Rejoicing!

   “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” This is what Paul in Philippians 4:4 encourages and exhorts us to do. There are times in our life that rejoicing may not be our first response. The good news is we are not to rejoice “for” everything, but “in” everything. The other side of that is, when circumstance would have us to be angry, afraid, or sad; we are still to rejoice “in” that circumstance. Rejoicing needs to be a lifestyle which means it is going to have to be a mindset. I would like to encourage anyone reading this to make the Word of God a first priority in your life. Be in it daily, and spend some of that time just talking with our Father. Renew your mind to the Word of God. When you do that you will be well prepared for that circumstance and be able to rejoice in it. If you do not, you are at the behest of your flesh, the same flesh that kept you out of the Word in the first place. That never goes well for us. We can do as Paul says in Philippians 3:1, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” We have the tools to be that overcomer and rejoice in everything. As we are gearing up for Thanksgiving this next week, and the time of year we celebrate Jesus’ birth, I would ask you to seriously think about spending time with God and and in His Word! Clear a piece of time out of your calendar each day, grab your Bible, and spend some time just for you to be alone with God, and watch the blessing flow in your life, and be blessed by the joy you will have!

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:11

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 15:7

 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

God heals the brokenhearted!

   Like everyone, I have had my share of losses, disappointments and times of broken heartedness. For the larger part of this year I have been going through some difficult times emotionally and have recently experienced a considerably devastating broken heart. All along I have known that God is the mender of my, our, broken heart. Normally, I do not post anything particularly personal on Facebook or here on Honeycomb about my personal life. Because of something I heard yesterday that truly gave me some real revelation into the broken heart mender God is, I had to come forth with what I just wrote to let you know this close to my heart, personal and not just a “teaching” on a part of God’s Word.

   Yesterday, I was listening to a sermon Joseph Prince preached regarding the resurrection of Jesus. This particular teaching was on resting in the Power of Jesus’ resurrection life. Because Jesus died for us and was resurrected from the dead He will come back for His church and we will have glorified bodies just like His.  We all know why Jesus died, but Pastor Prince focuses on why He was resurrected. We know that it was for our justification, but do we really ever look at what that means?

   

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-5

When God raised Jesus Christ, He raised all that receive Jesus with Him.  When God raised Jesus He raised Him to sit at the right hand of Himself, which is the center of the universe and is a place of honor, authority, exaltation and rest. That is where Christ is seated and we are seated with Him! 

“...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,...

Ephesians 1:17-20

As a result of this resurrection, and because as Christians we do sit with Jesus, we can have wisdom and revelation knowledge that gives us a the ability to truly know Jesus and understand the purpose and power of God. We then can have insight into God’s Word and how it works in our lives.

     After a number of other great points of truth, Pastor Prince began sharing some benefits we have from this resurrection power.  One of them that blessed me was when he spoke on peace. The one I am sharing this writing with you about that became clear revelation for me is what I am going to share here, now.

   Being a teaching on the power of the resurrection of Jesus, there was some preemptive teaching on His death. There was teaching on how horrible, grotesque and drawn out Jesus’ death was because all of the sin, disease, rejection, depression, torment, and all the curses were put on Jesus for mankind. The manifesting of His death was gruesome.  

   If one sin had not been paid for, and the debt was not paid, Jesus would not have been raised from the dead because the resurrection gave us the ability to be the righteousness of God, which could not happen with a sin hanging out there. 

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 

1 Corinthians 15:17

The benefits of the finished work of Jesus are in everything we need!  

   When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection He spoke peace over them and showed them the payment was made so they could have that peace and the abundant life He had just bought for them, for all of us. He showed them His nail scarred hands and side.

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” John 20:27

   Remember that I started this with a broken heart. This teaching enlightened me in such a deep way regarding God mending my broken heart.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 

John 19:34

That soldier wanted to make certain Jesus was dead. Roman soldiers were skilled at killing and so he took his sword and pierced under His rib cage and up toward the heart. He was not checking to see if Jesus was dead, he was applying a piercing to Jesus that would insure He was dead. The medical community, heart surgeons particularly, testify that there is a membrane sac underneath the heart where blood and water collect when the heart ruptures. That is why water and blood gushed out of Jesus' side. Medically, there was proof that Jesus’ heart ruptured and that essentially His heart had ruptured, broken into pieces, literally. Therein is the proof He died, John saw it and by the Holy Spirit recorded it. Why did Jesus die of a broken heart? So we do not die of a broken heart. People die all the time of a broken heart, but it is not necessary because Jesus did if for us, a His death and resurrection power give us the way to be mended of a broken heart.

 ...who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,... 

Romans 4:25 - Romans 5:1

   

   Jesus’ nail scarred hands and sword scarred side were the receipt for the justification His death and resurrection payed for and bought for mankind. We received everything we ever needed, including the peace that can provide us with the power to mend a broken heart!

