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Sin Destroys BUT GOD Redeems
Romans 3:23For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. “Sin will take you further than you ever expected to go; it will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever expected to pay.”Kay Arthur Anointed Transformed Redeemed A Study of David The most recent Bible study that I am in with my prayer partners is Anointed Transformed Redeemed A Study of David. This Bible study was written by some of my favorite authors Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore and Kay Arthur. It is a great study of David; a man after God’s own heart. We walk through his life, his anointing, transformation, his failures and redemption. It brings light and hope, knowing that even David a man after God’s own heart was human and fallible. He, like me, at times, failed miserably. Yet, God, in His loving kindness and tender mercies redeems him. As David repents, God restores. God disciplines those He loves and the discipline is painful. God blesses David as he learns hard truths. God disciplines us and blesses us as we repent and turn to Him. He restores all that is lost. He gives us renewed hope and purpose. He never leaves or forsakes us. He is a good good Father whom is faithful! With Sin, You NEVER Win It only takes a second to sinOne thought, one action; we lose, not win.When at a crossroad, it is decision time.Stop. Turn around. Don’t yield. Walk a straight line. The road of sin leads to death.It brings negative consequences, there is no peaceful rest.Sin causes us to dig a deeper pit.One that is filled with evil and regret. King David had it all!Wives, valiant warriors, respect before his fall.It only took one look and then, a gaze.His heart lusted for Bathsheba, then life became a haze. He committed adultery, murder; digging a deeper pit of sin.Lies. Deception. There was no way to win.The prophet, Nathan, was sent by the LORD to confront David’s ways.David confessed his sin. Repented. Heavy consequences were paid. But GOD, in His lovingkindness made a way.To restore David (and us) to Him each day.God sent Jesus, His only Son.The unblemished Lamb, the Chosen One. Jesus paid the price.He is our ultimate sacrifice.Our sin cost Him His life.He willingly died to remove our filth, grime, grief and strife. He rose to defeat death and the grave.Our very lives to eternally save.We need to die to sin; live for Christ.Be thankful and praise Him for His sacrifice. He will return soon.Morning. Night or Noon.Will he find us full of sin: selfishness, arrogance, pride?Will He find us crucified with Him on the inside? You have a choice each day.Walk with Him? Go your own way?At a crossroad, which way will you go?Choosing a slippery slope of sin will take you down fast, not slow. There is nowhere that you can run or hide.God sees all; knows our inside.Come to Him today.Confess your sin. Repent. Run to Him, not away. Run into His arms.He will forgive, restore, protect from harm.His ways are so much higher.Relationship with us is his desire. Written by Kim Clodfelter Photo Credits: Zac Ong
Bitter or Better?
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. This morning as I walked around my yard, looking at my flowers, my heart was sad. I worked so hard last Fall to plant tulip bulbs! After the difficult year of 2020, I was hopeful to add cheer and beauty this Spring. I love Spring! I love flowers! The colors, fragrance and beauty brighten my day. Until a few days ago, my tulips were green and growing. I was looking forward to seeing the colors and smelling their fragrance. But now, they lie in their beds, wilted, brown and with little hope of life left in them. What happened? My husband, being a bit of a perfectionist, recently declared “war” on the weeds in the yard. Since we have several acres, he borrowed a large sprayer and formulated his plan of attack. He executed according to plan. However, he got a little too close to my flower beds. The wind was blowing and blew some of the weed killer onto my flowers. Now, not only the weeds seem to be dying, but my tulips too. At first, admittingly, I was upset! I had worked so hard! I had anxiously been anticipating my flower extravaganza arrival. But now, it doesn’t appear this will happen. After pondering, I have thought of the many disappointments in my life. Some small and some big. I have lived through molestation, domestic violence, divorce, single parenting, job changes, suicide. At times, I was a victim and bad things happened. At other times, I made unwise destructive choices and brought negative consequences upon myself. God always gives us a choice. The question is What will we do? Will be choose to be bitter or better? Will we choose to be a victim or be a victor? Some life situations are far more hurtful and disappointing than losing my flowers. However, how we handle our choice is similar. I could choose to be angry with my husband, rant and rave about carelessness. Or I can choose to forgive him. He didn’t set out to intentionally kill my flowers. It was an accident. If I chose to be angry, then I begin to harbor bitterness. Bitterness quickly builds deep roots. It can quickly consume a person and take on a life of its own; building a heart of hardness. I can choose to be better. I can seek God and ask Him to teach me something in the trial or circumstance. I can pray and ask God for a forgiving heart. I can choose to forgive people for wrong things they have done to me and I can ask forgiveness for wrongs that I have committed. We have a BIG God who loves us more than we know! He brings peace to the past; hope for the future. He rescues the perishing and gives new life! Today, bring your cares to Him. Choose to be better, not bitter. Photo Credit of Tulips: Ralston Smith @ralstonhsmith
What are you eating?
Proverbs 24: 13-14 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. In January, I had my annual medical physical. This was a routine check complete with blood work. After the year that we had in 2020, I was not surprised to see the number on the doctor’s scales. My clothes had become a bit tighter than normal. My exercise routine was in a lull. I had not been watching my diet. Being at home and trying to isolate from Covid-19, I found myself baking and eating more; especially desserts. Breads, cupcakes, pies and cookies became “comfort food.” There is something about the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls that seems to scream “All is well!”! I found that I had slipped into a pattern of choosing unhealthy snacks and consuming a lot of calories. The excess calories had caused me to pack on extra pounds. I’m sure that I am not alone in this “dilemma”. When my lab results came back, a few were not good. I needed to alter my eating habits and make wiser choices or else I may need to take medication. So, I began a lifestyle eating change. I chose to go on the Mediterranean diet. This diet is more of a lifestyle of eating fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat, fish, beans and nuts. I stopped eating sugar, artificial sweeteners and things made with white flour. I gave up my diet soda and drink mostly water and a little coffee and tea. At first, my husband was a little “apprehensive”. He loves sweets and snacks more than I do! But, once we started and his weight started dropping, he was onboard and happy. We are a few weeks into our new eating habits and see/feel a big difference. So far, he has lost close to 40 pounds and I have lost 14. He has been able to cut some of his medication in half. In a few weeks, I will have my blood work rechecked and expect to see a difference. Last week, I was texting with one of my close friends. We had seen each other face to face the evening before. She was commenting on how she had noticed that I had lost lots of weight. She was asking me how I was feeling. As I responded to her that I felt so much better, I felt the LORD speaking to my heart about applying this spiritually as well. When your physical body is healthy and you are eating whole foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, eggs, etc…), limiting processed foods, you operate at a premium. But, in contrast, when you eat sugar, more carbs, salt, your body suffers, packs on pounds and becomes unhealthy. It is like putting diesel fuel into a gas engine. It just doesn’t work. It gums things up because a gas engine is designed for gas, not diesel and vice versa. This is the same thing when applied spiritually. When your diet is on the Word of God and truth, your spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When you snack and maintain a diet on secular television programs, news broadcasts, video games, etc., your spirit may be overcome by fear, hate, anxiety, violence and discord. It is Spring, a time of renewal! Take a moment today and do a self-evaluation of your physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health. If you find yourself needing to make some changes, NOW is the time to do it! In 1 Corinthians 6:19, we believers are asked “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” Let’s honor God by reading, praying, listening, meditating and obeying His Word. Let’s honor God by eating more fresh whole foods and less processed foods. Let’s exercise more and get moving! Psalms 34:8Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. FOOD FOR THOUGHT You have heard it said, “You are what you eat.”Do you eat fruit and vegetables or donuts, cookies; something sweet?Do you eat healthy protein?Or do you eat snacks, chips instead of meat that is lean?Your physical diet is important to health.Examine what you eat to see if you are bankrupt or have great wealth.If you do not eat healthy foods the body needs, The body becomes sluggish, tired and fat proceeds.A life of disease and inactivity become the result.Numerous medicines taken and doctors you must consult.For the choices we make each day – Have a long term effect in every way.The same is true with your heart and mind.What you fill your mind with is what comes out of your mouth, you will find.Are you reading God’s word, the Bible, knowing truth?Or are you feeding on news, playing video games, watching something uncouth?What are you feeding your soul?Are you moving closer to God, filled with joy, becoming healthy and whole?Are you growing in humility, love, joyfully serving and sharing?Or are you turning your back on the hurting, not caring?Do you intentionally seek God, His will each day?Do you surrender to His will and diligently pray?Or do you just “go through the motions” out of habit?Devotions become a “check box” exercise; quick as a rabbit.Do you ponder on God’s Word? Or are there competing voices in your head that is heard?Like the right type of food is important for the body, the right type of “food” is important for your spirit.Open up God’s Word. Be still, so you can hear it.Let the WORD penetrate your heart.Repent from sin. Get a fresh start.Let the Holy Spirit work in you life – Providing peace, ridding of anxiety, grief and strife.Let the fruit of the Spirit grow.So others see Jesus in you and come to know.Jesus is the only way.To be healthy and whole and to spend eternity with Him in heaven some day. Photo Credit Salad: Louis Hansel @shotsoflouisPhoto Credit Scale: Theme Inn@themeinn
Jesus is Coming SOON
The time is NOW. The day is here. To choose Jesus Christ as Savior and LORD; His coming is near. Like a train pulling into the station signals. The call goes out “Come to me.” to every man, woman child across every nation. The train bound for glory will quickly depart. Have you invited Jesus into your heart? This is the ticket needed to ride. The steep price was paid when Jesus died. When He rose from the grave- Those who accept His gift; no longer are sin’s slave. He broke the chains of death and sin; set us free. When you accept His gift, you will be on the train bound for glory! Do not delay. You better make haste. There is no more time to waste. When that final whistle blows and the train departs, it will be too late. The door will be closed like the door to Noah’s ark. The train will be bound for heaven’s gate. Those left behind will suffer much tribulation. There will be horrific pain and chaos in every nation. Today is the day for SALVATION! Photo Credit: Claudio Schwarz @purzlbaum
Life is Hard BUT GOD is GOOD
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. These words from Proverbs speak to my heart this morning. On one level, I trust the LORD with my whole heart, my entire being. I know that He is good, faithful and true. I have learned through the most difficult times when I can’t understand with my mind, that I can trust Him. Yet, today, as I write with a heavy heart I find myself crying out for His grace, mercy and understanding. I am human. There are things in this life that seem difficult and unfair from my perspective. However, I know that I am so very limited in my understanding. This is the reason that I cannot lean on my own understanding. Yesterday, I received a text message from a good friend, Deb. We have been friends since high school. Through the four years, we were inseparable. We both lived in the country, a few miles apart. We went to church, youth group, Girls Athletic Association together. We took classes together. We played basketball, bowled, went shopping, ate pizza. We were involved in each other’s life. After high school, she went onto college and I went directly into the hospital medical laboratory school. Our lives grew apart as distance separated. My life immediately changed when I was playing softball with the hospital team that first summer after high school. I had a tragic accident. I collided with the first base woman. She was 6’2″. I am only 5’2″. She didn’t budge. I hit her full speed. I saw the ball coming out of the corner of my eye and I ducked. I hit her squarely in the pelvis and fell flat on my back. I had never been hit that hard in my life. I lay on the ground dazed and in pain. But, I didn’t want anyone to know. I was helped to my feet and tried to play in the outfield. I could barely stand. The umpire made me take a seat. So, I watched from the sidelines. When the game was over, some of my team members kept urging me to go to the hospital and have an x-ray of my neck. I refused to go until I went to a farewell party for a departing team member. At the party, I was in excruciating pain. My neck was stiff. I could not turn my head. I became concerned with how I was going to be able to drive or even dress myself. So, I reluctantly agreed to go with my friends to ER. The ER doctor immediately sent me to Radiology. At this point, it took me every ounce of strength to get on and off of the table. Once the technician was done, she came in and said “Don’t move!” Almost instantaneously there was an entire room of ER nurses and a doctor in the room. They put me on a cart, sandbagged my head and admitted me to a hospital room. The diagnosis: Broken neck. I had two fractures in my Atlas vertebrae. I had to lie on my back, in traction for two weeks. I had to be in a walking cast for a month and a collar for three