my wings are made of faith

When life circumstances are a burden too heavy to carry—pray!

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.—Luke 22:42-44

i read these verses the other day and i haven't been able to stop thinking about them since. The courage, heart, emotion, and strength of Jesus to be able to say these words—wow— i can't even begin to tell you how much they encourage me. Jesus submits completely to the Father. When Jesus is tired and overcome with emotion, God sends an angel to strengthen Him. And, even though the pain seemed too much to bear, making it easy to want to give up, He didn't stop praying. Scripture tells us that he prayed more earnestly, knowing deep down that God had a beautiful plan for His life. 

We can learn so much from Jesus in just these couple verses. 
• When we submit to God's will the outcome is always good, even though parts of our journey are difficult.
• God knows when the load we are carrying is too heavy to carry alone. He sends Jesus and angels to lighten the burden.
• Even though life gets difficult and it's easy to throw in the towel, God wants us to persevere, He helps us move through the dark valley. It may seem like prayers are not being answered, but now is not the time to stop praying. We must pray our way all the way through the valley. And every day we might need to pray a little harder than the day before. But, rest assured, the Lord answers prayers! We have to trust Him and wait patiently for Him.

Don't give up, don't ever give up. The Lord has so many beautiful plans for your life. Pray harder and rest in His arms—it's safe there.

Jesus, thank you for allowing us to read about one of your most vulnerable life moments. We find ourselves in these situations often, but it's hard to see a way out. You show us a way out, though. We can be encouraged by your courage, strength, and your heart to serve the Father.  This scripture is a reminder that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. 

The Key to the Balancing Act of Life

As a teacher (AND mom and wife), this time of year gets hectic and busy.  Often I find myself so tired and having trouble keeping my head above the waters of life.  In addition to all of my every day duties, I am preparing for a mission trip to Lima, Peru in two weeks.  How do we survive when life gets busy?

Nehemiah 8 says,

“The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

We all face times when we are hectic.  I’m ok with that fact as long as I don’t stay there too long.  The challenge we have is reflecting Christ in the midst of this fast season.  According to Scripture, the key is to focus on the joy of the Lord.  It is very tempting to begin complaining and grumbling.  This attitude doesn’t reflect our relationship with Jesus.  

The best way to display the joy of the Lord is to spend time with Him every single day.  Ask God to renew your mind and heart.  Beg Him to adjust your attitude to one that reflects His joy.  I also spend time praying for my sleep to be restful and renewing sleep each night.

Billy Graham said, “Life is short; none of us knows how long we have.  Live each day as if it were your last-for someday it will be.”

My Prayer:  God, show me how to balance all of the responsibilities you have placed in my lfie.  Order my steps each day.  I ask that you renew my mind and heart.  Let your joy be evident to others.  I pray that my rest be peaceful and protected so that I feel renewed each morning.  In Jesus Name!

 

Prayer of Thankfulness

Dear God,

Gosh, i am really and humbly a grateful woman of few words today. i've got a million things i want to say to you - about how amazing you are, compassionate, generous, giving, and loving you are. And, how great, inspiring, and beautiful you are. i could sing your praises all the way to the moon and back, probably not pausing for a second. 

i know i don't praise you near what you deserve, but today, i really want the whole world to know that you are everything to me. You are the source of everything good in my life. i've been at a place in my life where you took everything away - You were enough for me then. i'm in a place now where you are giving abundantly - And you are still enough for me now. No matter where i am on this journey, you are there and you are the one thing i hold onto every day to provide and to protect and to drown me in your grace and love.

i'm grateful. i mean, really, truly, honestly grateful. With head bowed and arms raised high, i thank you for all you have done for me. Thank you for blessing me with more than i deserve. 

Love,
me

Growing in Faith

³ By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. ⁴ And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. —1 Peter 1:3-4

i find these 2 verses in 1 Peter really inspiring. These words remind us that we lack nothing. Even in our darkest moments or when our bank account is empty or when we are battling a disease .... we lack absolutely nothing. God has given us everything we need to live a godly life, we just have to take what He has given us and be grateful, believing that what He has given us is enough to sustain us.

But lacking nothing means that we have to do our part to understand what God means by giving us all we need. God doesn't make it a secret, He tells us how to do it in the second sentence of verse 3:

We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 

How do we come to know Him? We proclaim Him as our savior, the King of our heart and the One who we believe has died on a cross to give us everlasting life. i also believe that it means we continue to get to know Him intimately as a true friend by studying His Word and spending time with Him daily in prayer and thanksgiving. 

The scripture goes on to tell us the reward of knowing Him (verse 4). He has given us great and precious promises that enable us to share in His divine nature. What a great gift from our Lord! 

Knowing that i have everything i need, regardless of my circumstances brings a life full of joy and gratitude. His promises await! If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, don't lose out on another minute of being able to claim His promises. If you have, are you nurturing your relationship with Him daily? 

Jesus, draw me near to you and hold me tightly in your arms. Don't let me miss out on your precious promises. For i know that even if i am far away from you, that you will be right there if i turn around and run towards you. You are my hope, my love, my one and only Savior. Thank you for you precious promises. In Jesus name!

A prayer for a Godly husband

Shortly after the realization that i was getting divorced, i think the biggest emotional hurdle for me was fear. Fear of being in my 30s and single. It wasn't really the fear of being alone, because i have a relationship with the Lord and i have such an amazing group of supportive family and friends. It was the fear of not having a family, not being able to trust someone with my heart again, and fear of the dating game. 

It didn't take long for God to calm my fears because i stayed focused on Him. Fear is a lie, a lie from the enemy saying that God isn't good and that He won't give us the desires of our heart. Now, i just patiently rest in Him.

i came across this Facebook note that a friend posted about a month ago. It's pretty close to the same prayer that i have been praying for months. To the divorced, single, widowed— this prayer is for you. Claim God's promises for a Godly husband in the name of Jesus and wait on the Lord to provide the desire of your heart. (Take some time to click through to the related scriptures)

Prayer for a Godly husband

Lord God, your Word declares that if I delight myself in you—if I enjoy and seek your pleasure above mine—you'll give me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4). Desiring a husband is neither evil nor selfish because marriage is honorable (Hebrews 13:4). At the beginning of creation, you proclaimed, "It is not good that man should be alone" and then you created Eve to be a suitable partner for Adam (Genesis 2:18). In the name of Jesus, I ask that you would protect the husband—a suitable partner—you have chosen for me. Because the covenant of marriage is sacred (Mark 10:9), I ask for a man of God. Please give me a husband whose love for me is only outmatched by his love for you; a man who will cherish me and build me up (Proverbs 31:28); a man who will honor me (I Peter 3:7) and our marriage vows; a man who will be a good father and provider; a man whom I will be attracted to physically, emotionally, and spiritually; a man who will love me as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Keep me from attaching myself to another man out of desperation. I will not settle for a relationship that's second best, convenient, or one that feeds my insecurities. Guard my purity and give me the patience to wait. And when I meet him, confirm to me that he is the one. Release from me the baggage of past relationships, and prepare me for the man You have chosen to be my husband. Free me from any hindrances to a healthy and godly marriage: insecurities, habitual sins, selfishness, and emotional hurts. Dispel my unrealistic expectations that set me up for disappointment. I place my trust in you rather than my partner. In this period of waiting, I will look to you alone to be my companion and best friend. You are the one who redeems my life from the pit, who crowns me with love and compassion, who satisfies my desires with good things (Psalm 103:4-5). I will not be anxious, but as I present my requests to you, flood me with the peace that surpasses all understanding so my heart and my mind are guarded in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6,7). In this request, I commit myself to trust you and do good, to dwell in the land and feed on your faithfulness. I commit my way to you and trust that you will bring it to pass (Psalm 37:35). Amen.
—Evangelist Constance Fleming

 

God is so very, very good.

Pursuing the Proverbs: Day 6

God wants to provide guidance for us that we might be able to get through life easier, safer, healthier, wiser, and having built good character. In the Proverb today, the phrase “reproofs of instruction are the way of life” refers to discipline.  Our minds sometimes jump to the emotional reactions that come with discipline and we withdraw and wince. But the whole verse conveys a more pleasant picture than painful discipline. 

Today's reflection: God prefers that we use the law and commandments as a means of lighting our way so we can easily stay on the path.  Ever thought about walking a path in darkness? We naturally are deterred from getting off the path if we can’t see what’s there. Instincts and experience tell us that getting off the path in the dark will get us lost.  This is the image God would have us visualize. He would have us fear to get off his path more than fear staying on his path.  We have it backwards when we are afraid of where the Lord would lead us.  Or fear that we might fall or fail to get there when he is lighting our way.

God’s plan will shed light on only a small section of the path at a time.  We seldom visually see to the destination, rather, just the section of the path where we must walk our next steps.  God wants us to not become overwhelmed on His path.   Take life a few steps at a time. Seek to know the destination, if he allows, but don’t stress about not being there yet. 

