My Divine Notes

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...

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad today!  It's been a season of weather discontent. Too much snow, too much rain, too much gloom and on and on.  Lamenting the rain that gives life to greenery is now a pastime for many in my area. We forget the drought that killed vegetation and maimed our properties, park and public spaces.  Complain, complain, complain.  FaceBook, Twitter, in person or phone, we complain that we have no sunshine. Massive gray skies and clouds frame my daytime views most days, and I also ask for the sunshine. But I and countless others fail to see the beauty of the current moment. Seems like we should stop and thank the Lord that we're alive to see the day with its dreariness and all.  That's how I've decided to look at my days. Soon we'll see endless days ushering in soaring temperatures and humidity fit for a sauna spa.  Instead of lamenting out loud and in...

Matthew  5:33  You know that God expects us to abide by the oaths we swear and the promises we make.  Don't swear by heaven Matthew 5:34 But I tell you this: do not ever swear an oath. What is an oath? You cannot say, “I swear by heaven”—for heaven is not yours to swear by; it is God’s throne.  Don't swear by earth Matthew 5:35 And you cannot say, “I swear by this good earth,” for the earth is not yours to swear by; it is God’s footstool. And you cannot say, “I swear by the holy city Jerusalem,” for it is not yours to swear by; it is the city of God, the capital of the King of kings.  Don't swear by your own head Matthew 5:36 You cannot even say that you swear by your own head, for God has dominion over your hands, your lips, your head. It is He who determines if your hair be straight or curly, white or black; it is He who rules over even this small scrap of creation.  Instead of swearing, keep your word! Matthew 5:37 Yo...

Living strong in the Lord  Romans 12:11 Do not slack in your faithfulness and hard work. Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord.  (This is my Scripture for 2015). My main goal in 2015 is to go deeper in my spiritual journey with the Lord. I never want to be satisfied in the place I am unless I am certain that God has put me there. According the Dr. David Jeremiah, most of us think we're too busy and we are. But much of our “busyness” is the result of how we choose to spend our non-working hours. He goes on to say that Christians should step back and take a bigger and longer view of where we are in life. I'm asking myself hard questions. Am I still passionate about kingdom building and am I using that passion as a vibrant witness for Christ? Or do I need to be still and listen for other instructions? Time isn't on our side - Psalm 90:10 a We may journey through life for 70 years; some may live and breathe 80...

Psalm 50:6 (NLT) Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. Interlude. The long, hot days of August come to a close as I reflect on the grief and terror experienced  around the world  and  in America by innocent people. Somehow, this month can’t be all about me and my personal world because God opened my eyes and heart to the hatred and evil of humankind. Terrorism against any group, anywhere in the world, is evil whether it’s political or is conducted by organizations that are supposed to protect the citizens of America. We saw images of an innocent journalist, women and children harmed across the world. We saw how racism reared its ugly head in our own back yard with the killing of a young black man. I came of age in the era of desegregation and it feels like  we've  lost ground. I’m particularly appalled at the ignorance of some Christians who are hypocrites when it comes to  loving your brother as yourself....

  Psalm 16:8,11   I know the Lord is always with me.     I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. You will show me the way of life,     granting me the joy of your presence     and the pleasures of living with you forever. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness.  Mark 6:31b-32a   He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.” So they went in a boat by themselves to a lonely place. Don’t let the busyness of your life get in the way of spending time knowing the heart of God who made you in His own likeness. So many of us have the best of intentions, I know I do. I want to do it all: I want to write, tweet, FaceBook, care for my family/friends/others, take care of my cats, handle my job and the ministries I’m called to do, plus I must keep up with daily responsibilities as you do. Where does this leave God in all my busynes...

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...