Beautiful Flower? Deadly Seed!

They band together and roam from house to house, gossiping about and meddling into other people's business; they talk about all sorts of things that should never be spoken of..1 Timothy 5:13

Nature is an amazing teacher.  What happens in the physical world is often a potential spiritual lesson.

I have been walking my friend's dog Sparky along a nature trail the past three weeks.  Each day I see thousands of tiny white flowering plants.  They appear very lovely to the eyes.....they seem harmless.

I have observed these plants before.  In a matter of time, these lovely minuscule flowers begin to turn very dark, and they eventually form ugly black sticky seeds.

As people and animals walk past, these seeds seem to jump out and attach to the innocent victims' clothes and fur.  They are then carried and dropped in other places.  Taking root, they continue to spread in an effort to conquer new territory.

There is nothing good about these plants......they turn ugly, and they spread.

It is interesting how these plants demonstrate gossipy people who slander others with words.  They may start out using pretty and flattering words that gain entrance into a person's life, but their words turn into harmful attempts to sabotage that very same person.

Why would anyone spread destructive gossip?  It is most likely because they are completely insecure.  Insecurity promotes an urgent act to tear someone else down in order to feel good about themselves.  Insecurity tries to get the other person on its side.  Insecurity just likes to hear itself ramble on and on.

Only God can truly know the specific motives behind any individual who practices malicious gossip.  I only know that this type of behavior does not come from a beautiful and loving heart that is right with Jesus.

I realize we all have the potential to slip up and get fleshy.  Most of us can occasionally use words or actions that do not measure up with the loving behavior that Jesus always desires, but.....a major warning should sound about a person that maintains repeated consistency in this type of slanderous activity.

When someone says to you, "I am only telling you this because I care about this person"......you should be on alert that gossip might be about to ensue.

Listen to Holy Spirit's voice.  He will direct you to discard all seeds of gossip before they begin to turn dark and try to attach themselves.  Gossip does not come from our Jesus.

The Lord said, "..why were you not afraid to speak against My servant..?" Numbers 12:8.

 Do not give life to the hateful seeds of gossip by planting them somewhere else.  Cast those ugly seeds to the ground.  Be the one to step on and crush their hurtful potential.

Studying the Bible will train you to discern false and hurtful motives in a person's words.  The Word of God will also teach you how to nullify gossip's "evil attempt" by speaking life words of blessing and love.

                 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21.

God Provides

Know this: my God will fill every need you have according to His glorious riches in Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. (Philippians 4:19)

The last blog I wrote (Word Snatcher) was about watching a bird fly by with a twig in its beak; I supposed it was for a nest. The bird became fearful when it was confronted by an enemy (my cat Fe'), and in a panic let the provision drop to the ground. 

I related this to how our enemy, the devil, tries to steal God's Covenant Word of divine care from His children by frightening them about circumstances. 

Know this....circumstances do not change the ability of our God to provide for His children's needs.

Almost one year after watching that bird drop its provision I was sitting in the backyard of a friend.  It was springtime, and I watched as a male bird flew over to a small birdhouse with something in its mouth (perhaps it was a worm, or maybe it was a twig for a nest).

A female bird's head appeared from inside the birdhouse and took whatever it was from the male's mouth.  She then disappeared back inside the house to either eat the worm, or add the twig to the nest inside.

It was so beautiful to watch the female accept the provision from her mate without hesitation.  She simply trusted that what he had for her was good, then she opened her mouth and received it.

What a wonderful picture of how we are to trust our God (if Jesus is our Lord).  With childlike faith, we believe that our Heavenly Father knows what we need.  It doesn't matter if the provision is for healing, financial, or spiritual needs.....we can be absolutely sure that He will be faithful to get it to us at exactly the right time. 

We do not doubt His care for us......we simply open our hearts to receive the needed provision from Him.

The covenant of God's love for us is detailed in the Bible's new testament.  It is guaranteed by the signature of Jesus our God, using His blood as the ink.

So do not consume yourself with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?, What will we do?.....your Heavenly Father knows exactly what you need.....(Matthew 6:31-32, "What will we do?" is added by me).

Word Snatcher

                           ...the devil comes and steals the word..Luke 8:12

I began writing a journal while I was inside a Texas prison (2009-10), and I continue to document occurrences in my life to this day. 

