May You Live in More Power

May You Live in More Power


We took some time to be with all our grandchildren during this week of spring break. We did a trek to the DeSoto Bluff area on the Caddo River and then on to the lower lake area of Lake DeGray for some kite flying. It had been windy most of the day but when we got out to the lake the wind wasn’t consistent. Grandsons would take turns trying to run as Popaw held the stri...ng and then vice versa. Finally, they gave up. Without enough wind strong enough to lift the kite and keep it flying, there was just a lot of work running and trying and failing to get airborne.

God spoke to my heart: You are destined to run and fly with Me. But you’ll never truly get off the ground nor have sustained momentum without the wind of the Holy Spirit. You may run short distances, jump low boundaries and have little bursts of energy, but without the Holy Spirit there is no chance you will succeed, even in the good times. I AM not concerned about what you can or cannot do in the flesh. I AM not about your education or your stock portfolio or your hobbies. I AM beyond all that. And because I want you to fly high with Me, I AM overlooking the things of the flesh that you count as such value. I don’t use personal bests, I overcome personal weakness. Whether you are overlooking the bluff of fear or you are running the race of hardship, I AM going to show you how to live life in Me. Hang on to the string of My Word, because you are headed beyond yourself. Worn out? Tired? Stretched thin? Hit the ground face down? That’s alright. Now we will go together and I will lead. My Spirit is your only opportunity to maintain momentum of your faith, your life or your love. Other folks may look like they are doing great things, maybe even for God, but unless they are moved and have their being solely in Christ they are just doing so much exercise. In Me you will succeed where before you have failed. In Me you will sustain growth where you have lost ground before. Don’t look back to the way it was, just run forward, under My guidance and in My power and you will go where you’ve never gone before. The past is just that, passed – it’s not something you can relive or regain, but beloved, I AM teaching you to rely on Me alone, so that you have strength beyond yourself for everything you need in the days ahead.

Oh beloved, aren’t you blessed! You no longer have to struggle to make yourself look good or be good. You don’t have to hope you have the strength to keep up appearances. You can soar with the eagles and fly high as the birds while holding onto Jesus. He will take you beyond yourself and into His flight pattern, sustained by His Holy Spirit wind and the Word of God. You’ve been struggling and getting tied up in knots trying to overcome your past, make things happen or to be somebody, but that no longer matters. Let God untangle the mess and release you from the flesh. His perfect will is found in Him alone. Your perfect plan for life is found in Him as well. Rejoice in the weakness as you learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit and live a life that is built completely on Christ.

God loves you and He’s for you, so you can let go the things that are holding you down, grab hold of Him and fly!

Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me.

2 Chronicles 32:8 “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Psalm 75:10 For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.

Psalm 23:3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

Looking for True Strength and Real Freedom?

Zoos have always held a lot of enjoyment for us.  One time we were watching small monkeys and one of them had their hand caught in the cage. It seems the little animal had wanted something that was outside the cage. After grasping the item, their paw was then a fist. That fist wouldn’t fit back through the cage. Try as he might, the arm was not budging. No amount of squealing, jumping or pulling was going to achieve a thing. Only when he let go of the object he had so wanted was he able to pull his arm back inside the cage was he able to free himself from entanglement.

Traveling through the airports now, it’s a big deal to go through the checkpoint to get on the plane. You empty your pockets and get every little thing checked. There are simply some things you cannot take on board with you. If you insist on taking things that they don’t allow, you will be barred from your flight. Fight them, argue with them, demand your rights – it all turns out the same. You will not be carrying anything on the plane they consider unfit. The only way to be free to travel is to learn how to pack.

There is a freedom God desires for you to walk in that will require you to let go of what is entangling you. It may be something you desperately want to keep or have desired for some time. It could be a person, place or thing.  You want to be free, but you keep hanging on. If you will let go you will find the freedom that is best for a child of God. He doesn’t want your stuff, but He does want your heart. And it’s amazing how much stuff and hearts are intertwined.

There are places  God wants to take you that will require you to unpack some things that you’ve carried around with you as well.  You simply cannot travel the heights with the Lord while hanging onto baggage. You’ll need to drop that unforgiveness. Lose the fear. Toss out the worry. Empty the guilt. While you’re at it, get rid of the lies: you know - the things you’ve believed about yourself that are so untrue for a child of the Most High God. 

