Boojoyful

December 31 The wind is gusting up to fifty miles an hour... it must be trying to blow 2008 out of here and bring on 2009! The fabulous technology of laptops and wireless has afforded me the comfort of writing from bed under a down comforter...cozy! Piled around me on the bed are 2 Bibles, 3 journals, 3 devotional books, 2 books on Psalms, and 2 study books and Jesus is speaking through them all! The ascension of Christ still lingers in my mind. Just as we close the door, leaving 2008 behind and journeying into 2009, Jesus left his role as God in the flesh and journeyed off to love us from heaven. Yes, Jesus went , but Jesus continues to come into our lives day after day, after day. The word converge is looming. Definition: To tend or move toward one point or one another; come together; unite in a common interest or focus . Occurrences have passed that we cannot change and those results converge with the uncertainties we face as we step into today and tomorrow, but we go with confide...

December 29 Relinquish- to withdraw or retreat from; leave behind; give up; to stop holding physically; release; to give over possession or control of. Webster's explains this is not a word related to strong feeling, yet rather a yielding. Finishing up a study of Luke, Jesus is found ascending into heaven and relinquishing His bodily presence on earth...yielding to God's plan. The disciples are blessed to witness this and the Word says they worshipped Jesus and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, staying continually at the temple, and praising God. With the New Year approaching it affords us a great opportunity to reflect back and ask the Lord to reveal what we might want to relinquish from our lives in order to grow closer to Him! Let's Pray: Father, to be closer to You is the cry of our hearts. If there are habits or situations that are controlling us, help us to relinquish those and cling to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen

December 28 A violent stomach virus has been flying through our family this Christmas. Frustration sets in as a mother when you can do nothing to relieve the symptoms of such an illness. The prayer..."Father give them sustenance to get through this" has floated off my tongue.Sustenance is defined as something that gives support, endurance, or strength; to sustain is to give support or relief to. Finishing up a study of Luke, I am thinking about what was sustaining the apostles after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. They were hanging out together. Can you imagine their conversations? Then Jesus shows up and scares them speechless! They think He is a ghost. He says... Peace be with you! In Beth Moore's "Personal Reflection Series" she asks the reader to consider what their countenance would reveal if a photograph was taken of them. Does our countenance reflect a peace of someone who is walking with Christ who sustains them? A comment I made to one of my...

December 24 On the fireplace mantel in my bedroom sits a beautifully hand carved Mary on a donkey, with Joesph by her side. Oh, the journey they made! My litter (what I like to call my children who were all born so close together and play together like a litter of puppies) has traveled far and overcome airport and traffic hurdles to get home for the holidays. What should have been a five hour trip took one son eleven hours. They are happy to be together and moving around in a pack, making the most of their days together. The four boys left here together at 4AM to drive one girl friend to the airport, then they are heading to a local dive that stays open for 24 hours to have breakfast together! That's fellowship! Yesterday our three week old grandson arrived. This is his firt big family gathering. The festive cheers and belly laughs at the dinner table were a bit much for him, so I took him into the living room and sat by the tree with him. His mother came in to say she hated...

December 22 Angels...Mary heard on high in Bethlehem that starry night. Angels by the tomb of Christ gave some women quite a fright! There are angels watching over us, every step we take. Most of you know of my white birds which sail into the cove early in the morning. Usually it is just the single Holy Spirit, but on occasion the Father and Son join in the sight, which delights me! This morning I think the twelve disciples came along for the ride. One of our children said, it looked like a flock of angels soaring around the dock. When I went to the other side of the house to let Moses(our dog)out, two black crows were stationed at the top of our driveway by the gate. It appeared as if demons were blocking the entrance to our property. I began to pray for the battle encamped around us. As I sat down to write by the Christmas tree, I noticed on the table a small fictional book by Max Lucado called An Angel's Story . I want to share the introduction with you. "Spiritual beings p...

December 20-21 Indulge :to give free rein to; to take unrestrained pleasure in; gratify; to yield to the desire of; to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or consideration. There will be a variety of indulgences this Christmas/New Year's season. For many the financial atmosphere may bring a change to the gift indulgences of previous years. I had a 2:30AM wake up call from the Lord and went and hung out by our tree with a couple devotionals and a journal. It was a sweet time. One devotional, from God Calling had the title "Smile Indulgently." It read, "When things do not fall out according to your plan, then smile at Me indulgently, a smile of Love, and say, as you would to a human loved one, 'Have Your way then' knowing that My loving response will be to make that way as easy for your feet as it can be." We choose what we indulge in. May we take unrestrained pleasure in and indulgently love on Jesus in this week ahead. Let's give praise for t...

December 19 For the past three days the fog has settled into our valley and on the top of the mountain where we live. Our son's flight this morning was cancelled and I will have to drive him to Greensboro. A few other disappointments/frustrations are being juggled in my life, (tis the season) so the Lord and I were chatting this morning. He sent me to just the right devotional which related this idea...In times of discouragement and disappointment, failure and fear, indecision and indecisiveness, grimness and grief we can call out to God to give us courage to hold out until our morning star rises in our heart. (2 Peter 1:19) Revelation 22:16 says I am...the Bright and Morning Star! May the fog and darkness be lifted from your day and the Bright and Morning Star light your path and give you peace. Love, Boo

December 18 To invite someone is to request their presence or ask them to participate in an activity or event. Living in my hometown in the same neighborhood for forty-seven years made for some party hopping at Christmas time. There were times there were multiple parties to attend on the same night. Then moving to a resort/retirement area the only party we attended the first year was our own where I invited total strangers! Whether you like to go out or not, it makes you feel good to have your presence requested by others! Studying the Word this morning there is one reference after another where people invited others to their home. Revelation makes an exciting note of the ultimate invitation! Revelation 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " Making the guest list for a wedding is tough. The limitations come in several forms from space to financial to personal desires. Matthew 22:14 makes this m...

December 17 The word on my heart this morning was reign . Great word! I began to sing "And He will reign for ever and ever!" (Coming right from Ex. 15:18) Do you ever analyze where your dreams have come from? Sometimes I do that with the words God gives me. Last night my husband was watching Fox News and listening to the latest of the Chicago mess and I kept hearing the phrase "President Elect." Maybe that had me thinking about the reign of Christ and the hope in 2 Tim. 2:12 If we endure, we will also reign with him. Then I laughed and thought, maybe it was "rain" for all day yesterday and last night I was coming in and out of the rain. By my bed are several devotionals I enjoy, but rarely get to read these days. Selecting one called "God Calling" my faith was increased and the reality of God being so very personal confirmed. Check out what I read for Dec. 17th. "Conditions of Blessings" "Rejoice in the fact that you are Mine. The ...

December 16 The word today is adoration . The definitions allow it to cover a broad spectrum: to worship or honor as a deity or as divine; 2:to regard with loving admiration and devotion; 3:to be very fond of . I awakened singing "O Come Let Us Adore Him" and thought to myself that is what this season is to be...a time for us to reflect on our adoration for and appreciation of the Lord. When we gather these next few weeks will we share the likes of Psalm 22:22 with others. Check out The Message below: Here's the story I'll tell my friends when they come to worship, and punctuate it with Hallelujahs: Shout Hallelujah, you God-worshipers; give glory, you sons of Jacob; adore him, you daughters of Israel. He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening. True confession here. With adoration on my mind and reading the third definition to be very fo...

December 15 Preparation: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty. It's ten days before Christmas and one day before our first Christmas program at SMLCA, so no wonder that I would awaken with the word preparation on my mind. Today the middle schoolers are coming here to make sugar cookies and study the Christmas works of Helen Steiner Rice and the Christmas art work of Norman Rockwell...the dough is made, but I am really not prepared! Refreshment came the moment I began looking up the word prepare in my Bible concordance! Then when I went online to www.biblegateway.com today's verse was: “But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign...

December 13-14 Yesterday I was blown away when after writing the devo I went to get on the treadmill and picked up a book I had started last month. Opening to the next chapter the word anointing stared at me again. (Just the word the Lord gave me yesterday.) Studying in two different books today, both happened to be on knowing God has Abba Father, Daddy! Beth Moore says, "Abba acquired the warm, familiar ring which we may feel in such an expression as 'dear father.' When Christ fell on His face and cried out to God to 'take this cup (of crucifixion) from Him, he cried, 'Abba, Father.'" It is our Abba, Father, who gave us the 23rd Psalm, which speaks of His adoring love for us...a love that lasts forever. With that love in mind we finish up studying this Psalm with these final verses turned into prayer.... Abba, Daddy, we love You! Thank You for your love letter to us and the assurance which tells us....surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the day...

