Category: Jesus

Picky Eaters

I want to first say that if you have food allergies or any health condition that prevents you from eating certain foods, you are not a picky eater. I myself have issues with certain foods, that if I do eat I pay the price. This is not about food. I came across the cartoon today and it reminded me of a vision and message I received from God some years ago.

What I was being shown in the vision was a buffet restaurant and it was filled with people from various churches and denominations. Each group stuck to eating only food from one area of the buffet. Some even criticized others for what they were choosing to eat. Then I heard God say to me, ‘Here are my children and I have set this grand feast before them. Yet they choose to only pick one thing and miss out on all I have given to them. What a waste.’

Anyone who has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, believes He is the son of God is now adopted into His family and is a child of God. Yet how many of us are missing out because of religion or traditions, and because of scriptures we don’t like so we say, ‘that is not for today’. Are we so focused on just one thing taught to us in scripture that we hit delete on anything we do not like or agree with?

John1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 6:32-38 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Jesus is the Bread of life, the Word made flesh. Jesus is The Word, which means from Genesis to Revelation. It is okay to have your favorite scripture or book of the Bible. There is nothing wrong with doing that. My favorite scripture is 1 Corinthians chapter 13. This doesn’t keep me from reading the whole Word, not just the parts I like that make me feel good.

I am a seafood type of girl, I see food, I eat it! Not everything I eat is my favorite, but if I need to eat it I will. Some of the things I eat today I did not care for when I first began eating it. I did it so I would be healthier, and some of those foods I did not like at first I have grown to enjoy(some, not all). If God is serving it up, I know I will eat the entire feast He sets before me. It will take some time to devour it all, I do have to allow time to digest. Everything He has for us is for our benefit. Even when we are corrected and we don’t like being corrected because it does hurt. He does so because He loves us and wants to keep us safe. His instructions are to lead us through this world, keeping us on the straight and narrow path that leads to life.

Now for some fun; What are some of your favorite foods and scriptures?

Total Eclipse Of The Heart A Lesson

Total Eclipse Of The Heart
Lesson One


There are many things that make me stop and think of God, His Word and His love. One of those things happens to be lyrics to songs. These songs were not written with the intent to praise God, but the words in the lyrics make me think about my relationship with Him and how He feels about me. Some songs make me feel like He is singing personally to me. Others make me feel like I am speaking to Him, either out of desperation and need of Him, or my love for Him.
The song, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ is not a duet, but as the singer sings, there is a voice that keeps responding, ‘Turn around’. That one little verse made me think of how God is there, where ever we are and no matter what we are going through, if we will just turn to Him we will make it through.
Let us read the lyrics of this song and my thoughts and questions alongside.

Total Eclipse of the Heart Lyrics written by Jim Steinman and sung by Bonnie Tyler
[Verse 1]
(Turn around)
Even before she sings a voice is saying to turn around
Every now and then, I get a little bit lonely
And you’re never coming ’round
Question; Do you ever feel lonely or neglected like the person in this song?
Can you think of people in the Bible who had felt this way?
Psalm 25:16-17 “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.”
(Turn around) I hear God saying turn to Me.
Matthew 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Every now and then, I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
Question: Have you gotten tired of your situation and pain?
1 Samuel 30:4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.
(Turn around) Turn To Him. He will comfort you and give you strength.
Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Every now and then, I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
Question: Are you afraid that you have wasted your life?
1 Peter 1:17 ESV And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
(Turn around) Turn to Him and no matter how you lived before, your life still has purpose.
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
Question what terrifies you or causes you to have fear or anxiety?
In the world we live in it is easy to have things that can cause you to be stressed, worried, anxious, and terrified. I have a constant battle with all of these things myself. The good news is that I know that thes are things that God did not give to me, so I can still have hope.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
[Refrain]
(Turn around, bright eyes) Turn to Him and He will take care of your needs.
Psalm 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the LORD will praise him may your hearts live forever!
Psalm 146:7 He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners.

