Love IS the Wonder

Posted on September 12, 2021 by PJ

Whoever said that a straightened hand was more dramatic than a healed heart anyway? – “Blessed Child” by Ted Dekker

Psalms 105:2 NIV
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonders. (pala)

Psalm 106:7 KJV
Our fathers understood not thy wonders (pala) in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; But provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.

What are His wonders?
– Checed (lovingkindness no matter what!)
– Mercy
– Grace
– Salvation
– Sonship

We are:
– Reconciled
– Seated
– Righteous
– Sanctified
– Redeemed
– Complete
– Light
– Glorified

Our sins are:
– Forgotten
– Judged by the Blood
– Payed for by Christ taking our place.

This is the simplicity of the Cross and the power in it!

There is no other message I preach.

Well Played, Dog

Posted on February 2, 2021 by PJ

Beauregard loves to play Frisbee, he enjoys chasing after and catching it in his mouth. But there’s one problem, while he does retrieve it, it is hard for him to let go of it even though he’s having fun catching it. So I finally got him to drop the frisbee, but the problem has been he won’t leave it. As soon as I reach for it he grabs it back. When I turn my back to stop playing he finally gives up and lets me have it. He absolutely enjoys chasing after it and catching it, so I’m confused as to why he won’t drop it and leave it.

After an early play session, where he repeated the same pattern over and over, I returned to my morning devotion time.
During prayer I felt the Lord saying, “Cast all your cares on Me, My yoke is easy, My burden is light. Can you let go, so I can do what is necessary? Can you let go? Often you “drop” but don’t “leave it.” If you “leave it” then we can enjoy doing life together.

Oh the things I learn by having a dog.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Choose Life

Posted on January 18, 2021 by PJ

Pro-life and pro-choice camps, they seem mutually exclusive, except if you listen carefully they can be pro-life and pro-choice at the same time.

Pro-life means ‘for life.’ Pro-choice means ‘for choice.’
I know pro-choice people that would rather call pro-life people anti-abortionists, and pro-lifers would say the opposition are pro-death.

Oh what’s in a name? Everything.

I am pro-life; most of my friends are pro-life. I am thankful my mother made a split second decision not to abort me. If only I knew that before I made my own decision. And many of my friends have chosen to adopt and foster those children that could have been aborted. Those same people also feed the poor, accept refugees and believe in education for all. I see that as pro-life.

But if “pro” life means “for” life, why are some pro-lifers out there complaining about wearing masks and closing businesses during COVID season? What I hear is “It steps on my rights.” What they mean is “My choice – my body.” Why are they ok with using violence (whether physically or rhetorically) to install a supposed Pro-Life candidate? See 1Jn 3:15, Mt 5:21-22; 43-45, James 3:9 .

The pro-choice camp it’s famous for saying “My choice – My body.” Yet most of my pro-choice friends are sacrificing their own comfort by wearing masks to help protect those around them as well as themselves. (Yes, I have many pro-choice friends who are Believers.)

As Christians we are called to Life. That should mean womb to tomb. Your rights and comfort don’t matter when you’re trying to save a life. I am thankful Jesus gave up His rights for me. See Phil 2:1-8

Instead of complaining that particular communities are fatherless. Be a father to the fatherless, feed the poor, clothe the naked, free the captives, welcome the stranger, help them on their way, wear a mask/follow COVID guidelines. Who cares what it costs you? This is a trust in ‘God’s Love’ issue. See Deu 10:18 & 27:19, Is 58:6-9, Ja 1:27.

If “Choose Life” were our guiding principle, all lives would be treated as precious, babies in the womb to the elderly, to every race and religious affiliation, to male or female or ?, to the foreigner who wishes to take part of our economy. Why are we still fighting flesh and blood? Remember who the real enemy is.

LOVE conquers a multitude…

You represent his Name for the sake of others, that they would see their Father in heaven loves them to Life. And THEN your Light will shine. See Is 58:9b-10.

Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord ’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭17:8. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
‬ ‭

Read at Your Own Peril

Posted on January 10, 2021 by PJ

The Public ‘Prayers’ of the Facebook Faithful, in a nutshell:

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, but lean on social media and conspiracy theories for your understanding.

Not Your will but mine be done.

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble others through shame, rhetoric and threats, and pray and seek My face and turn others from their wicked liberal ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive the world’s sin and will heal their land.

Vengeance is mine. Period.

My rights, my body (concerning masks)

The Word of the Lord:

Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool. -Proverbs 10:18

He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.- Job 2:10

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to TEST you, as though something strange were happening to you. But REJOICE inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted BECAUSE of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should NOT be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or EVEN as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to BEGIN with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? -1 Peter 4:12‭-‬17

God changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.- Daniel 2:21

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name …and will deceive many. And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the Love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. – Matthew 24:4‭-‬5‭, ‬11‭-‬13

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. – Proverbs 10:12

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. – Revelation 2:4

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son?
It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and EVERYONE undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. – Hebrews 12:5‭-‬8

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the church. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. – Revelation 2:7

You Gotta Know When to Hold ‘Em…

Posted on December 15, 2019 by PJ

If you’ve ever played poker, there may have been times you’ve had a bad hand and had to fold. I’ll be honest, I’ve felt like folding lately.

If you play often you might know some people who bluff really well. I’m not one of them. They say everyone has a ‘tell.’ A physical sign that they may be bluffing about a good or bad hand. It could be a twitch, a giggle, nervous hands, but whatever it is, if you can find the pattern you will know when they are lying.

Well these weeks have sort of been like playing poker with the Devil. He’s bluffing about his hand, trying to convince me to fold. But he doesn’t have the winning hand.

How do I know that I have the winning hand? Well there’s the Words of Promise from the Lord, but honestly, I’m not sure which to apply here. Which to discard, which to pick up. Are the promises I’m standing on the right ones? Does my opponent have a hand I can’t beat?

Well, it turns out I figured out his ‘tell.’ Yes, when he has a losing hand he pushes extreme hopelessness. If I watch him, that’s what I’ll see. But that’s a sure sign he’s trying to get me to quit because he knows I’ve got the upper hand.

If I stay focused on my hand, I’m going to see a Royal Flush: Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Me and the Faith card. I’ve got all the Hope cards, he’s got none. So I stay in the game and do what I was called to do before the onslaught.
If I continue in the Faith then I win, raise the stake called the cross and he has to fold.

So if you’re feeling an extreme case of hopelessness it’s a sign that you are on the edge of breakthrough. Don’t fold, keep playing knowing Christ is the hand you’ve been dealt. And He IS the overcoming Right Hand.

But if we hope for what is still unseen by us, we wait for it with patience and composure. So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
Romans 8:25‭-‬26 AMP

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
2 Corinthians 10:3‭-‬5 AMP

Nothing But A Mist

Musings about life for life

Love IS the Wonder