He is Not Here – He is Risen!

He is Not Here – He is Risen!

On Friday just a week ago we were in a rough place. My brother was having brain surgery, which caught us all by surprise. Lots of factors entered into my extreme concern for him. None of us have ever had brain surgery so we knew nothing about the recovery either. We figured it would be days and maybe weeks to get well. Imagine our surprise when just a few hours later he was sitting up in bed with a mere bandage on the spot where the surgery had been performed. What we didn’t know, the surgeon did.  We were very thankful that things weren’t as rough as we thought they would be. Just three days after surgery he was heading home.

There was nothing good about Good Friday. It was a dark day for Jesus. And it was an even darker day for the disciples and His followers, along with His mother.  Jesus knew what was ahead, but the beloved believers had no clue. They were imagining all sorts of things. Fear, worry, anxiety – they were suddenly without their Leader – all they knew was He had been put to death and laid in a grave. They had seen all that with their eyes. All the while they were expressing their concerns to one another, God was working things out in a big way behind the scenes. Jesus did die on the Cross, He did get put in a grave, but there was so much more going on.

In three short days everything would change for them. They would find out that they didn’t worship a martyred man but a Risen Savior! They, who had hung their heads and cried over His death would get a sneak peak of glory as He appeared alive. His promises proved true – every single one of them. He was busy those three days – descending into the very belly of the enemy and taking final authority and control by taking the very keys to Hell away. He was working, they were trembling. He was taking authority, they were figuring out how to hide. But within those three days everything was set right and Christ was and is seated at the right hand of God the Father. All is well, even in the midst of the confusion of life, for God is on the throne.

Oh beloved, you may be in a dark time. All your hopes, dreams and ambitions may have been laid in the tomb. You are struggling to make sense of all the hurts and misdirection.  You wonder where God is and why He has left you alone to make it by yourself. In your heart of hearts you know you can’t make things better, you don’t have enough stamina to go the distance and you don’t have enough hope to look to the future. Nothing seems to matter as you just go through the motions for your family or your friends or your  church.

God wants you to know that even though you may not know what’s going on, He does. He’s risen to redeem you, He’s rising to defend you and He will come again to take you home with Him. You don’t know what’s ahead, but God says it is all good. Everything that sends your heart beating wildly will have to scatter because they are enemies of your faith. You don’t have to walk in fear or dread, for the Word says you walk in the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty, there is joy, there is peace and there is hope beyond your present situation. God knows it all, He’s seen every tear and He’s wiping them away to give you joy unspeakable and full of glory! You are coming into your full life in Christ. Those things that got swept away? They weren’t needed for your walk with God. The things you desire in your heart? God will give them all to you in His time as He makes all things new.

Rejoice in the Resurrection for you are loved and you are cared for. Not just on Easter morning, but every single day of your life.

Matthew 28:6 … He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.

Revelation 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Revelation 1:18 … and [I AM] the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

The Chill of Life is Warmed By the Comfort of God

The Chill of Life is Warmed By the Comfort of God

Posted on April 6, 2014by rebekahbeene

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't Get Separated From God's Truth in Your Trials

“What shall separate us from the love of God?”

I woke up early this morning after having a bad dream. In the dream my daughter and I were driving through a town and for some reason left our little granddaughter on the sidewalk. As we drove away it seemed unimportant but down the street I realized the enormity of what we’d done. I insisted we go back and get her. I was furious with my daughter and she couldn’t drive fast enough. I imagined my little granddaughter wailing outrageously and us finding her and grabbing her up. There was no finality to it – I just woke up.

Life can be terrifying. All the night terrors we experience are not bad dreams. They are real life situations of life and death and many things in between. We step into the situation, or rather we are drug into it. Nobody wants to leave a child on the street and nobody wants to go into hard times. We often start out thinking this is no big thing, but the enormity of it all crashes in on us. We want to go back. We want to find out if we could change it. We want to escape the fear, the tragedy, the worry, the horrendous situation of our lives or the life of our loved ones. We want to wake up from the dream, but we also want closure. We are so wrapped up in our hurt that we begin to insist that something be done. If we’re not careful, we will begin to blame others. 

