Cheesy Bacon Grits Casserole

 

Ingredients

7 packs of Instant Grits

4 eggs

2 cups of water

1 cup of milk

1/2 stick of butter

1 cup of shredded sharp cheese

1 cup of Velveeta cheese

1 pound of cooked and crumbled bacon

Directions

Mix all ingredients.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place in casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Tweetable: In the mood for some comfort food? 

If you enjoyed this recipe, try one of our devotions and then share them both with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

In the Grip of Fear - Martin Wiles

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT

America had been invaded.

 

On the evening of October 30, 1938, a news flash interrupted the musical program, “Ramon Raquello”: “Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin from the Intercontinental Radio News.”

 

The announcer told listeners that scientists at the Mount Jennings Observatory in Chicago had observed mysterious explosions of incandescent gas on Mars.

 

A few minutes later, other bulletins told listeners that aerial vehicles had landed in various parts of the country and that strange creatures had been seen emerging from them. Soon, reports came in from New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. It appeared Martians were taking over the planet.

 

Panic ensued. The New York Times received 875 calls in minutes. One woman—not wanting to be taken captive by Martians—attempted to take poison, but was prevented just in the nick of time.

 

One caller asked police in San Francisco, “My God, where can I volunteer my services? We’ve got to stop this awful thing.”

 

In Newark, New Jersey, families in one neighborhood ran into the streets with handkerchiefs covering their mouths. Electricity suddenly went out in one town in Washington, causing the residents to assume the Martians had blown up the power complex. Authorities called sailors back to their ships.

 

One teenager remembered, “I was really hysterical. My two girlfriends and I were crying and holding each other, and everything seemed so unimportant in the face of death. We felt it was terrible we should die so young.”

 

But no one died that night because the Martians hadn’t invaded America. Millions had simply heard a radio dramatization of H. G. Welles’s The War of the Worlds on the CBS drama series. Amazing what fear can do.

 

Our world gives us many reasons to fear, some imagined and others not. Danger lurks in many places and has many faces. God obviously knew this would be the case, so he created the fight or flight part of our nature. We put up our fists or high-tail it when dangerous situations arise.

 

Yet, God doesn’t plan for us to live in a constant state of fear—especially when we have nothing specific about which to be afraid. This fear doesn’t come from him but from the enemy of our souls—and the enemy of our peace. Living this way robs us of peace.

 

Humility helps us conquer fear. With humility, we recognize we can’t control everything—especially many things causing us to fear. COVID-19 taught us that. But God can … and does. Nothing lies beyond his reach, and he has promised to care for his children.

 

Rebuking unreasonable fears comes along with humility. Unreasonable worries come from the enemy and usually relate to promises God has made—but promises the enemy wants us to doubt, as Eve did in the garden.

 

Fear prompts us to act—appropriately and inappropriately. Fear makes us run or avoid certain areas or circumstances in certain situations. The flight reactions intermingle with our trust and faith in God because he gave us the good sense to act accordingly. In other situations, fear causes us to cringe and retreat for no good reason. The saying holds truth: most of what we fear never comes to pass.

 

The cure for living in the grip of fear simply involves giving our cares and worries to God. He cares for us and has promised to provide for us. When we do, fear will run from us, rather than us running from it. God will give us the good sense to avoid dangerous situations, the faith not to live with unreasonable fears, and the ability to trust him when we encounter circumstances beyond our control.

 

God is bigger than anything causing you to fear.

 

Father, help me to trust in you so that fear doesn’t overcome me. 

Tweetable: Are you living in the grip of fear? 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Filtering Life - Martin Wiles

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1 NLT

I met him on an informational walk on the Foothills Trail—a thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail.

Meeting and talking with a thru-hiker excited me. As he discussed his adventure, he related the only time he had to leave the trail. He had visited a trail shelter where trail angels left fresh fruit in a nearby stream. Without thinking, he lunged into an apple without washing it. He soon found himself suffering from giardia from water bacteria and sidelined from the trail for a few days of misery.

I’ve never drunk unfiltered water from creeks, lakes, or streams without filtering it. Spending the money required for a dependable filtering source is worth the effort, as is ensuring I replace the filter and clean it regularly.

Filtering life’s experiences isn’t quite as easy as filtering water. All I must do with water is place the filter in the water source and pump. What comes into my drinking canister is at least 99% pure. The chances I’ll be infected are slim. Not so with filtering life. Life’s experiences vary in intensity and probability, and advice on how to face them is plentiful.

The psalmist concluded everything he said about God with the refrain, “His (God’s) faithful love endures forever.” This is a dependable filtering system. Whatever comes our way, we can rest assured that God’s faithful love for us endures forever.

God doesn’t filter his love through our behavior. If he did, most wouldn’t experience it regularly. Instead, he filters his love through his nature—which is love. While his nature also encompasses holiness—which involves his divine wrath against sin—his nature is to love all people, good and bad.

God’s Word is the only reliable filtering source. Other sources may or may not allow bacteria that could taint how we respond to a particular life experience. As the psalmist used God’s revealed Word throughout his life journey to filter his experiences, we, too, can find there a source of instruction and encouragement to help us filter life. When filtered through God’s Word, unpleasant life experiences will lose the potential to infect us with bitterness, anger, confusion, unbelief, and doubt.

Change your perspective on life experiences by filtering them through God’s Word.

Father, when difficulties come my way, lead me to filter them through the teachings of your Word. 

Tweetable: Through what are you filtering your life? 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Full-Service God - Martin Wiles

He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfied every need there is. Acts 17:25 NLT

We called them filling stations, and for good reason.

When I was young, filling stations were places where everyone went to fill their vehicles with fuel. But they were quite different than today. They were full-service stations. When a customer pulled up to the pump, an attendant came out, asked how much fuel the person wanted, and then filled the tank for the customer. While the tank was filling, the attendant checked the oil level, cleaned the front windshield, and checked the tire pressure.

Later, convenience stores with gas pumps became popular, but they weren’t full-service stations. Customers pumped their own gas—self-service, we called it—which made prices cheaper. But we lost that one-on-one interaction, and we drove around in vehicles with dirty vehicles, low oil, and low tire pressure. To compete, full-service stations had to add self-service pumps. Gradually, full-service stations moved toward extinction. I can still remember when the last one in my area closed.   

As Paul walked the streets of philosophical Athens, he noticed a plethora of gods. One was even entitled “To the Unknown God,” just in case they missed one. Paul told them about a “full-service” God. He was the one they didn’t have a name for.

Self-service is the name of the game these days, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with doing something ourselves if we can and if it saves money. We can probably Google it or find directions on YouTube if we don't know how.

Some things, however, require full service. On these occasions, we need the full-service God Paul preached about. Salvation is one of those things. We can’t save ourselves, be good enough, or work hard enough to meet God’s standards. He must apply his grace and forgiveness to our lives.

As God fully serves us, he also wants us to serve others fully. This implies serving with the right motives on every occasion he gives the opportunity. Wrong motives will creep in if we don’t depend on his direction and strength as we serve. We may even gravitate to thinking we no longer need him—or that we can create service opportunities without his input.

Don’t become your own god. Depend on a full-service God.

Father, may I always recognize my dependence on you. 

Tweetable: Do you serve a full-service God? 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Cheesecake

 

Ingredients

2 BOXES JELLO CHEESECAKE MIX 

  

8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE

8 OUNCES COOL WHIP

3 CUPS MILK

Directions

IN A MIXING BOWL, WHIP CREAM CHEESE UNTIL SMOOTH.

ADD CHEESECAKE MIX TO CREAM CHEESE. 

MIX WELL UNTIL IT FORMS A BALL. 

GRADUALLY ADD MILK UNTIL BLENDED.

FOLD IN COOL WHIP AND PLACE IN A PAN.

REFRIGERATE UNTIL READY TO SERVE. 

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Entrusted with More - Martin Wiles

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10 NLT

 

I was faithful with a little, and she gave me more.

 

As I sat in the backyard on our old glider, looking at all our doo dads and old things that hung on the privacy fence and sat around in the yard, I noticed what rust had done. Paint peeled from our old milk cans. Things once black now boasted a completely orange shade. And the glider I sat on? Every color it had ever been painted bled through as rust ate away each layer and the paint peeled away.