   The scripture, most points surrounding them and the benefit Pastor Prince explained through Jesus’ broken heart were pretty close to what he taught. The rest of this is my take on it. The point is through what he taught I was able to have that revelation knowledge that set me free from a broken heart! Praise God! It sounds simple I know, but when you get a revelation from God it means your heart receives that beauty of hope that gives you understanding about the riches of the glory we as Christians have! That revelation gives you understanding of the purpose and power of God in our lives! One word from God can burst into volumes in your heart! That is what happened as I gave attention to the Word Pastor Prince was teaching! That understanding of truth sets you free.  I want to tell you that..... set me free!

  Interestingly enough, today it has been three years since Baxter died and I still miss him, but my heart is mended. The revelation I received yesterday has already made a vast and wonderful transformation in me (as revelation by the Holy Spirit does). It is as if months of healing my heart happened in a few minutes. God is so good all of the time!

He heals the brokenhearted

And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:8

If you would like to hear this 28 minute teaching you can go here, 

go to the "Broadcast" drop down menu, 

then to "On demand", 

then to the teaching titled #348 - Rest In The Power Of His Resurrection Life (Saturday). 

I am not sure how long these teachings stay on here so if you don’t see it, it is because the time has lapsed. Any of his teachings you do see are well worth the time to watch them though.

Peaceful unity promotes the Gospel!

These three verses are very dear to my heart, two are exhortations, the other an edifying encouragement. 

For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 

James 3:16

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 

Romans 12:8

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 

Psalm 133:1

   I enjoy life pleasant and do not like evil- ever. I live a life where being spirit-led is very important to me. I trust the Holy Spirit to lead me in living in such a way that those verses are not just words in a book, but written on my heart and manifested in my life.

I think Bob Yandian is one of the best Bible teachers of our day, and this article is so needed in the body of Christ.

Bob Yandian SETTLING DIFFERENCES If another believer sins against you, go privately and out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17 NLT Jesus tells us that the most important thing is not who is right or wrong in a dispute, but that peace is kept between brothers and sisters in the family of God. In other words, winning your brother or sister is more important that winning an argument. The “one or two others” mentioned are to be impartial. As impartial observers and hearers, they can make an objective and prayerful decision. Again, the desired result is the gaining of the brother or sister. Settling strife is the honorable conclusion God is looking for. When issues are settled behind closed doors, the first benefit is to the local body of believers. Because little or nothing is known by others, gossip and discord cannot begin. The next benefit is toward unbelievers. Because strife is not seen, the issue of the gospel can be kept clearly before them, even by those believers who at one time had contention between themselves. The Holy Spirit is involved in the private settling of strife and in the public declaration of the gospel. When strife and contention become manifested before the world, the issue of the gospel is lost behind the smokescreen of accusations. We are to go into all the world to preach the gospel, but into the closet to settle our differences. Yours in Jesus Christ, Bob Yandian

You can visit Bob's website here.

   

God's Word is good, let it be just that!

   Often I see things on facebook, and other places, that sounds very "spiritual", and some of them have some merit. This one I am sharing with you has a completely true statement it in- that being that Jesus came and gave us many, well~ all good things. The most powerful deception comes with a partial truth, and therein is one of my biggest alarm buttons, particularly in the matters of God and His Word. These partial truths that are gussied up with some curtly put paradox, or heart rendering waxing of eloquence are thoughts dropped in the mind of the reader that can, and do, diminish their overall understanding of who God is, what His Word really says, and therefore cripple and diminish the power of that Word in their life. That bothers me, a lot. As children of God we are to be victorious, more than conquerors, blessed, to have peace and joy, and to be prosperous in every area of our lives. That gets compromised when our understanding of God and His Word are compromised in us. I will most likely post on the keeping of the commandment of love before Christmas. I mean after all, it was love that sent Jesus to earth.

   In the meantime, here is a little something that I just spotted on facebook, and felt a post for Honeycomb come on.

   In the overall, eternal picture, it is ALL about what Jesus in His grace, mercy, compassion and love did. Period. But, this statement of Mr. Lucado’s gives far to much room for encouraging a lack of responsibility on us, and is untrue. You don’t have to call it a “list” but Jesus was very clear on these, and other, commandments for us:

So He answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:27a

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John 13:34      

“...and the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.”  Luke 6:27-28

We are to love God, our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, our neighbors and our enemies. Jesus goes on to tell us to serve, do good, pray for others, care for them, bless them, share the gospel and go make disciples.....  None of these “works” determine our salvation, or God’s love for us. But let’s not put it out there that Jesus came with nothing for us to do.  Negating these things is disobedience and though you can go to Heaven, this disobedience will keep you from going anywhere else God, through the work of Jesus, wants to take you. 