months. This experience was extremely difficult! My doctor had lunch with me when I was back at the hospital as a student. He told me that I was his “miracle patient.” He went on to explain “You are so fortunate. You could have sneezed hard and could have been paralyzed from the neck down your entire life.” There were times that I was told that I would never regain full mobility of my neck. I was told that I would not be able to complete lab school on time to graduate. I was told that I would be unable to play ball or do many activities that I enjoyed. There were many “naysayers”. But I say this to tell you that God had a different plan. He taught me to have compassion for people that have to be in a hospital. He showed me how to be patient and helped me to learn to appreciate the small things in life; like the ability to eat (lying flat on my back). He taught me to trust in Him. I learned humility the hard way. I was dependent on my mom. She sacrificed her time to help me, to be there for me. I have never forgotten and will be eternally grateful! God used this time to teach me perseverance. Obstacle after obstacle kept coming my way. But God, time after time, either removed the obstacle, helped me climb over it, or enabled me to bear it. Fast forward, back to Deb. For several months, she has been going through a very intense difficult journey. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have personally not received this diagnosis but have walked alongside my grandmother, my friend Kellie and now, Deb. I have always admired breast cancer survivors. They are among the most persevering warriors that live on this planet! They have dealt with diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, radiation therapy, skin issues, organ issues; the list seems endless! Yet, they smile! They persevere! They have hope! All three of the women in my life that I have walked with have one thing in common, JESUS! They all have loved Jesus! He is the anchor in their life! Today, I would ask that you pray for Deb. She is in her third week of radiation therapy. She is broken, and hurting. She has been under siege from naysayers. Please pray for her to be strengthened. Pray against damage to her lungs, heart and skin. Pray that the lymphedema will be gone and that she will be completely healed. I believe in miracles! I believe in the God of miracles! I am trusting, believing in God and not leaning on my own understanding! Abba,I am weary today.I hardly have words; know what to say.Broken. I come; fall on my knees and begin to pray.Where do I start?I have so much pain and grief in my heart.Life’s journey seems so very hard.My body aches and is scarred.The chemotherapy and radiation seem to be taking a toll.Tears fall, like a tide rolls.I need Your touch today.Strengthen me in every way.You truly understand.Every trial, every pain. You hold my hand.Help me to stay focused on You.Take these gray days. Give me skies of blue.Let me feel the sunshine and warmth of Your love.Lift me up. Set my mind and feet high above.I trust You, my Father, my LORD.I stand on Your promises, Your Word.You do not lie. You NEVER fail!Your love will always prevail!You are my anchor in this storm.You hold tightly; keep me safe and warm.Through this dark valley, You lead and guide.You are with me; live on the inside!I will praise You in this trial!I lift my head. I see You smile! Softball Mitt & Pink Tennis Ball Photo Credits: Ben Hershey@benhersheyJourney Photo Credits: Vlad Bagacian@vladbagacianStrength Photo Credit: Dulcey Lima
Don’t Let the Urgent Get in the Way of Important
I hurried, rushed through the day. Not stopping; taking the time to pray. I rushed around. Scurrying through chores; no time for God I found. Worries and anxiety began to creep in. I found my patience wearing thin. I pushed forward; busy doing more. Every burden heavier than the one before. I let the urgent dictate the pace. Soon I was caught up in a rat race. I stopped; realized that I was distracted. I bowed my head, quieted my heart and reacted. I asked God into my day. Took the time to be quiet and humbly pray. I had tried to do things my way. Instead of laying my burdens at the feet of Jesus to stay. He took my cares; removed my fears. Picked me up; dried my tears. He organized my steps; did the chores. Reassured me He loved me forever more. Don’t let the urgent needs Or endless greed Get in the way Of taking the time to be with Jesus today! Begin your day in prayer. Leave with Him all your cares. Trust in Him to carry you through. He can do exceedingly more than you expect Him to do! Written by Kim Clodfelter Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash