Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi – written in 2015

A light house does not blow fog horns but it only shines.  

When I read the above I thought of our walk as Christians.  Does our life reflect the light  of Jesus.  St Mark 4:21: and he said unto them, is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?  A candle beams its flickering light so we may find our way in the dark as does the Lighthouse.  As Christians we should let our light shine & walk in the light of Christ.  We need not blow fog horns but just shine & let the Holy Spirit beam through us.  Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord……i grew up in a very legalistic religion & if we did have a little light, it was totally blown out with dos & don’ts & lots of fear. 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God….10: herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us & sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4 is filled with scriptures of love.  The pendulum swings both ways but should be in balance.  I guess my desire is not to be a fog horn but a flickering light for our Lord.

Just a thought by coppi

I read this today and have written a thought on “Keep your eyes on Jesus, not man”. When I read the below comment by Dr Denison, I thought “Gee, I like this analysis, I want to share it with my friends on Just a Thought by coppi”.

Separate the message from the messenger.
When doctors fail us, we don’t reject medicine. When lawyers act corruptly, we don’t reject the law. Christianity never promised that Christians would be perfect. Our hope is not in the preacher but in the One being preached. Dr. Denison 2/24/21

Just a thought 

Luke 27:1 consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; & yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

I love lilies especially the ones I see & purchase at Fresh Market in Tampa, Florida. I bring them home & hurriedly place them in a pretty vase.  Each morning i am greeted by their pretty faces….until let say, 5 days later.  My beautiful Lilly petals have fallen from the stem & are on the table.  John 15:4 abide in me,  & I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. As i looked at the fallen petals, I whisper to myself “if only they could of stayed on the stem”.  Jesus help me stay connected to you.

just a thought by coppi

“No amount of regret changes the past, no amount of anxiety changes the future, any amount of grateful joy changes the present.” — Ann Voskamp

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

Jesus’ words “Pray unceasingly for the strength to survive all that is going to happen and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36) are of crucial importance for us in these days. Prayer should be our first concern. Without prayer even our “good busyness” will lead us to our destruction.  (Henri Nouwen)

God is calling us to a restored life where our need for wonder is satisfied in him—producing peace, joy, fulfillment and purpose. He is calling us to stop seeking to marvel in that which is fleeting and to root ourselves in him who is eternally satisfying. He is calling us to look at the world through a heavenly perspective to see that all of his creation, good or bad, would draw us to himself. (Craig Denison)

God longs to guide you today. What trouble is before you? Where do you need guidance? Where do you need help? God promises to be your Good Shepherd. You have the most high God on your side. You can trust in his leadership. Jesus was faithful to come and die so that you might have eternal life. If he was faithful to lead you to heaven, he will certainly lead you through whatever trial you are going through now.  (Craig Denison)

“These are the things I do, and I will not forsake………”.  

My husband is a Gideon, and is dedicated to getting the word of God into the hands of mankind. As years have passed, his camp has decreased in number, and there are times on distribution day when bibles are handed out to school children leaving for home at the end of the day, the Gideon members are short-handed.  Yesterday, my husband, was short of Gideon men to help, so he asked me if I would stand at a corner and give out Bibles.  I agreed.  I was amazed at all these youthful bodies hurrying across the street to go home.  Their faces reflected joy, happiness, and glee to have put another day of school behind them.  When they came to my corner, I would put my biggest face of joy and love on, handed them a Bible saying “This is a Bible-just for you read it.  It will guide you in your life”.  Many times I did not get all my words out, as they were in a rush, but a lot of them would stop and ask what it was, so I could embellish on my statement.  I was amazed at how many of these youthful ones took the little Bible (they were the small Bibles made especially for the youth, opened it, said they would read it, tucked in their pockets, and sauntered on.  There were some that shook their head and refused the offer, but amazingly most did.  It was interesting day standing on that corner handing out Bibles wondering how God was going to keep His word going and not retuning void. 

The Gideons do a marvelous job in keeping God’s word alive and moving among the  young and old knowing His promises are true – “His word will not  return void, but will fulfill it. “

just a thought by coppi

”Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A favorite Psalm of mine.  I always want to be grateful and full of gratitude for all the Lord has done for me.  

Just a thought by coppi

“The paradox of hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness, not a fearful emptiness, but a friendly emptiness where strangers can enter and discover themselves as created free; free to sing their own songs, speak their own languages, dance their own dances…….” Henri Nouwen 

One definition of control:   To order, limit, or rule something, or someone’s actions or behavior: If you can.  I have been in control situations, and I am sure I have  control in my behavior.  When we are not in control, one thing is for certain. God is always in control. The Bible teaches us through various scriptures how there is nothing beyond the control and will of God here on earth. He controls leadership even when they aren’t submitted to Him.  

I am a Christian, but I am also a human being.  I had a friend years ago, who wanted to know more about my walk with Christ, and asked if I would open my home for Bible teaching. I did.  I had many excellent Bible teachers come through my home and share wonderful teachings of God’s word. This went on for three years.  Many of my golfing and bridge players would come. My friend wanted to keep it small – just among us. It never happened, because that to me was wrong.  I guess I became under her control as what I should be as follower of Christ. I felt smothered and I wanted to be free to enjoy life. She wanted me to be shackled under rules and regulations- I grew up under that and did not want to go under it. Anyway, I wanted to be free to sing my own song, speak my own language, and dance my own dance. She did not like my decision and told me so. I loved my friend, and being a sensitive person, and a people pleasers, my life was in a mixed-up way. I finally turned everything over to Jesus, and let him handle it.  Truthfully, it wasn’t an easy break; I would have handled it differently.  God’s ways are not my ways for sure.  Today, I look back at that time in my life.  I went through a lot, but I am beginning to understand the love of Jesus, and learning to dance my own dance.  

Just a thought by coppi 

As you go out today in pursuit of the presence of God, keep this quote from Brother Lawrence close to your heart. May it fuel you towards the goodness and simplicity of encountering your heavenly Father in all that you do. “He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think.” –The Practice of the presence of God. 

Just a thought from coppi. Read today from First 15. 

”Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

”He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭4‬ ‭

“From the days of the wilderness wanderings, the people of God have taken refuge under His wings: “He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them. . . . Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions. The LORD alone guided them” (Deuteronomy 32:10–12, NLT). Whenever the children of Israel needed help, they prayed, “Hide me under the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 17:8). And now, because of Jesus Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we can forever abide under His wings in the protected shelter of His presence.”

Psalms 91 was read daily by my mother. She believed in the protection of God. He was her hiding place when the dismal days raising ten siblings became overwhelming.   I was given a book to read by an friend of mine entitled “If 7:14 ..An Urgent Call for Revival…It’s Time by Bob Vanderbilt Plaats to read.  Last night I had a dream about this book;  when I awakened the first thing I wanted to do was pick this book up and read it.  Yes, the words reflected my mother’s words so many years ago….””if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.“II Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬.  My mother would add her take as an addendum to this scripture with  “If you take God out of your Country, it will fall”.   Watching the News now, and all the horrendous happenings going on, I pray for our Country, and I pray 2 Chronicles 7:14 for a revival to awaken the hearts of mankind, and return back to God before it’s too late.

“Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school; and temperance is love in training.” — DL Moody

Jesus is the “Light of the World 

Just a thought by coppi

The brindle cow would have lived til now:

If only she’d saved her breath.

But she feared that her hay wouldn’t last all day:

And she worried herself to death.

We can either trust God or worry.  I don’t know why it’s so easy for us to worry, and so hard to trust; I wish it were the other way around. If you find yourself falling into this rut, remember that God is faithful.  He never fails,and He is never late.  As the old hymn says:

If you trust and never doubt, 

He will surely bring you out.

Take your burdens to the Lord,

And leave them there.

I read this today, it rang a bell in my heart:  Why?  I guess I find worry is easier than trust.