My Journey through Romans 13:8-14

What Love Is Not.

I find it fascinating that this four letter word packs so much power, yet it is so hard for many to understand its power. It is also fascinating to me that when a woman gives birth, how love is immediately manifested once that baby passes through the birth canal. The same is true for those mothers who have a C-section. Along with that love comes relief and excitement. The pain is immediately forgotten because love overshadows it. A woman has gotten through what seems like a stormy season; she is blessed and the child (someone else) is blessed that the mother had enough love to whether periods of gestation. At least that was my experience with my three gifts from the Lord. Not to mention that the five times my  “only daughter” was pregnant, I experienced having all her symptoms as though I was going through the birth with her. That was so weird to me. After each delivery, I was dead tired. She tells people that I gave birth to my grandchildren. 😛  Perhaps, I should have stayed out of the birthing room.

Eve was also excited when she bare Cain, she told Adam, “I have gotten a man from the Lord.” After the birth of my first child, I said ‘Lord have mercy, look ____ (ex’s name), we have a baby boy’, and that baby boy is still close to me til this day at the age of 35. I am blessed. He thinks he is my father now. I was really excited and felt an immediate need to protect him as with all my children I bore.

I hate to admit this, but I feel I must. Some people who knew me years ago, knew how I felt about children at that time. Before I had my first child, I did not have a liking for children because they seemed like little pests to me. I had no inkling of what love was for children. Praise the Lord, I now know. God showed us firsthand what love is in Genesis 1:27 –So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. I believe if He had not love, we would not exist. As a matter of fact, everything that He has done and continues to do is out of love for us all. A main point about the word love is this: “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

In verse eight (8) the love Paul speaks of is not of that much difference than the love we have for our own family members. He had learned from experience and from Jesus that we are to “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” We know that love fulfills the law; so where do we understand it more? It is here in  1 Corinthians 13.  

We know from experience that it is hard for us to love others as God intends for us to love. For whatever reason, a lot of us just don’t have love for others.  Some of us even hate our family members. We as Believer’s/Christians need to keep searching our hearts like we search for stuff on the internet. Search until we find the love that overshadows our dislike for others and for family members.

Yes, people are full of disappointments and hurt which appears to be a given for us. Make no mistake it is not love itself that does those things to us. Let me prove my point. Can you imagine how God felt when His son died on the cross for our sins? People. Can you imagine how God felt when Adam and Eve whom He created sinned against Him? People. Can you imagine how He felt when Satan turned against Him? Yes, People. Can you imagine how He felt when He had Moses lead His children out of Egypt and they turned on Him? People. I think our problem with love is that most of us don’t place an emphasis on what love is not. And now, since we have the basics of what love for others really is, let us move forward to knowing what love is not for others. They are found in verses 9-10 of this chapter.

Love is Not:

• Committing Adultery/Betrayal against one in a marriage

• Killing another for any reason

• Stealing from others

• Lying on and for others

• Desiring what others have

• Harboring hate for others in your heart

• Treating others with hostility/ill-will

• Ignoring and neglecting to fulfill the law of God

Is it safe to say that at some point in all of our lives that we have shown and still show what love is not? Yes. I repeat, we most assuredly have a problem with knowing what love is not. Jesus is returning, though we know not the day. Hence, time is upon us to work at showing what love is not for all. This is why I believe Paul goes on to alert us in verses 11-14-“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Besides, hating others is a sin that leads to other sins. Believe it. Stop looking at the world through rose colored glasses. In 1 John 3:9-11 we are reminded that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

May we all understand this message of what love is not by waking up from our “works of darkness” and putting on our “armour of light.”  Lord, help us in Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you for stopping in. Be blessed. Enjoy the quotes.

Live For God Because He Lives For You

Happy September 1^st to all!   On tomorrow, September 2^nd if my Papaw were still alive on this earth today, he would be 106 years old tomorrow. I miss him so much.   Tissue time!!!!!

However, I do have peace whereas Papaw is concerned because I know he lived for God while on this earth through his faith, his words, and his actions. I am so blessed to be sharing my thoughts with you from my time with God and Papaw in spirit this morning while reading from 1 Peter 4:1-11.

Let’s meditate and ask ourselves…Self how do you know that God lives for you?  As for me, my answers are simple and faithfully believed in by His words and actions. Let me share them with you. 😛

• I was given life by Him and I am made in His image. (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7)
• Not to mention, He grew weary of sending messages through others, so much so that He sent Himself in the flesh to live with me(Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:20-22, 1 Timothy 3:16, and Colossians 1:9) Side note to self, I need to practice more of face to face reconciliation with God so that my sins are revealed directly to me.
• He suffered and died for my sins when He was sinless, so that I might have life everlasting to live with Him eternally in the same place that He lives and have prepared just for me for He is a living God.( John 10:27-30,Luke 20:37-38, 1Peter 3:18 and POW- John 14:1-3… This is the Knockout Punch –Revelation 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”)

 

Now that’s some powerful stuff I was led to meditate on this morning, while spending time alone with God and thinking about my Papaw. TYHS!

I’m going to post the scriptures here from 1 Peter 4, so that you do not have to jump back and forth from your bible. Enjoy this meal!

1 Peter   4

New King   James Version (NKJV)

Therefore,   since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same   mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that   he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the   lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent   enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked   in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable   idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that   you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking   evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is   ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the   gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged   according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But   the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.   8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for   “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable   to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received   a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of   God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles   of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which   God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ,   to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

Peter made some great points about SIN in verses 1-6. How can I put this in kindergarten terms? If you continue to live in Sin, you will not live with God, nor are you living for Him. To my beloved ones who are reading this, know this ONE fact about SIN and think about how you have not lived for God.  In order for us to personally overcome SIN, we need to acknowledge, accept rebuke, and repent of those sins and be obedient to the will of God in the name of Jesus Christ. Right?  My thoughts are definitely from my experience with SIN. Using Peter’s verses, I’ll sum up the ONE fact I’ve come to believe in 6 words:

SIN IS A WASTE OF TIME (Verse 3)

 

Peter also made it CLEAR to us that there is ONE thing we can do to live for God. Do you know what it is? Huh, do ya do ya?  My beloved ones, if you have studied the Holy Bible, then you know that it has NEVER been kept as a secret from us within the books of Genesis through Revelation.

Proof 101- Luke 24:27 –  And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

ARM YOURSELVES ALSO WITH THE SAME MIND AS CHRIST(Verse 1)

 

Let us first take a look at this word:

ARM -intransitive verb: to prepare oneself for struggle or resistance.  

In verses 7-11 tells us just how to arm ourselves:

• Be serious and watchful in our prayers. Jesus tells us to do such in Luke 22:40- When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
• Have FERVENT love for one another, not just love. That means to love from the heart and soul. Warning!!!!! If you can’t love fervently you have been disarmed by Satan.
• Be hospitable to others and ditch the argumentative stage and back biting.
• Use the gift God gave you to minister to others that you come in contact with. It is my opinion that even a genuine smile towards another can be a blessing to others.
• Speak as Jesus spoke when He spoke about the Kingdom of God. Speak up the truth to all that you have conversations with. Yeah or Nay, no maybe.
• God has got your back and front and will be (not should be) glorified in all things that you do through and in the name of Jesus Christ. He is ARMED, and so you should be too.

 

Allow me to throw in one more bible verse.

Galatians 2:20(NKJV)

 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

With that being noted, I shall end my post with this thought for you to think seriously about: Since we were made in His image, why is it so hard for us to know His will? Think about it and start Living For God by letting Him live in you BECAUSE He Lives For You.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Confirm Your Calling and Election through A Heart Baking Process

Guess what I was reading? You’re right. High Five!   2 Peter 1. His thoughts are right on point, so I’ll let those be my thoughts as well for this blog. The heart is a powerful baking tool. Allow me a few thoughts, please. After reading this, the Holy Spirit has shown me that I (we) have been given the ability to confirm our calling and election through the knowledge of God. It truly and faithfully lies within us. Heed the message in verse 3-4 & 19 underlined below.

In all the confirmation stages we experience throughout life given to us by God, there is always diligent work to be done and it starts from within our heart. Work….that comes from the heart which in turn transmits the want to become righteous to the mind and body. However diligence to do God’s will appears to be an important stage in that of us confirming our calling and election. To me it is like baking a cake or pie. The aroma is pleasing to us, just like our goodness is pleasing to God, when it is well-done. Sometimes the product doesn’t turn out right due to its baker leaving out ingredients, making shortcuts, or by not following the right steps, you know add this next or add this after such and such time. If you know how to bake things, you know the steps. If it is well-done, it smells good. If it is under cooked or burnt, there is a lingering stench.

Like it or not, we too will have to go through a baking process to become well-done. I know that I’ve got work to be diligent in doing. I want to hear these words when facing My Lord – “Well Done”

Diligence- (n) constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.

