Sincerity of heart or begrudgingly?

 Ephesians 6:5 " Slaves obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.  6 Obey them not only to win thier favor when thier eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as you were serving the Lord, not men,". Serve wholeheartedly!!!  I’m often guilty of serving begrudgingly.  I want to want what God wants for me.     I have sincerity of heart,  when I set my heart intentionally.   My feelings can have me wanting things that God doesn’t want me to have.  Many years I wanted to be a  “normal drinker”, that is not what God wanted me to have.   In order l for me to embrace my sober life style (Which I love and am very thankful for) I had to let go of wanting a drinking life style.    Is God telling you to “let go”?   We can’t serve two masters.    Today, I will chose to serve Him wholeheartedly!  Lord help each of us want what you want for us with sincerity of heart!!

Even in death He brings life!!

 1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always, 17 pray continually; 18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus .”  Be joyful always!!!   1Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”   

These  are a couple great verses!! 1Timothy 6:11 “But you man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith,love endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith…”.   Fight the good fight!!    What wonderful reminders today to be pursuing God’s plan not mine!!  To be content in God’s plan is joyful living!!  To live sober I have to be content to live sober!    Actually, I embrace sober living now.  When I kept wanting to manage my drinking I was not being content in my sobriety.    I kept trying to change the fact I was/am, an alcoholic, allergic to alcohol and cannot manage it.  Once I accepted  that fact, was content with it I found peace.   But as long as I was trying to change something I could not change I was in constant turmoil.   Is there something in your life you are not accepting that you cannot change?   Give it to God, TRUST He’s working it out for His glory.   You will be the beneficiary, that’s the way God works.   Even in death He provides life!!!

Nip it in the bud!

 Romans 6:12 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. 14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."   Do not let sin reign in our  mortal bodies!   This is tough!!  Have you ever decided to just have one mini candy bar? How many did you end up eating?  Eating one small piece of candy is not a sin but gluttony is.   I’m a recovering alcoholic. I spent years trying to only have one or two drinks and be a “normal drinker”without success only pain.  Having a glass of wine is not a sin,  getting drunk is.  For me, I need to avoid the first piece of chocolate.   I absolutely have learned I need to “squash” the first thought I have about drinking.   As we think, so shall we be.   When I think about pleasing the desire of my flesh, pretty soon I’m lusting after the things I know are sinful.  My best way to live in right  behavior is to recognize my “sinful/ lustful” thinking and nip it in the bud!!    We are saved by grace not by works and Jesus loves us no matter how many times we fall into sin and offers us cleansing forgiveness.   I have found my life is better when I do whatever I can,  to walk in Good Orderly Direction!   For me it’s  like walking in freedom.    I cant do this alone.  I constantly need Christ’s help. I constantly need Him to help me shake off the old and put on His new.    Today,  be inspired to  give to God the sin that is ensnaring you!!   Start anew!!!

Fredom isn't free

 Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God."   It doesn’t get any purer in heart than to lay down ones life for an other.   That is what Jesus did for each of us.  He laid down His life so we could be free!  Free of guilt, shame and condemnation free to be the righteousness of Christ himself. Today we honor the men and women of our military that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for each of us to have freedom.  Freedom isn’t free!!  Our freedom in Christ cost Him His death.   Our freedom in this country is because of the pure willing hearts of our troops to lay down their lives giving us this great country in the first place and its their courage and pure hearts that keep them able to continue to protect us.    Pray for our Current service members today that they may continue to be filled with a pure, courageous heart by the powerful gift of Jesus!!  Thank you Vets for your ultimate sacrifice and for your willingness to lay down your lives for us!!

Iron sharpens iron

Galatians 4:16 "Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?"   Iron sharpens iron.  it’s better to receive open rebuke from a friend, than praise from an enemy.      I really don’t like being confronted by my friends.   I do however love it!! I remeber when my mother would point out how I had a drinking problem.   I felt as though I hated her for having the gaul to tell me I should quit.   I felt like she was my enemy when she was pointing out the truth!!!  When I get confronted with issues in my life, I can do that….. put up a wall and say to myself, “They have some nerve!”   Truth is I need my friends to help me see things I can’t see.    True friends help each other be better people.  Sometimes being a good freind means having difficult conversations.   I am horrible about confrontation.  I avoid it like the plague.    I have a tough time pointing out when a friend is going the wrong direction.  I love it when my friens help me see when I am.   I never like being confronted at first. I always benefit by discerning a friend’s criticism verses when I get mad they gave it to me.    Dear Lord, help each of us be the iron that sharpens iron and be open to the sharpening ourselves .”

