Storms of Life Can’t Knock the Real Power Out

by rebekahbeene

It was another stormy night in Arkansas. Having been through a cold and rainy winter, we’ve all been looking forward to spring. But Arkansas springs bring storms and those are not fun. Some places in the state were under tornado warnings off and on all night. I was awake several times checking the weather map. We were awakened to thunder and lightning and even a power outage. But it’s morning andwe have made it through again.

God speaks to my heart: Storms in your life are inevitable. But you don’t have to let them knock the power out of you. I AM with you in the peaceful sunny days and I AM with you when the storms are raging. Storms may knock you to your knees, but always know that when you are praying is when you are at your strongest. No mere words said to hope the talisman protects you. No, you are calling on Me and I AM the Great I AM. I AM the One Who calms the storm and answers your prayers. Your power for living is greatest when your natural power is weakest. You are more than the storms in your life. You are invincible and every time you pray the powers of the storm and the powers of hell are rendered useless. You may be in a storm today but because you come to Me with your needs during the storm and let Me speak to your storm, you can know that your future will be sunny and your damage will be null.

Oh beloved, are you hiding in a corner? Do you hear the rage of life storming over your head? Arise and know that you don’t have to be in fear. No storm lasts forever and no child of God has to fear. You may feel powerless but you are not. You may think it has all gone dark but you are walking in the light. You may be concerned of the damage being done, but as long as you take your storms to Jesus and face them with faith, the winds and the howling and the trouble has to stop. You can rejoice even in the midst of it all because by faith you know that God is working it all out for your good and His glory. Don’t stare at the weather, beloved, and don’t let what the natural eye sees knock you to the ground. Don’t worry about the bad reports and the damage around you. Instead rejoice in the midst, thank God for your opportunity to release your faith and be blessed as you know you will see the morning and the Son will shine again.

God loves you so much that He didn’t just create you to live by your wits. He gave you life to live close to Him, in His power and by His Spirit. He’s for you so even when the storm is raging, you can have peace and faith to endure it all and be more than a conqueror.

Proverbs 10:25 When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. 

Mark 4:39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

2 Corinthians 6:7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

I Peter 5:6-7 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

Today is a Day of Expectation

Today is a Day of Expectation

This week is spring break for our state. The colleges and the public schools have learned to work together so that everyone is vacationing at the same time. Although the weather is hinting at chilly and rainy it’s got a lot of promise. Having an entire week off is great for both teachers and students. Parents have to juggle schedules and plan ahead to enjoy it but all in all it is a week everyone looks forward to. Great expectations are in a few days of having a different schedule than normal.

Not everyone will take beach trips or travel anywhere, but with a little planning the expectations of no school or work can be realized.  Imagine having to stay in town for the week. Many are doing just that. Not much expectation or excitement in same old same old. But just down the road, within 50 miles of us are several state parks, an Indian artifacts dig, a diamond mine, hiking trails, and more. Anyone can stay home and enjoy every single day. Kind of depends on your expectations. Plan to enjoy and you will. Plan to receive a great opportunity for fun and it will happen.  You can just stay home and enjoy your yard, your house, have the kids ride bikes, read books or tell family stories. Whatever you do, expect and plan to have a great time. It can happen – memories can be made that will take you into your future.

Our life in Christ is a lot like spring break. We look for something wonderful to happen but we don’t often plan on it. Preparation has a lot to do with enjoying our walk with God.  Reading the Bible is no ordinary read. Not a novel or a sonnet or a book of poetry. It’s God breathed. We can expect things to happen when we read the Word. We should expectantly prepare to be challenged in our walk, changed in our thinking and strengthened in our hearts. The believer who reads God’s Word is actually letting God breathe His Spirit written words into their inner man.

God speaks to my heart: You see your life as pretty ordinary. I see it as extraordinary. Every day I want you to live in expectation of something from Me.  I am ready, willing and able. In fact I have already taken great measures to ensure that your life is far from ordinary. Not just at spring break but every single day. When you wake up in the morning I AM there. When you lay your head on your pillow I AM there. When you feel the nausea of sorrow I AM with you. When you wonder what you are going to do today I AM already formulating a plan of expectation for your day that is beyond your wildest dreams. I wish to speak into your life. I wish to take you out of the ordinary and make your day extraordinary. I have plans for you – to live able the level of mundane. My plans are beyond your greatest vacation adventure. In fact where you go I AM there. Sometimes I AM cheering you on. Other times I AM interceding for you. In Christ, I have the greatest day of expectation for you and that day is today.

Oh beloved, you don’t have to wait for a better day. You don’t have to hope that you can get away someday. You don’t have to live locked into ordinary. Jesus has done too much for you to be unbelieving or to live below the level of all that He died to purchase for you. Expect great things! Expect today to be different . Yes, there are hardships, yes there are hurdles, yes, things do go wrong. But God is with you – to walk it out and overcome each and every thing you encounter. Expect Him to speak to your heart. Expect Him to call you to a higher level. Expect Him to take your weakest points and make them strong in His power. Today is your day to expect God to speak, Christ to help, The Spirit to encourage and the day to be beautiful in Him.

God loves you and He’s for you so expectation is your life breath. Ordinary to extraordinary without leaving your house when you open His Love Story, seek His face and change your heart attitude. Rejoice and see what God will do all for you, all for love as you live expecting and worship Him in Spirit and Truth every day of the week.

Psalm 119:131 I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.

I Peter 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation!

James 2:23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God.

Psalm 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

Psalm 89:15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship for they shall live in the Light of Your Presence, O Lord.

Ephesians 3:19-21 [That you may really come] to know [practically, [e]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!  Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]— To Him be glory…

Who's Writing Your Love Story?

“Looking at him, she saw her future and felt all the ragged tears in her heart heal themselves. “I fit,” she whispered in marvel, stepping closer to him. “I fit with you.” He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. “Perfectly.”

While looking around Pinterest one day I found the sentences above in an artistic quote.
I assume it is from a love story. But it struck me as being so true for us as believers who come to Christ. 

We are a people with issues. We have huge holes torn into our hearts by life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are always on the lookout for people to love us. We look for acceptance and camaraderie. We are on the hunt, hoping this next boyfriend or girlfriend will fulfill us. We look for the friend that will stay with us through the long haul. We hope that someone will come alongside us in our walk of faith that will meet our longing to love and be loved. We get disappointed in the search because nobody can meet those high expectations. 

God speaks to my heart: Look to Me. I am your future. I will heal all the tears in your heart as you find your completeness in Me. Step into My love, accept My forgiveness and new life. You will find that you fit perfectly in Christ like you have never fit anywhere else. I long to wrap My arms around you and teach you of Myself, so that you will know that I am perfect for you. I love you with an everlasting love. I will watch over you, guide you, direct you and keep you safe all the days of your life. Just stay close to Me and let Me mold you and make you into a person of faith, courageous and victorious because you walk with Me. Other loves will grow cold or disappoint from time to time, but I am the One that your soul loves. I am the only way to find complete contentment, joy and peace. There is no other who can give you this. Wrapped in My love you will find yourself able to forgive offenses and hold others loosely in your life. I will also make other loves sweeter because you find the ultimate source of all your needs in Me. 

Oh beloved, have you been reading love stories and are you looking for love to find you? You may be wishing on fairy tales and romances, but God is speaking to your heart. He loves you because His essence and being are love. He cares about every issue in your life and everything that you are concerned about He is concerned as well. While you are searching for answers, He IS the answer. He cannot make others meet your needs, and they are not meant to meet them all. But He will meet all your needs just as He promises in His Word. He will meet your needs and more. He will give you a new heart. He will give you a new life. He will make the old things that tore you up and left you bleeding on the ground heal completely. You may have issues with others who didn’t love you with real love, but God is here to mend your broken heart and make all things new. Let Him lead you into a deeper walk of faith. Let Him teach you how to live in the light of His love. Let Him be your all in all and other things, other people, other situations will fall right into place. 

No wonder they call Him the Savior! He’s with you and He’s for you as His love envelopes your entire life. You are destined to walk in Him and fulfill all the wondrous things He has for you as you seek Him first. Get out His beautiful love story every day and read from its pages for the Bible contains the greatest love story ever written – just for you as you look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith for He alone is faithful to the end.

I Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Isaiah 43:21 The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

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.

Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.”

Psalm 62:5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.

God Will Birth His Plan in You

Danny’s cousin in California is expecting a grandchild any day now. The due date has passed so it won’t be much longer. The expectations of this child, a girl, are great. Everything is just right, as with all first babies, and all they are doing now is standing by in anticipation. This is their first grandchild by their only daughter. So they are holding their breath every time the phone rings.

Although their daughter has to go through the birth process, they are full of anticipation of the wonder of holding a newborn baby in their arms. The nine months of preparation followed by the few hours of concentration will bring forth a wonderful gift. As great as the 9 months may have been, the birth process cannot be avoided. It’s just part of it.

We know God has a plan for our life. We live in anticipation of the realization of plans too wonderful for us to imagine. We give our life to Jesus and then we expect things to go well. Too often though, expectation and anticipation give way to worry and fear. We knew we wanted God to birth a plan in our hearts, but we didn’t know it might hurt. We think “hey I’ve given my heart to Jesus, He will give me something good to do and life will be just right”.

We want a neat and tidy life. We don’t want birth pangs. We don’t want the reality of our walk with Christ to go past our expected due date. We definitely don’t want hard situations and yet God even uses these circumstances to grow our faith.

Oh beloved, whatever you are going through today, God has already been there. He’s doing behind the scenes prep work and He’s clearing the way for your life to be a beautiful birth of His wonderful love. It may be really rough right now, as you weren’t expecting what’s happening. But God is with you. Your life is meant to be a shining example of His glory and grace.  When you go through the growing pains of faith, your ultimate outcome is beautiful. It’s worth it. Don’t give up in the middle of it all, for there is a wonderful reward awaiting you. And what a blessing it is that you don’t have to go through it alone. Always present, always leading, always teaching, always holding you safe in His arms – God is there with you. He will see you through. He has promised to be with you all the days of your life and on that you can rely. Hard times won’t last forever, so hold on and talk to the Father often. He will soothe your weary brow, He will speak His love Words over your situation and together you will make it.

Whatever it is, God is here.And he will birth the plan of God in you to its complete fulfillment.   He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters as you trust Him to make your life beautiful and your faith grow as you live in the light of His Word.

Romans 5: 1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Philemon 1:6 and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.

1 Peter 1:7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ

Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

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

Psalm 16:8 I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.

God Will Keep You Always

We love all the Toy Story movies. We see that Woody goes through a lot in each of the movies. Each movie showcases troubles that the toy Woody gets into. His owner Andy went away to college and he was boxed up and accidentally given away. Woody feels pretty bad about it all and is convinced that he meant much more to Andy than how it appears to be. Still Andy is gone and Woody is given away. Woody feels rejected and even though he wanted to stand with Andy forever, it’s over. Or so it seems. Watching to the end of the movies, each and every time we see how things turn out right for Woody, even when he’s in the hands of treachery and thievery. We applaud the good ending and rejoice with the toys.

I know there are times when we all feel like castaways. We may know that we were right where we belonged. We were doing a good job, just like Woody did a good job of being a toy for Andy. Yet things happen. While we are willing to go for the long haul, there are times when the worst happens. We get boxed up and sat to the curb. It’s then that we wonder what we are going to do. We feel alone, left out, and useless. We didn’t want it to happen but it did just the same.

Toy Story is just a movie, but the fact is we belong to Someone. We have given our heart and soul to the Lord and we pour our lives into where God has put us. Wherever we are, we are meant to sow as unto the Lord and we know that it’s from God we receive that reward. We can trust that the One who wrote our life story has not written finished, done or “the end”, for we are alive and looking for God to call us on to higher things. We can rejoice that whenever one door is closed, God most certainly has better plans for you. No one who is alive and breathing and belongs to God is useless. There may be a time of waiting for God to open that next door, but we must never give in to dismay or discouragement. This is the time to spruce ourselves up in Christ for the next big event.

Oh beloved, God knows your heart. He hears your cries of pain as someone invariably has put you out on the curb. They do not know God’s heart for you. All they can know is their perspective. But you can trust God, no matter what. You will never be called a castaway by God. And just like the ending to the children’s movie, the ending to God’s story of you is good. God promises to promote you beyond your own present situation, when you stay close to Him and rejoice in His truths. Don’t let yourself be sold out because of the current circumstances you may be in. You are priceless to God, and He will keep you safe all the way to heaven. Now is the time to get into the Word, get on your knees and get even closer to God. Your faith is your greatest ally and the Lord is your comforter. Keep watching, keep praying, keep forgiving and keep looking to the Lord for His response.

You’ll never lose out as long as you walk with Him. God is writing your story and you are In Christ. So the story of your walk with Him is written with great purpose and continuing plans of good and not evil. Nothing else matters as long as you realize that God loves you and He’s for you and His plan for you will be fulfilled.

Psalm 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.

Isaiah 54:6 “For the Lord has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,” Says your God.

Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me.

Psalm 40:5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

It's Time to Come In...

It’s a great time of year for kids and adults to play outside.  It’s damp in the afternoons and the thick blanket of leaves are becoming a haven for jumping feet. The smell of smoke is beginning to work through the air. Fireplaces are revving up and final yard work is being attended to.

When kids play outside they get dirty. Grubby. Filthy. Usually their feet are the grubbiest. Who’d think that someone with shoes and socks on could have dirt between their toes and yet kids do.  They’re covered but even the spots that are covered get dirty.

When kids are playing outside they rarely ever want to come in. Even as the dark of the fall evenings creeps into the yards, they want to stay out. They want to play forever. But eventually it’s time to insist they come inside. Mothers across the world whistle and call their children. After much calling, those playing kids drag in one by one.  First thing is a nice warm bath. They resist. They’d rather keep playing.

Somewhere between shedding dirty clothes and scrubbing behind the ears kids have an epiphany. They suddenly realize the bath is good! Getting clean feels great! Supper tastes better and beds feel better when a kiddo is clean as a whistle.  They end up crying because they have to leave the very tub they fought against just a few minutes earlier.

We are a lot like those kids – we believers. We enjoy our freedom in Christ. We play and enjoy and before we notice it we’ve gotten grubby. Even though we’re covered by the Blood of the Lamb, we’ve got dirt between our heart and His. We’ve been busy and we don’t hear the Father calling us into fellowship with Him. We don’t take time to keep in the Word. Finally we hear the Father calling, “Son come home”, “Daughter return to my fellowship”.  We drag ourselves in, we see the dirt on our hearts and yet we resist.  But as we go into sweet fellowship with the Father we find that we feel lighter, cleaner and refreshed. The washing of the water with the Word begins to do what only God can do – it makes us feel renewed. We will find that our meal will taste better and our rest will be sweeter.

God speaks to my heart: God is calling you. He’s calling me. And it’s a wonderful call into sweet communion with Him. He is such a wonderful Father that He has cleaned us thoroughly from sin’s penalty. But He loves us so much that He continually cleanses us from sin’s power. And one day we will be with Him and we will be totally liberated from sin’s presence. Oh what a wonderful day that will be.

If you are one who has ignored the call for a long, long time it’s not too late. Even if it’s grown quite dark and you aren’t sure if you will ever clean up again, God is ready and waiting with open arms and an Agape heart.  Return, precious child, and watch as He renews your faith and restores your commitment to Him alone.

Maybe you’ve decided that you have to live with the soiled situation of your life. You tried to be a people pleaser, a good egg, a team player, a giver. You put others first, you worked hard, you gave it all and still you find yourself dealing with the dirt of life. You might have hung out with the wrong crowd (bad company, bad thinking, bad decisions) or loved someone who didn’t treat you with respect and honor. You may feel you have been left out in the dark to try to clean yourself up so you can go home.  You’re hurt, you feel grimy and you’re not sure if you can return home. The load you carry is getting heavier and heavier and you don’t know if you can even make it. But God is calling you. The light is on and He’s waiting at the door to let you in. He’s held the door open for you all the while you’ve been out and He’s kept His eye on you all the time.

Oh beloved, run to the Word! Step inside the Father’s heart and read! His clean-up is gentle and His restoration is perfect – for your heart and your mind and your spirit.  He is calling you in Love and His desire is to care for you all the rest of your days. Trust Him and walk with Him and watch as He renews everything for His glory in you! As you learn to seek His face every day you will find that your outlook is refreshed, your heart is renewed and your rest gets sweeter and sweeter.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you’re accepted in His beloved forever.

Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free.

Isaiah 50:4 The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will.

Exodus 15:13 With Your unfailing love You lead the people You have redeemed. In Your might, You guide them to Your sacred home.

Psalm 84:4 What joy for those who can live in Your house, always singing Your praises.

 

 

 

 

Surprise! God's Gifts are Yours!

I have been given a bag of fall blooming bulbs. I am so excited to plant them. We got them in the ground quickly so they might bloom in a few weeks.  With this change in the weather they might just make it. If not, they will definitely bloom next fall.

They’re known as surprise lilies.  I think because they just multiply and come up anywhere in the grass. You don’t see a thing, no leaves first. Suddenly they’re blooming on a long stem. Old home places can be found by seeing them suddenly appear in deserted property. Even if the old house itself is gone, the surprises still bloom each and every year.  They multiply and multiply and what a showy sight.

The person who gifted these to me had no idea that they are my absolute most favorite ever flowers! I had no idea that someone was going to gift me with such a prized gift! And yet there, right in the middle of an ordinary day, comes the gift! I relish the idea of planting each and every one. I relish the thought that next fall for sure they’ll surprise me with their beautiful show.

God speaks to my heart: God’s precious gifts are all for me, all for you, all for us. Many times though we don’t even know that they are available. We catch a glimpse here and there and we’re surprised!

Surprised at the grace God bestows on us. For we surely would wipe ourselves off the face of the earth and yet God speaks softly and says come back beloved. Surely we know our misbehavior, our failings, our sins. We know our imperfections and we concentrate on each and every one. Yet He speaks love songs into our hearts.

Surprised at the mercy from the Throne Room. We were destined to die, to shrivel up like a bulb left out of the ground and yet Mercy comes dancing into our presence and says oh beloved, I AM granting you clemency, your debt has been canceled, your sorrow is covered by My sympathy.

Surprised by His love! I am, aren’t you? We are a works oriented people. We are demanding and we think God is too. We believe that the only way He could love us is if we perform! But we can’t – performance breeds pride. And we could never perform enough. Just as the bulb pops out of the ground grandly showing its beauty – God’s love pops out of the soil of our disappointment, discontentment and our failures to blow us away with His love for He IS love!

We don’t always like surprises do we? Sometimes we have lived with the depression, the condemnation, the rejection, the religious activity so long that we blink our eyes in disbelief? What is God doing we ask? He’s messing with my life! He’s changing the order of things – my order of things. I was comfortable and now God has gone and surprised me!  It might not have been good but at least it was normal.

Oh beloved, surprise! God loves you! God has given you grace, mercy and peace! They’re growing just beneath the soil of your heart right now and if you will let Him they’ll pop up and surprise you with joy! Take the entire gift of God’s wonderfulness and enjoy the view from His love. Look into His Word of Surprising Wonderful presents – and see what’s there. And then take it in, plant it in the soil of your heart and watch as God blooms and blooms and blooms. Rejoice as God surprises you with His abundance in your lack.  He’ll keep surprising you that even in hardships, God has a plan. He always seeks to love us and make us more like Him in all we encounter.

Bloom beloved, bloom, in the light of His love and in the light of His constant care. Let Him keep surprising you with all He is and all you are in Christ.  No matter what, God loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

Psalm 111:2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in Him should ponder them.

Psalm 126:3 Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!

Psalm 40:5 O Lord my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

Psalm 84:6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.

At a Crossroad? Let God Choose Your Direction.

One of our favorite week-end things to do when we were young was ride the back roads. You could say we were off road riders before it was cool. In rural Arkansas there are many old roads that don’t seem to lead anywhere. There are also lots of crossroads. Even in the back woods we would come upon crossroads and have to choose which way to go.  Sometimes we chose and had to turn around to get back on the right road. Sometimes it looked like we were going further away from civilization only to come out at a highway and find smooth pavement to return home.

God speaks to my heart. Crossroads are inevitable. They are everywhere. They can be found in the back woods of suffering, struggle and fear. They can be found as well on the comfortable, smooth, highways of the good life. But they are inevitable. Each of us will be faced with crossroads.

Just as we face crossroads, we will be faced with decisions. Which road do we take? And what do we take with us? And where will we come out? We may feel that we’d rather go back to the beginning, camp out at the crossroads or guess, flip a coin or wish on a star to pick the right road.

Are you facing a crossroads this morning? Were you in the midst of a great ride when unexpectedly you came face to face with a decision? Don’t flip a coin! Pray! Ask God where He wants you to go. He may not tell you why, at least not at first.  But you can be assured that if God picks the road, you will be safe, secure and come out in the beautiful sunshine of His perfect will.

Even if you have been brought to the crossroads by someone who doesn’t care, isn’t for you or left you alone in the woods, you can be sure that God will turn that crossroads into your best road ever, if you will give it to Him and follow Him alone.

Oh beloved, God has brought you thus far and He will take you on with Him, as long as you let Him lead. He will give you a new love for the adventure, a new trust in His leadership and a loving heart for those you meet along the way. Thank Him this morning as you read His precious promises from the Road Map of His Heart.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth letting Him choose your direction at every crossroads in life.

Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.” But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Isaiah 58:8 Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.

Psalm 25:12 Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose.

Psalm 73:24 You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Out on a Ledge?

I’ve never stood on a ledge of a tall building. You’re not likely to ever see me there. But there are plenty of movies, old and new, that showcase the hero on the ledge. The wind is whipping his clothes and the police are usually below, “Don’t jump!” they holler. Others are trying to get up to the roof of the building to grab the victim before he can fall to his death.

There’s often someone who has the credentials to attempt to talk the victim down. The hope is to get him to climb off the ledge to the roof or into the window to safety.

He’s a victim because he believes there’s no other way to get notice, to be heard or to prove His point. He’s been run up a tree like a cat and he’s ready to lose it all. He probably feels that he has lost it already. Talking the victim down makes for success- he’s saved, they’re relieved and the story ends on a good note.

Ever feel like you’re out on the ledge? Life is tough. Things are not going well. Nobody’s listening. Nobody cares. You’ve tried to work through it, meditate on it, look past it and make yourself forget. But the troubles, the trials, the situations of life keep coming. People disappoint you, jobs don’t last, health fails, love wanes, bills increase. Answers don’t come. Help doesn’t come. And now you’re out on a ledge and you don’t know what to do. Friends can talk to you but they don’t know what you’re feeling. The bank can give you a loan, but you don’t get permanent relief. Doctors know what they’re doing, but no promises are written in stone. It’s tough, it’s rough and it’s just about to the point where it’s not worth it.

But in steps One Who has the credentials. The One Who breathed the stars and set the planets in orbit is stepping into the scene. The Lord Jesus Himself is there. Everything changes when He steps into the situation, when He walks on the water of your situation.  For He has been sent on assignment just for you.

What you and I cannot hope to do, beloved, He can do. He won’t talk you down, but He will talk you through. And that’s amazing. Because He’s an amazing God, He enters into every problem, every trial, every hurt, every fear and calms the raging storm.  

Listen beloved, I know you are in the storm of your life. The diagnosis, the prognosis, the bank account, the rejection letter, the impossible are all whipping around you as you stand on the ledge. I know it’s hard and I know it’s scary. But I also know the Savior and He is able to take every single thing that’s going on in your life and talk you through it. He’ll not only talk you through it, He’s coming out on the ledge with you to walk you through it.

Oh beloved, whatever it is this morning that has taken your breath away or knocked the wind from your sails, run to the Father of Lights, for there’s no shadow or shifting with Him. He changes not, His compassions fail not. GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS. Your life may feel like shifting sand, your heart may be in the shadows of fear or regret or uselessness, but God never changes.

He will take your situation and take you by the hand and walk you through the darkness and back into the light. All the while He will talk to you in love songs of devotion and tender, loving care. He will get you through this and your feet will again be on solid ground. Why? Because He is God, He is Abba Father, He is I AM and He is love. Trust Him today and walk securely in His presence and listen to His voice for it is always calming, peaceful and True. Oh how He loves you, oh how He cares and that’s the solid ground of your life all the way to eternity.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

Mark 4:39 When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

James 1:17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.

 

Gifts, Presents, Perfectly Fit for You!

Although Danny’s birthday isn't for a few days, we celebrated it yesterday because all our children were off work and the grand-kids had no school. We had a great time, with lots of laughter and good food. Danny got some cool presents: a tin 22 target, a calendar, a motorcycle touring magazine and two of his favorite foods: cheese and summer sausage. 

I thought about those presents this morning as I got up and I heard God speaking. 
We live a life of faith, those who have given their hearts to Christ. We are In Christ and that is the platform on which we stand. But there’s more we need to walk the walk of faith and live out the plan God has for us. And God has a plan for each and every one of us. You included.

We all need a target. Not something to shoot at in our case, but something to shoot for. A target is an objective, a mark, a purpose. In other words we've got to aim for God’s call in our lives. It will fall into place, but we can easily get sidetracked, go on rabbit hunts, get bogged down shooting at troubles, fears, the enemy, etc. With a target, something to shoot for, we will be sighted in on God’s plan.

We all need a calendar. We need to keep up with the days of our lives. The Word says “teach us to number our days”. Without a calendar, a schedule, we will be prone to wander around and haphazardly enjoy the summer fun, not realizing that winter is closing in. We won’t be able to keep a schedule – we need to let God help plan our days so they’re not wasted. We all are prone to do what we feel like doing, but God has a purpose and He wants us to write Him in our calendar in bright red marker – no penciling Him in.

We need to know where we want to go and how we want to get there. Without a tour guide, a road map, a travel plan we can’t even begin to get anywhere. Without seeing God’s will on how He wants us to travel, how He wants us to live, where He wants us to go we just exist. But planned travel, with the Lord as our guide, now that’s living!

We won’t get anywhere without sustenance. And “man does not live by bread alone”. Without the daily ingestion of God’s Word we will starve. And starving people can’t hit their target, travel God’s path or keep their schedules. They are too weak for the trip. Starving people stagger at the hard roads they may encounter or fall off the cliffs of decisions they must make. Starving people have their eyes clouded, their stomachs in a knot and their mind confused. It won’t matter how much or how little cash is in your pocket, if you don’t take in God’s Word as your daily food, as your FAVORITE food, the other gifts you receive won’t matter. 

God has gifted you with everything you need to live for Him, be used of Him and to be blessed in your life. Every gift is found IN CHRIST. Are you ready for the trip of a lifetime? Or are you worrying about physical things like how, when, where and why? Are you penciling God in or are you red lettering Him in bold? He already knows the trials you are facing this very day. He’s not surprised by the things you didn't see ahead. His Preeminence will take you beyond the hurts, beyond the fears, beyond the confusion. God is over all – He is Supreme, Majestic, Eternal and All Powerful. Nothing you encounter can stop His plan for your life. With the right gifts, and you have them all available to you as a child of God, everything He has planned for your life is achievable. 

Oh beloved, call on the Lord today and thank Him for His provision, His gifts and His calling. You are more than existing, you can live! God will plan your days, bless your life and help you target in on His calling when you live in the light of His Word. He loves you and He’s for you and on that you can rely as you travel the life of faith!

2 Corinthians 9:15 Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]! (Amplified)

Job 23:12 I have not departed from His commands, but have treasured His words more than daily food.

Psalm 33:11 But the LORD's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.

Isaiah 48:17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I AM the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way that you should go. Amplified

Who's Filled Your Prescription?

In the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, young George worked at the drug store after school. The pharmacist was drunken one day and George found the note that explained the man’s grief stricken stupor: His son had been killed in the war. Because the man was so incredibly distraught he had resorted to drinking at work. George realized that Mr. Gower had filled a prescription with poison and it would ...be disastrous if that prescription got into the hands of the intended customer. George saved the customer’s life and Mr. Gower’s reputation and livelihood by intervening in the situation.

Our youngest daughter was a pharmacy tech for several years before staying home with her children. She knew how important it was to get the prescription right and to make sure the right dosage was administered. Just a small variance in the medicinal recipe could make for weakened medicine, which wouldn’t help at all, or a worse problem. She also knew well what each medicine was for.

God has given us a prescription for life. The prescription fills our exact needs to make for a wonderful life. We don’t have to pay for the prescription or work for it. It is freely administered to each one of us in the exactly right dosage. Our Pharmacist is the Lord Himself and Jesus is His Pharmacy Tech. They don’t make mistakes on the medicine of salvation, sanctification, justification and glorification. There’s no chance of the prescription failing to fulfill its intended use. The Word of God is the perfect manual for administration of it and the usage of it. We have everything we need for life and godliness as God has poured His life giving ointment into our lives. We truly can have a wonderful life.

The problem comes when we are overcome with grief or sorrow or pain. During those dark hours of hurt we may forget or forgo the perfect medicine from the Lord and resort to our own meds. We may try to add to or take away from God’s Word so that the prescription changes and becomes weakened or ineffective. If we add man’s ideas to the mix we’ll have a disaster. Life can be a tough pill to swallow when we forget about the Lord. In our pain we can easily forget the Truth and administer other pain relief to ourselves. Self-medication is disastrous as well. There’s no hope if we mis-medicate, over-medicate or under-medicate our condition.

Are you hurting? Are you trying to work through a serious illness of the body, of the heart of the spirit? Is your soul in anguish over some trial or weakness you can do nothing about? Have you forgotten the source of your life? Have you left the Truth and taken on the lie? It could be anger instead of peace. It could be revenge instead of forgiveness. It could be remorse instead of repentance. It could be a spirit of heaviness instead of the oil of joy. Are you mourning? Are you resorting to the wrong thing thinking it will help? Maybe you’ve discovered the prescription you bargained for is actually arsenic to your life? And now you’re in such a way that you don’t know if you’ll ever regain your strength or be able to live to see the goodness of God again.

Oh beloved! It’s never too late to return to the pure, health giving, life healing Word of God. With the prescription of God’s love, salvation, regeneration, sanctification and godly living all your trials, troubles and sorrows can be handled and your heart will be healed. God Himself promises to administer His life giving ways to you with perfect results. Run to His Word and read: every single promise was written to perfection for you. Every single instruction is pure and simple, reviving your soul, restoring your mind and setting you on the road of comfort and joy. He says to you this morning, come and drink of Me for I AM the perfect Fountain of Life to all who will turn their heart and mind towards Me. Let Me comfort and heal you, for I AM the Lord and I AM with you.

Oh beloved, don’t despair and don’t resort to your own concoction, for God Loves you and He’s For you and there’s nothing more perfect than His Prescription for a Wonderful Life.

John 10:10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (Amplified)

1 Corinthians 15:45 Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life].

Isaiah 58:2 Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.

Psalm 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.

Proverbs 4:20-23 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.

An Engraved Invitation to an Elaborate Life!

I really do enjoy cooking. I just don’t have much time or need for those old time elaborate meals anymore. Danny and I are on the road a lot and when we’re home we enjoy simple fare or picking up a salad or such from a local eatery.  It doesn’t take so much to fill us up anymore.

Elaborate meals require elaborate planning, elaborate menus and elaborate recipes. You can’t have elaborate without the planning. You can ask my kids, I can throw together an awesome pot of spaghetti, but it’s not elaborate. It’s quick and it’s good, but it’s just a pot of spaghetti. On the other hand, my father, who was a true chef, worked all day to make homemade meatballs, homemade spaghetti sauce and just right pasta. He served it just so – spaghetti noodles covered with the meatballs and then sauce. Never, never would he whip up a pot of it all thrown together! His meal was elaborate!

God has given us an elaborate life! He wants us to feast with Him from His sumptuous table of blessings. He wants us to taste every dainty morsel of His Word and live in the Truth of all of His Word! This elaborate life was planned well before the foundation of the world! Your name was on the engraved invitation before He even went to the cross. Everything about your life in Christ has been planned elaborately!

In order for you and I to enjoy this wonderful life in Christ we must plan elaborately as well. The walk of faith is no thrown together at the last minute event. It’s a day in and day out work of art. We must plan our life so that Christ gets first place.  Without planning we will be throwing together something much less than we were meant to enjoy and we will be feasting on dry crumbs rather than hearty banquets. God’s Word is not fast food! Oh you can go pick a taste up somewhere, but in order to have that elaborate life in Christ, you have to spend time with the Head Chef, and let Him slow you down as you take time to ingest the menu of the Word and read the recipes for a blessed life for yourself! No one else can prepare an elaborate life for you other than Christ Himself!

Have you been running here and there doing good things, having great fun and being busy, busy busy? Are you stopping to pick up an occasional bite on Wednesday evening or Sunday morning? Maybe you just drive through the local channels and try to get a bite to eat. Do you take little tastes and throw your faith meal together at convenient moments? Maybe you’re finding that your heart, mind and spirit are feeling sluggish and drained. You’re wondering why you feel so down, disheartened, lonely, fearful, and malnourished!

Oh beloved, make a dinner date right now! Stop in at the Lord’s Banquet Table and really feast on His Word! You may think you don’t have time, but God says if you will stop and let Him feed you the Elaborate Manna of His Word you will be blessed beyond measure – you will find new strength and fresh hope for the days ahead. Not only will you be ready for what comes in the future, you will be refreshed for the present time! He is calling you to His Banquet Table and He’s speaking to your heart – Don’t stress over the time you don’t have, but let Me seat you at My Table so that you will feel My Presence! Then you will be able to take My Presence with you! Every feast I desire to serve you is elaborate and you will have to plan your time with Me! I will be your nourishment, your refreshment and your way of blessing! I AM that I AM and absolutely no one else in all the earth will give you what I AM for you!

Stop a moment and come and dine! Feast, don’t nibble, on His Word and watch as your life flourishes and your ministry to others flourishes as well! His plans for you will be even more elaborate because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth taking the time!

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.

Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

John 6:35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.” (NAS)

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.

Love is No Substitute for God, but God is Love

I use sweetener in all my drinks.  That being said, did you know there are lots of different types of artificial sweeteners? Some are said to affect your memory. Others affect my taste buds, that’s for sure! Some are more natural than artificial.  Sweetener came in a little bottle during the 60’s and 70’s and one miniscule drop from that bottle changed the entire taste of the drink. 

Love is a lot like sweeteners. We look for what makes life taste better. We don’t tend to be drawn toward bitter or acrid tastes. Generally we are all looking for love, that perfect, accepting, sweet kind of love. It’s been sung about, it’s been chanted about, it’s been poetically written about and people may even spend their fortunes looking for just the right love.

Love is no substitute for God, but God is love. When we find this Perfect Love, everything changes. That one touch from the Lord changes everything! We’re sweeter! Life is sweeter! Love for others is sweeter! Problems are easier to swallow and sorrow is easier to take. For we know and have experienced true love!

Maybe you’ve been looking into substitutes for the real thing. You may have thought that the love of a man or a woman would be your ultimate gain. Maybe you buried yourself in the love of sports, hobbies or your job. You were thinking that if you gave it your all, truly loved these things, you’d feel fulfilled. Yet here you are, with all the stuff around you and yet nothing seems to make you feel better about yourself. You still feel unloved, hopeless, helpless, discouraged, depressed and dismayed. Life can be great and should be, but finding things to substitute for God’s real love will always leave us lacking.

Oh beloved, God knows your heart this morning! He knows you’ve wanted love to be sweet and good! He knows you’ve looked for your heart’s desire! He knows you’ve been wondering if there’s any way you can find true love! He sees you and He knows that what you wanted to be sweet turned out so bitter. But He knows too that just one drop of His perfect love will change everything in your life! His love covers a multitude of sins, makes all things new, redeems your past, refreshes your present and makes the future bright instead of fearful! He speaks to your heart this morning and beckons you to His banqueting table of love. His love is free, perfect and unending. It is a river of living water that will never run dry! His love will change your troubles into blessings, your heartbreaks into victories and your entire life will be so sweet and blessed, no matter what.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth drinking in daily!

 

1 Thessalonians 1:4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people.

John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

Isaiah 63:9 In all their suffering He also suffered, and He personally rescued them. In His love and mercy He redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.

Zephaniah 3:17 For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Ephesians 3:18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving-kindness”.

You Were Born to Love God & Let Him Love You!

Today we are celebrating the life of our granddaughter Stella. Two years ago she was born a 24 week preemie, struggling for life. Here she is a thriving two year old, a precious toddler full of life, talkative, laughing, playing and wrestling with her big brothers! We are most thankful to God that we were allowed to have her in our family. When I hear her call me Wowaw I am undone! I remember the first time I held her – I don’t even think she was 3 pounds yet. Much to celebrate and much to give praise to God about this little fireball!

We are also celebrating the passing of Danny’s Aunt. Eighty years ago she was born as the middle daughter in a windy West Texas town. Sixty two years ago she was a bride who married her beloved. Fifty-two years ago she embarked on the ministry with her husband who pastured churches all these years. Not all those years were easy, but with God’s help and by His grace, they stayed committed to each other and to God.

Life and death come to everyone. We are rejoicing that Stella survived her early birth and has become a normal, active little darling. We are rejoicing as well for Aunt Eddie, even though we are sad for ourselves.

Both Stella and Aunt Eddie have enjoyed their lives to the fullest. We know that when Stella gets older she may have stories to tell about the angels in her NICU room, for we prayed daily for them to watch over her. We know that Aunt Eddie is with the angels in heaven right now – praising and glorifying God.

What better testimony than to live life, even with its struggles. To be blessed by God, even in the storms. To have our lives hid in the shelter of the Rock, knowing that “these momentary light afflictions” are worth their weight in gold for our faith. We are not mere survivors, born to live in drudgery, darkness and fear. We are meant to be victors! We are meant to live beyond our troubles, toil and grief.

Oh beloved, perhaps you feel you were born in turmoil. Life has thrown a lot of junk at you. You’ve been sick, downtrodden, dismayed. It may feel like everything you do turns to nothing. Maybe you wonder why you were even born. But God Himself says to you today! You were born to love Me and let Me love you! You were born to worship Me in spirit and Truth! You were born because I ordained your life before the foundation of the world! Rejoice today that you were born and I will turn your mourning into dancing, I will redeem what has been taken from you, I will make you shine like the diamond stars in the sky. I AM your reason for living and if you will let Me, I will make all things new and give you a life that will be celebrated all the days of your life!

Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life – in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my Salvation!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the LORD always and again I say Rejoice!

Isaiah 61:10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God for He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels!