Learn a Life of Love

My daughter-in-law, Bethany, just asked me if I was a drug dealer!

My granddaughter, Olivia, was at the fair when a nasty storm blew in. They came to my house and waited out the storm in the basement. Since Luke was out-of-state, we decided to have a slumber party. (Their house doesn’t have a basement.)

The phone rang at 12:30 a.m. waking the adults up. I grabbed the extension by my bed but no one answered. I hit redial and it went right to voicemail. I guess the caller rolled over on their phone.

Then Bethany woke up when David left at 5:30 a.m. His boss told him of a barber who opened at 6:00 a.m. on Fridays for walk-ins. He left for a haircut.

He came back to the house for the Wal-Mart list. He picked up a few things there and brought them home. Then he went to work. Olivia blissfully slept through it all!

It concerned Bethany because there was a call in the middle of the night. And David kept leaving. I explained everything to her.

I woke up before he left and went to the basement. Yesterday, I moved my Bibles, devotionals, notebook, and Chromebook downstairs. (My office is also the guest room. I had to temporarily move out.)

I was writing in my notebook seated on the loveseat. God reminded me of a conversation earlier this week. I had my notebook and 2 Bibles open on the desk. I told God it was crowded and wished for a bigger space. Now I am balancing a notebook and 2 Bibles on the loveseat. That desk looks pretty big to me!

Paul wrote most of the New Testament – from prison! Instead of changing my circumstances I am letting God change me. I will write anywhere and everywhere.

Ephesians 3:8, “And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ.” The Message

Our slumber party was the last night of camp. Derek is one of the leaders and has been gone since Sunday. I envisioned a week of romance. The honeymoon is definitely over. *Sigh*

Ephesians 5:25-28, “Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church – a love marked by giving, not getting. (26) Christ’s love makes the church whole. (27) His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. (28) And that is how husband’s ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves and favor – since they’re already ‘one’ in marriage.” The Message

* * * * * * *

“…In the Greek culture that was dominate in and around Ephesus, husbands were on average 12 or more years older than their wives, were usually more educated, and held much higher social status,….

In one traditional Greek formulation, men used prostitutes for pleasure and wives only to bear them legitimate children.

…What is significant is that Paul modified the culture’s values, calling on all believers to submit (5:21), and allowing the husband-wife relationship to be affected by the God-human relationship.

…While Romans and Greeks supposed that husbands would love their wives, Paul listed such as a command.” Chronological Study Bible Notes

* * * * * * *

Ephesians 5:21. “Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ.” The Message

The way I support my husband shows my support for Christ? That’s a humbling thought.

Ephesians 5:1-2, “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. (2) Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us, His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.” The Message

I guess I should stop wishing for dazzling white silk!

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

Christ Thought of Everything

Grief. The family is walking through the five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. Everyone grieves differently. Four members of the same family can start in four different stages. Some are in shock and cannot cry. Others can’t stop crying.

There are so many decisions – so much to do:

  • Find the best pictures.
  • Pick verses that reflect their life or were favorites.
  • Remembering everything for the obituary.
  • Choosing a final resting place.
  • Dispersing all the stuff.
  • Re-homing the animals.
  • Explaining everything to his granddaughter.
  • Which songs?

Acts 28 is a wonderful example of how to survive grief or another trauma.

1. Build a campfire.

Acts 28:1-2, “Once everyone was accounted for and we realized we had all made it… (2) went out of their way to be friendly…they built a huge bonfire and gathered us around it.” The Message

The grieving need to look around make sure everyone is there. The friends of the family are to gather around the family. They are there to listen or just cry with you.

2. Take them home.

Acts 28:7-9, “The head man…Publius…took us into his home as his guests, drying us out and putting us up in fine style. … (8) Publius’s father was sick…Paul…laid hands on him and prayed, the man was healed. (9) Word of the healing got around fast, and soon everyone on the island who was sick came and got healed.” The Message

Send the grieving to your guest room for a nap. Or to rest and let their mind stop spinning. Take them out to eat to let them set the grief aside for a bit.

Friends can get you away from the grief for an hour or so. But, even in grief, look for ways to serve. Doing something kind for someone else lifts our spirits.

