ve failed many times.

Now think back to your childhood days – exercise wasn’t a bad word. In fact it was called fun. To be outside with your buddies playing ball, running through the yard playing tag or football. Going hiking to your favorite fishing spot or walking the mile to the swimming pool in the afternoon heat (my personal favorite). It was fun and we were in shape.

Now of course you know this is going to have a spiritual correlation.

When we face trials and temptations it is an opportunity to exercise our faith. James tells us to count it joy because we will be developed and end up lacking nothing.

“My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” James 1:2-4 CEV

Facing trials is like building muscle. At first we see little victories but then to continue to develop a muscle we must increase the weigh, the repetition or both. In walking with the Lord, we’re never left to do this on our own.. We have a great coach who is with us every step. Under His direction and inspiration we come out the winner.

“13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.” I Corinthians 10:13 CEV

Jesus knows what this is all about because He went through every temptation we experience while he was here on earth. Who better to coach us than someone whose been there, down that and emerged as the Champion of Champions!

“We have a great high priest who has gone to live with God in heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us continue to express our faith in him. 15 Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:14-16 ERV

Thank you Lord for coaching me through life and providing all the help I need to develop and finish a winner!

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Ctrl-Alt-Delete

Several years ago I was preparing for a message on the love of God. Cowboy Church was just a couple of weeks before Valentine’s and it only seemed appropriate to make “God’s Love” my center focus. If you have been reading my morning devotional thoughts for any length of time, you know that Colossians is one of my favorite books and Colossians 2 is my favorite chapter. It’s here that the Apostle Paul writes about what Jesus did on the cross for us and how his death set us free from our sin and make us acceptable to God. I focused in on one phrase that has always had particular meaning to me.

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Colossians 2:14

You have to dig through the Old King James English but “Blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances against us” drew my attention. Writing a document in Jesus day required extreme patience. No erasers or delete buttons – every word had to be carefully written because if there was a mistake, the document had to be wadded up and thrown away. Some corrections would be acceptable but the paper would have to be so saturated with ink that the word or the mistake was completely blotted out so that it was no longer visible.

That is the picture that Paul is painting for us here. There was a document with a long list of sins we have committed, God’s laws we have broken and Jesus “Blotted” out the list and then He took and nailed it to His cross. His blood, His shed blood was more than enough to cancel out the evidence of our sin. Amen!!

I have to tell you the first thing that I thought of was those little writing tablets we had as kids, where you would write on the slate and then lift the vinyl and the words would disappear. In fact, I made some for that Cowboy Church and gave them to all who came in.

And it didn’t stop there, then Jesus completely defeated His enemy and ours, and led him away captive and powerless for all the spiritual world to see! We are free to live for Christ, through God’s amazing love.

“You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14 Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. 15 He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.” Colossians 2:13-15 ERV

And then God promises that He will not remember our sins and the wrong that we have done. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10: 16-17

How can He do that? Simple – God the Father chose to hit the delete button; hard drive crash; He blots them out. Why? Because He is our LOVING heavenly father.

“His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 12 And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.”

Psalm 103:11-13

What is it that has been holding you back from God’s love? Bring it to Him today and you will see that He has blotted it out, wiped it away and He has a clean, fresh slate waiting for you!

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Straight from the Heart

For the past several days I have been thinking about the day’s devotional and how to share it with you without rambling or becoming too sentimental. I hope you read yesterday’s devotional on God’s unfailing love because that sets the tone for what I’m going to share today.

I have people ask me frequently what I enjoy doing the most and why I get up each morning to share with all of you. I can answer honestly that the thing I love most is teaching/sharing truths from the Bible and God’s amazing love.

You see I was raised in a Christian home. My parents took me to church from a very young age. I loved singing the songs, hearing Bible stories and memorizing Bible verses. My friends were at church – it was a good place to be. I don’t remember how old I was when I started hearing the list of do’s and don’ts. When the messages became more about how I’d better behave and do right or God wasn’t going to love me – I wouldn’t be acceptable but it was there. All the things you had to do right and if you messed up God was going to punish you and I wasn’t going to be good enough for Him.

I hope you didn’t grow up that way but if you did I want to tell you that there is no amount of good that you can do to make God love you more than He does right now and there’s no amount of bad that will make Him love you less.

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. 7 Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. 8 But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.” Romans 5:6-8 ERV

God loves us so much that He had Jesus die to pay the price for our sin when we were at our worst! His love for us isn’t based on our merit but on who He is; God is love!

Anyway, as I got into high school and college I tried to “do enough” for God and for people to feel that I was “serving God”. As much as I tried to feel better about myself, I didn’t and eventually came to a place where I attempted suicide. And that’s when I heard a wonderful message on the unconditional love of God that changed my life.

Did you realize that the people God used in the Bible were real misfits? Moses was a murderer, King David committed adultery, Solomon was a bigamist, Peter betrayed the Lord, the Apostle Paul was on a crusade to kill all the Christians, Zacchaeus was a dishonest embezzler, Rahab was a prostitute and the list goes on. God used people with all their flaws and faults not because they were so great but because of His great love.

Now I want you to read the verses below and substitute the word Love with either God or He. That’s an appropriate way to read it because the Bible tells us that God is love. He doesn’t have love, He is love!

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.

8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:4-8 ERV

I have certainly had my failures; my times when I haven’t measured up to the standards that people would set for me. Heck, many times I don’t measure up to the expectations that I have for me and I know I don’t always measure up to the plan and hopes that God has for me but He loves me still. He loves me in spite of my failures.

“When the time comes, I will make an agreement
with them. I will write my laws on their minds and hearts.
17 Then I will forget about their sin and no longer remember
their evil deeds.”

18 When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.” Hebrews 10:16-18 CEV

That time has come – Jesus died to pay the price for our sins and brought us to a place of reconciliation with God!

Why do I get up early to spend time with God? Because He loves me! He will never leave me or abandon me and when I realized just how much there’s nothing I want more than spending time with Him.

So maybe you are like I was and think that if you don’t do things just right that there’s no way God could love you. Maybe you’ve quit trying and given up. Good! Because we can’t do it, we just need to accept what He has done for us.

“In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. 38 I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, 39 and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:37-39 CEV

And I love reading God’s word and trusting what He has to say. God doesn’t lie and so if He has made a promise He will keep it. He’s more trustworthy than anyone. He’s a loving Father who wants the best for His kids.

So again, what do enjoy doing most…telling people about my wonderful heavenly Father and talking about His amazing, great, unconditional and unfailing love and the promises of His Word!

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Thankful that His Love Has No End

I woke up this morning and lay in bed for a while thinking – my mind filled with beautiful thoughts; a Montana sunrise, an Arizona sunset, snow sparkling on the branches of a fir tree, a baby’s smile, my husband’s blue eyes, a cup of steaming hot coffee, a plate full of rolled tacos with guacamole. Seeing our daughter as she tried on her wedding gown, our oldest daughter and I as we sat in the middle of a mountain stream in our lawn chairs, our son at the helm of his boat, friends gathered on the patio of our home for good bar-b-q; yes, it was quite a way to wake up and start the day!

But then I asked, “Father, all of these images that I see can be described but how do I describe your love?” For the most part, I’m pretty good with words but when I try to describe God’s love I am seriously at a disadvantage. However, this morning I heard the answer to my question and it was “You just did!”

You see, every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father and with Him there is no variable or shadow of turning. Which basically means – every good thing that we enjoy comes as an outward expression of God’s love; that’s the way He’s always been and that’s the way He’ll always be! So when I’m thinking on these things that I can describe, I’m describing the Father’s love. Because in every circumstances and situation that I live, I can sense the love of God and know that He is there because God is LOVE!

“In the past God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke to them many times and in many different ways. 2 And now in these last days, God has spoken to us again through his Son. He made the whole world through his Son. And he has chosen his Son to have all things. 3 The Son shows the glory of God. He is a perfect copy of God’s nature, and he holds everything together by his powerful command. The Son made people clean from their sins. Then he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3

Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to bring God’s love to each and every one of us. He brought the message that God isn’t mad at us and that God desires to have relationship with us – not some experience that is staunch and unfeeling or condemning and angry – but a real, where-the-rubber-meets-the-road, every day, I’m always here type of relationship.

“Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits. 8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:6-8 ERV

I’m not saying that everything will be perfect in our lives because our lives aren’t perfect! But I do know that in the imperfect, trying, challenging, frustrating, ugly times of our lives that God is always there and He doesn’t abandon us! He’s always there to offer comfort, help, wisdom, peace and joy even in the midst of our storms. God is love! Jesus brought comfort to those who had lost family and friends to death, He brought compassion to the prostitute, food to the hungry, wine to the wedding, sanity to the demonic and love and forgiveness to all.

“You know about Jesus from Nazareth. God made him the Messiah by giving him the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good for people. He healed those who were ruled by the devil, showing that God was with him.” Acts 10:38

So what words can I use to describe God’s love?! This love can’t really be described but it can be experienced. I will leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul:

“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 3:17-20

Yes, I am thankful that God’s love has no end!

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“The Present”

Are you thinking about “today”?

Living in the present can be a real struggle; the past is always calling us back – back to better times or trying to hold us in bondage to our failures. And then there’s the future and its promises and hopes but it too is filled with what if’s. What if I get a better job, what if we get a bigger house, what if the kids go to this college, what if, what if, what if…

Living in the present. I know you’ve heard it said before but it bears repeating. The”present” is a gift from God so we need to unwrap it and cherish it.

“My friends, watch out! Don’t let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. 13 You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today.” If you don’t, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. 14 We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let’s hold tightly to our faith until the end. 15 The Scriptures say,

“If you hear his voice today, don’t be stubborn like those who rebelled.” Hebrews 3:12-15 CEV

We have so many opportunities in Today. We can help those around us; we can give a smile, a kind word, a hug, a prayer. If we are caught up in the past or in looking too far down the road we will miss the same things that are waiting for us today. Jesus promises to never leave us. Since He’s with us today, it’s going to be a great day.

“Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:7 CEV

Enjoy today – God’s grace and strength are yours!!

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Always the Same

I took Glory out this morning and there it was, that big full moon. Yesterday morning I saw it from Rio Rico, this morning I see it in Yuma. Wherever you are I’m know you are seeing it too unless there are too many clouds or your view is obstructed for some reason.

That full moon will rotate in cycle and although it will be gone for a few days, there is no worry but that it will be back again. Same with the sunrise, very shortly the sun will start to crest the horizon and the process of daylight will start again.

Astronomers count on things being the same. We have a calendar built on the sameness of the stars, planets, sun and moon.

Shouldn’t we trust the sameness of our God?

Life brings us changes. It may be leaving an old job and taking a new one; children becoming more independent; neighbors and friends moving on or maybe you are moving; school changes; weddings; funerals. So much can change and our lives always seem to be in a state of flux. However…

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

Amen!! Have you seen what Jesus did when he walked the earth – He is the same now and He will be the same in our future. Our responsibility is to put our faith in His faithfulness.

The Lord tells us we can put our trust in Him. He is the one who brings good to our lives.

“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. 18 God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.” James 1:17-18 ERV

Look at what Jesus said about His purpose on earth.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19

Let His faithfulness meet you where you are & make things right.

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Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something valuable? A ring, money, your keys…

I remember when our youngest daughter was in preschool. Her class took a field trip to Sea World. I’m not sure how many mothers and fathers went along to chaperone but we had a large group and I’m so glad we did. There were two pre-school classes, teachers, helpers, parents and kids.

We had a wonderful day! After we had gone to several of the scheduled shows we broke up into smaller groups and visited the aquariums and tide pools. We were all to meet back at the main gate by the fountain at a particular time, ready to go home.

When we arrived at the fountain we asked the all important question, who has to go potty before we start back. Several hands were raised and so some of the moms and dads escorted the students to the bathrooms while others of us waited back at the fountain with the rest of the children. And then the unthinkable happened.

One of the mother’s let out a frantic cry – my kids are gone! She had brought her two younger children on the field trip with the rest of us and while she was looking after a couple of the students, her children had wandered off.

She called their names over and over again, we prayed and gathered up the rest of the children, had them sit down on the ground by the fountain under the watchful eye of 2 of the chaperones and all the rest of the adults spread out to find the missing two.

