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God loves you and He's for you and that's all that matters!

The Rest You Need is Found in Christ

by rebekahbeene

When we arrived home from our Memorial Day week-end we were tired. I mean bone tired. I’m talking almost can’t stay awake to drive home tired. We made it. We were blessed all week-end but what we did took a lot out of us. 

We made it home late Sunday night so that we would have Monday to recover. If recovery means napping off and on all day then we surely did recover. 

Jesus must have had tired moments. As He looked out across Jerusalem and wept. He knew how they lived was lower living than God’s plan. As He sat on the Mount of Olives and attempted to teach His disciples about the Kingdom. He saw how easily they were distracted. As He rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, although he was met with such a wonderful response, He knew that in just a few short days the crowd would turn ugly. As He walked up Golgotha, bearing the burden of the cross and the sins of all mankind, His body was already worn out from being whipped, beaten and humiliated. Jesus knew what it was like to be tired.

Yet Jesus encourages us all “I will give you rest.” How was He able to give rest even though He had tired moments Himself? Could it be that He had a strength beyond the flesh? Can we have that same strength?

God speaks to my heart. You may do so many good things. But good things are no substitute for My inspiration and your obedience. Good can be a great betrayer and deceiver especially when you get so very busy. My ways bring peace, deliver comfort and promise rest. If you are feeling frazzled, stop for a moment in My presence and let Me give you real rest. You don’t need more money, more time, more energy or more things. You just need Me. 

Oh beloved, whatever it is that you are beating yourself up to get done, maybe it’s time to sit for a moment at the Father’s feet. Look at Jesus and contemplate His Words and take them in for yourself. Through Christ, you have been given all the resources for Kingdom living and Kingdom purpose. 

God loves you and He’s for you. Rest in those promises and find your renewed energy abounding.

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 

Psalm 136:23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever.

john 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Mark 6:31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” NIV

Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. (Amplified)

From Memorial Day - Christ Purchased Our Freedom

He Purchased Our Freedom

Posted on May 26, 2014by rebekahbeene

Today homes all across America will display the Stars and Stripes to honor those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces of our great land. Defending freedom and helping liberate those who are oppressed and held captive has been the battle cry of our soldiers throughout the years. The Puritans came to America to establish freedom of worship. When they landed on the eastern shore, they knelt and prayed, dedicating this great land to Christ and His Kingdom. It cost the Puritans dearly to attempt to establish freedom for the oppressed and it has cost our friends and loved ones dearly to continue to give liberty to captives. My own dear aunt spent her entire life waiting for my cousin to return home from World War II, after his plane was lost during that war.  

Such willingness to die to bring freedom for others is not a cake walk. Our soldiers throughout the history of our great country fought and bled and lost their lives so that others could go free. Willingly they went to war. Though some were indeed drafted, even then our young men knew that it was good and right to serve the country that gave people the greatest freedom on the face of the earth. No other country has been so free and so at liberty as America.

Real Freedom is costly. Fighting for freedom is costly. Keeping the freedom we so enjoy is costly. To fail to honor the soldiers of our great land for their contribution to our freedom, our comfort, our victory is shameful.  We must find a way to restore honor, not just today but especially today, to the soldiers whose main job is to establish freedom and liberty. Christ set the standard when He appeared in the flesh and hung on the cross for all humanity to find freedom. He truly was and is the greatest Freedom Fighter who ever lived. Romans 5:7 and 8 says it best. “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

God speaks to my heart. I AM the one who has given you the freedom to live unhindered by tyranny on the shores of this country. You walk in perfect freedom and liberty because I have given it to you. No country is so great as the one that honors Me. No one can ultimately find freedom without finding faith in Christ, who established ultimate freedom and set the standard as the Cross was raised. Those who honor Me by giving their life to Christ have eternal freedom. But this freedom will cost you something as well. Just as a soldier who is enlisted in the army of this country must abide under his commanding officers, so too do My people who have enlisted in My army must abide under My command. I do not bring you burdens that are too hard to bear. I bring you liberty and I remove burdens that the world and the flesh seek to wear you down with. Thank Me for soldiers willing to die to keep your country free and give liberty to captives in other lands. But worship Me alone – for I AM the one who called you to walk in My ways and live for My Kingdom.