I was reading in a 2014 journal about losing my house in a public auction.  I wrote about while exercising on my treadmill, I was thinking that in less than two weeks I would be in another location......"I lost my beautiful home, I have to move out!"  I would be leaving behind years of memories inside this house, as well as having to get rid of a 14 year collection of things.  Ugh!

Fear began trying to gain entrance into my heart.  Fear wanted me to forget all that God had done in my life.  Fear wanted to make me forget who my Creator is.  Fear wanted to replace   God's promises of who He is, with doubt, unbelief, and discouragement.

I was looking out the window as I thought about all this, and I noticed a bird fly by with something in its mouth.  It was springtime, and so I assumed it was a twig to add to its nest.  All of the sudden the bird disappeared.  I got off the treadmill and went outside to see what happened to it.  In horror I saw that my cat, Fe', had the bird in her mouth.

I got Fe' to let go of the bird, but the bird panicked in fear and dropped the twig from its beak. The twig laid useless on the ground, never to be a part of building this bird's nest.

This got me to thinking about the devil's tactics of stealing God's Word from people.  I saw how satan likes to sneak up and cause fear so that we let go of God's promises from our hearts.

Quick to pounce on his prey, the devil would like to steal all promises given to us by our Creator.  Satan would like for us to foolishly try to accomplish everything in our own strength.

What a liar!

God has given us His promise that He will care for us.  Our Creator made an eternal covenant with us, and it was signed by the blood of Jesus.  This is how much He loves us. 

Salvation is offered through Jesus, and this includes His provision, His healing, His peace.  These are the primary things people are striving for, and yet....God has already given them to us through Jesus.

These promises are for now, while we are on Planet Earth.

Our enemy, the devil, would like for us to let those promises drop to the ground and lie dormant.  He would like for us to go about life on Earth in despondency, with hearts that are frustrated by the failure of trying to meet our own needs.

Do not let the enemy steal what Jesus came to Earth to give you.  Hold on to the promises inside the Bible.  Be assured that as you allow Jesus to be Lord, He will direct you.  His guidance will provide everything you need for an abundant life on Earth. 

The following are words of Jesus:

The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy.  I came so that you could have life--indeed, so that you can live life to the fullest.  John 10:10.

Little by Little

                   ...love one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins..1 Peter 4:8     

There is a story about a frog jumping into a pot of water because he was tired and thirsty; the water looked inviting and refreshing.  At first the water felt good because it was lukewarm to the frog's flesh, but little by little the temperature of the water got turned up.  However, the frog did not notice that the water was becoming hotter, until it was too late......the frog didn't make it.

What if someone had seen that the water was getting very hot, but just stood by saying, "Oh my, that frog is going to die if it doesn't get out of that pot."  This observation, without action, would not have saved the frog.

What if someone had noticed the flame getting higher, and had taken the time to try and rescue the frog?  He might have lived.

Wouldn't you have tried to do something to help the frog live?

The world around is getting darker.  Many people, like the frog, do not realize the darkness because they have become so accustomed to the sin in this culture.  It appears normal, almost inviting.  For centuries it has been building up little by little.  

Some people do realize that things are getting out of control, and are quick to talk about the latest news report...."Isn't it awful?"  "Well I never!"  "I can't believe what is going on in the world!"  This judgemental, non-active observation is not benefiting anyone.

The sad fact is, that even among these complaints, many people (including church goers) finally become complacent and begin going along with whatever society deems appropriate, "Oh well, it is the twenty-first century, things are just different now.  There is nothing we can do." 

A true Christian knows that this is not true.  There is something we can actively do.  So, how do we go about proclaiming God's intent for humanity?

First of all, people in the world need to know their Maker so they can even recognize sin, and they need to know Jesus is always there to help them with it. 

They need to understand that He is a God of love, and that He wants the very best for His human creations.  They need to realize that our Creator made things to be a certain way because He knows that sin will kill His humans.  They need to grasp onto the fact that His wisdom of orderly design is perfect.  They need to know that God's design of creation is the exact way it is, so that we can experience an abundant life.

Pastors should be standing behind pulpits and speaking this Truth.  As Christians, we can talk about God's way to people that we encounter on a daily basis.  Letters can be written to people in Congress, or peaceful demonstrations can be held to stand up for Biblical Truth.  Articles, stories, and books can be written, or media discussions can be posted about God's Truth........Yes, all of these are good.

I think that one of the most effective ways to demonstrate our Lord's way is by living it out in our own lives.  People definitely observe our words and actions.

