2023 A Year to Be Intentional

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from those who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

How are you doing with reading through the Bible. We started 8 days ago. The Book of Genesis is exciting! It lays the groundwork for the rest of the Bible. What has caught my eye this year and has me pondering? What has caught your eye and has you pondering? I long to have a discussion with each of you so that we may grow in our walk with Jesus.

“Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw it was good.” Gen 1:12b

God created vegetation, seed-bearing plants, trees and fruit. I am wondering why this hasn’t been good enough for those experimenting with hybrid seeds and plants, or more recently GMO seeds and plants? It seems to me that all this modernization of what God created is trying to improve on something already “good”.

But of course, there is a whole lot going on in the name of science today that is doing just that, they want to make something already “good” into something better. Truly, they want to become like God.

Again, we can look no further than Genesis 3 to see that evil entered and wanted to convince Adam and Eve that they could be just like God. And because Adam and Eve fell into sin, they cursed all generations. Not only that, but they were quick to blame each other for this sin and even pointed the finger at God…He caused them to sin. In my opinion, that is probably the height of stupidity but it didn’t stop there. We see people everyday who blame someone else for the sin they commit rather than take responsibility for their actions.

That, my friend, is why we need Jesus so much in our lives. That is also why we need to read the Bible daily, to take what we have read and apply it to our lives.

When we sin, we should automatically feel shame. Shame in this instance is not a bad thing but a good emotion to draw us back to our Heavenly Father in repentance. Instead, we continue on with Adam and Eve’s blame game and have an excuse. Is our conscience so seared that we cannot name our sin and ask God to forgive us? To ask Him to help us to never do that particular sin again? Or do we see this shame as a challenge to be covered with more sin and the cycle continues?

Next, I want to touch a bit upon the Tower of Babel. When a group of people, who spoke one language, set a goal to build a tower to become like God. One language does make a group of people strong; they can unite on all fronts and at some point, pride rears its ugly head. They think they can outsmart God, become like God, be gods. Thus, the more languages the less creative, the less productive and so on. They destroy themselves. It’s happened in the past (in just the first few chapters of Genesis) and it continues to this day and will happen in the future.

We also learn in these early chapters of Genesis that God protects His own. Abram seemed to take things into his own hands often, as did Isaac and Jacob, but God protected them, punishing those who laid a hand on them. What is the secret of God protecting? Recognizing our sin, asking God to forgive and be intentional in not repeating that sin again.

So we can see that nothing is too hard for our Lord! Nothing!!

The last thing I wrote down for these first 8 days of reading is Genesis 31: 19, 30-32. We must be so careful not to favor one person over another. When we do (and we do), the favored one can sin right in front of us and we won’t see it. Or we make excuses for their sin. Be careful! Whether it’s your children, your friends, or any other relationship, be aware that you can be blinded and ask God to give you insight and that you will accept this insight.

No matter where you are in reading the Bible, keep going! Ask God each and every time you sit down to read to give you insight of what He wants you to learn that day. After you are finished with your reading, pray that He will help you to live a changed life.

And before we go, I want to challenge you to be intentional in your daily living. We all waste too much time on social media, the computer and TV so take that first step of turning away from whatever it is that is robbing your time. Is there a book that you’ve been wanting to read but never got around to it? 2023 is the year to read it along with many more. Is there a hobby that you have wanted to start? 2023 is the year!

For myself, I have found a blog that I wrote when I was in Russia and am taking some of those stories and adding them to my third book. It is going to be published this year. I am not sure how or where but it is!

And my newest undertaking is starting to develop. I have been doing some watercolor painting for the last five years, usually in the form of note cards and then just giving them away. Well, I am stretching my abilities and am going to start reproducing the newest cards that I’ve been painting. That means I hope that you might be interested in buying some of my cards as they are available. Everyone likes to get real snail mail and sending a card with a short note from you is a perfect way to get started.

Meanwhile, I look forward to hearing from you. You can always let me know how I can encourage you on face book (A Fae Original page) or you can send me an email (manager@afaeoriginal.com). Have a blessed week!

Joshua’s Farewell to the People

The Israelites were in the Promised Land but their work was not finished. “Therefore, be very courageous to keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you.” (Josh 2: 6&7a NKJV)

Today people want to claim the promises of God without obeying the Bible or going forth to do what God expects of them. In the name of tolerance, we have accepted what should not be done…all you have to do is read Genesis to understand that. If you need a New Testament reference to grasp what a stench to the Lord this is, read Romans 1. We rub elbows with foreigners and accept their gods as we reject the One True God of the Universe. Joshua 23:11, “Therefore take careful heed to yourselves, that you love the Lord your God.” Can it be anymore clear?

If God would destroy His own people, will He not get rid of the evil of today? “When you have transgressed the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you and you shall perish quickly from the good land which He has given you.” (Joshua 23:16)

It seems many want to only focus on the love of God without obeying and they don’t obey because they have never read the whole Word of God. Even Jesus showed rath and anger against those who sinned against God. We go through trials in life but God calls us to persevere because these trials test our faith and produce patience (see James 1:2-3) Many lack wisdom and question how we are to gain wisdom. There is only one source for true wisdom and that is God, and God alone! We pray for answers and direction from God. His response is the written Word of God, the Bible. We must read the Bible daily to receive direction and yes, even wisdom concerning how we are to live.

A Year of Blessing

It’s been so long since I’ve written on a regular basis. So much has happened!

First, I want to share that I finished reading the Bible recently for 2022. I did something different this year. Normally I read from cover to cover, that’s it. This year, I started in the New Testament, going from Matthew to Revelation and then went back to the Old Testament. I used “Faithful Promises of God” to take me day by day and want to share that you don’t have to start at the beginning of the Bible (or “Faithful Promises”) to read though the Bible. I’ve read so many years from front to back that I needed a change. And I want to encourage you to do what you have to in order to read through the Bible! This year I used the New King James Version and next year I think I am going to use the New Living Bible.

For those who are new, I would encourage you to go back in this blog to January 16, 2021, “Give Him the Shame of Your Past”. It will help you understand a bit more of what I am about to share. I find myself opening up to my reading audience in this past year or so. Well, I may have contemplated writing about my own life but I have always had a problem with rejection and once I start opening up, I know some will reject.

I have had some “Christians” ask me, “How can you do…” whichever sin I’d fallen into. So many look at a person and think their lives are much easier and they’ve never gone through hardships or pain. Well, I am here to tell you that we should never look at another person with those judgmental eyes because you are bringing condemnation upon yourself and your family. You are sowing judgment and it will come back on you at some point.

I had something happen to me one time and I had a family member exclaim, “We’re so embarrassed of your behavior.” Within about 12 years, their son went through the same thing I had gone through. Don’t judge, have compassion on those who are struggling!

Luke 6:43-45 says, “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

In many churches we have those who were raised in the church, who have not known the struggles of addiction or adultery, or robbery or even murder. The list could go on and on but I hope you understand what I am saying.

Oftentimes, they don’t have empathy when someone sins but yet, look how Jesus handled the sinner. Their lack of grace is apparent and their haughtiness stands out as they look down their noses in disgust at the “sinner”. The Scripture says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23)

All…not just the person who does not walk with God but all! So many surrender their lives to Christ and it takes years to fight to the temptations of their past life. Sometimes they fall short but God is always there to pick them up in love when they repent. People are not so kind. No wonder many Christians are looked at as hypocrites.

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Only when we humble ourselves in repentance and see our own filthiness can we grasp the mighty act of Jesus giving His life for one such as I! He is the sacrificial lamb, He washed away my sins with His blood. We are forgiven! Each day we need to go to Him with a confessing heart.

And so it goes, just like the Israelites of the Old Testament, even on our journey with the Lord by our side, we fall. We sometimes forget that He has our best interest at heart and we decide to go our own way…maybe we think we are just helping God. The Old Testament says the Israelites did what was right in their own eyes. It happens to us too. It’s only a matter of time before we realize we are walking in sin and we come to the Father, we confess our sin and ask Him to forgive us. He knows our heart, He is there waiting. These things happen so that we can learn lessons and grow in our walk with Christ.

It is important that we learn those lessons! I have struggled with being judgmental big time since late March when I found out that my stalker killed himself. Yes, you read that right! I kept asking myself why he didn’t come and apologize for what he’d done before ending his life. Of course, there are no answers and God has been lovingly shaping me to be more Christlike. And I still have a long way to go. I will never know why he did such a thing. What I do know is that God had worked on my heart and I prayed for him every day. God owes me no answers but I owe Him my life.

It's these life lessons that change us. It’s these life lessons that move us to seeking Him more each day. And how do we seek Him more? Through reading the Bible daily as He speaks to us through His Word. And through prayer as we talk with Him in adoration of what He’s done for us and in petitions for others (even those who are not nice to us).

My desire for each of you is to know Christ and the power of His love more this year than last and next year to continue to grow, no matter how painful it can be at times.

Sometimes it’s hard to share what you are going through because you are afraid of being judged. I want you to know that I am here to listen. Contact me through my email address (it’s on the first page of the blog) or through A Fae Original on Facebook and we can set up a time to talk. It helps to talk, it helps to be open with someone safe. I am trusting that each of you will take what I’ve shared and search your own life to see if there is some area in your life that God is wanting you to surrender to Him.