2 Peter 1

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Let’s get out our mixing HEART bowl and fill with the 7 ingredients below. The more you measure out, the better it will be. Let us BE DILIGENT in kneading these things together, adding as needed to confirm our calling and election:

• add to your faith virtue

• add to virtue knowledge

• add to knowledge temperance

• add to temperance patience

• add to patience godliness

• add to godliness brotherly kindness

• add to brotherly kindness charity

Peter reminds us in verses 10-11 the result of our baked product:

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, YE SHALL NEVER FALL: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Are you working towards being sure you will be well done? A baked good falls when it is not prepared thoroughly, i.e. diligently and when taken out of the oven too soon or too late. Let us be sure “Ye shall never fall.”

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude Of Sins

Simplicity- A Child’s Joy In The Lord

Great Wednesday morning to you beautiful people. On yesterday, I learned from my daughter in-law that my grandsons, Emanuel and Elijah have told everyone that they come in contact with about an event that took place recently in their lives. About two weeks ago, I took them with me to help serve at one of the nearby homeless shelters.

They are too young to help with serving plates, so I told them they would have to wash off the tables after the people finished eating. On the way there, I was telling them about the homeless people and how God makes a way for all to be fed and taken care of.  I was telling them , that at a moment’s notice, anyone could become homeless because of circumstances, even me. Emanuel said, “but Grandma, you can come live with us and we’ll take care of you. You can sleep in our room with us.” I laughed, and said, but I don’t want to look at y’all everyday getting on my nerves.  Elijah said, “we promise we will be quiet if you live with us.” SILENCE.   I asked them if they would give away their shoes and clothes if a homeless child needed them. Guess what they said? “Sure, then you will get us some more.” Ha ha!

So the simplicity in the matter that gave my heart joy on yesterday. I knew they probably told family members. I was made aware on yesterday, that they were telling their parents friends and others when out and about. “Everyone”
“Our grandma took us with her to serve the homeless. We washed tables after they finished eating and it was fun. We are going to go again, it is fun helping the homeless.”
Talk about spreading the good news. My GRAND GIFTS were on it! Plus, you know kids love to play in water. Water is a great source/tool to use in teaching them to clean up.
I was thinking if a child finds such joy in doing the Lord’s work, washing tables down for the homeless, how is it we as adults, sometimes find serving others not so joyful?
“Fun”……such a blessed word when coming from a child.  Let us find “Fun” in serving the Lord.
God commands us to serve, does He not? Their laboring, i.e. “fun” work brought to mind the following scriptures:

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

1 Timothy 6:18-19

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

The Mentality and Emotions of A Temporal (Time-Based) Life and Death

Opening-

v  Genesis 1:26-27(KJV) – The Plan

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 v  Genesis 2:7(KJV)- The Plan In Fruition

 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 v  Genesis 3:16-19(NKJV)- The Plan’s Temporal Result

To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

The day of birth sets our life in motion unto death. Even if we think it’s unfair, death must come, whether it be by a spiritual or a physical death. Is it not a written or given law since the demise of Adam?  All things, humans, plants, and animals alike that are given life will eventually die…. excluding God’s hand- picked few.  When we read the word of God, we know that both life and death are temporal events until He sends His son Jesus back to lay a final claim on those cemented in Him, to give us another life eternal, not life temporal, and no death.

v  Proverbs 14:12(NKJV) There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

v  Ecclesiastes 9:5 (NKJV)- For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

We come into the world prepared for life unto (not for) death. We are equipped to deal circumspectly via our mentality and emotions with both events during our life stage.  We are even caught off guard in some cases as well of both events, namely unplanned pregnancies, terminal illnesses, incarcerated death sentences, suicide, and accidental deaths. Still we are equipped to deal with those things in our own way. Thank You Heavenly Father! You know, I was thinking profoundly that neither of these events, life nor death, are physical choices we as the person make. Question Point –  Did you make the choice to be born just so you could die?  I think not!

Life is our opening and Death is our closing on this earth. Thank you Adam! God is our Alpha and Omega. Upon His return, Jesus is and will be THE ONLY WAY to get Life eternally since, Death will cease to exist. Thank you Jesus! Do we fully grasp THAT belief with our mentality and emotions?  Jesus IS the ONLY WAY. We will be equipped for death via salvation IF we leave this earthly place with our mind, our heart and our soul fortified in Jesus. In Him, we will never be put to shame.  Read Romans 10:9-13, in your bibles please. This post is long enough already.

