Pro 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

It really is sad for me to watch those that have look down on those who have not.

It's really sad for me to watch those that have not, not even try. Then it becomes a case of entitlement. I won't give money to someone standing on a corner with a sign. I have seen people standing there with their signs and the McDonald's behind them has a sign too...says now hiring. I'm sorry, you just spent 8 hours today on a corner with a sign...not job hunting?

Ps 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

You know the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” It is not in the Bible...but the principle is.

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
They work and build and clean house. They are busy, busy, busy!

I have been poor myself. I grew up poor...but my mom worked hard to make things better for me. Since I have been married we have not always had a bunch of extra money to waste. We just kept doing what we were suppose to do and God just blessed. When we lived in NC we really didn't have money in the bank to balance so we just did what we could and left it up to God. For me I really didn't worry...it's like an onion...one peel at a time. When we moved back to Texas (AMEN!) we got our W2's in the mail. When we looked at them and knowing what our bills had been it didn't add up. God paid our bills is the only answer.

One of the most honoring things my daughter has ever said to me was about when we were in Bible college....

We both worked full time. John took a full load at school. We had three kids in Christian school. And ministry work. We always found time to do things with our kids. FREE things to do with our kids. The zoo back then was free, the rose garden still is. We bought season passes for six flags (that year it was just a few dollars more per person per ticket to get a pass) and went many times in Arlington and San Antonio. When would stay in a hotel for a weekend trip somewhere...we took a crock pot and rice steamer and made dinner in the hotel room. We would play games and have birthday parties for the kids...planned well in advance so I could buy things on clearance. We found museums that had free admission...We would drive around and look at Christmas lights with a packed thermos of hot chocolate and a Christmas CD to listen to. I did couponing and comp adding...there were times we as a family of five would sit down to a meal that cost 1.25 for the whole thing.

….After my daughter was grown, she looked back over it all and said, "Momma I never realized how poor we were. You never let us know." We never wanted our children to worry about the finances. We didn't discuss it in front of them. They knew we were teaching them that we could have a great time without spending a great amount of money.

Me personally I never looked at that time as being poor...we were very rich indeed!!

Family pictures 2013

 

Some would say as hard as we worked during that season of our lives we have nothing to show for it. I strongly disagree. We have the best memories of laughing and spending time as a family.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.

Another "wow" verse. I was reading my Bible and came across this.

The first man Adam was made a living soul

        -The first Adam of course was the one part of the Adam and Eve couple. It says here when God made, him, his soul was living. When Adam and Eve sinned...that part of them died. I wonder, did it physically hurt? We know they were aware right away of their sin condition, because they hid themselves. I once heard a preacher say that he believed when a little child starts becoming modest and aware of being naked that that is when they become accountable. There is a lot of logic to that.

 the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.

          - This is the Lord, this last Adam. Quicken means to spring to life. Jesus was able to bring us to life...but only through His death. We know it hurt when He died on the cross. The physical pain...the Spiritual pain of taking our sin upon Him...The Familial pain of God seeing His perfect son, who knew no sin, nailed to the cross of shame...meant for the worst of sinner. It was so bad that God turned His back on the scene for a span of three hours. 
             BUT because He loved me....For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16
             BUT you can't just believe. James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble. The devil is never going to call heaven is home again.
             BUT I am a sinner and that sin keeps me out of heaven, and if I can't go to heaven because of my sin then there is only one place to go....Hell. Romans 3:10 As it is written their is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23a The wages of sin is death.... a wage is a payment...what you get for what you've done. This death is referring to the second death found in Rev.21:8...Jesus never sinned so He didn't have to die. He volunteered to take my place. He hung on the cross with my sin upon Him. He gave up the ghost and descended into hell to take my sin there. In doing so He became victorious over death because He didn't stay in that grave...He rose again.
            BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23b. It is a gift I cannot earn it, work for it, or loose it. If I lost it, it would have to be paid for again.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
            BUT God made a way. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He wants us to go to heaven
            BUT only in His way.Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
             DON'T put it off. James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth.

Job 13:27b my feet also in the stocks,

Job 13:27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. This verse today was awesome for me.

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks,

Why would God put my feet into stocks or Job's for that matter? Wikipedia had some interesting things to say about stocks. One thing it refers to a physical restraint. I know during times of captivity they are used to slow down the one wearing them.

               -maybe to slow me down so I don't get ahead of myself. Or worse get ahead of God. I would say that is what has happened over the past several years. I really like to have things planned out way in advance. I start organizing my holidays at the end of October. I do not like running by the seat of my skirt. I feel very out of control. Maybe that's God saying He doesn't want me in control anymore. Not that I ever really am. It is how we teach our children....right. We let them think they are making the choices...but we orchestrate the whole thing...to keep them safe at let them learn the best way.
 

lookest narrowly unto all my paths.

This has been a source of disagreement with people over the years. I, by far, am not the smartest person in the world...but I do take God's Word at face value. ( a gift is a gift, hell is hell, free will is free will) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6, KJV

               -Paths plural...He looks at each choice we are going to make. He sees the outcome of each of those choices. He implores us to go the narrow way...the straight way. The way that is best. Do we always chose right? No! I really believe God knows all...He knows the end of each path that I might take...and when I am standing at the cross road...He is cheering me to go down the perfect path. It is my choice. I believe He gets GLORY when we choose the right way. I am not God, could be wrong, probably am wrong. Will it keep me from Heaven? No. So I believe God only lets Himself know what the outcome could be if we chose right, then on to the next crossroad.

thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

                 -First let me say WOW! My path is for ME to go down. My print is mine and mine alone...it is unique to me. People can see which way I have chosen. WOW again...they can see where I have gone off the path...stopped and hem hawed around. It also shows when I have taken my time and when I have been in a hurry, maybe broke into a full run. Others can follow me through my tracks. How many times have I led someone off the pathway because of sin. I can think of one that always comes to mind.

                Jeff B. - He was an old boyfriend of mine. My mom introduced me to him...he was tall...I was 5'11” he was MUCH taller. I thought doesn't she see his long hair and the earring in his ear??? Mind you I was a “church girl” I went to the Christian school. I attended all the youth activities...and I was one of the worst teens in our youth department...I won't go into my sin...but I led others to a wicked lifestyle. The adults never saw that though...I was a “good girl”. My mom had told Jeff I could go skating with him (I know...he loved skating) if he came to church with me. Well he got my number off the check that my dad had used to by my boots, he was the salesman. So he called and we went to a youth rally. We “dated” for about six months. I would tell him you know Jeff you need to get saved and he would say, “Why?” I would tell him it was so he wouldn't go to hell. He would say to me why was it that I was going to heaven and he wasn't. I would reply because I am “saved” (not so sure now if I was then) he would just act confused and say that we were the same...there was no difference between us. I would cry and plead with him. He just couldn't wrap his head around it. He would talk about plans for his future...what he was going to do...like when his folks died he would get the house (an only child). I would say Jeff you could die before your folks...you need to get saved...and the whole thing would start all over. Jeff started getting serious with me...always a perfect gentleman...he started saying he loved me...bought a bracelet with love Jeff inscribed on the back. I told him I didn't feel the same...we ended up splitting as friends. I saw him at a store about a year later...he was doing good. Saw him again at the ER, he was with a girl, waiting on someone...I thought...better not say hi. I didn't want to cause any problems. The next time I saw him was on the front page of the paper...He and his fiancée's friend (fiancée had to work) had went to a concert in Cleveland, OH. Driving home, a drunk driver came around a curve towards them on the divided highway. Jeff had no where to go there was concrete on both sides of the road, and hit Jeff head-on with enough force to push the engine in to the passenger compartment. It killed the girl instantly. Jeff lived long enough to tell the paramedics his name and number. That night at 3 am his parents got a phone call...their only child had just stepped into eternity...I never knew...his parents were saved. They knew Jeff wasn't...they had been praying for him. His mom was a complete basket case at the funeral. That has been close to 30 years ago. I have no way to make it up to Jeff...how do you take back hell. I have had pastors tell me that Jeff made the choice to not except Christ. I look at it as Jeff made a choice to follow me...my foot prints...instead of Christ.

Your walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. I just pray that Jeff got saved before he died...The only thing I can do is to tell people about Christ...and try to walk the talk!