Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:37-8 (NLT)

Connecting with others and doing good in the LORD’s eyes is how we “connect to God” and how we show “our love” to Him.

In all things that we do and aspire to do there is one essential thing that is exceedingly important to remember, “never to judge” for when we sit in “judgement” of others we subject ourselves to the full wrath of the LORD.  When we help and provide and guide as in our “inner spirit” we are doing what we are called to do by being a follower of Christ, and aligning ourselves with His word and His will.

It’s easy to “point at others” and say, “such and such should never do that...”  or, “How does she put up with that? I would never do that!”  Nope, not a good thing to say or think!  For God is the only Judge we have.  We are not to judge ones character or what one has done for it is written “do not judge lest you be judged” and when we are judging others, we are pointing and three fingers are pointing right back at us!  As Jesus said, “cast the first stone if ye be without sin.”  And, all of us are guilty of sinning and having done some things we wish we hadn’t.  We are human, and flesh, and flesh “sins.”

So…we ask for forgiveness and we move on with a repentant heart…and try again to do all that we should in what’s right in our Father’s eyes.

When we “connect” with others…again, we are connecting with “Him.”

For Jesus said, “when you feed and clothe someone you are feeding and clothing me…”

Helping others, giving advice where needed, guiding someone, smiling at someone, praying for someone, or praying with someone, is critical to our faith filled lives through Christ.

So…the next time you see something and a voice whispers to you saying “look at so and so, I would never do that. Shame on that person...”  Remember this…that isn’t God speaking to you, but the enemy trying to get you on his side and into his camp.

Stay with the LORD and listen only to HIS VOICE...and stop judging…then go in and help where you can, the way the LORD wants you to.  Then know that you will be justly rewarded as your inner spirit grows with love and acceptance of all things that’s right.

We are His sheep and we hear His Voice…and those who don’t are not part of the flock.  Stay in His green pastures for growth, rewards and eternal grace and love…

“Father God we thank You for the opportunity to serve You and only You, help us to be neutral in terms of our brothers and sisters, and to remember never to point fingers or judge, for by Your grace we are saved, and by Your grace we are healed, and by Your grace our eyes have opened as have our ears,  all glory and honor are Yours now and always, in Jesus name, Amen.”

While on our way to the supermarket earlier this morning,  we rode past a school yard, and when we stopped at the cross walk I noticed children jumping rope.  I smiled to myself and in my mind I saw myself  doing the same thing as if it were yesterday!  I saw it so clearly, my hair in a long pony tail, my favorite red shorts on and my polka dot blouse.  I saw my red sneakers with white anklets with delicate lace around the cuff, and could see me and my friends jumping rope. 

Innocent days of cotton candy, jelly apples, the Good Humor man and Mister Softee in my neighborhood, or relaxing on my wrap around porch on a hot summer day, with my “Beagle Candy,” and eating chocolate ices; and then walking to the store to buy my comic books running all the way home to read them on the hammock in the corner of  our porch, way in the corner!   It was great times, fun times and “feeling so protected times.”

By “feeling so protected” I mean by being so young, and feeling that my dad and my mom would never let anything happen to me.  The feeling of getting into my bed, and knowing my parents were in their bedroom, close by, and wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me.  They were always there for me, always protecting me, and always watching out for me, teaching me, guiding me, loving me. No worries, no anxieties, nothing but peace and happiness.

And, then I realized that all of those things my dad and mom did for me, my Father in heaven has done all along.  Protecting me, watching out for me,  keeping me our of harms way, teaching me, guiding me, loving me; and with all of that going on 24/7, there is an inner peace…no anxieties, nothing but peace and happiness. The Lord is beautiful, and he is in all things of beauty surrounding us with His love.

In retrospect, all my life I was being led by the Spirit, there was always a natural discernment.  The pieces of my “life puzzle” all coming together at different times, for different occasions;  and God was always there to help me with an additional “piece” to complete another journey of my life.

He was always here with me, He is still here with me, and He will never change or diminish in His character, or His harness of protection towards me.  He is my God, my Lord of Lords, my one true love.

The time I didn’t get the job I wanted, a better one showed up a week later.  The time I didn’t get the house we wanted, a better one showed up a month later.  He always knows what is best, and if we hold on to His hand, and walk in His ways, we can always be sure that He will take care of the rest.

So from my “jump rope Barbie doll playing days”…through my teens,  into young adulthood, and now in my “ahem” mature adulthood days; I am ever thankful to God and for all of His love and protection. 

My life is His plan, and He orchestrates it and I move to His music, and His voice.  I embrace all the years past, the years present, and the years to come;  until I am called home to rejoice with my loved ones that passed on, and to live with my Father in heaven.  But most important, I am so thrilled to know that His love will be with me forever.

Now, How amazing is that?

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Micah 6:8  “What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”   

 To be a good Christian requires more than personal devotions and a warm feeling inside. We need to show the world daily what He does inside of us-and do it by examples based on humility, kindness and love.

Michah 7:7 “I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.’

Whether we like it or not, waiting on God is a huge part of our walk of faith.  We need to trust God and wait for God to do the rest.

Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like You, pardoning inquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?”

God was never at any time under any obligation to forgive our sins, or our multitude of iniquities.  We do not deserve His grace or mercy; but He loves us unconditionally, and thus sent His son to die for our sins.  Who, I ask you, is a God like that?  

Blessed is your name Lord, we adore you, and we give you thanks~

 I love you Lord – Forever and Always…Amen~

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Hebrews 12:9 KJV

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Nineteen years ago on July 1… my wonderful handsome Dad died.  It was a tough gloomy day, and the time that followed was agony as we grieved together as a family.  What made it even more difficult was the way he died.  He went in for an operation with a high success rate and due to a horrific error by the surgeon, he sliced through his heart ventricle and bled to death.

My Dad was the best of the best.  He was funny, kind, wise, and knew how to teach us as we grew.  He was our champion supporter in all that we did.  He was the anchor that endured for each of his three children.  And, he was a compassionate and fair individual who had strong morals.  He was my protector and I felt safe in his arms.  When I closed my eyes at night I was safe, knowing my Dad was there.  Of course, I adored my Mom, who has since passed, and she was equally amazing, they were well suited and in love.  My beautiful sweet and kind Mom, that’s for another time, and another devotional…Right now…it’s about Dad.

All of those things I felt about my earth father was, and still, to this day in my heart and soul.

He was a fine conservative upstanding man, who was a fine example of a godly man. A great husband, father, son,  brother, uncle,  grandfather, and friend.  You are the Creator of all things big and small Father God…and You created a fine man/son when you created my dad.

So, today upon his 19th years anniversary going home to the LORD…I wish to give thanks to my Father God, who through His grace, and love, placed me in the womb of my Mom and I was born to two incredible people.

So, Father, as much as I loved my parents…I love you even more, because you love me…even more!

I gave you my heart so long ago, and I give you thanks for all things…big and small.  For all of the prayers you’ve answered along the way.  For the times you held me non stop through tough times (like my dad’s death, my mom’s death, and so many other loved ones that passed)—and through valleys of family illnesses, and troubles.  You’ve always been there.

Thank You for Your faithfulness in securing me by opening eyes and ears, and bringing the bowels and depth of your Word into my heart and soul. For enlightening my path, and for breathing Life into my soul.

Thank You for my Dad and Mom, I was truly blessed by their love and fine example of faith in You, as they taught us all about You.

Father God, You are amazing, I love You forever and always.

Now, may I ask You this?  If it’s okay with You, can You give my Dad a huge hug from me?  Can You tell him I love Him and still miss him?  And, can you kiss my Mom for me and tell her she is loved and missed more than she knows?

And, finally Father God, when my time is over, and You bring me home, can I hug You for a long time?

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, And the Word was with God,  And the Word was God. 

Luke 6:21

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

I love all of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and in each book, I find joy and love in all that which is recorded.  Why? because the LORD is amazingly compassionate and brilliant beyond measure, and although things might seem “bloody” and “tough” to imagine, it happened for reasons that helped shape who we are today, and lends credence to the blueprints of our lives as we know it.

Luke 6:21 expressly reminds us that no matter what kind of issues we’re experiencing in our life, that His light will always outshine the gloominess, and the darkness.  The LORD has a plan for those who follow Him, and you can be certain, that it’s a plan according to our needs, and desires.  And, it’s a plan we can all rejoice in as we go forward in life.

Although all of us at one point in our lives will grieve–we can rest assured that we will get through it by His strength, His love, and our unwavering faith in Him.  Laughter will return after the tears have dried.  Your heart will smile again.  And, you will go on…

Luke 6:21
Blessed are ye that hunger now

This means, not only suffer hunger and thirst in the literal sense,  in our current life, but hunger and thirst in our spiritual sense, hungering after the righteousness and eternal life…(Matthew 5:6) where it’s said, “you shall be filled.”

Blessed are ye that weep now;

This pertains to our afflictions, personal hardships, and pressures of life itself, we mourn for loss, we mourn for sin, but one day…you will laugh, we will  be filled with spiritual joy, and pleasure, and be comforted with the consolations of the Spirit.

Our Father guides us as we inherently adhere to His ways and His will for our life.  As we grow in Spirit, and become closer to the LORD, we are securing our inheritance in His Kingdom for eternity.  And, we aspire to become holier as He commands us to be holy… 1 Peter 1:16 because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

And, being holy is circumspect upon our thoughts, hearts and souls.

So, follow Him.

Love Him.

And, trust Him.

And finally… never say “Never” —  Because God has plans for us —even when we say things like, “Never again…blah blah blah…”  God will say something like…”Oh Yeah!  You want to bet?”  And, just like that…you must answer the call.

I recently said, “Never again.”  I was devastated by a significant and deeply powerful loss… and said, “Never again” And wham!  Eight months after professing adamantly, with strong conviction, “Never again”  God said, “here you go my beloved child…yes you will…”

And I did!

Of course…I can now see that it is according to His plan, according to His will.

So, thank you LORD!

“Dear Father, Lord God,  I promise to truly try my hardest to always obey, follow, and adhere to Your will, as it is always in perfect accordance in what I need, and what is required to fulfill my life here on earth, while staying steadfast in seeking You in all that I do, and  keeping my eye on Your Kingdom, where one day I will be with You for eternity, in Jesus name, Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God‘s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Romans 8:15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to son-ship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

This day is significant to honor their “father” on earth…but how many of us honor Our Father in Heaven?

After all, He is our “Daddy” who created us. He is our Father, who loves us unconditionally, and He is the One we should honor not only today…but every single day of our life, here on earth…and for all eternity.

Galatians 4:6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

Abba Father, who is like you?  There is none who comes close to what Your are and what You represent.

I thank You for giving me a “great earth Dad” whom has since left this world, and is with You in Heaven…and I thank You for all that You’ve done since the beginning of time, and continue to do for Your children, now and always.

Your Spirit dwells within us, and we are infused with Your power and love from above.  We cry out to You, and You hear us. You know our hearts, and You watch over us.  You are the Creator of all things big and small, and it is Your hands of grace that ultimately bring us blessings from above, as You wash us with Your love.

Happy Father’s Day, “Father” —

We exalt You and life You high, all glory and Honor are Yours alone, now and always, in Jesus name, Amen.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. (James 5:8)

While lost in the beauty of a flower in a nearby field, I pondered on the magnificence of God the “Master” behind all of its splendor. It was during this period of time I thought about the entire process of this beautiful flower.  The soil in which the seed is planted, and then over a matter of weeks, the emergence of a bud, then eventually the bud leading the way to the full blown beauty of the flower.  And what are the two common denominators in the process?  God and patience.

Our Father wants His children to be diligent in seeking His face, and patient in all that we do.  Patience is an aspect of Christ that is fundamentally apparent throughout the Bible.  If we are to take on the characteristics of Christ, put on a “new person” in Christ, aren’t we too supposed to be patient?

There are times when many Christians will become inpatient, and want things to “happen right now” – but, to sit and wait, is to be whole in Christ.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.(James 1:3 KJV)    

There are certain scenarios that will suddenly appear in our lives that will test our patience, and sometimes our faith.  But, much like the process of the flower, with all of its equally important stages before it makes its appearance as a full blown flower, we have to wait for the stages to pass before the scenario resolves itself.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: (Romans 15:5 KJV)

While engaged in a conversation with a cousin who was being obnoxious in terms of tolerance toward a certain individual (an in-law of hers) I found my spirit becoming vastly unsettled.  I was reminded of the above passage, Romans 15:5.  I gently led her to a different path of awareness, trying to bring her into focus of how intolerant she sounded  sounded to others.  In so doing, she at first resisted and got defensive. However, with a little patience and determination, she was able to accept what I was trying to bring forward.  Eventually, this conversation helped with her marriage, because the in-laws were a big part of her issues, and problems.  Afterwards she saw the “situation” in a different light…thanks be to God.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 KJV)

When the Spirit gives a prompting, or a sense of urgency on a given scenario, subject, or individual, you’ll know it, and  ultimately feel it.  The person on the receiving end, when the wisdom of the Spirit comes forth will accept it openly and rejoice inwardly.  For God and His word is powerful, and sharp…and it will touch and pierce through the flesh right to the spirit of the person which has a higher capability in terms of understanding than the flesh.

So, today as we go forth in life, in His image,  and on His path of righteousness…let’s do so with patience, and love.  For the ability to engage in our life, as it were, is but a blink of the eye, compared to eternity. And, as we delve deeper and deeper into His word, and His ways, let’s firmly embrace patience as part of our countenance in Him, we will then reap our rewards where it’s important.

Christianity is a reality, not a religion–and, heaven is not that far away, both time-wise, and dimension-wise, life on earth is fleeting at best.   Have patience my friend, and rejoice in His love, and your rewards will be plentiful, and your cup will brim over, He promises it and God’s promises are a sure thing! Amen.

“Father, thank You for Your promises, and Your love, help us to continue on Your path of righteousness, with patience and joy, in Jesus name, Amen.”

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And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  (Romans 5:3-4 KJV)

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.            (Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 KJV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (Galatians 5:22 KJV)