Why is it taking America so long to figure out that we were all created equal?

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

- Galatians 3:28 

Questions and answers:

Why is it taking America so long to figure out that we were all created equal?

One word - sin.

As long as there are people that feel their sin is justified, people will struggle with equality. 

Have you ever heard the expression that the squeaky wheel gets the grease? 

Well, the people that yell the loudest get the most attention – even when it is negative attention.

It feels like people are lemmings – blindly following one another over the edge.

Take the time to read all of Romans 1.

All are equal in the eyes of God.

Maybe we need to follow His example, instead of following the sin.

Have a blessed day!

 *Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own. 

Why is church so important when God doesn’t live in a building?

Again I tell you this: If two of you agree on earth about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am with them.

- Matthew 18:19-20

Questions and answers:

Why is church so important when God doesn’t live in a building?

This verse is really one of the verses that people take out of context. . .

Yes, God is there, all the time, no matter what.

The church is a building for us.

Realistically, church is everywhere.

Church is our life raft – God knew that we would need other human support as well as His.

Church is an opportunity to come together with other like-minded individuals, to share your joys and concerns, and to pray for and with one another.

Humans need that interaction.

When people come together as one, we are able to confront sin, and God will be there because it is important to Him.

I know, from my own experience, that when I don’t attend church I turn into a person that I don’t like.

Hearing, learning and loving the Gospel changes everything.

Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own. 

mourning

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

– Romans 12:15

A short break from the Q & A session so I can share something else that is important to me.

Today would have been my brother’s 57th birthday.  Unfortunately, God took him home 26 years ago.

Recently I saw a poem posted when a gentleman that worked in the same department as my husband suddenly passed away, I copied it because I knew the words would someday help me.

Death is nothing at all.

It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room. Everything remains as it was. The old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no sorrow in your tone. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without effort.

Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was.

There is absolute and unbroken continuity.

What is death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner.

All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

-  Henry Scott Holland

Life is a gift from God.

I will never forget my brother and I miss him every day, but I know he is with the Father and I will see him again someday.

Have a blessed day! 

Why does God allow suffering?

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

- Genesis 6:5-8

Questions and answers:

Why does God allow suffering?

This kind of goes back to Monday’s verse, Romans 8:28, all things are working toward good, all things come together for good.

God will get us through these things according to His will.

The big thing is what do we learn from the suffering?

When the next suffering comes, we take what we learned before and apply it to prevent the same suffering. 

We also go back to the fact that there is sin in the world, and as long as there is sin, and freedom to choose sin, there is going to be suffering.

God has chosen now to wipe humans off the planet – that is why there is suffering. 

Many people simply choose sin over goodness, and many times it is someone else’s’ sin that causes our suffering.

What we have to remember is that there is hope, there is always hope in Christ.

Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own. 

How are we supposed to handle difficult times when it feels like no one is there?

Give all your cares to the Lord and He will give you strength. He will never let those who are right with Him be shaken.

- Psalm 55:22

Questions and answers:

How are we supposed to handle difficult times when it feels like no one is there?

God said that He will never leave us, that He will never forsake us.

Remember the poem “Footprints in the Sand”?

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

We are never alone! 

We lean on each other in times of need, but more importantly, we lean on God.

He will never abandon us.

When it feels like no one is there, open your heart to Him.

You will find that He is there indeed, carrying you through your troubles.

 Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own.

How do I continue to move forward in faith when God continues to be quiet?

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

- Psalm 46:10

Questions and answers:

How do I continue to move forward in faith when God continues to be quiet?

You have to start with looking at the times that you did hear Him, because sometimes He is speaking and we simply are not listening. (I think I have touched on this point before)

Many people say that when we feel God is silent we should pray about it, but how do you distinguish God’s voice from your own?

The answer is pretty simple, really . . . feed your soul the right things, because the soul wants what you feed it and, if fed correctly, the soul knows God.

God gives us a soul that speaks to us, and our filter is the Word of God.

So maybe He is not being quiet, maybe we just need to listen.

Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own.

Why is forgiveness so hard?

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

- Colossians 3:13

Questions and answers:

Why is forgiveness so hard?

We are not perfect. (oh crap!)

We still sin and we still are forgiven.

We are human – we cannot forgive perfectly, we may need to make forgiveness a daily act in our lives.

We need the Holy Spirit in our lives to help with forgiveness.

Here is one of the best things that our pastor said’ “forgiveness is when you no longer wish ill against that person”

Whoa . . .

We have to want good for the people that hurt us, we have to stop speaking ill of them.

Forgiveness does not mean that you are BFF’s again, some people are toxic and we simply do not want or need them in our lives.

Big hurts affect us spiritually, emotionally and hurts our soul.

We have to forgive in order to heal, but yes, it is hard.

Ask God for His help on this, He will be there for you.

Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own.

How do I convince someone that feels like God has turned against them that He is still there and He wants them back?

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

- Psalm 147:3

Questions and answers:

How do I convince someone that feels like God has turned against them that He is still there and He wants them back?

We need to know because we need to grow.

Where is God when I hurt?

When someone is in doubt, it is our job as Christ followers to offer love, hope and encouragement, to continue to be with them and to be the evidence of God’s reconciliation.

Here is the thing – God has not turned against them.

Sin is prevalent in our world, and it is sin that is hurting our friends, our families and our loved ones – not God.

He is always there, waiting for you to call out to Him. 

He will heal your broken heart, it just takes time and you need to place your heart in His hands.

I can personally promise you that God loves you, and He wants you back.

Have a blessed day!

*Thank you to the lead pastor of Rogers Christian Church for answering questions in Sunday’s service.  I have paraphrased his answers and (of course) added some thoughts of my own. 

My church is so cool!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

- Romans 8:28

I am a member of a really cool church. 

Why do I say that?

Because our pastor is not afraid to answer questions, honestly, truthfully and sometimes brutally if necessary.

Last week our pastoral staff gave us the opportunity to write down questions we had and they would be answered this week. 

We also had the opportunity to submit questions anonymously via test (WHOA! Technology!!)

Yesterday morning, during what is normally sermon time, our lead pastor answered some of these questions. 

Let me tell you that he did not have the opportunity to see most of these questions in advance.

Yet he answered them based on Bible truths, and I believe he answered them from his heart.

Some of the questions people submitted were:

How do I convince someone that feels like God has turned against them that He is still there and He wants them back?

Why is forgiveness so hard?

How do I continue to move forward in faith when God continues to be quiet?

Why does God allow suffering?

How are we supposed to handle difficult times when it feels like no one is there?

Why is church so important if God doesn’t live in a building?

Why is it taking America so long to figure out we are all created equal?

Why has God not come back yet?

What do you and the Bible say about suicide?

How do we balance church with school or other activities?

Describe how things can be better for people who are a part of a church.

Hearing him answer these questions yesterday made me really think about what it is that I do here.

This email, this blog, this “daily bread” that I send. . .

Some days they are long, some days they are short.

Some days they are heart wrenching and some days they make me smile.

I think that I will spend some time sharing our pastor’s answers to some of these questions over the next few days.

I am surely blessed to have great leaders in my life, and I count our church as one of those leaders.

And our church, like every one of us, would be so much less without God.

 Have a blessed day!

No one can separate me

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—Romans 8:38-39

I am active in my church’s small group ministry.

In our current study, we were given homework to find a Bible verse that shows just how much God loves us.

I would like to share the verse that one of my group chose.

When we read our chosen verses out loud, our group leader asked us to put our name in that verse, so it would go like this for me:

For Kitty is convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate Kitty from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Wow.

You see, nothing could keep Jesus from coming to save me.

No distance between heaven and earth, not a maniacal king who sought to snuff out His life, not jeering mobs crying “crucify him”, not disciples that abandoned Him, not soldiers that mocked Him, not a whip that raked His flesh, and not a cross that claimed His physical life.

Not one thing stopped Jesus from saving me.

ME.

So what makes you think He would let you go or give up on you after His love has captured your heart?

Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we can know we won't have to ever be separated from God's love.

Have a blessed day!

How is your heart?

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

—Hebrews 4:12

The miracles of medicine have come so far since Jesus’ days on earth.

Look at the way doctors can repair the human heart: by-pass surgery, angioplasty, artificial heart, even transplants, but what is the greatest miracle?

How about the Word of God?

While these other techniques can be of great aid to the physical heart of people, God's tool for heart surgery is His Word, and we don’t need someone with years of training to read the Word.

Words can be a sharp scalpel that can reach the soul and spirit as well as being a physical blessing.

How much of your heart are you offering to God, and His powerful heart-healing tool to touch?

As you open God's Scripture, as you hear the message of God preached, why not ask for the Holy Spirit to help you understand, apply, and put into practice what is being taught?

Let's offer our hearts to the Great Physician to do His work in us!

Have a blessed day!

i'm speaking

I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.

– 2 Corinthians 11:6

I am not a preacher.

I have never been to seminary, but I do try to recognize when God has a word He wants me to share.

The apostle Paul made it clear that his trust was not in the way that he communicated, but the knowledge that he had in Jesus.

It is important to not miss the treasures that lie in people who look plain, ordinary and even boring.

Paul probably would have been overlooked by our current standards for spiritual leaders.

What are we possibly missing today simply because we are looking at talent instead of content?
I’m just a simple girl with no formal training, just listening to my King and sharing His word.

Have a blessed day!

Be Courageous

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

—Joshua 1:9

When we were visiting with my in-laws at the beginning of August, my father-in-law challenged me to read Joshua 1:1-9 twice a day for 7 days.

He said it would change my life.

I am a good daughter-in-law, so upon returning home, I printed the verse with a pretty border, put in in a sheet protector and taped it to my mirror, so I can read it in the morning while getting ready for work and at night when getting ready for bed.

While these words were spoken to Joshua when he took over for Moses, they are also applicable to us.

God promises to be with us, if we truly call upon Him.

Jesus also promised His disciples to "be with them always, even to the close of the age."

Remember God's promise: "Never will I leave you, never will I desert you!"

Let's be strong; our God, our Father, our Shepherd is always near, even if it doesn't seem so.

We cannot go anywhere without His presence being near us and in us.

We are not alone.

We don't have to be afraid.

In fact, not even death can separate us from His love

Have a blessed day!

when we mourn

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. 

- Lamentations 3:20-23

For some people, especially the younger generation, this is just a regular Monday.

For many it is a day to remember a tragedy that happened to our great nation 16 years ago.

For me, it has a personal note from 1992, when my 17 year old brother was hit by a truck and killed.

Recovering from any tragic event is a challenge, but to turn your face to God in the aftermath of tragedy is to defy the power of evil, and to place your hope in the one Person who can bring good out of even the most horrifying disaster.

I know my little brother is with our Savior.

My hope for the future lies in Christ Jesus.

If you were affected by the 9/11 attacks, may your sorrow and mourning point you to the glorious hope of Jesus Christ, and the restoration He promises.

Have a blessed day!

Love who?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

—Mark 12:30-31

I struggle occasionally with the “love your neighbor” thing. 

(Not my actual neighbors, mind you, those are some great people!)

When I have to deal with people that are not followers of Christ, I find myself getting short tempered with them and just wanting to walk away.

But that is not what God wants from us.

Sometimes the most important things are not hard to understand.

God wants us to love Him with every fiber of our being and to also love those around us.

All of His demands on character really boil down to honoring these two great principles that transcend law and bring the character of God to hearts.

I need to take the “love your neighbor” thing to heart, do you?

Have a blessed day!

writer's block?

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

—Romans 8:26

I have heard that all writers at some point experience writer’s block.

I look for verses to send that pop out at me or mean something to me, but there are times that I find myself at a loss for words.

OH!! Song reference!!

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That you're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In your holiness
Word of God speak

Isn't it incredible!

Even in those times that my words are blocked and my heart is heavy, God hears my prayers, and gives me words to share with all of you.

It is not because I am articulate, wise, or faithful enough to pray as I should.

No, it is because God has graciously placed His Spirit in our hearts to make known what my words cannot capture and my mind cannot verbalize.

God hears my groaning, my yearnings, my heartbreaks, and my heart-cries.

He knows what I cannot think, but only feel.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, He answers those unuttered prayers with His presence, grace, and power.

And then I have words to share with you.

Have a blessed day!

Do NOT be a bully

Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into His confidence.

—Proverbs 3:31-32

School has started and I have already seen some of my friends’ sadness that their school age loved one is being bullied.

This breaks my heart and it should break yours too.

God does not like bullies, oppressors, or exploiters.

Even sadder is that it is not limited to school age  - there are bullies everywhere, in the workplace, at events and yes, even in church.

Those who control by intimidation and violence are detestable and an abomination to the LORD.

We are not to idolize, praise, or reward those who have risen to power by exploiting others.

If you are a bully, STOP NOW.

If you are being bullied, please please please, reach out to someone that can help.

Have a blessed day!

It's not just you

For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.”

– Matthew 18:20

It is September, you know what that means?

See you at the pole is coming! 

This year it is September 27th – more on that later.

Last year we had some folks gather for prayer around the flag pole at our office. 

It was amazing.

It doesn’t take many people, because God is best experienced in community.

This is our community.

There are people who say, “I don’t need anyone – it’s me and Jesus”, but that is not what Jesus taught.

The God who is in all places has promised to let us know His presence when we gather with other followers of Christ.

This doesn’t need to happen on Sunday morning – it can happen during a lunch break, a basketball game, or even shopping or at work.

When given the opportunity, don’t miss time with God’s people.

Community is one of the wonderful gifts that God has given us to know Jesus.

Have a blessed day!

Shelter

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

—Psalm 91:1

With this being Labor Day, it is officially the end of summer.

I hope everyone that is out playing in the sun takes care not to get burnt and drinks plenty of water, as we all need protection from the end of summer's scorching heat!

Every day though, we need to have a place in the shade, a shadow of protection and refreshment.

When we place our lives in the care of God Most High, we find that His shadow of protection and refreshment covers us.

Even in times of difficulty, we know that He has protected us from the worst of the evil one’s attack and that His presence offers us strength that we may not often see but always can trust.

Live your life in God’s shelter, you will be glad that you did.

Have a blessed day!

Step out of the comfort zone

Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

– Ruth 2:11-12

Ruth was an amazing woman who left everything to be associated with the God of the Israelites.

Many times we want the blessing of God, but we’re not willing to leave the comforts of our current lifestyle.

We need to learn to step out of our comfort zone and let God work in us and through us.

Don’t be held back by staying with what you know, because sometimes the refuge that God offers us is on the other side of a storm.

Have a blessed day!