Category: Truth

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35

Jesus had great compassion for people. They all meant so much to him. It didn’t matter who you were or what you were like. He definitely cried with those who cried and laughed with those who laughed. When he saw someone sick or hurting his heart went out to them, when Satan was oppressing one of his, he had to act. Whether they were blind, crippled, disease ridden, or demon possessed. Male or female didn’t matter because you were equal to God no matter what and he had no favorites. When he was hung on that cross he forgave those who were torturing him. Because that was his Father’s will for a lost and dying world. They knew it had to be this way. It was all under their control or it wouldn’t have happened and we would perish forever. But they couldn’t let that happen because of their love. We didn’t really have any say, and we didn’t deserve it, but they wanted us to live with them the way they intended. They just want for us to be more like that. We owe them so much that we could never begin to repay them. Everyday they do more and more to let us know how much they care. They will never stop doing everything they can because that is who they are. Even when people say they don’t believe that God exists because they are so lost and out of hope. They might even be angry with God by something that has happened to them, but he still loves them greatly. We might do many bad things that we think he could never forgive but we are wrong. He will forgive anything if we just ask him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but all to be forgiven. It doesn’t matter how bad it was. You may have been sentenced to life in prison for a crime but some of the biggest miracles take place when a mass murderer finds Jesus in prison and he changes their life and turns it around. God is always working in someone’s life and he always does excellent work and he might be working on you next.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

God wants to fulfill our needs and he uses us to intercede for others. There is so much power in prayer and people’s needs matter to God. He isn’t going to answer just any prayer but he will do what is best for everyone. It may not be what we want or how we think he will answer. The more we get to know God through reading his words and praying the better we get to know his will. That way we can pray more effectively. Some people just don’t know how to pray they just know they have a need. Or maybe something is bothering them or they are sick. God can use trials and sickness to strengthen us and sometimes they are there for a reason. You don’t grow stronger when things are comfortable, but as you learn to trust God, when he does come through even when it might be at the last minute. Kind of like when the Israelites were being chased as they left Egypt right to the Red Sea. God had a plan but that didn’t know that. He parted the water and they walked right through on dry ground. Causing the chasing army to follow them back and they were drowned in the sea. No more problem! Didn’t quite expect that. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like God is hearing our prayers but we don’t seem to get the answers we want. Maybe it’s just not what is best for you or that he is working on something so much better if we just trust him. Maybe we are having problems because we have sinned or not followed God’s commands and wisdom. We can sometimes be our worst enemy. When we do things our way and not God’s way he will let us because he has given us free will. We can get in relationships and situations that God has warned us against but we wanted them so bad and it just isn’t good for us causing more problems. Someone wants to be married but they aren’t patient and they marry the first person who seems interested even a non Christian and they end up miserable. Always pray for guidance when making a big decision like marriage or financial decisions. Because if it’s not God’s will it could be a big mistake. But if you follow God’s guidance and his ways life is so much easier. I know I did a lot of things because I just wanted to and God let me have my way but it always had consequences because it definitely wasn’t following Gods guidance and commands and it usually didn’t work out. Once you put God first in your life and others second things will start falling into place for you I know they have for me. It helps knowing Gods word and following it and staying far from sin that can trip us up. God loves taking good care of his children and not seeing us make mistakes that aren’t good for us.

“Humble yourself, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6

God loves the humble but resists the proud. He does not like when we think too highly of ourselves. Thinking we can take care of ourselves and that we control our future. I sure know that I’m thankful for all he has done for me and all that I have. I willingly die to myself every day and live totally for what he has for me and he has never let me down. He always gives more than what I could have alone. Because of my stroke I can’t do a lot of things anymore. I’m totally dependent on others to meet my needs but that has caused me to trust only in him. That wasn’t always easy because I feared what others might do wrong but God let me know that he was in charge of everything! He loves me and does take good care of me still. He still helps me to stay independent during the day. If I can’t do something I pray and he gives me strength or an idea to help me accomplish something and I do things to help those taking care of me to make sure they have what they need to help me. I have also found ways to encourage others. Even though I can’t do much I can write what he has taught me through everything and it does feel good to know God’s purpose for your life. I am a child of God and he has called me to encourage others. I may have been able to do so much more before my stroke but my heart wasn’t trusting or humble and that comes from a total change of the heart.

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalms 77:11-12

When you hear something exciting God has done how could you ever forget it. I know I can’t and I love telling others about it. It happens over and over every day. I know it helps to look through eyes of faith. Miracles are easy to get excited about but they happen every day in some degree. It may be small like God helping you do something you know you couldn’t have done by yourself or when someone with stage four cancer gets a test that shows they are cancer free. I’ve known many people that the doctors told they had maybe six months to live and years later they are still going strong. But what about creation itself, have you ever really looked at a leaf? It is alive and turns different colors in different temperatures. It has a skeletal system like structure that holds it all together so it doesn’t just crumble apart at a touch but sap runs through it to help it grow from the nourishment it gets from its parent tree. Have you ever watched a flower open its petals in the morning and pull them closed at the end of the day? Human and animal bodies are the same with skeletons and skin, muscles and tendons. Blood and oxygen flow through the blood. How you get a fever to help your body fight infection. These are all miraculous for someone who says we just evolved from a brainless fish who cannot solve complicated problems or invent complicated machines. I can sit and contemplate these things for hours. Even pets can have emotions with their owners and with other pets in the home. When one dies the other one can mourn for a very long time and they may never get over it. They can tell when their owners are happy, sad, sick or scared. That’s why pets can make great therapy animals. I just don’t know how some people can’t see amazing things everywhere like I do. I like to sit and look around me. Watching nature or people. You learn a lot of amazing things. I guess that’s why God says be like little children because they are always wanting to learn more and they ask a lot of questions. Just because mom said so isn’t a good answer. All living organisms are just too complex.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

We are called to be new creations not just saved from the flames of hell. Our lives are to look different. People are watching us, what kind of example are we showing the world? We as followers of Christ are to look more like him every day. What would Jesus do? He spent a lot of time talking to his Father. He spoke only what the Father told him to. No unwholesome words should come out of our mouths. Are we showing love to everyone. Even when we don’t agree with someone we should love them and treat them with respect because they are dearly loved by the Father. As one he created on purpose with a plan for their lives. What are you spending your time doing that will bring you closer to his ways. Life needs to be lived intentionally, if one day you wish to hear, “well done good and faithful servant.” Are we finishing are race strong for the kingdom? There is so much work to do and not many who are doing it. Are we caring for widows and orphans and the marginalized that need our help. Are we encouraging others. Rejoicing with them when they are glad and mourning with them when things are tough. Are we sharing the great things of Jesus that they may never know because they really need to know how great it can be.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:2

That pretty much says it all. Nothing but black nothingness. It doesn’t matter which came first the chicken or the egg because neither existed. Not a single cell or organism. We couldn’t have evolved from nothing. Now I have faith to believe a lot of things but not that something so technically intricate as life just happened. Scientists came up with this scenario and it’s really stretching what’s possible. Just a delicate and beautiful flower is alive. And I’ve seen amazing flowers that can even do strange things like only bloom every thousand years or something. Each animal is so specifically made for their lifestyle and for the climate they live in. Mankind can think and reason and invent amazing technology. Like micro computers. People didn’t want to believe that there was a God that would make them live a certain way so they tried to explain life without a creator. But there is a God and we have sinned against him and are worthy of death this sin is a cancer in our life and just like cancer if you don’t know you have it. That doesn’t mean you won’t die from it. You can say you are not sick all you want but you’re still sick. When my daughter had her third child she got really sick and around 2015 they found out she has EDS and Pots which is manageable when you know it and most of my family has many symptoms. I believe it came from my father and I passed it down. It explains a lot of things. Just because I didn’t know that I had this (because they only discovered it around 2015) doesn’t mean I didn’t have it. Just because you don’t believe in God doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist. You really are missing so much when you don’t know all he has done and keeps doing some amazing things in and through us. I lived my life oblivious to God and his power. I knew of him but didn’t really know him. I was 50+ when I began learning so much about him. Since 2013 I have packed my life full of all I can get of him and it is so rich with him. You know there is a valiant King coming on his mighty stallion one day and I can’t wait. But right now I just want all he has to offer right here and now, don’t you?