Devotions About Mercy 7/14/21

Posted on July 14, 2021 by wondermedia

We should almost grieve about our sins. Because God’s love is deep we don’t have to do the things from our old habits.

God’s love is deeper than what we can mostly imagine. We might have the humanistic approach and think that God can only do what we can ask forgiveness for, as if it was our power in the first place.

But God’s love is limitless. It is grand! It is beyond what we know. Read the bible and within all the countless stories you also can somehow find His mercy that was shown.

He gave lands freedom to glorify and worship Him, the peoples grieved about how bad they were and yet there is within that mercy that revealed!

He gave all sinners chance to turn away and repent and believe.

It is amazing just how much He can do. God’s love was first shown to all of us as we believed by just knowing His life He gave up on the cross through Jesus and after He rose we see His impact living in our hearts now. Amen!

We can also forgive others for their faults and mistakes towards us because not just it is a commandment but God can do great things in us that lead us to know to forgive.

It can be reflection from other believers showing mercy towards us, to help restore friendships that have been torn from selfish or other reasons, and maybe to know that we have been given great strength after we have forgiven during past times.

What a relief it is to forgive!

Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:36

But we must also search our own hearts and see what we might have in our hearts that needs removing.

Are we seeing right now a potential in our lives to be moved and living within His Will? What can we take out of our lives that might be harmful to our lives and others?

The people of Israel during Nehemiah’s life early on went to seek God. They realized as a group just how bad they were and basically cried out to God, grieved about their sin.

God responded but it needed a small group to help them understand what the scriptures were then and to respond so that God would be glorified.

Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. Nehemiah 9:31

Have you ever been hurt by your past so you cried out to God? Did you realize just how deep His mercy flows like water in your heart? I hope that every day you ask for forgiveness so that you can live life for real like a servant bound to choose to serve Christ.

If you ever have now lived a life worthy of a follower of God may we not forget the mercy we have been shown so we can be merciful and share His grace to others. Praise the Lord!

Devotions Be Love 7/13/21

Posted on July 13, 2021 by wondermedia

I am so humbled by this. The miracle I hinted at happening four times before? Happened again just yesterday. Praise God.

What can a Christian do besides witness, bring people to church, pray, and maybe (just maybe, haha) read the bible?

As believers whether Gentiles (that is most of us. I’m a part of that group) or ones who were from the nationality of Judaism to realize that Christ exists for real, the bible describes a lot of times that we must be showing love to one another (and the world around us).

To be love to each other in John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 1 John 4:16 “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

I wanted to share three verses but looked up these ones. They will be mentioned.

We might learn that in the bible the greatest commandment is love. God is love! We should base all things we do if we want to draw people to church or to listen the word on love.

Because:

Let all that you do be done with love. 1 Corinthians 16:14

We must be like Christ, one who will show others love no matter what. We must honor Him in all things that we do also.

In 1 Corinthians 13, it talks a lot about love as well. It seems like a love chapter, haha. Here’s the next important verse I found:

(Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

It mentions the subject (what this article here is about) in the beginning and then also in verse 4 preceding this verse. I had to add context since it was not in the verse itself.

So if love endures all things, what might that say about our lives? Being love isn’t easy. Also in fact, doing acts for love is not what we might think either. If we have to be tough on say a brother that is not living right in the Lord, that won’t feel like love. If we confront someone about their sin, that is not going to be like “easy” love.

Sometimes we feel like we are tested when showing this love. But in all things God does good though it is difficult in circumstances.

Yet through it all He loves all of us in many ways. If we follow Him fully He will encourage us to show that He loves us. It is amazing just how sweet it is to follow Him in our hearts as passionately as possible!

And we can always be glorified in this life by His love and becoming more and more like Him every day.

We can also never say we love Christ or God more than He does us. As the word says:

We love Him because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

He loved us first. We were loved before we were born. God’s love is amazing, and if you follow Him with all your heart you will see that love in your life, through living in the spirit, and for the people who you care about!

God loves you.

Quick Quip- Freedom from Love 7/11/21

Posted on July 11, 2021 by wondermedia

Have to do a quick one. Think of this as a part devotion, part something I wnat to explore more in the future…!

If we are free from the punishment of sin we are free to do His will and live for Him. We are also free to love each other in Christ’s love. As a church body works, we have much to do on our own but we must also love each other:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

In my version of 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 it says in the last part love “thinks no evil.”

