GRUDGES

We all get tired of carrying heavy purses, shopping bags or luggage. Even the smallest bag becomes cumbersome after a while. For a moment, think about the unseen bag you might happen to carry around ALL THE TIME....everywhere you go! I am talking about the emotional baggage that we carry around each day, specifically, that sack of GRUDGES, that some of us might happen to possess. We have all been hurt by others. If we aren't careful, those hurts build up into resentments and those resemtments develop into a grudge.

Once a grudge enters our mind, it happens to grow and grow and grow. What started out as a small wrong, either real or imagined, quickly can develop into a massive ball of envy, malice, jealousy, bitterness, gossip, slander, hatred, cruelty and self-pity. (Even those words sound heavy) All of these words of ugliness build up and turn us into a vindictive, cold and vengeful person. When this happens, we become our own worst enemy.

I was my own worst enemy for a very long time. I looked for reasons to dislike certain people. I took offense at the smallest slight. I remember telling people that I would 'go to my grave remembering what so-and-so did to me.' I convinced myself to dislike others. I was actually proud of the way I simply dismissed people without a second thought. Looking back, I am so ashamed of my actions. I see where I was so very wrong. I blocked my chances of fellowship with God. I hindered my relationship with Jesus Christ. I lost out on so many blessings, such as peace, joy and love......I was horrible!

It wasn't until I finally released my resentments that I realized how much I had been hurting myself. I learned to free my grudges by turning them over to the Lord. His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and His love allowed me to let go of both real and imagined hurts, wrongs and grudges. By letting go and giving these things to God, I allowed myself to grow and to experience the joy of walking in the will of God. I no longer carry around that enormous sack of resentments and grudges....and for that, I am thankful on this day.

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself

BE CAREFUL

We have all said things that we truly mean at the moment, but somehow end up not keeping our word. Throughout the years, I have done this time and time again, especially when times got tough. I feel sure that I am not the only one. Most of us have made this mistake. However, we need to be careful. We need to keep the following in mind.....


"God, if you will just _________________, then I promise I will ________________." When we do this, we are delivering ourselves into a very dangerous situation....unless we have every intention of keeping our word. In Judges 11:30-31, 34-35, Jephthah did the same exact thing and ended up losing his one child, his daughter, due to a vow he made unto the Lord. This tells me that we need to be extremely careful when making such promises. We must be careful and reverant at any and all times that we bring ourselves into His presence. We must remember WHO GOD IS at all times!


God is the utmost authority of ALL that is morally right. He existed before ALL THINGS IN TIME. He is the commander in chief of all the armies of heaven. He rules over the entire universe. God expects our faithfullness of heart and action! He wants and expects our love and obedience. We must fully respect God to the best of our abilities. We are much like a grain of sand when compared unto His awesomeness and capabilities. We must never demand a single thing from God, nor attempt to play games and make bargains. Don't say it if you don't mean it. Give Him the respect He deserves. In Deuteronomy 10:17, we are told, "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe."

YOU NEVER KNOW

It is so easy for us to say one thing and yet DO another. No matter who we are or how we live, the fact remains that not one of us is perfect and nor will we EVER be. We have all made mistakes in the past and we will make plenty more in the future. Quite often, we tend to look down upon others who experience failure, even though we KNOW it is not very Christian-like to do so. This brings me to me point today........


This morning, while doing a search on Google, I came across a German word, 'schadenfreude', which means receiving pleasure from the misfortune of others. I, of course, had never even heard of that word, but I definitely know another statement which closely describes the same concept..."Don't spit in the wind." I feel sure most people reading this have heard these words too. You don't spit in the wind... you mustn't triumph over the tragedies of others...don't celebrate their failures...never relish someones defeat...do not 'rub it in.' All of the previous statements lead up to something I read on Facebook today....MOCK NOT THE FALLEN, FOR SLIPPERY IS THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU...How true this is!


If you think back for a moment, I feel sure you can remember either saying or hearing someone say....That will never happen to me....my kids would never do that...she knows better...he deserves it...


The bible teaches us to commiserate or to sympathize with others who are having a hard time. We are taught to encourage others, to be there for them and to harden not our hearts. We must love our fellow brother or sister in a Christlike way. You never know when your faith, belief or Christian character might be tested by an angel unaware. It all boils down to DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. I feel that someone might have needed to hear these words this morning....just a little food for thought.....God Bless!


Proverbs 24:17-18 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him

SCARS

Regardless of who you are, I feel quite sure that you might have one or two visible scars on your body due to some sort of mishap. We all usually remember exactly where, when and how each scar came into existance, no matter how long ago it happened. We are stuck with these scars and we learn to deal with their presence. We really have no choice but to do so. Through automobile accidents and other careless activities, I have quite a few of these visible reminders. I once hated my scars, but today, I see them as the fingerprints of God. This might sound ridiculous, but I am going to tell you why I feel this way.

I have several small scars on my face from more than one car accident. In each accident, I was injured, but not like I could have been. Even when I didn't realize it, the Lord was right there by my side. He was there when I crawled out of the window of an overturned van. He was there when I was ejected from a truck and ended up in a rainsoaked field out in the middle of nowhere. In each instance, I received only minor bodily injury. I received small scars when, by all rights, I should have been dead. That's why I bear the fingerprints of God. That's why I love my scars.

If you have not been physically scarred, I know with certainty that you carry other scars instead. I am speaking of emotional scars. No matter who you are, I knw that you, like me, have received more than one of these. Careless words, actions and hurtful intentions of others leave us with deep emotional scars. Our own selfish actions create gashes. Physical abuse, drug abuse and life in general can leave us looking like Freddie Kruger on the inside. These scars take the longest time to heal. These scars require more than Neosporin and stitches. These scars can only be healed by the love of God.

The love of God...that's right! We must be touched by the hand of the Master before emotional scars can fully heal. When He provides the healing, hate, envy, jealousy, sadness, confusion, lonliness, chaos and despair will surely disappear. He alone is the healer. God is the ultimate physician. He is the Specialist, the Master, the Ultimate Authority over ALL areas of our lives. When we allow Him into our lives, God heals our wounds.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds

PIECES

 What comes to mind when you hear the word 'pieces'? When I hear this word, I think of something broken into bits, something fragmented or something splintered. A vision of shattered glass pops into my mind. The word 'pieces' is mentioned 293 times in the Bible. I researched various scriptures which made reference to this word and practically all of them referred to something broken, shattered or in bits.

I was talking to a friend the other day and we compared our lives without the Lord to a 'broken flower pot.' We were both able to compare our lives to a vase-like object which had become cracked over time. Our conversation got a little more detailed and we both described broken vessels which were ugly and weathered, cracked and splintered...broken into pieces.

We also compared life without the Lord to a massive, complex jigsaw puzzle which lay in pieces. We have all seen this sort of jigsaw puzzle, which is sold primarily in craft stores and practically requires a degree in engineering in order to even attempt assembly. My life resembled one of these puzzles for many years. Bits and pieces of it were scattered in every direction. No two pieces of my puzzle would ever seem to match up. Even the straight pieces of the puzzle which made up my life would not fit together. No matter how hard I tried to piece together this puzzle, I only met frustration, disappointment and failure. No matter how long I tried, I would never have been able to complete this task. I would have forever been stuck, just looking at the pieces.

We have all heard the phrase, "The Touch of the Master's Hand." It was only through this touch that the pieces of my life were ever put back together. The Lord sat back and watched me struggle in order that I realize and appreciate his ultimate authority over my life. He mended all the broken pieces which I had so carelessly damaged. He fit pieces back together which would have never been replaced. He did this with ease. He did this iwth power. He did this with love. The Lord showed me the need for His touch in my life, the necessity of His guidance and the healing power of His hand. He did this through His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and His love. He fixed what was broken in my life. He made my pieces whole. He did it for me...He can and He will surely do it for you as well!

USELESS

We all know people who have been called.....USELESS. Throughout the years, I have heard people say, "He is about as useless as they come", "She is as useless as the day is long", "They will never amount to anything" and "Why do you want to hang around with such useless people?" I will never forget hearing someone say, "He is just sucking up air that another good and decent human being should be breathing."

I feel quite sure that anyone reading these words can relate to what I just said ,in one way or another. Some of you might have said those same words. Some of you might have "been" the useless person being discussed. I am guilty of both. Who was I to pass judgement upon anyone? What gave me the right to ever call anyone 'useless' when I was perhaps the most useless one of all?

