Tag: god

It’s May!

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Celebrate! It’s May, and God is on the move! I want to honor my youngest grandchild, Ashlynn Hope. Today is her 8th birthday 🎂. Friday the 10th is my youngest son Alex’s birthday. On May 14th, I will be 61. Then, on May 18th, grandson Jackson will be 12. Not to mention, my niece Kristen’s birthday is on the 17th, and don’t forget Mother’s Day on the 12th! What a busy month of blessings from Father God!

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Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The nation of Israel’s anniversary is May 14th. Let all those who love Israel rejoice and be glad, for the LORD’S promises are truly Yes and truly Amen!

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Joel 2:21 Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month.

We have been experiencing a lot of rain these past few months. A few days ago, the above scripture came to mind. In the natural, I sense that the Lord is sending both the early and the latter rains at the same time! In the Spirit, I believe this corresponds with the reapers overtaking the sowers of the Gospel.

John 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

Souls are so ripe for the harvest that many are eagerly accepting salvation with very little prompting. Check out testimonies from Iran Alive http://www.IranAlive.org and Voice of the Martyrs http://www.vom.org Ministries for some examples. Also, Crossroads Prison Ministry is looking for Spanish-speaking mentors because they have an increasing backlog of Spanish student lessons waiting for them. Most of these students have questions about their identity and salvation. They cannot wait! http://www.cmcarcelario.org

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Sorry, I realize I have a book review page, but I’m going to share some reviews on this post. I recently connected with author Noel Williamson. His first book I read is, Love is Like a Bag of Popcorn. In this book, Noel shares from personal experience from his first attempts to ask a girl out, leading you through popcorn, sports, movie, TV shows, and pertinent Scripture references, all the way into his newlywed days. I recommend this book for everyone from teens to adults who are looking for tips on godly relationships, whether you are married already or not.

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Photo by Chan Walrus on Pexels.com

Next, I read Job Loss AppleSauce Trusting God after Job Layoffs and Finding Comfort in Applesauce. You’ll need to read to the end of the book to find why he capitalized the S in AppleSauce! The way Noel handled things will help others navigate the job market and other life changes. As with the popcorn references in the first book, Noel was clever with his apple references continuing in every chapter! I read each book in an afternoon [of course it was raining] they are short, interesting books. In the same Amazon order, I acquired Willamson’s third book, A Salad Bowl of Wisdom Life Advice from a Diverse Group of Adults. He begins with interviews from a couple people in their 90s, then a friend in her 60s and another in his mid-50s. His original plan was to interview people in their 80s, 90s, and above, but realized his younger-older friends have a lot of wisdom also! I have not had time to get far in this book yet [we were blessed with a dry day], but his easy, personable style is refreshing. I recommend you check out Noel Williamson on Amazon!

By the way, if you have read my book or listened to my audiobook, Musings Along Life’s Journey, please leave a review on Amazon, Facebook, Goodreads, or anywhere you post reviews. I thank you in advance!

If I wish you Jesus and Shalom, I wish you everything! May you be blessed and be a blessing, finding joy in all you give and receive from the loving hand of Father God. Until next time, Shalom!

Bible Chapter 8:1-8 book of Romans

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Welcome to the next installment in this Bible study.  Let’s see what the Spirit highlights in the eighth chapter of Romans.

A group artwork from the Shetler family’s ministry in Africa.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

Make note: if you are in Christ, walking in the Spirit, there is no more condemnation, no more punishment As Jesus said in John 3:17, He did not come to condemn us but to reconcile us to Father God. We now have access to the law of the Spirit, which is life in Christ Jesus. This frees us from walking in the law of sin and death, the law we were born into through the sins of the fathers, stretching back to Adam. This is why Jesus condemned sin in the flesh by coming in human flesh.

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Do you walk in the righteous law of love? Love for your God and loving your neighbor as yourself? We can muscle our way into acting out this love by our own human effort, but is that truly denying your fleshly lusts and desires?

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

If we only think about what to eat, what to wear, and having the best “necessities” in life,where is our spiritual life? We can do good deeds, but if it’s to rack up points, trying to get on God’s good side, how are we any different than the heathen unbelievers around us? The carnality of our human side is set against God and the love of God in Christ.

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

I find when I hear all the facts, if I fail to look towards the truth in the Bible, I fall short. With our human understanding, we hate those who fight against us. In God’s Sprit, we can love even our enemies! But is this wise? What does God say?

1 Corinthians 2: 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

So we must be careful, walking circumspectly in this evil time we live in. It is clear that we are on the path to death and destruction when we look to the world and our own strength and understanding.

Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

Remember to ask for your daily manna from the LORD. This includes all the things required for what each day demands. We have a heavenly Father who knows what we need, but still delights in his children, when we ask him daily to provide. This includes daily food, shelter, and clothing. Also, grace, mercy, and love. Don’t forget peace in Christ Jesus, more than we could ask for! Remember, you need more to sustain you than physical needs. Without daily food from the Bible and the Spirit of God, we starve our spirits.

So live each day in the Spirit, denying your fleshly desires. Walk in love and understanding as you grow in the things of God found in his Word. If you fail, as we all do, quickly repent and apply the precious blood of Jesus. Continue renewing your mind and remember the old chorus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.


Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Helen Howarth Lemmel
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus lyrics © Curb Songs, Littleberace Music, Okapione Music, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music, New Spring Publishing Inc., Mercy/vineyard Publishing

2024 Fasting, Hope, and a few Book Reviews

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The Brownville, NY church Charles G. Finney spent a winter snowed -in at, preaching
and praying in the1800’s revival at its infancy.

New Year’s Eve, I spent about 6 hours at this old church, experiencing a taste of heaven on earth and the burgeoning revival in our area. I rejoiced in seeing people from my former church involvements and many from my current congregation, as well as many I met for the first time. Just thinking about how in eternity, we can fellowship with Everyone who follows Jesus!

What excellent fellowship we enjoyed as we packed the church sanctuary. The worship team was excellent, the Spirit heavy, and prayers effective. Baptisms were performed, and many children and young people were there, all behaving well for such a late evening! Oh, did I mention older saints and people from several different churches attended as well?

Our church has begun our annual January fast. Our concentration this year is Immanuel; Our God is with us, and we are with our God. You can check out http://www.myacf.org for Pastor’s sermon about this fast. I decided to begin fasting at sundown New Year’s evening, only drinking water. The Spirit and fellowship made it easy to pass up the snacks that were there at the church. This year, I decided to concentrate on no wheat, no dairy, and no sugars. I eat enough to take my supplements in the morning, then liquids until after 4 p.m. Liquids continue after sharing a curtailed dinner with my husband, John. The main idea is to take 21 days to make room in my life to grow closer to the Lord, feeding my spirit more than my flesh. Our church does not mandate that members fast or dictate how to observe it, but it helps knowing others are abstaining from food at the same time.

Now for the book reviews. I remind you that there’s a discount for my Musings Along Life’s Journey Kindle version starting January 17th, only 99cents!

The Lost Arts of Christianity by Mike Bartholomew is my current read. I met Pastor Mike at a joint prayer evening last week at our church. He pastors at a sister church in our area. This book was published in 2009 but still holds good advice for coming back to the truths of Christian Living many of us have left off from. Mike covers:

Beginning Correctly, Salty Living, The Spirit Filled Life, Self-control, Patient Faith, Serving, Hospitality, Disciple Making, Praying, Forgiving, Giving, Recognizing the Times, Loyalty, Contentment, Hard Work, Loving the Truth, Joyful Living, Discretion, Unity, Parenting, Submission to Authority, Finishing Correctly.

You will find I covered a few of these topics in my memoir, but Pastor Mike Bartholomew fleshes them out a bit more, since he’s been a Pastor as long as I’ve been a believer, which gives him more examples to share. If you want to find out how to help others find God’s way of living this Christian life or confirm/challenge the life you’re living, I recommend this book, which can be purchased on Amazon or Walmart.com.

The second book I want to share is the new devotional I started today. It’s Our Faithful God Devotional by Katie Davis Majors, 52 Weeks of Leaning on His Unchanging Character.

Katie says,”… we aren’t going to cover the whole Bible in a year. But we are going to read different parts of the Old and New Testaments, soaking our hearts and minds in God’s Word as we look for evidence of His unchanging character throughout the ages.” (From the introduction). Each week, you read one Scripture each day for four days. On day five, you read all four Scriptures. Two days a week, you can meditate/re-read the Scriptures, or use them as catch-up days. Katy starts each day by setting the stage for the chapter you will read, then offers questions to help you apply it to your life.

This seems to be a good place for me to start this new year. I have christened a new journal and look forward to what the Spirit will do with Katie’s prompts. My first assignment is to read Genesis 1 and start a habit of noticing God’s goodness all around, trusting Him to make the dark areas of my life light and good. This means seeing God as Creator of all, still speaking light and life, still declaring His creation is good. My second day, I read the first chapter of Matthew.

As I conclude these thoughts, I speak Shalom to you, my readers. 2024 is a year of expectation. God is on the move, and we are blessed to move with Him! Remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as Psalm 122 says, for the good of our brothers and friends. Also, they that touch Israel touch the apple of the Father’s eye. He will not let the enemy go much farther. His judgement is written in the Scriptures!