You Old Salt, You!

(Luke 14:25-34) (ESV) These verses not only speak of what the cost of discipleship is in terms of relationships, material possessions and temporal acquisitions (necessities), and your time and energy. There’s also a warning here, regarding holding back when it comes to the things we need to confess and give up to the LORD/Lord.

Verses 28-33 tell us why. “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

This takes us back to my post about making a firm decision to make changes. First, you have to consider what it’s going to take, and what you’re willing to give. You have to be willing to give all you’ve got to it, or is won’t work. You can’t put two tires on a car and expect to get anywhere in it. You’ll either be tipped over to one side and get stuck, or you’ll be dragging the rear end. Neither way will get you very far; and pretty soon, that part of the car will be destroyed.

There’s a clue in here about the number of Satan’s minions you’re up against. You’re outnumbered 2 to one, at the very least. The other clue in this verse has to do with God’s power, His protective possessiveness over you, and His steadfast love for you.

When I read this, I think about Mom listening to you whine and come up with reason after reason…and steadfastly, Mom says, “I’m sorry, dear, but my decision is final.” You know you’re not going to win that one, don’t you? Yeah, God’s just like that. “Okay, you asked me to help me, so I’m helping you. And, no; I’m not helping you your way, I’m helping you to do it my way because I know my way works best.” I have to laugh now, but back then it was the most frustrating thing in the world to me. Not the part where God’s going to make me do it His way; but the fact that I’d keep falling back into that mindset.

That brings us to renouncing all that we have. In the Spirit, it means you STOP thinking you have the answers. STOP making the excuses. STOP holding back the confessions and questions. STOP holding on to the pain, anger, self-loathing, etc. All that stuff does is serve the devil and defeat us.

The last verse is about the salt. When I read this, I think about an old Salt (sailor). They do not change their ways! They’ve learned it, they’ve got it down to a science, and you’re not going to throw a monkey wrench into it! That’s exactly the attitude we have to take when we’re making those changes. In the end, it will be so well worth it! You’ll recover your life as it was meant to be; real life. You’ll have so much peace, progress, and power, and so much of it to give to others like you.

Love you from Café du Mondieu

I Was

I wrote this psalm last Sunday, after a day filled with Bible study. I thought I’d share.

Were you there at Calvary: when Jesus died to set us free? Whenever I get the victory, I was.

Were you there when He hung on the cross; separated from God to save us lost? The day I realized what that cost, I was.

Where you there when they laid Him in the tomb? When He went to Heaven to prepare a room for you and me? Whenever I look up and see there’s yet a horizon, I was.

Whenever I look into those eyes, and Jesus’ love dispels the lies I used to live, I remember everything the Beautiful One gave that day; and still gives today. I see myself on Calvary, in His Heart.

Were you there that day on Calvary, when His blood covered every sin conceived? Oh, when I think of Jesus love for me, I was.

Thank you Lord, for loving me.

Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, February 28, 2021, 1:24 p.m./Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, March 6, 2021, 2:45 p.m.

Work At Resting

Today’s message from God Calling – A. J. Russell, bids us to come unto Him; and to stay with Him. The Lord’s presence, you see, is our Sabbath rest. The Sabbath is holy to the LORD/Lord; and that holiness surrounds us as we rest in Him.

It is in the resting in the presence of the LORD/Lord, that power comes to us. “My strength is made perfect in your weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) “…in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15) My life changed completely, when I learned to just walk in that rest. I learned to stay there at all costs. No, things still don’t always go right; yes, I still get angry, frustrated, upset, etc. But, I can, and do, go right back into that rest immediately, or asap, when I do lose it. It’s a matter of working at it, until we get it so right the devil can’t pull us out anymore. It’s just like that seventy times seven forgiveness thing – in other words, “do it until it comes naturally to you.”

Happy Birthday, my love! My first baby girl is celebrating her 40th birthday today. May your day be blessed with all the love, joy, laughter, and beautiful memories your heart can hold…and then some. And may I tell you, you are my “and them some!” Love you!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Interludes Of Peace

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to protect our peace at all costs. We’re told to stop everything and regain our peace whenever it’s been disturbed. As I read this message, I think about Proverbs 4:23, which tells us to guard our hearts above all else because everything we do flows from it.

I found, some time ago, that little interludes of peace throughout the day help to keep me unruffled. These can include a few minutes of some quiet instrumental music-I love bamboo flute music for calming and refreshing my spirit. I used to take a short 30 minute “awake nap” after work each day. This helped me to switch gears and get back into Mom mode. Of course, an evening drive after dinner, or even a sunset picnic out in a quiet area make for a wonderful interlude of peace. I wrote a song titled “Little Wild Rose,” after a drive in the country with my then husband. See how that works? Creativity is always refreshed after an interlude of peace.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Blessed Assurance Is That Peace

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are to seek peace; to pursue it. We are told that blessed assurance, that calm, knowing that God is God, is what brings about true success. Only when we attain this calm, can true work be done, and body, mind, and soul be strengthened to achieve the victory.

Isaiah 32:17 tells us that “The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.” (NKJV) This tells me that my work, as a child of God, is to seek peace in everything. It is to bring peace to all situations; inner peace and peace round about. This peace-making, bringing, and keeping, is righteousness. (Matt. 5:9) -“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.” This assurance is the result of a deep trust and certainty in God’s love, His promises, and His Word. This is that calm, the peace, that we need to fight for. This is the peace we must protect, at all costs. By that, I mean, sometimes you need to walk away from things, or even people, if they are destroying peace in your home, your life, your heart. I don’t mean just one or two events. I’m talking about someone who chooses this havoc wreaking as a way of life. That’s a coat you need to take off so you don’t drown in the pool kind of thing.

When we strive to bring about peace within, we are better equipped to establish and maintain peace in our surroundings, our relationships, our daily living. That’s why the commandment says, love your neighbor as yourself. It’s you first, then your neighbor and all else follows…often without struggle.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu