Be Vigilant

Greetings!!!

Have you ever been taken by surprise by pain? Last night, hastily I plunged my hand into a drawer to get a storage bag to protect the corn muffins that had just finished cooling, only to retract my hand even more quickly. Instantly I cried out in pain and blood poured from my finger. Instead of getting a plastic storage bag, my finger hit the cutting edge of the plastic wrap box. I was totally caught off guard.

In Peter 5: 6-11 we are warned of dangers in the spirit realm. 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Your enemy, the devil, is constantly trying to catch you off guard. Over and over the writers of the Bible tell us to be vigilant so we will not be caught in his devises. Watch out! Do not let yourself be snared. 

The LORD bless you with vigilance so that you may recognize and thwart the devils' plans.

I love you,

Ruth

Are You Suffering With the Blahs?

Greetings!!!

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and just felt blah? Maybe  you feel like that today. There is nothing wrong with you physically. It is a beautiful day and the weather is good. Things are going well in your family. Although it may not be the best, your job and workplace are not the problem either. "It" is even making you feel like God is a million miles away, and that He does not care what is happening in your life. Whatever "it" is, you cannot quite put your finger on it, but it is making you feel sluggish and moody.

Psalm 77:1-14  jumped out to me like a neon sign.

My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud; 

My voice rises to God, and He will hear me.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; 

In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; 

My soul refused to be comforted. 

When I remember God, then I am disturbed; 

When I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. 

Thou hast held my eyelids open; 

I am so troubled that I cannot speak. 

I have considered the days of old, The years of long ago. 

I will remember my song in the night; 

I will meditate with my heart; And my spirit ponders. 

Will the Lord reject forever? 

And will He never be favorable again? 

Has His lovingkindness ceased forever? 

Has His promise come to an end forever? 

Has God forgotten to be gracious? 

Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion?  [Selah]

Then I said, "It is my grief, That the right hand of the Most High has changed."

I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; 

Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.

I will meditate on all Thy deeds.

Thy way, O God, is holy; 

What god is great like our God?

Thou art the God who workest wonders; 

Thou hast made know Thy strength among the peoples.

Thou hast by Thy power redeemed Thy peoples.

It is really okay if you have the blahs today. The blahs come, and the blahs go. They seem to make their rounds to everyone once in a while. When those days come, and if today is one of those days, remember the works of the LORD in your life. If you have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, that is the first and most amazing wonder in your life! Think about what God has done and how far He has brought you. Look around you at all the blessings God is pouring out on you today. Sing His praises! It will not be long until you are chasing the blahs away. 

The LORD bless you with remembering all the great and mighty things God has done for you.

I love you,

Ruth 

Fruit is Coming!

Greetings!!!

Do you enjoy this time of year? I am delighting in today! I can hear those of you in Pennsylvania saying, "But, Ruth, can't you see? It is dreary and snowing. It has too long been winter; and it seems like spring will never get here." I would encourage you to take another look!! The days are longer and the sun is warmer! Listen!! The cardinal is calling his mate. Now, look again. You might have to get up close. The trees' buds are swelling. Bulbs are poking up their noses. Unseen things are happening in the ground. Oh!!! It makes me want to get into the garden! It will not be long and all the things that are working underground will be evident.

Hmmm... It is the same with you. God is doing a work in you. It begins deep within your heart; and then after a while, there is evidence of the work He is doing there. Paul said it this way in Galatians 5: 16-25 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissentions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousings, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

You may not feel anything happening. You may see no evidence of the Spirit working in your life. You may think it is a hopeless cause trying to live your life for Christ. But if you truly want to live for Jesus, although who you are changed instantly in God's eyes, the changes in your life are a lifelong process. The work that God has begun in you will continue until you are home with Him. Things are happening in you, maybe not as fast as you would like, but God is working. The fruit will come!  Hmmm... maybe I will go down to the garden and check on the garlic I planted back in October. The fruit is coming!!

The LORD bless you with recognizing the fruit that He is producing in your life.

I love you,

Ruth

Day of Rest

Greetings!!!

What do you do on Sunday? Is Sunday your day to sleep in? Is it the day you go to church; or  do you spend Sunday just like any other day, running around doing the same things you would do on any other day of the week? Is there a day each week that you set aside for rest and focus on the Lord? You should. It is a command from God.

 Exodus 20:8-11. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy."

Isn't it interesting that research is showing that people can think better, perform their tasks more efficiently, and have better health when they observe a one day a week rest? A day of rest was God prescribed a very long time ago. He did so for good reason-for your well being. Do not let yourself get caught up in the craziness of the culture, and forget to take time for rest and reflection on the greatness of God. Remember the sabbath day. Do not let the pressure of activities keep you too busy to rest and spend time with the Father.

The LORD bless you with one day a week set aside to rest and be refreshed.

Restless Night

Greetings!!!

