Month: November 2020

Taking Out The Garbage

November 10, 2020

November 10, 2020

Has this happened to you? It is trash day, time for you to throw out the garbage but you forget because you have a hundred things on your to-do list? That means new garbage will pile up as the can is full and cannot take any more. The new garbage will just go wherever we can fit it, as we eagerly wait for trash day to come around again.

Believe it or not, this is similar to how we deal with knowledge of God and information from the world. Much of the information that the world sends us via social media, tv, movies or magazines, honestly is garbage. It does not make us a better self. It just piles up in our brains. It needs to be disposed of before we can enjoy what we know is truth.

The truth from the Bible is life-sustaining and reusable; over and over we can use God’s word to feed on, grow spiritually healthy. It will not bog us down. The more truth we know about God, the lighter we actually feel!

The problem comes when we cannot tell what information is garbage and which is truth. Not everything in the world is bad. Things OF the world that are contrary to the Word of God are bad for us…kind of like junk food. We have things that the world may consider valuable, things that have been given to us, things we have earned, even popularity or fame, but…anything we have gained is garbage as compared to gaining Jesus. I will go with Paul’s honest appraisal of the world’s contribution to our lives and how valuable Christ is, in comparison:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

The best part of holding the things of the world loosely or going without them is that we can gain more of Christ. I am sure you have heard the saying. “You can’t take it with you.” (This phrase is the title of a famous play in 1936 by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Source: theidioms.com)

Not only can we not take it with us. We cannot let it pile up in excess and burden us down where we cannot easily get to Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 draws a great picture of our journey with Jesus. It is like a race. I love this analogy!

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 NJKV

Dear Father,

There are so many bright, shiny things in this word that beg us to value them and accumulate them. These things may make me happy for a period but can also weigh me down. Letting go is sometimes hard but then I feel so light after I release them. Any suffering or losing I do here is to gain You. Help keep my eyes on the eternal, not temporary things. You are my treasure for all time! Amen

Let’s Clap Our Hands!

November 9, 2020

November 9, 2020

Psalm 47:1-2 tells us to clap our hands!

Oh, clap your hands all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.

Sometimes we do not feel like clapping our hands. Sometimes we get our feelings hurt. Sometimes we are disappointed. Sometimes we are in a trial and clapping is not what we feel like doing. Sometimes Covid-19 changes our world and it doesn’t feel as bright anymore. We may feel like we are in a dark place. How do we have light again?

Consider this example…There is a device called “The Clapper”, a device that plugs into a socket. When you clap, the light turns on. Pretty cool, right?

The Clapper Sensor Control White 1 pk

That is not unlike the Word of God. The Bible is full of light! If we plug into it, light will flood our hearts, and we will shine out to the world. It is simple in theory, but to let go of our dark feelings and focus on the light takes effort. It means denying self and our right to have things go our way. It is human to want what we want, but what we need is to want what Jesus wants more.

This morning was tough for me. In prayer I asked God, “How can I get rid of this hurt feeling so it doesn’t ruin my day?” His answer was to show me His light. It is a choice we make to dwell on good things or bad things. If you’re human, it is easier to dwell on the negative, but…just clap your hands because God is Good! He is our future and eternity. If we have to suffer a bit down here, it will make being with Him all the more wonderful!

If we let Him, He will flood us with light. If we are all lit up and clapping, lol, maybe the world will take notice and we can shine the way to Jesus. He is the light of the world!

Let your light so shine before men that may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

Father,

You are awesome and just praying to You is a great honor. You hear every prayer. You heard mine this morning. Any suffering You allow in my life is for a reason. I do not need to understand it all, but I will trust You all day, every day. Please keep the light on in all of Your children so we can all point others to You. The world needs Your light. We love you! Amen

Journal homework…Name one thing that concerns you or brings you down and then find a verse that talks about light. How can you use that verse to light up your heart? Post the verse on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror to remind you that Jesus’ light is always there for the asking:)

Love and prayers to all of you,

Tina

All In With Prayer

November 8, 2020

November 8, 2020

Good morning! Today is a day of rest and a great day to bask in the greatness of the Lord. It’s a great day to come into His presence in a special time of prayer. We can ask Him for our needs but more importantly, we can listen to Him.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”

In a quiet, secluded place with no distractions, be still and pray out of your love for Him and listen to what He may say to you. Here are some ideas of things to discuss with our Father. Just a suggestion:)

Lord, I love You. Please lead me because…

Teach me how to…

Forgive me and correct me when I….

Thank You for my trials and blessings because…

Give me an opportunity to help ….(person’s name)

Touch those who need Your help and peace…(family, friends, church,world)

You are my King, Lord…(call Him all the names that He is. Adore Him. Praise Him)

I desire that Your will be first on my list and in my heart and life.Please help me hear You better so I can obey You forever. Show me how to be more like You.Amen

Love and prayers to all,

Tina

Choosing Our Trials

November 7, 2020

November 7, 2020

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to choose our own trials? If we could, we wouldn’t choose the ones we have now, most likely. We would choose trials that made sense to have, ones that didn’t last long and ones that didn’t make us too uncomfortable. We don’t like to feel discomfort or suffering. We are human that way.

We are also, as humans, self-centered, in that we want to understand and control our lives and plan what is in our life. We do not plan for trials because we don’t want them. They often surprise us at the worst times. But maybe we should…plan for trials that is. Sounds crazy right? Why would we want to plan to have trials?

Because the more capable we are of understanding the purpose of our trials, the more we can glorify God in them.

The Lord gave me these thoughts today. I would like to share them with you.

  1. God wants us to lean on Him for understanding. God does the directing. We do the leaning. We lean on God’s wisdom, not our own. The word acknowledge generally means to “accept something that exists or is true.” (Oxford American Dictionary) God exists and is truth and is worthy of our trust.

Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIM and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

2. God wants us to listen, to just sit still. God does the speaking. We do the listening with a quiet soul so we can hear what He is saying. This exalts Him.

Be still, and know that I am GOD; I will be EXALTED among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

3. God wants us to learn from Him. We take His yoke and go where He intends. We are harnessed to Him, not unlike oxen that are yoked together to make the load lighter for both of them. (The Woman’s Study Bible by Thomas Nelson) In this way, God gives us relief from our burdens.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find REST for your souls. For my yoke is EASY and my burden is LIGHT. Matthew 11:29

4. In summary, God wants us to copy Him. He set the example and now it is our job to copy it.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9

Dear Father God,

You are awesome. Words can’t express how much I love You. Thanks You for providing in Your word all that I need to know, to live a righteous life with You as the guide. I will be quiet my heart and mouth more often and listen for Your words. I will lean to, listen for and learn from you. I am yoked to You for Your glory to be shown. Thank You for all of my blessings and even my trials. They make me NEED You more. You know best. You are God! Amen

Journal Homework- Write a four-part prayer. Tell God how much you love Him, Thank Him for Your blessings and your trials, ask Him to guide you and, fourth…listen for what He has to say to you.

A pastor of mine taught me that part of prayer is listening, perhaps the greatest part because it is not self-seeking. It is allowing God to reign supreme as you acknowledge you need His guidance.

Love and prayers,

Tina

A Cog in the Wheel

November 6, 2020

November 6, 2020

I just finished a book in which the “cog in the wheel” expression was used about an employee of a big company. I was pretty sure what it meant, but looked it up anyway. Oxford’s American Dictionary defines a cog as “a tooth on the edge of a wheel or gear that transfers motion by engaging with projections on another wheel or bar.” The man in the book I read had a seemingly unimportant job (cog), but without him, the big company (wheel) wouldn’t move.

