Blamelessness Brings Power

Today’s message comes from Psalm 101. It’s an awesome reminder of God’s love for us, and of His standard and boundaries for us.

The very first and second verses are our focus. ” I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music. I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;” Singing of God’s steadfast love and justice keeps our spirit stirred up, and our faith strong. Pondering the way that is blameless means that we do not impute, or assume wickedness or ill intent to anyone or anything, until we’ve checked things out thoroughly. When we impute wickedness or ill intent, we automatically create a negative environment. Blamelessness, or neutrality, not forming a negative opinion about the person or the situation, brings us the power to diffuse the devil’s “darts,” and to learn (truth) from the person or situation. It also brings us the power and the opportunity to minister to that person (s) in that situation, empowering them, and bringing victory over the situation.

An example would be that spilled drink. Imputing ill intent would have us saying something negative like, “You’re so clumsy!” That’s a judgment and an accusation of carelessness. “What happened?” (seeking truth) “You spilled your drink.” (truth) Truth can empower responsibility. “Let’s get it cleaned up.” (empowerment) Victory! If you haven’t found out how it happened, especially when we’re dealing with a child, now would be the time to help him/her figure that out. (Put the cup too close to the edge of the table, not paying enough attention and forgot the cup was there, etc.) This empowers them with the knowledge that there is a way to avoid that happening, and helps them to be more mindful, which brings more confidence.

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Declare It Every Day

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 96, and I can tell you from personal experience, it is life changing.

Verses 1 & 2 are a key that empowers us to make those positive changes. “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.”

Did you get that part about the new song? No more, “poor me, I can’t, I don’t know how, etc., etc., etc.” “I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me,” is the new tune we’re singing. We can, and will proclaim His salvation day after day, by sticking to those standards and boundaries. We’ll proclaim it by making it (salvation from those old ways, etc.) a priority; top of the list.

Now we’re going to get to God’s sanctuary, and our sanctuary. We’ll find this in verse 6: “Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty fill His sanctuary.” Do you know that your space(s) is your sanctuary? Your home, your personal space-like your bedroom, your office cubicle, etc., are all your sanctuary. When we make those spaces like God’s sanctuary, we get the same effect-splendor, majesty, beauty, and strength. That splendor is the peace and joy within, resulting from knowing who and whose we are. The majesty is the authority we have over our spirit, and over the spirits; the authority we have over any and every circumstance, and over our personal spaces/sanctuaries.

This is why we strive to make our spaces strengthening, by keeping them orderly and clean, peaceful, and conducive to productivity and progress. And, in case you didn’t know this, progress is also destressing and taking that breather in your space, that helps you shift gears and get on to the next task. -Like that cup of Chai tea upon your arrival back at home from work. LOL

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He Think’s He’s Got You Fooled

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 36. It gives us a picture, again, of evil and evil-doers. Keep in mind, God’s not talking about the average person here. Evil doers are those who choose to embrace evil and do evil rather than good. Verses 1-4 tell us that, “I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.” I’m using the (NIV) for this psalm. These people are just as committed to doing evil and harm, as we are to doing good and walking with the LORD/Lord. This is why we have to pray and ask for discernment. This is why it’s so important to know the Word of God, and to know God personally. God’s Word is what we measure everything against. If it doesn’t line up, you’re getting a “head’s up.” We use this standard with everyone, including ourselves. In verses 5-9, King David is recounting God’s goodness toward us, and the abundance of wisdom, peace, love, strength, power, and joy that we have as His children. If you don’t have joy, and you’re a child of God, you need to seek God and figure out what’s going on with you!

I like Verse 11 of this psalm. “May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away..” I don’t know how many times I’ve prayed and said, “Lord, please don’t let me let go of you.” Sometimes I’m just like a little kid; slipping my hand out of Daddy’s and wandering off…usually in the wrong direction, and getting lost. That hasn’t happened in quite a while, but, I think that’s only because I pray that when I see trouble coming now. That part about the foot of the proud coming against me, is a two-fold thing. We need to pray that the foot of the proud doesn’t come on us, as well. Something I’ve learned over the years is that, the Word of God makes you more humble. I’m always filled with joy when I get it right; but it never fails to humble me. What a wonderful Savior, to love us so much, and with such patience for us!

