Doses of Faith

     Another day with news of more deaths in our country and around the world due to COVID19 brings despair.   At first, we were told that the virus is worse on elderly, but as each day comes to an end, we witness a virus with no respect to an age limit.   Yes, COVID19 is hard on people with pre-existing health problems, but it is also taking the lives of healthy young adults.   This virus has proven to be a boomerang that sails back everyday hitting the moral and spirit of all on the front lines of this battle and our leaders.   As we pray for the areas hardest hit and the health care workers, we should also be praying for all the leaders.   Decisions are being made from our president down to the administrators over each hospital.   They aren’t in the hospitals with the nurses and doctors who are working tirelessly, but each decision they make affects each one of us.   It is not an easy load to carry.   Imagine the burden of faci...

  A Face Book friend is posting a prayer each day for different groups of people.   It is up lifting to read.   In addition, Twitter has become a rolling prayer list.   There is so much need today.   There is need every day, but with the majority of us in quarantine, we are given the opportunity to slow down, look around, and observe so many trials and needs.   I’ve made it a daily ritual to pray over the many tweets.   I pray for those posting hateful comments.   I pray for those pleading for prayer and support.   And, I pray for those who are posting encouraging words.   We all need prayer.      Prayer draws us closer to God and give us a better understanding of our own purpose.   I Thessalonians 5:8-11 is an excellent example of what our purpose should be. “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.   For God did not appoin...

      How will we remember these days in quarantine?   How will my grandchildren remember these days?   They will remember the actions of parents and siblings.     Memories, what makes certain things stick in our minds?   For me, it was those who acted in a special way.   My great-grandfather died when I was nine, but I still have special memories of him.   We visited him at least once a month.   He was a small old man.   On Sundays, he would be wearing a black jacket with big pockets and a black hat.   A Bible was in one of the big pockets, and he pulled it out often to read to us.   It was his tool for correction.   He was a peaceful, kind, and loving man.   Usually, he sat on the front porch while the other adults were sitting under a huge pecan tree with all the children running and playing in the yard.   When he signaled or called us to him, we ran to him.   We loved him for his gentle spiri...

     Yesterday, the news was all about the battle in Congress over the bill to hold up the economy during the COVID19 pandemic.   It was only another battle between the two political parties because it is an election year at the expense of the people.   The Democrat Party is trying to hold onto it’s old values while satisfying the radical left in the party.   They look pitiful with the Speaker of the House and the presumptive presidential nominee for the party looking old with little spirit and mental ability.   There is so much corruption, and many are blinded by their hate of the current president that they overlook the lies.   Hate and despair brings on the end of an individual.   It can also bring an end to our freedoms, but I have hope.   My hope is in a power greater than any of us.   This is the power of love, the power of forgiveness, and the power of unity which comes from the power of our creator.   My faith leads m...

     With everyone staying inside, we can get bored if alone.   There is not a lot to keep us busy.   I try to not spend too much time on social media.   I find it shameful to have spent more than an hour on social media.   What kind of purpose is it?   What do you accomplish?   There is no blessing in social media if it takes away hours of time.   Blessings come with laughter, finishing a project, enjoying friends, accomplishing a goal, or just being happy.   Blessings can be found in times like we have today, social distancing due to a pandemic.       Instead of looking at your current condition, seek out a blessing or become a blessing.   A blessing to an elderly neighbor may be your phone call to let them know you care.   Blessing to the lady in line behind you could be a thoughtful word of encouragement.   Blessing to a child home alone could be the delivery of a meal.   An action does...

     What a weekend!   I worshiped at home, but shouldn’t we worship daily at home or wherever we are located.   However, with COVID19, life has changed for the world.   I like to check daily on the virus news, and I’ve learned that I can’t get wise and nonpolitical update with most of the media.   Yesterday, instead of giving us facts, the media uses an angle to blame our president.   They don’t like him.   He isn’t anyone I would like to have over for dinner, but he is doing his job.   This is a pandemic.   Instead of using wisdom to cover the story, the media hand picks individuals who will follow their agenda.   Fortunately, there are some sane Americans who see through this deception.   So, I go to .gov and get the facts.   Then, there is our Congress who are not wisely working together.   After ‘working together,’ on party votes against the bill because their party has a better plan.   They said they...

Spring is my favorite time of year.   With new life all around, it is a beautiful world.   Farmers turn the earth releasing the fresh fragrance of new life to come.   I always loved the smell of fresh farmland in the Spring.   Add the fragrances of wisteria and jasmine along with their beautiful colors.   All over South Carolina yellow jasmine is draping trees and old neglected buildings.   I love how jasmine grows wild everywhere.   The beautiful yellow blossoms alone interstate 95 are yellow jasmine.   Also, I’m excited to see the blossoms of my garden peas.   New life is covering the earth with all the beautiful shades of green, yellow, purple, blue, and pink.   I’m thankful for our beautiful world.   It makes being home so easy.      In rural America, we are working at being safe like most of the country.   Life for us isn’t confined to a small lot with a house.   We have yards large enough to play ta...

  Here we are with another day quarantined.   We already live in a volatile world where people are full of anger with a media poking the flames of mistrust.   Celebrities are using their platforms to blame everything on the president and to call people racist.   Adding to the situation, college students are flocking to the beaches of Florida to party with no reasoning of spreading a virus.   Then, I open Twitter and see people posting Bible verses of encouragement and wisdom.   Oh yes, some are wise with minds at peace.      Now, how can we be at peace in a time as this?   This year we have politics in full swing with lies and insane words being thrown to the public.   There is fighting within political parties for control.   We have socialism rolling into our society, and those with wisdom know that this will be the beginning of the end of our freedoms.   The stock market if falling becuase everything is close...

Here we are.   It is March 19 th and we are isolated due to a virus.   The world has come to a halt.   Every country has been touched by COVID 19.   Families are forced to stay in their homes together – some with contentment and others with crazy resentment.   School activities are cancelled with some feeling like they are missing out on ‘their time.’   It is their time to shine, but they are forced to be isolated away from everything they treasure.   People concerned with having money to pay bills.   Others are accusing the government of overstepping and taking away their rights.   Some media is making this about our president, Mr. Trump.   Well, they have made everything negative about President Trump since he won the election, so many of us don’t bother to listen to them.   There is a lot of concern and some with feeling of defeat and loss.   In all of this, I have hope.   I have hope, because I can find peace in my ...

Spiritual peace comes from within our soul.   It fills us with love, harmony, and respect.   There is no room for hate or confusion, because spiritual peace brings righteous and respectful behavior.   Spiritual peace can only come from love, God’s love, where there is no hate and bitterness.   Yes, this brings us to Jesus, because he is the master of bringing peace.      Without Jesus, there was no hope.   Without Jesus in our world, we were aliens to the hope of love and peace.   But God sent Jesus who gave his life so we can have the promise of eternal life with the Spirit of God in us.   Jesus broke down the middle walls we build up that separate us from God and others.   The grave did not defeat Jesus, he arose on the third day, walked among men, and departed to glory to sit on the right hand of God giving us access ‘by one Spirit to the Father.’   All this shows that we are built on the foundation of the apostl...

     All search for peace.   Some think they can find peace in this world but look around and see if you can find true peace coming out of the world.   With so much bitterness and hate on social media, do you wonder why people don’t try to make peace instead of building up hate?   Believe me; hate does not bring peace, joy, nor reconciliation.   Hateful words on social media only stir up conflict not peace.   Peace comes from approaching people with love.        “Hatred stirs up conflicts, but love covers all offenses.” This is translation from Christian Standard Bible, Proverbs 12:10.   If you are motivated by hate, there is no hope of finding peace.   Even medically, hate is an emotion that raises blood pressure and causes mental and physical problems.   Now, doesn’t it make sense to have a spirit of love?   Love where you can always have hope.   Where are we without hope?   Hope carr...

     Recently, I’ve seen posts on social media saying that Jesus prophesied Muhammed in John 14:16: ‘And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever.’   They say that the Comforter is in reference to Muhammed, the prophet of the Quran.   There is a lot of wrong with this statement.   Those who claim this using the book of John is overlooking the entirety of the gospel of John.   The gospel of John is about Jesus being the “I Am.”   John is about the ministry of Jesus, God’s Son.   The Pharisees go after Jesus because he claims to be the Son of God.   John writes about Jesus’ promises to the disciples, Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross and the Resurrection of Jesus.   Jesus did not prophesy the coming of Muhammed and Muhammed is not the Comforter (Helper) promised by Jesus.     First, look at the first words of the book of John.   “In the beginning was the ...

     Have you ever met a hateful happy person?   Isn’t this a stupid question?   Hate seems to consume many people today, and they express it on social media, in the workplace, at sporting events, and on the streets.   Don’t people realize that hate hurts them more than it hurts the person they hate?   While one is boiling over inside, losing sleep, and ruining their health with stress, the person they hate has no problems.   Hate does not solve any problems, but it does create many problems.      Unfortunately, we are seeing hate in action today.   There are groups today who are full of hate and are attacking people on the streets.   I’ve never in my many years seen so much hate. I’m not sure if it is because I have always lived in small towns.   When I see people attacking others verbally or physically, I’m shocked at how there is no shame or control.   Then, I think about Jesus and the hatred the P...

     Love is desired by all.   We need love for many reasons. Love seeks to do no harm.   Love ties together friendships bringing close bonds which last forever.   Love brings peace of mind and drives us to be kind and caring.   Love does not have bitterness, jealousy, and evil thoughts.   Love is forgiving, patient, and understanding.   Love unites people and brings peace.   We need more love in our world.     Love should be constant.   We can be assured that God’s love is endless.   He loves all of us.   His love is greater than any love in the universe.   He loves us and wants us to love him back.   In Deuteronomy 6:5, we are commanded to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.’   This is love, a love growing in our hearts, souls, and all that is within us.   This is the love Jesus taught his disciples.      In M...

John 15:5   “I am the vine, you are the branches; He that abides in me and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.”      As a follower of God, we have the promise of the Holy Spirit who is in us.   This is God in us.   Jesus promised the Comforter and Counselor to the disciples before he departed.     The Comforter who gives us an everlasting peace and the Counselor who teaches us what to do and say.   The Comforter and Counselor are one, the Holy Spirit.   This is a great comfort knowing that Jesus is with us all the time.   He is with us on good days.   He is with us on those most awful days.   God is in us for a purpose, and it isn’t just for our own protection.   God loves us and stays close to us.   We don’t always accept that Jesus is this close to us, but Jesus is.   He is always near waiting on us to do our part.      After leav...