Can’t Help But Tremble

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 114. It’s a short one, but a great reminder of God’s power, love, and sovereignty.

“When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.” (ESV)

As I’m writing this, I’m thinking of my morning coffee in the park today. Some of the birds were following one another around and squawking, holding their beaks open, and wanting to be fed by the other. At first, I kind of laughed, and said, “Mama says you’re old enough to feed yourself now.” But then, I remembered those times when my husband would feed me a bite of his meal, or vice versa. Feeding one another is a sign of affection between couples, and family members. The impact of that truth, that family relationships are also that emotional and tender, even among birds, caused that sort of trembling within me. The presence of God, of His character, His traits, is in every living thing. I think we all too often miss those awesome moments of the revelation of God in the world around us because we don’t prepare our hearts to see Him there. I know that every time He reveals Himself to me this way, I cannot help but tremble.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Saturday Silly-February 27, 2021

February is American Heart month, Spunky Old Broads month, Creative Romance month, and Canned Food month…so, The old hobo was head over heels in love with the little old lady that pushed her cart past him on the sidewalk every day. He decided he would invite her to share a meal with him one evening. She accepted his invitation. That old hobo was a romantic, and he decided he would recreate the scene from Lady and the Tramp-(one of my favorite Disney movies). He served up a can of spaghetti and meatballs, a couple of almost stale rolls, and a small bottle of red wine. The two of them sat by the fire enjoying their meal. He saved the last bite from his plate, and offered it to the lady. She, being a spunky little old thing, put one end of a noodle into her mouth, and offered him the other end.(She wasn’t born yesterday, you know; she knew what was up.) Just as their lips touched, the cell-phone in the hobo’s shirt pocket started beeping. The little old lady grabbed her chest and shouted, “Oh, my God, don’t take me now! I think I’ve found the love of my life!” The old hobo, quickly took the cell phone from his pocket and shut it off. “I’m sorry,” said he. “I forgot to shut off the alarm. It’s to remind me to take my heart pill.” “Oh, thank God,” replied the little old lady. “I thought it was my heart monitor going off and warning me of an oncoming heart attack!” Doggone it! I really love spaghetti too! I’m going to have to ask my cardiologist about that one. LOL Ha! I’m a spunky old broad too, you know!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Put Some Meat On Your Bones

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that spiritual strength and power comes to us through doing God’s Will. We are bid to make it our daily goal. It’s one of the reasons I do this blog. I have seen major changes in the way I deal with just daily living, just by doing this blog. My knowledge of, and relationship with the Lord have grown. Some of the things I’ve come away from and come away with surprise me-pleasantly, of course.

I hear people talk about wanting to “know God’s Will for them.” The best way to do that is to pray and ask Him what it is. Then, pay attention; because the Holy Spirit always leads, guides, and prompts us. Another thing that can be helpful is to look at the things that you’re passionate about, the things that you love to do, and the things that really interest you. God puts those things in us; and He does that for a reason. Something that helped me early on was to read about God’s heart for us, and to read what Jesus had to say about His purpose for being here on Earth. He also gave us the order to preach the Gospel, and said, “it’s enough for a servant to be like his Master.” He came to destroy the works of the devil, and to help us to have life more abundantly-real life. Something to remember is that ministry is so much more than those big revivals and miracle crusades, etc. Ministry can be something as simple as taking someone a meal, giving someone a ride, speaking an encouraging word to someone. When we put it in proper perspective, ministry the way God sees it, is living a life of love and caring for one another.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Limit Yourself – Limit God

And vice versa. Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we “have not because we ask not; or because we ask amiss.”(James 4:2-3)

There’s a statement in the message (quoting directly): “I desire to give you a gift, and if you are content with the poor, and the mean, and the sordid, then you are insulting Me, the Giver.” When I thought about this, I thought about all the scriptures dealing with money, and about what Jesus said about overly worrying about things like food, clothing, etc. (Matt. 6:30-32) He said that the pagans/gentiles run after all these things, and our heavenly Father already knows that we need them. We are to seek first, the Kingdom of Heaven. All that other stuff comes with it.

I believe the gift(s) God desires to give us are the many knacks, talents, ideas, strengths, and joys of creativity, peace, love, and joy He has put within us. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13) How much we cheat ourselves out of when we settle for mere survival. Jesus said, “I’ve come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” That’s the difference between two plates of food and two beverages on the table…and the same meal served on a table bedecked with a tablecloth, and perhaps a little candle light and/or a vase with a rosebud or some other flower(s)…perhaps a little music softly playing in the background to create an ambiance. There’s a glimpse of that creative and romantic spark within.