On our “birdcount” this weekend, my husband and I did some “owling,” (seeking out and counting owls,) in the dark.  We park along roads where the habitat is right, and we play a tape, which is a recording of a screech owl’s calls. This is a small owl, usually less than 12 " tall. Several kinds of owls will respond to the tape, hoping to warn the presumed "intruder" of territory bounderies.  When we hear them call in response to the tape, we can count them, because we know which owls have which calls. My husband and some of our birding friends cannot hear certain bird calls.  This weekend, the little screech owls needed to be very close for him to be able to hear their low, very soft, “bounce call.” To put them on his personal list, he needed to hear them if not see them.  So he was patient and listened for them to come in very close. Often, with a flashlight, we can also see them.  Sometimes, just after dawn, we get good looks at them.  And it’s a good thing, because they seldom call after dawn. In this instance, we stand still and let the birds come to us.  Sometimes, when God seems not to be shining his light on our path, his instruction is clear: stand still and listen for his still small voice. Or wait for the dawn, the point in time when he will enlighten the wonders along his path.

Today’s Prayer: Jesus, I have wasted a lot of time in my life stressing over not seeing the path in minute detail.  I don’t know why it fractures me so, when I know you are in control, to not see all the way down the path to the destination. I know I fail miserably sometimes at taking life in smaller segments. I ask forgiveness for the wasted energy and time that I could have spent joyfully awaiting your light for my path. I could have embraced the silence in this noisy world while listening for your warnings that I am in someone else’s territory.  Maybe you called like the little owl, and I had a deaf ear, and didn’t wait for you to draw near, and intently listen. Forgive me, and come close, Lord, and call a little louder, please, like the little owls who heard our recorded call. Most of all, please help me not to be the broken record, like my tape just calling over and over, begging you to come near.  When I stop the "tape", help me paitiently listen. Open the eyes of my heart like the dawn, as I search your word, and let the commandments be my flashlight and your law be my morning sun. If all you desire me to have is a look where the tiny focus of the flashlight is aimed, then help me to rejoice in what you are letting me see. Glory to your name. AMEN

For more wisdom read Chapter 6 of Proverbs.

Ever Felt "WALKED ON"

Believe this:

Claim this:    (As you relate to the people of Israel)

Thus sayeth thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out thine hand the cup of trembling…thou shalt no more drink it again.

But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street to them that went over. Isaiah 51: 22-23

Awake, awake; put on thy strength…put on thy beautiful garments…Shake thyself from the dust… Isaiah 52: 1-2

Be assured by this:

…my people shall know my name: they shall know in that day that I am He that speaks; behold it is I. Isaiah 52:6

Pray this:

Lord, I believe and claim what you have promised.  I am assured that you are speaking to my heart, and I accept the promise and obey.  I arise from the position of letting this happen to me, and put on my strength which you give, I shake off the dust, and dress myself as if it never happened.  Lord I ask… and receive and open the door to newness… Help me as I choose to love my offender. Amen.

And Do this:

If ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? For sinners also love those that love them… Luke 7:32  But love your enemies, and do good…vs 35.  (See also: Proverbs 25:21 – 22 on how to do this.)

Remember this:

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Psalms 140: 9

And this:

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me…Psalm 138: 7 – 8 

Realize this:

 The Lord never asks us to deal with people who walk on us, until he first allows that we are able to rise up from the dirt, dust ourselves off, put on our strength, and dress ourselves with beauty.  And then he promises that he WILL deal with them. It is one of the “opposites of God” precepts that we allow God to fight our battles. Though we don’t understand sometimes –

Accept this:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55: 8-9

 

Honor God in this, and watch and wait….See what the hand of the Lord can do!

Lord, Light My Way

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a Light unto my path. Psa.119:105

The song about this scripture has been running through my head, lately. It is partly due to the lights we put up on the house and in the yard, which have made my approach to the house at night so much easier. I noticed one night as I reached for my house key that I didn’t need to also pull out my flashlight.  Coming home from work for all the years that Jimmy has worked nights - to a dark house and entering it alone – made me very conscious of how many dark places there are from the car to the door.  And in the last several years, going from dark to light, or the opposite, causes me to not be able to walk straight. I joke that I look like I am inebriated, but it isn’t really funny when it happens.   Jimmy has obliged me by placing motion lights at the doors and drive, and under the deck.  He also has kindly supplied me with little tricks to light my way. I have a key cover that has a tiny LED light which shines exactly on the door knob from the key, so I can see the key hole.  He installed solar lights up the walkway, but the bushes always grew over them and shaded out the sun.  He allowed that a line of rope lights remained lining the walkway after the holidays. But the grass soon grew over it.  So I got a small flash light that I attach to the handles of my purse with a D-ring.  My grandson thinks it’s his toy, but it is to get me up the walk. In other words, I do anything I can to be able to light my path when it is difficult to see.  But these days, no need. If I have remembered to turn on the Christmas lights before leaving, the entire lawn is bright with light when I return.

When we were children, my mother’s home backed up to a AAA baseball field.  In summer, it was the grandest thing a kid could ever want.  The stadium lights lightened the back yard so brightly that we could play ‘til hours past dark.  I remember helping Daddy plow the garden in the brightness of those lights, in the cool of the evening, tossing up the sweet smell of earth, and proud as I could be that he let me guide the tiller, even though I sank to my ankles in the soft broken ground.   Where the light shone brightly, it was like daylight.  But the shadows were deep enough to hide in, and we did. Our favorite night time game was hide and seek, for we could simply lie down in a shadow, and be totally hidden from the seeker.  Hmmm.  Lying in the dirt in the dark…doesn’t sound like so much fun as it was. LOL  

Can you imagine that light, any light which lit your pathway after dark in Christ’s day was a blessing? It was valuable; and required effort to have in any form. In the temple there were strict instructions how, when and where the lamps, wicks, oils, and all assorted related paraphernalia were to be used and kept in the finest working condition.  Light held a place of importance. This year Jimmy wanted candles in the windows. I have always loved them, and was a bit surprised.  He was inspired by light bulbs that flickered with the appearance of a real candle burning.  When we make our traditional gifts to his employees, we will place a candle in the middle of each one.  Not because it is aesthetically, pleasing, but because it is a symbol of the Word of God that came to live among us, even as it was in the temple.

 Sometimes, when the dark times of life make it difficult to see my way, I am so thankful that I have the words of God to lighten my path.  And I just love when God shines so brightly that my path is as bright as my Christmas lights.  Can I leave them up please?  OK, OK… not past February, I promise.  Anyone know where I can get some Valentine’s lights? LOL

The only thing missing from God’s light to my path is the light switch.  In order to have the simplicity of clicking the switch, to have instant light, I have to do the work to put up the lights in my yard.  In order to have the instant light of God’s Word in my darkest hours, I need to have it installed in my heart.  I have a terrible mind for memorization.  I have always had difficulty with it.  But if I am persistant, and read something often enough, I at least can know what I am looking for to look it up quickly when I need it.  But I have on occasion resorted to hanging index cards on the mirror, and putting scriptures in my wallet so that every time I look in these frequented places, I am faced with the scripture I want lighting my path.   One of the first I ever learned was one required to learn in my Girl’s Auxiliary program as as child. 

Arise shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1  

 Even then, I understood that this verse was speaking of Jesus, who wasn’t born at the time.  I understood that God gave prophecy for Christ to be born as the light of the World. And when he said, “I am the light of the world,” I knew he was referring to prophecies like this one. I am glad Christmas comes in the winter, when the darkness descends on the earth early, so we feel a need to put up lights. I love being able to use lights to celebrate the season.  It just would not be the same in the summer.  Lights are not simply a materialistic, unrelated element of Christmas commercialization.  They are about God and who he said he was. They are about a baby who came to light our world with his love and wisdom, freedom and power, grace and hope, peace and promise.  May he light your way today.

Feeling sad… light a candle and praise His name.

Lord, shine brightly into the dark places in the lives of those who need your enlightenment today.  Give guidance, and stability, freedom from fear, and clarity to the path of any who seek your way. AMEN

 For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.    II Samuel 22: 29 NKJV

The Comforter

This week, my small town was shaken by the abduction of a seven year old little girl that was later found brutally beaten to death after being sexually assaulted.  Our community cries out in anguish as we weep along with the family.  Yesterday after the police arrested a twenty year old man for this horrific crime, our hearts still break for the innocent loss of this precious girl.

I do not personally know this family, but this crime hits too close to home.  As I hug my children a little tighter, I pray fervently for God, our Comforter, to pour out His abundant grace and mercy on this grieving family.

As we wander through our lives, incidents like this remind us just how quickly a life altering tragedy can occur.  We know in our minds that God is in control, but do our hearts fully acknowledge that He is still on the throne even in the midst of heartbreaking loss?  Our challenge is to abide in the Lord knowing that His plans for us are good even in the deepest trials and tribulations.  

As you read this today, please take a moment to pray for the Rivera family as they lay their child to rest and begin the process of the seeking justice.

My prayer:  God, we ask that you pour out exceeding grace on the Rivera family during this season.  Reveal yourself to them mightily.  We know, Father, that you see all things and are in control of every situation, but our heart breaks for such an untimely, senseless death.  Remind us to lift this family up in prayer as the Holy Spirit reminds us.  In Jesus name!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."                                                                         ~Romans 8:28

Life Application: Do Not Fear

So do not fear, for I am with you; 
do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 
I will strengthen you and help you; 
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:10

Fear. It can be crippling. It prevents us from taking a step forward in trust and faith. It steals our joy and can make us physically sick. 

We are afraid to love without abandon.
Afraid to trust.
Afraid to forgive and be forgiven.
Afraid to enjoy life because we are always on the lookout for things to go wrong.
Afraid to let go of control.
Afraid to fully live. Afraid to die.

Fear disrupts our peace. Fear is a lie that the enemy uses to keep our focus off God. But it doesn't matter where we are or what we are doing because God tells us that He is always with us. He tells us not to be afraid or discouraged because He is our hope and present in our time of need. He goes before us, behind us, and walks with us. There isn't anything we should fear because God is near.

What is it in your life that you are afraid of? A new job? A career change? A new relationship? Following your heart? Giving your heart to Jesus? Forgiving and letting go of your past? Being obedient to the Lord? Afraid to give freely what's been freely given to you?

Don't be afraid. If He has called you to something, He won't let you walk through it alone. Press through your fears and trust that God knows best and that He will take care of you. If you're held prisoner by chains of fear, ask Jesus to set you free and put your trust in Him alone.

 

Celebrate Thanksgiving!

Psalm 100 ~ we learned it as children in my school, and had our program where we sang songs about the first American Thanksgiving, and old hymns, like Come Ye Thankful People Come.  And there have always traditionally been parades and bands and music. One of my favorite things is to watch the parades. Are the bands and parades appropriate? Well let’s take a look at thanksgiving in the Scriptures~

King David was known to be a song writer and musician from his youth.  As a boy he played so well that King Saul chose David to live at the royal home and play just for him.  A little like his personal radio. LOL Most of the Psalms are attributed to David as well, and he wrote profusely.  In I Chronicles 16:7 it says:

“On that day, David first delivered this Psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord."

David wrote a song of thanksgiving and delivered it to Asaph and his brothers, Levites, who were responsible for using it in worship. Notice that he hand delivered this song.

Samuel also tells us how David thanked God. This scripture is known as "David's Thanksgiving."  II Samuel, chapter 7 ~

“Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?”  II Samuel 7:18 

 When David came before God, to thank him, he was in awe of the things God did in his life. But if you read on, He says:

“ ¹⁹ And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come.”*

David made his thanksgiving a time of perspective. What awes us about God, is a “small thing in (His) sight.”  This time of perspective is often interpreted as a solemn occasion.  But how did they actually celebrate their thanksgivings?

Nehemiah names those responsible for such occasions in his day -

“Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren.”  Nehemiah 12:8

And in verse 27 of that chapter gives us an example of such a celebration:

“Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.”

 They brought in musicians from all over the land, and struck up the bands :).

Then in verse 31 he tells of making it a public affair, with the leaders of the country in attendance.

“So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs.” 

Now, Psalm 100 is something I will probably never forget, although I have to brush up on it from time to time.

“Make a joyful NOISE unto the Lord all ye lands…come before his presence with singing….enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with Praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name….”

Thanksgiving is certainly a time of introspection, and counting our blessings. A time of viewing the mercies and manifestations of God on our lives. A time of praise. It is a time of gaining perspective, and a time of solemn awe.  But most of all it was a time of CELEBRATION! Of singing and making noise! But it was one more thing in a psalmist’s eyes.  In Psalm 105, this song says:

“ Vs 1. O give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the people. Vs 2. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wonderous works. Vs 3. Glory ye in his holy name.”

 Here the psalmist says to let others know what great things God has done. Talk about it. Then he comes to a curious conclusion. While sharing with others, an interesting thing happens – the commonplace, easy things for God to do in our lives bring Glory to us in his name.  We are able to have Glory by sharing his blessings on us.   Remember what David said in II Samuel?  *“this was a small thing in your sight, and you have spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come.” He is saying that people remembered the blessings God gave David for a long time afterward, and God made sure that David was talked about until this day! Thanksgiving is a time to realize that God does what he does unbegrudgingly.  He doesn’t seek his own Glory, but ours. How curious a thing! Like a father who loves his kids and gives them everything he can to benefit them.  He delights when his son makes a touchdown, or his daughter makes her first home run…Parents take pictures of their kids and hang them everywhere.  They give them parties at birthdays, and buy books and toys and anything fun.  For the glory of their children!

It is a time to see God as a doting father, who wishes the best for us, who would give us great things, just because we are his kids.

In Leviticus 7, the Levites are given instruction on how the thanksgiving offerings are to be made, but it also says:

Vs 15. “The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until morning.”

  They were instructed to eat ‘til it was gone.  I would imagine they had to stuff themselves. I am glad we aren't under the law, however. I just plain love leftover thanksgiving food!  We can thank refrigeration for that.

Well, I guess we have it about right! Celebrations, parades, music, eat til we are stuffed…telling  people what great things God has done for us…

I just wish all the hooplah of our time was really about how God has blessed us. When we celebrate, we need to be sure our children know why we celebrate. Just don’t forget to accept the glory! Know how much God loves to hear us say thank you, and that he will bless us all again and again as the loving father he is, that we may have Glory in his name.

 I am particularly thankful for Bible Gateway’s web site that makes finding scriptures to reference an easier task for me. The print in the Bible is just getting too small these days, and the ease of finding things with a simple click on search has been a tremendous blessing to me. I thank God for the people he led to develop that site, and for blessing of being able to study so quickly now.  What used to take hours, is much simpler now. 

I wish to share a website with you: http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2011/the-treasure-of-thrown-away-food.html It's a precious story of regognizing real blessings. I found it when  I discovered the facebook page of an old friend whose husband was in our wedding 42 years ago.  We had lost touch, and though I rejoiced at finding this couple, I quickly realized that God had a reason for making them known to me once again.  John has Luekemia.  Jan, his wife maintains a blog about their praising and blessing the God who is able to allow John to beat it. I will keep that blog personal for now. But,once Jan had friended me, several others whom I had known back then were also finding her site, as God drew us all to join her in prayers for John.  I also friended some of them, with such joy to be in touch once more, and have been able to glean from their related blogs and favorite sites. The one I am posting was a particular blessing. God blesses us in such amazing ways. And I am thankful most of all this year, that God has demonstrated again and again that He IS, and He is working in my life, and he draws us to one another - that we may “talk of all his wonderous works.” 

Lord I praise and thank you with my whole heart. For absolutely every thing in my life. But mostly, I thank you for YOU. AMEN

The Grateful Heart of a Believer

“Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.”

                                                        ~Isaiah 40: 28-31:

This week as I ponder the things in my life that I am truly thankful for I pause and admire the omnipotence of God.  It truly amazes me that our God spoke this world into existence by just simple words.

Our beloved earth sits pleasantly at a specific distance from the sun so that we are neither too hot or cold.  The planet rotates at a certain axis providing our days, nights, and seasons.  We live on a miraculous creation every moment by a God who loves us enough to create us and place us where we are on the earth.  

 “But God made the earth by his power;
He founded the world by His wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;
He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain 
and brings out the wind from His storehouses.”

                                                            ~Jeremiah 10:12-13

These verses reveal to us that God not only created the earth and everything in it, but He still sustains and reigns over His creations. 

As believers, when we recognize the power that God has displayed, we are more grateful for the ability to have a personal relationship with the Father through Jesus.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.  After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

                                                            ~Hebrews 1:3

God doesn’t sit passively in heaven, He gave us road maps- the Holy Spirit and His holy word to guide us through life.  God gifted us a way to bridge the gap of sins and selfishness through Jesus.

So often, we struggle like toddlers wrestling free from watchful parents to do life our own way.  When all it takes is one health scare, one job loss, one soured relationship, one thing, to bring us running to the foot of the cross in prayer and petition.

Billy Graham said, “When thanksgiving is filled with true meaning and is not just the formality of a polite ‘thank you,’ it is the recognition of dependence.”

This year as we are naming the things we are most thankful for and treasure the most, let’s lift up a prayer to God revealing the heart of a grateful believer to an omnipotent Father and Creator.

My prayer:  God, I confess to you the sin of trying to live my life the way I see fit.  Thank you for creating this earth and every detail of it.  Thank you for taking such care in sustaining it.  I need you, Father, every minute of every day.  I want my life to be an example of a woman living completely dependent on you, the sustainer of my life.  Thank you Lord for sending us guides in the Holy Spirit and your word.  Thank you, Father, for Jesus who bridges the gap between our sinful nature and eternal life.  Thank you for hearing our prayers.  Let them be a sweet song to your ears.  In Jesus name.

 

 

Giving thanks to God—continually.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.— Hebrews 13:15

Continually. This word is so important in this verse. What does it mean to give thanks to God continually? It means to give thanks whether you are walking through the darkest valley or on cloud nine. 

There are seasons in life that are full of blessings and there are seasons that are cold, dry, and seemingly barren. Regardless of the season, true joy and heartfelt happiness come when you learn to be thankful continually. 

Being grateful can be challenging when the journey through the valley is long, hard, and lonely. But if we practice gratitude continually {daily} then the habit of praising God and being grateful for even the simplest and smallest of blessings carries through the difficult seasons of life. 

