It’s Not About How You Feel, 1 Thessalonians 4:5

I love Buddy with all my heart, but some mornings I’m tired and want to be left to myself. But I have to get up and walk Buddy, as we live in a condo with only a balcony. Then I prepare his breakfast and pills before my own. Some days I just don’t feel like doing it, but Buddy is my responsibility.

Similarly, there’s times when our feelings don’t match up with God’s commands. As Christians we’re under grace and not the Law, but God’s rules still work to help us lead happier and more prosperous lives. We’re also commanded not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), and we do that by not listening to Him and disobeying His leading.

One area people are particularly susceptible to disobey God and follow their feelings is in the area of sexual relationships. God’s commands demand one behavior, but our feelings pull us strongly toward a relationship, or behavior, we know displeases God.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God…Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”—the Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 8

Now as Christians we can still choose to disobey God and, thereby, grieve the Holy Spirit; since He indwells the believer, we’ll be miserable till we repent. We still have free will as believers.

But we are supposed “to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).”

Do we please God by following our passions? Because feelings are not only fleeting but changeable.

Or by obeying His Word, the Bible?

God promises that we’re blessed when we obey Him:

“But without faith it’s impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6

I’m thinking about this because in the past I tried so-called Christian dating sites and the majority of the men wanted to engage in premarital sex, which God expressly forbids (Hebrews 13:4). So I left the sites.

Every day, as believers, we can choose to disobey God and be miserable—or defy our feelings, obey God, and be blessed.

It’s all a matter of whether we trust God more than our feelings.

He loves us. And wants to lead us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3).

God forgives our sin. We can always confess our sin and choose to repent and get back onto the right path.

It’s all a matter of: Do you want to be miserable?

Or content, knowing God is in control and not your feelings?

It’s all up to you—and me.

And the Holy Spirit. We’re not left alone in our struggle.

“Blessed be the Lord , because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.”—Psalm 28:6-7

Prayer, honest conversation, and singing praises helps a lot.

And maybe a brisk walk.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

If you do what you know is is wrong, but don’t feel God’s Holy Spirit convicting you, then you should truly examine your heart whether you actually believe Jesus is God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), died for your sins (1 Peter 2:24), and rose bodily from the dead (Romans 10:9).

Please don’t let pride get in the way of recognizing the truth about yourself. God loves you and wants to be your Lord and best friend. Jesus promises never to leave nor forsake His followers (Hebrews 13:5). But you must submit to His authority to be saved. The demons believe that Jesus is God and rose from the dead, but they aren’t saved.

Don’t be like the demons. Choose life obeying Jesus instead.

If you’re ready to receive Jesus, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for grieving You and ask for forgiveness of my sins. I also ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe that He is God, died for my sins, and rose bodily from the dead. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And show me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. And please start reading the Bible as it’s your soul food and the main way God speaks to you. And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized.

If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that‘s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

God bless you as you start your new life in Christ.

Changing Your Focus, Psalm 107

As many of you now know, Buddy is a rescue who was abused for three years before I adopted him—furever! At first he was terrified of me, but gradually his focus moved from his awful past to his present life full of love with his new family.

I bought a pocket-sized NASB version of only the Book of Psalms, so that I could focus reading a few chapters every morning without pulling out a heavy book.

Most people focus on Psalm 23. It’s a wonderful Psalm by the ancient king of Israel, David. But there are many other marvelous Psalms that are also worthy of our meditation and focus.

Please join me in culling some of the wonderful gems in the 43 verses of chapter 107 in the Book of Psalms.

Primarily, the Psalm describes the various ways that people get themselves into trouble by acting without God in their lives. But when they acknowledge their need for the Lord’s help, He responds to their cries.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is forever.”—Verse one

It’s basically a Psalm about how kind God is, rescuing us from our own self-imposed troubles. Unlike Satan, He doesn’t kick us when we’re down, but responds to sincere cries for help.

1. Verse two discusses how God redeems us “from the hand of the adversary.” The Lord Jesus came in the flesh, which is celebrated on Christmas Day, to live a perfect life and redeem us—buy us back—out of Satan’s realm of darkness and transfer us into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13) by dying for our sins.

We cannot earn this salvation; it is freely given to us when we call upon the name of the Lord to save us (Romans 10:13).

And throughout the Psalm, people call on God for help, which He freely gives to them.

2. Verses 4-9 describes people who are wandering “in a desert region” and in great physical distress. They were lost, unable to find an inhabited city to get help. Unable to get human aid, they turned to God, acknowledging they needed God’s rescue—and “He led them also by a straight way, to go to an inhabited city”.

Which reminds me of everyone’s favorite Psalm:

“He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His namesake.”—Psalm 23:3

When we follow God’s path, we discover that the Good Shepherd’s ways lead out of the confusion in the desert of sin and into green pastures of peace and safety.

