We ask ourselves and others how to live for God. The Scriptures tell us. Yet, at times, it points itself out and tells us! I really need that sometimes, sorta of reminds of a V8 commercial!

Psalms 34: 12-15 KJV

     12  WHat man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

     13  Keep thy tongue from evil, and they lips from speaking guile.

     14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

     15  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

     I have been in this chapter off and on for months now. It is hard not just to type it all out at once. Yet, each time I return to it I learn more and get convicted of what I'm not doing at times. Our mouths can get us into so much trouble whether we use our fingers to type our words instead of our lips.

     The words we speak, show our heart especially at times when we are upset and don't have our guard up at times which increases our fakeness to people.  We can seek peace with words but they can be twisted to by others to say other things. We want to defend ourselves when they do it. Yet, is that seeking peace or just answering a fool to their folly which is discouraged in Proverbs? Again, a gentle answer can turn away wrath, yet I find it can be twisted again? People at times will see what the want to see.

      "Seek peace and pursue it" is a challenge to me. So many times, I may want to defend myself but doing that seems to just get things deeper twisted by others with their own agenda.

       Patience with in Faith and constantly staying in that patience of faith in God's timing and waiting upon His leading. Praying to recieve His leading.  Otherwise, we can just be distracted further instead of the path we need to be on.

       Yet, God is watching, knowing our human hearts when we humans can be fooled by each other. We make excuses for people when we are blind to things. We can trust people as we are fooled by them even over years. Sometimes, words can finally bring forth truth we needed to hear for years to move on realizing who they really are in our lives.

      These verses can hit me if I start talking on the phone and catch myself sometimes. I can read, reread, and write these down but actually repetivily applying them is a huge challenge. Yet, challenged recently from another, am I feeding self or spirit? Our words we speak will feed one or the other as we are given that choice to make every time we speak or write.

    Wednesday, Nov. 19 - It is wait and see as I'm told. They are trying to balance the need for blood thinners for the heart and the danger of them for the brain. God has helped the Doctors before many times getting that balance. He is under a lot of sedation now as he heals and the family has been told he will not remember a lot of this. Praise the Lord God is in control!!! Tom's younger brother will be able to take his place next week. Times like these it is beautiful as the family pulls together.  Praise the Lord as He heals in His way and timing!! 

      Nov. 18,  3 pm. Praise the Lord the swelling in the brain has gone down!  Last text was that he is alert!  God is answering prayers in this amazing way!!! The Doctors are still taking precautions in case of swelling later. Family is very grateful to for those who are praying! The Parents come from a large church themselves. Tom will be able to stay with his Father till Sunday! God is working out many issues! Praise the Lord!!!

     Update 12:10 am - Bob made it out of surg. okay. They will know more in the morning. Praise the Lord for the ways He can heal! Thank you again for your prayers!!!!

     My sister's husband's parents were involved in an accident today with somebody running a red light and running into his Father's side of the car. His father was airlifted to a trauma facility to have surgery for a cranial bleed. They did not tell me what kind but that is not the issue of the exact detials. He has had recent cardiac/surgical  issues prior. The Mother was not critically injured and was driven to the trauma center to be with her husband.

     Tom, my brother-in-law, was able to fly to be with his parents. His parents were on a multi state trip to go visist them for the Thanksgiving holidays. Fortunately, they were only two hours out and be able to have family within an hour so away from the trauma center he was air-lifted to.

     Please pray for God's healing and protection from complications in the next few weeks for Bob. Please pray for the families surrounding this whole situation for peace only God can give and growth in faith during these times.

     Praise the Lord for listening to our prayers and being in control.  Thank you for your prayers. 

      Today, I came back from a Doctor appointment being released to go back to work full time!!! Praise the Lord!!! God heals even when so many can doubt or dwell on the negative!  My second Doctor who was follow up after the surgeon's care was so encouraging during these last few months. He kept from being negative but encouraged me ever so strongly to be careful and not to push too much too fast. He really cared and was protective. He understood my prayers but also encouraged me to be patient too!

       As he started gradually releasing me to go back to work partial hours on a shift, he then told me what he kept to himself of my outcome. Each time at a visit he wore such a smile and encouraged despite his thoughts of my outcome. Many others had shared their outcome thoughts with me. More than I would ever want to share encouraaged me to take medical disability which many could do.  I did not want limitations of such in life.

       I know God has plans for me. I knew I had to trust in what was to come verses what reality looked like around me to compromise to it. I could be distracted with reality and others comments/suggestions or keep my focus on those plans that I do know of that can be. God gave freewill to chose during this time. Still does currently. Yet, how much fun would I lose out on if I gave up on faith???!!!!  God's timing!!!

        During this time, it has shown me many things and changes to be made to continue on in those plans. Some talk about a frying pan hit to get their attention, yet it took a full size Chevy truck and concrete guardrail to get my attention!!! I may be a little more stubborn???  I have no desire to be that stubborn again. I do want to do what I need to do to push ahead.

          During this time has allowed somethings to surface which shows truth of situations I needed to see which allows future decisions to be made easier.  Brokeness does allow healing in many ways and understanding to questions of a lifetime when one is seeking so much.

          Enemy works in so many ways. I don't even want to go there to give the enemy any credit. Yet, deceptions and lies in various he is good at. So many things can be so twisted and turned negative when meant for good.  Sad thing, is that some seem to even resent when good things happen to others. I have learned again in various ways, misery really does love company. When you refuse to join it, it really gets interesting with those who are recruiting.

          Friendship. Wow, that has been an learning experience. Will not go there in some ways. I praise God for the various lessons learned.  I have spent a lifetime investing in others and trusting God for someone to spend my life with.  Leaving it to God allows a lot more time to try to encourage others. That has been a wake up call. I have been called over the years a "People collector" by some very close friends due to I do like all kinds and make up excuses for all sorts of behavior to keep them despite what they can do as others reactions of what I should do with them.   I have learned that God knows the hearts of those far more than people do and have some amazing surprizes and somethings I did not expect.  I praise God for helping me and leading me in those due to some of the ones others have discouraged me from due to actions have come through as such blessings during this time. Again, God knows the hearts more than people do. Sincerity of them blew my mind. There are those who talk about God and others who act from God despite what other people may think. Those who have hurt before know what it is and can encourage in amazing ways. God can turn our weakenesses into our strengths.

         Praise our dear loving heavenly Father who teaches us so much in so many ways. He can send encouragment in so many ways including unexpected ways. God can use all things as He is in control. The more faith we use the more He is able to do!!! You can't outgive God due to He can give back in so many ways! Yes, people can hurt or discourage you in various ways but God is in control. The Psalms speak over and over on how God protects and provides for those who trust Him.

          God's healing is priceless!!!! Scriptures come alive!!! God is in control! Those who trust in Him as they live for His glory and values are protected by God Almighty!!  Yes, things can change, but they are for His Glory!!! It takes faith to make the changes and trust in the plans to come!!!!  Each day is one closer to Heaven!!!

     Praise the Lord! Almost fully back to work! I praise the Lord for the time I will be fully back to work which is just days away!!!!  Only by God's strength!!! Only by His healing!!! Only by believing in the faith He offers us to believe in for God's healing!!!!

      My Doctor openly admitted with such injuries he did not believe I would be where I'm at and what I'm doing.  To God be the Glory!!!  Yet, each night, each call, and in each step I must have dependance upon God. I still catch  myself distracted at times in my attitude yet, it is amazing how little things can snap me back.

       I took my legs, back, and so much more in the strength that I had forgranted.  I can still find myself doing it.  Yet, through this, I'm learning more about dependance than Iwould have ever before. The ground is uneven and how that could possibly cause things to happen. Yet, life is uneven too which presents dangers in faith.

        Psalms are truly coming alive to me in so many ways!!!!  Recent events in our country keeps me in prayer, too!!! Yet, again, the Psalms are such a comfort. God protects His own!!! Our faith can limit us. Yet, sometimes, it takes something to happen in our lives to realize what we lost/destroyed/hurt. Yet, God can turn weakness into strength!!!

         Think of how the Hebrew children rejected God's ways over and over. They had some Kings that did evil before God.  In judgement for going against God, He would bring them on the brink of disaster with their enemies about ready to invade and destroy them. Praise God if the people repented of their sins and wrongs, God would then defeat the destruction awaiting them and protect them. If not....................  we read about it in the Old Testament and see it in history. Yet, no matter where the Jews are scattered in this world God watches over them.  Isreal is a Nation again!!!!! God is amazing but how many 1,000's of years did it take for prophecy to be fulfilled?

            We are living in exciting times. So much is at stake. Will we seek God or seek man? It is a free will choice God gives each of us.  Do we seek Him sincerely or go through the motions of it to impress others? Or, go through the motions as we see others do it or suggested to do it by our Pastor but lack to put our whole hearts and lives into what we are doing.  Are we just building more of a knowledge base or are we deepening a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as we sincerely apply it to our lives. When we read scripture does it come alive to us are are we reading it just like another novel? Is the Word of God living in your life?

            If faced with impending death/destruction would you cry out to God to save you, go blank, or let out empty words?  If the Word of God is living in your life alive in full belief, you would cry out to God to save you from your heart. How many times did God save the Abraham's generation of children? Who has a Nation today that is under threat of attack by neighboring countries and still a nation? Praise the Almightly Lord God of Creation  who protects His own as He is our Refuge, High Tower, and so much more!!!!

     Frustration or fear, is that showing faith? There are challenges, events, situations, and more that can create some fear or frustration away in us that erodes faith. Can they truly coexist and still have sincere faith that can move mountains? How many times are we distracted by faith as like Peter, when walking on the water to Jesus started to sink as he looked around taking his eyes off Jesus?

Isaiah 26:3-4

     (3) Though wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (4) Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

      We can talk about it all we want but actually applying it is another issue. The key word for me is "stayed". All the money in the world can not buy peace of mind.  The more money you could have can even have one fearing on being able to keep it! Yet, with God peace is far more valuable. When interesting things happen in our lives, it is a time we can have our eyes open to where we are at in peace at times which equals faith? His timing is not our timing or the one of our peers think it should be.

       I have tests coming up. God has amazing ways to lead me to verses that are...... hmmmmmm.... I ask God for helping me be faithful as He gives me the free choice to chose to follow Him or be distracted by so many other issues!  I can learn ever so much but if I don't apply it, what is the use of learning? Learning without application fades away!!!

     What men can't do, God can! If God calls us to do something and people around us are negative about it, who is right?  When something looks tough to accomplish, do we still do it? God will gives us the strength to do it from Him.  Where is our faith at times? Where are our eyes looking at? Do we listen to those that are negative or those that know God can do it no matter how few they be? Our faith can limit us? If we chose to listen to worldly  focussed peers even if they attend a church, they can limit what we have faith that God can do. How many blessings do we miss out on because of our choices?  I will admit, I know I have missed out. I do praise God for ones I did listen to Him and did not chose to let the wordly peers drown out.

      Matthew 19: 26

         But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

      I sometimes want to almost drag people with me, but I can't.  They have been given the gift of freedom by God to chose themselves which way they go. I can pray for God to help and bless them but they can chose the world's values/thinking to dig a bigger hole.  It is sad.  It is sadder yet when the opportunity of blessing passes. I must accept the choices people make and still love them. Yet, when God does bless me, they can in turn become destructive to me. Yet, love them still as we are commanded to do by scripture but it is still a choice for us to follow.  If I follow God can bless more, including them.  There so much for me to truly learn and even more the challenge to apply. 

     Sometimes, we can get discourage as we live and with our whole heart live for Jesus. During these times we can really miss those who have encouraged us in the past who have gone on to heaven. Even if they warned of others and what they can do in discouragment, we forget at times.

      Please don't let your discouragment lead to bitterness with as it distracts you from Jesus! We have been told it is not a wide path but a narrow path few find. There will be many who say "Lord, Lord" but do not know Jesus Christ as they can even be blind to it themselves they are goats and sheeps! We are suppose to keep loving and praying for them. Proverbs, encourage us not to answer a fool in their folly lest....  it goes on an on about them what they will do in that whole book.

      We are suppose to love people and pray for God's timing to speak to them with His words not ours out of frustation. Our words in our timing can be destructive.  Waiting for God's timing when they may be more open to hear as He arranges it instead of us forcing an issue.

      So many times, others can use us as an excuse to do whatever as when we go with our own words and timing we fall into the trap set for us. Stepping back from it in prayer allows God to show us things if we truly intensely seek Him for answers.  Yet, proof may not be there for human eyes but how many times does time tell the truth????   When we die and face Jesus the truth will be before Him to judge even if we chose to blind ourselves from it on earth.

      God uses various means to correct us on earth. We must test correction we get to see it is from the world source wanting us to compromise more or sent from God in His timing from another. If some one cares enough to say something when they think we are messing up and it offends? Conviction is good to have as it saves our soul from hell!!!! Yet, if conviction hits and we blame others in trying to discourage them too, how much further in sin do we fall and harden our heart? We are not only destroying ourselves but another.  One who loves their Brother or Sister in the Lord or even one who does not know Jesus as a personal Savior wants to encourage them toward Jesus. Sometimes, one who is correcting another even with a world view of things can learn from their own mistake if the one they are trying to correct responds back in love and encouragment toward them in explaining things!!!!!  Again, God knows the motives of the heart!!!  The one who is in the wrong wanting to condenn another is sent to the other that will love them and show them the truth if they have an open heart to listen and repent themselves!!! God can be glorified or the person's pride can destroy them further. God gives us freewill to chose and how often do we pick a destructive path due to our pride? "Pride goeth before a fall".

     We are not alone!!! God is with us and a great cloud of witnesses above!!!!!  Love others and react in God's timing and words, not ours.

Hebrews 12: 1-15

 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

 5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

 9Furthermore 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?

 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

 12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

     What kind of news tend to travel faster to other people? Good? Bad? How many prayer groups can turn into gossip sessions prior? No, not all, but many of us know what I'm writing about. At times, I don't want to share a prayer request that is serious about someone that can be going through some interesting times. I don't want to betray the person to a prayer group in some places. Yes, I want God to help them and the power of prayers from others. 

      How many people may be sitting in the group wanting God to help them in a situation that they are too ashamed they are in to even admit it to the group due to what they see is happening in front of them?   We can bring a person new in the faith with in turn we show them the condoned way to gossip in a church.  Yet, what kind of witness is it to them? Will they think, what on earth has been shared about me before I ever stepped into the doors of this church?  Then we wonder why some new people don't want to stay in a church and learn more about the God we claim to worship.  Do they real love and faith in us?  Or, do members atttend just to protect themselves as they make sure they are not part of what is being discussed in prayer group that time?

       Ephesians 5:11-12 (KJV)

        11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.    12  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

       If God knows our hearts and our needs, I'm sure He knows the details of what is going on in people's lives. We can be general at times instead of details. Just asking prayer for someone is okay due to we all need prayer. If we are truly seeking God, it is amazing what can come to mind to pray for someone that has asked for prayer without every detail given. Yes, we can have accountability people in our lives we trust to share the details with that will not use it as gossip material to others. When that trust is broken with people that can cause some serious damage that lasts a long while if we don't ask God to help us with that too.

       If someone is sick, praise the Lord for God healing this person and giving the Doctors on the case wisdom in treatment! Sometimes we spend more time talking about this sickness/injury than we do praying for it before God. Pray and praise the the Lord for answering our prayers as we in faith know He hears them and loves us. Yes, He can have His own timing in answering our prayers which can increase our patience in faith.  Pray for people will seek God with their requests. Sometimes, we can depress the situation by just repeating all that is wrong in our lives over and over instead of truly giving it to God in faith that He is in control and answer them.  Sometimes, we spend time dwelling on poor, poor me in this situation telling everyone about it instead of seeing the open door God gives us to move on due to we let that define who we are instead of moving on even if it may not be easy to do. God will give us the strength to do as we chose to take each step in faith.  Look forward in how God is can and will heal and fix situations for his Glory if we truly chose to give them to Him instead of keeping them close to us as we dwell and worry about it.  Worry is not faith. Yet, we all do it. How long is up to us?

       Some say misery loves company. Sometimes, I see it can be true when our focus is on ourselves and the world way of dealing with things.  From your heart believe God is in control and can work things out if we give them to Him and let Him keep them instead of taking them back repeatedly to worry about more. When we keep them to ourselves what is our witness to others? Are we encouraging them away or toward God? Plus, when we want to chose to be miserable and down do we deep down want to be around some one who is sincerely giving them to God or take them to where we are at? 

        We all can hit low spots when our faith wavers. Yet, at that time it is time to check our faith to make sure it is sincere. Faith based on emotion can be interesting.  Wonder what makes it real? Humble yourself before God broken and give it to Jesus to fix our life as we sincerely surrender our life to Him fully not just words. When we give our fully truly over to Him, He can take our weaknesses and turn them into strengths to gloify God!!! They can become your praises before God as He takes care of them and encourage others to give their lives in surrender to Him fully instead of going through motions of it all. Use these low spots to humble yourself before God sincerely as you chose to step closer to God instead of further away.  Our low spots don't happen over night as it takes daily steps to go there at times as pride help us fall into them as we compromise even at times. Remember the enemy is deceptive and has many ways to decieve us to think we are doing the right thing even in steps leading away from God.   We all are vulnerable to it.    Yet, when we trust God fully, our eyes are open to see open doors out of the situations!!!!  God gives us strength and direction as we sincerely seek Him to go through them even if they are not door that look easy to go through! God will go through them with us when we chose to let HIM!!!  Praise the Lord of answered prayers in HIS timing!!!

          Romans 8:31 What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (KJV)

     I use to tell that verse over and over to myself during different times or situations. As I have become older, I understand it better who can be against us. Yet, also my faith grows stronger still realizing God defeated the enemy and his schemes he can use.  Greater our faith allows God to work more. God will not give us anything we can't handle. God is amazing!

     It seems like I had some issues this week in getting back on line. I pray they are settled. It seemed like when I called for support for help. Some one was trying to hack into my wireless network and it would kick me out too!  I would have to reset things for me to have it but then it would happen again, again, and again.  

     Yet, today while led in studying, I was in Luke 14. Verses 26-35 really hit home.  We have influences in our life that can mess with our connection to God. They can be various things including our assets, positions we think we have with others, career, family, and friends. They can hurt us or help us.  We are to surrender it all to God. We are to pick up our cross and count the cost. The Parable of the Sower with what happens to the seed God plants.  On this blog I'm barely scratching the surface of what I was being reminded of.

     Then flipped over to Matthew 15 due to the cat was being an issue it seemed which caused the flipping pages. Matthew 15: 3, 8-9 stood out to me.  We can twist things so much like the religous leaders did in the day of Jesus. Men have this way of wanting to add to God. Yet, God is God. Our faith limits God in how He works in our lives today. How many times while growing up I was told these are just stories in the Bible? If the Bible is the living Word of God compared to a Sword that cuts hearts of men, then these are living stories and God can do amazing things today as He did then!!!! 

     There are people in this world that miracles are done in their lives or around them. We can give credit to God for them or just treat them like a  feel good story. How many times can the people's influence around us limit our faith or threat of losing our social standing we think we have, possessions, career, or power we think we have in the world to fully trust God and His directions? 

      How many times do we let them hack into our connection with God? It was discouraging this week to get on line. I found more time to do Bible Study!!!  I worked on things for the next show we are doing where we will be able to talk with others. I thought of it as a good thing and looked for what I could be doing instead.  Yet, this morning reading these scriptures I realized there was another lesson there too for me.

     We must watch what influences our relationship with God. Does it draw us closer or further away?  When things are discouraging do we give up or see where else we can be used to serve God? Or, even learn more about our personal relationship in the Word of God. God can even use a cat to help teach me if I keep my eyes open and not get distracted!!!! How many blessings do we miss out on due to distractions of  other influences that may appear good but not glorifying God in the end. We can be fooled so many times!

     People can say such interesting words! Yet, God knows where their hearts are. What fruit is being produced?  What is the bigger picture? God is working today like He was when the Bible was written. Our faith limits Him in our lives!  Our influences can limit our faith's growth! We are to surrender our lives to God. Not play the game doing it and holding on to things that hold us back from fully surrendering.  As our faith grows and God does work in our lives we can see things that do hold us back and be convicted to give up those influences. When we truly surrender them to God, it allows Him to bless us in His timing. God loves us and wants our best even if it seems like we are going through bad times. There are so many ways to learn through times when people that don't understand our faith try to discourage us in many ways.  Jesus's life on earth was not a pleasant one as he was messed with by those that doubted who He was even as HE performed miracles and healed people!!!!!   If we sincerely follow Jesus, should we expect different treatment? Matthew 10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.