Category Archives: Christian Living

Christian Living, Forgiveness, Repentance

Springboard

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A quick word today. I think. You may know that rarely when I come to this screen with a thought to write is it more than just a springboard and I am as surprised as you where it lands. Today is the same. :)

Contained in one of my devotional materials for today was the suggestion that I read Matthew 20:20-28 which I did. Click HERE and you can too.  I read all eight verses but I am still paused at this:

25 But Yeshua called them and said, “You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors become dictators.

The exact place of pausing was But JESUS (Yeshua) called them. In the preceding verses I read that ten of the disciples were outraged at the two brothers.  Why? Because James and John with their mother had made a request of JESUS: She replied, “Promise that when you become king, these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left.” 

I am so impressed with JESUS. The request that was made of Him was shall we say at the least inappropriate. There are more spiritual applications to be made than we are making today. So leaving that right there, my point here is they made a request, a request that outraged the others. Outraged. That’s not just a little miffed. No. Outraged!

But. What did JESUS do?
What did He do with these outraged disciples? These jealous, fearful, bent out of shape disciples?
Was He outraged with them for being outraged? Did He rail on them? Did He berate them? Did He scowl at them? No. He CALLED them to Himself!

Called them to Himself. Oh that is soothing and healing to me. Here I see that when I am outraged. Jealous. Irritated. Fearful. Feeling threatened. Feeling put upon and put aside, He CALLS me to Himself. To mentor me. To correct me, yes; but to love me and instruct me in a better way. A better way to react. A better way to relate. A better way to achieve the greatness we are really seeking — His Kingdom.

Have you been outraged at someone?
Have you ever believed the lie that when you have fallen prey to some outrageous behavior that HE is outraged with you? That He has nothing more to say to you? That He wants nothing more to do with you? That you have out sinned your welcome with Him?

NOT SO!

Today. He is calling YOU to Himself. For healing. For instruction. For Strength. For forgiveness. For restoration. For whatever it is that will make you great in His Kingdom.

1 John 1:9  (AMP)

9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

ABBA, thank You. Thank You HOLY SPIRIT for highlighting Your Word and teaching us. Thank You LORD YESHUA for calling. And I ask You HOLY  SPIRIT if You will to use this offering of words to help someone know they are loved and that they have been called. I pray we all will respond with yes. Yes I will come to You. And, ABBA, for every Reader who comes to this page I pray for them. I don’t know their needs, I don’t know their specific struggles or doubts or questions or burdens or fears but I pray they will be encouraged here and they will know You are trustworthy and You are faithful to them to supply everything they need. Help them receive, help me receive. Thank You ABBA. 

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Christian Living, Pictures

A Soap Dish

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Clean a little something every day if only a soap dish.

And that was the start. My beginning place for this offering.

Here are my notes to myself, thoughts preserved until I could get here:
Cleansing. It’s what we really need. To be clean. Isn’t that what we really want? How about a shower? When you are hot, tired, and dirty, isn’t that just about all you can think about? Getting in that shower?! Isn’t that what the world needs now?

And from there I am launched.
Clean water.
Clean air.
Clean eating.

Clean. Clean. Clean.
We are obsessed with it, right?
For water and air for sure. Withdraw either one and we are soon dead.

But beyond that how obsessed are we? Not so much I think.

However, cleanliness is really important to GOD.  But, no, you will not find cleanliness is next to godliness in the Scripture. Not so written but I am certain it is implied. :)

The first mention of Clean in Scripture (KJV) is in Genesis 7 and 8, speaking of clean animals and clean beasts.  (Click HERE if you’d like to read these chapters.)

And then in Genesis 35:2 we get to man and Father’s first command to us with the word clean in it. (Click HERE for the whole list of references.)

Genesis 35:2 (KJV)

2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

And there we have it. Strange gods make us unclean.

To be clean, we must put away those strange gods and change our clothes.

That is exchange our idol worship (thinking we can be our own god, choosing our own way, refusing to confess that we are dirty and in need of cleansing, or to put it succinctly admitting that we are hell-deserving sinners in need of a Savior because we cannot save ourselves) for the RIGHTEOUSNESS of JESUS the CHRIST (YESHUA the MESSIAH). This is the ultimate clean! Positionally with the FATHER, it lasts forever but practically some washing needs to be done every day.

John 13:10

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

I don’t know about you but my feet need washing EVERY DAY, multiple times a day! The Good News is JESUS is right here to do it!  But that does require that I cooperate with Him and actually stop and lift my feet to Him.

Clean.

That’s what we want. Clean water. Clean air. Clean eating. Clean homes. Clean lives.
Perhaps right now we have some real messes on our hands (or should I say feet :) ), be that homes or characters; well, there’s no time like the present to get started.

So every day let’s clean something, even if it’s just a soap dish. image

I can honestly say I didn’t know this is where we were going with this but I LIKE IT!

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie

P.S. January 16, 2023, I’m still using this makeshift soap dish. :)

Christian Living, The Loft

Praying ‘n’ The Loft

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House of Prayer. That’s what JESUS said the Temple (for us Church) was to be. He was quoting from Isaiah 56:7.

Isaiah 56:7 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

7 I will bring them to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

House of Prayer. A place where people gather and pray. Together. But you know what? We are the CHURCH. So any two or more can gather anywhere in HIS NAME and HE will be present with them. HE said so. See Matthew 18:20. (HE is present when even one prays :) but for the purposes of this piece, I am speaking of a gathering of at least one more.)

The Loft: A weekly Hangout and Link Up for Christian bloggersGraphic by Kerry Messer 

Today’s LOFT subject is prayer.
A matter of thought that has been rolling around in my heart/mind for a few years as the MAIN practice that would change the world, beginning with our Local Congregations of The Body of Christ – The Church.
Real prayer. I mean gathering for the expressed and practiced purpose of praying. Aloud. Together. For the Church. For the Lost. For the Nation. For the World. For one another.

Many Churches still have Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night. I attended one last night. We gathered, we fellow-shipped, we shared prayer requests, a prayer was offered, the Pastor spoke, another prayer was offered, we fellow-shipped a little more and we went home. I am grateful for those prayer meetings, but such prayer meetings will not change a local assembly of believers, or a community, or city, or state, nation or world. It will take more.

I was privileged about a decade and half ago to be a part of a very special group of prayer-s. It was a season of struggle and deep sorrow for me and yet then and now a most treasured juncture. Memories to this day are precious and honored.  We were 20 to 25 strong, gathering each Sunday evening. We fellow-shipped (for an hour or so) at various homes over a meal, sometimes a big spread, other times just sandwiches, chips and dessert; and then we prayed. Individually all around the room, one after the other we poured out our hearts before GOD and each other. It was a safe group. A group GOD had called together. To my knowledge there was nary a betrayal of confidence, even to this day.  We’d meet around 5:00 in the early evening and reluctantly break to go home around 9:00 that night.

Those prayer gatherings, that communion, that power in prayer I have not known in recent years — but I want to. I believe it is the answer to our ails. I believe if we are to see revival; if we are to see an awakening in the Christian Church it will take praying together all over Christendom.

 And so it is for this I pray. Sometimes in my ‘war room’, sometimes written in my prayer journal, sometimes on this computer screen, sometimes walking about, sometimes with others, praying for more others to join in. 

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie
2 Thessalonians, Christian Living, KWT Paraphrasing

Continuning

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2 Thessalonians 

These were amazing people to me. They were a delight to Paul. He thanked GOD for them continually because they kept on trusting the LORD and kept on loving each other. In further verses we will learn they were continuing to trust and continuing to love even in the face of persecution. Amazing!

As Paul traveled he talked to others about them. Perhaps he gave them as examples of encouragement to other congregations.

Then in Verse 4. There it is.  persecutions and troubles you are going through. 

Verse 5. He offers them comfort and counsel. Counsel to keep on walking in trust and love; keep your flesh at bay because GOD knows. He knows you are suffering. He is mindful of you. He will not forget. He WILL avenge. All your persecutors that do not repent will meet the fiery flame. But YOU. You will be rewarded. Great reward will come to you. 

10 On that Day, when he comes to be glorified by his holy people and admired by all who have trusted, you will be among them, because you trusted our witness to you. [source] 

Amazing people!

Thank You, ABBA, for Your Word preserved for us, alive today for us to encourage us. Help us too to continue trusting You, loving You and others till JESUS (YESHUA) comes.

Until Next Time ~ ~ ~ Kathie