Too often, it's easy to only be thankful for the big blessings in life—a new house, new car, a baby, career change, etc.—and we forget that we are far more blessed than most with food on the table, clothes on our back, good health, laughter, and a warm place to call home. 

i love what Max Lucado says about gratitude:

Gratitude, more aware of what you have than what you don’t. Recognizing the treasure in the simple – a child’s hug, fertile soil, a golden sunset. Relishing in the comfort of the common – a warm bed, a hot meal, a clean shirt.—Max Lucado

Being continually thankful is counting daily blessings, big and small, and expressing our gratitude to God through praise and adoration. God just doesn't deserve our praise when things are going well. He deserves our praise as He guides us through our seasons in the valley, not because going through the valley is fun, but because praising Him regardless says that we trust Him during the challenging times in life. 

i truly believe that God's heart melts when He hears two simple words:

Thanks, God, for a warm bed. Thanks, God, for smooth traffic this morning. Thanks, God, for a hearty, healthy breakfast. Thanks, God, for my friends and family. Thanks, God, for listening to my prayers. Thanks, God, for believing in me. Thanks, God, for protecting me. Thanks, God, for shoes on my feet. Thanks, God, for your perfect will for my life. Thanks, God, for your grace and love. Thanks, God, for the simple gift of life today.

Dear God, i don't say thank you near enough .... so thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you for all the little ways you bless me daily—may i never forget to be grateful every single day of my life.

Dogged Determination

As I write this blog post, I’ve been nursing a cold for two days in my sweatpants  and alternating between drinking hot tea and cold smoothies.  My voice is gone-I mean that it’s really gone and when I speak I sound like a goose honking which is not very conducive for teaching Kindergarten.  

Yesterday as I was having a bit of a pity party, I began talking to the Lord about my attitude and sickness and I said, “Why now?  Why me?  I really don’t have time for this.”  As I was reading a Christian article, I came across a statement that went something like this, “Christians cannot ask God, ‘Why?’ in hard times if they didn’t ask Him, ‘Why?’ in victorious times.”

You see, I’ve been just plugging away at my life for a long time feeling pretty good about things without giving acknowledging that God is the giver of all good things.  I am not saying that God made me sick; only that maybe He allowed this quiet time for me to reflect on bigger things.

Sometimes I get very complacent when things are going well, but Isaiah 50:7 reminds me of my posture of determination that I am to have, 

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.”

 I love the image of setting my face like flint.  What a difference it would make if we decided to attack life fearlessly with our faces set like flint!

Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us with our health, jobs, or homes.  Our challenge is to claim the victories of God’s Word with the determination of a confident fighter until the victory becomes reality.  

My Prayer:  God, thank you for allowing me time to reflect on your truths.  I confess to you that complacency is the enemy of victory.  Holy Spirit, remind me to and help me become determined and set my face like flint against life’s challenges.  Jesus, thank you for the example of determination that you showed at the cross.  In Jesus name!

 

 

Instant Prayer

My baby grandson had a minor surgery this week that resolved a problem, which left unattended could have been a big problem when he’s older. Though it pains me to see him twinging in pain now, how much better to know that it could be resolved now with a little pain, rather than being a “big pain” in the future.

 I could not help but relate to how we sometimes won’t face our problems and take them to the Lord early, but because of the pain they bring up, we let them ride until they consume us.  How much better to let the Savoir in and let him do a little surgery now, than be living with the results of our sins or heartaches later.

Sometimes it takes a bit for us to realize we have a need either because we are busy, in denial, or just didn't understand things were out of kilter.  Procrastination is not the answer once we become aware!

Romans 12:12 says: continuing instant in prayer.  We want instant food, instant messaging, and instant money.  Why not an instant remedy for whatever is burdening our hearts. 

Jesus didn’t wait a second to respond to our prayer for Salvation. In fact he doesn’t wait to answer our prayers ever.  Sometimes we have to wait for the answer to be revealed, but in God’s book, prayer and response are “instant.”

 ¹¹Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.  Psalm 42:11(KJV)

 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Thank you, Lord, for instant conversation between you and me. Help all the people who think they are not worthy, or must go through someone else to get prayers answered, see the truth provided in your Word that prayer was meant to be an easy conversation with an all powerful God. You speak to the lowly the same as the most “righteous.”  You hear us one and all.  I praise You for being the health of my countenance, and instant hope. AMEN

 

Please remember to visit us everyday on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Wings-Are-Made-of-Faith/212364455451281 ,

 or just type in My Wings Are Made of Faith in your Facebook search box.

 

Who's Driving?

The other day I saw a bumper sticker that said, “If God is your copilot, change seats!”  It made me laugh because it seems like more than ever, people need to feel like they have control over their lives.  The fact is that nobody has control over even the next breath they take, except the Lord.

Mark 4:21-22 says,

“He (Jesus) said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed?  Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?  For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.”

In other words, Christians are supposed to live out our testimonies in our every day routines.  We are called to conduct our daily business in ways that reflect our Father.  We will never be perfect, but we will be known by our character and love which will reveal to others that we are not in control, but a Holy God is driving our lives.

One of my weaknesses is that I like to be in charge of everything.  I like to organize and direct every single area of my life.  Therefore my challenge is an attitude of daily surrender to Jesus recognizing His authority over every area of my heart.

As a teacher, I love to see that my students are growing spiritually and are academically successful.  As a mom, I desire to observe that my kids are making wise choices and maturing as Christians.  As a woman of God, I want to make an impact on people who I work with and live by.  

The fact remains that I can only be a lamp stand-a simple prop for the Holy Character of God.  I cannot “save” one person, only live a life that reflects my God.  My job as a Christian is to simply point others to Jesus.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for being in control of my life and caring for me so deeply.  I pray that I would honor you by revealing your sweet character to those around me.  The cry of my heart is surrender to you and your will for my life.  Holy Spirit, remind me that I am not in control, but that you are interceding on my behalf.  In Jesus Name!

 

"Surrendering to Christ is like signing your name to a blank check and letting the Lord put in the amount."

                                                                                                                ~Billy Graham 

 

For more encouragment, follow us on Facebook at My Wings Are Made Of Faith.  We love to hear from our readers.

The Pilgrimage

A few weeks ago, my family and I headed to the beach for a week. On our way I kept thinking, “I can’t wait until we are there!” Although I was looking forward to a week of relaxation, how much time did I waste looking toward my destination instead of the journey?

Psalm 84:5-7 says,

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they will make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.”

This is the foot note in my Bible: “The pilgrimage to the temple passed through the barren Valley of Baca. No specific valley has been identified with Baca. Because Baca can mean ‘weeping,’ it may have been a symbolic reference to the times of struggles and tears through which people must pass on their way to meet God. Growing strong in God’s presence is often preceded by a journey through barren places in our lives. The person who loves to spend time with God will see his or her adversity as an opportunity to re-experience God’s faithfulness. If you are walking through your own Valley of Baca today, be sure your pilgrimage leads toward God, not away from Him.”

As we take these verses apart a little, let’s examine the word, “blessed.” Blessed means happy but more than the emotion of being happy. Instead it carries a deeper meaning of being full of praise, honoring, or a contentment that brings happiness.

We see that the Israelites were on a journey and were going through a rough season or the Valley of Baca. From this Biblical example, I see that I can be blessed, happy, content, and peaceful during a difficult season of my life when I recognize that God is my strength. My outcome is often determined by my outlook.

You see our lives will have trouble. This is the result of living in a fallen world.

In John 16:33, Jesus says,

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

As the Israelites were on their pilgrimage, they stopped from time to time at different bodies of water where they rested and regained their strength until they make it to The Lord Most High. It is imperative that we identify the places or times where we can rejuvenate in the Lord. This doesn’t mean we have to literally go anywhere, but we could simply rest in His presence with some praise music playing. Our blessing will fall on us when we are seeking, believing, and resting in God.

The last point is that we need to embrace the journey-even in the hardest places. Let’s face it, no one loves difficult times, but the lessons we can share and the empathy we can have with others is priceless. Recently, I went through a difficult season and I remember praying, “God, show me what I need to take from this and how I can help others.” Now I regularly speak with several women who are experiencing the same kinds of trials that I went through just a few short months ago. I find that they don’t feel guarded when sharing with me because I know exactly how they feel. There is not one tear wasted because it’s turned into ministry for other hurting people.

I pray that no matter what part of the pilgrimage you are on, you are seeking God. He is the giver of Hope and Life. You, my dear friend, are His child and He cares deeply for you.

My Prayer: Thank you, God, for reminding me that all seasons of my journey are victorious because of the hope you offer. I praise you for being my place of rest and rejuvenation even during my darkest hours. Jesus, thank you for overcoming the world and for giving us the perfect example to live by. Holy Spirit, remind me when my focus is on myself instead of you. Guard my heart so that it may not veer to the right or left. In Jesus Name!

CONFIDENCE - when God Blesses faith

While under siege by the great nation of Assyria, Hezekiah stood firm as the king over Judah, a mere remnant of the tribes of Israel which had not been overtaken by the wars around them. And when pressed to appease the encroaching armies, he sent all the gold from the Temple, and from the coffers of the King’s house. When there was nothing monetary left to keep them from attacking, he continued to trust in the God of his forefather, David.  Hezekiah had made a great sacrifice in giving this gold to Assyria, for it was he who had overlaid the temple doors with gold; and it was he who cut it back off to give to the Assyrian representatives. The work of his life had been undone. Hezekiah didn’t put confidence in his life’s work; nor did he cling to it, and protect it at all costs assuming it was the source for his future.