My life started out great. I was on the right track. After graduating from high school, I went on to college, got married, had two children and could have even had an excellent career. But.....I chose to lose my focus. I chose to become useless. I threw away my dreams and ambitions, going nowhere and doing nothing seemed more exciting. I would even proudly tell people that I had become a professional bum. My life became an endless party. If something wasn't 'fun', I didn't want any part of it. I perfected the art of being useless and didn't care who liked it or not. Details are not important, but I gave people plenty of reasons to call me useless. I left myself open for gossip. The bigger the sin, the better I liked it. If it was ugly, it was mine. I deserved every bit of criticism that was ever directed my way.

It wasn't until I became completely useless and realized that I was no good for myself or anyone else that I was shown my true value. The Lord heard my cries and revealed so much to me. I have learned that He loves the useless. God bathed me in His marvelous light and showed me the error of my ways. He covered me in His blood and my sins were forgiven. He has given me an understanding of His word and has found much use for me. Multitudes of angels watch over me today. The Lord allowed me to become 'useless' in order to reveal His purpose! His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and His love have transformed me in every way. I feel compelled to tell everyone EXACTLY how much He has done for me. He wants to do it for us all! He did it for me.....He can and He WILL surely do it for you as well!

Luke 15:10 There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents

WITH ME THROUGH IT ALL

If you are anything like me, you have a very colorful histroy and more than a few skeletons in your closet. As I have said before, I was once very ashamed of my past, but today, I embrace it and am thankful for EVERY single thing that has ever happened. Today, I remember a time when my life was in complete turmoil. Details are not important, but on this particular day, I was crossing the Mexican border. Lets just say that it was complete and utter chaos. You might not have memories of crossing the Mexican border, but I am sure you can recall a moment in time in which chaos and confusion took center stage.

I remember how I felt that day. I felt lost, in every meaning of the word. I felt alone. I felt disconnected from everything I had ever known and loved. I felt hopeless, scared, confused and useless. I was so far gone at the time. I had no one to turn to and was too ashamed to reach out to anyone. Talk about a miserable day....no, a miserable existance. I didnt know it at the time, but God was with me through it all. It was all a part of His magnificant plan. It was a testimony in the making!

Throughout the Bible, God used ordinary people in order to reveal His majesty. I cannot, nor will I ever compare myself to any of them, but three particular people of the Bible have come to my mind today. In Mark 16, Mary Magdalene went from being possessed by seven demons to being one of Jesus' most devoted followers, who was present at the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ! . In Acts 9, Saul was struck down on the road to Damascus while on a mission to torture the Christians, whom he hated. Saul experienced immediate conversion, so complete that even his name was changed to Paul, who went on to write most of the New Testament. The woman at the well is my absolute favorite person from the Bible, not counting God and Jesus, of course. In John 4, this unnamed woman met up with Jesus at Jacob's Well in the heat of the day at a time in her life when she was caught up in her sin. Jesus touched her life that day and completely turned her life around.

We can all draw encouragement from these very important people of the Bible. God loves even the sinner, He just hates the sin. Jesus was sent to save that which was lost...and I am so thankful. Take a moment to think about this. We are all so very special, even when we are at our worst. We serve an awesome God...one who showers us with continuous forgiveness, grace, mercy and love.........if only we let Him!

Romans 8:6 To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace

EVEN WHEN I LACK UNDERSTANDING

 I didn't see visual proof of the death of Osama Bin Laden, yet, I do believe that he was in fact, captured and killed. I have never seen the wind blow, however, I felt it as soon as I opened my front door this morning. None of us have ever seen gravity in action, yet we firmly believe that we wont start to levitate any time soon. As far as I know, no one has ever been able to get anywhere near the sun, yet, we are taught that it is approximately 92.96 million miles from the planet Earth. It is so easy for us to believe these simple, yet unseen thruths. This makes me wonder why it is so easy for us to doubt the word of God......

I can honestly say that for the LONGEST time, I was caught up in disbelief and doubt. I questioned everything, even the things of this world. I was suspicious, I lived in doubt and I entertained so much confusion. Those of you who know me, know this to be so very true. I believed in all the wrong things. I made terrible decisions, based upon my inner turmoil. I went to church when I felt like it, but I didn't wholeheartedly believe the words spoken inside of those doors. I am so glad that the Lord finally got my attention and proved to me just how wrong I had been. In this aspect, I can relate to someone from the Bible.....

Doubting the word of God and disbelief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are actions which have been displayed by humanity all the way back into Biblical times. Most of us have heard of Doubting Thomas. He was an apostle, a discilple of Jesus Christ, who was not present at the resurrection. His story is told in John 20:24-29. Thomas, doubted the resurrection and found it hard to believe when others told of having seen the risen Christ. However, after seeing the resurrected Jesus and being offered to touch the wounds in his side, Thomas firmly believed! This resulted in the following promise of Jesus to us all, "Blessed are those who have not seenand yet have believed."

It is my prayer today that I continue to grow in faith and belief. Let me take You at your Word regardless of how things might seem. Let me trust You even when I lack understanding. Grant me the grace to trust You and You alone! Thank You!

THIS IS FOR EVERYONE

Let me start by saying, I did not write this in order to verbally attack any one particular person. I also want to say that, I KNOW that I am BY NO MEANS PERFECT and I do not claim to be. I try my best to encourage others by sharing my past, my present and my hopes for the future. However, I happen to be somewhat disturbed, perplexed and amazed this morning. My 'note' for today might be somewhat lengthy, but it is my hope that you bear with me and please remember....I didn't write this as a means of verbal attack. I see it as a truth that WE ALL, EVEN MYSELF, NEED TO HEAR!

Regardless of who you are, I feels sure that you know a SUPER CHRISTIAN, someone who by all appearances is totally for God and can quote scripture like a first grader can sing their ABC's. You might have seen this person at the mall, at a restaurant, at the post office, at church or even on Facebook. Don't get me wrong, it is my desire to 'grow up' to be somewhat of a SUPER CHRISTIAN, but only if my words, ways and ALL my actions line up to the word of God!


It doesn't matter who you are, where you live, how you were raised or to what demonination you belong.....NO HUMAN BEING IS BETTER THAN THE NEXT......Not one of us is perfect. We were ALL born as sinners and NEVER lose that sinful nature. That puts us ALL on an equal plane. We cannot PICK and CHOOSE who we wish to like, tolerate or encourage.....NOT IF WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD, AS WE PROFESS! Yes, it seems as though I am being ugly this morning. Yes, it would be easy for me to really go off. Yes, I am reling upon James 3:1-18 to tame my tongue at this very moment.

My writing is somewhat lengthy this morning, and I hope that you don't happen to lose interest. I have searched a few scriptures this morning and have a few things to say regarding each one that the Lord laid upon my heart. They are as follows:

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth


We often have a huge disparity between what we SAY and what we DO, myself included. Believing and behaving go hand in hand. Confession of the word is USELESS if our actions prove otherwise. Wouldn't it be HORRIBLE if on the day of Judgement, God used the very same scriptures that we are so quick to quote yet slow to apply to our very lives, as a means of condemnation???? People, we must ALL be so very careful!


............OUR WALK MUST MATCH OUR TALK...............

Isaiah 29:13 These people draw near with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but have removed their hearts from me

This scripture really speaks for itself. Plain and simple, in black and white. If we walk in darkness, no matter which sort, WE DO NOT HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us
Again, plain and simple....in black and white...If God said it, I believe it and that settles it!
The next scripture is going to be the last one that I include here today. I saved the best for last. 1 John 2:9, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness, even until now." Love for our fellow brother/sister in Christ is evidence of our salvation. How can we cry, "Lord, Lord, have mercy on me......yet, choose to not have mercy upon others? It does not matter what you say with your mouth if your heart is filled with hate for another....IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE! How can someone claim to love an 'invisible' God when they do not even love His created children?

Not one of us is BETTER than anyone else. We cannot pick and choose WHO to accept. When we stand before the Lord on the day of Judgement, we will be held accountable for ALL our actions. I dont know about you, but I need to keep this fact in mind!

WONDERFULLY MADE

A banana will never look like or taste like a strawberry. The North Pole doesn't have nor will it ever have the same climate as Florida. A sofa will never become a stove. A pond will never become an ocean. My foot will never accomplish the same function as my heart. My brown eyes will never become blue. The list goes on and on. I am sure you get the picture. I am who I am. You are who you are. Each one of us is different and we will never be the same. Imagine how boring life would be if we were all copies of one another?


