There’s a testimony waiting to come out of your story. I made a mess of things, but God knew what message was coming from it. I remember being pregnant out of wedlock, focusing on my mistakes and the mess I had made. I remember the pain and disappointment. I remember thinking that my child was a mistake that I had made. I remember the feeling of being a single mother with a child whose father was nowhere in the picture. I remember someone calling my baby a bastard as I held her. I remember the look of embarrassment and shame. I remember the fear and the pain.
But I also remember God sending a stranger to remind me that my child was a blessing from God and wasn’t a mistake. She looked and saw the pain I was carrying and helped me to see my situation, my baby, through the eyes of God. At that moment, God sent a messenger to remind me that He still had a plan for my life and my child’s life. There was purpose coming out of my pain.
When I laid my mess at the feet of Christ, He cleaned it up and reminded me that there’s no failure in Christ because He makes all things new.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ~ Romans 8:1
He knew what you would be tempted with, the failures, the setbacks, but He also knew what was deep inside you waiting to be released at the appointed time.
Is anything too difficult for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” ~ Genesis 18:14
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” ~ Habakkuk 2:3
We go through the valleys to climb to get to the hills. Look to the hills from whence cometh our help; our help cometh from the Lord. God has mountaintops ready for you, but you must be willing to push through the storms of life to get there. On this journey, you will have storms that arise. The word says, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
When Christ died on the cross, He gave you victory over all circumstances because He rose over it all: sickness, pain, grief, trials, lies, fears, and shame. Whatever you are going through, remember there’s glory coming out of it. There’s glory in your story. By Iris Pelton-Hamlett
The Bible has living wisdom for all generations. They are not stories of old with no relevant message. Those who believe this statement have not been in His Word. How is it possible that the words from Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples could be so relevant today?
Could it be because the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Our Father God knows the end from the beginning? Could it be because He understands the mind of those created in His Image? Of course, He knows His children. He knows our character traits for good and for selfish impulse control issues.
You see our issues of sin have not changed much, since Adam and Eve. We still want our way, don’t want to be told what to do, seek our needs over others, and believe we got it together!!!
I was reading Matthew 16 this morning, and I felt as if the messages were bouncing off the paper.I am not Elohim (the all-Powerful One), I must seek wisdom from the Word of God. You must seek His wisdom for yourself and have your eyes, mind, heart, soul, and spirit opened.
I am so grateful for Biblegateway.com, it is a great resource for a free online Bible. You can choose the version of the Bible that is understandable for your personal walk with Jesus. With one click on the right on their website you can choose your favorite version. For the most part, I use the New Living Translation (NLT), however, there are other times when the Message (MSG), Amplified ( AMP), or New International Version ( NIV) are helpful.
You can also use YouVersion Bible app, it’s free and can be used on your phone.
WISDOM FOR TODAY IN MATTHEW 16:
Jesus shared great wisdom for all generations regarding miracles
Matthew 16 NLT 16 One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. 2 He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! 4 Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.
Jesus warned: Pharisees and Sadducees preach religion over their relationship with Jesus
5 Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. 8 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? 9 Don’t you understand even yet? Don’t you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? 10 Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? 11 Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” 12 Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Peter shares wisdom from God, Jesus is the Messiah
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock, I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Jesus’ description of human versus God perspective
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day, he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. 28 And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
If anyone wants to follow Jesus, we must take up our cross and follow Him. What does that mean? Being willing to choose to walk with Jesus wherever He leads us, may mean leaving our comfort zone, leaving a job we know is not the best for us, leaving a situation that is tearing us apart, stepping away from friends or even family who are set on destroying our minds, hearts, and life.
Gaining the world, materials, or status but being lonely, depressed, or suicidal as we reach for things that are not our path leaves us feeling empty and isolated.
But sticking to our Savior may bring trials of hills and valleys, however, I have learned I have never been alone. He has been with me, and when I let Him, He is guiding my steps.
I have moved cross country and have seen for myself as I trusted God from the near-death rafting experience to currently, I am glad I took the risk. My life was saved as I reached out to God, praying for a new life, and I will not look back.
Will you pick up your cross and follow Him? Take the risk it will be life-changing and may change the trajectory of your steps to an amazing place.
Deuteronomy 10:17, 20-21 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.20 You must fear the Lord your God and worship him and cling to him. Your oaths must be in his name alone. 21 He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.
It has been a dream of mine to share my writings in a published book with others and share what led me to Jesus! I have been blogging for a few years and as I have accumulated my written blog posts, I have felt growth in my walk with Jesus and His people. I have had trials, joys, challenges, health issues, and heartbroken moments and I have learned more and more about the importance of walking with Jesus. I hope to inspire other people to seek Him for all wisdom and guidance. We are all His beautiful people, created in Christ for a mighty purpose.
This book can be accessed through Amazon. Consider a gift purchase of an ebook on Kindle for your reader family and friends or a paperback option. Many of my own friends do not have a WordPress account. If you purchase the e-book, it is amazing: the digital copy has links to the songs I have used to tell stories in many of my posts. If you feel prompted to buy, thank you so much! If you feel prompted to leave a review on Amazon, thank you. Share the link below with friends.
Regardless, You are a child of God and He wants to know you personally, we must reach out to Him. God bless you! Mary
His Light shines in darkness: photo by Gloria Flores
Whatever you are walking through today, Jesus promises to walk with you. Jesus is in the Sonrise!!! He is the Bright Morning Star! Call on Him for peace, hope, love, and His angel armies are at the ready!
Revelation 22:16-17 AMP "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you and to give you assurance of these things for the churches. I am the Root (the Source, the Life) and the Offspring of David, the radiant and bright Morning Star." [17] The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, believers) say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take and drink the water of life without cost.
So many attempts by the enemy to unsettle our connection to our Savior Jesus. Our individual fears and worries for self, family, health and provision are places the enemy tries to bring doubt and fear of God, His love and His provision!
The enemy tries to enter the door of our mind and heart bringing boatloads of fear and negative thoughts. He can be relentless but Our Creator is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Stand with Jesus!
Silence is a new worship song by JWLKRS worship. It touched my heart deeply the first time I was blessed to see the music video. Such sweet lyrics that encompass any life circumstance, great lyrics bring a reminder to seek the God who promises to be with you and never leave you.
As a Breast Cancer Overcomer who also survived a near death white water rafting experience, I am in awe of the many times looking back over my life of the goodness of God, His Provision and His protection.
May you feel His Peace and Presence today, He is just a Name away, Jesus, You are our only hope.
When our livesor those we love are challenged with a huge obstacle, it could be health or painful circumstances, we must live in gratitude. God is always good! He will walk through youthe challenge. He is just a prayer request away. He is always open.
Besides prayer, worship Him in challenging times. It brings joy over sorrow. It helps refocus your mind on the stability of His goodness.
Psalm 100:2-5 NLT Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. [3] Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Count your blessings! Embrace the journey perhaps with new exercises. Today, start a new tradition of listing 10 blessings in your journal. Gratitude changes a poor attitude. It brings insight into all the good things often overlooked as we walk through our day.
Our mind has the ability to set the course for our day, our career, and our future. The battle for God‘s purpose for our lives and potential is found first in the mind.
Romans 12:1-2 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [2] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Acknowledge Him! Walk with Him! You will never be alone.
Cascade mountains breathtaking Photo by Mary Mesikapp
Prepare your minds for action! Exercise self-control!
1 Peter 1:13-25 NLT So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
Hiking in the Cascade mountainsfills my mind, body, and soul. Exercise for the body brings a healthy physical state, and emotional stability and burns stress. The importance of preparing our minds for action is spiritual health and learning to exercise self-control with a fixed mind in Our Creator is a necessity. Our exercise plan must include seeking Jesus, and gaining spiritual muscle through His Word.
14] So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old living ways to satisfy your desires. You didn’t know any better then. [15] But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. [16] For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
Our whole body and mind will be more content, and able to endure all life’s detours when we care for all parts of our body. Obedience to God and His direction is not punishment, it is a loving direction and at times discipline to be holy as He is holy. For life endurance, we must exercise this priority.
17] And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
Reverent fear and awe of Our God will bring rewards. He is a just God and faithful to be trusted with your life. Our pride in following our own trail even when we see obstacles takes us from a peaceful hike. We miss the beauty when we trudge on with impulsive steps. Whether you are single or married, with children or not, it is the same message, preparation is crucial.
18] For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. [19] It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. [20] God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake. [21] Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. [22] You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. [23] For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
In the description above, in 1 Peter, God paid a ransom for you, by sending Jesus to the earth as a bridge for our benefit. This bridge of Jesus’ death on the cross as He accepted all our sins is a fantastic love. Our relationship with Jesus is secure when we take this precious gift and treasure its purpose, we can live in love for each other. You can be born again, meaning, death to your sin and a new life in Christ.
24] As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. [25] But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
The Word of God is provided in the Bible as a passport if you will on the journey to your eternal destination, heaven. His Word is beautiful and remains forever. Your reward awaits!