3. Verses 11-16 describe people who are enslaved by sin and unable to free themselves. They’re miserable because “they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore, He humbled their heart with labor…”

Consequences for sinful behavior are an act of love from God. It causes us to realize our need for Him, to change our destructive behavior, so He allows us to suffer the result of our sin, so that we’ll come to our senses and acknowledge our need to follow Him and not our own desires. When the people in Psalm 107 finally realized, once again, that human effort couldn’t rescue them, they called out to God, who shattered their chains of sin.

4. Verses 17-22 describe people who became seriously ill: “Fools, because of their rebellious way, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.” But when they acknowledged their sin and repented, how did God help?

“He sent His word and healed them.”—verse 20

Deceased Pastor Norman Peale had many different persons approach him, as detailed in his various books, with serious ailments of various sorts that caused them great suffering and interfered with their careers. What the Pastor often discovered is that these men engaged in serious sin, such as adultery. Their guilt and wickedness was the root cause of their illness and setbacks. Once they confessed their sin, acknowledging their need to follow God’s moral rules and stop rebelling, they became healthy—mentally, physically, and spiritually.

God’s word, the Bible, sometimes is the cure for what afflicts us. He gives us instruction, insight, and hope through the promises in the Scriptures.

5. Verses 23-32 describe men engaged in commerce, who “do business on great waters.” But they encountered a great storm which caused them great fear and distress. But when they called on the Lord to save them, “He caused the storm to be still.”

Sometimes we get busy conducting business, searching for wealth or fame, and forget to include God in our lives. Then we encounter obstacles which are totally beyond our control, which reminds us to seek God.

And, God graciously rescues us.

6. Verses 33-38 describes how God can curse the efforts of wicked people, but bless the labor of good people. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the way is death (Proverbs 14:12).” Sometimes our efforts are not succeeding because we’re compromising our moral integrity. If you’re a child of God, He may delay blessing you till you repent and commit to acting with moral integrity.

7. Lastly, verses 39-42 describe how sometimes we suffer because of the wickedness of other people who oppress us in some way, particularly those in high positions of power. But God graciously delivers us.

Why?

“Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindness of the Lord.”—verse 43

May we always seek God in time of need, Who has the power to deliver us from circumstances and people too mighty for us to combat alone.

And from our own sin.

Please consider pointing unbelievers to this wonderful Psalm, which describes the many ways God will deliver people from the consequences of sin, if they’re willing to acknowledge their need for a Savior.

And recognize that He’s good.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

“Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13

It doesn’t matter what kind of trouble you’re in, God is good and loves you. He’s willing to forgive your sin and rescue you from bondage to the Kingdom of Darkness.

He doesn’t discriminate. No matter how far you’ve wandered in the desert, He’s willing to respond to your cries for rescue if you’re willing to repent and call on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

Lord: your moral authority and King of your life and

Savior: The one Who died for your sins, taking the punishment you deserve.

No need to get your act together first. Just humble acknowledgment of your need for Him. He knows about it all anyway, so why not confess your need to be delivered from self-destructive behavior?

He loves you and is eager to hear you call out to Him.

After I gave my life to the Lord, the Holy Spirit told me that, “He knew every sin I’ve ever committed, but still loves me very much.”

God already knows you cannot be good. Your sin doesn’t shock Him, regardless of how bad you think it is. He wants to rescue you—if you’ll only call out to Him.

Why not invite Him into your life right now? Don’t delay. Tomorrow is never promised to us.

Please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, and confess that He died for my sins so that I don’t have to be punished for them. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I need Your help in my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs food daily to be nourished, so does your soul.

And start attending a Bible-based church or Bible Study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these two ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled or follow bad teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

The Father “Always Hears” The Mediator, Buddy Brief

Buddy’s gotten into the habit of barking at my parents’ home when he wants to be put outside into their backyard. They graciously completed the wall to ensure his safety.

But, obviously, someone else needs to respond to his strong request to open the door to meet his need.

Before raising his friend Lazarus from the dead, Jesus prayed publicly to the Father: “I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around, I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”—John 11:42

If you’re born again, you can pray in the name of Jesus to the Father with full assurance that you will be heard.

Because Jesus is your intermediary before the Father’s throne in heaven.

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ;”—1 Timothy 2:5 (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

Pray only in the name of Jesus. He alone guarantees that the Father is listening to Him.

Spooky Thinking, Psalm 37:8

Buddy playing in shredded paper.

When Buddy and I visit my parents, they have to hide the bag of paper slices produced by their paper shredder. When Buddy got upset, he’d head into their den and tear open the bag of shredding, then spread it all over the room. It was cute, watching him “go to town” in the pile of shredded paper—yet quite inconvenient to clean up. Fortunately, there was no permanent damage to anything but the black garbage bags.

We are living in scary times. I’m often realizing that I’m thinking SPOOKY thoughts; I’m imagining conversations that are not real, like transparent ghosts, because I’m fretting over foolish, ungodly, or ignorant attitudes of people I know.

And I imagine discussing with them why these attitudes are wrong.

But what does the Bible say?

“Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”—King David, Psalm 37:8

What I’m engaging in are imaginary thoughts with imaginary people. Just like Buddy playing in the pile of shredded paper, I’m prancing around in shredded thinking. My imaginings are NOT changing anybody’s minds or attitudes, because my conversations are not real. I’m engaged in wishful thinking of what I might have the courage to say and speculating about what the other person might say.

I’m fretting.

And the Bible proclaims that it “only leads to evildoing.”

Firstly, I’m disrupting my thinking which could be focused, instead, on praying or whatever task is at hand. I’m wasting valuable mental energy that could be better engaged elsewhere.

I’m also damaging my body, causing stress reactions in my brain and, particularly, my shoulders and back which begin to clench up, creating soreness.

Secondly, I’m not only sinning against myself, but others.

I’m unintentionally thinking haughtily toward others. I know they’re deceived by the media and our culture. They’re not bad people. But I can treat them arrogantly if I don’t guard my attitudes.

Also, the wrong thinking can create the “simmering teapot” effect, where I can become impatient with others, and perhaps even explode in anger, because my internal pressure is already near the boiling point. Just one or two more degrees of aggravation and off blows the whistle.

So, if you’re struggling like me with spooky thinking, please read Psalm 37. Because David reassures us that evil does not last forever, nor evildoers. At least, not in their earthly existence.

I have to remind myself about Palm 37:8 and that, no matter what happens in this world, God’s got this. Nothing that’s occurring has caught Him by surprise.

“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”—King David, Psalm 103:19

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Do you want to have confidence that God is with you?

Yes, we cannot see God. The Father is spirit and His Son Jesus, Who came in the flesh (Matthew 1:23) over 2,000 years ago is at the Father’s right hand (Mark 16:19) till it’s time for His return.

But we can see the effect of His presence. Like the wind, we cannot see the Holy Spirit of God Himself, but we witness His impact on our lives and this world.

Jesus changed my life for the better, and I want that same blessing for you.

If you’ve read this far, I believe that the Lord is calling to you. Please accept His invitation to enter His kingdom and into a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ.

You don’t have to “clean up your act” firstly. God knows you cannot meet His perfect standards. Jesus came to earth to take the punishment all our sins deserve. As the only perfect God in human form (John 10:30), He didn’t have to be punished for sin as He had known. So He was qualified to take it for us.

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 8:1

Are you ready to accept Jesus as Lord, Who has the authority to define right and wrong, and as your savior from punishment for your sin?

If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive my sin. Jesus died for me so that I can be forgiven forever and have eternal life. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Because Jesus was resurrected bodily from the dead, I am able to receive Your resurrection life. I give my life to You. Please help me understand how much You love me. In the marvelous name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul; the Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand, and reading forward.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by bad teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well. Sadly, I’m speaking from experience.

God bless you as you begin your journey in life with Jesus as your companion.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Are You Unprepared? Proverbs 21:31

Buddy wasn’t happy with me when I returned home today after being away for several hours. He let me know how he felt about it. He almost looks like he’s ready to do battle when I took the photo above.

Speaking of battles, one of my favorite verses from the Biblical book of Proverbs has been on my mind this week:

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.”—Proverbs 21:31

After Moses died, the Lord appointed Joshua to lead the nation Israel across the Jordan River to claim the Promised Land for their territory. Joshua sent the priests carrying the Ark of The Lord ahead of the people before they crossed.

Later, God promised to fight on behalf of the people of Judah after “a great multitude (2 Chronicles 20:2)” of the enemies of the nation gathered together to attack them. Victory seemed impossible.

But Jehoshaphat loved and trusted the Lord. After requesting that the people of Judah fast, the king prayed sincerely from his heart, declaring their dependence upon the Lord to save them as the nation gathered before him. Then he took the following action:

“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

“‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’

“Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

I think one reason Western Christian Civilization is in danger is because most Christians don’t realize that we’re in a spiritual battle, so they don’t bother to “prepare for battle.”

It’s my belief, and I cannot prove this, is that the lockdowns stopped corporate worship. And too many people have not returned to church once the lockdowns ended. The above two passages from the Bible demonstrate the importance of depending upon the Lord to defeat the enemies of our faith and of the necessity of praise and worship.

