No Excuses

Happy Sunday!

"Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So, they will have NO EXCUSE when they stand before God at Judgment Day.  Yes, they KNEW about him all right, but they wouldn’t ADMIT it or WORSHIP him or even THANK him for all his daily care.  And after a while they began to think up silly ideas of what God was like and what he wanted them to do. The result was that their FOOLISH minds became dark and confused. Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead. And then, instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they took wood and stone and made idols for themselves, carving them to look like mere birds and animals and snakes and puny men."(Romans 1:20-23, Living Bible).

Don't miss this!  Even the earth and sky declare that God is real, and that He should be given our worship and praise.  I love to attend worship services in person, and I know the Word instructs us "not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches."(Hebrews 10:25, Voice).  But I'm also so thankful that I can get the Word on radio, television, YouTube, Facebook, podcasts, CDs, DVDs, and so many other ways.  If I have question, I can Google it.  Everything we read on the Internet is not true, but so very much is.  If I'm reading something and don't understand a word, I can look it up.  I can also read another Bible translation to get a better understanding. 

Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as, "a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey."(Matthew 25:14-15, KJV).  Another translation says it this way, "It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left."(Message).  The first two servants were conscientious and managed the master's money well.  But the last servant, "the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping."(Living Bible).  

You've heard the story before, the master rebuked the last servant and said, "You wicked and LAZY and idle servant! Then you should have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received what was my own with interest."(vs 26-27, Amplified). 

Don't be like that lazy servant.  Take advantage of every opportunity you have to manage, steward, and increase what God has given you.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Worry Is Always Future

Happy Sunday!

I love to share messages from ministers that bless me.  The message is from Brother Bob Yandian and it's entitled, Worry Is Always Future".  I first heard Brother Bob in the 1990's.  A dear friend, Pat Smith shared a box of ministry cassette tapes with me.  Those tapes encouraged, strengthened, and exposed me to some of the greatest bible teachers past, and present. Of course, in our technological world you don't have to rely on cassette tapes.  You have the privilege of YouTube, Podcasts, Blogs, and so many other ways of getting the Word.  I hope you enjoy this one.

Worry is Always Future by Brother Bob Yandian

"And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"(Exodus 17:3, NKJV).

The children of Israel had only been in the wilderness a few days when they came to a place where there was no water to drink. They began to complain to Moses, blaming the situation on him. They also decided that they had God’s plan all figured out. God had brought them to this spot to kill them!

Let’s examine the stupidity of this argument. The Israelites had been in captivity for four hundred years in Egypt. Despite the oppression, their population continued to increase. When Moses returned to Egypt to deliver the children of Israel, God protected them from ten plagues and death while the Egyptians suffered, and many died. God parted the Red Sea for them to travel across safely and even drowned the Egyptian army behind them. And God did all this to bring them to this one spot and kill them?

You have probably done the same thing. You have looked at your bills, your lack of food in the cupboard, and your overdue mortgage bill and cried, “I’m going to die right here!” Stop and think about what you have just said. God saved you many years ago, filled you with His Holy Spirit, healed your body, performed miracles for you and your family many times, and supplied all of your needs on more than one occasion. Has God done all these wonderful things in your life to bring you to this spot and watch you die?

When facing a tragedy or trial, it is easy to lose sight of all of God’s blessings that have brought us to this point. WORRY is always future. When you worry, you are saying that even though God has taken care of you every moment of every day, somehow tomorrow He will fail because His grace ran out today. But the truth is that the God Who has always taken care of you will not fail you tomorrow, next week, or next year. He will continue to walk with you and provide until Jesus comes.

David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Why wait until you are old to look at God’s faithfulness in hindsight? Look forward now in faith and expectancy knowing that God will continue to provide for you and will never fail.

Yours in Jesus Christ, 

Brother Bob Yandian

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Don't Be Scared!

 Happy Sunday!

"They hated the heavenly Light because they wanted to sin in the darkness. They stayed away from that Light for fear their sins would be exposed and they would be punished. BUT those doing RIGHT come gladly to the Light to let everyone see that they are doing what God wants them to.”(John 3:20-21, Living Bible).