Perfect love casts out fear

 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because He first loved us."   Fear, is paralyzing.  Sometimes,  I’m so afraid of offending someone I don’t make a move at all.   Perfect love casts out fear!!  I have always wondered how my German ancestors could have participated in the Holocaust.    I can’t image being a part of the slaughter that took place with the Nazi / Hitler regime.   Fear!!  Do you ever see something that is definitely wrong but you are afraid to speak up?   Sadly,  I am guilty of this.   I have been conditioned to not want to offend anyone.  So I cowardly avoid issues of confrontation.   This eats away at me like a rotting in my soul.    Perfect love casts out fear!! When I find the courage to speak God’s word in love, I find courage to confront issues without being judgy.    God’s word is perfect love.  Can you imagine the far better outcome if the German people could have stood up against the horror of Hitler?   If they could have quoted Bible verses and acted courageously instead of signing the hymns louder as the trains of screaming Jews were headed to the slaughter?    Is there something in your life that you are cowardly avoiding?   Perfect love casts put fear!! God has perfect love for you, be courageous!!!!!

Gods love is like a puppy

 1John 4:19 "We love because He first loved us."   Have you ever just  not wanted to be loved by a puppy?  🐶.  I have.   I have had my own heart so hard that I didn’t even want the affection of a puppy.   The puppy didn’t understand I didn’t want the attention, she only knew to love me.  I eventually couldn’t resist and  allowed myself to enjoy her affection.  I was then blessed with almost 20 years of a beautiful companion.  We love God because He first loved us!!! I have also resisted the affection of God.   I have drawn my line in the sand and decided if God doesn’t do this or that then….. I’m Im just doing my own thing.  How foolish!!  God doesnt do this or that,  because of His great love for me!!   He is the puppy!  He is with us every moment of every day wagging His tail, licking our wounds and  nudging us to get back up again.     Go ahead let the LOVE OF GOD , permeate your life today!!!😇🙏❤️

Restore the joy!!

 Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."  

Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant  me a willing spirit, to sustain me."     I was baptized as an infant, I was raised in the church and confirmed in 8th grade.  I have believed in Jesus as long as I can remember.  I had a tough time in Jr. High after my perfect world fell apart and my mother moved us to Sun Praire, Wi with a man she  married that turned out to be a nightmare.   I fell into a horrible pattern of sin that any child would want to keep a secret.     As an adult,  I have had the revelation,  that I am not the sum of my sins, I am the righteous of Jesus Christ.  I have believed in Jesus since I was a child, but only as  a person with a contrite heart did I know Jesus as my restoration.  2 Corinthians 5:17 " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone the new has come!"  As an adult child of abuse sometimes, I coward back, I try to alleviate pain with coping mechanisms I developed as a child.  Which were temporary pleasurable sinful behaviors.    We each have sin that is pleasurable for us.  Gluttony , gossip, greed, lust …., today lets be aware of the sin that so easily ensnares us and turn away,  so we can truly remember and live in the joy of our salvation!!  Sin is our constant battle,  restoration in Jesus is our constant victory!!!

His peace because of true faith

 Hebrews 4:1 "Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not combine it with faith."   Rest!!! Rest in the Lord!!!  Have you ever given something to God, enjoyed His peace for a moment and then found yourself stressed out with the same old thing? This is what I am thinking when I read, “But the message they heard had no value to them because they did not combine it with faith.”  Faith is having confidence God is in control!!! Sometimes I find myself asking God to help me “understand” a difficult situation.   Then I realize, He doesn’t need to have me know why, He needs me to TRUST Him in it, so I can be in His peace.   This is me applying FAITH!!!   Stay in HIS PEACE!!    Be thankful for what is, and KNOW He is in control.  He loves each of us and the ones we love  more than we can image.  Let’s be inspired to hear His word and have Faith that His word is true!!  Let’s apply Gods word, His Promises and His peace to our everyday, moment by moment life, so we can truly walk in His peace no matter what!  Keep the Faith!! Fight the good fight!! God is in control!!

A monent on the lips…. Forever on the hips

 1John 3:19 “This then is how we know that we belong that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us for God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything."   Does your heart condemn you for a behavior you’re engaged in?   That’s good!!!   When we give ourselves over to sin we can get a hardening of our hearts and no longer feel convicted to repent.  Sensual sins are extremely common and often not talked about as sin.    The physical pleasure and intimacy of this world is nothing compared to intimacy with God.  Weight Wathers have a saying, “A moment on the lips forever on the hips”.   That is true of us enjoying the sins of this world.  We are forgiven in Jesus Christ, yet it is far better to try to avoid going down in the dirt in the first place.   He washes us clean, but sometimes the scrubbing hurts.  We are forgiven and made pure and white as snow but that doesnt alleviate us from our Consequences.  Consequences from sin are just a way God says, “I love you!  Now go and sin no more.”  I hope this helps you today.   Be fit and be blessed😇❤️🙏

Alive in Him not our stuff

 Ephesians 2:4 "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved."     Dead in transgressions but made alive in Christ!!   Sometimes I chase the pleasures of this world.   It seems pretty natural to do so.     You know like, "looking for love in all the wrong places".   I can think that my heart will be filled if I get this or that.   Then I do and I'm still empty.   Only when I chose to be alive in Christ am I full to overflowing.   Anything I cherish above Him leaves me empty.  God has blessed me beyond all measure with many beautiful things and people in my life.   If I value any of His blessing more than Him I am empty.  So funny, He has given me everything and everyone in my life, why I forget to thank Him and acknowledge His hand in my life is nuts!!   One of my dearest friends says, "Don't love something that can't love you back."    Jesus always loves us back!!! He loves us first!!!  When I seek fulfillment from a job well done, a person or object it may satisfy for a moment but that moment passes and I am dead again.    When I seek fulfillment in Christ Jesus first I am alive and have energy to enjoy the blessing He has provided without holding those blessings as my idols.   😇🙏❤️

Fight Fear!

 Romans 8:15 "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.  And by Him we cry "Abba, Father.".    The spirit of fear is paralyzing!! I get “afraid” things wont turn out the way I want them to.    Why I fear this is silly, hardly anything turns out the way “I want”.   I let my fears of unwanted outcomes race through my head.   Then I plan my action to make things happen according to the “ Kimberly plan”.     This entire cycle is disastrous.   Romans 8:28.  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him….”   TRUST!!!! Remember Job?  He coildnt possibly have been able to understand the horrible of what happened to Him, but here we are thousands of years later , praying, “ God give me the patience of Job”.    Today be inspired to be patient and hopeful in trials.  Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew He also predestined, to be conformed to the likeness of His Son,….”   All these trials  and outcomes we cant control work together so we can be molded into the likeness of Jesus.   Have you ever heard of “growing pains”?  Let’s embrace our growing pains today, they are helping us grow!!!

Dont be anxious be thankful

 Philippians 4:4 " Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will gaurd your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."   Rejoice in the Lord always be thankful. Do not be anxious about anything but take everything to God in prayer and trust Him with it. Sometimes I feel anxiety take over usually when I’m trying to control something, I have no control over and honestly, most things I don’t have control over.   This constant, giving things up to God and trusting Him with it all,  is my constant battle.  When I can truly be content with what He has given me and be thankful even in the trials, I find peace.   May you find His peace today too.  If you’re feeling anxious about anything let go and let God!!  Be content with thankfulness.   Trust everything to  God.   He knows what you need more than you do.  Trust, He is meeting your needs!! TRUST!!   His ways not ours!!

Medical isseues? Be rooted, built up, strengthened and abound in thanksgiving

 Colossians 2:6 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord , continue to live in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, strengthen in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness."   Life is hard!! Recently I have been disheartened with medical concerns for people I love.   It is hard to stay hopeful when you get physically exhausted.  HAULT is an acronym we use  in AA.  Be careful not to get hungry, angry,  lonely or tired because hopelessness multiplies  in those situations.  When we feel hopeless, we can backslide.   To fight hopelessness;  I try to stay in thanksgiving.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.   

Dear Lord, you know exactly what is going on in each of our lives, let us each trust that you love us and the ones we love more than we can understand.  Let us trust you are the great healer and provider. Let us trust nothing is to big for your capable hands.    Let us be rooted and built up in Jesus, strengthened in faith and abounding in thanksgiving, no matter what our day brings!!!😇❤️🙏  There is much power in prayer.   I ask you for your prayers for my family and yours. 

Life and Peace!

 Colossians 3:8 " But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator."

.......12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothed yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace."    Take off the old ways, put on the new way and let the peace of God rule your  heart!   Fleshly ways are death.  Holy ways are healthy,  and life giving.   When I walk in selfishness and bitterness I am angry in my heart constantly wishing for a different life.   When I walk in contentment, that God is in control and all will work out.   I  walk in peace.   When I walk in His peace, I have a holy, healthy, happy countenance about me.    To maintain this state of being I need to constantly renew my mind with His word and promises in the Bible.  I need to read, pray and trust the word of the Bible.   They are truly life giving! 😇🙏❤️.  Have you read your Bible today?

