No Do Overs

     As 2019 comes to an end and 2020 begins, I have no regrets.  Yes, I would like to have done many things differently, but I have no desire to go back in order to have a "do over."  What mistakes I made in the past are behind me.  What sins I have committed are forgiven.  Thank you, Lord!
     In 2020 I only want to go forward with Christ as the guiding force in my life.  I am not making New Year resolutions.  I am only looking to the Lord for what is to come.
     That being said, I do have dreams, ambitions, and desires, but they are nothing in comparison to having the Lord in charge of my life and doing what is pleasing within the will of God. 

Isaiah 43: 18-19a "Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth, shall ye not know it?..."

Faith

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight." 

     I pray that 2020 finds me walking more and more by faith looking to Jesus for my help.  Below are just a few things that "Faith" means to me.

F ocus on God
A lways relying on God
I n all things God helps me endure
T rust completely in God
H ave courage knowing God is with me

No Room

NO ROOM!

There was "no room" in the inn for Jesus, yet, even today, do we have room for Him?

No room!

No room within the dimly lite heart.

No room to halt pride's rising, steaming fume,

  stealing, robbing the soul of what makes whole.

No room for forgiveness;

No room for bearing Christ-filled witness.

No room within the cluttered, busy mind

  to seek angelic finds.

No room for thanksgiving or healthful living;

  only a hundred forms of fearful gloom,

  expectant doom.

No room except restless yearnings; desires churning, 

  leaving emptiness within life's journey.

No room for admiring simple pleasures;

  the flowers that bloom,

  the scent of fragrance or perfume,

  the blessings of God-given treasures.

No room!

No room to let life bloom

  or seek rewards from heaven's womb.

No room! No room!

There is no room for Jesus.

No room to be grateful He sees us,

  He hears us,

  He receives us,

  He frees us.

No room! No room!

Gifts of Christmas

     As Christmas approaches, most everyone has already bought all their gifts, and they are wrapped and tucked neatly under the tree.  These are our annual gifts, yet Christmas is about more than giving annual presents.  Christmas is about Jesus who was a gift given to be with us throughout the years and the seasons of life.  This is the One True Gift that does not need to be returned or hidden away in a closet.  Here we have a free gift and does not put us in debt, but rather, frees us from our sin debt.  He is The Gift that keeps on giving.
     James 1:17 reminds me further of what good gifts are all about.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is sent down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

Scripture

     When we become children of God, we are infants to His Word.  Just as we had to learn our ABC's gradually, we have to learn the Word and we can only learn His Word by studying the scriptures.
     The following are some of the ways I describe God scriptures or His Word:

God's inspired Word
Gold mine of promises
Anchor to secure and make steady
Promises for life's struggles
Sacred writings
Holy and to be honored and obeyed

     When I was younger I could easily memorize scriptures when I really applied myself.  As I have gotten older I find memorization harder, but it is wise to study, memorize, meditation on, and claim the truths of scripture.   
   

Joy of Christmas

     Christmas is about Jesus and being joyful, but to have joy we need to let go of sin.
     Sin as defined is "an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law."  And, that divine law is the very Word of God.  Scripture tells us how to act, how to love, how to forgive, how to share, and how to control our speech.  Scripture further tells us much about the results of sin in our lives.
     Yet, have we ever considered what really causes us to sin?  The cause of my sin is "me."  In order to control my sin I have to lend my thoughts away from "me" and toward those things which don't wrap around the "me factor."  Proverbs 30:15 talks about the leech who had two daughters, "Give! Give! they cry."  In other words "Gimme! and Gimme more!"  The "me" factor is the very reason we see greed, cruelty, hatefulness, envy, murder, and unforgiveness in our land. 
     When I live in such a way that life is not about me and dwell on life being about God, my Father, Jesus, His Son and my Savior, and the Holy Ghost who dwells within, then, and only then, do I find contentment, peace, and joy.

One God

     Proverbs 14:34 KJV reads, "Righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to any people."  The NLV reads, "Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people." However, The Message version puts it as simple as, "God-devotion makes a country strong.  God-avoidance leaves people weak."

     Face it, our nation was built on God.  There are those who want to take God out of everything.  I believe the beginning of God-avoidance began when God was taken out of our schools.  There are those who want the name of God left out of our prayers; it is offensive to them.  There are those who want to take God out of our Pledge of Allegiance.  There are those who want to remove our Christian values.  They want churches to institute their own immoral living standards into their church doctrines.  There are those who want to remove God completely from our speech.

     What we have to remember is that there is only one God and only with our one God and Creator are "all things possible".

    I pray we keep God in it ALL. 

Being Wise

     Proverbs is full of what it takes to be wise.  Some of my thoughts on being wise are as follows:

W -ant wisdom which by my scriptural interpretation is the very fear-of-God.  That is not to be afraid of God but rather to be fearful and respectful and in awe of His almighty power and omniscience.

I -ndulge in the Word daily, learning and gaining insight in order to find truth.

S -eek God first in every area of our lives

E -nter into a daily walk with God and weigh every word and action, making sure it is pleasing to our Creator. 

A God "Shaped" Life

In order to be safe on the roads we travel, we need to know our signs.
     Red means stop
     Green usually means go
     Yellow is for caution
     Black and White are usually speed limits
     Orange is caution
     Brown is for recreation
     Blue is for Assistance
Not only do the above have meaning, but the shapes also carry directional guidance:
     Diamond shape warns of hazard ahead
     Upside down triangular is for yield
     Pennant shaped warns of passing zones
     Round is for railroad crossings
     Horizontal is directional and informational
     Vertical is regulatory

     We could very well use signs in our Christian walk to keep us safe, as well.  As we endeavor to live a God shaped life there are many stumbling blocks.  The best help we have are "signs" - the words of wisdom found in scripture.  Just as we have to learn the safety and directional signs for driving, we need to learn the signs which help us "detour" from sin and "yield" to God's ways.  Often we have to "stop" and think before we "go" - act and speak.  There may be a "4-way" option.  It is up to us to determine the correct route along with "assistance, direction, and information" from God as we allow Him to take the steering wheel.

Life Happens in Small Things

     So far this morning I have enjoyed my early quiet time with God.  And, in the moments, I found a meaningful verse in Psalms 127 of  The Message version.  "It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone.  Don't you know He enjoys giving rest to those He loves?"  In our busy schedules, we often forget to simply take life as it comes and enjoy the moments of the day.
     It is interesting that just after completing my Bible reading, I picked up the book, When I Relax I Feel Guilty, written by Tim Hansel.   I could not help but underline the following sentences:
     "Learning to let life happen rediscovers the importance of small things.  It relishes childlike joys of the everyday wonders of being alive...If you cannot do great things for God, do small things in a great way...Can you find joy in a paper cup of time or a thimbleful of love? ...Each day is a gift...Each breathe is a gift...Sing because you have a song....The mark of a believer is not only love, but joy, wonder, appreciation, surprise, creativity, peace, tenacity, hope, simplicity, and even play."
     Wow! Here were 2 pages chopped full of restfulness.  It is the kind of rest God wants us to enjoy.
We don't have to rise early or go to bed late to find it; we just need to find a few carefree moments of the day to open our eyes and see and open our ears to hear.  By doing so, we can discover, in the words of Tim Hansel, "more of ourselves, of life, and of God."   We can truly seize the day!
     Beginning the chapter of Let Life Happen, Tim further provides the quote by Walt Whitman, "To me, every hour of light and dark is a miracle, every inch of space is a miracle."
     I truly give God the credit for every hour of light and darkness and every inch of space.  I praise God that I don't have to rise early or go to bed late to find the miracles of life, and I thank Him for giving me rest and a song in my heart. 

Canning For the Spice of Life

     Canning has become a rare art.  Few do it anymore; however, if you can read a recipe and cook, you can turn garden vegetables into long term pantry commodities even though there is a slight learning curve.  The fruit needs to be good and not beginning to spoil.  It needs to be sterile and clean and, once packed into the jar, sealed properly.  One rotten vegetable or fruit can turn the whole jar sour.  Yet, seasoned just right a jar of pickles, relish, or tomatoes can provide the freshest of flavors throughout the winter.

     Christians are much the same.  We are fermented with the essence of the Spirit.  We are flavored with faith.  We are sealed!  We overflow with the presence of the Spice of Life, and we need to season over time.  The Christian family needs to soak in the whole realm of seasonings, changing the one individual into a full well-blended mixture of unity. 

    That being said, Christians also need a slight learning curve.  Although sealed, we aren't immediately seasoned.  We need to delve into the scriptures to enrich our lives and learn about the full love of Christ.  We need to season ourselves with love for others.  We need to overflow in the treasures of His promises as we join the family of His believers and become one in Him.  Only with Christ, can we develop and provide the true flavoring needed to enrich our lives.

Halloween - In Costume

     I don't live in an area where I have many Trick or Treaters, but as I thought of all the costumes and the dressing up for trick or treating, my thoughts led to one who is in disguise all year long.  He dishes at flavorful treats with intensions of pulling people into his deceitful ways.

            In Costume

He dresses in fine clothes everywhere he goes,

Only to deceive and thieve.

The finest of costume, he wears, while disbursing his wares;

Worldliness, anger, and lies; things attractive to the eyes.

His dressed-up silky clock;

A sham, a disguise, a screen of smoke, a joke.

No joy, no blessing will be found

When this deceitful fellow is around.

Run, hide! Do not partake of his tasteful prize.

He wants your demise;

Your life, you wandering lonely and alone.

He wants to hear you groan.

He wants your soul!

That is his goal. 

Only God can make you whole.

Beware the treats the devil gives;

In him evil truly lives. 

                    Mary Crisp Jameson 11/1/2019

Value

Value is defined as "to regard the importance and worth and usefulness of something."  Usually when we value something we protect it dearly.
     I know of nothing more valuable than my relationship with the Father and my promised eternal life with Him.
     So, how do I protect it?  I strive to live a Christian walk.  I fellowship with Him daily and throughout the day.  In protecting this most valuable Asset, I also should share Him.  How?  I share Him through my speech, my words, and my actions.  I hold Him dearly to my heart for He is previous.  I am valuable to Him also.  He was oppressed, afflicted, a lamb led to the slaughter; all for me because of my rebellion and my iniquities.
     After His affliction, He not only left to prepare a home for me, but He sent the Holy Spirit to live within me and to guide me until I am prepared for His new haven.  I am valuable to Him and He is valuable to me.
     It is in protecting what is most valuable, my relationship with God, that I find:
V ictory in Jesus
A ll encompassing love
L ingering satisfaction
U ltimate peace
E ternal joy

The Here and Now

 Through life's battles, I have used the slogan, One Day At A Time, to get me through.  But as I was reading When I Relax I Feel Guilty, I developed a whole new understanding of the slogan and of life's expectations.  In the book it states, "God never gives strength for tomorrow or the next hour, but only for the strain of the minute."  I know that peace and happiness is found in the moment, not in tomorrow or in yesterday, and I do find that I am the happiest when I live in the moment; the here and now.

Pass It On!

     I have written about the many wonderful names of God from A to Z and posted about keeping His name holy and sacred, never using His name in vain.  Yet, there is something else that needs to be considered regarding His name.
     God wants us to use his name daily.  We are to call upon Him in times of thanksgiving, in times of need, and in times of praise.  His name is to be a "household name".  We are to pass His name around to our friends, our neighbors, and around the world.  We are not to keep His name a secret.  We need to "pass it on." 
     Let's consider some methods:

How:  Respectfully: Never in vain; Praiseworthy 
Exodus 20:7 (KJV) "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." 
When: Everyday 
Job 27:10 (NIV)  Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call on God at all times."

Where: Everywhere; Home, Neighborhoods, Workplace, Meetings, One on one
Psalms 76:1 (The Message) "God is well known in Judah, in Israel: He is a household name."
Why: To share the love of God; As Christians, We have a responsibility, We are told to do it.  So that whoever hears can be saved. 
Revelation 22:17 (ESV) "The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come."  And let the one who hears say, "Come."  And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price":




     

First Fruits

     I have discovered over the years that my husband is not fond of leftovers.  They are the crumbs from yesterday.  It is even more so with God.  He does not like our leftovers.  He does not want the crumbs from yesterday.  He wants the first fruits of  our labor. 
     Why, might you ask, do we need to first set aside our increase to God.  I believe most of us can easily answer that question.  If we don't set aside a portion first to God, we spend it on other things and then there is nothing left for God.  Amen!

Proverbs 3:9  "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase."

The Christ

     For some, like myself, names are hard to remember, yet others remember the names of everyone they meet.   Remembering names is important.  It makes people feel special when they walk up to someone they casually know and hear themselves called by name. 
     As hard as it is for me remember names, there is one name which I can and always will remember.  And, that is the name of Jesus Christ.  Yet, this is not just anyone with a first and last name.  This is Jesus the Christ.  He is the One and only Christ.  He is the Christ who died for me.  He is the Son of God.  His name nor God's name should ever be used in vain.  These names are holy.     
     Jesus the Christ intercedes daily for my sin, and it is God who created and cares for me. 
     
   
   

Division of the Waters

     As I was studying Elijah and Elisha, about the waters separating, I decided I wanted to record for my own information how many times the water separated as a result of our God's almighty power.  This is what I found:

1.  It begins in Genesis when God created the heaven and the earth. 
Genesis 1:6-7  "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.  And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above firmament and it was so.   Again in verse 9 we find, "And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so." 

2.  Next and the most described and illustrated is the parting of the Red Sea which occurs in Exodus when Moses leads the children of Israel out of Egypt.   Exodus 14:21-22, 26-27   "And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.  And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground:  and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left...And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.  And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea."  

3.  The next time the waters divide is found in Joshua when the Israelites prepare to enter the promised land.  Joshua 3:13-17  "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.  And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tens, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap ver far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the peoplr passed over right against Jericho.  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."  We find in Chapter 4 verse 18, "And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan and the soles of the priest's feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before."

4.  The next two occurrences involves Elijah and Elisha which I studied today.  Elisha had left his previous farming life to follow Elijah and minister with him.  When God got ready to take Elijah, Elisha was committed to staying with him until that time occurred.  In 2 Kings 2:7 we find fifty men of the sons of prophets witnessing the event as Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan.  Verse 8, "And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 

5.  Following Elijah's departure in a whirlwind into heaven, Elisha, in 2 Kings 2:13, "took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over."   

What an amazing God we have!  He is the Creator of all and is in control of it all.  

 

A New Life

     How many of us have often thought, "I wish I could go back and do it again," or simply wish we could change our lives?  Well, in fact, it is possible.  We have all been given a chance to develop a new life.   When Jesus died and was raised from the dead, we were given a brand new life.  All we have to do is accept the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
     In developing a new life, we often fail to accomplish our righteous desires.  However, if we fail in our choices, His forgiveness gives us another chance to do it right.  There is always a new day with our Lord!  Through our faith in God and through guidance from the Holy Spirit, we can rid our lives of grievances.  We can develop beauty from within.  We can learn to love others and treat them with respectful dignity even though they say bad things about us.  We can be forgiving without anyone asking us to forgive them.  In 1st Peter we are told to "be holy in all manner of conversation."   Let's face it, our life is a journey, and a journey is a process.  However, the ending to a good journey is one in which we traveled with God at the wheel.
   

To Know Him

     Not a lot of us really open up to allow others to really know us.  However, God knows all there is to know about our every thought and reason for our actions. 
     What I consider most important is that God wants His people to really know Him.  The Message put it like this in Hebrews 8, "They won't go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons.  They'll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great.  They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean."
     Again in John 14 when talking with Thomas, "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him."

The Murderer

     Jesus chose to die on the Cross.  He did it to save all people from the sin we continually choose to place in our live.  So, even though Christ chose to die for us in order to provide grace and an eternal life to His people, we placed Him on that Cross.  I am so very grateful, that though it all, He planned it, knowing who I really am, and still loves me.

The Murderer

Who was enticed 

to kill Jesus Christ?

Who did this heinous crime,

rejecting a love so sublime?

Here was an unjustifiable death, 

drawing blood and the Savior's very breath. 

Imagine a painting, a picture;

a hate-filled mixture;

A mob yelling, screaming,

tears streaming;

A Savior on the Cross, bruised and bleeding;

God's Son, in pain, forgiving

while taunters chose pretentious living. 

Look at the tortured Man within the scene, 

 yet willing to wipe sins clean. 

Who was responsible for this brutal act

upon a Savior, come to keep life intact? 

Who did this deed?

Who took the lead? 

Who was this murderer, 

this cold-hearted slaughterer?

It was me, it was you, it was all of us

in our sin, standing thus.   

                      Mary Crisp Jameson

Remember Me!

     I think, deep down, we all want to be recognized for something we have done or accomplished.  There is a yearning to be remembered.  I know that I, personally, would love to be able to have a few of my children's picture books published.  Although unsuccessful in finding a publisher, it really does not matter.  When I really think about it, I have already succeeded in my very best accomplishment.  I will truly be remembered by the One who counts, for my name is already written in the Book of Life. 
     I have no other real goal than to stop fretting and worrying about not having my name on the cover of a published book.  Instead, I plan to let my praise for God and His glory shape my life.  I want to fill my heart and mind with the Father who remembers me daily.  I want to think on how The Message put it.  I need to think on "the best not the worst, the beautiful not the ugly,  things to praise, not things to curse." 
     If I dwell on my love for God and His Son, giving Him the glory for His sacrifice on the cross for me, I can be quite content.  No one else needs to remember me other than the Father and Creator of this world and of my life.

Test Your Armour

     We are told to "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  What is this armour?  "Having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication..."  
     To be filled with truth and dressed in the armour of strength and knowledge, I need to be praying and be in the word of God.  I need to put everything to the test through the Word, through Jesus Christ.
     I need to T-est
                    E-very
                    S-ingle
                    T-hought 

Fruit of the Spirit

     We are warned in Galatians 5 about living by the acts of the flesh: "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."  When we become Christians, we are to be more Christ-like. 

     We need to exchange idolatry for faithfulness; hatred for love, fits of rage for peace and calm, dissensions for forgiveness; and the like. 

     There is to be a different kind of fruit growing within our lives:

F- orgiving spirit     

R- ejoicing in suffering

U- ttering daily prayer

I- ntimately seeking Jesus

T- emptation resistance and Truth living

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." 

Keeping the Faith

     Many often ask, "How do I keep my faith when bad things happen?" or some may say, "How do I tell others about Jesus when I may be scorned or laughed at?"

     Paul gives us an example of what we must do and trials to expect.  But it is all worth it for the cause of Christ.
     After Paul's conversion on the way to Damascus, he lived his life for God.  In 2 Corinthians he describes many of the trails he faced as a missionary to the people.
     "Paul was jailed, beaten and at death's door.  He was flagged 5 times with the Jew's 39 lashes, beaten by Roman rods 3 times, pummeled with rocks once.  he was shipwrecked 3 times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day.  He was in hard traveling year in and year out.  He had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes.  He'd been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those he though were his brothers.  He knew drudgery and hard labor, many a lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather.  He knew daily pressures and anxieties of all churches.  He felt humiliation.  He even had to crawl through a window in the wall, let down in a basket, and run for his life"
     Why did Paul do it all? And, how did he keep the faith?  The answer is given.  The Lord said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."  Paul states, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Light in the Heart

     I always prefer light to darkness.  Not only do I want my yard to be lite up, but I want my heart to be bright and shiny too.  Maybe, that is why I enjoyed reading The Message version of 2 Corinthians. 

"We don't fence you in.  The smallness you feel comes from within you.  Your lives aren't small, but you are living them in a small way.  I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection.  Open up your lives.  Live openly and expansively!"

     If I can remove the smallness in my life by the way I live and think, and with love toward others, then I believe my heart will be lite with light through Jesus Christ. 

     To enhance my understanding I also read the KJV and the NIV versions.

KJV: "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.  Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.  Now for a recompense in the same (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged."

NIV: "We have spoken freely to you Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you.  We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.  As a fair exchange-I speak as to my children- open wide your hearts also." 

Guys In Camo

The following is a story out of my book, Guys in Camo.  If you enjoy the story, you will find plenty more in the book which can be downloaded to your e-reader from Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/Guys-Camo-Mary-Crisp-ebook/dp/B005CB8O1E/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=guys+in+camo+book%2C+mary+crisp&qid=1560797131&s=gateway&sr=8-1

DISTURBING THE PEACE

I have never had to worry about not making any noise as I loaded up my dogs from a hunt before, but here it was midnight and I found myself trying to call in my dogs and get them back to the house without making any racket or calling attention to myself in the dead of the night.  I felt like a burglar trying not to get caught, and it was all from trying to help out a neighbor;  well, partly anyway.

I had lived in Village for years; Village being a small  residential area consisting of houses within about a four square mile radius, more or less, in each direction.  A neighbor living on the outskirts of this little town had a cornfield in a garden behind her house, and she had been complaining for several weeks about a problem she was having with coons eating up her corn. 

She finally asked me if I would come over one night and get rid of those coons.  That was right down my alley.  I had a pair of young dogs I had been training, and I was eager to get them into her cornfield and see if they would jump a coon. 

She lived within walking distance of my house but since I never knew when I might need my truck to round up my dogs if they headed into the woods and out of hearing range, I loaded  the dogs in my pickup after dark one night and drove the short distance to her house.  I dropped the tailgate and walked the dogs to her garden spot.  The dogs sniffed and paced around and were soon barking in the corn patch.  They treed and headed out into the woods away from all the houses, which is just what I had expected.  I followed and soon found the coon up an old tree not far from the clearing. 

During the time it took me to follow the sound of my barking hounds, I had decided the night was much too young to just kill that coon and stop the hunt.   I wanted the coon to come off  the limb of that tree and hit the ground alive so I could let my dogs have the pleasure of a good coon fight, and I was feeling up to a little excitement myself. 

We were at the edge of Village, and the dogs were in the woods away from all the houses so I thought just a little ruckus and disturbance wouldn’t hurt a thing.  I flashed my light up into the tree, found the coon and shot just to the left of the frightened coon, deliberately missing it.  Before my shot stopped echoing that coon was on the ground running for its life and my dogs were right behind it  barking and baying for all they were worth.  But the coon headed in the wrong direction.  Rather than going deeper into the woods, it headed back across the opening into the cornfield, out across the road, and back down the woods toward all the houses in our little community.  

I jumped into my truck hoping to head off the dogs that were hot on the coon’s trail.  Naturally the coon and the dogs beat me. The coon crossed the opening where our little church sat, went across the road and headed toward those little houses sitting in a  neat little row, all of which were built on pier and beam structures and sitting on cinder blocks up off the ground.  I didn’t know what to do as I watched the coon lead the chase underneath one house and then the other.

 I had the window of my truck rolled down and could tell by the commotion that one  of my dogs almost caught the coon under the first house, but the coon surprised my young puppy when it attacked and sent my dog reeling backward with a yelp.  By the time my dog recovered from its shock my other dog had caught up with the chase, and both dogs lit out once again on the coon’s trail underneath every one of those houses.  They were barking and baying all the while.  It was late into the night and the folks who lived in those houses had all gone to bed.  There were no lights on anywhere at first, but then I began to see lights coming on one by one in every house on the row.  It was then that I decided to just continue easing down the road in my pickup like a casual by- passer.  I didn’t want those folks knowing whose dogs those were and that I had caused all this ruckus.  

I eased up behind the big store at the crossroads which sat at the corner and just at the end of all that row of houses.  Then  I turned and drove south about a half mile down the road to a little oil field.  I stopped to wait for the chase to get to me.  Sure enough, from the sound of the dogs they were headed my way.  The dogs caught that coon about 100 yards from me and the fight was on again.  I listened to the coon squalling and the dogs barking and growling for about ten  minutes.  They finally got that coon killed and then all got quiet.   

I continued to wait a while longer before I started calling for the dogs, urging them to come quickly still trying to get them loaded and back at home without making any noise and hoping that the lights in the neighborhood were off and no one was roaming around trying to figure out what was going on.  

I never did go hunting no more in town.    

One With Him

If I had to choose my favorite number, it would be the number "ONE".  Why?  Simple! There is One God, One Savior, One Lord, One Master, One Creator, and One Redeemer.  All are one and the same.  He knows all, planned all and, because of my salvation, I am one with Him.

Ephesians 4:4-6 "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Mirror, Mirror!

     "Mirror, mirror, on the wall.  Who is the fairest of them all?"  

     Have you ever looked in the mirror to see, really see, who you are.  Forget the beauty, the not so pretty, the flaws, the wrinkles.   Just look deep.   Who are you?  What do you see?  What do you want to see? 

      James 1:22-24 state, " But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

     Do you see, in the mirror, a person so distracted by the world, you forget the important things of life?  Or, do you see inner spiritual growth?   Do you see a caring heart?  Do you see a forgiving heart?  Do you see a doer of the Word? 

     "Mirror, mirror, on the wall"...Who am I? What do I see?  Better yet, what do others see when my face is reflected before them? 

Everything!

Everything! 
  Sometimes, in our desires, we want it all.  What we don't often realize is, as children of God, we already have it all.  God bestows blessing upon His children daily. 
    Romans 11:36 (KJV) "For of Him, and though Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen"  The Message version puts it like this, "Everything comes from Him; Everything happens through Him; Everything ends up in Him.  Always glory! Always praise."

     When I think of "Everything" here are some things that came to mind:
E ternal life
V ictory over sin
E xtravagant generosity of God
R emoval of sin from my very soul
Y oked together in Christ
T reated with love, tried, tested, temptered
H ealed, with the Holy Spirit living within
I nner cleansing
N ever alone
G race and gifts abundant

Glory, Glory to God Almighty! I praise you, here, in my humble home.

The God Before Us

 The God Before Us
    Have you ever been driving along and suddenly hear a caboom?  You look back and there was a small board in the road or a piece of a tire.  What!  Where did that come from?  You didn't see it.   Or maybe you were walking through the house and stepped on an abandoned toy?  You hadn't looked down and had missed the object that was right in your path.   You obviously was distracted.
     Could it be, that we are also missing some God-given opportunities?  We are so busy and distracted we are missing our God, who is right in front of us?  We are missing the pebble or boulder of opportunity because we are too absorbed in ourselves and what we are doing?
   
Romans 9:32b   "For they stumbled at that stumblingstone."



   

A Sinking Ship

 A Sinking Ship
     Ever feel like you're in a sinking ship with no way out or in quicksand with no means of escape?  I believe it has been like that in some ways ever since the Garden of Eden was closed to mankind.  I am sure the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years must have felt at a loss.  I am sure when Jonah was in the belly of whale he wondered, "What have I done and how can I escape?  How can I make it right?"
     Often, all we can see is the problem dominating the landscape.  Our focus is only on the problem instead of the solution.  How can we right a sinking ship?  Help is needed, and that help comes from God.  In difficult times as well as good ones, we need to embrace God.  He will not shortchange those who love Him.  His timing is not our timing, but His timing is the right time.  During our times of trouble, God is often just preparing us for future blessings.  What we have to do is keep the faith and sail with the waves.

Romans 5: 3-5 "...We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy ghost which is given unto us."
   

Once Unthinkable Now Applauded

     All fleshly humans struggle with sin.  The law of man helps, in part, to tell us right from wrong.  Although different from God's law, which actually reveals both good from evil and right from wrong.  Another very big difference in God's law is that it is "Never Changing."  There is no room for tolerable, acceptance, or legalization of what is not written in scripture.  Whereas, man's law changes with the culture, with the whim of the people, and with governing leaders.
     With the advent of what current politicians want to change and make legal and supported by some citizens and non-citizens, I am reminded of a quote by Joni Eareckson Tada, "And gradually, though no one remembers exactly how it happened, the unthinkable becomes tolerable. And the acceptable.  And the legal. And the applaudable." 
     How sad for this country when man's laws go against God's laws, for that is when we turn our face away from God and His almighty will for this great nation and His created ones.

The Final Hour

The Final Hour
     It's the final hour!  What do we see?  What do we hear?
     We see a man who was faithful to His mission.  He hung on the cross.  With His very life slowly seeping away, He listens as the thief makes His appeal.  Here is a sinner asking forgiveness; a sinner recognizing the status of the Son of God.  Jesus answers his plea showing His continuing desire for the rescue of the souls of men. 
     It's the final hour!  Jesus sees His mother standing nearby grieving.  He sees John and, with love and compassion says, "Behold your mother!"
     It's the final hour!  Pain is excruciating.  Yet, Jesus cries outs, "Father, forgive them."
     It's the final hour!  What was in His thoughts?  Love, compassion, forgiveness, and concern for souls even though He was suffering greatly. 
     It's the final hour!  What and who will be on our minds when our lives are seeping away? 
   

Broken

Broken
     I was reminded of how broken the world is when I read the following.  Yet, God cares for the broken and He supplies the healing, turning it into something beautiful. 

"God uses broken things beautifully.

Broken clouds pour rain.

Broken soil sets as fields

Broken crops yield seeds

Broken seeds give life to new plants.

So, when you are broken, be rest assured that God is planning to utilize you for something great." 

     

     When I went through my divorce, I was a broken soul.  I wept every day for months, but in my broken state, I drew closer and drew strength from God.  I had a choice.  I could stand with hands clinched into tight fists and shout in anger, "Why!"  OR, I could take a knee, still wonder "why", but experience God's gentle love.  I could let my heart soften by digging into His Word and learn forgiveness, not only for the other party but also for my own failure.  

     The divorce was not God's doing, but He could take the experience I was going through and turn it into something more.  I wanted that "something more."  I wanted my "broken seed" to take on life,  and take it on more abundantly.  Today, I can truly say, "My joy is in my Lord!"

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." 

When will the world end?

       When will the world end?  There is a lot of political talk about the world ending in twelve years unless a proposed "Green Deal" is passed.
     I don't know about anyone else but I, personally, believe the world will end when God chooses and in His time.  Regardless of climate changes we will always have seasons.  "While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."
    On the humorous side:  
    To quote something I read today about the seasons just in Arkansas alone:
                               "Winter is at 6 a.m.
                                Spring is at 10 a.m
                                Summer is at 2 p.m.
                               Fall is around 430ish"

So, if anyone is having a problem with season change, just come to Arkansas. Need I say more?  😇

Imperfect People

     I have found many times that God uses imperfect people to do His work.  Therefore, I found the following quote and thoughts interesting:

"Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah was a drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sara was impatient, Elijah was moody, Mary Magdalene was a hooker, Moses stuttered,  Zaccheus was short, Abraham was old, Lazarus was dead...God does not call the qualified.  He qualifies the called."

Not wanting to use the above without finding the evidence of where it might have come from, I quickly researched (but not extensively) and found the following.  There were some instances I really could not confirm or project to its validity.  Each one must do their  own research and make their own conclusion.

Jacob, the cheater - In Genesis 27 we are told of how Jacob deceived his father and stole his brother, Esau's birthright.

Peter's temper- The projection of him having a temper probably come from these scriptures.  I honestly do not know if he had a temper or was just in human form out of fear.   In Matthew 26:72  Peter "denied Him (Jesus) with an oath..."  Then in verse 74, "Then began he to curse and to swear..."

David's affair- In 2 Samuel we are given the story of David's affair with Bathsheba and how he plotted to have her husband, Uriah, killed in battle.    

Noah, the drunk - In Genesis 9 we are given a narrative of how Noah became a husbandman and planted a vineyard after the flood.  In verse 21, "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken..." 

Jonah running from God - In the Book of Jonah we find the story.  In the first chapter, verse 3, "And Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.."  The rest of the chapter tells us what happened to Jonah and how God used him.

Paul, the murdered - Acts 8 tells us, "Saul (later named Paul) made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison."  From there Chapter 9 tells us about the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus; how God sent a light from heaven and blinded him.

Gideon insecure -  In Judges 6:12;14 the angel of the Lord appeared unto Gideon and said, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour...Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites..."  Gideon replied in verse 15, "I am the least in my father's house."  Gideon then said, "Show me a sign."

Miriam, the gossiper - Miriam was the sister who looked after Moses when he was a baby and who, I am sure, loved him dearly; however, in Numbers 11 we find, "Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married..."  The rest of the chapter tells how the Lord heard and called them out and reprimanded them for their slip of the tongue. 

Martha, the worrier - It seemed that one day Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha.  Mary sit at Jesus' feet to enjoy His visit, but Martha was too busy serving and worrying that all was right.  When she complained, we find in Luke 10:41, "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away for her."

Thomas, the doubter - In John 20, when Thomas was told of Jesus' resurrection, he said, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Sara's impatience - God had told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, yet his wife, Sara, had been unable to bare children.  In Genesis 16 we find that rather than wait on the Lord, "Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing:  I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai"

Elijah's moodiness- Elijah was a man of prayer and obedient to God.  I did find in 1 Kings19 that  Elijah "went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."   I really found no real evidence if Elijah was moody or not. 

Mary Magdalene - was one of the women who found the tomb empty after Jesus arose.  I only found one reference to Mary Magdalene using her name before she became a follower of Jesus.  In Luke 8:2, "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, of whom went seven devils."   There were other commentaries and opinions, but I did not find anything else in the King James Version.  I also read one writer who stated there is no biblical support for her being a prostitute.

Moses, who stuttered - What I found was in Exodus 4:10 when Moses told God, "I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 

Zaccheus was short - Most have heard the story and the song about Zaccheus being a wee little man.  Luke 19:3 states, "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of statue."

Abraham was old - Genesis 24:1 states, "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things."  Before that,  Chapter 21:2 tells us "Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him."

Lazarus was dead - Jesus used Lazarus's death to show his almighty power of healing.  John 11:43-44 confirms this.  "And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth..."

     God's Word rings true.  We all are created by God and for a purpose, regardless of our defects.  We can run, we can protest, we can offer excuses.  God gives us the freedom to do so.  Yet, if God wills it, it will happen, and it will happen in God's perfect timing.  We may only be delaying the rewards He has set forth for us.  He sees all and knows all.