Living The Abundant Life 9/30/2018

Good Morning.

Headed out to begin my Sunday with a steaming hot cup of Door County Wisconsin Harvest Blend  Coffee. I hope your coffee is at least half as good as mine.

John 10:10 (NKJV)

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.


Ahh the abundant life. Many of us assume that being a Christian allows us to interpret this verse as a blank check written by God to grant our desires. Many believe this verse entitles us to things.

The kind of abundance that Jesus is speaking of in this verse is a measure of the quality of life, not the quantity of possessions. You can't measure the abundance in square feet or bottom lines. Jesus promised to provide a inexhaustible supply of what makes life worth living- things like love, grace, guidance, forgiveness, and peace with joy. These are the gifts to us. A life that is overflowing with riches of the heart that cannot be taken away.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)

⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

 

In the verse above I find that the abundant life Jesus spoke of can be also found in the Book of Psalms. It talks about desires. One once again could interpret these desires as things. Pay attention to the first part of Psalm 37:4
Delighting in God will make Him become the desire of your heart. In turn you desire more in your relationship with God and He supplies all of those desires according to His riches. He will never run out of wanting to hear from you, spending time with you or love for you. That is the abundant life.

Have a great day. Spend time with God. Live the abundant life.
Marty

 

The First Frost Of The Year And Chilled Hearts 9/29/2018

Good Morning,

Let me say it again. Good Morning! This is a day that I look forward to every year. It is the first day that frost has appeared on our grass. God has painted a light crunch in our yard and it lets me know that my favorite time of the year is really here. I enjoy the fall season and tomorrow I will be hunting a little.  A big cup of Door County Caramel Apple Coffee is sitting next to me. The house is a little chilly inside, but I just placed some squash in the oven to bake. It will be warm in no time at all.

My thought for today is about the chill in the house. The weather forecast for next week shows a few warm to almost some hot days. So Rene and I won't go into the heating mode at all until we know that the cold weather is here to stay. The chilly house makes me appreciate the warm clothing I own. But for some reason the cold house seems quieter and actually a bit lonely. Rene is still sleeping and I expect her to sleep for a couple more hours. She needs that extra sleep. She has had a long week at work.

Back to the chilly house. In no time at all the house will begin to warm up and will have the smell of seasoned squash coming from the kitchen. Things will be back to normal. The chilly homes I am going to talk about are the ones where during the night before, cross or harsh words were shared between the occupants of the home. Then everyone went to bed without apologizing or praying, or forgiving. They wake up to a "frosty home" filled with cold hearts. Something today needs to change to warm up the hearts within the home. Where I live, if a home is left to stay cold and unheated for too long, it causes severe damage. The water pipes and drains freeze and the repairs can cost a fortune. I have witnessed homes needing to be torn down because of the flood damage. No one cared to restore the home anymore.

                                   Ephesians 4:26 New International Version (NIV)

²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Friends, you might have gone to bed angry and it might even be that you have gone to bed all week angry. It's time to take a step to warm up the heart and take the chill out. This often requires forgiving, praying, and seeking God's compassion. Or the winter season of your life will last a long time and it might just prove to be a hard freeze you never get over. There is nothing worse than owning a hardened heart. We work overtime in a job that we are not qualified for when we put on God's hat and seek revenge. This is a sin to not forgive and when we play God we are only making ourselves into our own little idols. We are given the right to be angry but yet in that anger God tells us not to sin. This is easy to talk, not always easy to walk. But it is an expectation of God for us.

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me. NIV

Food for thought.

Marty

Church Attendance This Weekend 9/28/2018

Good Morning. Happy Friday,

What is hot and tastes like liquid blueberries? My Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee this morning.

Psalm 122:1

King James Version (KJV)

 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.

Well it's Friday morning. Many people will go to church tomorrow or Sunday. I am 61 years old now and for all those years the day after Friday has always been Saturday. And the day after Saturday has always been Sunday. I hope you will agree with me that this is pretty much a constant!!!! Why does it seem as if Sunday or Saturday night worship times come like a big surprise to people? So why is it that many people rush to church and then rush through it? Oh they might plan their clothing, prepare a tithe, but will most cut short the Saturday activities and be well rested to go into God's house and not sleep through the service and then say "I didn't get much out of that."?

I think as much as being on time is important and laying out your clothes is important, preparing your heart, mind, body and soul prior to entering God's house is more important. For many people throughout the world and over the years church attendance has been taken away. Think of those locked away in the concentration camps of World War 2. They lost that privilege.

