Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Psalm 128:2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands: you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
Proverbs 12:11 Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it
Proverbs 16:3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 21:5, 25 Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. . . .The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Acts 18:3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for there were tentmakers by trade.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Jesus Christ you are serving.
1 Thessalonians 2:9-10 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
Our country is now producing generations that feel they are entitled to things—almost anything they want. Work ethics seem to be on the downhill slide, and people want to have money to spend and to buy, but many do not want to work to get there. Somehow, good work ethics and the pride and satisfaction one gets when they have EARNED or SAVED for something special is missing. How often are you in a store, hearing a child whine for something, the parent says no repeatedly, then within 3 minutes or so, gives in, and warns, “But this is it. You are not getting anything else.”
Has that parent done the child any favors? Has he/she proven they will stand on their word? ‘No, You cannot get anything you think you want. No, things do not come to you just because you whine and create a nuisance. The answer is no, and if you continue to carry on, there will be consequences.’. Or has the child learned whining and brattiness can get them what they want with little effort other than annoyance to the parent? Seems to me we have PLENTY of that immature behavior throughout our country.
There are many negative issues I see with that feeling. To me, there are many who are just lazy—‘just gimme duh bucks, huh?!’ We have seen more limited shop or restaurant hours since COVID with the government handing money to those who legitimately could not go into work—restaurants closing, many people fearful to go into smaller shops—boutique, gift shops, and such. People had to get groceries—either that meant putting on protective gear and maneuvering through the store quickly, looking about suspiciously and fearfully, or calling for all the products they needed and paying for delivery.
But those who had to deal with no work as places of employment were closed—they needed to still pay their bills so received funds—but how nice is that to get money but you don’t have to put in the hours and labor to get it. It increased the feelings of entitlement, I think.
Not that those feelings started with COVID. I believe they have been becoming more prevalent since the end of WWII. Many women had had to go to work in factories and other places to keep production of equipment needed to fight the war; many had to continue if their men came home too injured to work a normal position. Children became more dependent on nearby relatives to keep an eye on them after school, or dependent on an elderly neighbor if anything was needed. And although there were cash issues, money slowly became more accessible as our country began getting back on its feet. But children would beg and wheedle for that special pair of Keds or PF Flyers—and sometimes out of guilt because of two working parents, and sometimes to stop the whining, the purchase was made. We began to think all could be readily at our fingertips without too much effort.
Then credit card companies saw how they could slide in and “help out and let you purchase. . . and you could pay it back over time.” And suddenly people were purchasing things they did not always NEED, to keep up appearances to others, and then were suffering to pay back exorbitant interest rates. And the thought process was, “Well, aren’t we entitled to have the same thing(s) in our home?” It seemed easy, and so enticing to start a little credit to get what one needs—’after all we need a living room set for when people come over. . .’ but before that purchase can be paid off, another is made.
Years ago, we had to work and save for what we wanted. I feel blessed my parents did not buy everything I asked for (although I did get the pair of PF Flyers that Saturday morning!) but if I wanted something, it came mostly out of my allowance and what I was able to save. That made the object that much more precious to me. It COST me something—sometimes a good length of time before I had enough to purchase what I wanted. I was thrilled to get some cash for birthdays or Christmas. But the working toward and then being able to attain was a source of pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment.
Jesus did not say God would give us everything we want (entitlement). He said He would give us all we need—food for the day, protection, love, care, guidance. Entitlement can lead us into all sorts of things that are NOT good, healthy or necessary for us—smoking, drinking, drugs, porn, over-spending, and so forth.
Paul and his friends traveled throughout the areas of Ephesus, Lystra, Corinth, Rome and all the other places, but worked for their lodging and food while teaching the Good News. They did not abuse someone’s hospitality but would make the tents, sell them, and contribute to whatever household they stayed in.
Because working toward goals was an important ‘child rearing tenet’ in my home, we all work steadily, are not abundantly wasteful, recognize waiting before making most big purchases, and as I am the only one who had children out of my nuclear family, am proud to say that their Dad and I also instilled that concept of responsibility to work, save, wait, then purchase.
It saddens me to see the people who are seemingly content to wait for a hand-out. I recognize how blessed I am that my parents and grandmother instilled a good work ethic to us, and we have been blessed to attain much.
Thank You, Lord, for placing me in a home where the working, being dependable and accountable was important; and learning that achieving after a time of saving and then being in a position to purchase later, helped me realize the difference in a getting a handout versus a goal achieved purchase. You have so blessed me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Psalm 31:24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love,
Psalm 42:11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.
Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I have put my hope in your word
Psalm 130:7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
Lamentations 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Micah 7:7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Matthew 12:21 In His name the nations will put their hope.
Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Galatians 5:5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
1 Timothy 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
As young children, I can remember my brother and I hoping for things. Sometimes it was a new pair of sneakers, or a baseball or mitt, or for me a Barbie or some other doll which had caught my eye. We wanted different things we saw on TV (black and white then), but there was Roy Rogers and Trigger, or sometimes, we hoped to be able to have Nestles Quick in our milk which was normally only a once weekly treat. But the point is, from a young age, we hoped for things. We didn’t get them all the time–sometimes we were disobedient, sometimes the parents forgot, sometimes they decided we had had enough sweets, and needed to wait until “Saturday.” It was particularly tough to wait for Christmas hoping for this or that, and then it took FOREVER for the day to arrive. We hoped for a gift, we hoped to see Santa in the house, we hoped to hear him and the reindeer on the roof, and since it was winter in New England, we hoped for a new sled, toboggan, or ice skates.
It was often the excitement of the hope and what would come. But the feeling of hoping and the enthusiasm was real, and expectant. And I have been able to see that same excited expectation with my own children and with the grandchildren.
Even newborns have a sense of hope. They cry and hope to be fed; cry and hope to be changed; cry and hope to be held, burped and so forth. If those needs are not routinely met, and they are not stimulated they become babies known as “failure to thrive.” They lose hope, they don’t interact, there is no hope in their little minds that their needs will be met. Generally, they stop making eye contact, they lie quiet, mostly silent as they have learned in their very short lives, that their needs will not be met. It takes a lot of work to get these babies to learn to interact and that is IF they do. Sometimes the damage has imbedded and these children are labeled as autistic or on the spectrum for needing a lot of extra help throughout life
As we age, our hopes and dreams change. We still hope, want and get excited about things–an upcoming marriage, or baby going to be added to the family, or a new home. There are things that we are excited to be seeing come to fruition.
But especially once one becomes a Christian, your hope changes, matures. Now you hope for a deeper relationship with Jesus, to know God and the Holy Spirit more intimately. You hope you have waited and truly dug out God’s plan for your life. You hope you are doing your best daily, and examining your day at the end of each, you hope you can be better the next day. Once you have recognized and claimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, confessed your sins, and started to become a ‘new creation’ you recognize you have assurance of the biggest hope ever. You know, not just hope, that Jesus is preparing a place for you. Hope is attained.
We hope a lot throughout our lives. Many of these hopes we pray about before they are an issue. We pray our children will be safe when we send them out the door, we pray they will do their best in whatever they are working at–whether it be school work, sports, or as they get older, they start jobs and learn the importance of finishing and finishing well, we pray they will stay safe from drugs, and from the evils and demon temptations in this world. Our hope for them is laid out in prayer before our Lord.
We hope illness will not touch us or our family. Our hope may be for complete healing–but when healing perhaps does not come, or there are profound effects post illness changing the lives of the caregivers and family. There may be anger in the patient, and that can be directed at caregivers, family members, self, doctors and anyone who might come in their path. To them, at the time, hope has disappeared. Difficult time for all. Once we realize complete healing is no longer the hope (it can still be a prayer as we have an AWESOME GOD in our lives), but the hope is gone as the new reality sets in. Now a new hope to fit the changed circumstances needs to develop. The prayer may also change–to keep our loved one comfortable, give them the ability and reason to do their physical best–work hard at PT, optimize the best you can be with God’s help, and be confident in what God has for you. But hard to do when it is YOUR body that has been insulted. And yet aren’t those some of the most amazing true stories you have ever come across?