3. Meet their needs.

Acts 28:10, “We spent a wonderful three months on Malta. They treated us royally, took care of our needs and outfitted us for the rest of the journey.” The Message

Offer water and food. Loan them what they are lacking – an umbrella on a rainy day. Guard them like royalty. Be a buffer for them.

4. Realize their grieving is not permanent.

Acts 28:15, “Paul, brimming over with praise, led us in prayers of Thanksgiving.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Acts 28:20, “…I’m a hostage here for hope, not doom.” The Message

Time eases grief. It becomes easier to bear. You never stop missing your loved one but you find reasons to smile again. We start to see things differently.

* * * * * * *

Death is not the only hard time we will experience. Divorce, unemployment, accidents, and serious illnesses all take us through a valley.

“We want God to change the situation but not us. God wants to change us.” Pastor Monte Knudsen, 6-27-18

* * * * * * *

“…He wanted me to learn that His grace is sufficient in the pit. …God didn’t rescue Daniel from the pit; He delivered Him from the power of the enemy while he was in the pit.” Pastor Sarah Utterbach – Redeeming Love Christian Center in The Word for You Today, 6-27-18

God has a plan for our lives. We will not stay in this valley or pit forever.

Ephesians 1:8-9, “He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, (9) letting us in on the plans He took such delight in making.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Ephesians 1:11-12, “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. (12) …He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.” The Message

Lean on your church family during hard times. They want to bear your burdens. Their prayers will carry you when you can’t go any further.

Ephesians 1:22, “…The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church.” The Message

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

I Urge You to Eat

Stephanie’s father died of a heart attack – 2 states away. (She had rushed to his side after the first heart attack.) She was alone because her husband is deployed.

We received the news while driving to Cedar Rapids Saturday. On the way home, I called her. Alone in a motel room, she was happy to let me ramble for an hour. I told her every funny story I could remember about him.

What do you say to someone suddenly responsible for a cattle ranch, 2 llamas, and several pets? You tell them to eat.

Acts 27:34, “But I urge you to eat something now. You’ll need strength for the rescue ahead. You’re going to come out of this without even a scratch.” The Message

Sunday, I called again to check on her…

“Did you eat today?”

“Oatmeal and yogurt.”

“Not enough. Go eat more.”

Monday, I texted, “Did you eat?” She was smart and replied, “Breakfast.” 

I left her alone while she made arrangements with the funeral director. The Red Cross was able to locate her husband and get him home. After he arrived, I stopped nagging her. I figured he could make sure she ate.

Making funeral arrangements is difficult. I know God will be with her every step of the way. I expect God to bless her even during this journey of grief.

* * * * * * *

Acts 27:1, “As soon as arrangements were complete for our sailing to Italy…” The Message

Paul knew he needed to share the Message of Jesus in Rome. He talked about going to Rome, (Romans 1:15). God made arrangements for the Romans to pay for his trip!

It was not an ideal journey. He was in chains and the ship was lost in a 2-week storm. He ended up stranded on an island for 3 months.

How do you survive a difficult journey? Take the next step. Put one foot in front of the other. Each day, get up and do it again. Don’t ever give up.

“Peter teaches us that sometimes the greatest courage is in not giving up. It’s in rising from defeat, daring to walk with Jesus another day.” “When You Used to Be Brave” Elizabeth Laing Thompson, in Proverbs 31 Ministries

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

If They Can’t See It, They Don’t Believe It

Reading “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul” let me know I am not alone. I found I have a few things in common with Dan Millman, author of “The Peaceful Warrior Way:”

  • A surging desire to share.
  • To somehow make a positive difference.
  • Time flies when I write.
  • What I lack in quality, I make up for in quantity.
  • I’m not attached to the outcome.
  • My overnight success is taking 10 years!

Writing is a great leap of faith. Catherine Lanigan, (“Romancing the Stone” and “Jewell of the Nile”), was told, “Your writing stinks.” She stopped writing.

“I would be smart. I would use logic. If I couldn’t see it, taste it, chew it and spit it out, I wouldn’t believe in anything again.” Catherine Lanigan

After talking with a journalist, she started writing again:

“…I learned that writers make something out of nothing.” Catherine Lanigan

The Sadducees felt the same way as she did at the beginning. If they couldn’t see it, they didn’t believe it. They didn’t believe in the resurrection. That’s why they were “sad, you see.” 😉

Acts 25:8, “Sadducees have nothing to do with resurrection or angels or even a spirit. If they can’t see it, they don’t believe it. Pharisees believe it all.” The Message

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. What He starts, He finishes.

“…you’re gonna have some people in your life that are gonna walk away…their part in the story may be over. …Just realize that your life is not contingent upon anyone who leaves it. …believe that God is the author and finisher of my faith. That who’s meant to crossover into the next season with me will, and who’s not meant to cross over, there’s no amount of convincing that I can do to get them to stay.” “The Author and Finisher of Your Faith,” 1 Min Motivation, Steven Furtick

Everything worth doing takes faith: marriage, having children, and pursuing your dreams. Remember Jesus isn’t finished yet!

Hebrews 11:1, “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under every thing that makes life worth living.” The Message

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

The God of Peace

We were 3 musicians short on Sunday. I had some music out because I needed to play the synth part. Using a double keyboard stand, I stacked the synth over the piano.

Some songs are heavy on the piano and some on the synth. Many times I play the synth with my left hand to hold the chords. Then play the rhythm or lead line on the piano with my right hand. When there is no guitar, I throw in more stuff to fill out the sound.

Things went okay during practice. Then the leader asked me to play both on the soft choruses of one song. On that song, I jump back and forth between the keyboards. It starts out heavy on piano and then soft on the synth. It builds back up but ends quietly.

I reached the “soft” chorus and remembered I was to play both. I quickly moved one hand down.

The wrong hand!

I tried holding a chord on the piano and playing a lead line on the synth. It didn’t work at all! Then I lost my place and hit the wrong chord – followed by several others.

We moved on to the bridge and I dropped my right hand down to the piano. When we reached the second “soft” chorus, I made sure I moved the correct hand.

“Well, that was embarrassing!”

It doesn’t matter what it did to me – embarrassing or humbling me. It matters what God did through me.

Acts 21:13, “…You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?” The Message

I believe God allows things like this to happen to remind everyone that I’m human. Music is uplifting and sometimes we give the musician too much credit. My job is always to lead others to Jesus. If your eyes are on me – I will unintentionally disappoint you.

The opposite is true – blaming one person when things don’t go well. The Jews accused Paul of defiling the Temple. Then they turned the place upside-down and started a riot! That did defile the temple!

Acts 21:27-28, 31, “…At once they turned the place upside-down. …(28) …He’s…defiled this holy place. … (31) As they were trying to kill him, word came to the captain of the guard, ‘A riot! The whole city’s boiling over!’ ” The Message

How should we handle it when others blame us? Or someone criticizes our efforts?

Acts 22:21, “But he said, ‘Don’t argue. Go. I’m sending you on a long journey to outsider non-Jews.’ ” The Message

Our congregation is gracious. No one berated me or told me to practice more. Satan did remind me that I did not practice on Saturday. (I was out-of-town.) He is full of lies and discouragement. I don’t argue with him either. I know his future.

Romans 16:19, “Stay alert like this, and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus.” The Message

I packed up the keyboards and went home for lunch. I switched my focus to the Nursing Home Service.

“I slept and dreamt life was joy, I awoke and saw life was service, I acted and, behold, service was joy.” “One Thousand Gifts” Ann Voskamp

I hit a few wrong notes there, too! (Yes, I practiced.) How did I stay unruffled? God gave me peace.

“One of the greatest blessings God gives us is peace. …pray for peace. Because if all of your prayers center around provision, if you have provision but not the peace, you have the external stuff without the internal infrastructure to even enjoy what you prayed for!” “The Power of God’s Peace,” 1 Min Motivation, Steven Furtick

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

Strength is for Service, Not Status

A week ago Wednesday, Pastor Monte Knudsen taught us how to bless people. You listen to them. When God gives an opportunity, ask if you can pray for them. Then take their hand or touch their shoulder, and ask God to bless them. Pray over any needs they share with you.