December 12 Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Have you ever been anointed with oil? Years ago I was very ill from an infection following back surgery. The doctors could not get the cultures to grow to help them identify what IV antibiotic would be most effective, so it looked like they were going to have to open me back up. A friend asked if she could bring her minister and have him anoint me with oil and pray for me. I was open to anything at this point. I put on a pair of loose fitting overalls and a bikini undies, thinking he would need to anoint the incision on my back and this would be the most modest way for this to happen. Boy was I surprised when he anointed my forehead! The amazing thing is the next day I went to UVA for what we thought would be more surgery and thesurgeon said, "I think your body is trying to heal itself and you will be much better off if this happens and we don't have to do surgery and antibiotics! Praise the Lord the healing did...

December 11 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. There is some table preparation going on these days! My dining room table has a long garland of pine and pine cones running down the center of it and crystal candle sticks with candles waiting to be lit. The food prep will begin in about ten days when my crew starts arriving! It is always a joy to prepare a table for friends and family and God feels the same way! Oh, what a banquet we will share together one day dear friends! In Keller's book for children on the 23rd Psalm he explains: "Some of the finest sheep country in the world lies on high "table" lands...A good shepherd will take time to go ahead of his flock to make sure the mountain pastures are safe." I've had three wonderful days caring for my new grandson and his parents. I've prepared meals, laundry, Christmas gifts for their friends and the house. Today I leave knowing God has prepared my way home and He has prepar...

December 10 Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Say what? Comfort from a rod or the hook of a staff around our necks????? The rod actually was a wooden club that the shepherd carried and was very skilled with. He could throw that rod and kill a snake in a split second. There have probably been times in all of our lives he should have tossed that club at us and knocked some sense into us! God gives us a rod to toss out there and use for our defense...His Word. We need to memorize it and have it ready to pull out at any moment. I wish God had used the hook of his staff more often in my life and drawn me back from situations I did not need to wander into. Keller has two excellent "sheep" analogies: "Sheering sheep is hard, dirty, smelly work, but it helps the sheep before they go to the summer range. The shepherd does this miserable job for the welfare of his flock. Sometimes when we get proud or sassy, our Master has to shear us down to size with His Words. 'I...

December 9 Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death. That would be "yea" as in woe, not "rah, rah." We do walk through some tough times and sheep do too. Sheep get caught on cliffs and stuck in thickets and there is a tiny insect which can inflame their skin and be very irritating (like sin in our lives). Poisonous weeds can be a hazard so the shepherd pulls those up to avoid the sheep eat them. Rams fight for the right to mate cracking their heads together; sometimes even killing each other. That sounds dumb, but no more so than some of the stubborn quarrels we get ourselves into. Shepherds grease the heads of their rams to prevent this. We need the gracious healing oil of the Holy Spirit to help us slide through some rough situations. Keller writes this about conditions for sheep: "The weather is usually good, but fierce storms can blow up suddenly and the shepherd shelters his sheep under trees and talks to them quietly until the storm is over. For us ...

December 5-7 He leads me beside still waters , Ah refreshment. He restores my soul. Ah, healing. He leads me in paths of righteousness. Ah, guidance! The commercial says, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there." Well, as I am studying about shepherds and the care they give their sheep I see an analogy to a good mama! Twenty-four hour, versatile care! Offering refreshment and convincing us to take a break, healing our hurts and showing us the right way! My heart goes out to moms during the holiday season. In addition to the all consuming daily family roles, holiday baking, gift buying and wrapping, decorating, school programs and get togethers are added to their busy schedules. I don't think the shepherds got caught up in all of this. Try as I may, I cannot undo it at my house. I think I will set up a sheep station and copies of the Twenty-third Psalm to remind us to take time out to be with our Shepherd. (And our mamas!) Let's Pray : Lord, yesterday I read a sto...

December 4 He makes me to lie down in green pastures. Can you remember back to your preschool days and rest time...a break in the day when we were made to lie down and rest. My guess is the Lord has had to stop everyone of us in our tracks at some point in our adult lives to insist we rest. Often that resting provides a frame of mind where we can reflect and know that He is God! Rest...another timely message for this time of year. This weekend I have the opportunity to go love on our brand new grandson and give our son and his wife some rest. Whether it is a grandchild, a hurting teen, a struggling college student, heart broken young adult or maybe a very elderly parent, one of the greatest gifts we can give to another is to snuggle up to them encouraging them to sit and rest! How precious those moments must have been for Mary when she sat and held Jesus! Who do we know that might simply need to be held? Let's Pray: Father, as the Good Shepherd you have lifted us up out of d...