The Assyrian King sent 3 men with a great host of troops out of Lachish to Jerusalem. And when they arrived, their leader, Rabshakeh, sent a message to Hezekiah asking him: “Thus saith the Great King, the king of Assyria: What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?”(kjv)  They went on to assume it must be Egypt. They mocked that trusting Egypt was like leaning on a staff which was sharp on both ends. If Hezekiah’s people leaned on it, they would be stabbed by the end on which they leaned.  Placing doubt, the Assyrians hoped to destroy the confidence this little nation had, and hoped to take them without a fight. But Hezekiah did not trust in Egypt -a type of trusting in the people and things of this world.

 Rabshakeh continued to deride them, saying, don’t say you trust in your Lord, because Hezekiah has already given up the altars, and said this is what’s left in Jerusalem as an altar!  (As if the altar only had value if covered in gold.) Hezekiah didn’t place his confidence in his money, or the importance of his church. Hezekiah didn’t place his confidence in his church, nor in the place where he worshipped.

Rabshakeh also taunted – “you say, but they are vain words, ‘I have counsel and strength for war.’ On whom do you trust that you rebel against me?” He spoke with a false confidence believing nothing could stop the Assyrian armies, because nothing had so far. Hezekiah didn’t put his confidence in the circumstances that appeared to prove nothing could withstand the power of these great armies. But Rabshakeh had wisely asked, “On WHOM do you Trust.”  “What Confidence is this wherein you Trust?”  He expected them to boast that another army somewhere was forming against them, for the sake of job security. But Hezekiah was not seeking job security for his armies.

It was then that the Assyrian leader began to be diplomatic (or was it “deceitful.”) He offered 2000 horses if they would join him, seeking to know the numbers of men they expected to muster, but also hoping to turn them against their own king. He railed on Hezekiah’s men, in their own language, that they should not trust Hezekiah to protect them. He offered to take them to a land where there were great riches and plenty of food, if they would become his soldiers. He went on to say, "Don’t listen to Hezekiah when he says the Lord will deliver you, because the gods of all these other nations haven’t delivered them." He even went so far as to say, that he had come in the name of the Lord. That he was whom God was blessing, (and perhaps he believed it might be true in some twisted way.) But Hezekiah was not swayed by the deceiver who set lures for his men.

Hezekiah knew ON WHOM he believed!!!

When I taught children, I found it was important to give them Bible words to learn and understand.  A study of the word confidence, reveals that it doesn’t mean the same as faith. Confidence is a result of faith.  But also a result of trusting the promises of God. It has to do with knowing what you believe, with understanding.  Then acting on it - but only after praying to seek assurance God wants you to proceed.  Confidence isn’t something to boast of or give reasons for; it is an attitude of steadfastness. It is a jewel, a gift, and John told his followers to not give it up.  Confidence grows and strengthens as we read and understand God’s Word. Faith is as a grain of mustard seed, a tiny hope on which we place trust.  But confidence is when faith takes root and is watered and tended. Each new endeavor requires faith, a point in time when we first believe. But confidence is gained only when we have tested faith.  We fail to gain confidence when we misplace our faith. When we believe that money, jobs, church, friends, supporters, circumstances, politics or what appears to be truth in the eyes of the world are our reasons for feeling safe – we have misplaced our faith, and cannot grow confidence.  Faith in God’s promises, security, holiness, and truth alone is the fertile ground in which the seed of faith can grow. And when it has grown, let us prize it above all the things of this world that we might have confidence to leave the battles up to God.

Hezekiah didn’t gather an army against the Assyrians, but asked those about him to join him as he prayed.  Sometimes, it sounds like a broken record when we ask people to pray, but that is where acting on our confidence begins.  And funny thing…that action is often to wait on the Lord to take care of the matter. Why do we pray expecting God to give our battles back to us? Our confidence comes from allowing God to use His power to perform in our lives. Hezekiah knew this, and it is why he was called the greatest king that Judah ever had.

This story comes from II Kings 18. The verses concerning Rabshakeh asking in whom Hezekiah placed his trust are verses 19 and 20.  But this is the verse I want to leave with our readers, for Hezekiah warned his people not to respond to the deceiver:

But the people held their peace and answered him not a word, for the King’s commandment was, saying: “Anwer him not.” II Kings 18: 36 KJV

Who is calling on you today to defend your confidence? God says you don’t need to answer. Just know in whom, and understand what and why you believe.  So you can stand fast in confidence against all odds. Testimonies are for leading the lost to Christ. Not for defending God or ourselves. God can defend Himself and us.

Father, once again it is focus on you that remedies life’s hardest questions.  Help us to respond out of confidence, which allows us not to answer to the deceivers of the world.  All who rail against us, even those who say they come in Your name, who know they have everything all figured out, and have unparalleled resources and accusations with them. All those are no match for just focusing on You. And in our confidence, help us not to be quick to act, but let us wait upon your almighty power, and sometimes only upon your power. Though the world screams loudly about us, sometimes you just want us to do nothing except pray, leaving the results up to You. Instead of responding to the din of the world, help us not be “should, ought must Christians.”  Rather help us know the difference, to be Confident Christians. AMEN

(P.S. Sometimes the railing assailant really wants our testimony because they are seeking a Christ.  If we share Christ rather than defend Christ, our words become a path to Christ.)

 

Write it down

A few years ago, I taught sixth grade and, as many of you know, middle schoolers tend to forget everything.  A former colleague used to wisely say, “Write it down.  Paper doesn’t forget.”  It makes me chuckle now because even though paper doesn't forget, it can be lost in a backpack, locker, or lunchroom.

Several years ago, I began keeping a prayer journal.  It’s nothing formal-just a record of my prayers, hopes, dreams, letters to God, and responses from the Lord.  My journals ebb and flow with life’s demands and sometimes have many entries and other times have sparse gaps.

 Habakkuk 2:2 says,

"Then the Lord replied: Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets....”

This year, I ventured out to a couple of new pages that are continuous: a Blessings page where I list as many blessings I can recall and a Dreams page where I wish, pray, and dream within God’s will.  I have also found that writing my concerns and prayers allows me to lay them at God’s feet and permits me to cease worrying.

There are times that I write my ideas and prayers and, as I lay them at the foot of the cross, I forget about them.  After I revisit my journal after a period of time, I am amazed to see at how many the Lord has carefully answered His way and in His time.

There’s nothing magical about my journals or the words I write in them, except that I’m pouring my heart out to God.  They are a visual reminder of my walk and a record of my testimony.  My prayer journals are simply my way of casting all my anxiety on the Lord.

I Peter 5:7 says, 

 
“Cast all your anxiety of Him because He cares for you.”

My Prayer:  God, I thank you for hearing my prayers no matter if they are written or spoken.  Lord, how I enjoy looking back and seeing all that you’ve done in my life through my prayer journals.  Thank you for being a faithful God.  I choose to lay my burdens, wishes, hopes, worries, and dreams at the foot of the cross.  I pray for your will for my life.  In Jesus name.

Another Ugly Word

Last week, I felt the Lord press on my heart a message about the need for confession of sins both with God and with others.  This week, I continue to broaden our horizons about another taboo word in many churches-repentance.  

As I began researching the word “repentance,” I quickly found it in Jesus’s first message which is found in Matthew 4:12,

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

The footnote in my Bible says, “Jesus started his ministry with the very word people had heard John the Baptist say: Repent.  The message is the same today as when Jesus and John gave it.  Becoming a follower of Christ means turning away from our self-centeredness and self control and turning our lives over to Christ’s direction and control.”

It’s just as easy as that: seeing your sin and confessing it as sin, and then turning away from it to choose God’s way.  As in the discussion about confession, no ceremonies or formalities needed- just a heart to chase God’s righteousness.

Billy Graham said, “What does repentance mean?  It means to change-to change your mind, change the way you’re living-and to determine that with God’s help you will live for Christ.”

I am concerned when we skip over the two basic building blocks of Christianity: confession and repentance.  As a mother, I always have a feeling when my kids are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.  I often speak with them using examples from Scripture to show them their sin.  But when they don’t turn from a poor path, I allow the natural consequences to occur as long as they don’t involve safety issues.  Then I simply wait.  Most frequently in the above situation, their sin finds them out as the Bible promises and I am there with open arms ready to love and restore them into fellowship again although I am unwilling and unable to take away the ill effects.

I’m far from a perfect mom, but God is our perfect Father.  He knows that we are all sinners and has provided a Savior.  His character is love- not to strike us with a lightning bolt.  The Lord desires to have fellowship with us in spite of our sin, but wants us to have a heart that chooses His ways.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for being a perfect, loving Father.  Holy Spirit, please remind me when I need to confess my sins and turn from them.  I thank you, Jesus, for the cross that allowed me to be forgiven even though I sin every day.  Lord, keep the task of fellowship in front of us and may our eyes not turn to the right or left of the foot of the cross.  In Jesus name!

Scripture to memorize:  "God's kindness leads you toward repentance."

                                                                                            ~Romans 2:4b

Lord, Undo Me

i heard this prayer last week on my way to work and it deeply moved me—i truly hope it moves you, too.

