WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A WINNER?

Posted on October 12, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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I grew up and spent the early years of my adult life in Wisconsin, so I guess I’m a dyed in the wool Packer fan. That is unless the Minnesota Vikings happen to win.  I was around when Vince Lombardi was coaching, which tells you how old I am.  He was an amazing coach who inspired his team to many wins over his career and he once said, “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”

Isn’t that the truth? Quitting is the easy way out, but persevering is clearly much harder. In life we set goals for ourselves to give us something to shoot for – something to plan for.  We go through each day with a plan and sometimes we win and other times we don’t/

In our spiritual life, God asks us to persevere as well. Our goal is heaven. How we get there doesn’t cost us a thing, but God does not promise that the road here on earth is going to be easy. We constantly have to fight the good fight, keeping Him as our life coach. We will face problems and defeats, but with Him we can get back up again and push forward to the goal line.

Lord, give me the faith to persevere in adversity, to look forward to heaven and to guide me in all that I do.  Even when I feel like a loser, remind me that I am a winner because of you and your redeeming grace.  Because of you, my final goal of eternity has been guaranteed.  Amen!

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DIRT

Posted on October 11, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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I recall making mud pies, as a child.  What fun it was holding wet dirt and molding it into round shapes and covering them with colored sugar.  This feast for the dog was only made palatable because of the topping, and of course today a parent could be accused of child abuse for allowing their child to play in the mud.

I’m currently up to my ears in 24 years worth of dirt and suddenly my childhood fascination has lost its excitement. This week is our final purging of things hidden in the shadows of the crawl spaces in our current house.  It almost seems that these spaces were reserved for things we wanted to hang on to, for whatever reason, that have no value, but we thought we would use someday.  There were three boxes of fabric, several large rolls of fabric, a pair of velvet, suspendered shorts that my husband wore as a child, empty boxes (which we actually can use for our move) and lots of other things.

How often we fill our lives with useless things – things that have no value – things that eventually wind up in the trash or get donated.  The stuff we hold on to seems important at the time, but we soon realize that its worth was meaningless.

As we look at our current state of affairs in this country and around the world, none of it matters.  There’s nothing new under the sun.  It’s all been said and done before.

The only thing that has merit, as we walk through this veil of dirt called life, is the One who created us.  We can scrub away the surface dirt, but we’ll never be clean internally unless we believe that Jesus died to wash us clean enough to appear before His Father.

I fear my house will not be totally clean when we leave it, but I am confident that those who lived in it will be.  Someone hand me a scrub brush!

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HIDDEN

Posted on October 11, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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Theater flat painted by Paul Boecher – Poetry by Kathy Boecher

A city of blazing lights can cover all the ugliness of the other world,

A world that lies beneath the bridge of deception, hate, fear and addiction,

Underneath that hidden territory where sin abounds,

There, shrouded in the shadows, the real world abides,

The cloak of evil captures those who would go there,

There is no light, no hope, no promises,

Only loneliness,

When sin overtakes the light, nothing can hide the darkness,

Nothing,

Yet there is one light that never dies,

A light that lives in the heart of every believer in it,

The true Light of the world,

This light can extinguish the darkness,

Only this One dominating light,

Can replace eternal obfuscation,

Through it we can find our,

Become light itself,

And spread that light,

Just as a flame ignites everything in its path,

Don’t hide in the shadows,

Follow the Light.

 

 

 

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COLUMBUS DAY

Posted on October 10, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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Today you don’t hear much about Christopher Columbus other than it being another time for retailers to draw in business.  This explorer, like many before and since, have had their life’s work corrupted over time.

In 1492, much of the world had been seized by the ottoman empire. They had control of most of the seas’ trade routes.  Not only did they have a lucrative slave trade, but they pirated ships which carried goods to various markets in the world.  It was because of this that different routes had to be explored.

Over time, the discovery of a new part of the world has taken on a new look.  This expedition has led people to believe that greed was the motivating factor.  Perhaps it was. Any native cultures were destroyed by disease, starvation or murder as the intruders invaded the new world.  On the other hand, the once nomadic people were introduced to the horse and many new foods that would become sustenance for them.

When man sets out to discover something there I’ll always be hurdles to cross.  There will always be the naysayers and critics, but without exploration there is no discovery.  Man will always look for ways to improve their lives by searching them, but we must always hold the Creator of life with the highest regard.  With Him, everything is new.

No matter what your politically correct stand is on Columbus Day, I urge you to trust in the Creator of all things.  He has new discoveries for us every day.  Take advantage of all He has to offer us.

 

Posted in Christian daily devotion, Daily inspiration and devotions, holidays, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

OLD BECOMES NEW

Posted on October 10, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

A house is just a dwelling place, a place to sleep and eat,

A set of rooms to roam about, to gather and to greet,

Each filled with lath and plaster, with paint and other things,

It soon becomes inhabited and that’s when life begins,

The walls could tell us stories of who these people were,

By things they said, the hugs and joys and words that would occur,

Of broken hearts, of emptiness, of loss and loneliness,

Of joyfulness and goals achieved, of peace and happiness,

It’s  just a simple shelter made of brick or wood or stone,

But when a family lives there, it soon becomes a home.

ORIGINAL ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

 

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THE END IS NEAR

Posted on October 10, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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THE HOUSE WE WILL BE MOVING INTO ON SATURDAY

It’s been four years in the coming, but we are finally on the last leg of our move.  I have resisted it, not only because of the work I knew would be involved in decluttering, but because I had grown mentally attached to the house we lived in for 24 years.

It’s funny how we hang on to things of this world.  If only I would put more faith in God’s provision, but like all of humanity, I’m a sinner and don’t always put God first.  When I finally agreed that a move was the only way for us to live out our retirement years, without the added stress of trying to make enough to just cover our expenses, it was if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  I had no clue what I was in for.  When my mind clears and I can look back on this entire episode, I will write a book about the whole process.  I’m sure it will discourage many from moving, but it will also encourage the process of giving in and moving on.

So on we go to the next chapter – one not yet written or determined – one with question marks all over the pages – one with a second, third, fourth and fifth chance of a beautiful life together.  Despite the storms of our past, I’m sure that God has scripted these next few pages and it will be amazing.

So I ask for prayers that I have the energy to get everything done, the wisdom to say goodbye to past memories and build new ones, and the faith to push ahead.  I know that the next house is simply a cute little farm house, built in 1885, with many upgrades, but with many good times to share with others, but it’s only a house and my true home is waiting for me in heaven.

ONWARD AND UPWARD!

 

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AUTUMN GLOW

Posted on October 8, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

Original art & poetry by Paul & Kathy Boecher

A lone kayak pierces its way through chilled morning waters,

A final view of the majesty of summer days gone by,

Each dip of the paddle sends a ripple effect across the glass covered river,

The sound of an early migration flaps overhead,

Still waters will soon be covered with ice,

But for the moment,

The glow of autumn,

The canopy of gold, crimson and orange,

Fill the soul with comfort.

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FEARFULLY, WONDERFULLY MADE

Posted on October 8, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”

Michelangelo

When I look in the mirror first thing in the morning, I’m sad to say I don’t always like the reflection, but that’s just my vanity talking. If I look at the inner workings of the human body, mind and spirit, it is amazing to realize how we are so intricately made. 

 Every little piece of us is dependent on the other for survival too. The beauty of it is that God knew us even before our conception. He formed us before we were ever born.

How can anyone say that an unborn child is not a life? Every life is important and special to the one who created it. Praise God for giving us the air that flows through our lungs, the blood that rushes through our veins, each miniscule cell that helps to keep us going, because God doesn’t make junk and every single life is extraordinary. 

Psalm 139 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Posted in Bible, Christian daily devotion, God | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

WHERE IS THE TRUTH?

Posted on October 7, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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I grew up on fairy tales.  These stories filled my brain with hopes of finding the perfect mate, the wonderful life, the answers to all my dreams and hopes.  Unfortunately, those stories were also filled with fearful characters that got in the way of the protagonist.  There were ogres, evil stepmothers, dragons, frightening villains of all sorts.