Pity pot to planting pot

 Psalm 139:13-4:  "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know full well."

Philippians 2:4 "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive in Christ,  even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved."  

Philippians 2:10 " For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Yesterday, my verse of the day was Psalm 139:13-4.   I was so thankful to be reminded of being fearfully and wonderfully made!   I had been getting down on myself.  This morning Philippians 2.  continued the theme of being alive in Christ!  Leaving my transgressions behind me and pressing forward in Jesus, is the only way I know to be healthy.   I can be haunted with, “what if”.  Faith not fear!!! I can be haunted with, “I wish I would have done…”.  Yesterday is done!! Today, each of us have the opportunity to do, “the next best thing”.  God created each of us with our own unique abilities, talents and passions we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do!   Today, I will avoid the pity pot, and work in the planting pot!  Planting the seeds of the good works He has enabled me to do!!   One of the absolute best ways for me to “feel” healthy and well is to use my God given talents for His glory 😇❤️🙏 Be inspired to go use yours.

Love the law?

 Psalm119:165 "Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come!"   Have you ever wondered what the appeal is of some religious cults?  Personally, I believe part of the appeal is the strong focus on good behavior and following the “rules”.  In AA we have a common goal of staying sober and behaving better than we did while actively consumed with our addiction.   It feels good to be in good behavior!! It feels “safe”, to be around people you trust are trying to do good too.   I read psalm 119 this morning and the author is full of loving Gods’ precepts.   I too love the law, when Im walking well, it feels good!   Problem is I always mess up!!    Gods word teaches us His ways. God knows our hearts.   He puts Godly desires in our hearts  and covers us with His mercy and grace as we try and fail.   I will choose to continue to embrace the comfort of walking in the laws the best  I can.   There is much safety in trying to not lie, cheat, steal, convent…..   there is even greater comfort in knowing God has given us complete forgiveness and restoration moment by moment so we can keep on keeping on.   This is the powerful gift of Jesus!!  Today, be inspired to embrace the law, it will serve as a hedge of protection for you.   Our greatest protection comes from our everlasting Father, who keeps picking us up and setting us back on the path!😇🙏❤️

Look for your northern lights

 Proverbs 17:14 "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.".....22"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."…..Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be evident to all, the Lord is near.”   The first time I saw the Northern lights, it was by accident.  I was very mad at my then husband so I took off for a walk on the golf course and was completely awestruck by the gloriousness of the Northern lights.  I tell that story often because of how breathtaking that walk was.   To this day, I have no idea what I was so mad about.    How many times has that happened to you?  You remember being really mad about something but cant remember what it was.   This shows us how futile our arguments can be.   I have been guilty of fighting with vigor.   I am now divorced twice.   These verses remind me, a gentle, quiet spirit, a joyful heart and an ability to not start an argument are Godly commands.  Today, we may be tempted to fight about something we won't remember tomorrow.  Will it be worth the battle? When we fight we often say things that can't be unheard.  I have found it's best, not to let my heart get offended in the first place.   Today, let’s walk away from potential quarrels and rejoice in the Lord!!   

❤️🙏😇 See your Northern lights!!

Immeasurable

 Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."   Our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask!   Think about that…. Immeasurably more than ALL we ask!!  We need not be enslaved by fear that God won’t meet our needs. He is able to do immeasurably more than ALL we ask or imagine!! We do not serve a God of lack.  We are loved by Our Triune God of immense abundance!    There is nothing too big or too small for Him to handle.   We can’t imagine what He is capable of.   Let’s TRUST in His immeasurableness today!’

No more secrets!

 

Colossians 1:13 “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darknessand brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  He takes us out of the darkness and brings us into the light!!!     If we are walking in the light that means everything is in the light!!  I love this!! No more secrets!!!   I like living in the light, that doesn’t mean I don’t sin.  I still do things that I wish I wouldn’t have.  But those shameful behaviors don’t make me shameful.    I try yo readily admit (confess) them when they occur and try,try, try again.  My sins don’t define me, I’m defined by the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so are you!!!    We can walk in the light and not in the darkness of guilt and shame because of the “powerful gift of Jesus”!!  If you feel yourself walking in darkness, call out on the name of the Lord!! He hears our every prayer!! Accept the forgiveness He died to give you and live in His light!!!  We don’t have to be ashamed, we can live in His blessed assurance, we are children of His light!!! This is true no matter how many times we may fall down!!  He died once for ALL!!   All of us, all our sins when we put our faith in Jesus!!