Your Story of Travels

I’ve been a lot of places in my life. Even out of the country. Well that’s a bit of a stretch and yet true. Staying with my sister and her family when my mother had surgery in the early 60’s, she lived near the border with Mexico. And just so happened, we went across the border and had supper at a restaurant there one night. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon, but I didn’t go out on the overlooks. I’ve been over the tallest bridge in Texas but again, it was hard not to just keep my eyes closed all the way.

Oh beloved, God speaks to my heart. Everyone has a story of their travels in life. God sees your whole life and He has been with you, even when you didn’t acknowledge Him. His faithfulness through your travels is the reason you are here today.

God wants you to know that He isn’t about to leave you now. Just as He was with David when things went wrong, He is with you. Just as He was with Jonah in the whale’s belly, He will keep you even in the worst circumstances. Every single step of your life is covered in mercy and grace. You’re not a product of hard times you endured. You are a representation of God’s amazing faithful watchful care for you!

Every morning you wake up you can either remember things from the view of victim or victor. You can ask God for a fresh vision of your whole life. You can also ask Him for a fresh vision of this season our country is in. He will bring forth insight as you ask for it. He will grant you wisdom as you reach out to Him. He loves to give dreams and visions, especially in these last days! What a wonderful time to be alive and what a beautiful view you have within you!

God loves you and He’s for you. He’s not asleep while all this chaos is trying to take over. He’s not winking at sins nor is He ignoring the pleas of His people who are interceding even now for this great nation. Run to Him this morning and thank Him for where you’ve been, how you’ve made it and where you are going with Him. And live watchfully alive with your eyes on the King as you walk into your future with peace!

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age I [the Lord] will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress, He too was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them. In His love and compassion He redeemed them; He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

Psalm 32:6-7 Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near. You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Seeds Of Our Lives

Years ago a friend of ours had a bumper crop of black eyed peas. She kept giving them away. Bushel after bushel was carted to friend after friend. The peas kept producing. The more she gave the more they produced. The peas finally quit producing but it was far later in the year than normal.

Funny how that memory comes to mind this morning. And the Lord speaks to our hearts…

Oh beloved, what are you planting? What kind of bumper crop do you want in your life? What are you giving away? God promises that you can’t out-give Him. Whatever you sow that also you will reap. Somehow we think that it doesn’t matter what we say, what we do or how we act. But these are all seeds of our lives. Given time, seed grows. And then it produces.

God wants each of us to know this morning that it does matter. For the believer it really matters. As a producer, we are called to reproduce Christian influence. Give it away by the bushel. That’s the kind of crop we want in our own lives.

God wants you to know this morning that your prayers produce a crop you might not see in the flesh as quickly as those peas produced in our friend’s garden. But all prayer produces. So too, unfortunately hate produces. We must be very careful with our words. What we share is what we grow. What we grow in our hearts is what we share. Your best crop and the one most tended will grow your bumper produce. There will always be people who want to hate more than they want to forgive, but their crop will be something indigestible.

Be different. Grow something new in these last days. Grow love! Grow joy! Grow forgiveness! Grow the Gospel and the Kingdom of God! People are so hungry they are eating just everything, even what’s not good for them. But you precious believer, are born again of incorruptible seed. What a blessing that you can be the one who changes the atmosphere and reaps the harvest when you sow God’s love, not human love, but Agape love, with yourself and those around you!

God loves you with an everlasting love and He is for you, to help you receive a mighty harvest! Run to Him this morning and ask Him for help with your yield. Everything you yield to Him will be beautiful and blessed! And you will be giving out Kingdom food that will feed you far into the winter seasons you encounter and others who come your way for strength! Glory to God!

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Galatians 6:9 Let’s not get tired of doing what is good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest—if we do not give up.

Hosea 10:12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap unfailing love. Break up the fallow ground for yourselves, for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers deliverance on you.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure– pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

Someone Is Counting On You

Someone is counting on you.

These are the words I hear this morning. I am remembering this morning that upon the impending birth of our first daughter I said these words “I don’t want to do this!” But my husband’s strong hand and his faithful spirit kept me pushing through. Nobody else could take over. I couldn’t quit. Not only did I make it, but I went on to have more babies. The experience didn’t stop me, it encouraged me.

Oh beloved, someone is counting on you. You may not even know who. But you aren’t destined to give up even though you may feel like it. God never puts anyone under pressure, but He does give each one of us a sense of urgency at times. You beloved, are being urged by Holy Spirit to keep going in spite of your circumstances or the season of this world.

