I watched some New Year’s resolutions people were making last night when I couldn’t sleep. They were interesting and got me thinking. I always tell myself that if I just do the next right thing that I don’t need to make resolutions. But this was more. They were really making plans to do the next right thing in detail. There are so many things that take a little thought that you can implement throughout the year. Do some investigating of charities that you can support on a regular basis. Tithing at your local church. Do you realize only 10% of people actually tithe anymore but you really can’t afford not to. Tithing makes the world go round. What about the over abundance of stuff you have and don’t need. Who could be blessed by it. Give it away. Become a blessing to others by giving, tipping, giving compliments and encouragement. Speak life and not complaining and grumbling over yourself and others. Go out of your way to talk to people and lift them up. Work in different ministries and help out those in need and the marginalized. I always thought that because I’m in a wheelchair that I can’t do much but there is so much I can do. Offering to pray for others that may seem down or just might be a little grumpy because of what they are currently going through in their life. Life can be difficult and people have many battles they are going through. Rejoice over the little things throughout the day. There are so many things to be thankful for. People in other countries have so much less than Americans do but yet they are so much more grateful for all that they do have. What can you do to make a difference in your world in 2024.
True Peace
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
At this time of year Christ was born and he wants everyone to know that he came to bring peace to all people. One thing we can all use is peace. The peace that Jesus brings is not like any peace this world can offer because it is perfect and it is free. Most people just don’t know what they are missing out on because unless you have experienced it you will never understand it. People don’t trust God because they don’t know him. They believe what they hear and what they have been taught by their family or in school or college more specifically. And because schools stopped teaching about God they are being taught a distorted belief. People may have been raised in a church but because people are not perfect and often make mistakes we have learned to distrust them. They may have also lost someone they love and blame God and don’t want anything to do with someone who took the one they love. This is so sad because they don’t know what they could actually have for free just for the asking. Most people say they don’t believe the Bible but they have never actually read one. They believe just what they have heard from others who have actually never read one either. This is so sad because they are walking around with a deadly disease that will eventually kill them and living an unhappy life for no reason. People can be unhappy, depressed, confused and insecure because they don’t know the unconditional and very satisfying love of the one who made them just to be in a relationship with him. He knew that what we needed more than anything else in this world was deliverance from sin and death. With that forgiveness comes acceptance and a relationship like we have never had before. And one that will give us that peace that we have never felt before. Because once he has forgiven you his blessings and favor rest upon you forever.
Real Life
“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:25
I love watching people. It’s amazing what some people live for. Things they just have to have in this life to make them happy. Things that aren’t even good for them and they can bring an early death. Such as drugs, drinking, smoking and over eating. Or just eating the wrong foods for a healthy life. People can spend so much time on their phones and spend so little time with people they say are important to them. This life is only so many years and really we don’t know when it will end. I almost died when I was just 45. I had a very severe stroke and was unable to speak or move anything but my eyes. Locked in was how they described it. They didn’t give me much hope of surviving or having any quality of life. But God wasn’t done with me and my life really began when I had almost lost it. I had plenty of time to think about it. Laying there flat on my back. Before my stroke I had been living for myself, doing whatever I wanted. Drinking and hanging with my friends I was a wild one. Now I can see how stupid it all was. But at the time I thought I was living for the moment. People tend to think they just have to have what they want but most often we are dining on scraps when God has a feast just waiting for us. He tells us he has an abundant life waiting for us but until you take him up on his offer you will never know. I learned to fly and even had my own plane. I had a well paying job that I could do when I wanted so I could fly wherever I wanted. Compared to now I’m living in a nursing home and my body physically doesn’t work very well any more and I’m in a wheelchair but I have an amazing and wonderful life that I wouldn’t trade. It is more learning to be grateful for all that you do have and not focusing on what you don’t have. I have learned to live every moment to the fullest. And people are very important to my life. It doesn’t matter which people just how important relationships are. Especially family and I talk to them all throughout my day and every day. Same with good friends. God has become so real and vital for the best life and it is so fulfilling.
God’s Glory
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the works of his hand.” Psalm 19:1
Either people are physically blind or they choose not to see what is right in front of their faces. Many people only believe what they have been told to believe. They don’t question life. God said you need to become as little children to see the kingdom of heaven. We need to have questioning minds and hearts. Children want to know things because at birth they don’t know things and are always learning something new. They do believe what they are taught but it needs to make sense to them. What is good and what is bad. What’s right and what’s wrong. Why, is a very big question to a child. Things are simple to a child, they don’t really understand complicated. You can ask a child if something is good or bad and they will tell you. A puppy? Very good! A cookie? Good. Falling down, not good. Burning your finger, not good. What if we go farther. The sun rises like a clock every morning. Rain comes to water plants and gives us water to drink. These things are good and important even though rain might spoil our plans. You still wouldn’t want it to never rain. A ripe strawberry, a beautiful red rose, the sun setting over the ocean. Millions of stars in the sky at night. Could they just come from nothing? People are all so different and we all have different personalities and dreams and desires. We all think and reason and understand. I know I’m not a plant that just popped out of the ground. I’m too . God’s complex. I couldn’t have come from an ape or a fish because they can’t think or reason. And nothing begins without a seed that has everything inside of it to create exactly what the seed has inside it. So where did seeds of everything come from? Evolution only explains how one thing becomes another thing, sort of, but something has to start evolution. A big bang? Not technical enough to explain life. Sorry! I loved camping as a child and I can sit on a mountain overlooking an awesome view and sit for a long time there is just so many awesome places and things to discover. I could never see it all in 100 years. So why is it so hard for people to believe that there is something that created everything? Something bigger than us? Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? You need to question life and how you fit into it. Keep searching for answers until you find answers. I love to read and I learn so much by reading everything I can. God’s word is a good place to begin, you may be surprised what you find.