Oh beloved, as you set your flag out today thank the Lord for soldiers who have lost their lives defending freedom wherever they have gone. They gave their lives willingly because they loved this land and the people of it. Thank Him too for your own freedom. He gave His live because He loves you. Thank Him for giving you purpose and power to live for the Kingdom of Righteousness. Wave the stars and stripes and ask Him to use you to establish the Kingdom on earth through the mighty power of prayer. No weapon can defend and protect like prayer. Thank Him that you can live for the Lord and pray for your country to return to its roots that were founded in Him.

God loves you and He’s for you. This is why you can honor your soldiers, honor the Lord, live for the Savior and walk in true freedom all the days of your life.

Romans 5:2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

2 Timothy 2:4 Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.

Ephesians 1:7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.

John 15:13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

The Lord is Seeking You - His Treasure

We watched The Monuments Men, a splendid movie about the recovery of art and jewels during Hitler’s attempt to take over the world. It is based on a true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history. As they recovered one prized priceless piece of art after another it was amazing. Yet one piece eluded them. They kept searching until they finally found it. 
Searching for the treasures brought danger, death, heartache and hardship. Fear could have made them forget the task. It was a costly recovery that still means everything to the whole world. 

God spoke to my heart. And what I have to take away the movie is that God loves you. And you. And you. And each and every you who ever reads this. I don’t care what you do. How you live. Where you’re from. But more importantly God does not care. Christ did not head to the cross for a select crew of elite folks found worthy on their own. No. He went with an eternal list of “unables”. Me – the chief of that list. When I look at me I know it. When Christ looks at me He knows it. What we know is completely different though, because His knowledge is based on His love alone. 

Oh beloved won’t you take a moment to step away from the mirror someone fashioned for you and look at the mirror of His word. Won’t you drop the hurts and pains and rejections that have damaged the view that you see of yourself? You are redeemed, you are lovely, you are worth it, you are more. Christ Himself was sent with the task of recovery of God’s greatest jewels and you are one of His most precious ones. God ordained that you be brought back to your original owner, Himself, and Christ made the find through His Cross. The enemy desires to steal everything you have in Christ and he wants to steal you away from God. He wants you to believe that God doesn’t care and that Christ won’t search for you. But oh precious one, God is ever faithful to seek and save those who are lost, whether it’s their salvation needed or they have wandered away for a time. 

God loves you. Really. Truly. Deeply. Eternally. And He is for you. Always. Forever. Absolutely. Without Reservation. Let Him redeem your life for Christ if you have not already done so. And let Him return you to your rightful owner, in your rightful position of blessing if you have strayed. This life is meant to be lived for His glory and you are part of that treasure as you live in the Light of His Truth about you. 

Psalm 106:10 So He rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes.

Psalm 103:4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

Psalm 35:10 With every bone in my body I will praise Him: “Lord, who can compare with You? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?

Isaiah 47:4 Our Redeemer, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, is the Holy One of Israel.

Colossians 1:13 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

(photo of original monuments men recovering priceless artworks)

I've Been Out of Pocket

I've been able to post daily devos to facebook by driving into the nearby town. We've been out of pocket so to speak by being at a rally in southern Mississippi. Unfortunately that means you haven't been getting the emails. I also am moving over to http://rebekahbeene.wordpress.com/

You will get an email invitation to participate in the new blog via email. Please do so. I would hate to "lose you". :)

I am also sending the previous day's devos shortly.

Blessings to you!

Rebekah

Plenty of Room in God's Will

For those who get the devo via email I have been "out of pocket" for several days. You can always view the emails via facebook.  Back online today. :)

As I was cruising the meat department for supper I noticed just how many different types of chicken were available and what prices were for the various types. I very rarely buy a whole chicken so I was amazed that they can be double digits. We paid barely a dollar for whole chickens back in the day. There also are “regular chickens”, organic chickens and free range chickens. I always chuckle to myself that free range is a new thing. That’s what chickens did on the farm when I was a kid all the time. They clucked around the country houses, and only went home to roost in the chicken house at night. Sometimes they had a big yard fenced in to roam in. A lot of us know that “yard eggs” have brighter yolks and better taste. Free range is more expensive, apparently because the chickens need more room to grow and eat.

While chickens that are free range are all the rage, there are two things we humans must never give free range to. We are instructed to give neither our hearts or our minds free range. Both will roam where they don’t belong and eat of things that will damage or destroy our faith. The Word tells us that the heart is deceitfully wicked. It’s prone to do it’s own thing based on emotions. To follow your heart might send you into harm’s way. Just because we want it doesn’t mean it’s good for us. Without the Word of God fencing us in, we will surely wander beyond God’s plan. It will indeed be expensive because wandering away from God’s will is costly for the believer, for their loved ones and even for their home congregation. A mind that wanders, free ranging, is open portal for the enemy to sow seeds of doubt, confusion, despair and misunderstandings. Once the seeds are sown they will take root and we will believe something that our mind convinces us is true.

God speaks to my heart. You belong to Me. I have penned you in with My love and I am watching over you to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. When you wander, My voice woos you to return to the safety of the fold. You are free in the Son because He has set you free. The enticements of a worldly range beyond My care is dangerous. Just because it looks good does not mean it’s My will. As you feast on My Word and let Me guide you into safe pasture, you will grow in grace and knowledge. As you pray about everything you desire and what you want to do, I promise to guard your heart and your mind. While you are still free to roam wherever you want, it is in the obedience of faith in Me that you find your greatest blessings. The feast of the believer is found in My presence. While you are prone to wander, I am prone to mercy. You are mine and My protection will keep you safe all the days of your life.

Oh beloved, the grass is not always greener nor are the festivities going to make you happy outside God’s will. It is God’s Word that will strengthen you and keep you safe. Give God your heart and mind and read His Word daily so that you won’t wander into harm’s way. God’s plans for you are perfect. He even gives you instructions on where to go to find sustenance when you feel hungry, peace when you feel fretful, joy when you grieve and love when you feel uncared for. No other caretaker will ever give you what God gives you. You will never thirst again when you drink of the living water He gives generously. His love never fails, His mercy never runs out, His supernatural supply is never ending and His will is generous for you. He guards you but you are living in real freedom because the Son has set you free.

God loves you and He’s for you – no better place to live than right in the center of His will. Your heart or your mind might trick you, but the mind of Christ within you will keep you steady and fix your heart on Him, all the days of your life.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 16:8-9 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely.

Psalm 139:5-6 You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

John 10:9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

In The Hands of God

A Redeemed Life in the Hands of God

Back in the early 30’s my sister was given a Pinocchio marionette. It was quite rare and if our family still had it the worth would be very high. In the 50’s I had a Spanish senorita marionette. She was beautiful and although less priceless than the Pinocchio my sister had, she would be worth something today.  My oldest granddaughter had a dog marionette. It wasn’t worth much in dollars, but as a little girl she loved to play with that.  Three different puppets, three different levels of worth, and loved by three different generations of little girls.

Yet for all the hoopla of the marionettes, not one of the three had anything it could do on its own. Without the strings and the wooden paddle controls a marionette is just a lump of parts. For all the antique price and the rarity of any of them, they are just limp on their own. Each of us as children, from three different generations, managed to get our own strings so tied up and sound around the puppet. I can remember working and working on mine only to get it tangled time after time. I was not good at being a puppeteer. The best I could do was dangle the puppet around for a short time. In my hands and the hands of my sister and my granddaughter, the puppets were mere toys. Only with the touch of the master puppeteer do they truly come to life.