It seemed we searched for an eternity but in reality it was probably only 15-20 minutes and there they were. Hands dipping in one of the tide pools to touch the star fish. Not frightened, not worried just playing as children do!

The relief, the tears, the joy, the lecture…what was lost had been found!

Have you lost your relationship with the Lord? Maybe you’ve just wandered away for a bit – looking for something fun to do? Not realizing that you could be in danger out there in the big world all by yourself. The Bible promises us that if we seek the Lord we will find Him and that there will be a reward for seeking Him.

“Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.” Hebrews 11:6 ERV

I encourage you today to search for God, search His Word and you will find that He’s right there waiting for you.

“I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:11-14 ERV

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Coming Home

Home! There’s something comforting in that word.

When I got up this morning there was a big prompting on my heart. We’ve been on vacation for the last week and had a wonderful time but today we’re heading home.

Today I want to write this for those who believe they have wandered too far from God. For whatever reason you have been living life your own way. You have completely forgotten about God and may have even wondered if God is truly there.

You want to go home but you’re scared!

Now in the midst of trouble and difficult times you want to pray, you want to reach out, you want to ask God if He is really there for you but you’re afraid.

Afraid that He won’t answer. Afraid that He will reject you. Afraid that He doesn’t really care!

God is there for you – be honest. He knows your heart before you call. He knows your doubts and your fears. He knows your weaknesses and your failings. He knows everything there is to know about you and He LOVES you!

“We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. 17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.

19 What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God.” II Corinthians 5:16-20 CEV

The reason God sent Christ to this earth was to make a way for us to have be reconciled to God. Reconciliation is to make right, to put in balance. In Christ we are put in balance with the Father.

God, the Father, is waiting for us to come to him and when we do He rewards us with His love and grace.

“Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.” Hebrews 11:6

God isn’t mad at you. He’s not holding your past against you but instead He is waiting for you with open arms. He’s here to welcome you home!

“20 The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him.

21 The son said, “Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough to be called your son.”

22 But his father said to the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24 CEV

Come Home! The Father’s waiting…

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Spending Time with the Kids

As parents, you all know how good it is to see your kids after a long separation – what a joy to hug their necks and be able to give them a kiss and just see them face to face. I can only imagine how our heavenly Father must feel when we chose to be separated from Him.

The joy He must feel when we come back to His presence must be unspeakable. And how it must light His day when we take time to stop throughout the day to check in and say hi. I so appreciate knowing that my Heavenly Father is always wanting me to come to presence and spend time with Him.

Take time today to make your Father smile – give Him a hug and tell Him you love Him.

“We are telling you about what we have seen and heard because we want you to have fellowship with us. The fellowship we share together is with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We write these things to you so that you can be full of joy with us.” I John 1:3-4

“With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16

“The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them. 15 The Spirit that we received is not a spirit that makes us slaves again and causes us to fear. The Spirit that we have makes us God’s chosen children. And with that Spirit we cry out, “ Abba, (Daddy) Father.” 16 And the Spirit himself speaks to our spirits and makes us sure that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-16

Spending time with the Father sounds like a good way to spend the day.

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God Is Faithful

God is faithful. That’s His nature, His character! When we stop to wonder “if” God will come through this time – remember His faithfulness. “Will” he be there for me?

Not sure who woke up this morning questioning and wondering if God was still there, if He could still be trusted, but whoever you are let me tell you that He is – He is the great I AM.

““So remember that the LORD your God is the only God, and you can trust him! He keeps his agreement. He shows his love and kindness to all people who love him and obey his commands. He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations, ” Deuteronomy 7:9

So many changes in our modern lives, it’s hard to imagine that God is ALWAYS faithful, He is ALWAYS the same.

” Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8


God is not a liar – His word is always true, you can count on Him! You can depend on His promises.
” God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 CEV

Since the beginning of time the sun has come up every morning and set each evening, the tides ebb and flow, the seasons change but as constant as those things are they won’t last forever but God’s word will always remain the same.

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

You can depend on God’s faithfulness. He has always been there and will always continue to be!

“The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.[b] I am the one who is, who always was, and who is coming. I am the All-Powerful.” Revelation 1:8 ERV

Trust in Him today!

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