Wordless Wednesday With A Twist

Ship's Log   04.29.2015

It be time fer me Wordless Wednesday With A Twist, Mateys! Ye know what to do!

Caption this:

Thanks fer playin' along! Hugs and God bless.

Madcap Monday

Ship's Log  04.27.2015

It be time fer me Madcap Monday, Mateys! Enjoy!

Hugs and God bless.

SONday Devotions

Ship's Log  04.26.2015



Ahoy Mateys! I pray that these devotions bless ye in a big way!

SONday Devotions

Pearls From The Sea

Trust God through the Turbulent Waters

By MaryLu Tyndall

   Many of you know the story of Job. Job was a righteous, good man, blameless in his day, and God was bragging about him to Satan. (Did you know Satan has access to the throne of God? Read Job 1 if you don't believe me. The Scriptures tell us that the devil is the accuser of the brethren and is constantly before God's throne ratting us out.) But I digress. So Satan tells God that of course Job is good, God has blessed him with everything he could want. But take all that away, and then let's see how good he is. So God gave Satan permission (another key point, which I won't go into here) to destroy Job, but not to kill him. And Job lost everything. In modern terms, he lost his job, his house, his car, all his possessions, all his children died and he was afflicted by an extremely painful disease.

   This story brought to mind things I often hear from Christians and non-Christians alike. Why does God allow suffering? Why are some people born into poverty and disease in Africa and others are born rich in the US? Why does God allow child prostitution? We can explain many of these horrific things away by proclaiming that there is evil in the world-that Satan "roams the earth to and fro seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8), and that these people have rejected God and therefore God is leaving them alone to suffer under their own consequences.

   But what about those who truly love God, who've committed their lives to following Jesus, who are righteous and blameless like Job? I hear so many horrible stories. One Christian couple's son died of a drug overdose, another person has cancer, another wonderful Christian family lost their house, another's son got into an accident and is paralyzed...and the list goes on and on. If God is so good, why does He allow His followers to suffer so much?

   The truth is, we may never know the answer this side of eternity. Job didn't. He lost everything a man could lose, and even at the end of it all, when God restored everything to him, Job never knew why all those bad things happened. He does now, I'm sure. Now, he knows that his suffering was all part of a cosmic bet between God and Satan and that through Job's faithfulness, God won and received great glory, which no doubt blessed many other people, perhaps even bringing many to God who never would have known Him otherwise.

   When turbulent waters afflict us, we can either get mad at God, feel sorry for ourselves or trust in Him and believe that He has a plan, a purpose that is far greater than ourselves.

   You can either pound your fist in anger, pout or praise God. Trust in His Love. Trust in Him, whether or not you understand why something is happening. God has a good purpose in mind, not only for you, but for others around you.

   When turbulent waters strike, and you're exhausted from struggling to stay afloat, remember:

1.  You are not alone.

2.  God loves you more than you could imagine.

3.  There is a grand purpose in it all.

   Hang in there and give glory to God, even when it hurts.

Lightning Storm

By Debbie Mitchell

   Have you ever watched the distant sky during a lightning storm? Lightning is beautiful, yet it can be frightening. It lights up the whole sky, yet for only a few seconds at a time. When lighting strikes the ground, it can cause a lot of destruction. Its strikes have no set pattern; they are totally random.

   His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning...(Daniel 10:6 NIV).

   For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (Matthew 24:27 NIV).

   His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow (Matthew 28:3 NIV).

   Whether He appears "as lightning" or causes lightning to strike, only God can control the lightning.

   When I watch lightning, I enjoy the awe factor, but it would frighten me if I were to get too close.

   We need to be in awe of God, but we also need to fear Him.

   Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name (Deuteronomy 6:13 NIV).

   To fear the LORD, is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech (Proverbs 8:13 NIV).

   ....and he will delight in the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:3 NIV).

   And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28 ESV).

   Just like I am in awe of lightning, I am always in awe of God. I also have fear...but God will take away that fear.

   So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).

Have a blessed SONday, Mateys!!!!

Ship's Log  04.22.2015


Ye know what to do, Mateys!

Caption this:

 

This is such a cute picture! What say you?

Thanks fer comin' aboard and playin', Mateys! Hugs and God bless.