Life has become a tangled mess hasn’t it? You’ve tried to make your life work but things just keep getting wound around. You’ve made a declaration that you can do it all and achieve something in your own power, but the power of your own hand is not enough. The best of us can only achieve so much. The greatest educator, the finest orator, the most magnificent speaker are only using their own talents. Even the greatest become a tangled mess when they are in their own hands. Even the finest of intentions and the greatest and loftiest attempts in the flesh aren’t going to get you where you want to be.

Oh beloved. It’s time to let the Master do His magnificent work. He will take your life and redeem it through the blood of the Lamb. Then He will lovingly remold you into a new creation altogether. He will attach His Spirit into your heart. He will help you in every area of your life. The more you give yourself to Him the more wonderful your life will be. Those who seem so able to perform are not to be envied because you, filled with His Spirit, will outshine them all. Quit looking at overachievers in the flesh and wishing you could be one of them. The flesh profits nothing. Only what is in the hands of God is real. Only a life put in the hands of God will do.

God speaks to my heart and yours: I AM. There is no other. Don’t let your life be wasted by another day of wooden living. Come alive with Me. I love you and I AM for you and that’s what will make all the difference each and every day of your life. Don’t waste another moment slumped in a heap because others have deemed you useless or worthless. You are precious in My sight and that’s what matters. Don’t keep tangling yourself up trying to find value for you are Mine.

God loves you precious one, and He is for you. That’s the way of blessing – letting Him have His way for your whole life. Nothing is more beautiful than a redeemed life in the hands of Almighty God.

Jeremiah 10:23 I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.

Psalm 119:117 Uphold me that I may be safe, That I may have regard for Your statutes continually.

Acts 17:25 and human hands can’t serve His needs–for He has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.

Psalm 138:8 The Lord will work out His plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever…

Psalm 103:4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

God Will Do This

Posted on May 13, 2014by rebekahbeene

This morning I am waking up to a chilly rainy morning. One of those days where you just want to stay inside, hold onto a warm cup of coffee and read a good book. I’m going to have to get out into it eventually and head to work. I am amazed that it’s so nice and cool. For me the weekly rain and cooler temps is just fine. As my dad used to say, “this is good sleeping weather”. We nurse that cup of coffee for all we can get out of it.

We all experience chilly days. Those days when we’d rather stay in the bed. There are times when we’d rather not greet the dreariness. We want coffee, but we want it to do more than it does. While it’s warm and comforting, it really won’t make us feel better in the long run. We may drown ourselves in a good book but it’s just a story and eventually we’ll find the end and have to come out of the mystery, adventure and fiction.

There are times we’d rather not face life at all. It can get dreary. We try to find something to lift our spirits but things have gone oh so wrong and we just can’t believe the downpour of emotions we feel as we struggle to face the truth and make sense out of it all. We try to “pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps” and remind ourselves that “God helps those who help themselves.”  Still we feel stuck in the doldrums and depression may start creeping in, seeping like rain beneath the windowsills or under the door stop. If we keep nursing that hurt, that despair, that trouble we will find ourselves fully wedged under our circumstances. 

Thankfully for the child of God we don’t have to escape life to step into His presence.  We don’t have to pick ourselves up or help ourselves. For precious one, God wants you to know this day that He helps those who simply can’t help themselves. He picks His own up when they are crushed by the circumstances of life and holds them tightly. He is your never failing umbrella in the rain, the shade in the heat of life’s harshest days and the Protector of all who feel so unprotected. He is your Helper! He is your Source of strength! He is your Sun in the rain and your Shield forever! You are His precious beloved possession. And He takes care of His own. He blesses you when you feel unworthy. He drenches you with His ointment of faith and joy when you feel so dry. He covers you with His love and His care. Totally cared for by God Himself you don’t have to regret getting up for this may be the very day you have been waiting for.