December 3 "I shall not want." Now there is a verse for this time of year! Every mall in America has a Santa, who is asking "What do you want?" I think I will go sit on his lap and say..."I want everyone to fall in love with Jesus!" In Keller's children's book on Psalm 23 he says: "Picture a fat, frisky, happy sheep never complaining or grumbling. We can be like that if we let the Good Shepherd care for us. We may still have troubles and learn hard lessons growing up, but we don't have to be afraid or uneasy because we know and trust Jesus." Sheep are happy in the countryside with their shepherd. May the Lord teach us contentment today. May he use the hook of his staff so we don't stray. May we learn there is peace when we walk in His way. Baaaaautiful thoughts!

December 2 The Lord is My Shepherd-Keller writes: "Not every shepherd is kind. Some are cruel, lazy, and unloving. A bad shepherd doesn't give his sheep fresh water, green grass, shade from heat or protection from harmful insects and animals. Their life is miserable and they wish they could be free to follow a good shepherd. Some of us are like that too. We never come into the good generous care of God. We do not really know and follow Christ. We have never been set free from our old owner. Quite often that old owner is our selfish nature. We are being the boss of our lives. A smart move is to let Christ take over our lives by inviting Jesus into our hearts. Sheep are special to the shepherd because he has paid a lot of money for them and put a lot of hard work into caring for them. It is the same for Jesus. He paid for wrong doing (sins) by dying on the cross for us. Even when we go astray, He comes looking for us. A shepherd searches all over for his lost sheep.! Let's P...

December There is no way to slow time down. It is on a roll and rolling faster the older we get! What we do with that time is to be evaluated. A splash of being still and knowing He is God must fit in with the time spent investing in the Kingdom's work, while the human side of us has many desires we are trying to satisfy! Oh and the essentials of dirty laundry and housework. Being the holiday season and our focus being on Christ, I thought we could be like children and wander with Phillip Keller through his book A Child's Look at the Twenty-Third Psalm and glance at who Jesus is as our Shepherd! The Lord is my Shepherd "The Lord" is a favorite name for God, who made all people. We are His children and his calls us His sheep, because we behave like sheep wandering off and getting into trouble sometimes. "Jesus is always ready to help us. He does not become moody or mean like some people. He understands us. He gives us His life, energy, and guidance to help us su...

November 29 Awakening with a flash, I peeled my lids open praying it was a 6AM hot flash and not the 2AM one. Praise the Lord, it was 5AM. I had no clue what day it was though. Did I need to get the turkey in the oven? Were my lesson plans done? Could I sleep another couple hours until church? Were there other people staying here? I called out, "Help me Lord, I have no clue what today is!" He answered back.... rejuvenate. Ah,there was my word and it was a welcome one! Clicking on the computer, I couldn't wait to get the definition, but the phone rang. A very tired voice said, "Mom, it's time." Our first grandchild was on the way!. The Lord still comes first, so I decided it best to stay faithful and write to you before I get in the car and head out of town to welcome this little fellow. Rejuvenate :from the Latin word juvenis young; to make young or youthful again, give new vigor to; to stimulate. Wow, is that a God thing or not. I have a strong feeling thi...

November 27 The turkey soaked in a brine bath all night and is waiting to be dressed! The table is elegantly set and each place setting has a place card with a name and a gold label baring a word. (Everyone balks at my game playing, but it is like a good work out, you always feel better afterwards.) The assignment is to share a thought/memory that the word evokes in you. What it does is assure each person the chance to speak at the dinner table! May you make memories with people you care about today. Rolling over this morning and looking across the room at the clock it appeared to say SOS.(5:05 AM) Realizing it was Thanksgiving I thanked God for the help He always sends. The old hymn from the early 1700's, God Our Help in Ages Past ,immediately came to mind. I thought you might enjoy these lyrics as you reflect back on the steadfastness of God! Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt s...

November 26 Disconnect: to sever the connection of or between Using wireless Internet it is not unusual to try to get on and find the word "disconnnected" staring at me. Yesterday, I received a call from the son of a hospice patient I had last year. This is his first holiday season without his mother and he was obviously disconnected from everyone. He was quite drunk and shared he had been for months and had cut everyone out of his life. The question he had for me was if I thought I should allow his doctor to put him in the hospital for detox. There are times when we need to "detox" from that the world has to offer us and fall on our faces in the repentant mode and be reconnected to Christ. The Message has a couple excellent passages to draw us back. Matthew 6:14 In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yoursel...

