Category Archives: Guests

Don’t Leave Home Without It

YouVersion.

It’s on my phone, on my desk top, on my laptop. I guess you could say I hardly go anywhere without it. 

The devotion feeding me now is this one:

Hey! She has a book! No. I don’t have it. Yet! :)
Looks like it was published in October of 2017. See HERE.

This is a portion of  Day Two’s reading:

Shifting your focus off of yourself and onto God is much harder than it sounds. As broken people, our gaze naturally drifts inward, making vanity a tough pattern to shake. Once I was able to see my own self-preoccupation—both the allure and the peril of it—God took me on a long journey to freedom. He taught me how to adjust my sight back onto him, and it literally changed my life. Once I grasped the truth that life is not about me and shifted my focus onto Christ, it became the song of my heart, one I can’t stop singing to others.

I know from my own experience that it’s hard to look straight in the face of your vanity, but it’s how we break the spell of self. And oh how it is worth it! May God shine on the hidden places in your heart and grant you the courage to see yourself honestly.

If you are not familiar with YouVersion, I urge you to check them out!  I’m providing a link – HERE.

Selah ~ ~ ~

In A Word

Reading time: Approximately  3 minutes.

One word for the year.
One word to guide the year.
One word to direct my focus for 365 days.
Could one word do all that?
In a word.
Yes! 
But how do you pick that one word? In two words. You Don’t. You receive that word from The GOD who loves you. Okay. That was more than a word. :)

I like my friend, Leah Adamsword for 2018. Here’s a link. Check it out! 

I believe my guiding word for 2018 is forgiveness. It’s my word to receive, to give, to pray for, to live. Forgiveness heals. Forgiveness revives. Forgiveness restores. Forgiveness gives life to body, soul and spirit. Forgiveness sets a soul on the path to wholeness. And wholeness is my plea; for myself, for family, for friends, for strangers near and far.

A year of forgiveness, what will that be? I would say not easy but naturally speaking it is more than not easy. It. Is. Impossible!  Unless! 

Matthew 19:26  (YLT) 26 And Jesus having earnestly beheld, said to them, `With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.‘  source

This year when I forgive will I be saying the offense is any less offensive? Will I be saying it’s okay? Will I be saying it didn’t hurt? Will I be denying the awfulness of it? Nope! Not at all. Will I be saying they deserve forgiveness? Do any of us?

I just know this, when I give forgiveness it sets me free. Free to love again. Free to trust GOD again. Free to live again. Forgiveness lets me take my rightful place. Forgiveness takes ME off the throne of my life and gives that place to He who deserves it. The One and Only JESUS.

Forgiveness takes my hands off the control button and with trust, faith and love yields justice to GOD’s Perfection alone.
Forgiveness says I love JESUS too much to hate you (the offender).
Forgiveness says, GOD, I trust You to do what’s right by me with this one who has offended me. It’s, I give way to You, My Heavenly Papa, to treat me right in the way You treat my offender.

In a word, forgiveness is me (and you) trusting GOD. Trusting that He has done right and He will always do right.  This is forgiveness whether we are receiving it or giving it. 

Again I say, it’s impossible for natural people! But we who have said yes to JESUS in salvation are no longer just natural people. We have the SPIRIT of the LIVING GOD residing within and we can forgive – all year-long!  (Romans 8:9)

How many times this year must I exercise this gift of forgiveness? 

Matthew 18: 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Master, how often shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”  22 Yeshua said to him, “No, not up to seven times, I tell you, but seventy times seven!  source

If we find ourselves doing the math, I think we’ve missed His point. 

Ephesians 4:32(KJV)  32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. source

Forgiveness.
In a word, it will make me whole and a whole lot more Christ-like. 

Selah ~ ~ ~ Kathie

Fashions

A particular young lady commanded my attention this morning. She like me was adorned with a message. We were not the only ones you know; we all are clothed in a message when we step into our outside worlds.  Anyway . . . 

A scenario began to form and I thought if only someone, someone she has confidence in, someone she is sure of would ask her questions. Not criticizing questions. Thinking questions. And preface the questions with: Oh, my beautiful child, The Father has endowed you with assets and treasures of heart thumping beauty. I hope you know that. I hope you believe it. Lets explore if you really do. 

With this outfit you have chosen today, have you determined who is your targeted audience? Whose attention are you seeking?
What do you hope to say to them today?
What will your response be to their response to your fashion statement today?

Would you be willing to stand before your mirror each day and ask: Jesus, do You like this outfit? Does it say about me what You say about me? 

 

6 Marks of Biblical Modesty: How God Brings Sexy Back

 

Selah ~ ~ ~

Two Lines

Two famous lines came to mind, so I went looking and found the following:

A poem – C. T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill,
living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call,
I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

— extra stanza —

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,
If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee    source