There have been times in my life when I was very insecure. I thought that everyone else had more important things to say, better ways of doing it and greater outcomes from their efforts. These thoughts led me to doubt my own self worth, caused me to feel inadequate and left me uncertain as to my own abilities. I see today that I was battling my own insecurities. Insecurity is horrible. It leads to jealousy, selfishness, competitiveness and overcompensation. Insecurity does serious damage. It robs our soul. destroys relationships and steals our joy.


Assuredness, self love and confidence, on the other hand, adds to our lives and builds strong foundations for ALL of our relationships. Security comes from within. We must never compare ourselves to others. Psalm 139:14 tells us this by stating, 'you are fearfully and wondefully made.' We are all unique. We must all take time to reflect upon our very own God given abilities and strengths. We must be open to the leading and the direction of God in our lives, even if it sometimes means to be still and silent. We must do this in order to receive the full amount of blessings that the Lord wishes to rain down upon us.


Lord, let me take time out of my life today in order that I might receive ALL that you have for me. Let me not be insecure, let me not compare myself to others. Let me realize that I AM WONDERFULLY MADE and that there is NO ONE ELSE QUITE LIKE ME. Thank you Jesus for your love. Thank you for making us all unique. Let me grow in the confidence that I can receive only from YOU!


Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them

MODERN DAY SLAVERY

Regardless of who you are, where you live and how old you might happen to be, I feel quite sure that you have heard of the concept of slavery. The word slavery brings to mind Hebrew slaves, Egyptian slaves or more recently in history, African slaves. We all learned about slaves in school. We have read about slaves in the Bible. We are quick to be thankful that slavery no longer exists. But does it? It is my belief that modern day slavery is thriving in this world today.


I can only speak for myself, but for many years, I was a slave. My slavery was self imposed, but it was truly binding. I was enslaved by addictions, fear, regret, anger, distrust and disbelief. I was enslaved by my reputation, self-image and lack of self worth. I know others who have been and still are enslaved to some of the things I just mentioned. I know others who are enslaved as well. Some are enslaved by money, power, social status and material possessions. It all boils down to being enslaved by sin.


Just as the Hebrews, the Egyptians and the Africans were locked into slavery, I was too. I know how they must have felt. I woke up into my slavery, I spent my days in bondage and I went to sleep at night knowing that my slavery would greet me again if and when I woke up the next day. It was a miserable existence. Existence being the key word. I was only existing!


I am so thankful that the Lord saw fit to remove the bondage of slavery from my life. He picked me up and destroyed the chains which had held me captive for so many years. He turned my sorrows into happiness and replaced my tears with smiles. My slavery tried to destroy my life, but the Lord stepped in and gave me a future. Today, I see my past for exactly what it was.....a testimony of God's saving grace and power!


No matter who you are or what you are going through, the Lord sees it all. He hears your cries. He knows your struggles. He is waiting patiently to set you free from any slavery which may exist in your life. He did it for me, He can and He will surely do it for you as well.


Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world

IT IS FOR A REASON

Have you ever had a nagging feeling that something just wasn't right? Have you ever felt an urgency to tell someone else about this feeling, but didn't quite know how to bring it up? Well, a friend of mine recently experienced these feelings and was kind enough to share her concern with me. Her actions clearly exhibited her gift of discernment and I can't help but tell you about it today. Thanks....you know who you are.


I am including a message she posted here on FB in which she expressed her care and concern. Here goes:


Ok...I dont want you to think I'm nuts or anything and You know I dont know anything about your life other than what I have seen on facebook...so I am in no way trying to be nosey....but, I do want you to know that I woke up praying for you last night & you have been on my mind all morning. Just be careful and take care of you....don't let anyone trick you into thinking they are good when they are really just evil on the inside...(Even someone close enough to sit down at the kitchen table for a heart to heart.) There are so many people that carry decietful spirits and they dont even realize it. I know you already know that...


My friend had no idea about any of the details of my life when she sent that message two weeks ago. In fact, she was reluctant to even send the message. However, I am glad that she did. I wont go into details here, but the Lord clearly placed the gift of discernment upon her heart at that particular time. I am thankful for her obedience to the spirit of the Lord. I urge others to do the same. When God tells you to do something, it is for a reason.....even if everything on the surface seems to be fine.


I am thankful this morning for discernment of the spirit. Discernment is defined as.... the activity of determining the value and the quality of a certain subject or event. It goes past the mere perception of something. Those with discernment possess wisdom and good judgement....I define discernment as a loving gift, given by God Almighty to those who truly seek His ways! Everything is not always what it seems to be on the surface. Satan is the great manipulator...he knows our weaknesses, he knows how to get us down...We are part of an unseen spiritual warfare...ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD...If God lays someone upon your heart, please follow His lead, like my friend did the other day. You never know how powerful your prayers might actually be!


1 John 4:1 Bleoved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world


Psalm 119:125 I am your servant, give me discernment that I may understand your statutes

SELF IMPOSED

We have all experienced hurt. We have all experienced pain and hardship in one way or another. Problems come in every shape and size, be it financial, emotional, incarceration, addiction or simply, just problems in general. I dont care who you might happen to be, in some sort of way, you have had a problem or two throughout the course of your life. If you are anything like me, you have had more than your share of ups and downs, ins and outs, joy and sorrow, poverty and wealth. What makes me somewhat different from many of you is that most of my problems have been...........SELF IMPOSED!!!


Yes, I said it....THE MAJORITY OF MY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN SELF IMPOSED! I have no secrets to hide, no one else to blame and no excuses! Every hardship, every struggle, every wrong turn I took....was due to poor decision making and selfishness. As I have said before, I was once ashamed of my actions and of the person I allowed myself to become. These days, I see the past for exactly what it was...all part of God's plan to bring me to where I am today. I can appreciate joy, because I know sadness. I can laugh because I have known tears. I can love because I have known hate. I can appreciate a peaceful lifestyle because I have lived through many nightmares. I have always heard that the sweetest victories come after a defeat....well, I can testify to the validity of that statement. I made it through countless storms.....but only through the forgiveness, the grace, the mercy and the love of God!


The scope of your problems might not go to the extremes of mine, but, I am here today to tell you that no matter what you might be facing, no matter what you might be going through, dont give up. There is light at the end of every tunnel. We serve a God who loves and cares for us all. The blueprint for our lives was planned BEFORE we were even formed in the womb. Bring your hardships to the Lord with an honest and repentive heart. Trust God...live for Him...recognize the fact that without Him, you are nothing and have nothing. Allow the Lord to cast your sins into the sea of forgiveness. No sin is too great...no past is too sordid...Bring your pain, sorrows, fears and worries to the foot of the cross...experience the freedom that comes from knowing the Lord!


Psalm 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning

IT IS IN OUR NATURE

Imagine for a moment that you have been bitten by a visicous dog. Would you be cautious about going anywhere around that same dog ever again? Suppose you had an allergic reaction to seafood and it resulted in hospitalization. Would you order boiled crawfish the next time you happened to go to a restaurant? I am willing to bet that anyone reading this 'note' would answer both of the above questions with a definite NO. Several months ago, I wrote a 'note' entitled, "Trust Not In Man." Once again, I feel led to write a little bit more regarding this topic. It is a subject we all need to keep in the forefront of our minds.


I am not writing this as a personal attack upon anyone, that is not my style. However, I feel the need to remind everyone today that regardless of who, what, where, when or how......PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE AND EVENTUALLY, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THEY WILL LET YOU DOWN. We all make promises we either do or do not intend to keep. We say we are going to do one thing and end up doing the complete opposite. We start out strong and fade away. We usually dont set out with harmful intentions, but we often do in fact end up hurting others by our actions. No matter what our intentions may be, we all share this tendency. Sooner or later, in one way or another, we have all offended or hurt people we supposedly care about....It is in our nature.


There is only ONE pure, perfect friend, who loves us tremendously and will always keep His promises. Our Bible does not lie....God's promises are never broken. The love of God is constant. We can rely upon His friendship, His trustworthiness and His neverending consistency. He and He alone will never leave us, nor forsake us. His promises held true in both the New and the Old Testaments and are still holding true for us today. Trust not in man...put your faith in the Lord...for He truly cares for both me and for you!


Psalm 146:3 "Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help"

MY ACTIONS

I have problems. Anyone who might happen to read this does too. It is what we choose to do about our problems that sets each one of us apart and makes us different from everybody else. No matter who you might happen to be, I feel sure that at some time or another, you have been forced to make a decision whether to help someone else who has a problem as well. People need one another at times. We make daily decisions regarding our treatment of others. To help or not to help...to be there for someone or not...to get involved or to turn away.


