He Will Lead You to Still Waters

He Leads me beside still waters…

We were driving through “old stomping grounds” as they call them the other evening. Crossing a bridge over the Little Missouri River we remembered one of our more daring adventures. We decided to take a flat bottomed boat and go for a little ride with our then 2 year old daughter. Everything started out great, but soon we were in swift water and then the motor stalled and then the boat got hung up on a tree limb. We were about to go under when the miraculous happened – the boat got loose and the motor started back up! The first thing Danny did was head back to where we launched the boat.

As young people we all do things that are adventurous but dangerous. With a small daughter aboard the fun was totally drained from the whole experience. The lesson was learned but it didn’t stop us from continuing with adventures. We just didn’t always take our little one with us.

Life is really a wonderful adventure, especially when you’re married to your best friend. Without Danny I would not have done much of the daring things we’ve done if any of them. But with Danny even the rough spots in the river of life have been worth it.

I’m thankful that with the Lord the adventure of the faith has a promised outcome of good. Although there are rapids of despair and stalled moments of discouragement and limbs of adversity in the way, we keep going for new territory. We keep sitting in the boat with our Lord and letting Him calm the storm we might find ourselves in. But we aren’t giving up and we aren’t going back to shore. We’re staying with Jesus and we’re going to keep adventuring for Him.

God wants you to know that He has promises you can count on when you are adventuring in life. One of the greatest promises is that He will lead you beside still waters. This is restoration time beloved. You’ve made it through the rapids, you’ve managed to get free of the sandbars, and although your engine has stalled time and again God has gotten you going. Not all adventures are fun, not all travels have great rides, but God Himself promises you will be safe in the boat with Him. Safe in His arms, led to still waters – waters that calm and refresh and restore.

Oh beloved, don’t quit living. Don’t retreat from God’s call to follow Him with your whole heart. Don’t settle for the shoreline. Keep your eyes on God’s horizon for even when things are rough there is rest around the bend. Keep your eyes on the Lord for He is the captain of your ship and the Captain of your life. Even the hardest things that come your way will be used for your good and His glory. Absolutely no one can tip your boat and ruin your adventure or keep you from your destination – not people, not situations, not even the enemy himself. God has called you to a purpose far beyond mere human and natural circumstances. The adventure of a lifetime is letting God make your life supernatural in Him.

Launch out! God loves you and He’s for you so you can keep sailing for more adventures with Him!

Psalm 23: 2b- 3 …He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

Mark 39:40 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. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Colossians 2:6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.

Psalm 25:1 O Lord, I give my life to You.

Psalm 103:5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

I Will Give You Rest

I Will Give You Rest

All of our grandkids love to spend the night with us. We enjoy it too. From the time they were tiny they have almost always slept the entire night when staying with us. Even little Stella, if she is here in the late afternoon, is liable to fall asleep.  It’s like they just can’t help it. They are so relaxed here that sleep hits them soundly and they succumb to it. They all try to stay up late but one by one they fall out. I’m glad to know they are that comfortable here. 

We adults like to have our rest too. Only by the time we’re grown we have lots on our mind. Sometimes it’s counting and recounting the bills. Or it may be the pressure of work and family life. Other times it’s health concerns or work situations. Whatever it is, we tend to stay awake and play it over in our minds.  We think we have to lose sleep over things we can do nothing about in the middle of the night.  Sleep can become a regular absentee if we don’t find a way to get a good night’s rest. We become sluggish, listless and even crabby. More coffee doesn’t help the situation either. We look for something to help us, but the things of life keep rushing back into our minds. We need rest.

Oh beloved, you have been carrying some mighty heavy burdens and you have gotten very weary. Whether it’s regrets from yesterday, worries about today or lack of hope for tomorrow, you are worn out from trying to figure it all out. Even the things you can do nothing about want to play themselves over and over in your mind. This continual weariness wears out your heart and your spirit as well as your mind.

God wants you to know that He will give you the rest you need. You can lay your burdens at His feet, every single one of them.  As you give each burden to Him He changes your whole perspective. If He has your burdens, then you can rest. He wants you to know that He knows about every burden you insist on carrying – every single one. He wants you to know you were never meant to carry a single burden, but you have always been destined to give your heart, your life, your mind and your burdens to Him. He will either relieve you of them entirely, removing them from your life- He can do that you know. Or He will change their perspective and give you opportunity to deal with them as possibilities rather than unmanageable situations. He wants you to know that He walked up the hill of Golgotha and carried everything you are weighed down with to the Cross. He felt the burden and took it from you permanently.

God also wants you to know that the rest you need is found in Him alone. Jesus is holding His arms out to you this very day to come to Him. Give Him your heart, let Him renew your mind and remove your burdens. It’s already been done at Calvary. All you have to do is come to Jesus. Whether it is your first encounter with the Risen Lord or you need to rededicate yourself to His Truth – do it today. He is able to make all grace abound to you. He is able to give you a spiritual rest that will change your entire perspective about your life and His love and care.

God loves you and He’s for you – rest in that promise and find rest for your weary heart as He makes all things new for you.

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

Psalm 91:1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

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

Ready to Take a Cruise? Hold Onto the Captain of the Ship!

We’ve been asked if we’d ever like to take a cruise. I just don’t know. I love swimming, but really only where I can see the bottom and know I’m not in over my head. I am not sure I like the idea that I would be in a tiny floating town in 2 mile deep water. Cruising along with creatures that can eat you doesn’t make me feel safe at all. Probably the nearest thing to a ship I’ve ever been on is a houseboat and it was moored at the time. This is still a possibility and we will continue to think about it. 

I’m not known for my risky adventures. But there are some ships that I’ve traveled on – relationships, friendships, hardships to name a couple. Smooth sailing most of the time. With these three ships I’ve taken some huge risks. Some of the trips on these ships have required me to get out of my comfort zone. Some have been rocky trips, making me seasick with pain. 

To go on the friendship cruise you have to dare to be real and dare to love. This friendship cruise can last for years and years. Occasionally the trip is cut short through no fault of your own. Don’t quit loving, don’t quit being real. That ship has sailed but another one is coming again soon. This is a cruise you don’t have to take. It’s a choice. But the choice is worth it. Rich and rewarding can be the best words if you’re willing. 

Relationship cruises require complete honesty and total selflessness. Big words those both are. Honesty requires you to be authentic, candid and open with those closest to you. Selflessness simply means as the 70’s song said, “think a little more of others and a little less of me”. This cruise can last a lifetime if you go with someone who also wants to travel the world with you. Again, you can leave this one off your itinerary but for those who go it promises great rewards. Make sure you know all about this one before you go – you want to travel with like-minded people who will lift you up and not put you down; those who know the ropes and are willing to share their faith with you as you grow along the way.

The hardship cruise is one no sane person will sign up for ahead of time. Nope. It just shows up one day on your lawn of all things. It’s a rough, rough road to get to the seas that will prove to be choppy and dangerous. You’ll meet some interesting things on this cruise – adversity, lack, need, suffering, rejection. The entire trip is under hard conditions. No let up, no great stops along the way. Just the continual rocking of your heart and mind and spirit until you feel you can’t take another minute and you cry and try to jump ship. This trip is usually the most lonesome of trips for the people you met on the friendship and the relationship sometimes don’t want to go with you when you travel this way. 

You’ll need to carry supplies on all the ships you travel on. Hope – which is the conviction that the trip makes sense regardless of how it turns out. Peace – this will guard your heart and mind better than a Dramamine. The Word of God –you will have plenty of time to read and you will want to find the Truth regarding things you encounter along the way. 

God speaks to my heart: You don’t always get to choose which ship you are traveling on and when you can disembark. But you can always be sure that I AM going to be with you wherever you travel. You will never be totally alone because I AM your closest ally, your most worthwhile relationship and the Captain of even the roughest seas. You can travel in safety. You can trust the harbor. You can rejoice in the midst of it all as you look to Me for all your needs whether at home or away. I love you. So I will send you people to help for a season. I am with you, so I will give you relationships that will build your faith. I will let you go through hardships, knowing that you will grow stronger and more steadfast here than any other trip you take. Your trip is not your destination. I AM the one who travels before you to prepare you for everything you may need, not only along the way, but all the way to the moment you leave for heaven.

Oh beloved, let God lead you! He knows your past. He knows your present situation. He knows your future. His desire is that you let Him be the captain of your life so that no matter where you go, how you travel or what the conditions, you will learn to rely on Him more and more. The only place of true safety is in trusting in the Lord, relying on the Holy Spirit and living in the Light of His Word. God loves you and He’s for you. That’s why, no matter what ship you sail on, the Gospel Ship will be your best voyage ever as you learn to trust Jesus for the entire cruise.

Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

Isaiah 43:1 But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

Proverbs 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend; 

Joshua 1:9 This is My command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. NLT

Looking for Wisdom and Power?

The last couple of days have been so very nice, weather wise. We’ve hardly turned the heat on and it’s very pleasant this morning. Weird thing is, we’ve been under a winter weather advisory since yesterday. I see no winter weather out my window. I feel no chill yet. But the weather forecaster says the cold is returning, even if temporary. That means we’ll have to turn the heat on again. I’m tired of the roar of the central heat. I’m especially tired of the high electric bills. Last month we used wood heat on the coldest days and still our electric bill was even higher.

We’re thinking it’s time to upgrade our system. You’d think we’d have already done it, but weighing the expense to the savings up till now has made removing the old original system not so money wise. But now with the electric bill soaring every month we think it may be time. It’s a functional thing. Have a huge electric bill every month or pay for a new system. We’ve looked at some units and now Danny will be doing some real research to prepare for the upgrade.

We can’t control the weather. But we can work to make our home as efficient as possible. We can’t keep from preparing for more winter, even though today it feels so wonderful. We’ll have to turn on the thermostat before the day is out and we are prepared.  

God speaks to my heart: Just as you cannot control the weather, you are not in control of the changes in life. You plan, you prepare, you pinch pennies, you watch for signs, but plummeting situations are sure to come into your life. While you can’t control the circumstances of life, you can prepare for the worst of them. Each and every time you face the wintry blasts of life is an opportunity to upgrade your life in Christ. It’s a learning experience for each of my children. While heating and air systems are about function, I AM about relationship. I want you to get closer to Me. I want you to reach out to the Word when things look grim. I AM the one who is calling you back to Me. I will be there for you to guide, direct and oversee. And even though it seems so hard to go through, your bond with Me will grow sweeter and more intimate, surer and more confident.

Oh beloved, now is the time to run to the Lord. Before things get any worse, before your cost rises. Before you think you can’t make it anymore. He is ever ready for your  worst circumstances. They are no big thing to Him for He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He can get you through the worst, He can give you victory in the midst of the fray. He will show Himself to be all you ever needed as you live in the light of His Word. No matter what you have or who you are in the natural, it won’t help to call on your own resources when it all plummets to fear, worry or pain. Only in calling on the Lord can you find a way through the pressures of life. When the news shouts disaster, whether weather, war or famine – you can call on your Savior and He will show Himself to be all you ever needed to start with.

God loves you.  Because Jesus went to the cross you can count on that love forever. God is for you.  Because Jesus faced the enemy and was victorious on your behalf you can count on His watchful care forever.  Stay very close to Him, read His Word, get to know Him more, for it will be in the knowledge of Him that you will be able to triumph over the changing weather of life as you learn to live in the light of His Word.

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

Job 12:13 But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are His.

Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Colossians 2:2-3 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

There is Help in the Midst of it All

A few days ago one of our friends posted that he was in his office early in the morning and heard a rumble and felt the house shake. His daughter, who had been asleep, was suddenly up and fearful. They weren’t sure what had happened.  Turns out it was an earthquake! We hear lots of horror stories from California and other countries but Arkansas? They happen occasionally but a magnitude of nearly 3.0 makes for quite a shaking.

While the shaking of their house was only momentary, they’ve been in a shakeup of a much bigger magnitude. His beloved was ill for some time and she was called home to heaven just a few months ago. A huge gap has been left in their lives. Our friend knows the Lord and He knows where she is, but the shaking of his life still has tremors. It may be a while before things settle and probably only when he gets to heaven will he feel completely steady again. But he knows where his strength lies and we pray daily for him to hang onto that strength.

There are all kinds of earthquakes that come into our lives.  Just as we can’t predict the geological kind, we cannot predict the appearance of the shakeups that we endure. We cannot fully prepare for how we will feel during the shakeup either.  When we are in the middle of the sensations of trouble we feel that we will be thrown to the ground. We wonder if the roof will fall in or if we will be overwhelmed. After the initial quake, there often comes a tidal wave of emotions. What do we do? Where can we go? Why did this happen? Who will help? Will it ever end?

God speaks to our hearts. He speaks words of love and affirmation to us as He steadies our hearts in the midst of the panic. I AM the one who will see you through. Not just this quake, but all tremors that want to send your heart into your throat. Your panic is my opportunity to speak peace into your life.  I have no desire to ruin your life. My only desire is that each time you feel the earth move and hear the rumble of turmoil you will turn to Me.  Life is temporary and often it holds hard times that want to shake the foundation of your faith. But I will never let you be destroyed.

