Christian Growth, Devotionals

Bed & Breakfast

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Are you a frequent guest at Bed & Breakfast hotels?

I guess that might be on my bucket list… that is if I ever begin one.

I’m sure I’d like the comfortable surroundings and the tantalizing aroma of home cooked breakfast wafting towards my private room. I’d rank Victorian Bed & Breakfasts at the top of preferences.

Job offered Old Testament hospitality to the passersby.

“The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveler (Job 31:32 KJV).”

Good for Job; he opened wide his heart and his doors!

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Devotionals

Listen…

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Animals have a keen sense of hearing. To remove any doubt, shake a bag of your pet’s food. If they eat the canned variety, depress the start button on your electric can opener. Your feline or canine can hear the sounds from a great distance; rushing to your side, they eagerly await their next meal.

I wonder what it would be like to hear so well. I wonder what I would be like…

Have you heard a butterfly as it dashes across a flower garden?

Were you ever alerted to the impending arrival of a hummingbird by the sound of its wings?

God indeed works in mysterious ways. Listen; it could be angel’s winging their way…

“And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh (Ezekiel 10:5 KJV).”

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Bruised

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I tend to bruise easily. When bumping a leg or arm, I immediately surmise that there will be a bruise. Bruises are painful and unsightly as well as bad for my ego. A bruised spirit is invisible to the naked eye and discerned only by the wise; in his compassion the LORD administers healing balm.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19 KJV).”

God the Father sent the Son; Jesus fulfilled the Father’s desire. Appointed and anointed, Christ carried out his Father’s restoration plan. Through his love, I am liberated from a bruised spirit and emotional wounds.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Forward, March!

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Forward, march…

No, I am not a high school band director, not a drill sergeant. I am simply a Christ follower, sharing the godly advice of the Apostle Paul.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJ).”

As we each begin a new year, his testimony serves as a timeless challenge.

‘Forward, march!’

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

String of Lights

 

A NEW BLOG COVER

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What happens when one of the lights on your Christmas tree stops working?SEPTEMBER 2014 002

In some instances, all lights on the string of lights may also go dark. I speak from experience; that is very annoying. One of our past artificial Christmas trees had permanent miniature lights, set in three separate sections.

At the end of a Christmas season, the bottom section lighting quit. I ignored the outage, deciding I could wait to correct the problem. I got a wake-up call when I set up the tree the following year. I asked my husband to solve the problem and he said that it would be easiest to buy new lights.

A simple task it was not. After purchasing a new set of lights, he dropped them on the floor and shorted them out. So, he made a return trip to the store, bought set # 2 of lights. He is a patient man; I applaud the final results. The tree never looked prettier.

Each light on a string of tree lights is important…

They brighten their branch, working with the others to illuminate the tree and our homes.

Jesus left us with specific instructions.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16 NKJ).”

The body of Christ is much like a Christmas tree. When we each let our light shine, we form a line of lights to illuminate a darkened world.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Top Priority

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Have you checked your calendar today for upcoming Christmas events?

True, our head is frequently whirling as we try to keep up the pace. We do not want to offend any that invite us to Christmas parties and we wisely set great importance upon church choir cantatas, children’s programs and candlelight worship services.SEPTEMBER 2014 002

In the pace, make the Prince of Peace top priority.

“And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6b NAS).”

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Bible Studies, Christian Growth, Devotionals, Salvation

Behold, your King…

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The King has come…

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:1-2 NKJ).”

Your King is coming…                                        SEPTEMBER 2014 002

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
(Zechariah 9:9 NKJ)

He rules over a spiritual kingdom…

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here (John 18:36 NKJ).”

Enthrone Him…

“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21 NKJ).”

The King ‘is’ coming!
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20 NKJ).”

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Uncategorized

A Christmas Without Batteries

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What’s a Christmas without batteries?

Hmm, that’s a thought for you and me to mull over for a minute or two. So many of our gizmos need batteries inserted before we can operate them. SEPTEMBER 2014 002

Pity the parents who forget to buy batteries before children and teens open their gifts. What about poor Dad? He will be unable to hear the whir of battery operated tools if they are not included?

Free advice included in this message….

Stock up on batteries before Christmas and remove dead batteries from your cameras. You won’t want to miss a minute of the action; this year’s Christmas will be next year’s memories. As Christians, we depend on a far greater power than disposable batteries.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8 HCS).”

We receive his power through repeated fillings.

“… be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18b HCS).”

Batteries power gizmos; the Holy Spirit empowers Emmanuel followers!

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Thanksgiving Gates

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I hope to one day meet you at his gates!SEPTEMBER 2014 002

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations (Psalm 100:1-5 KJV).”

Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving…

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Faith Fizz

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In the 1970’s, advertisers of a popular over-the-counter medication, used a catchy jingle. Relief may have been just a swallow away…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iENQXIQ8wH0

When seeking deliverance from troubles, relief is just a prayer of faith away.SEPTEMBER 2014 002

“Lord, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law to give him relief from troubled times (Psalm 94:12-13a HCS).”

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