Purity in thought, word and action? Pretty hard to do.

 Proverbs 31:30 " Charm is deceptive, and beauty  is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ".  This weekend I heard a Pastor speak on men treating women with purity.    It was a great message!!   In today’s society sexuality is strongly encouraged.  It is far better if we can keep our sexual passions for the marriage and marriage bed.  This pastor said many people will come in to his office and disagree about this.   Men will tell him,” she wants it as much as I do”.    Unfortunately I have been that woman.   I have thought that I needed the fulfillment of a sexual relationship.   For me every time I have been involved in a sexual relationship outside of marriage it leaves me more broken than I already was.  Just because society says sex is pleasurable and we shouldn’t deny ourselves, doesn't make it true.    Purity is a beautiful thing.    As an older woman speaking to younger women and men, my advise is to value each other for the person God made them to be.   Let God fill you to the full don't expect a humane relationship to do that.   In your fullness, not in brokenness needing to be adorned by fading beauty and charm then be open to love each other in purity.  Value purity in your thoughts, words and deeds.   I need fullness in Jesus to do this.  My greatest sense of value comes from knowing how beautiful I am in Christ Jesus.  Proverbs 31:30 “ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

Angry group think? What can we do?

John 19: 15 "But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”

“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.

“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified."

   Angry group think, was one tool used to crudity Jesus.   How do we get to that state in our culture?   I am babysitting my two year old grandson this week,  it is much harder to stand firm against his temper tantrums than it is to give in.  I’m thinking of how Pilot gave into the group think temper tantrum even though he found no fault in Jesus.    It is hard to stand up against group think even when it’s dead wrong!  Today I’m babysitting again.   I will try to practice standing up against temper tantrums at this small level, hopefully I’ll be able to do that.   If I’m not faithful in small things how can I be faithful in big things?  I think if a society is to resist group think we have to practice in our daily relationships.

Be encouraged to stand up for Jesus and BE  all He has called you to BE!!

In Us we trust? Wow!! Not me!!!

Romans 3:23 “ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Isaiah 64:6

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags

; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”   I saw something on the television last night, a group of people were standing behind the phrase. "In us we trust".  I was alarmed by that.   I know many people have wonderful intentions.   Yet, when push comes to shove, we all fall short.    Even Simon Peter one of Jesus 12 Disciples denied Christ after being convicted he would die for Him.  All people are sinful by nature, even the Pope.   Personally, I will be continuing to put my Trust in God!!!   I know that even the best of people fail Miserably.   Who will you be trusting in today?

Jeremiah 17:5-8. "This is what the Lords says:  "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns alway from the Lord, 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; He will dwell in the parched places of the dessert , in a salt land where no one lives. 7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green, it has no worries in the year of draught  and never fails to bear fruit."

Be the Tree!!🌲

Slow is smooth smooth is fast

Proverbs 14:30.  "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."     I love this verse!! It reminds me of Matthew 6:33 “ Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added into you .”   My health and wellness is solely based on looking first to Jesus in all things.    My mantra is 

,"If you put on your faith you are fit for anything!"  When I remember this, I can start from a position of peace and strength.    Last weekend I participated in an Enduro  mountain bike race.  It was a blast and way over my skill set.  One of the participants coached me by saying, “slow is smooth, smooth is fast”.  I had a Lieutenant that used to say that on the Fire Department. When we start with the peace of God, things go smooth even in the chaos.  Today try not to panic in the crazy.  Trust  God and walk in His peace.😇🙏❤️

Willful sin in the Holy temple?

 John 17:25 "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  26. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."   I have the privilege of being with my grandchildren tomorrow so I won’t be posting then.    It is truly a joy to be the love of Jesus especially around them.    We are always the love of Jesus, or are we?   When I reflect on Jesus words,    "I myself may be in them”.  I ask myself, "am acting as if Christ Himself lives in me?".  We are the temples of His Holy Spirit.   With this in mind, I know I need to “ clean house”.   My temple has some sin that is unbecoming for hosting Jesus.   How’s the condition of your temple?    Willful sin is such a difficult thing.   We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!!! We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength!!!😇🙏❤️. Be inspired to clean your temple today!!

Judgy? Unforgiving? Get over it!!!

 Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged."  Matthew 6:14 "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.  15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."     Judgy, unforgiveness makes for a difficult person.  When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus said, " You without sin cast the first stone."   Why do we try to take the speck out of our brother's eye, and leave the plank in our own?    Pride!  True humility is seeing everyone through the eyes of Jesus.  Each person, was somebody's baby at one point.    Life is hard.    Many time people become bully's because they have been severely abused.    We each have a plethora of experiences that shape us into who we are.    If you are blessed enough to have turned into a person you like, thank God for that.  Ask Him to keep helping you walk the walk.   Hurting people hurt others.   Try to love others where they are at today.   Ask Jesus for the strength to do so.    Our humane condition, makes us feel judgy and unforgiving.   Jesus give us the strength to  be accepting, kind and forgiving.    If we are to be fishers of men we have to have good bait.   Not just to catch them but to help others truly know Jesus, His love, forgiveness, newness of life and life everlasting!!

Can you get past the fear and have love?

 John 17:25-26 "Righteous Father, though. The world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.  26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."   (These are the words of Jesus.).  Is the love of God in you attracting others to Jesus?   Is having a loving spirit how you identify yourself? Or are you easily offended and find fault in others then go a head and gossip and complain?   We are called to love others as Jesus loves us.     My friends were just downtown Minneapolis, they said it’s a different experience now because of all the people hanging out on street corners and  urinating there.    It’s hard for me to have love in my heart for people I fear.   Only through the powerful gift of Jesus can I see past my fear.