The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

by rebekahbeene

 

One day this week we had some unusual weather – sun, rain, thunder, winds. And all this within moments. The trees were creaking and the limbs were falling. When I got home I noticed that we had a “widow maker” in our yard. One of our trees is in pretty bad shape and a huge limb had falling, breaking up into smaller pieces as it hit the ground. The trees that are in good shape all made it fine without much more than a leaf or two of new growth flying away. But this old near dead tree didn’t fare so well.

God wants you to know that His desire for you is that you remain healthy and flexible. Your spiritual health is His greatest concern. He knows that as long as you can bend in the weather of life’s circumstances, which are constantly changing, you won’t break. Being flexible is important to Him too, because you can’t see the road ahead. He knows what’s around the next curve in life and He has prepared a way to make it. But if you break under the stress you’ll never get past the present hurts or disasters to see the better way. High winds of adversity, strong storms of trouble, the thundering load of sorrow were never meant to destroy you. The bending of your life is not meant to humiliate you, but humble responses to God’s Sovereignty are needed. Bending your knee to seek His face when things are going wrong will always result in new growth and greater strength.

Oh beloved, you’ve weathered quite a bit haven’t you? It’s tiring to keep up appearances and make sure all around you is neat and tidy. But you’re starting to wonder where God is and you want to just let it all go. Believing is easy when things are going well, but when those winds howl at your extremities and bit at your heart and mind it weakens the best resolve. Now is your time to bend – bend to the Truth of God’s Word. Bend to the Sovereignty of God, bend to the knowledge that God is still God and He has your best interest in mind. He will get you through, you can stay in one piece, you don’t have to lose ground or lose faith. Rejoice in His Truth, hide in His love and watch as you come through more understanding and knowledge of God after all.

God loves you and He’s for you. His desire is that nothing would break your spirit but that leaning and bending towards Him will always result in your good and His glory. Trust Him today, give Him your troubles, let Him shelter you, guide you, watch over you and protect you all the days of your life. When this storm passes, you will be able to share the Truth with another who will need to know just what you’ve learned about God and about the strength you can display as you set your heart toward God.

Psalm 27:7-8 Listen to my pleading, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Isaiah 50:5 The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not rebel or turn away.

Psalm 69:32 The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help live in joy.

The Chill of Life is Warmed By the Comfort of God

The Chill of Life is Warmed By the Comfort of God

Posted on April 6, 2014by rebekahbeene

Yesterday was supposed to have been sunny and warm. Instead it was overcast and cold with a bone chilling wind most of the day. Because it was cold and because the wind blew and because we were outside in it I got chilled to the bone. When we packed up and headed home I was still cold. After drinking a pot of coffee and having a hot bowl of chili I was still feeling the effects of the cold. Finally I just had to go to bed. Once inside the warmth of our heavy comforter I felt the chill leave and I could finally relax. 

There are times when we experience cold, sunless days. The winds of adversity howl around us.  We don’t set out to plan for the bone chilling trials and situations that come our way, but they happen nonetheless. We may be caught without protection and think we are going to succumb to the weather.  We’re numb with grief and we’re shaking with worry and fear. Worried that the wind won’t ever subside and fear that our present weather is the truth for us the rest of our lives.  

We also, if truth be known, wonder if God is aware of our circumstances and if He can or will do anything to help us.  We need something more than a blanket and a cup of coffee to abate the deep chill that has settled in our hearts and minds.

God wants you to know that the weather you are experiencing didn’t catch Him by surprise.  He cares about everything that concerns you. He hasn’t left you to fight the fear and worry alone and He isn’t going to leave you in your present circumstances forever.  He speaks to you this morning and His words are full of love. There is a shelter from life’s storms and it is the Lord Himself. He will hide you in the comfort of His Word and keep you sheltered until the winds subside and the chill is gone. Even while you are experiencing the onslaught of a surprise winter in your life, He is working all things out for your good and His glory. Nothing in all creation, not the wind or the weather or any other thing can keep you from finding what you need in Him. Once you have stepped into His presence and given the entire situation over to Him you will begin to see warmth return and peace preside.

Oh beloved, He’s got this. He has taken your chilling situation and is turning it around. He will take you into His loving arms and give you the light of His love which will warm you in the midst of the cold. He will protect you with His Word and He has given you The Comforter to cover you entirely for the duration. He will not let you go through the winds of adversity without seeing His divine nature teach you more about His warmth than you know about the cold. He’s for you and He’s working those things out so that you will feel the warmth of His presence and see the answers to your heartfelt cries.  You may not have much to rely on right now, but He is enough. You can always rely on Him. You go through nothing alone and your present situation is not permanent.