                                                    **************Note – Mt.  Kangchenjunga**************

When you look at the fatality rates on the world’s most dangerous mountains, you’ll see that most decrease as time goes on. One notable exception is Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world. Death rates have reached as high as 22% in recent years, a reflection of the avalanche and weather hazards that plague this dangerous mountain.  Trekking the Mt. Kangchenjunga Circuit in Nepal. Read more at http://matadornetwork.com/trips/11-most-dangerous-mountains-in-the-world-for-climbers/#GhHqFXwETybPFLBm.99

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Hiking now! When a baby is born, most everyone (family and friends) involved in the newborn’s life have a natural feeling of elation, joy, happiness, excitement, hugs, kisses, nice compliments, laughter, and genuine smiles. It is a grand display of our mentality and emotions. LOVE! It’s a natural temperament, even amongst animals. Animals lick and cuddle their newborns.  In most lives of the newborn animal, several females assist in the caring of for a specified time. Have you ever seen a cheetah smile?  

LOVE! A newborn is also welcomed into the world with open arms and open hearts from most people who come into contact with him or her. Our countenance is that of joy and happiness. This grand display of mentality and emotions are also natural feelings for the life of a newborn that even come from strangers outside of the family and friends realm, i.e. doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and others when you’re out and about with a newborn. Everyone, even those born with “disabilities” or become disabled, celebrates life throughout its various stages due to their mentality and emotions. Some of us are envious of the way others live their life.  Some of us are happy with how we live our life. Some of us are dissatisfied with the life we live. We are full of emotions. Did I not say earlier, we are equipped to deal with life? I don’t know, did I? Anyway, our mentality and emotions are our equipment. The equipment source is, yep, you guessed it!  Our Heart! At least that is my thought.  In life, we are able to use the source to guide us in the life making decision process, be it bad or good.

Hmm, prepared to death? I’m sure I said that earlier too. In death, there is nothing according to Koheleth.  Have you figured out who he is yet? The normal celebratory ritual for death is mourning.  Our countenance differs from that of when one is born. We don’t feel elated, nor do we experience laughter and joy when a person dies. We are left in such sorrow, especially if it is a child of ours. There is clearly no excitement stage. Though we (some of us) are not mentally and emotionally prepared to die, nor prepared to see others close to us die, we are still equipped to deal with the death of others and self. How so? Because we KNOW in our hearts that death is coming. It is the curse of Adam set in motion for the preparation for our new bodies to come.  Death is just another prepared mountain we’ll have to climb for those who are in Christ to receive our glorified bodies.

When anyone or anything (pet and plants included) we love or care deeply for dies, like it or not, our mentality and emotions kick in again. These too are natural feelings that the living have when someone or something dies. It is also a natural feeling when some famous person dies we care about, that we’ve never spoken to or have seen face to face.  It is by far a rarity amongst us that a living person would want to take the place of a loved or unloved one who is dying. Jesus did it for us all. Thank you God! Here lies the difference in our current life and death versus Jesus’ life and death. God prepared Jesus for both life and death and Jesus knew that both had to happen. We knew not when we were going to be given life before we were born, but rest assuredly at some point in our life we all learn that we are going to die.

When we die, our equipment  source dies with us. We can no longer use this source in death. We lose our mentality and emotions. The Good News! But, and it’s a faithful “but”, the equipment source, our heart will beat again in a perfect life with a new body as incorruptible. We will become immortal through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I speak only of those who are in Christ Jesus.  Once we go through this death coming, we… you and I, will receive a perfected mentality and have perfected emotions prepared for us, never to be caught off guard again. Pure Love! Just thinking about it makes my heart smile….Pure Love for God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, One Another, and Self! Jesus said, He has prepared a place for us, and I will always believe so. Since He has prepared it, we know it will be the perfect place. Do you believe?

 Amen.

 

Closing –

v  1 Corinthians 15:51-57(NKJV) – The Plan’s Destination  🙂

 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”    “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

v  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18(NKJV)

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Now wasn’t that was a nice hike up and down Mt. Kangchenjunga? We made it! Our present mentality and emotions in this temporal life need lots of work. Folks, we’ve got more mountains to climb. We need to be prepared for Jesus’ return, by getting our old mentality and emotions focused solely on and in Him, so that we can receive eternal life through and in Him. Come Lord Jesus so that we may shine in our glorious bodies.

