Tag Archives: Lord

Well then . . . Picture It!

Yesterday’s Father’s Day sermon at First Baptist Satsuma was excellent. As the Pastor was reading a particular verse I said ‘how long has that been there?’ Not aloud, of course. However there was some out loud comments – that’s another story. Like I said it was a really good sermon!

4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. via Ephesians 6 NASB – Family Relationships – Children, obey – Bible Gateway.

Fathers. And I am pretty sure ABBA means Mothers too. Do not provoke your children to anger. Okay so I’ve known that from day one. However it was like a light coming on in a dark room when I read the rest. The way we provoke our children to anger (wrath as the King James reads) is to refuse to DISCIPLINE them and INSTRUCT them IN the ways of THE LORD.

We now have a world of angry, wrath filled, loud, unruly children and here is the reason.

But here is more indictment that ABBA gave me as I considered this piece to write.

Proverbs 13:24 The Message (MSG)

24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.
via Proverbs 13:24 MSG – A refusal to correct is a refusal to – Bible Gateway.

So what is discipline anyway?

Is it yelling at them ‘wait till your father comes home’?  Perhaps we don’t do that anymore.

Is it repeatedly saying from the couch, ‘don’t do that again’. And then when again comes, Mom or Dad is still sitting on the couch?

Is it long speeches about how it use to be to the brazen ears of an adolescent? 

And the scenarios could go on and on.

Obviously I am NO expert in the field of discipline but I know Someone who is – James Dobson is close – :) and I am sure he is because he got his information from the ONE. ABBA. Himself.

This is what comes to mind.

Titus 1:2 King James Version (KJV)
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
via Titus 1:2 KJV – In hope of eternal life, which God, – Bible Gateway.

Hebrews 6:18 King James Version (KJV)
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
via Hebrews 6:18 KJV – That by two immutable things, in which – Bible Gateway.

Do you see it? GOD CANNOT LIE. And look what that means to us. Strong consolation. Promises. Refuge. Hope.

Have we considered that when we promise a child discipline for certain behavior and they do not get that discipline, we are LIARS?  And who trusts a liar? DO YOU? Well then . . . let us get off our couches and do what we say. Not only in discipline but everything! The fun and the sad!!

But that is not all!

When we get off that couch (and before we sat down on that couch) have we instructed them in THE LORD? 

Have we prayed with them? Have we memorized Scripture with them? Have we lived out the ways of THE LORD before them?  Well, no wonder they are angry and loud and unruly and crying out NOTICE ME!

Pastor gave a great illustration yesterday. He said that bringing them up is not standing at the top of the mountain yelling down at them to get up here.  But it is being down there on the mountain side with them LEADING them up to the top. Picture it! What a difference!!

It all boiled down to this for me. Do I love them enough to discipline them? Do I love them enough to be inconvenienced by them? Do I love them enough to humble MYSELF before GOD and raise them HIS WAY? And if I don’t they will SURELY be provoked to anger – wrath.

I did not do this well with my daughters and I’ve made mistakes with my GRANDS already. BUT I’m learning because my ABBA though the HOLY SPIRIT is right here on this mountainside with me leading and encouraging me to come to the top with Him.  Picture it! It will make a difference!!

And right now I need to wrap this up because two GRANDS have been very patient and quiet with their Mamaw as I have sat here to write this piece and I am going to reward them hugely!!!  :)

ABBA, thank You. I love you, DADDY GOD. You are FATHER and You are AWESOME.  Thank You. And, HOLY SPIRIT, I pray this offering of writing will be a tool that You can use to help. And this morning is Dori’s surgery and Kerri’s test. I love both these women and I am asking You for miracles for both of them. Miracles of healing and restoration and long lives that will give You glory and turn many many hearts to You for salvation and restoration.  Thank You, ABBA, in JESUS name.  amen and amen.

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

Reading

I’ve been reading this morning. I was determined to finish before I laid it down again. And I did. And I am recommending it to you.  The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews.

Allow me to give you an excerpt from page 160:
“Sometimes when I sit with our Father and watch the movements of your civilization as the time shifts, I am astounded at the arrogance I see displayed in your people. On several occasions, I have asked permission to teach you a lesson, but so far, His patience has greatly exceeded my own. ”

And how about this on page 103:
“My life–my personality, my habits, even my speech–is a combination of the books I choose to read, the people I choose to listen to, and the thoughts I choose to tolerate in my mind. . . . “

And page 155:
“Circumstances are rulers of the weak, . . . “but they are weapons of the wise.”
“Circumstances do not push or pull. they are daily lessons to be studied and gleaned for new knowledge and wisdom.”

One more. Page 149: “All men are driven by faith or fear . . .    Faith or fear is the expectation of an event that hasn’t come to pass or the belief in something that cannot be seen or touched.
“Faith is to believe what one has not seen. The reward of faith is to see what one has believed.”

I am reminded of something Joyce Meyer has said many times. Fear is

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

And just off the top of my head — does this work?  Faith is

Finding
Assurance and peace
In
The
Here and now (for what will be because our GOD said so.)

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
via Romans 10:16-18 KJ21 – But they have not all obeyed the – Bible Gateway.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
via 1 John 4:17-19 NASB – By this, love is perfected with us, so – Bible Gateway.

Philippians 3:13-15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
via Philippians 3:13-15 NASB – Brethren, I do not regard myself as – Bible Gateway.

And there you have it.

Blessings to you this Wednesday. I have prayed for each of you by name, email or blog name (whichever way you have identified yourself).

ABBA, thank You for servants who write so well and give us insights and much to ponder. And thank You for Your Word that is TRUTH and able to set us free. I pray this day for TRUTH to prevail in the lives of all my people. That Truth will take hold in their hearts and minds and hold sway over our lives, be believed and will set free and transform each one in JESUS name. And as before we bring our sick and afflicted, Dori and Sheila, specifically, along with others named, asking You to heal them. And as always until it be seen we pray for the rebellious for grace and space to repent. Amen and       .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,

I am Reminded

this morning the Joy of the LORD is your strength! And mine!

Nehemiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
via Neh 8:10 NASB – Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the – Bible Gateway.

So let us get up, rejoice and allow the heaviness to fall away, eat of the LORD’s portion for you (and me) this day, drink in His sweet and satisfying Water, and give of what we have to others who have little – be not grieved, but rejoice – for in the rejoicing, in the JOY of JESUS we are stronger!

Sing along and be stronger! 

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!

 

ABBA, thank You. Thank You for Your kind reminders to me, to us! We love you, we praise You in JESUS name. And we forget not to bring our sick and afflicted asking You to heal and restore them and for our wayward and rebellious we ask for mercy and grace and space to repent. We pray for the peace and security of Israel; we pray for revival for the Body of Christ. Amen and             .

I’m In From The Yard

still have garden soil beneath my nails – even with gloves on it still finds its way in – and before I set to do anything further I wanted to say hello to you, my Friends. It will be a short visit this morning; thought I might just share pics of some of the things that have been occupying me this morning.

I was thrilled to see yellow blooms  

Still enjoying my Easter Lilies

Strawberries!!! And the flavor oh my word!

Here’s hoping for cascading flowers before long!

Just pretty I think – forget the name.

Genesis 8:21-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat, And summer and winter,
And day and night Shall not cease.”
via Genesis 8:21-22 NASB – The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; – Bible Gateway.

ABBA, thank You for the morning of enjoyable ‘work’. Thank You for seed-time and harvest and You know I so desire a harvest of melons for sure; tomatoes would be appreciated too and some basil. Thank You, ABBA, for loving us so much. Thank You for each dear Friend who comes here to read and pray. I ask You to fill them with Your Love and Joy with purpose and vision for the life You desire them to live. Thank You for Your tender watch care over Sheila and we continue to ask for a complete healing. And we are remembering Noah and I am so ashamed I forgot his name but I know You know exactly who I am thinking of and his precious family too as they have all these matters concerning his medical condition and Rick and Cindy and Gay comes to mind too whatever the hard thing; Dori and her pending surgery. ABBA, once and for all could we be done with these surgeries, could there be a physician/surgeon who could do it right and she could heal and be restore? Please do this for Dori I pray. And there are others, Kathleen, and Kelley and Vikki, matters of grave conditions, physically and spiritually – heal our sick and rescue the rebellious is our continually prayer. And in our praying we present ourselves to serve, ABBA, however You will in JESUS Name.  Amen and     .

We have the God-given Right to do right in this wrong World,
Praying (PFT)!