Your Weakness is His Opportunity to Shine!

I haven’t done much sewing in a lot of years. But I am making Stella a Christmas dress. Am making is a loose term for half of it is cut out and the other half is laying on the table. The sewing machine is yet to be set up and right now it’s just a dream in my mind. I can see how I want it to be, but nothing’s really formed yet. Since “dress up Sunday” is this week-end I have precious little time left to get it all together. I have a backup plan in case my dreams don’t make it to reality but tonight my plan is to get that little sweety’s dress finished.

Christmas is a great time to overload the hours with preparations. It’s that wonderful opportunity to bring out the best in the closets and the best in us. Sometimes, though, when I go through the Christmas decorations I find that somewhere along the way things have gotten broken or ripped or become tattered. It requires fixing, gluing or deciding if it’s going to make it into this year’s adornment. Some things don’t really look worthy to be seen. The worn and not so pretty ornaments remind us of our own not so perfect self. If we’re not careful we’ll look at our less than Martha Stewart holiday preparations and pronounce ourselves unfit for display. The tendency is to want Norman Rockwell to paint us and House Beautiful to highlight us, but life is messy. Most of us want to pull Christmas off without a hitch but imperfection abounds and life happens even while we’re having fun.

We’re not worthy. We’re not capable. We can’t pull this thing called life off without a hitch. We try to sew things up, glue the brokenness and patch the missing pieces but still we find ourselves less than. We’ll try to straighten ourselves up, dust ourselves off, start over again and work harder, do more, and hide the hurts, anguish and pain. But we’re still broken and we need something more than we can produce with our own hands to fix it all. We need someone else to come into our mess and make things right.

God speaks to my heart: Your weakness is My opportunity to showcase my glory. Stop worrying about the 'less thans' and look to Me, for I AM more than. I am more than a Savior, I am your wonderful counselor, your everlasting Father, and the prince of peace. I have come so that you can have life more abundantly than you can produce on your own. I AM the Mighty God. I am your protector, provider and repairer. I specialize in restoring people. I AM capable of taking everything broken, bent out of shape and unfit for sight and making it all new – including you. Look again at the less than perfect décor and let it all remind you that you are My precious child, perfected in Christ. Everything you lack is found in Me. In everything that you are declared unfit in this world I over-stamp with my seal of approval. You are precious in My sight and your days are numbered. But not so that you can worry that you won’t get it all done, but so you can rest in Me while you work. Relax, and know that I AM able to let My light shine through everything you do.

Oh beloved, the weakness you see in yourself is simply a beautiful decoration to show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. If you don’t get it all done, don’t worry for He did! Let yourself enjoy the holidays and the preparation and the giving and whatever else your hand has to do, for His greatest blessing is when you let Him shine His glory through you for the world to see. He loves you and He’s for you and that makes things right all through the years.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.

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

Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Psalm 57:2 I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.

Watch That Trap - Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

We’ve traveled the same road for over 30 years heading to one of our favorite getaways. We know that highway like the back of our hands. Sometimes we see a new house that wasn’t there on the last trip. Depending on the time of year we might see beautiful fall leaves or tractors mowing pastures. But most everything we see is about the same.

The last time we were on that road I saw a sign I’ve never seen anywhere ever. It was a bright yellow sign that read “Warning: Large Traps in Area” attached to a gate leading into a wooded area.  It also read trapper license for this season has been issued. I don’t know about you but that’s enough warning to keep me from taking a nice walk through those woods!

As we drove on past, I wondered: Wouldn’t it be nice if there were signs prominently displayed for believers so that we could avoid the traps of the enemy? If we could know that there was extreme danger ahead, signified by a sign, we’d surely avoid those areas altogether. Wouldn’t we?

God speaks to my heart: My precious child. I am your Protector. I walk ahead of you and I cover your back. I direct your steps so that you can avoid the traps of the enemy. I take care of your going and your coming and you are free to live a life of purpose, joy and blessings. I will keep you safe and guard your heart and your mind. My Word is full of warning signs regarding life in Christ and if you heed My warnings you will remain safe in My care. It is when you step out of My will and My precepts that you can get trapped in situations you were never meant to be in. There are times when I speak to your heart and you ignore the intuition and proceed headlong into dangerous areas. You can’t see the danger ahead but I can. Let Me guide you to safety, let Me walk you through the valleys, let Me keep you from the harmful ways that can injure your spirit, mind and body. Because I am your shepherd you can trust Me to guide you into green pastures and away from deadly traps. My plans for you are good and godly and blessed. Don’t follow your own instincts but follow My Word intently. Together we will navigate the things that would trap you and cause you pain and you can walk free to live in the Light of My Word.