As we prepare to assemble this weekend let's rejoice because we can attend. Let's take time to prepare our hearts, minds and rest our bodies. Let's get the most out of our time together with God.

Love to all

Marty

Apple Pie For The Wife 9/27/2018

Good Morning,

Morning came and God blessed me with another day of life. My mug is filled with Door County Tanzanian Peaberry Coffee and I will be headed to work in a few minutes. 

Our home smells so good this morning. One of the last things I did before we went to bed was to bake an apple pie. The apples and the seasoning combined to make one aromatic home. Instead of cake, Rene and I will celebrate tonight with the pie. According to her, 1000 years ago we were married on this date. It seems like it was just yesterday. Rene picked the apples earlier this week and I went to work to turn them into a dessert fit for my queen. 

Proverbs 31:10-31 New International Version (NIV)

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 

A wife of noble character who can find?

    She is worth far more than rubies.

11 

Her husband has full confidence in her

    and lacks nothing of value.

12 

She brings him good, not harm,

    all the days of her life.

13 

She selects wool and flax

    and works with eager hands.

14 

She is like the merchant ships,

    bringing her food from afar.

15 

She gets up while it is still night;

    she provides food for her family

    and portions for her female servants.

16 

She considers a field and buys it;

    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 

She sets about her work vigorously;

    her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 

She sees that her trading is profitable,

    and her lamp does not go out at night.

19 

In her hand she holds the distaff

    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20 

She opens her arms to the poor

    and extends her hands to the needy.

21 

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22 

She makes coverings for her bed;

    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23 

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24 

She makes linen garments and sells them,

    and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25 

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

    she can laugh at the days to come.

26 

She speaks with wisdom,

    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 

She watches over the affairs of her household

    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 

Her children arise and call her blessed;

    her husband also, and he praises her:

29 

“Many women do noble things,

    but you surpass them all.”

30 

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 

Honor her for all that her hands have done,

    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

My point is this. I was blessed to have found a wife like her and every year together needs to be celebrated. No matter what is going on at the time we stop to thank God for the 1000 years He has given us. We both worked hard to have the home we live in, but it was Rene who said as we built the house, that it needs to be a place of refuge and comfort for others. " We need to show hospitality even when it is difficult".

I see neighbors walk their dogs and they stop to talk to her. She always greets the walkers with a smile and will stop what she is doing to chat them up a little. I enjoy watching her in the garden and walking among the trees picking apples. I know exactly what she is going to say with a bag full of apples. "Who did we promise the next bag of apples to?" 

Well apples aside. I married a peach!

Marty

When You Just Need A Push To Be Motivated 9/26/2018

Good Morning,

I woke up this morning and it was with a smile. I was greeted by our dog Gibbs who wanted to play at 4:45 AM. And for a few minutes , we played. It felt good to just let go of my rigid morning routine.  Later I will drink a cup of Door County Bourbon Barrel Pound Cake Coffee.

Every now and then we find ourselves lacking motivation to keep going or finish something.

Isaiah 40:28-31 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁸ Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Here are some reasons we may lack motivation.

Depression. . Depression can destroy academic and professional success.
Fear of failure. Many people who are afraid of failing avoid striving for goals. Avoiding a goal feels safer than trying and not succeeding.
Low self-esteem. People who have low self-esteem tend to believe that they are not capable of succeeding and often self-destroy
Lack of interest. Some tasks are uninteresting and attention will be diverted elsewhere, resulting in poor grades or low performance at work.
Procrastination habit. Procrastination occurs for many reasons including feeling overwhelmed, being depressed, feeling anxious or fearing failure among others. Procrastination often leads to making excuses and takes on a form that looks like lack of motivation.
Stress will always give motivation a kick in the pants and seeks to rob people of the will to go on.

But how do we get motivated? We count on God to lead us. This requires submitting to His leadership, trusting that His path for us is best. He alone can carry us when it seems like we can't get going. If God is for us, who can be against us? God overcomes lack of motivation for us and as He pushes us forward we can feel the wind on our wings. We soar to the goal, not only to achieve it but own it. God is our biggest cheerleader.

So get going my friends. Soar! Don't quit

Marty

Feeding A Crowd 9/25/2018

Good Morning,

My morning rise and shine time came before I wanted it to. I can hear my pot of Door County Heavenly Caramel Coffee brewing in the kitchen. But it's time to pray and then write.

Jesus performed many miracles and at one time or another they have all inspired me in one way or another. One of my favorites is when He fed the 5000.

Matthew 14:13-21 New King James Version (NKJV)

Feeding the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. ¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”
¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. ²¹ Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

One of the things often overlooked is that Scripture actually says Jesus fed 5000 men as well as women and children. Now only God knows the exact number of people fed, but in addition there were twelve baskets of left overs.

I would like to point out two lessons here.

1. Jesus saw hungry people who had followed Him and after a long day He fed these people. Yes He performed a miracle by increasing the supply. That in itself is amazing, but think about the distribution of the food. It took time to do. Then everyone had a meal and ate their fill. This took time. Then the leftovers had to be collected. Again this took time. All of this after a long day. Jesus served others by sharing His time and He was the Key Speaker of the day.
Lesson learned  Jesus Cares and some inconvenience doesn't stop Him. Is it ever too late at your house to feed someone in need?

2. Jesus expects us to do the same. He instructed the disciples to feed the multitudes. He provided the food, but He had the disciples distribute it and then collect the left overs. He inspires us to join Him in His work and He expects it. He gave the food to the disciples and they distributed it. Do you inspire others to serve? Do you serve with them?

Is God calling you to join Him in service to others?  He expects us to serve and it might not be convenient. What is your answer?

Food for thought.

Marty

If You Were Given Two Good Ears. Use Them.

9/24/2018

Good Morning,

Door County Bourbon Pecan Pie Coffee just splashed into my mug and it is time to write on this beautiful Monday.

Proverbs 18:2 New King James Version (NKJV)

² A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.

For those of us who are healthy enough to use our ears to listen, it would be a good idea to do so. Most arguments become perpetual because the parties involved don't take time to listen to each other and then come to a mutual understanding. You can't understand someone if you don't listen to them. The word heart in our verse  today if we paraphrase it could also read opinion. You possibly might have heard the expression "opinions are like butts., everyone has one." 

Friends we often like to share our opinion to someone before we know all the facts. We often come to the wrong conclusion prematurely when we don't take time to listen. Here's a little trick to test if you are listening. Once the other person finishes with whatever it is they are saying ask them this. "Let me see if I have this correct" and then repeat to them what they said. They might correct you and say "that is not what I said". Then you know you missed something and now have the chance to get it right.  Now if they say let me rephrase that statement it means they heard what they said when you repeated it to them and now when they heard it from you they realize it needs correcting. You just saved yourself and them a lot of time.

Most of all, there comes a time when people just want someone to listen. In these instances listen closely and then offer to pray with them, or hug them. Sometimes people just need to vent, mourn, or whine a little. Be a good friend and listen without expressing an opinion.

What kind of listener are you?

Marty

Returning To Your Vomit 9/23/2018

Good Morning,

It's a little cold in the house today, but soon the sun will be up and it will warm us up. No need for the furnace or the fireplace just yet. Fall arrived last night and it feels good. My java choice this morning is a new on from the Door County Coffee Company. It is named Bourbon Vanilla Crème. It is pretty good and I will be making some more of it again.

2 Peter 2:19-22 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁹ They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves^[a] of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

It's Sunday and I guess my choice of titles is not all that appealing to be reading with a cup of coffee and a biscuit. But my goal is to stimulate some thought for those headed to church or to prayer. Church services and prayer times are times when we meet with God. They are always good places to privately confess our failures or issues  and "leave them there" asking God to help us to overcome them and not go back to them.

Our church is a beautiful building and worthy of respect. But very often I tell people to treat it like the garbage dump and leave their issues in the church. God will clean them up and hopefully you don't bring them back to yourself.  It has worked very well as a metaphor for letting go. Letting go means to leave it alone permanently and not grab on to what has held you down from being all that God desires of you.

2 Peter 2:19:22 is a very frightening passage. As bad as it is for us to have first been enslaved to a sin in our lives, returning to it after being freed from it is worse than having never left it. God cleaned us up once and He will work to clean us up again but the consequences are worse the second and third times around.

An example would be this. A heavy drinker of alcohol does a lot of damage to their liver and brain cells . They call on God and sober up and then a year later return to their drinking ways where they start to compound the damage to their bodies. The same can be said about many things like drugs, greed or lust. The Proverb literally equates this to a dog vomiting out something they ate that was bad for them and then returning to eat it.  I can't say that I have ever been ill, vomited into a bowl and saved it for later. Just not appealing at all. Obviously God uses very strong words here to show how serious He is about returning to our life's messes or misses.