 

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LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

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Lord’s Prayer- Learning In French

 

I had a flashback to my 11th grade French class this morning, while preparing The Lord’s Prayer for my grandkids to memorize.  You know the class where you get a great exercise workout for the mouth.  🙂 I told my grandkids that can read that I wanted them to learn The 23rd Psalm, Lord’s Prayer, Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, and The Golden Rule.  I want to encourage all grandparents out there to teach these to your grandkids.  It will leave a lasting impression.  My Papaw thought them to me as a child and though I have not lived accordingly, however I continue to work on being more like Christ. 

So much for Memorial Day! I remember the time that my Papaw took out to teach me things in the bible to this very day, which has help me become the faith-based person that I am. I know storms are going to come and I need to remember in my weak temporary moments to Stand In Jesus’ name against them all so that I too may overcome.

So I am making 5 little booklets that includes the above scriptures in English and in French. I’ll have to make 4 more  in about 2 years for the other ones to learn and read.  I ‘ve always found it exciting to learn different languages. I came across the prayer in French.  Here’s some shareware from http://www.lords-prayer-words.com/ Enjoy My Beloved!

“Notre Père”

Notre Père, qui es aux cieux,
 Que ton nom soit sanctifié,
 Que ton règne vienne,
 Que ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.

Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de ce jour.
 Pardonne-nous nos offences
 Comme nous pardonnons aussi à ceux qui nous ont offensés.
 Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation,
 mais délivre-nous du mal,
 car c’est à toi qu’appartiennent le règne,
 la puissance et la gloire, aux siècles des siècles.
Amen.

 

‘Je t’aime’ (zhuh tem – I Love You)

Avant tout, ayez les uns pour les autres une ardente charité, car La charité couvre une multitude de péchés. (1 Peter 4:8)

 

 

 

 

Quotes I Love About Family

The Lord has really been great in blessing me with great gifts (grandkids and kids). This past Thursday after a year long prayer was answered, I SHOUT to the world that I am so grateful for the Lord’s mercy and goodness to me and mine and His will.  He always answers my prayers.  I am still having a praise fest. Wanna come?  So my beloved ones, I will share with you quotes, proverbs, and scriptures about FAMILY today and leave you with this thought….Whatever the Lord gives to you, cherish it with nothing but LOVE, and always be in prayer, thanking and praising him, not just asking. Family members are not mistakes. – Moi I think?  If not moi, it’s what I feel and think about family.

• Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts.  –Author Unknown
• Family quarrels are bitter things. They don’t go according to any rules. They’re not like aches or wounds; they’re more like splits in the skin that won’t heal because there’s not enough material. – Anonymous
• The family.  We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. – Erma Bombeck
• You don’t choose your family.  They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.  ~Desmond Tutu 
• Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family.  Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.  –Paul Pearshall
• The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family.  –Lee Iacocca
• If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable – each segment distinct. – Letty Cottin Pogrebin
• Are we not like two volumes of one book?-Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
• A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian… and most of all, his family ought to know.-Dwight L. Moody
• Adam was the luckiest man; he had no mother-in-law.- Mark Twain  😛
• He that loves not his wife and children feeds a lioness at home, and broods a nest of sorrows.-Jeremy Taylor

 

• A farmer who had a quarrelsome family called his sons and told them to lay a bunch of sticks before him. Then, after laying the sticks parallel to one another and binding them, he challenged his sons, one after one, to pick up the bundle and break it. They all tried, but in vain. Then, untying the bundle, he gave them the sticks to break one by one. This they did with the greatest ease. Then said the father, Thus, my sons, as long as you remain united, you are a match for anything, but differ and separate, and you are undone.-Aesop
• In a broken nest there are few whole eggs.-Chinese Proverb
• Man is the head of the family, woman the neck that turns the head.-Chinese Proverb
• Look for the good, not the evil, in the conduct of members of the family.-Jewish Proverb
• None but a mule denies his family.-Arabian Proverb

 

• The family is the most basic unit of government. As the first community to which a person is attached and the first authority under which a person learns to live, the family establishes society’s most basic values.-Charles Caleb Colton
• “The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation.”-  Adrian Rogers

 

• Psalm 137:3-5 – Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
• Romans 8:16-17 – The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.  
• Proverbs 11:29 -Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
• Proverbs 18:19 – A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
• Psalm 103:17 -But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children
• Ephesians 1:5 – Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

 

I Love You

Love Covers A Multitude Of Sins

 

If You Knew-My Thoughts On Learning From Others In The Bible

Good Great Saturday Morning/Afternoon to you beloved.  I’ve been in deep study and thought again with the OT(Old Testament), which was one of my resolutions for this New Year, to complete a book for my grandkids about what grandma thinks and believes about God, as my papaw did for I without him knowing it. I inherited a lot of his books and writings after his death.  I hope to share with you a series about people of the OT and lessons I learned from their behavioral actions. I hope you enjoy it, and as I always say, you may not agree,and that is fine. I just ask that you keep in mind that these are my thoughts revealed to me by none other than the Holy Spirit, Himself, for my understanding of the Lord. Thank you Jesus!

