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

As blind Helen Keller said, “I am only one, but still I

am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do

something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

By unknown author: 

 One SONG can spark a moment,

    One FLOWER can wake the dream,

    One TREE can start a forest,

    One BIRD can herald spring,

    One SMILE begins a friendship,

    One HANDCLASP lifts a soul, 

    One STAR can guide a ship at sea, 

    One WORD can frame the goal, 

    One VOTE can change a nation, 

    One SUNBEAM lights a room, 

    One CANDLE wipes out darkness, 

    One LAUGH will conquer gloom, 

    One STEP must start each journey, 

    One WORD must start a prayer, 

    One HOPE will raise our spirits, 

    One TOUCH can show you care, 

    One VOICE can speak with wisdom, 

    One HEART can know what is true, 

    One LIFE can make a difference. 

May that life be yours.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14)

C.S. Lewis said, “All joy emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings.” As pilgrims on the journey to boundless communion with our heavenly Father, we are called to be marked by a sustaining and transcendent joy. Our God is a God of joy. He is the creator of fun and the giver of abundant life. He longs for his children to taste and see his goodness (Psalm 34:8). He longs for us to open our hearts, cast off the cares of this world, and receive the joy that comes from living for heaven.  Craig Denison 10/31/20

John 10:10. – I have come to give you life more abundantly.

Those who look to God for help experience radiant joy.

Have a joyful day and week….filled with unspeakable joy.!

Corrie ten Boom said, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.” All of us will at some point in our lives face unforgivable sins against us or those that we love. We will all wrestle with whether or not we will forgive anyway or not. I have been there and you have likely been there, too.

So, how can you and I live our lives like Jesus? How can we better “rejoice with those who rejoice [and] weep with those who weep?” It all starts with encountering the heart of God ourselves. Only in seeing the incredible compassion and love God has for you will you be able to have his heart for others.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” — Matthew 11:28–30 The Message Bible”.

Mt 7:12- Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.  This is the essence of all that is taught in the law & the prophets.

Mt 7:1-do not judge others, & you will not be judged.  For you will be treated as you treat others.  The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

The standards in the Bible sometimes are difficult to do & my flesh rebels.  Yet again, as I read & re-read the above scriptures, I did note the dos that is required of me, but I also noted they were put there for my good.  If I do to others what I would like them to do for me, that’s for my benefit.  As, if I do not judge others & treat others with disgust, I will will not be judged in the same way.  In the Bible there are standards to live by – some, I will say to myself, I don’t like –  I will throw it out.  But, no, all are there for my benefit – the flesh says I will do it my way; the spirit says yes, Lord, I know your way is right & for my good, I will follow.  Life is full of choices.  Believe me, I have reaped from wrong choices I made; but thank God I have a redeemer, Jesus, who has & will lead me out/through them.  Lord, give me wisdom & knowledge to make the right choices in life.  Thank you for the Bible & it’s directives.

Sent from my iPad

Written in 2015

These little/big challenges in life, which I call my bumps in the road crop up when I least expect them to.  I have the disease of multiple myeloma & so far since 2011 after extensive treatments I have been blessed with the wonderful word ” remission”. Then out of nowhere I hit a bump in the road. My doctor at Shand’s called & said I needed to come see him. He found something suspicious on a MRI I had taken on my shoulder & wants to do more testing.  Another “bump”.  I am now having to take more drips, etc to combat the little bad (devil) cells that want to kill my good (Godly) ones.   Interesting, we live in a fallen world of good & evil  – but, I know from reading the Bible who wins in the end.  I am told in the Bible Eph 6:10-18  – finally be strong in the Lord & His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…I am putting on my armor & standing in HIS mighty power – not mine His!

Praise the Lord, I am in remission again since 2015.

Just a thought by coppi

Mt 5:13 (MSG) let me tell you why you are here.  You’re here to be salt & seasoning that brings out the God flavor of this earth.

Have you ever thought you are doing nothing for the Kingdom of God.  I certainly have.  I guess I was under the impression one must be out evangelizing, giving out tracts, feeding the homeless, – the list goes on & on for me.  True, God has called ones to do exactly that & thank God for them, but when one does works thinking they will win God’s favor it becomes work & not grace.   Everyone has their own calling, and that calling might be a simple smile, hug,encouraging word, prayer, laugh – whatever seasonings that God gives you to brighten another’s heart with His love – maybe just maybe  that’s evangelizing for The Kingdom of God!

Allow God to define your identity & purpose.  Experience the joy & fulfillment that can only be found in wholehearted communion with your Heavenly Father.

When I read the above, my mind drifted back when I was in a grief counseling regarding the death of my husband.  I wanted to fill the void I felt with something, anything to stop the pain.  I remember her words explicitly- “the hole in your heart has to be filled with God, not another person, place or thing”.  I look at our world today with all the activity, movement, & hoopla & I wonder if many are running away from feelings of pain, unhappiness, & whatever’s.  I caught myself saying too many times in my life, “if I run real fast, I will not hurt” & so off I went – activity, activity.  I finally had to stop & smell the roses….i was tired.  I also wanted to have a relationship with the God of the Bible.  To know him for myself.  I wanted that hole filled with Him & not what I thought would fill it.  I have found, for me, that spending time alone with God has filled a big portion of the hole in my heart…..not all, but I have given that hole to him & I am confident that He who began a good work in me will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6).

Stretcher friends…

Mark 2:4 – They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head.  Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus…….when Jesus saw their faith….after a confrontation with the scribes, He said to the man “arise & take up thy bed & walk…..he did and was healed!

Whenever I visit my friend in Vero Beach, we have a time of gathering on their back porch.  One time we were privilege to have her uncle visiting, who is a Methodist minister, speak on different topics of interest, I would jot down any that pulled my heart strings.  One in particular really jolted my being….”stretcher friends”.  He said they were your friends who stood by you no matter what debris the winds of life blew in.  They prayed, encouraged, listened & extended a helping hand.  He said if you have five or less, you are mightily blessed.  Yes, I do.  These friends have been with me through many storms & also rejoiced with me in the brightness of the sun.  I would label them “the hands, feet, ears, mouth, etc of Jesus” – God is a spirit & the body of Christ is his way of spreading his unconditional love. 

Don’t allow your past to dictate the possibilities of your future.

Don’t look in the rear view mirror, focus on the windshield- -go forward, the past is gone.  Focus on the present.

My past was a crippling experience for me.  Yes, there were mountain top experiences but oh those valleys were painful.  I just returned from my class reunion in Fredericksburg, TX.  It has been a very long time since I have seen any of them.  I went because my twin sister, Joan, asked me to go with her or I would not have gone.   I had no desire to experience feelings of the past, and I knew by going I would.   it is amazing how time and age takes care of woes.  I did not recognize anyone and they did not recognize me.  But, I was greeted with much love and joy.  Everyone was so thrilled I made the trip to Texas to be with them, and to celebrate a reunion of our time together in Fredericksburg High School so many years ago. 

I was asked to say the prayer before we ate.  Whatever i said was well received.  My boyfriend back then, grabbed my arm as I passed by him, and said “who taught you to pray”‘, to which I responded the many valleys I walked through in my long life.  He said “that’s where I learned to pray also”.  Amazing how Jesus takes us back and through life to learn the meaning of living.  I am glad I went.

Divine grace can make the coward brave.  The smoking flax can flame forth like fire on the altar when the Lord wills it.  ( Charles Spurgeon)

Heb 12:2. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates & perfects our faith.

The Centurion when he came to Jesus for healing of his boy servant ….you don’t have to go to him, just speak your word & he will be healed – faith.  Thomas, one of the disciples, said to the other disciples….unless I see the nail prints in his hand will I believe – sight.  When I read Heb 12:2 I thought, yes, if I keep my eyes on Jesus, The champion who initiates & perfects our faith, I will not have to “muster up” faith.  I am (but am working on transforming my mind) a person who thinks of having to earn before blessed, these words of Paul/Luke ministered to me. I only have to come to him with an obedient & willing heart – being totally honest & transparent with my feelings & thoughts, and give my lack or whatever to Him & let go.

He is able to take the weak & make them strong.