Oh beloved, rejoice! God is on your side, watching over you, guiding you, directing your every step so that you can walk free!  The enemy has many, many traps set for you. But the Lord will help you navigate through the situations you are in so that you don’t get trapped in the enemy’s snare. The enemy will never stop trying to set traps, but as long as you remain close to God and walk in His wisdom you will remain free. You can rejoice too that even when the trap is sprung and you find yourself unable to get yourself free from the tyranny of the enemy, God will come to your aid. He’s only a prayer away and He’s able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all  you could ever ask or think. Call out to Jesus today. Ask Him to guide you. Ask Him to release you. Ask Him to heal the broken places the trap has caused and set you free to enjoy His loving care again.

Lord, help us. We are so prone to wander into enemy territory. Even when signs are present we often ignore them. We acknowledge to You today that we can’t make it through the wilderness without You. We give over our wanderings and our waywardness to You and ask that You renew Your vows to be our Shepherd, our Lord and our Savior. We have no one who can set us free or keep us free but You. Thank you Lord that You love us and You are for us so that we can walk in safety and freedom all the days of our lives.

Psalm 91:2-3 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”  For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper….

Psalm 118:5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

Psalm 5:8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make Your way plain for me to follow.

Psalm 25:15 My eyes are always on the Lord, for He rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Psalm 31:4 Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in You alone.

Psalm 119:98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.

Psalm 119:45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to Your commandments.

When the Storms of Life Are Raging

 

 

Tuesday's Blog - 

The weather changed over the week-end. It was sultry and hot and dry. Suddenly it became damp, chilly and cool. I was at a women’s retreat and we saw the clouds rolling in. They were black and low and stormy. Lots of quick adjustments were made. No longer sure they could grill the burgers and for a moment they weren’t sure what to do. But plan B came forth. Although the pool at the park was heated, the swimmers no longer wanted to dive in. One of the ladies wanted to take a walk but others declined to join in, concerned that the rain would catch them unprotected. I even ran to my cabin and brought my car to the meeting room just in case.

The clouds rolled on in and the wind kicked up and it turned cool, but the storm failed to materialize. We all spent a lot of time preparing for what we were sure would happen. But it didn’t. We could have grilled, swam, walked and more.

We are creatures of comfort, habit and fear. Creatures of comfort in that we want things to be just right, all the time. I sure do. You do too don’t you? Creatures of habit in that we like to do things the way we have always done them. Change? Not easy is it? Creatures of fear. This is a hard one. We admit to being afraid at times but a creature of fear? Yes. The storm clouds loom and some of us are instantly in the cellar. We don’t want to watch the signs, we don’t want to wait and see, we just want to run.

God speaks to my heart: Oh beloved. You are my creation. You’re no mere creature. You’re not the sum of your habits, your comforts or your fears. I AM the redeemer of all that. I AM the Lord of the weather in the skies and the clouds of doubt that are looming on your horizon. I AM the God Who will give you a fresh outlook on it all if you will trust Me. Put your focus on the storm clouds that “threaten” your comfort zone and you’ll be paralyzed. Put your focus on the changes and you’ll be unable to move forward with new habits to pursue. Put your focus on the fear and your faith cannot grow. But put your focus on Me and on My Word and I will change everything. Your sight will become clearer and you will be able to look beyond the storm clouds to the future with peace, love and joy.

God loves you and He’s for you, so that when you put your focus on Him all things are possible as you walk into His future with faith!

Luke 9:57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Mark 4:39 -40 When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

No Government Shut Down with Jesus Ever!

 

Danny cousin and her husband have wanted to visit the Grand Canyon for many years. They left home Saturday to head that way in their motorhome.  This morning he sent out word that the Grand Canyon has been “shut down”. They will not be able to visit it, at least not today. 

Many places across the country will be shut down today. Non-essential employees are staying home, on furlough, without pay, until something gives. Beautiful parks all across our nation will stand idle while decisions are made regarding the fate of our economy.

The Grand Canyon and other magnificent national parks could be viewed without man’s help.  But they’ll remain closed to the public.  Travelers all across the nation are at the doorway of their destination, wondering what they are going to do. They’ve spent their time, money and energy to make the trip but they’re stopped in their tracks this morning.

God speaks to my heart:  While the national government has shut down site seeing, our Lord has opened to us a vast world of spiritual living that no man can shut down.  We are most blessed indeed that neither government, nor weather, nor enemies, nor troubles can shut God out of our lives. We have free access, not assisted by another person on earth. We can live in the light of His Word, walk in the light of His precepts and enjoy the beauty of His holiness every single day. If we have given our hearts to Jesus and accepted His gift of salvation, we have a lifetime pass to everything God has for us. Not only do we have an open road to blessings, we have an open road to obedience. God made a way for us, permanently as a child of God, to live for Jesus!

Maybe you are looking at the miserable circumstances of our government this morning. Look away from the troubles and trials and worry and fear and look to Jesus! He has a plan for redemption, a plan for regeneration, a plan for renewal and every plan is thought out with you in mind.  Whatever your needs, His response to those needs is ever ready and always available.  Although the earthly government has shut down access to many things, God has given you free access to all of His promises and given you free choice to live in the light of those promises. You may have barriers today to some earthly things, but your access is free to all of God through Christ.   

Oh beloved, God wants to remind you this morning:  Don’t walk in defeat today, but walk in My precepts.  Turn your heart away from the world and turn your heart to Me. Don’t look at the circumstances of this day but look to Me. I am your Sustainer, I will give you everything you really need no matter what things look like. Don’t look at the value of the world, but look to Me. I AM your source of value and I have redeemed you. You are worth more than mere diamonds, silver and gold to Me. Don’t walk after man’s promises, for they will all fail. But look to My Promises for each and every one is meant for you and available to you. Don’t walk in the light of the world for it will not make you happy, will not give you joy and ultimately won’t save you from life’s troubles. Look to Me for I AM your Savior, Your Protector, Your Provider and more.  I AM that I AM and your rest and hope is found solely in Me.

Run to His Word this morning and open it freely. Read of it thoroughly. Ask God to enlighten your heart and mind to take it all in. Then ask Him to teach you how to live it out and walk in the most beautiful territory ever seen – God’s will. He will always allow you to walk humbly with Him because He loves you and He calls you beloved.   Drop the worries, the fears, the troubles and the trials and grab His hand in renewed dedication and He will guide you all the rest of your days. Oh what a Savior, Oh what a King, Oh what Agape Love and care!

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Jeremiah 31:33 "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the LORD. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

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

You Will Not LIVE in that Valley!

We recently made a trip through the Boston Mountains in northwest Arkansas.  Normally I’m pretty worn out after the ride but this year it was nice. I like rolling hills and the not so big mountains in Arkansas.  We came home a different way to avoid construction and found ourselves going through a valley. Some valleys are pretty, fertile and green with slow moving cattle and the occasional deer. Other valleys are stark, treeless and without any green to speak of.  I find it hard to see any beauty in those valleys. 

God speaks to my heart: I’ve been through a lot of valleys. Some of you may be going through a valley right now. Some of them were valleys I chose to walk through. Other valleys showed up abruptly because of things that happened to me. At the hands of another, the valley can be especially hard. Can you relate? There are the valleys of decision, valleys of death, valleys of troubles, trials and emotion.

What do we do when we’re in a valley? What happens if a torrential rain of trials, hurts, agony comes? How do we escape? Where do we find solace? What if the sun is beating down so hard on us that we feel we’re going to burn up and die right in that valley? Will anyone find us? Will anyone help us? Where is the shade when you need it? Where are our friends? Why are we all alone in this huge valley? We don’t think we’re going to make it!

What we’re really saying in all of our valleys is “where is God?” That’s who we really want!  When everything else is empty, when everyone else has walked away, driven on, ridden out of our life, it’s just us and we have a Savior. And His name is I AM. His name is Comforter, Wonderful, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and He is my Abba Father.

Oh beloved, God is God in everything you are going through. He has not abdicated His throne. He has not given away His Sovereignty, His Provision or His will. He is stepping into your valley as King of Kings and Lord of Lord. But He alone is King. He alone is Lord. If you will look up from this valley and look to the mountain of the Lord, look to Him alone, you will find Him to be the All Sufficient One.

Nothing else is true beloved. You are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are not lost. Because God sees the past, present, and future, He is able to know beforehand what our needs are and therefore make provision for all that we need. You are not at the mercy of the buzzards who want to circle your circumstances. You are not left to be eaten and destroyed.

The Lord Himself loves you and that love is everlasting, eternal and complete. He is on your side, already making provision for you! Rejoice as you live in the light of His Word!

Genesis 22:14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Jehovah Jireh)

Isaiah 33:6 In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!

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.

God Will Change What You see Through Eyes of Faith

Our vacation has taken a little detour. We had plans but the circumstances of the plans made for much prayer and consideration. Finally we felt that we should go in another direction.  And we did.  

As we rode I realized something. The mountains we traveled through and the road we traveled on are the same ones we’ve come through many times before. But this time was different. In fact, it was very enjoyable.  I’m just not fond of cliffs or hairpin curves but yesterday was exceptionally wonderful.   We met people, we shared Jesus, we encouraged lives and we laughed together.  We asked for divine guidance and He answered.  I asked for help to make it and He responded.

Sometimes when we’re going through the mountains of difficulty our only prayer is for relief.  Could it be that from time to time God wants us to grow through the trouble rather than be relieved of the difficulty? 

I discovered as I rode behind my husband on the motorcycle through the mountains that there are times when God just helps us get through it. Sometimes He teaches us a better way. Sometimes He allows a detour. Sometimes He changes destinations, outcomes and plans.

We want the circumstances to change.  We don’t like the difficulties, the strain, the stretch, the helplessness we feel when in the hard spot or on the difficult road.  God wants growth.  His desire is not to destroy us or to keep us going through the same path of trouble over and over. But His desire is that we will learn to rely on Him more and more, so that when we’re done with the road we’re on, we find that we know Him better and are able to actually thank Him for the good things that came, even while traveling the hard road.  

One thing I know for sure, regardless of the circumstances of life, just one touch from the Lord changes everything.  Just one touch from the Lord changes me.

We all face troubles. We all go through trials. We all have high places of suffering, difficulty and pain. It’s inevitable.  If we focus on the danger we may make it through but we’ll be miserable. But if we focus on the Lord, not only will He get us through it, He will give us joy in the midst of it all. He will give us a better outlook and purpose in it. We can relax and find blessings in the ride, even when it’s hard. The only way to do that is to let God touch it all. 

Oh beloved, run to the road map of life and read: The Bible is full of God’s promises for your trip.  He has the absolute best plans for you.  You may not understand the road you are on, but God knows every turn and every twist. He has gone ahead of you to prepare for your safety. He is behind you to encourage you to go on through.  He is within you to give you courage, strength and grace beyond your natural abilities.  He says I AM your way, I AM your truth, I AM your life. If you will trust Me, I will change what you see and give you eyes of faith to ride the mountains of difficulty, cruise the valleys of despair and survive the winds of change, the storms of life and the detours you never planned. 

God loves you and He’s with you all the way and that’s worth trusting Him wherever the road of life leads you, knowing it’s His touch that changes everything. 

2 Corinthians 5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight. (NAS)

Isaiah 43:2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 

Hebrews 11:8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Isaiah 42:6 I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God, my salvation! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and song; yes, He has become my salvation.

How's the Garden of Your Heart This Morning?

This is the time of year we see a lot of plant problems in our office. People bring in their sickly items and one of our agriculture agents will attempt to diagnose the problem. Sometimes we have to send off the plant sample to the disease lab. They are specialists at diagnosing problems including diseases and insects.

Today we had a tomato sample, a worm identification, two grass samples and a tree sample. The roots of grass from one home’s lawn were completely rotted away. The grass was turning yellow and the entire yard was dying. It had started out in small patches, but over the course of several weeks it had overtaken all the grass.

Insects eat away at healthy tissue until there’s nothing left. If they nibble at the fruit of a plant, the fruit becomes inedible – unusable. If the roots of the grass or other plant are affected by disease, then no nutrients can enter into the green leaves. Without proper nutrition everything dies.

Our faith is a like a plant. Unless our roots are strong and healthy, they cannot extend deep into the soil. If they don’t extend deep enough, then shallow living is what you have. And shallow living makes for problems.

Problems and trials are a lot like worms in the garden. If left unattended we lose the fruit of our lives and faith is eaten away. Once our faith is compromised, we have little hope of producing for the Kingdom.

As believers we must spend time tending the garden of our faith. At the first sign of trouble it’s imperative that we seek the wisdom of the Lord. The quicker we bring our problems to Him, the easier they are to diagnose and repair. If we let it go, the diseases of this world will overtake us. We must also make sure to pick the worms that constantly want to eat away at our faith. Those pests are persistent, so we must always be on watch and always seek God’s help with our weaknesses. 

In this walk of faith, we often want to be so strong that we can handle it all, including the fruit pests and root problems everyone has. But real life in Christ doesn’t ignore our own weaknesses. It admits our need and lets God’s strength be ours. Without the Lord, we cannot hope to be cured and find strength to grow fresh and healthy fruit for the Kingdom.

Oh beloved, how’s the garden of your heart this morning? Are you weakening under the load of pests – the hurts, the sorrows, the fear? Is the fruit of the spirit being eaten away because you’re unable to handle all the problems yourself?  Run to the Lord this morning and let Him have your problems. He knows your weaknesses and He’s more than able to be strength for you! He knows your root problems and He’s able to cure them by His Holy Spirit. God will always be there to help you and never leave you to languish and die no matter what. Let Him dig deep to find the real problems and watch as your healing comes and your fruit returns in greater quantity and quality than you’ve ever dreamed!

God loves you so much that He’s made a way to give you everything you need for a fruitful, faithful life and He’s for you so that even when you get overtaken by pests, He’s there to remove the damages and restore the joy!

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

Colossians 1:10 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;

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

2 Peter 1:8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 92:12-14 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.  For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.  Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.

Are You In a Tight Spot?

Back in the 80’s my brother spent a lot of time caving throughout the limestone caves of his area in Texas. He still loves it, but as he says, “it’s a sport for young people” and “very dangerous”. When he began to talk about crawling through tight spots I began to feel claustrophobic! He even shared about the time he got stuck in a tight spot. Once his friend talked him through it, they came through to a massive open cavern full of wonder. Why would anyone want to edge their way through areas so tight they could get wedged in? I don’t know about you, but getting in a tight spot just doesn’t appeal to me. The thought of massive rock above and below, with no way to dig through, dig out or dig away just makes me feel like I’m suffocating. To think that anyone would choose to do that is beyond me.



I know sometimes the way of life seems broad and free. We breathe easily, we enjoy the beauty of creation and we admire the sky and all that surrounds us. Other times we find ourselves in a tight spot, either of our own making or that which is just part of life. We want to hold our breath, punch our way through and feel like we’re going to die! Panic sets in and we can’t go forward and we can’t go backward. We want to scream, but it only makes things worse. The situation we find ourselves in has us stuck. No one can hear us and no one can help us.


Thankfully for the believer, no matter what kind of spot we’re in or how we got there, we have someone who is always ready to move heaven and earth for us. We call out to Jesus and find He is already there! It might take some time to get dislodged from our circumstances, but all the way He leads us. His heavenly promises are there to guide us through like a light shining in the dark cavern of worry, fear, trouble, disappointment, cares and more. Unlike cavers, who rely on other people’s knowledge or their own wits, we have a Savior who watches over us. We have a God who is there to see us through. We have the Angel of the Lord encamping around us, when we fear only God!


Are you in a tight spot? You may be wondering how it could have happened. You took precautions, you calculated the risk, you kept yourself safe and yet here you are. Troubles surround you like boulders in a cave. Your heart is beating wildly because you don’t know what to do! You could be thinking you got yourself into this; you’ll have to get yourself out. Or you maybe pointing the blame at someone who put you in this position, hoping they get what they deserve. But that doesn’t help you does it?


Oh beloved, call out to the Lord! He is the One Who will answer when no one else hears. He is the One Who will set you free when no one else knows you are trapped. He is the One Who will deliver you from the tight spots of life. He will always answer! He will always come to your aid! He will always be willing! He never turns off His response system and He never refuses to help those who call on Him in spirit and truth. You can relax as you trust in His unfailing love. You can rest, even in the hard places, for He cares so very much for you!


Try Him today and let Him prove His love and care for you always! You are His beloved and He will stay with you through it all!


Psalm 86:6-7 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; and give heed to the voice of my supplications! In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, For You will answer me.

Psalm 118:5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;He brought me into a spacious place.

Psalm 138:3 As soon as I pray, You answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength.

2 Samuel 22:20 He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.

Full Protection Comes With Knowing God

Yesterday morning I had a friend request. I didn’t know the fellow but the name sounded familiar. I was on my phone so I just accepted his request.  Within moments I got a private message thanking me for friending him. I replied with a “God bless you”.  Within a few moments I had another private message, asking me to email him so we could get to know one another better.

Immediately I felt a chill.  I looked on his profile and found that he was friends with all women. He was friends with no one I knew. We had no mutual interests. I quickly unfriended him and blocked him from seeing me. I knew protection was needed, not just for me but for my friends, who he might try to friend as well.

A crisis was averted. And I can rest again. The only problem is this type of scenario will come again. Unfriendly people with hidden motives will try to friend us. They may appear to be great friends, with mutual interests, but given time their true heart and motives will surface. 

We must always be willing to friend everyone, for everyone needs the Lord. But not everyone is looking for Him. The Word tells us that satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. Not only that, but he’s referred to as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  There’s no way to look at the word devour without realizing just what that means: overwhelm, demolish, dispose of. It’s a no win situation if we don’t know the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and we aren’t acquainted with what God’s Word says. We have to have our credentials secure – we must know who our God is, who we are in Christ and who our true enemy is in order to quickly respond to attacks wherever they come from.

Oh beloved,   there is One who will watch over you wherever you go. There is One who knows your needs and answers each call before your voice rings out. There is One who is your protector, your deliverer and your strong tower. No foe can defeat Him, no enemy can wound Him, no pretender can deceive Him. Even if you’ve let yourself get into a situation full of mistakes and harm, our God will come in and deliver you! Call on Him this morning and let Him stand between you and the enemies of your soul. He is the Great I AM and He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we ever ask or think. He loves you and because of His great love, He will watch over you all your life.

I Samuel 2:9 He will protect His faithful ones,  but the wicked will disappear in darkness.  No one will succeed by strength alone.

Psalm 10:16-18 The Lord is king forever and ever!  The godless nations will vanish from the land. Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.  Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.  You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 91:14-15 Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.  He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Turn From the Mess and Look to the Lord!

As I came over the hill that’s just before the turnoff to our house, I saw a devastating sight. Someone must have had an accident.  My son in law’s truck was parked on the side of the road and their 4-wheeler was in the ditch. There were muddy tracks all over the road. I whispered Jesus’ name as I slowed down and came around the truck.  I just knew they’d wrecked the 4 wheeler and I just couldn't bear the thought that one of my kids or grandkids was riding when it happened.

As I drove slowly around the truck and I peered into the front seat, my daughter was driving. She turned and smiled at me. With a few words exchanged it turned out to be not nearly the devastation that it appeared to be.  They had actually just ridden through the ditch and got stuck! Relief flooded through my heart and mind as I drove on to the house.

There are times when we suddenly find ourselves in a tough situation. It looks bad. Everything was fine just moments before, but abruptly the whole scene of our life changes.  What we see with our eyes convinces us that there’s been devastation, disaster or worse.  Our hearts beat wildly and tears escape as we try to calm ourselves.  When we find that it’s not what it appears, we let out a sigh of relief.

It’s true that the 4 wheeler was messed up. They had to pull it out of the muddy ditch where it had buried up to its axles  They had to make a mess to get the thing unstuck. It was hard work and it took time. But it was not the terrible scene I had just witnessed with my own eyes.

Maybe you’re going through a rough spot right now. It looks awful. It caught you by surprise. You’ve tried blinking your eyes to make it go away. You’ve tried holding your breath. You’ve whispered a prayer and tried to talk yourself down, but it looks bad. You don’t know if it’s a little trouble or a total disaster because you’re right in the middle of it. It’s a mess and you’re trying to hold on for dear life. You weren’t expecting it, but it’s happened. You didn’t ask for it or deserve it, but here you are in the muddy ditch of life and you don’t know how it’s going turn out.  You came upon your circumstances with no warning and you’re reeling. It could be the messiness of rejection, dejection or abandonment.  The very person you thought would stick with you has left. The job you felt so secure in has played out. The fellowship that was so sweet is over.

Whatever your circumstances, there is One Who will walk with you through it. He will pick up the pieces. He will clean up the mess. He will dust you off, bandage your wounds and set you securely on the road again. He will hold you until the storm cloud passes, He will watch over you as you survey the circumstances. As you whisper His name, He is already with you.

Oh beloved, do you hear that still small voice? He speaks words of love and encouragement. He says I AM with you. He says you are never alone. He shields you from total devastation as He holds you securely in His loving arms. I AM always going to get you through everything you face. I AM the one who can make the greatest disaster turn out to be a momentary light affliction. If you will hold onto Me, I AM going to take you beyond the present situation you see with your eyes and provide new vision for the road ahead.

Listen to the Father’s heart. He will always always always love you. He will always always always be with you. He will forever make what looks bad, turn out for your good and His glory. For you are His and He is yours. For you are more than the sum of your mistakes, you are more than the disasters seen with your naked eye. You are bought with a price, redeemed with love and set for glory in eternity. Trust Him today, right in the middle of your mess. Together, as you hold tightly onto God’s hand and look away from the situation and focus on His Word, the disaster will fade into peace. God loves you and He’s for you and that’s what will always get you through.

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 69:13-14 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth. Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink.

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.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

A Cure for Heart Ailments is Available!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In a Battle? God WIll Give You Victory!

On a recent trip we decided to take a tour a civil war battlefield.  We entered through the arched monument with excitement. High atop the Mississippi River bluffs, this park meanders through rugged gullies and deep ravines. There are monuments to all soldiers who fought there, as well as generals and dignitaries. There are also monuments for each state that battled there.  Some states’ monuments are huge, with elaborate details. Others are simple but each one carries a message - some of hope, others of sorrow.

At this battle, soldiers of one side were cut off from supplies and food. The siege lasted more than a month, but surrender was imminent. Without supplies and nourishment, no group of soldiers can last forever.  They had been promised help, but word eventually came that they were also sick and starving and had lost their strength to fight as well.

By the time we were halfway through the tour of the park, I was done with it. The excitement of the entrance gave way to the horrors of war. Seeing the 30 pound cannons facing off against one another and the cemetery with its row upon row of white stones told the truth of war.  Seeing on one state’s monument that brother fought against brother made me sick to my stomach.  We found an exit and headed on home. 

Don’t you know those soldiers, many of them so very young, with rosy cheeks and gleaming smiles, were quite excited upon their entry into service?  They were willing to fight for their truth. They were there to defend their side and to win the war. But by the time they’d seen the casualties and felt the gnawing hunger in their stomach and seen the stench of it all, I know they were like me- ready to go home.  Some of them never made it back, others ran away and a few lived to tell the story of the ravages of combat.

We’re like that aren’t we? We ask Jesus into our heart and we’re gung ho for the life! We are ready to tackle anything, give up all and fight the good fight of faith. Admittedly it’s pretty easy at first, loving Jesus and learning about Him. But believers are bound to get into the fray – eventually the enemy of our souls will call us to battle. While the onslaught can last a while, we get weary. Without the supplies and nourishment needed for a believer, some will succumb to the fight.  Others will want to run away.

Oh beloved, run to the Commander and General of the Lord’s Army! He knows you’re in a battle. He’s seen the troubles in your heart, the things that have come against you. He’s also seen your hands folded in prayer. He knows you are tempted to give up and give in. He knows you may feel cut off from others and in this fight alone, but we are never alone when God is on our side! His Word is your battle guide! The Scriptures are your nourishment and supply for everything and anything that comes against you!  No battle lasts forever.  You may be tired of the back-biting, the discouraging ambushes, the unloving assaults, but God has promised that He will fight for you and you will be Victorious.  Just as there must always be a winner in earth’s wars, there is always a winner in the heavenly realm. And, beloved, God says you win!  Don’t give up today, don’t give in. Call on Jesus, call on His Word and remember that God loves you and He’s for you and that’s a win-win situation every time!

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

Exodus 14:14 The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

2 Samuel 22:40 You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued my enemies under my feet.

1 Chronicles 5:20 They cried out to God during the battle, and He answered their prayer because they trusted in Him...

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.

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.