"Last Days" Thoughts

I Peter 4:7

The end of all things is near - We are in the midst of all the turmoil and pollution and wickedness God said would be present, ever more so as the end approaches.

Therefore be clear minded - Don't get caught up in all the worldliness around me, but see through the muddle and confusion to God's Truth.

And self-controlled - Don't let my emotions run away with me when upsetting things happen.

So that you can pray - Prayer is crucial--I must have that communion with God, especially so when these "last days" are bringing turmoil and confusion and deception, I need my Father's steady hand on me to keep me faithful.

Let's Get Dressed

Colossians 3:12-14

V. 5-9 Take off all the old rags you used to wear.

God's chosen people - Picked out from the crowd.

holy - separated from the worldly.

dearly loved - Wow! What more could I ever ask?

clothe yourselves - dress up, wear to display like a tee shirt that promotes what I like.

compassion - passionate caring.

kindness - what helps the other, even when not deserved.

humility - putting self in the background, focusing on the other one.

gentleness - smooth, soft, easy; not hard or harsh.

patience - no hurry, just relaxed and calm and cheerful.

Bear with each other - don't let their idiosyncrasies get to you, let them roll off.

Forgive whatever grievances... - give the benefit of the doubt if it may have been unintentional, or let it go even if it was intentional.

Forgive as the Lord... - I will never have need to forgive anyone else more than I have already been forgiven.

Over all ... put on love - This is the overcoat, the great coat, the dress coat, that completes the outfit.

binds them all together in unity - Ties us all together as family, and defines all the virtues, all we do in relationship with one another.

Love is the overcoat that is worn over all the virtues of clothing we are to wear. Love has compassion, love is kind, love thinks of others before myself. Love is gentle and patient. Love bears with each other and forgives as the Lord has forgiven me. Love fulfills all the Laws and prompts all the virtues. To love God and other people is the only rule we need to follow to become like our Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Father will receive all the glory.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

God's Comfort

II Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

The first time God used me in this way was when we were at Bible College, and I heard that another student wife had just miscarried. Since I had lost my first pregnancy, I called her in the hospital. When she heard that I had gone through what she was experiencing, she opened up to me and release a lot of doubt and fear, and God received the glory. She was greatly encouraged by my call, and her faith strengthened.

Often through the years, as I have faced the disappointments and griefs of life, I've remembered that student wife, and how I didn't need to "fix" anything for her; I just shared with her, and God comforted her. Our God is amazing! The comfort He gives us overflows into others' lives to comfort them in the sufferings they are facing. (verse 5.)

Permissible Versus Beneficial

I Corinthians 6:12-20

Expanded, Selective Paraphrase:

Although "all things are permissible for me," all things are not beneficial, nor will I submit to be mastered by anything but Christ. My body was not given to me to do with it anything I want, whether it be with food, with drink or with behavior. God values our bodies, as He raised Jesus bodily from death, and He will raise me bodily, too. The "one flesh" mentioned here is specifically physical, referring to the "marital act" of sexual union. We must not reason with, or argue with sexual temptation, but we must flee from it, run away from it, turn tail and skedaddle! My body is the Holy Spirit's temple; I do not belong to myself, I have been purchased, bought at such a high price! So I want to honor God with my body, as well as with my soul and my spirit; with all my heart, soul, mind and strength; my thought processes, my passions, my will and what physical strength I have.

Order In Our World

Psalm 104

Paraphrase:

How wonderful God is, and how powerful and skillful he is in all he is and does. He wraps himself in light as clothing, and spread out the atmosphere to clothe the Earth. He rides the clouds as we would a motorcycle, and rides on the wings of the wind. His angels are spirit and fire. He has fashioned the Earth securely so that it will remain permanently in place, to operate as he has planned out: the waters cover the oceans and seas, which rose up to cover even the mountains; then at Your rebuke, Your thunderous voice, they receded to the valleys of the Earth, the low areas, and will never again flood the whole planet. Now the fresh waters flow, the springs and rivers, from the mountains to the plains, You water the land for all the animals, birds and man, to grow all the food to nourish us all and give us health and joyfulness. All the Earth is made to work in an orderly fashion; the trees for the birds, the mountains for goats and rock badgers; the moon to delineate the seasons and the sun to set at night for the nocturnal animals, and rise again for Man to do his work. Even the oceans and seas have their aquatic creatures. They all live and die and their offspring carries on. Everything continues just as You designed it to work.

Obedience

Psalm 119:1-5

Pray it:

O my Father, I know that You bless all of us whose ways are blameless, who live our lives according to Your law; those of us who keep Your statutes, and seek You with all our heart, our passion. Then we will do nothing wrong, as we walk in Your ways. Father, You have laid down precepts that we must obey fully to attain that righteous life You desire for us. O Father, help me to be steadfast in obeying Your decrees!

Call, And I Will Answer

Jeremiah 33:3

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

After my husband of 30 years died and I was trying to carry on the business he ran without him, the day came when I reached the end of my rope, with several crises happening all at the same time, and everyone turning to me for answers I didn't have. I didn't know how to deal with any of the problems that came up, so I closed myself up in my private room and cried out to the Lord. That is the day He gave me this verse. God told me that He would teach me many more truths to build my life around, things I didn't know yet, at that time.

Years have passed since that day, and today I can look back at all the things God has taught me through many portals of learning, things that have allowed me to deal with many trials and troubles, and things to encourage me, and so I can encourage others, too. Plans for me that I will only be able to fulfill in His power and wisdom, in His time for me. And He is still teaching me His ways, and what He will do in, through and for me to fulfill all His promises.