The Bully - Lynne Phipps

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

I once happened upon a situation where a person was extremely angry with their dogs. They yelled, hollered, and chased after them in a threatening manner. They tried to get the animals to move from one area to another. The dogs were terrified and had scattered in different directions, desperately trying to flee from the bully’s path.

One of the frightened creatures, spotting me, ran to my side and huddled against my leg. Having seen where their owner wanted them to go, I spoke quietly to the little canine and walked toward the designated area. The pup followed. As I approached the assigned area, I called the other dogs over to me as well, speaking in a positive voice. All the dogs responded and were soon safely out of the bully’s way.

Fear kept these dogs from hearing their owner’s loud and angry voice. Dogs respond to tone and attitude more than words. When I introduced the right tone and attitude, they listened and obeyed.

Just as this person’s dogs scattered and ran in fear, our enemy, known in the Word as Satan or the devil, also seeks to put us on the run by bullying us with fear tactics. He wants us to doubt God and his truth. He wants us to rebel against God, just as he did. Our enemy seeks to sow doubt in our lives regarding our faith, often when we are most vulnerable. 

When sickness, sorrow, economic crisis, natural disasters, relational difficulties, and the like assault us, the enemy of our souls roars in with his lies, seeking to steal the truth from our hearts. He desires to crush our view of God, bombarding us with doubts and fears concerning our situation. Amidst his rampage and our resultant fear, it becomes hard for us to hear our Lord’s calm voice. But God seeks to remind us of his ability to use all things for our good and grant us strength and wisdom to endure. 

Let us therefore learn to recognize our enemy and his tactics by studying the Word and committing it to heart. Then, on the day of attack, amidst the lion’s roaring, we can tune our ears to God’s still quiet voice of assurance and hope. He can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. 

Father God, when the enemy roars into our lives, teach us to stand firm and listen to Your still, quiet voice of hope, wisdom, and safety. In Christ’s name, amen.

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country. She has been writing devotions for forty years and never tires of the spiritual correlation the Holy Spirit blesses her with. He uses normal everyday events and the behaviors of the multitude of glorious creatures He has brought across her path to point her to the truths of God. Lynne is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

 

The Joy of Serving Others Well - Martin Wiles

Don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NLT

I noticed the handicap van they drove and knew it was time for me to serve. I would soon learn the joy of serving others well.

Saturday morning. My wife and I were in the middle of packing for our move later in the month when we ran out of boxes. She suggested I stop by McDonald’s and grab us lunch after I picked up a few boxes. As I waited in the drive-through line, I noticed an older couple in a handicapped-accessible van slowly pull through the parking lot and take their place behind me.

Our daughter once had the habit of paying for the person behind her when she bought food from Chick-fil-A. I had never done this before, but on this day felt God’s Spirit nudging me. I questioned myself. What if they have ten more people in the van with them? I decided to act rather than doubt. When I approached the window to pay for my food, I asked the attendant to add their tab to mine. It was an insignificant amount, but the feeling I received from obeying God’s prompting was unsurpassed.

As believers, we have been freed from sin’s penalty. The blood of Christ has washed away our sins. Rather than using that freedom to indulge in sinful practices, Paul says we should use it to serve others. By doing so, we obey the second greatest command: to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Serving others can bring joy when we do so with the right attitude. Serving with reluctance won’t work. When we serve reluctantly, we feel hesitation because we’re doing something we don’t want to do.

Serving with joy requires letting God change how we see situations. What we give through our act of service is not forced from our hands. Instead, we’re allowing the act to slip away as a form of appreciation for what Christ has done for us.

Nor should we serve with ulterior motives. If we brag about what we’ve done, the spotlight shines on us instead of God. Jesus said not to let our right hand know what our left hand was doing. He also warned about standing on a street corner and announcing what we’ve done for him. Our motive in serving is to give God praise, not ourselves.

Learn the joy of serving others well, but not because you feel forced or want recognition.

Father, thank you for giving me opportunities to serve others in your name. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Pasta Salad

 

 NOW FOR A HEALTHY START TO THE NEW YEAR.

 

Ingredients

1 16 OZ. BOX COLORED PASTA

1 CUP SUGAR

3 MEDIUM CARROTS CHOPPED FINE 

         
1 CUP WHITE VINEGAR

1 BELL PEPPER CHOPPED FINE

         
1 CUP MAYONNAISE

1 MEDIUM RED ONION CHOPPED FINE

1 TEASPOON SALT

3 CELERY RIBS CHOPPED FINE

1 TEASPOON PEPPER

1 CAN EAGLE BRAND MILK

Directions

COOK PASTA BY DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX.

DRAIN AND DRY ON DISH TOWEL.

MIX CARROTS, BELL PEPPER, ONION, CELERY, MILK, SUGAR, VINEGAR, MAYONNAISE, SALT, AND PEPPER.
ADD PASTA.

MIX TOGETHER AND REFRIGERATE.

BETTER MADE A DAY BEFORE SERVING.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

What It Means to Love a Neighbor - Martin Wiles

The second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31 NLT

The note was attached to the door; the decision had been made. But what the entity didn’t know was what it means to love a neighbor. They would soon find out.

At nine years of age, he was doing what most boys his age did in the summer: romping and playing. Until his sister noticed how yellow his eyes were. She ran inside to tell their mother, who immediately took him to the emergency room. The local hospital transferred him to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Two days later, he had a new liver.

This family was our neighbors, but we knew nothing about their tragedy. We only knew we hadn’t seen anyone at home for three weeks. Initially, their youngest son did well. Then his body began rejecting the liver. They made several trips back and forth to Charleston, and each time we waited for an update.

During their last trip, my wife noticed the local power company had taped a notice to their door. She knew what it was, caught the bearer of bad news, and asked how much the bill was. The mom had not been able to work due to the circumstances, and the dad had missed numerous days himself. If $450 wasn’t paid by the next day, their power would be disconnected—an added grief they didn’t need.

“Why don’t we take a love offering at church?” my wife asked.

Since no one but us knew the family, I didn’t know how the people would respond. But I decided to take a chance. We’d had the young man on our prayer list. On Sunday morning, the church gave $406. When I announced the total at the evening services, the remaining balance was quickly received. As soon as the power company opened on Monday morning, my wife paid the balance.

Loving my neighbor is a good feeling—whether they live beside me or not. Doing so also helps me obey what Jesus termed the second-greatest command. Only loving God with my entire being surpasses it.

Opportunities to love our neighbors—whomever and wherever they might be—abound. But like my wife, we must be attentive to the working of God’s Spirit in our spirits to see them. If we live life selfishly, we’ll miss most, if not all, of the opportunities God sends.

Ask God to open your eyes to opportunities to love your neighbor.

Father, enable me to love others as passionately as you love me.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Lessons from a Dog on a Foot - Martin Wiles

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. Luke 10:39 NLT

Of all the stores my grandfather delivered ice cream to, the one where the dog sat on my foot was my favorite. Who would have guessed I would learn lessons from a dog on a foot?

Aside from a few chain pharmacies, gas stations, and small-town grocery stores, Mom-and-Pop stores ran the retail world. Small stores owned by local people. Stores where customers could buy a little of anything, including ice cream. And my grandfather was more than happy to supply them with all the ice cream their customers could consume.

As a young boy, I enjoyed traveling from town to town and through the country, helping my grandfather stock these small stores with ice cream novelties. But the one I looked forward to the most was the one where a small dog sat on the customers’ feet.

“Where are we going next?” I’d eagerly ask on the day of the week we worked this store. Finally, my grandfather would say, “To the store where the dog sits on your foot.” As my grandfather took the store owner’s order, the dog walked over and sat on my foot. Why he did, I’m not sure. Perhaps just one of those odd habits some animals pick up as a part of their personality.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were Jesus’s good friends. Martha was a busy body, wanting everything to be in order. But she was a good hostess. Mary, however, loved to listen to Jesus teach, so she sat at his feet. Martha fussed about it, but Jesus reminded her that Mary had chosen the better thing.

The small dog at the store could have reared up on my leg or sat with his tail wagging, and gotten the same response from me as he did when he sat on my foot. He wanted attention from the store owner’s customers. He obviously loved people and craved petting.

Jesus wants the same from us as he did from Mary. But most of the time, we’re Marthas. We get so wrapped up in daily affairs—good things, mind you—that we forget to sit at Jesus’s feet, enjoy his company, and learn from him. There’s a better way, and Mary and the foot-sitting dog remind us of that. Time spent with the Savior is never wasted. Other things can wait. Listening to him is more important.

Find time daily to sit at the feet of Jesus.

Father, help me slow down so I can spend time sitting at your feet and learning from you.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Learning to Be Satisfied - Martin Wiles

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:16 NLT

One chose to stay on the farm; the other chose city life. One was satisfied; the other, well...

When my mom was a junior in high school, she chose to leave her family farm and marry my dad. Her new life would take her away from her country upbringing and plant her in cities and rural areas for the remainder of her life. Mom’s sister, however, married a Navy man and chose to build their home next to her parents and remain on the family farm—a place she stayed until her death.

My grandparents’ old homeplace was sold for a negligible amount—and it seemed the same would happen to my aunt’s home. But her oldest son stepped in and decided he and his wife would make it their retirement home. All the hunting, fishing, and golf he could stand would surround him. Sadly, he died soon thereafter from a heart attack, and the home passed into a stranger’s hands.

I always envied my cousins, growing up with open land all around them. Hunting, fishing, romping through the woods. Having pets wasn’t a problem. Leash laws didn’t exist. Being able to raise chickens, cows, hogs, and anything else they wanted without having to wonder where they’d put them or if the smell would offend the neighbors. They lived a carefree, down-to-earth lifestyle.

Because Mom and Dad chose city and small-town life, I had to endure it as well. Although it has its conveniences, I still miss the open land and the perks of country living.

I’ve also been known to envy those God is using, wishing he’d use me the same way. Paul reminded the early believers that the church was like a body. Each part has a specific function, and they fit together perfectly. When one piece is out of whack, the entire body is affected.

Curbing my jealousy is an ongoing lesson God must teach me. Instead of envying what he does in other believers’ lives, we must learn to enjoy what he does in ours, as well as rejoice in what he does in others’ lives. We’re not in competition but in cahoots with other believers. Our job is not to fuss and fight but to work together to accomplish God’s work in this world. He gives us unique opportunities and personalities. Even when we share the same gift as another person, we will use it differently.

Rather than envying someone else’s gift, use yours to fulfill God’s plan for you.

Father, thank you for giving me unique gifts and opportunities. Help me to use them faithfully in your service.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Cheesy Bacon Dip

 

 

Ingredients

2 CUPS SOUR CREAM

1 JAR REAL BACON BITS

2 CUPS SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE  

8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE (SOFTENED)

Directions

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND PLACE IN A GREASED BAKING DISH.

BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES.

DIP MAY ALSO BE PLACED IN A HOLLOWED ROUND FRENCH BREAD LOAF, WRAPPED IN FOIL, AND HEATED AT THE SAME TEMPERATURE AND TIME.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and God in eBook or paperback. If you want a daily dose of God's grace, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.