God loves you and He’s for you and that, beloved, will get you through, make you strong, keep you warm and calm the winds of adversity so that you can live in the light of His Truth all the days of your life.

John 14:26 But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. Amplified

Psalm 27:5 For He will conceal me there when troubles come; He will hide me in His sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

1 John 5:15 And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for.

Psalm 59:16 But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.

Psalm 5:11-12 But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, that all who love Your name may be filled with joy. For You bless the godly, O Lord; You surround them with Your shield of love.

There Are Always Mountains to Climb

Hiking and exploring has been one of our favorite pastimes. Some of our best family trips have been to climb mountains and walk beneath waterfalls. We love exploring nature and the outdoors. Arkansas has some of the best destinations for it. From Albert Pike to Petit Jean to Pinnacle Mountain to Blanchard Caverns, Arkansas has something for everyone.

We’ve taken easy treks and we’ve done things the hard way.  The hardest climb we ever attempted was the wrong side of Pinnacle Mountain. We’d never been there, so we chose to climb to the summit the hard way. I made it halfway, our daughter Melody made it a little farther. Danny and our other two children made it all the way to the top. When they arrived they discovered that the other side had rocks made into steps so that you could traverse it much easier.  We did it with a few other people and held onto tree limbs, climbed over boulders and slipped in the loose soil.  The ascent we chose is called “rugged”.  No kidding.

For the three who made it to the top their reward was the view.  It was breathtaking. You will experience a panorama of the Arkansas River and Lake Maumelle as well as the Ouachita Mountains and West Little Rock. We have gone back several times over the years. We even took our two oldest grandchildren on the hike a few years back. It is well worth the view if you are willing to go the distance. It is indeed rugged and it is not for the faint of heart.

Life has a lot of rugged terrain we all travel. There’s really not much way to avoid the trek. There are boulders of fear we come to that make us want to turn back. There is the loose soil of disappointment that threatens to cause us to lose our hold and slip.  There are huge trees and dense underbrush of trials, troubles and worries that can make us lose sight of our goals. Life is indeed a climb, with a few stops along the way in beautiful meadows of God’s rest. But we are climbing and along the way we are breathless, our heart is pounding and we’re often faced with the desire to give up.

The rockiest roads lead to the highest peaks that will ultimately provide the best view.

I hear God speaking to my heart and yours: My precious child. In life there are always mountains to climb. Unlike hiking, you don’t get to choose which mountains or when they will come into your life. But you can choose Me as your mountain guide. I will help you over boulders, I will carry you beyond the slippery soil and I will assist you in achieving the heights. Once we have arrived at the top I promise the view will be spectacular.  As you go through life’s challenges you can get confused by all the troubles, work and obstacles. But once you’re at the top you can view it all in perspective. You will see that I was with you all the time, all the way. You will rejoice that although you wanted to turn back or you thought you would surely slip to your death, you made it. The view of faith’s achievements shows you just how much I love you and how greatly I care for you. Viewing the difficulties you are facing is hard, but you can do it with Me. But going past the difficulties and seeing it all from the pinnacle will show the grand scheme of all I AM to your life. In the fullness of time, when you see it all with Me you will know that I cared for you all the way and you will know the purpose beyond the pain. Not only will you know that I got you to the top, you will see Me more clearly and know Me more inimately because you have experienced Me through it all.

Oh beloved, are you trudging through the rubble or are you scaling the heights? Are the sheer drops about you causing you great fear or are you looking at your Savior? Keep your eyes on Him and refer back to your guidebook often. For even when you think you have gotten off track or were sent around a wrong path, God will keep you headed straight for your goal. He loves you and He’s for you and that’s why He’s with you all the way. Trust Him, hold onto Him and rejoice with Him when you make it to the top!

Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! Amplified

I Samuel 12:22 The Lord will not abandon His people, because that would dishonor His great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you His very own people.

Hebrews 12:2a  fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…

Psalm 66:8-9 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing His praises.  Our lives are in His hands, and He keeps our feet from stumbling.

Flames of Faith Overtake the Chill

It’s cold outside this morning. I mean really cold. This is the coldest day of the season so far. When I arrived home yesterday evening I was chilled to the bone. Just this small cold snap reminds me that I don’t like winter’s temps. I wondered if I’d ever feel warm again. But I’m warm inside my house. My hubby built a nice roaring fire in the fireplace yesterday afternoon and it is still full of embers that are still keeping the house warm.  I may have to go out in the cold momentarily but I know that when I return it will still be warm inside.