That isn’t much different than how loving others works. Just as two sets of cogs have to engage to make motion, love and action have to engaged in order for anything to be produced. So often we say, “I love you” that it’s meaning has been demeaned, I think. We can say we love a dress, car or tv show, but do we really? The word LOVE is more important than material things that please us. It is an action that comes from the heart.

When we, as Christians, say we love one another, but do not match our words with action, then no loving action will be produced. Jesus tells His disciples how important it is to do the showing of  love to others.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 ESV

Notice He uses the word love four times and the word ‘you’ six times. Jesus makes it clear that this is not a request of His. It is a commandment; the disciples are to act like He did. That’s what a disciple does. He learns from His teacher and puts into practice the exact things the teacher does.

Galatians 6 is a good chapter to read about love. In particular, these verses written by the apostle Paul, stand out to me, as an active model of love:

 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6: 9-10

Dear Father,

Thank You for opening our eyes to new ways of seeing things. Whatever brings us closer to You, we want to see and do. You didn’t just say You loved people, You prioritized them, listened to them and fed them food and living water. Anyone who knew You, knew Your loving heart. Let me be Your “cog in the wheel” that puts others first and use my heart and action to love others as You did. Help me to do this in honor of all You have done for me and all the love You have shown me. Amen

Journal Homework –

1. List five small loving acts you would do for others if you had the time or money.

2. Pick one, pray about it, and ask the Lord to give You an opportunity to do it.

May God bless your day, His way!

Love and prayers,

Tina

Connected to a Lifeline

November 5, 2020

November 5, 2020

Things don’t always go the the way we want them to. After this presidential election, is complete, half of the country will be ecstatic because their candidate won. They will be joyful and looking forward to the future. The other half will be disappointed, because the vote for the two candidates is so close.

Just as much as we want our candidate to win, God wants US to win. He knows our potential…He made us after all…and He knows we can do great things if we just rely on Him. He wants to use us to accomplish His will. That is not unlike voters wanting their candidate to accomplish their will…our version of what’s best for America. We think we know what is best. But…

We will not always be right. We will not always get our way.

Only God truly knows what is best, because He is over all things, while we are just in the midst of them. That means His perspective is way different than ours. Here’s one of my favorite verses, because it explains that perspective in a humorous way.

 Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? Psalm 113:5-6

I laughed out loud the first time I read that verse. David knows what He is talking about! God has to look DOWN to even see heaven and earth! He is above all, so of course He sees all and knows all. God didn’t make us to know it all. We were meant to depend on Him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. .”Isaiah 55:8-9 NJKV

Prayer is a lifeline to Him. We only have to pull on that lifeline to be tethered to Him. We can let Him lead us into and through His will. As always, God reminds us that it is HIS will that needs to be accomplished.

Dear Lord,

Thank You for being there for me always, especially when I read Your word. Your Word comforts me and lets me know that it’s not good to put my hope in things of this earth or our own wisdom, such as it is. My hope is in You. Please lift my eyes up to You, the only lasting Hope. You know better, always. Thank you for the lifeline of prayer, that helps me readjust our grip, helping me to let go of my own to grab onto Yours. I love You Lord. Amen

Journal Homework…

  1. Think of someone who was your “lifeline” before. Write what they did for you that made an impact on your life. Thank the Lord for them.
  2. Think of someone you can help, someone that may need a friend, help with a bill or a meal. Thank God for that opportunity to do what He would do.

May the good Lord bless your day and keep you healthy and looking up:)

Tina

Unbreakable

November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020

Have you ever struggled to find hope when trials were frequent or lasted a long time? Did it feel like you were getting worn down or almost breaking? That may sound a bit dramatic, but I think it is accurate. We have all had heartbreak and tragedy that felt like it would break us. To make matters worse, trials often come unexpectedly, which cause us the maximum amount of struggling and shock. We are taken aback, wondering how to get by. We shouldn’t be so shocked though, I suppose…

Jesus tells us to EXPECT trials. In John 16:33 (NKJV), He is talking to the disciples. Knowing that soon He will be taken away to endure His own trial, the cross, He prepares them to live without Him for awhile. I find it touching that He is concerned for others first and Himself last. He said,

“These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But, be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”

Jesus doesn’t say, “Hey guys, just a heads up…watch out for tribulation. Do the best you can with it while I am gone. How I hear it is, “There WILL be trials , but keep smiling because I have , rather I AM the answer.”… peace! That is a reason to smile!

Right after He told the disciples they would be okay, He lifted His eyes to Heaven, and said aloud, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son that Your Son may also glorify You.” John 17:1

Jesus was going into His own tribulation, so what did He do? Talk to His Father and let the Father know He was ready to glorify Him. If that isn’t a model of perfect alignment with God’s will. I don’t know what is. God’s love and plan are perfect for us, even if they include trials, and they will. As Jesus did, let us pray that God is glorified.

Dear Father,

You know what suffering is. You, on purpose, planned for Your son to die for us. When I have trials, will you nudge me and remind me to look up as Jesus did? If I do that first, I have the best chance of acting in a way that glorifies You. I know that this world is only temporary. I want to glorify You in it somehow. I know I can do it with Your peace and love. Thank You for Jesus and the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me too. You are almighty God and I am humbled to be able to even say or write Your name. I love you, God. Thanks for loving me. Amen

Homework , if you want it…In your new journal… List the last three trials you remember and how you handled them. Then find three verses about peace and write them down. I will do this too! If we expect trials and know they can have a good , Godly purpose, we are one step ahead of the enemy:)

Love and prayers…Tina

Destined for Greatness

November 3, 2020

Destiny is such a lofty word. It is used to refer to our beloved spouse,(He is my destiny.) our excitement of reaching a high goal, (It is my destiny to get the promotion) or perhaps the fulfillment of reaching a dream or purpose in life.(I am destined for success.) Destiny refers to things that are “meant to be.” What we wish our destiny to be, we go after.

If we value things that the world values, we see our destiny as being rich, popular or famous perhaps. If we hold the Bible’s values, not so much. Does that mean we cannot have wealth or material goods? No, of course not, but we must put God’s interest before those interests. It may mean that we remember our blessings are meant to be shared with others and we hold loosely to things of earth. Our real treasure is in Heaven.

What a wonderful Father we have! He has a plan for each of us that includes spending all of eternity with Him. Our greatest treasure, Jesus, will be there! That changes everything. Our aims, purposes and destiny stem from our desire to do the will of God, not to please ourselves. Our motives are based on His purposes., not our plans.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21

It’s so easy to get side-tracked and start chasing our destiny without checking in with God first. We like to be in control and we want things how we want them. Personally, reading God’s word every day is the only way I can stay focused on who is ultimately in charge of my life. It isn’t me. He gives breath and life and things I can’t give myself. God reminds me to focus on HIS plan, His destiny for me. That always brings a smile:)

Dear Father,

I want You in control of my life, not me. Sometimes, I take the reins from You because I want my will to be done. Without even realizing it sometimes, I have left You out of important decisions. I am sorry. You know we are human and will do that, so thank You for Your grace that covers us. You know better. Please help me do better. You are GOD! Thy will be done as You see fit. You are my King forever. Amen

Homework…if you want to… Journal your Bible reading. Don’t plan it out perfectly. Just have a pen and paper always with your Bible. Take simple notes about things that help and inspire you. You can write one line or ten. Just let God’s Word speak to you. His word changes our destiny. Be well, friends:)

Love and prayers…..Tina

Thank you for stopping by!

November 3, 2020

Feel free to look around. My First Blog Post is up, as well a new devotion under the Devotions for Our Day tab. An About Me page is there, too. I may add other features later, like poetry, articles or even recipes as the Lord guides. While I pray about that, let’s just keep this blog simple and focused on Him, because well…He deserves it!

Tina