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A Huge Mess!

A good friend of mine sent this devotion. It was so good, just had to share 🙂

Once upon a time, there was a child, who was 6 years old, who wanted his parent to take them to the store to “help” go shopping. The child knew that there was a good chance they would stop at the place next to the store and get their favorite drink – a “Slushee”.

As expected, the parent asked the child if they would like to go to the place next to the store. The child replied, “Oh, Yes!!”. They both got something and of course the child requested a “Slushee”. They both sat down at a table and wouldn’t you know – the child accidentally spilled their drink. We are talking blue and red goop all over the floor, the table – everywhere!

The child looked up at their parent and immediately apologized. Instead of getting angry, the parent said, “Hey, it happens. Let’s go get napkins and I can show you how to clean it up.” Then they calmly went to get napkins and then helped the child clean the entire mess. As they were throwing the napkins ways, the parent said to the child, “You’re going to be a human being for probably some time, and you have such a smart brain that it’s important you learn how to be more careful of what you’re doing. So next time, just be sure to pay more attention to your surroundings – so accidents like this don’t happen.

Accidents like these can be prevented, but it’s still okay if they happen. As long as you take responsibility for your mistakes, the clean up is a breeze. I know big messes seem overwhelming and you might feel like you can’t do it by yourself – it’s okay to ask for help. There is no problem with asking for help when you need it.”

Truly, God’s Children on this earth are born into human nature, which sometimes creates a huge mess. Your Heavenly Father knows this and even helps to guide you around those surroundings, that creates these. He lovingly still gives you a choice – whether to follow His Direction or to create a big mess on your own – all over you and even sometimes all over those around you. He also gives you His Word to help you prevent such problems you may encounter. The best you can do IS really try to follow His Voice in His Will and Purpose for you. When you make mistakes, take responsibility for them – ask your Father to forgive you. Even when they seem overwhelming to you, that you just can’t cope with it all – ask for His Help. He may even send one of His to help you clean up your mess. He IS SO Good like that!

My thoughts and prayers are that you do your best not to make a mess of your life. If you do sometimes, that you not hesitate to ask for your Heavenly Father’s help to wipe away your mess with His Living Water. That especially when you are overwhelmed with the world, that you give yourself to Him and thank Him for helping you. It’s okay to ask for help. In Jesus’ Name. Thy Will be done. Amen. Peace.

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready…

Where Is Our Hope?

“Where is the hope? I meet millions who tell me that they feel demoralized by the decay around us”

“Where is the hope? The hope that each of us have Is not in who governs us or what laws are passed or Or what great things that we do as a nation“

“Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people“

“And that’s where our hope is in this country. That’s where our hope is in life“-Chuck Colson

Our God is not a distant God. He walks with us through each day because He loves us. And despite what many news headlines yell at us, we are never alone! God is always with us 🙂

God answers prayers on earth, because we are in need on earth and He loves us. They can be prayers for working through they day, prayers for a loved one who is sick, a friend who faces a challenging circumstance. Prayers for food and housing. Prayers for a job…” The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10

In the end, this world will matter not at all, for we will be in Heaven with our Father. Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There will be no more pain, no more fatigue and no more worry and fear. There will be only joy and peace. New adventures and unending time with those we love. Deep hugs, gardens, a river, mountains…. More than we could ever dream! A happiness so complete and so unending; it is indescribable 🙂

And God’s light will always be with us and because we will have heavenly eyes we will see His light even more clearly. We will sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him with joy. And we will be able to thank the Holy Spirit in person :). And this time in Heaven, unlike our time on earth, will last forever 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready…

Jesus Warns The People!

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

24 “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. ²And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age

^3″Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?

⁴And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹²And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come”.

The Great Tribulation

¹⁵“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶“then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²²And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

²³“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵See, I have told you beforehand.

²⁶“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

The Coming of the Son of Man

²⁹“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree

³²“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! ³⁴Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away”.

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³⁶“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴²Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant

⁴⁵“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ ⁴⁹and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

Pray, Prepare & Be Ready!