Reach for the Son — Photo by Andre Furtado (Pexel.com)
Guys and gals, some days you can feel invisible, stepped on, and lonely, I studied specific scriptures that expressed being Known by our Father. I want to encourage you as you put one foot in front of the other. You are known by God and He wants you to know Him more!
God knows you, He created you! Psalm 139 is filled with His thoughts on you before you were born and as you walk this earth.
Psalm 139:1-6 AMP O LORD, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me. [2] You know when I sit down and when I rise up [my entire life, everything I do]; You understand my thought from afar. [3] You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And You are intimately acquainted with all my ways. [4] Even before there is a word on my tongue [still unspoken], Behold, O LORD, You know it all. [5] You have enclosed me behind and before, And [You have] placed Your hand upon me. [6] Such [infinite] knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high [above me], I cannot reach it.
Declare this, O Lord, You know it all, Your hand is upon me! Help me in my unbelief, when I feel alone, remind me, You are with me! Help me to find security in you alone!
Psalm 16:5-10 NIV LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. [6] The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. [7] I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. [8] I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. [9] Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, [10] because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
Declare, At night when I sleep, fill my heart with your instruction. I want to rest in You! I want to learn to praise you more and fret less.
Psalm 16:11 NIV You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Lord, guide me to the path of life! Fill me with joy over fear, I want to have Your Presence above all things. Materials, money, and the enticements of the world can’t hold a candle to you. They leave me empty, I want my life to be filled with being known by You.
Psalm 86:1-7 MSG Bend an ear, GOD; answer me. I’m one miserable wretch! Keep me safe-haven’t I lived a good life? Help your servant-I’m depending on you! You’re my God; have mercy on me. I count on you from morning to night. Give your servant a happy life; I put myself in your hands! You’re well-known as good and forgiving, bighearted to all who ask for help. Pay attention, GOD, to my prayer; bend down and listen to my cry for help. Every time I’m in trouble I call on you, confident that you’ll answer.
Psalm 86 is even more personal, a one on one conversation with our Father, Savior Jesus and the Holy Spirit! He bends to hear our prayers. We may not believe we are worthy of His attention. Reach out to Him again and again, repent for sins that may be an obstacle in hearing His voice.
Psalm 91:14 ASV Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
His love is upon His children! He wants the best life for you. It begins with believing Jesus is your Savior, saying aloud, I want you Jesus to guide my life, forgive me of my sins, I repent turn away from the things I have done against you, I want you to rule my life, You are my God and guide me to a more abundant life. amen!
What is that old idiom, “Can you- not see the forest through the trees?”
What does this mean? Merriam-Webster describes: not understanding or appreciate a larger situation, problem, etc. because one is considering only a few parts of it.
We may not have a full picture of any situation, but many times we have to make our best guess. Scary proposition!!
Where are you looking for guidance? Is it built on taking steps through the forest without direction? We have to consider where we place our trust. Are our roots of wisdom found in seeking the Living water that provides nourishment to our soul and sustenance to grow our faith?
Photo by Mary Mesikapp
Just as a tree needs a good soil environment, we as humans, and as parents, need solid Godly teaching and love.If you have not had a compassionate, loving Christlike personal experience, I am so sorry. In this day and age, you can access church messages online to consider whether their instruction aligns with the Bible. It can feel like a risk to take a step into a church, I remember the fear after relocating to a different state and feeling uncertain. I asked the Lord to give me peace or show me the next option. He did, and after a few visits to different churches, I was able to choose and was blessed with sisters who were like-minded in Christ. Even though we may feel ill-prepared to parent, if we seek God to give us wisdom, He will share it.
So where do we need to place our minds, and trust to grow into the best wisdom? There is no better place than the Creator of the universe. This is a powerful scripture, Colossians 2, it has been helpful to me as a sister, mom, wife, and friend. Paul was talking to the Laodicean church, he was encouraging them to be strong in love. There are steps to grow roots of wisdom and understand God’s mysterious plan. It is not a quick process but a slow meaningful time well spent.
Colossians 2:1 - 10 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Just as nature is built by Him, our lives can be molded by Him. Don’t let empty philosophies and loud voices distract you from the still small voice of God. Christ is the head ruler and authority over all things. In the end, what we put into our time with Jesus will be a great reward to our lives and for generations. We can break the generational habits that bind us to unhealthy responses and actions, with God all things are possible.I am more grateful with each passing year, God is good and His treasures are priceless.
Football is a visual of offense and defensive strategy. It can easily be a metaphor for life. Quick responses to offensive and defensive actions can impact the game and our lives. Who is our coach?
