He Did Not Have To!

Jesus left His mansion in the sky 

  But He did not have to…

Jesus left His Father to come to earth

  But He did not have to…

Jesus came to serve

  But He did not have to…

Jesus came to save

  But He did not have to...

Jesus came to take away my sin

  But He did not have to... 

 

Jesus did it all willingly.

   He did not have to, but He did!

   He chose!

   He chose to love me willingly!

My sins are many

  But they do not have to be…

"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be serves, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

Hebrews 12:2 In My Words

^{One of my bible study questions asked me to take Hebrews 12:2 and put it into my own words. Actually, it asked me to put part "a" into my own words but I could not just take a part of the scripture, I had to use the whole.} 

^{Hebrews 12:2  "}Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

My Revised Version in My Words 

Jesus laid aside His princely crown

When, from heaven, He came down.

He did it, in joy, for me.

He endured the cross!

He took on my shame to give me gain.

In the human form of man,

He, in joy, completed God’s plan. 

He, in joy, followed His Father’s will

And lives still!

He, the author and finisher of my faith

Now lives at God’s right hand, 

And I look to Him, in faith, for grace. 

Mary Crisp Jameson  2/27/2025

The Enemy

I remember that old saying, “You are your own worse enemy.” This is so true! My enemy lives in me and promises to pop out any given moment unless I keep a deep, on-going relationship with my Father. He is the only One who can banish the enemy. It is so important to follow God’s word and remember the words of Paul as he was in prison when he said, “In whatever state I am in, I have learned to be content.” 

 

The Enemy

 

The enemy lives within,

And it is my sin.

It can be my doubt

When going through a lingering drought.

It can be deceit

I offer up in anger at someone’s feet.

It can be my lust-

Desiring earthly possessions until I nearly bust.

It can be my rebellion rising

With satan’s disguising.

The enemy seeks to knock me off my feet,

Keeping me from being complete.

The root of all my evil ways,

Is hidden deep within,

And it stays.

It awakes and rises in my dismay

To toy, play, and prey to make me stray.

The enemy lives within

And I can only win with Him-

My Christ, who paid the price.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 2/26/2025

 

“Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.” Exodus 15:6 KJV

 

 

The Heart of Love

Since February still lingers, I suppose it is not too late to think about Valentine’s day which celebrates love and affection and leaves me with the image of a heart. Actually, the heart is the innermost part of my being. My heart is what governs my thoughts and emotions. 

     There are all kinds of sayings about the heart and the emotions that go with it, like: 

 

Faint of heart

A heart of gold

Eat your heart out 

Have a heart to heart

Have a change of heart

Heart is in the right place 

Home is where the heart is 

From the bottom of my heart 

Wear your heart on your sleeve 

These are all good things to consider but even better are those found in scripture: 

 

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7a

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21

 “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

 

     There are so many more scriptures about the heart that I cannot post them all. But the one thing I cannot leave out is how much love flows from God’s heart. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is a heart of love! And, He gives it to me.

 

 

Slogan Thoughts

AA and Al Anon Slogans

I never went to AA, but I did attend Al Anon. We used the same slogans used in AA. They are great ones and some I used more than others. I have no idea who came up with the slogans, but my thoughts are that they are a spin-off from the words in scripture. I know that when reference is made to a Higher Power, that Higher Power, for me, is God. Without Him, these slogans are unattainable.

 

One Day At a Time means to focus on the present, not yesterday and not tomorrow. Scripture says it like this, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 

 

Easy Does It is a reminder to avoid rushing the process and set an even pace. Some might even want to say “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” or “Let the saw do the work.” I found Philippians 2:13 to sum up letting God do the work: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” 

 

First Things First is simply prioritizing things that crop up in life, and God is always first. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 gives us yet another “first”. (First) … “Put our outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” Proverb 24:27

 

Keep It Simple is to be cautious, not letting life seem like it is too complicated which means sometimes taking a step back to narrow it down before moving forward. “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”Ecclesiastes 4:6.

 

Let Go and Let God! This slogan is my all time favorite. It simply means what it says. Turn the problem loose, and let God take the wheel. He is the Higher Power! “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and findgrace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

 

Live and Let Live is to focus on self and not what others are doing, but helping others only if you can. “Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them, This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.”  1 Corinthians 7:17 

 

Think! This one simply allows for one to THINK before they act. Consider the consequences of actions and words. Philippians 4:8 says, “…Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

 

This Too Shall Pass is meant to keep the spirit high. It is not as If it will happen but When it will happen and stay positive in the temporary.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us about seasons, and I do not believe this is all about weather changes. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” 

 

Keep Coming Back is a reminder to keep at it. Maintain support to keep at the goal. In other words, “Show up!” We must continually show up for ourselves and our God, who is willing and able to always show up for us. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

 

 

Change

People change;

 

They change because of hurts.

They change because of experiences.

They change because of healthy issues.

They change because of embarrassment .

They change because of disappointments.

They change because of job restructuring.

They change because of the relationships they make. 

They change because of the environment in which they live.

They change when they receive the Lord as their Savior.

I can cause people to change when I show love.

I can cause people to change by the words I use.