You could say I had separation anxiety in the dream. In my mind my granddaughter had that same anxiety as well. Beloved I know that some of you are going through unbelievable hardships. When we go through a hard place, we are often so intent on the trouble, so focused on the wrong, so humiliated by the rejection that we forget what we know. 

We forget God. We begin to feel condemned. “Couldn’t I have done something to prevent this?” and “Can’t I do something to fix this?” We wrangle and wring our hands and walk the floors and try to blot out the bad dream. We feel separated from God as well. We forget that He is with us, that He is helping us, that He will never leave us. We get separated from our Savior because we are looking at circumstances and believe that those circumstances are all we have. 

Oh beloved, you need to know this day, regardless of your situation or your bad dream you are living through, that God is with you always. He is saying to you “no condemnation”. He is reminding you of things you have gotten separated from. “Nothing will ever separate you from My love”. And the verse just before that one holds another nugget of importance, just for you – “Jesus intercedes for you”. You are not walking alone and you don’t have to live by your own strengths. You don’t have to face the situation of your life unaided. You have not been left alone on the street to fend for yourself. 

Don’t let the circumstances you are presently in become your truth. You can ask your Heavenly Father for His peace and live in the truth of what the Word has to say. Whatever you have need of to make it through this day, you can have it from God the Father as Jesus is ever interceding for you at the right hand of the Father. Precious one, just as my bad dream was over, you can be assured that these present troubles will not last forever. 

God loves you and He’s for you. Keep the Truth close to you and let Him guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:34-35 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Acts 2:25 King David said this about Him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.’

You Can Walk in Freedom No Matter What

This morning I decided I needed to go out and enjoy the snow with “the young’uns”. Donning the heaviest clothes I could move around in I stepped out onto the snow and gingerly made my way across the cement at our front door. It was great! After walking around and throwing snowballs I noticed that my left foot was hurting. Looking down to see what was wrong I saw that I had gathered a huge ball of snow and leaves on the sole of my shoe. I knocked it loose and walked some more. But both feet were gathering these piles of snow and leaves. It impeded my ability to walk freely about. It was a lot of trouble to stop every few moments and knock snow from the instep of my shoes.

Finally, cold and weary of the constant removal of shoe from beneath my shoes, I went back inside to wait to help warm the first grandchild who got too cold. It just wasn’t worth the trouble and I realized that although the shoes were comfortable for regular walking, they weren’t meant for the snow. I should have picked a different pair, one with a different tread and sturdier ankles. I also realized that had I needed to walk a long way in the snow I would have been in trouble with the shoes I had on. Preparation is important. Without it I didn’t have as much freedom to enjoy the trek outdoors.

When we are born again we come into a kingdom where God has provided everything we’ll ever need for life and godliness. Yet we often find ourselves ill prepared for the situations that come our way.  We tend to want to wear house shoes everywhere. We prefer comfort. We like it. We’re God’s kids and we want it easy. Sometimes we prefer ballet slippers. We want to pirouette through life as though we’re all little princesses and princes. We are in fact God’s kids and since He is the King we are in a sense royalty. But we’re meant to traverse through hard times, rough times and rugged weather. We have to be prepared. Neither house shoes nor ballet slippers will get us through when we need our feet shod with rugged boots.

Thankfully we are blessed. We have an entire wardrobe standing ready for us. We don’t have to go unprepared. We have every need for every situation we find ourselves in. Others only have what they find for themselves, but we have the entire council of God’s Word to choose from. He speaks from Genesis to Revelation for our journey through life. All we have to do is get prepared. And we become prepared by taking in the Word and keeping it handy. We don’t know what we will encounter in the days ahead, but God does. So He has provided us with just the right Word for just the right weather. If all we insist on wearing is flip flops we’ll have a hard time in the winter of life. We may know that we have been saved, but we need to know more. We need to know that God will get us through. We can’t wait until times get hard to try to find the right Words to help us through. We must prepare ahead.

Oh beloved, are you struggling with the situation you are in? Did you find yourself in the midst of adversity and see that you are ill prepared to walk it out in faith? Are you wondering why it has happened? Did you fail to hear the weather report that all will have to walk through tough times and blustery weather? It’s not too late! You can still make it. Just stop in to God’s Wonderful Shop of Truth and let Him fit you with the proper Word for this time in your life. If you will come aside and spend some time with the Lord, reading His Word, searching for the right fit, He will lead you into all truth.  And the truth you put on for your present circumstances will get you there and you will walk through in freedom and grace.  You are not meant to stumble or be hobbled in life, but you are called to walk freely in His Word fully prepared for whatever you may encounter.

God loves you and He’s for you. That’s why you can trust Him to lead you into all truth so that, even when the going gets tough, you will walk in the freedom of His truth. There will be better days of flip flops, house shoes and slippers. But it’s wonderful for you to know that you don’t have to walk hampered as you live in the light of His Word.

Psalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. NLT

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

Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. NLT

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. NLT

How Do You Deal with the Impacts of Life?

Back in the day most car insurance companies had a natural disaster ruling. For Arkansas this applied to hitting a deer on the highway. You can’t help where a deer jumps out at you. Many people have had terrible accidents while swerving to miss those deer, or any animal that comes into the highway in front of them.

I remember the time I was riding with Diona and Blake in her car. He was very little. We were crossing a bridge near the house and a huge buck jumped out right in front of us. She grabbed the steering wheel and held on with both hands. Boom! That deer hit the front of the car. There was a lot of damage to the car to be sure. But we were safe. Because my daughter held her ground and didn’t swerve as a reaction to the oncoming animal, the impact was rather light for us in the car. Had she swerved we would have surely hit the bridge abutment or gone off into the deep ravine on either side of the bridge.  Thankfully she had insurance and her car was fixed. She reacted correctly and we inside the car were fine.

Life is full of things that we aren’t expecting. We can be going along enjoying our life when suddenly out of nowhere we are hit with disaster.  Our first inclination is to swerve! We don’t want the impact. We don’t want to be involved in the situation at all. We want to avoid it at all costs. While we don’t get to choose everything that happens to us, we do get to choose how to react to it. If we can just remember that God is going before us, then we know ultimately He sees the entire situation and what is happening to us. We can then hang on, knowing the impact won’t affect us inside. The outward man may feel crushed or totaled but the inward person will rest in the promises of God.

What do we do then, when out of nowhere we get disastrous news? What happens when we’re hit with rejection or sorrow or dishonor or pain? What happens when we’re lied about or lied to? What if someone isn’t a person of their word and we’re involved in a collision between the truth and a lie?

Oh beloved, you hang on! Hold your ground against the onslaught of the enemy. Hang tight to God’s Word no matter what you are seeing with your natural eyes. Your heart may say you’re done for, but the Word of God says no weapon formed against you will prosper.  Your eyes will deceive you. But God’s Word is true. All the Bible, God breathed from beginning to end, is there for your comfort and safety. It is your insurance policy against damage you cannot overcome. Without God you are sure to swerve and land in the ditch. You may then think you are finally safe, but you’re not. Only by holding onto God and going through the situation will you find yourself unscathed.

The Word of God is your history lesson on how to deal with impacts of life. From the three men in the fiery furnace to Joseph, Gideon, Ruth, Habakkuk and all the others in Hebrews’ roll call of faith, we see God’s hand over the lives of those in disaster.  They stood fast and did not waver at God’s promises, and so can you beloved!  Lean in close to God’s Word, spend time in communication with the Lord and hang on! You will make it through and be blessed beyond measure as you see that no disaster meant to grieve you or get you off your road of faith will succeed. You are a winner and you don’t have to veer off from anything knowing that God loves you and He’s for you no matter what comes your way.

Psalm 91:5-6 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day.   Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

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.”

Psalm 26:1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity; I have [expectantly] trusted in, leaned on, and relied on the Lord without wavering and I shall not slide. AMP

Ecclesiastes 7:12 For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

Philippians 3:16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. NLT

Philippians 4:7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Plummeting Temps and Troubles Are No Problem for God

Overnight the temperatures in our area plummeted to depths we haven’t seen in quite some time.  There is such a chill factor that warnings abound against the dangers of getting out in the weather unprotected.  Extra precautions are needed. We were warned ahead of time but we’re still shocked at it. Danny has kept the fireplace chugging and the central heat is still coming on from time to time.

I don’t pretend to like cold weather or winter, so to say I’d love to be in South Texas or on the gulf coast somewhere is putting it mildly. I’d just as soon leave this chill behind and return when spring warms our lovely area again. We know at least that this icy chill is temporary. We can remember warm days of the past and count on the weather changing back again before we know it.

Some folks are experiencing a depth of another kind. Plummeting problems are making things look hopeless. Some would like to go into hibernation and wake up with everything better. Others are attempting to find some sense in it all but the chill they feel won’t go away.

What is it that you are experiencing precious one? Is it the depths of despair? Were you headed down the right road, doing all the right things and yet here you are watching the thermometer go lower and lower? Perhaps you are in the depths of disappointment. Christmas has come and gone and it didn’t prove to make you happier. The new year’s resolutions only make you feel like you can’t accomplish a thing. Perhaps you are discouraged. The phone doesn’t ring and your loved ones don’t call. That child you’re praying for stays away and you’re not sure if God hears you because you don’t see a thing working in that one’s life. Plummeting discouragement is a dangerous temperature – it makes for desperate measures.  

Maybe you feel you’ve been left out in the cold to handle all your problems alone. The depths of hopelessness are trying to slide under the door and threaten to freeze your emotions into constant worry and fear.

God tells us in His Word that we will have tribulation  (misfortunes, trials, pain, distress and trouble). Yet when we experience it we are shocked. Where did this come from? Nobody warned me? Isn’t the Christian walk supposed to be sweetness and light?  

There is hope! Unlike those who have to seek continual heat to keep their homes, family and livestock protected in the deep freeze, we have Jesus to warm our hearts and keep our heads clear at the lowest point of the situations we may find ourselves in.  We cannot choose when the weather goes south but we can choose how we react to each and every difficulty that comes our way.  We don’t have to hide or hibernate – we can live in the light of His glory and grace. We can become a warm and visible image of who Christ is to the world that is watching. And when we look to Him for our answers and radiate His truth, others will come to the warmth and ask to be helped by Him as well.

Oh beloved, whatever you are experiencing right now, whatever the mercury in the thermometer is plunging to, you can trust God! He who knows all things, knows your situation. And He who loves you is able to make all grace abound to you. And He who cares for you will surely bring you through it.  Quit looking at the plummeting situation and start looking to Him. He will never leave you or forsake you and when this momentary light affliction is relieved and you bask in the warmth of the Son again, you will know that you are stronger, and more of an overcomer than you were before. And that’s worth rehearsing the promises of God as you live in the light of His Word.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

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

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

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

Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my 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.

There Are Always Mountains to Climb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Been Through the Wringer?

My Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bill lived in a small house on the property with the fire tower he worked at.  The house didn’t have running water until I was about 8 years old.  She had one of those old gyrator washing machines which sat outside. No electricity was needed and it also had a set of rollers on top. You’d put the clothes through after you’d rinsed them to squeeze out the excess water.  As I think back about that old washer I am amazed at how much work it was to use the thing. Now we just plop our clothes in, set the machine and close the lid.  Back then it was work. But the wringer sure got all the water out of those clothes. They’d roll through and water would pour out the back as they were squeezed.  One always had to be careful not to get their fingers caught in the roller as you had to hold the clothes and wind the rollers at the same time.

God speaks to my heart: I’ve been through the wringer. I would imagine you have too.  Hard times, unfavorable outcomes, hurt feelings, rejection, sorrow, pain all make us feel as though we are being squeezed until we can hardly breathe. We want relief but it seems we’re relentlessly rolled through.

It looks to us that we’re going to die. It looks that way to the observers as well. People are watching and we’re unable to stop the roll.  It’s too much. As the problems roll over us, we’re mashed flat.  

Except that God is with us. He’s with us as the storms of life put us through the gyrator of heartache. And He’s there when we are being wrung out and even when it looks like we’re hung out to dry.

In fact, while others and while we ourselves think it’s the death knell of our life, our ministry, our calling, our heart, our mind, God says it’s just a momentary thing. It’s really going to be okay. It’s not deadly, it’s not going to kill us. In fact, to God this squeezing of our life is just the removal of unnecessary weight.  All that’s going to get through the times of testing and trials is us. There’s nothing else that can get through the pressure.  And even then, when others think we’re done, we’re just moving on.

God will set us out in the breeze of life and pin us up for the world to see our beautiful life.  He will use us to help others to get through everything we’re going through, if we will just keep our eyes on Him.  No one else really matters. We might try to blame the offense on a person, a circumstance or a trouble. But ultimately it is God who has put us through the wringer and it is God who is allowing the excess stuff to be wrung from us.  And it is God who is holding out His hand to pick us up, shake us out and display us for His glory.

Oh beloved, there’s no way to minimize the wringers of life. I know it’s hard. God knows it’s hard. God knows you feel like dying.  He knows you must go through it. But He knows that you will come out better for the situation. He looks at you with love and He asks you to look at Him with the same trusting love.   Life’s situations aren’t always fair, right or pretty. But once you’ve been through it, and once you give it all to Him, He will make you sweet smelling, worshiping, growing and better.

His greatest desire is that you let Him have everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. He’ll wash you with the water of the word and together you and He will have a greater testimony of faith for you will know how much He loves you and how carefully He is for you and that’s all that really matters.

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

Psalm 9:10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

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

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Got Burdens? Let Jesus Lift Them From You!

My friend Kathy raises donkeys. They are magnificent! I know you’re thinking, donkeys? Magnificent? But these are no ordinary donkeys. They have special papers and names. They are a breed fit for the show ring. Most donkeys are considered mere beasts of burden. From old cowboy movies to modern day pack rides, you see donkeys everywhere. I will tell you I didn’t know that donkeys could be so beautiful and do so much!

When we come to Jesus we are mere beasts of burden. We carry such a weight on us. All of our sins, mistakes, hurts, pains, troubles, trials, disappointments, discouragements. It’s heavy and we can barely walk. The Lord Himself takes our burdens from us! We are free to be His creation, fit for Him to show His glorious praises! Sometimes we come to church looking for freedom and we find more burdens – religion, duties, condemnation and more. But Jesus never gives us more burdens! He loves us so much that He frees us to come and go from His pleasant pastures. As we lean on Him He removes our burdens ever so delicately.

Oh beloved, today is the day you can let God release your burdens for you. He says to you today, I AM the one who has taken your burdens all the way to Calvary and beyond. I AM your burden bearer. I AM your load lightener. If you will just give me your burdens, hand them over to me, I AM able to make you a magnificent example of my love and care! I will always take perfect care of you, I will always display My love for you and I will openly bless you with all the good things that are found in Me.  

Run to His Word and see this morning! See what He says about you! You may feel ordinary, but you are extraordinary as you read His Word and see your papers – His Word tells you everything you need to know about the pedigree of your spiritual lineage. You are loved and you are cared for and you are free to be all that you were ever meant to be! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters!

Psalm 55:22  Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

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 146:8  The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly.

Ephesians 6:10 For we are God’s masterpiece…

Genesis 49:25  May the God of your father help you; may the Almighty bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.

Psalm 16:5  LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.

Dangers Abound! But God is Greater!

A rattlesnake, 2 tarantulas and a scorpion have been found in areas across the CMA Campground. Our little Caleb picked up a stick by our campsite and got stung by a wasp. Sounds like a dangerous place to be! There are hidden dangers as well – old stump holes, piles of leaves, potholes and more.

If we concentrated on the dangers we’d just pick up camp and go home. Why take the chance? Go find a safe place and hide out there. The only problem with this thinking is the same risks are found at home. All I have to do is look around and see: spiders in the corners, wasps on the eaves and snakes in the grass. I can spend all my time looking for these and more. No matter what I do, dangers still abound.

Oh beloved, what are you concentrating on? If you concentrate only on troubles and seek to avoid them, you will be frustrated and sleepless. But if you will look to the Lord and seek His face these barriers will no longer seem so big. Rather, God will increase your faith and make your way less fraught with concern. He says to you this morning Turn your eyes on Me. Yes,there are dangers lurking everywhere but I AM over all and I AM your source of safety for all your spiritual, emotional and physical life. I AM the One who sets your feet upon the Rock and gives you sure footing throughout your life so that you can live for Me free of the fears that keep others from moving on to higher things. Your heart and your soul belong to Me so let Me teach you how to be fearless and overcome!

Run to His Word today and read for it is the Ultimate Safety Manual! God loves you perfectly and watches over you continually. His plan for you is magnificent as you turn your eyes away from worldly cares and look full in His Wonderful Face!

2 Samuel 22:3  my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.

Job 11:18 Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.

Psalm 16:9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Ezekiel 34:31 You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”