Have you had restless nights? Could it be because you ate something you should not have? Perhaps when you went to bed you were not sleepy. Or maybe your body was wracked with pain keeping you from being able to get comfortable. Whatever it was you were unable to fall into a deep sleep that brings rest and healing to your body. 

Rather than spending the night fretting, try spending the time in God's word. It seems like David may have done this in Psalm 63.

O GOD, Thou are my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly;

My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee,

In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary,

To see Thy power and Thy glory.

Because of Thy lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips will praise Thee.

So I will bless Thee as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands in Thy name.

My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

When I remember Thee on my bed,

I meditate on Thee in the night watches.

For Thou hast been my help,

And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.

My soul clings to Thee;

Thy right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life, to destroy it,

Will go into the depths of the earth.

They will be delivered over to the power of the sword;

They will be a prey for foxes.

But the king (put your name here) will rejoice in God;

Everyone who swears by Him will glory,

For the mouth of those who speak lies will be stopped. 

It is a difficult thing when your mind, body or spirit will not stop,causing you to have a restless night; but you can turn it around and allow it to be used for your good and for the glory of your King. Instead of fretting, pray. If you still cannot sleep, get up. Get your Bible and read. Ask the Father to speak to you through His Word. But do not lie there on your bed and listen to the devil's lies that cause worry and condemnation. Use the time to make a difference for eternity.

The LORD bless you with an awareness of His presence with you and His love for you in your restless nights and even when those nights last into the day.

I love you,

Ruth 

Are You Weary?

Greetings!!!

Are you weary? Do you spend your life being weary? No matter how much sleep you get, do you feel tired most mornings? I do not have a solution for you. It seems like a part of our American culture to be overworked and over stressed. No matter what you do, there is always someone who is doing more, doing it better, and causing you to feel left behind and not good enough. Accomplishments-what you do, how much you make-seem to be the most important thing in life.  

Let Isaiah 40: 27-31 speak to your heart. 

Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, 

(insert your name for Jacob and Israel)

  "My way is hidden from the LORD, 

And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"? 

Do you not know? Have you not heard? 

The everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth 

Does  not become weary or tired. 

His understanding is inscrutable.

  He gives strength to the weary,

And to him who lacks might He increases power. 

Though youths grow weary and tired, 

And vigorous young men stumble badly, 

Yet those who wait for the LORD 

Will gain new strength; 

They will mount up with wings like eagles, 

They will run and not get tired, 

They will walk and not become weary.

If you do not already do this, I encourage you to take time to be in the presence of the LORD. You do not have to do anything, just be in His presence and rest in His love for you. You may come away and not feel any different, at least at first. But do not give up. Continue to spend quiet moments resting in God's presence, allowing Him to do His work in your life, letting Him strip away what needs stripped away and strengthening what is important in your life. It is not an easy process; but it will change your life...forever.

The LORD bless you with new strength as you take moments of quiet rest with Him.

I love you,

Ruth 

In the Blink of an Eye

Greetings!!!

Have you ever had a day start off with a phone call bringing bad news? The phone rang earlier this morning than usual. As soon as I heard my sister's voice, I knew it was not good. Donna lives about 4 hours away from me. She called to tell me that our eighty-four year old mother fell and broke her wrist while visiting her family in Mississippi and Tennessee. So Mom and those with her-my Dad and three of my other sisters, Teresa, Caely, and Mary - spent last night in two hospital emergency rooms away from home. In a moment, in a blink of an eye, things changed. 

As quickly as things change in our world on a daily basis, there is a change coming that will shake not only individual families, but the whole world at once. It is described in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 "Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."

It is impossible to prepare for the unpredictable crises that occur in your life day after day. But you can prepare for this earth shaking event that will come upon the earth. No one knows the day or the hour; so you have to be ready beforehand. You simply have to admit that you have fallen short of what God wants you to be. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and rose from the dead. Then ask Jesus take control of your life, so you can live for Him and not yourself. When the trumpet sounds, you can face that day victoriously and fearlessly. 

The LORD bless you with being ready for the trumpet call of God.

I love you,

Ruth

Guided With His Eyes

Greetings!!!

Do you remember being a child doing something wrong, and one of your parents gave you "the look"? Without saying a word, you knew that you had better stop what you were doing; or you would be in trouble. But maybe there were also times when you looked across a room and you knew by "the look" that your parents were proud of you, on your side to defend and cheer for you, and that they loved you.

Psalm 32:8-11 says that God wants to lead you with a look.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice you righteous ones, And shout for joy all you who are upright in  heart."

You know, in order for the Lord to counsel you with His eyes, your eyes must be upon Him, waiting for that counsel. Take the time to turn to Him and seek His face. Jesus is waiting for you to stop what you are doing, go to Him, and allow Him to guide you. Do not let anything stop you. Take the time today.

The LORD bless you with resting in His presence and hearing His direction for your life.

I love you,

Ruth