If You Knew

If you knew the exact time you were going to die, what would you change in your life during that additional period(s) guaranteed to you? This is something I was thinking about concerning wasted time that we have all experienced and thoughts of how to somewhat correct past behaviors, thoughts, and actions thereof. I have learned these past three weeks and know from my experience that “silence is golden” when you put yourself in the Lord’s presence and see yourself through His eyes. Just sit quietly to self and He will reveal. There are some things you may not like or can’t believe about self.  Unveiling is a powerful thing!

So anywho! I was reading in the OT again searching for something really deep about being given a 2^nd chance to live life differently up to a certain day of guaranteed death told to you.  Here is where the remembrance of King Hezekiah kicked in.  After reading about him again, I also pondered, why was it that Adam was not given another chance to live perfectly again? That’s another blog and thought I suppose.

First I’ll share what I took from my Comprehensive Analysis of the Bible by Montgomery F. Essig, 1922 Edition about Hezekiah. Lord, I wish this edition was online so I could have just copied and pasted. Here we go!

Hezekiah – a form of a Hebrew word meaning “strength of Jehovah.”  Hezekiah was the twelfth king of Judah and one of the best of Judah’s kingly line, although he was the son of the idolater Ahaz.  He was born about 726 B.C., ascended the throne when about twenty-five years old, and reigned twenty-nine years.  One of the first acts of his reign was to do away with the idol-worship that had grown under his father and restore the true faith. He then turned his attention to win back the cities captured by the Philistines.  His success in these military operations led him to refuse tribute to Assyria, which nation had already destroyed the kingdom of Israel and led away the ten tribes captive.  This act brought to his doors an Assyrian army, and Hezekiah was forced to make terms by despoiling the Temple of gold to give to the Assyrians, who promptly broke faith, and were just as promptly punished by God, who in a night destroyed 180,000 of them by plague.  Hezekiah fell ill, and, after earnest prayer, was told by the prophet Isaiah that God would spare his life for fifteen years.  The remainder of his reign appears to have been peaceful and prosperous. References 2 Kings 16;18;19;20.

I shall add a bit more here about Hezekiah.  His mother, Abijah, was the daughter of King Zechariah. You do know that King David was Hezekiah’s grandfather, right?  And that because of Ahaz’s reign of not doing right in the eyes of the Lord, Israel was once again exiled because of Sin to Assyria?  In 2 Kings 17:18-19 the bible tells us that –So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel has introduced. 

His wife’s name was Hephzibah of which Manasseh was seeded.  It occurred to me that during the reign of kings throughout the families, that one generation would do good; then the next generation would do bad in the eyes of the Lord, and so on and so on. In other words, it seemed generations took turns between doing good and bad in the eyes of the Lord. I see that happening in my family and many others of which I am aware of their family history. There appears to be some type of skip a generational curse existing thingy. (Read the books of Judges – 2 Chronicles for specifics)

In 2 Kings 18:5-8, it tells us that- Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.  And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.  From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.

Did you know that it was Hezekiah who broke “into pieces” the bronze snake Moses made that was used to cure the Israelites from snake bites back in Moses’ day? Here’s the story about Moses’ snake.

Numbers 21:4-9 (NIV) The Bronze Snake

 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”  Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.  The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.”  So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

So now back to Hezekiah….please open your bible or do a net search and read 2 Kings 20. It is a powerful chapter and a lesson in there to be learned for all. I am to close this out some time soon.

If the Lord sent a messenger, or told you Himself, “Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”…. I ask again….If you knew….what would you change in your life? At that given moment Hezekiah only had a moment’s notice.  To most, if given that message, there would be nothing they could think of to do, but to lie there and die, call an ambulance, or try to write out a quick will via a phone call to a lawyer.  😛   But ah ha! here lies the strongest link in a weakest moment encountered….Watch out! Here it comes! When Hezekiah was told this, he did WHAT?  He prayed to the Lord, and this my loves, is how the 15 years was added to his life. Ask Him in faith and ye shall receive according to His will, huh? I think he was about 54 or close to it when he died.