God wants you to know this morning that you will make it. The warfare you are engaged in won’t last forever, but you are going to outlast that warfare. The unction of Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart and you will be honored that you made it. Someone is counting on you to keep praying when you want to quit and to keep waking up and taking the day even when you don’t want to get out of bed. Feelings won’t last. But spiritual impetus to move on in spite of it all – that will grow stronger, not weaker. The victory is just beyond the pain.

God loves you and He’s for you. He is holding your hand through the birth pangs of your life. He won’t let go, He won’t get worried and He can’t give up on you! Run to Him this morning and thank Him for His help. And live, beloved believer, in the Light of His power within you!

Psalm 94:18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,” Your loving devotion, O LORD, will support me.

Psalm 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Birdseed Thieves

We can’t believe it, but the birdseed thieves are back. We’ve caught them red handed twice. And we’ve discovered the aftermath of their gluttony as well at morning’s light. Two empty bird feeders and suet feeder. These guys won’t give up. But we will continue to dispatch them. They may not give up, but we won’t either.

Oh beloved, the thief of your life won’t give up. That’s just the truth. As long as you are here on earth he will continue to come back and attempt robbery on your life. If it were so simple as a bird feeder full of seed. But he isn’t after that. No he’s the one who comes to rob you of purpose and leave you with apathy. He’s the one who comes to take your inner life of faith and leave you with going through the motions. He loves to convince people that they have rights. The right to do wrong is his favorite one. He doesn’t even give you a chance. If you linger one moment in his temptations you are left robbed and weakened.

BUT GOD! Oh how the Lord loves you. Oh how He loves to protect you. He will continually dispatch the enemy from your life. He says in His Word that He will arise and His enemies will be scattered! His Word says God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. He says be filled with Holy Spirit, which is the fuel for your faith! You cannot allow the enemy to go loose! And you don’t have to! Resist the enemy and he will flee! God is so rich in mercy that He gives you all the weapons of warfare and all the power over the enemy! You aren’t the weakest link in the Kingdom of God, for all of God’s born again children have the same abilities and attributes available to them by new birth! You are amazing and your life has purpose and your prayers are heard!

God loves you and He’s for you! Always! When you are robbed, you get to run to the Father and ask Him for help. You get to turn from temptation and turn to the Lord! The Lord’s invitation to you includes wisdom, power and love! Run to Him this morning and ask Him for deep spiritual insights to combat any apathy or fear you have. And live in the power of Christ’s resurrection today!

I Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.

Luke 22:45-46 When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]

Signs Of The Season

The signs of fall are beginning to show. Coming to the house yesterday I saw a maple tree with bright orange and yellow hues at the tip top of its branches. And then there are the surprise lilies, my absolutely favorite flowers, popping up in our yard. I love fall, so these signs of what’s ahead are wonderful to my heart.

Oh beloved, I look forward to my favorite season of fall and its signs. But we have signs of the times that are unprecedented. We can look at the harsh signs and get fearful about it all. We can focus on what’s not right and get frustrated. We can listen to the news and get nothing to look forward to from the airwaves.

But God wants you and I to know that we are not under the influence of the false signs of power and control. That’s not how Jesus lived and He is our example. For the unbeliever, it is unprecedented. They should be fearful, worried, and very confused. But for the believer, one who has a personal ongoing relationship of salvation and faith with Jesus – the times are luxuriously unprecedented. You know we are living in the last days. But it’s not time to run and hide. It’s time to preach, pray and prophesy! It’s time to talk to the King and get our marching orders from Him alone. It’s time to stand against any system that wants to promise more freedom while promoting increased captivity and bondage.

God says to be careful what you read and who you listen to. Revivals are firing up all over the country. People who thought they were saved are coming to Christ! People who thought they wanted anarchy are turning to law and order. This is your season! To proclaim the truth over yourself, to withstand the enemy’s tricks to fall into fear, sin and disbelief. And it’s time for you to proclaim the Truth over your own life! “I am a child of the Most High God! I am walking in wisdom, power and love.” “Even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death – I FEAR NO EVIL!” “In Christ I can live and move and have my being in Him!”

God loves you and He’s for you. Stop dreading the future, it’s secure. Stop worrying about your stuff, you can’t take anything with you when you go Home. Stop praying the lies of the enemy over yourself, it only leads to death. Run to the King and ask Him to renew your faith, increase your Holy Spirit fire and reassign your spiritual sight for today. And live in the Light of His wonderful unprecedented miraculous plan for your life!

Ephesians 1:18—21 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 4:5-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me.