Oh beloved, some of the things that we go through have huge magnitude on our lives. They are literally earth shattering. And yet God’s promises remain unshaken.  Precious one, if you will look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, and put your hand in His, He will walk you through the quakes and beyond the rubble.  Just as earthquakes don’t last forever, neither do hard times. You cannot let your earthly circumstances disable you spiritually. Trust God no matter what. Run to Him for He is your only place of ultimate safety. God will not only get you through, He will make you stronger. And your strength will help others through the earthquakes they go through. Speak often of God’s redeeming grace and rehearse His promises in the midst of the overwhelming tide.

God loves you and He’s for you. And His promises can be trusted as you stand in the midst of whatever happens in life, knowing that God will never let anything overtake you. You are safe in His arms always.

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 40:17 Since I am afflicted and needy, Let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God.

Psalm 94:17 If the Lord had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.

Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.

Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

Isaiah 41: 10 Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Psalm 46: 1-3,11 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Looking for Comfort? Go No Further than the Lord

Yesterday evening we delivered our granddaughter and her friend to a huge youth event. After helping serve supper to about 800 of those youth, we went to our motel room in town to settle in for the night. I actually fell asleep pretty quickly.  As I had drifted off to sleep it was quiet and the temperature was just right.  

I woke up about an hour later to a loud noise from outside, along with the realization it had grown quite warm in the room. It was a rude awakening from my restful state. Our chance to get away for a few days of leisure turned into a noisy interruption. 

Thankfully the thermostat was quickly adjusted. And thankfully also we found the noise outside our door to be a charter bus, which was warming up to pull away from the motel. Soon it was quiet again.

I picked up my phone for a moment to check the “news” on facebook. We have quite a few friends who are going through some rough stuff in their life. As I look at their posts, some of them are full of information about their quiet life’s interruption of pain, agony, disease, distress, loss and more.

Maybe your life has been interrupted too. You were enjoying everything just as it was. Good health, good marriage, good job, bright future and endless happiness. For most of us things slip up suddenly and we find ourselves face to face with the very thing that we never wanted to see. The temperature has been turned up and we’re flush with worry for the future. The noise pounding in our ears feels like it will never stop.  We become stressed, distressed and can’t seem to feel blessed anymore.  I know many of you have the noise and heat of life’s turmoil drowning out any other sounds.

Where can you go? What can you do? Escape is no alternative, for the bus is right outside your door and it is threatening to run you completely over. The thermostat of tribulation is stuck on high and you’re wringing wet with agony. Stress is all you feel. And you want to escape it all.  You just want it over so you can get back to your normal, everyday, beloved life.

It’s rough out there. And it’s rough where you are right now. Only God knows the final outcome. Only God knows the future, beyond your present troubles. Only God knows when the noise will quiet and the heat will subside. But He has made us promises for those times when nothing is going right. When the hurts and anguish and pressure and pain are almost unbearable, He has made sure and magnificent promises to get you through.

As the hymn writer penned, “There is a place of quiet rest. Near to the heart of God.” This is our shelter in the storm, our hideaway in the heat, our peace in the midst of it all. We’re promised that God will be with us through it, in it and beyond it. We’re not given the exact time the heat will subside or the noise will become quiet, but we are promised He will be with us, to comfort us, to bless us and to remain faithfully by our side all the days of our life.

Oh beloved, although you cannot run from your present circumstances, you can run to the Lord, who is with you! He has given you all His precious promises contained in His book of love. They are there to encourage you, to equip you, give you rest and get you through it all. Open up the Word of God and seek after your Word for the moment. Memorize it. Write it out. Tape it to your mirrors, post it on your dashboard. Stick it on your refrigerator. Believe it. Rest in it. Open up your heart and let Him soothe it with His balm of comfort. Let Him hold you in His everlasting arms. Let Him show you that He is able to do what only He can do. Even though your situation seems so unreal, His Word is real. Together you will make it. Together you will survive the onslaught. Together you will walk in peace knowing that, because He loves you and He’s for you, there will be quiet right now and peace forever as you rest in the light of His Word.

Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me.

Isiaiah 40:11 Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His heart…

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

Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Psalm 34:17-18 The Lord hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.  Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for You.

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Merry Christmas Beloved!

Merry Christmas! Such precious words. Such a miracle message. Such a joy and delight. Christmas. How very blessed we are to be able to celebrate a holiday with the One who has given us life and breath and opportunities.  This babe in a manger is no fictitious childhood story that must eventually be outgrown and put away.  His glory does not tarnish. His value does not lessen. He remains the same yesterday, today and forever.  While much about the holidays celebrated is so much pomp and circumstance, storybook adventures and wives’ tales, this message is eternal. This King of Kings is faithful and true.

You may be thinking as you rise early this morning that you left something out of your plans. You forgot a gift, you didn’t remember the cranberries, you don’t have enough cola or punch.  You may be wishing you could undo an error, repair a rejection, restore a friendship or regain a trust.  You may be missing a loved one, longing for a kind touch or wishing you could do things differently.  You might wonder if it will ever be perfect, if the gifts will fit or if anyone will care.  Right about now you may be coming face to face with the fact that you’re not perfect, people aren’t perfect and life is not perfect.

Look beyond all that. Look once more at the manger, the cross, the tomb and the sky. The Light of the World has arrived! The Savior of the nations has been here! The tomb where all your mistakes, mishaps and missteps have been laid to rest is empty! And the sky, where your hope of glory awaits is full of promise, full of mercy, full of grace. Keep watching the horizon, keep searching for His return for He is coming again!

Oh beloved, Jesus is the reason for the season to be sure. But it’s more than that!  He’s the reason you live and move and have your being. You are no accident, this day is not an error and your life is no mistake. You are waking up to the most wonderful day of your year. You are alive and you are capable of taking in His Truth and living out His purpose.  Rejoice in all you are In Him! He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Prince of your peace, the Counselor with all your answers and the Majestic One Who is praying for you day and night at the Father’s Right Hand.

Quickly, before others get up and the day gets covered in wrapping paper, ribbons and too much food. Slip into the Father’s waiting arms and read His book of love! Every wonderful Truth is your gift from Him to you.  He is everything He says He is. He does everything He says He will do. Open all the gifts, don’t leave one unopened. Rest in His care, delight in His presence, grow in His grace, feast on His manna and walk in His anointing.

Merry Christmas beloved of God. True happiness is found in Him. Overcoming life is met in Him. Purpose and victory, honor and commitment are abounding through Him. He loves you and He’s for you and those gifts cannot be taken from you  all the days of your life.

Colossians 2:9-10 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Ephesians 1:6-8  So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.  He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

1 Corinthians 1:7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Habakkuk 3:18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and He is eternal life.

Stormy Weather No Problem for Jesus

You will probably receive two devotionals on Sunday. (Saturday's devo escaped my plans to put it on the blog!)

Here is Saturday's:

Can you believe this weather? This is officially the first day of winter and it’s 70 degrees at my house where and in just a few days we’ll celebrate the birth of Christ. There was thunder and lightning last night with at least one tornado warning in the area. Today is projected to be stormy as well.  People want to panic because they don’t have everything done and it’s the last Saturday before Christmas.

I am thinking of the Lord and His disciples in the boat during the storm. They were panicked. They were in the presence of God and yet when the storm arose they lost it. I see them scurrying around, batting down the hatches, pulling in the sails and wondering if they would even survive. They were upset that Jesus slept while they prepared and worried and planned their own demise.

The facts of their situation included their knowledge of storms. That’s about all they allowed themselves to think about. They were so caught up in the momentary problem that they couldn’t see anything else. They had walked with Jesus everywhere and had seen Him perform miracle after miracle and yet in their own stormy situation they couldn’t think straight.

Would they have been happier if Jesus had jumped up in a panic with them? Would they have been glad that He was helping prepare for the end? Of course not. They wanted Jesus to do something and He didn’t seem to be doing anything but sleep!

And we are there. At least some of us are. We’re in a boat of our own making, in the storm of our life and water is lapping at our throats. We’re tossed in the sea of troubles when we should be resting in His promises. But we think He’s sleeping. We think He doesn’t know we don’t have enough time, enough money, or enough presence of mind to make it. We’re in the storm of our life and we know we’re going to drown. Where is God when we need Him? It’s only a few days until we celebrate His birthday yet we don’t feel His presence at all. We’re in a panic. We don’t know what to do first or which way to go but this storm in our life is going to do us in.

Oh beloved, God knows what the weather is like at your house and in your heart. He knows the trouble you are facing. He knows it’s only a few days until everything is supposed to be just perfect and yet He cannot be found in your panic. It’s too loud. It’s deafening and the roar will only get louder…until you come and sit at His feet. He promises, whether it’s Christmas or not, to still the storm or get you through it. It’s not what He does that makes the difference nearly as much as simply His presence. No more babe in the manger, you are protected by the King of Kings! No more a crucified Christ, you are watched over by the Risen Lord! No more vacated Savior, you have the Holy Spirit residing in you! He’s not ignoring your storm, He’s making all things new for you. He’s not aloof, He’s living proof! He’s not away, He’s holding the enemy at bay. All the hopes and fears of all your years are satisfied in Christ.

Quit watching the storm and look instead to the wonderful reminders of God’s glory and grace all around you! Open up the Book of Books and read about you, your situation and your Savior. He loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you can be assured He will get you through this storm and safely to shore to celebrate with Him forever!

Luke 8:24-25 The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then He asked them, “Where is your faith?”

Psalm 31:22 In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But You heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.

Psalm 121:4 Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

Psalm 29:10-11 The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Jesus is About To Arrive on the Scene of Your Situation

This is the advent season.  We are counting down the days to Jesus’ Birthday.  Admittedly most of Christmas is around children waiting for a jolly generous gift giver in a red suit. But advent reminds us that Jesus’s impending birth is near.  And advent helps us remember the details surrounding His birth. From the tax decree to the angels heralding his birth, there is much to read about the days of preparation for His birth. Joseph was preparing to pay his taxes, Mary was preparing to travel during the last days of her pregnancy, and Jesus was preparing to be born. Even the angels were preparing. And God was continuing His preparations. From the manger to the star to the holy birth in extreme conditions, all was part of the preparation of what was to come.

We’re making lots of preparations for Christmas. Everything must be just so in order for things to be pulled off without a hitch. But I’m reminded that it seems to me that Jesus’ birth was anything but trouble free. Would I have wanted to ride a donkey at 9 months pregnant? Would I have wanted to give birth in a barn? Wouldn’t I have wanted everything to be just right for my baby? And just right for my health and safety?

But Jesus is about to arrive on the scene. He’s about to begin His short years on earth. He’s about to change everything. From the time He is born to the time He dies, everything changes everywhere He goes. When is a King ever born in obscurity? No silver spoon here, for He is destined for a cross and a grave.

How is your Christmas going? How is the life you were meant to live coming along? Where is the light in your darkness, the festivities in your hardship, the love in your loneliness? It’s tough for you, God knows it. Things are not like you want them to be. And try as you might, just as Joseph knocked on the door of the inn and found no room, you have found no relief. You’ve prayed, you’ve hoped,  you’ve even tried to work things out yourself. You’ve griped,  you’ve begged, you’ve stomped your foot. But things have not changed and still you are stuck with a tarnished holiday full of unfulfilled hopes and dreams.  You find it hard to believe that you are in the situation you find yourself in. You did all the right things and yet you find yourself face to face with rejection, humiliation, depression and fear. None of those things are fit for a child of the King, yet you are there. And you are wondering if it will ever change, if prayers will ever be answered and if God ever really cares.

Oh beloved, this is your advent. Jesus is about to arrive on the scene of your desperate situation. He’s going to open the door of your heart and let the warmth and beauty of all He is come and make things new. And He comes no longer a babe in a manger, but a risen King and Lord.  He comes with the response to the enemy’s taunts, the answer to your heart’s desires and the Light for your darkest moments. Nothing in all creation can keep God from changing everything. Just His presence changes your heart and mind. All His promises are being fulfilled for you whether you see them or not. Just as Caesar August sent out a decree in those days, God has sent out a decree from the foundation of the world. 

It may look bleak but look beyond the now. It may seem impossible, but keep your eyes on Jesus. It may be that others say it’s hopeless, but you are looking for Jesus’s promises to be fulfilled. You will run and not crawl, you will leap and not fall, you will rejoice and not weep, you will praise and not pout. You have nothing to fear and everything to rejoice about as you wait in anticipation for Jesus to arrive and make all things new.  

God loves you. He loves you with an everlasting love. It never fails, it never gives up and it never runs  out on you. And He’s for you. He’s on your side making sure that all things work together for your good. You can trust Him, you can praise Him, you can thank Him and you can rejoice in Him not just at Christmas but every single day of your life.

John 12:46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.

Ephesians 1:18-20  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might  which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.

Psalm 106:12 Then His people believed his promises. Then they sang His praise. 

Go Ahead! Pick Every Ornament from the Lord's Tree!

Our littlest granddaughter loves to pick ornaments from our tree. She will stand and look and fidget and talk and then plop one has been taken in her sweet little hands. Of course this gets a rash of no no’s and don’t do that’s! To which she responds in her baby talk “but I want that!” Sometimes we miss the picking and find an ornament in the kitchen floor or behind a chair later when she’s gone. Just like all children, she loves the shiny baubles and unusual delights hanging. We have lots of lights on our tree as well so all the ornaments shine.

