Daily Dose of God’s Glorious Love

7 Deadly Questions Question 5. Question 5 Acts 17:26, Genesis 11:9 Did God color me?        Race is a wall we build to keep others away! “That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the LORD confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.” (Genesis 11:9 NLT) “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.” (Acts 17:26 NLT) We live in a world of amazing diversity.   The word cat brings thousands of pictures to our mind.   The same can be said for dog, chicken and many other animals.   Though we are not animals we shouldn’t be surprised at the difference in people. The history of humanity is often seen as different nations against each other.   As time progressed we have seen an increase in racial division and warfare.   Is there a difference between people of different races? In our scriptures

Judgment God awoke me and told me to write judgment is coming!   Our response to God’s call for judgment is anger and fear.   So we live in constant anger and fear.           Arrogantly we believe our time is unique but the clarion call of judgment and the fear and anger it brings is part of the flow and fabric of our history as well as our present.           Some will say that I am a fear monger trying to guilt people into doing what I want.   But that is just their way of not seeing what they do not want to believe.           Why judgment?   Why this cry to fear?   Because God loves you and is warning you that for everyone born of a woman our time is limited in which to make ourselves right with God, with ourselves and with others.             Judgment is not God’s call to fear but His call of love!!! “Make yourself right with Me.   Come and receive the greatest gift a Loving Father can give by giving His only begotten Son so you can become God’s son and live wi

July 30 Romans 8:26-30 Timeless King          God works outside of time to bring those who will come to Him. Psalter reading Psalm 128:1-6 “ 1 ¶ «A Song of Ascents.» Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. 2 When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD. 5 The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem All the days of your life. 6 Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” (Psalm 128:1-6 NKJV) “ 26 ¶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit

July 29, 2017 Saturday             Yesterday was a tale of two days.   It was a bad day for pain and for my mind.   It seemed as though I was always a step behind and as though I was out of step with what was going on. That still continues today.   Then it was a day Bonnie and Rebecca went and got me a new laptop on tax free weekend with my Birthday money.   Also the replacement for my broken Kindle came in.             Bonnie and Rebecca are such a blessing.   We also were able to spend some time with Jonathan last night and Rebecca made her famous Fried Rice Chicken.   It was so good.             Today the being out of step and the skin issues continue.   It is like my skin is like sandpaper and rubs as I go through the day.   It is incredibly painful and by the end of the day my skin feels raw.             Bonnie and I caught up on our Hymn devotion and though very basic they are very deep.   One of the Hymns is called Heaven and speaks about wanting to go to Heaven

7 Deadly Questions Question 4. Remember these questions are only deadly if you DON'T ask them! (Many may react to this title.  Please read it through and read the scriptures.  Than ask God to speak to your heart, mind and soul.) Question 4 1 Corinthians 6:9, John 3:16-17 Does God hate homosexuals?       Jesus came not to condemn, but to free us from condemnation! “ 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ” (John 3:16-17 NLT)  “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,” (1Corinthians 6:9 NLT) Before America divided over slavery most of the major denominations had divided.  By refusin

7 Deadly Questions Study. Question 3. Question 3 John 3:16-17, Genesis 3:22-24 Does God really care?   How can we know if God really cares?  Look at His cross!       “ 22 ¶ Then the LORD God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the LORD God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24 NLT) “ 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. ” (John 3:16-17 N

July 26, 2017 Wednesday             Awoke better rested and with less pain.  In the Psalms I was touched by Psalm 102 which is a lament of a person suffering and then Psalm 103 which is one of the beautiful works of Praise!  Sometimes I think that people who suffer and have faith in God receive God’s presence and respond with Praise!  Though I do not want or find happiness in the suffering, pain, loss, grief and the cost to my family I rejoice in my suffering and loss at the Joy of experiencing God so intimately!!!             Our devotion today was a Hymn with the words of the Scottish Psalter for psalm 23.  The Scottish Psalter has such a beautiful way of translating the Psalms.  Worth the read.

7 Deadly questions Study. Question 2 Question 2 Genesis 2:7, John 11:25-27 Just what is life? Life is a gift coming directly from God. “Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7 NLT) “ 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”” (John 11:25-27 NLT) When I was a boy I was taught scientists had created life, but really the scientists created a mere building block of life (an amino acid) this was achieved using knowledge of design and using what turned out to be unrealistic conditions. Life is an incredible mystery.  I have seen life slip from

July 25, 2017 Tuesday             Rested better last night after a day of less pain but of great weariness.  I wondered why I was so weary and I think it is because hurting so much over a couple of weeks makes me so weary.             Continue to read in the Psalms as I read through the Bible for the second time this year and this verse touched my heart and my soul. “1 ¶ A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.  I will sing of the LORD’s unfailing love forever!  Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. 2 Your unfailing love will last forever.  Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.” (Psalm 89:1-2 NLT)             I too sing of Your unfailing love My Love!  For even as my body weakens and is in terrible pain, my mind loses so much You strengthen my soul with each breath and each beat of my heart.  For Your heart beats as my heart and Your mind works for my mind.  All will hear of Your faithfulness from my soul, heart and mouth!  My Love You are my life, my hope and are th

Over the years God has given me a sermon series called The Seven Deadly Questions.  I will be sharing this as a study help for those who have these questions which truly is only deadly of you don't ask them and seek the answer God has in His written Word. Question 1 Genesis 1:1-5, John 1:1-5 Is there really a God? Is there really an active and interested God? “1¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 ¶ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”  And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.” (Genesis 1:1-5 NLT) “1 ¶   In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3

July 23, 2017 Sunday             Rose in pain but had a prayer time and read in the Psalms again very early.  Lately the Hymn “ He Leadeth Me ” has been such a help to me.  It is a comfort to KNOW that My Love leadeth me and that His hand is always with me to guide and watch over me no matter what I go through.  “ Lord I would clasp my hand in Thine, nor ever murmur nor repine.  Content whatever lot I see, since tis God’s Hand that leadeth me .”  I must admit I do murmur at times but I also am content and offer my Praise to My Love Who leadeth me. 

July 23 Genesis 28:10-19 Once upon a time            Genesis is more than stories, it is God’s truth.                                 Psalter reading Psalm 139:1-6 “ 1 ¶ «For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.» O LORD, You have searched me and known me . 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. 5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.” (Psalm 139:1-6 NKJV) “ 10 ¶ Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set

July 22, 2017 Saturday             Couldn’t get to sleep for a long time.  Woke up still tired and feel very worn.  Each day it seems to get a little worse and I seem weaker. I didn’t even work on my sermon until recently and that has never happened before.  My mind is getting more clouded and I cannot seem to connect the dots.             The meds help but seem to help less each week.  More and more I depend on God and spend more time reading in the Bible but I remember less and often read the same passage over and over.  Reading in the Psalms gives voice to the cries of my heart and also to the praise I have for My God and My Love.              In the midst of so much pain and loss God has been very near and I have been able to spend even more time with Him in prayer and through His written Word.  God indeed is the joy of my heart!

Last lesson! Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 13 “1 ¶ And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has

July 20, 2017 Thursday             Slept long but not very well.  Today the pain is still rough and it seems like so much is getting worse.  One thing I always knew about pain but is more real to me is that continuous and unrelenting pain wears on you and each day it is harder to cope with it.  Pain wears you down physically, emotionally and Spiritually.              Without God I would not be able to make it though each moment of each day.  But His presence encourages and enriches me and renews my broken body and soul.  I am reading in the Psalms and I so understand the cry of the Psalmist’s heart and for the requests.             Pain can cut you off and make you feel alone and very vulnerable.  But God, family and friends remind me that I am not alone and they are there for me.             For my family I feel at times as though they suffer more than I do.  They have been so faithful to me and God has used them to bless me.

Lesson 12! Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 12 “1 ¶ “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” 6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10

July 19, 2017 Wednesday             It is hard to believe this is Wednesday.  The last week has been so terrible.  The pain has not let up and coming off the medicine that helps with the brownouts and blackouts has left me with the beginnings of brownouts.  It is hard to stay awake and now I hurt more when I sleep so my sleep is restless and leaves me weaker.  It has been like a nightmare and a daymare combined!             Since reading the Bible helps in bad times I am today beginning the Psalms even with reading three times the first ten chapters of Job.  In some ways I feel like Job but with better family and friends.  I know some wonder what I did wrong that God hasn’t healed me but over and over God pulls me back to the story of Lazarus and the blind man who suffered for the Glory of God.             I do not understand what God is doing but I know God is with me and the God who healed me when I was 19 and just a couple of months to live could heal me now but has chosen as

Sermon for today. July 16 Isaiah 55:10-13 Renewing Word 6 th Sunday after Pentecost God renews through creation and through His Word.                                 Psalter reading Psalm 65:5-13 “ 5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us, O God of our salvation, You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, And of the far-off seas; 6 ¶ Who established the mountains by His strength, Being clothed with power; 7 You who still the noise of the seas, The noise of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples. 8 They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs; You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice. 9 You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; The river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, For so You have prepared it. 10 You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. 11 You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths

July 15, 2017 Saturday             Slept in but still weary and Bonnie got me some tea for my eyes.   She and Jonathan headed off for the farmers Market and she got some good things and ideas for the future.             Today I not only hurt but feel very weak.  It is almost like I am on the verge of a brown out.  The brown out is that step before a black out.  I get fuzzy brained and feel weak and my mind is not very clear.  Have felt like this most of the day.  I may need to adjust meds. Again.             Read through 2 Chronicles 26. When the pain gets worse or my mind is unclear I find reading or listening to the Bible is so helpful.  The Bible clears my mind and speaks to my spirit.  In these passages over and over as God rightfully punishes His people God often relents because of His love for them!  God is more loving and faithful than we can ever imagine!!!

Here is part 11 of the Psalm of the Good Shepherd Study. Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 11 “1 ¶ «A Psalm of David.» The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.” (Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV)           I have often taught that there could not be a Psalm 23 without Psalm 22.  How can I trust the Good Shepherd without knowing about His love for me and that He will be faithful?  Because of Psalm 22 we can trust Jesus to be with us as we “ walk through the

July 14, 2017 Friday             Slept better even though I had a lot of pain last night.  Our devotion was on the hymn “ I Know Not How That Bethlehem’s Babe ”. “I know not how that Bethlehem’s Babe Could in the Godhead be; I only know the manger Child Has brought God’s life to me. I know not how that Calvary’s cross A world from sin could free; I only know its matchless love Has brought God’s love to me. I know not how that Joseph’s tomb Could solve death’s mystery; I only know a living Christ, Our immortality.” From Morgan, Robert J.. Near to the Heart of God: Meditations on 366 Best-Loved Hymns (p. 200). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.             What a powerful Hymn.  The books author calls it “profound in its simplicity” and that it could be sung and understood even by children.             Jonathan came by and we had a good time together.  

Here is part 10 of the study. Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 10 “26 The poor will eat and be satisfied.  All who seek the LORD will praise him.  Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. 27 The whole earth will acknowledge the LORD and return to him.  All the families of the nations will bow down before him. 28 For royal power belongs to the LORD.  He rules all the nations. 29 Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.  Bow before him, all who are mortal, all whose lives will end as dust. 30 Our children will also serve him.  Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. 31 His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.  They will hear about everything he has done.” (Psalm 22:26-31 NLT)           What a description of the outcome of the Passion of Jesus!  The sacrifice of Jesus was for everyone whether they were poor or were Jew or Gentile.  And the effect of the Passion would work not only for all people but all people of all time.           E

July 13, 2017 Thursday             Got up after restless night and my pain was a little worse.  Tried to help yesterday and sad to say even a little was too much.             Our devotion was on a Hymn about the Ascension of Jesus.  The writer was a Pastor who struggled in his time because he was an Evangelical.  It does seem as though those who suffer write the most hopeful Hymns.  Many believe that if you are too heavenly minded you are no earthly good.  But I have discovered that if you are not heavenly minded you usually are not earthly good.  We need to see more than this earthly realm and discover the power and glory of God as we serve!             I continue to do my exercises and have added some from a video Bonnie uses.  They keep me limber and to strengthen me.  Without them I was getting very stiff and my ankles especially were getting stiff.  I do not want to put any more burden on Bonnie and Rebecca than I have to and I hope this will help keep me from falling.

Here is Part 9 of the study on the Good Shepherd.  Hope it is a blessing! Psalm of the Good Shepherd Part 9 “22 ¶ I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters. I will praise you among your assembled people. 23 Praise the LORD, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!  Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.  He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. 25 I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.”(Psalm 22:22-25 NLT)           We asked in the last lesson about the “Lord” answering the prayer of Jesus.  You could say God didn’t answer His prayer, but here we see the celebration of all who believe in God because the “Lord” did not relieve the suffering of Jesus.           By not saving Jesus the “Lord” brought salvation to His people as He heard “their cries for help”.