Turn from Sin, and Encourage Others to Do Likewise

And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skillful to destroy (Ezekiel 21:31).

As part of my morning devotions, I’ve been reading from the Book of Ezekiel. God sent the prophet Ezekiel to warn the Israelites of the destruction that is about to come because of their uncaring, selfishness, sinfulness, and perverse ways. Reading the prophecies is chilling, especially in light of what is happening in our country today. Much of this could apply to the United States.

Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the Lord have spoken it (Ezekiel 21:32).

The people had turned from God and sought after things of the world. They didn't look to God or follow His commandments. In fact, they defamed the temple and worshipped other things. Israel had long been a great nation, and they didn't think anything could happen to them, yet they were headed down a path of destruction. Is it beginning to happen again?

And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them (Ezekiel 25: 17).

Again and again, God sends Ezekiel to tell the people to change their wicked, sinful ways, or tragedy and destruction would befall them. But the hard-hearted, hard-headed people refused to listen to the prophet. In fact, their evil actions escalated, and their society became more and more perverse. Even the people who didn't take part in the lewdness did nothing to help turn the nation around.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  (2 Chronicles 7:14).

We need to take a good look at where America is headed and make sure we turn toward God while there's still time. We need to take a stand against lying, deceit, fornication, adultery, harmful drugs, and all other sins before it's too late. We can't depend on someone else to do it. Christians must take a stand while there's still enough of us to make a difference because our numbers are dwindling fast. Let's do what it takes to make the United States truly "one nation under God with liberty and justice for all."

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 Upside-Down Cake by Dana

I have a new book coming out tomorrow (Tuesday, August 29, 2023) in the Old-Timey Holiday Kitchen series. You may remember that I've already published Walnut Cake by Wylene, Sauerkraut Cake by Sophie, and Forget-Me-Not Cookies by Fern in the series. Upside-Down Cake by Dana will be my fourth book in the series, but it's part of a multiple-author series, so there are more. They are all standalones, however. The theme ties them together, and they have the recipe in their title at the end.

Amazon Link

When Dana's father dies, leaving her all alone, she turns to the new farmer and his mother for a job to keep her busy. She and her father used to own their farm until he became too sick to work it. However, some of the townspeople don't like the Stokarskis because they're Polish, and they don't think it is appropriate for a single woman to do farm work. When dangerous incidents start, Dana doesn't know what to do. Are they directed toward the Stokarskis, or is it one of the men wanting to court her that she keeps rejecting?

Since I needed someone who could do a Polish accent for the Audible book, I turned to a new narrator this time. LB (Laura)  Neibaur did a wonderful job, and the finished project went through ACX review process in record time, so it's already out. Laura lives in Idaho, and has a broad range of voices and accents. I'm sure listeners will also be impressed with her talents. 

Audible Link

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Glorifying God

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men (Colossians 3:23).

As Christians, our main job is to glorify God. Our witnessing, charity work, church attendance, and everything else we do should be in light of that goal. Anything that's displeasing or dishonors God should be cut from our lives. He is to be our first priority, far above anything and everything else in importance. In fact, all the things of this world fade in comparison to Him and what He means to us.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

When glorifying God is mentioned, most Christians think of worship, praise, and music. Those are all good ways to glorify our Maker, but if those are the only ways we glorify Him, we are falling short. Our whole lives should be lived to glorify and honor Him. This is what Christ meant when he talked about our sacrifices. But, as Paul and many others have found, once you live that lifestyle, there's so much joy it doesn't seem like a sacrifice at all. And we need to stay attuned to His calling, so we won't miss the opportunities he sends our way. As Dwight L., Moody said, "... He has given each one of His people some [special] opportunity of glorifying Him."

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth (Isaiah 25:1).

We glorify God by living out the biblical truths He has given us, by staying close to Him in an intimate, personal relationship, and by trusting in Him above all else. No matter what may come our way or what wiles the devil may throw at us, we keep our focus on Him, knowing that he will see us through anything. We learn to rest in Him, and there find peace and joy.

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 Authors are Readers Too

Usually, authors are also avid readers. This is one reason when I offer giveaways in an event, I always include the authors who are there as well as the readers. Both are readers. I know I read much more than I write. Even though I've already published 60 books and there will be 16 this year, I'll read more than 360 books during 2023. I know because I write a review for each one, and I write at least one a day. I have over 7,000 books in my Kindle library, so I support other authors too. 

I started reading lots of books when I was five years old. I started school that year, learned to read for myself, and Mother also read some of the harder ones to me. Because I had a few signs of mild dyslexia, the teacher suggested I practice reading over the summer before I started second grade, and boy, did I. I was an only child, and books became my companions and friends. They were my gateway to other places and interesting people when I lived on a small farm in an isolated rural environment. They taught me to love history, the language, and learning new things.

All this reading created a firm foundation to become an author. I began writing my own stories in the third grade, and I've been writing ever since. I had published poetry by the time I was in the eighth grade. In high school and college, I always did well on research papers, essays, and discussion questions. When I taught school, I wrote articles in over 40 magazines, because they were shorter projects that didn't take as much time. I published my first novel about nine years ago after I took an early retirement from teaching English and history. I will always be both a reader and a writer.

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Christ's Second Coming

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord (Psalm 27:14).

The world waited and watched 4,000 years for the first coming of the Lord; then He came. He lived on earth only 33 years before He returned to His Father, but he promised that He would come again to gather up His people. Those who anticipated His first coming didn't wait in vain, nor will those who watch for His second coming.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way (Isaiah 53:6a)

"Man has been a failure everywhere when he had his own way and has been left to himself."* "I look on this world as a wrecked vessel. God has given me a lifeboat, and has said to me, 'Moody, save everyone you can.' God will come in judgment to this world; they [Christians] are in it, but not of it, . . . and their greatest danger is not the opposition of the world, but their own conformity to the world."*

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

". . . the world is going to grow worse and worse, and that at length, there is going to be a separation."* "The church [the true believers] is to be transported out of the world."* "To wait for His Son -- that is the true attitude of every child of God."* "He is coming -- we know that; but just when He is coming, we don't know."* "Do we live our lives as if worldly or spiritual things are more important?"* Which do you think will matter in eternity? Are you really ready for His coming?

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come (Matthew 24:42).

*Taken from the writings of Dwight L. Moody

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Using @everyone

I'm rather appalled at the number of people who are using Facebook's @everyone to pull people to their posts on author, reader, and book pages. When it is a general post that has little to interest me or doesn't apply, I find it rude and annoying, and those who use it casually aren't doing themselves any favors. In fact, they are alienating readers rather than building a platform.

I belong to one group where the administrator does this each morning. I've learned to just delete the notification without going there, but I'm considering leaving the group because of it. This afternoon, I got another @everyone from a young lady drawing people to the information she'd blogged, and I've gotten others. The number of Facebookers overusing the feature seems to be growing.

Now, there are some legitimate uses for this tag, and I appreciate those. For example, I'm in several MAP groups where authors come together to write the books in a series. When administrators need to get information out to all the writers in the group, the @everyone tag is helpful and even essential. I just hope those using it unnecessarily will reconsider what they're doing and quit trying to force themselves on the rest of us.

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The Bible in Brief

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105).

All the books in the Bible work together to give us a clearer picture of God and our place in His kingdom. The Old Testament gives us the foundation that will lead to Christ's coming, and the New Testament shows us how this plays out and how His followers carry on after His death, resurrection, and ascension. 

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold woundrous things out of thy law (Psalm 119:`18).

The first five books of the Old Testament give us the law stemming from the Old Covenant. The next books, Joshua through Esther, give us the history of the Hebrews. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon give us wisdom and poetry. Then come the books of the prophets, layered with messages from God on different levels, but all eventually leading to Christ.

All scripture is given by inspriration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The themes of the Old Testament cover the creation, the call of God to Abraham that forms a new nation favored by God, the growth of the nation of Israel, the division to form both Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom), capture and exile, and the return from exile leading to the New Testament events.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Romans 15:4).

The New Testament includes the four Gospels about the life and teachings of Jesus, the history of what we now call Christianity, the espistles giving instructions on godly living, and a glimpse into the last days. The themes here include: the life of Jesus, His teachings, the beginnings of the Church, how to live a Christian life, and our future hope in Christ.

He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

If you aren't reading and studying the Bible daily, even if for only a few minutes, you are missing out. It's not only a great way to get to know God and draw closer to Him, it will also strenghten you, increase your faith, and help you dodge Satan's arrows. You can't be the person God wants you to be without it.

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The Pony Express

Before I started writing so many westerns,  I didn't realize the Pony Express lasted for such a brief time, from April 3, 1860, until October 26, 1861. I guess it has been written about so often that I assumed it operated longer, but the transcontinental telegraph ended its usefulness. In addition, it was never very financially successful, and the telegraph catapulted it into bankruptcy. 

The mail service started in St. Joseph, Missouri, roughly followed the Oregon and then the California Trail for most of the way, and ended up in Sacramento, California, with quick pauses along the way to pick up or deliver mail pouches. The route was just shy of 2,000 miles long with about 185 stations. Around 400 horses were used in the operation. Eighty riders during the period of operation received $125 dollars a month at a time when most workers were receiving around $30 a month. However, the job could be dangerous, and small, light riders were preferred. The total weight of everything on the horse couldn't exceed 165 pounds.

Pony Express mail pouch

On my trip to South Dakota, Jim and I stopped in St. Joseph and visited the Pony Express Museum. I loved the exhibits and the information I found there. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend it. It made me want to include a Pony Express rider as one of the main characters in an upcoming book. Right now, I'm fully scheduled for the next two years, and there's not one where it would fit, but we'll see. As I've discovered often, things have a way of changing.

Checking a horse

Pony Express station

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Elijah confronts Ahab

 All In

1 Kings 19:19 begins the story of Elisha. Elijah had been God's prophet for many years. He'd reprimanded Ahab, stayed with the poor widow and her son, confronted the Baal prophets on Mount Carmel where he called down fire from God, and ran in a moment of fear stemming from Jezebel's threats. When God revealed that he would take Elijah to heaven in a chariot of fire and a whirlwind, Elijah went to Elisha to call him to take his place.

He found Elisha plowing his family's fields. When Elisha understood why Elijah had come, he left the field immediately. He killed some of the oxen to throw a party and tell his family goodbye. He roasted the meat by burning some of the yokes and plows. He was ready to leave the old behind, embrace the new, and commit to serving God according to His will.

Elisha also showed his commitment as he followed Elijah. When Elijah went to Bethel, he told Elisha to stay behind, but Elisha insisted that he would stay with his mentor. When God called Elijah to go to Jericho, he again told Elisha not to come, but the new prophet refused to be left behind. Before Elijah was taken up in the chariot of fire, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit because he wanted to be the best prophet he could be, and he knew he couldn't rely on himself for that.

After Elijah left, Elisha did great things because of his deep commitment to following God and doing His will. That's what the Church needs today -- Christians who are totally committed. That's what the Lord meant in Revelations 3:16 when he talks about spewing the lukewarm from his mouth. We are either totally committed to God, or we aren't committed at all. Where do you stand? If you find yourself lacking, you can change that right now. Pray about it.

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