Our Bible talks about a group of people called Samaritans. They were a mixed group of people who were considered somewhat inferior to others. They were considered second class citizens. In Luke 10:30-37, we are told about The Good Samaritan. In this chapter of the Bible, a certain man had the misfortune of falling among thieves, who stripped him, robbed and wounded him and left him for dead along the roadside. A priest and a Levite, both considered to be 'holy' people came upon this helpless man and on both occasions, crossed the road in order to avoid even recognizing his presence. The Samaritan came along and not only recognized that the man needed help, he responded to the situation and immediately got involved. The Samaritan chose to help, bandaged his wounds, brought him to an inn and paid for the expenses.


Jesus tells us to do likewise. It does us no good to appear to be socially acceptable. To be seen at church and to be recognized as a Christian is not enough. Nice clothes, nice cars and good looks mean nothing. It is our inside appearance that matters the most. Each day, we are given opportunities to reveal our true identity. Will we choose to be like the Levite, who to all outward appearances was great? Or will we choose to be a Samaritan, somewhat inferior, but, with compassion for others?


It is my prayer today that I truly exhibit love, care and compassion for others. Let me not be seen as a Levite, caring for my own personal gain. Let my heart be tender, let my ways be humble, let others see Jesus through my actions and my words. Lord, let me be more of a Samaritan.


Luke 10:33 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion"


Thanks for reading my 'note'
Love,
M

SIMPLE TRUTHS

For the past two weeks, I have been away from home and have not been consistently writing my daily 'notes' here on FB.  I had plans on writing one today as an inspirational message for a friend of mine who had recently been involved in a terrible car accident.  Thoughts and words had formed in my mind, but all of a sudden, the entire direction of my 'note' changed completely.  Details are not important, but, I was sharply reminded that PEOPLE LIE....PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT YOU....BEWARE OF THE EMENY WHO CALLS HIM/HERSELF YOUR FRIEND!

In the past, I gave others plenty of reasons to dislike me.  I was never surprised to find that I was the topic of conversation.  In fact, I had come to expect it.  Sad, but true.....These days, its a different story.  I make it my business to give others a reason to like me, to be a positive influence and to be considered a true friend.  I was really surprised today when I discovered that someone, a supposed 'friend', had been talking about me in a horrible way, telling outright lies which stemmed from jealousy and envy.  Be careful who you trust......Not everyone who is a friend to your face will be the same friend when your back is turned.  These are simple truths that we all need to remember.

Our Bible has many scriptures which warn us about deceit at the hands of others.  Proverbs 6:16-19 specifically lists six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.  James 4:11 says, "Do not speak evil of one another."  In Exodus 23:1, we are told, "You shall not circulate a false report."  Proverbs 10:18 tells us that "whoever spreads slander is a fool."  People really can be a wolf in sheeps clothing.  Not everyone is what they seem. 

It is never easy to accept harm inflicted from others.  It is difficult to turn the other cheek.  It is very hard for me to keep my mouth shut and to not try to retaliate.  The Bible tells us to pray for those who intentionally set out to hurt us.  That is what I am going to do today.  My prayers go out to this person and I ask that others join me in doing so.  God knows the name. 

Thank you!

Thanks for reading my 'note'
Love,
M

MANNA

I feel sure that no one reading this has starved to death.  I also feel sure that even though times may have gotten hard for you, somehow, you have always made it through any storm which may have come your way.  At times, you may have also gotten somewhat short on cash and might have even fallen behind on a few bills.  You might have wondered how you were going to make it. Bill collectors might have come knocking on your door.  But.....somehow, you made it through your struggles if you are able to read this today.

If you have ever experienced struggle, you are not alone.  People have struggled since the beginning of time, which brings me to my point today.  Back in the times of the Old Testament, the Isrealites encountered many struggles in the wilderness, on of which was lack of food.  In response to this struggle, God appeared to Moses and proclaimed that He had heard the complaints of His children and that He would provide and meet their every need so that they would know that He was their God (Exodus 16:10-12).  God allowed manna to fall from the sky.  Manna fell with abundance, enough to feed the people of Isreal for the entire 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  God provided simple rules to Moses regarding the use of manna.  The Isrealites were to gather only enough manna for their immediate consumption and could only collect extra the day before the sabbath.  If any excess manna was collected, it quickly began to stink and bred worms.  Of course, some people tried to collect extra, while others didnt collect enough.....much like people do today.

We all serve a God who is ready, willing and more than able to supply our every need.  We are a blessed people.  Our needs WILL be provided.  However, just like back in the day of the wandering Isrealites, we still have a tendence to hoard...to covet...and to be selfish.  Literal manna quickly began to stink and bred worms.  The manna we tend to store today also has such tendencies.  Think about it for a moment.....money, for example...to store it up, to hoard it and hide it...might not actually stink, but the actions taken to accumulate alot of it would have a foul smell, a bad odor.  Anything we tend to hoard can be seen as modern day manna....something provided for us by God, yet used by us in an ungodly manner. 

Think about your actions for a moment.  Are you using what God has given you as a means of meeting your needs, or are you storing it up only for it to stink or to become foul and offensive.  We need to let God be God in our lives.  We need to remember that He is our mighty provider...that He knows what is best for us.....that He alone is our God!

Exodus 16:4  Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.  And the people should go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not."

WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF THIS

Most of my 'notes' are happy and encouraging.  I try to stay away from words of condemnation.  However, my writing for today has weighed heavily on my mind since yesterday afternoon.  A friend of mine said she is amazed by the fact that people will greet you, hug you, shake your hand, smile and even say I love you at church, but fail to even acknowledge your presence anywhere else in public.  Think about this for a minute......I feel sure you can identify with those words.  I find this very disturbing....I always have...I always will...These actions go completely against the Word of God! 

Many people turn away from churches due to this sort of behavior.  We should all be ashamed.  In one way or another, we are all guilty of this.  Speaking for myself, I have cut through a store more than once in order to avoid particular people, not because I was angry or upset, but simply as a means to avoid having to speak.  Isn't that horrible.  We shouldnt be this way.  According to one study I found, there are 59 "ONE ANOTHERS" found in the New Testament alone.  By 'one anothers', I am referring to commands regarding our treatment of one another, from the words of Jesus Christ....

In John 13:34, when we were told to love one another as He has loved us, I dont think it meant to love one another only inside of a building of worship.  I dont think Romans 12:10 meant for us to show brotherly love only on Sunday or Wednesday.  When we were told to greet one another with a holy kiss in Romans 16:16, were we told to pick and choose who, where, or when?  We also love to quote Philippians 2:2, "being of one mind and one accord."  In the Bible, when the believers got in one mind and in one accord, miraculous signs, sights and wonders took place.  We often grumble about the lack of blessings in our daily lives.......I wonder if this might be the cause???

Let's all remain mindful of this!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING

Did you grow up believing in fairy tales?  Have you searched for Snow White, Prince Charming or wished to be Cinderella?  Do you ever see others as having a perfect life and wonder why yours isn't?  Have you ever felt like you aren't 'good enough' or unworthy of love and respect?  Well guess what????  You are not the only one.  No matter who you are and no matter how you might live.....just know that you are not alone.

We are all imperfect people.  Some of our problems might be bigger than that of the next person, but regardless of all that..... NO HUMAN BEING IS PERFECT.....There is no such thing!

Speaking for myself, awhile back, I was having a really hard time dealing with some of my actions in the past, decisions I had made and the general idea that I would never be considered 'good enough'.  I have been blessed to have several people who have always believed in me, even when I was at my worst and lowest point.  One of these people in particular brought up a very important point and shared 1 Samuel 16:7 with me at a point when I needed to hear it the most.  This scripture reminds us that, "The Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  This scripture has ever since been burned upon my heart and into my mind.  I think of it often and believe its words completely.  Thank you for pointing this out to me.....you know who you are!

Isn't it amazing to know that God loves us all anyway...no matter how imperfect we might happen to be!  He knows we are not perfect....He knows that we have and that we will sin.  We are not and we will not EVER find perfection...not in ourselves and not in others either!  Through Jesus Christ, we all have the ability to approach God for the redemption of our sins.  Our sins are not a reason for us to stay away from God.  In fact, our sins are a sign to us that we need to draw closer to Him.  In God's home, we are forgiven, we are accepted, we are loed!  Through the blood of Jesus Christ, our hearts, bodies and souls are washed clean......and for this, i am so very grateful this morning.

1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his pshsical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outard appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

DOES THIS APPLY TO YOU?

No matter who you are, no matter what your beliefs, I feel sure you have heard the following two statements:

~Honesty is the best policy
~To thine own self be true

Neither of these sayings are found in the Bible.  However, the concept of both of these statements can easily be associated with a common theme throughout both the New and the Old Testaments.  My 'note' for today is about honesty... when dealing with ourselves and when dealing with others.....something we all need to practice daily. 

It is so easy to become dishonest with ourselves.  Sometimes, we find it convenient to mask our true feelings, to 'fake it til we make it' and to be misleading when it comes to dealing with others.  We might even become quite convincing.  It is when we do this that we allow ourselves open for all sorts of misery and heartache.  Lies build upon lies and the mask gets harder to wear.  Various addictions and behaviors quickly become a crutch when we withold the truth from ourselves.  These problems start out as an escape, but quickly become a burden, an encumberment, our very own cross to bear......

God didnt create us to be misleading to ourselves and to others.  He gets no glory from us when we practice deceit.  By being dishonest, we only end up hurting everyone involved.  We create our own mess.  Our relationship with others is what we make of it.  The first four Books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are very descriptive in telling us how we must do in order to live  a Godly lifestyle.  The four Gospels are an effective roadmap to follow in order to make it to heaven.  Even the slightest dishonesty can keep us out of heaven.  We must follow the directions and remain pure at heart.  This is something we all need to remember.

Luke 6:31  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

WANNA LAUGH?

WANNA LAUGH?

by Michelle Miller on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 11:50am

Does your best friend make you laugh?  Do your favorite memories consist of much happiness and joy?  Do you find yourself smiling alot when you see particular things or spend time with certain people.  I dont know about you, but I sure do.  I love to laugh....I love to joke around.....I love to have fun.  For the past couple of days, the 'notes' I have writtin have been of a somewhat serious nature.....but not today.  Today, I wanna talk about laughter....happiness and joy...I have even included a photo, a cartoon, which inspired these words.  I thought it was really funny and it seems as though others do too.  I hope it makes you laugh as well.

So often, we allow the seriousness of life to bring us down.  We get stressed out, keyed up and angry.  We get into arguments and bring misery to others.  However, it is just as easy to lighten up, have fun and laugh under most circumstances.  We have all heard that laughter is the best medicine and I truly think it is.  Laughter adds joy to our lives, eases anxieties and fears and attracts others to us.  Life is full of funny situations.  It is up to us to find our laughter.

There are 42 references to laughter in the Bible.  Proverbs 14:30 tells us that a relaxed attitude lenghtens a man's life.  A relaxed attitude sure sounds like it would include laughter to me.  Esslesiastes 3:4 specifically tells us that there is a time to laugh.  Srah laughed (Genesis 18:12).  I have read of God's people laughing when they were led out of captivity.  I also feel sure that David laughed quite often as he danced before God. 

I wanna thank God for giving me the ability to laugh.  It brightens up my day and causes my heart to smile as well.  Lord, let me be quick to smile and laugh today.  Let me encourage others to do the same. 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

We all might have a favorite shirt.  We might have a preference when it comes to the particular car we choose to drive.  Everyone has a favorite song, a favorite food or a favorite book.  Most of us usually have a favorite vacation destination as well.  However, there are some things in our lives that we typically have no control over when it comes to favorites.  For example, I have two children, Ross and Gina, both of whom I love very much and would never dream of choosing my favorite between the two.  This brings me to the point of my writing today.....

As Christians, we all see God as our heavenly Father.  He shows no preferences and loves us all equally.  God even sent Jesus, His only son, here to earth in order to teach us the ways of a perfect love.  Jesus Christ lived upon this earth for 33 years and displayed a true and perfect love to everyone....with no exception!  I feel confident to say that God would never show partiality to any of his children.  In Romans 2:11, we are told, FOR THERE IS NO PARTIALITY WITH GOD.  Galatians 2:6 also tells us that GOD SHOWS NO PERSONAL FAVORITISM TO NO MAN.  Doesn't it feel good to know that the God of all creation loves you just as much as He loves the next person?  Isn't it wonderful to know that God chooses no favorites?

Why then, do we tend to pick and choose.  What gives us the right to encourage one brother or sister in Christ, but ignore the next?  How will we justify our actions when the much awaited day of judgement finally arrives?  I did not write this as an attack on any one person in particular, that is not and will not ever be my style.  I wrote these words after much observation.... in our churches, in our stores, in our families...even on Facebook.  We all need to remember that our God will hold us accountable for every single act we have ever committed.  We claim to be Christians....let's act like it!  Let's encourage one another in true brotherly love.   Let us be Christlike in ALL of our ways.

Acts 10:34  God is no respector of persons

THIS IS FOR EVERYONE

What comes to your mind when you think of something dirty?  A garbage can?  The restroom at a gas station?  When I think of something dirty, I think of something hard to clean... something which refuses to become spotless....no matter how hard I scrub.  We can all identify with the words I am about to write today.  We all have experience at dealing with something dirty.

Our Bible is very descriptive when it comes to describing something unclean.  The Old Testament gave detailed descriptions of many things which were considered unclean and gave specific instructions on how to deal with such.  In the New Testament, Jesus often referred to leprosy as an indicator of the unclean.  The concept of leprosy was easily compared to the destructive damages of sin.  Although we might not have the physical symptoms of this once dreaded disease, we have all, at one time or another, had a touch of leprosy.  We have all been considered unclean.  As a matter of fact, in God's eyes, we will always appear unclean.  Even at our best moment, when we are confident that we are living a Godly lifestyle, we STILL appear filthy in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). 

WE ARE ALL STILL SINNERS....WE ARE ALL LIKE AN UNCLEAN THING...OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSES ARE LIKE FILTHY RAGS....

This is such an important thing to always remember.  Not one of us is better than the other...nor will we ever be!  There is no chart to determine which sin is worse.  Each person upon the face of this earth is just as important as the next.  None of us have any reason whatsoever to look down upon another. In the eyes of God, a sin is a sin is a sin.  The ONLY way that we can possibly be considered righteous is through Jesus Christ!

Jesus healed the lepors through His touch.  It was the only way to cleanliness then, just as it is the only way to cleanliness now!  We must humble ourselves in the eyes of the Lord.  We must love in the way that He loves.  We must treat one another as though we would treat Him.  We must at all times remember that we are no better than anyone else.  Each one of us fights our own personal battle....NO ONE IS WITHOUT SIN. 

Lord, it is my prayer today that I truly be humble.  Let me honestly show love to each person who crosses my path.  Let me never forget that I am a lowly sinner, who needs you to guide my every step.  Let me not look down upon anyone.  Let me encourage others to live by your Word. 

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS

...FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS...

by Michelle Miller on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 10:58am

If I decide to cook a gumbo this afternoon, should I leave out the roux?  If I was on a road trip to somewhere I had never been, would I need a map?  Could I mail a letter without using a stamp?  If I chose to erect a swing set, would instructions be necessary?  In each of these cases, I would run into problems if I chose to not follow directions.....dontcha think? 

Following directions is a requirement for every day life.  We would all have serious problems if we simply relied upon our own understanding or common sense, which I have been told I am without.  Thank God for directions!  In our spiritual lives, we are also equipped with a detailed set of directions or instructions, which comes in the form of The Holy Bible.  It truly provides us with everything we need to know in order to live a meaningful life here on earth and tells us specifically how to get to heaven.  At any given moment, I can pick up my Bible and be told immediately how to forgive...how to show brotherly love...to deal with anger...to live eternally...to fast...to build faith...to recognize a true friend...or even how to have a successful marriage!  Our Bible gives us the answer to EVERYTHING.  It even tells us about tattoos, dinosaurs and Halloween.  Where else could we ever find such a complete and total set of instructuions?

Psalm 119 clearly reminds us of the importance of following the directions of the Lord.  In fact, it is the longest chapter in the entire Bible....176 verses to be exact!  This psalm is very important, inspirational and an excellent reminder of how we should strive to become when living a Godly lifestyle.  The psalmist implores the Lord to help him walk in His ways....to help him keep His truths...to seek Him wholeheartedly.  This psalmist asks the Lord to be with him while he reads, absorbs and lives by His principles, something we all need to do.

Lord, let me be more like this psalmist today.  Let me grow in your ways, walk in your light and love like you do.  Let me forgive with a quickness, put the needs of others before that of myself and continue to grow in faith! 

Let me follow the directions!

HE KNOWS YOUR NAME

Earlier this morning, I read something written by a woman named Valerie.  I do not know her personally, but her words spoke to my soul and delivered a rush of inspiration to me.  The words that Valerie wrote clearly came from her heart and she humbly asked for prayer.  She asked that others please pray for her in that she might seek God first, hear His direction and follow His guidance as much as she possibly can.  Valerie provides assistance to abused and homeless families but feels that her role is very small....that what she does doesn't seem important......AND THAT'S WHEN THE LORD STEPPED IN.......

I think we all might have a little bit of Valerie in us....even if your name is Lisa, John, Kelli, Debbie, Robin, Ross, Gina, Blair, Bruce, Tom Or Jean....Mary, Kim, Terry, Kenneth or Ron....

We all have our own particular complexes.  We are prone to feel inferior at times.  We often feel that our best is not good enough.  We tend to see others as 'better' or more important in the eyes of man.Thats just it.......IN THE EYES OF MAN

God knows Valerie by name.  He know us all, as a matter of fact.  He knew us before we were even formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5).  Think about that for a minute.....Is that an awesome concept or what????   Every single thought and feeling that we experience is of the utmost importance to our God.  We are His children!!!  We are important!  He loves us!  He truly loves us, no matter what our job or position in life.  In fact, His word tells us that the last will be first, and the first last (Matthew 20:16).  It gets even better than that.......in Matthew 25:40, Jesus tells us, in His own words, "Inasmuch as you did it to one of my brothers, you did it to me."  WOW.....I am blown away this morning!

I dont know about you, but I feel special this morning....Today, I wanna thank God for loving me and for knowing me by name....Let me do what He tells me to do....Let me go where He sends me...Let me not feel small or unimportant...Let me know that I am a child of royalty! 

Am praying for you Valerie!  Please pray for me as well.

SHE KNEW WHAT SHE HAD TO DO

Are you one of those tremendously blessed people who have no problems, no worries, no concerns, no health problems, no current heartbreak and no stress?  I didnt think so.  Guess what, I am not either and that gives us all something in common.  No one is problem free, stressless or immune to the struggles of everyday life.  We all face issues and we all fight battles of some sort, be it financial, physical, relationships, addictions or just plain old discouragement.  Things change in our daily lives at the drop of a hat. It is what we CHOOSE to do in our times of trouble that makes all the difference. 

If you know anything about me, you know I LOVE the people of the Bible.  Today, I wanna write a little bit about the woman with the issue of blood.  Her story is found in Mark 5:24-35.  This woman had problems!  She faced an ongoing obstacle not for a few days, not for a month, but for 12 YEARS!  She knew about worries, health problems, heartbreak and stress.  This woman tried everything she knew to do in order to find relief from her torment.  Instead of getting better, her problems only worsened.  She expended all of her resources to no avail. 

But................

She knew what she had to do.  She made it her business to reach out to the one and only cure for her problems.  I am a very imaginative person and in my mind, I can see her making her way through the crowd in order to get to Jesus.  I can also imagine the desperation she felt.  Through her tremendous faith, she reached out and touched the very hem of His garment.....She knew that would be her cure!  She knew what she had to do!  Imagine her surpise and her fear when Jesus acknowledged the fact of her touch....Imagine her relief when He proclaimed that through her faith, she had been HEALED!!!!

People, thats what we all need to do.  We must exercise our faith!  When all else fails, GIVE IT TO JESUS!  Turn to God!  He performed miracles back in the day.....just as He is doing now!  I am a living, breathing example of His miraculous glory!  Nothing is too big for our God to handle.  I could go on and on and on about my Jesus and the wonders of faith.  Remember......ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO HIM WHO BELIEVES!

TAKE THAT FIRST STEP

I have often wrote about how quickly life, as we know it, can change within the blink of an eye.  Yes, my family has had it's share of heartache throughout this past week, but, as you all know, it happens to everyone and we are all so thankful for your prayers.  Today, I want to write a little bit more about this everchanging life we all live.  I hope you find it uplifting.  I hope it offers encouragement to someone.  If it does, I have accomplished what I have set out to do today!

I know lots of people who live with no excitement in their daily lives.  They go to work, do their job, go home, go to bed and get up and do it again, week after week after week.  I also know people who are afraid of getting out of their comfort zone, afraid of doing anything different.  I even know people who truly believe that their lives are somewhat cursed and that they are perhaps being punished for things which happened years ago.  I don't know about you, but I have been able to identify with every single situation I just listed. 

But.........

Life doesn't have to be that way.  Life was meant for us to enjoy.  Happy, not sad.  Exciting, never boring.  Emotional, not unfeeling.  I read a few quotes this morning and wrote a couple of them down in order that I might share them with you now.  Here goes:

~A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step....Lao Tzu
~The purpose of life is a life of purpose....Robert Bryne

While neither of these quotes make direct mention of God, they both clearly speak to my soul.  If we desire change in our daily lives, we must find the courage to get up and take that first step.  It is our responsibility to find our own unique purpose which God intended for our lives.  We are all here today, but could possibly be gone tomorrow.  Our very next breath is not even guaranteed. 

I am so grateful for all of the wonderful blessings which God has been showering down upon me from the windows of Heaven.  I have been blessed, blessed, blessed!  It is my wish that countless others experience the same sort of joy that I feel in my heart, in my soul and in my life in general.  I am happy today and I am so excited about my future.  I really cant wait to see whats going to happen next. 

At this time, I would like to encourage anyone reading these words to allow the love of the Lord into your life.  Get into His word!  Live by His principles!  Experience the sort of love which only He can provide.  When you line up to Him, watch and be amazed at how He will line up with you! 

Psalm 40:3  He has put a new song in my mouth- Praise to our God

Psalm 37:4  Delight yourself also in the Lord,  trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass

THE THREE MILLER BOYS

Every 'note' that I write holds a special importance to me.  I keep a file of them all and I can go back and look at any given one of them and recall exactly what I was feeling on any particular given day.  The one that I am writing today will be perhaps the one closest to my heart, for obvious reasons. 

I know you have all heard of The Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, The Three Wise Men and Three Blind Mice.  Up until this moment, you might not have heard of The Three Miller Boys, but that is about to change.  I wanna tell you a little bit about Hammer, Bruce and Ben.  I listed their names in the order in which they were born, with my dad being in the middle.  As I grew up, all three of them played a huge part in my life.  Its hard to describe the closeness that these three brothers have always shared.  Yes, they have had their spats....yes, they often got 'hostile'.....but the fact of the matter IS......When it comes down to it.....at any given moment, each one of these three brothers would give their right arm, bend over backwards or face a stampede of angry elephants for one another!

Our Bible also tells us of three boys, three Hebrew boys, to be exact....Sharrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3).  These three boys were thrown into a fiery furnace due to their belief in their one true God.  I am in no way implying that my dad and uncles are blameless, however they do share similarities to the three boys.  The three Hebrew boys withstood the flames together.  They were united and shared more than a measure of faith.  They were headstrong, determined and fearless in times of adversity.  They also shared a living, loving and strengthening God.  It is in these ways that the Three Miller Boys remind me of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

The Three Miller Boys have been through, done it all and have seen many things throughout their lives.  However, they are at this very moment facing a crisis like none other....the unimaginable....a life changing event.  Without going into details, my Uncle Ben has come upon a major hurtle.  He has been fighting a terminal illness for over two years and might actually be nearing the end of his battle.  The Three Miller Boys need your prayers today.  I love each one of them so very much and I just thought I would introduce you to the three of them today. 

Please pray for my family.

ALYSSA BROOKE

My friend, Kelli, had to be somewhere this morning so I offered to keep her 11 month old baby, Alyssa, here with me.  Alyssa is a beautiful baby girl.  Gina and I love to spend time with her.  Alyssa has been having a cold, so before Kelli left, she told me how much and which medicines to give to her.  Once Kelli left, I gave her the medicine and her bottle and I rocked her in the recliner until she went to sleep.  Kelli wasnt gone very long and she had to wake Alyssa up so that they could leave. 

As soon as Alyssa and I got settled into the recliner, I knew what I was gonna write about today.  God is truly awesome and I love the way He speaks to my soul.  Alyssa was such a happy baby this morning, smiling right up until she fell asleep.  I could tell she felt safe, that she felt secure, and that she knew her needs had been met.  As I watched her fall asleep, it was obvious that she didnt have a care in the world.  She didnt need or want for a single thing.  She slept what appears to have been the most peaceful, innocent sleep.

Our Bible tells us that in order to be considered worthy of His kingdom, we must first humble ourselves as a little child.  I learned so much from Alyssa this morning.  In the eyes of God, we must all go to Him in such a way as she came to me.  We must believe that He will meet our needs, have faith that we are secure, know that we are loved.  We must tell Him our troubles, let Him fight our battles and then rest in the knowledge that He is in control.  We are all His children.  Lets see Him as the loving Father that He is! 

