My Border Collie, Queen Esther, is just about as handy as a GPS if she’s been to the destination at least once. The closer we get to where we’re going, the more hyper she becomes. The backseat of my car may as well be a treadmill. In fact, if I’m on the phone, I usually have to hang up because the person on the other line becomes too distracted to talk.
What is that?
My dog. Sorry. She’s a little over excited.
Is she hurt?
No. She’s happy.
What does she want?
Out!
She jumps from window to window and commences – not to bark exactly – but to yelp. I constantly insist to Keith that I have the gift of interpretation for the tongue Queen Esther speaks and, when we’re coming up on our destination, I am absolutely sure of what she’s saying: Let me out of this car so I can run the rest of the way!
Right about now, you’re the Queen – the real kind and not the canine variety – and it’s the perfect time to start your happiest yelping. You can see from the view out of your window that we are almost to our destination and, after a whole lot of hard work, I hope everything in you is hyping up and hollering, Let me out so I can run the rest of the way!
Good grief, you’ve been fantastic. I cannot recall ever having a higher percentage finish out the year. I’d have to check past years to confirm that but I don’t remember ever having a more active group from start to finish. I wish you were sitting right here with me in my chilly den in front of this fire and we could talk face to face instead of line to line.
Our heater is out and it is just about as cold in Houston as it gets most winters. We’ve already had the repairman out for hours but he’s been unable to fix it and advised us to call our builder. He thinks it’s a malfunction in the unit. You have to write an email request to the builder for a repair and we haven’t heard back from them yet so it could be a frosty few days. I just worked out on my elliptical with a jacket on if that tells you anything. I don’t mind so much though, as long as it’s fixed pretty soon. It’s gorgeous outside and I love sitting by a fire anyway. The part I don’t like is that Jackson and Annabeth’s room at my house is like ice and they really can’t even play in it right now when they come over. No worries, though. I expect it to be repaired surely by the first few days of this week.
If you were here, I’d also serve you up some cinnamon rolls in about an hour. I made homemade rolls for our Thanksgiving feast and I almost always roll out cinnamon rolls with the leftover dough several days later. They’re rising right now under some lights in the only warm end of my house.
Some of you are observant enough to ask me if I pulled two of them off the one pan and ate them raw because of those 2 circles of flour. No, I didn’t – though I was tempted – but I did peel them off and put them on the second cookie sheet because the 3 rolls that wouldn’t fit on the first pan looked so lonely over there. My cold house is going to smell like heaven in a little while. Sometimes I make a thick butter icing but, really, I prefer a thinner glaze made of powdered sugar, vanilla and a tiny bit of half and half. Too much icing takes away from the homemade flavor of the rolls in my opinion.
The inevitable question I get at a time like this is, “Do you always eat like that?”
Lord have mercy, no. But, Girlfriend, it’s a holiday.
I could make you hot tea or coffee to go with yours, depending upon your preference, and we’d chat a while and then we’d trade our 23rd verses.
My selection came up in my devotional this morning and catapulted me into prayer. I’m actually memorizing the 2nd chapter of Colossians right now but sometimes the section I’m working on next is too awkward out of context to post as an SSMT verse. For instance, if Colossians 2:21 were next, imagine this as my SSMT selection: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” See? Awkward. So, if I’m in the middle of a long portion, I usually go off road for SSMT and select a verse that is more user friendly so that women who are drawing a blank on their choices can go with me on mine if they wish. Here goes:
Beth, Houston. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 ESV
The second half of it drew me into intercession. It does not say that the reason the Son of God appeared was to deny the works of the devil. It does not say that the Son of God appeared to downplay the works of the devil. It does not say that the Son of God appeared to decrease the works of the devil. It says He appeared to DESTROY the works of the devil.
So I started pinpointing some areas around my life and the lives of my family members and loved ones where the enemy is rearing up his ugly head. And with great joy and a sense of victory in my chest, I thanked Jesus for coming to destroy his works and asked Him to demonstrate that destruction right before our eyes in those areas. We know that “the ancient serpent, who is the devil” will not be completely bound until the Kingdom of the living Christ comes in its fullness and His throne is established right here on earth. At that time, the prayer we’ve prayed more than any other will finally be fulfilled: Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
But, until then, we are meant to experience stunning victories where we see living, breathing evidences that the enemy has been overcome. We’re meant to give the devil a taste of what he will experience in the Kingdom when he is bound for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:2)
Let’s not let him off the hook. Let’s remind our enemy every single day that he is not only defeated. His works are destroyed in Jesus’ great Name.
You, my dear sister, are a great privilege to serve. Walk strong with your God, young lady. Ask for a fiery faith to believe Him and for eyes to see His works manifested right here on this ailing planet. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)Ā
Let’s toast to that.
Tags: Scripture Memory 2013
āThis is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: āNot by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,ā says the Lord Almighty.
Zechariah 4:6 NIV
Tracy, Kountze, Tx.
And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.
Isaiah 58:10 NASB
Candy, La Grange, Texas
Therefore I take pleasure in infimities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong
2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV
stephanie, houston
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Psalm 139:23 NIV
Candy Seale La Grange, Texas
“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him
Ephesians 1:17 KJV
Candy Seale, La Grange, Texas
“the eyes of my understanding being enlightened; that I may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints
Ephesians 1:18 KJV
Amy from Noble, OK
1 John 3:8 (ESV)
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Carol, Cashion, OK “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” I Cor. 16:13-14 NASB
Ginger from Phoenix, AZ
“Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.” Genesis 22:14, NIV
Waylene, Bellevue WA: May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Eph 3:18 KJV
Sharon Modesto, ca
Ps 119:93 NIV
I will NEVER forget YOUR precepts, for by them You have preserved my life!!!! True that :o)
1 Peter 4:19
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 “…and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.”
“I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. “(Jeremiah 31:13 NIV)
Jessica from Rockvale, TN
Luke 1:37 (NIRV) “Nothing is impossible with God.”
Blanche, Pearland, TX
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
Cheryl, Le Chesnay France
Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11
Amy G,- clovis ca
Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Col 3:1
Yvonne
Fresno, CA
Eph 2:4-5 NIV
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Col. 4:2-6 (NKJV)
Donna, Odessa, FL
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
Kate from Sterling, VA
Our God is in the heavens;
He does all that he pleases.
Psalm 115:3, ESV
Karen from Powell, Ohio
Lord, you alone are my portion and cup; you make my lot secure. Psalm 16:5 NIV
Christine, Florida
2 Corinthians 4:18Ā (NIV)
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Natalie; Richmond Hill, GA; So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.;2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
Hebrews 11:27b (NIV)
He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
Traci
Knoxville, TN
Carol
Carthage NY
And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:8-11 NIV
Robin Freeman~~ Garland Tx
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 NIV
Jeannette, Land O Lakes, FL
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. 1 Cor 16:13-14 NIV
God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble. PSALMS 46:1 NAS
Kimberly, Watha
Psalm 119:41-42 AMP
Let Your mercy and loving-kindness come also to me, O Lord, even Your salvation according to Your promise; Then shall I have an answer for those who taunt and reproach me, for I lean on, rely on, and trust in Your word.
Linda from Birmingham, Alabama
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”
~~Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
Elizabeth Pack Charleston,WV
”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.”
Colossians 3:17
Judy Pauley, Norfolk, Va.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderfully are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Lora
Mooresburg
“When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.” Matthew 17:8 NIV
“Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphant procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing Him.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 NRSV
Laura, League City, TX:
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. Phil. 2:8-10
Paula Stemple, Marlinton, WV
(Song of Solomon 8:6 NIV) Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Mary Jane, Wilmington, DE
I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3. (NIV)
“Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:6 NET
Jackie, Mobile, AL
“Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.” Selah
Psalm 4:4 NKJ
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
‘The LORD your God is in your midst; a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.’
Janet from Port Orange I kept changing this verse trying to pick the “right” one. This one finally resonates with me. Sorry I’m late posting. —
(Romans 8:31)(NIV) What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Sheila Miller, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8 ESV
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 NIV)
Psalm 86:11 NKJV
Teach me your way O Lord, I will walk in your truth; Unite my heart to fear your name.
Sandra
Wichita Falls, TX
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Col 3:15 NIV
… Noah walked with God. Genesis 6:9
(My four year old brought this home from preschool, please forgive the modificiation. She was able to get Daddy to memorize his first bible verse, ever.)
Laura from Prairieville, LA:
God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. I Corinthians 10:13 NIV
Kelley, La Verne. Psalm 26:3 ESV For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
I’m typically late with my verse but I haven’t quit yet!!
Erin in Euless, TX
Philippians 4:8 (MSG)
“Summing it all up, friends, Iād say youāll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, graciousāthe best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”