God loves us so much we are no longer accountable to our sin, which means we won’t get what we once deserved for it (hell). But that does not mean we are free to dabble in what we once were saved from. That is a dangerous thought!

It’s treachery to the Holy Spirit and there are always consequences to sin, especially if we are doing it recklessly or without thinking it as a big deal.

That is why we must stay focused on what Jesus wants in our lives. Here’s a final verse:

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13

We must serve one another not get stuck in reckless sin. We must love and not guide each other towards evil and make each other fall.

We must keep our eyes on the One to guide us. The Holy Spirit and His word will let us know what we should do! This is freedom directly from the love of Jesus. By His death we live so let’s spend time helping and showing kindness towards one another as a group of believers.

We should do what we’re made to do (or do what we should be called to do if we have become a new creation!).

Devotion- 7/3/21

Posted on July 3, 2021 by wondermedia

Doing well. Physically I still need to get stuff worked out but…

To believe in the One who has changed you brings amazing changes. Just like to know a friend and you might have certain qualities. Over time, those qualities are like mutual changes: you become like them, they become like you.

But this is a completely different kind of relationship: You change for the better and God stays the same. But you have every moment to be newer to be “better” than you were before.

And this “Friend” just wants the best for you.

The opening verse is from Romans, possibly my favorite writer in the bible:

Do not be conformed to this world… but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

From ‘whichever version I use.’ No one could guess it, haha. Just kidding it’s from the NKJV, the New King James Version.

Note that I separated it a little. That was not a separation in the text but it is important.

We must not be like the people in this world. There are people so stuck in sin they might need someone to talk to at the very least, while this world it is hard sometimes to even fake interest!

There are many though in the opposite spectrum who do care, but is there anyone who can tell them just what changed their lives? More importantly is there a Godly Person who has completely turned them around, or might they equate their experience in life as “I just changed my attitude…” and that’s the end of their personal story?

I hate being stuck in my own sin. It’s no fun. I shared that before, how I was feeling like I was being dragged through my old life and it would not let me go..!

I don’t want anyone to not know there is a love in something that will be like the shackles of sin have been removed and a love moves the heart and will change their life in a way that they couldn’t have imagined!

Because by the grace of Jesus I was shown there was a life that was worth living for my own self.

We must also know that His yoke is easy His burden is light:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ‘For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.'” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus had amazing words to share to the people He loved dearly who He wanted them just to have a close relationship with His Father.

He guided them and knew that what the Father wanted was what He grew up learning about and He knew they needed for their persnal lives too.

We need to remember that His way is perfect (Psalms 18:30). We must shine like stars in the sky (Philippians 2:15) if we want to really live for goodness. Sure if you “fall” there is mercy to speak to Christ and be picked back up, there is such wondrous grace in Jesus that it is worth telling in this awful disease-spotlighted world.

How worth it is to tell of this wonderful transforming grace? It’s worth everything!

Devotion 2 Corinthians and Faith 7/1/21

Posted on July 1, 2021 by wondermedia

This site has now reached 50 followers (or “follows”) now. Thank you so much everyone!

What does it mean to have faith? Is it okay to have a faith in some higher power or is it okay to have faith in yourself? Can a person who is a Christian who hopes to only live alone be in great faith in the Lord?

Can God make a way where a believer is a completely different person from what they were before, through Christ?

Hmm, I think most of these are great questions. One reflects more of the world in wondering but if you yourself are a believer you may know that there is a difference (hopefully).

Here is the key verse for today:

For we walk by faith not by sight.

II Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

What does this mean?

Is there an “I” in faith? Yes literally, haha, but in a rather expressive sense, the only thing a believer should do is depend on the Lord and not in self.

It might be hard but even those who claim to be strong (or who say they might be stronger than others) will have this “I” attitude. Even saying that only caring about what God wants and not giving a crap about being with other believers is like having an “I” attitude.

I myself used to think that the church wasn’t important to me. There was a time I thought a church was just a “place” to go to not a body of believers. But it is a time to fellowship to lean on each other and help each other be lifted up emotionally, depending on each other through the love of Jesus.

It’s sad many Christians today now see themselves important over people they should share the gospel to, a strange newer attitude like an “I” one where own goals own drawing from the word is the only thing they think that they themselves should focus on in life.

Though we have the tendency to focus on ourselves, one should not come into a church and think that way. People who do that will probably come in, not talk to people and leave as soon as the “credits” roll, err I mean, when the service has ended.

Are we to act like we are in a movie theater or a body of ones who have learned to be love to one another?

We must have genuine love and also through a unified faith in Christ, we can help guide each other in God-honoring love that is deeper than the world would ever understand.

Also we must know that if we want to live in and for Christ, God can do amazing things in our lives!

I can only boast of the power of and transforming grace of Jesus because He has done things in my life that were not my effort, these in my old life would be impossible.

To keep faith in Jesus and be close to His Word as one walks day to day they will experience change.

And that is because of something that is what Paul mentions later in Second Corinthians about being “new” because of Christ’s blood and revealed love, to be changed by His grace.

In verse 17 of chapter 5, the writer describes being a new creation. It says that if one is in Christ they are a “new creation” and the “old things” have gone as behold by the power of God all things have become new!

When Christ died on the cross the sin of the world was being paid for as He was the lamb of God the sacrifice for all sin.

When Jesus shed His blood it was for the alcoholics, ones with the heart of Saul, people recklessly and hopelessly stuck in sin, people who don’t know any better than what their family taught them, the thieves, the liars, the ones who struggle every day yet feel their sin is not “savable” or can be loved by God, all of the world’s so-called “life,” torn apart by the awful stink of sin.

So if you have wondered what the faith is all about, I hope you one day will know and experience this life yourself.

One can only tell you what the life in Christ is because you would one day have to believe to really understand. It will not be an easy journey but it will be worth it. I sincerely hope you do have it happen in your life, today or maybe soon but all I know is God knows the way your heart really is, believe in something! Maybe you’ll learn to believe in God sooner or later, just don’t let it be too late!

Be Like an Angel- 6/26/21

Posted on June 26, 2021 by wondermedia

Last night could have gone a lot better… but it was humbling after coming in to work today…!

The heart whether it is within the will of God or fully in the world wants what it wants yet is often a form of peril. It is too easy to have the habit of straying away from what God wants and keep going back to what the old ways wanted. Those moments of spiritual weakness just slip back in so easily like an old torn up glove; sure it’s not a good idea to “wear” that old thing again but it doesn’t seem so bad, so hey, might as well do it again!

The sad part is if the person permits it they will have a heart like the world if one isn’t barring it from their daily life. That daily life can be something like a habit that a person is conscious of, a thing that they know is wrong but they just keep giving in to it.

Maybe ones have the heart that Paul once described to the church he was writing to while incarcerated with different churches, a church stuck in very immoral lives. A person who does that thinks, “Hey it’s okay to sin like this. God will keep forgiving me. So He will keep being good in my life!” Right?

Is that a way to live every day? Maybe? Well…

I know it’s the “obvious” answer here but no, it is not good to live like that.

It says in Romans 6 we might think it is a good idea to feel like that but it is not a means to help us out. It is like stoking a fire while trying to put it out. If we let something like that continue it will not be beneficial to our walk. There is no growth. There is especially no chance or the want to have opportunities to guide others in the Lord.

If we are so concerned about our so-called “needs,” will we want to tend to others’ needs? Will we decide to change our concern and look to others’ interests?

In a book of the bible (Second Timothy) Paul was writing to Timothy after he was serving in a church for about four years. Paul himself was alone in a terrible prison (one he would soon leave only not alive, as historians say). Paul and Timothy were like spiritual bondsmen. They shared a kinship that was holy but not physical. And here Paul was telling Timothy that he should continue to impact spiritually just as they had when the holy spirit had done great works in their individual journeys for Jesus.

I was going to focus on verse 7 but let me go one back to context what I was talking about which is actually from verse 6. He is reminding Timothy “to stir up the gift of God” reminding or maybe it’s just reinstating something for encouragement. It then continues to the next verse:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7 NKJV

So in Second Timothy in the first chapter, this verse he tells him that they do not have a spirt of “fear” but of good things!

My father said that what it means is we shouldn’t lose hope. Thanks Daddoo, hehe…

It is too easy to take “fear” the wrong way.

But what about the fear that we should take the right way?

I realize I was getting a little out of context with the first verse about what I wanted to get to, haha, sorry. I’m not very great at digging deep into the bible especially when I find a good deal of verses. This time there was some needed context but it will make more sense from here on out, I promise!

If we fear the Lord does that mean we will get struck dead by lightning the moment, say, a guy glances at a woman?

Is fear meaning we won’t get to have moments of weakness? Is being a believer like being a monk?

The world believes that actually. It’s not true. There might even be churches that do that too. If they follow things that are not from the bible, it’s more like man’s rules and it’s not from the Word of God..!

It’s funny how complicated us as people can make things. We think if we do things that are good and avoid all bad we get blessings from God. No. Not true.

You have to have a heart attitude. You go from believing that once you could get nothing but “good” stuff from the world to being fearful of knowing what is right and wrong. We battle sin every day, Christians. To struggle against it is better than claiming “I never do wrong” which is sin itself and a terrible way to be a representative of Christ.

To be one who never does wrong means there is denial to sin. That is like claiming they are God Himself.

Anyway I am tangenting, sorry haha….

We have to change our attitudes. We can think to only dwell in specific things because we “can’t” do wrong, we can live shallow lives because we think that a relationship we have is more important than say seeing how much more we can represent Christ Jesus.

Here’s one that hits close to home for me. We can live almost our entire lives as Christians but realize we haven’t totally given our heart to Christ!

We must question and search our own hearts individually if we want to really live for God. Take time to wonder about your life and then ask God “Am I really living a faithful life for You…?”

That’s where God’s word comes in to play.

I lived almost my entire life conformed to the world. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I read something that reflected something spiritual that moved my heart (and the Holy Spirit kind of said “Ta Da, I can do this for you too!”). I was floored. I didn’t know that God could change that in my life. He really could??

To serve God means to give everything to Him. Let it be remembered what the cross had done so you don’t feel you have to suffer so much about it or as much as you used to!

Verse below. The main gist of this writing:

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

If we let that be left behind we might not have to struggle like it’s the end of our worlds. Following Jesus again is like turning around and finding out with His mercy He is just one step away, no matter how far we have “wandered” from Him!

If you follow Him and you have struggled with sin be honest and genuine with Him! Say you are sorry (you better be sorry! Oh, I digress again, apologies, haha!) and ask forgiveness. Then say you repent and will follow again. Simple. Simple but powerful in the relationship with God.

Now you must know the wonderful life and love of a church. There is a lifeblood within it. We must be changing every day and live for His glory. We must have our lives more and more glorified so that we are closer to the reflection of Christ.

We might not be “angels” (Oh yeah by the way. I’ve seen an angel four times now! I will share that hopefully soon in a future article or blog note which might be multiple accounts though) but we can live a reflection close “enough” to what we hope Christ is like.

What we all need to get through while happening to walk in this world is a fellowship with other believers. That is by going to a church!

We all must lift each other up and guide each other either in love or in prayer. In prayers we get a special protection while we go about our daily lives.

We must learn to show love to each other within the church. Good, God-honoring love.

We also need to learn to see ourselves the way God does. I feel like if we did, we would have better attitudes about what we should do day to day.

An encouraging verse to end on below:

Let all that you do be done with love. I Corinthians 16:14 NKJV

Let’s be as good as we can be if we have a problem with attitudes or be too much “like” the world. We should be like ones who put on a new clothing, something that is different than what we once were. As ones who believe let’s live for the One who only wants to guide us, give us empathy to show toward others, and be ones who love the Lord with all our hearts! We can be like angels instead of little “devils” hehe.

Grief is Complicated- 6/23/21

Posted on June 23, 2021 by wondermedia

Was listening to a song and thought it would be perfect to direct a music video for and perform it. Didn’t realize until a moment later it would be perfect for a “future” movie project, which will surprise some of you…. 🙂

Sometimes we “grieve” over what we went thought. Sometimes we grieve over the past or things that were definite hurdles. I believe with all my heart we have limits to our bodies because we are strong and able bodied but after the fall we must know that there needs to be a glory or worship that is not in us.

We were made for something great and that first thing was to worship or give glory to God.

I think we were made for a great purpose! We all need to know that.

Mine had happened quite some time ago. But I had learned then and now just how powerful music is as well.

When I was struggling mentally I was still looking to the Lord. I was having seemingly impossible things happen in my life and yet I kept pushing on.

