Bent Over in the Winds of Life?

I’m not sure if the wind ever quits blowing in West Texas. It may settle in the night, but by mid-morning it’s roaring again. You can tell by many of the trees, who seem bent over permanently that the wind has blown for many years. Although the trees are bent by the wind they aren’t completely blown over. Especially the mesquite tree. Its roots grow deep. They can reach 200 feet beneath the surface. For a tree that grows a maximum of 30 feet tall, that’s a lot of root system. Because of the tap root of each tree, they are able to survive even in drought. The constant wind combined with little average rainfall would take its toll on the average willow tree, but the mesquite is equipped to handle the adverse growing conditions.




There are times when we feel bent over in the winds of life. Tragedy, disappointment and fear coming blowing through and we don’t know if we can stand. A friend called me and she literally said she didn’t know if she should hang on or just let go. I understand. This world is getting dryer and dryer and the winds are howling at the very foundations of our hearts and souls. If we don’t have a root system of truth to keep us grounded, we will break loose like tumbleweeds and be blown by any wind that comes along.



The Word of God is our root system. Without it as our foundational truth, we have no strength to hang on in trouble. We have no way of pulling up the nutrients we need to live and thrive. Droughts of faith come along and we feel parched and wilted. Winds of trouble, trials and tyranny blow in and without our tap root running deep into the Word, we’ll be plucked out of the good ground and left with no hope, no strength and no health.



God knows our needs. Every single one of them. He understands that we must be watered regularly with prayer, faith, hope and love. Without the basic elements of the Word we won’t make it. Without the foundational truth of who we are in Christ and how He provides for us, we won’t thrive in the desert times that come to all of us. We must know God, realize who we are, what we believe in and how we are to live in order to live with purpose and strength in a land of adversity and hopelessness.



Oh beloved, run to God’s Word this morning and take it in. Drink deeply of all that God has for you. Study it closely for it is your very life’s blood. God has made a way to keep you rooted and grounded for all of your needs. As He calls you this morning He speaks with love and care. He is your stronghold in trouble, your shade in the heat and your water in the drought. He sees your troubles and He knows you are in desperate need. His Word will replenish your provisions, replace your nutrients and revive your entire being. He calls from the depths of His love and He beckons you to sit beneath the shade of His Word. Every Word is written with your needs in mind.



The winds of trouble won’t always howl the way they may be right now in your life but you will find that as you seek the solace of His Truth in troubled times you will be stronger when the storm is over. His Word is love and His Truth is your only source of strength. Keep it close to you always, for He loves you and He’s for you and His Word will always remind you of that love and care.



Psalm 18:1-3;30 I love you, Lord; You are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.



Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. (Amplified)



Psalm 1:2-3 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

Mother's Day is the Lord's Day!

My mother was born in an age when most folks still had a horse and buggy for transportation. When she was about 2, her parents left her and her older brother on the farm to fend for themselves while they traveled with the baby brother to town for supplies.  Her older brother was maybe 4. She shared how they would gather buffalo chips to burn in the fireplace to keep warm.  She recalled her mother asking her father to please take all the children with them. That was the beginning of a lifetime of hardship and hard places to be in.

But they survived. My mother survived. She went on to survive many many things in her lifetime. From peritonitis to cancer to miscarriages to tuberculosis and more. She survived abandonment, horrible work conditions and bad marriages.

My mother more than survived. She thrived. While most folks would knuckle under any one of the many tales she had of adversities to live a life of anger, fear and turmoil in return, not my mother.  She just got stronger with each thing that came along.  She laughed often, forgave a lot and lived free. She worked hard, had fun and helped others. People drew from her strength – from her siblings to her children to her friends.

One time I asked the Lord to have the spirit and strength of my mother. He spoke to my heart. It seems my mother’s strength of character came from adversity.   Now everyone wants to have strength, but who wants to develop that strength?  Dough gets tougher the more you knead it. Polished rocks come out of a tumbler after days in the machine. Tarnished silver requires cleaning compound and rubbing, rubbing, rubbing.   Get the picture?

I know that Mother’s Day is not a huge blessing for everyone. Some of you are living under the rejection of a beloved child. Some of you have been dumped by a husband, forgotten about by a parent and you’ve been through the mill. The heartache of life in general, has left you dreading the day, wanting to forget all about it.  The Hallmark version of this holiday just doesn’t fit you and you may wonder how to ignore it altogether.

Others of you want to have that inner strength, but going through hard things just isn’t what anybody asks for. Yet, God in His incredible, redemptive mercy can make every single hard time, every mountain, every valley, every heartache, every mistake you’ve made or others made against you, and the hurt and pain work together for YOUR good.  

Oh, beloved, it’s time to drop the baggage of poor parenting, poor raising and poor outcomes at the door of worship and enter in to the Lord’s presence. This day can be a magnificent day to give Him every burden you ever carried, to lift every load that someone put on you, to decrease your pain and increase your joy. He says to you this morning that He loves you, He loves you, He loves you. And while you may not understand why you are going through hard things, you can trust Him to get you through, make you stronger in the process and increase your faith in Him. Because He loves you, He will celebrate with you, even if no one else does. He not only hears your cries for mercy and answered prayers, He is the reliever, redeemer and restorer of your life!

God is real and He’s speaking to your heart, no matter how you were raised, how you’ve been treated or what you’ve done wrong.  Let Him love you and let Him take your life and let it be consecrated to Him. For He’s with you forever and that’s all that really matters, as He makes your life a shining example of His love, mercy and strength!

Isaiah 54:5 For your Creator will be your husband; the LORD of Heaven's Armies is His name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.

Psalm 119:107 I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised.

Colossians 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.

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.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

God's Word is Pure Delight!

What is it about ice cream that makes us want it, no matter how many times we’ve tasted it? I absolutely loved the homemade ice cream we made on the porch of my aunt and uncle’s house at the fire tower where my uncle worked. I always got to sit on the churn (I may have mentioned it before, sorry but it’s one of my absolutely most favorite memories of childhood).  Both my mother and my aunt had a secret concoction of canned milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Cooked on the stove, cooled and poured into the maker, a cousin would crank the handle of the machine until they could not turn it one more time. Carefully removing the towel that held the ice in the reservoir, we’d get ladled dollops of the most luxurious stuff.

There’s ice cream and ice milk and sherbet and sorbet. Chocolate, strawberry, cookie dough, mint and things you’d never think of on your own. There’s vanilla and for my way of thinking, you just can’t beat a bowl of good old fashioned vanilla. There are shakes and floats and frosties and smoothies.  Any way you slice it, ice cream is just wonderful. When a certain Arkansas brand of the luxurious concoction went out of business, people all around were in great dismay! What would we do without it?

If it’s so wonderful and we’ve had so much of it, why on earth do we keep going back for more? Why do we need yet another bowl full if we’ve had the best? What makes it worth return visits, loosened belts and frozen lips?

It’s because we’ve tasted it and it is good!  If it didn’t taste good, we wouldn’t come back. If it didn’t do something for us, we’d have none of it. If it was boring, bland and same ol’ same ol’ we’d probably move on to find something better, but for those who love ice cream there’s nothing better.

Just as ice cream cools the brow in summer and soothes the throat when feeling bad, the Word of God soothes our hearts and softens the furrows in our brows. His Word is tasty and highly valued. The Bible verses from Genesis to Revelation contain the finest ingredients that are out of this world. No matter how you serve it, something wonderful comes forth. If you need refreshing, it will refresh you. If you need encouragement, it will encourage you. If you need confirmation, determination, strength, endurance, perseverance, all of that is in the container of the Word. If you don’t know where to go, what to do, how to escape, you can find it there. If you’re hungry, thirsty, weak, or scared, one bite will begin to heal you, and set you free. Open the container and get a big spoon! It’s all yours for the taking! No one can stop you, there’s an unlimited supply and not one drop of it will harm you. Unlike real ice cream which contains those dreaded calories, God’s Word only contains health for your body, mind and spirit.  Eat fully and enjoy it completely for it’s the only thing on earth that will ever really satisfy.

Oh beloved, God is speaking to your heart this morning. You’ve tried everything. You’ve been left with no real change, no real purpose, no real enjoyment. Satisfaction, though sought by you with intense longing, hasn’t come no matter what you’ve partaken of.  Once you taste of the Word of God for yourself and behold its wonderful benefits, you’ll continue to come back for more! God says to you this morning, Come, beloved, I AM the One Who created you to enjoy My Word. I created you to live for Me in the Light of all that I AM. I will comfort you, feed you, heal you and let you return to My Word daily. My Word is available to you day and night. It will give you everything for life and godliness and as you become more and more reliant upon the Word I will use you more and more for My kingdom.

God loves you and His Word is your delight! Nothing else on earth will ever satisfy your heart, your mind or your spirit like the Word of God. Take a big helping every time you can, for it is the only spiritual food you will ever need.