Amazing Grace This is definitely worth the watch. It is a fabulous rendition of Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtrnB4FZ-yc Copy and paste the address above.

November 25 Looking across the room I see piles of beautiful yarns I hope to weave together into rugs, blankets, and scarves. The word "woven" jumped out at me. The dictionary defines weave : to form by interlacing strands . How interesting that is what our DNA does! Heading to Bible Gateway, most of the woven references are to cloth, but Psalm 139:13-18 is all about us and our Creator! For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Hmm, I think God is preparing my heart to meet my first grandchild! He is due to arrive Thursday!...

November 24 Familiarity : a state of close relationship; one who is well acquainted with something . I've been walking through a dark spot with someone who is far from their home. We realized it might be theraputic to get back to his roots, his homeland, where things were more familiar. There is such security in that position. Being raised a southern, mountain girl; that is where I feel secure. Now I still thrill when I see the ocean or the palms trees of Florida, but a comfort comes over me when I drive back into the valley where I was raised and can sit back and have a glass of freshly brewed sweet tea in my hand while I take in the beauty! Our real security is in Christ and we must become familiar, well acquainted, in close relationship with Him to experience the peace and comfort He longs to provide. He knows us and wants us to know Him! Psalm 139:3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Let's Pray: Lord, thank You for caring eno...

November 22-23 Opening my laptop to write the evotional... there staring at me was Mel Gibson and the statement that he was paying his mistress big bucks to keep their affair a secret. I clicked to read more, but instead it took me to a quiz on whether certain stars with the same last names were related...I clicked again. Meaningless, meaningless was all that I read. Leaving the laptop I picked up a study journal I am working through and dove into Luke 17 on the Coming of the Kingdom of God. A quiz is taking place there! The Pharisees are quizzing Jesus about the kingdom of God coming...they are envisioning a kingdom that will bring material wealth...Jesus speaks of a spiritual kingdom! Luke shares a comparison of the days of the Son of Man to the days of Noah and Lot. "People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building." Interesting I was lured by Hollywood herself this morning and then read of such lifestyles. Just as we are only a click away from te...

November 21 Prayer is where the action is! One of the greatest gifts given to our school is the group of mother's who gather on Wednesday mornings to pray for our students, parents, faculty and school needs. Moms In Touch is a wonderful organization that instructs these moms in the process of praying scripture. For me, prayer is an invitation to God to come into my life and lead me, love me and let me know He is in control! When our children were young and I wanted to be certain they were listening I would say; "Put your ears on." Our heavenly Father is probably saying that to us. Let's Pray some Psalms: Father we come before You comforted in just knowing that Your love endures forever. We praise your holy name with all our inmost being. We find rest, O our souls, in You alone; our hope comes from You. God, You alone are our rock, and our salvation; You are our fortress and we will not be shaken. We will trust in You at all times and pour out our hearts to You...

November 20 Seeking the Lord is like a treasure hunt (at least when I am writing the evotional). One clue leads to another. This morning the word the Lord gave me was calamity a state of deep distress or misery caused by major misfortune or loss; a disastrous event marked by great loss and lasting distress and suffering. I wanted to say, "No thank You Sir, I would like another word today." Grabbing my Bible I checked the concordance for...calamity, misery, misfortune.. nope, nope, nope. I knew He had a message for me so I persevered. Ah, yes, there she be distress ! Then Jonah 2:2 stared right at me: In my distress I called to the Lord. My Language Arts class has been working on a journal project based on Jonah, so God took me write back there this morning. Yesterday, I had explained to the children that sometimes we may sense God speaking to us by how he brings the same message or verses to us over and over again in a variety of ways! Bingo, he just did that to me! The writ...

November 19 It's freezing, no it is below freezing. I woke up thankful for my down comforter and wireless Internet that allows me to email right from my cozy bed! No sooner was I feeling great about the set up than Moses whined needing to go out, so out of bed I went, onto the cold tile kitchen floor to open the door to a brisk wind waiting in the darkness. The light of our lamppost was shining brightly against the stark black background of our woods. Even though my cozy solitude had been abruptly interrupted the light was a reminded that even when we are taken from our comfort zones, the Light of the World is still there. I looked up and the sky was laden with stars. The disruption had turned to delight because I was able to make a connection with God. Moses ran back into the house and went directly to his food bowl...ah, another message for me...to be hungry to feed upon the Lord. Climbing back under my comforter to click on my computer I was thankful for the Cozy Connection I ha...

November 18 I hate to leave James. What a friend he is. The half-brother of Jesus is said to have become a leader of the church in Jerusalem. He cared enough to spur us on. He started by telling us to not merely be listeners of the Word, but doers of what it says. Then he closes out with the most powerful proposition... a life of faith, lived out in prayer! Verses 13, 16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Prayer packs a powerful punch. The greatest advice that can be left to us by anyone is....Pray!

November 17 "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name..." That is what I woke up singing! The leaves are down and the sunrise easier to see from my bedroom window. The sky radiates with pinks and purples right now! The barren trees are no longer a hiding place for birds or squirrels, there is full exposure. We may think we are hiding at times, but God always has full exposure to our hearts and minds. Complete is the other word which has been hanging on me. James 1:4 tells is God is working on us so that we may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. He has a plan! We've been walking in a tough place with one of our children for over a week and the word that appeared to be missing from his life was "joy." God's Word couples "complete" and "joy" together in two amazing verses which I am praying will be an encouragement to you today, wherever you may be wandering...or wondering! Philippians 2:1-4 If you have...

Hoard-(definition:verb)to keep (as one's thoughts) to oneself. That was my "word" at 4AM this morning. Hmm, I thought, am I nesting for the arrival of my first grandchild and needing to clean out closets and give away things today? Is my heart responding to the great need for food at some of our community pantries? Looking up the definition, I had an "I should have had a V-8" type revelation. We often "hoard" the thoughts and promptings the Lord gives to us to share with another. Who have we invited to church with us today so that they might receive the Word of God? Both of the Bible studies I picked up yesterday were about the "coming of the Lord." Who do I need to pray for to come to the Lord? James says to the Rich Oppressors in 5:3 "You have hoarded wealth in the last days." May we never be guilty of hoarding what God has given us... not just materially, but most importantly spiritually... His Love!

November 15-16 James 5:7-11 ...be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other. James continues writing and is having us reflect on Job's perseverance and the happy ending that story had. An ending full of God's compassion and mercy, although none of us would want to tread where he trod, even for a double dose of blessings. So what comes from being patient and standing firm...ah...it is the closeness and familiarity we begin to possess of the one whose hand we are holding during the waiting period. We really get to know Him! We may look at the comment "the Lord's coming is near" and think...OK, that's been said for a long time now...is there truth in that...is it just a teacher or parent's trick to make us behave? I find it more to be a method of helping us meet the Master intimately! What does God want each of us to take away from these verses in James 5 today? For me "don't grumble against e...

November 14 Oh woe, to me who is so worldly.Today's passage is from James 5:1-4 and there is nothing warm and fuzzy about it. I decided to go to some commentaries hoping to find something a little fluffier to brighten your up coming weekend. I Googled "James 5" and clicked on a You Tube site expecting to get a live sermon! It was about LeBron James and game 5 of some basketball series!!!!! I was so convicted. What is ahead for those who don't know the Lord is not a pretty picture and we need to have a compassion for those people. Here's the less than pretty passage. Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of...

November 13 James 4:15 (The Message) And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, "Today—at the latest, tomorrow —we're off to such and such a city for the year. We're going to start a business and make a lot of money ." The word is braggadocios! James says, You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. Boy we are learning that with the stock market! ... Instead, make it a habit to say, "If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that." Let's pray we can make His plans our plans and be pleased with that process. Father, help us figure out that our focus should be first on Your fabulous framework for our lives! For You have the knowledge of the days to come and what is best for us. Forgive us for plowing ahead with our selfish agendas and help us to turn ourselves towards you...seeking your wisdom and plans for our lives. The element to be on the watch for in our discern...

November 12 James 4:11-12 speaks about not slandering or judging one another. We have enough on our plates to not have to be taking on the role of judge! Instead of "Laying Down the Law" we should try "Lifting Up in Love." If we had a body barometer (an instrument which measures pressure) I think we would be amazed at how much more beneficial positive affirmation of others is for our own bodies, than the negative, defaming, judgement calls we sometimes make. Our opinions are like pimples waiting to be popped. We just want to get them out there, but our actions make a mess and leave a real sore spot and an open wound behind. Let's Pray : Lord, You are a perfect judge and can handle all situations without our help. When we keep our minds steadfast on You, we know that You are before all things. May we hold up a mirror to ourselves and remember quite often, things are not what they seem. When we put the shoe on the other foot we can think of numerous times peopl...

November 11 James 4:7-8, 10 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. A story was shared with me about a man who gave testimony before his Christian friends of his struggle with an addiction . The man assumed his friends would become encouragers, prayer warriors and support him as he trusted Christ to strengthen him in the battle against this addiction. To the man's surprise, slowly his friends stopped being with him. The person telling me the story seemed shocked by this behavior as well. The man had chosen to come "near to God" and allow God to clean him up. My guess is the friends were uncomfortable because of some dirty spots of their own they didn't want revealed. Being around this man and his faith, made God too close for comfort! Let's Pray: Come near to us precious Father and point out the places in which we need i...

November 10 I love it when God awakens me with a song in my heart.... It is so sweet to trust in Jesus And to take Him at His Word Just to rest upon His promise And to know, Thus says the Lord! Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease; Just from Jesus simply taking Life and rest, and joy and peace. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end. James 4 is all about submitting our selfish selves to God. He says our quarrels come from the desires that battle within us. And that we are adulterous people who forget that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? He says that when we ask we do not receive because we ask with wrong motive... for our own pleasures, not God's glory. Ok, I am battling here...for if we are not kind and reaching out to the world, why would they want ...

November 8-9 James asks us... Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom....Where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice....the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. With all the hats I wear, a day rarely goes by that I don't need wisdom. The problem arises when I don't take time to seek it from t he correct source. Yesterday was a non-stop day for me. When I finally hit the bed I was saddened when I realized I hadn't been alone with the Lord all day. I had flashed up some prayers on behalf of others, but I had never waited to hear God's take on any situation. My eyes had not searched through the Word to find a treasure beyond the morning devotional reading with its warnings about the tongue. My mind was checking off worldly require...

November 7 You can brush it, wash it with antiseptic, tantalize it with incredible tastes, but I believe our hearts, minds and the Holy Spirit are the tools which ultimately tame this body part which can wound and help heal others. Oh, yes, there are many times when we have to bite it as well! ...the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ..no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. James 3:5-9 Let's Pray: Lord, we lift Your name on high today! Forgive us for the times our tongues have brought disappointment and pain to others. You did not intend them for that purpose. You ca...

November 6 James 2: 14-26 Faith and Deeds 17... faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. Deedily do and dodittly dee! Whatever God is up to; I want it to include me! Today I took my 88 year old father to the funeral home to say good-bye to a friend of 65 years. (I had to ward off the funeral home guy, who was ready to put my Daddy in a box! They met 6 months ago to discuss his plans.) My father was pleased to see his friend looking so peaceful, but hated she had not had the chance to vote yesterday! :) Then Daddy said, "Time is going so quickly. It seems as if the months have flown since summer began." What do we do with our faith.? We have believed on...

November 5 James 2:1-3 Favoritism Forbidden My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. "Love your neighbor as yourself,"you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! The ending of that passage sounds like a game of rock, paper, scissors! I received an email from a reader the other day who has just endured the first year anniversary of her precious daughter's death. It has been a blessing to walk along side this sister in Christ this year through email. I've never seen her face, I don't know what her house looks like or what kind of clothes she wears, but I do feel like I know her heart well. I told her I carry her in my heart and the space she holds contains both suns...

November 3-4 James 1:26-27 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Funny...the song that came to mind after reading this passage was.... Whistle While You Work! We are better off whistling than allowing some things to come out of our mouths when we are out and about. No matter the outcome of the election, there will still be the work of the Lord to do and we still need to Be joyful always, pray without ceasing and in all things give thanks. 1 Thes. 5:16-18 God have mercy on us and keep us from the pollution of this world!

November 1 James 1:22-25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it— he will be blessed in what he does. My husband had fallen asleep with the TV on, while I was clicking away on the computer. An episode of House about a very arrogant doctor came on. My interest was spiked as I heard the husband of a patient say he had witnessed a miracle from God when his wife's heart started beating again. Some time passed, probably a commercial too, and I heard this doctor saying very derogatory comments about God. Then he brashly said to the husband, "You better not be praying." I clicked that tube right off! I was so...

James 1:19-21 19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. I failed the test, my guard was down I was in reaction mode and pulled the trigger (my tongue) quickly and precious people were wounded in the battled that ensued. Today's verse for the day on www.biblegateway.com is 1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”- Now the mission is to seek forgiveness and bind up the broken hearted; finding my strength to do so in the Lord and God gets the glory for the great things...

October 30 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15 John Piper lists 12 Sins We Blame On Others 1) Anger I wouldn’t lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate. 2) Impatience I would be a very patient person if it weren’t for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn’t have so many things to do, and if the people around me weren’t so slow, I would never become impatient! 3) Lust I would have a pure mind if there weren’t so many sensual images in our culture. 4) Anxiety I wouldn’t worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure—if I had more money, and no health problems. 5) Sp...

October 29 Walking in the house after work yesterday I was drawn to the piano. I tend to tinkle with those ivories when I am either elated or distraught; subconsciously, (because by faith I am joyful always) I believe I was distraught over this election. Come Tuesday, I feel we are in a no win situation as a nation and I pray the body of Christ is prepared to act as what we are called to be. Back to the piano...I had a long list of "to do's " but it just seemed right to sing to the Lord. My daughter gave me The Christian Life Hymnal a couple years ago. Randomly flipping it open, the pages fell upon Onward Christian Soldiers. The title of that section in the hymnal is Loyalty and Courage. Wait, it gets better! Kind of in shock that God knew where my heart was at that moment, better than I did myself, I challenged Him to another flip. I was blown away for I didn't even realize this hymnal had a section called National Hymns and there before me was America the Beautiful...

October 28 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 We've all watched the thrills, chills and tremblings of a beauty queen when that crown is placed upon their head! Can you imagine what it will be like for those who love the Lord, when the crown of life is placed on our heads? At first glance one could read this verse and think "If I tough it out, I will be rewarded for my persevering." I go back to Ephesians and believe our "free gift" salvation is the greatest gift we receive and it is due to nothing we have done, but available because of what Christ did for us. The end of this verse relates the real requirement.... because I love Christ and trust in him there will be another gift for me. A crown of life placed on my head and the heads of all my brothers and sisters in Christ. Hmm , wonder if we are to wear those things everyd...

October 27 The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant: its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. James 1:9-11 Things are not always as they seem. The poor may feel like they are weighted down, on the ground side of a see saw, when in reality, if they are trusting in the Lord the richness of their faith puts them on top. The wealthy, who think they are riding high, without Christ, become humbled when they realize the blood of Jesus cannot be bought. While they are in pursuit of material things, the brevity of life and the opportunity to store up treasures of eternal value are racing by. A vocabulary for my students this week is vague: not clearly expressed or understood. The message of salvation is...

October 25th If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be give to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8 Doubt :to lack confidence in. (Merriam-Webster) Double-minded - to be unstable and lack conviction in one's beliefs; to change loyalties or ideas. A person full of hypocrisy; one who uses truth and lies in whatever situation to benefit themselves in one way. (From www.seekgod.ca ) The disciples were right there hanging out with Jesus and they experienced doubt at times. In the last month have you worried about finances or your health? Does Jesus bash us when we waiver and say we have no faith? Nope, he is gentle and says, "Oh, you of little faith." ...

October 24 Dang, I never know where the Lord is taking me. Life with Him is like the TV show Survivor...a new challenge or adventure every day. I am beginning a study with my students on Randy Alcorn's book Heaven for Kids (The adult version is just called Heaven. I am feeling pulled to the book of James as well, so just hold on with me and we shall see where it all leads! We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. Phil. 3:20 Well that is a big AMEN right there. How about coming back before this county falls apart? Uh, but there are so many I love who are not ready to enter into Your presence. Then I read how James begins his book.... James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Studying the NIV Women of Faith Bible I read: According to James, if we truly believe what Jesus says, we will show it by living godly lives. To merely say we have faith is insufficient. Living in faith shoul...

October 23 Blackaby finishes this study on When God Speaks by looking at God speaking through the church. As the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ...the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,' is it therefore not of the body?...if they were all one member, where would the body be? 1 Cor. 12:12, 14-15, 19) He emphasizes how disharmony keeps the Holy Spirit from doing a mighty work in churches. "If God is going to redeem our world, it will be after He has restored His body, the church, to wholeness and effectiveness with each member functioning under the head as God has placed them in the body." Let's Pray : Lord, with You all things are possible and we need to live like we believe that. We need to tell of Your faithfulness to generation after generation. Please Father, let revival start in each of our hearts, spreading ...