The Heart Is Deceitful

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” — Jeremiah 19:9-10 

God searches our hearts.

He examines our minds.

And He sees our deceit.

Even when we can't understand it.

He knows we are beyond cure.

Which is why He sent His Son, Jesus.

To die on Golgatha (pictured).

To redeem us from our sin.

So we are no longer rewarded by what our deeds deserve.

Agree With One Another

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. — 1 Corinthians 1:10 

God calls us to agree with each other.

In what we say and do.

So we don't have divisions in the church.

So we are perfectly united in mind.

And so we even agree in our thoughts.

As brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A beautiful bouquet of fragrant flowers that complement each other.

Love the Lord Your God

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-38 

Jesus commands us to Love God with all we have.

This is the first commandment.

The second is similar to this one.

Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.

This is hard to do.

I'm naturally very self-centered.

But trusting God's commands is about allowing Him to transform me from the inside out.

As I fall more in love with Him.

Things God Has Prepared for Those Who Love Him

As it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him. — 1 Corinthians 2:1

Today is Groundhog Day!

Even things we cannot know, such as "will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow" are known by God.

He has prepared things for us that we cannot comprehend.

Things we have not seen.

Things we have not heard.

Things our minds haven't even conceived.

These are the things God has prepared for me and you.

All because of His love for us.

Amazing grace!

Do Not Conform to This World

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:2

This is a tough verse to swallow.

It's hard not to confirm to the pattern of the world.

But God is ready to tranform us into something much better.

Renewing our mind so we can test and approve God's will for us.

His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Yesterday, my writing team took me out to lunch to celebrate Boss's Day.

I am blessed by my coworkers and friends.

Be Transformed By the Renewing of Your Mind

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:2

God calls us to be in the world but not of it.

To be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ.

Not to conform to the pattern of this world.

All this so we will be able to test our for ourselves what God's will is for us.

To approve what He has in mind for us.

God's good, pleasing and perfect will for you and me.

God Gives Endurance

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. — Romans 15:5-6 

Lake Okoboji

God gives us endurance. 

He helps us persevere.

He encourages us throughout each day.

And He wants us to have the same mind as Jesus.

So we can glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And ao we can glorify Him with one mind and one voice.

The Things God Has Prepared

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him. — 1 Corinthians 2:9

God has prepared great things for us.

What no eye has seen.

What no ear has heard.

And what no human mind has conceived.

The things God has prepared for us.

And for those who love Him.

We are blessed.

Be Alert

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. — 1 Peter 1:8-9 

Last night we had about 50 children stop by our house for Halloween.

That was the most we've ever had.

We think we may have had more than usual just because everyone is ready to get out of the house and start hanging out together.

Kirk lit our firepit and turned on the patio lights.

He put plastic pumpkins in our wall and our welcome Autumn Scarecrow in front of our gate.

The first group included twenty children from about two years old to ten.

Here's how the sky looked just as the sun was setting.

A fun evening.

Today we welcome November.

And we are reminded that our enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour.

God calls us to stand firm in the faith and to resist temptation.

We know that the family of believers around the world is undergoing trials much greater than ours.

And we pray for God's protection over them.

Do Not Conform to the Pattern of This World

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:1 

It's so easy to conform to the pattern of this world.

But God wants something better for me.

He wants to transform me into His image and renew my mind.

He wants me to be able to test, discern, and approve what God's will is.

We already know that His will is good, pleasing and perfect.

God knows what's best for me.

Agree Together to End Your Divisions

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose. — 1 Corinthians 1:10

Our Lord Jesus urges us to agree together.

On some days agreement seems extremely unlikely.

But our God does the impossible!

We can agree to end our divisions.

We can unite behind the same mind and purpose.

Especially when we focus on the mind of Christ.

In the name of our Lord Jesus.

Set Your Mind on Things Above

 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. — Colossians 3:2

Yesterday we hiked up to Potato Chip rock.

Here's my friend Kelly, sitting on the edge.

Abby and Kirk and I hiked up here several years ago.

Then Abby and Kirk hiked it again a few times.

We got some great pictures of them.

God asks us to set our minds on things above instead of on earthly things.

It's much easier to do that when we're outside marveling at God's creation.

Help me to set my mind on You, O Lord.

Be Alert

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. — 1 Peter 5:8

Happy Hallowen!

Today we celebrated All Saints Day by remembering those who have gone before us.

So many wonderful saints who w were blessed to have known.

Then we went swimming - Abby and I got to share a lane.

The weather was perfect.

We're looking forward to handing out candy tonight.

Here are the pumpkins in our wall ready to greet the trick-or-treaters.

Perseverence and Encouragement

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus. — Romans 15:5

God gives us perseverance to continue when we can't go any further.

He give us encouragement when we don't think we're up to the task.

He knows our thoughts.

The Lord can help us to be of the same mind with one another.

Through Christ Jesus, anything is possible.

Your Labor of Love

Constantly keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, His choice of you. — 1 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Yesterday our friend Bogar gave a wonderful sermon about loving others.

Even those who are our enemies.

That's not something we can do on our own.

It takes God's love working through us.

And His Holy Spirit loving those who are unlovable to us.

It starts with me being able to pray for my enemies, even when I disagree or they make me mad.

I came home from church to this beautiful bouquet from my daughter.

She has a gift for flower arranging.

And I am a blessed mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

Love the Lord

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-39

Mission San Luis Ray

I often take turns choosing which part of me will love God at this moment.

Either my heart or my soul or my mind.

But not all at once.

It's too hard to devote my complete self to Him all the time.

The booklet that pastor Jerry uses, "My Heart, Christ's Home," talks about opening each room of our hearts to Jesus.

But there are some dark closets that are easier left closed to Him.

And some areas of my life I prefer to keep to myself.

Just so I don't have to work on cleaning them out or turning them over to Him.

Help me, Lord, to open all parts of my life to you.

Purge the sin from the dark corners of my soul.

Let your light flow through me.

Mind Your Own Business

You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody, — 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

It's hard to mind our own business when things around us seem to be in disarray.

At the same time, God calls us to mind our own business.

He asks us to work with our hands.

So that our daily life may win the respect of others.

And so we will not dependent on anybody.

Instead, we will work hard and mind our own business.

Here we are at the top of Pyles Peak in October - our 6 mile hike.

Thanks to Kellie for arranging this hike for us.

 

The Lord Searches the Heart

I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind. — Jeremiah 17:10

Saturday I went into work for a couple of hours.

This is the photo I took from my office window.

You can see the ceiling lights in the reflection.

I was the only one on our floor.

I met my team member there so she could pick up her computer cords now that we are working from home.

It also gave me a chance to forward my desk phone and get a few things done.

God searches my heart and examines my mind.

He knows my every thought.

They Shared Everything

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. — Acts 4:32

All the believers were of one heart and mind.

Very rarely do we feel that we're one in heart and mind with someone else, much less with a whole group of people.

But as sisters and brothers in Christ, we are united together by the grace of Jesus.

We have a common goal and share what we have with others.

We are one in Jesus.

We are the church.