Hezekiah really did prove to those of us, me included, in reading this; that the verses above (2 Kings 18:5-8) were kept until his death. Not only that, whatever the Lord said to Hezekiah, he accepted, whether good or bad. It made me think again about the simplicity of trusting in the Lord. We don’t have a quarter of the incidents happen in our lives that Hez had and most can’t find it in ourselves to put and keep that trust in to him until our death. We surely don’t want bad news from the Lord and we would not be as accepting of it as Hezekiah was. It is hard for us to come to grips with accepting our fate. Right? What I find even more amazing is that the bible tells us there was never another king like Hezekiah, neither before him nor after him. Thank you Holy Spirit! Brain power kick……There was never one like Jesus before Him or after Him either, nor to come.

What lesson(s) did you learn from reading about Hezekiah?

More on Hezekiah can be found in the Books of 2 Chronicles 29-32 and Isaiah 36-39. Another thing I found powerful in reading about Hezekiah is that he “thought” that……. “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.”  Is that a thought of yours? If you were seconds away from your death, would you be able to utter those words?

2 Kings 20:7-11 (NIV)

Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.  Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day from now?”  Isaiah answered, “This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: Shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or shall it go back ten steps?”  “It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,” said Hezekiah. “Rather, have it go back ten steps.”  Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

My prayer and wish for you and self….Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Related articles

• The God Of Hezekiah (savedbygraceblogdotcom.wordpress.com)
• Isaiah 39. Babylonian captivity of Judah foretold. Messengers from Babylonia (KJV) (bummyla.wordpress.com)

Countenance-Your Appearance In God’s Eyes-My Thoughts

As I opened by bible today for a brief break earlier while at work, the pages fell open to Genesis 4. I began reading and boing! I was reading something I really had paid little attention to in the past.
Chapter 4 discusses the seeding of Cain and Abel, and momentous events in their lives. Later on in the chapter it mentions the seeding of Seth. We know the story, Abel became a keeper of flocks and Cain worked the soil. They both brought offerings to the Lord. Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil and Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The story goes on to state that the Lord looked with favor upon Abel and his offering, but had no favor upon Cain and his offering. Why? I asked self as I have done many times before when reading this chapter. I arrived at a conclusion  a while back, that my answer and God’s favor hid in the wording that I have bolded above.
Ages ago, I use to catch an attitude about God’s actions when reading this because I was thinking, how could God not show favor to Cain ?..…he gave an offering from things he grew in the soil, but most importantly he gave to God. We all know gardening is not a simple task and most of us put our heart into it. However……..Thank you Holy Spirit for providing the understanding through the years.

Cain just brought some and appeared to have given little thought about whether it was the FIRST fruit or last to give to God. Abel gave some of his FIRST born flock.  Non acceptance from God of Cain’s offering led Cain to become angry and his face became downcast. I thought his behavior normal, because as humans that is our behavioral  pattern when rejected, misled, disappointed and shown no favor when we think ,(not taking into account what the receiver may think )we’ve done well by our actions.
Before I go any further, let’s scan over the words below.

• Angry- cross, annoyed, irritated, irate, mad, livid
• Downcast- sad, depressed, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened
• Countenance-n- appearance, especially the look or expression of the face 
• Sin-n- transgression of divine law; any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense

The new lighting I found after removing the lamp shade is in the verses below:

Genesis 4:6-7
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
There’s my “boing”!  Did you see it? I have always loved how God asks a question and then gives an answer. How did I ever miss that God said “sin is crouching at your door”? Pull out your bibles and read the rest of the story in Genesis 4. We will discover within this chapter that Cain eventually, did not rule over that “crouching” sin, he was cursed by God and became a “restless wanderer”.
The other thing I want to make note of is how our countenance gives away what is truly on the mind and heart. I’m a great expressions watcher. It’s almost like a natural second job to me, but doesn’t pay the bills, (but God) allows me to own that gracious gift. Some of us probably wish that we could walk around with a face eraser to erase most of the expressions that show. Not happening! even with a mask on.  The eyes can still be read along with body positioning.
How many times folks have we done something half-heartedly? How many times have we been shamed because we saw others giving someone else a gift, and we didn’t give…. then run out to buy a gift because you saw someone else give?

