God's Roadmap

Now may the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 TPT).


Saturday, August 31, 2019

Words for the Work Week - Balancing Work, Rest and Play


by Barbara Latta

Balancing work, rest and play
Labor Day is a holiday observed in the United States to give workers an opportunity to be recognized for their labor. 

God gave Adam a job to do in the Garden of Eden before there were any weeds to pull or crops to grow. Productivity was His goal. After the fall, work became labor for survival. But God even had a plan for that. We don't have to toil in despair when we follow His guidelines for work. 

He shows us how diligent work is rewarded. Slothfulness does not glorify God and neither does running our bodies and minds into exhaustion. We should live a balanced life between work, rest and play.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Our Words - Are They Tools or Weapons?

by Barbara Latta

Sometimes silence is golden.
Words are tools or weapons


TV and radio programs pollute the airwaves with words of hatred, accusation and blame. The entire earth is filled with words that hurt other people and plant seeds of doubt and discouragement into minds.

God is listening.

His heart is hurting.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Ephesians 4:30-31 NASB).

We can grieve the Holy Spirit in lots of ways, but the way we use our words must stab at the heart of God.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

What Is Salvation - Back to the Basics

by Barbara Latta

If you have been a believer in Christ for a long time, you may wonder why it is necessary to rehearse
what salvation means. And if you are exploring believing in Christ for the first time, hopefully this can illuminate answers to help you know Him better.

Maybe I am the only one whose mind does this, but there are times I can hear something in a sermon or teaching moment and it is something I have already learned. My mind shuts down and thinks it doesn’t need to listen again. But we never stop learning. No matter how many times a subject is taught, we can still glean knowledge from other teachers and have new insight into lessons.

When we go back to the meaning of salvation, it can refresh our minds to what God really did for us. For without salvation, where would we all be? Lost and without hope. So, here are a few aspects of salvation to never stop thinking about.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

How to Overcome Jealousy and Envy


by Barbara Latta

Humanity has been dealing with jealousy since the beginning of time. Our fallen nature promotes self
Jealousy
and without Christ, we are captives of this sin.

The Bible gives us several examples of people in the Bible who gave in to jealousy and the disastrous result.
  • Cain was jealous of Abel – resulting in murder and Cain becoming an outcast (Genesis 4:3-15).
  • Jacob and Esau – Jacob was jealous of Esau’s birthright; Esau was jealous after Jacob stole it – resulting in Jacob’s deceit to his father and he had to leave home; Esau lost his rightful place as the firstborn (Genesis 25:29-34; Genesis 27).
  • Joseph’s brothers were jealous – resulting in selling their brother and lying to their father (Genesis 37:18-34).
  • Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses – resulting in Miriam contracting leprosy (Numbers 12:1-16).
  • Eliab was jealous of David – resulting in him not being chosen as the next king because of what was in his heart (I Samuel 16:6-7).
  • Saul was jealous of David – resulting in torment from an evil spirit (I Samuel 18:6-11).
  • Michel was jealous of David’s relationship with God when he danced before the ark – resulting in barrenness (2 Samuel 6:16-23).
  • Absalom was jealous of his father, David – resulting in his death (2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 18).
  • Jesus’ disciples were jealous of each other – resulting in Jesus’s reprimand (Luke 22:24-30).

As a writer, I have many instances for envy to arise in my soul. When other writers are published and I am still waiting, these feelings could derail my progress if I let them. But God showed me what jealousy really is.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:14-16 NIV).

I highlighted the words earthly, unspiritual and demonic because reading that can set us in our place. That really spoke to me when I read those words in the NIV. Jealousy is demonic. I don’t want anything demonic in my life, but the only way to keep it out is to be submitted to God and feed on His Word.

No matter what our position in life is, jealousy and envy can attack. We can compare ourselves to other parents, careers, possessions and titles, but the bottom line is jealousy comes from the devil.
The remedy for this is to find scriptures that help with overcoming these feelings. Here are a few I stand on:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit; rather in humility value others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3 NIV).

A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones (Proverbs 14:30 NKJV). Wow, I don’t want rotten bones!

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go for to you I entrust my life (Psalm 143:8 NIV).

God will show His plan to each of us when we ask Him to. His plan for me is not the same as His plan for someone else so I shouldn’t strive to have another person’s position or accomplishment.

These are just a few scriptures that are medicine to the soul when the sickness of envy attacks.

Feel free to share some of your favorite verses and join the conversation.






Saturday, August 3, 2019

Avoiding False Vines by Recognizing the True Vine of Christ


by Barbara Latta

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

Jesus used the analogy of vines and branches to teach believers about our relationship with the Father through the Son.

The agricultural society of biblical times understood Jesus’ comparison because they lived a planting and harvest lifestyle. Those of us who do not live on farms must delve a little deeper into the
Jesus is the true vine.
workings of seeds and growth to get the true meaning of Jesus’ message.

A visit to a friends farm showed us how large these vines can grow. Small, curly vines reached toward the sky hiding the larger stems and growth underneath. The aged vine had grown thick and woody like a tree trunk. Roots penetrated the earth and reached deep sucking up the moisture to nourish the branches. 

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser (John 15:1).

Jesus said He was the true vine. That means there must be false vines and we need to recognize what that those false vines are so we can avoid them. Staying in the true vine gives us life.

What are some false vines offered in life?