While we like our trees to be merry and bright representations of Christmas in our hearts, we really like the tree to stay full of the things we put on its boughs. Imagine people coming into our homes and going to the tree to pick an ornament and take it with them. Why we’d have nothing left. Our tree would be bare. The things we cherish the most would be gone.

Jesus is the Light and Savior of the world. He came and filled the tree of our lives full of wonderful things. Priceless treasures we can’t hope to have in our own meager means. Each facet of His life holds wonder and awe. From the cross to the grave to heaven – He made the choice to give Himself away so that we could have it all. And now He daily presents those things to us as ornaments hang on the tree.

But the difference is, He says go ahead pick. Choose each ornament. Take it home with you. Live with it. Display it. Shine it. Wear it. But not just on your sweater, wear it in y our heart. Everything God has for us is an object of the heart, for our good and for His glory. It shines, oh how it shines – each and every gifted ornament that’s supposed to be worn by a believer.

What do we see on the tree of life that Jesus has decorated so beautifully? We see Salvation – choose it first, for unless you have that, the other ornaments won’t even budge from the limbs. Choose reconciliation. That’s one of the most beautiful ornaments of the Christian – for it reconciles us to God and it reconciles us with others. Sanctification is another lovely jewel – we must pick it for that’s our key to becoming heavenly minded. Then there are the other wonders of the life in Christ: love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and more. There is mercy and forgiveness and righteousness as well! There is purpose – and oh how we all long to live a life of purpose.

No child of God ever has to live in want of any of the beautiful things God has. Even when life around you seems sorrowful, weary or lackluster, the ornaments of the Christian life will warm your heart and keep your mind on Him no matter what.

Oh beloved, go ahead! Run and pick every ornament God has from His tree of life! It’s all yours for the taking. No holding back. No waiting in line. No wondering if you’ll be scolded. Everything is freely given and never runs out.   Open up God’s book of love and see what all He has waiting for you, just for the taking to the heart that belongs fully to Him. While sorrow, sadness and pain can be a huge part of the holiday season, Christ is the reason for Christmas and Christmas can be enjoyed fully with awe and wonder as we look to the One Who loves us unconditionally and watches over us with uninterrupted care.

Jesus desires that your arms and heart are full of His wonder and His joy as you live in the light of His Word.

Romans 6:23b …the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption…

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ

Trim the Tree With the Word of God

Now that our Christmas tree is up we have begun decorating its boughs. Among the decorations are the old ornaments of my childhood. Then there are the school crafts of our grown children.  Along with those somewhat tattered memories are the mementos of of vacations and trips.  Many years of ornament collecting from the 50 ‘s to now. Each one is a collectible and I try to add one new ornament each year. Our kids and grandkids look forward to our tree holding precious keepsakes every year. You could say it’s a memory tree.

What are you decorating your tree with this year?

If we were to decorate our lives like we do our Christmas trees, with memories of the past, how would our trees look? Would the boughs hold sweet reminders of wonderful times? These memories add to our lives – they enhance the view of our past and help us enjoy our present as well as encourage us to look forward to our futures.

Or would the limbs showcase our disappointments, our futility, our rejections, mistakes, and more. Would we put the best ornaments forward or would we try to display every hurt, humiliation and heartache for the world to see?

While the ornaments on Christmas trees across the country remind folks of precious memories, we must be careful not to decorate our memories with those things that do nothing for Kingdom living. We cannot relive our past mistakes nor hold onto our future fears.  It’s not going to do anyone any good, especially us, if we bring up old mementos of bad days we wish had never happened and relive each and every one over and over every year.

We must choose carefully those things we choose to adorn our lives with. The beauty of God’s peace should be our shining star. No one has such wonderful peace as those who have given their lives, with the entire load of guilt, pain, remorse, regrets and failures, to the Lord. The Light of salvation, rich and full and free, should shine brightly among every single bough. No need to go cheap on this light for the more you share it among the limbs, the more it will shine out for others to see.  Pick out the best to put on the front – joy, faith, contentment, kindness, forgiveness, gentleness and more. These are beautifully painted and color our hearts and lives with inner radiance.  While the sorrowful things of life tend to weigh life down, those good and gracious and precious memories tend to lift up the heart and make merry.

As you prepare to decorate your tree, take a moment to review your life. Now is as good a time as any to look over each memory to see if it’s worth carrying to the tree. Why don’t you just box up those things that might bring you to despair or weigh you down? Keep them in the box, don’t bring them out again – those ornaments only bring more pain and more heaviness.  In fact, why don’t you just hand that box full of things you cannot handle on your own and give them to the One Who can dispose of them correctly? He will take your hurts, your pain, your regrets and your failures, along with future fears and discontentment and remove them as far as the east is from the west. You’ll never have to deal with them again when they’re given to Him. And if they try to show back up in the future you can refuse ownership of them, reminding yourself that God has handled all your broken, disfigured and torn memories.

Oh beloved, isn’t it time to decorate the tree fresh and new? Bring out the best that God has to offer – priceless ornaments of life that were purchased for you freely and without conditions!  His adornment of His peace will be all you will feel in your heart and see in your mind as you hand your entire collection of life to the One Who came to release you from it all. You won’t be empty handed, for He will fill your life with all good things as you portray His Truth about you.

God loves you and He’s for you and those are trimmings that never grow old no matter how many times you decorate your heart and mind with them.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 119:162 I rejoice in Your word like one who discovers a great treasure.

Philippians 4:8 …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.

Colossians 3:10 …and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.

No Panic in Heaven Even When You Feel Stuck

Our youngest granddaughter Stella does not like her car seat.  She’s a bit of a Houdini and can wriggle herself out of anything less than a fully buckled in contraption.  Given a long enough ride in the car and she will begin to maneuver to get loose. “I stuck!” she will declare quite loudly. Lots of noise is made as well. Grunting, groaning and more declarations of her situation. It’s cute to us but she’s serious in that once she’s had enough we all know she’s had enough. She has no problem expressing herself, especially when she’s “stuck”.  Same thing happens when she’s trying to dislodge a toy from the toy box. “Stuck!” she loudly proclaims until she manages to pull the right toy loose from the pile inside the box.  Relief comes when Stella is freed from being “stuck”. Sometimes the situation gets so desperate for her that you can hear panic rising in her voice. “S T U C K!” Someone generally tries to come to her aide in those situations, either by calming her down or by helping her get the toy released. If you know anything about Stella’s story you know she has plenty of help – nobody lets her fret for long!

I think about times in my own life when I have felt “stuck”.  You know the times.  When we feel bound by life’s situations and circumstances we are like Stella – we begin to lament, often loudly, “I’m stuck!” We’re strapped in and feel like we’re in the longest, roughest ride of our lives. It’s hard to feel anything but the pressure of the straps of life. We can’t do the driving, we can’t choose the road, we can’t take a deep breath. We cannot get relief and we don’t know if relief will ever come. Are we destined to live stuck? Are we never going to get out of the situation and walk away?

Other times we are trying to get hold of things we want. They don’t seem to want to dislodge so we can take possession of them. We groan and struggle and huff and puff. Still that thing we think we must have is stuck. We continue to work and plan and beg and plead – just because we want it. Maybe we’ve been told we could have it so we’re trying to make it happen. Frustration, consternation, impatience and fury come to our assistance but they are no help at all.  Will we ever take hold of it? Will that prize ever come from beneath the pile holding it down so we can possess it? We find ourselves in a panic and that just makes things worse.

God speaks to my heart: My precious child. There is no panic in heaven. When you are stuck in the situation you don’t like and you are fretting and pleading and trying to force your way out, I am there. Nothing that comes into your life causes panic in the Kingdom. While you may be surprised at the sudden trap of trouble, trial or testing, I cannot be caught by surprise. While you are in a panic I am fulfilling My purpose in you. It is a teachable moment for you as you learn to let panic go and allow My peace to enter in.  In due time I will loosen the hold of the momentary light afflictions you are going through and you will feel free again. Don’t try to make things happen on your own – you’ll just stay frustrated. Relax your hold on even those things that are promises you have received. In due season you will reap everything I have for you. In time, the thing that seems so elusive, the promise that hasn’t come forth will be released to you.  You can trust Me in the meantime and relax for it is peace that will guard your heart and your mind so that you can quit being frustrated. I AM that I AM. No panic, just peace. No fuming, just faith. Look to Me when you feel you can’t go another moment and I will carry you through to the better day. I am loosening the hold life has on you little by little. Although it’s imperceptible to you, one day you will see just how truly free you really are in Me.

Oh beloved, replace that frown with praise! God is with you in your situation. God is working it all out for your good and His glory. God is changing things for you so that you will learn to walk free in Him, no matter what happens.  He loves you and He’s for you so you can rest in His promises for the rest of your life, free as a believer in Christ! Ultimately His goal is that you become more and more like Him. Relax, rejoice and remain – abide in Him and watch as He turns things around just for you.

I Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

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

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.