Besides, we are told in Ephesians 5:11- Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
So back to Cain’s countenance we go. The lessons I learned from verses 6-7 are:
1. Doing right in the eyes of God is acceptable and that we should give to God from the heart.
2. Doing wrong in the eyes of God is not acceptable and has consequences. (Have you ever watched the Truth or Consequences game show? For those who are younger than I, here’s a tidbit about the show- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_Consequences )
3. Sin is right at your door waiting for the right opening moment to jump in. The longer sin crouches, the more cramps it gets and can’t jump as quickly. This will allow you more time to practice taking control of the “crouching” sin.  🙂
4. Sin’s desire and Satan’s ultimate goal is to rule over the children of God.
5. We as children of God, heirs of His promise, “MUST rule over” sin in order to be in line with His will.
6. Sin is a thing. Don’t let THINGS rule over you that are not good for the Body of Christ.

Visualize This As Being Sin’s Position

Here’s one of my favorite reminders to self when sin tries to rule over me and change my countenance from being joyful in the Lord. I like sharing these verses with people whose countenance becomes downtrodden for whatever reason sometimes unbeknownst to me. It’s a great pick me upper and it pays to remember who you are in Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-10 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 

Sticky Note—When you appear before the Lord while living on this earth, make sure you have your countenance in check. Remember that He is watching us at all times. Henceforth, whatever you do, make sure that it is from the heart, that it is right, and that it is pleasing to God, to recieve His favor.

 

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins

BECAUSE OF and BY FAITH- Our Reminders

My morning reading partner, the Holy Spirit, shared with me a reminder from the Book of Hebrews this morning Dec 8, 2012. Yep, you’ve guessed it! Hebrews 11, one of the biggest faith chapters in the bible. Don’t need a dictionary here, the writer makes sure we are aware of what FAITH is.

Hebrews 11:1- Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

A verse that really had the boomerang effect this morning. Let me share verse 13 with you: All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Do you realize that this verse is telling us who are Christians that because of faith, God‘s promise to us will never be void, even unto the grave? What a great reminder and eye opener! Lord have mercy Jesus!

Let’s take a look and read along in your bible the verses relating to each found throughout the bible, as to what happened because of and by faith. Ok, lovebirds, pull out the bible or read along online.

• The universe was formed
• Abel had a better offering for God, and by faith Abel still speaks even though he is dead.
• Enoch escaped the death experience. Because of his faith, he pleased God
• Noah by faith heeded God’s warning and lived with all kinds of animals on an ark.  😛
• Abraham by faith obeyed God without hesitation
• Sarah by faith, was able to bear children past the given childbearing age. (A reminder that  with faith , ANY and EVERYTHING is possible with God.)
• Abraham, because of faith offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Is this something you could ever bring yourself to do, offer up your child as a scarifice to God? Do you have that much faith?
• Isaac lived because of faith, and by faith he blessed his son’s Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

Note to self-  Noticed faith appears to be generational and a big concern for the future of their children.

• Jacob, by faith on his deathbed blessed each of his grandchildren born of Joseph, and  worshipped the Lord.
• Joseph “when his end was near” because of his faith spoke aforetime about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. (Hmmm, do you have this type of faith?)
• Moses‘ parents by faith hid him and was not afraid of the king’s ruling during that time.
• Moses by faith refused to be recognized as the son of a pharoah, chose to be treated as a  slave, left Egypt, kept the Passover, regarded disgrace in the name of and for God, and was able to give the commandments of God to God’s people.
• The walls of Jericho fell (Can you imagine tons of stones broken only because of faith and never touched?)
• Rahab the prostitute, because of faith, she helped people of God and I just know her name is written in the Book of Life.
• Because of faith, there were those who “conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of a sword, weakness became strength,received back their dead ” and even survived being in the belly of a big fish, and it goes on and on folks.- Reference all books of the bible.

And I want to add, that by faith, Joseph stayed with Mary, knowing he wasn’t the “biological father” of our greatest Believer and Trustee of Faith, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Closing Verses

Hebrews 11:39-40 – These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:6 –  And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

And now my beautiful people  in Jesus, may you all have a blessed and faith filled Saturday.  Off to shoe hunting I go.  By faith I shall find the perfect shoe within 30 minutes time that I can walk around in and praise the Lord while I’m living in the Holy City.  Faith prepares you.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us of two caveats (possibly caviar for you seafood lovers…wink wink) concerning faith;

“BE SURE” and “BE CERTAIN”.

Thank you for spending time with me and the Lord this morning on the great reminder of what happens Because of and By Faith.

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins