We are Fantastically Privileged Participants

“And Mary pondered all these things in her heart.”

Knowing about the process of pregnancy and birth, I realize that Mary probably felt some pangs of preparation while riding that donkey through the countryside. She was uncomfortable and ready to rest. And being the mother of children I love more than my own life, I also know that my own children were worth being born in the most sterile conditions under the most favorable situations.  Also knowing that things don’t turn out quite like you want them to, one of mine was almost born in the car.

This was no ordinary child who was making his appearance on that holy day.  He was a King, destined to rule the earth. He deserved a king’s birth. Weren’t they making way for God Himself? The Son of the King of Glory, the Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of All. Special attendants, private room and no money spared in the delivery.

But wait, this King was going to be born in obscurity as his mother grabbed handfuls of hay to ease her pain and probably grabbed her husband’s hand as well.  No mention of any attendants at all. Joseph didn’t step up to the owner of the inn and say, “Hold on buddy. Do you know who we are? And you’re just an innkeeper.”

Humanity often wants its rights. We want our positions acknowledged. We want people to hearken to our every need. We are easily moved by the glorious and yet we pout at the humble situations we often find ourselves in.  

Jesus came to fulfill His position. But remember, His position to fulfill included hanging on a cross. A most un-glorious death kept for thieves and ne’er do wells. He had no earthly goods and when He came to the world He was born in a manger among cattle and sheep. He continued in the world and the Word tells us, “the son of man has nowhere to lay his head” meaning He didn’t have a home to call His own. Not here. And then after His death, while He was redeeming the world and making a way for us all to be reconciled to Him His body was placed in a borrowed tomb.  

Mary could have reminded people all the time of her great position and condition. The angel had spoken to her and explained her great calling. But “she pondered all these things in her heart”. What a lesson for us who are called of God. And if we are born again, we are all called. There is purpose and destiny to fulfill in our lives because we belong to Him. We could arrive on the scene and sing opera with the best of them, “Me. Me. Me.”  We could talk about our blood line, our positions, our assets, our ancestors, our talents, and our rights.  We could remind others everyday just how important we are.

But we’re not. We’re simply fantastically privileged participants in the greatest biography ever written. We are ne’er do wells who got called in to become more than we ever could be on our own. And as we seek to fulfill this destiny that the Lord has called us to, we are simply meant to reflect His glory. Just as the shepherds in that dark field at night reflected the glory that shone round about, we too are simply the backdrop for the King.

Oh beloved, it’s Christmas Eve.  With all its greatness and with all your troubles, trials and disappointments, it could be less than wonderful. Except that you are destined to praise the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You are chosen, you are blessed, you are redeemed. God did it all for love. God called you to Himself because He loved you.  He humbled Himself and became an earthly man for you. He continued His path to death on a cross for you. He rose again so that you too can rise to newness of life.  You are a magnificent display of His glory and grace! As you prepare the next day’s events, with pomp and circumstance, good food and lots of laughter, don’t forget to ponder all these things in your heart and rejoice and be exceedingly glad! This holy time is the best time to lay aside your worries and fears. He has it all covered for you beloved. He has it all worked out. He hasn’t forgotten or forsaken you. Pick up the King’s call and worship Him in the manger, worship Him at the cross and worship Him because He lives again. He’s coming back for you beloved, and He won’t return as a babe in a manger, but as a Mighty King to swoop you into His arms and carry you away to glory!

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s something that will carry you through all the days of your life, but especially now at Christmas as you remember the wonder of His extraordinary, out of this world gift of love, grace, peace and mercy just for you!

Psalm 95:6-7 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care.

Matthew 2:11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him….

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.

I Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Psalm 70:4 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified.”

The Warmth of God's Truth Warms the Winter Seasons

Seasons come and seasons go. I love early fall the best. It’s the chilly warmth and the brilliant colors that just send me. I wouldn’t mind having a 6 month fall. Maybe add a few months of spring in there for the newness it brings, but skip winter and summer. However if I was in charge of the seasons we’d all be in trouble. No spring means no planting season. No summer means no growing season. No ...winter means no dormant season. And without the other three seasons fall would probably become monotonously long. Imagine having to rake leaves for 6 months!

We have to plan ahead for changing seasons, because they will come whether we greet them or not. Not formulating a plan for each season doesn’t change a thing, but it will leave us feeling unprepared, helpless and forlorn. Winter probably needs the most preparation for it is stark and uninviting and oh so cold.

Just as the natural seasons of the world around us come and go, so do seasons of life. When we are born again we find ourselves tiptoeing through the easy season. It’s spring in our hearts because everything is brand new! Relationships, stories, books, movies, the Bible, church – all take on a new meaning because we have been made new. We see Christ in everything and we’re loving it! Then summer comes and the heat of everyday causes us to learn to drink in the cool refreshment of His Word more and more. We begin to rely on His sustenance and refreshing more. With the advent of fall, we find that thankfulness is the way to bring out the color of life around us. It’s a season of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest of God’s provision for the year. We are warmed on the crisp cool evenings of change by His absolute faithfulness.

Then winter arrives. We danced through spring, we refreshed ourselves through summer and we learned thankfulness in the fall. But now, winter has arrived and all is stark. Where did the beauty and color and fun go? Winters of life have nothing to do with age, for winter comes to all. We can’t decide when a winter season will come into our lives but we can prepare for it. And if we’ve been gleaning from His word during the growing season and giving thanks during the bountiful season then when winter comes we are more prepared to let God’s sustaining presence get us through. He will wrap us in His blanket of love, warm us with His Word of Truth, carry us through the deep snows that surely come to everyone’s life – sorrow, mourning, depression, rejection, division, ridicule, scorn, and more.

God speaks to my heart: Oh precious child. It’s difficult for you to see the merit in the changing seasons of life, but I AM here. I AM with you through every season. I am especially close in the winters of life. When you see no growth, no warmth, no purpose, no sun – I am with you. I am your prayer partner, your fellow believer, your hope for the hopelessness and your warmth for the long nights of oppression, uncertainty and dread. I am that I am. Without winter you would have a wonderful life but it is in the winters of your days that you realize the depth of my love, my care and my guidance the most. Winters, when you are stuck inside with the problems, the pain and the trials, those are the days you learn to abide in Me. As you rest in My promises, held most dear in the dreary times of life, I will show you the hidden springtime of the heart that gives you refreshment. I will give you the hidden forage of the Word to sustain you when nothing else will give you nourishment. I will remind you that even though you must walk through this winter, you don’t have to walk alone. When spring returns, and it will, you’ll have new knowledge of My unshakable presence all the days of your life. And having endured the winter season you will be stronger, more prepared and ready to share more about Me with others.

Oh beloved, run to His Word and let God meet your needs in Christ! Sow the Word now, harvest the Truth and pack it away for winter. You can pull out the plentiful yield every time you need it. You don’t have to go hungry when the hurts are huge and the nights are long. Every promise is for you. Every verse is preparation for the season you are going through. Every chapter is written with you in mind.

He loves you and He’s for you and that’s what will get you through all the seasons of life and make you stronger for the days ahead.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Jeremiah 15:16 When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies.

Psalm 4:7 You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound.

Psalm 119:50 Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

God Wants Your Heart First

Marriage can be a wonderful picture of our relationship with Christ. If the marriage, the courtship, the relationship is full of the gifts of the Spirit, it’s easy to return that love.

When Danny asked me out he didn’t call me up and put demands on me. He didn’t order me out with him. He asked and I might say he asked very nicely. Danny’s kindness was a huge draw. He always treated me with tenderness from the beginning.  He was a hunter, a fisherman, a biker and all man. But because he knew how to be nice to me I liked him all the more.

If he’d been harsh or indifferent or demanding I would not have responded so well to him. I don’t like harsh, indifferent and demanding one bit. None of those “virtues” ever makes a person want to obey, toe the mark or submit. None of those qualities draws people, encourages folks or increases trust and fellowship. Rather they cause avoidance.

God is the Lord of Heaven and Earth. He is to be worshiped and revered. He calls us to repentance as we give our lives and hearts to Him. But He does not beat us over the head. He does not tell us we’re useless, worthless or unredeemable. We are all that without Him, but He does not bring up our worthlessness and push us to obey with an iron fist.

Instead His love woos us to complete surrender. The sweetest devotion is between two who love one another without reservation.  God loves us without reservation. And He wants us to love Him the same. When the Lord and a sinner like you and me meet with the grace and faith of the Cross we are overcome.  We are undone.  We realize our own state of affairs and we cry out to Him. And greater than the greatest earthly husband, He sweeps down to our level and scoops us into His arms, the very ones that were spread on the Cross to show His love for us.

Maybe you’ve been rebuffed by someone who should have been kind to you. You may have been in a relationship where there is no freedom to fail or to shine. You may have heard that God is watching you and will get you if you don’t straighten up and fly right. You could be afraid to truly come near to God for you have been afraid He will know the real you and discard you, disown you or worse. Maybe the enemy of your soul has called you out, beat you up and left you without hope. But he is a liar and the father of all lies.

Oh beloved, God does indeed have a plan and He does want your obedience, for His Word says to obey is better than sacrifice. But first He wants your heart. He is wooing you this very moment, speaking His love Words into your heart. His voice is gentle and calm and beckoning. He says to you this morning, I AM your greatest love. I AM your staunchest ally. I AM everything you are not and yet I AM willing to share all of my nature with you. Everything I do I AM doing for love.  When I speak your name into your heart you will never have to fear for I AM always calling you in love.

Won’t you trust Him today? Won’t you give Him your heart and mind? Won’t you stop a moment and quit running from the very One Who loves you beyond all belief? Let Him show you through His Word that He loves you and He’s for you and that beloved is why you can follow Him, obey Him as you live in the light of His Word.

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.

Psalm 44:3 They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was Your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from Your face that helped them, for You loved them.

Psalm 80:3 Turn us again to Yourself, O God. Make Your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.

Isaiah 43:1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

Psalm 139:1-6 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

You and I have a Heart Condition

I am a movie buff. There are certain movies I can watch over and over. They’re the “feel good” kind. I like to feel better after watching a movie. Uplifted, encouraged. I watched one of my favorite movies last night. The male character was a heart attack victim who got help from a friend’s mother. The mother ended up in love with him and he loved her too.  She had no problem expressing her feelings, but he did. It cost him. His inability to submit to the love he felt caused him health symptoms – heart problems. 

In the end of the movie, love wins out. I like that. I believe that. But heart trouble can cause love to be disjointed or disavowed. True love covers a multitude of sins. It thinks of the object of affection first and foremost. It protects, defends and remains. I like that too. Real love is long, and wide and huge and worth it.

Heart trouble is such a personal thing. Often it can be hidden. Often it can be ignored. Often it can be replaced with other things so that hopefully no one will notice. I’ve met all kinds of people who have heart trouble. Pastors, preachers, husbands, wives, teachers, speakers, me.  The problem with heart trouble is that left untreated, sure death will occur. For some it’s physical death and eternal separation. For others it will be the death of their ministry, their marriage, their careers. For unless a person really loves, the heart is not in it. Unless you and I get up in the morning and find the focus of our love and live it for all its worth, we will fail, we will fade, we will lose our strength and our joy.

For the believer, we have wonderful news! God is love! We can find true love, receive it fully and bask in its glory. When we have this Love, Agape love, we can love ourselves, love others and love where God sends us, who God sends us to and what He wants us to do.  We love HIM because He first loved us. But there’s more, oh so much more.  We love each other because He first loved us. We love our calling because He first loved us. We love our fellow believers, ministry partners and spouses – because He first loved us.

Are you experiencing heart trouble? You either gave up on love altogether or you got left at the altar, stood up at the restaurant or put out in the cold in the church, the meeting house, the ministry. You feel great pain, your heart is wounded and your breath is short. It’s hard to go to bed; it’s harder to get up. As the song goes, “You’ve lost that lovin feelin”. You had it, you enjoyed it, you were betrayed and you gave it up.  You could be thinking it’s never going to return for you. You can’t find the spark to get it going anymore.  You’re going through the motions, reading all the lines, practicing the part, but love is not there. You may look good, talk right and seem fine. But your heart is broken or your heart is untouched by the Master’s hand. Either way, it’s a slow death and a sure curse.

If you’re having heart trouble, if you’re having trouble expressing and receiving love, then run to the Great Physician, the Lord Himself! He will either repair your heart or He will give you a complete transplant! He will fix what’s wrong and make it all new! He will restore the love, restore the joy, restore the ministry and more. His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on you. You can count on His surgery working every single time. You can count on Him giving you a transfusion of love, forgiveness, peace and joy. No other doctor can fix you. No other person can change you. But God can!

Oh beloved! God loves you and He’s for you. So much so that He’s unwilling to leave you on the gurney of pain, in the intensive care of injury or the morgue of lifelessness. Let Him give you His infusion of love, His heart of ministry and His blessing of grace. To live in the light of His love is glory! Oh how marvelous, oh how wonderful is the Savior’s love for you!

I Corinthians 13 (entire chapter)

John 13:35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.

Ezekiel 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

Proverbs 17:3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

Proverbs 27:19 As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

Colossians 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Romans 5:5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

Is Your Heart Drought Stricken? There's Hope!

Drought is one of the most costly natural disasters affecting our country. Although it’s gotten pretty hot by now, it’s nothing compared to the disastrous weather we were having a year ago. In June much of our state was in severe to extreme drought with all of the state in some form of drought. Not only was it dry, but most weather stations in our state were reporting the highest number of 100°F days for the month of June ever recorded.

It was hot, it was dry and it was miserable. The gardens dried up, the row crops suffered and hay was being brought from across the country at incredible prices. I can remember driving on the interstate and noticing that the trucks were carrying blackened and old hay. Everyone was desperate. Ranchers who had been weathering extended droughts for the last couple of years were now selling their prime beef cattle for butcher beef.  It was sad times across the nation’s mid-section.

When I look outside my window and see rain these days I don’t dare complain. The grass is green and we’ve stayed under 100 degrees just about everywhere around here. The mornings are misty and damp and still there’s a cool in the air. For all this I am most thankful.

Sometimes we experience different types of drought. Droughts of the heart, the spirit, the mind. It could be a cut back at work, a setback in health, or a fall back of friendship or fellowship. At first, we adjust – we cut back on our wants and concentrate on our needs. We quit wishing for more and start praying for enough. But as the hard times of sorrow or worry or fear extend, we find ourselves desperate for any source of water and for any cool place to lie down and rest.  

For the Christian, God is so merciful! He will take our withered lives, our barren lands and our broken hearts and restore them! He gives water in a dry and arid place and He brings a cooling peace to those who seek Him with their whole hearts. He is a restoration loving God! He is a redemption bringing Savior! Regardless of how hard things may be at the moment, we can look forward to our hearts, minds and spirits being renewed.  We may not know when it will happen, but God’s promise is that if we seek Him we will find Him. And where we find Him, we find rivers of living water for everything we need.

Oh beloved, is your heart crying from a drought?  Your soul may seem fine to the outward glance, but inwardly you are dying for lack of refreshing. You’ve gone from well to cistern to pool and found nothing worth having, nothing to quench the thirsting of your soul. Run to the Lord this morning! For God has promised you refreshment and renewal and blessings. He understands your situation, He sees the extreme conditions you’ve been living in and He is able to cause you to flourish in the midst of it all. You don’t have to wait until things get better to thrive, for God is your reason for living! He says to you this morning come away to Me and receive all you need for your heart, your spirit and your mind. I AM your fountain of living water and I will never turn you away.

Circumstances may bring drought, but life in Christ will always cause you to flourish for God loves you and He’s for you and that’s your true source of refreshing always!

John 4:14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.

Psalm 63:1 …O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 143:11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.

Psalm 107:8-9 Let them praise the Lord for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.   For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

A Cure for Heart Ailments is Available!

One of our friends recently broke his ankle. While being x-rayed, his wife, working in the field of heart technology, noticed some plaque in the veins of his foot.  This led to him having an arteriogram to make sure his heart had no significant blockage. Had he not had a broken foot, they would not have found the plaque, which could have led to much more serious problems down the road. Upon testing, it was found that he had no significant problems that required stints or open heart surgery. Another of our friends arrived home from the hospital yesterday, after having bypass surgery because they did find significant problems. Either of these friends could have had real problems had they not been checked out. On the outside you could not tell that either of them had any problems at all, but inside, where you cannot see without special equipment, there were some problems.   

Everyone has heart problems of some kind. We’ve either been hurt, rejected, discarded or misunderstood. Some folks hold those problems deep in their heart for years. On the outside it all seems fine, but a circumstance or situation could cause the problem to flare up.  Sometimes it seems like the same hurts come up over and over again, so that the problem becomes very hurtful. Without the proper equipment and the right person taking care of it, hurt and rejection can cause much damage.

But the Lord is our Great Physician. He sees inside the heart, where no one else can see. Many times we don’t even know there’s a hurt or pain inside, but God does. His desire is that we be healed of those pains and problems. He never intends that we walk around with the rejection and depression of heart issues.  Unlike true heart patients, who sometimes have damage beyond repair, with the Lord no issue of the heart is beyond His healing touch.  He will heal us of all the pain and agony, if we let Him in completely.

I know so many of you are hurting this morning. You woke up with the same pain you went to bed with last night. You’ve tried to forgive, wash it out of your mind, replace it with other things and more.  You’ve avoided certain people, situations and things. Still the agony of Unforgiveness, rejection, fear, sorrow or accusations touches your heart daily.  You want to crawl into a hole and leave the world alone, but that won’t solve the problems of the heart either. Unless you let the Lord in to examine the depths of the problem and give those problems to Him you are destined to continue to live less than full capacity in the Lord.

Oh beloved, make an appointment with your Heart Healer this morning. Right now He is available, His calendar is free.  He has been wooing you to come to Him and waiting for you with a complete healing of the heart! This touch from God is freely given and permanently healed. Won’t you look into His Word and let Him touch your heart and give you the freedom you so greatly want and need? With God’s touch you will be able to run through the trials of life and stay strong and vibrant. He is your Healer and He says to you this morning, I AM the Lord that heals you. I AM the One who has all the answers. I AM your answer and your strength and your joy. If you will let Me, I will restore the hurts and cause you great joy. If you will sit with Me and take My medication, the Word of God, I will do more than you can ever imagine. I love you so much that I gave my Son on the cross to heal you completely. I am for you, so that your heart issues can be relieved as you live in the Light of My Word!

Take it all to Jesus! He will answer you, He will heal you and He will give you new strength and purpose to live for Him!

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

Psalm 62:8 O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

Psalm 107:20 He sent out His word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death.

What's Your Heart's Desire?

I have this dream cabin idea.  I’ve been planning it for years. I know the style, the layout, the windows, the deck, the porches and more. I know what kind of furnishings I want and even the wall colors and flooring ideas. It’s wonderful. I have pinned ideas on pinterest, bought books about it and scoured the internet for ideas and accessories. It is fully planned in my mind.

Although it’s been in my mind for years, other things have come up that keep this dream in the background. Most of us, if truth be told, have a hidden dream that we’d like to have become a reality. Generally for most folks it’s a dream that’s above and beyond normal living.  After all, I have a lovely home and plenty of “stuff” already!  Many times it’s just plain living that roots out dreams or puts them on the back burner. Sometimes we don’t want the dream bad enough to sacrifice for it. We just dream about it and somehow think that’s enough.

Have you been dreaming about being an awesome Christian with a closer walk with God? Are you hoping that one day you’ll feel secure in your faith and willing to step out on the water? Are you wondering if it’s possible for ordinary people to actually experience extraordinary living? Maybe you’ve dreamed you could have faith to move mountains, but the mountain remains. You dream about speaking oracles of God, but you just give up and give in. Life is tough and the going gets tougher all the time. But when we base our dreams upon the sure foundation of God’s Word, then He will give the feet to our dreams! Don’t worry if it seems to take time, for time is what you need: time to pray, time to plan and time to grow.

God loves to plant dreams in your heart. You may hear Him speaking to you this morning, telling you things about yourself that you just can’t imagine in your wildest dreams. He says to you to quit dreaming and start living in His light! Everything you need, beloved, is found in Him. Everything you can only hope for is found in the reality of walking in Christ.  He has given you heaven to dream of but He wants you to be securely set in the reality of all He is. Dreaming of being right with God? That truth is found in Christ. Dreaming of doing things the right way instead of failing over and over? That truth is found in the Word of God. Dreaming of being more than a conqueror, free from fear, overcoming your emotions? It’s all True – when we live in the light of His Word.

Oh beloved, run to His Word this morning and take it in, digest it and live it out, for that’s where dreams truly become reality! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the TRUTH He wants you to experience!

Psalm 37:3-4 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.

Matthew 6:21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

2 Peter 1:4 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.

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire You more than anything on earth.

Isaiah 26:8 Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your name.

Jeremiah 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship Me, and they will never leave Me.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

Today is Your Declaration of Dependence!

We enjoy visiting many battlefields when traveling across the country.  Shiloh is one of the larger parks we’ve visited as well as Pea Ridge right here in Arkansas.  Considering the smaller places, there are remnants of battlefields everywhere. Our country has survived much and has much rich history to read and see. 

Life itself is a battlefield and there are many sieges within our days. While many lives have been lost in the battles within our country, there is no need to lose a battle as a Christian, when we have such an arsenal of truth and grace to count on.

There’s the battlefield of the mind.  We have one and only one enemy and he wants to win.  He wants to win at putting you in such a position that you cannot hear from God and cannot believe He will rescue you. The enemy wants to make you think that you are cut off from God’s supplies. You cannot believe him.  He tells you that you are un-loveable, unusable, unable and undone.  He speaks lies into your mind and if you don’t have your orders straight from the Word of God, you will believe him.  Take out your sword beloved!

Then there’s battlefield of the heart. Once again the opposing force assaults and wounds.  He reminds you that you’ve been left alone, your heart is broken and you feel dejected and full of sorrow. This is a sniper’s work. It only takes one word of rejection spoken quietly to get you vulnerable. He will tell you it’s over - you might as well give up.  You become afraid, hesitant and desperate. Desperate soldiers make mistakes and may desert their God given position.

The battlefield of the spirit.  This battle is raging constantly. The enemy assaults you by attempting to make you believe you can fight in your own strength. As you try desperately to fight and win, you find yourself exhausted, winded and ready to surrender. But just as he has you right where he wants you, the Cavalry of God’s Heavenly Host arrives and reminds you what God’s Word says for you are an overcomer! You will be Victorious! You cannot fight in your own strength, but through God you can wage war and win!

Oh beloved, God knows your battles this morning. He knows that you went to bed last night trying to figure out how you are going to make it. He knows the skirmishes have brought tears and sorrow so many times. But this day God wants you to get up and stand up and declare His Word over every problem, over every situation, over every battle, over every lie and corrupt word that’s been spoken over you.

Today is your Declaration of Dependence! You are counting on God! You can shout it with David, who picked up a small stone and put it in a sling. You can declare it with Joseph, who sat at the bottom of a well. You can proclaim it with Abraham as you climb the mountain of adversity.  Oh beloved, you are a soldier in God’s Army and you have a huge cloud of overcomers to assist you by their testimonies. You have the Word of God that is strong and invincible and your only weapon, but oh what a weapon it is!

You are never alone in this battlefield of life. God loves you and He’s for you so you will always be a winner through Jesus Christ Who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  Rejoice, that even though you may be in a battle today, ultimate victory is yours! Amen!

Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!

2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Deuteronomy 31:6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.

I Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O LORD, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things.

It May be Time for a Makeover

I love the extreme makeover shows. From the homes they build for needy families to the show where they take the woman’s closet and completely revamp her wardrobe and hairstyle. I think it’s fun! Makeovers are always enjoyable.  The home makeover show whisks the family away and then proceeds to remove what they lived in and create a completely new home – full of wonderful delights and things tailor made just for them. If a family member has a particular need or disability they build things with that in mind – just for them.  Each home they create would not work for every family, but it’s perfect for the intended ones. The only criterion is that the person or family has to be willing to give up what they have for what they get – not really knowing what they are going to receive. 

Are you wondering what it would be like to have a complete makeover? Are you looking around you and wondering how things got in the mess they are in? Wishing you could have a do-over or go back and get things right? Maybe you feel that you didn’t deserve to be where you are, but you’re there nonetheless.  Little things that needed to be fixed were left unattended and now you’ve got something that needs a complete makeover – your marriage, your home, your family, your finances, your heart, your spirit, your thoughts, your dreams, your hopes.

Oh beloved, there is One Who wants to give you an extreme makeover! He is the founding Father of makeovers! He is the One who can take anything and everything that is a mess in your natural life and create a completely new life! He is waiting in the wings for you to say to Him that it’s okay – you give yourself completely to His hands so that He can do what only He can do! You may be thinking that it’s a scary proposition to let God demolish what was yours and replace it with what is His, but you need to put that fear down. Look around you again and see – your mess is His opportunity! He not only can, He WILL make all things new for you and when He’s done it will be beyond your wildest imagination!

Give Him the keys to your heart this morning and let Him make it His home! Give Him the deed to your life and let Him make it brand new! No one has ever been disappointed with His results! Your foundation may have been shaky and turning to rubble, but the Lord’s foundation remains forever!  He loves you beloved and He’s always for you, so He can be trusted to do what you’ve only dreamed could be done!

Revelation 21:5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."

Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel!  Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers

Life Can Get out of Adjustment! Time to Apply His Word.

My mother went to the chiropractor whenever she felt her back bothering her. He explained to her the importance of the spine being in alignment for your overall health. Poor posture could cause other problems. She wasn’t sure what he did on those visits, but she knew she felt better. The results were worth the trip to the next town for a visit.


Life can get out of adjustment. Things can begin to look out of kilter and cause us problems. Sometimes it’s just life itself that has us troubled. Maybe you’ve prayed and prayed for a situation but you’ve seen no progress. You’re about ready to give up. It could be that you are hearing bad reports about your life. Someone may have told you you’re worthless, useless, hopeless or more. You’re beginning to feel bent over from the weight of the things you’re carrying. It’s hard to get up and get out of bed because you’re just frazzled and tied in knots inside as you try to figure out how you got here, why you’re having trouble and when there will ever be relief.

Oh beloved! It’s time to run to the Great Physician for an adjustment! Let Him speak Truth into your life and get back in alignment with that Truth so that you can walk with power and continue on to Victory! God’s Word is your source of healing for your health, your heart, and your emotions. The Physician says that He hears your prayers and He delights in answering them according to His Word, so find the Word for your situation and cling to that! His Words to you are always full of love and He says you are beautiful, you are important and you are His! He will lovingly adjust your thinking as you take in His medicine, the Word of God. And each time you begin to falter, if you turn to His Word, the adjustment will come every time.

Unlike going to the chiropractor which requires traveling there and getting an appointment, hoping that you might be able to get a visit, the Lord is always on call and He’s only a prayer away! Thank Him this morning that He loves you and He’s on your side, for that’s all that really matters.

Psalm 119:25 I lie in the dust; revive me by Your Word.

Psalm 119:28 I weep with sorrow; encourage me by Your Word.

Psalm 119:172 Let my tongue sing about Your Word, for all Your commands are right.

John 17:17 Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.

Psalm 139:17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

Ephesians 4:23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Need Insight for Living? You Can Have It!

You know they make some great commercials. I especially love the insurance commercial where the girl is talking to a guy about what she read about his insurance company on the internet. She tells him “they can’t put anything on the internet that isn’t true”.   At the end of the commercial she walks off with a guy she had “met” on the internet who was a French model, only he definitely was anything but that.  Still she believed it and walked away arm in arm with him.

There are so many things taken as true today.  There are multitudes of infomercials extoling the virtues of one thing or another, all the time promising that their truth is the best.  If you buy it, you’ll be perfect, your life will be perfect, your future will be perfect. Just buy their product, the book, the dvd…whatever they’re selling.   There is much on Christianity as well. I find that I get lost in the information about all of it, unless I spend time in the Word. The more I fill my heart and mind with God’s Word the more easily I discern the false from the true.

Oh beloved, are you drowning in a sea of information? Have you searched everywhere for something to hang onto, something to make sense out of your situation? Maybe you want to do your own thing so you’ve sought out writers who believe you can do just that. Are you tired of running here and there and everywhere to find something that really touches your heart and changes your life? Run to God’s Word this morning and read! All the promises mentioned within the pages of the Holy Word are true. They will feed you, they will increase your beauty, they will add wisdom to your life and they’ll stay with you when everything else, everyone else, is gone.   

What wondrous love is this that the King of the Universe, the Self Existent One would write a Book just for you to live by? No ordinary book; written by no ordinary author; published by no ordinary producer.  Thank the One Whose name is Faithful and True! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters!

Psalm 19:8-10 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.  They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

Hosea 14:9 Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them...

2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Psalm 86:11  Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to Your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor You.

Let God's Home be In Your Heart!

Some friends added a bedroom onto their house.  It’s coming together nicely.  But the wife wanted her husband to finish the interior first. He kept concentrating on the exterior and got it completely done before he began work inside.  It looked great on the outside as though it was perfect, but inside was still just a shell.  It was unlivable and held no real charm or beauty. 

Often we are like that.  We work so hard to make the outside look presentable. We want everyone to see that we have it all together.  We may even find ourselves talking more about the makeup, the hair, the clothes, the weight, the body, etc.  All along we may be totally neglecting what really matters – what’s inside.  That’s what really counts.  I’ve discovered that when the heart condition is right before God, the exterior is even more beautiful.  It all falls into place.

Oh beloved! You are beautiful  to the Lord! He calls you beloved and He has called you out of darkness into His light! He says to you this morning, do not weap for the outer person who may not be perfect, but rejoice for the inner person who is being perfected daily! My love for you is the inner love that abides no matter what.  Let Me help you work on the inside so that My Home in your heart may be more accessible to Me.  Don’t fear the work on the inside – it’s the best place to start!

God loves you just the way you are! God is for you and He’s working out everything for your good and His Glory! Let Him do whatever He wants to do with your life for that’s where True Beauty lies!

 

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day.

1 Peter 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.1 Peter 3:4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.