Minute Musings...Make No Provision

My son called the other night and our conversation turned to the topic of sin.  Most people
today tend to categorize sin.  It eases their conscience if they convince themselves that their
sin is not really that bad!  For instance, they reason that a little white lie is not as bad as
stealing;  or, a bad temper doesn't equal murder.  Well, the truth of the matter is that sin is
sin, and God doesn't have categories for sin.  God views ALL sin very seriously, for it was
our sin that nailed the Lord Jesus Christ, His son, to the cross. While on that cross, the sin
of the world was placed on Jesus, and God had to turn His back on His beloved Son.  Sin
separates us from God. 

Isaiah 59:1 & 2  "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save:  neither
His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:  But your iniquities have separated between you and
your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."

Our God is a holy God, and He cannot be in the presence of sin.  It puts a whole new twist
on that little white lie or impure thought doesn't it!  1 Samuel 2:2  "There is none holy as
the LORD:  for there is none beside Thee:  neither is there any rock like our God."

When we allow ourselves to think as the world thinks, we lose the blessed fellowship with
the Lord.  I know that I've quoted this verse many times, but it's a verse that comes to my
mind with great frequency, Psalms 19:14  "Let the words of my mouth, and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my
redeemer."  Our tongue and what we think on can quickly lead us astray.  Do you realize
that we can murder with our thoughts and words?  Lustful thoughts are the same as
fornication!  This is all sin to God.

Are you easing your conscience by shrugging off sin as non-consequential?  Remember,
there are no degree's of sin in God's eyes.  All sin sent His Son to the cross.  Anything that
breaks our fellowship with Him, must be repented of and forsaken!  Pray for the Lord's help
to walk in the Spirit today.  Romans 13:14  "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

Minute Musings...Moving Day

I'm sitting here these days surrounded by boxes.  My house is torn apart as I prepare to make
the move to Ontario in the next little while.  Moving is stressful!  I thought when I moved into
this house 9 years ago this week, that it would be my last move.  I'm experiencing a wide
spectrum of emotions as I prepare to say goodbye, not only to my friends and family that I
will be leaving behind, but also to my home province of Nova Scotia!  There is no other place
in Canada (in my way of thinking!) that is as unique and beautiful as Nova Scotia!

But, there is still one other move that is coming for me down the road at some point!  John 14:3
"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself:
that where I am, there ye may be also."  At the end of my journey to Ontario, I will see my
loving son, his beautiful wife and my precious new grandbaby.  I'm excited about seeing them,
being in their company, living with them.  Am I as excited to make that final move to my heavenly home?  I should be excited about seeing my Lord, being in His company, living with Him in Glory...but am I?

1 Corinthians 2:9  "But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."

God is preparing MY house!  Look around at the beauty of nature, the breathtaking colors in
the rainbows that grace the skies, the different hues of blues and greens that paint the oceans,
the wide array of vibrant colors that clothe the birds!  If God took the time to make this earth
so beautiful to our eyes, can you imagine what our heavenly home is going to be like that He is
spending so much time preparing for us!

This final move in my life, will be the best move of all...I'll finally be at my permanent destination.
No more moving again!  There will be no tedious packing for that move...my Lord will call and
I'll just go home!  John 12:26  "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me;  and where I am,
there shall also My servant be;"

Some glad morning, when this life is over

I'll fly away.

To a land where joys will never end,

I'll fly away!

Minute Musings...Rooted & Built Up

Have you ever tried to move a tree root that is deep in the ground?  Years ago we had moved
into a house that did not have any landscaping done.  The front yard was easy, just a matter
of getting some topsoil and putting in grass seed.  The back yard was a nightmare!  There were
3 big tree's that had been cut down by the construction crew for us, but the roots remained.
It took a lot of hard, back-breaking work, plus a truck and chains to pull those monstrosities
out of the ground!  Those roots had gone deep into the ground. 

Psalms 16:8  "I have set the LORD always before me:  because He is at my right hand,
I shall not be moved."

We have the Lord in our hearts and before our eyes, He is at our side...we shall not be moved!
No matter how hard Satan tries to pull us away, we are rooted and built up in Him!  Colossians
2:6 & 7  "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, (in faith) so walk ye in Him:
Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving." 

We may bend in the storms of life, sway in the winds of adversity, but we will never be pulled
up by the roots and discarded because we are rooted in Christ.  Just as a root takes its nutrients
from the soil;  so we take our sustenance from the Word of God.  Through daily fellowship,
prayer and reading the Word, we will grow strong in the Lord.  The fruit of the Spirit will be
present in our lives.  However if we neglect our daily bread, don't make time in our day for
devotions, we will become spindly, wimpy "plants," not producing any fruit for the Master. 

Let your roots go deep into Christ, let your walk be strong and your service fruitful for the
Lord!  Rooted in Christ, we may sway but we will never break.

2 Thessalonians 3:3  "But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you and keep you
from evil."

Minute Musings...Training To Win

How many times do we think we know better than the Lord what is best for us?  We reason
with our finite minds, what we deem the right problems, length of trials and the reason why
we should have to go through these tribulations.  May I tell you that we know nothing!  We
don't like to hear that do we!  Our old nature rises up within us and wants to argue that
point with fervor.  Now be honest, if given the choice would any of us choose to go through
the things that we've faced?  Definitely not.  Our human nature naturally wants the path
of least resistance. 

Look for a moment at an athlete.  If he did not have resistance training when preparing for
an event, what would his endurance level be?  Not very high.  He would run into trouble
before he completed the competition.  His coach however knows that even though the training
is hard, long and tedious, when the time comes, his athlete will be able to stand up against the
rigors of the course before him.

