Whispers from the Holy Spirit

 Psalm 116 1)  I love the Lord , because He has heard My voice and my supplications.   2) Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.  Under His Wing, we have all of God's love and attention.  As we confess our sins we know God is listening to every word of love and supplication and gratitude. Supplication: the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.   A recent study shows the benefit of turning our stress over to God. The science of gratitude:  UCDavis Keeping a gratitude diary for two weeks produced sustained reductions in perceived stress (28 percent) and depression (16 percent) in health-care practitioners. Gratitude is related to 23 percent lower levels of stress hormones (cortisol). Practicing gratitude led to a 7-percent reduction in biomarkers of inflammation in patients with congestive heart failure. Two gratitude activities (counting blessings and gratitude letter writ...

Odds and Ends While it's interesting to share ideas from others, I have personal problems you might be struggling with, too.  Here are some random entries that might help. God chooses us, ( John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day ),  gives us the choice to join Him, and makes a plan for our lives.  If we choose to accept His free gift of Salvation based on Jesus' death on the cross we become His child, and our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life  When we are His, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and be our guide. This continues for our time on earth.  Listen for the Spirit speaking, don't set the stage and expect Him to join you.  Cut the drama. Being addicted to chaos isn't pretty and might not be far off base.  Let God guide how you see and interact with the world.   Let God be in charge! Pray about that often. It's so unnatural for us!  Be personally...

  According to a study read by Skye Jethani, teenagers often see God as a divine butler or a cosmic therapist helping them to achieve their treasure.        Wait! What?  Isn't't that what I've been doing, too.   How can that be?                                                  I need to confess although I had no idea I was getting all wrong.  After confessing, it's so good, so grateful to be on track. Listen to this short video and see what you think.  Is this you, too? Thank You, Father, for Your True Treasure   Read for yourself:                                         ...

  1 John 5:6-9     6  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  7  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 But, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession is between God and man regarding sin, but works like a journal entry, relieving the need to discuss it with another believer. God let’s us see our sin for what it is before we "share" it on others, adding to their burden. Sharing sin fans it’s flames . When I was the single mom of two little boys and we confessed our sins at the start of prayer at our evening meal.   An older, more mature, childless believer convinced me this wasn’t right. ...

 The most basic principle of Salvation is that Christ died for the sins of the whole world wiping clean our slate and then offering us that clean slate as a gift, giving us Eternal Life with our names written in the Lamb’s book of life.  The second most basic principle of Christianity is CHOICE, whether or not to accept the gift of Salvation is our choice. (God doesn’t force Himself on anyone, He’s interested in people who are interested in Him.) When presenting Salvation, don’t make it a one-way conversation. Cloaked in love, show others what God has shown you. Let them participate, let them choose. Starting with salvation, God wants us to choose Him all day long . That’s what He wants others to do, too, choose Him  starting at the most basic level, salvation. Give them the opportunity to stand in front of Jesus and be rewarded for what they did with the information God shared with you, Salvation. 

        Doing errands today, I saw a gentleman holding a sign  as I pulled into the McDonald's at Har Mar; maybe you saw him, too.  I asked for a large ice water to go and swung around to the man with the sign.  In the little time I had, I did read homeless and cancer . He looked like a Vietnam vet.  I was second in line at the left-turn light and as he hobbled to my car for the outstretched glass, I told him God that loves him.  His reply:  "I hope so."  This was the most stirring reply I've ever gotten. Please, please pass this on to someone else and pray for him. 

  If we’re confident in our relationship with Christ, we can listen to others and their beliefs and give them the space, brotherly love, and respect they need in order to grow while God feeds them Truth. Others should see in us the goodness of Christ and his gospel.    God plus stubbornness might look like heels digging into sand.  Not what we would wish for others, but a real possibility. Just as it’s not our job to save others--that’s the Holy Spirit’s job; when others look, they should see Christ in us, not a reflection of our pride.   John 6:44 tells us that no one comes to Christ except first the Father draws them. While others are open, don’t provoke stubbornness which blocks their growing in knowledge of God and what He wants to do in their lives, starting with Salvation.   Listen with the genuine respect we seek in return. Love is the groundwork for all Christian growth.     God will weigh and honor what He deems worthy. ...