   I post here on this because there is so much of this “easy grace” out there, and it is dumbing down the body of Christ. Why do the words "seeker friendly" come to mind? We ARE to do the things Christ did, the very things He did for us, in essence to love people. Those verses above, and many like them,  were not suggestions, they were commands. I understand that the “letter of the law” kills, and I am the first one up to come against legalism. These commands Jesus gave were not “rules", and a “religion” can not legitimately be made out of them.  They are about our relationship with Him, and the entire purpose of these, and other commands are so that we can glorify God, shine our light before all men so they can see God, and to be blessed and prosper in every area of our life. The finished work of the cross of Jesus gives the promise and the power to walk so, but we must walk in His Word. Period.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” 

John 14:15

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” 

John 14:23

   This would probably be a good time to say that joy and peace govern my life because I embrace and walk, to best of my ability with God’s grace and help, in His Word. I don’t have to do it, but I would never NOT do it. I love the life I have with Jesus.

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” 

John 13:17

Loving a world that hates us.

   I belong to a group called, Practical Discipleship. I enjoy the questions we are asked in that group. Yesterday this question was posted, 
"What are your thoughts on John 15:18-16:6? How do we respond to the world that hates us?" 
I have never posted my answers here on my blog, but this time I just felt like I should. So here goes.

   Love them. It starts with obeying the only Law we have~ our Royal Law, but doing so wars against our flesh. Galatians 5:16 tells us that if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. So, if we want to truly love these people, not be judging them and responding to them in a worldly fashion, we are going to have to draw on the Holy Spirit in us.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  
Matthew 22:37-39

Let’s do this step by step.
   First step, we are to love God. So what do we do to love God? We must experience His love.

We love Him because He first loved us. 
1 John 4:19

The only way we are going to be able to say, mean, and live out statements like King David did when he said,

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. 
Psalm 145:8-9

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

Psalm 23

and, 

I will love You, O Lord, my strength. 
Psalm 18:1

.

..is when we spend time with Him, time in prayer, time in His word, and time worshipping Him when we are not in church~ alone. Like David it would be best to do it first thing everyday, and everyday. We must ABIDE in Him to know Him, and forgive the trite saying here but it is true; to know Him is to love Him.

   Secondly, since we are to love others as ourself, let’s take a quick look at loving ourself. My recommendation is to get your Bible out and look up every time the phrases, “in Him” and “in Christ” appear, then look at what that statement says about you, God’s child. Next, you need to fully embrace the complete work of the cross. Jesus did not cover your sin to have you thinking about it and sniveling about how wretched you are. (Please refer to those verses regarding being "in Him and "in Christ". Jesus took your sin away and you are a new creature, you are the apple of His eye!!! and the whole reason He sent His Son Jesus. God loves you, and if you have received His Son Jesus Christ, you are in God’s family. You are God’s child and His Righteousness!

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 
Romans 6:14

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 
2 Corinthians 5:21

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,... 
1 Timothy 1:5a 

We must keep our conscience good, letting go of all sin conscience.

   We can not give away what we do not have. We have to develop the love of God that was shed in our hearts. Years ago, Amy grant recorded a song called, “My Father’s Eyes”. This song talks about wanting eyes, spiritual eyes, that see others as God does. Let me say this out loud, if you are going to have the overflow of God’s love coming out of you, you are going to have to walk by the Spirit, in the Spirit, and stay in the Word and spend time with God.

   Back up a few verses from the text given in the original question. In John 15:12 Jesus kicks up the loving others thing a notch. He says this right before he lets us know how hated we will be by the world. 

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 
John 15:12 

If we are going to love like Jesus did, we are going to have to have an intimate, love relationship with Him. Period. That only comes from a person that has a yielded heart toward God, that spends time with God, and allows the Holy Spirit to flow in, through him, and out of him.

So, the answer; Love them, and love them like Jesus did.

My Father's Eye's by Amy Grant

Guard your heart.

Random: yesterday was January 5, 2015 ~ so it was 1515. I just like things like that. :-)

   I have had something on my heart to do here at Honeycomb Cottage, and have been pondering it for the last few days. When I saw the quote below on Facebook this morning it reminded me of an experience I had yesterday. I decided to respond to that quote here even though I was going to start 2015 with something else.

“If you want to change your circumstances, you must have faith in two places—in your heart and in your mouth.” -Gloria 

   A woman I care about, and have respect for, called to see if I was going to attend a meeting being held at church tonight. We chatted over the “How was your Christmas?” question. Somehow that led to her sharing with me some views she had that were simply not scriptural. I listened for some time, affirming my presence with an “I’m still here” when she inquired of my presence. I did not want to interrupt her, I did not want to challenge what she was saying, and I certainly did not want to bring contention or strife into the conversation ~ particularly over scripture. Of the emotions I was having during her small dissertation, the vastness was the brokenness of my heart. My heart became so heavy for her it was as if it fell to the pit of my existence, and broke when it hit bottom. She believed that God in His sovereign omniscience and omnipotence, had determined to place and use some horrible things in her life so she could find Him. I am not going to address the distinct and blatantly incongruous and contradictory thought and reasoning within that sentiment, at least not on this post as it is not my point here. 

   After a wonderful 16 days of traveling, seeing family, meeting people I had wanted to meet for over two years, and enjoying the wrapping up of 2014, looking forward to 2015, Jon went back to work yesterday. I had much of the after travel settling back in done, but there was the house cleaning those Smurf’s never showed up to do. But, I was enjoying the quiet and the progress I was making. I even got a double batch of laundry soap made, a loaf of bread and a full pot of Beef Barley soup made. I was feeling refreshed and excited about a number of things. Just about that time this friend called. By the end of that phone call my heart, both pieces, were heavy, I felt discouraged, sad, and had to seriously try to debrief my mind. I was not successful. I knew what I needed to do, go to the source of my joy, life and help ~ grab my Bible. As always, that sorted me out. I was still concerned for her, and somewhat discouraged because that is a prevalent mindset among Christians. That kind of thinking robs the believer of so many wonderful things God has for them.

   In seeking God, He took my straightaway to 2 Peter 3:16-18; 

"...as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

And then to:

"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer." 2 Timothy 2:15-17a

   I just never cease to be amazed at how wonderful, and how faithfully and ever ready to minister to us God is. WOW!! Spot on with that scripture, and not where I was headed exactly. I want to share some encouragement here. Our hearts determine how our life goes, and it is what we put into our hearts through our five senses that determine what our heart believes. If you are listening to what the world has to say, reading things contrary to what God’s Word says, filling your mind with most of what is on the television and soaking up the news, you are putting into your eyes and ears things that will compromise and contaminate the faith you received at salvation.

   By indulging in things contrary to the Word of God you are not learning something, or broadening your thinking views to a better educated end, or being loving by listening to wrong views of God’s pure Word. You are setting yourself up to be as Peter told us, unstable, losing our steadfastness and being led away by the errors of the wicked. James 1:6-8 tells us a double~minded man is unstable in all his ways and should not think he will receive anything form the Lord. That is not a harsh, unloving statement. God wants us to take His Word seriously because it is life, the only source of life, and to put anything else in our “reasoning” will compromise the faith it takes to live out that faith and be victorious.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

   Gloria’s quote is spot on! Whatever you believe in your heart is what will come out of your mouth. When we express what is in our heart it comes out in what we do and SAY. Put God’s Word in your heart, guard your heart against all else, and your faith will be what comes out of your mouth. It really is that simple.

"Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23

We must guard our heart with all diligence so as to have an upright heart, and so our words align with the Word of God.

"My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge." Job 33:3

   One of those two passages of scripture God led me to that I mentioned above was 2 Timothy 2:15-17a. In that passage Paul mentions the ungodliness that will come from idle babblings, things contrary to scripture. He says those words spread like cancer. Not good. But, I want to draw your attention to the  clause, “... rightly dividing the word of truth.” To “rightly divide” God’s Word you have to study it in light of the rest of the Word. You must take the Bible as a whole single message, not segmenting it, but by comparing the verse, passage or book with the rest of the Word.

  God’s Word is not a “rule” book, or just a piece of literature to read for moral guidance ~ it is a love letter straight from the heart of God, to us! Sometimes I can hardly fathom that. What about you? Do you find that amazing? I use this word with its due prudence, I find that AWESOME!!! God’s Word is good for any need we have. It teaches us, encourages us, builds up our faith, gives us wisdom, gives us the knowledge of His kingdom principles so we can live successfully and victoriously, the knowledge of God that multiplies our grace and peace to us, and reveals those “mysterious” ways of His that people like to get all spooky about. God is an open book, He loves us, and His Word is His love letter to us for everything we could need ~ He holds no good thing back from us.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32

   Make His Word first in your life. Give it first priority and everything else will be added to you. Don’t let anything contrary to the Word of God be a part of your life. Cast everything down that exalts itself against the Word of God. You will be set free and walk in grace, peace and victory. When trials and tribulations come, you will be built up in the Word, and ready to handle anything. Just guard your heart!

   The point at which my friend began talking about how we live under a curse, I did stop her, lovingly. I told her I lived under no curse and neither did she (she is saved), because Jesus has redeemed us from that. We live in a world that has sin in it, but we are not under the curse and penalty of that sin. She did acknowledge that the Bible did say that, but that we are still affected by the curse. I agreed, but told her we did not have to live that way. I should have put a stop to the conversation a long time before that, but I was trying to be kind and give her air space. I am not necessarily referring to those doctrinal differences that Satan loves to make huge deals out of and divide the body of Christ over here, but in the future when I am faced with conversation that contradicts what I know to be true, I will guard my heart by lovingly changing the conversation, or dismissing myself if that is not possible to guard my heart. My first response is always to say, let's get our Bible's out and see what God says. I do say that fully prepared to find something new myself. If that seems to be causing conflict I will go to plan "B", "B"etter to bail out than to cause strife and division.

  When my friend got to the end of what she wanted to say and enquired of any response I might have, I asked her what scripture(s) she was basing that which she shared on. There were none. She said it was just the “mysterious” way, a way we don’t understand, that God works. When the conversation ended we agreed to meet at church tonight.

   This really isn't a bad way to start the year off here after all. Actually, it is a great way to start. Let's put God and His Word first and guard our hearts so that we remain steadfast, unwavering ~ and bring glory to God. In doing this we will have a wonderfully fruit filled year. 

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:8

   This is not the verse I have chosen for my epitaph, but it certainly could serve as a life verse for me. 

Your word is very pure; Therefore Your servant loves it. Psalm 119:140

I find that spending time with God, and being in His Word first thing in the morning insures that I do spend time with Him, and read His Word.

"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; 

In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up."
Psalm 5:3

What are ways you can put the Word of God first in your life?

Something Sweet

  I have a history with bananas and peanut butter, and bananas and oatmeal.  Do any of you remember the fluffernutter? 

That sandwich was my favorite after school snack. Here is the link that picture came from. We almost always had bananas on hand while I was growing up, and I put one on my fluffernutter when we did. I do not have a picture for this so I was tickled to find one online. I was delighted to see I was not the only one adding banana to my fluffernutter.

This picture comes from this blog. She deep fries the sandwich. I never did that, nor did I ever toast it. I loved the soft gooeyness of the sandwich. The reason I have no pictures is because I never buy loaves of white sandwich bread anymore, have not done for years. And, I only have Marshmallow Fluff around during the holidays. Here is a cute link I stumbled on while strolling down Memory Lane. This next link will take you to a blog post that has recipes I use for Peanut Butter Banana Date Bread, and Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins. I leave the chocolate chips out of those muffins as you will see. I did love them in these cookies though! Here is the link for those.

   I really do not have a sweet tooth, but last night about 9:00 I was thinking something sweet sounded good. I decided to check my email and facebook instead ~ and then head for bed. Yeah... the best laid plans and all that... there it was. A dear woman I know had just posted something on facebook, and this is what it was.

Sinless Cookies, no less.

   Well, bananas and peanut butter... hmmm. I have been using up bananas for the last few days by mashing one in my oatmeal, so I figured this would get rid of two of the three left. :-)  Oh how we can reason and rationalize? Anyone relate? This all took place within the next twenty~five minutes.

   

That is it for the ingredients.

That is it for any real effort needed to be made ~ there is the last of the really ripe bananas.

I did not have dark chocolate chips, but I imagine those semi~sweet ones will do.

Ready for the oven.

That's it for clean up, this was just too simple.

Cooling.

These are very, very good.

My oatmeal and banana breakfast was a little different this morning. YUM!!!

 I can assure you, those little semi~healthy gems hit the spot that was wanting something sweet.  A few days ago I was studying how Jesus operated while on this earth and come across this verse. 

They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey,

even honey dripping from the comb. 

Psalm 19:10

In Psalm 19:1-14, David is talking about two ways that God reveals Himself to man. General revelation comes through His creation; specific revelation comes through His Word. In verse 10 David is talking about how sweet the Word of God is. Jesus was the Word made flesh and so that verse was key in that study. Reading it reminds me of the hymn, There’s Within My Heart a Melody. The refrain of that hymn says:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, 

sweetest name I know, 

fills my every longing, 

keeps me singing as I go.

Jesus is the sweetest name I know, I love Him and I love the Word of God, it is sweet.

   The name of the woman that put that recipe on facebook is, Jan. Years ago while in my twenties, I found myself with three small girls and divorced. Jan was very kind and accepting of me, and let me just say without being nasty, that was not real common in the church I was in. She was a quiet and hard working woman with a sense of humor and a tremendous drive to serve God through being a wife, mother, and a vital part of the churchs' youth. She has been faithful to that call all of these thirty some years, and I suspect always will be. She also had tremendous compassion for single women with children. She was very kind to me, and caring. She offered her friendship to me. Her words were encouraging, uplifting and sweet. The cookie recipe she offered last night on facebook did hit the sweet tooth spot, and I will make them again. Her words and investment in my life all those years ago made a permanent impact on my life. Her desire to serve Jesus Christ benefitted me in a priceless and powerful way. If I do not make those cookies for a while, I will remember they were good but I won’t get the benefit of enjoying them without making them again. But, what Jan did for me all those years ago, I have never, and will never forget. I could not forget that sweetness, that fruit of the Spirit of God ~ even if I tried.