It was only by the strength of the Lord and nothing of my old self that kept me wanting to press on and strive forward.

But if you ever think of the “wonders” of writing we must know that in our lives as we are like the ‘protagonist’ there is always an ‘antagonist’ that keeps stopping whatever we might plan.

The protagonist which might be the believer in good, wants to live and serve and see great things happen because of the amazing change that has happened in their life. But the antagonist which is Satan wants to stifle anything that is good that keeps him the prince of lies from stopping his plans.

That was a battle for all of my senior year almost as soon as I started my movie project for the Lord.

And it seemed to end when things became too much. I could not handle it all! And I ended up in a psychiatric hospital, while my friends who were very concerned thought I was never coming back…

I was examined at a children’s hospital (I was young, only 17) then after they saw that something was definitely off they sent me to a place where I signed myself in.

My dad was with me every step of the way.

So fairly recently whenever my brothers would practice our songs we wanted to do that were covers I had mine from childhood but I thought about it in such a new way.

The words after that in a way tough experience made me feel like the music video I wanted to shoot would be about that time! The moments I thought I was dying and needed help. Having so many complicated feelings yet in being in some kind of rest. Thinking that time in the hospital I was going to be there that night. I called my dad a “visitor” and also was frustrated about how much he was trying to help me but his “helping” was getting overbearing beyond passing the line of what I was comfortable with, it felt!

And I was growing very claustrophobic and he wasn’t understanding what I was going through and wouldn’t leave the room even for a few seconds.

That was somehow this song! And when I thought of making the music video I had a flashback that made me feel like it had just happened yesterday…

and I would keep crying.

Those times really did seem tough but I easily forget the good things or the things where God rescued me from a lot. In this case He just wanted to show just how vast His love really was. (Note to reader: Read my first testimony post if you wonder what happened then).

It starts in the heart torn by sin and the bad daily things that happen in the world as one grows up. People turn to bad and dangerous things either too young or as they are trying to develop or maybe even when they are adults!

And yet like a “song” somehow there is a reminder that hope and love is still there.

But music really is a powerful thing. It can bring on emotions and bring to the forefront a lot of things to meditate on or just be a lot of fun!

As a bad part of life that I know all too well, this life is precious. Don’t make a bad decision that will end for you to early… because there is a love here that will take you to wondrous, amazing possibilities.

There is love. Learn about it, because it will save your life. And God bless you!

Devotions 6/21/21

Posted on June 21, 2021 by wondermedia

Don’t know if I should go to e. r. right away as it will take forever to get things done with my doctor. I like that office less and less now to be honest. Feels like they care that I make another appointment more than actually wondering what’s going on with me…!

This one will have three seemingly random verses, from three different books of the bible:

They collectively will come from Proverbs, Isaiah, and one verse from Psalms. The latter will be the main verse!

In all things, who should we put our full trust in? Can we stop shouting about nonsense and know there is something beyond all our understanding…?

And who can help us in times of trouble? Real problems. “Good” people? Maybe something like the “Man upstairs?”

It’s easy to think that something like “that” is too far away to help us. We have long ago made ourselves so corrupt with sin since Adam’s fall.

Should we see God as something high in the clouds or accessible to ones here and now? Too often the former is portrayed more often in media like tv shows where God is either inaccessible or even that He is not like the God those Christian people claim and portray a blasphemous version: Did God make a mistake when He did things? Or how about if God is really holy, or is He just some “jerk” like the rest of us…?

We always with harsh statements like that will actually reflect the person’s heart. Can we claim something like that is true….? It isn’t because it is not the God of truth in the bible.

We must let go of our old assumptions about the God who cares and deeply loves us and not only showed that by giving us His Son as a sacrifice for our sin but He will guide us through anything even if it a times “feels” like he isn’t there…!

We must remember that He is God. Feelings come and go but He is still the same!

He is God, of all else we should let go like what we thought God was before we knew Him…. even things from the past we might keep thinking could possibly still be true but goes against the knowledge of God’s Word.

To follow God’s Word is serious stuff, ladies and gents!

For example I once had a belief that went against God’s Word (I will share more on that on a future “testimony” about trusting in something that is not us or other beliefs). Was it an interesting idea? Yes. But was it really “truth“…? Umm….. yeah it wasn’t, haha….

It is hard to trust in something that doesn’t seem to really be there. You have to find it first in your heart by the love of Jesus.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart Proverbs 3:5

We can’t just go halfway with trust. I’ve done that before. I have had personal, let’s say, “comfortabilities” where I thought in a way, But I kinda still like my old self; I don’t want to completely abandon it!

That is an example of the heart not wanting to trust… and that is not good.

We must believe that what he’s got is all we, in a way, will need!

You might stay poor though. There may still be challenges within the church body and with people’s lives. Don’t believe people on the tv that say we will blessed with riches if we follow Christ.

That is a sinful trap by the televangelists. They also avoid talking about sin too (most of them anyway, not all…!)

What Christ died for is not just for he world but for the sin of the people within it. Not just some sins or the only ones we think are accessible… but all sin!

And if we put our full trust in God’s Son He will take care of us. Like a path we have yet to have trodden, it is a new one! but it will be worht it if you follow Him and this new path.

I am he who will sustain you. Isaiah 46:4

If we believe that God not only died for what people claim He died for we also must remember He died for your sin as well.

And yes, all of it. How comforting just is the thought of that!

Your very sin in your heart Jesus loved you so much He died for it too. Because He deeply loves with a love that is more than skin deep.

And don’t listen to the seeming bunch of Christians that will judge and make statements that are rocky. They do bring at least conviction but to shout that people are going to hell before ones get to see what they are like is not right.

I believe that if a person condemns a sinner before they get to know them deserves hell just as much as the person that they are judging!

Ones must first love before they will seek out ones in His love.

But ones who struggle must also know that assumptions they have about the Christian faith must also know they could be assumptions or just how the world sees them.

We must not think we know what the church is actually before we actually get to understand what “houses” it.

Which all in all it houses the holy spirit. It is something so mysterious but given to all people long ago because of what Jesus said would be left to impact not just His people the Jewish but the Gentiles and the non-believers.

It was left firstly for the first ones to want to know Him.

So what does the church have?

Do you want to find out today? It is love. A love beyond all human understanding.

We must be quiet and know that He could one day have us as a part of Him and a part of His Way:

Be still and know that I am God ~Psalm 46:10

Do you want to know that He is God today…?

Let’s pray:

Father God, the way you have been portrayed the past many years I realize was strange. But I think I understand the truth. Can you really show me a way that I can follow now? I want this holy spirit in my life. I realize it was left because after Jesus died on the cross for my sin, it was left for the people after Jesus left the earth bodily. He died on the cross because he not only loved the world but also ME TOO. I want to live for You totally and fully. I want to trust in You with all my heart and accept this gift because I want to live for You and only You and not what I used to think of. And I know now Jesus was here but He is one day coming again. Help me live my life. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Have you prayed that prayer? May you be proud of what Jesus has done in your life today! Thank you Lord for the privilege of prayer… 🙂 God bless you.

Devotions Growth 6/15/21

Posted on June 15, 2021 by wondermedia

I am very mature yet I still have a lot of “growing” to do. Thank You, Lord, for Your patience with me…!

Ever tried to grow something but it took forever?

I don’t think I would do that. I just don’t have the patience. I love that there are many people with “green thumbs,” but to do that would require way too much from me!

People who garden are wonderful. I am amazed when I found out more and more that there are others who do that. Some people will grow tomatoes right outside their windows, or found ways to “scrap” food pieces where they place them into the earth and a new sprout comes forth.

As long as they have the tools and the ability to do so, something will grow…!

But just how can we grow in life…? Is there a way we might not be used to doing?

The bible has two verses that I feel have been laid on my heart today.

The first is from the Old Testament! It is from the prophet Isaiah.

Just what does it take to grow? I know it simple but yet sometimes simple images make a huge impact to the life wanting to follow Him.

Water. Water is a giver of life. Here imagine life where water flows freely like a spring.

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness. And rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

Water brings life. Did you know water also exists in the desert?

Cacti or “cactuses” that exist in the desert do hold water.

There is another thing about deserts you probably don’t know. Did you know in many arid lands of desert that it can go from extremely hot in the scorching day to very cold at night?

How can that happen? I just wanted to mention that. There are so many things in life to find interesting.