Verse 8 is a powerful and inspirational one for me. In terms of family life, we need to cultivate abundance for our souls to feast on, and rivers of delight for ourselves and our loved ones. I think of little niceties and surprises when I think of delights. It’s such a joy to hear the happy squeals and peals of laughter of their joy! I also think of holidays, Four-H events, and the simple Sunday afternoon barbecues. That’s where the soul feasting goes on.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Silence Can Be Deadly

Today’s message comes to us from Psalms 28. Psalm 28:1-2 are so powerful! “To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.” (your innermost sanctuary) This tells me that when I lift my hands up, I’m appealing to my Daddy’s heart for me. Hear me, Mom, Dad! And, answer me; answer my need for reassurance, admonition, correction, instruction, encouragement, etc. Remember Job? Yeah, God answered him, didn’t He? LOL My favorite line from that whole book is when Job says, “I’ll just shut up now.” I giggle every time I read it. And, yes, I’ve said that same thing myself; more times than I care to disclose. God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Your silence can be lethal. Interaction stimulates even infants in the womb. Admonition, encouragement, instruction, empower us with knowledge, wisdom, and courage. Correction reveals error and makes way for instruction and encouragement. It also reinforces standards and boundaries; helping to realign us with truth and integrity. All of theses empower bonding in love, and cement relationships. Relationship empowers boldness. Verse 2 Begins “Hear the the voice of my please for mercy.” You can tell by the way that voice sounds what’s going on inside that person. (fear, desperation, frustration, overwhelmed, etc.) Those pleas for mercy. Mercy is defined as: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. (definition from Oxford Languages) We need to stop the onslaught dead in its tracks and make it manageable. My oldest daughter was just overwhelmed by a Math lesson dealing with decimal places. I drew a chart for her, like the one I’d learned decimal places on, and showed her how to use it. She aced that section in her math class. She hadn’t been shown that in class.

Psalm 28:3 is a powerful revelation about inappropriate places, people, and things. Some I thought of were bars, parties, gossip sessions, adult conversation, and age inappropriateness. That stuff comes back on us; we’re sowing seeds, and we will reap. That 9 year old that acts and sounds like a 37 year old comes to mind. Jesus did not take us to Hell; He went there for us. Psalm 27:7 is the next powerful one here. It gives us a revelation of two things. First, you must trust God to be helped by Him. (How can you believe and obey Him if you don’t trust Him?) Secondly, you must be trustworthy in order for your children, mate, friends, and others to feel they can be helped by you. (Why would, or should they turn to you if they can’t trust you?)

Proverbs 28 tomorrow.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

It’s The Still Small Voice

Today’s message comes to us from Psalms and Proverbs 23. Psalms 23 is one of the absolute very best affirmations and assurance of God’s love and protection over us, that you can speak into your spirit. Just try it every morning for a week; you’ll see. The revelations of the power of that still small voice, and a quiet, peaceful atmosphere are awesome. They really empower progress when we’re dealing with our children, mates, and ourselves when we’re overcoming generational curses and their dysfunctional mindsets. Really, this is awesome when we’re dealing with others; period.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. –I have nothing lacking within. He makes me lie down in green pastures. – Hi mercies are new each morning. So are His peace, joy, protection, and power; His love. He leads me beside still waters. – Here’s that still, small voice. No distractions, no fear, no overwhelming amounts of information; it’s tailored to your readiness and ability to understand. He restores my soul. – All fear is gone; I am still loved -honored and precious in His sight. My spirit is strengthened and empowered to desire to grow and progress. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. – He deals with me, teaches me, and admonishes me according to the standard(s) and boundaries set to empower my life. Is that awesome?! When we deal with ourselves and our children, other loved ones, etc. in this way, there is less confusion, more peace, and much more joy. Verses 4 & 5 tell us that we can let go of all fear, because God prepares a table for us in the very presence of our enemies, and anoints our heads with oil until our cup overflows. That table is filled with the choicest morsels; God’s Word. That Word is our weapon. We have the mind of Christ. And, remember those rivers of living water Jesus promised us? And the oil is the Holy Spirit, Himself. He is our counselor, comforter, guide, and then some! Verse 6 sums up the whole psalm. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. God’s goodness and God’s mercy is at work in our daily lives. Just pay attention; you’ll realize those moments He stepped in and saved the day. And, if you look around, even just as you’re leaving your house, open the eyes of your heart, you’ll see His goodness everywhere.

Proverbs 23 is filled with wisdom for living. Verses 10-12 send a powerful message. Do not move an ancient landmark
or enter the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you. -Don’t mess with the standards and boundaries! Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. This is an admonition to check yourself when you’re tempted to “relax the rules.” Many a generational curse came on because the next generation defied the standards and boundaries set by the previous one. We need to make sure that we make informed choices. Remember Paul’s words: All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. God put those things in place to protect us. And, so did our parents, and their parents, and theirs before them. The rest of the Proverb is an admonition encouraging us to respect parents, and to learn from them and from God. This is what empowers us to live better lives.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Foundations Are Crucial

Today’s message comes from Psalms and Proverbs 11. Psalm 11 is King David stirring himself up in the LORD. He says, “In the LORD I take refuge! How can you say to me flee; and if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?!” In other words, “I am not afraid!”

That foundations thing got me. That’s right where the enemy strikes! You see, he loves to bring the house down. When I read that, it’s verse 3, by the way: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”-I see a warning there for us. We need to protect the foundations (standards and boundaries). Jesus is our foundation; He is the Word of God. (Luke 6:47-49)

Proverbs 11 gives us a list of some things to think about. 11:3 tells us that integrity guides the upright. Integrity is that adhering to truth, keeping your word, and knowing when to keep quiet, etc. We’re told that righteousness keeps our paths straight. This makes it harder to get lost or distracted. 11:6 tells us that the treacherous are taken captive by their lust. (pornography, illicit sex, greed, etc.) You can get yourself into some real trouble trying to be a people pleaser, or needing to be “in” the “in” crowd, too. 11:9 -Knowledge delivers us from falling victim to those things. This is where the knowledge of good and evil, and the wisdom to discern between the two are important. But, more important is the knowledge of God, which is wisdom. We have the Holy Spirit as guide and counselor. thankfully. Verse 11:30 tells us that the fruit of righteousness is a tree of life. When I read this, I think of Jesus’ words in (Luke 13:19) “Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”

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Rule Them, Indeed

First, back to Psalm 2:9 -“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them into pieces like a potter’s vessel.” If you look at all the nations of the world, all the different cultures, beliefs, religions, standards and boundaries (moral, social, familial, etc.), you’ll see why it’s important that you be able to break them and dash them into pieces.

This verse tells us a couple of things. First, the nations and the ends of the earth are our heritage. That means they can be of benefit to us. We can learn from other cultures, beliefs, and religions. We can also be led astray by them, as the nation of Israel was through intermarriage with people of foreign cultures. (The lands they journeyed through and were supposed to dispossess) Some cultures have very different standards and boundaries, social and familial practices, and some religions are idolatrous, and may even involve witchcraft and sorcery. Some of the ancient religions involved human sacrifice, especially the sacrifice of children. We know that this is not Godly. We also know that some things considered the norm for others, are not going to work for us. Just because a bunch of folks do it, doesn’t make it right; or even beneficial. This is where the rod of iron (Word of God) and dashing things into pieces comes in. The things that are of no use to us, those that will harm us, those that go against God and Godly wisdom, etc., are the things we need to throw out. This works the same way in generational curses. Those things that are/were harmful need to be thrown out and replaced with God’s ways, according to God’s standards and boundaries.

That brings us to Psalm 3:1-7 “Oh, Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Have you ever been laughed at by peers because of your faith, or because you wouldn’t do something they thought was o.k. to do? Many will try to tell us that God’s ways are old fashioned, outdated, actually even oppressive and hateful. But God is a shield around us, and the lifter of our heads. It almost always turns out in the end, that obedience to His Word, and sticking to His ways, was the right thing to dos. I say, “almost,” only because some of those results we won’t know until we get to Heaven. Verse 7 of Psalm 3 tells us that God will silence and disarm the enemy. It never fails, when the enemy causes you to doubt or fear, God’s Word will show you the truth, and empower you to stand on the truth; dispelling the fear and the doubt.