“The Good News of Salvation”

Sometimes this life on earth can make us feel tired. The news headlines scream of all that is wrong with our world and all of the evil that people do, the price of basic necessities and medical care is rising far faster than our paychecks, our jobs, supporting our families, worrying about the future…it’s a lot. But it won’t always be this way! Read Isaiah 61 below and hide it in your heart 🙂

61 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
²To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

⁴And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
⁵Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
And the sons of the foreigner
Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
⁶But you shall be named the priests of the Lord,
They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast.
⁷Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs.

⁸“For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery for burnt offering;
I will direct their work in truth,
And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
⁹Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles,
And their offspring among the people.
All who see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.”

¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.“

Thanks to Jesus, we can look forward to a much brighter future! One that lasts forever and never makes us tired. Above is Isaiah 61. Read it. Remember it. Thanks to Jesus, our Day will come 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready 🙂

Warning: To All Those Who Teach!

“And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ²“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” – Ezekiel 34:1-2

We read the phrase “feed the flock” often in the Bible. We hear Jesus say, “feed my flock”. But is that what every church is doing today? Or are some churches refusing to “feed their flock” and instead feeding them whatever is popular -no matter how sinful! How many of those we love have been lost because a preacher led them astray and reassured them that their sinful choices were acceptable to God when they were not?

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 23:1

May they all turn back to the Lord and Teach God’s Truth while they still can!

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

God Understands Just How Much We Love Our Children!

“Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.” – Isaiah 60:4

Just that this verse is in the Bible comforts every parent. We love our children so. That God knows and understands this is such a comfort. His understanding gives such hope.

He loves our children even more than we do. And yet, God also understands and empathizes with how much we love our children and He will, as always, be Faithful to us all 🙂

God is so good and loves us all so much! In these dark days, we can take much comfort and hope from His Love, both for us and for our children 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Warn The Wicked!

“Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’ Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’” – Ezekiel 33:9-11

So hard to do, but so very important!

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

There Will Be Another Sickness.

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Reading The Bible

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”-Psalm 119:105

I remember years ago, attending our church in Ohio, Grace Missionary Alliance. One day, they had a visiting missionary doing the sermon. And he spoke of the greatest lesson he ever learned. It was about reading the Bible and staying close to God.

His Bible was obviously old and worn. Dog-eared he called it. He had folded pages. It was obviously often used and well read.

My Bible is like that as well. Many of the pages of my Bible have certain verses highlighted. My friend writes in the margins of hers and underlines certain verses, and so do I 🙂

God’s Word was meant to be studied and learned. We need to hold its verses and teachings in our hearts-always. We have been privileged in America to be able to have Bibles, but we may not always have that privilege. And we need to prepare for that day.

So please, feel free, to fold pages, highlight and write or underline…And ask the Holy Spirit to Help you read it. For God will be well pleased that we are putting so much effort into learning His Word and living by it 🙂

Prepare, Pray & Be Ready!

Expecting God to Answer!

A good friend of mine sent this, just had to share 🙂

“Once upon a time, as a drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers were in a dilemma as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the way of life of the townspeople. As the problem became worse, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain. Many people arrived. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting, he noticed most people were chatting across the aisle and socializing with friends. When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting. His eyes looked over the crowd as he asked for quiet. He noticed an eleven-year-old girl, sitting quietly in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella! The little girl’s appearance and innocence made the pastor smile, as he realized how much faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella. All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer!

When you go to your Heavenly Father in prayer, that His Will be done for your request, are you coming to Him expecting an answer? Faith IS that His Answer will be for His Best for you – to Complete His Will and Purpose in your life! Will it always be what you think you should receive? Probably NOT. Why? Simply because you are unable to see the future impacts to your life and for those He Will cross your path with. God knows EXACTLY what you need for Him and others, before being called Home. Normally, it IS SO easy to kick and scream – be bitter when you do not think His Answer IS correct for you. Thank God that He Loves and Cares for you SO much, that His Mercy and Grace covers you, even when you complain about it! Please remember to thank God for ALL He does for you! Thank Him for ALL His Answers!

My thoughts and prayers are that you have faith in God, Truly Trusting in Him to give you His Best. Trials and tribulations, that you encounter on earth, are also seen by others – of what your actions are regarding them. These are greater opportunities to be His Witness and Example – far more than you can imagine! In Jesus’ Name. Thy Will be done. Amen. Peace.”

Keep Praying 🙂