It's July!! God Bless America!!

Happy July! Yes, it is the first day of July, and you know what that means! It's time for the calendar roll-call! So let's begin with the one that expresses what we think of most when we think of the month of July:

Yes!!This year in particular, "The 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence!"

"America! America! God shed His grace on thee! And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!" (America the Beautiful).   And I pray that God will continue to "shed His grace on thee!"  We are a nation that seems to be struggling with our identity as a "Christian nation"...but thankfully our nation's currency still states, "In God We Trust", and I pray that we never change that, or I fear that the freedoms and blessings we are enjoying now will cease to be.

Continuing on with our calendar, the Susan Branch calendar (see above and below) encourages us to read the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. I have not done that, and perhaps I should! Have you read it? Please tell us about it!

I also love this Thomas Kinkade picture for July...yes! 

We wave our flag proudly on the frong porch of our house every day!

(Those umbrellas are there to help shade the front window, as the sun is scorching hot all morning on the eastern side of the house. Someday I hope we can build a porch roof to help shade the windows and the door, but until then, this is the best we can do).

This is the freedom that is the BEST freedom of all...To be free from our sins because of the great sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross:

The Country Seasons Calendar by John Sloane shows this little boy on the farm doing his chores and day dreaming about life somewhere else someday...I wonder if he ever left the farm, or perhaps he realized how blessed he was to be living right there!

Love this picture and the quote by Billy Graham:

And this scripture verse on that calendar...yes, it is from God's abundance and grace that we can enjoy these blessings and freedoms that we hold so dear...

It would be nice to have a log (or stone?) cabin to escape to for the holidays, wouldn't it?

And the teapot calendar is a combination of things...there's a teapot, but you see ice cubes and lemons and iced tea, and a fan...That's the kind of tea we need to be drinking in July for sure! Sorry, I covered up the picture that was hanging on the wall in this one because it was a modern art depiction that was totally inappropriate in my opinion. So I placed the Bible verse over it, "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom."  Psalm 111:10.  Much better!

Yes, the teapot probably has been the center of many confidant type conversations...as well as the focus of some lovely tea parties and happiness of people coming together...however in the summertime, it mostly likely would be the pitcher of iced tea or lemonade. LOL.

Now just some random photos from the past couple of days...I picked a bunch of my zinnias, ("Old Maids") because they were getting heat-stressed and also a lot of them were bent over and stems broken because of a certain cat laying on top of them, so I brought them inside and gave them a chance to enjoy a few days inside to brighten our kitchen:

The flowers are very small, probably because I had too many crowded into once place and it's been SO hot and dry, but they are still pretty... 

We took a ride to the Kenwood Boat ramp yesterday, and here's a few pictures I took...love this lonely mushroom under the cool shade of the palmettos...

It was a clear and sunny day, even if very hot...

And God's special gift to me was this Great Blue Heron standing on the shore and fishing for his breakfast...

This morning we were blessed with a full moon!

And with this I will close...

John 16:33 King James Version

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Amen and Praise the Lord!

Have a wonderfully blessed 4th of July!

Deliverance.... (reposted from March 30, 2010) Updated for 2023

Update for Palm Sunday,   picture is from the living room  of our
former "Camp Of the Woods Home " in Salt Springs, FL.  

UPDATE FOR PALM SUNDAY, 2013. 2014!  2015! 2016!   2017    2018   2019   2020! 2022,  2023! 

 I originally wrote this for Palm Sunday in 2010.  Not a lot has changed in  3 4  5  6  7 8  9  10   12  13 years...But, Jesus is STILL the answer...Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever!  Amen! (2014) And Amen again! (2015) and again! (2016)  and AGAIN! (2017)  And Again in 2018 and again in 2019  And maybe even more so  in 2020!  And especially in 2022!  And most especially in 2023!!

Psalm 34:4  "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

Deliverance...what does that word mean to you?  It has a very welcome sound to the captive...those who are held captive in any kind of prison, whether it be a prison with bars and high walls, or a prison of fear and isolation...the thought of deliverance brings hope and joy and peace.  For many in today's economy, there is a tremendous amount of anxiety over the future...people fear losing their jobs, others fear not being able to find a job. Retired folks are concerned about their savings running out too soon, or having health issues that will rob them of what little security they have left.  Our nation is in turmoil over  (2010) health care reform and the brittle financial and housing market. (2015 AND 2016:  Race Relations, World Terror via ISIS, Religious persecution, upcoming election ) 2017 and 2018 and 2019: ALL OF THE ABOVE AND MORE...WORLD PEACE, IMMIGRATION... AND IN 2020, ESPECIALLY, WITH THE  COVID 19 CRISIS...:and in 2022, with the horrific war in Ukraine, rising inflation and cost of everything from gas to food, shortages of supplies, and the embarrassing incompetence in our current government leadership... and even still now, in 2023, the previous horrors continue in Ukraine, even higher inflation, etc., and add to that back to back tragic tornadoes and storms and earthquakes across our country and the world, leaving so many people homeless and in shock and pain, train derailments leaving toxic waste that may affect whole communities for decades to come, and a very harmful agenda of indoctrination of our little children and young people in our public schools and beyond that strikes right into the face of  our loving God, Who created us in His image and Who knew us and loved us when He wonderfully formed us in the womb. (Psalm 139)  People look to our national leaders and hope that they will make some wise decisions that will bring relief, and yet that so-called relief often comes with a high price tag that will endanger the future security of our children and grandchildren for many years to come. (I can't believe that the last sentence was originally written in 2010, and look how appropriate it is for today in 2022  2023!)

Where can we find this deliverance that we are seeking?  Is there any ONE who can come and set us free from our bondage to fear and doubt?

Psalm 34:15 says, "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry." 
Verse 17 says "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles."

The Jews back in the time of Jesus were desperate for a leader who could deliver them from the tyranny of the Roman government. As Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday, the people cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! The King of Israel!" (John 12:13) They hailed Him as their King and Messiah, but they were seeking an earthly king for an earthly kingdom.

A few days later, when Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples, He  stood before Pilate, the Roman governor.  Pilate asked Him if He was the King of Jews.  Jesus responded to Pilate, 

"My kingdom is not of this world."...."My kingdom is not from here..."  (John 18:36)  He went on to say in verse 37, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Jesus came to prepare our hearts for the kingdom that is yet to come, that is a Heavenly Kingdom.  In the meantime, His Holy Spirit gives us strength and grace to endure the trials and tribulations that are common to all of mankind. He came to deliver us from all our fears and troubles.  Do we still have financial difficulties? Do we still have health problems or other major concerns? Yes. As long as we are on this earth there will be trouble and sorrow...but hear what Jesus said in John 16:33~

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

Through Christ, we are overcomers. 

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, 
and delivered me from all my fears."
  

Deliverance....yes, that is what Palm Sunday and Easter are all about....Think about it.  

This is just the beginning of the story...not the end.
Amen!

Have a glorious Palm Sunday today!

Here is our Pastor's message from Palm Sunday, 2022. I hope it will give you some hope and encouragement.  

Sing along with our choir as we sing "Who Is He?"

"Who is he who comes in triumph? Who is he who comes to die?

Comes in peace and comes in power, hidden One now lifted high?

Jesus, Jesus, Lord, Messiah, mighty Master of the grave!

See him ride, the King of glory! God himself has come to save!

See him there in humble splendor. Hear them shouting all around.

Joy explodes in wild procession. Praise is now the victor’s crown.

Glory, glory in the highest! Like the angels hear them sing

Dancing ‘round the Long-awaited, once their hope and now their King.

Rise and join the glad procession! Hear them passing by again

All the ransomed, all his children, marching to Jerusalem!

Look ahead the gates of splendor! Hear the everlasting hymn!

Open wide your hearts in worship! Let the King of glory in!"

Monday, April 3, 2023:  I hope you don't mind that I keep adding to this post each year. Many of you have already read it in years past and have commented.  I keep reposting it so we can see the things that are happening in our world each year at this time, and continue to pray for our nation, our world and our own families.  Jesus has entered our Jerusalem and I know He is weeping over it.   

Luke 19:41-44

41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 

42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 

43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 

44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Our Pastor preached about this in his sermon yesterday (April 2, 2023).  

Today Christ is weeping over us once again, because our world has its eyes blinded by Satan, and we still have not recognized the time of His visitation...Christ came to us and offered us the free gift of salvation, but so many have turned their backs on Him and have literally spit in His face, mocked and scorned Him and have totally and utterly rejected Him.  

May God have mercy on us.

I pray that we will open our hearts and lives to Him now before it is too late.

I truly believe the time of His coming again is very very near.

Have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week.

Amen.

Sermon Notes: A Season of Change

This past Sunday was our Pastor's final day of preaching at our little church. He will begin his actual retirement in a couple of weeks, but yesterday was his last opportunity to preach the gospel to our congregation...and he gave us a powerful, challenging message from Jeremiah 29:11-23

The key verses are the most familiar to us:

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NIV)

11.  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

12.  Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 

13. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. 

14.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

We are in a season of change in our church, and here, above, God is giving a word of hope to the children of Israel, much like what He is giving to us today:

"Build, plant, pray..."  even though they were in captivity...

"You are here for a reason...God has called you here...to bloom where you are planted."

This community needs us to thrive despite transition and changes

We need to stand behind the new pastor...show God's love at work in this church...and remember the people outside.

God has great plans for us...

Have you ever felt hopeless and in despair?

God is with us always and forever...

Jesus told His disciples before He went away:

John 16:33  (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

There is NO equal to GOD. Jesus is stronger than any of our fears. God is here...God is stronger than the gates of hell-stronger than death. 

We can have hope in the midst of troubles

Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; 

be content with such things as you have,

For He Himself has said, 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

God is pursuing us.  

We've been given great privilege and responsibilities.

Ephesians 2:8-9

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

The key to a great life is the decision to live for God. 

It was said that recently many, many people waited ten hours in line to ride the new "Harry Potter " ride at Disney.   Ten hours standing in a long line to ride a new ride...can you imagine?

As believers, we are living an adventure in our relationship with Jesus Christ...the adventure of a lifetime! Far greater than any ride Disney or any other theme park could imagine.

We need to humble ourselves and get pride out of the way...

"Seek Me and find Me...I will be found by you when you seek Me with your whole heart..."

God has plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

Accept and believe that God has plans for you...and it will be good because God will not do anything to harm His church...

Embrace the new pastor...It is God's will that he is coming here.

Have an open mind and an open spirit.  

Choose to look at the bright side of life

Choose to step into the unknown that brings in the future...

Share your unique gifts and graces with others...

Choose to have faith that God is in control...

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord,

thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Sermon Notes: FUMC, Interlachen, FL, Pastor A.C. Myers, 6/16/2019

Please Note : I want to repeat this disclaimer here...the notes, outline, and content included here are based upon my own personal understanding of the message that was being given. I am not attempting to completely quote or reproduce this message or any other message I've shared previously. Just as each person reading these notes may glean insights and thoughts that seem to directly apply to one's own situation and interpretation, my own delivery of these messages is skewed by my hearing and translation of what is being said. Some may read my notes here and wonder if they were hearing the same message as I...and I say, God speaks to each of us as He wills...there are things He is trying to get across to each individual that may be entirely different than what the person sitting next to you in the pew is needing to hear... That is how the Holy Spirit works! He knows what we need to hear and how to apply it to our hearts. So it is with that understanding that I present these sermon notes to you.