Star-fish

     After our Beth Moore study on James today some of the ladies from my table stayed and talked about the idea of Adam's seed within us. They wondered how they could make godly choices in their lives if they were sinners. We discussed that once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He sends His Holy Spirit within us to guide, comfort and assist us in our daily lives. (That doesn't mean as Christians we can't ignore the Spirit's guidance and make sinful decisions.) They had gone to church for many years, but still did not understand how to get the Holy Spirit to dwell within them.      I talked them through what is called, "The Sinner's Prayer," and explained that knowing Christ Jesus is different from being in a relationship with Him. We all know a lot of people, these people may even come to the door of our homes and knock, but if we don't open the door and invite them in, we will remain strangers with no relationship to one another. The B...

     The study of James this week with Beth Moore hit the nail on the head for me and my life. I kept reading, especially on pages 57-60, and thought Beth must have gotten ahold of my journals from high school to the present! She wrote about people blaming God for either tempting them or making them in such a way that they are easily tempted. Of course, Moore clarifies that "God is holy and righteous, incapable of wrongdoing and absent of darkness" so "the temptation to blame God for our temptations is as ripe as the fruit on the forbidden tree." In other words, humans have been playing the blame game since Eve picked the fruit in the Garden of Eden.      Beth talks about "deformed desire" where we take a passion too far and it crosses the line over to sin. She notes of her past sin behaviors, "I so often willingly reached for exactly what would burn me. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I loved it then hated myself for loving it. Then I'...

     Today our pastor preached in Revelations on Hell (Hades and The Lake of Fire). It's interesting how society has trivialized Hell as being a place of debauchery and partying. It is no such place! It is where the souls, that are separated from God due to their lack of faith in Christ Jesus His Son, will go to live eternity in darkness so thick it can be felt, heat so hot it burns the lungs, but doesn't not kill the spirit. NO ONE, not your worst enemies, should end up there, but they will because they think for some reason that it is a "cool" place.      Satan works on us through subtle lies, white lies, long tales, even "friendly" jokes to think that Hell isn't the bad place Christians make it out to be. He helps us get mired in the world through advertising and media that tell us we deserve more, so we are never content. We become dissatisfied with our lives, marriages, body images, and even family members because they don't make us "happy...

     Sorry I missed you yesterday. Frankly, I got a bit despondent of late and needed to wallow in my personal pity party, but God...I love it in the Bible when someone does or says something and then the scripture says, "but God..." I always know it's time for an intervention!      So today I'm studying in Daniel with Beth Moore. I'm going to pretty much type out a full section of her study guide, Daniel-Lives of Integrity-Words of Prophecy , as it struck me so personally and hope it will impact you as well.  On pages 24 & 25 Moore notes the following in response to our reading of Daniel chapter one where Daniel has been taken into captivity into Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar is essentially trying to "reprogram" all the young male slaves into Babylonians (a very worldly people):       Recall our discussion over Daniel's resolve and how it demanded something from him daily. Bone-deep resolve doesn't develop by going to church eve...

     I read a story in Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul today by Karen O'Connor. She noted that she was haunted by the face of the woman who had broken up her marriage, then later married her husband. She was losing sleep and losing her health. She blamed herself and was full of resentment, guilt and anger all of which drained her.      Eventually after trying a multitude of venues; she went to a seminar at a church on the healing power of forgiveness. She was asked to picture the person she could not forgive, then consider whether she was willing to forgive that person. Although her body and mind were repulsed by the idea, she knew her life depended on it.      She writes, "Then a voice within gently asked, "Are you ready to let go of this? To release her? To forgive yourself, too?...Yes, I was willing. I couldn't hold on to my anger any longer. It was killing me. In that moment, an incredible shift occurred within me. I simply...

     I'm studying the book of James currently and the issue of faith and works comes up with James' controversial statement, "a man is justified by works, and not by faith only" (James 2:24 NKJV). A pamphlet by Mart De Haan from November 2011 regarding "A Faith That Works," seems to address this battle of the ages. Below are a few excerpts from Mart De Haan in which he encouraged us, "To maintain this balance...to remind ourselves of the importance of both the faith that saves and the practical outworking of a faith that works." Because we believe the Bible is a reliable revelation of God, we want our lives to reflect what the Scriptures teach us about who our Creator is, what He values, and what He wants to do in and through us.  Because we believe Jesus died in our place and rose from the dead to live His life through anyone who will trust Him, we want to spend the rest of our lies letting others see that what He has done for us, He can do for ...

     We are studying James in my Tuesday morning women's Bible study by Beth Moore. Today the subject of swearing came up. Unfortunately, I let one slip every once in a while and before becoming a Christian I swore like a sailor:( But it's definitely something the Lord convicts me of when one does get loose. We were talking about how we need to come together and help one another know and understand what things in our lives might be interfering with our walk with the Lord or for that matter others' walk with the Lord.       Jesus reminds me, in my heart-I'm not hearing any voices:), that if He were physically standing in the room with me would I swear? And of course I agree in my heart that, "No, I would not, Lord." So why then is it OK to do now? "It's not," I answer. I am again humbled and know that the reason it's not a good thing to do is that it does not edify others, lift up God or draw people closer to God through me. In fact, it may p...

     Recently I was reading how Christians can be guilty of "false humility." This "false humility" is demonstrated when we put ourselves down when we've done something noteworthy or other praise our skills and talents. That idea struck me between the eyes! I can always find things that are faults in myself, but rarely appreciate the God-given gifts I have been given.       I received an email from a friend who just recently started a blog. In her blog, she noted that she had few skills, " I don't have a lot of talents or gifts but what I do have, I'd like to use." I chastised her in a follow-up email about this comment and noted, "... don't down play yourself and your gifts...it shows ungratefulness toward God and all He's blessed you with which is numerous skills and talents. Sorry to be so stern, but you don't want the devil to get a foothold and that kind of speech (which I do as well out of false humility) speaks negative...

     I've found this new website, that I'm not going to tell you about as I don't want you to become addicted to it too, and I've noticed the hours slipping away as I'm on it. It's interesting as last night I had this dream where I felt like things were slipping away in my life and the only visual I can recall from it was this witchlike hand reaching up and grabbing onto my laptop and dragging it down with her. Creepy! But then my friend Helen sent out the following script today: "...you were once darkness but now you are light in the Lord...find out what pleases the Lord...Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness..." Eph 5 Be very careful how you live your life & seek to understand what the Lord's will is for you. Make good use of your time. God Bless You, Helen      Hmmmm....could there be a message in all this...time to shut down the computer and get back to life and the living! KT I love nature, but spend little time outsi...

     Saturday is cleaning day. Cleaning is just not one of my gifts:) I'd much rather create messes than pick them up and organize them. But, none-the-less God is a God of order, not of chaos. I always feel so much better when everything is in its place and I've gotten rid of stuff I either don't use or don't need.      I have a couple of friends that are great examples for me of what a clean and organized home looks like. One says she prefers the minimalist approach or "less is more" in her home design. So she doesn't purchase much or use much in her home decor. Another is the type that doesn't keep anything unused around for any more than a year. If it's not used in a year, it goes to Goodwill.      What I feel the Lord has spoken into my heart lately is, "Why are you keeping things that you don't use, but that others need?" Although I'm far from being a hoarder, there are definitely things around our home that haven't bee...

     As a female, one of my most precious gifts is my girlfriends. Just sitting with them and hanging out is my favorite pastime. Today I had lunch with five other ladies and we talked of current events, decorating, family, and God's goodness.      God calls us to get together with fellow believers. They keep us accountable and on track. They support us and encourage us. Most of all they remind us that even in the bad times, God is with us not against us. He's allowing us opportunities to be stretched and grow. Only others that have been through the fires of life and come out on the other side without even the smell of smoke can commiserate with us in our times of trial. KT Butterflies must struggle out of their chrysalis to push blood into their wings to grow strong enough to fly. Hebrews 10:25 We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the d...

     Tonight while I was out walking my dog and frantic woman approached me to ask if I'd seen her little black terrier. Apparently, she had stopped by a friend's house and put the window down a bit for the dog. When she came back out he was gone. She was making signs, telling everyone that passed by and posted it on our egroup.      When I got home and told my husband, he suggested we go out and help look. We looked until it started to get dark and returned home and said a prayer for the dog to return home or be found by neighbors. Being dog lovers ourselves, it was hard not knowing whether the dog had gotten home safely or not.       People that do not believe in Jesus Christ are called "lost" until they "find" the LORD. The Bible talks about the lost being found and the search that often goes on in people's lives when they have lost something precious. We are precious to the LORD and you can be sure that He will continue to provide ways ...

     Lately the Lord's been pressing on my heart the need to be grateful. It seems like every day I come across articles about being content, grateful in the present and friends discussing journals that they keep with lists of things they are thankful for. Unfortunately, I have also run across individuals daily that can't find a nice thing to say about anyone or anything. (I was repenting today as well for my destructive words that were anything but helpful.)      It crossed my mind, "What must God think about all our complaining?" Most of us have running water in both hot and cold temperatures, electricity, a home to live in and food to eat, often in excess so we complain about our weight. And yet...we are not happy. What would it take for us to be happy?      We create "wish lists" whether on paper or simply in our minds of what it would take to make us feel better, look better, or be better people. We may wish for skinnier arms while oth...

     I went to a women's Bible study at my church today and spoke with a couple of ladies about habits. We discussed how difficult bad habits are to break and how hard good habits are to get started. A friend of mine said the other day that she doesn't like to go to Zumba or Curves, but it's something she knows she needs to do to stay fit and keep her weight down.      Doing what we want to do is not always what we need to do. In Romans 7:15 here is what the disciple Paul say about his similar struggle, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."      My friend Helen (below) speaks to how our actions influence those around us. If we are to walk this life for the LORD then our best ministry is to emulate Christ to those in our sphere of influence so that one day they will choose Him and receive everlasting life. What a sad moment, when due to our unwillingness to change our ways, we lead others a...

     Sunday morning we woke to no internet access. A quick call to our provider informed us that our modem was outdated and no longer functioning. I was surprised at the number of times I thought about checking my email or getting on the internet then realized it was to no avail. I thought about being off-line with no connection, outdated and no longer functioning. It made me think about my relationship with the LORD.      How often am I "off-line" and feeling "no connection" with Him? Do I then readily seek His Word, the Holy Bible, various times throughout the day to get back in-line with Him and His principles and reconnect with my Creator? Or do I see the Bible as "outdated" or "no longer functioning" in today's society, in my daily personal issues?      God is near and present for all believers, all the time. It's believers that break the connection and allow the static of life to block out the directions of the Operator of the Uni...

          Anyone who has had too much alcohol to drink can probably agree with the Proverb below regarding alcohol causing them to act foolishly. The reasons for drinking are too many to list here, but the bottom-line for most drinkers is to reduce their stress. My experience is that the stress reduction is only temporary, then the problems caused by the drinking increases my stress and problems. It's a vicious cycle that needs to be analyzed before imbibing for the sake of the individual, his/her loved ones and strangers that may come into contact with him/her. KT This plant is called a Sea Grape from the island of Aruba. Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

     Today I went to the home of a former colleague who is a retired art teacher. She is giving me painting lessons. My job was to create value charts using black and white acrylic paints or black with water for water colors. Tints are when white is added and shading is when black is added. Essentially what I had was a sequence of white, shades of gray and black.      Life is that pattern as well. White in light is a combination of colors (note the rainbow), but an absence of colors in pigments such as paints. Black is the absence of light which makes darkness, but a combination of colors when using pigments. Everything in between is gray area, the adding to or taking away of white/light or black/light. Confusing since many can't agree on all this thus it becomes a "gray area."      People that have said they died and saw heaven, before being brought back to life, often note that they were drawn to a bright light and saw rich colors like non...

     I met with a friend for coffee this morning. She had news about her life that she was concerned about sharing. Once we talked, she felt revealed about my response and our discussion. She noted the Bible verse, Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." As concerned as she was about sharing with me, I too was a bit nervous to give her my thoughts as I didn't want them misconstrued or want to offend her.      I think sometimes the Lord brings people together to keep each other on track with Him. Kind of like accountability partners and we would be remiss if we didn't say, in love, what we felt the Lord was leading us to say to one another. I love my friend. She brings joy, humor and freshness into my life each time I visit with her. May I be such a blessing to her and to others. KT This wood carving would be nothing but a block of wood  without the artist using sharp iron tools to carve beautiful shapes into it. I know...

     I often hear people say they don't understand the Bible or it doesn't apply to their lives. I think that is true of anything we don't know much about. If you don't read up on it, practice it and apply it whether it's a computer, food processor, or board game, you won't understand it or know how to use it properly. The same is true of the Word of God-The Bible, until you read it, practice it and apply it, you won't understand how to use it for your good and God's purposes. If you don't read the manual, study and get training, this computer is nothing, but an dust collector. The same goes for your Bible on the shelf. If you don't have a Bible there are several on-line. Here are two that I use:  http://www.jrsbible.info/ and  http://www.biblegateway.com/ II Timothy 3:  16  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  17  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly eq...

   My tongue tends to get me into trouble. It seems impossible for me to hold my tongue when a funny, angry or creative thought comes into my mind. The LORD notes over and over in the Bible that the fool is the one that lets her tongue have its way. I know what that says about me:) As I mature (which appears to be a slow process) the ability to check myself and my need to express my thoughts that bubble up is improving, but the LORD knows I still have more room to grow! KT I recently taught my dog to speak and now she has "found her voice"! John3:3  When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  4  Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  5  Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  6...

     I went to the movie, Courageous , with my husband and another couple last night. It's an inspiring Christian film that reminds us that our priorities need to be focused on God, family and others. If we lose our focus, we wander and get lost, often others join us in our wilderness. In the wake of our sin lies the collateral damage of injured family, friends and even strangers.      The movie reminded me that my actions, beliefs and character (or lack there of) creates a domino effect in the world around me. I am the pebble that is thrown into the smooth waters of others' lives, causing either gentle ripples of change or tsunamis of destruction. This year my focus will be on God, others and self in that order, then God can make the changes that only He knows will ripple throughout eternity. KT Ripples on the Pacific Ocean, a welcome sight to those at sea. But the Pacific Rim full of volcanoes and earthquake activity can make this "peaceful sea" anythi...

     I'm sure you've heard the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well, yesterday my husband and I picked over 400 lemons off our one lemon tree. We gave most of them away to neighbors and friends since one year we spent hours juicing them and freezing the juice and never used it! It reminded me of the sermon our youth pastor gave today in the absence of our regular pastor. Pastor Kyle Powell spoke about our God-given gifts.      He read from Ephesians 4 and noted how we have all been given gifts by God to use in service to Him. If we never "unwrap" our gifts and share them with others then we rob God, the church, others and ourselves from the wonderful blessings that our gifts can bring to the body of Christ. He said people often come to church and sit on the bench, being "consumers rather than contributors."      People, including myself at times, go to church expecting it to be about them and making sure they are please...

     My next women's Bible study is on James. So today I began rereading this little book of the New Testament. I have so many highlights, underlines and notes in the margins in this chapter that few sentences are untouched. If you don't consider yourself religious or you do, I would highly recommend reading this book of the Bible. It speaks to how we should live with and amongst one another and improve ourselves. (On an aside, make sure you don't read from a King James Version of the Bible though, that's difficult for anyone to follow. I highly recommend the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.)      James 1:26-27 states, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." I know for mysel...

     When I was a teacher and a student would come up to me with his/her project and say, "Is this good enough?" I would ask in return, "What do you think?" Most replied, "Yes." In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins writes on page 1, "Good is the enemy of great...Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life." In his book, Collins and his team try to identify the qualities that make up good companies and great companies. He responds on page 11 with the following, "Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice."      Max Lucado in his book, Six Hours One Friday , on pages 48-49 notes, "How many congregations have just enough religion to come together, but not enough passion to go out?...A little bit of faith but very little fire...Good people. Lots of ideas. Plenty of good intentions." My previous boss, Rick Miller CEO of Kids at Hope echoed this point ...

     In Luke 6:27-36, Jesus Christ tells us that we are to love our enemies and He reminds us that if we only do good to or love those that can reciprocate than we are no better than sinners who do the same. In Luke 6:31 the verse often called "The Golden Rule" says, "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." The problem that we sometimes run into is that we do good to or love others and they do evil and hurtful things to us. Then what? Do we keep doing good regardless of another's actions, walk away, or become bitter?      I've often heard people say, "I send her gifts and she never even bothers to send a 'Thank you' card." The only answer I've ever had to such statements is this, "If you want to send a gift, do so because that's what you want to do. If you will not be happy if you don't receive a gift in kind or a 'thank you' then don't send a gift at all." Because having exp...

     Max Lucado in his book, Six Hours One Friday, wrote a chapter called "Fatal Failures." The chapter spoke to me as I've had my share of failures and one in particular that feels like it was fatal, at least professionally. On page 58, Lucado writes, "What do you do with your failures? Our mistakes come to us as pebbles, small stones that serve as souvenirs of our stumbles. We carry them in our hands, and soon our hands are full. We put them in our pockets and soon our pockets bulge. We place them in a bag and put it over our shoulder; the burlap scratches and chaps. And soon the bag of yesterday's failures is so heavy we drag it...Nothing drags more stubbornly than a sack of failures."      Lucado continues on page 66, "Each one different. No two alike. None identical...He (God) had created people for splendor. They had settled for mediocrity. He had formed them with love. They had scarred each other with hate."      I find it interesti...