Deep Thoughts and Little Happenings

I've been thinking a lot about how I perceive (interpret) a situation and my ability to maintain my joy through it. Follow me here... If I believe all things either come from the LORD or through His permissive will, and I believe He is always good and right, then why do I kick against the things I don't like or don't feel good? Isn't it from Him, for me, and meant for my good? Ugly conclusion? Facts can all be agreed upon, but when I allow my feelings to create doubt, I lose all my joy and peace. Both are still available, but I've chosen to focus on my perception of the situation---this doesn't feel good, I don't like it, this hurts; therefore, I conclude it must not be good and begin to question God.  So, is everything really open to interpretation?  Does my perception of my circumstances make them any less good for me?  Does my inability or unwillingness to admit God's doing something I don't understand prevent me from living well? Disobedience?  M

Anyone who has ever gotten a new pair of glasses knows the struggle of adjustment. Climbing stairs, stepping off a curb, and even reaching for something creates a need for added attention and care. The optometrist warns us against switching between our old and new glasses. Why? It creates added struggle and delays our ability to see with clarity through our new lenses. Jesus-followers encounter the same type of struggle. Our old selves see everything through the lens of our own understanding. Holy Spirit helps us see everything through the lens of God’s word. Yep! Reading God’s word causes us to see people and circumstances from God’s perspective, and our old understanding is challenged. It’s kind-of like putting on a new pair of prescription glasses. Every new perspective revealed in God’s word, challenges our perspective. I’m sorry to say, but just like those times when I’m tempted to wear my old glasses, I’m also tempted to refuse God’s perspective. I’ve even tried to justify

Our daughter got new glasses a couple of weeks ago and she called to talk about the struggle. Later, I was talking to Momma and we were reminiscing about our own experiences with new glasses. We went from sharing the struggles to marveling over how our vision adjusts. That’s when Momma told me about some glasses she was required to wear during the psychology portion of her studies at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing. Those glasses caused the wearer to see everything upside down. That’s right! The glasses inverted and reversed everything. But… After wearing them for a period of time, the wearer’s eyes would readjust and everything would appear right-side up while the glasses were worn. Then… Everything was upside down when the wearer wasn’t wearing the glasses. This brings me to today’s Scripture. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what i

  Eight years! That’s the numbers of years it takes for the standard apple tree to mature to the point of producing good fruit. Thankfully, it doesn’t take that’ long for Jesus-followers to start producing fruit. Of course, we want the fruit to be good fruit. The fruit Paul wrote about in his letter to the Galatians.  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!   Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) Jesus talked about our ability to bear good fruit. We can’t bear good fruit apart from Him! (John 15:4-5) Jesus also said a tree is identified by its fruit. He used figs and grapes as His example, but the illustration is clear. Our words and actions reveal what’s in our hearts. If Jesus is not LORD of our lives, we will not bear His Spirit’s fruit. It doesn’t count if we call Him LORD but don’t do what He tells us is right. (Luke 6:43-49) FYI: What