Thankfulness expressed to God for our blessings and declaring His magnificence, creativity, power and love, I believe are a vital part of winning spiritual battles.

Satan absolutely hates hearing The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—praised because He loathes God. He knows his judgment is inescapable, so he’s doing as much harm as he can to those God loves: the human race, made in His image (Genesis 1:27).

We complain about people’s behavior and the seeming onslaught of wickedness in our modern culture, but they are not our true enemies: the powers influencing them are:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”Apostle Paul, Ephesians 6:12

To summarize:

Remember that you ARE engaged in a battle. Ignoring this fact will just make you a casualty.

Prepare your “horse” for battle.

Praise, worship and honor God Who indwells you and fights on your behalf. This also gives you confidence as you remind yourself how powerful that Big Guy on your side is.

And remember that your true enemy is not the hapless people in bondage to Satan; instead, have pity on them and ask God to save their souls.

Pray, requesting God’s counsel and guidance, then step forward in faith, crossing whatever Jordan River our Mighty God has asked you to cross.

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. I hope you’ll memorize Proverbs 21:31 as it’ll remind you that victory comes from God. I cannot tell, or promise, what shape that victory will take.

***

You cannot defeat the forces of darkness in your own strength. But Jesus defeated Satan and the powers of darkness when He died for our sins and then was resurrected bodily on the third day.

“Having disarmed principalities and powers… (Colossians 2:15).”

So that He “might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Hebrews 2:15).”

People who don’t believe in an afterlife just grab all the gusto they can to build their castles and kingdoms in this life. It’s tough being in the rat race, because not all the rats can win.

But knowing Jesus can free you from having to grasp for every little tidbit of cheese you can scramble together. He promises eternal life in His kingdom to those who accept Him as their Lord—meaning acknowledging He’s God and your boss.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”—Jesus, Matthew 11:28

The “rest” Jesus promises is for your soul. You can relax and find spiritual peace in His kingdom.

Are you ready to stop grasping for all the gusto, wearing yourself to a frazzle? Would you like God to start leading your life?

If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of the battle, of trying to live life without Your help. I need rest in my soul. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please grant me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And please show me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. God has given you spiritual life. Please begin to read the Bible daily, as it’s your soul food. Just as your physical body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew and reading forward, as it’s easy to understand. And try to remember to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding, as it’s a supernatural book.

And start attending either a Bible based church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest the following two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Prince of Peace? Isaiah 9:6-7

Who says that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?

Wrong!

I adopted Buddy over twelve years ago and he’s been a fairly quiet dog—till recently. He learned that when he barked at my dad, my dad would give him a treat.

Now he barks at me till I give in to his demands. There is no peace in the household till Buddy gets his way!

My dad, unintentionally, created a little monster!

(My dad is starting to squirt Buddy with water from a spray bottle if he becomes too insistent. It usually works.)

During the eighth century BC, the Jewish prophet Isaiah made this prediction about the coming Messiah, whom we now know is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Isaiah 9:6-7:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,…”

Yet, the Christian group, Casting Crowns, so beautifully sings “I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day,” with the famous line: “There is no peace on earth, they say…” https://youtu.be/M7670CXvPX0

In fact, Jesus told His followers in Matthew 10:34-36:

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be members of his household.”

In fact, Isaiah said that “There would be no end to the increase of…His peace.” Yet Jesus was crucified almost two thousand years ago and there has been no increase of peace throughout the past two millennia on the earth. In fact, over 100 million people were killed in during the world wars and by Communists during the 20th century—the low end figure. And 70 million Christians have been killed for their faith since Christ walked on the earth. For example, the Ottoman Turks murdered over 1.6 million Christians in Armenia and Turkey in the 1820s. (Source: https://www.goodnewsfl.org/christian-persecution-21st-century/)

So we’re not experiencing the world peace Isaiah seemed to prophecy that the Messiah would usher in.

So what the heck kind of peace was being referred to by the prophet?

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”—John 14:27

A few comments regarding this promised peace:

1. Firstly, Jesus gives it. It’s a gift. You cannot earn it.

2. It’s a peace different from the kind that the world gives.

3. If you receive this peace from Jesus, you will not feel fear or anxiety.

Sounds great, right? What is this peace that only Jesus can give to you?

Three things:

1. Peace with God. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…”—Apostle Paul, Romans 5:1

God hates sin and must punish it; the whole world is under His wrath. “Jesus, Who rescues us from the wrath to come.”—Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Because Jesus died for the sins of all humanity, “once for all” Hebrews 9:12), we are no longer enemies of God and are at peace with Him—if we “confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; (Romans 10:9)”

But please note: This peace with God comes only through Jesus.

2. Peace within your heart.

After I became born again, the Holy Spirit has been revealing to me how much unnecessary conflict and anger there is in my mind and heart. I’ve learned to forgive and become free of bitterness and resentment (Romans 5:5); freed from jealousy and envy, because God promises to meet all my needs and cares for me, even to the point of knowing how many hairs I have on my head at any given moment (Matthew 6:25-34); freed of worrying about what people think of me or may do to me. (OK, that last one the Lord and I are still working on.)

Isaiah prophesied that our Lord is a “Wonderful Counselor.” But too few seek the wisdom in the Bible or the help of the Holy Spirit, through prayer and submission; but seek worldly wisdom, then wonder why they are in endless therapy. (I’m not referring to emotional issues caused by physical problems or chemical imbalances, although I think too few don’t look at how their diets or potential allergies may be causing mental problems.)

3. Peace through hope in the future.

Jesus said: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33

The peace we can have as Christians is that, no matter what life throws at us, we know Jesus is walking alongside us and leading us as our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23, Psalm 139, John 10:14-18). He gave His life to buy us eternal life in heaven with Him:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”—Jesus, John 11:25-26

Because Jesus died for our sins and then was resurrected from the dead, proving that His blameless life was sufficient payment for our sins, and that He was (and is) “God in the flesh” (Matthew 1:23), we can be assured of having eternal life—if we’re born again through faith in Jesus Christ.

So the peace Isaiah foretold was: Peace with God, peace within our souls, and peace despite suffering because we’re destined for paradise in heaven.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,…”—Apostle Peter, 1 Peter 1:3-5

God bless you this Christmas Season.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

PS. Buddy fussed continuously throughout my composing this blog tonight. First I stopped to take him for a walkie. Then he fussed for attention. What a little monster! And he’s still fussing at these very moment!

***

Jesus stated that peace with God comes only through Him. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”—John 14:6

Now, you cannot judge by the lives of other Christians if that peace is truly available. You don’t know where a person started from in their walk with God and how much progress they have made. Or what is in their heart. As long as we walk this earth, we’ll all struggle with our own personal sins and flaws.

But the question is: Are you ready to begin that journey right now? And be reassured of a future in Heaven? For Jesus told the thief dying on the cross next to Him, that because of his confession of his sin and faith, he would join Jesus in paradise that very day after his death (Luke 23:39-43).

If you’re ready to experience the peace that Jesus gives, instead of the uncertain peace of a broken world, please repeat the following prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Father, I’m tired of the false peace this changeable world promises and want the peace in my life that only Jesus can give. Please forgive all my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. I ask the Great Shepherd to fill my heart with the peace He freely gives. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul; the Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Luke as it details the Christmas story.

And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.AndrewFarley.org and http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way). There are other godly ministries out there, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you. Thanks for reading my blog post. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day. Enjoy the journey you’ve begun as a new believer in Christ.

Where Do You Find Peace? John 14:27

Somehow Buddy senses whether I’m leaving for a long or a short time. If it’s a short trip, he thinks I’m obligated to take him along. He gets angry when I don’t.

He starts barking as soon as he spots me returning across the courtyard. Then he gives me a good chewing out once I enter our home. Oddly, he doesn’t bark otherwise.

When I’m with him, Buddy feels safe and at peace. He’s distressed when I’m not around.

When you become born again, the Holy Spirit comes and takes residence within your spirit. You are made alive, because your heart is circumcised and made new by the indwelling power of God’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 2:29, Ezekiel 36:26-27).

As a result, the Lord promises “‘I will never desert you, nor will I forsake you’, so that “we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what will man do to me?’Hebrews 13:5-6)”

God also promises that anyplace we go, He has us in His grasp: “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5).”

The dictionary defines “forsake” as “to abandon in time of need.”

I cannot promise never to leave nor forsake Buddy. I’m human, so it’s not always possible to be with him nor foresee all potential dangers. And there’s also the possibility that I could die suddenly and he’d come into my family’s care.

People who do not know Jesus don’t have the guarantee of His help or presence in time of need. Therefore, it’s not possible for their hearts and minds to remain at peace. Jesus says that peace s a GIFT that He gives to His followers:

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27).”

People of the world find all sorts of ways to seek peace and freedom from anxiety: pharmaceuticals, drugs, alcohol, parties and sex, camping, vacations, reading, political activism, binging TV programs—and many other ways to forget their anxiety. The world is unsteady. Evil never rests so needless wars, corruption and economies erupt, with unanticipated gusts of rest. But all attempts to escape the anxiety of an uncertain world and future are only temporary fixes.

As Jesus said, His peace is not like the world’s. Because He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, He is always involved in our lives and aware of our circumstances. He loves each child of His and has each one in His embrace.

God promises a peace that is not based on circumstances:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea (Psalm 46:1-2).”

A Christian’s peace comes from keeping our focus on the Lord. Anytime I or you turn our attention to what’s going on in the world, we become anxious because it’s really out of our control. We can do the best with what’s in our control—eat healthy, work hard, be kind—but even then, eating healthy becomes meaningless when a car accident takes our life, or a layoff in an economic downturn renders our efforts moot, and being kind can be misinterpreted or not appreciated by the recipient.

We know that this world and its evil and problems are temporary, a mere vapor of time (James 4:14). Each Christian is destined for heaven, an eternity of joy. Even Jesus kept His focus on the future, on the innumerable people who would benefit from His sacrificial death for our sins:

“Who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).”

So, my dear friends, when you feel anxious, remember:

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).”

Because only God does not change, for He alone is a firm foundation, a solid rock to stand upon (Psalm 62:5). Our future is secure only in His hands. Cry out to Jesus when you’re anxious and worry, and find your rest in Him.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)” is an invitation that Jesus offers to everyone who is willing to accept Him as their Lord and God.

Jesus gives His rest from trying to prove you’re good enough to earn His love and freely GIVES His love to those willing to admit they can never be good enough to earn His love. Salvation is a gift earned for us by Jesus: He lived a perfect life so that He could suffer the punishment our sins deserved. If He had sinned, He could never have died for our sins, having to die for His own.

Thank goodness Jesus was the perfect God-Man (Matthew 1:23), so He met the standard FOR US to enter Heaven.

But God wants us to love Him freely, without force.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).”

Are you willing to open that door and permit Jesus to be your God, to advise what’s right and wrong, how your life should be lived?

His ways are the best ways!

If you’re willing, please pray:

Heavenly Father, I want the rest from worry and anxiety that You give, the peace Jesus gives that’s not dependent upon the circumstances of life. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please help me enter your rest. In the name of Your holy son, Jesus, amen.

If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are born again. Please start reading the Bible. Just as your body needs daily food to be healthy, your soul needs the daily nourishment of soul food—the Bible. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please find a Bible-based church and get baptized. Ask the Lord to guide you to the right church for you. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries, which are my favorites: http://www.InTouch.org, http://www.LTW.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. All three also have apps, if that’s your preference. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled when you’re a new believer till you know the Bible well enough to know if someone is teaching you correctly.

Good bless you. May Buddy and I see you in heaven.

Peace With Your Enemies, Proverbs 16:7

Unhappy pal

For some reason, Buddy thinks it’s ok for him to sneak off by himself and have a snooze. But I’m not permitted to leave our home for even an hour. He raises a ruckus, barking and chewing me out for being away when I return. Even an hour’s absence is not permitted.

There is no peace till Buddy is satisfied that he’s made his point clear.

Every Christian I’ve met will say that they can read a particular passage of Scripture multiple times without thinking much about it and then, suddenly, those verses will pop out as if highlighted in bold or reveal new meaning. This happened to me this week as I read Proverbs 16:7:

“When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Since many nonbelievers are unashamedly hostile toward Christians without direct provocation nowadays, I wasn’t quite sure how this proverb could be true. But the Holy Spirit must’ve granted me insight as I read the following three verses in the same chapter.

Verse 21: “…Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.”

Verse 23: “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.”

And verse 24: “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

When nonbelievers rebuke, mock or ridicule Christians, we can choose to respond defensively, rudely—or God’s way. It suddenly occurred to me that God “makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” means that, when we choose to respond kindly or gently, we’re responding God’s way. And reacting God’s way will prevent unnecessary conflict.

A few examples may help illustrate.

I sat in the lunchroom at work many years ago reading my Bible. A coworker walked in, noticed what I was doing and sneered, “I thought you’d have that memorized my now.” Instead of getting angry, I smiled and calmly said, “Not yet. But I’m working on it.”

If I’d responded defensively, I may have damaged my relationship with him. Instead, he laughed. And we remained on good terms.

Another time, the Holy Spirit clearly took over when a woman, whom I thought was a friend, started shrieking at me and calling me horrendous names because I didn’t vote for the candidate she chose to support. I calmly responded that I still loved her but had reasons for my decision. I have no doubt that God assisted by taking over my emotions, preventing a bad situation from spiraling into something truly nasty.

Now, I’m not claiming that I never lose control and speak defensively. My family, who know which buttons to push, can easily claim I don’t always respond calmly. But the more I understand how Jesus loves me, the more I comprehend what loving behavior is and what behavior to model. I’m far from perfect, but the Holy Spirit is keeping His promise to sanctify me (Philippians 1:6, 1 Peter 5:10,

A Christian on Twitter lamented that a coworker mocked him as “Holy man” or something close to that. He asked his followers if he should rebuke or ignore his taunter. I suggested that he “be gentle instead”. I hope he took my advice. Because, ultimately, we never accomplish anything positive by speaking rashly and inconsiderately.

Apostles Paul, James (the half-brother of Jesus), and Peter all admonished:

Be “kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead (1 Peter 3:9).”

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

As you know, our words are vitally important. The Apostle Paul states in Romans 10:8-9:

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus Christ as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

To confess “Jesus as Lord” is to admit that Jesus is God (Matthew 1:23), Who came in the flesh to die for your sins. That you can never be good enough to earn your way into heaven. The devil and the demons believe in God, but don’t accept Him as their Lord, ie. their boss.

If you’re ready to accept Jesus as your great Shepherd, please repeat the following prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive my sin. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Teach me how to live a life loving You and others. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations. For God promises to save those Who call on Him (Acts 2:21) and send the Holy Spirit to indwell the believer (Luke 11:13).

Please start reading the Bible, which is your soul’s food. Your soul needs daily feeding, just as your body does. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please join a Bible-believing church or study group. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other great ministries, but as a new believer, you can get led astray by bad teaching till you know what the Bible teaches.

God bless you. May Buddy and I see you in heaven.

Jesus Came To Do More Than Die For Our Sins, Part 4, Psalm 34:4

Thank you for following this short series on what Jesus came to do for us besides dying for our sins. This is the fourth of the planned posts. Certainly others writers could come up with more, but I’ll leave my final thoughts with tonight’s post.

In the prior three posts, I discussed that Jesus came to: give us abundant life, defeat the power of Satan and to bring us peace with God.

But Jesus also bought with His blood sacrifice at the Cross something very special and precious for us: hope.

Buddy turned 14 last August 21st. I don’t know his actual birthday date but I think his adoption day is close as he’s probably a summer puppy. I rejoice that I’ve enjoyed eleven years with my furry pal, but also am aware that my future with him on planet earth grows shorter with each birthday. Fortunately, although he sleeps more than he used to, he still displays a lot of pep and spunk for an older dog, and I expect him to be with me at least another two to three years.

My future separation from Buddy will be temporary as I have hope in God that we’ll be reunited again in heaven—unless we’re raptured together. Jesus said we cannot predict the exact date (Matthew 24:36).

Because Jesus died for our sins, so that we don’t have to, born again Christians have the great hope of being reunited with beloved friends and family for eternity. Death is a temporary situation. We may grieve at the loss of a loved one, but not as unbelievers:

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you do not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”—Apostle Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

I tell my Christian friends that we’re “eternal friends.” I wonder if it makes them shudder at times!

Secondly, because we have peace with God through our faith in Jesus (Romans 5:1) and are united with Christ in our spirit, we also have the assurance that ALL of our prayers are heard by the Father. What greater hope is there, in times of need or sorrow, that our omnipotent God hears our cries for help?

Before Jesus called Lazarus forth out of the grave (John 11:43), He prayed publicly to the Father, making a very important proclamation:

“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me (John 11:41-42).”

Jesus could’ve prayed: “Father, please resurrect Lazarus from the dead when I call Him forth.” But He didn’t. He had something He wanted everyone to know.

I believe that Jesus wanted His followers to know, that if they believed in Him, then their prayers will be answered. Because the Father ALWAYS hears His prayers, so our are ALWAYS heard and answered. Often, maybe not the way we think or hope. After all, Lazarus’ sister Mary thought that her brother would be resurrected “on the last day (vs. 24)” at Christ’s Second Coming, not that same day.

Often Jesus would refresh Himself by leaving his disciples to pray alone in private. But before He was arrested, He prayed the following as the Apostles listened in. He had something very important He wanted them to know—and all future believers—before He was crucified. The following excerpt, John 17:20-23, is part of what has been coined the “High Priestly Prayer”:

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone (the Apostles), but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be IN US, that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Christian born again believers are united supernaturally with the Godhead and with fellow believers as one body throughout the world and the ages. This is one of the great mysteries of Christianity: being united together in one fellowship as the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).

Yes, we can delay the answer to our prayers by “quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19)” through willful disobedience or other reasons, but God hears us because He hears Christ.

For brevity, I will not list every benefit of prayer in this particular post. But will leave with this final summary of the blessing of hoping in God:

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me.”—King David of ancient Israel, Psalm 34:4

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

God is always aware of everything and everyone in His created universe (Psalm 103:19). He knows “every careless word that people speak (Matthew 12:36).” And, also, He “works things after the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11),” so He is working in the lives of all people.

But He only promises to answer the prayers of His children who are united in faith with Him and His Son through the Holy Spirit. I’m not a theologian, so this may not be the precise way to state this mysterious union with God that Christians have. But only born again Christians are part of the body of Christ.

Do you want eternal life? The assurance that God will answer your prayers—on His timing, His will, His way?

Please note the emphasis on God’s will, timing and way. You see, Adam and Eve rejected God’s authority, wanting to define right and wrong for themselves. When you give your life to Christ, you’re submitting your will to His will. Most people don’t want to humble themselves to do that.

(I want you to really understand what you’re doing if you take the following action.)

If you’re ready to stop being your own false god and to declare belief that Jesus is God, Who came in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), to die for your sins and was resurrected bodily to give you life, please pray the following:

Dear Heavenly Father, There is so much that I don’t understand right now. But I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive all my sins. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are now born again and part of the everlasting body of Christ (Who is the head—Ephesians 5:22). Please start reading the Bible daily, as it is your soul food. Also, attend a Bible-believing church or Bible study so that you can grow and be strengthened in your faith. If that’s not possible right now, the following are three (but not the only) great ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.InTouch.org, http://www.LTW.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).

God bless you.

Jesus Came To Do More Than Die For Our Sins, Part 3, Matthew 10:34

One of the joys of having a furever friend is that dogs are so congenial. I was so proud of Buddy when he recently accompanied me to an outdoor restaurant. He permitted a young girl to pet him several times then give him a goodbye kiss on top of his head. He is truly a sweet and gentle pal. I’m so thankful that God placed Buddy into my life.

Jesus came as a gentle lamb in His incarnation as a baby born in Bethlehem, the city of his royal ancestor, King David, son of Jesse. The prophet Isaiah announced Jesus’ birth over 600 years earlier in the well known Messianic passage, Isaiah 9:6:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus came not only to die for our sins, but as explained in the prior two blog posts, to give His followers “abundant life (John 10:10)” through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and “to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).”

As our Prince of Peace, Jesus also came so that, having our sins forgiven, we could “have peace with God (Romans 5:1)”. But Jesus made it clear that did not mean we would have peace on earth, because He declared in Matthew 10:34: “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Although Jesus defeated the world, sin and death for us by His perfect life, death and resurrection from the grave, believers should expect trials and tribulation for their Christian faith. Jesus further explained in verse 35:

“For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.”

Per the Vatican news (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-01/report-open-doors-christians-persecuted.html) and other sites on the internet, an average of 13 Christians a day were murdered worldwide in 2021, just for their belief in Jesus.

But it is nothing new for nonbelievers to shed the blood of the righteous. King David complained over 3000 years ago about the ungodly’s murderous behavior:

“His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. He sits in the lurking places of villages; in the hiding places he kills the innocent…He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.’ (Psalm 10:7-8, 11).”

Jesus did not leave His followers without hope. “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)”

One organization that helps the worldwide church is The Voice Of The Martyrs (https://www.persecution.com/). They print a yearly calendar that suggests daily prayers for persecuted believers. Prayer, requesting the release of God’s power, is our greatest weapon against the demonic forces motivating people to harm believers.

If you suffer for being a Christian, whether it’s mockery or shunning, maybe even physical harm, please remember that Jesus promises a “great reward (Hebrews 10:35)” in heaven if you persevere (Matthew 5:11). Our lives may be tough now, but like a fairy tale, after battling the bad guys, there is a wonderful blessing awaiting a believer at the end of their life story.

God bless you this Advent Season as we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Jesus never promised His followers an easy life. But He promised an eternal reward of great joy, wiping away every tear (Revelation 21:4). But the truth is, the way to heaven is “a narrow gate” and the “gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:11).” Many people will tell you that there are many ways to heaven, that the gate is wide that leads to eternal happiness, but Jesus claimed that the truth is, He is the only gate to heaven and eternal happiness (John 14:6, 4:22).

You can choose to believe or not. But if you want to believe but are struggling, ask Jesus to help you. Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) and He wants to give it because He loves you.

If you’re ready to give your life to God and accept Jesus as your Lord, ie. has the right to rule your life, please repeat the following prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive my sins. I want to step off the broad path of self destruction and step onto the narrow path that leads to eternal life with You. Forgive my sins. I give my life to You. I don’t understand much right now, but I trust You to teach me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank you for loving me. In the name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you’re born again. Like your body needs daily food to be strong and healthy, you need soul food to grow spiritually strong and healthy—the Word of God. Please find a Bible-based church or Bible study to attend. If that’s not possible right now, these are my three favorite ministries: http://www.BasicGospel.net, http://www.LTW.org and http://www.InTouch.org. There are others but these will build a sound foundation in your life till you become more discerning.

And, also, it’s important to obey God and get baptized, publicly declaring your faith. Church views differ on baptism, but all agree, to my knowledge, it’s an important step of obedience.

God bless you. Stay the course. It’s worth it in the end.