Madcap Monday

Ship's Log   04.20.2015

It be time fer me Madcap Monday, Mateys! Enjoy!

Hugs and God bless.

SONday Devotions

Ship's Log  04.19.2015



Ahoy Mateys! I pray that these devotions bless ye in a big way!

SONday Devotions

Pearls From The Sea

Don't Fear the Tidal Waves in Your Life

By MaryLu Tyndall

   But his fellow scouts said, We are not able to go up against the people of Canaan, for they are stronger than we are. So they brought the Israelites an evil report of the land which they had scouted out, saying, The land through which we went to spy is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim, or giants, the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight (Numbers 13:31-33 AMP).

   You know the story. Moses leads the people of Israel from Egypt and brings them to the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of promise. So, they send some scouts in to check things out. Of the twelve scouts, only two, Joshua and Caleb, give a positive report. The other ten respond as you read above.

   Every time I read this, I always say to myself, what a bunch of ninnies those ten were! How could they not believe God would help them defeat all their enemies? I mean, God already promised over and over to give them the land, and He'd already performed countless miracles for them. Come on, Israelites!

   But then God put me in my place in His gentle, quiet way. He simply said, Don't you do the same thing with your problems?" Ouch. Yes. I do. All the time. Whenever something bad happens, or a situation develops that seems impossible, I automatically start to worry. Yes, I pray. I've at least grown that much in my walk. But after the prayer, I worry. How is God going to do this? The problem is so big. It's massive. Impossible! There seems to be no way out. You know the type of problems I'm referring to. Problems like a lost loved one who is drifting further and further away from God, a lost job with no prospects in sight, overwhelming financial problems, ill health with no cure, a broken relationship that seems irreparable. Whatever it is, my response is to worry. I pray, let it go, but then I worry again. I feel like there's a massive tidal wave striking the ship and Jesus is at the helm, shouting: "Hold on, it's going to get rough, but trust Me!"

   Then I read something in a devotional the other day.

   "Whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your god. Worries, if indulged, become idols."

   Yikes! When I worry, I'm basically telling God just like the ten scouts did above, "The problem is too big. I don't think you can handle it!" I'm giving the problem more credit and more power than God. In essence, I'm worshiping my problem. Boy, did that set me straight! Because I know there's nothing and no one more powerful than God. No situation, no relationship, no job, no lost loved one, no health problem, no heartache. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

   Remember how David went out to fight the giant, Goliath, when everyone else was shaking in his boots? Don't worship the giant tidal waves in your life.

   In reality, you plus God are the giant wave! And the tidal waves are but tiny ripples in God's sight.

Shake the Sand out of Your Shorts

By Debbie Mitchell

   I love going to the ocean and walking along the shoreline, allowing the waves to caress my feet. During the course of the day, the tides can change how the waves come and go. Sometimes, the waves are small and gentle, and you can walk along the shoreline without any fear of being pushed into the water. Then there are times when the crash of waves is so strong, you have to be careful your feet don't fly out from under you.

   Years ago, when I used to go to the ocean quite often, I saw a small child playing along the shoreline, and a wave came in and knocked him down. When he got back up, his shorts were filled with so much sand that it weighed him down as he waddled back to his parents.

   Life can hit us as hard as a wave crashing onto the shore.

   In our spiritual walk, when things weigh heavy on our minds, we can be like that child. Our shorts get so full of sand (worry, fear, illness, etc.) that our steps begin to slow down. At times like this, we need to call upon our Savior to lighten our load.

   In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

   Jesus doesn't want us to be burdened by this life. He wants us to be strong so that we can face anything that comes our way. And when we occasionally fall in the sand and water, through Christ we are able to stand up and shake the sand from our shorts and continue on without delay.

   Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV).

   Be prepared for what's ahead. Plant your feet firmly in the sand so that you can stand against any waves that may come your way.

   To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen (Amos 1:24-25 NLT).

Have a blessed SONday, Mateys!!!!

Wordless Wednesday With A Twist

Ship's Log  04.15.2015


Ye know what to do, Mateys!

Caption this:

 

This be me granddaughter, Cecilia...aka Snow. What say you?

Thanks fer comin' aboard and playin', Mateys! Hugs and God bless.

Madcap Monday

Ship's Log. 04.13.2015

It be time fer me Madcap Monday, Mateys! Enjoy!

Hugs and God bless!

Ship's Log  04.12.2015



Ahoy Mateys! I pray that these devotions bless ye in a big way!

SONday Devotions

Pearls From The Sea

Hoist Those Sails!

By MaryLu Tyndall

   Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going (John 12:35 ESV).

   In other words "Keep moving. Keep sailing!" Don't ever stop. Don't lower your sails for one minute. Why? Because darkness is pursuing you. 

   So, what is this darkness? It is anything that is not light. And God is light. Anything that is not of God is darkness. In Romans 13, Paul describes works of darkness as revelry, drunkenness, lewdness, strife and envy. But darkness is not just doing wrong. Darkness is a force. It is evil. 

   Ephesians 6 tells us there are spiritual beings who rule the darkness.

   In Colossians, we discover that the darkness is powerful.

   In 1st Peter, darkness is described as having chains to bind people.

   In 2nd Peter, that darkness is described as total blackness.

   We are told throughout the gospels that outer darkness is equivalent to hell.

   In 1st John, we are told that if you are in the darkness, you can't see the truth or even where the light is. 

   Darkness is Satan himself. And we know from 1 Peter 5 that he is prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

   There is an evil force following us, chasing us in fact. Sounds a bit scary to me. So, what do we do? How do we outrun it? Simple. We keep moving in and with the light.

   Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12 NKJV).

   Christianity is not a spectator sport. You don't say a prayer, get on the ship and then lollygag around and watch other people hoist sails and haul lines. You cannot remain stagnant. You must progress, move forward, learn, grow, allow the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, convict you, change your heart. This involves more than Sunday church and reading a devotional or saying a couple of prayers during the week. This is a lifetime commitment to a deep, abiding relationship with God. It means loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, body and strength.

   If you get lazy in your walk with God, darkness will creep up on you. It is subtle, slow as an insidious cancer. You won't notice it at first; but after a while, you'll see a change in your attitude, in the things you think about and say. Your desires will change. You'll slip back into your old ways. You won't pray as often, think about God very often or read your Bible. And before you know it, you're treading water in the midst of a storm and your ship is sailing away.

   So,hoist those sails, haul those lines, scrub those decks and commune with the Captain of your soul daily. Allow Him to guide your ship, teach you, lead you, love you. That's the only way to stay out of the darkness!

A Direct Route

By Debbie Mitchell

   I don't know about you, but I am glad that, thanks to Christ, we do not have to sacrifice animals for our sins anymore.

   Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD (Exodus 30:10 NIV).

   ...and is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar; the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar. It is a sin offering (Leviticus 5:9 NIV).

   Could you imagine the smell in those days? They were constantly making animal sacrifices, so the air must have smelled like blood and smoke most of the time.

   That being said, my real gladness comes from the fact that we do not have to go through a priest when we want to communicate with God. At least not the kind of priest that you find in some churches. We can now go through Christ, the High Priest. He has given us a direct route to God.

   This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished (Romans 3:22-25 NIV).

   He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1John 2:2 NIV).

   Through Christ's death, our sins are forgiven. Before His death, sins were covered only temporarily through animal sacrifices. That's why the priests had to keep offering sacrifices over and over. 

   Let me use a cake as an example:

   When you bake a cake too long, a crack forms on top. No problem, right? All you have to do is simply take some frosting and cover over crack. Now, the crack may be covered, but you know it's still there. No matter how much frosting you use, the crack will not disappear.

   "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together; state the case for your innocence (Isaiah 43:25-26 NIV).

   Christ has taken that"crack" and filled it in with His forgiveness. He doesn't just temporarily cover our sins, He takes those sins away. So, we have forgiveness of our sins, and we have a direct route to God through Christ. No more animal sacrifices...

                                             ****Jesus died ONCE for ALL***

Have a blessed SONday, Mateys!!!!

Wordless Wednesday With A Twist

Ship's Log   04.08.2015

Ahoy Mateys! Since I only had a couple responses, I decided to let this picture run again. Come on, Mateys, let's hear yer captions.

I will no longer be pickin' me favorite captions.....I enjoy them all too much!

Caption This:

What say you?  This be me grandson, Lucas and me granddaughter Rylie.

Thanks fer comin' aboard! Hugs and God bless.