OR.....

You can sit around criticizing, judging, and complaining about the current situations to each other.  I know this is an "Ouch" to some of you, but come on, this is not helpful to anyone!

So....in your own creative way, start showing the goodness of our living Jesus to the hurting world before you. 

REMEMBER.....

Standing up FOR Biblical Truth in a gentle loving way is far more powerful than speaking aggressively against the current morality issues that oppose God's will. 

.....where sin abounds, grace abounds much more..Romans 5:20.

Faith Conquers Fear

           JESUS said..."Don't be troubled, believe in GOD, and believe in ME..John 14:1

Yesterday I heard a man talking about leaving his glass of iced coke on the cabinet.  By the time he decided to drink it, the ice had melted and diluted the coke to the point that it was completely watered down, tasteless.  It was not the refreshing cola it is supposed to be. 

His description of the useless coke reminded me of how fear of the challenging circumstances in our lives dilutes our faith.  Our faith becomes so contaminated with fear that it is not able to be used for victory like it is intended.

Over and over in scripture God tells us not to be afraid, that He is with us.......

..do not be afraid..I am your shield..Genesis 1:15

..the Lord is with us..do not fear..Numbers 14:9

..do not be afraid, do not tremble or be terrified..for the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you..Deut. 20:3-4

..do not be terrified or afraid...the Lord your God goes before you, He will fight for you....Deut. 1:29,30

..do not fear or be afraid...the Lord your God goes with you...Deut. 31:6

..do not be afraid...the Lord your God is with you...Josh. 1:9

..do not be afraid, or terrified!..Be courageous because of what the Lord will do to all the enemies you're fighting against..Joshua 10:25

..do not fear or be dismayed..for the Lord is with you..2 Chron. 20:17

..fear not, for I am with you..Isaiah 43:5

..do not terrified or afraid.., is there any God except Me?..Isaiah 44:8

..do not fear..Matt. 10:31

..do not be afraid, only believe..Luke 8:50

..It's Me. Don't be afraid!..John 6:20

..do not be afraid..I am with you..Acts 18:9,10

..do not fear..Rev. 2:10

Get the point?  There is a reason these verses command us not to fear.  Jesus does not want our focus to be on the adverse issues in the world, He wants our focus to be an unwavering faith in His powerful victory over them.

 Our Creator is well-able to take care of all the needs of His human creations, giving us the victory over any situation in our lives (health, financial, relationship, etc.).

Fear of any kind contaminates our faith, diluting it so that we begin to doubt His ability to handle these circumstances.  Fear magnifies the situation, making it more powerful than the Creator of the universe. 

Come on now, doesn't that seem crazy?

Why would we have any fear if we know our Creator through a personal relationship?  Nobody who knows Jesus as Lord should ever let any fear make them doubt His power.  If we belong to Jesus, this means we are believers, and.....believers have faith that their Lord's power overcomes whatever is trying to cause grief in their lives. 

Our stance is simple....it is to maintain faith in the Son of God (Jesus) who conquered evil.  Jesus has dethroned the demonic realm; He disarmed those who once ruled over us--those who overpowered us. Like captives of war, He put them on display to the world to show His victory over them by means of the cross (Col. 2:15). 

We simply stand on the victorious work, over all evil, that our living Lord Jesus accomplished 2000 years ago.....He did this for us!  Now, step out in the faith that God has given you and intentionally let it develop into an unmovable assurance of this TRUTH (Romans 12:3, personalized).

Because of Jesus' great love for you, no matter what comes, you will always taste victory through Him..(Romans8:37, personalized).

Walk in victory over your circumstances today, if......Jesus is your Lord!

Check For Yourself

                 ..if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ..Romans 8:17

I used the word irregardless the other day in a conversation with a woman I know.  She quickly informed me there was no such word.  I got a Webster's dictionary and showed her that yes, in fact there is such a word.

This is what Webster has to say about irregardless: "The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is not such word"...there is such a word, however."

Later, I found out that when this woman was 17, her father reprimanded her for using the word irregardless, telling her there was no such word.  He had been so authoritative in his "knowledge" about irregardless not being a word that she had gone 4 decades assuming he was right.  She had never bothered to open up a dictionary to look for herself.

Makes me wonder how many Christians rely on what their pastor (or someone else) says about who our Creator is, and what we mean to Him.  Going by others' knowledge of God's Word can be misleading; in fact, it can be in complete error.