We are born with is an inborn desire to know God, or some higher being. There are some persons who recognize they are missing something. . . Some fill the desires with phone, social media, games, drugs, alcohol, gambling, and other means of distraction; and therefore, don’t find the TRUE fulfillment of the emptiness in their lives. They recognize the hole, but refuse to consider that Jesus MIGHT be the answer. Often it is a hard NO–until He tugs often enough and hard enough to get a surrender. Jesus is all the hope and expectation one needs.
The knocking and seeking and having our requests answered is to FIND, Know, LOVE and REVERE God in the entirety, and then our wishes, desires will be fulfilled in His will. He does have a plan for happiness, safety and good things for those who believe in Him. God is love. He created man to have a relationship with him. God enjoyed His time with the first two humans He created and visited with in the Garden. He wanted to then, and wants now, to have a relationship with those He created. God wants, HOPES, no one will perish, by choosing sin and pride and stubbornness, rather than repentance, turning from sin and knowing that God’s Son died for each of us and for OUR sins, taking them ALL on Himself.
God, the Father and Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are HOPE–the only hope that is steady and the only one we need. If we know Him and have the hope for eternal life with Him and have asked for our sins to be forgiven–we have the ASSURANCE of eternal life with Him. The alternative is eternal life burning in hell-fires–forever separated from God.
Jesus thank You for being patient with me, and steadily steering me to know You better and better. You have richly blessed me and ‘mybelllaviews.’
Deuteronomy 9:5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
John 1:16-17 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.
Acts 15:10-11 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.
Romans 3:24 Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 5:20-21 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Corinthians 12:9 Your Grace is always sufficient for us
Ephesians 2:8,9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (highlight of “gift of God”, mine)
Ephesians 2:5 …made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
2 Tim 1:9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.
Titus 2:11-12 We’re saved by grace, and grace is our teacher. Because of God’s grace, we have knowledge and ability to live our daily lives according to His will.
Titus 3:5 …He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
God has always been full of love and grace toward man. He set out simple rules, made them well known to His humans, but within a short time, He had to deal with them when they disobeyed His simple command. According to what Eve told Satan, they were not to touch a certain tree in the center of the garden “or we will die.” And Satan reassured her she would not die….although because of his sinful nature he was already experiencing this “death”—which is the separation of God because of sin.
Just as separation from God by not accepting Jesus as the Savior, the atonement for sin, and it requires only that we acknowledge Him as Savior and confess our sins. And we sin daily—we get angry, say something rude or hurtful to another, have lied—either by telling someone they look great when they look awful, and so many other ways. Most are unintentional, but not all.
We are a sinful people and even once saved, we need to make daily confession of our wrongdoing. And we are forgiven. Of course, God wants us growing in the manner of Christ–full of gentleness, kindness, patience, wisdom, and especially love.
We don’t normally love others freely. There are some who just irritate us, irk us, make us work to like them for a variety of reasons. But we need to put “their negative aspects” away and treat them with love. Jesus dealt with persons who were ill and had been for years—often extremely dirty and smelling of foulness, the same with paralytics. He dealt with lepers, and all sorts of unattractive illnesses and conditions that persons were dealing with. The disciples got to witness firsthand as He approached with kindness and love, and dealt with their illness/sin, and encouraged them to sin no more.
I can only imagine the disciples standing back, surprised and a bit disgusted as Jesus willingly walked amongst these less than desirable or willingly acceptable people. Jesus set an example for them always. He encouraged his disciples verbally and physically, stepping out and touching and healing. I can imagine their surprise and disgust, but something kept drawing them to Jesus. They believed that He would free them from the tyranny of the Romans, He would be their next King.
It was not until His death on the cross, His burial and Resurrection, and then His return, alive, full of love, acceptance — and to Peter—who now felt forgiven, for denying of his friend, teacher, and the one who had performed miracles time and again before him and the rest of the apostles.
But it was grace, God’s love, and forgiveness over centuries of caring for the Israelites, and now witnessing the physical acceptance, kindness, gentleness, and love that Jesus demonstrated in human form to so many. It was His teaching, His compassion, the miracles, and because they had been chosen by God’s grace to be the ones who would witness as to their time with Jesus of His love, forgiveness, and the only Truth and Way, without the many rules of the Pharisees, Sadducee’s….
Grace is God’s love, forgiveness—even though we are huge sinners, and His forgiveness should not be expected, but is given—and He saves us not because we are good, or kind, or worthy, but He saves us because of what Christ did for us, because of the work of Jesus, His Son. He took ALL the sins of past and future upon Himself, as the final and last blood sacrifice to atone for sins—our sins. He, Jesus Christ was fully free of sin, and willingly took on the job of being the sacrifice to save all of us who believe in Him.
Sin needs to be confessed and atoned for with a blood sacrifice and in the Old Testament that meant the killing of an animal or animals. Part of me would wonder when reading these sacrifices in the OT if God thought anyone would care. They had many animals in the Wilderness. It was not like a child’s only lamb or calf that they raised for 4H–took personal care of, and actually cared, loved, admired or FELT something for. I was also fairly repulsed. Being a nurse, it is fairly easy to recognize blood and sometimes death. It is distinctive. I repeatedly wondered how they convinced these poor creatures to go into the temple. Instinct would have them rebelling, fighting for their life(ves), fearful and dangerous in trying to protect themself(ves). It is not easy trying to wrangle any animal into submission when it is frightened, never mind terrified. I knew having to see these sacrifices performed–even for my benefit–I would have been ill. Hopefully, ill enough to NEVER commit another sin and be the cause of this death. But initially, it was one of the reasons, I skimmed much of the Old Testament early on. As I matured in my knowledge and understanding, there was SO much there that predicted about the sacrificial suffering and death of Jesus.
God provided the final sacrifice with the death and willing sacrifice of His only Son. He took upon Himself all the sins of the past and future. Because of grace and love. This was no unblemished animal taken from the herd as made to be an example of atoning for sin–this was a sinless Man, who many already knew was the Messiah long promised and finally arrived, and His own religious leaders stirred up many of the people to call for His death.
How could they not have known? He radiated kindness, love, forgiveness, healing–and they were further educated than most–yet chose to order the death of this “disruption” which might take away some of their god and power. Caiaphas said, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nations should perish.” (John 11:49-50) Another prophecy fulfilled to save the world for all who believe in Him.
God wants our hearts to be repentant, to yearn for Him, to seek His ways and teaching. He wants us to become more like HIs Son–full of love, forgiveness, non-judgmental, kind, gentle, good, generous–and full of repentance for our sinful, selfish ways. We think more of ourselves and our desires oftentimes, and will be filled with peace, love, and rest if we turn from our selfishness to be more like God. His grace absolves us of the sins we commit–but we must repent, we must want to be more like Christ and strive to reach for attributes that reflect Him.
Lord, You have shown me so much grace. You are a comfort and rest. You, by your enormous grace, have taken me in, helped me grow. Thank You for all the blessings You have given to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Psalm 32:1,5 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. . . . I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Psalm 130:4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
Matthew 6:12-15 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
Luke 17:3-4 “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him”
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name,
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
The Lord commands us to forgive when others have slighted us, or done worse and severely hurt us. That is not always easy to do. We want to protect ourselves from hurt, and it is fairly primal to want to hurt, or at least let the other know that they hurt you with whatever was done—or not done.
Once hurt, there is a slight erosion of mistrust. It is not always glaring, but the one hurt might always know it could happen again. I have a good friend and we meet once every three months or so have dinner and catch up on each other’s lives. I have missed two meetings within a three year period—which is unlike me—but the trip is always going to Wilmington when my mind is beginning to shut down. I am blessed she has forgiven me, but I know she has to mistrust knowing it could happen again.
I hate forgetting an appointment or plan with someone. If something has to be changed because of illness, emergency or something, I try to give as much notice as possible—but to forget. . . that sends the message they are not important to me. And I hate that. . .each person in my life is important, but the message to them (actions can speak louder than words—missing appointments, etc) says they are not.
When I was very young, my father was diagnosed with a debilitating illness that required medications that would allow him to live fairly healthy and be able to work, or the other option was to live a bed to chair existence. He and my mother chose the medications. They had an infant and a 2 year old, and at 24 years old, he felt it his responsibility to work and take care of his family. At the time, the doctors had guesstimated he would only live to be about 40 years.
Anyway, we grew up with that knowledge. He had to work 3p-11p shift because it took a while for him to get over coughing and able to breathe well, get easily moving in his day. His illness made me very aware of not doing anything that would hurt or cause him or hurt because I knew I did not want to ever endure possibly not being forgiven for something bratty I had done.
I knew very early on that forgiveness was important. That those held in negative feelings could and would turn into a sore, infected boil that would need to be lanced. Hard to get those apologies out if the person has passed from this life to eternity—and then you are stuck with the nasty knowledge that you did not forgive—or you don’t know if you were forgiven.
A couple of weeks ago, I had some neighbors over and as we were talking one of the women said she now no longer had any of her sisters in her life. I was surprised, particularly regarding one of them, as she comes over the holidays, has done Thanksgiving at my home for the past three years and so forth. The reply was that the sister did not want to do anything social any longer as she now had six less than one year old kittens and she did not want her furniture or belongings destroyed, so she was refusing to go and visit her sister. And I know this woman got very attached to her kittens—she only had three litter mates the last I knew. My neighbor’s take was ‘OK, if you want to stop any social life and gathering, you are on your own. I no longer have you for a sister.’ A few minutes later she said she would not forgive her for choosing kittens over her.
So I asked why her other sisters no longer came to her home. They would have a huge family gathering every Memorial Day weekend, sprucing up the house for the rental season, but it was nice to see the sisters and spouses working together, and also see the father. The mother, although alive, was not well, and not part of any of the outside work.
Several years ago, I heard through the neighborhood chain, that the mother had died, then noticed the father would continue to come and spend time at the house, but the sisters stopped coming. A few years ago, her spouse died, then about a year after that her father died. Then it was just the sister who owns these kittens—and now she is not coming either. But to wipe them off?! My neighbor is foot loose, owns a couple homes–why does her sister have to come her way? Go and spend time with the sister with the cats. She does not always have to be the one to come your way.
But her response to my question as to why the sisters no longer came was, “After the two of them refused to let me see my father the couple of days before he died, I will NEVER forgive them!”
We discussed it for a few minutes with me trying to explain that forgiveness was more for her, not for the sisters, and they probably were not at all aware of her anger and unforgiveness, and that holding onto grudges and so forth was a big cause of illness oftentimes, as well as going against God’s will. She was adamant that she would NEVER forgive, and that she didn’t need them in her life.
Afterwards, when I thought about it, I was not as surprised as initially. I don’t know her well, but she forgets one neighbor after another—there are only four houses that she pays any attention to, but she is very wrapped up in her, her belongings, her time, and does not mind asking others for favors that have them going out of their way. Ours is a fairly close neighborhood—not just a bunch of homes where we do not know one another well. We visit back and forth, help with errands, check in and make sure all doing well—we have relationships among the 16-18 homes.
For the first several years. She would occasionally wave, but never chatted. Her father was very friendly, but she was not. And she made it rather clear this past visit, she really does not want to know any of the others, although she has been to holiday functions with all of us. She has celebrated with us, but for some reason can not retain their names, which is their house, and it made me realize that she truly cares for herself first and foremost.
But her remark about not EVER forgiving her sisters bothered me. I pray for her—and hopefully she will understand forgiveness is for her, not for her sisters.
Lord, it was sometime difficult knowing how ill Dad was, but it helped me realize early on that I did not want to hurt anyone or hold a grudge. Thank You for helping me realize forgiveness is so important for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Psalm 34:13-14 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 141:3-4 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!
Proverbs 10:31-32 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
Proverbs 13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (I think this is special for me with coarse talk and over-eating).
Proverbs 15:4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 23:2 …and put a knife to your throat if you are prone to gluttony.
Jeremiah 1:9 The the Lord put out His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth….”
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread (Only what I NEED)
Matthew 12:36-37 I tell you on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Matthew 15:11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.
Luke 11:3 Give us this day our daily bread (Only what I NEED)
1 Corinthians 10:10,13,31 … nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer… No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. . . So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up ,as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear
James 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God
James 3:5-10 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tanned by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing, Mr brothers, these things ought not to be so.
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
I frequently have problems with my mouth—in many ways. Often, I will stuff food and whatnot in that I don’t really need, often when I am not hungry or in need of any calories. Because I totally like many foods and sweets, I frequently reach in for “just a taste.” Often that then turns into a full helping, sometimes a second or third helping, or taking some home for later. Food is not just nourishment to me—it can be an addiction. I love sweets, I love potatoes and savory chicken, pizza, even grilled veggies. It’s not uncommon for me to grill onions, mushrooms, peppers together that I will share with a grilled meat; the next day will enjoy the grilled veggies with cheese on top—maybe ricotta, maybe just American.
I have been known to sip too much wine—then have the unsteadiness to prove my mouth has been over-filled with something that is not good for it. Tastes, textures, sweetness, savory, gooey and chocolate-y, or baked fruit goodness—although my mind can remind me to not pig-out, frequently I find my hand and mouth are disobedient; and calories are taken in. In all honesty, I don’t look for a way out of temptation—rarely do I even pause before taking a sliver, a tablespoon, a thin slice, or even a full slice, savoring for the moment those tastes and textures.
Now, once the yumminess is gone, I usually have guilt feelings, and THEN decide I will NOT do this again. EVER. . .well, until the next time. I truly wish I was one of those who ‘ate to live instead of living to eat.’ I do so love food.
I wish I valued it as a means of maintaining health, strength, weight—but that is secondary to me. I love taste—the smells before the taste ever hits my tongue, the texture, and all the sensations that go with it. I therefore tend to overeat—because that tastes are so appreciated. The fullness, the feeling of being stuffed and tied tightly with something across the middle is NOT. But part of the consequences of over-indulging. I think this will always be something I have to work on—ask the Holy Spirit to show me the way to avoid pigging out. When satisfied—STOP—He always supplies what I need. He does not appreciate gluttony.
The other aspect I should remember daily is that there are still hungry, starving folks in this world. How can I justify then being a hog-let? Hogs are not lovely animals to watch—in any manner. We are blessed to have so many foods available to choose, to purchase, to cook and to enjoy. But to eat in excess is a sin—and I need to remember this. I need to look at my fasting plans again.
But my mouth is not just disobedient with intake—it can also spew out ugliness. This, too, I have been working on for a while—and even I can see an improvement. I am not sharing my negative or judgmental thoughts—and trying to corral them as they are forming in my head to stop them with the very stern reminders that I AM NOT able to judge another; if I judge anther, I better be able and willing to suffer through the punishment I have thought another should have; and no one wants or should hear my thoughts unless they are positive and loving—or at least able to show another a positive spin.
I want to say graceful and loving things, encouragement, prayers for healing, peace, strength, discernment, praise for jobs well done, words that let others know they are loved and respected. What we speak comes from the heart. (Ephesians 4:29, Ephesians 5:4, Matthew 15:11). I do not want to speak ugly and vile, defiling things. There is so much negative chatter one hears everywhere. It is depressing and tiring. It beats one down. Politics, doom and gloom from the news media—and if anyone has read the Bible more than a couple of times—we are told there will be natural disasters, wars, violence and so forth before His second coming. I am aware, this is not news for me—and although I pray for the family and friends who are not saved—I have been praying for them for years, and I choose to believe, they will turn in their last moments. But I know—as disobedient as I still am—He chose me, and there is a home for me in eternity that will not be catching on fire forever and ever.
You have always been too good to me. You have been merciful and gracious and full of love. I have not. Lord, I am asking You to control my mouth—let me not be an over-eater any longer—let me appreciate a few bites, and NOT feel I must gorge more. I throw out more food at times so I can enjoy the second or third time. Let me rely on You—and not over-indulge. Please put a picture in my mind of those who are hungry so I will not gorge. My mouth – any mouth is a nasty place. Mouths are full of germs—any bites are a danger whether from an animal or a human; they can over-indulge, and they can spew forth vile things—gossip, cursing, anger, hatefulness, judging, and deviousness.
Close my mouth if it can not honor You with intake and output. I only want to honor You.
Thank You, Lord for Your steadfast love and patience and mercy. You have so blessed me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!