Doses of Faith

 "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me." Psalms 55:5 Have you been there?   Do you let fear control your thoughts and actions? In times like these, I see people living in fear of a virus, and I see people who think of the virus as something created by the government to control our lives.  Weird world we live within.   Then sometimes, we let that hidden fault within us seep out and control our every thought.  You know, that person with all the traditions and life is all about them and their traditions - heck with everyone else - their tradition must continue.  Yes, when my children were young, we had traditions, but I believe when they leave home and start a family, it is up to them to create their family traditions not me.  Also, I don't want to imprison my family with traditions.  Maybe, I'm wrong.  So, in times like these, where we have a virus with no cure in the world, I feel we should respec...

      It is Christmas Eve.  I'm sitting here this morning having my breakfast and morning prayers.  As I sit here looking out my window at the beauty of God's creation, I also look into my own heart.  I remind myself of the reason for this holiday season, love.  The child in the manger was sent to us, because God loved all in the world so much that he sent his only son to be born in a manger, to live among men as an example, and to be the sacrifice for all sins.  God did this for me.  He did it for you.  He sent his son to live in a broken world and to heal the hearts of those living in a broken world.  It was all for love.      While reading Psalms 51, I'm reminded of our broken world full of sin.  Psalms 51 is King David's acknowledgement, confession, and repentance seeking forgiveness.  In 2 Samuel 11, David did not consider his actions a sin.  As he was consumed with lust for a beautiful woman, he w...

      Today, I sit here in my quiet home.  I like to have my breakfast and devotions at the kitchen table facing the window looking out on the deck with trees of many colors for a background.  It is December in South Carolina which is when the leaves fall to the ground.  This morning the view is full of yellow, orange, brown, and green.  Squirrels jump from branch to branch.  There is a woodpecker on the top branches of the large oak.  Occasionally, a sparrow or finch will perch on the railing of the deck.  Today, it is quiet.  In these quiet moments, I pray for whoever comes to my mind.  And, on this morning, I don't know why, but my mind wonders to two funerals of men who lived for their own pleasure.      My father's brother was an alcoholic.  After two children, his first wife left him and the children.  The children lived with my grandmother.  Uncle lived a hundred miles away, so we did not se...

 "As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Wickedness proceeds from the wicked;' but my hand shall not be upon you." I Samuel 24:13      Surely, David had a pure heart.  As I read I Samuel, I read over and over of Saul's pursuit to kill David.  As David lived in fear of Saul, he lived in caves, forests, and the wilderness.  Many times he had little food to eat.  Many times Saul and his thousands of soldiers were nearby.  In chapter twenty four, David and his men were hiding in a cave.  Saul entered the cave to rest.  Now, here was David's opportunity for revenge.  Yet, David took this encounter to face his enemy.      If you know the story of this encounter in the cave, you know that David did not kill Saul but 'cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.'  David's men had encouraged him to take care of Saul.  So, he merely cut some fabric from Saul's robe.  Even then, David felt guilty for this small act and k...

      Anger does not bring good feelings.  Usually, we hear about the evil caused by anger, but can good come from anger?  Do we let the anger control us?  Do we stop and pray about our anger?  Can we learn to direct our anger for good?  Questions.  Things I considered after reading "And, the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly" in I Samuel 11:6.  News of a threat issued by the Amorites to the men of Jabesh of the house of Israel caused Saul to become so angry that he took a yoke of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent messengers throughout the country with a threat: "if you don't come forward to Saul and Samuel, this is what will be done to your oxen."  (I Samuel 11:7)  The result was a army of 330,000 men.  The end result was victory over the Amorites and years of peace in the country.  Anger leading to a great army to protect them against defeat.  Anger d...

      Last Wednesday night, I had a strange dream.  I woke up suddenly from the dream with questions.  What is the meaning of this strange dream?  What message is God sending me?  Surely, there is a message for me in this dream.  So, I closed my eyes to reflect on the dream and consider it's message to me. The dream:      I was at a women's retreat at the beach.  I didn't recognize the beach.  It did not look like a South Carolina beach.  I left the evening meeting, entered an elevator, and found myself among strangers when we reached the floor of my room.  But, my room was not on this floor.  I checked, and it was the correct floor, but my room was not there.  I felt very lost.      Now, I fearfully examined my situation.  I never left the resort and conference center, yet everything was strange.  So, I get back on the elevator and a group of women who I did not know entered th...

  I Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spoke unto all the house of Israel, saying, “If you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”        Israel had been defeated.  After living many years without God, they are called to ‘put away their strange gods.’  After many years with priests who served themselves instead of God, they lost many loved ones in a battle against the Philistines.  They lost much.  Now, they come to Samuel, their prophet, for advice and help.  What to do?  Same as we must do today.  So many of us today do not serve the God we say we serve.  We are more concerned about how many people like our social media posts.  We paint a false life on social media seeking attention and many likes and loves.  We live one life in ...

      Through out the era of the judges, Israel sank into sin.  Even the priest in the tabernacle had turned their backs on God.  They were a nation of self gratification.  In I Samuel 4, Israel goes to battle against the Philistines, and they carry the Ark of the Covenant with them.  They did not seek God's will.  They did not go to God in prayer.  The evil sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, 'were there with the ark of the covenant of God.' (4)  When God spoke to young Samuel, God revealed that Eli's sons will die young due to the sins they committed in the tabernacle.  So, here they are taking the ark of the covenant of God into the camp where all Israel was preparing to go to battle against the Philistines.  When they entered the camp, the shouting was great.  The Philistines heard the shouting and were afraid.  The ark of the covenant of God was a symbol of God being present among his people.  Here they were g...

     I Samuel starts with the beautiful story of Hannah promising her son to God, but within the chapters about Hannah dedicating Samuel to God is the story about the two sons of Eli, the High Priest.  While Hannah kept her promise and delivered a new coat each year to Samuel, Eli’s sons were taking advantage of their positions in the temple.  I Samuel 2:12 reads, “Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not God.”  The reference of ‘sons of Belial’ refers to wicked men.  With their father watching them, they took advantage of the people coming to serve God.      Eli knew that his sons were using their positions for profit and committing sins in the temple.  He did not punish them and allowed them to continue in the temple.  A father overlooking the sins of his children.  I wonder what he was thinking.  I knew such a couple.  They tried to hide the sins of their son, but everyone knew what the so...

      We let many things get us down.  Over the years, I've attended women's retreats where the speaker uses their own experiences to share the gospel.  However, I've found many to be trivial.  I know pain.  I understand despair.  I had a mental breakdown in my early teens due to abuse.  I've watched my mother suffer with a broken body graciously without complaints.  I read books about Christians who truly suffer because of their faith.  Then, at a women's retreat, a woman dressed in the latest styles talks of the despair of a flat tire, a car broken down on a busy highway, a broken marriage, or problems with friends.  It is amazing what causes broken hearts.  However, a broken heart is a broken heart.  It hurts.  We don't want the pain.  We want to be live without the pain.  We seek for ways to mend our broken hearts.     Hannah was the second wife of Elkanah.  She was young and in her c...

 Life     We seek to live          But, don't live I've found          Life It isn't Life      Unless we have Faith          We seek                     Life But, we can't live     There is no life to live          Without faith               FAITH It is in the heart of living Where we give our all Burying our entire being Selling our blessed soul.

 My thoughts after finishing my read of the Book of Judges: Reading Judges is hard.  We hear and tell the stories from the book of Judges - but don't teach the theme of Judges.  God's chosen turned away from Him - turned away from the Laws of God - this lead to confusion, lawlessness, and evil. It brings me to look at the USA. Where have we gone? Drugs, pornography, pedophiles, abuse of each other, lawlessness, no respect, self destruction - doing what "I" see as good and not what is set as "God's Will." Judges 21:25 "every man did which was right in his own eyes." Isn't this the beginning of confusion?  Isn't confusion with no respect for others the beginning of destruction?

     Nestled between the books of Judges and Samuel is a love story.  It isn't romance but real love shared between a mother and daughter.  Ruth loves her mother-in-law and is committed to looking out for her.  At the same time, Naomi loves her daughters-in-law and desires the best for them.  When the situation seemed hopeless, Naomi attempts to send both of her daughters-in-law back to their families, so they could start over with new husbands in their own culture.  There is no question of the love shared in the home of Elimelech.  The story does end with a marriage and birth of a child.  Some may consider the ending a perfect romantic love.  In all, the story is about true love and commitment.      The story begins in Moab where Elimelech had moved when there was a famine in Bethlehem.  While in Moab, Elimelech and Naomi's sons married women of Moab.  Then, they died.  Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth grieve to...

      As I read the book of Judges, I saw how God was faithful to the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham.  God kept his promise to Abraham as he provided and protected the Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land.  They reached the Promised Land, defeated the inhabitants, and moved into homes, villages, and cities left by those they defeated.  They were a nation chosen and lead by God.  God was faithful, but the Israelites 'did that which was right in his own eyes.' (Judges 21:25)  They did not follow the laws created by their creator.  So, this was their failure as a nation.  The destruction of a nation is not the fault of God; the destruction of a nation is the fault of the people turning away from the laws of the land which were made for the good of the people.      Israel was destined to destruction and failure, because they did not have faith in God.  Instead of following God and the laws he gav...

      It has been two months since I've written on this blog.  These two months seem long - like a year.  I have been busy making decisions and sharing in grief.  Small decisions made concerning carpet for guest bedrooms, new flooring for my bedroom and bathroom, and new furniture.  Grief.  I still shed tears with thoughts of our loss.  In late September, we rejoiced with news of Laura and Patrick's news of pregnancy.  Grandchildren are blessings.  However, we faced grief when the babies died in mid October.  Plans were being made for the new babies, and we were all pitching in to help.  I had committed to help with the six older children as needed.  Since they had decided to home school this year due to the pandemic, I am keeping the three youngest three days each week.  Oh, this pandemic has changed our lives.  This pandemic changed plans, slowed down our pace of living, and created challenges great and sm...

      My favorite Cinderella movie's theme is "be kind and have courage."  It is hard to be kind to someone when they are being cruel to you.  It takes courage and mental strength.  Now, as I read the first chapter of Joshua, I read "be strong and of a good courage."  Moses has died and Joshua is the new leader of the children of Israel.  They have already taken Jordan and are preparing to cross the Jordan River into the land God promised to Abraham and Jacob.  The children of Israel (name given to Jacob by God) are preparing to go into the promised land.  God gives the new leader, Joshua, instructions for this quest.  Among those instructions, God commands him three times to "be strong and to have good courage."     By reminding Joshua to be strong and courageous, God is preparing him to lead the army of Israel across the Jordan River to claim the land promised to them.  God's advise in verses seven through nine: “On...

 "You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give: because that for this thing the Lord your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand unto."         Deuteronomy 15:10      As I read through Deuteronomy, I think often of my parents.  Many times in Deuteronomy the people are instructed to help the stranger, the poor, the widow, and the fatherless.  God did not intend on anyone going without food and shelter.  Christians should have an open heart.  With open hearts to do God's will, they should be generous and care for those who don't have anything.  My parents were caring people.  They loved people.  If there was a need, they helped.  If someone stopped by during a meal, they joined us at the table.  They shared their garden of vegetables.  They shared the harvest of our pecan trees.  My mother would say that there was plenty f...

 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn.  Deuteronomy 25:4      When I read the above passage of scripture, I wondered the meaning.  I went to my Bible commentaries.  It means don't starve the worker or simply do pay just wages.  This has been part of the discussion in social justice this year.  The owner makes billions while the worker performing the job doesn't make enough money to to pay bills and buy groceries.  It doesn't seem fair.  This has been a practice for thousands of years.  Greed.  Should government take the money from the owner and distribute to the poor?  Definitely not!  The owner should see his profits as not from his labor but the labor of those he employ.  Yes, his ideas and creation but the gain and profit is due to those doing the job.  If the profit is in the billions, he should have a heart to reward the workers with higher wages where they will be not only prou...

      Growing up in the rural South taught me many valuable lessons.  One of those lessons is generosity.  We didn't have much, but my parents shared the little we had.  We weren't the only ones with a generous heart.  It was a way of life for many.  I've witnessed God's love in many homes as people opened their purses, freezers, gardens, and talents to help those less fortunate.  We never questioned my father's generosity, because it was a way of life for those who served God.      My father was the son of a share cropper.  For those who do not know, the share cropper lives in a run down old house on a farm of a land owner where they farm the land for a very small percentage of the profit.  My father's family had an extra burden with my grandfather's diseased kidneys.  The house they lived in was close to a hundred years old.  Since rural South Carolina had no electricity until after 1946, the large kitchen...

"Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God do drive them out from before you, and that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Understand therefore, that the Lord your God give you not this good land to possess it for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people."  Deut. 9:4,5      As I'm reading Deuteronomy, I try to imagine God's disappointment with the children of Israel.  He loves them, and he is preparing to give them something which they do not deserve.  It reminds me of the role parents play in their children's life.  We train them to be respectful.  We teach them the importance of responsibility.  Then, there are days we wonder where did we go wrong.  The rebellious child runs against everything the parents have taught them.  Yet, we still love th...