We limit ourselves when we don’t open ourselves to possibility, because God is possibility. Without Him, it would not be possible for us to be saved, and saved daily from so much. We limit God when we limit ourselves. Jesus said all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27) Our poor world has such great needs; only a great, great God can meet them. We do Him a great injustice when we limit Him by limiting our vision, and our faith.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

You Cannot Serve Both

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to ask ourselves whether we are serving God, or serving money/riches. Mammon, it is called in the Bible.

As I read the message, I recalled a conversation I had recently, about someone being refused a meal because they wouldn’t give up their personal information and register. They were told the reason was that if they didn’t register, the church couldn’t get paid for the meal by the government. Jesus tells us, in Matt. 6:24, that we cannot serve both God and money. Either we will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. This is very true. We prove it. I don’t think there’s a Christian that hasn’t experienced this conflict in one way or another. And, the love of money will definitely cause conflict in your life. With it comes debt, deceit, stress, all kinds of stumbling blocks.

Some of us who have held down two, and sometimes three jobs, just to make ends meet, know what a cruel Lord money can be. Work, work, work; and there’s still nothing left over, and still no chance of getting ahead. Some of us have fallen into the prestige and power trap. We sold ourselves to the “up and coming crowd;” the “Haves.” Some of us got caught up in the money trap because we tried to replace our self respect and/or dignity with stuff, stuff, and more stuff. We have to be very careful with our attitudes about money/mammon, because mammon is a very sneaky adversary. I say that, because the spirit behind it and the world’s ideas of wealth, are at work for the powers, principalities, and hosts of spiritual wickedness in the heavens. In reality, it is only sidewalk. It’s what the streets in Heaven are paved with.

Solomon said that money answers everything. It does. It pays the rent, puts food on the table, fills the car with gas, etc. But, money is to serve us; not vice versa. Keeping our attitudes about it in line with God’s Word, and practicing good stewardship/management, are the keys to staying free of bondage to it. There’s also that checklist of things like pride, fear, greed, and the like, to reckon with. We can easily fall into the money trap by way of these.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Keeping The Summit In Mind

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us not to fret each step along the way up the mountain. Rather, we are bid to keep the summit in mind.

Something that really helped me with this was creating. I love crafting and creating, cooking, all that stuff. Sometimes the process can be frustrating, or a little daunting. We envision a beautiful creation, a wonderful meal, a magical blend of flavors, etc. Then, as we’re putting things together, we can get lost, and lose sight of the end product. While you do have to go step by step through the process, envisioning your finished product and keeping that in mind, helps keep you from getting lost in the process. This builds spiritual endurance too. Sometimes those mountains are pretty tall, aren’t they?

Habakkuk 3:19 is referenced by the message: “GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” Your high places include your gifts, talents, knack for things, etc. See, He truly is God everywhere!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Practicing The Presence Of It

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God is a good God. He is also eager to share His Goodness, and all good things, with us. We are bid to taste and trust that goodness, and to hold fast to it, even in times of trouble.

When I read about God sharing His Goodness with us, I think about things like the fruits of the Spirit-because God is Spirit. I also think about His love for us. He gave His only begotten Son to save us. That’s a pretty extravagant gift; don’t you think?

So, in order for me to experience and grow in trust, or faith, and intimacy with God, I must practice the presence of His Goodness. I must receive it within myself; cultivate it in my life, my home, my relationships, etc.

That means, first, I recognize that I am worth dying for. I am worthy of the best. That means I will make good choices for myself, I’ll go the extra mile-(put that vase of flowers on the dinner table, or light that candle, etc.). I will also be deliberate about creating my spaces, my surroundings, when possible. Look at the way God created the planet, the Garden of Eden, etc. The Bible says God devises ways to restore us to Himself. That’s a clue on how we ought to view our relationships with one another. We’re also told that God blesses us richly, and adds no sorrow to it. (Proverbs 10:22) -“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” I like the Berean Study Bible version; it says the blessing of the LORD “enriches…”

When we seek to enrich our daily living experiences, even something like just a meal, we can turn it into a feast for the soul. God seeks those who worship Him to worship in spirit and in truth. It stands to reason then, that God would love to enrich our soul, our spirit. When we seek to do the same to others, life takes on a much more beautiful hue. As we practice the goodness of God within, and bring it out around us, trust that God’s Goodness is always present becomes solidified. Before you know it, nothing can shake it.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu