Buddy’s the sweetest little guy. Even though injured recently through negligence at a grooming shop, he still trusts in my protection and willingness to bless him.
I think there’s a lot of confusion in the Church about Christians who sin.
There’s some who seem to believe it’s a sign that a person is not really saved if they struggle with sin.
But the difference between a Christian and non-Christian is that a believer is “a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).”
A person who is not born again does not have the Spirit of God convicting them when they willfully disobey God. This is why we’re baffled when someone engages in what seems blatantly wicked behavior without any remorse.
A Christian will be tormented and convicted by the Holy Spirit until he or she repents. God hates sin and our Great Shepherd is going to chase down a wandering sheep and return His child back to the sheepfold.
It’s why the Apostle John can confidently state in 1 John 5:18:
“We know that everyone who is born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who is born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (BSB)
Please note: The Apostle John recognizes that we’re human and sin, but will notcontinue to sin.
A friend’s daughter was living with a man. I asked my friend if the daughter was born again. Since she confirmed that the daughter was indwelt by the Spirit, we prayed the Holy Spirit would make her miserable till she repented.
She did repent within a few months and soon after met and eventually married a godly Christian man who was a better role model for her children.
But God couldn’t bring the right man into her life till she was willing to repent of her disobedience.
So please don’t assume that someone sinning isn’t a believer. Everyone is at a different stage in their Christian walk. Even the Apostle James stated that “We all stumble in different ways (James 3:2).” Every believer has wrong thinking that needs changing and it’s usually a lifetime process.
And not all sin is obvious. We all have sins of attitudes and thinking that aren’t loving.
Pray for the repentance of a believer with confidence. The Holy Spirit will answer that prayer and work within them.
Buddy is 16.5 years old and his eyesight has weakened, so his depth perception is off. He cannot climb down a staircase without risk of a misstep and tumbling down the stairs. He’s fine with me carrying him down the exterior stairs which must be scary looking to him, being pebbles set into concrete.
But he sure gets quite upset when I pick him up to carry him down the interior stairs. The photo above shows how it must look to him. But unless he permits me to carry him, Buddy is not guaranteed a safe journey to the lower floor.
After the arrest, merciless beating, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus Christ, his apostles were terrified of the future. The man they thought would establish God’s kingdom on earth and rescue them from oppression under the Roman Empire seemed utterly powerless to protect Himself from death.
They went into hiding, fearing the same, brutal death.
The future looked terrifying!
Maybe they wondered if they were wrong to believe He was the Christ. He died just like anybody else. Those who hated Him “without a cause (John 15:25)” had won!
“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’”—John 20:19
Although Jesus had told the disciples on multiple occasions that He had to suffer but would rise again, they either didn’t believe or understand what He was really saying.
Even after His resurrection, the apostles still didn’t get that Jesus was establishing a heavenly kingdom, not an earthly one (per my Pastor Jon Bjorgaard this AM, thank you).
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’”—Acts 1:6
Just as Buddy gets scared and doesn’t trust me to carry him safely down the interior staircase, so, too, we often get terrified at what lies before us. The unknown future looks frightening! We don’t realize that Jesus has total control, not only over our lives, but over history and the universe!
“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”—Psalm 103:19
The apostles were afraid of the future because they didn’t understand God’s plan.
Just as you and I can be fearful when we look around at our deteriorating culture and the evil in our world.
But even though we don’t always understand how His plan is unfolding, we don’t need to be afraid.
Just as I won’t let go of Buddy and will get him safely down the staircase…
…God will carry you safely through the unknown future into Heaven.
He’s got this!
God bless you.
“You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.”—Psalm 139:5
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
PS. I’m human just like you. I get scared as I see prophetic events unfolding, so I recall the psalms above to calm myself, remembering God’s power.
When Buddy ran off last year, he was too quick to capture. I couldn’t run fast enough. Fortunately, he stopped to sniff a bush and I was able to convince him to jump into the car for a ride.
The Lord Jesus told His disciple, Peter, during the Last Supper before His arrest that:
“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail;…”—Luke 22:31-32
If Jesus prayed that Peter would not lose his faith after falling away for a brief time, do you think He isn’t willing to do the same for you?
Indeed, there are two clear promises regarding the faith of God’s children.
For Jesus is:
“the author and finisher of our faith.”—Hebrews 12:2
And:
“He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 1:6
Rest assured that the Good Shepherd doesn’t bring sheep into His pasture and then allow them to wander away.
He’s going to continue His sanctifying work within His children till the Return of Christ, His Second Coming.
On Thanksgiving Day 2022 a black labradoodle escaped out of a neighbor’s home at my parents’ development and insisted on attacking and killing Buddy. Fortunately, neighbors ran out to assist. After our escape, I rushed Buddy over to the veterinarian across the street in Mesa the next day to patch his wounds.
The veterinarian’s staff said they wouldn’t help Buddy without an appointment and none were available that day, so I drove back to his usual doctor in Scottsdale who happily made accommodations to treat him without much notice.
So when, a few months later, Buddy injured his shoulder by ramming into a table doing zoomies at my parents’ home, I took him to the ER vet further away instead of the much closer office across the street.
The ER vet not only recommended arthritis chews, besides pain meds, but also a medication called Azodyl for Bud’s ailing kidneys.
Buddy had his annual physical last week at his usual doctor in Scottsdale, which included a blood test.
The test showed that Buddy’s kidneys stabilized and stopped deteriorating.
I don’t know why Bud’s usual vet didn’t recommend the Azodyl, because he was the one who told me about the prior concerning kidney test results during his 2023 annual physical. But those pills will likely extend his life for several more years.
The timeline:
Dog attack.
Vet across the street refused to treat Buddy.
Buddy taken to the ER vet when he injured his shoulder because the closest Mesa vet “sucks rocks.”
ER vet recommends kidney pills.
Annual visit with regular doctor shows pills worked.
Ironically, the dog attack led to Buddy getting put onto lifesaving medicine that is extending his life.
Truly, “all things work together for good to those who love God.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 8:28
Thank you, Lord, for taking care of my furever pal.
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.
Buddy and I moved to Arizona four years ago, yet we still support Seattle’s baseball team, the Mariners.
This season Arizona’s team, The Diamondbacks, is currently pkaying in the World Series. My beloved Mariners are the only professional baseball team that’s never made it to the World Series.
But I plan to remain faithful to the team my family attended the first ever game for.
(I do ask myself: Will I live long enough to see them play in baseball’s premiere event? Sorry Mariners!)
Life is tough. But please don’t run away from the Lord. The predator always hunts down the animal that strays from the pack, as it’s the most vulnerable.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”—Jesus, John 10:10
Please stay with Jesus, Who gives abundant life through the power of the Holy Spirit working within you.
If you’ve been reading my blog for some time, you know that Buddy ran off one fireworks streaked, July evening. I exhausted myself looking for him—to no avail. I took a nap for a few hours then drove around as the morning dawn spread into the early morning sunshine. I had no idea how many bunny rabbits hopped around my neighborhood till that morning. Fortunately, my cousin, whom I had just met at an 80th birthday party for her great uncle and aunt (same birthday) put me in contact with a neighborhood rescue that knew where Buddy was.
I honestly believe that Jesus introduced me to my cousin because He knew she’d be instrumental in helping me find my beloved Buddy one day.
Plus, I’m certain God protected Buddy that night he ran off. When I was running around on foot searching for Bud, I saw a van slam to a stop a block away. The driver of the truck behind the van angrily honked his horn because of the sudden stop. I’m certain the woman driving the van was avoiding hitting Buddy as that was the neighborhood where someone had taken Buddy in.
(Wish his rescuers had heard me calling for Buddy at the top of my strained voice, but at least Bud was safe, due to this kind couple.)
I wore myself out searching for Buddy because he is my pal, my furever friend.
Other neighbors helped search initially, but since Buddy wasn’t their family member, they didn’t persevere as long as I did.
Christians who claim that you can lose your salvation tend to camp on about three verses, while ignoring dozens of others that teach or indicate that the opposite is true.
For example, Jesus is recorded as saying, by His disciple Matthew, the former tax collector:
“‘Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven will enter…I will declare to them, “I NEVER knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”’”—Matthew 7:21, 23
The emphasis on “NEVER” is mine to clarify the point I’m making: Jesus claimed He NEVER knew the person protesting that they should be permitted entrance into heaven.
He didn’t say, “You used to be one of my sheep, but you chose to leave the fold.”
No, Jesus said that the person was NEVER one of His flock.
What did Jesus teach about the shepherd who had a sheep who went astray? The shepherd had 100 sheep but one wandered away from the safety of the flock and the shepherd’s watchful care. The shepherd left the other 99 sheep and went in search of the one that strayed away until he found it (Matthew 18:12-13).
So, too, Jesus doesn’t turn His back on the lamb of His flock who foolishly wanders away because of listening to the world, the flesh or the enemy (Mathew 26:41, 1 John 2:16).
The Apostle Paul chastised the Galatians for going astray from the purity of the Gospel and rebuked the Corinthians for their sinful behavior, but he still considered them God’s people.
Because “Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2)” initiates our faith and brings it to completion. He knows that the world, our flesh, and the devil are always working to discourage, defeat, and lead astray His people. It’s the power of the Holy Spirit Who convicts us when we go astray and leads us back into the security of His flock and obedience.
As the Apostle Paul confidently declared in Philippians 1:6:
“I am confident of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
WILL perfect the faith He initiates in the lambs of His flock.
Hope this reassures you.
Jesus always has His children enclosed in His arms, leading them safely home (Psalm 139:5, Psalm 23:3).
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Would you like to be a member of Jesus’ flock? You don’t have to “clean up your act” first. He only wants you to ask Him to be your God and Great Shepherd, then He’ll take responsibility for guiding you into attitudes and behaviors that are healthier and life sustaining.
You just gotta be humble enough to admit you’re a sinner requiring His moral guidance and authority in your life—the opposite of what Adam and Eve did.
If you’re ready, please repeat the below, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and want to change my life’s direction. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And reveal to me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the Mighty name of Your Son Jesus, 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 daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding as it’s a supernatural book.
And please join a Bible believing church or Bible study, as sheep belong in a flock for protection. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend the following two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by legalism or false teaching until you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you as you start walking a new path in your life. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
Buddy and I love the Pacific Ocean beach. After walking along the marvelous boardwalk at Longbeach, Washington, Buddy and I found rest, lying in the cool sand amongst the beachgrass, allowing the salty breeze to flow over us.
We live in frightening times. The West is increasingly self-destructing, the citizenry no longer appreciative of their Christian heritage: individual rights, property rights, animal rights, archeological preservation, women’s rights, the abolition of slavery, conservation; and marvelous cathedrals, symphonies, and paintings, etc. Led by ungodly intellectuals and other elites, who don’t acknowledge that their talent and intelligence are gifts from the Almighty Creator, the accomplishments of Western Civilization are increasingly disdained, ignored or denigrated.
People who reject Jesus usually believe that people are basically good, yet reject the positive attributes of Western Society and focus only on the negative.
Basically, many elites believe Western Culture should be dismantled, burned to the ground, in favor of erecting a new society…
Made in their own image, divorced from the West’s Christian roots.
If you’ve read this far, you likely identify with the king of the ancient, united kingdom of Israel, King David, who prayed the following to the Lord:
“Give heed to me and answer me…Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked;…My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
“Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me.”—Psalm 55:2-5
Over three thousand years ago King David also felt overwhelmed by the evil of his day. Which goes to demonstrate that technology may change and customs, but not human nature.
I often feel exactly as David did in response to the wicked times he lived in:
“I said, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
“‘Behold, I would wander far away, I would lodge in the wilderness.
“‘I would hasten to my place of refuge from the stormy wind and tempest.’”—Psalm 55:6-8
I don’t know about you, but I often wish I could run away with Buddy to some quiet cabin in the wilderness, nestled amongst pine and fir trees, far away from evil people. Buddy could race after squirrels and I could sit on a checkered blanket, eating a tuna fish sandwich while listening to, and watching, a burbling brook meander by.
But then I’m reminded of several things:
One: I often fight evil within myself. I’ve had to pray many times not to hate the people trying to destroy my country, my faith, and my family. Not to despise those who are increasingly pushing our nation toward tyranny and denying the existence of their Creator.
I can flee to the wilderness, but am still bringing evil with me. There’s days some people would love to flee from me, too!
Two: “Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”—Jesus, Matthew 6:9-10
We all have an advantage that King David didn’t have: the prophecies in the Book of Daniel, in the Book of Revelation, and other Biblical prophecies after his time.
I have to remind myself that God has a plan to bring human history to a close. Jesus is coming (possibly in our lifetimes) to claim this world, purchased with His blood, as His own and end the reign of evil.
As Jesus taught, it’s His will, not mine. Although I live in troubled times, Jesus did forewarn in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 that scary times will come. I need to accept it’s His plan in play, not mine.
Three: There is a place to run to when I’m scared. I’m never alone nor unprotected.
“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…
“The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted.
“The Lord of Hosts is with us…”—Psalm 46:1-2, 6-7
Yes, there is good cause today to be fearful and angry.
But God has a plan.
And we can find refuge through coming to Him, admitting our fears and seeking His comfort, a comfort this deteriorating world cannot give.
Hang in there, my friend. Jesus knows every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30). He’s in control.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Jesus is our rock and our fortress, “a very present help in trouble.” But if you don’t acknowledge God exists, loves you, and is the King, then your confidence is in feeble, changing people or your own ability to control the events of your life.
That you have ultimate control is only an illusion. The recent pandemic proved that most of life is beyond our control.
But nothing is beyond the power of The Almighty God Who is unlimited in power, knowledge and presence (omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent).
Jesus promises to answer prayer. But only for His children Who accept that He died for their sins and was raised bodily from the grave to give eternal life to those who acknowledge Him as Lord and God.
If you don’t know Jesus, the only prayer you can be confident He’ll answer is a prayer of repentance, asking Jesus into your heart as Your Lord and God.
God us gracious and does answer prayers at times for those who don’t know Him, in order to show His love and care. But you cannot have any confidence that He will listen, only a hope.
Why not ask Jesus into your life to bring you comfort and peace?
“My peace I give to you…”—Jesus, John 14:27
Peace is a gift from God to those who ask for it.
No earning. No grunting it out.
Just asking.
Won’t you invite God into your life right now?
I’m so glad that I did, years ago.
If you’re willing, please repeat the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of feeling afraid. You are God Almighty, in control of the universe and Creator of all life. Please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I acknowledge He died for my sins and rose bodily from the dead, proving that He is God. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me. Thank you for answering my prayer. In the name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your spiritual food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. The Bible is your soul food.
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 get misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well. Ask God to guide you as you read and seek godly information.
Buddy’s a clever dog. He’s discovered that if he squeals, rather than barks, I respond immediately, because he sounds distressed, needing help.
The Apostle Matthew relayed an extraordinary experience with Jesus. Jesus had just miraculously fed over five thousand people by breaking and distributing five loaves of bread and two fish. Then He commanded His disciples to get into a boat and travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while He sent the crowds away to spend some quality time alone on a mountain to pray to the Father God and refresh Himself.
Being God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), Jesus surely knew that a storm was brewing, that would capture the disciples in raging waves. Yet, He later walked on the sea, not to rescue the disciples from danger, but to pass them by.
Per Msgr. Charles Pope, Jesus intended to pass by to display His glory, His identity as the incarnated Christ. (https://blog.adw.org/2014/01/why-did-jesus-mean-to-pass-by-his-disciples-when-he-walking-on-the-water/). The disciples did worship Jesus as God after He stilled the storm. After all, Psalm 107:29 clearly teaches that it is God Who has the power to still stormy waters. After the display of His power and supernatural abilities, they recognized it was God in human form they were following.
If you aren’t familiar with the Scripture, the disciples became frightened when they saw Jesus walking on the stormy sea. After all, it was likely pitch black and they wouldn’t recognize whoever was out on the water walking toward them. They thought they’d seen a ghost.
“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I: do not be afraid.’
“Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to you on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”—Matthew 14:27-30
Now, I certainly don’t condemn Peter for being frightened. He was a seasoned fisherman; those waves must’ve been massively high and scary, besides the flashes of lightning scarring the dark sky and the pounding thunder. But that’s not the point I’d like to focus on right now.
“And beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him…“—Matthew 14:30-31
When Peter called upon the Lord Jesus to be saved, Jesus acted immediately. He didn’t allow Peter to sink below the waves to “teach him a lesson.”
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.”—Isaiah 59:1
The Lord is always eager to hear a person cry out, “Please, save me!” He will respond immediately. Jesus will reveal His glory, but then stop to reach out to pull any person out of the treacherous waters of sin and death who cry out to Him for salvation with an open and honest heart (Luke 8:15).
“For ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”—Romans 10:13, the Apostle Paul quoting an Old Testament prophet, Joel 2:32
Please don’t wait till you’re sinking. Call upon Jesus right now for your salvation. He’s knocking on the door of your heart, waiting for you to respond to His voice (Revelation 3:20).
“‘For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,’ declares the Lord God. ‘Therefore, repent and live.’”—Ezekiel 18:32
If you’re already a born again believer, Jesus knows every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30). Can you imagine how amazing that is? You shed and grow new hairs constantly. Yet, this incomprehensibly powerful God, Who has named every of the billions stars in the universe (Psalm 147:4) will also respond to the cries of His children when you call out to Him for help.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”—Psalm 147:3
Open up your heart to Jesus today. He loves and wants to hear your voice.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Why delay? Cry out to Jesus right now for salvation from the stormy waves of this uncertain world. Jesus, being God and sinless, didn’t have to pay the punishment for His own sin, so He was able to pay for the sins of others as a substitute on our behalf. He was crucified on the Cross, then rose from the dead on the third day, proving that He is God.
Perhaps that went over your head a little. That’s OK for right now. If you give your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will teach you and help you to understand.
So are you ready to take a different path into your future? If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. But I believe You love me and sent Jesus to take the punishment I deserve. Please forgive my sin. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me, guide me and lead me into a life of love. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all understanding as you read. The Bible is your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand, and read 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 out there, but it’s easy to be misled by false teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well. Pastors Chuck Smith, Chuck Swindoll, and Max Lucado have also written excellent books, many of which can be found in an American library system.
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
When visiting my parents a year ago, Buddy ran out through the garage and scurried down the street. I was terrified as he is car stupid and won’t hesitate to run in front of an SUV or any other motorized vehicle. For a dog of fifteen years, he is still remarkably quick.
I used to run track and cross country in high school, but congenital birth defects in my hip and feet became too painful to continue after my mid-thirties. In other words, Buddy was outrunning me.
What frightened me was my total lack of control over the situation. I couldn’t convince Buddy to stop running away from me. I felt totally helpless.
Yes, I prayed between my sobs of fear and frantic calls to Buddy to return to me. But I still felt helpless to protect my best furry pal from harm.
I hopped into my dad’s SUV and we were off, trying to locate the rascal. Again, I felt out of control, fearing my father would accidentally run Buddy down in the near darkness. Fortunately, Bud stopped to sniff at a bush near the development’s clubhouse. I hopped out of the car and grabbed him.
Similarly, I think many Christians today are like me. We see the rapid rise of evil in our culture, and rejection of commonsense and adherence to traditional American values and the US Constitution/Bill of Rights, and feel helpless to stand against this tsunami of corruption and folly. It’s easy to feel afraid. Many times I need to recite this verse to calm myself:
“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”—Psalm 103:19
I have to frequently remind myself that God is sovereign and still in control “OVER ALL.” Nothing escapes His notice.
However, God’s in control—and NOT me.
King David wrote Psalm 37 near the end of his life, (answers.com claims based upon verse 25). He was reviewing how God remained faithful despite the ups and downs of his life.
This Psalm, however, also encourages the Christian to remain faithful despite evil in the world.
David gives four statements on how to deal with evil in the world.
1. “Do not fret…” verses 1, 7 and 8.
Why? Because “it leads only to evildoing”—verse 8. This same verse warns that anger and wrath are linked with fretting.
It’s true, isn’t it? Worrying about evil and focusing on their wicked deeds only fills me, and you, with increasing bitterness, particularly when coupled with feelings of helplessness. I want it to stop, but it doesn’t.
Fretting is like a boiling teakettle: The water keeps heating up internally. Only one small irritant from someone in my life can cause me to blow because I’ve been simmering and just needed one more degree of irritation to go off.
2. David reminds us that evil people eventually “perish…they vanish, like smoke, they vanish away (vs 20), but the godly person is “preserved forever (vs 28).”
It looks like wicked people are prospering, “carrying out wicked schemes”, “spreading himself out like a luxuriant tree in its native soil” (verses 7 and 35), but their glory is temporary. God doesn’t assist them when they’re in trouble, their descendants are cut off, and “will perish” eternally. They seem to prosper, but as Asaph mentioned in Psalm 73, after he “perceived their end,” he realized it’s much better to follow the Lord than to prosper during our short time on earth.
Conversely, the Lord helps, strengthens, blesses, and rescues His children and even “gives (them) the desires of their heart (vs 4).” In fact, there are multiple promises sprinkled throughout the Psalm how the Lord blesses His children. They may suffer for a time, but can count on His deliverance.
3. David encourages us to focus on the Lord and His power to bless us, rather than worry and fret about what evildoers are up to. We’re advised to follow the Lord, “trust in” Him, “delight in” Him, “commit your way to the Lord”, “rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him,” and “to cultivate faithfulness” (verses 3-5, 7).
That’s not to say to never stand up against evil, because our culture and society would collapse if we remained mute and allowed Satan a free reign. But we’re advised to keep God in the center of our thoughts and not worry.
4. David reminds us how powerful God Almighty is. He’s got everything under control, even if it doesn’t look like it.
“The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.”—verse 13
The Lord isn’t worried that these seemingly powerful people will knock Him off His throne. They think they’re in control, but they aren’t. The Lord can bless His children with “abundance” even “in the days of famine” (verse 19). The Lord can deliver His children out of the grasp of evil people (vs 33), strengthen them when under attack (vs 39), and deliver them:
“The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.”—verse 40
The Psalmist is a realist. He asks us to “wait patiently for” the Lord to act (vs 7). God generally works through natural processes; it can take time to get all of His “ducks in a row” to save us from evil. We gotta keep trusting in Him while He works things out for our benefit.
In summary: We shouldn’t worry but remain faithful, trust God will act in His timing, that evil won’t ultimately triumph as there is a coming Day of Accountability, that no wicked plans survive the passage of time, and God is always in control.
Our focus—and believe me, I falter often—needs to be centered on God’s love and faithfulness. He rewards His children who love Him and try to lead a godly lifestyle.
And isn’t that what wicked people hate most? Not getting the upper hand because we refuse to worry and remain cheerful and determined to follow the Lord Jesus?
Hope you’re feeling encouraged.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
PS. I really encourage you to memorize Psalm 37 or meditate upon it. It’s a long one, so be patient with yourself and learn it in chunks. I’m still working on memorizing it myself.
***
God promises “never to desert you, nor will I ever forsake you (Hebrews 13:5-6).” But that promise is only for Christians indwelt by the Holy Spirit—the presence of God. I do believe God is at work in the lives of all people, as Satan would likely destroy every person’s life if allowed free reign. But nonbelievers cannot count on God’s promises, given only to those who love Him.
But God is eager to shower His love upon those willing to accept Him into their lives as their Lord and Savior.
Do you want Jesus in your life? To be assured of eternal life in heaven?
It’s a free gift. You don’t need to try to “be gooder” or clean up your act first. You just need to invite Him to be your God: ask Him to be your Lord, believe that Jesus died for your sins and was resurrected bodily from the dead.
To believe that Jesus, God in the flesh, loves you so much that He took the punishment that your sins deserve, so that you don’t have to pay for your sins.
Jesus paid the price. You just need to humble yourself to receive His gift.
If you’re ready to invite God into your life, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Father, Please forgive all my sin. I’m sorry for my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. I confess that Jesus was punished for my sin and was raised bodily from the dead on the third day. Please teach 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. Please begin reading the Bible daily, as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs nourishment daily to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand. And keep reading forward.
And join a Bible believing church and 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) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by bad teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
Meditations About God and Buddy 