Help!!! I Don't Want to Fall Down!

We have a tree house in our yard. We didn't build it, the previous owner did. I really like the treehouse, but it needs to come down. It was built too close to the cottonwood trees and the roofline is cutting into their trunks. The sweet little house was placed on stilts, which are anchored on cement blocks. For some reason, the stilts aren't screwed into the metal supports that are on the blocks; and the little house is starting to lean to the side. It's very crooked now and not very sturdy. I don't want the grand kids, or any kids got that matter, to be in the treehouse, I'm afraid it will fall with them inside.
I was reading in Acts this morning, Peter's sermon to the people of Jerusalem. It's a good sermon, full of Old Testament scripture and encouragements. Towards the end of the sermon, Peter tells them (and us) to; "Repent......and to be saved from this perverse generation." The word perverse literally means, Crooked.
This generation, my generation of people; without Jesus, is truly crooked. We trust in 'houses' that are teetering, on the brink of collapse. These 'houses' are not built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ, and the truth of the word of God. We, as a people, have built our 'houses' on shifting and unstable sand. So often people trust in the philosophies of humankind, the status quo; we set our hearts on things that will never satisfy. We put great expectations on our human relationships to make us happy and complete. We rely on self, and the strength of self.  When the hard times come, and they do come, we wonder why our 'houses' fall down. We will even blame God for their destruction; while all along, we've never involved Him at all in the building or in the maintaining of, our little 'houses.'
I pray for myself today. May I not trust in crooked things, may my 'house' be built on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and may its rooms be filled with every good thing.

Faith Remembers

I'm not one to daily write in a journal. I will however do so when I'm going through a difficult time. I have found that writing helps me to see my progress in the midst of trials and testings.  As I pray and seek the Lord for His comfort and wisdom, writing things down, helps me to remember.
I was reading in John 21 this morning. The portion that I was reading was the account of Jesus appearing to Peter, John, and the other disciples while they were out fishing one morning. John tells us that they saw a Man, standing on the shore; but they didn't recognize that He was the Lord. This Man asked them if they had caught any fish; and they answered, No. Then this Man instructed them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat; the disciples did as instructed and they caught a net full of fish.  It wasn't until they were trying to bring the heavy net into the boat, that John realized that the Man on the shore was Jesus. The lesson here is not about fishing, or the proper way to cast a net out of a boat, or the best time of day to fish, etc. No, it's a lesson of faith. When they tried to draw the net into the boat, and couldn't, it was in that moment, that John remembered.
I find it odd that the disciples didn't recognize Jesus' voice as He called out to them from the shore. Had they not been with Him night and day for 3 or more years? We know from the scriptures that Jesus spoke to the disciples, how He taught them with words, both in private and in public settings. So why didn't they recognize His voice? I can't fully understand this, for I wasn't there. But I saw in this portion of scripture how there are times that I might not recognize the voice of my Lord either,  but I will recognize His work/miracle in my life. So often I want to hear something. I want to get something from the scriptures that will help me to trust and be at peace. Yes, I've heard the Lord's voice and I've been "given" many portions of scripture while going through a hard time. Yet, what about the times of testing where I don't hear a word, or get a portion of scripture; when the skies seem to be hard as iron and it feels like my prayers don't make their way to heaven? I will go to the drawer of my bedside table that holds my journals, and I can pick one up, and go back over them and see the work/miracle of the Lord in my life.  As I read, I am reminded of God's goodness and love, I am reminded that He knows what is going on, and that He is listening to my prayers. As I look back on the record of the many miracles that the Lord has performed in my life, I see His hand of mercy and love; and this causes my faith to grow stronger. And as I continue to flip the pages of my journals, Faith Remembers; and I can say what John said to the other disciples, "It's the Lord!

The Lord is My Shepherd

I read this beloved Psalm this morning and the Lord drew my attention to the word, my. So often in the living of my life, I forget that God belongs to me, He is mine.  He is my God, my Savior, my Father, and my Shepherd. I can trust Him to lead me, I can trust Him to save me, and I can trust Him to provide for all of my needs. Today I can trust that Creator God, in His grace and mercy, is watching over me, protecting me, and leading me; for The Lord will sweetly love me all the day long........and continue to love me forever.