Be Prepared
“Therefore keep watch, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:42
We have been waiting for thousands of years and at times it seems like we have all the time in the world. But this life is very short in comparison to eternity. Not a thousand years, not a million, but forever. Do you know where you will spend forever? Good or horrible we will one day see the face of God and eternity will be here. We may die tomorrow in an accident or Jesus may come to take his children home. Will you be ready? It is very easy to be sure and know without a shadow of doubt. It all depends on the life you live right now. Today. Does that mean you have to be perfect? No. Nobody is perfect. And our loving father knows that and he doesn’t care because he loves us. But he hates sin. So how do we as sinners get anywhere near God. We just believe that his precious son Jesus Christ did die to take all our sins away. It was the ultimate plan and though it was a horrible plan for God and his son, they did it anyway because we are so important to him. He wants everyone to spend eternity with him in paradise but many won’t take him up on his offer. They think they don’t need it. Such a sad mistake which lasts forever. Once you are banished from his presence there is no light and no goodness ever again nothing that you used to enjoy on God’s beautiful world. So think long and hard about tomorrow.
Challenges
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lore has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:27
So much can be learned by reading Job. I’ve studied it many times since my stroke because it gives so much insight to suffering and pain. There is a reason for everything. Sometimes only God can understand the reasoning at the time but I do believe that he works all things for the good of those who love him and are called to his purposes. They don’t always have to be pleasant to be good. If there was no pain then how would you know you felt good? If there was no dark why would you need light? If no evil would we know how much we enjoyed good things? I know that I can’t fix meals and I want to eat so I get what they serve me and it isn’t always something I might choose. The other day I had a donut and I was so excited. Well I hadn’t had one for a few years but it was Thanksgiving so it was a special occasion. It tasted so good. I don’t see my family much because they live out of town so when they come it’s a celebration. If they were here all the time it would be less exciting. I have had my share of pain since the stroke because physically my body has lost a lot of abilities. My mind however has never been better but I do things all day to strengthen my brain muscles. My body won’t get better and I’ve given up on it. I’m ok because I always seem to be able to do things I need to or want to do. Others do most everything for me. Kind of cool because I don’t have to clean, cook, do laundry, or go to work. I can read, play games, or sleep whenever I want. Something I have noticed is that I have had pains that doctors have found cures for and now I’m grateful to be out of the pain. But I am stronger and can tolerate even more than previously because I got used to the pain. You can see things as bad when things change but after time they don’t seem so bad anymore. It is what you get used to. When you have people to talk to it can brighten your day as long as you still have time to be alone so you can enjoy spending time with people again later. Too much of a good thing gets to be not so good after a while. Like I may love donuts but every day and I probably won’t like them for long. One thing I never get tired of is the presence of the Lord. The more I get, it seems the more I want. It is never enough. I could never do without it anymore. He gives me the strength I need to live every day to the fullest.
Hidden Treasure
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Matthew 13:44
The kingdom is not something just anyone can see. It doesn’t make sense to many people until it is revealed to you and you begin to see it for what it is. But it is not something you have to purchase, but is the most valuable thing you could ever have. Until you find it and open up, the gift that is just lying there for anyone to find, you don’t realize what is right before your eyes. You can’t truly appreciate what is in front of you till you study it. I was razed up in the church so I knew God and my family was in church every week from the time I was born. Every week it was required that I would be in church. I knew the Bible stories well and won many contests throughout vacation Bible school growing up. My father would read a Bible story book after dinner every evening. I knew those stories well, but I didn’t really know God. Until I began to seek for him and all he had for me personally did I find him. It took reading everything I could about God, I committed to pray regularly and read my Bible every day. I also started going back to church with a friend every week. Slowly he became so real to me. The peace and comfort I felt was so overwhelming and the Bible started to come alive. It had always been a little confusing at times to me. All my life I thought I was a Christian but it didn’t change anything about my life. I just lived as good as I could and didn’t think about God much. Well once I realized what I had found. I realized that I could never ever live without what I found. I would do anything to never lose it and to get more of it, it became my every obsession. God knows us so well and he is drawing us to himself because he loves us so much. He knows just how we think and what it is going to take to wake us up. I know several people were used by God in my life to help draw me to him. Devine encounters made just for me. Well I have never been happier or more at peace and calm. Pain and troubles can annoy me at times, but they can’t shake my peace. That treasure is just waiting to be found so open your eyes it’s right in front of you.
Knowing God
“Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you, Away from me, you evildoers’”. Matthew 7:23
God knows us completely but he wants us to get to know him. He knows everything we have ever done or said, even to ourselves. Our deepest, darkest secrets that nobody knows, he knows. Nothing can be hidden from him. He knows our very hearts and what lies in them. Even Satan knows God very well. He lived with him in heaven for a long time. Leading praises to him. Until he decided he wanted to be powerful like God. Even though God created him he thought he could be better than God. And hell is made just for him and his angels to spend all eternity in. If he knew God that well and yet is the father of lies. What do we need to know? People think that saying a prayer to God is all they need to do to be able to get into heaven. But there are many that think they are guaranteed heaven and they will one day hear those awful words and be eternally cast away from God and all that is good. He wants your heart also. He wants to be your one desire. People can say that they want to be forgiven but are they willing to turn away from their life of sin and run to him. People think they can do what comes naturally and still sin and God will overlook it. Unless you can remember every time you sin and honestly ask God to forgive you believing in your heart that you do not want to sin anymore and turning away from evil. Then there is no guarantee you are changed. If you lose your life for Gods sake and all your sinful desires, then you can save your life from the final death. But no matter what you say or do God will know your very heart. Is he first in your life? Are you more concerned for his kingdom than your kingdom? Are your desires his desires? These are some very important questions you need to ask yourself if you want to spend eternity with God in paradise one day. If you want to see God one day and gaze upon his glory and thank Jesus for all he did for you? If you wish to see every person that’s in heaven just because of you and the life you lived? So much you don’t want to miss. Eternity really does matter.
Discipline
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? “. 1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not realize that as Gods dearly beloved children we are new creatures? We are no longer our own, but were bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ himself. Such a very high price was paid for our freedom. It is something we could have never paid for but grace paid the cost for us. Christ now lives within us and his Holy Spirit dwells within us and will never leave us. Forever! At one time Gods people had to rely on priests to offer sacrifices on our behalf and pray for us. We needed to do our part by following his commands and bringing our sacrifices to the temple to be sacrificed. We had no power and no strength to live as we should. Now we have been given everything we will ever need to succeed as Gods children to do his will. We can still choose to do our own things and not what he has for us, which can totally ruin our lives, just as it did for Gods chosen people over 2000 years ago. If we don’t eat properly and drink plenty of water it will effect our bodies. Eating starches and sugars can lead to diabetes. I know I had a stroke that I couldn’t have prevented and it took many things from my body but I had no real control over it. I live in a nursing home and see people do so many things that cause their bodies damage. Drinking, smoking, doing drugs, overeating and filling their bodies with junk food can really take a toll which will not let you live the kind of life you choose. I have always had a fear of getting diabetes because as a young girl my good friend had to give herself shots all the time and it scared me. In this home people have lost arms and legs and their lives because of diabetes. So I am very conscious about what I put in my mouth. But are we careful about what we allow into our minds? I will not do anything that might upset God or hurt the Holy Spirit because I don’t like feeling guilty about hurting anyone let alone those that only want the very best for me. I think I owe them that much for all they have done for me. I have a habit of stopping every few minutes and consciously thinking about what more can I or should I be doing for God’s kingdom. I want to finish my race strong. I don’t think that this world can survive much longer and that Jesus is coming soon. I want my temple shiny and fancy. God deserves it.
Holy Wooing
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
Isn’t it good to know that God knows all that we can be before we are ever born and also all the mistakes we are going to make but he still very patiently keeps drawing us to himself. He will not push us but will continue to let us do things our way. He has all the time in the world to woo us and he knows exactly what will work for our unique life experiences. He begins wooing us from our first day of life because he loves us so. Different people have different challenges and different blessings so the time it takes to draw us to himself will be different with everyone. Generational curses and blessings effect that. Personally my grandfather was a Baptist minister so our family was in church every time the church was open. I’m sure my grandparents and my mother prayed for me often. But my father liked to go out drinking with the buddies and that’s where he was while my mother was having me, all alone. He didn’t really want to give up everything for his faith. It wasn’t bad drinking but that can be a strong generational curse which can lead to drunkenness and violence and irresponsibility. This can pass down through generations. Luckily he gave that all up when I was still very young and recommitted his life to the Lord and I had a very strong Christian upbringing. I didn’t have the problems that so many of my friends had. But as is normal we all go through some rebellious times in our teens and early adulthood and God can send us through different divine encounters to get us through this period. I accepted the Lord early in life and knew the Bible stories by heart but I didn’t know Jesus. Just about him. So when I was in my 30’s I had my rebellious period where I wanted what I wanted. Which led to my stroke where several divine encounters drew me to seek that relationship with Jesus I had never had. Once I found that I wouldn’t let go and just kept seeking more. The peace I found would not let me go and was so amazing. I found what I was meant to do which was write and encourage others and now God is using me as someone else’s divine encounter. To further their wooing. But one day he will not be able to woo you any longer because your time on earth will be up so don’t resist to long or it may be too late.
Then She Spoke 