I don’t really worship these day
I don’t really stand up to praise you with songs
Or prayers or actions
or with anything
I am full of all the right moves
I am full of all the right words
I am full of all the right religion
But it is all just illusion
I am really
Lonely
Lost
Calloused
Jaded
Cynical
Too religious
Too realistic
and well really just to lazy
to worship you anymore
I have lost my first love
I have lost the joy of your presence
But most of all I have lost the fear of your glory

Father I need to see you again
Like Isaiah I want to stand in awe of your glory
To fall down at your feet
To come face to face with your
Perfection,
Radiance,
Goodness,
Holiness,
Awesomeness
I want to stand before you and see you for who you are
and me for who I am
I want to be undone

I want to know me for who I really am
I want to see the depths of my heart
And know that you are the only way
You are the only truth
You are the only life
I want to see me and understand
What it really must have taken for you to
Love me
Care for me
See me
Speak to me
Want me
Communicate with me
Die for me
Die for me
Die for me

Lord, I want to stand in that place where all I can see is your glory
And my sin
Because in that place I can’t help but worship you.
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
Lord, undo my heart
break down these walls that I love so much
No, wait don’t,
I’m scared I don’t know if I can handle this
don’t
But I can’t live this way anymore
I can’t stand here in this half-life
this going through the motions life
this not really alive life
Father, I need you so come in and do what you must
Cut out the tumor on my heart
Break down the walls that I love
Lord let me come undone
Undo my heart
let me worship you again

by Blake Williams

Watch & Wait

My husband recently told me how he had been praying about certain things when I expressed concern about an area of personal financial issues. He said, “All I can say is, this is what I prayed, and this is what God did, so this is all I know about how to believe, Cynthia.” My concerns just melted away. If I had known how he was praying and how he felt about God’s response, I probably would have never worried in the first place. Yet in his humble thinking, he didn’t wish to boast about his prayers. He has never shared much about his personal relationship with God. I knew he sometimes obeyed God in sharing our worldly goods with people as God led him. His dad was remarkably generous and sometimes gave more than was wise for his family’s best interest, so I never minded my husband’s choices because he had learned to be reasonable. But lately, he has shared that he felt God wanted him to change how he approached some things. Although I was extremely glad to be brought in on this one area of his interaction with God, I am glad to step back and just watch God work out in his life whatever else God is doing. But I do love when he shares, because I am also edified.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for someone who is finding how to depend totally on God and what He is doing in their lives is to just watch and wait. If there is not a time in our children's lives when they begin to reach out to God for themselves, they are crippled for years in their spiritual walk. The watch and wait time can be for years. But God continues to be in control, and continues to speak softly, drawing those He loves to a closer walk with Him. He ususally isn't very pushy. And He never gives the whole plan dot for dot. If God choses my curcumstances ad chosses to resolve the things as He does, what reason should I have for trying to change that set of events or consequences? Unless He asks me to turn the helm.

One of the best things that I have benefitted from lately, is to let my husband use his skills, developed over the years, to plan our vacation. This year my input was simply that I would just like to anchor in one hotel, and not wander too far from that central point to make our daily excursions. By letting him take it and run, he planned sunrises, sunsets, shopping and all. But only God could have made them as incredible as they actually were!

It will probably often feel like I am only a passenger aboard the boat that my husband and God drive. While watching God tell him to turn the helm, I only wish to be told, that we aren't adrift in the Ocean of No Direction. I genuinely like that my husband has decided to go to great lengths lately to share with me as much as he knows of how God is guiding him to a "new port of call." And equally proud that he shares when he just isn't sure where God is going at all. Even then, I am content that God is gthe one who is drawing up the map. But, I think I'll stay aboard. And enjoy the ride. Well, kinda like Noah's wife aboard the Ark. LOL

Lord, I thank you that you have blessed my husband in such a way that he is confident enough to say, if God is in it, I don't know what else to believe. Thank you for security when you are in it...whatever it is. May someone be blessed today by simply standing by your door, listening, as they watch and wait. In Jesus' Name - Amen

Blessed is the man that listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. Proverbs 8:34

An Ugly Word

This past weekend I heard a refreshing sermon about the importance of confession of sins not only vertically with God, but also horizontally with others.  Too often these days the word, “confession,” is considered taboo among Christians because it seems old fashioned.  When we dismiss this simple principle, we are attempting to bypass God’s plan for a healthy relationship with his children.

The word, “confession,” means “to admit or acknowledge.”  In this case it fundamentally means admitting our sins to a Holy God.  No formal ceremony needed.  

I John 1:9 says,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

In my life, I try to take care of my confessions as the Lord brings them to mind by saying something like this, “Lord, I know that ____ was not the right thing to do.  Please forgive me and help me do better.”  This childlike act of confession clears my slate on a vertical plane.

On the horizontal axis, Matthew 5:23-24 says,

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”  

Confession of sins to others involves prayer about the right words and timing, but can be such a beautiful, Christ centered restoration when handled properly.

I love I Timothy 1:15-16 which says,

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”

Let’s face it: we all sin which is why we need our wonderful Savior.  When we take care of our confessions, we can share in the fellowship and freedom that forgiven children can experience.  

My Prayer:  Lord, thank you for reminding me the importance of confession to you and to others.  Holy Spirit, make me aware when there is something I need to confess so that I can enjoy abundant life as a believer.  Jesus, thank you for covering my sins on the cross.  I pray that others will embrace the freedom of confession and live joyfully in your peace.  In Jesus name!

 

Take Five!

One of my dearest Christian friends used to say, “Inch by inch-life’s a cinch!”  I often come back to that simple saying when I am feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands.  I, like you, have many roles and expectations being a working mom and wife.  

I firmly believe that the enemy would want us to have chaos rule our lives.  From the Garden of Eden when satan’s temptation caused Adam and Eve to trade a life of peace and comfort for one of turmoil and hard work; and our adversary has had a plan of distraction laid out for God’s children.  This divisive scheme of busyness continues to plague us.

This following is an excerpt is from the devotion called “SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND” by Marsha Burns dated 8/9/11:

“Make time for Me in your busy schedule. Your ability to stay connected spiritually will produce peace and good fruit in the face of overwhelming circumstances. Remember that you don't have to accomplish enormous challenges all at once; you are well able to do one thing at a time, moment by moment and still succeed. Refuse the allow stress and pressure to steal your peace and joy, says the Lord.”

Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.”

The past six years have been such a tremendous spiritual journey for me.  I rearranged the way I do business with the Lord-beginning with the minute I get out of the bed.  Instead of being hurried and late, I simply get up a few minutes earlier and sit in my chair to read my devotion, sing a song of praise, write in my prayer journal, or just soak in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  I ask the Lord to prioritize my steps for the day and guide me to accomplish the things that make a kingdom difference.  This has made a huge adjustment on my outlook of life to that of a heavenly focus.

Psalm 5:3 says,“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

The author, David, reveals through this verse that God’s perfect plan for us is to spend time with the Lord first thing in the morning and lay our burdens at his feet while waiting expectantly for direction.  

Our daily challenge is to take a few minutes and fellowship with our Heavenly Father.  This simple “time out” in our lives will allow God to direct our paths and align our hearts and attitudes with His perfect plan.  The peace that flows from our relationship with the King will transform our routines into a kingdom focused life.

My Prayer:  God, thank you for adjusting my attitude when I take a few minutes out of my morning to fellowship with you!  Holy Spirit, show me how to maintain a life that is pointing others toward my Heavenly Father.  I lay down my busyness at the foot of the cross and thank you, Father, for providing perfect peace in the midst of a hectic schedule.  In Jesus name!

 Scripture to memorize:

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from, me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

                                                                                                            ~Matthew 11:28-30

 

 

Promises of God

From the file box:

Prosperity = The Fulfillment of the Promises of God…

 In 1993, my husband had a surgical procedure done to clean a blocked artery and save his heart and life.  Seeking comfort, he ran across the verse: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Followed by: 37:14:  And shall put my spirit in you and ye shall live…. 

Now these verses were taken out of context, but when you are facing something that might mean your life, you don’t care how the Lord gives you peace of mind.  The whole Biblical text is written to the Israelites who needed restoration as a nation.  This is the text where the “Dry Bones Parable” is found.  A promise is given by God to raise up the floundering nation and give it new life. Even though it is presumed to be as dead as dry bones, God promises to “resurrect” it, and give it full life once again.  

Ezekiel was a colorful writer, but God used him to give strong mental pictures of how God was able to do whatever was necessary to keep his promises to His people.  In the depths of these verses, so much more can be gleaned.  The resurrection promise itself was a “type picture” of Christ.  Jesus’ disciples would come to understand that the real resurrection for the nation of Israel was through their Messiah. Israel became, not just a great nation, but the ancestral parent of a greater work - the birth of a church, to which any who believed might be born. Through them God gave life to a family that would affect the world. But this great work would come only when His followers thought all hope was lost.  It would only occur if this long awaited Messiah died. Never did they dream he would be resurrected.  Yet the picture was there, just as Jesus said, in the very verses they studied and believed.

Jesus did not remain dead long enough for his bones to dry.  But the prophecy was about an Israel, which came to a place where they feared all hope was lost. They lost their ability to believe that God was able to give continued life to their failing nation.  Mmmmm. Parallels all around this one, but I am not going there.  (Yes the people of our nation would do well to seek the truths in these chapters.)  God does wish to give continued life to the nations he has blessed, even to the point of bringing them back from dry bones.  But my actual point is - these verses give us a visualization of the lengths to which God is willing to go, to give the people he loves the promise of life.  Out of that life was the promise of a savoir, and if Israel failed, would there be no savoir?

In a discussion with my son, recently, I asked him to use the litmus test of basic Gospel truths, against which to test the doctrines of various religious faiths as he studied. We talked about why one of the most important of these is the fact that God wants us to choose life in every circumstance. Life and the regeneration of life are extremely important to God.  But when you are facing a circumstance or illness, which threatens life, death, not life, can be the reality.  I have often thought that if I were facing cancer, I would not have the desire to fight for life. Mainly, the reason is that death is the better than life, because of Christ.  I see the after-life as my resurrection to the best form of life. But, I am not seeking death. Yet God prefers that I choose to love life.

For my husband - where he was, wanting to live, and who was facing a life-threatening event - any promise from God that He cared about life, which could give an assurance that life was really important to Him, was timely.  My husband loves life. He loves living every day.  He has a God attitude about life. He holds each day precious. Even before he was threatened by his blocked artery, he treasured life.

So when God gave him these verses, they were not out of context for him.  The “ye shall live,” of Ezekiel 37:14 was as if it were written to him and for him, because God was comforting his heart and giving peace to his mind. God was saying to my beloved, I care about YOUR LIFE.  It was personal. 

It is a wonderful thing that our Bible is so multifaceted.  My mind is opened to the vastness of God’s ability to use His Word to bless and inspire us in so many ways.  Every story, and parable bears a witness to the truths He wants us to focus on and in fact, to bank our hopes in the vaults of their promises. 

So Jimmy claimed those verses, and went to surgery with a renewed confidence that God would use this scary time in his life to give him not just renewed physical life, but renewed spiritual hope for a greater, longer, fuller life.

I have a flip-calendar of scriptures, given to me by my daughter, from Heartland Samplers, Inc., which is one of a Series called “Bless Your Heart.”  It is appropriate for me because I often use the southern phrase “Bless your heart.”  And not as a derogatory remark, but in the sense of this calendar, that the Lord can bless your heart in a spiritual way through the Word and Prayer.  Anyway, on February 4 of this particular year’s calendar, it says:

“God can mend a broken heart, but we have to give him all the pieces.”

Followed by the verse:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18.”  

On this page I scribbled: the year, a note about the surgery, and the verses my husband had claimed, so I could remember the day the Lord resurrected us to new life, when we could share in the second half of  Ezekiel 37:14 which says: 

“then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.” 

Thank you, Lord for promises to claim. For scripture, that calms our minds and spirits when the days of comfort are needed. Give comfort today to those who need it and seek a word from you.  Help us all to appreciate that You are the champion of life in all aspects of life.  You have made life a precious thing. Help us to live like we cherish it too.  In Jesus’ precious name, AMEN.

 

Plowing in the Snow

The other day I was speaking with a wise friend who was sharing a story about someone who was working a job in her field in hopes that it eventually brought in more clients and expanded her business.  She said it’s like “plowing in the snow.”  I had never heard this phrase before, but am amazed at what God has revealed this week in praying about the meaning.  

In preparation for a new season of growing, farmers often plow their fields and mend tools and machines during the winter.  These simple acts alone do not grow their crops and yield a harvest, but are crucial to a good crop.  Plowing the fields during the colder weather is hard work and doesn’t produce any immediate results.  Repairing farm machinery, in the same regard, seems pointless at the time.  However, when the spring arrives, the farmer diligently plants his crops in prepared fields with maintained machines.  The farmer has to look down the road quite a few months during those cold winter months to dream of what the future could look like.

I can relate to this principle so much as a Christian.  There are times when I’m doing the “right” things:  reading my Bible, spending time with the Lord, going to church, worshipping God, but I am not seeing the results of my efforts.  I am dreaming of my future plans, but they seems so distant.  This is an example of “plowing in the snow.”  

As Christians, I believe God wants us to dream and pray for those things within His perfect will, but we can’t give up when life gets difficult.  The challenge is to fix our eyes on Jesus each day-knowing that our Heavenly Father adores us and has great plans for us-both in heaven and on earth.  Sometimes the winter seasons are longer than others, but when our focus is on the Lord, He will give us the grace we need to endure.

My Prayer:  God, I confess to you that I sometimes feel like giving up during those cold seasons of my life.  Thank you for giving me strength when I’m looking ahead.  Holy Spirit, remind me to focus on you.  Thank you, Jesus, for modeling the ultimate example of perseverance on the cross.  Lord, I claim that your grace is sufficient for me.  In Jesus Name!

Tuesday's Prayer Garden

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. —Matthew 6:5-12

We understand that traveling alone gets tiring and lonely and can leave you feeling exhausted, hopeless, or lost. Our prayer for you today is that you'll drop all your burdens at the cross and let us pray for you.

What lays heavily on your heart today?
Big or small, your request is important to God (and us).
We would love to lift you or someone you love up in prayer and drop the heavy burden at the foot of the cross.

Please leave your prayer request in the comments section below or
email it to us and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

Join us on Facebook.

Memories from God's Perspective

 
My husband (boyfirend) and I in the sixties, the day after our Seniors Banquet, held by our church for a place to go instead of Prom.  We were standing in front of a rose bush that I had babied since it was a stem. And I was in my favorite dress, one I loved more than my "Prom Dress."  Sixties Hair LOL

In a post from Max Lucado’s daily thoughts, for Aug. 24, he wrote the following:

“Present Tense - By Max Lucado

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8 NLT

The present-tense Christ. He never says, “I was.” We do. We do because “we were.” We were younger, faster, prettier. Prone to be people of the past tense, we reminisce. Not God. Unwavering in strength, he need never say, “I was.” Heaven has no rear view mirrors . . .

Can God be more God? No. He does not change. He is the “I am” God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” “

 I am a person who looks back a lot.  I have had a need for healing of my memories, and in looking back I find myself faced with two situations.  I can live in the memories and be sad – for the extremes of the bad times and the memories of the hurts that still hurt me, and sad that I am not younger, faster, prettier, thinner, etc. Or I can look into the past seeking the glad memories to help them out weigh the sad ones, while always allowing that thing from the past to bolster my now, while, at the same time, seek healing for the memories that still hurt.  Memories are like wounds if they are bad ones.  And they must heal. I said  MUST HEAL.

Bad memories must be dealt with. Stuffing them into the past to stay is not what Mr. Lucado is talking about in the comment above. He is helping us remember that God was in our past and when we were hurt, we were not alone. God knows what hurt us. But He wants us to have a resurrection attitude –realizing that we can be free from the past and healed of the pain.  But looking to a future with Him as well.  For me, when intense pain was a part of a long period of my life, the past was my life. It was hard to break free from that stronghold.  I became hurt with God.  I found myself in what seemed like a pattern of living hurt over and over, as if something I was doing was causing my hurt, and as if loving and serving God meant I had to continue to be hurt.  That was true to the extent that I was in a pattern, but there was an escape. 

Thinking about your memories is only the surface result for what can happen to a person living out of the past.  The mind can actually develop a pattern to respond to every situation in life the same way as it did when hurt.  So when someone else hurts you, you will react as if that person hurt you again, and also the next time someone hurts you. It is subconscious, and you often don’t realize it. You are actually LIVNG IN THE PAST. When you do, you may not know how to get out of the pattern.  Max Lucado is soooo right when he says God is the “I  AM.”  Because living in the present does not have to be a reflection of what you lived in your past. God wants healing for our past pains and traumas.

I know how the Lord chose to heal me, and the mental scars as well.  For someone else he may chose a different path to healing, but seeking healing from my past was the best thing I ever did for the prospect of living a better today and a better future.  And now, I love to reminisce about the lovely things in my past, because they bring me joy, and help me remember that God has always been there.  Yet, the one thing I still bring into check, while looking back, is to not fall into the pattern of saying I was prettier, thinner, faster, whatever’er, because whatever I have today, is still better than what is gone, as long as I know Christ is still there.  And of course we all know that our Future is only brighter looking to live it walking in His presence.

If someone reading this has trauma to heal from way back in their past, Pray: “Lord heal my hurts, Heal my memories.”  And hang on for the ride of your life.  It was not easy for me and it may not be easy for you.  Unlike a roller coaster, it was not a ride I want to take again, because my memories suddenly were as clear as if they were happening all over again.  However, it is a ride I would not turn down. NO. NO. Never! Unlike a surgery that you might say, “If I knew what this was going to be like, I would have never agreed to it,” I would recommend to anyone to seek God for the chance to revisit bad memories and find healing from the pain. For what God was able to do was to rewrite those memories, so that I always see Him there in power, in control and bringing me through. 

For example, my worst memory haunted me in my sleep sometimes. I could see the face of the person who hurt me, glaring at me showing his power over me, proud of his power and frightening me.  I could see the evil one in his eyes.  And I remember how frozen with fear I was.  He laughed a haunting laugh back then.  How did God heal my memory? The day the Lord healed my hurt, he gave me a new memory.  Now when I remember that night, I see the evil one afraid of the Spirit in me, and I see him draw back, knowing that the Spirit in me is greater than any evil thing the world can throw at me. Now, I sometimes remember fear in his eyes, and forget the evil laugh. Yes, I had to live through the experience, but I don’t have to continue to live in the experience, because God healed my hurt, and my fear.  I actually, look back now with joy, and I look back less often.  Just as God would have it.  God is willing to give us new memories, not just today, but by healing the ones in the past.

He is the God of Yesterday, Today and Forever.  If ever God says in the Scriptures to look back, He often is saying, “do you not remember how I …?”  He wants us to not see the past as “everything was better then”, nor as “I was such a victim then that I still am.” God wants us to be able to disconnect from carrying the weight of the past, so that we may move freely in the present.  Not that we should live so much for the future dreams and hopes that we forget to live, LIVE, in the present.  Today is the Day we Live.

One final note: when I was a child, I experienced a lot of trauma.  Yet as a child, I was always happy.  I cried for a short time, and I came into the present with a good happy outlook on my life.  I loved living. It was only when I became an adult married to a man who hated to see me cry, (so much so that he put a stop to it,) that I lost that child-like ability to move on.  I knew when I was losing it too. I felt as if I were losing life itself, and I was right.  It was only in the healing of my memories, coming to a point of freedom from repeating the pattern, and living apart from the subconscious repetition of that cycle which develops from living out of memories, that I was renewed to that childlike place. I no longer react to new hurt the same old way every time.

Heaven doesn’t lack the ability to see the past.  Heaven just doesn’t drive looking in the rear view mirror.  Therefore, no need for rear view mirrors. LOL

 Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?

No man puts a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment and the tear is made worse.

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved.         St Matthew 9:15-17

Lord, Thank you for healing from memories that draw us into the old ways of life. Thank you that each step we take is new, and to be lived as if it were new.  And thank you that you are able to change our past memories so that we may have power over the pain, frustrations or wishful thinking that holds us to a past.  Help me accept this day as a gift, and cherish it. Renew my mind.  Heal the one out there who reads this and wishes for healing from the past. Loving you today. Amen

PS. In the picture above there were trash cans behind the rose bush. The bush was so enormous that it needed pruning so the trash collectors could get to the can. Behind that big smile was a young woman who had covered her pain, by growing a rose bush that kept not only the trash collector from gathering my trash, but kept me from putting the trash in the cans.  My favorite picture is also my most revealing.

 

Are We There Yet?

When my family takes a road trip, my husband and I hear a question from our kids, “Are we there yet?”  I can relate to this question in reference to God’s will for my life.  “God, am I there yet?  Have I reached the center of your perfect plan for my life?”

This weekend, I heard a pastor preach about people searching for the will of God or God’s path for a person’s life.  He said that people often come to him and say, “I don’t even know what to pray about,” so he prays the scripture from Revelation 3:7 which says,

“What He (God) opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.”

What an amazing way to look at God’s power!  When we diligently seek the Lord and his plan for our lives, we should be comfortable in asking for such a bold confirmation as this verse.

James 1:5 says,

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

This verse promises me that when I need help with my path, God stands ready to offer me wisdom and guidance.

God is in control, even in the midst of life’s storms.  Stormie O’Martian wrote in her book called, Praying God’s Will for your Life, “When you walk closely with God and live in obedience to His ways, you can trust that you are in the center of His will, no matter what the circumstances are around you.”  

O’Martian further writes, “The center of God’s will is not a destination; it’s the process itself.  God’s will is a place we choose to live every day as we seek intimate relationship with the Lord, lay a solid foundation in Him, and learn to walk in His way.”

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33-34 of how we should seek God’s plan for our lives when He says, 

“But seek first his kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

As Christians, our challenge lies in trusting that when we seek the Father, we will find Him and we will know the paths He desires for us to take.  There will probably never be a moment when we are “there yet” until we get to heaven but we can be sure that finding God’s love and treasures along the way are part of our journey.

My Prayer:  God, remind me when I am anxious about your plan that you will reveal exactly what I need to know when I need to know it.  I choose to seek you first every day and trust your plan for me is good.  I lay my worries at the foot of the cross.  Holy Spirit, thank you for being my guide here on earth.  Thank you for the gentle reminder that your will is a journey, not a destination.  In Jesus Name!

Stand Aside and Let the Spirit Guide

 

In Phillipians 1:12 Paul said: “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”  NIV

 In the 4 or 5 verses following this one, Paul says that because he is in chains, some have become emboldened, (inflamed we would now say,) and speak of Paul who teaches of Jesus, without the fear they once had. He says that some teach Christ of contention, hoping to make Paul’s situation worse. Another he says, preaches in love, knowing that Paul is set for the defense of the Gospel. Many gained the confidence to speak boldly, without fear.  In other words, he felt that his being imprisoned opened the door for others to find a reason to go in his stead to preach the gospel, since he was unable.  In Verse 18 he said, “what then? Not withstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice.”

“Whether in Pretense or in Truth????”

What Paul was saying was that even when people teach of Christ with errors, and out of emotion, he is never the less being talked about.  People were becoming bold enough to discuss a man called Christ. And in spite of the inaccuracies, Paul was just glad they were talking about Jesus. If he was pulled back, they ceased to lean on Paul's knowlege, and found courage to seek their own. To someone like myself, who compares every scripture to the next trying to be accurate, it is hard to accept that anyway Christ is preached is OK.  But the truth is, when the people who have sought God’s truths for years, get out of the way of younger learners, who are left learning by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, their lessons are more personal, and they stick.  When I was a teen, I realized how important healthy discussion over the meaning of Scriptural passages was.  My pastor called it: “Rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”

My son recently said he wanted to investigate the different religious beliefs to discover for himself which of the church doctrines he actually felt he believed. As a parent you want your child to not be led away by false doctrines, but as a Christian, I want him to know what and why he believes it, because he was bold enough to trudge into the depths of God’s Word, with the Spirit as his guide. That is the key, seeking that truth in the word, not in the various doctrines.  I only wished to direct him to compare the beliefs of any religious group to the Word, not to find the beliefs that sounded as though they made sense and then find the Scriptures to uphold it. He went further to say, that he felt he should look to the oldest Hebrew and Greek texts to see if the accepted translations adhered to what he understood God was saying.  I agreed and suggested he find a Vine’s Expository to see the present translations of the words in the oldest texts.

 I looked into what every religion I could find believed, just so I could know why I believed what I believed, when I was very young. The end result was - I had to find a way to understand the Bible to know what I believed. Questioning the language, the concepts, the beliefs of people in my own religious title, strengthened my faith rather than diluted it.  I was bold enough to say, even to teachers, or in response to pastors over my own faith, “I don’t believe that because this verse says that God taught something different.”  As a result, I found a church where I believed they taught more of the truth, as the Spirit had revealed it to my heart.

Does my believing it, make something more true than what someone else believes. No.  This is mainly true because God shares His promises and his gifts to different personalities and persons, in various degrees of spiritual growth, in different ways.  Sometimes it seems he is telling us different things. Often, we are learning the same things, in different ways.  When my son and I finished our discussion about the various faiths, he said that it seemed all the Christian faiths basically believed the concept of Christ’s birth, death, resurrection, and that you needed to accept that by faith, and everything beyond that was various details about how to live.  A lot of it seemed the same basic thing to him. And I asked, “ You mean like they might all be a part of … one church… or something. And maybe they should call it “The Church?” 

In God’s eyes, we are under one umbrella, His flock, by one name.  We are members of the Church, no religion, just the beloved born again children of God. 

In Christ’s final days, when he prayed he asked the Father to make us all one.  When he spoke to Peter who was having great difficulty understanding what was happening, Jesus said, “feed my sheep.”  Then he seemingly repeated himself and said, “feed my lambs.” What was the difference?  Christ was saying that some would be fed having deeper knowledge of the old scriptures which told of a Christ.  Some would be fed as lambs, from the basics, as knowing nothing of the promise of a savoir, a messiah, never hearing the scriptures of old - starting from scratch.  He then said. Follow me. And when Peter said “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus sort of said,  “What’s that to you? Follow thou me.”  (St. John 21)

Following Christ is an individual commitment. Regardless of how or under what circumstances we learn of our Savoir, it is up to us to follow him. Not the way someone else says to, but how the Spirit leads us.  If we find our courage to share Christ, because we are compelled to believe the Word says something different than what our church is teaching us, then follow the Word.  You shouldn’t have to quit your church.

Ephesians 2:18 For through him, we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.19 –Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.

3:14 For this cause, I bow my knee unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 15 – of  whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

16 – That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.

17-That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that being rooted and grounded in love,

18 – May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length, and depth and height;

19 – And to know the Love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 – Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

21 – Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus through out all ages, world without end. Amen 

LORD, when you take my influence from my children and grandchildren, be their guide through the Word, by the Spirit. Help me rejoice when they seek You not me to find their way through the Christian walk. May I see as Paul did that they at some point just use us as crutches to lean on, not learning for their own spirit’s sake, what You would teach them if you were walking life’s path by their side.  Stand so close that they will trip over you if they don’t follow you, please dear Lord.  Help them not to look at what other’s say is truth, unless their words are soundly backed up by the whole Word of God, the Scarlet Thread of Redemption -  The theme of life and liberty that winds from Genesis to Revelation, speaking of the Son of God, and the Blood He shed for THE CHURCH. And that for all of us. AMEN