Last Wednesday, Pastor Monte asked if we obeyed. Several shared their stories. (My favorite was Simon who said, “A guy sneezed and I said, ‘God bless you!’ “)

I refused to make eye contact with Pastor because I failed the assignment. (I prayed with Derek when he was sick and my sister during a rough day. But I hadn’t blessed someone outside of my family.)

* * * * * * * *

Yesterday we went shopping for a new dress for our son’s wedding in the fall. I looked at stores in Cedar Rapids without success. On the way home, we stopped at Dillard’s in Iowa City.

I pulled every navy blue dress in my size off of the racks. I tried a couple on and realized – I’m no longer that size. *Sigh*

I asked David to bring me a larger size. He saw one dress he thought would look nice on me and brought it.

When I put it on, I realized something was wrong. The side zipper was open across my torso.

It was a “form-fitting” dress with only half of the material covering my form! I wriggled and rolled the material up trying to get it off. The chiffon cape covered my head and I couldn’t see to get out of it!

When I was finally free, I looked at the size – “6!” The only place it fit was around my neck! (In his defense, the number on the hanger was correct.)

We narrowed it down to two dresses. The one he liked was all lace. I pointed out it would require an expensive undergarment. The one I liked covered everything from my neck to my knees! But, it made me feel young and pretty.

During this process, David visited with my saleslady. She ended up with a pile of dresses in 4 different sizes to put away!

David kept talking to her after we checked out. (She’s my mother’s age, so I didn’t feel jealous.) She shared that she was still working because she couldn’t live on social security. She was alone and had arthritis.

He asked her if she went to church. She replied she was Catholic. I exclaimed, “Wonderful!” because we both serve Jesus. Then he asked her if he could pray for her.

She said yes and we had a holy moment in the middle of Dillard’s! (The store was empty because it was a gorgeous day. Everyone was out enjoying nature, not shopping.)

It may surprise you that we didn’t try to convert her. But that is not our job. We are to love her and share in her burdens.

Romans 14:1, “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with – even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 14:4, “…If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.” The Message

During Paul’s time, the controversy was over eating meat offered to idols. Some ate only vegetables just in case the meat was offered to an idol.

Romans 14:6-7, “What’s important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God’s sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you’re a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. (7) None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 14:17-18, “God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness sake. It’s what God does with your life as He sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. (18) Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. …” The Message

* * * * * *

Romans 15:1-3, “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. (2) Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’ (3) That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out.” The Message

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

Setting Things Right

Decorate, declutter, zone. I do something small – like cleaning the gilded frame on Grandma’s mirror. Sometimes, I move something or paint it.

The biggest improvements are from decluttering. Yesterday, I took the first step decluttering my candle collection.

I started this collection before Y2K. (Computers showed the date as 19 _ _. You could only fill in the last two numbers. Would it crash on 1-1-2000?)

They feared food would not be delivered, gas unavailable. I bought a month’s supply of food and collected candles. I figured we would live in our basement – by candlelight – eating canned meals.

Nothing happened. We had “can night” once a week for months.

I store my candles by size. Each month I had to get out all the boxes to get the color I wanted to use. I decided to box them up by color. (It surprised me to find: tangerine, plum, orchid, lavender, mint, salmon, peach, and a box of teal candles. I don’t decorate with those colors!)

They covered my dining room table and I threw away exactly 3 candles – without wicks. Why am I hanging on to them? Fear of disaster? The fear I can’t replace them? Overwhelmed, I decided to have David go through them with me later.

I went upstairs to work in my zone – the bathroom. I systematically work my way through the house deep cleaning. I opened the door to the medicine cabinet and a tube of lipstick rolled out.

I don’t wear lipstick!

I got out my makeup bags – yes, 2 of them – and the loose makeup. I dumped it out and set aside recent purchases. (I think I bought one of these eyeshadow pallets during Y2K!) This stuff is toxic. Why am I keeping it? I threw 90% of it away.