Just as we are embarking on a New Year, you are embarking on a new day with the Lord. You may have heard His call but you’ve been living with a knotted fist and insisting on your rights to carry the junk with you everywhere you go. You think a new day would be great, but what about your stuff?

God speaks to our hearts doesn’t He?  Where you are today is not where I want to take you. I have wonderful plans for your life and for your new year. If you are willing you will walk in My freedom and your load will be light. But you’ll have to trust Me to prepare you for the trip.  Don’t look at what you are losing, look instead at what you are gaining. It’s no accident that you find yourself in a quandary between your desires and My plans.  A new year will come whether you want it or not. 2013 is quickly becoming a vapor. My plans are for now. My plans are for your good. My desires for you are better than your desires for yourself. Don’t walk away from the terminal of decision and count it too much to lose. Remember that I desire freedom for my children and that freedom is found only in relinquishing your life into My loving care. You don’t have the strength to break the bars of your own entanglements. You don’t have enough weaponry of flesh to insist to carry junk you don’t need with you. It’s not about fleshly or secular strength. It’s about becoming obedient to Me that you find true strength and real freedom.

Oh beloved, what wondrous love is this, that God won’t leave us as we are. He never quits planning our lives for His glory. Our best travel and our greatest freedom is when God is in charge of everything.  Let Him take you to the next level as you lay aside the things that want to keep you earthbound. Relinquish every entanglement and watch as you learn to enjoy freedom in Christ. Oh how He loves us! So much that He refuses to leave us as we are! A better life is ahead for you as you live in the light of His Word!

John 14:1 Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.

Ephesians 4:21-23 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him,  throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Get Recharged and Receive Full Power!

My cell phone is not staying charged. I keep it hooked to a charger most of the time and yet it just never wants to hold full charge. Danny says I use it too much. But with those smart phones there’s so much you can do.  Check facebook, pin to pinterest, text friends,  post photos on instagram, check emails and even talk on it! The grandkids also like to use it to play games. So the battery gets depleted quickly.

Since I can’t seem to keep my battery charged, Danny has bought me a new charger with 2 extra batteries. He figures I at least ought to be able to use the charge of the extra battery to help me get through the day.

Our walk with the Lord is better than a smart phone! There are wonderful things available to us when the Lord changes our life.  The Word tells us we can overcome obstacles, reach out to others, walk in forgiveness, mercy and grace.  It also says we can fight the enemy, live for God and be a victorious warrior in Christ. Best of all, we can talk to the Lord 24/7. Anytime. Anywhere. 

Because we have much available to us in Christ, we have much responsibility to stay connected and full charged. Without a daily connection to the Spirit we lose our power. Without being full charged in the Lord, we will start running on the flesh. When we run in the flesh we get tired, fatigued, cranky, despondant. We lose our motivation and become self-centered. Before long all power seems gone. We wonder what happened. We try to “use” our blessings and find that we’ve hit a “dead zone”. Without the reconnection to God’s power supply we’re useless and frustrated.

Unlike cell phones, which require a physical battery to stay going, we just have to step back into God’s presence and recharge.  We just have to get alone with Him and let Him adjust our spiritual batteries so that He is fully in charge and we are fully recharging in Him.

Oh beloved,  do you feel like you’ve been running on empty? Have you been trying to use the gifts God gave you but they’re not working properly? God knows how busy you are and that everything you do is important. But He’s planned it so that you must spend time with Him and He wants to spend time with you. It‘s His joy and pleasure to recharge you, renew you and give you a fresh boost of faith, joy and peace.  Even if you have to stop and plug in from your busy day, it will be worth it. For the life of faith is impossible without His connection. But a life fully connected to Him, charged to the max – will give you all that you are running around trying to find, trying to do and trying to be.

Stop this morning and let God recharge you beloved. It is the best time you will ever spend in your busy day. It sheds light on your walk, lightens your load and gives you the power to live in the light of His Word! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s why you will always be blessed when He recharges your life.

1 Corinthians 1:30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

Colossians 1:10-12 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:5 …so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Psalm 63:2-3 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

Psalm 73:26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.