Every now and then, I fall apart
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then, I fall apart
Question: Have you ever felt like you or your world has fallen apart?
I have more times than I can count, and I am even going through one of thos periods right now.
Question; So how do we get through these times?
[Verse 2]
(Turn around) We turn to HIm and trust Him.
Isaiah 41:10-13 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. 12 You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. 13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Psalm 84:11-12 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Every now and then, I get a little bit restless
And I dream of something wild
Question: Do you ever get tired of where you are at?
Maybe you want to try to do something that might not be right for you because things might not feel like they are going in the direction you want them to.
(Turn around) Seek Him and pursue His direction for you even if for the moment you have to wait.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Every now and then, I get a little bit helpless
And I’m lying like a child in your arms
(Turn around)
Every now and then, I get a little bit angry
And I know I’ve got to get out and cry
No matter how you may be feeling it is okay, it is even okay to feel angry. Feelings are not wrong, but we need to be careful with our emotions. It is so easy to lash out at others when we are in pain. If you do this, don’t beat yourself up, just make sure to apologize and let the other know you did not intend to hurt them. There is a saying that is very true, ‘Hurt people, hurt people’.
(Turn around) Take what you are feeling to God and He will help you. You may have to keep doing this, because emotions can come at you like waves of the ocean. That is okay because He will always be there for you, no matter how you may be feeling.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV No temptation(emotion/my personal thought) 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 the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Ephesians 4:26 ESV Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Ephesians 4:31 ESV Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Every now and then, I get a little bit terrified
But then I see the look in your eyes
[Refrain]
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then, I fall apart
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then, I fall apart

[Chorus]
And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We’ll be holding on forever
And we’ll only be making it right
‘Cause we’ll never be wrong
We need Him every moment of our lives. He will never leave you, and will hold you in the palm of His hand. He makes all things right. With Jesus you will never be wrong.
Together, we can take it to the end of the line
Together with Him, wlaking the path He has set before you and walks with you, you will make it to the end of the line.
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (All of the time)
He covers you with His love and is with you at all times.
I don’t know what to do and I’m always in the dark
Living in a world filled with darkness, we cannot always know what to do. So we turn to the One True Light and He will lead us through it.
We’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight
Forever starts the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

The Lesson continues.
Recap
The song, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’ is not a duet, but as the singer sings, there is a voice that keeps responding, ‘Turn around’. That one little verse made me think of how God is there, where ever we are and no matter what we are going through, if we will just turn to Him we will make it through.
Let us continue to read the lyrics of this song and my thoughts and questions alongside.

[Post-Chorus]
Once upon a time, I was falling in love
But now I’m only falling apart
There’s nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
You made the decision to follow Christ and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Then the trials and tribulations of this life knock you down and you start looking at the problems more than you are focusing on Him. The problems become giants and mountains that you begin to circle.
Once upon a time, there was light in my life
But now there’s only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
Now the mountains and giants block out His light and you don’t know what to do, and once again you feel lost and hopeless. You still know He loves you but all you can see is the darkness around you.
Question: What are the giants and mountains in your life that are eclipsing the Light of Jesus in your life?
Question: What do you do now / how do you defeat the giants and get over the moutnains?
[Interlude]
(Turn around, bright eyes) Turn to God and put your trust in Him
1 Samuel 17:44-46 David Slays Goliath
…44“Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” 45But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.…
(Turn around, bright eyes) Turn you eyes and see the goodness of God and have faith.
Psalm 27:13 NKJV I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
Matthew 17:20 NKJV 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your [a]unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

[Verse 3]
(Turn around)
Every now and then, I know you’ll never be the boy
You always wanted to be
Every now and then it is easy for us to forget who we are in Christ and forget whose image we are being made into.
(Turn around)
But every now and then, I know you’ll always be the only boy
Who wanted me the way that I am
God not only knows who you are but has loved and wanted you before you even knew who He is.
(Turn around)
Every now and then, I know there’s no one in the universe
As magical and wondrous as you
There is no other God, He is both Creator and our Heavenly Father, and He is truly amazing.
(Turn around)
Every now and then, I know there’s nothing any better
There’s nothing that I just wouldn’t do
There is nothing better than Him, and He gave us something no other would ever do. He gave the life of His only Son so that we are not only forgiven, but we have eternal life through Jesus.

[Refrain]
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then, I fall apart
(Turn around, bright eyes)
Every now and then, I fall apart
So if you fall down, fall apart, or even get lost along the way. He is there to find you, pick you up, and put you back together.
[Chorus]
And I need you now tonight (And I need you)
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight (If you love me)
We’ll be holding on forever
And we’ll only be making it right (And we’ll never)
‘Cause we’ll never be wrong
Together, we can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time (All of the time)
I don’t know what to do, I’m always in the dark
We’re living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever’s gonna start tonight
(Forever’s gonna start tonight)
[Post-Chorus]
Once upon a time, I was falling in love
But now I’m only falling apart
Nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time, there was light in my life
But now there’s only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart
A total eclipse of the heart

[Outro]
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around, bright eyes)
(Turn around)
(Ooh-ooh)
(Ah-ha, ah-ha)
(Ah-ha, ah-ha)
(Ooh-ooh)

Just like life the lyrics repeat, but the message and lesson remains the same. He will never leave you or reject you. If you fall down He is there to pick you up. If you feel broken and useless He will heal you and give you purpose. There is some things you will need to do, and that is turn to Him and give your life to Him. Love and follow Him. Listen to His voice and never be afraid of asking Him for help.
You may have noticed that I di not include as many scriptures in the second part of this lesson. The reason I did this is because your assignment is to share scriptures that the lyrics of this song inspired you to think of. Just my little way of encouraging you to seek Him in His Word.
Looking forward to reading the scriptures you have to share, and also share what inspires you.
God bless and prosper you and your loved ones.