Ooh I just found something:

The temperature in the desert can change drastically from day to night because the air is so dry that heat escapes rapidly at night. Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

Even if you feel that God is not doing stuff in your life doesn’t mean He isn’t? Have you responded to the call to know Jesus? We are very impatient creatures but we are important to the call to Christ and we must know what we were made (or “recreated” by the Holy Spirit) to be!

Another verse that is more clear to anyone that wants to simply read His word and also live for God.

This verse is about the knowledge from His Word and growing through His Son.

Here is the verse from the New Testament below:

..but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3: 18

Hmm, so in order to live for Christ, we must also have a personal growth in Him?

How can we all do that? Is there a special way to grow in a way we might not know about?

That was first by the blood of Jesus! He paid the way. It is through the love of the father that it happened. He willed it, we must accept it! Like a gift from a loving friend we must accept the gift of eternal life.

Maybe that is too late for you? Maybe you feel that spiritually you can’t even cry out fo the one who loves You so much…?

I know of spiritual warfare. It is awful and sometimes deadly stuff!

Know that I know Him and I love YOU. I might not know you but I hope I do.

I also know some things that happen if I surrender to the Will of God because it is He that does the changing, not I!

I am like a farmer who spreads the seeds in hopes of one day a spiritual harvest.

Will You follow the ones who know Jesus? I hope so. May God protect you if you so do!

Just follow and you will see amazing changes in your life you did not know could be possible!

Because Christ can make the impossible possible. He makes things that seem impossible happen only if one gives in to His will, and He glorifies Himself so that it is possible! And it is fun to live in Him. Believe me.

Devotions Matthew 5:44- 6/14/21

Posted on June 14, 2021 by wondermedia

I’m rushing to cook for about two people. For fun and for a person from my church who is not well physically. And he’ll never be well again sadly…

Isn’t it tough to love people who are against you? How about people who flat out say they hate you? Or one person, in an example, who wanted to curse me (she did it secretly though. It was my neighbor who lived with her family right next door to where my family lived)?

So even if it might be just in our hearts or even briefly if we want to get revenge, we do that, right? WRONG.

Being a true Christian means living truly uncomfortable, and that means we should follow commands we wouldn’t in our sinful heart normally do. We must not do things our old self has done either (if you still are, you need to get right with God now or adjust your attitude and then ask Him for forgiveness). If you are actively pursuing things that are not good or are wrong and you know it…. that is scary. I don’t know what to say about that besides: Do you truly know the Lord?

You probably don’t. And that is scary!

Anyway before I digress, we must love the people actively out to “get” us. I know that sounds paranoid, hahaha….

Believe me, it is true.

The bible in Matthew 5:44 says we must bless those who “curse” us. We must do good to those who hate us. And pray for those who persecute or, more lightly, use us spitefully.

But aren’t we supposed to care about our own needs and live for our lonely growth?

Why do we do this? Isn’t that saying true that “God only helps those who help themselves?”

That’s such an untrue saying. it’s like a nice sounding “Christian” so-called line straight from the devil’s lips himself!

That is a saying from the prince of lies, THE enemy, would you listen to that statement…?

We must live for own personal growth yes (devoting time with God’s word every day or any moment we spend time with Him) and also learn every day to love and see our knowledge and how we can apply it (wisdom)!

In a world of “hate” we must love. In a place where people protest or are secretly against what we believe but won’t say so in public we must be kind back. In a world where thieves can get away with things but consider themselves “right” or “honoring,” we must show them the limits of the law yet be patient.

Being a real Christian means fighting our “old selves” whether one who was rage-filled or even vengeful and be counter that, not in just fleeting word but in genuine heart.

Being a true follower of the Lord means even praying for people who were once mockers of you, who slander-ised you (yet you know the truth) or hopes you fail in life.

If you are going out of your way to do that to wreck other people’s lives, what does that say about you?

Stop and be love. If you can’t then learn to love dammit because we don’t know if we have tomorrow! Do you know we’re not even guaranteed anything on this earth?

We must not just plan to love tomorrow but at least try to love today. Christians, be love because as one guy I know said “You’re the only ‘book’ they’ll ever ‘read.'”

They see YOU as an example of a follower of Christ. They see YOU as the one who though they don’t understand your view or even say that it is “stupid” in their eyes, they might show you respect at the very least if you follow through and not just “talk the talk.”

Let’s be love to our so-called enemies today. Love as Jesus loves. That is all.

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