Getting Over Yourself

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 74. It’s the next step after the pity party’s over. Verses 1-11 is where I’ve found myself before. You’re wondering, “How long is this going to take, God? Are you going to do something, or are you just going to stand there and watch them destroy me?” One time God asked me, “How long did it take you to decide to turn to me?” I did like Job, and said, “I’ll just shut up now.”

Verse 12 is a reminder that God has been at this a lot longer than you have. “Yet God is my King from ancient times, working salvation on the earth.” Since the beginning, God has had you. He saw this day, and all those days before this one…you know, your downhill slide. Verses 13-18 recount God’s power and the works of His hands. I love verse 19. “Do not deliver the soul of Your dove to beasts; do not forget the lives of Your afflicted forever.” “But, Daddy; I’m your little girl!” LOL I can laugh now; and I hope God did then. That manipulation thing doesn’t work very well with Him. But, oh, don’t we love to try it?!

Verses 20&21 is where we start. “Consider Your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. Do not let the oppressed retreat in shame; may the poor and needy praise Your name.” Consider your covenant with God! It’s the one Jesus blood was used to seal. Your salvation was not the only thing Jesus secured for you. Jesus secured and assured your redemption as well. Redemption is not only about redeeming you from the power of Satan over your eternal soul. Redemption is about giving you back your power over your life here on Earth; right now! God will help you redeem your clarity, your sanity, your peace, power, joy, and love-love for Him, for yourself, and for others-even those who have hurt you. The greatest commandments, according to Jesus are 1. Love God with all your might, your heart, and soul, and 2. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Self-loathing, self-doubt, self sabotage, and self defeat are part of that vicious circle we can find ourselves caught up in. This is especially true when we’re dealing with generational curses. The biggest reason addicts and alcoholics relapse is that they never get to deal with the cause(s) of their addiction(s). Those can be found in the daily lives of the generation(s) before you, and in your own. When you begin to see and understand them, you can begin to overcome them.

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Love Them Like He Does

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God provides for his children and the unbelievers alike. We are to do the same; blessing all we can with the temporal and material things as we are blessed. All must, of course, be done lovingly and compassionately. And we must live in true forgiveness. Jesus said, “A new command I give you; love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) “Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.” (Romans 12:8) Jeremy Camp again with “Christ In Me.”

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In Love, It’s Not Suffering

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, remind us that, if we offer up our day’s events and happenings to the Lord, a blessing attends all we do. Then it becomes a sacrifice that is redemptive.

That’s the way God redeems the time. It’s the way we learn the joy in “suffering.” When I allow that 10 minutes of interruption of my schedule, to help that little neighbor lady get her cat out of the tree…If I just let God have that ten minutes, it becomes a gift to that little lady, and a sacrifice that’s acceptable to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:2) “and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.”

We so often think of service to the LORD/Lord as big campaigns, missions, and ministries. Truly, service to the LORD/Lord, is living daily in, for, and out of His love.

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Saturday Silly – August 10, 2019

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I spoke with a friend of mine in Washington recently. She lost her husband a few years ago. In June of this year, she finally sold their house. She’s moving into a retirement community, and is excited to be starting this new chapter in her life.

On this particular weekend, she had begun to move into her new place. She was carrying her husband’s urn from the car to the condo, when it slipped out of her hands. It hit the ground with a clatter, popped open, and spilled hubby all over the walk. There was nothing to do but scoop him up and put him back. She got her little broom and dustpan, and began sweeping him up. She was so rattled that she didn’t notice the little muddy clump of dried grass she’d swept up along with the ashes. Her next door neighbor came over just then. She’d heard the clatter, and decided to check on her. When my friend explained what had happened, she got this horrified look on her face and asked: “Was that poo in there when you got him out of the mortuary?!” My friend’s hubby had quite a sense of humor. It must have rubbed off on her, because she looked up at the lady and replied: “Yep, that it did. He was always getting lost when he was alive; even with a map, he’s get lost. He must have thought he was in Hell when those flames hit him, and pooped.”

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Saturday Silly – August 3, 2019

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A friend and I were discussing the technology boom recently. The speed at which everything changes is just mind boggling. I mean, you have to upgrade almost everything you own, every other month, it seems. Am I the only one who feels this way? Yeah, and everything you own, now comes with a remote control.

I’m getting to that time in my life where I really should be looking into one of those life alert or medical alert devices. It’s just good judgment, I think. Better safe than sorry. I was checking into some recently and pricing them. Do you know, they have some that look just like those little garage door opener remotes. Seriously; you almost cannot tell the difference. I thought, “boy that’d be me…fall on my butt somewhere in the house, push the help button, and the garage door would be going up and down all day long…or at least until I could get up and figure out why nobody came to help me.”

Ooh, that could be really bad too. Can you imagine visiting the neighbor’s across the street? You take the medical alert thingy off for just a minute…and accidentally pick up their garage door opener remote? He’s out there on a ladder the next morning, trying to fix the sensor, right about the time you trip over the dog’s toy at home…and push the help button…OMG! What if I accidentally picked up the remote to his RV awning? And it’s parked in the garage…Hmmm, maybe I’ll just move in with the kids…LOL…watch ’em all move overseas!

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Blessing our Enemies Brings Them God

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we are to bless our enemies, for blessing is much more powerful, and less dangerous for us, than cursing.

“To Love one another is to use God in your life. To use God in your life is to bring into manifestation all harmony, beauty, joy, and happiness.” This is the statement I want to focus on. It’s a quote directly from the message. First, let’s look at harmony. When things are in harmony, they are working together. The result is usually something beautiful and joyous, and everyone is happy. So, blessing someone could be as simple as apologizing for upsetting them or offending them, couldn’t it? It may just squelch the animosity right then. Blessing someone with beauty can be done with one simple little flower. That can certainly bring joy and happiness, and create a harmonious atmosphere.

A blessing of joy is one of the most fun ones to give. It usually involves a little mindfulness about the other, such as a favorite thing, or an unexpected gesture of love or affection -(dinner out, pastries and coffee brought in, or a chore done for them, etc.) We can bless our enemies with joy too. Have you ever seen a really grumpy face on someone you don’t really like? They’re driving up to the parking space in the grocery store lot; the very one you were just about to pull in to. You choose to let him/her have the space and wave the person in. That’s sure to give him/her joy, and make the day a little happier. It also sets the stage for a harmonious atmosphere to develop between you two. What? The beauty? The beauty is in your heart, and that’s also treasure laid up in Heaven. Happiness is simple. When we bless people with the respect and dignity they deserve, treat them kindly, and with patience, and when we deal with them truthfully, with integrity, they tend to be happier people. Showering little joys, and beauties on them also makes for happier folks. This actually helps to create a harmonious atmosphere within them.

When we do things like this, we are loving people. When we love people, we bring them God. It’s like plowing the fallow ground and readying it for the seed. They become more receptive. God then can come in and teach, guide, correct, and love them. It’s our job to bring God to them. Jesus said, “…and I, when I am lifted up, will draw all men unto me.” When we love others, even those who call themselves our enemies, we lift the Lord up. He does the rest for us, and yes, through us too.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, April 24, 2019, 2:38 p.m.