Life can be that way too.  We begin our days filled with anticipation and desire for perfection.  On the road to fulfilling those dreams, we encounter all kinds of obstacles.  We soon find that our fairy tale existence isn’t what we thought it would be.  We try again and run into the same conflicts – over and over and over again.  Why can’t things just fall into place like we want them to?

We are currently being inundated with a whole litany of fairy tales as one politician or another twists the truth to make his/he opponent look bad.  Talk about stretching the truth.

I’ve found a book which may seem to be another treasury of impossible stories.  It’s a book filled with the biographies of underdogs, kings, queens, the very rich and the poverty stricken, the sick, the weak, the abused, the physically strong, helpless victims, the obsessive compulsive, the paranoid and those who would easily sell their soul to the devil to get what they want.

The characters in this book face real and sometimes u0nsurmountable circumstances.  They carried on in adversity –  they looked up instead of back – they became stubborn when they thought they knew better – they accomplished great fetes of strength – they rose out of the depths of despair and made successes of a life that seemed doomed to destruction – some of them gave up and tried to follow their own path.

This book has been accused of being filled with fantastic stories that are nothing more than fanciful, made up stories, but  it contains more truth than this world will ever know.  It was written by the pen of ordinary men, but the true author is God Himself.  He breathed His words into men, so we can be convinced they are true.

The Bible is our greatest heritage.  It contains His thoughts and words.  It’s a manual for life that far exceeds any self-help book out there.  It is a book for every man, woman and child.  The stories are not merely examples of the perfect life. They lead to the perfect life.  If you want a really good read – dust off and open that Bible which has been collecting dust on your coffee table.  Make it your goal to devour every bit of it on a daily basis.  It is not a fairy tale.  It’s the only place you’ll find the truth!

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BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES

Posted on October 6, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

This favorite old gospel song was written in 1874 with Lyrics by Knowles Shaw and music later added in 1880 by George Minor.  It is based on the following Psalm verse.

“He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.”  Psalm 126:6

Sowing the seed of the Gospel isn’t as easy as some would have you believe.  Not everyone is a farmer.  There are very few great evangelizers around anymore who share the unadulterated truth.  Excuses for not doing the work are many.  We find it difficult to say the right thing.  We don’t wish to come off as haughty or judgmental.  We don’t feel qualified.

As most farmers know, their business is risky.  They toil in the heat of the day – hope for just the right amount of rain and sun – wait patiently for the seed to take hold and grow – continue to pray for good weather and most always rely on God to make the crop bountiful.

Reaching out with the truth of God’s Word is best done by those who have experienced it first hand.  The Word can get us through the trials of life, can benefit us as we walk this earth and provides hope for eternity.  It’s not a secret to success, by worldly standards, but it is the greatest gift we can share with an ailing, sin sick world.

This doesn’t mean we’ll all be missionaries.  It doesn’t mean we have to stand on a box and preach repentance.  It doesn’t mean looking down our noses at the unchurched.  It does mean that because we have received this gift freely from God Himself, we have an obligation to tell others about it and share the joy with them.  We personally are not going to change hearts and minds.  Only God can do that.  We are the sowers, the seed planters and the farmers.  We tell others and wait patiently for God to do His miraculous work in those who receive it.

Come on, everyone.  The fields have never been more ready.  It’s time to get out there and sow some seeds.  We will come rejoicing as we bring in the sheaves.

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WASH ME CLEAN

Posted on October 5, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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“To love another person is to see the face of God.” Jean Valjean – “Les Miserables”

A gentle constant rain has covered our city overnight.  Each drop washes away the dirt which has settled outside and over the house.  It should be clean and ready for the new owners and yet there remains the engrained soil which has collected over the years.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could power wash our souls and make them clean?

If only  we could wash away the ugliness within us – the evil thoughts, the anger that infests our soul – the fears and anxieties of the unknown – the moments of uneasiness when confronted with disease or illness.  If only it were that simple.

But, it is.  All of God’s people have been washed and renewed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  He alone can cleanse us from the sin that assails us daily.  He paid the ultimate price when He sacrificed His sinless Son to take our place – to wash the scum of sin from darkly soiled hearts – to redeem us as a chosen people – to give us new life.

When we forget the cost of our redemption, we are crucifying the Son of God over and over again.  There is no other way to salvation than through Christ.  Our works cannot take the place of the blood of the Lamb. He is the only One who can wash us clean.

“It is a mistake to imagine that man can exhaust his destiny, or can reach the bottom of anything whatever. Alas! what are all these destinies thus driven pell-mell? whither go they? why are they so? He who knows that, sees all the shadow. He is alone. His name is God.” Victor Hugo

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RULES OR SUGGESTIONS?

Posted on October 4, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

The Ten Commandments were not given as suggestions or options, but as definitive laws which we must obey. The laws of our land are also intended to be kept, and if not they will have penalties. The penalty for not keeping God’s law is much more severe than a few years in prison or a fine, and yet it is often overlooked.

Some say the Ten Commandments are outdated. After all, how many of us have a man servant or maid servant? However, these laws are timeless. Putting God first; not using God’s name in a way to dishonor Him; keeping His day of rest as a day to praise Him; honoring parents and those in authority (including bosses and superiors); Revering all life (including those yet unborn); treating marriage as a holy estate instituted by God and truly honoring one another; we should not steal; we should not bear false witness (which would include giving false testimony, spreading gossip, or bullying.)

The last two commandments have to do with desiring what is not ours and they are broken down into categories of property and people. God’s laws can easily be applied to today and should be. The consequences for not following them, is a death sentence – eternity in hell.  Cut and dried, isn’t it.  Why have our laws become so diluted to fit man’s desires rather than God’s? 

Thankfully God has given us a Savior, who has fulfilled every one of these laws by taking our place and giving us a reprieve – eternal life in heaven.

 

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MOVING

Posted on October 3, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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This past weekend, two of our adult children were on hand to weed through our garage.  At every turn there was another box of costumes or wood for sculpting.  My son graciously loaded up the back of his pickup with the larger pieces of wood to store in his garage.  It soon became apparent that there was no way we had even made a slight dent in our downsizing.

It brought to mind the times that we moved both of our mothers from big homes to much smaller ones and how we tossed anything we thought was unnecessary.  I had no idea how hurtful this was to these women.  I can see it now that I’m the one watching a lifetime of memories and things that identified who we are, being discarded.

Both of our moms learned to live without those things and I’m convinced we will do the same.  It’s a necessity.  We’re moving from a 2400 square foot, four bedroom to one that’s less than 1000 square feet.  There is no way we will be able to pack all our stuff into that little house.

We have less than two weeks until we move.  We can’t even give this stuff away.  Maybe we could have a huge bonfire or leave a large donation at some charity.  It all makes me think of Jesus words about leaving all our worldly goods behind and following Him.  We shouldn’t be encumbered with material things.  We shouldn’t hang on to things that hold us tightly in their grasp.

This entire process has taught me some huge lessons.  I’ve finally learned that nothing is in our control.  We are being led by God’s divine hand and His plans are so much better than any we can come up with.  I’ve learned that stuff is only stuff.  It doesn’t define who we are – only God can do that.  I’ve learned that there are many, many really good friends who are going through similar times.  I’ve been educated in the fact that even though change is difficult, we can still look forward with great anticipation to whatever lies ahead, even if we don’t have a clue what that might be.  I’ve gotten used to the idea of living in an old farm house, dated 1885, with only one bathroom on the main floor.  We’ve even talked about designing a chair lift with a porta-potty attachment.   So many adventures lie right around the corner.

I’ve also learned that we can’t take things too seriously.  God has a sense of humor and He wants us to be happy.  He’s promised to give us all we need and He’s done that for a lifetime.  In the meantime, continue to keep us in your prayers as we approach crunch time.

 

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AUTUMN SKY

Posted on October 2, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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The heat of summer has passed away,

Giving way to gorgeous color everywhere,

God’s paintbrush caresses the trees,

Casts brilliant hues throughout the landscape,

Fills the sky with burnt orange, crimson and gold,

Autumn reminds us of the coming winter,

Soon we’ll be blanketed with white,

Entwined in ice,

Struggling to keep our balance,

Watching icicles form,

But for now,

Enjoy,

The brocaded tapestry of color,

Created by the One True God.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHARLIE BROWN

Posted on October 2, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

A revised post from 10/2/14

It’s Charlie Brown’s 64th birthday today.  In 1950 he made his first appearance as a cartoon character.  Just think – he can now collect Social Security and start living the dream like all the rest of us Baby Boomers.

Chances are he will continue working – he’ll feel the pinch of the almighty dollar, but at least he can collect on is royalties – he’ll probably become totally depressed when he discovers that the red headed girl is living in a nursing home – Lucy is running for president and has a good chance of winning, in spite of her past discretions – Linus owns a factory which manufactures used security blankets in Indonesia – Schroeder is on another concert tour and being followed by teenaged groupies – Peppermint Pattie is coaching the Minnesota Twins – Sally has her own reality TV show and Snoopy has his own line of dog food and has become one of the richest dogs in America.  And they say the American dream is dead.

Life goes on.  Even the things that once amused us continue too.  Life doesn’t have to end when we reach our later years.   We all grow old and we all face changes and challenges.  Thank God for that fact each and every day.  We are getting one step closer to heaven!

Happy birthday, Charlie Brown!

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EXCESS BAGGAGE

Posted on September 30, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

Someone once said that the best way to lose weight is to throw out the scale😍

Posted in Encouragement | Tagged , | 4 Comments

HOW DO YOU PACK THIS?

Posted on September 29, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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ORIGINAL ART BY PAUL BOECHER – Wood sculpture titled “A Little Off the Top.”

There’s a lot to be said about the baggage we carry.  We sometimes wonder why we accumulate so many things during the years.  As I get closer in the journey to the next chapter, we’re now in packing up and in the final decluttering phase.

We have downsized, donated or thrown away years of memories – old photographs and greeting cards – unnecessary clothing – over used furniture and tons of costumes, props and books.  Within our treasures lies a collection of beautiful art work created by my husband.  It’s taken a lifetime to produce them – not only the time making them, but the years thinking about these places or things and culminating them into the finished product

My dilemma is – how do you pack these things?  I mean there’s an over 100 pound carving of a ram’s head, sculpted out of granite when the artist was only 17 years old.  There are numerous pieces of similar size and weight.  Besides the size, there’s the volume.  If we were to sell each piece, we could live comfortably for another 20 years.  Still I would hate to part with any of them.  Each painting, sketch, sculpture represents a part of the man I love and have spent a lifetime with.

With precious things like China, antiques and other items, you wrap them tenderly in heavy paper or bubble wrap and tuck them in a box, being sure not to damage any of them, but we don’t have boxes large enough for some of these pieces.

This whole thing got me to thinking of how God protects each one of us every day.  We have His armor and breastplate to fend off the insults, pain and hurt of our enemies.  We have armies of His holy angels watching over us 24/7.  We have the cast iron truth of His holy Word, the Bible and the promises He has already fulfilled and intends to do for us in the future.  The things of the world will all pass away, but the love of God will last forever.

I’m certain we’ll find a way to get things moved, but I’m even more confident that God has a wonderful plan for the rest of our lives and eternity with Him.

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SMUG

Posted on September 27, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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Smug – Exhibiting or feeling great or offensive satisfaction with oneself or with one’s situation; self-righteously complacent.

I debated whether I should write about the debates.  Guess who won?  Unfortunately I can’t say the same for last night’s political debate.  I haven’t got a clue.  Certainly not the American public.  I endured the “composed” Hillary as she snubbed her nose at the radical unexperienced politician.  I got sick to my stomach as two supposedly intelligent people bantered back and forth  rather than answering to problems  facing every American today.

When we’re given a choice between the best of the worse, what are our options?

One wore a red pant suit – and to reference her quote as to what her opponent would wear to the debates, she said something like – probably his red power tie.  Not to be outdone, she pulled out all the stops with her red power suit, coiffed hair and smirkey expression throughout – looking down her nose at the raucous man on her right.  Sure he lost his cool.  Wouldn’t you?  The queen of lies is at her best when under pressure and she didn’t disappoint.

I’ve never been a Clinton supporter.  I don’t understand how her pompous attitude can be interpreted as confidence.  It was clear to me that the only attribute that clearly defines Mrs. Clinton is her ability to roll her eyes when questioned about the truth.

More time seems to have been spent on personalities than on issues.  The back and forth games, the accusations, the see what I’ve accomplished – is this a sign of what our nation has become – a group of narcissists who think they can do anything at the expense of the common man?

I really don’t think either candidate scored any great points last night.  Neither of them were presidential – unless you call being smug, presidential.  Oh, yeh, we’ve had eight years of smug.  When I was looking for an image to go along with this post, guess whose picture showed up?

president-obama-looking-smug

 

 

 

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WHAT IS TRUTH?

Posted on September 27, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

I wonder if Pontius Pilate had any idea what Jesus was saying when he heard the accused firmly state that he indeed was a king.   Here was an ordinary criminal declaring His defense.  Pilate probably was trying to engage our Lord in some philosophical pander, but Jesus told the ruler that His purpose was to bring the truth to the world – truth which had been diluted and polluted over the centuries before His birth – truth which the devil had undermined with his many lies.

Satan has been manipulating the truth to fit his own agenda since the beginning of creation.  He still continues to do so today.  We can’t always see the workings of his hand.  It’s often sugar coated and presented to us in a beautiful package.  He even uses God’s own words to finagle his way into our hearts.

Those blatant untruths have permeated the church today as they did in Jesus’  lifetime.  This often happens when the body of believers tries to rewrite scripture to fit their own needs and desires.  This is one of those sneaky ways that Satan uses to twist the truth.

We must constantly be on guard.  God’s Word is the only truth we need for every area of our lives.  When we allow the devil to sabotage that truth, we are opening the door for all kinds of deception.

Dear, Lord, you gave your life in defense of your Father’s truth.  You continue to make your Words available to us today and we often misuse them.  Help us study and re-study your amazing scriptures.  Help us see how those words support themselves.  Keep us always on track.  Allow the truth to permeate our souls and give us the fortification we need in this deceptive world.  Help us to fight off the devil and his lies.   Amen!

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DOES CHURCH MAKE YOU PERFECT?

Posted on September 25, 2016 by atimetoshare.me

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Many think that they’re above reproach or no longer considered sinful if they simply attend church.  Many are also there because they feel safe from the world outside.  Some even use church as a place to compensate for the sins they commit every day.  Unfortunately, going to church isn’t going to make you perfect.  Only God can do that.

The church itself is full of sinners just like you and me.  It’s an imperfect body of soiled and ugly people – often dressed in their most beautiful clothes and looking like a million bucks.  Within this seemingly perfect refuge lies deceit, judgment, anger, adultery, homosexuals, bigotry, liars, thieves and every other kind of villain you can think of.  This is one of Satan’s most popular places to visit, because it’s filled with imperfect people who are subject to sin.

However, when you look at the ministry of Christ, it took place in the most unusual places. He went to the core of humanity – to the sinners of the world – to all those who needed His healing.  He still does.  Through His Word, the Bible, He comes to the broken hearted, the poor in spirit, the lost and condemned and those who need Him most.

When God looks at our wretched condition, He’s like the prodigal Father who longs for us to return to Him.  He loves when we ask for His help, because He’s always eager to give it.

Going to church isn’t going to guarantee our salvation, but if our church is preaching the truth of the Bible, we will be nourished each week – fed with the good news of the Gospel – that our sins are forgiven through Jesus.

The church body is filled with sinners and hypocrites and it’s the perfect place to find forgiveness.

Posted in Christian daily devotion, church, sin, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments