One step at a time

 Grief  it’s like an ugly smell in your house.  You know what it is  but, you know you can’t do anything about it and it will probably be around forever. It stinks. lol I think everybody handles it in their own way. I think it’s important that we keep working on handling it in different ways. Getting past it and what ever way we can and getting on with our lives. Which is exactly what the people we love would want us to do. Some thing I’ve been doing lately, and I do believe it was inspired by the Holy Spirit, is picturing mom in heaven. I know that’s where she is. I know the things she loves to do.  I know the people she wanted to see there ... She’s my mom. Even if I hadn’t taken care of her for the last 12 years… She’s my mom. I know her.  I can see her with those people. I can see her dancing. My most vivid thoughts, latelly, are seeing her in her office at her desk; typing away. She loves writting. She loves publishing.  I remember when I was in ...

  There is an undercurrent of tension and violence in our world today, like never before.   It started before Israel was attacked on October 7. It has been “rumbling” for several years now.  There was a sort of “containment” to it until three years ago when the Democrats / Communist seized power in this nation.    Since then, open borders, losing our strategic oil reserves, the collapse of other governments, and many other factors have all contributed to a definite unrest in our world.   It will “come to a head”.  It will “boil over”.  This is not a stable situation, and it will not remain stable. There will be a climax point that will not be pretty.  I was reminded this morning about the story of Queen Esther. When Mordecai came to her to to intercede for their people she hesitated. The Word of God does not really tell us why she hesitated. But, we can certainly surmise logically. She was afraid to go in to the king unbidden. Apparently...

It means it only happens if you do a certain thing. Psalms 6:7 But May all who seek refuge in You rejoice, May they ever shout for joy because You defend them; May those who love Your name be joyful in You.   Do you want to be joyful? Seek refuge in Him. Do you want to shout for joy? Seek refuge in Him. Do you want to invoke (even more of ) His defending you? Seek refuge in Him. Do you want to be joyful, in Him?  Love His name. The reverse often applies or is also a law, in God’s Word. If you don’t seek refuge in Him you won’t shout for joy, invoke His defense or be joyful. If you don’t love His name (hate, despise, reject, angry towards Him) you WON’T be joyful. Whatever you allow to come between you and Him is you God.   You have erected it as your idol as surely as the Ammonites threw their babies in the fire at Molech. Idol worship is not only harmful to those around you … you will never find joy in it. Contingent (kən-tĭn′jənt): adjective Dependent on other condition...

  Now there’s an ugly word.   Lol I’m sure we’ve all seen the diagram where they take the word assumption, and create the words “ass out of you and me”. I personally think there’s a great deal of truth in that diagram. Lol. Jealousy is such an ugly spirit. Perhaps the ugliest aspect of its operation is how calmly “good“ people, even Christians, tolerate its influence and behavior in their life. I have even watched (in horror) as they laugh and take it as a compliment when someone is jealous of them.  Truly baffles my mind.  Jealousy, like lust, perversion, deception and murder needs to be resisted and obliterated from our lives whenever necessary! The Bible says it like this, “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave“. If you tolerate jealousy, you are inviting “the grave“ into your life. If you act in jealousy, you are sowing seeds of the same! Death is no joke. Of course, our society tries to make it one, decorating clothes, toys, jewelry, and much more with a skull and c...

… in only one area. It is by His choice. I’m sure it breaks His heart, many times, but … He is. Free will. He gives US final say.    He gives us us the final choice.   He gives us complete choice and if we choose sin.    There’s very little He can do.   “But He’s God!?!?” I can hear indignation rising in your thoughts from here. lol Yes.    He is. But He loved us enough to give us free will to make the choices in our lives. He loves us enough to want us to love Him freely.   I once saw an episode of a crime show on TV where someone was kidnapped and kept in a basement and forced to play the part of spouse to the kidnapper. It was evil, it was scary, and thankfully they were rescued in the end.  What does that have to do with our relationship with God? Well, if he didn’t give us a choice whether to love him, or not, how would that be any different?   God does not want prisoners. God does not want robots. He wants ...