Even though I don't do scary movies, when I read this scripture I thought of the movie, Poltergeist and the phrase, "Carol Ann come to the light".  LOL!  I must have heard it somewhere, because I have never seen the movie.  I watched the clip from this portion of the movie today, and it was actually comical.  In the shadows, and in darkness there is fear and uncertainty.  But in the light there is understanding and clarity.  Have you ever laid in bed and thought you saw a figure in the room with you?  Then you turn on the light to see that it was just your coat hanging on the door.  I have.  I felt really silly for laying there in the dark contemplating what I would use to defend myself from the imagined intruder.

2 Timothy 1:7 tells us, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."(KJV).  God doesn't want us to live in fear.  No fear of the past, present, or future.  He wants us to know who we are in Christ, and that we have authority in the Name of Jesus. 

Hebrew 2:14-15 says, "Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and FREED all who COWER through life, SCARED to death of death."(Message).  Don't miss this!  Jesus' perfect work fixed things!  We don't have to worry!  We don't have to fear!

OK, so you don't think this applies to you?  I know it does!  You don't have to fear starting your own business.  You don't have to fear moving to another city.    Your don't have to fear telling the truth.  You don't have to fear making a mistake.  Life goes on even after mistakes.  Each day comes with new mercies, and fresh opportunities.  Pastor Randy Morrison always says, "If you don't die, you are going to live".  Sounds so simple, and it is.  Decide to live.  Decide to make each day count.  Decide to live fearlessly.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Time Is Life

Happy Sunday!

Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."(KJV).  

Have you ever stood in front of the microwave complaining about 3 minutes taking so long?  I have!  But I can remember life before microwaves.  My mother-in-law, Minnie Pruitt would cook her whole Sunday dinner on Saturday. Then after church, we didn't head over to Applebee's.  We went home and waited for the food to be warmed in the oven, or on the stove top.  Have you ever thought you didn't have time to complete a task but spent hours on social media before you even knew it?  I have!  Yes, I also remember the time before social media.  If I wanted to see the pictures from your vacation in Kokomo, I'd have to wait at least a week for you to get them developed at the Foto Mat, then come to your home to view them.  Have you ever put off something that could have easily been done today, only to find that it was more difficult later?  Yes, I have.  Breakups, dishes, laundry, and exercise all come to mind.  Even though we have so much technology to make things faster, we still don't value time as we should.  And we waste precious time and spend it unwisely.

Psalm 90:12 encourages us to number our days.  Another translation says, "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should."(Living Bible).  Don't miss the last part, "help us to spend them as we should".   Time is money, but more importantly time is LIFE.  We are spending our time, our days, and our lives as currency.  

Ephesians 5:11-16 says, "Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people WASTE their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.

Wake up from your sleep,

Climb out of your coffins.

Christ will show you the light!

So, watch your step. Use your head. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY CHANCE YOU GET. These are desperate times!"(Message).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

LIONS Plural!

 Happy Sunday!

This is a Re-Post from August 2019!  Enjoy!

Years ago, and for a period of time, I stopped listening to Gospel music after I heard a soloist proclaim that Daniel put his foot on the neck of the lion in the lion's den.  I can't find that in scripture.  Can you?  But what I do find in scripture is this, "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of LIONS. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."(Daniel 6:16, KJV).  Don't miss this!  There were lions plural.  So if it was as the soloist sang, what were the other lions doing while Daniel had his foot on the one singular lion?

Ok, so you think I'm being unreasonable, and nit-picking.  I most certainly am not!  The visual of one lion diminishes the significance of the true miracle that occurred for Daniel.  God delivered Daniel from an impossible situation.  This was so serious the scripture says the king couldn't sleep that night.  The Bible says, "Then King Darius went back to his house. He did not eat that night. He did not want anyone to come and entertain him. He could not sleep all night."(Daniel 6:18, Easy-to-Read Version).  Daniel was not a lion tamer.  He was a good man falsely accused and sentenced to death for praying.  