   This blog is called Honeycomb Cottage, and there is Bible verse attached to it.

Kind words are like honey~

    sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

Proverbs 16:24

That is not just some sappy little verse I pulled out of my hat to use because my blog is named, Honeycomb Cottage. I named the blog because of the verse. What we say to people is powerful. Our words can make or break a person. 

Sticks and stones

can break my bones, 

but words will never harm me. 

was an old English rhyme to teach children to not retaliate when teased, insulted or taunted by others. Later it became a nursery rhyme and "harm me" was changed to "hurt me." Either way it is a lie. Words have the power of life and death in them.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21

   I like the little saying that says, Keep your words soft and sweet you never know when you may have to eat them. Well, God's Word says you will eat them so I choosing sweet ones rather than nasty, sarcastic, demeaning... you get the idea... words is the better way to go. Someone being kind and speaking sweet words to me changed my life. We can choose what we say, and I am so thankful for Jan's choice. Her life has shown the love of God to everyone she has met. I know God's hand was in her being a part of mine. 

   Be that kind person with sweet words that you want someone to be to you. It is amazing how much that is needed, and how far it can take someone. Sweet little treats are nice for the moment, but it is the sweetness of someone living out the Word of God in your life, someone blessing you with the fruit of the spirit out of their life that lasts.

   I would love to hear how someone has made a difference in your life with the power of their words.

May the words of my mouth

    and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing to You,

    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Stay sensitive toward, God.

Jesus Walking on Water*

   

   Did you know that a hardened heart simply means you are putting your trust in and are believing what the world says about a matter instead of what God says? When you relate more to the things in the natural realm than the you do the supernatural realm your heart is hardened to God in those areas. Have you ever been surprised when you saw something miraculous like someone had a doctor tell them a problem they diagnosed in someone was no longer there and there was no explanation for it and they say it must have been a miracle, or you prayed for something and it came to be? That is how the disciples were when they saw Jesus walk on water toward them in Mark 6:48-52. 

Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

   It was dark, the winds were high and they were struggling with their oars. Jesus walks out to them and they fear it is a ghost so Jesus told them not to be afraid for it was Him.  He got in the boat with them and the wind stopped. The disciples were were surprised, astonished. Then in verse 52 we see their amazement  was because their hearts were hardened. Let’s back up here. Jesus had sent them out on that water just hours before. Being fisherman they knew it was not a good night to go out, but they obeyed Him. That doesn’t look like a bunch of hardened hearts. But they were. Read verse 52 again and you will find it says they were astonished because they had not considered the spiritual miracle they had seen just hours before when Jesus fed 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. They saw Jesus meet the needs of all of those people, but were powerless to believe Him to meet their need. When He did, they were astonished. The hardening of our hearts is subtle and a process.  It is when we slip into mixing in the world’s voice with what God says that we slip, step by step,  into unbelief. Jesus had been teaching those boys for some time but they had not understood the significance of the miracles they witnessed.

   When you are sensitive toward God you have peace, joy and the victory you inherited when you were born again as a child of God. Take time today with God, read His Word, keep your focus on God and His Word, and your heart will be sensitive toward Him and what He says. You will live your life living it as the child of a King you are!

*Jesus Walking on Water cross stitch  pattern by Ann Logan.

A softened heart is a yielded heart, full of peace.

   This past week has been full of wonderful things happening in my family, some stretching things in my family, and for me personally a bit of a stretch in my own life. I have been truly seeking God on a decision I must make, and I can’t seem to get direction. While praying earlier this week I realized I was operating in pride. I had a certain city I thought would be nice to have on my diploma when I graduate next spring, and I am able to attend there. It just so happens I love that particular city and would have no problem doing my Practical end of finishing my degree there. I will need to be on campus and that will require moving. If that is where God would have me to graduate then so be it. If not I do not want to be there; I do not want to be anywhere He does not have in His plan for my life. I was however not being as open to that as I thought I was. Once I realized pride was blocking any direction I would ever get from God, I repented, laid the notion down and pressed into my relationship with, my Father. I had been sensing a lack of peace when considering certain avenues, and knew to stop going down that those thought paths, and have done so. Still overall, I don’t seem to be able to hear what I need to hear, and there is a time frame on this decision. 

   Mark 6:45-52 and Mark 8:8-38, are good passages to refer to if you are having trouble discerning things, remembering things, or hearing from God. We can see in those passages the matter of allowing our heart to be hardened in some way where God is concerned. So, after studying Mark 8 some on Wednesday evening, I took a nice 3 mile, 1 hour walk Thursday morning to sort that out. I thought I would share some of that walk here.

   Friday evening it occurred to me I might be struggling with hearing from God because I was constraining Him to the box we call a calendar. Yesterday morning I realized that was true, but the real box I was putting Him in was the whim of my personal preferences. Breakthrough! I love it when peace flows.

   Had you asked me before this week if my heart were hardened to God I would have have told you my heart was sensitive toward God, and that I did not have a hardened heart. That answer needs modified. I do have a heart that is sensitive toward God. I have had a bent toward the Word of God since I was a young girl. However, there is some hardness in some areas. I was devastated to realize that, but it did not take me too long to see the blessing in it that realization. 

   We all have areas that we have hardened our hearts toward God. Having a heart that has been hardened in some way, or ways, is not always a result of sin. God’s heart is never hardened toward us because of our sin, but our heart is hardened toward Him when we sin. That is pretty self explanatory and there are plenty of opportunities to hear those sermons so I will leave that there. Some hardening comes from another source. There are two accounts of Jesus miraculously feeding a multitude of people with barely enough to feed a handful. I am going to address the one in Mark 6:37-44 where Jesus fed 5,000 men with five fish and two loaves of bread with baskets leftover because I want to use some of  the remaining passage in Mark 6. Mark 6:45-52 happens immediately after this and is the account of Jesus walking on water out to the boat where the disciples were struggling in a storm. In verses 50-52 it says, “50 ...for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. Let’s take a quick look at those last few verses. “... and they were utterly astonished,...” The disciples had just seen Jesus miraculously feed 5,000 men, who knows how many women and children, and yet “...they were utterly astonished...”. And why was that? The answer is in the last four words of verse 50, “do not be afraid.”, and verse 52, For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. Fear is not a lack of faith; it is putting faith is something God did not author. Fear is a result of a hardened heart and will keep us from living the life of victory Christians should be enjoying. Verse 52 clearly shows us the crux of the answer. The disciples saw Jesus multiply the fishes and loaves. They knew it was a fact that happened, but they did not consider the spiritual meaning whatsoever. The Amplified Bible records verse 52 as saying, For they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves; [in fact] their hearts had grown callous [had become dull and had lost the power of understanding]. To consider means; think upon, deliberate, study, examine, ponder, or meditate on. The disciples did not give any attention to, or focus on, the miracle and the power of that miracle, or the meaning of how Jesus fed the multitude. They knew of the event, they had no understanding of it spiritually. Simply put, a hardened heart is a result of a person thinking more about, and relating better to the natural world than the spiritual world. That heart is a result of thinking about, considering, pondering or meditating more on what the world says about an issue than what God says.

   Hardening of our hearts toward God is a process. It happens one act of disobedience, one thought of doubt, one thought of unbelief at a time. It can be a result of sin, rebellion or in the case of an unbeliever, it can be hatred toward God. Often it is just continuing to see things from a carnal, natural viewpoint. To keep our heart softened from God we must stay focused on Him. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. We can know plenty about what the Bible says, we can believe it is God's Word, but it is what we think on that determines whether our hearts are soft or hardened toward God. If you are on the internet looking up any possible disease you think you might have by studying the symptoms and how they may add up to something in your body, that is what you are thinking about ~ even after you get off those web sites. If you are reading what God has to say about disease and sickness in His Word, that is what you will be thinking about. The first venture will layer by layer callous your heart toward what God says about your body. The latter will develop your faith and soften your heart toward what God has to say about your body. That is an across the board principle. You can apply it to business ventures, finances, employment, choosing a field of study in college, a marriage partner... every area of you life. In my case I have been "spinning" about where I will be in the autumn to finish college. After a week of asking God to prune me, I am no longer spinning. I do not have my answer yet but the door of communication is wide open because I am not blocking God with my notions, concerns and whims. I am focusing on, and pressing into my relationship with God, and leaving it there. He will show me exactly what His plans are for me. And, He will speak His will for your life into you, just keep your focus on Him, not the world.

   Are there areas in your life that you think about that you find yourself weighing out all of the tangible and natural potentials. but neglecting, or at best minimizing any input from God? I would love to encourage you to turn that around and enjoy the peace that is so very available to you. 

Oh, deer!

   Earlier this week I grabbed my camera and set out for a section of a park and reservation area very close to my home. This park system covers a vast area of about 500 square miles I think. There are lakes, rivers, creeks, water falls, an array of beautiful wildlife, a zoo, and right now in particular there are trees with such splendid colors. I thought I would get some photos of the trees in the morning and then go out again in the afternoon and take photos of the same trees in afternoon light. It sounded like a great idea to me. I was however stopped in my tracks when I saw what you will see below in this first set of photos. I decided to spend my time in that morning sun just down the street from my house. We see deer often. I was just so taken by these. On the whole of our street there is only one real garden of sorts in a front yard. This garden was pretty this summer. It is just down from my house, and the deer love to stop there. 

Good morning!