Let's get lost in scripture.  Let's dig into His Word.  Let's remind ourselves of WHY Jesus was sent here to earth.  Let's all make it a point to go to Him as little children!  He loves us all so very much!

Thanks Alyssa!  God used you this morning........

Matthew 18:4  "Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'

BAGGAGE

Gina and I went to the camp with my parents this weekend.  We love to go there and just get away from time to time.  We gathered up some clothes, threw them into a couple of tote bags and headed out Friday afternoon.  It didnt take long for us to pack, we brought only what we needed to bring and we had no excess baggage.  The mention of excess baggage brings me to the point of what I wanna write about today.....the emotional baggage we carry.....how carrying the load of our past prevents us from embracing the present, the here and the now!

I dont know about yours, but the baggage of my past consisted of quite a heavy load.  If I had to form a mental image of it, the baggage of my past would resemble huge, jagged chunks of cement, emormous hunks of steel and boulders made of brick....and I carried them everywhere I went.  My baggage found its way into every relationship I developed, every room I entered and even into every conversation I held.  I couldnt see the present because my sight was so clouded by the past.  I couldnt touch today because my hands were full.  We have all heard the saying, 'BLAST FROM THE PAST'.....well, the past held me captive!

When we live according to our past, we never truly live.  We cannot grab ahold to whats in front of us if we are holding on to whats behind.  God didnt create us to be captive.  Before we can be of any good to anyone else, we must first let go of the baggage which ties us down and completely surrender ourselves to the Lord.  Its not an option.  It is something we simply have got to do if we want to live life to the fullest. 

We must unload our baggage.  We cannot drag our past everywhere we go.  God is ready and willing to relieve our load.......if only we let Him. 

Matthew 11:30  "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light"

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER

I feel quite sure that everyone is aware of the upcoming 10th anniversary of that horrible day we simply recall as September 11th.  I also feel quite sure that you, the person reading these words, can remember exactly where you were when you first heard about what was happening.  It was a heartbreaking day for our country and for the world.  However, thats not what I intend to write about today.  My 'note' today involves what must have been another truly remarkable moment in time, an experience to never be forgotten...................

I wonder what it must have been like to be a person in the crowd when Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Mount, which is found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 in the New Testament.  I wonder how it felt to watch Jesus Christ himself walk through this huge crowd, climb up on the mountainside, sit down and begin to speak what has been called the greatest sermon He ever delivered.....To have actually heard His voice with my own ears.....to have seen His smile....to have felt His human presence.

I would highly recommend that anyone going through storms, suffering confusion or feeling lost and disconnected read and absorb Matthew 5, 6, and 7.  In these Chapters, Jesus spoke of many awesome concepts.  He presented us with the "Beatitudes," regarding blessings, light of the world, salt of the earth, eye for an eye, turn the other cheek, instructions on prayer and fasting and gave us The Lord's Prayer.  He also instructed us on the importance of forgiveness, spoke against judgement, told us not to worry and warned of false profits.  In this sermon, He stressed the importance of building our foundations upon rock. 

I would have loved to have been a person in that crowd as he sat there and delivered His message, but for now, I am content to read about it in His love letter to us all, the Bible.  It is my prayer today that I not only read and understand the instructions He delivered, but that I make it my business to LIVE according to His words.  Let others see more of Him and less of me.  Let my light shine and reflect the love of God in my life. 

FEAR NOT

Once again, I woke up this morning and read my favorite devotional.  It's simple words made such perfect sense.  As I have said before, I am not one to worry about things and the words I am about to include only reinforced this statement. 

     "So far, everyday of your life you have had enough to survive.  Whether it was water, food or shelter, one way or another, you had enough.  Why would tomorrow be any different?  God has created an abundant world, live in appreciation of that."

Isnt that a beautiful thought?  I am 42 years old.  I have never gone without.  God has been faithful, even when I have not.  I have been blessed in so many ways.  Think about it....so have you! 

As I have said many times before, I love reading about and studying the people of the Bible.  God completely met their needs, just like He does for us today.  When Moses led the people of Isreal through the wilderness, they depended upon and asked God to fulfill their every need.  Those people lived through drastic conditions, conditions which we cannot even begin to imagine.  Yet, they survived and thrived.  When the woman at the well went to get herself a much needed drink of water, she had no idea Jesus would meet her there with an everlasting fountain.  I also feel quite sure that Mary Magdalene suffered from much worry and torment before she was delivered from the not one, but seven demons, which captivated her soul. 

Our Bible is full of instructions for any and all of life's situations, especially 'fear' and 'worry.'  In fact, 365 verses of the Bible begin with the words "FEAR NOT."  Isnt that something?  God loves us so dearly that He gave us a "FEAR NOT" verse for each day of the year.  How awesome is that? 

As Christians, it is God's plan that we not only survive, but that we thrive as well.  In order for us to thrive, our spiritual and emotional needs must be met.  We all require love, acceptance, security, identity and a purpose if we desire to truly LIVE!  God's love is unending and unconditional, no matter what we do.  His will never turn His back on us.  He will not leave us in times of trouble and will direct our very footsteps if only we allow Him to do so.  We are marvellously made Children of God and are individually a part of His eternal plan. 

Knowing these things, we should meet each day as a gift from our Heavenly father who loves ius all so much.  Lets thrive, not only survive.  Lets be confident and FEAR NOT.  Talk to Him, ask for His direction.  Share your happiness with Him and others.  Live life to the fullest.....it is what God intended for you to do

Psalm 34:10  Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing

LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

A while back, I was talking to a casual acquaintance who just so happens to read the 'notes' that I write.  She has 'known' me for several years and said, "I never would have guessed that you had all of the problems you say that you had.  You always looked so happy, like you had it all together, like you didnt have a care in the world."  I had to laugh when she said those words to me. 

Little did she know........

My life was a complete and total mess.  I hid behind my laugh, smiled to keep from crying and talked excessively to keep myself from just screaming out loud.  There were days when I would stop my vehicle out in the country, get out and literally scream at the top of my lungs.......you can ask my mother, this is true!  I did anything that would make me feel better.  Physically, I looked pretty much the same as I do now, other than the fact that I have actually gained a few pounds.  On the inside, I was quite hideous.  It was the condition of my heart which made me ugly to the bone. 

The human heart is naturally selfish, self-centered and above all self-protective.  In fact, the Bible tells us that ALL sin starts in the heart.  Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."  Matthew 6:21 goes on to say, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 

Even though I might physically look the same, my heart has been undergoing transformation.  I am still not perfect and will never be.  Through the grace of God I am a work in progress.  By reading, absorbing and doing His word to the best of my abilities, the stains on my heart are slowly fading away.  And for that, I am grateful this morning. 

ENJOYING THE BREEZE

I was finally able to sit outside and enjoy a beautiful morning.  It has been a terribly hot summer here in Louisiana and the act of sitting outside has been unthinkable for the past few months.  This morning has been a totally different story.  The sun is shining and a cool, gentle breeze is continuously blowing.  It was such a blessing just to sit there and feel the breeze.  It is that breeze which has put a message in my heart this morning. 

Before I honestly came to know Jesus,  my life resembled  a closed up room.  A room which had accumulated thick dust, a distinctive scent and a dry, dark, heavy feeling of oppression.  Nothing moved and nothing changed.  Day in, day out.......One day was just like all of the rest.  I had become quite content to sit in filth.  I thought it was normal.  None of my friends has a problem with it.....and neither did I!

One day, the door to my filthy room was thrown open.  You could say I was blinded by the light!  I was forced to acknowledge the thick particles of dust which really did linger in the air.  This sudden beam of light was torture to my eyes, but I couldnt help but to step out of that room and actually experience a decent breath of fresh air.  I was amazed at how good it felt to feel the sunlight on my face and to feel the breeze which touched my skin!  Needless to say, I realized once and for all that I had enough of that oppressive, depressive and stifling room.

And here I sit today.....I love my God!  I am so grateful for the way He speaks to my soul.  I encourage anyone reading this to step out into the sunlight.....to feel His breeze.....to enjoy the freshness that only comes to us through knowing Him as the Lord and Savior of your life!

John 3:8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you will hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes.  So is every one who is born of the spirit

BE QUICK TO SAY I LOVE YOU

As we go about our daily lives, nothing is certain.  At any given time, life as we know it is subject to change.  What is routine and ordinary one moment can become both horrific and destructive the next.  I write this with a heavy heart this morning.  My thoughts and my prayers are going out to a family here in town whose lives changed forever yesterday evening.  My words arent coming out very easily, but my prayers for this family surely are.  Its hard for me to even imagine what these people are going through. Sudden and unexpected tragedy has never actually knocked upon my door in such a manner.  However, the point I am about to make is one that we all need to remember and practice at any and all times. 