It happens all the time, are you guilty?  Do you lose sight of the tremendous MIRACLE WORKING POWER of our God?  Are you disappointed because things didn't work out like you thought they would, so you secretly stop trusting God?  Our God is an AWESOME God!  He has not changed!  He is still TRUSTWORTHY.  

What really happened?  So glad you asked!  Let's read Daniel 6:19-23.  "At daybreak the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. As he approached the den, he called out anxiously, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve so loyally, saved you from the lions?” “O king, live forever!” said Daniel. “My God sent his angel, who closed the mouths of the LIONS so that they would not hurt me. I’ve been found innocent before God and also before you, O king. I’ve done nothing to harm you". When the king heard these words, he was happy. He ordered Daniel taken up out of the den. When he was hauled up, there wasn’t a scratch on him. He had TRUSTED his God.”(Message).

In case you were wondering if those lions were vicious, "The king gave yet another order; this time he demanded that those who accused Daniel of wrongdoing be captured and thrown into the lions’ den—but not only them—their wives and children too. As they were being pushed into the den, before they even hit the bottom, the lions jumped on them, overpowered them, and crushed their bones in their powerful jaws."(Daniel 6:24, Voice).  Ouch!

Don't let unbelief creep in in any way, not even in a seemingly harmless song.  Our Powerful God specializes in miracles, signs, and wonders!  His Word is truth!

The Psalmist proclaimed, "Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven."(Psalm 119:89, KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Hell? NO!

 Happy Sunday!

" I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his LOVE and MERCY, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different “WAY TO HEAVEN,” which really doesn’t go to heaven at all. For there is NO OTHER WAY than the one we showed you; you are being FOOLED by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ."(Galatians 1:6-7 TLB).

I'm very observant.  I often see things and wonder why it is as it is.  I recently noticed a street called, Brimstone in a nearby subdivision.  When I think of brimstone, I think of the judgement that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.  I would never expect to see it as a street name in a quiet neighborhood.  But perhaps, it's a subtle reminder that Hell is real and it's a destination we should avoid at all costs.  

Jesus spoke of Hell many times.  In Matthew 25:41-43 He said, "Then I will turn to those on my left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal FIRE prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry and you wouldn’t feed me; thirsty, and you wouldn’t give me anything to drink; a stranger, and you refused me hospitality; naked, and you wouldn’t clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’(TLB).  Don't miss this!  Jesus said, Hell was not made for humans!  It was prepared for the Devil and his bunch!  But if we refuse Jesus, we will be doomed to a place that was never prepared for us!

Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in HELL.  What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more VALUABLE to God than a whole flock of sparrows."(Matthew 10:28-30 NLT)

Jesus said, "Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires TOTAL attention."(Matthew 7:13-14 Message).  The Good News Translation of that same scripture says it this way, "Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to HELL is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to LIFE is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it."

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Happy Sunday!

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the ONE who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4 Message)

We become the sons and daughters of God when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. John 1:12 says, "Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them." (The Living Bible)  

Now that we have accepted Jesus three things happened.  

1)  God has Signed for you - Just like we sign for packages or new car leases, God signed for us with the precious blood of Jesus.  1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. But he paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (The Living Bible)

2)  God has Sealed you - You have God's seal of approval!  Not because you are good, but because he is GOOD! Ephesians 1:13-14 says, "It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life." (Message)

3)  God has Delivered you - God delivered you from a life of sin! Galatians 1:3-4 says, "Jesus Christ rescued us from this evil world we’re in by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins. God’s plan is that we all experience that rescue. Glory to God forever! Oh, yes!" (Message)

What's going on in heaven? So glad you asked.  All the focus is on Jesus!  The elders, and the creatures and the angels are all in awe of him.  Revelation 5 says, they worship Jesus continually and fall on their faces in reverence and say "Amen".  Amen means "so let it be".  It's a simple but effective prayer.  Until we get to heaven, we can worship Jesus right here on earth and we can agree with the Word of God and say AMEN.  Amen to health and healing, because the Word says, "by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24 (KJV)  Amen to prosperity and abundance, because the Word says, "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" 2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)  Amen to faith and wholeness, because the Word says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

Yes, and Amen!  Love and prayers, Cynthia