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DIVINE DETOUR

DIVINE DETOUR

Well, we made it through the busy holidays! Have you taken down your decorations, put away the wrapping paper, gotten rested up from all the fun? My answer is, nope not yet. Next week is my goal of getting everything back to “normal.” I want to share with you today some thoughts about a song that is everywhere during the holiday season.

One of my favorite songs during the holiday season is “Mary Did You Know.” Some of the words are, “Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day: walk on water-save our sons and daughters-child you’ve delivered will soon deliver you-give sight to a blind man-calm a storm with His hand-when you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God-the deaf will hear-the lame will leap-the dumb will speak-the sleeping baby child you’re holding is the Great I Am.” (words written by Mark Lowry) Of course, the answer to those questions, is no. She knew what the angel told her and knew this was to be a special child, but she had no idea of all the amazing things that her little baby, that she held in her arms, would do one day.

Mary and Joseph were betrothed. They were engaged. During Bible times, this meant the two families had made a binding contract that was as legally binding as marriage. The couple did not live together during the betrothal period, which lasted about twelve months, and sexual relations were considered adultery.

Let’s think about Mary and talk about some divine detours she had to make. Some changes to her future that she did not see coming.

Mary was planning on getting married. She was a virgin. Isaiah 7:14, prophesied this fact. “…behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” She had no idea that she was going to take a divine detour and have a baby before she got married. There was no humanly way possible! She was going down the path of planning a wedding and minding her own business, looking forward to a future with Joseph. When we are going down an actual road and there is a detour, we depend on the road signs to help us, to give us direction of how we need to change our original route. We sit up and pay attention. Mary had no idea that she was about to change direction for her entire life.

Read Luke 1:26-38. Mary was told by an angel of the Lord, some things that were going to change her life, as she knew it! The angel praises her that she is “…highly favored, Lord is with you, blessed among women.” Mary was troubled. The angel said to not be afraid. The angel tells her, she will have a Son who “…will be great.” This was not in her plans for her future!  How could she have a child when she had not been with a man yet? The angel told her how this would be possible. “…The Holy Spirit will come upon you…” The angel said “For, with God nothing will be impossible.” Mary has so much faith at the age of 15 or 16, as scholars believe, that she realizes this is a divine detour she has to make in her life and says “Let it be to me according to your word.” Would I be able to say that, if my life was taking a huge detour from my plans for the future? Mary did not even think about what people or Joseph might say, but rather she trusted in God’s plans. I know that my future plans, all those years ago, did not turn out like I thought my future with my husband would be. I had no idea that he would be mentally and physically sick for such a long period of time in our marriage, or that our future would take a detour and he would pass away after only 36 years of marriage. I am not comparing myself to Mary by any means. But I am saying, I tried to keep my faith in God and His plans for my life. Sometimes that is so hard to do, isn’t it? We are trying to get to OUR plans and OUR future in one way, but God is trying to get us THRU the process to a BETTER place. Instead of Mary thinking this was an inconvenience, she accepted the divine detour she was going to make. She had immense faith in God! So, what about Joseph? Read Matthew 1:18-25. These verses talk about Joseph and all the faith in God, that Joseph had also. His plans for his future were not to have a betrothed Mary to be pregnant, before they actually got married! He realized he was taking a divine detour also.

Read Luke 2. A census was decreed and everyone had to go to Bethlehem. Mary and Joseph went there. Mary was about ready to deliver her precious baby. The means of transportation during those times was by riding a donkey. It was about 90 miles between Galilee and Bethlehem. Probably taking about four days by donkey. As a mother of three, I know how uncomfortable that had to be for her. I know that discomfort of the end of a pregnancy, without even riding on a donkey! I am sure that she had no idea that at the end of her pregnancy, she would be riding a donkey for about four days. When they got there, there was no room available. They had to stay in, either a stable or it may have been a cave where the animals lived. Had that been in her plans for the delivery of her first child? She had probably planned on her mother, grandmother or a friend to help her to deliver her child. She had no idea that she would lay her baby in a manger, which was a feeding trough for the animals. Was she afraid because she was not birthing her child the way she had thought the child would be born? I know I was afraid when I had my first child. What about Joseph? Do you think this was “playing out” like he had expected when the woman he loved, was now depending on him to deliver this promised Child? This was truly a divine detour!

In Bible times, after a woman had a child, she had to go thru a period of purification, according to the law of Moses. She had to offer a sacrifice in the temple. A man by the name of Simeon came to them. He took baby Jesus in his arms and blessed God. He told Mary “…a sword will pierce through your own soul…” He was foretelling that one day, Mary would be cut to the heart by what she saw her son going through: all the rejection and the pain of the cross. There is not much said about Jesus as a child, until he was about twelve years old. I watched a movie one time, that was told from the viewpoint of Mary and what she may have thought as she watched her son go through so many tough things. One scene, as Jesus, who was covered in blood, was trying to carry the heavy cross down the street, she was running through the crowd so she could be as close to Jesus as possible. I can’t even imagine how she must have felt while watching Jesus be spit upon, insulted, beaten, bloodied. His body was oozing and dripping blood. In the movie, Mary remembered a time, Jesus had fallen as a child and skinned His knee. As blood ran down His leg, He had run crying to Mary, His mother, to ease His pain. That part of the movie, for some reason, hit me hard. I remember my children running to me when they had “boo-boos.” Mary was a mother just like we have been or are for our own children. Anytime my children have been in pain, even if they are grown, it hurts my heart. Just like Mary’s heart had to hurt. Now, here her son was in tremendous mental and physical pain and there was nothing she could do. Somehow, she knew that this was going to happen one day. There are several times the Bible says that Mary treasured and pondered all the things she heard and saw. When she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, she sang a song of praise that was full of poetic imagery and references to the Old Testament. Mary knew the law and had deep faith in God’s promises to Abraham that would be fulfilled in her Son. When the angel visited her at the beginning of her pregnancy, she knew that God had chosen her for an important purpose. She just asked one question, how could this happen as she was a virgin. I don’t know about you, but I might have had more questions than she did.  I am sure, she did not want this pain for her son, but she knew this divine detour was necessary for all of mankind and fulfillment of prophesy.

So, what, you say, does any of that have to do with me? We must have faith, trust and hope in God that when the crazy changes in our lives or the detours of life come along, that we realize that it is just a departure from the direct course or the usual expected future we had. We have divine detours given to or allowed by God; to teach us a lesson-to fulfill His promises-to direct us onto a better future than we had originally planned. When your plans change, remember Mary and how her life changed in so many different ways, yet she kept her faith in God. What she went through as a mother, helped save us from eternal torment to a blessed promise of heaven in our future. That future is a secure promise if we have followed and trusted God through this crazy life. So, when something doesn’t happen for your future the way you thought it would, it could very well be a divine detour! Follow God’s signs!

Till next time!

                                           Keela

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

The podcasts, blogs, sermons preached and all the leftovers are thrown away (or at least should be). Thanksgiving is over and now we are in the fast-paced time leading to the holidays. It is easy to lose our thankfulness in this season of the year. Our minds are busy with decorating, finding the perfect gift, going to all the parties and what we are going to wear. We are thinking about all the things of this world that will dissolve away one day. There are many who are feeling sadness because they are alone or they have lost loved ones. Some are worried about their job or lack thereof, where are they going to get gifts for their children. Some don’t have enough food or even a place to live. Some are stressed because of so much that needs to be done. Where has all the thankfulness gone?

Did you realize that there is always something to be thankful for, even in the worst of situations? There was a time I was bitter towards my husband. I was working twelve-hour days, two jobs-sometimes three jobs, trying to keep up with our teenage daughter and all her activities, besides all the normal things to keep up with in my home. He was home, usually sleeping-not bathing-not doing anything except playing solitaire on his computer. He was mentally and physically sick for a total of ten years and especially for two years when he was in a deep depression. I had tried to not be bitter but was having a hard time. I prayed with tears, to God to help me get this out of my heart. I turned to His word. I read Philippians 4:6-7. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” That was the answer! That word thanksgiving “jumped” out at me. Thru that word, I knew what to do! I started thanking God for one thing about my husband every day, all day long. It took me awhile. It had taken time to get that bitterness built up in my heart. But as the days went by, with me praying thanksgiving every day, that churning, heavy feeling in my chest went away. There were times I started feeling that heaviness starting to build up again. But through God’s word, I knew what to do.

My attitude had been so negative! Do you know what happened to my attitude when I started thanking God for my husband? My attitude started to become positive! When we don’t center our thoughts on ourselves but others, we are taking the focus off ourselves and onto God. No matter what our circumstances, we are to be thankful to God for what He HAS done. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This verse does not say to be thankful to God, when things are going good in our lives but rather in EVERYTHING. No matter if we are in grief-no matter when we are lonely-no matter in the lean years-no matter if we don’t know where we are going to get our next meal for our family-no matter when there is just so much, we want to get done! God is still on the throne. God is still in charge. God gave His only Son on that cruel cross of Calvary for us so we have the hope of eternal life one day. We just have to get out of ourselves and our own way, and reach out to the only true One who has the pathway to have peace.

Psalm 100:4-5 reads, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” We are to pray in thankfulness, not because of who we are, but rather about who God was in the past, who God is in the present and who God will be in the future! We pray in thanksgiving, for what He has done. We praise Him, for who He is! If you want to know how to be thankful, read the Psalms. Even in the troubles that David found himself in, he realized the need for thanking and praising God.

Do you remember the Israelites and all the things they had to be thankful for? God brought them out of Egyptian bondage-fed them-their shoes did not even wear out-gave them water-protected them as they were fleeing the bondage. We could go on and on of all the things the Israelites had to be thankful for. But yet Exodus and Numbers record over and over again, that the Israelites complained and grumbled. I think my memory is bad, but they were even more forgetful than I am of what they had to be thankful for. Read of their grumbling in Exodus and Numbers. Chapter 16 of Numbers, says they complained to Aaron and Moses, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” God had just caused the Red Sea to part and they had just walked on dry land and then God caused the Red Sea to fall and to drown the Egyptians. God had sweetened the water so they could have something to drink. God had sent manna and quail from heaven to feed them. But they ended up getting tired of eating the same thing over and over! What did they do? They grumbled. Thru this incessant grumbling, we see God’s patience and love to them. Moses talked to God and asked Him to pardon His people. One thing I want you to remember is in this verse. Numbers 14:22-23 says, “because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.” Their punishment for all their grumbling, was not being able to go into the land of Caanan-the promised land! The land they had been pressing forward towards for all those many years.

Do you think if we are not thankful and do not have the attitude of gratitude, that we could be lost eternally? That is something to think about, isn’t it? Thankfulness gives us power. If we make the choice to speak thankfulness over and over again, it can change us for the better! I don’t want to be lost eternally because of not having an attitude of gratitude. Do you?

Let go of that sour attitude of grumbling, complaining and put on the positive attitude of thankfulness! We are going to have pain in our lives. That is a fact. But there is always something to be thankful for. Sometimes that thankfulness is like a little light shining in the darkness. But that light of God is there, as a beacon pulling us to Him. Thankfulness is a choice we make. Be thankful for the mundane, every day happenings in your life! Be thankful for hot water-for the laughter of our children or grandchildren-that the dishwasher is working-that you got home safely from work. I could go on and on. EVERY SITUATION WE ARE IN, THE GOOD OR THE BAD, EVEN WHEN GOD’S ANSWER IS NO, THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN BE THANKFUL FOR IF WE JUST OPEN UP OUR MINDS AND HEARTS TO FIND IT.

So, what attitude do you find yourself in today? Reach out for the positivity of the attitude of gratitude! Start out your day with thankfulness and you might be surprised about your attitude change for the entire day! Start your day out with thanksgiving and end your day with thanksgiving. End this year and begin the new year with the attitude of gratitude! You will feel better and closer to our Father God!

Till next time!

                                 Keela

(I will touch base with you again in the new year. I’m taking a few weeks off. I am thankful for all of you who take time out of your busy lives to read my blog. Thank you for the many comments you send my way. They help me to keep going on this pathway. Enjoy the beauty and joy of this season. Hold those you love close. Reach out to those who need some extra love and care. And remember to always be thankful for the everyday happenings in your life!)

ORDINARY MOMENTS

ORDINARY MOMENTS

Saw an interesting report the other night on the evening news. I try to only watch about thirty minutes of the daily news, if that much, because of all the negativity. I watch just enough to “know” what is going on in the world. But this report was different and touched my heart. It was about a lady named Deanna Dikeman who had taken pictures of her parents waving goodbye since 1991 in their driveway. They were waving goodbye when she left to go to college, when she got married and moved four-hundred miles away. Pictures of them waving through the window at their only grandchild and so many more. She took pictures for 27 years! What a different, sweet legacy! Her dad passed away and she had pictures of just her mom waving from the same driveway until she passed away eight years after her dad. The last picture of that house and driveway, showed an empty driveway. Her collection of pictures is traveling all around the world, being highlighted in art galleries. 93 goodbyes in all.

Some would say that is sad, but she said the reason she is happy she took all of those pictures, is because it has helped her somehow with her own grief of losing both her parents. She said that “thru her pictures she hopes that everyone will appreciate all the ordinary moments with their dear ones. Tell your parents, you love them. Go visit them or give them a call or text them. Don’t wait until you think you will have time. You never know what might be different tomorrow.” Time is fleeting!

Years ago, I thought I had all the time in the world to call my great-aunt Lena, but actually I did not. I felt that gentle nudge, we all feel from time to time to do something. That is what I felt one day. I intended to call her. But after I went to bed that night, I remembered I had not called her. I had forgotten in all the hustle to get kids fed, bathed and tucked into bed. I thought I will just call her tomorrow. I had forgotten and put it off. It was too late. The next morning, my grandmother called and said she had found my great-aunt dead that morning. It took me a long time to forgive myself for not calling her that night before she passed! It still leaves a sadness in my heart to think about today! I learned a valuable lesson that day.

We are all getting older by the second. Because of an ordinary tragic moment, we all may not be able to get any older past today. We don’t have any idea how long we will be on this earth. James 4:13-14 reads “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 reads: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” Talking about when the Lord will come at the end of time, Matthew 24:35-36 reads: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Psalm 144:4 reads: “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

We do not know when our last second on this earth will be. God only knows. We don’t know if we will see our loved ones ever again. It is always hard for me to see my Virginia daughter and family leave my home or when I leave them and fly home after visiting them. I have family close by but I don’t get to see them often. Their lives are full and busy with their own families. When I do get to see them, I get as many pictures as I can, to remember those sweet ordinary fleeting moments.

If you knew this was your last day, what would you do? Would you spend it doing and partaking of things of this world? Or would you spend it with loved ones, precious friends or spreading God’s promises. No one at the end of their life, has ever said, ‘I wish I would have worked more.’ But rather, ‘I wish I would have loved more, spent more time with loved ones.’ We live a few years and then go to our eternal home. Our loved ones and friends might die unexpectedly. All of a sudden, we don’t have any more time with them.

There are so many older people sitting in nursing homes just wanting someone to spend time with them-smile at them-play a game with them-just sit and listen. Take your children and visit them. At the congregation you attend, do you even know the older Christians. You have heard about them, but have you ever spent time with them? Job 12:12 reads: “Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.” We can’t just throw aside the aged. If we are smart, we will spend time with them. My aging uncle, one time, told me that the church he went to, stopped using him to teach classes or preach. I felt so sad for him and all the knowledge that He was willing to share from his heart. My dad comes with me in a wheelchair to the church I attend. Recently they brought him a microphone and he gave the opening prayer. What a blessing that was!

Is there someone you need to make amends with? Is there someone you need to forgive? Older or not? Is there someone on your heart, you have felt that gentle nudging you need to reach out to? Are you putting off coming to God? Don’t ignore the time you have right now to reach out.

One of these days you will be sorry you did not give a few minutes of your time to those who are in your lives. In the blink of an eye, they could be gone forever. Share ordinary moments with them. You will be blessed and thankful that you did! You never know when the last time you will wave or hug them will be. Don’t be standing over their gravesite regretting the things you should have said or done.

Matthew 7:7 reads: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Even more important, don’t stand before your God one day and wish you would have, “asked, seek and knocked” for God to open His arms for you and let you in. He is always waiting for you to wave goodbye to this world and reach out to Him. Obey Him now! Don’t wait till it is too late! Don’t be standing in front of God at the end of your life, and thinking you should have spent more time with your Father in obedience to Him!

When are ordinary moments? Right now! What will you do with them?

Till next time!

                                                                        Keela

OUR INHERITANCE

Reading ‘The Prodigal Son’ the other day, about two sons and their father, I noticed something I had not seen before or heard any lessons about. In Luke 15 verses 11-32, we read of a younger son asking for his inheritance from his father. The father gave him his inheritance as he requested. The word I want you to look at in this reading is “them,” which is in all of the versions I researched. I have been a Christian for 60 years and never picked up on that word in verse 12. “…So, he divided to THEM his livelihood.” (capitalization by me) The older son, who had not asked for his inheritance, received his inheritance at the same time his brother got his! Now, I know you are saying, ‘what, you did not know that?’ Isn’t it amazing how no matter how old we are or how long we have been a Christian, that we constantly “see” new things we have never thought of before! The scripture is there for everyone, no matter what spiritual journey we are on. Psalm 21:4-5 reads “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”

The fact that their father gave their inheritance to both of them willingly, demonstrates his love, faith and trust that they would spend it wisely. He did not base his actions on their merit or their behavior. He was not thinking about what they would do with it or their actions, whether good or bad. They had the choice of what to do with their inheritance. He gave it all to them. Verse 12 says, “…he divided to them his livelihood.” (During ancient times, the younger son would have received half of what the elder son received. The younger son did not receive as much money from the father as his brother did. Probably a good thing as we are going to see in a minute.)

The word prodigal means: person who spends money in a reckless and imprudent way. So, it is evident by the word prodigal, that the youngest son went and spent all of his money. Verse 13 says “…journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.” He went far away. He went where no one would know him or see what he was doing. What he did not remember was in Psalm 139:1-3, David says, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” He forgot that God knows all. After he had spent all his money, a famine came to that country. So, he became in need. During this time, the older brother had been at home working. Verse 25 says “…was in the field.” The older brother had been going about his life, doing the things that were required of him and being obedient to his father.

The younger son, found a job to “…to feed the swine.” The Jewish people would look at this as an insulting job, because pigs were unclean according to the Law of Moses. He was desperate. Verse 16 says, “…he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.” Verse 17 says “…when he came to himself…” He finally realized, that even the servants at his father’s home ate abundantly, with food even left over and here he was starving. He wanted to go home. When he got home, he thought, he would tell his father “…I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

Well, he was in for a surprise! His father saw him “…still a great way off.” And the father ran to embrace his son. He told the servants to get him the best robe, a ring, sandals and to prepare a fatted calf so they could “…be merry.” A fatted calf was usually only prepared for special occasions. The father was overjoyed that his youngest son had come back! The oldest son, heard all the merriment and asked a servant what was going on. When the servant told him, verses 28 -30 says, “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. So, he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.” (Underlined words by me.) What attitude would you say the oldest son had? Look at the words I underlined. I see he was jealous-all about him-selfishly only thinking about himself. Son was angry-father pleaded-and then look at all the my and I’s. He even calls his younger brother “…this son of yours…” When I read that, I can see what a child might say. With his life and his inheritance, the oldest son reminds his father that he did all he was supposed to do in service and obedience to him.

So, let’s apply some things to us today in this parable.

1. This is a picture of a father letting his son go his own way. The Father in this parable is God. God gives everyone the same chance to make the right choices for their lives. Whether we make the right choice of obedience or not, it is up to us. The Bible is full of men and women making bad choices and good ones. Joshua 24:15 says “…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” Joshua said “…but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” God gives us freewill to live our lives for the world or for God. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 “…You cannot serve God and mammon.” (things of this world) The father had the choice to give his sons their inheritance and they each had the choice of how to use it. God has given us an inheritance in heaven, if we make the right choices on this earth.
2. The younger son did not feel worthy to be called his father’s son because of what he did. The father saw him coming and ran to him with open arms and rejoiced that he came home. That is the same with us. God created us in His image and He loves us without limits or conditions. You are His precious child. God values you so much that He sent His only Son to die upon that cruel cross of Calvary for us. It is through Christ that we find our worth, not by this world’s definition. Even though we have sinned and don’t feel that God thinks we are worthy to be His child, God is actually waiting for us to come back to Him. He is always ready, with open arms, to bring us back into His loving arms. 1John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Did you see that two-letter word “if?” We have to make the choice to return. When we come to Jesus with our mistakes, our failures or feelings of unworthiness, He is faithful to forgive us and give us hope. Not only does He immediately forgive us, but also cleanses us. He cleanses us, restores us and helps us not to live in that dark place of feeling unworthy and sinful. The father in the parable immediately ran to his son, just as our God will do for us.
3. The older brother became angry and was all about himself. In his mind, his relationship with his father was based on the works that he had been doing. But he did not have the right heart. He had never been given a party and look at all he had done. He was consumed with thoughts of equality and justice for himself. This son failed to realize that he could have enjoyed at any time a party and enjoyed all the blessings that were already given to him. We can be like that. We can keep on serving the Lord but don’t see any recognition from others or we get tired and forget that God is Who gives us recognition by His many blessings, even in the midst of trials or in our service. It all stems within our attitude. The older brother did not have a good attitude. His attitude was negative and centered on himself. We need to stop looking down on and at ourselves and look up to the One who can restore our souls with positivity and forgiveness!

The father in the parable had pleaded with the older son, to come in to the party. The father’s door was always open. God is always ready with open arms to receive us back to Him when we disobey. But He is also always there for us when we are living our lives in the right way. We are in His presence, full of His daily blessings each and every day. Matthew 7:7 says “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” We do have to put action into our service for the Lord. We are all worthy to be God’s child, because we were made in the image of God and God loved us so much He gave His only Son on the cross. He gives each of us grace and mercy. God’s mercy allows us to repent and reconcile with Him. His grace provides salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. He loves us no matter what our actions show.

The parable talks about an earthly inheritance from an earthly father. But our Father in heaven has given us a heavenly inheritance. God’s inheritance is what we should always strive for!

1Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

God is always ready with open arms to forgive and welcome us back when we sin. Our inheritance is from our heavenly Father, who freely gives to each and every one of us. Who would have thought the word THEM would have “jumped” out at me!

What are you doing with and towards the inheritance your Father is giving you?

Till next time!

                                                                       Keela

(51% of American Christians plan to vote, but that leaves 49% who plan to stay at home on November 5^th. Apathy among Christian voters can be the ‘gamechanger’ for this 2024 election. It is our right and privilege to vote because of the sacrifice of our men and women now, in the past and in the future, who serve in our armed forces. Raise your voices and have the courage to vote for our God given values. Let’s make a difference! Get out and vote!)

OUR SPIRITUAL DUTY

Our duty is defined as: ‘a commitment to perform an action, whether it’s a general expectation or one that’s triggered by specific circumstances, something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. There are a lot of obligations we face today. Legal: duty to fulfill law, and nonperformance can result in punishment or liability. Role based: A duty can be an action or task required by a person’s role or occupation. Respectful conduct: a duty that is respectful and obedient conduct that’s due a parent, superior, or elder. Tax: duty of paying taxes to the government. Moral obligation: a Christian’s duty to submit to God, live for God, and do what God calls them to do.’ (Wikipedia)

Here are some verses that prove we have duties as a Christian.

Colossians 3:23 “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.”

Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, o man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

1Peter 4:9-10 “Be hospitable to one another, without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” And verse 7: “Render therefore to all their due; taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” (Of course, if the governing authorities are telling us to do something against God, we are to follow God’s commands. See Daniel chapter 3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three Jewish men who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol and were thrown into a furnace of fire.). If you have not read about these courageous men of God, sit down with your Bible and read their amazing story.)

2Chronicles 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

Exodus 18:21 “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”

2Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Deuteronomy 28:43 “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.”

I quoted all those scriptures to lead to this conclusion. We are about to vote to elect a new president. Of course, I am not about to tell you how to vote for. Some say there is no perfect candidate and say they are not going to vote at all. In our last presidential election, 25 million Christians did not vote. Wow! As Christians, let us rely on the Bible and God’s grace to discern how we should vote. We are to vote according to Christian morality, values and on God given principles.

As in all things in our lives, pray for guidance to be soberminded, focused and rational, before we go to the poles and exert our duty of voting. Pray for our nation as a whole with whoever is chosen. Pray for a spiritual rebirth.

Sitting at home or not sending in our ballots, is not the right answer as Christians. It is so important for us to stand on God’s truths. We have to vote for the person who has more of the same values as we do which are given us by God’s Word, the Bible.

God’s power has never depended on who is president. He will still have all and final power. Matthew 28:18 says “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

Remember, that God will still be in control, no matter what the results are of this presidential election! He is still sitting on His throne! We have to place our confidence, faith and trust in Him.

So finally, GO VOTE! As Christians, it is our spiritual duty! To God be the glory!

Till next time!

                                                                    Keela