I am sorry if I ruined your breakfast but this is one that God laid on my heart today and I needed to share.

Love to all,

Marty

Shore Lunch, The One I Just Can't Forget 9/22/2018

Good Morning,

AS I sit here writing to all of you I have our dog Gibbs sleeping on my feet and a cup of Door County White Chocolate Cinnamon Dolce Coffee next to me. There is just something about this setting that makes me feel good. Hopefully I will be hunting next weekend.

Last night before I went to bed I for some reason or another I started to recall past fishing trips. There was a stretch in my life when an annual trip to Canada to spend a week fishing with buddies was the norm. But as with all things, time has a way of changing what you do. The lodge where I liked to go suffered a major fire and has not reopened. It seemed like finding a new place just wasn't what I wanted to do.

Philippians 1:3 I am thankful for the friendships God has given me & for the journey I am on...

 

One of our customs during our week of fishing was to gather the guys that were there that year and meet along the shore of this huge lake at noon and eat lunch together. Each of us would bring a fish or two with us to the spot in the woods and we would fry them up or bake them. One particular day when my partner and I were headed to the lunch destination I could see in the distance the smoke from the cooking fire rising to the clouds. We showed up with our trout. Most of the guys were already there and one buddy was starting to fry the fish in a big skillet. We had fried potatoes and onions along with cans of pork and beans. The cans of beans was sitting close to the hot fire simmering away. The freshly fried fish was heavenly and the fire felt like a warm blanket. It was early in the year and the ice had just left the lake. The wind was cold so the fire had two purposes. What I remember most was that each of us removed our cap and prayed before we ate asking God to bless our meal and watch over our loved ones back at home. We ate and joked around, coffee from Thermos bottles was shared and soon after that we partnered up, two in a boat and went back to fishing.  That was the last time we ever went as a group again. Now some of those fellas have gone on to be with our Lord in heaven. Those of us still here will sometimes reminisce about that trip and smile as we remember the meals and the foolish jocularity that always takes place when a bunch of guys get together.

It's funny how a moment in time like that trip will leave an imprint in your mind and heart forever. So my thought for today is this, God made that lake, planted fish there, gave us firewood, and created each guy there. Correct me if you think I am wrong. God gave us a memory that will last a life time and I for one am better for having been there. So as I recall that trip stored in the vault of my pea brain I need to stop for a moment, look up and say to God, "Thanks for the memories". We all have some good times to recall, we just need to remember Who gave them to us.

Marty

IFIDA 9/21/2018

Good Morning,

Finally, I arrived home from my business trip and it is good to be drinking some Door County Maple Coffee in our house! Glad to be here.

There are times in life when we partner with a stranger named Ifida. This person is not a good partner for us. Now of course Ifida is a play on words that is gibberish for some slang. "If Ida" or translated in plain English "If I would have".

There is usually an excuse for partnering with Ifida and it is the term "procrastination". Procrastination usually leads to partnering with Ifida, which then leads to a disease called excuseitis. Ifida comes about when we procrastinate or avoid following God's plans found in Scripture.  Let me show you how this works. God clearly instructs us on love. But we procrastinate on doing what He instructs and then before you know it we say "If Ida only listened and followed". Then we manufacture excuses for not following God. These excuses are a disease which is hard to get rid of. Once entrenched in our heart they cause heart failure and our love for God and then others doesn't really beat within us anymore.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Love is patient, am I really patient? love is kind am I kind even when I don't feel like being kind?. It does not envy do I envy others  to the point of doing wrong?, it does not boast, do I boast and like to put others down? it is not proud. can I or do I swallow my pride? ⁵ It does not dishonor others,do I run others down?  it is not self-seeking, the things I do, what is my motivation for doing them?  it is not easily angered, how often do I go ballistic when I know better?  it keeps no record of wrongs. do I record things in my mind and never let go or do I bury them within a sea of love? ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. when the truth hurts do we still embrace it?⁷ It always protects, do I protect the feelings of others? always trusts, can I work to restore trust? always hopes, do I place my hope in God and know He will sustain me?  always perseveres. am I a quitter or a child of a King?

If we would follow the advice of God we would never be partnered with Ifida. God sets us out on paths of righteous for His names' sake.

Food for thought on this Friday. What is God asking you to do? Is He powerful enough to carry you through it? Of course He is. Don't procrastinate. Ifida is waiting for you.

Marty

Making The Right Choices. Here Is The Formula For Success 9/20/2018

Good Morning,

A little Door County Cherry Crème Coffee to get going on this damp Thursday in Wisconsin.

 

Funny. We will all make choices every day. How do we know if the choice we make is the right one? Read on.

— Proverbs 19:3 —

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,

yet their heart rages against the Lord.

We hardly notice we’re doing it, although some of us do it often. We get mad at God for whatever hardship we find ourselves in. Yet when we dig down to the root of the hardship, we often find that we brought it on ourselves, either by an unwise decision or by unwisely avoiding a decision that could have prevented it. The finger we point at God could easily be turned back at us. Not all hardship is our own fault. We face many trials that we did not cause. In any hardship, we should not embrace the attitude of many guilt-ridden individuals who, whenever something bad happens, assume they did something to deserve it. But we also shouldn’t be like the fools who rage at God for the ruin that resulted from their own folly. We have to own up to our decisions (and our indecisions), learn from them, and ask God to teach us better ways and move forward in his grace. It’s called personal responsibility. And it produces wisdom.

THE TEST FOR CHOICES

1st. Does your choice exalt Christ?

2nd. Is your choice in line with Scripture?

3rd. Do other Christians confirm your choice?

4th. What kind of fruit is your choice producing? Are you lying to protect your choice? Is this choice keeping you awake at night?

Use this check list. If your choice does not line up with the test. Back out, get out, pray out, but don’t keep going ahead with it.

God bless,
Marty

Just A Little Too Close 9/19/2018

Good Morning,


I am out of town for work this week and I was smart enough to pack a supply of Door County Maple Coffee. This hotel is nice but the coffee resembles paint at best.

Yesterday while traveling to my destination I stopped for a few minutes to stretch my legs and get something to drink at a gas station. When I returned to my Jeep I found that another driver had parked in the space next to me. On the other side of the Jeep was a wall. I parked close to the wall so I would have plenty of room to get into the Jeep with these weary knees. The car parked next to me was parked rather sloppily and it made getting into the Jeep impossible.


The only thing I could do was wait for the car owner to return to the car and move it. I did try entering the Jeep from the rear back door. My knees weren't cooperating and I almost dislocated the left one.

Philippians 4:13 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ I can do all things through ^[a]Christ who strengthens me.

Twenty minutes into this circus the owner of the car showed up and said," Oh it looks like I over parked a little". I agreed and asked if she could mover her car so I could get going. My blood pressure was reaching an all time new high. I wanted to go off like a nuclear blast but held my tongue thinking my wife and God would be proud of me. She never apologized but said that she hadn't intended to be in the gas station that long but she needed to shop a little and she ran into an old friend so they chatted awhile.  " I hope you didn't mind waiting" were the next words out of her mouth as she went to get into her car and move it. I believe my facial expression must have given my feelings away. Then she said it, "You older people are too impatient. You need to relax and chill." My windows were open and I thanked her for moving her car and told her that I would be praying for her. I didn't say why I was praying but it was for her own safety. The next person she blocks in or insults their age might not appreciate the moment as much as I did. I did pray that she would wake up and realize that she has a rude streak in that personality. I however thanked God for helping me to zip my lip. I had prayed about the travel portion of my week and I believe I was tested to see how I would respond. It was a close call. We need to pray about the specifics when we pray. I prayed for safety not on how to deal with rude people. There was almost a meltdown in that parking lot. Prayer is the answer for dealing with the irritations of the day.

Marty

Finding A Stream In The Middle Of A Desert. 9/18/2018

Good Morning,

I just hit the floor and that is when the Door County Heavenly Caramel Coffee started to brew. I have a bit of a long drive ahead of me today so my Thermos Bottle needs to be full of my hot java.

Yesterday I had to drop off our truck for some service. Through miscommunication between Rene and I, she was not at the service garage after I left from work. When I called her, she was home wondering where I was. I told her that I would start walking home and that she should call me if she did not see me walking. There is only one way to get to this service garage and we were sure not to miss each other. She said she was leaving right away to pick me up.

I started walking and in no time flat I had gone about a half of a mile. Still no Rene in sight. It was very warm outside but the walk felt good and I kept going. I was getting a little thirsty and needed a cool drink. Up ahead was a gas station with cold beverages. They were really cold and I was very happy to purchase two and head down the road. That cold beverage was just what I needed. I bought the second one to share with Rene when she picked me up/

God is like a cold beverage on a hot day. Turning to Him during those dry desert like times in our life is like finding a cool stream in the middle of a desert. We just have to jump in and submerge ourselves in the fact that we are His child. God is our Father and He knows what we are going through.

Matthew 6:32 New Living Translation (NLT)

³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

 

We think God has abandoned us at times. It is at those times when we should recall how He came through in the past and the lesson we learned. With every lesson in school there is always a quiz. The quiz is to see if we remember what we learned. It is the same way with trials. We learn a lesson and along comes another trial to see if we remember to turn to God and place our trust in Him again.

We need to find our way back to the stream of life in the desert times of our lives.

 

If you are in a season of despair look for God in your sand storm and follow Him. He will be your stream in the desert. Love to all.

 

Marty

What Part Of No Don't You Understand? 9/17/2018

Good Morning,

Monday arrived as promised and it will last all day. I am preparing to have my first sip of Door County Caramel Apple Coffee with a few pieces of melon for breakfast. I enjoyed the weekend and it was pretty productive. So now it's time to get this week started.

 

 

I had to do a little shopping for a gift I needed and yesterday afternoon was the best time to shop according to what I had scheduled. I was not doing too well finding what I wanted to purchase, and the screaming  of a young boy about four years old wasn't helping me think either. I walked toward the sound to make sure someone wasn't kidnapping this youngster or something.

What was going on was a battle between a mother and her son. He was placing a blanket with a picture on it into the shopping cart for his mother to purchase. From his yelling I could tell that this was something he wanted. Now the other side of this coin was the fact that his mother was telling him it wouldn't be purchased and he needed to put it back. He screamed "I want this". She emphatically would reply "No you don't need this".  Finally in desperation as she reasoned with a four year old she said" What part of no don't you understand"? Now I am sure that there were some others besides myself that thought this meeting of wills would be best solved at home with a time out or heaven forbid a swat on the rump.

Romans 13:1-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

Respect for Authority

13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. ² So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ³ For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ⁴ The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. ⁵ So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

⁶ Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. ⁷ Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

I chuckled as I walked away, and said a prayer for this mom and her stubborn son. But what she said about not understanding the word no stuck with me all day. We are children of God and I am sure that when we directly disobey Him and go outside of Biblical instructions given to us in Scripture, He must feel like that mother. He warns us of things that could happen to us as consequences. God tells us to honor the authorities put over us. Yet, we ignore speed limits and receive a traffic ticket. Then  we pray for leniency when we go to court, even though we are guilty. Foolish, foolish, foolish.

Can you hear God saying what part of no speeding didn't you understand? God tells us to avoid the occult and occult practices, yet. Halloween sales for decorations are out pacing Christmas. We say "oh there's no harm". So God tells us "no don't do it"  and then we go ahead and do it anyway. Then we wonder why our kids get caught up with things like "Slender Man" and other foolish games.

Here is just some food for thought. What part of no don't YOU understand? Are you acting like a four year old who wants his or her way? Do you need a time out or a swat on the back side?

Marty

Making It To Shore 9/16/2018

Good Morning,
Sunday morning and I have to go into work for a couple of hours today. My cup overflows (Literally) with Door County Inn Keepers Blend Coffee

Hebrews 12:1
 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.

As  all duck hunters know when you hunt deep water, the lakes are not always as calm as glass. You have to be prepared at all times for rough water.
Part of the equipment needed to hunt ducks are a good pair of chest waders. Waders are basically a water proof suit. A life jacket is also a must.
A plan needs to be made in case the boat capsizes or you fall into the water.
Waders will fill quickly and the extra water will weight you down. You must be
prepared to release and remove your waders in the water. In order to get to
shore you must reduce the weight that would hold you back and possibly cause you
to drown. I have had a few close calls in my time and have had those waders fill up so I know what I am talking about. There is no place like the shoreline after your boat capsizes from a storm or being over weighted.

 

Life is the same way. If we are to be the Christian we want to be and the one God desires, we need to remove the weights that may hold us back. I can't tell you what it may be for you, but you know what it might be. Sin is a weight, and usually the culprit. Being too busy can be a weight. Worry can be a weight,  and refusing to serve in the church or charity can be a weight. Changing analogies for a minute. No track and field star would fill their pockets with sand or run a race with weights on their ankles.

Lay aside the weights and get to shore.

God bless,
Marty