“There will come a time in your life…where the people…and the mentalities they represent will not be an adequate support system for where God is taking you. …as you’re growing into your inheritance, you’re growing out of your past. And when you start outgrowing it, you’ve got to shed some stuff. You’ve got to shed some ways of thinking.” “Maybe You’re Just Outgrowing It,” 1 Min Motivation, Steven Furtick

* * * * * * *

Romans 12:1-2, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. (2) Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 10:9-10, “…You’re not ‘doing’ anything; you’re simply calling out to God, trusting Him to do it for you. That’s salvation. (10) With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: ‘God has set everything right between Him and me!’ ” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 10:3, “They don’t seem to realize that this comprehensive setting-things-right that is salvation is God’s business…” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 10:6, “But trusting God to shape the right living in us is a different story…” The Message

* * * * * *

Romans 10:8, “…It’s the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 12:5, “So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.” The Message

We want to develop the gifts God has given us. Sometimes we have to let go of toxic things to accomplish that.

Romans 11:29, “God’s gifts and God’s call are under full warranty – never canceled, never rescinded.” The Message

* * * * * *

“Thankfully, God never gives what is deserved, but instead, God graciously, passionately offers gifts, our bodies, our time, our very lives. God does not give rights but imparts responsibilities – response-abilities – inviting us to respond to His gifts.” “One Thousand Gifts” Ann Voskamp

Responsible – response-able – able to respond to all things. Flexible. If our friends are irresponsible or toxic we need to seek new ones.

“…be the kind of person that says, ‘I’m gonna be there with you.’ …Oprah says, “Anybody will ride with you in the limousine. What I need is somebody to ride with me when the limousine breaks down, and we gotta take the bus.’ I’m looking for some bus friends! I’m looking for some people who will be by my side when I don’t have anything to give. …” “How to Find Real Friends,” 1 Min Motivation, Steven Furtick

Setting things right from Romans 12:6-21.

  1. Preach just God’s Message.
  2. Help, don’t take over.
  3. Stick to your teaching.
  4. Give encouraging guidance; don’t get bossy.
  5. Don’t manipulate when you are in charge.
  6. Keep your eyes open and quickly aid people in distress.
  7. Don’t get irritated or depressed when working with the disadvantaged.
  8. Don’t fake love.
  9. Run from evil.
  10. Cling to good.
  11. Be a good, loving friend.
  12. Practice playing second fiddle.
  13. Keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
  14. Be alert servants.
  15. Be cheerfully expectant.
  16. Don’t quit in hard times.
  17. Pray hard.
  18. Help needy Christians.
  19. Be inventive in your hospitality.
  20. Bless your enemies.
  21. Laugh when your friends are happy.
  22. Cry when they are down.
  23. Get along with each other.
  24. Don’t be stuck up.
  25. Make friends with nobodies.
  26. Don’t be the great somebody.
  27. Don’t hit back.
  28. Discover beauty in everyone.
  29. Try to get along with everybody.
  30. Don’t insist on getting even.
  31. Feed your hungry enemy.
  32. Give water to your thirsty enemy.
  33. Don’t let evil get the best of you.
  34. Overcome evil by doing good.

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

Adventurously Expectant Life

Nicholas Sparks writes 4 hours a day. He’s written a multitude of best sellers. Yesterday, I wrote for over 4 hours and produced 1 post. *Sigh*

I want to include everything God has shown me since the last post. And everything He reminded me about from past sources. He talks to me all day long.

I used to read my Bible and write my posts in the morning. (My mind is the most productive in the morning.) Then I fell behind. Backtracking over chapters I read the day before is hard. I would publish a post and realize I left out a key point!

I still write my post early in the morning. But sometimes, I don’t read the chapters assigned to that day until after lunch! On Sundays, I may not read them until right before bed.

I write verses, excerpts from my devotionals or the book I’m studying, down. Then I sleep on it. It takes all night for my unconscious mind to put together a somewhat cohesive form.

This new “routine” takes up more time. The laundry still needs doing and dinner made. I don’t want to forget to practice. I’ve found myself asking, “What should I do next, Lord?”

I get bogged down with urgent items and trying to stick to a strict routine. When I prayerfully consider my list – it all gets done.

Several times over the last week, God instructed me to “Take a nap” next! He’s a good father!

Romans 8:15-17, “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?’ (16) God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. (17) …Father and children…” The Message

* * * * * * *

“I used to think God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other, and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we should reach them. I find now that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other, and that it is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower, and that we have to go down, always down, to get His best gifts.” F. B. Meyer

* * * * * * *

“To receive God’s gifts, to live exalted and joy filled, isn’t a function of straining higher, harder, doing more, carrying long the burdens of the super-Pharisees or ultra-saints. Receiving God’s gifts is a gentle, simple movement of stooping lower.” “One Thousand Gifts” Ann Voskamp

* * * * * * *

“The enemy can’t take away a single thing that God gave you. If you’ve got a gift, you’ve got a gift. …If you’ve got a purpose, you’ve got purpose.” “What the Enemy Can’t Take Away,” 1 Min Motivation, Steven Furtick

We all have gifts from God. We all have a job, a purpose. Sometimes, we know what it is, sometimes we don’t!

I know I have a gift to play the piano. Satan tried to snuff it out, but he could never take it away.

I didn’t know I had a gift to write! The secretarial tasks were my least favorite duties when I worked at the church. (I enjoyed taking whatever offering the Lord gave and stretching it as far as possible.)

Yet, the writing was a gift I carried – like a pregnant woman. I started a diary as a preteen and I have boxes of journals. That gift just waited for the right time.

Romans 8:25, “That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” The Message

* * * * * * *

“The adult coral invertebrates, known as polyps, work underwater constructing coral reefs. They so never imagine they are building the foundation of a new island, which will someday support plants and animals and will be a home where the children of God will be born…Beloved, if your place in God’s army is hidden and secluded, do not grumble and complain. …He is looking for those who are willing to serve in places hidden from the sight of others, yet in full view of heaven, and who are sustained by the Holy Spirit.” “Streams in the Desert” June 21

Have you seen the video of the lava rushing to the ocean in Hawaii? The earth is groaning for the things to come. Volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, monsoons, typhoons, floods, wildfires, and famines are labor pains.

Romans 8:18-19, “That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. (19) The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next.” The Message

* * * * * * *

Mark 13:8, “Nation will rise against nation. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” New International Version

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/video/3883595-incredible-video-of-fast-lava-flow-from-fissure-8-in-hawaii/

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Live a Real Life, Eternal Life

We met with our accountability group on Tuesday night. We lean on these 2 couples during hard times and rejoice together during good times.

Last week we finished a DVD series from Jimmy Evans. I thought we had one more episode. So, I scrolled through some recorded Andy Stanley episodes. I found we had not finished “The N Commandments” series. We watched session 4.

“I’m worried about ________. Replace whatever word you put in that blank with “tomorrow.” Everything we worry about won’t happen until tomorrow. Don’t think about tomorrow; think about today.”

“The N Commandments” Andy Stanley

His text was Matthew 6:25-34 and “Take no thought” is in there 3 times. “Do Not Worry” or “Don’t fuss” repeated 3 times.

Then in Pastor Monte Knudsen’s sermon last night, I heard “Do not be troubled” 3 times.

  1. Matthew 24:6, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled. …” New Living Translation
  2. 2 Thessalonians 2:2, “Not let your mind be quickly shaken or troubled…” New Living Translation
  3. John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled. …” New Living Translation

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While working on yesterday’s post, I followed the advice of FBI Agent LaRae Quy. I made a list of tasks and ideas for my blog. Some items are overwhelming.

I woke at 3:30 am going over that list. I am not supposed to worry or be troubled. Then I remembered something Joseph Morris said at Faith Conference 2018.

“The rapture of the church is signless. The second coming has several signs. …Wouldn’t it be great if Jesus returned on the ‘Feast of Trumpets’ in September?” Joseph Morris at Faith Conference 2018

I went over my mental list again. If I only had until September, there wouldn’t be time to complete the first three. I think I will concentrate on the next 4 items.

This morning, I listened to Joseph Morris’ End of Days Update. He mentioned many signs, but 2 stuck with me.

  1. Blood Moons – We had four of them this last year. One was on the Passover and one on the Feast of Tabernacles. This happened 3 other times in history: 1492 – the expulsion of Jews from Spain; 1948 – when Israel became a nation in 1 day; and 1967 – when Israel reclaimed Jerusalem and all its land in the “6 Day War.”
  2. The Bethlehem Star – It appeared over 2000 years ago under the sign of Virgo. It appeared last December under the sign of Leo. Jesus was born of a virgin and He will return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Signs in the heavens. Yesterday, at lunch, I read some space trivia:

“When will the sun burn out? …So far, the star that powers our solar system has burned about half of its hydrogen reserves…the sun will grow so large it will boil our oceans and make the earth uninhabitable.” triviatoday.com

The Bible says the sun will burn out!

Matthew 24:29-31, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days; ‘the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ (30) Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (31) And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” New Living Translation

* * * * * * *

2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” New American Standard Bible

Hmm. You can’t stop global warming and Matthew 24:31 mentioned trumpets. So, how am I going to live?

* * * * * * *

The late entertainer, formerly known as Prince, wrote a song at the turn of the century called “1999.”

“…it was judgment day…people runnin’ everywhere tryin’ to run from the destruction…war is all around us…out of time, so tonight I’m gonna party like its nineteen-ninety-nine.” “1999” by Prince

That was his answer to facing the end. He planned to live it up until he died.

Tim McGraw recorded another song about his dad when he found out he was dying.

“…and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.” “Live Like You We’re Dying” Tim McGraw

We don’t need to live it up or live like we’re dying. Paul shows us a better way – live a real life, eternal life.

Romans 6:20-23, “As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. (21) But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end. (22) But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin to tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise? A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! (23) Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.” The Message

So, how do we live? Don’t worry and don’t be troubled; live like we’re leaving!

Proverbs 10:28, “The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.” New International Study Bible

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.

God is Kind, But He’s Not Soft

“And when this letter arrived in Rome, hardly anyone read it, certainly no one of influence. …And yet in no time, as such things go, this letter left all those other writings in the dust. …The quick rise of this letter to a peak of influence is extraordinary, written as it was by an obscure Roman citizen without connections. …He takes logic and argument, poetry and imagination, Scripture and prayer, creation and history and experience, and weaves them into this letter that has become the premier document of Christian theology.” The Message Introduction to Romans

The letter to the Romans changed Rome. We are all like the Romans – in desperate need of God and completely oblivious to that fact. We all start at the same place.

Romans 3:9, “…Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners.” The Message

God doesn’t leave us like He found us. He doesn’t abandon us. He walks with us in this new life.

Romans 2:4, “…God is kind, but He’s not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.” The Message

We think we have to straighten everything out on our own. We don’t – He does.

Romans 3:6, “…How else would things ever get straightened out if God didn’t do the straightening?” The Message

* * * * * * *

Romans 3:28, “What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. …” The Message

We are righteous because God says we are. We inherit this gift; we don’t earn it. God speaks, we believe, miracles happen.

Romans 4:17-18, “…Abraham was first named a “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. (18) When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn’t do but on what God said He would do. …” The Message

* * * * * * *

“God has a personal plan for your life called ‘His Will.’ But you can’t just play defense, you have to play offense. You can’t just do nothing wrong, you have to do something right. You can’t just follow the rules, you’ve been called to follow Jesus….”  “All In” by Mark Batterson

It’s time to play offense! We are all changing and change is hard.

6 Easy Steps to Make You More Resilient 

  1. Make a plan – Plans create a roadmap…through the stress…of change.
  2. Ask yourself a lot of questions – ‘Questions can virtually rewire our emotions, thoughts, and behavior.’ Psychologist Marilee Adams
  3. Take small but steady steps forward – Continuous improvement…steady movement forward…to make changes, monitor the results, and then adjust.
  4. Get rid of doubters – Share your plans and dreams…with people who are wiser and more experienced.
  5. Develop new, better habits – Replace an old habit with a new one.
  6. Grit up – It isn’t your problems that define you – it’s how you react and recover from them.

“…the unknown forces us to adapt to new circumstances. ….where we can develop new talents and strengths.”

“6 Easy Steps to Make You More Resilient,” by FBI Agent LaRae Quy

©2009-2018 thisyearsbiblereadingguide.com. All Rights Reserved.