My Divine Notes

Until my last earthly breath, I will never stop telling what happened to me on May 2, 2006. That day changed my life and I finally knew what my important mission was. I knew at a very young age that there was something I was going to do, but I had no clue. Acts 16:13   On the Sabbath day, we went outside the city walls to the nearby river, assuming that some Jewish people might be gathering for prayer. We found a group of women there, so we sat down and spoke to them. 14 One of them, Lydia, was a business woman originally from Thyatira. She made a living buying and selling fine purple fabric. She was a true worshiper of God and listened to Paul with special interest. The Lord opened her heart to take in the message with enthusiasm. 15 She and her whole household were ceremonially washed through baptism.[a] On May 2, 2006 I saw the hand of God and it changed my entire life. Ask my friends and family. Ask my daughter – she can tell you how I really was! I am a sinner t...

Rethinking the familiar when God calls you out Joshua 5:12 Beginning after that Passover, the Israelites were no longer fed with manna, as they were in the desert. From the day they ate from the new land, the manna ceased. From then on they ate only the crops of the land of Canaan. It occurred to me how many people stay stuck on neutral in their life with God. It’s like they continue to do the things on auto pilot like the crowd who ate manna (which was life-sustaining) instead of venturing into exciting pastures of Canaan-like territory that might cause potential discomfort, but provide growth and new insights. How are you going to know if you like new crops if you continue to eat the familiar life-giving manna?  Is God just at church for you?  Is the Bible the book read by your priest, pastor or minister? Do you know God’s heart on an intimate level?  Have you tapped into delicious new crops available from the Holy Spirit?  Remember that God...

Mark 10:47-49   KJV And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.  And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.  And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.  This statue is located at Houston Methodist Hospital. My photo.  Can you imagine? Jesus stood still when the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, called out! Yes. God stood still !  The blind man boldly ask for mercy and for sight. Jesus restored his sight!  Opportunities like that never repeat themselves!   How are your spiritual eyes? Do you obey when God asks you to step out? Are you missing out on God's choice blessings when you can't hear His call or when you are unwilling to obey? Those blessings c...

John 16:32a Be aware that a time is coming when you will be scattered like seeds. In this Scripture, Jesus warns the Disciples that they will be on their own after he finishes his Earthly mission. He chose these men and spent three years sharing his heart. But it  wasn't  meant to be forever. They would have to receive the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the one who would teach them what they needed to know to fulfill God’s plan. This meant that they had to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, to accept His power and the ministries that God planned for each one. Do you depend on others to increase your faith; to be there to remind you that God exists when your world falls apart; or when things are somber?  There’s a place for community and having people pray, but at the end of the day do you go directly to God? Do you have that relationship with the Lord, so that you know He will hold your hand through the fiery trials of life? Do you need the com...

1 Peter 2:2 Be like newborn babies, crying out for spiritual milk that will help you grow into salvation 3 if you have tasted and found the Lord to be good. I love living in a diverse eclectic, urban neighborhood on one of the most iconic streets in my town. At least 12 or more houses of worship of all types coexist with tall concrete buildings, stores, schools, one single-family home, multi-family dwellings and funeral homes are located in a two-block area. My block is bound by a Lutheran and a Methodist church. I’m sure they are wonderful congregations. The Lutheran pastor is a kind man who invited me to visit the church when I sent him a note thanking him because the church bells always seem to ring at the right time.  I've  visited the Methodist Church on the opposite side of the block and they are fine folks.  But today, I take issue with their ADVERTISING sign: Love God. Make Friends. Serve Others. I no longer believe that I have to go to church t...

Matthew 14 (The Voice) 25 Deep in the night, when He had concluded His prayers, Jesus walked out on the water to His disciples in their boat. 26 The disciples saw a figure moving toward them and were terrified. Disciple: It’s a ghost! Another Disciple: A ghost? What will we do? Jesus: 27 Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear. Peter: 28 Lord, if it is really You, then command me to meet You on the water. Jesus: 29 Indeed, come. Peter stepped out of the boat onto the water and began walking toward Jesus. 30 But when he remembered how strong the wind was, his courage caught in his throat and he began to sink. Peter: Master, save me! 31 Immediately Jesus reached for Peter and caught him. Jesus: O you of little faith. Why did you doubt and dance back and forth between following Me and heeding fear? Many talented people go through life like the disciples who stayed in a sinking boat even when Jesus was nearby and willing to save them – just like He saved ...

Ecclesiastes 7:10 Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. Admit it. You've done it. At one time or another, many of us indulge in remembering how good the past was when in reality – just maybe – it  wasn't   Perhaps it is human nature to look back through rose colored glasses to remember the good old days.  I've  done that, but then, in retrospect, I realize that the past  wasn't  that great. I've  just been through a long walk in the valley of shadows and I’m glad to be out of it. At times I remembered the good old days and I even wondered “what if I…” or “what if I  didn't …” Frankly, both options do not matter.   Don’t look back.   Move forward. God is a step ahead of you. 

Written: March 3, 2013 Genesis 19:14 …one of the messengers gave this instruction: Messenger:   Now run!   Run for your lives! Don’t look back or stop anywhere in the plain. Head for the hills, or you’ll die along with everyone else. Go! Don't look back! There’s no going back. The story of Lot and his wife fascinates because many of us can’t help but continue to remember and stay in pasts that have been forgotten in God’s eyes. God is a place of safety, but our flesh is torn between here and now instead of eternal bliss. Living a life that’s focused on God is such a privilege. What if God let me do life as I preferred on my own terms? ·        What would I be interested in? ·        Who would my friends would be? ·        How I would spend my free time? ·        What I would care about? ·        Who ...

Psalm 103:3 He fills my life with good things! My youth is renewed. TLB Just like old coffee that turns musty and leaves unsightly rings in a coffee cup, so can our relationship with the Lord become old and crusty if we don’t take care of the relationship. I've been thinking about my stages of faith.  When you first receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, well, the high can make you fly!  There’s no drug that can transform your life like the power of Jesus Christ! I had insatiable thirst for knowledge. I got out of my comfort zone in big ways and started doing all kinds of “ministries” until the LORD said, “ Stop .” I heard that stop in a big way. I had to stop doing the things I thought He wanted me to do and start doing things for and with Him. There’s a huge difference in serving God versus serving for God. In my enthusiasm, I got tangled up in things that were good and great for the Kingdom – but they weren’t in God’s plan for me. I stopped “cleaning” ...

Daniel 3:14 The king said to them, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is what I heard about you true? Don't you serve my gods? Don't you worship the gold statue I set up? 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king. They said, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we don't need to talk about this anymore…” I’m sharing a nugget that’s been in my heart in order to encourage you. This word came to me during a Beth Moore Bible study on the Book of Daniel. Daniel had initially influenced the king to promote his tres amigos . In this chapter, we learn that the three friends are threatened with death because they don’t worship the king. Daniel wasn’t around to plead their case or help them this time. They had to step up on their own and take a stand. I’ve been on both sides of the aisle – I’ve watched church from afar and criticized it - and I’ve also been a part of the church circle. I was part of a powerful group of women who studied the Bible and worshipped together ...