Our appetizers dictate the direction of our lives, whether it’s the cravings of our stomachs or the passionate desire for possessions or power, or the longing of our spirits for God.
When we fill ourselves with the world we will have no room for the things of God. It’s like having to eat two Thanksgiving meals close together the first one tastes wonderful because we are hungry and the second one isn’t appetizing because we are already full from the first one.
Those who follow Jesus hunger for anything besides God can be an enemy. We need to hunger for God and Him alone that’s the only thing that will bring victory.
John Piper put it this way, “If we don’t feel a strong desire for the manifestation of the glory of God, it’s not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It’s because we have nibbled so long at the table of the world that our souls are satisfied with small things, and there is no room for the great.
When God is the supreme hunger of our hearts, He will be supreme in everything else. It’s when we are more satisfied in Him, He will be more glorified in us.
The Bible is God’s revelation of Himself. It reveals who God is, and it also serves to reveal who we are. The Bible teaches us how to believe and live in such a way that pleases God. It’s a wealth of wisdom, a treasury of knowledge, an abundance of instruction, and a trustworthy source of truth.
Sometimes we forget that. We listen to a sermon, and we read daily from it, while these things are centered on God’s Word, sometimes we can get so familiar with that word, or at least portions of it, that we neglect to appreciate what God is saying. Sometimes we read something and stop and reflect, and we look again not just because of what is being said, but the manner in which it’s being said. For example Hebrews 6:19 says,
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
What a huge promise He makes us there. We see this promise being made in Genesis, to Abraham which we inherited by choosing to believe in the same God Abraham did. God not only promised this, but went the extra step and guaranteed it with an oath. This verse tells us that all the descendants of Abraham would be blessed. Not with anything trivial and fleeting as health, wealth, and prosperity, but instead we are blessed with every spiritual blessing that Jesus has. There are three reasons we need to anchor our souls:
Hardships will come
Lp,. -We should not only have to anchor our souls, but it is also what keeps us stable. We need this more than ever because:
An anchor to our souls it was written to a group of struggling believers who were undergoing persecution. Hope is an anchor that tells us to keep going, continue, and endure. To persevere. Do not give up the faith even through hardship is a present reality.
Hardship is a present reality just by living in a broken world, but there will be seasons in our lives when hardship becomes acute. We need the urgency to keep going. Along with that urgency comes the reminder that we are a firm anchor for our souls, in times of hardship.
Our hearts tend to drift
No matter how long we’ve been walking with Jesus, we all have tendency to drift. If you left a ship in the middle of a body of water, no matter how calm or serene the water might seem on the surface, it will inevitably start to drift. That’s because even though the surface appeared calm, there are currents constantly operating below the surface, so it is with a human heart.
Everything might seem fine on the surface. Life might be put together. And our theology might be on point. Yet inside us all there is an undercurrent of sin. And because it’s there, we all have a tendency to drift. And no one drifts toward Jesus, only away from Him. This is why we need to stay anchored. Because if we are not, then we will slowly, but surely start to drift away.
We are too easily pleased
There are many things that can caused us to drift. An enticing relationship, or the love of money, or even chasing some ambition. When we take our focus off God, we instead begin to meander our way towards other things. Things that promise us satisfaction and joy, but never truly deliver. We have a tendency to believe that promise because we are too easily pleased.
We settle. We become content to find temporal pleasure and satisfaction, and the things of the world instead of by faith, believing that the greatest, and only real lasting satisfaction can be found in God. We need to anchor our souls because we know ourselves, and we know that unless we are firmly anchored in the promise of what is and what is to come, then we will settle or something less.
A few years ago I would have said a beach home, while I would still love a beach house I would like it in a private beach. The most practical choice would be a small farm with a few animals and a garden.
Allowing ourselves to take a break from life’s regular routines helps us to rest, and helps with creativity. No matter what we choose to do it’s a way to reduce stress and decrease burnout and helps us refocus on the things that matter. Taking breaks means giving ourselves permission to unplug and let go, which is actually easier said than done for many of us. It gives us a chance to rest our brains, shift from daily habits, and let our minds wander.
Everyday is a blessing from God because we are alive. Waking up, and having God’s mercy, grace, and love.
My ideal day would begin with a cup of coffee and a long hot shower. Lunch with friends and then a walk, when I return home to sit down with a good book and enjoy the quiet afternoon. When my husband gets home I get dinner ready and then spend time with him.
“For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is One who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way” -2 Thessalonians 2:7
Jesus said, “take heed that no man deceive you” in Matthew 24:4. Deception is a scary thing.
If you look around you at the things going on in our societies you might ask yourself. “Why are people going crazy.” I think the answer is in the verse above. I do not claim to be a prophecy teacher. But to me it seems clear what is happening. Bible prophecy is coming to pass right before our eyes.
When people are deceived, they believe with all their heart that they are doing right, but in reality, they are wrong.
The spirit of lawlessness is rebellious. They reject God’s love and truth, preferring instead sin and rebellion. It’s a rebellion against God’s order and it’s already at work. It is not random. It has a source. It has a direction. And the spirit of lawlessness is rampant in our nation.
I believe what’s going on today embodies actions and ideologies that oppose divine law, leading to moral and spiritual chaos. I don’t know if this lawlessness can be fixed at this point. Maybe we’ve reached a point where the “restrainer” is the only one who can stop it. But I do know what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 tells us,
“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by Word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.”
Scripture identified Satan as a primary force behind this lawlessness. It manifests through deceptive practices, including false, teaching and misleading doctrines. 1 Timothy 4:1 warns of individuals following “deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,” illustrating the propagation of lawlessness through spiritual deception. Timothy warns:
“But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons”
Additionally, 2 Corinthians 11:14 cautions, “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”
God sent the strong deluding influence when the Holy Spirit stopped restraining the spirit of lawlessness from inspiring “strong delusion” among those who perish.
On these premises, I believe this is what’s going on in the world today. To me, it seems the mystery of lawlessness can be understood as a divinely revealed truth about an ongoing, covert operation of rebellion against God‘s order, orchestrated by Satan. It operates through “deceiving spirits” putting into effect heresy and apostasy. Unrighteous deception and false teachings, subtly influencing humanity towards lawlessness, that will be completely unrestrained in its ultimate revelation in the end times.
Psalm 8 reminds us to entrust our lives to God’s care, calling on Him whenever we need. We are important to our great might Lord, so we need to ask Him to take charge over our lives. We can do this by submitting to Him, trusting Him and obeying His scriptures.
Applying Psalm 8 to our lives involves embracing a balanced perspective of humility and dignity. Recognizing the human insignificance against the moon and stars while embracing our high God-given value. Finding our self-worth in God rather than others.
You may have asked “why would the creator of the universe choose to rule the world through the cries of needy people? Psalm 8 says God the King of the creation made dependent people His royal partners. This may be unexpected news but it’s wonderful news to those who understand their need for God. It may feel offensive to those who want to rule their lives apart from God.
Throughout the Bible we see people who oppose violently this strategy for ruling the universe. And this opposition created a lot of chaos then and now. There are “religions” who will decapitate you for even saying the Name of Jesus.
But God established a stronghold of protection whenever one of His children humbly recognizes their need and calls out to Him.
As people, we have enemies that we can see and enemies that we cannot see. And we need protection from their hostile tactics. In Matthew 21, one of the enemies of the vulnerable was the greed of power-hungry religious leaders. They set themselves against Jesus and all His followers. The Bible talks about dark, unseen spiritual beings who wage war against God and His people.
Jesus became the firstborn of the new humanity of royal babies, who continued to overcome the enemy with humble cries to God. And because of what Jesus accomplished, we can partner with Jesus’s mission and overcome the enemy as we admit our weaknesses and rely on God to help us in every area of our lives. As vulnerable as it feels to be honest about our state of repentance, it is a powerful act that defeats the enemy.
We should be encouraged as we boldly cry out to God with all our needs and depend on the King of the universe.
I used to take road trips alone. Today I would not do this, the world has gotten so crazy, especially the big cities, I think it would be dangerous to do so. As for what would take me to travel along again, it would be not to travel alone, it’s always better to have two or three extra eyes to help scope out if there are any problems that arise.
My favorite candy bars are Rocky Road or Heath. It depends on what I’m in the mood for.
A Rocky Road is a fluffy, soft marshmallow center topped with roasted cashew nut covered in a layer of milk chocolate. It was introduced in 1950.
A Heath is a classic American candy bar that has a thin, hard and crunchy center of buttery English toffee covered in a layer of milk chocolate. It was introduced in 1928.
Every woman who walks with God has a story to tell. There is a faith journey even in the hardships, revealing God’s faithfulness, turning struggles into testimonies of hope, strength, and divine intervention.
We see this in the accounts of the Bible with Sarah, Hagar, Esther, Hannah, Ruth, and Rahab. It should inspire us with examples of grace, purpose, and perseverance through life’s challenges.
The key themes of these accounts are:
Faithfulness and hardship: Hagar in the desert. Ruth is facing loss, showing God’s presence in desolate times.
Transformation and purpose: Rahab, a prostitute used by God, and Esther elevated from obscurity illustrate how God can use anyone for His glory.
Answered prayers: Hannah’s account is a classic example of God answering prayers.
Hope in the impossible: The woman with the issue of blood, Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Martha (Lazarus’s sister), demonstrate God’s power over failure, divine will, and death.
God remembers acts of kindness showing that God honors those who help others.
Whatever season of life you’re in waiting, hurting, questioning it’s part of your unique story.
God uses trials to build strength and faith, making your story one of victory.
By walking with God, your own story of breakthrough and purpose is still being written.
As for something I never get done, my to do list is pretty short. But there is one thing that never seems to get done, and that’s cleaning out closets, it’s not that I’m too busy, it’s because it’s something a dread.
From Pity to Praise 