Oh beloved, don’t rue the weather. Rejoice instead in God! Remind yourself of what Jesus has done for you! Drink deeply of the water of Life and immerse yourself in God’s Good Book. Every blessing, every promise, every hope, every security is yours. God wrote it all out so that just when you needed it you would find it.  No blanket or quilt can feel so good as the Comforter’s magnificent care. Don’t nurse your problems but rehearse God’s truth. Read it aloud and watch the damp feelings recede back where they come from.

You are an overcomer, you are a blessed believer and God has a future for you, even in this dreary, rainy day – even in what looks to the natural eye to be a dreary life. This day is wonderful because you are in Christ!  God loves you – eternally, perfectly, faithfully. And He is for you – with mercy, goodness and redemption.  What a wonderful Savior and what a wonderful life when you walk in the Light of His Word!

I Corinthians 1:9 God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Isaiah 33:2 But LORD, be merciful to us, for we have waited for You. Be our strong arm each day and our salvation in times of trouble.

Isaiah 25:4 For You have been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat…  NAS

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

Thank you to Rachel at http://cuppacards.blogspot.com/ for today's artwork. Perfect!

Faith Exercise is Time Well Spent

Exercising Your Faith 

I recently heard about a young woman in our community who is expecting triplets. She was photographed working out at a local gym on a stair stepper. Not just an ordinary stair stepper but some type of monster machine. My first thought was “look at that machine”. After reading some of the posts and realizing she was expecting triplets I thought again. I was worried. Should she be exercising so strongly? Shouldn’t she be more careful – maybe not exercise at all? 

I shared my thoughts with a friend and she told me that doctors told the pregnant woman to continue her routine. Since she has been exercising like this for years she will be fine. If she hadn’t done this type of exercise and just started up they would not want her to do it. In the photo you could tell she was thoroughly enjoying her strength and the benefits it brought to her for endurance as she prepares to mother three babies. 

We face exercises of the faith all the time. And often we are pregnant with hope and vision for the life of that faith. We know that we want to fulfill everything God has for us. We may even have been given a view of what God has in store for us. We exercise our faith by living every day in the Word and prayer. Then a threat of some type comes along and we’re unsure what to do. Keep going? Keep working out our faith? Our friends see our situation and they want to comfort us. They might even look at us and pronounce doom over us – can she make it through this? Can he keep going on? Will they survive? 

Truth is, we need to be exercising our faith to prepare for the road ahead that we can’t even see. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring but the more we prepare our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, the stronger we will be to face the challenges and make it to the finish line. He has opened up a spiritual gym full of equipment that will give us muscles of strength beyond our natural abilities. We cannot rely on our own flesh to get us through or to keep us going. But we can rely on God’s Word to strengthen us, fit us and prepare us for whatever comes our way. We can’t afford to wait until the big situation hits our lives to prepare. We must make spiritual exercise a part of our daily routine. 

Oh beloved, God wants you to know that He understands the trial of faith you are facing. He understands too that you just want to sit down and quit. The demands of it all are almost too much to bear. You thought you were prepared for anything, but you are in a high endurance situation with almost all your strength used up. He speaks to your heart that now is not the time to give up. This is the time, right in the hardest moment, to find your second wind from Heaven itself. God has given you everything you need to exercise your spiritual muscles not just for endurance, but for winning! You can endure the pain of this present task you are faced with and walk on to the victory circle. In heaven the photograph of your faith walk is being rejoiced over as the Lord Himself roots you on to the end of this hard spot. You are victorious, valiant, achieving, enduring, and winning!

You are victorious in God! You are full of His power and wisdom and courage. He has given you everything you need to keep the faith, stay on course and follow through to victory. God loves you and He’s for you and because of this great and precious promise you can know that the things you are facing are momentary but the finish line you are heading for is given to you by Christ Himself!

James 1:2-4 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. AMP

Psalm 62:7 On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Romans 8:37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. AMP

2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.