During the playoff games, Logan Wilson, number 55, is the Cincinnati Bengals player who knocked down the ball at a crucial time. Wilson loves Jesus (A personal friend shared this truth, she is a relative of Wilson).The final minutes of the game can be exciting and life-changing. This weekend, Wilson’s defensive play caused the opponent to lose the game. One team won and the other team lost.
Our decisions in life can be played in a similar way. Are we receiving the pass of temptation with open hands or deflecting the pass for better things? Are we being led into impulsive sin by pride, anger, or bitterness or are we deflecting those prompts for a better response? Do we allow the audible of the still small voice of God to penetrate the roar of the crowd? It really is a matter of seeking wisdom to direct our steps for a long journey, not just one game.
The future is not in our hands at the end of the game. But where we put our trust matters. Seeking Jesus first, not being afraid to share His love with others matters, and being willing to listen to His instruction takes effort and we can be amazed at the results.
In the strength of God, we can knock down the enemy’s attempts to bring loss and an uncertain future. We get the choice of victory in life. This victory isn’t only physical like success on a sports field, it’s emotional in providing a sound mind, peace, and clear direction. It is in a spiritual connection to the Master Quarterback on the field, Jesus! He really has the best insight. It can guide us into eternal peace and relationship.
The Lord has plans, however, we must be discerning in the game of life, to be patient with the plays called. We must be on the offense and the defense with the Word of God as our playbook. We must seek like-minded teammates that hold us accountable to the Word. We want to get to the endzone and celebrate a heavenly touchdown. Think of the family of God all together whooping it up. Think of the roar of the crowd in the heavens, with angels and saints making a joyful sound, it will probably blow our minds.
Just as Logan Wilson had to fix his eyes on the prize at the time, the football, we must fix our eyes on Jesus! No longer do we have to be spectators in life. See an opportunity to receive the pass of salvation. Get real with Jesus!
Colossians 3:1-4 MSG So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ-that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. [3-4] Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life-even though invisible to spectators-is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too-the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
Every day is an opportunity to toss off old habits and begin a new path for a better life.
I used to think our God as a judging punishing unforgiving God. However, my time digging deep into His Word has opened my eyes, heart and soul for amazing wisdom.
We may have had a religious experience from a parent or person in authority that was not following Christ. We must seek God on a one on one personal relationship. He wants to reveal the hidden wisdom.
How do we imitate God when we don’t know what He says? Just as a new sport or hobby requires instruction from someone who excels in its results. It is even more valuable to seek our Father God and His priceless, timeless instruction.
Ephesians 5 has many great nuggets of wisdom. I am breaking it down to show manageable steps. I found it helpful for today. I think you will too.
Ephesians 5:1-20 NLT Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Key warnings from scripture:
3] Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4] Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
If you have past or present sin that feels like a conviction as you read verses 3-4, pause now and talk to Jesus, ask forgiveness, repent (He will help you turn from these habits if you let Him rule in your life). Speak gratitude to Him for this amazing gift and wisdom.
Why do we need conviction for our sins over condemnation? Conviction is a heart poke to insight a reflection of our choices with the purpose of drawing us back to our Savior Jesus and His plans. Condemnation or shame is a tool the enemy uses to keep us afraid to reach out and stuck from a loving God.
5] You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. [6] Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. [7] Don’t participate in the things these people do.
When we worship things or people in this world, it is sin. Our God is a jealous God for a reason. If other things are an idol, He is not first in our life. You may ask, how can I be a child of the Light of Christ? We make the step of faith to Him. Step into His Light of grace, mercy, and truth. We do not have to stay in the dark.
8] For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! [9] For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Our commitment to walk with Jesus as Lord gives us the tools for a better future and a life walking in life over death (separation from God and limited life). If we are parents, we are called to direct our kids to Jesus. My walk with Him has deepened as I have led and made mistakes in the process but return to the only place for wisdom. Our kids can grow with us.
10] Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. [11] Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. [12] It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. [13] But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
Our time in His Word, the Bible and with His like minded people can change the trajectory of our life. Individually though, we can find His steps for a growing life with God, awake O sleeper:
14] for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Alarm sounds! Wake up sleeper
This is a wake up call! Do you hear the alarm? It is for our benefit to heed the advice.
15] So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. [16] Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
17] Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18] Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19] singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. [20] And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Begin today, if for the first time, or return now to the Jesus of your youth, He is the best friend you will ever have. Jesus will not ghost you. He wants to share His best.
Inspiring Light Through the Cracks 