Are Your Cross Ties Secure?

Trains have been a source of enjoyment many times in my life. My dad took me on a train ride in East Texas from Tyler to San Antonio when I was about 10. We ate in the dining car and sat in the observation car.  There was also the Reader Railroad Camden that most kids, in south Arkansas at least, visited during school outings. 

A couple of weeks ago, while heading to church, we were caught by the train that goes through the small town we attend church in. We were right up near the crossing guardrail so we could see the train up close. I watched with amazement as the train wheels of each car rolled onto the rails. Those rails moved! They bent beneath the load of the cars. Although steel is incredibly strong it had to sway as the heavy cars rolled across. If it weren’t for the foundation of rock and cross ties the trains would surely come of their tracks.

The human spirit is strong indeed. Just look at our history.  We’ve overcome huge obstacles and created new countries by traveling across the seas in ships.  Yet in all our strength we are still frail. We bend beneath a load of care. We sway with the sorrow of hard times and we are often derailed by troubles, trials and disappointments.  

Unless we have a secure foundation, the heaviness of life will derail us. Unless we have the right stuff underneath us we are a train wreck just waiting to happen. But when we are secure we can ride the rails of life and never lose hope. We may sway but we won’t come off the track that God has set for us.  

That sure foundation is made of Cross Ties. Our lives must be tied to the cross, nails and all. We must look to the cross as our source of salvation, but not just that. We must look to the cross for strength for every day and to get us to our ultimate destination of heaven. When we are certain an impending wreck is about to happen we can call upon the Lord and He is the everlasting strength to get us through.

Have you been traveling a hard road? Are you unsure of the foundation beneath you? Does the load of cares, hurts, disappointments and more threaten to derail your faith? Do you look at the circumstantial scenery ahead and cringe with fear?  You know that in your own strength you’re not going to make it. At best you’ll be sidelined and at worst your life will be wrecked and useless. 

Oh beloved, run to the Conductor of your life! He’s given you the Ultimate Foundation when Christ went to the Cross.  That foundation never needs repair and the ties never need replacing. One cross is all you will ever need to make it on the rail of life.  He promises to be your everlasting foundation beneath you, your strength when you are weakest, and your way through when barriers block your life. He speaks and the mountains must move. He rides with you, goes before you and travels behind you. He is the bridge over the rivers that would seek to you.  He is everything you will ever need to make it all the way to heaven. He promises that nothing will derail you as long as you look to Him. 

God’s love will hold you up and His care will keep you rolling as you live in the light of His Word. Oh how He loves you and oh how He cares about you and that’s why you can trust Him and ride with Him all the days of your life.

I Corinthians 1:18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

I Corinthians 1:25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

2 Corinthians 13:4 Although He was crucified in weakness, He now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with Him and will have God's power.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (KJV)

Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.

Are You Hungry and Thirsty This Morning?

In the 40’s Automats were the rage in big cities. Automats were cafetrias where rotating vending machines of fresh food and beverages were purchased. Slip in a nickel and you’d get a fresh slice of delicious pie. Slip in a dime and you could buy macaroni and cheese.

I remember watching a movie about a young woman who came to make her fortune in New York. She had no money and she would come to the automat and make soup of hot water and tomato ketchup! She’s stir and fix and add salt and pepper and drink that stuff.

All that food rotating around, being replaced behind the machine with fresh food. It was kept full and literally the machines would never run out. But here was this woman drinking ketchup and hot water! The ketchup and hot water was free but not really tasty and not at all nutritious. Food everywhere but because she was without change in her purse, it was all she could do.

I am reminded this morning of the Word of God. It is an ever rotating completely full Automat of the Soul Body and Spirit. Everything needed for a healthy meal from the Lord is contained there.  Unlike the plight of the young woman in the movie, it’s all free! Our benefactor, the Owner of Heaven and Earth, has paid it all so that we, who are hungry, thirsty and empty can be filled! Every Word displayed on the pages of God’s Word is tasty and healthy and perfect for us.

Are you sitting at the cafeteria table of life and content to make ketchup soup when you could have the whole buffet? Maybe no one ever told you that you could partake of it all – without money, without any credentials other than the mark of Christ on your heart.  You’re hungry and thirsty and beginning to show signs of malnutrition.  Yet it’s all there, waiting for you to pick it up and partake of it.

Oh beloved,   today is your day! Run to the Word of God and partake of it all! Read it from page to page, cover to cover, chapter to chapter and verse to verse! It’s all about God’s love for His people, His bountiful supplies freely laid out for the taking! He’s wooing you and calling you to come and dine. Don’t stay content to sip on that which has no nourishment.  Don’t let the enemy tell you that this is all there is!

God’s Word is all yours because He loves you completely and He paid the ultimate price to give it all to you! God’s Word will sustain you, strengthen you, nourish you and give you the stamina to go the distance – all the way to heaven! God is for you, so He made a way for you to have everything you need for your life now and your life to come! Go ahead, reach out and enjoy!

Proverbs 4:20-22 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.

Isaiah 55:1 Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink--even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk--it's all free!

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.

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.

God's Word is the Best Medicine!

Several times lately I’ve been reminded of how much fun it is to give medicine to children! What we did to our own to get the medicine down now prompts feelings of sympathy for the grandchildren. Regardless of the reaction kids have, the medicine must give administered so that they get well and feel good again. Kids will beg not to take it, they will insist they’re going to die, they’ll run, they’ll hold their mouths, they’ll hide and more! We as parents must at times resort to holding them down and while we don’t want to cause pain we ultimately must be the grown-ups and take things in hand.


We are God’s children and we have a vast and awesome realm to enjoy as His children. All the gifts He gives so richly are ours. All the fruit of the Holy Spirit are ours to exhibit. All the promises in Him are yea and amen! All the realities of the faith are ours to walk in. All the joys and triumphs and honor are for us. We are most blessed!

There are times when we as believers get sick. We may be down and out or just reeling from life’s problems and trials. Sometimes we just walk away from little things we know God is leading us to do or we keep doing those things we know He is encouraging us not to do. We find ourselves at the end of our self-made rope and wonder how we got there and if we can hang on. Our strength gets sapped and our heart gets heavy.

Lovingly, our Father in heaven administered the balm of Gilead to our wounded hearts and spirits. He also applies the Word to our errant ways so we can get back to where we need to be. He may even use circumstances that we try to run from or avoid – all the while He’s simply lovingly trying to get our attention, so that we can remain safe in His arms and in fellowship with Him always.

Oh beloved, are you running from God? Have you gone your own way and found it to be a dead end? Maybe you’ve reached the end of your rope and you don’t know how you’ll make it back. Being out of fellowship with God is a hard pill to swallow. Maybe you’re dealing with mourning or loneliness or rejection. You feel sick at heart and in your spirit. God’s medicine is worth taking for it always makes you better. Don’t remain heartsick! Let God administer His loving touch! You don’t have to go another moment with fear of your mistakes, worry about your future or regrets for your life – God is holding out His Grace Medicine for you today! It is full of the best ingredients and will bring health back to your heart and mind and spirit.

God’s medicine is composed of the finest spiritual ingredients - His wonderful grace, His unfailing love, His infinite care and His perfect will. Oh how He loves you! Oh how He is for you! Never oh never do you have to worry that God’s medicine is hurtful or won’t make you better for His Word is all you need beloved for a healthy life in Christ.

Proverbs 4:20-22 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.

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

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

Psalm 19:7-8 The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.

Looking for Easy Street?

My dad always had a comfortable chair. Before recliners it was an overstuffed swivel rocker.  Easy chairs they were called back then. Eventually he had a recliner.  Nobody sat in daddy’s chair. LOL.  His comfort was most important to him.

We all want easy chairs don’t we? Somewhere we can call our own to kick back and relax. We want to feel great and have no worries. Living the life, having it all, resting on easy street…

For most folks, life is just a little left of Easy Street, and not quite like living in an Easy Chair. Problems abound, and they’re coming more and more often. We’re giving up the good life of our ancestors for the “me” life of our present lifestyles. We try to get more and more comfortable with ourselves and yet find that we aren’t any happier as we get more, do more and be more.

If you are one of those whose life is left of Easy Street, then you know what I’m talking about. Less cash than bills. Less love than needed.  Less things than wanted. Less courage, less joy, less victory. You look at what others have and do and you wonder how they ever got so ahead of you.

I know you want things to be easy but things don’t always go as planned. Even when you do the right thing and attempt to do your level best to live for Jesus, things can go oh so wrong. Maybe it’s time to quit looking for a comfy spot to get away, and begin seeking for a strong spot to stand.

Oh beloved, run to the Comfort of God’s Word! Rest in the Promises of Christ! Relax in the Joy of the Lord! God says to you this morning, “I have this”. The life you want so badly, if you will just take a moment to look to Me and take your eyes off others, I will show you deep and beautiful things I have for you, just you.  Even when you can’t see what others are going through, believe Me, they have their own load to bear and they too are looking for an easy chair, an easier life and easier road. In fact, it is only in finding rest in Me Alone, that you find what you are really looking for.

Follow God always beloved. Get His Word deep down into your heart and let its roots take hold. For you will find that while things aren’t always easy, life in Christ is good – oh so good! Because the Lord Himself loves you and the King of the Universe is for you and that makes for comfort and joy in spite of it all.

 

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

Psalm 62:1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.

Psalm 146:5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

Psalm 34:5 Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

Micah 7:7 As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.

Answer His Call for He Calls You in Love!

I got a strange phone call on my cell phone during the holidays. It was an unknown number and when I answered there was a recording explaining that my cell phone wasn’t set up for collect calls. It went on to explain how I could start getting collect calls. Well, of course I hung up.  Then, my curiosity being what it is, I went to the internet to see if I could figure out where the call came from.  Turns out it was from a detention center in a nearby state.  A call from a stranger in a strange place, trying to get someone to accept the charges.  In this case it was probably somebody trying to call home for the holidays but still it was a strange feeling.

The enemy of our soul likes to make calls on our life.  He wants to give us advice, get us upset, give us reason to be unforgiving, unkind, unholy and more.  He is constantly dialing our number, knowing our weaknesses, attempting to cause trouble or wreak havoc.  Not only does he desire to ruin us, tempt us, rob us, kill us; he always wants to charge us with every conceivable charge.  He wants us to pay! He will convince us, if he can, that we’ve been wronged, damaged, offended, left undefended and then when we believe him and act on the lies, he hangs up and leaves us to pick up the pieces alone.  His ultimate desire is to steal our birthright and leave us hanging on the line.

It’s time to learn the Father’s Voice and follow Him alone!  While we have an enemy, he is not our spouse, our kids, our neighbors, our friends, or anyone else.  He just uses whoever he can to ring up a wrong message and reverse the charges. Unless we know the Word of God and understand our Heavenly Father’s nature, we will be fooled into accepting the call and acting on it.

Oh beloved, there is a call on your life! Our Father in Heaven is calling you daily. He asks you to pick up the Word, eat of it and live by it.  How much He loves to have sweet fellowship with His children, but not just for the fellowship. It’s for your good and His glory as well! He will not leave you to your own devices, He won’t leave you undefended, He won’t walk away, make you pay or reverse the charges.  In fact, He took the charges for everything you’ll ever be charged with – past, present and future – and nailed a Paid In Full sign on the cross! You are free! Free to call upon Him as well! Free to be God’s child, free to make decisions that are based on His Word, His Love and His nature! 

The more you listen to the Lord’s calls, beloved, the less you will be tempted to take other calls! All of the Lord’s calls begin with “I love you”.  God loves you so much that He’s calling you to love Him, obey Him and live for Him daily.  He will take the hurtful calls, your crank calls, the damaging calls and turn them out for good because He says so! His Word is your trustworthy answer, His call is your trustworthy path and His care for you is the trustworthy way to know that He is all that matters! Now that’s a call worth taking!

Psalm 91:15  When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.

Isaiah 41:17 When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.

Zechariah 13:9  I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’”

2 Samuel 22:4  “I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

Philippians 3:14  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Ephesians 4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

Ephesians 1:18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called--His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.

I John 4:4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

The Lord of Heaven's Armies is With You!

An odd thing to note about this year’s Veteran’s Day was the absence of the usual run of War movies on many of the stations. Generally we are able to watch such epic stories of heroism and valor as All’s Quiet on the Western Front, A Bridge Too Far, The Guns of Navarone, Midway, and Sands of Iwo Jima, to name a few. Quietly absent from most channels, these movies and others serve as a reminder of who we are, where we’ve come from, what we’ve survived, how we achieved victory and how to tell the enemy from the good guys.

The old movies about wars America fought show a clear line of demarcation between good and evil. They portrayed many hours spent at the strategic table, calculating the arena and making plans to achieve victory. The enemy too plotted to gain the upper hand. It was a real struggle between the two forces.

A long time ago, a war began in the heavenlies. There had been complete peace up until the first strategic missile was launched at the couple who lived in Eden. That one launch and fatality provided the ammunition to continue the conflict. This war had specific names on the manifest: who was slated to be killed, stolen from and destroyed.  Make no mistake; the enemy on the other side has incredible schemes.  His maneuvers, tactics and desires still exist to this day.

Although we know the end of the war is soon to be played out and we know that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords will come on the scene and wipe out all who oppose Him, until that dying day our adversary will continue his assault. We just have to be armed and ready for any sign of enemy encroachment on our land, for God has promised the believer that everywhere he or she steps is territory given to them by God Himself.  The only way we can make it is to familiarize ourselves with God’s plans for us in the Word of God, so that having done all we can stand. Unlike the enemy’s plans, God’s plans are awesome in power and available to us always!

Oh beloved! Are you tired of the struggle? Are you huddled in a corner with your arms over your head, hoping that the last round of mortar fired will cease? Do you feel shell shocked, worn out, completely ready to give up and give in? Run back to God’s Word and see! You are more than a conqueror, you will be completely victorious, you are walking in the light of His Word and you are able to stand against the enemy of your soul.  The enemy is not the winner, you are. Through Christ’s power and love we can walk in triumph. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies loves you! The Lord of Heaven and Earth is on your side! He will fight for you and He will see you through to complete Victory because of His great love! Shout to the Lord this morning and thank Him for His unspeakable gift!

Psalm 130:6  I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 68:35  You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!

Psalm 66:3 Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

Isaiah 40:10  See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him.

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

Ready to Plug into Your Real Source of Power?

Next week we’ll be attending The Changing of the Colors Rally near Mena. I can remember back not many years ago, before this family had cell phones.  There was really only one good place for friends to use them. Up near one of the signposts.  Everyone would go to that spot to get their message out.  I can even remember borrowing a friend’s phone to call our family at home.

Now my “smart” phone goes with me everywhere. One day last week the battery died while I was at work and I felt so disconnected. I couldn’t even call my daughter when I needed to because her number is on speed dial – I don’t even know it!  Most folks text, take photos, play games, talk, use their calendar, consult the weather and look at late breaking news via their phones.  You could say we’re “plugged in”.  What would it be like to go a few days without it?  

Are you plugged in this morning? Are you in right connection with your Power Source? Are you seeking God daily for your necessary nourishment? Are you spending time with the One Who set the stars in orbit and gave you life? Unlike the cell phone’s apps, this life is no game.  Without the Lord’s Words, spoken sweetly to us during quiet times, we are totally disconnected from our spiritual source. We cannot hope to know what’s going on in the spirit realm without taking time to connect. 

While there are sun spots and dead zones and tower failures which may render our phones useless for a time, there’s never a time you cannot connect with the Lord. He’s always  there, always full of power, always available and always able to give you enough time to make the call to Him.

Oh beloved, run to the Lord this morning and read from His Wonderful Blessings for you! Put down the phones, turn off the tv and sit quietly in His presence. You will never be disappointed and you’ll never have to worry that the message won’t come through clearly.  He’s speaking to you already this morning as He says, Come to me, I know you labor and are heavy laden. I’ll give you the rest and renewal you so desire. I AM your true source of power! I will bless you as I pour My heart into your heart. I will renew your strength and give you all that you need for this life, for this day – and more…Blessings and honor come from Me alone.

You are loved, you are important and God’s line is never busy – you won’t ever have to leave a message. What a Savior. What a Father. What a Redeemer He is!

Psalm 119:114  You are my refuge and my shield; Your word is my source of hope.

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.

Deuteronomy 8:18  Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

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

Psalm 4:3 You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will answer when I call to Him.

Stop Snacking and Start Feasting!

Lately our grandson Blake hasn’t been eating much at mealtime. He’s pretty worn out from pre-K school and he rarely wants to quit playing just for a plate of food! A very active 4 year old that boy is.  The other night around 9 o’clock he managed to get himself a bag of chips and was found eating them as he sat in a chair. He said he had gotten hungry and couldn’t sleep! His mom explained the importance of eating a good meal during supper. She told him he would have to start eating a healthy meal or nothing else.  The chips filled his tummy but they didn’t do much for his nutritional needs.

Oh beloved! Have you been snacking on what the world has to offer? Does it seem to you that others who partake of whatever they want are happy and full while you feel empty and unfed? Run to the Lord’s bountiful table of health! His Word is your absolute necessity and without it all of us tend to fill up on junk.  Not only does His Word fill you and make you spiritually healthy, God will bring other believers into your life who desire the sincere milk of the word and the meat as well. Great fellowship can be found at the Lord’s banquet!  He loves you so much that He has a plan to fill your heart and mind so that you can rest in His presence and have strength to resist all the junk the world wants to offer you! Now that’s love!

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

Acts 2:28 You have shown me the way of life, and You will fill me with the joy of Your presence.

Song of Solomon 2:4 He escorts me to the banquet hall; it’s obvious how much He loves me.

In the Shadow of His Wings I Take Refuge

We are all watching what may be the worst hurricane of the season. Friends and family along the Gulf Coast have battened down the hatches. Memories of childhood storms come back to me. Often we would leave Houston altogether and go north until the storm subsided. Back in the 60’s my father was on a barge in the gulf when a hurricane hit.  My mother didn’t know the condition of those men out there until after the storm had passed.  We watched the news and just like people are doing today, we kept our eyes glued for any information.  It’s an odd thing about hurricanes. They are incredibly fierce and yet inside the eye, the center of that storm, there is complete calm.  While the storm whirls about wreaking destruction everywhere else, inside the eye no havoc, no chaos, no trouble.

Oh beloved, you may be in the storm of your life. It may have been raging for quite a while and you’ve tried to hang on, hunker down and keep going. It’s hard I know. I too have weathered storms in my life. And, because I made it through I can encourage you as well. You will make it through; you will come out the other side. But more than that, you can rest in the center of the Father’s will knowing that He will keep you from the havoc, the chaos the damage. Regardless of what you are going through, His Word is your Storm Shelter. His Word is Your Guarantee. His Word is His Bond. Trust Him this morning for in the center of His Will is love, peace, purpose and strength.  He loves you and He’s for you so He will see you through!

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him.

Psalm 57:1 Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed.

Hebrews 6:18 So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

 

It is In the Heights that We Really Learn to Know Him

As I was looking at the photos taken of our recent ride to Petit Jean I was reminded of what a daring man I married! Several photos were taken, not only by me, but others that showed him on top of boulders, out on the cliffs and overlooking chasms. All these years I’ve watched him launch out to places I don’t dare go.  He has always asked me to go along with him, but most times I declined. On the rare occasions where I mustered up enough courage to go with him it turned out to be so worth it! The view would be so wonderful, the scene exhilarating and the realization that I had the courage to go with him was great!  I find that my husband has taught me a lot about life, about taking chances and about looking at the scenery rather than concentrating on the fear and I’m thankful again that He’s mine.  

Oh beloved!  Our walk with God is like this. We love to stroll with Him in the meadows where there’s not much trouble, few decisions and no stress.  Yet it is in the heights of the unfamiliar that we really begin to know Him and to trust Him and thus to follow Him. While it may seem safer to reside in the valley, it is up on the mountain that real change takes place - the mountains where we’re out of our comfort zones, loose from our earthly bonds and clinging only to Him. Why don’t you take His Hand this morning and say yes. Yes to the unknown, yes to the higher calling, yes to the place where you will live with “less of me and more of Thee”.  His marvelous plan is out of this world for you.  Not only that, the view is astounding and the air is fresher. You can trust His plan, you can climb up and be full of courage as together you and the Lord walk the walk He has planned for you.  Take a chance today and watch how your life lets go of the fear holding you to the meadow.  He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

 

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

Mark 8:34  Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me.

Psalm 94:18-19 “I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”

Psalm 143:10  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.