YES INDEED, GOD WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD!

1 Peter 5:8-11 (NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

¹⁰ In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. ¹¹ All power to him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:8-11 The Message (MSG)

He Gets the Last Word

 ^8-11Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

          Once again I find I get more from the paraphrase than the translation. The Message often gives me the positive outcome where translations leave us with a bold “get it together” type message. The Message tells us to keep our guard up and to keep a firm grip on the faith but it also tells us that God gets the last word. How great is that? It’s like turning the book to the last page in the middle of the nail biting sequence. Yes, indeed, God does get the last word!

Dr. Seuss Fare

The other day my husband smiled as he ate our “Dr. Seuss” fare! I’ve known for a long time now how blessed I am to have a hubby who is not a picky eater. But the other day when he got some leftover chicken stir-fry we both got a good laugh. We belong to a CSA farm so I am often experimenting with new veggies. As he looked at his plate of food he asked, “Okay, what did you get this time that would turn chicken PURPLE!” I told him I thought it was a combination of the sauces I added. He was fine with that explanation and ate it telling me it still tasted fine.

Yes, indeed, God has blessed me with a keeper!

Anyone Have a Pair of Scissors?

Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

I looked up “wait patiently” on Biblegateway word search and found 10 instances where we are told to wait patiently, or told about someone who waited patiently. I like Hebrews 6:15, “Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.” I like that because when I look back on the story of Abram and Sari, I see many times where they did NOT wait patiently, but took matters into their own hands. BUT God kept His promise; He was patient with the weak humans, constantly giving one more chance when asked. That gives me hope! My faith in God’s promises gives me hope!

          I am generally not a patient person and when things are tough I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel-NOW! I find myself doing as Abram and Sari did...using MY plan B, only to find myself farther from that light.

          Over the years, I have gotten better at this but there are still times when my old self wins over my new self. Maybe it’s that bungee cord thing again--giving the onus of impatience to the Lord in a suitcase strapped to my wrist with a bungee cord.

          Could it be that it is when I turn my back on God that the cord causes the impatience to come springing back at me, smacking me in the head? I know I have asked before but I truly would like a good pair of scissors that could cut through that bungee cord once and for all!

         

My God Looks at My Heart

1 Samuel 16: 7 (NLT)

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

          How blessed I am that my God, the Creator of the Universe, looks at my heart. I don’t have to worry about putting on my “twirlers smile” for Him. My God knows I am a weak human that is striving to be better. My God knows my love for Him. I am blessed that my God is a loving God, who looks for the best in all His children.

Thank You, God, for looking past my failings and peering into my heart!

MY PILLAR OF LIGHT

Exodus 13: 21-22 (NLT)

“The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from the people.”

          I am presently struggling and long to see that Pillar of God before me. The other day in our church Bible Study, as we were studying 1Kings, a young member of the group asked, “Why doesn’t God speak to people anymore?” A number of us came up with answers of how God speaks to His people today. But as I sat here clawing my way out of the mental pit of darkness I found myself in this morning, I realized he was asking why God doesn’t speak audibly to us.

          I would love to say then I heard God say, “Debbie, get off that chair and sing my praises.” But that did not happen. What did happen was I began thinking about Joyce Meyers’ book, Battlefield of the Mind. That’s when I realized I had to call out to the Lord and ask for His help to release me from the negative thoughts that surrounded me. His peace surrounded me like a nice cozy comforter.

          As I look back to this morning’s sketchy start I realize God does audibly speak to us every day! Besides the Bible, God speaks to us through authors, speakers, pastors and most of all through the people with whom He surrounds us. We just need to sit still long enough to hear His voice.

          I praise God for the Pillar of Light He gave me this morning as I sat alone searching for His peace.

Give it all to God

Bitterness or Worry; which is the most destructive? 

Bitterness ruins relationships; worry causes paralysis.

God loves us and wants good for us, all we have to do is seek God's Kingdom first. So read over Matthew 6:33.

Remember to cut the strings on the suitcases filled with our faults and anxieties. If we don't they act like bungee straps and come back and smash us in the face!

Even if we make a wrong turn God has our backs!...Romans 8:28.

God Always Opens a Window

Matthew 22: 9-10

“… ‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.”

          This is the parable of the king’s servants being ignored and killed while presenting people with an invitation to the king’s son’s wedding feast. After the destruction of those that killed his servants the king sent out the invitation to anyone who would come to join him in his celebration.

          This parable is aimed at those that had ignored or killed the prophets that God had sent. The good news is that God then sent an open invitation to all of us to join Him at His eternal banquet. My mother used to say, "When God closes a door He opens a window." Thank you God for opening the window to allow sinners like me into Your banquet.

I am so thankful to have a merciful and loving God.