Our Creator God has revealed Himself to us throughout the pages in the Bible.  A thorough reading of it will enlighten to what an amazingly wonderful God He is!  From Genesis to Revelation, His inspired Word reveals a Creator who loves and values His human creation beyond the human imagination. 

God loves humans to the point of having died for us.  Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth in His Father's image to die as our sin substitute.  He later came out of that grave and ascended to heaven so that we can all have His life while on earth, and eternally.

When a human on Planet Earth dies, they normally leave an inheritance to loved ones.  After their death, the loved ones gain knowledge of what is left to them by reading the will of the deceased.

We have the privilege of reading the Bible to find out exactly what sort of inheritance Jesus left us.  Yes, we have an inheritance from the Creator of the universe.  Our inheritance gives prosperity in every area of life....this begins the moment you make Jesus your Lord. 

The thing is....you have to read the Word to understand exactly what He has left us.

Quit relying on others for their interpretation of God's Word.  God did not intend for only the "spiritual superstars" to understand.  The Bible is a love letter from our Creator that is meant to be read and understood by every human being. 

Do yourself a favor and dig into the words of the Bible yourself.  The deeper you dig, the more wealth you will uncover.  You already own the treasure if Jesus is your Lord.....you only have to stake a claim on it.

Begin digging today.....you are very, very rich!

As the Moon Sets, the Sun Rises

                          ....THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jeremiah 33:16

I was reading from a journal I wrote inside a Texas prison.  It was an entry from 3/25/10 telling about being in the recreation yard that afternoon and watching the beauty of the sun setting and the moon rising.  I also wrote how this was directly opposite to the day I had arrived at that prison early the morning of 9/2/09....the moon had been setting as the sun was rising in the sky. 

Both the sun and moon were always present, they were just changing positions.

I think that since today (Easter) is a celebration of our resurrected Lord Jesus, it is a very appropriate time to take my journal writing into eternal Truth. 

Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified some 2000 years ago, but He rose victorious out of His grave, and ascended into Heaven.  The Church (His Body of followers) was born shortly afterward.  The Church of the Son is to be a reflection of their Lord Jesus, just as the moon mirrors the brightness of the sun.

During Jesus' physical absence on Earth these past 2000 years, the Church was to rise up on Planet Earth and be a mirror image of His goodness, shining brightly to the world from His love inside their hearts.

Jesus and His Church are to be working in tandem, just as the sun and moon work in tandem. 

One day the Church will change positions with the Son, and He will rise in all His Glory to begin His eternal rule on this Planet Earth.

Just as there is no doubt that the sun will rise as the moon sets, be assured that the Son of God (Jesus) will rise over Planet Earth to physically dominate in a reign of righteousness forever......He will be assisted by those who were faithful as His Church Body.

This is eternal truth.  Come Lord Jesus.......it will happen soon!

Hallelujah to our Lord Jesus!

Breakfast with Jesus

                                 ...Come and eat breakfast..John 21:12

I don't know about you, but I begin each day with a cup of coffee made from freshly ground organic coffee beans from Costa Rica or Nicaragua.  I then look forward to my morning smoothie made with almond milk mixed with a variety of wonderful organic seasonal fruits.

As I am drinking these breakfast items to get my body going, I am also digesting my "spiritual breakfast".  I do not have to go to the grocery store for it.  I do not have to grind the beans or blend the fruit to make it ready to digest.  My spiritual breakfast has already been delivered to me at my home, and is waiting to be eaten.  All I have to do is read it.

What do I mean?

I'm talking about God's Word.  He has delivered it to us in the Bible, and it contains an extensive menu that will satisfy any person's hunger.  The food offered inside will build up and strengthen your inner spirit...this is a remarkable guarantee.

I personally rely on Jesus to feed me a custom, "made for Susan" breakfast each day.  It is truly amazing how my spiritual meal is exactly what I am craving. 

I am never disappointed as the Living Word (Jesus) offers me the exact part of the written Word (Bible) that will be needed for the events of the day ahead.  Of course He would know my needs because He is my Creator.  It is absolutely supernatural how He does this each day!

I depend on the written Word to teach, encourage, and direct me every single day of my life, and.....I am never let down.

Yes, even in this 21st century, the written Word is applicable to our lives, because.... it is the inspired Word of our Creator who only wants the very best for us.

Please do not miss out on the opportunity to eat this free spiritual meal.  Let it keep your outlook hopeful and positive as you read the truth.  As reports come flooding in about the latest negative news in the world, rely only on the report from your Maker to inform you of what is really happening in life.....

It is all very, very good news.

Human Cans of Glade

Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place..2 Corinthians 2:14

These days there is a stench of evil abounding in society.  The world is sick, and its cultural wounds are emitting an unpleasant aroma.

People are filled with fear, confusion, judgement, criticism, and hate.

For those of us who know Jesus as Lord, these responses are not normal.  They are not who we are in Him.

Every believer has the privilege of being a human can of "Jesus-freshener".  This dispenser is inside the believer's heart.  When its love contents are sprayed into the atmosphere, a dose of medicine is ministered that will counter any illness symptom imposed by today's society.

Whenever sickness is sensed, press on that love dispenser to soothe with a spray of healing. 

Simply follow what our Lord Jesus would do in the same situation: He would spray joy for gloom, peace for disharmony, faith for fear, blessing for cursing, encouragement for criticism/judgement, humility for pride, etc.

The next time you are confronted with an unpleasant aroma from the world, give off the scent of the living Lord Jesus.

Words that Speak Life

                                  Death and life are in the power of the tongue..Proverbs 18:21

We live in a world with many voices.  Many of the voices being heard today are spewing out the toxic language of death.

It is very important that Christian voices sound out with life.  The voice of Jesus should be proclaimed loudly in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us. 

Why?

 A Christian belonging to Jesus is to be an ambassador for Him.  He came to earth to give life.

Christians have the opportunity to promote life today on planet earth.  Amidst the darkness of the world around us, children of God can affect the very atmosphere in a life-giving way. 

How? 

By speaking the love language of the Father God. 

When Jesus was on earth, God in the flesh,  He spoke words in perfect alignment with the Father's will.  Jesus loved, Jesus healed, Jesus blessed.

Words are powerful.  Words spoken to people around us will nurture life or death in that person's life. 

A life-word is one that is motivated by love, is positive, and full of grace....these words heal and bless.  Words of hate, negativity, criticism, and judgement, are death-words (gossip fits this category)....these words wound and curse.

Jesus was the first Son of God.  He is our example.  Let us mimic His lovely voice.

Full Reflection of the Son

...Jesus spoke, saying "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  John 8:12.

When a person is looking at the moon, what they are actually seeing is a reflection of the sun.  A full moon is experienced when the earth does not block any part of the sun's reflection.  Whenever the moon is viewed in any stage of partial fullness, it means the earth is blocking at least a part of the sun's reflection.

A Christ follower's reflection of Jesus should be bright like a full moon.  As the world takes notice of a believer's actions and words, it should see only Light.  Any interference caused by extreme focus to the earth's latest catastrophe will cast a shadow over the witness of the believer, and diminish its brightness. 

A believer in Jesus has the honor of displaying the Light that lives within them, so that the entire world around them can be drawn into it.

To keep this Light in full illumination requires that we play a part; this means keeping in direct alignment with Jesus.  There should not be any earthly issues allowed to interfere with who He is inside a believer.  He is total Blessing.  

There are plenty of things on this earth to pay attention to these days that would cast a huge shadow over the reflection of the Son.  Believers should demonstrate being different from the world around us, because...we believe in Jesus Christ as LORD. 

The world is full of darkness.  It is steeped in fear.  The focus is on hate, bitterness, and anxiety.

A Christ follower has the honor of reflecting faith of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Giving out the fruit of love, peace, and joy, through behavior and words, should give continuous demonstration of belonging to our Creator.

 The world needs to partake of the believer's demonstration of this fruit because the world is starving from a deficiency of it.  Manifestation of this delicacy should make the world inquire where it can be purchased. 

Believers naturally want others' lives to be healthy and full of Life, so we gladly point to the Source.

The awesome fact is that this Life-giving fruit is free, through relationship with Jesus Christ....the Son of God.

His Way is Love

        This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you...John 15:12

The above words in John were said by Jesus.  That is a difficult order to fill sometimes, but He said this to His intimate group of followers; I consider myself one.  Life on earth presents challenges to this command every single day.

Something happened recently that made my pride rear its ugly self.  Fortunately, I kept it quietly contained in my head, until....the truth of love inside my heart could dominate.

It really doesn't matter what the details were; I think it is sufficient it to say it was a personal issue with someone close to me.  Relationships are often where pride tries to step in and take over.  In this instance, it seemed to me that the other person did not respond to something in the way I desired.

They probably were not even aware they did anything to offend me!

Pride wanted me to lash back at them with a defensive retort, or better yet, to "pay them back" with an indefinite period of silence. I mulled these options over in my head: silent treatment, or sarcastic comeback, but neither really felt right. Both seemed a very negative way that would only catapult the situation into a heightened degree of discomfort.

Time with Jesus has shown me how very important it is not to act out of emotion, but to hold my words, until....they can be spoken in gentleness. 

As time went by I fumed as I rehearsed the scene.   I thought, "I did nothing to prompt those actions that hurt me.  Why did that person respond like they did?  Shouldn't I confront them in some way?"

I prayed, I listened for God's divine direction....I waited.

One day I heard clearly that I was to reach out in love to this person, even if they had "failed me".  I was to contact them and say only nice, loving words, and I was to keep them in a smooth, soft tone. I was not to put the other person on the defensive; I was not to bring up the prior event...."What?"

Did it really matter that this person had committed a "perceived wrong" in my eyes?  It was, in actuality, a most insignificant thing.  I love this person, and I truly did not want to create any potential conflict with words of offense from my own mouth. I also know that quite often, cold unspoken words of prolonged silence can contribute major confusion to a relationship, heightening its dynamics into a situation that is miserably uncomfortable.

I ended up phoning this person and not mentioning that anything was wrong.  I was just checking on a person that I love, to see how they were doing. 

By the time I called, the perceived issue in which I had been hurt had been totally replaced by the love Jesus has put into my heart as a reborn creation. 

Everything went well; I felt good.  Humbling myself, to reach out in selfless love, was the right thing to do, because....it is His way.

Designer Outfit

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.....  2 Corinthians 5:21

A friend was telling me that she was depressed by a posting, on Facebook, of an old boyfriend and his new girl.  This woman apparently had the "Barbie doll" looks (slender and curvy), and was dressed to impress with designer clothes.

I told my friend that she too, wore designer clothes.  She looked at me sort of funny, not understanding what I meant. 

Our culture places a huge emphasis on the outer appearance these days; in fact, physical looks have always played a large part in humanity's focus.  People are fascinated with how others (both men and women) appear from the outside..what they wear, how much they weigh, their hairstyle, etc. 

There is something very wrong with this scenario; emphasis being given so much importance to something as fickle as appearance.

What I  meant, when I told my friend that she wore designer clothes, is that she is clothed by 'The Designer' in an outfit of righteousness, because...Jesus Christ is her LORD. 

Jesus modeled the "original" for us when He walked on this earth.  This beautiful outfit is different from other designer clothes because it is worn on the inside of the body, in the heart. 

Righteousness is simply being right with God, and to be right with Him, the heart has to exhibit love, through humility.

Jesus did not want it to be an exclusive garment, worn only by Him; He wanted everyone to have one.  Even though these outfits were very, very expensive, Jesus paid the price Himself (with His own blood).  He made one available for every human on the entire earth, and each is custom-made by the Designer.

There is an outfit of righteousness with each person's name on it.  All one has to do is ask God for the outfit that Jesus purchased for them, out of His love.  It is a free gift.

...the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe..Romans 3:22

Entertain the Thought

..each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed; then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  James 1:14-15

Someone I know recently went through a long, tiring, and very hurtful divorce.  I know from my own experience that this process had a beginning.

I wouldn't imagine the average person is even aware that they are "courting" their thoughts.  The date begins with one thought, luring with some sort of appeal to gain entrance into the mind. It can be a pleasant thought, or it can even be a destructive thought. 

I played my part in the destruction of two marriages by "cheating" on my husbands.  These affairs did not just happen; they came about when rapt attention was paid to a wrong thought. Both times, the initial stage of adultery began with simple remembrance of something flirtatious somebody said to me: "You sure are pretty; I certainly would like to spend some time with you. Maybe we could have a drink sometime". 

"What?  This cannot happen, I am married to someone I love!". I did not focus on this fact, however; instead, drawn in by attraction to my pride, I began to rehearse the alluring thought of this man's suggestion. I began to repeat the words of seduction over and over in my head....I began to entertain the idea suggested.

