Good morning,
We had a beautiful weekend in Minnesota, after what seemed like forever of rain and clouds. Our friends Marty and Anne had a wonderful dinner party outside under the stars. Totally one of my favorite things to do with friends and family is to gather outside around a table, talking and sharing food. A Prince song came on while we were in the middle of dinner and our conversation turned to him. We all had different people who knew Prince or had a relationship with him and we speculated about his life.
It seemed like Prince had a love and desire to seek Christ. Prince was loved all over the world and we all thought he probably knew how loved he was. He really didn’t care about money or meeting different celebrities; I think he really loved music and the rest was just his struggle like every other person on earth–finding our way as a human, knowing we are a spirit as much as a body and a mind. No one gets this life perfect. All of us need God. Everyone will be humbled.
With 9/11 this weekend also and all the Instagrams with flags and the Twin Towers, it reminds us that freedom, family, rights, etc., are important. The dinner under the stars faced Marty and Anne’s new house construction site. Marty had the workers fly a flag high above the construction. At first the worker told him there was no place to hang a flag. Marty told them to tell the guys who fought for our freedom that. They found a way after that conversation to get a flag hung up. Before we sat down for dinner, as the sun was setting over the patio, we could see the flag, flooded with sun beams and it was absolutely beautiful.
The “God” thing I took away from the evening is, HE provided for us long before we were ever born. He gave us choices, gifts, talents, family, weather, lakes, oceans, mountains, money, friends, animals, on and on it goes, but He also told us how to live blessed in it. How choices can harm His best for us. How certain things like drugs can be used for good or bad… how fire can warm us or hurt us… weapons for freedom and protection verses weapons for stealing and evil… the good and bad can go on ’til we run out of room to write. Christ came to help us live blessed, clean, forgiven, and, most of all, loved in our human condition if we will recognize it and ask for it and then do what He tells us will help us. Nothing can separate you from Christ and our salvation, but doing things the way He suggests is like a kid who listens to the wisdom of his parents and receives the blessing of knowledge that we want for our kids. Discipline and instruction are out of love and meant to help them. Who will receive the blessing from God? The teaching below is spot-on.
Love you, Teri
| Today’s Scripture |
| “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
(Psalm 24:3–5, NKJV) |
| Who Will Receive the Blessing? |
| God wants you to receive every blessing that He has in store for you. In His Word, He tells you about His wonderful blessings, but He also tells you how to receive His blessings—by having clean hands and a pure heart.
How are we made pure and clean? By the blood of Jesus! We receive Him as our Lord and Savior and choose to live for Him. Most of the time, it’s not the big things that keep us from God’s best; it’s the small things. Maybe it starts with an offense that turns into unforgiveness. Maybe you watch something on TV or the internet that you know you shouldn’t, and it becomes a bad habit that steals your time and pollutes your mind. Today, make the decision to let go of anything that would keep you from His blessings. Be a person of excellence and integrity. Treat others with respect and kindness and look for ways to be a blessing. Be determined to live a life that pleases God so that you can receive the abundance He has in store for you! |
| A Prayer for Today |
| “Father, thank You for the blood of Jesus that cleanses and renews me. I choose to turn away from anything that displeases You so that I can live righteously before You in Jesus’ name. Amen.” |
Teri's Spiritual Message Board 