PONDER YOUR PATH

This song touched me deeply growing up, “How About Your Heart . . . is it right with God, that’s the thing that counts today.  Is it black with sin, is it pure within? Won’t you ask Christ in today . . . People often see you, just as you are outside; Jesus really knows you, for He sees inside . . .”



There is temptation to join up, be part of the crowd: the loud, boisterous, opinionated . . . at times drunken, violent, immoral players.  Are you a Believer in Jesus? Ponder your path…walk away!  Say to your loving Heavenly Father, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me . . . take not your Holy Spirit from me . . . restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Psalm 51:10.



If we don’t get it right inside, we might end up for a lifetime with a darkened heart.  



Sure, strong opinions if they are based on the truth of the Bible are good . . . but where is your heart!

Even the wicked King of Nineveh got it. 

When the reticent prophet Jonah finally obeyed the LORD and walked through Nineveh for three days, he shouted out loud “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown;” the King responded from his heart; “For word came to the King of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything: let them not feed, nor drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not?  And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.” Jonah 3:6-10

Now is your time.   Walk away from the violence, immorality, drugs and drunkenness . . . Let your prayer be, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.” The LORD from Heaven will help you, assure you, be with you.

HISTORY IN THE BIBLE IS SAD

Pay attention: the history of God’s people in the Bible is sad.  Read the Bible.  Pay attention to the stories, parables, Psalms, Prophets, Holy Men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

The words written to us from God through these Holy men become more profound, meaningful, deep, the more you read…not less.  There is not a superfluous word written to us.  (It is important to pray when you begin, “Lord, speak to me through your Word.” Forget the stupid political pressure of today. Forget the scoffers.   Think about God, who gave us what we need to know in Scripture so that we are equipped to live well, to lead a successful life.

The only question left is, Will I?  If I choose to please Almighty God, Creator of the ends of the earth and I accept His gift of eternal life, forgiveness of my sins, I enter his fold. He is then my Shepherd, and He says, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me.  And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The Almighty, All Knowing, Everywhere Present God is to be reverenced, worshipped and loved back. Do you hear his voice?

The history in the Bible is a very long warning of what comes to every person who chooses to rebel against Almighty God.  And the promises of assurance: eternal life and the Presence of God are there for the taking.

So again, the question comes up:  Will I? Will I plead, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me.  Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation.”  He will because the amazing, generous, forgiving God always will.

2 Pe.1:21; John 10:27; Psalm 51:10

DON’T BECOME “THE HIDDEN HOUSE”

For years I rode my bike through a neighborhood with a dirt road.  It is a route getting from one busy two-lane road having a side dirt road, to another one with a sidewalk.

Near one end, as I cut through the neighborhood, on the corner was a lot with dense trees and bushes, and overgrown landscaping.  There was a house in there, it seemed.  A short cement driveway led to a two-car garage that was always closed.  There were a couple of lounge chairs and trash containers in the front.   Somehow, it was a charming scene. All around were beautiful homes in a well-established area.

One time riding past, I noticed a small homemade “For Sale by Owner” sign…it waited there for months.  Then, last week as I rode by loud noises were coming from that direction.  As I neared, the sign was gone.  A crew of about six men and a woman were working intensely, trucks and shredders were being used.

Yesterday, as I rode by again, I gasped out loud.  The crew was still there, but the house showed! Behind all the overgrown trees and weeds was a stunningly beautiful two, or three-story house.  I'm not sure now, the sight was so amazing!

I began thinking, riding on, “That beautiful house might be you. You are amazing.”  The overgrown, untended yard is not your destiny.  Fears, insecurity, doubt about your gifts need to be cleared. Competitiveness, comparing yourself with anyone is harmful. Make your move:  get around a crew of capable, honest and caring “Tenders” who believe in you and are ready to assist you in clearing away the brush.  I’m preaching to myself.  Get into the company of people who believe in Jesus and live by the Bible.  Here is permission: “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you.  He will be with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Fear not, nor be dismayed.”

Jesus said, “Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?”  Mar_4:21

STAY NEAR THE SHEPHERD

Lately, the hope that God is involved in every moment in the lives of us, His children, came into question.

Can I, a faulty child of the Father, expect Him to answer every prayer?

Yesterday I was riding my bike home…there were six miles between me and home.  The weather had reported “no rain” for the day.  It began to lightly sprinkle.  I prayed, “LORD, please don’t let it rain (or lightening) until I get home.” It sprinkled on and off.  It did not begin to rain (lightly) until I was three fourths of a mile from home.  I walked into the house damp, not soaked.  No lightening. Safe.

I asked the LORD the question, “How much do You desire to be involved, interactive with me?”

Then I read Psalm 23.  He is my shepherd: I shall not want (by implication to fail, lessen).  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in the paths of righteousness…I fear no evil for He is with me…comfort is present…a table is prepared…He anoints my head with oil…my cup runs over…goodness, mercy follow me all the days of my life…I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever…

Yes.  The LORD is interested in every day, every hour, and every part of my life.

Keep close.  Stay near the Shepherd.

JUST WALK AWAY . . .

This song touched me growing up. “How About Your Heart.”  My sister Connie, brother Arnold and I sang it as a trio:

How About Your Heart

Is it right with God

That’s the thing that counts today

Is it black with sin, is it pure within?

Won’t you ask Christ in today

People often see you, just as you are outside

Jesus really knows you, for He sees inside…

By Bennie S. Triplett

There is strong inclination to be part of the crowd: but think of tomorrow. Who is this crowd? Where are they going?



If people around you are angry, drunken, drugged, violent, immoral players, in your heart, walk away! There is a better life for you. You may even have to move away, leave them behind.  When my husband, Eric, left the Navy after four years, his friends back home were heavy alcohol drinkers…he moved to Florida. When I lived in Dallas in my twenties, I worked in a large government contract company, LTV, and didn’t know how to handle the social interaction … it was a good company; I was just not ready for the moral challenges of a naïve minister’s daughter. I moved back home.  Interestingly, I moved back to Florida at about the same time that Eric moved down from Massachusetts.  The rest is history.  Forty-six years ago, we married. What if my heart had not been in the place it was! What if my future husband had stayed in Boston near his drinking buddies!



If we don’t get it right inside, we might live a lifetime missing out on our best possible life. There is a good plan for you, and it is found in the Book written by your Creator, Jesus Christ.  The Bible.  Sure, strong opinions, especially during a highly charged political and moral environment will easily distract and engage us. But protect your heart!



The Heavenly Father is there waiting to give you direction…think through Psalm 51:10. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me . . . take not your Holy Spirit from me . . . restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Guard your heart.

THAT WE PERISH NOT

As God says in the book of Jonah:

“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.’  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.  Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.  And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.’  So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.  For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,  ‘Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God:  yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.  Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?’  And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." (Jonah3)  

Will we escape? We’re denying our children The Ten Commandments, we’re not reading Scripture to them; we’re not giving them “food for their souls”.

Will we escape?  We’re killing newborns. We’re defying God’s laws “For two, said He, shall be one flesh” and “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and cleave to his wife; they two shall be one flesh.”

Will we escape?  We glamorize violence. We don’t punish the guilty. We think it’s ok to sleep around, divorce at will, destroy the peace and safety and comfort of our children. They, in turn, turn to drugs and alcohol.  It is because we have selfishly neglected home and marriage and unselfish dedication to our God and families and nation.

Will we escape?
 
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14) .

YOU CAN RESPECT HIM

Why, because he is!  He is a man in God’s image.   Every person is gifted because he is created in God’s image.  The genius is there; you can trust that it is created in him.

Listen carefully to your husband day after day.  Watch him with fresh vision and hope.  Look deeper than the surface you will discover his strengths, his gifts.  He will be profoundly encouraged if he suspects you are seeing him this way.  Your passion can rise again; you may see fascinating layers to his personality he may not even know are there.

You are the closest real person to encourage out your husband’s gifts.  You have a lot to gain by the investment you make in him - or lose by not making it.

If you have not always known that there is reason to believe in the man you married, with years of marriage behind you, disappointments and all, you will be challenged at first to see his gifts.  But no matter what he has or has not accomplished you can begin again to learn to believe.

Look for a spark, a focused interest in him.  As a wife, and being closest to him, you may be the first to recognize his uniqueness!  Uniqueness needs understanding and pride from you if you choose to take the opportunity presented to you.

For the minute forget the past, forget the attitude of those around and think just of you and your husband and God!  Once you “see” with spiritual eyes, you decide to encourage what you see in your husband, you may just make the difference in his future .  .  .  and in yours.  You may see the future of your world.

Serve him lavishly.   You will know how.