Are You Ready to Get Some Real Rest?

                                                                          When traveling late in the evening I usually get very sleepy. As always, as I get sleepier I start dozing off. When I start dozing off I jump awake and ask Danny if he’s sleepy. I’m always concerned that he will nod off as well. Every single time I ask him he always says the same thing, “No but you are”. It’s hard to relax because my drowsiness makes me think he’s surely going to be drowsy too. But in reality how I am feeling has nothing to do with how he’s feeling. His wakefulness is not thwarted by my lethargy. He is alert and watchful even when I am completely asleep. He’s never scared me or had a wreck while I was asleep yet I keep asking every time we travel. Finally when I am overcome with sleep and can’t keep myself awake I just have to let it go and trust him. He’s never failed me. I know I’m safe as soon as I let myself rest.

I think we may tend to treat God the same way. We find ourselves in a state of commotion – we are worried. So we wonder if God is with us. We’re fearful. So we wonder if God will protect us. We’re in the dark about a situation and we wonder if God sees us. We forget everything we already know. We forget to remember how He’s seen us through other crises in the past. We get drowsy spiritually under the load of present circumstances and we think God might fall asleep – He might miss this one.

God speaks to my heart: You cannot call the shots on your life. As well as you plan things are going to happen. It’s time to let go the desire to control things and learn to rest in My presence. My Word is your book of rest. Inside its pages are the truths that I breathe out over your life. You don’t have to question Me. You don’t have to worry about what I will do. You don’t have to think that just because you are in a dark place that My light won’t shine this time. Your fear doesn’t lesson My protection. But it will lessen your faith in Me. Your constant worry is not prayer. But your prayers are always received by Me. I miss not one tear, not one loss, not one problem. I AM the Lord who protects, guides, watches over and keeps you safe even when you are sleeping. Even when you are thinking I might not come through this time I AM already working out the plans for your life. It’s time to trust Me and let yourself rest. Rest in My promises. Rest in your circumstances. The rest I give rejuvenates your faith, revives your spiritual senses and redeems your times. Trust and rest go together. Prayer and faith gives you purpose. I will never leave you or forsake you. When have I ever done that? Quit wondering if I will be with you now, for I have said I will be with you always, even to the ends of the earth.

Oh beloved, time to wake up from the spiritual lethargy of worry, fear, regret, control. Time to let God breathe His Truth into your mind and let it go all the way to your heart. Settle things with Him now. Repent of disbelief and let Him drive. He has never forsaken His own and if you are His you are His own you can be assured by His Word that He is in charge of the trips of your life. Nothing is too difficult for Him. He has never missed a problem, been surprised by the ordeals you go through or been caught napping in your troubles. The things you are encountering in your life are not going to ruin you. Rather they are going to build up your faith in God.  If you’re having problems resting in His presence get out the Word of God and recite it over your life. Let His Word dwell richly in you. Don’t scrimp when things are hard. It costs nothing to go to the Word and it wields great dividends to the one who lives in the light of His mercy and grace.  Remember His promises and rehearse the truth about Him. You will find that when you let Him lead and rest in Him you will always feel renewed. Things may look worse, but God is making it better.

He loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth trusting Him to take care of it all and letting yourself rest in Him.

Isaiah 43:11-12 I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me.  “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and there was no strange god among you; so you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God.”

Isaiah 44:8 “Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, or is there any other Rock? I know of none.”

2 Samuel 7:28 For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. NLT

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

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

Psalm 4:8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust. Amplified

A Life Wrapped Up in Jesus

There are a lot of gift exchanges going on. From office parties to church events, everyone is scrambling to find just the right thing for their occasion.  Even the dirty Santa get-togethers require bringing a good gift, because seeing it swapped around the room lets you know you succeeded.

For years I made homemade bows and turned them into butterflies and angels and such. I’ll admit the last few  years has made me rethink spending so much time on that. Now I just try to find big bows and quickly slap them on the package. I have already gotten a couple of gifts and one was wrapped extra nice. It just looked great and because it had a store tag on it, I knew it would be good.

Upon opening the package I found that the contents were broken. It was sitting there so pretty in the beautifully wrapped package I had just opened, but as I slipped my hand in to lift the gift out, only a piece of it lifted up. No problem. The giver did a really good job and I loved my present. It didn’t take long to make things right and the replacement was perfectly together.

Our lives are often like the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. We’re done just right. Everything in order. Beautiful paper, perfectly formed bow, just the right tag and our life is perfectly presentable. No one knows what the contents are, but the cover is par excellence.  Our exterior is put together in all the right ways. But open the package and peer beneath the veneer and some are terribly broken. Quickly we want to recover the package and make it look good, but inside it’s just broken.  The beautiful covering can’t change what’s inside.

Oh beloved, God sees beneath the wrapping. He knows you. He’s well aware that inside you are suffering with a broken heart. It may be the loss of a loved one to death. It may be the loss of love due to another’s change of heart. It could be that your insides are full of regrets, fears, worries, troubles and agony.  You’ve done a good job of keeping up appearances for appearance’s sake but Jesus wants to get inside. He wants to probe all the brokenness. You want to hide it all. You haven’t dared tell anyone just how broken things really are, but God already knows. And Christ came on that beautiful starlit night to fix you. He is the Repairer of broken things. And He wants to repair your heart and mind and then display you for all the world to see His wonderful workmanship.

If you will let Him He will not just repair it all, but He will make it all new. I know it’s hard to believe right now, when you’re hurting and weary and wondering what you will do. But He promises. He says He loves you and that’s why He’s willing to mend your broken heart, heal your hurting mind and redeem your soul.  He’s for you and that’s why you can trust Him with the deepest contents of your heart.  Even the hardest of times, the broken moments, will show His glory as you are His most beloved child.  He will never leave you with a broken heart, no more than a parent would leave their child with a broken present. Then He will wrap you up in Him and guard your heart and mind forever.

A life wrapped up in Jesus is the most beautiful life you’ll ever live and that’s all that really matters as you let Him make your life just right inside and out.

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

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Jeremiah 33:6 Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.

Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

Jeremiah 17:4 Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.

Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

You CAN Walk in FREEDOM!

We watched a rerun of King Kong the other day. The newest version really shows the gorilla as a fierce creature much more realistic than the 1930’s version. His fierceness was overshadowed only by his strength.  Yet for all his strength, he was finally subdued by his enemies. The captors penned him down with enough ropes and strong medicine to knock him out. Their elaborate plan to capture him finally worked, even though he fought them, even though he was stronger, fiercer and bigger.

The word says that the believer is strong and invincible in the face of trials and troubles. We are referred to as more than conquerors and overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies. We are instructed to walk in freedom and be valiant warriors for God.     

Yet the enemy of our soul has an elaborate plan to capture us. Regardless of the promise of spiritual strength to overcome we will fall if we’re not careful. The enemy, our would-be captor, has a cunningly devised plan.  This plan is clever, artful, and ingenious and he has worked hard inventing, developing and formulating the plan.   

Unlike King Kong, who was finally captured, we do not have to succumb to the tactics of the enemy. He’s crafty but we have the Holy Spirit residing in us. This gives us great advantage in the fights of our lives, our hearts, our minds.  As we daily surrender ourselves to God, and declare our dependence on Him alone, we are able to overcome whatever is thrown at us.

While the enemy doesn’t cause every problem in our lives, he certainly wants to take credit for it and use it to his advantage.  If we are angry and we let that anger rule our lives we are submitting to a rope across our back. If we are discouraged and we don’t allow God to replace it with His courage we’ll find another rope has been slung across us.  I would dare say that fear is probably three ropes – fear will tie you down all by itself. Fear of man, fear of failure, fear of the future – none of these are meant to live in our minds, yet without God’s touch we all have fear. The list of ropes goes on and on: disappointment, tragedy, trials, turmoil, sorrow, unbelief…

Thanks be to God the lover of our soul has a plan as well! His plan includes praise, worship and freedom. His plan keeps us safe, keeps us free of terrors and lets us live without concern of the enemy. We don’t have to be taken captive as we learn to apply God’s Word to every situation that comes our way. Ropes are designed to capture us, but we can use them as walkways to greater living.    God’s plan of living even includes rescue when we’ve let ourselves be captured!  He will not allow us to remain captive unless we choose to. He is our Redeemer, Savior and Friend and His Spirit is strong on our behalf to break every chain and loose every bondage we’ve ever had. Brute force, natural strength won’t relieve you, redeem you or set you free. But God’s power is the overcoming victory for every believer.

Oh beloved, God has a wonderful plan for your life! That plan includes walking in freedom no matter what road you are on. It includes walking in strength and power of the Holy Spirit even in the jungles of life.  God is wooing you with His Word this morning to listen and live free. He will lovingly untie every fetter that seeks to control you and keep you down as you give each one to Him.  He’ll even take away the fear of the only natural enemy you have – satan – and replace it with His assurance. You never have to walk in dread of capture as long as you walk in the light of His Word.

God loves you and He’s for you and He provided your ultimate freedom on the Cross so that you can live free and in the power of His might all the days of your life!

Isaiah 43:1-3 Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.   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.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

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

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Psalm 18:1 I love You, Lord; You are my strength.

Psalm 18:39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued my enemies under my feet.

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

Good News in Spite of the Headlines

My brother visited us again over the week-end. We had a wonderful visit! We laughed and reminisced and watched old and new movies. We ate and fellowshipped and napped! I even watched a basketball game with him!

One thing my brother enjoys is watching news. He has his favorite channel and we watched that some. It didn’t take long to realize that most of the news is pretty negative about the future of our country and its economy. No one has real answers for what plagues us. For a country that espouses government of the people, by the people and for the people we are surely far from that these days.

There is much going on that brings chills to my heart and I’m sure many of you feel the same way. More and more rules are being written and less and less freedoms are being protected.  The news paints a bleak picture, even among the more conservative groups.  Each group says they have the answer and yet none of it sounds like a good prospect for the average citizen. More taxes, more laws, and less liberty. That scenario equals something I don’t even want to think of.  I found that by only watching a couple of hours of news that I was becoming more discouraged, worried, frustrated and insecure.

What is our hope for change?  Where can we go? Who has the answer? Who do we look to for help?

There is hope! There is help! There is an answer! While we can’t fix all the woes of the world in a day, we can begin with ourselves. In God’s Word is everything we need! We must go back to His Word and live by His precepts! We must return to the God of our childhood! We must fall on our faces before the Only One who can do anything!

Oh beloved, today is the day to call upon the Name of the Lord! You woke up this morning so that’s proof that God has a plan for your life! He is all you will ever need for living on this planet and for living in the light! Run to His Word quickly while there is still time and take it all in – find your reason for living, your way to live, your hope for redemption, your strength in the hardships, your manna in the wilderness, your shelter in the storm, your deliverance from captivity, your water from the rock, your light in the darkness, your help when you feel completely helpless and more! 

Trust Him today and give Him your whole heart, for His Name is Faithful and True. He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the very best news!

Job 42:2 I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted.

Revelation 19:11 After that I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse [appeared]! The One Who was riding it is called Faithful (Trustworthy, Loyal, Incorruptible, Steady) and True, and He passes judgment and wages war in righteousness (holiness, justice, and uprightness). Amplified

Hebrews 12:28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe.

Deuteronomy 4:7 For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on Him?

Psalm 91:2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him

God is All You Need on the Highway of Life

Although my parents were on the road a lot when I was young, I never really went very far.  They traveled farther after I was grown and married. Until I was 50 years old I’d never been farther north than St. Louis, father east than Vicksburg, farther west than Sweetwater, TX and farther south than the Mexican border town of Matamoras. I had never been more than a day from home and never stayed away from home more than a few days. 

As we took our first trip, I pored over travel books, information brochures and maps. I didn’t want to miss a thing! The only problem was that there was more to see than we had time.  We couldn’t stay in the same place for more than 2 days. We had to move on.

While I thought at times we had taken the wrong road, we found wonderful delightful surprises everywhere we went! But sometimes I thought I had probably missed something on the road we didn’t take. What if’s would surface and I’d get in a foul mood.

You know you can overthink things and then you’re so busy thinking about what you may have missed that you can’t enjoy what’s right in front of you.  So I didn’t see the Big Tex statue in Amarillo. But I did get to ride through a herd of buffalo with my hubby on a motorcycle! I may have missed the Florida coast, but I got to meet a member of the Marshall Tucker Band on a motorcycle, who rode along with us and shared his faith!

I know there are so many choices in the world. Some of them have been made for us. Some we have made that we wish we hadn’t. Some are good choices, but we wonder could we have done better? Some were poor choices, bad roads full of potholes and road gators. We could just sit on the side of the road and bemoan the choice but then we’d get nowhere would we?

Oh beloved, you were meant to travel beyond the realm of your own making! You were meant to soar higher than the eagles, leap over walls and scale the mountains. But you can’t get there if you are worried about missed opportunities and past mistakes! Drop the load beloved and run to God’s Word to see what He says about you. He speaks with joy and love – He says to you this day I AM your road guide. I AM your way maker. I AM the redeemer of your past, the restorer of your day and the planner of your future! If you will let Me, I will make all things new. 

Don’t look back. Nobody can change a thing about the past. Let it all go and watch as God makes all things new especially for you – because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all you need on the highway of life.

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. (Amplified)

Luke 12:28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

I John 3:19-20 By this we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we are of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, soothe, and pacify) our hearts in His presence, Whenever our hearts, in tormenting self-accusation, make us feel guilty and condemn us. For we are in God’s hands. For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything [nothing is hidden from Him]. 

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

Not Sure if You're an Overcomer? God is Your Source

There is a lot of talk these days about survivalism. However you feel about it, merit can always be found in preparing ahead for hard times.  Having gone through an ice storm several years ago, we were thankful we had extra food in the cabinet so that we didn’t go hungry, for we literally could not get out of our driveway for days! Our electricity was off for a week and we had to resort to techniques for healthy living and cleaning that were beyond the norm.  I heated water in the fireplace and washed dishes at the sink.  We heated our food at the fireplace as well.  We lived downstairs and slept on pallets while closing off the upstairs. Literally going to the bathroom was about like going to the old fashioned outhouse – it was cold and we had to carry a flashlight! We also had to learn how to entertain ourselves! We still had two kids at home who were not having fun. We learned that you don’t have to have the TV on 24/7.  We played card games and board games. I put together a lot of puzzles.  We talked to one another and reminisced and laughed a lot! We had time for one another and the things that meant so much to us.

Now, we didn’t have to suffer at all really, but it reminds us that when God allows us to go through hard times we can be resourceful and seek His face. That if we should need to stand for our faith or go through truly hard things, we can do it with God’s help.

I admit I am no expert on the subject of survivalism, but I know one thing – God’s promises are for His people. In good times, they are a reminder to walk with Him. In bad times, they are a source of comfort to seek His face. In times of plenty, He warns us through His Word not to forget Him. In times of hardship and want, He reminds us in His Word to trust Him.  Should we prepare ahead? Absolutely, for God’s Word tells us so.

Oh beloved, do you know how to survive? Are you struggling with what if’s and if only’s? Are you concerned that when things get hard you won’t have enough or that you won’t know how to make it? Maybe you think you might have to suffer and you don’t know what you’ll do.  Run to the Lord this morning and let Him set up your survival skills! His Word has marvelous biographies of heroes of the faith who were victorious in battle, courageous in the face of incredible obstacles and fearless in the days of famine, peril and war.  Although they went through hard times, they were triumphant for their destinies were set by the Lord.

You are a survivor! You will overcome by the blood of the lamb. You will be victorious because it is through God you will do valiantly. He will tread over your enemies. He will make a way where there is no way. He will care for you just as He cared for Sarah and Joshua and Joseph and Daniel. Everywhere you read in the Bible there are wonderful accounts of champions of the faith.  Look to the ultimate heroes of the Word of God and see – no one who trusts in the Lord will be disappointed for His everlasting covenant of grace surrounds those who put their trust in Him!

Always remember that God loves you and has a marvelous plan for your life. When you seek His face first and become a proponent of His ways, He will guide you, He will instruct you, and He will watch over you and keep you in His arms all the way to Heaven! Now that’s worth preparing for! That’s worth praising His name!

Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him— my father’s God, and I will exalt Him!

Jude 1:24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault.

Isaiah 51:12 I, yes I AM the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear?

Jeremia 17:7 But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Under His Wings is Your Refuge

I have always loved chickens. From the time as a little girl watching my uncle feed them to being an adult and having a few of my own.  A friend of my parents gave my kids a bantam hen and rooster back in the day.  The hen had a passel of chicks. She and the rooster were black as coal and the baby chicks were too. They were fun to watch and fun to listen to. She had different voices for different events. Often you could hear her cooing quietly. At that sound they would run up to her and gather under her wings. She took incredible care of those babes of hers.

One day we had a dangerous visitor.   I was in the house and I heard a hawk calling nearby.  I looked out the window as the mother hen began cackling loudly and running everywhere!  I raced outside to run the hawk off and found only the mother hen.  It appeared that every one of her babies was lost to the hawk’s wily abilities.  I was just sad as I returned inside the house to finish up whatever chore I was involved in.

Sometime later I was sitting at the window resting and watching the beautiful woods in our back yard. I could hear the mother hen still talking softly from underneath the back porch.  I guessed she was missing her babies as much as I was. Suddenly baby chicks appeared from nowhere!  They popped out from under the thick bed of leaves at the back of the yard.  They ran over to their mother, who once again gathered them up under her wings and spoke soft mother hen talk to them.

I was amazed. That mother hen had instructed her babies to hide! And when time had passed and the danger was gone, she called them out from the safety of the leaves. What looked like a disaster was simply the love of a mother protecting her babies.

Oh beloved, are you having a hard time? Are you wondering how you got in trouble, got left out alone, got in danger or worse? Are you wondering if you will ever feel protected, safe and secure again? Maybe you’re sure that no one will ever rescue you or keep you safe. God sees your life and He knows every detail, from the mistakes you make to the transgressions that come against you. He is the One Who has kept you all these years and He is the One Who will see you safely home! Trust Him this morning, for under His wings is your refuge. Look to His Word as your guidance for under His Banner is your safety. Because of His incredible love for you He will never fail you or forsake you and on that alone you can rely!

Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings.

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

Psalm 138:7 Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.

Do's and Don'ts - God says Don't...Worry!

I hear my children telling their children, “don’t do that” and “do this” a lot! They are teachers you know. Their life’s call for the next 18 or so years is to teach their children and guide them to be upstanding citizens. As Christians their job is to make citizens of heaven as well.  Teach. Teach. Teach.  Every opportunity is a chance to teach something.

There are a lot of do’s and don’ts in this world.  The church is no different.  We have do’s and don’ts as well.  Sometimes, if we’re not careful we’ll major on the minors and find ourselves walking in rules instead of restoration. Regardless, there are many things the Lord wants to teach us and His heart’s desire is to keep us safe from harm and fit us for heaven to live with Him there (as the song goes).

So what are some of the do’s and don’ts? I cannot begin to list them all but I can tell you a couple as they come to mind this morning. God definitely wants you to know how to walk in His precepts, so that you will walk straightly in a crooked world.  This is simply because He loves you, just as parents love their children.

God says to you this morning, “Don’t worry!”  Period.  He means it! His Word is full of His counsel and He never misspeaks or gives wrong advice. To worry is to wrangle something and wrangling just wears the body mind and spirit out!   Worry is the opposite of faith. Worry is the opposite of love. Worry denotes that something is so amiss that even God can’t fix it.  But, God Himself says to you “Don’t worry about ANYTHING”.  When you rehearse it, what has ever changed by your worry? Nothing! But faith is action! Faith in God changes everything!

Oh beloved, what a marvelous lesson in faith to learn today! Being prone to worry myself, I can tell you that rest comes when we lay it all down and our Heavenly Father says to you this morning, Quit worrying about things. Those things that are troubling you, vexing your spirit, weighing down your heart. I love you, I AM on your side and I AM the One Who guides and leads you into My will.  Trust replaces worry, and faith grows from trust.  Trust Me. For I have the entire universe in My Hands and nothing is too difficult for Me! My love combined with My Word is an impenetrable fortress for you.  I love you now, I will love you forever and I will see you through this world all the way to heaven! Now isn’t that worth praising Me and letting go of worry?  

Psalm 107:20 He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. Amplified Bible

Psalm 37:1 “Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.”

Proverbs 12:25  Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Luke 12:25-27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

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

I Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.

Philippians 4:6  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.