Tag: encouraging

Crutches

Crutches are a device used for someone to lean on to keep weight off their injured foot, ankle or leg; until it heals. Because the injury will not heal if there’s pressure from trying to walk on it. Spending any time at all on crutches causes your arms to be sore.  Arms are not used to carrying that much weight.

Sometimes we need to lean on something. In the spiritual realm like a crutch. Some people in the natural, they get hurt by somebody and they often turn to alcohol, drugs or whatever to soothe their wounded ego. These things are referred to as crutches.   Causing other things in your life to be out of balance. They end up losing their relationship with their family, all because of the crutches they are leaning on to solve another problem.

We can lean on Jesus when we are hurt, and he only balances our lives.  Some people like to say that Christians just use Jesus as a crutch. Well, I will lean on him any day because I know there will be no side effects. Speaking of crutches, some people turn completely around and turn away from God when something bad happens in their lives.

Look at the children of Israel. God had just performed a huge miracle. They watched the waters part, and the land was dry. It was not damp; it was not wet. They did not walk across in the mud; it says they crossed on dry land. The land had just been covered up by water. I mean, when God does something, he does it fully. He removed the water so much that the land was dry.

They had just witnessed the miracle of God destroying their enemy. When Moses did not come down off the mountain in a day or two like they thought he should, they went back to their old ways. Hey, why don’t we just build a golden calf and dance around naked? What makes people do that? What makes us turn so quickly? God has said time and time and time again. “I will take care of you. I will lead you. I will guide you. I am here for you. I will protect you. I am your provider.” He tells us He is all these things. And yet we still turn around and go build our golden idols.

I got thinking about the modern-day church. You know. The reason so many people fall away from church today, I believe, is that they get bored. If they get bored with the entertainment, they get bored with the same old, same old, same old routine. They leave the house knowing that it is going to be routine. We will have an opening prayer, so, so we’ll testify, this one’s going to sing song 328 out of the hymnal. They will take the offering and the preacher talks for 15 minutes and you’re going to go home. And you are like, why do I even bother going if I know what’s going to happen? We need to let God back into the church.

I can remember as a small child seeing miracles. God has worked many miracles in my life. Yeah, I remember one time, speaking of crutches, my great Uncle Bill had been injured in the mines and had his foot broken. I do not know how many places, I don’t remember. But he came to church on crutches. And he asked for prayer. And the people gathered around him and prayed, and he walked out of there without those crutches. And the doctors could not believe it when he went back, because he had to get a work release. They were like, no, the X-rays showed you had so many broken bones. And he was like, yes, but God healed me. And they were amazed. If people went to church and things like that happened, and they saw these miracles, it is no longer routine.  The presence of God was so strong that all we could do is fall on our faces before God. Then I guarantee church would never be boring, and I guarantee that you would not be wanting to build your golden calf. We would not want to stay home and watch a football game, or we would not want to stay home and watch a soap opera or a movie. We would rather be in the House of God.

Ask yourself who or what you are leaning on. Because every day we have a choice, I choose Jesus.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS.

MOUNTAINS

Psalm 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

The beach is my happy place.  I love standing on the edge of the vast ocean.  I feel close to God like he created the ocean to take away all of my troubles. Every wave takes away anxiety and stress.  More than likely, it is just a change of scenery and being off from work for a week.

I am a West Virginia girl, born and raised. There is something amazing about the hills of West Virginia. Our mountains have sheltered and fed many generations. But I often look at our mountains and think about how God created such a beautiful world for us to dwell in.

God must love mountains; he allowed the ark to settle on Mt. Ararat. He sent Moses to the top of Mt. Siani to receive the ten commandments. He proved he was God, by sending fire down on Mt. Carmel for Elijah. He allowed his son to be crucified on Mt. Calvary.

Calvary is the most important mountain of all. It is where God showed his love for mankind. I wonder if it made God sad to look down on that mountain as he was creating it. Knowing what would happen there, to save me from my foolish choices and sin. We all played a part in the horrific torture Christ suffered. There are not enough ways to say thank you.

The mountains I see every day are often called hills too. Compared to the mountains of Colorado and other places, ours are not as tall. It is nice to see the beauty that God made for us to look at and find a quiet moment of peace. I guess it is not about the mountains or the ocean, it is about taking the time to look up and thank God for his help, strength, love, and peace. When we do we need to remember where our help comes from, that is our Lord.

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

LONG ROAD? YOUR CHOICE

I was thinking about some of the stories in the Old Testament today, as I drove to a birthday party. There was a song I was listening to and it was all about saying, where you lead I will follow. I told my mom, I wish I could say that to God. I will go where you want and do whatever you send me to do. Because I am human, there is a little bit of fear in fully surrendering in blind faith. There is hesitation to be ready to run. What do we have to fear? We don’t go alone?

I told her we say, I will go where you want and do what you want as long as it’s easy. We don’t want to step outside of our comfort zones. In this age we live, it’s gonna take that very thing to win the lost. I am working on being obedient and stepping out in faith. God honors boldness, look at David when he faced Goliath. He had to be a little bit scared. But he was brave and did it anyway. This is why I encourage my readers to be bold and brave. God honors the bold and the brave.

Then I thought about Jonah, God told him to go to Ninevah and preach. He didn’t want to go there because they were evil and wicked. (The kind of place he should have been excited to go and win the lost.) Instead, he went the opposite way. The story goes he got on a boat, in the opposite direction. A storm came and he was tossed overboard. A large fish swallowed him. He spent three days and nights in the belly of this fish. He repented and God allowed the fish to throw him up on dry land. He was all too happy to go to Ninevah once he had been through that experience.

He ended up doing what God ask of him in the first place. He just took the long road there. I don’t want to have to go the long way around, for not being obedient. Because I will end up where he wants anyway. I want to be obedient to his will. It should be our prayer, where you lead me I will follow. I will follow because I trust you, Lord.

Take a few minutes to think about where you stand. Are you ready to go where he sends you or do you need to take the long road? Have a great week, BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS.

Reflections

We often do a lot of reflecting over the past year at the beginning of a new year. We find much lost motivation to change and make life better. We look to the future with hope that the upcoming year will be a good year. Everyday, should be met with such hope that the old is gone. Our past is that, where we have been. The future is what God has ordained. Look to him today as you think about the future; because only what is done walking in God’s love counts. ❤️ BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS.

God Is With Us

I sit in my quiet living room this evening and thank God for his many blessings. Life gets tough sometimes and we often feel like the pressure of the waves is going to be too much to bear.

Then I am reminded that I am not in the swift current alone. Jesus is there reaching out his hand and pulling me up so I can breathe.

He is our life, our breath, our strength. We are never alone he is with us.

May you have a blessed week ahead. Be bold, be brave and keep your God Focus.