 

Looking at a set of wind chimes with a bell and a bird on top that I had given my wife years ago, I decided to check the storage building for black spray paint. Sure enough, I had a little. I sprayed the chimes. They looked so good I decided to paint the shepherd’s hook they hung on. Then I moved on to the rooster bell that hung by the back gate. Proud of my work—and out of paint—I decided to check the shed for more. Two more cans. What more could I paint? I moved on to the two old milk cans. By this time, I had run out of paint.

 

Peeking my head in the door, I shouted for my wife, “Come look at what I did.”

 

She liked my work—but quickly said, “Why don’t you paint our outside table and chairs.”

 

Off to the store she went to buy more paint. She got the cheapest kind, which ran like water when I sprayed it, but I used it anyway. Chairs and table painted.

 

“Why don’t you paint the glider also,” she asked when I finished.

 

Back to the store I went, but for a higher grade of spray paint. Three cans later, I had painted the glider. All of our outside furniture and implements matched, and the rust had been held at bay—at least for a while. I did a good job with little, and my wife entrusted me with more.

 

Jesus told of a rich man who had a manager who wasted the rich man’s money. The manager, knowing he was about to be fired, went to those who owed his master money and reduced their debt, thinking they would help him once his boss fired him. Although not agreeing with his manager’s actions, the rich man praised his ingenuity. Jesus concluded by saying if we are faithful with little things, we will be faithful with larger ones, too.

 

God has work for us to do. The work He gives us typically starts on a small scale. When we prove our faithfulness with the little things, He often gives us larger or more important tasks to complete. Of course, God already knows how we’ll perform with the small tasks, so our faithfulness is for our benefit, not His.

 

And God’s work has meaning. He doesn’t just give us busy work to keep us … well … busy. God’s jobs have Kingdom implications. They make a local impact … and sometimes a world impact. Perhaps, even an eternal impact.

 

God notices our motives when we work for Him, and when our motives are pure—unlike those of the shrewd manager—God entrusts us with more. Our duty is to be faithful and ensure God receives all the credit for the outcome. After all, this life is not about us, but Him.

 

Tweetable: Do your best with what God entrusts to you.

 

Father, prompt me to do the best with the work You give me to do. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

How to Handle Stress - Martin Wiles

I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear. Psalm 143:4 NLT

One lump of putty can mimic life.

Although I can’t imagine many kids being satisfied with it now, Silly Putty® provided hours of entertainment when I was a child. Unlike Play-Doh®, which would turn hard and crumble if left uncovered, Silly Putty maintained its elasticity.

Sunday was the most exciting day for using Silly Putty. Comics had their very own section and were printed in color. Pulling the Silly Putty until it was stretched thin and then pressing it on a comic strip resulted in a color picture on the wad of putty.

I discovered that Silly Putty mimics life. Life’s episodes have caused me to say or think what the psalmist said: “I am losing all hope.” Stressful circumstances have pulled and contorted me into all shapes and sizes.

STRESS stands for Struggle, Tension, Restlessness, Expectations, Stretching, and Satisfaction. When I’m stressed, I Struggle—perhaps with which decision to make. Sometimes, wrong and right are clear-cut, but at other times, they aren’t.

Stressful situations have a way of unloading Tension. I find myself wound up like a top that needs someone to let it unwind.

Stress almost always has an inherent Restlessness about it—restlessness because I need to decide or change my mind or because I’m thrown into uncontrollable circumstances.

Expectations can allow stress in—unrealistic expectations of myself, but often from others.

Stretching is a normal part of stress. I wouldn't feel the stress if I wasn’t being stretched—willingly or unwillingly.

If I respond to all of the previous characteristics positively, I’ll experience Satisfaction. Stress isn’t inherently negative. The way I respond determines the outcome. Stress can teach me new ways to handle circumstances and prepare me to handle life—but only if I approach stressful situations from a godly viewpoint.

The psalmist took his stress to God. Letting God take control and teach us how to respond correctly to stress is the only way to come out ahead in stressful circumstances. Otherwise, we’ll find ourselves trying to handle stress in sinful ways, which will only intensify our stress level and set us up for further complications.

Tweetable: Think about whether you are handling stress like Play-Doh or Silly Putty.

Father, when times of stress stretch me, stretch me toward You. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Junking for Jewels - Martin Wiles

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29 NLT

We can sometimes find jewels among junk. My wife calls it “junking for jewels,” and she once did it quite often.

When possible, I tagged along. We didn’t visit junkyards or stores, but we called what we did junking because we did it among a lot of discarded stuff—stuff many termed junk. We, however, adhered to the old cliché, “One’s man trash is another man’s treasure.”

Our junking occasionally took us to yard sales but more often to thrift stores. Whenever we went to a conference or on vacation, my wife searched for thrift stores, mapped them out, and visited each one. Once we discovered our jewels, we took them home and made them look more like the treasures they once were. We placed them in the dishwasher or washing machine, splattered them with lemon oil, or tightened their loose joints with a screwdriver or hammer.

Once our jewels were cleaned and repaired, we made a decision. Some we chose to keep in our home. Most we resold, sometimes for a handsome profit. One person’s junk often helped us make ends meet.

When God gazes down from heaven, He sees discarded people littering the shelves of earth—people others have rejected, abused, and scorned. People, however, He created and loves, but many of whom have rejected Him. Sin has duped them, causing them to think they no longer need Him. Sin has led them in directions that are slowly killing them emotionally, spiritually, and physically. God, however, keeps junking.

God cleans us up when we allow Him to purchase us through repentance, forgiveness, and salvation. The blood of Christ washes us, the grace of God changes our perceived purpose, and the strength of God allows us to enjoy life once again. As God molds us into the likeness of His Son, He transforms us from junk into jewels.

God is in the business of making jewels of what many consider junk. 

Tweetable: Be one of the ones God is cleaning and restoring.

Father, thank You for Your amazing grace that makes me more than I could ever be. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Butter Pecan Cake

 

Ingredients

1 BOX BUTTER PECAN CAKE MIX

4 EGGS

1/3 CUP VEGETABLE OIL

1 CUP MILK

½ CUP SUGAR

1 CAN COCONUT PECAN ICING

Directions

IN A BOWL, MIX ALL INGREDIENTS.

FOLD IN COCONUT PECAN ICING.

POUR INTO A GREASED TUBE PAN.

BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 35 TO 40 MINUTES.

(Photo courtesy of cookingontheside.com.)

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it with your friends. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Grapes - Lynne Phipps

Please help me welcome good friend and long-time writer, Lynne Phipps, to Love Lines from God.  

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4: 7 NIV

The last of the green grapes had been in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. I decided it was time to eat them or throw them out—something I loathed to do. I scolded myself for not enjoying them sooner. 

Taking them out of the bag, I rinsed them in the sink and laid them on some paper towels to sort through the bunch. I systematically discarded the green globes pitted by bad spots, wrinkles, or splits, along with the definitely spongy soft ones. What was left that I deemed worthy became part of my breakfast that morning.

This process of sorting through the fruit and discarding those not worthy reminded me of an important truth concerning God: God discards none of his people. No matter how old and wrinkled we are or fractured and split by life's occurrences, no matter how weak or ravaged by illness, no matter how our minds become impaired, we are still loved, valued, and useful to God for the glory of his kingdom.

In fact, God delights in using the imperfect. The apostle Paul revealed this when he wrote the following words of truth to the church in Corinth:

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT

Today, we might feel like those poor old grapes I discarded: a bit worn, wrinkled, tired, useless, foolish, sick, discouraged, unemployed, or poor. If so, we can take our eyes off our circumstances and focus on God's truth. 

God loves you and will never discard you. He still has a purpose for you in his kingdom, a purpose which he can bring to fruition as you abide in the true vine, Jesus Christ, who has promised: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit" (John 15:5 NIV).

Father God, thank You that You have a plan and a purpose for Your people, no matter what their circumstances might be. Help each of us remember this truth and stay close to the true vine, Jesus Christ, so that we might always continue to bear much fruit for the kingdom. In Christ's name, amen.

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

Lynne Phipps and her family live on a small hobby farm in the heart of Alberta, Canada’s farming country.  She has been writing devotionals 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.

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.