This romantic banter would ultimately be followed by a decision: "Do I?", or "Don't I?"  [W W J D?..What would Jesus do?  I had not met Him yet, so I never even contemplated that question.  Jesus' high standard of morality would never have considered a thought against the fidelity of marriage]

Even though I knew it was not appropriate, the initial compliment to my looks enticed.  The majority of humanity is driven toward approval of their outward looks, and positive acknowledgment of such by someone else, is often reveled in. 

So I focused on the flattery, and let it dominate my morality, "What would it really hurt to just go out for a drink, or two?".

If "no" had been chosen immediately, the courtship with my thoughts would have ended, and the affair with the men would have never begun. Instead, my thoughts played until a crescendo was reached....the invitation was accepted, and the demise of a relationship began.

For me, these dates opened up a scenario I had not intended.  The consequence of a night on the town with another man (prompted by wrong thinking)  eventually became death of a union, in the form of divorce.

Don't Limit Growth

Enlarge the place of your tent.…Isaiah 54:2

A friend was talking to me about how uncomfortable change is.  Yes, I think the majority of us like for our lives to be structured, all laid out in a nice little routine.

However, this does not fit the plan of our Creator God, who likes us to be flexible and ready for change.  He wants us to be dynamically moving, full of life.

A good visual image is that of a plant in a pot too small for it.  Its roots are bound; you can see them straining against the bottom opening of the container. The plant will remain alive, but it will be stagnate.

 The plant will not continue to grow all bound up in this pot; it will need to be transplanted into a different container of new soil.  To reach its potential, the plant will need a proper balance of water and food.  There might be a short time of shock while the plant adjusts, but in time (with proper care) the plant will begin to flourish, putting forth shoots of new life.

The average human is like the bound up plant--alive, but not growing to their potential.  We can become so accustomed to the tight fit of our “self-made” scheduled life that fear sets in at the thought of change.  This will halt any growth potential that might be waiting for us.

In order to cultivate new life, we have to get out of the boxed routine and allow our roots to branch out in a new environment.  The preliminary step is the decision to yield to something different; making up our mind that change will benefit our existence. 

Initial preparation will profit the success of the situation.  Prayer to our Creator and meditation in His Word will assure that proper choices are made. 

After the change is made, continued consultation with the Master Gardner of life, and daily reading in His Growth Manual (Bible) will enhance the new growth.

Look For Blessings

The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.  Proverbs 10:22

Each day in our lives presents opportunity to give and receive blessing. The power of blessing can be overlooked if little value is given to its worth.

There are plenty of negatives in the world in which to put focus. All one has to do is turn on the daily news to witness the latest atrocities. Hate and greed are promoting growth of rampant fear and pain in our society. 

The low-keyed, gentle voice of blessing is often overlooked amidst the screaming sound of desperate conditions on this fast-paced earth, but…blessings still exist

 Daily blessings of God’s divine kind are regularly over-looked and unappreciated.  These blessings are manifested through gestures of loving hearts: genuine smiles, generous acts of kindness, and gentle, healing words.

The results (good or bad) obtained in life depend largely on how one perceives and reacts to surrounding circumstances. Giving intent focus to any problem gives enormity and strength to it that will distress the soul.  However, acknowledgement and sharing of blessings puts out a positive impression that reacts in an exponential way to soothe hurting souls.

It is a Biblical, spiritual principle that a person literally draws back to themselves what they put out in the atmosphere…whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:5).

As we acknowledge, and give intentional practice to our Creator’s planned “love way” of living, we will witness the divine blessing flow through lives.

The victory of healing.

Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:15

I am very grateful for my life; I wasn't always appreciative like this.  For decades I harbored unforgiveness, usually putting the blame of my defeat as others’ responsibility. Over time, this manifested into a bitterness that literally poisoned my body, soul, and spirit.

It is easy to point the finger of blame toward someone else.  We don’t have to look far in our life to find a human being who has let us down, who has wronged us in ways “we don’t deserve”.

The victory of healing begins when we take responsibility for our own responses to those “wrongs”.  The choices we have made in the past (led by incorrect thinking) virtually placed us into our present position, but…we can now choose to forgive, to let go of destructive hurts that have festered into open wounds of ugliness.

Toxin is eliminated from our very being when the root of resentment toward others is pulled up from our heart (Jesus will help you).  When forgiveness replaces this pent-up bitterness, a spring of love will begin to flow, and life will begin to proceed into an indescribable peacefulness, the way our Creator intended.