Finally, Proverbs 3 gives us a lists of all the benefits we gain from allowing God to teach us, and keeping to His teaching, and keeping His commandments in our hearts. Whenever I read about God’s commandments, I think of Jesus’ words: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Thank you, Casting Crowns, for this inspirational song!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

The Sorrow Leads To Joy

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, speaks to us of Jesus’ suffering. He was despised, rejected, even by His own, betrayed, beaten, mocked, spat on, and crucified. So each one of us are, or will be, in various ways during our lifetime. Spiritually, that’s a given for every single child of God. Satan does not like us; and he will set out to destroy everyone who becomes a child of God.

We are bid not to measure things by the world’s standards, the world’s valuations; but by Heaven’s standard. That standard is love. (1 Cor. 13) We’re told to see the mob, the jeering, mocking, the cruelty of the guards and the Pharisees, the fear of the disciples-especially Peter. There’s a beautiful revelation in those accounts of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. It’s summed up in Proverbs 4:18, which is referenced with yesterday’s message. “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” Jesus is that glimmer of light in the darkest darkness. The Kingdom of Heaven shines before us to give us hope all throughout the dark night, until that sun, and the Son/son, is fully risen.

In spite of, and because of, all that Jesus willingly gave up for us, when it looked like the battle had been won by Satan, Jesus rose from the tomb! He, then, ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Whatever we go through, we have the same hope; for the future when Jesus comes to take us home. But also, for the very next instant when Jesus takes over and brings us to the victory over the adversity. There is NO tomb that you cannot rise up out of! This is one of my most favorite songs ever! Thank you, Dallas Holm! This is SO AWESOME!!

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Union In Everything

Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that Jesus is present when there are two or three gathered in His Name. This presence is different from when we gather together to praise and to hear from Him. This is a sweet, sweet spirit filled to overflowing with His love, peace, joy, and with our Lord, Himself-His very nature. That’s one reason we need to get to know Him as intimately as we can. We do that by reading the Gospels, the Psalms, the Prophets, and Revelations. All these books speak of Jesus Christ, our Lord. In them, you catch sight of His heart, His compassion, His joy, simplicity, courage, and ferocity when it comes to us, his followers. He truly is the Lion of the tribe of Judah; in every sense of the word!

I discovered some time ago, that union has to come at all levels, in order to truly bring unity, and power. The best example I can think of to illustrate this, is your home. It is especially important that you feel unity and cohesiveness in your sanctuary; which is what your home is. When there’s a mess in the front hall, it’s not very welcoming, is it? You want to turn around and go right back out, don’t you? Yeah. The same is true of cluttered spaces within the home. God is a God of order; not chaos and confusion. Chaos and confusion bring division; they break up the unified space that makes up your sanctuary. They distract your mind and heart, and deplete positive energy. When that happens, we end up with negative emotions and energy. The same is true of family dynamics and relationships.

This is where standards and boundaries come in. When we set them, enforce them, and follow them, stick with them, we can bring about union in thought, attitude, and deed. We can truly bring about unity among family members, co-workers, team members, etc., and thereby, increase power and effectiveness; not to mention joy. It’s all about being of one accord; which is what unity and union are. And, Jesus truly does delight in these; you can feel it when it’s happening.

PS – I didn’t forget you, Will, I just forgot that I was posting a day ahead. Happy Birthday! I hope your day was awesome, and filled with all things wonderful!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

The Foretaste of Divinity

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God’s standard is the only standard we are to strive to live by, and up to.

Isaiah 53 comes to mind when I read the message. It speaks of Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the firstborn of many. That many includes you and I…because, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12-13) (ESV)

Isaiah 53:2 is a powerful revelation about how God can take you, from the dry ground of living under a generational curse, or under sin, and cause you to be the root of a new generation. A new generation under the love and admonition, and walking in the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that awesome?! You can have a better life; your children, and their children…generations after them, can have better lives. Isaiah 53:11 is a confirmation of that: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (ESV) That means God can take all that turmoil and pain within you, and give you His knowledge. That will give you the power to help others to stand and walk uprightly (in power and authority). That’s what it means to “bear the iniquities” of others. We help them to overcome the adversities and barriers that keep them from living successfully.

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