Category: Hope

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Program Interrupted

This morning I am interrupting our “Like A Diamond” teaching to share with you some of my thoughts on the subject of censorship. Over the past several weeks there has been quite a bit of conversation about it.

I felt it was important to tell you that I will continue to share the Good News of Jesus Christ each and every morning. This blog is posted on several social media sites and can also be sent directly to your inbox in email form. Email is probably the best way to receive the blog each day, without interruption. You can sign up for it on the blog “Contact” page.

“I am not ashamed of the Good News. It is the power of God. It is the way He saves men from the punishment of their sins if they put their trust in Him. It is for the Jew first and for all other people also.” Romans 1:16 NLV

I truly appreciate hearing from those of you who have taken time to write comments on how a particular teaching has been helpful. I love knowing that God’s word is making a difference in your lives.

It is the Word of God that gives us the strength and boldness we need when facing daily obstacles. A young shepherd by the name of David told his adversary, Goliath “…You come to me with a sword and spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of All, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have stood against. 46 This day the Lord will give you into my hands. I will knock you down and cut off your head.” I Samuel 17:45-46 NLV

Placing our faith in the infallible Word of God gives us boldness in adverse times.

“And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30 NLT

This was the prayer of Peter and John who were arrested for preaching about Jesus just days after His ascension to heaven. Even in the worst of times they asked for boldness to continue preaching.

I am so thankful for all the examples that the Bible gives us of people who were bold enough to talk about God’s love and power. It should be an encouragement to us. When we are trusting God He will never fail.

“Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” Philippians 4:13 ERV

Be strengthened and encouraged. Trust God. He is our provider.

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Reading of the Will

Over the last week I have shared with you the first chapter of Like A Diamond, Sons of God. When we accept the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and receive forgiveness for our sins we are adopted by our heavenly Father. With our adoption we receive an inheritance that we share with our older brother Jesus…

When we enter sonship, we also come into another relationship; we become joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Jesus becomes our older brother and we share in the inheritance that our heavenly Father has given him.

Several years ago, my husband received an inheritance from his parents’ trust. It got us to thinking. What were we leaving to our children? We asked them if there was anything they really wanted of our possessions. We were pleasantly surprised by their answers; they each mentioned things of sentimental value but not those of financial substance. They all expressed a desire to spend more time with us; making memories and continuing traditions that they could hold on to when we are gone. That is what they felt would be a rich inheritance.

Our heavenly Father has set up a wonderful inheritance for us.

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!” Romans 8:15-17 MSG

Our relationship with the Father is adventurous and wonderfully exciting!  We go from living in an orphanage to playing ball in the palace.

Why does the author of Romans point out that we have been freed from fear? Our old family relationship was fear based. Jesus knows that the father of this world, the devil, is the father of lies. His purpose is to deceive, steal from and destroy us in any way he can. As our big brother, Jesus, protects us and delivers us from his schemes. Jesus never wants us looking back, scared that we may be taken away from the Father.

 “A thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. But I came to give life – life that is full and good.”  John 10:10 ERV

Praise God for our older brother!

He has our best interest at heart. As our joint heir He shows us that we are entitled to the same privileges He has been given by the Father.

At one time we were spiritual street urchins but now our lives have been cleansed. We are precious jewels to the Father, “Like A Diamond”. Let’s sparkle brilliantly for Him.

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Count Your Blessings

Welcome 2021! A new day. A new year.

None of us know what the year will bring but we can all know the One who has designed each day. I encourage you to start each morning by writing down a couple blessings from the day before.

Start a blessing journal and count your blessings.

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!” Psalm 139:17-18 NLT

Take a minute and read those verses again.

The quantity of God’s thoughts about us are so vast that they cannot be numbered! We are always in His thoughts and on His heart. I know I shared those verses with you a few days ago but since that time I have been so mindful of those words, “I can’t even count them”.

If our heavenly Father had a blessing journal our names would be recorded there. Maybe it would say something like this “Betty thanked me for the sunrise”, “Lon marvelled at My sunset”. “I love those kids of mine, they mean all the world to me”. I just know He must think these thoughts and so many more. More than we can count.

If He’s always thinking about us shouldn’t we be focused on Him as well? Maybe the first entry in our 2021 Blessing Journal should be God has precious thoughts about me, so many thoughts that they can’t be numbered. After that add one or two other things that bless you.

When we write things down it has a way of establishing them in our memory. It’s also helpful, on those days that have been particularly hard , to go back and reread them. This is a way to encourage ourselves. These are daily reminders of God’s love and provision.

The last week while we’ve been camping I have taken hundreds of pictures. Once I get home I will upload them to my computer and when I edit them I will relive the moment I took them. The beauty, the solitude, the peace and the gratitude.

That’s how it is with the word pictures we paint. They allow us to relive the moment.

I pray that your 2021 will be your most amazing year yet. Wake each day knowing that God Almighty loves you and has a wonderful day planned for you specifically. You are always in His thoughts.

As you count your blessings it will be a Happy New Year!

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Kept in a Bottle

Here we are, the day before Christmas. So much has transpired this year and it may be that you feel like sitting down and having a good cry. It’s ok.

“You have kept record of my days of wandering. You have stored my tears in your bottle
 and counted each of them. 9 When I pray, Lord God, my enemies will retreat, because I know for certain that you are with me.” Psalm 56:8-9 CEV

Our Father has saved each tear we have cried. He knows our heart ache and has been there to give us strength, comfort and victory.

Yesterday we arrived at our campsite and it is so peaceful here. I’ve placed a few Christmas decorations on the shelves and little tables to make it festive and still keep it functionable. One daughter and son-in-law are here too and their trailer looks like a Christmas village. So cute.

After we were set up we walked to their site and a wave of sadness washed over me. I began to cry and that’s when the verse above came to mind. Each tear that I wiped from my cheeks were being kept by my Father. He was with me and I could feel His embrace.

Kept in a bottle. He cares!

He cares about you and for you.

“Hannah was brokenhearted and was crying as she prayed,…”But I do feel miserable and terribly upset. I’ve been praying all this time, telling the Lord about my problems.” 17 Eli replied, “You may go home now and stop worrying. I’m sure the God of Israel will answer your prayer.” I Samuel 1:9-17 CEV

This is the account of a wife who couldn’t have children. She was heart broken and she poured out her sorrow to the Lord in prayer. Eli, the priest, saw her and was going to reprimand her because he thought she was drunk but when he heard her story he spoke words of comfort; hope for her soul that God would answer her prayer.

When we come to the Father with our heart’s deepest needs He gives us comfort and peace.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Philippians 4:6-7 CEV

He counts and bottles our tears. He takes our worry and replaces it with peace and our hearts are filled with gratitude for His loving kindness.

May I encourage you today. Give your disappointments and heartaches to the Lord and let Him replace them with joy and peace.

“May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:2 NLV

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Loaves of Love

I can’t begin to tell you how many loaves of banana bread I have baked in my lifetime. Hundreds, maybe even into the thousands, but none were more meaningful than the loaves I delivered yesterday.

About a month ago a friend told me of a project, Love Loaves, that has been occurring in our community for a number of years. The local mission has a Christmas dinner each year and when folks leave they are given a “Love Loaf” to take home. I was told that some years they have received between 450-500 loaves of bread.

My heart stirred to be a part and so did my mixer! What a great way to express the love of Jesus at Christmas.

“Jesus then told them, ‘I tell you for certain that Moses wasn’t the one who gave you bread from heaven. My Father is the one who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 And the bread that God gives is the one who came down from heaven to give life to the world.’

34 The people said, ‘Lord, give us this bread and don’t ever stop!’ 35 Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry. No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.” John 6:32-35 CEV

The Bread of Heaven.

“The bread that God gives is the one who came down from heaven to give life to the world”. Heaven’s gift basket! The Bread of Heaven was wrapped in cloth, not plastic, and placed gently in a manger instead of a basket and cradled by the hay.

As I sat thinking of Jesus, the Bread of Heaven, the Bread of Life, the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes took on greater meaning than ever before. Jesus blessed the loaves, broke them and had the disciples distribute them to a crowd of five thousand men plus their wives and children. Miraculously all were fed and there were twelve baskets left over.

Jesus, the Bread of Heaven, was there to meet the hunger in each man’s soul. Not only that, He was also able to continue (via the left overs) to touch the lives of those who weren’t even there.

Isn’t that what He’s doing today? He satisfied the hunger of those men and women almost two thousand years ago, His message of life was distriubted by the disciples down through the ages and He is still filling our hearts today.

Bread of Heaven. The Loaf of Love. Let’s keep sharing God’s gift of life!

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Love Was Born

Most of my days are very ordinary, just like yours. Take yesterday for instance, it started with picking up our grocery order that I had placed the day before. Had to run in to Home Depot and grab a couple things Dave needed to complete his home project.

Back to the house where I put the groceries away, started laundry, and reconciled the bank statement before I headed out again to an appointment at the bank and a couple of other errands before heading home. All this was done following the proper safety guidelines and handing out candy canes at each stop.

I had been listening to a Christmas CD as I went from place to place. When I left the last location and started the car toward home a song came through the sound system speakers, “Love Was Born on Christmas Day” *. My heart had been touched by the apprehension of the people I had met at my different stops and this song brought me to tears.

All those folks were wearing their masks, but obviously bothered by the close proximity of their surroundings. There was no Christmas music playing through the intercom systems, no smiles to be seen, no real Christmas joy. Their faces would brighten as I said Merry Christmas, thanked them for their assistance and handed them a candy cane but for the most part the Christmas spirit was missing.

** “This is the story, the power and the glory
Three wise men knelt to pray
A guiding star had led the way
And there he lay born on Christmas day

Joy did he bring, the king
Let every song rejoice
And every heart did sing, hear it ring
The sound of heaven’s voice
The angels proclaimed his holy name
King of kings”

**partial lyrics of Born on Christmas Day

This is the story – the power and the glory, Christ was born on Christmas day. As the words of this chorus repeated my eyes filled with tears. The world, my small world, was missing the joy and the love that He came to bring. I felt God’s heart ache. I wanted to give them all a hug and tell them things would get better. I wanted them to know that they could give all their fears and disappointments to the Lord. Jesus came so we could have a relationship with the Father.

“But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, 5 so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God’s children. 6 Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father.” Galatians 4:4-6 CEV

If each of us touches one person with the love of Jesus this Christmas season it will be life-changing. I pray that we give the most wonderful gift of all, God’s love, to those around us.

* (The underlined song title is an active link to the song on YouTube. I know you will enjoy it.)

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Overwhelmed

The last month of this year, 2020, continues to be challenging. Frustrating. Emotionally difficult. Even overwhelming.

Holidays and life in general can do that too us. Finances, health issues, family, new jobs, finals, relationships, scheduling, legal threats, loneliness…these things can be overwhelming.

“o·ver·whelm: bury or drown beneath a huge mass. synonyms: swamp, submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate, defeat completely, overcome, move, stir, affect, touch, strike, dumbfound, shake, devastate, floor, leave speechless” Any of those sound familiar?

I know a good number of people that have and are experiencing this. For some it is temporary and they are able to shake it off and regain a sense of stability and clear headedness but for others it can linger on.

I’ve been there but that was a long time ago! I have found the answer to being overwhelmed.

“Please listen, God, and answer my prayer! 2 I feel hopeless, and I cry out to you from a faraway land. Lead me to the mighty rock high above me. 3 You are a strong tower, where I am safe from my enemies.4 Let me live with you forever and find protection under your wings, my God.” Psalm 61:1-4 CEV

In another translation of this verse it says “when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I”. Jesus tells us the Word of God is our rock or a firm foundation! In and through God’s word we are able to gain victory over those things that seem overwhelming.

“What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?” Romans 8:31-32. CEV

This ties in with what we were discussing yesterday. When we begin to understand the depth of God’s love for us – the all encompassing compassion that He wraps us in – we are no longer the victim of overwhelming situations but we become the victor. We aren’t isolated to fight alone; we have God on our side!

No longer overwhelmed. I’d like to pray for you now.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray for all who are reading this and have been overwhelmed by circumstances in their lives. I don’t know them personally or their situations but You do. There is no time or distance in the realm of spiritual things so I thank you for touching their hearts, healing their hurts and bringing strength to their emotions. Your word states that “with God all things are possible”. I believe that and I pray that Your peace, the peace that goes beyond our natural understanding, will flood hearts now. I pray that they are no longer overwhelmed by circumstances but that their curcumstances are overwhelmingly defeat by Your love and power. Amen.

Was it you I was praying for?

Go to the Rock of God’s word. It will crush the attacks coming against you!

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Waiting…

On Thanksgiving we told our three year-old granddaughter that she and her brother would be coming to our house for the weekend. She was excited. Her brother has come alone on a couple occasions but this would be her first trip without parents. When the day was done and we helped gather up the things our youngest daughter and family would take home from our oldest daughter’s, none of us were giving much thought to the next day when the kids would join us for the ride to our house.

No one except for Kristine.

She isn’t real expressive with words but when her dad lifted her into her car seat she said “Wrong car daddy”. Oh…we hadn’t made it clear that she wouldn’t be coming that night, she had to WAIT one more sleep and we would come for her in the morning. It made my heart hurt.

None of us do well with waiting.

Nowadays we live in an instant, microwave, IM world. Some things are just worth waiting on. As children we waited on Christmas morning; it brought excitement, anticipation and an almost sleepless night. As women we wait expectantly for 9months, 40 weeks – for the birth of a child. Each week, each month there’s a new joy of expectancy; we’re excitedly awaiting the due date.

Then there’s the joy of planning a wedding – deciding on the right dress, the flowers, the venue, the food – registering for gifts, planning the honeymoon – you get the picture – although it’s in the future, there’s joy in the planning.

Guys wait for that first hunting trip of the season, getting the tag, the food, scouting the right spot, the thrill of the hunt, buck fever; or it could be the High School State Football Championship – the weekly games, the playoffs and finally the championship game.

Perhaps it’s the promotion at work, graduation from college or trade school, moving out and getting your own place. It would be silly to think that any of these things could be accomplished without preparation, without the passage of time. Looking at the goal and preparing ourself each step along the way is what makes the end result so successful – so rewarding, so joyful.

“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

Wait on the Lord!

How many times have I heard someone get upset because they are having to wait for an answer to prayer, I will include myself in that. Let me encourage you with this; as we’re waiting on the Lord let’s prepare ourself to receive His blessings. Don’t be discouraged instead let the anticipation build and don’t grumble. Wait patiently!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3

Little Kristine is here at Besta and Pappy’s now, without Momma and Daddy, and if you asked her if it was worth the wait I’m sure she’d say yes.

The Lord has so many special blessings planned for our lives. Waiting on Him is a great adventure.

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The Beauty of Daybreak

Each morning I sit in my office looking through a window that faces East. I am able to see clearly the first light of day.

Daybreak.

The sun rises and sometimes the sky is filled with a pinkish hue and at other times there is a golden glow. No matter the color of the sky – clouded or unclouded – my heart always welcomes the dawn with a thank you.

Thank you Lord for a new day. Thank You for your plan and the purpose that I was designed to fulfill. Thank You!

I may have been disappointed with the way yesterday ended; I didn’t get enough done. Or perhaps I did the wrong thing – said something in haste or anger, or neglected to do something that was important but before me I see a new day. A day of potential and a day blessed by God.

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. 26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 118:24-29 NLT

Our Father has a purpose and plan for each day that we live. His mercy never ends, His grace is sufficient, His love endures forever and His goodness is everlasting. He is shining on us. Daybreak is a reminder of His fatihfulness. Each morning He sends the sun to warm the earth and lighten the sky. Each day He is faithful.

But what if the circumstances of life have left you dreading the sunrise? Maybe you have lost a spouse, a child or grandchild and you feel that life is over and frankly, you don’t care if the sun ever rises again.

There’s a lady I know of who lost her dearest friend. She was heartbroken and scared. What would become of her now? How would she survive? Those were the questions that were weighing heavily on her heart. Have you experienced such a heartache?

“On Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance…11 Mary Magdalene stood crying outside the tomb. She was still weeping, when she stooped down…15 Jesus asked her, ‘Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?’ She thought he was the gardener and said, ‘Sir, if you have taken his body away, please tell me, so I can go and get him.’ 16 Then Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him, ‘Rabboni.’ The Aramaic word “Rabboni” means “Teacher.'” John 20:1-16 CEV

Mary dreaded the dawn! But inspite of her heartache she went to the last place that she had been with her Lord. The graveyard! There all heartached ceased. There, as the sun was rising, she looked into the face of her Savior and found peace.

Daybreak!

As day breaks this morning I pray that you are thankful for what the Lord will lovingly show you!

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Thankful for Strength

This morning as I was preparing to share on thankfulness my heart asked me this question. What about the people who feel they have nothing to be thankful for? Maybe they’ve lost their jobs, their businesses, their health and even their friends. What do they have to be thankful for?

Good question.

Let me tell you the story of King David. He and his men had gone out to help figth a war. When they returned home they found their homes had been burned and the wives and children had been carried off by the enemy.

The Bible tells us that these strong, brave, fighting men wept until they had no more tears.

“Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.” I Samuel 30:4 KJV

Everything they loved and held dear was gone! To make matters worse, they blamed David. Men who had been loyal members of his army were now ready to kill him. Not only had David lost his family, his home and his city but now he had lost his position and his ability to lead.

“David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6 NLT

At a time like this, how could he possibly find strength? Another translation of this verse tells us that “David encouraged himself in the Lord”. In my times of greatest struggle and darkness moments I have pulled close to God. Tears streaming down my cheeks, heart aching with pain I have cried out. “God, I can’t do this! I don’t know what to do. There’s no one to help. I’m done! I need You – only You! I need Your strength and Your guidance. I need Your peace.”

“May honor and thanks be given to the Lord, because He has heard my prayer. 7 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. 8 The Lord is the strength of His people. He is a safe place for His chosen one.” Psalm 28:6-8 NLV

There is no other place to find true help and strength. God is the only one who can bring peace in the midst of our storms. He is the only one who has the answers.

King David poured out his heart to God in prayer. He got instruction from the Lord on what he should do. He went to his men and told them what the Lord had said and they all went out to recover what had been stolen.

“David took back all that the Amalekites had taken, and saved his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing, small or large, sons or daughters, food or anything that had been taken. David returned with all of it. ” I Samuel 30:18-19 NLV

A perfect time to be thankful and praise God is when hope is all but gone. It takes our focus off our circumstances, places it on God and His ability to alter the outcome.

“Why are you sad, O my soul? Why have you become troubled within me? Hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my help and my God.” Psalm 42:11 NLV

Being thankful gives us strength!

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