Each day is a gift.  Every moment should be treasured.  No one is promised tomorrow and our next breath is not guaranteed.  We all need to love while we can, treasure the people in our lives and make sure they know how very much they are appreciated.  Life is too short.  We never know when someone might become a memory.

Be quick to say I LOVE YOU....take time to laugh and smile....forgive and move forward....encourage each other in every possible way.  Let those close to you know that you love them, let there be no doubt in their minds.  Dont end up full of regret. 

I made my point, said what I needed to say.  Yes, this 'note' has personal meaning to me.  I hope that a certain someone reads these words...................

Life is too short.....

James 4:14  Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away

A CHALLENGE TO YOU TODAY

Once again, no matter who you are, no matter where you live, I feel quite sure that you will be able to identify, in one way or another with the words I type today.  You all know a 'loser'.  You all know a 'liar'.  You all know a 'thief', a 'drug addict', a 'jailbird', a 'common criminal', a person who 'threw it all away',  a guy 'who never stood a chance'  and a woman who 'will never change.'  If you think about it long enough, I also feel quite sure that a face will come to mind when you think of each "type' of person I just mentioned.

  I would like to issue a challenge to anyone reading my words this morning.  As a face comes to mind for each type of person I mentioned, please PRAY for that person today.  I mean, really PRAY......By doing this, you will be doing the will of God, you will be obedient to the commands of Jesus, you will be walking in an act of true and perfect brotherly love.......And thats what it is all about!!!!!

If you dont already know, I was one of those people.  In fact, I was several of them......The only thing that stopped my from being ALL of them was the fact that I was born a female and the fact that my parents did the best they could to raise me!  I am here today to tell you that there is ALWAYS a chance! 

I thank GOD today that I had people in my life who never gave up on me.  I thank GOD for hearing and honoring the prayers that were sent up.  I thank GOD for opening my eyes and allowing me to see that there was more to life than what I chose to settle for.  I thank GOD for His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy and His love.  Without ANY and ALL of this, who knows where I would be today........

I cant help but tell others about the saving grace of Jesus.  I feel compelled to encourage others who may have been a wretch like me!  There is a better way, no matter how bad a situation might seen.  Please join me in prayer today.  In the Book of Acts, Paul was struck down on the road to Damascus and SCALES were removed from his eyes.  In our lives today, the same kind of people still exist.  They are the people who are hurting, the ones who are lost, the ones who just need someone to care and to honestly pray for them.  Lets join together in prayer that God removes the scales from many eyes today! 

God is no respector of persons, if it worked for me, it can and it will surely work for countless others as well!

A PEP TALK

Are you tired of being stressed out?  Are you faced with problems, troubles, heartaches and difficulties?  Do you feel whipped, beaten or smothered by life's circumstances? 

Are you ready to get rid of all of the above once and for all?????

Today, I wanna give a little pep talk.  I wanna be a cheerleader for God!  In two seperate instances today, God came through and answered some really big prayers which were highly important to me.  I wanna let you in on a little secret as to how these prayers got answered......and the best part is.................anyone can do it!!!!!

We gotta claim our victories before the outcome is even revealed....We gotta thank God in advance for our future blessings.....We must rejoice at ALL TIMES and PRAISE our way through any and ALL TROUBLES...We must speak to God and tell Him exactly what we need from Him...We must declare our position as a child of the utmost royalty!!!!  By praising God through the storms of our lives, it brimgs us closer into His presence.  It confuses the devil and breaks his dirty little grip over any and ALL situations.  When we declare our victories, we show God that we TRUST HIM and that we BELIEVE HIS PROMISES!

Paul wrote the Book of Philippians.  It is one of the smallest books in the Bible, with just over 100 verses, but it carries such a powerful message.  In the entire Book, the word sin is not even mentioned once.  The theme of Philippians centers around the concepts of JOY, REJOICING and GLADNESS.  It is also important to mention that Paul wrote this powerful book while he was a prisoner in Rome while awaiting trial.  How's that for praising through a storm?

Philippians 4 is an awesome chapter of the Bible.  It centers around "The Power of Christ."  It tells us stand fast in the Lord (4:1) and to REJOICE in the Lord always (4:4).  We are reminded to be anxious for nothing, but through prayer and thanksgiving to let our requests be made known to God.  It tells us to meditate on what is pure, lovely and praiseworthy (4:8).  It goes on to declare, "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me (4:13).  Towards the end of the chapter, we are told that God shall supply ALL our needs according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ (4:19).

If ALL these things worked for Paul, they will work for me, for you and for us all! 
If you dont believe me, TRY IT!

AN ENORMOUS DEBT

Imagine for a moment that you opened your mailbox today and that you received a huge, unbelievably enormous bill for something you have never even purchased.  I am not talking about a $5 or even $10,000 dollar bill, I am refering to a debt of ridiculous proportion!  Would you call someone and complain?  Would you protest it on CNN?  Would you for even one moment consider accepting the debt as your own?  Would you even think about trying to pay for something so outlandish?  Jesus did..................

In the Old Testament, many rituals and sacrifices involved the bloodshed of a pure, unblemished lamb.  In fact, God verbally instructed Moses as to what the Isrealites must do in order to avoid the plague of the death of the firstborn (Exodus 12:23).  God told Moses that by applying the blood to the doorposts, that He would bypass their homes and destruction would be avoided.  The Isrealites were told to APPLY THE BLOOD!

However, in the New Testament, God choses His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to become the new living sacrifice!  He who knew no sin became sin for us all.  By the shedding of His precious blood, Jesus paid the ultimate debt that he did not owe because we owed a debt that we could not possibly pay!  His skin was whipped off by scourging, His beard was torn out of His cheeks, His head was pierced by thorns, His face became unrecognizable and spikes were driven through both His hands and His feet!!!  And through it all, He never once complained, He never once protested.  He accepted the brutality because of His unconditional love for us all!  As the last drops of His life's blood drained out of Him, Jesus cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).  With His last breath, He cried out, "It is finished" (John 19:30). 

God allowed His precious son to go through this agony so that we might live.  We are blood bought (Acts:20:28), justified (Romans 5:9) and redeemed (Colossians 1:14).  The blood of Jesus washed away our sins (Revelation 1:5).  He shed His blood so that we, who fight spiritual, mental and physical battles, can cry out on the blood of Jesus for victory.  His blood set us free from the hold which sin holds over us.  It sets us free from ALL that leads to death.

And for THAT, I give Him glory, honor and praise this morning!

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin

LORD, LET ME BE CONTENT

My family and I went to the camp this weekend, and of course we brought our three year old Pomeranian named Diva with us.  Her name fits her perfectly, we have really spoiled her ever since the day we got her when she was six weeks old.  Well, this morning, the Lord used Diva to deliver a message to me.  He really speaks to us in so many ways, if only we listen........

On a typical morning, my mom cooks breakfast for my dad.  She always cooks an extra slice of bacon for Diva.  Diva has come to expect it and waits for her bacon every morning.  Well, my mom didnt cook a big breakfast this morning and she tried to break up a slice of ham to feed Diva instead.   Diva wasnt having it.  She would sniff at the ham, walk away, look around and would go back to it and sniff again.....repeatedly.  My mom had to end up throwing it away.  As I sat there and watched this happen, I knew what I would write about once I came home today.

So often, we become spoiled to certain things in life and demand only the best or constantly want more, more, more.  We fail to realize how fortunate we are due to our own selfish behavior.  For many years, I was never satisfied by anything.  I always looked for whatever I considered to be better.  If I had something, even if it was something I didnt need, I wanted more!  I wanted to go, go, go, do, do, do and receive, receive, receive.  I honestly didnt care about what the next person wanted or needed, I was on a mission of self gratification.  It wasnt until my selfish behavior caused me to end up alone and with nothing that I realized what truly mattered in life!

I know that I constantly write about the forgiveness, the grace, the mercy and the love of God, but if it wasnt for all of these things, I have no idea where I would be today.  It is only through the compassion of God that I am able to share these words.  These days, I am learning how to be content with what I do have (Philippians 4:11).  I have learned to appreciate everything that the Lord so graciously given to me.   When I stop and look around at others, it doesnt take long for me to realize the great extent of my blessings! 

Lord, let me be content, no matter what might happen to me on this day.  Let me share your love with others, with no great expectations of personal gain.  I thank you for everything you have given me and I appreciate the promises of your Word!  And Lord, thank you for using Diva as a means of speaking to me today.