Rescued with Castle 
Years ago when I first started my walk with God, there was a huge thing about praying for Isreal, praying for the peace of Jerusalem.
I had set up a prayer room in my apartment and I wanted to find an Israeli flag to add to the room. I searched everywhere for one, but could not find one anywhere [before internet].
Weeks passed and frustration set in, so late one night I cried out to God, “Father God, all I want is a tinny tiny little Israeli Flag.
How hard could that be?
The very next morning, I was headed into the office when my boss called. He was stuck at his house with his kids and did not have any milk for their breakfast. He asked me if I would mind picking up a gallon and a few bananas.
I dropped them off and headed again toward the office. But then thought that milk and banana sounded nice. So I stopped back at the same store and grabbed one banana and a small milk.
Got back on the road, as I drove and prayed I ate my banana and drank my milk. The tag on the banana was in my way, so I pulled it off and stuck it on the tip of my left index. I continued to drive and pray.
Sitting at a red light I suddenly saw it…
A tinny tiny little Israeli flag attached there on my Chiquita banana sticker.
Of course, the guy in the car next to me thought I was a nut because all I could do was jump up and down in my seat as I pointed to what he might have only thought was my banana. LOL
God is so cool. He did the impossible for me that morning and used Chiquita to deliver.
On a side note, I’ve been told that for me to purchase that banana with an Israeli flag in a Houston supermarket was not possible.
The God of impossibilities strikes again.
This sticker has been taped in my Bible since that morning. One of my most favorite God stories.
Every night my prayer partner calls, he’s a little 88-year-old man in Nacogdoches, TX. A couple of weeks ago, we started reading a chapter of the Bible before we pray. This has been fantastic for both of us.
Tonight, we read Acts chapter ten; something Simon Peter experienced struck me… in verse fifteen, a voice spoke to him again the second time saying “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”
Then, in verse twenty-eight, Simon Peter shared this with Cornelius, saying, “But God has shown me I should not call any man common or unclean.”
It brought back to mind some thoughts I’ve had about myself, how I get down on myself for not measuring up, or especially when I struggle with my identity. Because I do not see me as God sees me. I’m often negative because the road I’m on has not led me to that place I thought I would be at this place and stage in my life.
I know I’m still moving forward and working on growing myself. However, tonight I feel God is showing me how I have been calling what He has cleansed common. I looked up the word “common,” and I don’t fit that label anymore.
God does not look down on me. He sees me as so much more than I see or anyone else sees.
The Blood of the Lamb has washed me clean.
So I’m putting this into practice; to not call the things He’s cleansed as common.
I quit smoking in 1998. Just quit.
I had smoked for over 25 years, had tried to quit many times. Failed many times. But then one day, I read this verse in Daniel while smoking a cigarette.
I pondered on this “purposing in one’s heart” for a little over a week. Then decided to purpose in my heart to quit smoking. I knew smoking wasn’t good for me, plus it defiled my body.
I made a choice to purpose in my heart, threw my cigarettes out, and have never desired one since.
This coming year – 2021 – I am purposing in my heart to be undistracted by the many things that keep me from sitting at Jesus’ feet. I will be more focused on sitting and listening to His revelations.
Here lately, it’s been waking up at 4 am and spending time reading, praying, and writing in my journal.
It’s a start…
What do you need to be purposeful and undistracted about in the year 2021?
I pray you will find purpose and be undistracted in whatever it is.