I can cause people to change by my helpfulness.

I can cause people to change through positive living. 

I can cause people to change when I live the "fruit of the spirit- 

    love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

Change is not bad…And it is good to have a Friend who never changes. 

 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NIV 

 

 

A Winter to Wonder

Winter  

 

It’s 15 degrees outside,

And, inside, I prefer to hide.

Yet, I want to experience the sunshine

And feel its warmth upon my body and spine.

I desire to watch the beautiful views

And rid myself of the winter blues.

I hope to experience amazing things

As desire for spring pulls on my heartstrings.

It’s 15 degrees outside,

Yet, early spring daffodils, I have already spied.

There is an encouraging hope in the air

As the migrating birds, their presence, they declare,

When the browns turn to green

And sunshine on new growth gleans,

Or even when the ground warms

And seedlings form.

But more marvelous than my hope for spring

Is the joy my Lord brings.

It was here yesterday

When the cold promised to stay.

It is here today,

Come what may.

And, it will be here tomorrow

Whether the sun shines or the weather promises snow.

Through winter, summer, spring, or fall,

God is in it all

Providing a wonder and something to amaze

Until upon my Lord’s face, I gaze.

It’s 15 degrees outside, 

But God’ holds me in his arms, open wide,

And I am here for the ride.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  2/20/2025 

 

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” 

Psalm 37:7a NIV

 

 

TWELVE

12

 

When I played basketball in my youth, I always requested the uniform with either the number 7 or 11, but now I believe my new lucky number will be 12.

     Yesterday in bible study, we read about the new heaven. It will be designed with 12 gates of pearl, 12 angels at the gates, written on them were the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. There were 12 foundations and on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. 

     I found, with research, the number 12 was used often in scripture. Aside from those already mentioned above, the following are just a few others:  

 

Jacob has 12 sons

Joseph was the 12th son born to Jacob

Moses sent out 12 spies

Elijah built an altar of 12 sones 

12 minor prophets are in the bible

Jesus’s first words are recorded at the age of 12 

Jesus has 12 disciples

At the feeding of the 5,000, there were 12 remaining baskets of leftovers

When Peter cut off the soldier’s ear, Jesus could have called down 12 legions of angels

In Revelation, the tree of life will bear 12 fruit crops 12 times a year  

      

I write this because I find it so interesting along with the fact that we have 12 months in a year.

The Truth Will Find You

We have all been there! Something we did which we hoped no one saw! I remember the time I duck-walked, very ungracefully, down an icy slope when leaving work because I did not want to take the chance of falling, but later had to laugh with a friend because he  was  sitting in his truck watching.
     Then, there was the time I got my feet tangled in a nearby chair when I was trying to stand, and I landed on the floor. I bounced up very quickly, and like most would do, looked around to see who all saw the unrehearsed event.   

     I have found that it is best and good-hearted to learn to laugh at my mishaps. I also laugh at the title of a book I co-authored. The title is A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Morgue. It is a collection of true short stories about mishaps and funnies written to make people laugh. I often laugh about the title which, in my opinion, was a mistake. It seems when someone is sick and I want to share the book, I hesitate because of the title. No one who is sick wants to receive a book titled "on the way to the morgue."

     Saying all this, I realize that God sees all my mishaps and my all my ways. I hope He laughs instead of being sad over my failures. 

     I am so glad that God is a forgiving God. 

"For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known." 

Luke 12:2 NKJV 

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=A+Funny+Thing+happened+on+the+way+to+the+morgue&crid=QTTJZT8MP30M&sprefix=a+funny+thing+happened+on+the+way+to+the+morgue+%2Caps%2C147&ref=nb_sb_noss

LOVE

I have often prayed for God to help me love better, but I have to do my part, as well. By this I mean seek out what love is. I found the answer in 1 Corinthians 13. 

 

Love is: 

Patience

Kindness

Not jealous

Not arrogant

Not unbecoming

Not seeking its own

Not being provoked 

Not holding onto wrongs suffered

Rejoicing in truth

Bearing all things

Believing all things

Hoping in all things 

Enduring all things

 

Love goes even further. It is: 

Helping one another

Encouraging one another

Praying for one another 

 

I simply cannot LOVE without a willing heart and God’s help. 

 

By Faith

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:1,3 KJV 

I am comforted by the fact I do not have to see to believe. God is truly the creator of all things, and...

By faith…

  I believe in God in whom I do not see.

By faith…

  I believe that God sent His only Son. 

By faith…

  I believe that Jesus died for me.

By faith…

  I believe Jesus rose again.

By faith…

  I believe Jesus went to prepare a permanent home for me.

By faith…

  I believe Jesus will return to receive me for His own.

By faith…

  I believe I will live forever with my Lord.

By faith...

   I Believe!

Stop Faking It!

I read a quote this morning which gave me pause: 

 

“Stop Faking It, And Face It!”

 

So, I thought what am I faking? 

 

Maybe it is a smile that instead of faking it, I need to make it genuine.

Maybe instead of saying “yes” when I want to say “no”, just say no.

Maybe instead of hiding a wrong I am doing, stop doing it.

Maybe I need to just stop and really look at myself to see what I need to change.

 

As Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

The Truth Will Set You Free

We have all heard the adage, “The truth will set you free.” I believe this is a true statement. Truth does hurt my pride, but it does set me free from the guilt of having to live with a lie. 

     I remember what my boss told me when I accepted a new job years ago. He said, “If you make a mistake on the job, admit it, and we will work together to get it corrected.” I always tried to live up to that during the course of my career while often watching a few co-workers who tried to cover up their mistakes by not admitting to it or by attempting to blame others. I much prefer the first option of “admitting my mistake and correcting it.” 

     

Actually, there are a few scriptures that could be considered about admitting truth: 

 “…and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32b

 “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

 “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” Psalm 32:3

 “…God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6b

 

A~S~K

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Prayer is essential: 

Ask through bended-knee prayer.

Seek with desire for God’s face to shine upon your request.

Knock with assurance & confidence for the door to open.

 

 I simply must A~S~K in prayer to honor God, to communicate with God, to connect with God, to gain confidence in God, to grow my faith in God, and to participate in God’s desires.

Cost

Each time I go to the grocery store, I find the costs of items I need have gone up in price. This increased cost takes a toll on my pocket-book, and it hurts!

     However, when I seriously consider “cost,” I think of what Jesus did. He paid the ultimate cost! And, He paid it for me.

     “All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” 

     I like to place myself into this verse, because it was for Me that He paid the cost. 

     “I have gone astray. I have turned to my own way, but the Lord has caused my iniquity to fall on Him.”

     Thank you, Jesus, for paying the cost of my sin.

By Faith

Hebrews 11 says: 

v23.. By faith Moses was hidden.

v24.. By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter.

v27.. By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King.

v28.. By faith Moses kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood.

     

I, Mary, do have faith just as Moses did. My faith may be weak at times and strong at times, but my faith lives within at all times. 

 

By faith, as a youth Mary found the Lord.

By faith, Mary knows she is saved.

By faith, Mary has assurance she is forgiven when she asks.  

By faith, Mary knows that God walks by her side.

By faith, Mary lives to seek God’s promises.

By faith, Mary believes, through her troubles, all will be well.

                  

Holy Land

In Exodus and Acts, scripture points out that God told Moses, “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.” Then in Joshua, the commander of the Lord’s army told Joshua, “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.” 

     I know this is a long stretch and has nothing to do with God’s command to “take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground,” however I will use it to make a point about a pet peeve of mine. 

     “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” then later Jesus said, “I am with you always.” Because this land was created by God and Jesus is with me always, the land upon which I tread is holy. It is up to me to be respectful of the land in which I am so blessed to live. I have a responsibility to keep it clean.

     If we all considered this land holy, I would not be seeing “LITTER” (haphazard tossing of cans and paper) along every road, highway, and interstate.  

     It is so easy to keep a litter bag handy!

 

Die to Live

Genesis gives us a bit of genealogy from the first man, Adam, on down to the days of Noah. These men, just as I am, were created in the image of God. "Male and female, He created them" and they lived a very, very long time, but in the end they all died, except Enoch, who God took. 

     I know that one day I, too, will die but long before I reach the ripe old age of these men. However, between when these men lived and I was born, God sent Jesus. He gave me the Holy Spirit to guide me in a different way than when God walked and talked with these first men. 

     Jesus gave me a special way to see death. One day I know that I will die, but I have been given a promise that will not be broken. This promise is that I will rise to live forever in a place Jesus has gone before and prepared for me. How do I know this? God said, "If you believe in the Son, you shall not perish but have everlasting life." Then Jesus said, "I go and prepare a place a place for you and will come again to receive you." What a profound hope and joy this gives me!

Genesis 5

 “And all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

And all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Enos were 905 years, and he died.

And all the days of Cainan were 910 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Mahalaleel were 895 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died. 

And all the days Enoch were 365 years; 

     Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.

And all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died. 

And all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.”

     

     

Walk in My Shoes

I have a closet full of shoes; some of which I need to get rid of. However, my shoes are important. They need to fit just right. I do not want them too tight or too loose. When my feet ache, my body does too. 

     Actually, my daughter hates to go shoe shopping with me because I am so picky about the way a new shoe will fit and feel. I like shoes to look good but, more importantly, is how they support my feet. 

     When I consider shoes for my feet, I think back to the Israelites, and in Deuteronomy, I am told, “Your feet did not swell during these forty years.”  God protected His people, and they wore the right shoes at the right time. 

     Then, in Joshua, Moses said, “The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance…”  I like to think that my feet are walking on the land where God intends me to be. I certainly need the right pair of shoes to tread these paths.

     In 1 Samuel, I found, “He will guard the feet of His faithful servants…”  With this verse I trust that wearing the proper shoes in the right places at the right times will keep God close to my side.  

     Psalm 37 says, “The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.” Here again, by wearing the proper shoes with God by my side, I am far less likely to slip and fall. 

     Then there is Romans 10 which gives purpose to my feet. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”  I simply must have on the right shoes to carry God’s news while being willing and able to “walk the distance.”