The Rabbit And The Lamb written by Julie Sheppard

I wrote this children’s story some years back while I was volunteering at our local library. On that day I was working in the children’s section. I was looking through the holiday books for children and noticed that there were a number of stories and craft projects about rabbits, but after looking through all of the books I only found two crafts for lambs and they were not that great. This got me thinking. Easter is the holiday where we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the lamb of God. Yet we use rabbits to celebrate this day. This story came to me as I sat in the isle of children’s books that brings us back to The Lamb of God. I hope that you will enjoy reading it and maybe sharing the story with the children in your life.

The Rabbit and the Lamb
Julie Ann Sheppard

Lamb was sad as he watched the children gather the colorful eggs in their baskets. He saw how much fun they were having and wanted to play with them.
They chased Rabbit and looked for more eggs. Lamb sat alone while the children ignored him. Shepherd saw that Lamb was all alone, and that he was not happy.
He sat on the grass next to Lamb and asked, “What is wrong?” Lamb just watched the children as they played and sighed.
“They won’t play with me.” Lamb said to Shepherd. “They only want to look for the colorful eggs and to run after Rabbit. I am here alone with no one to play with.”
Sheppard said to Lamb, “You are not alone. I am here with you. I saw you here and that you looked sad. What can I do to make you happy?”
“Shepherd, why do they like Rabbit and the eggs more than me?” Lamb asked. “The children used to play with me, but today they ignore me.”
“It is not that they like them more than you, they have just forgotten.” Shepherd replied.
“Did they forget me?” Lamb looked up at Shepherd.
“No they have not forgotten you.” Shepherd replied.
“What have they forgotten?” asked Lamb.
“They have forgotten what today is.” Shepherd said with a tear in His eyes.
“What is today?” Lamb asked.
“Today is a very special day. The eggs are pretty and Rabbit is fun and they are all part of Father’s creation, but today is a day to celebrate what Father gave so that they could live.” Shepherd spoke as he watched the children play.
Lamb came closer to Shepherd and rested his head on Shepherd’s lap. “Father created us so didn’t He give us life then?” He asked.

“Let me tell you the story from the beginning.” Shepherd said. “Father created the earth where we live and heaven. He also created animals and man. The first man was called Adam and his wife was called Eve. They lived in a special Garden where Father would visit them often. He told them what they could do, and what they were not allowed to do to keep them safe. They did not listen to what Father had told them not to do, and this is called sin. So they had to leave the special garden where they had lived. Father still loved them so He told them one day He would send His Son. His Son would pay the price for all the wrong that people do. He would forgive us of all of our sins by giving His life for us. Then He would go back to Father and make us a new place to one day live with Him.” Shepherd sighed.

“What does today have to do with what you have told me?” Lamb still did not understand.

“Do you remember the story about Moses and how Father freed the Hebrews’ from being slaves in Egypt?” He patted Lamb on his head.

“I remember that story!” Lamb bounced up. “Before Pharaoh let them go, Father did many things so Pharaoh would free them. The last thing God told Moses to do was to have the Hebrews’ take blood from a lamb and put it on their door posts.”

Shepherd was happy with Lamb and smiled. “You are right my little friend. They had to put the blood on the doorposts, so that the firstborn sons would live when the Angel passed over. This let the Angel know that this family belonged to Father.”

“I remember that!” Lamb then asked, “But what does that have to do with today?”

“You ask a good question. You see Father’s Son Jesus is also known as the Lamb of God. Like the lambs blood in Egypt saved the Hebrew slaves and freed them, the blood of Jesus is what frees us today from being slaves to sin.” Shepherd stood up and looked up at the sky. “On this day many years ago is the day Jesus rose from the grave. When He did this, the blood and life He gave, set us free and gave to each of us who receive Him everlasting life. No longer did people need the blood of animals because Jesus gave us His.”

Lamb put his head down, and was sad again. Shepherd lifted his head in his hand, and asked, “Why are you sad now?”

“Because they do not know what you have told me.” Lamb said looking at the children playing with Rabbit.

“Do not be sad my little friend. It is now your turn to share with them what I have given to you.” Shepherd spoke in a kind voice.

Lamb looked away, “But they won’t listen to me. They haven’t even looked at me today. I am nobody.”

Shepherd stroked Lamb’s wool and said, “You are somebody very special. I love you, and Jesus loves you. Do not be afraid, you are not alone. I will go with you, and you will share this love and they will hear the words you will speak. Then they will remember, and share what you have given to them with others. Then one day when everyone has heard this good news, Father will send Jesus back to take us all home.
Lamb was happy and ran to the children and Rabbit to share what Shepherd had taught him.

Nobody puts God in the corner

Most people know the movie, ‘Dirty Dancing’, and remember the line when Johnny says, ‘Nobody puts Baby in the corner.’ It has been over 20 years since this movie was released, and this line is still quoted today. So this line became a quote and it is not scripture, but it made me think about how we can treat God. Some people treat HIM like a decoration that we bring out during the holidays. Others can treat HIM like an outfit that they put on to look good. The examples go on, but I am focusing on how by doing these things we are in our own ways putting GOD in a corner of our life. You have included HIM, so that you are not lying when you are saying HE is in your life. If we would be honest with ourselves we have put HIM in a corner (not that GOD could actually be put in the corner). God should always be front and center in our lives, making HIM the focal point and not the things of ourselves or the world. God is everywhere, and HE sees everything and HIS eye are focused on us. HE loves us so much HIS SON and our SAVIOR died for our sins, so that we will not perish but have everlasting life. So I ask you to ask yourself, ‘Where have you placed GOD in your life?’

What’s love got to do with it?

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, to me this is the best chapter in the Bible that tells us what love is and what it is not. It is my go to scripture when evaluating my own actions and thoughts.

The Way of Love ESV

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Tina Turner’s hit song, ‘What’s love got to do with it?’ Talks about what does emotions and physical feelings(lust) have to do with love. People can mistake a temporary feeling as love, but love is not mere attraction or a feeling that can come and go. It is more than just saying the words, ‘I love you.’ Extreme had a song titled, ‘More than words’, that was about love being more than words we say.

In John 3:16 we are told that God loved us so much that He gave His Son Jesus, that if we believe in Him we will not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus told us that there is no greater love than for a man to die to save another.

Going back to 1 Corinthians 13, we are told in the first few verses that even if we do all these good things but we do not love we are nothing and our works are empty and meaningless.

In the world we live in people love things, like their cars, the sports teams, entertainers, etc… but is this love or idolatry? We also confuse love with passion and sex. This however is not love. How many people have sex without even caring about who they are having sex with? Feelings and emotions change, they are not constant. The only thing I can say love is without question is GOD. HE never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. HE is patient so that none will perish. HE is merciful because HE offers us forgiveness through the HIS sacrifice of HIS SON JESUS, our Savior and Redeemer. HE is humble and does not demand for us to love HIM in return but gives us free will, the ability to choose. HE bears all things, JESUS bore every sin of all mankind on the cross. HE endured all things both on the cross but as HE walked among us as a man. He gave us HIS SPIRIT to be our helper and comforter.

We might feel strongly about thing in this world, but without HIM we do not have love. If we receive HIM then HE lives inside of us and so does HIS love. Anything outside of this is not love.

More Than Words

This may be a secular love song but listening to the words I was inspired and was able to hear God telling me that He wants more than our words. We may talk the talk but are we walking the walk. Our works do not create faith but if we have faith and truly love God our actions prove this. If you speak a foreign language does that make you that language’s nationality? I took French in high school but that did not make me French, it just meant that I learned how to read and speak the language.

Thanks to Jesus we have been adopted into God’s family. His sacrifice redeemed us. He did more than say I love you and you are forgiven. He proved it by laying down His own life to pay the price for sins He was not guilty of. He walked this earth not to condemn us but to show us love.

How we live are lives says more about us and our relationship with Him, than the words that come out of our mouths. We say I love you, as easily as we say I love chocolate or pizza. We have watered down our relationship with worldly attitudes and do not even realize it. How we live each day matters, and what we value tells others where our hearts desires are. Scripture tells us that if we love the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart, but what we do not read is that if you love the Lord the desires of your heart will change to what He desires us to have. Even Jesus when speaking to our Father said, “not will but Thine be done”. When you give you life to God, you are to submitt to His will, to do as He instructs. Our ways are not His, and His ways are not ours. Neither are our thoughts His. Frank Sinatra said he did it his way, but a life with Jesus means we give up our own way. We give Him more than lip service. We give Him our entire lives. We live, eat and breathe His Word. Every action speaks louder than even screaming at the top of our lungs. More than words should be how we live everyday for Him.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Colassions 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1John 3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.