Yes, I am still here but will not disturb your breakfast. Carry on.

Done eating this one.

Crossing may not be such a good idea just now.

Heading back for a minute, this traffic is not letting up.

Good idea. They were not as done as they thought.

Maybe the traffic will lighten up. I think she would like to get over there and back in the woods.

Two more are now considering the jaunt across the street.

Fawn figures if they leave she will go, too.

Breakfast in that little garden is now over. See you soon.

   Later that afternoon I sort of stayed with my original plan. I grabbed my camera and headed for the wood nearby. It all came together quite nicely because I started out to take piccies of the sun on the leaves in the early morning in comparison to the sun on the leaves in the late afternoon. I got to see lovely deer in the morning and in the afternoon I came across this beautiful buck.

Well, hello there handsome!

Do you know how magnificently your Creator created you?

We are not through here. I fully intend to follow you deeper into this wood.

His antler's blend like branches. He completely blends in at a distance. God protects, period.

So regal.

  I could have spent the whole of the afternoon into evening in that wood with that buck. However, things at home needed tending to. As I was posting this it occurred to me that I had no real purpose for this post except to share the photos of those lovely creatures. I never get tired of seeing them. And then it occurred to me there is a book I have been meaning to share with you, and this is just the post for it. So I ran up to my bedroom, took it out of my bedside table and took this photo of it. 

   That is the hard copy of Hinds' Feet on High Places my husband gave me for Christmas, in 1996. My original paperback copy proudly displayed the love shown to her with much fraying of pages and falling apart in general. I loved opening this that year. 

   Since elementary school I have battled a fear. This fear would be triggered by a certain environment and was paralyzing, emotionally and physically. Sometimes, often, my physical response would be flight. Initially I would be unable to move, sometimes not breath, but then would be in high flight mode. This fear still tries to dominate and destroy me. I sought counseling, and still...fear. After decades of hell, and I choose that word rightly, I realized it was a spiritual matter. Only God was my answer. In the last couple of years I have made the issue a matter of conversation between God and I. The Holy Spirit has shown me things and through my time in the Word of God and time fellowshipping with God, I have learned some things. Life changing things. I have pressed in, become more honest and transparent and real in my time with God. My relationship with Him is stronger than ever and so my trust and faith have grown deeper. I have gone higher with God that I ever knew possible. As I have grown and changed in my heart, my life has changed and fear no longer has its devastating and debilitating grip on me. I can do stupid stuff to usher fear right back in, but I have no desire to do so whatsoever. That which got me into such a bondage of fear was really innocent on the part of this young elementary school girl. A girl who believed a Girl Scout leader. It was not until a Sunday School teacher took the time to ask me about a comment I made in her class that I was shown how deceived I was. I love the story of David and Nathan where the instant David's eyes are opened he repents. He loved God and when shown the error of his way, he changed. That is what repentance does. When I saw what Mrs. Mucci was saying to me was true; I immediately stopped doing what I was doing. I loved Jesus so much as a kid that when I saw this deception for what it really was that I was grieved ~ deeply. It was nothing to walk away and never look back once I saw and understood the truth. However, I would battle the effects of that for decades to come.

   When first I read Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard, I was in my twenties. I could not put this book down because I so related to the main character, Much Afraid. When she was in her paralyzed mode, and when she wanted to run, I could vicariously felt her fear so deeply I felt my own heart beat speed up, and at that moment in time I would forget I was reading a book. The ending was so beautiful and gave me hope. That is why I read it so many times. I was looking to be free of that fear. I have not read this book for some time because I have grown in the knowledge of Who God is and how deeply and unconditionally He loves me. I may read it again someday. I do keep it in my night table by my bed. If I do, it will only be to see how marvelous God is and to remind me from where He redeemed me from. Though a good book, it is not the Word of God. God's Word and developing our relationship with Him is where our deliverance comes. 

   This brilliantly woven allegory is about the matchless, unconditional and everlasting love of God toward us, and the frustration, destructive crippling and the futility of living in the faithless state of fear. I have lost count of the times I have read it, but my first go round with it was in the early 1980’s ~ it has never lost its beauty for me.

The Lord God is my strength,

And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.

For the choir director, on my stringed instruments.
Habakkuk 3:19 (NASB)

   I really do not want to put this on here, but must. Though I do recommend Hind's Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard, I do not recommend her other writings. I praise God for this book as I believe He inspired her to pen it. Her other works do not align with scripture and some vary off considerably. Please check here for a really well written and though brief a quite good biography of Hannah Hurnard. You will need to click on the bright pink book that says "Look Inside" and then scroll down a few pages to where it will read "Author Biography". The brief biography will begin there.

The lame will leap like a deer,

    and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!
Springs will gush forth in the wilderness,

   and streams will water the wasteland.  
Isaiah 35:6 (NLT)