We find in Hebrews 12:1 & 2 the description of our task in this world.  "Wherefore seeing
we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith;  who for
the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down
at the right hand of the throne of God." 

It is customary for an athlete to train with weights on his legs.  Although this makes the
training difficult, it builds up his leg muscles.  The day of the race, the weights are removed
and he can fly down that course! 

Our "coach" is familiar with this race, He has run it before us!  He knows what is required
to finish the course.  What He sends our way is strengthening us, He is giving us the needed
equipment to train in order to finish the course!  An athlete has complete trust in his coach,
he does what is asked of him because he knows that it is preparing him for the big race.  How
do we react when our "coach" the Lord Jesus Christ adds weights to the training sessions,
when He sends us the needed trials that will give us the added strength we need to complete
the race? 

Check your attitude today, and become determined, with God's help, to say with Paul in
these two passages;  Philippians 3:14, "I press towards the mark for the prize, of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

Minute Musings...Dwelling

I thought today that I would just share with you two of my favorite verses.  They are found in 
Psalms 91:1 & 2  "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under
the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, and my fortress;
my God:  in Him will I trust."  What powerful verses, they hold so much promise for the
child of God.  I have many days when I just feel overwhelmed by the many problems that are
presenting themselves.  My God has a secret place for me, it's a place that is within His shadow.
For there to be a shadow God must be standing beside me!  What a marvellous thought.

In the shadow of my God is refuge.  God does not leave His precious child defenseless against
the storms that come.  He loves us and has provided a safe haven, a place of protection for
us.  It also says that He is our fortress.  A fortress is impenetrable to the attacks of the enemy.
Its walls are high and solid, and nothing can break down its fortified doors.  The occupants
are safe from the arrows of the foe when they run to the shelter of the mighty fortress.  God
has said that He is our fortress.  When we are in Him, we are safe from the fiery darts of
the enemy.

This passage goes on to say in verses 4 & 5  "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and
under His wings shalt thou trust:  His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  Thou
shalt not be afraid for the terror by night:  nor for the arrow that flieth by day:"

How very thankful I am, that I am a child of God!  I can abide in His shadow, He is my
refuge and fortress, He covers me with His feathers and hides me beneath His wings.
He is my shield and bucker, I have no need to fear.  What wonderful statements I can
make and precious promises I can claim. 

How about you?  Do you know God?  These wonderful truths are for every child of God.
How very blessed we are to be so loved by our Heavenly Father.  Find that secret place
and rest and rejoice in your Savior today!

Minute Musings...Get The Boomerang!

I like to do things for people just for the fun of knowing that they are going to enjoy it.  It's
even more fun for if they don't know that it was me.  It's nice to surprise people with things
that you know are going to make them happy.  I love doing little extra's for my kids, just too
remind them that Mom is thinking about them and loves them very much.

Do you realize that there is someone that loves us very much and likes doing the little extra's
for us each day to remind us that He is thinking about us and loves us very much!  Our
Heavenly Father loves to bless us.  We read in Psalms 68:19, "Blessed be the Lord, who
daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."  God just doesn't
toss tidbits of blessings our way now and then, it says that He daily loadeth us with these
benefits or blessings.

Are you seeing them?  Or are you so caught up in the problems, business and stresses of the
day, that you miss what God sends your way to enjoy.  We have a tendency of being blind
to blessings.  We need to open our eyes anew at the bounty of benefits that our Heavenly
Father loads us with each day.  Are you catching them, are you thanking Him, and are you
passing these blessings along to another who just might need that same encouragement?

We are blessed to bless others!  I've seen time and time again, that when you share a
blessing, you are blessed again in return!  Blessings, give to the recipient, and also give
back to the giver.  Spirit led giving has a boomerang affect! 

Luke 6:38  "Give, and it shall be given unto you;  good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.  For with the same
measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again."

We don't give with the intension to receive, we give out of kindness and love for another...
this is the only kind of giving that is blessed by the Lord.  So pay attention today to the
benefits that your Heavenly Father has given to brighten your day, then get the
boomerang out and have some fun! 

Minute Musings...Father, I'm Home!

Nothing fills me with more delight then to hear that my children are coming home for a visit!
I immediately start planning their favorite meals and treats.  The hours seem to creep by so
slowly once I hear that they are on their way.  I watch the clock with great anticipation and
listen for the sound of the door opening and their call, "Mom, I'm home!" 

We sorrow when we lose a loved one.  It hurts, and it feels as if our broken hearts will never
beat the same again.  But if that person was a Christian, then they just went home!  When I
hear of the passing of a saint, in my mind I always envision our Heavenly Father waiting at
the door of Heaven, waiting wrap His arms around His child and to hear them say, "Father,
I'm home!"  The joy we experience at the home coming of our precious children is nothing
compared to the Fathers joy at the appearance of His child at the gate of Heaven. 

Paul exhorts us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, "But I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which
have no hope."  What is Paul talking about?  He is reminding the believer, that while we
sorrow, we sorrow with hope.  We will see our dear one again, because they are with the
Lord!  He tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to
be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."  The Lord Jesus Himself
told the dying thief on the cross, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To
day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)

Heaven is a real place, prepared for real people.  This world is a journey, the destination
is Heaven and eternity with our wonderful Savior.  I lost my dad to cancer when I was only
16.  Do I still sorrow? Most definitely!  In fact it seems that with each passing year I miss
him more and more, but I know that one day I'm going to see him again..."Ye sorrow not,
even as others which have no hope."  Death is not the end, it is only the beginning...the
beginning of eternal fellowship with God! 

John 14:1 - 3  "Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in
Me.  In my Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told
you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you unto myself;  that where I am, there ye may be
also."

Is your voice one of the voices that the Father is waiting to hear say, "I'm home!"