There are times in our lives when it’s just cold. The chill of adversity has us shivering. The plummeting temperatures of trails, hurts and pain has us wondering if we’ll ever be warm again.  Will we ever feel the warmth of true friendship when others seem to walk away so easily? Will we know the flame of true love when we can’t seem to hang onto it? Will adversity keep battering away its high winds on the walls of our hearts and minds? People may try to warm us, make us feel better or console us, but we must find our way out of the chill in our hearts ourselves, so that we can stay warm and secure no matter what.

Oh beloved, rejoice!  God has kept the home fires burning! He is the fire of your warmth for days and nights like this. He is beckoning you to come in out of the elements and warm up to His love and His truth. Regardless of the conditions that surround you, He is your shelter in the storm. You don’t have to remain at the mercy of the howling winds of circumstances, for you are covered by His loving care.   You are never alone, never left out in the cold and never forced to remain distant from the Lord. No matter what, God is with you. No matter what, He will take you in. No matter what, He will cause spring to come again to your heart and the chill of today’s trials will melt in the light of His glory and grace.

Quit rehearsing the problems and begin to rehearse God’s Word over your problems. The flames of faith will overtake the chill and you will find that, even in the midst of it all, God’s love will warm you, God’s word will cover you and His peace will blanket you all the days of your life.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 31:20 You hide them in the shelter of Your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in Your presence, far from accusing tongues.

Isaiah 12:2 See, God has come to save me. I will trust in Him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; He has given me victory.

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 84:10a A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!

2 Corinthians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.

Wondering When This Roller Coaster Will End?

The Tail of the Dragon is one of those highways that motorcycle enthusiasts love to ride. This highway is in North Carolina and it has 318 curves in 11 miles.  You can read all about it on the internet, but I can tell you it’s true because I’ve experienced it on the back of a Goldwing!  Before we traveled east with friends, my daughters said I couldn’t do that road, so of course I had to! I sent them both postcards from the store at the end of the run.

I’d like to tell you it was awesome, but from my viewpoint, it was harrowing! You literally meet yourself coming and going. It’s up an incline turn back on a hairpin curve and back again over and over and over.  There’s also regular traffic coming and going. You meet vehicles on your side of the road because the curves are so narrow. You’ll probably also see sites where bikers didn’t make a curve. I kept my eyes closed most of the time and hugged as close as possible to my husband as he traversed the snaky miles with delight.  I prefer smooth roads with sweeping turns occasionally.  Not my hubby, he likes the curves. I can tell you that after riding a motorcycle with him for 41 years (dating on motorcycles included) I have never ridden with anyone else on a motorcycle and I trust him completely. He’s never let me down.  There have been times I’ve not handled the ride well at all, but he still keeps inviting me to ride with him.  He has proved himself as trustworthy and I know I’m safe with him always. He takes good care of me on the ride, whether it’s easy roads or hard.  I wouldn’t always choose the roads he chooses, but I trust him so I go with him.

For the most part life can be pretty calm. We travel through the ins and outs and make pretty good time. We look ahead and the view is lovely and there are hardly any curves at all. Other times we are given a harder road to travel. Twisties and mountains intertwine and without some relief, we are ready to quit. We try our best to close our eyes in the hard times but it doesn’t help.  We can’t see that the road will smooth out ahead because we’re in the middle of the hard part, so that’s all we can concentrate on.

Are you in a hard place of life right now? Are you wondering when this roller coaster is going to end? You went to bed tired and needy and you woke up with no relief in sight. Weariness has settled in and you just don’t think you can keep going. You wish you could go back to the easy days of carefree living and calm roads. Now you’re stuck – it’s harrowing and you see no end.

Oh beloved, quit looking at the curves and the mountains and the terrain! Don’t stare at the drop offs and the cliffs! Look rather at the One who is carrying you through it all. God is with you! He is not only allowing you to go through the hard roads, He is the One who is seeing you through to the other side! It’s only a short ride, but you’ve grown tired. Lean on Him! He’s trustworthy and true – He will prove Himself capable again and again. Trust Him! He loves you. Seek His face only! He’s for you.  You may never get to the end of the ride and say that was great, but you will say You got me through!

God is with you, even when you seem to be alone. God is carrying you, even when you feel you’ve got to traverse the mountains of adversity, sorrow or fear alone.  You are never alone, beloved, and the hard roads never last forever. Rejoice in Him! Hang on to Him! He’ll never leave you or forsake you, He’ll never let you down.  You can trust Him always, for His name is Love and His character is your security. Rely on others, you might not make it. Rely on yourself and it won’t go well. But rely on the Lord and you’ll always be safe! Don’t get your eyes of the Savior for He’s never taken His eyes off of you.

Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

Psalm 48:14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.

Psalm 121:1, 8  I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

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.

Heights to Conquer? You Don't Have to Go it Alone!

One of the things I noticed while we were visiting the Vicksburg National Park was how many stairs there were. Lots of stairs at many of the monuments. But we came to one tall round building with a gold eagle perched atop and I just stared.  I thought about those flights of stairs and I just told Danny I would let him go look. I don't like stairs and I don't like heights, so when faced with thirty feet of rising granite, I just didn't want to go.  So I stood at the sidewalk below admiring my husband who, at 64, still takes stairs in his stride. I would let him go for both of us. He can look at the interior and admire the view from up there for me, too.

Trouble with that is my husband is also an encourager! As soon as he went inside the round building, he began exclaiming, "Oh wow!" and "You gotta see this!" He came back outside and shouted down that I had to climb the stairs for this.  Of course even in my trepidation, I started up, gingerly holding onto whatever I could. I called out to him, "You have to meet me halfway. I hate stairs!"

 

Down my valiant husband came, to hold my hand, encourage me upward and tell me I could do this. All the while I was thinking to myself, just keep your eyes on the stairs. Don’t look down and don’t look around.  I was also sure I didn't want to think about the climb back down!

 

Once inside the building, I was astonished! Yes, it was well worth the fear, the stumbling, and the mumbling.  I spoke and my voice echoed in ricochets off the granite walls. Up above, about 6 stories was a huge opening where the sky could pour its light into the dark dampness. Every soldier from that state had his name proudly stamped in brass along the walls. Nothing else was inside.

 

As we stepped back out into the air, I was also astonished at the magnificent view! We could see the entire battlefield below - both sides with their now immovable cannons. From this outlook, we could truly grasp the vastness of it all and how beautiful this area was. 

I breathed quickly, grabbed hubby's hand and we walked back down together.  Only this time it was lighter steps I took because my fears had given way to beauty.

 Oh beloved, are you looking at something you're not sure you can conquer? Are you faced with an insurmountable task and wondering if you really want to do it?  Rejoice!  God has gone before you! He has trudged those stairs, covered that task and overcome that fear. Even when no one is there to hold your hand, God will hold you securely. You are never alone, you never have to face adversity or trouble  without help. He will always be with you, and He will always hold your hand.  And when you've overcome and He shows you the view, you will weep for joy as you realize just how wonderful your God really is! 

 You can be sure that whether you are in the valley or facing the high places, He loves you and He's for you and that's all that really matters.

 2 Samuel 2:33-34  God is my strong fortress, and He makes my way perfect.   He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

Psalm 121:1-2 I look up to the mountains -- does my help come from there?  My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth!  He will not let you stumble and fall; the One who watches over you will not sleep.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. KJV

Psalm 63:7 Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.

Need a Friend? Jesus is a Friend Always!

Danny and I both have been especially blessed to have good friends all of our lives. We’re both still friends with people we went to elementary school with. We still have acquaintances from those who were friends with our parents.  Some friends have stuck like glue through the years. Others come in only for a season.  Some come and go only to return years later.  Friendships, true faith friends, warm the heart on cold winter days and soothe our brows on scorching days of adversity.

I know some of you are hurting desperately today. Your friend could have been family or a spouse or another loved one. You poured out your heart like the expensive perfume poured on Jesus’ feet. You held nothing back. You gave it your all. You told secrets, you cried tears, you encouraged and felt encouraged, all the while thinking this is just like heaven.  But it’s not beloved. Only our relationship with Christ is heavenly. 

Oh beloved, rejoice today! You are loved and adored by the King and Savior of the world! And because our Savior went to the cross, that one moment of broken fellowship secured our unbroken fellowship with Him forever! No matter what, you have a Friend Who will stay with you to the end.  He’s  going to be with you in the good times, in the bad times, in the refreshing days and in the oppressive days as well.  Always.  Jesus is your friend always. And that’s worth shouting Hallelujah and coming out of hiding for!

Psalm 43:4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise You with my harp, O God, my God!

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 25:14 The LORD is a friend to those who fear Him. He teaches them His covenant.

Romans 5:10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son.