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

Psalm 119:103 How sweet Your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.

I Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Psalm 119:140 Your word is very pure, Therefore Your servant loves it. (NAS)

What I Live For

Today I’m taking part in "What I Live For", an online event organized by author Satya Robyn. People like me all over the world will be sharing what gives their lives meaning.  I've read a little of what others have said they live for.

Well, here goes:

What do I Live For?

I've tried living for people, places and things.  I loved my parents and I was extremely close to my mother all of my life. She passed away at age 83 and I did not want her to go.  I love my wonderful husband and I know that life would be extremely hard without him. We are true soul mates. We are thick as thieves and could live alone on an island together. I absolutely adore my children and my grandchildren. Each of these human beings I hold so dear to my heart are but a vapor, just as I am. I cannot live for them. I cannot make them the object of all my devotion.

I love my house. I have lots of plans for it. When I am weary or heartsick about other things I find great solace inside it's walls. As comforting as it is I cannot cling to it. It's just wood and stone and brick and mortar. Nothing about it is lasting. A wind can come and blow it away. A flash of fire and it would be burned to the ground. You can't predict what might happen, but you sure can't expect a mere object like a building to be the thing you live for.

There have even been times I tried to live for self. I put me first. I sang opera (mememe). I strummed my own fiddle, had my cake and ate it too. Said, pfhhh to people and yes to me. It turned out royally wrong.  I am flawed. I am fickle. I am imperfect. 

There are some old and dear objects in my home that I love. The old pump organ that my mother saved from an old barn over 40 years ago. Great enjoyment all these years has come from playing it's keys and pressing the bellows. There's the pictures of grandparents on the wall. I see parts of myself in those features. Old jewelry and books and greeting cards from ancestors - great, but just stuff.  Stuff will never give me the security I am looking for.  Not really. I can't live for stuff, for I cannot take one of those things with me when I leave this earth.

So what on earth can I hope to live for? I mean really, if you want to live for something you really want to make sure you aren't wasting your time or spinning your wheels. What is there that might transcend time, be more valuable than things and comfort you when all the things of earth give way to time, decay, rust and ruin?

Here is what I live for. I live for the Lord of Heaven and Earth. I am thankful that Jesus paid the price for me to live with true purpose. I pray everyday that I learn to live more and more in the light of His Word, so that I can share the Truth about Him - that He loves each one of us completely and that He has a wonderful plan for our lives. He knew us before we were formed in our mothers' wombs. He had a plan for us before the foundation of the world. He is the only true God and yet He scoops down to our level and gives us something to live for!

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

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)


He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3: 11


Oh beloved, I hope that you will consider living for the Lord. He alone is worthy of all our worship, our time, our efforts and our hopes and joys. He loves you and He's for you and that's all that really matters.




 

Every Word of God is a Precious Jewel for You!

When I was a girl, my mother wore lots of jewelry. She loved large beads and dangling necklaces. She also wore earrings all the time. They were the clip-on kind. I still have several pairs of those earrings. As I started wearing jewelry I loved the delicate gold chains and small lockets and pendants. I didn’t like those large “gaudy” kinds that many women wore.



It’s funny but now I love big clunky jewelry! The bigger the better! I like to wear scarves too. I also love dangly earrings! The things I thought were for “older ladies” I now love! I don’t know if it’s age, eyesight or just changing tastes, but I have fun with the pieces of jewelry and scarves I wear. I like my blouses to have “bling” on them as well. I really think it’s a combination of all three things: age, eyesight and tastes. Age, because we begin to value our mother’s things more as we get older. Eyesight, because we need things larger to see them better. Tastes because we want more of what we like.


I’ve kept mother’s jewelry, and even some of Danny’s mother’s jewelry, in a carefully stowed away box. But I find myself wanting to see their pieces more often. As I handle them I remember certain events where they wore each piece. I remember the occasions that we may have given them a piece for a special time. The older I get the more I want to remember things that were important to them.


Whether you are young or old there are a lot of beautiful ornaments you can wear as a Christian. You can wear the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. The Word of God is your greatest and more valued piece. Most of all I feel God is encouraging us to learn God’s Word and keep it close to us daily. The days are growing colder, darker and shorter. We are going to need the value that comes from knowing Bible verses and Scripture passages more and more.


I find that as a maturing Christian I see my need to wear more jewelry – to invest my heart and mind in more of the Word. It’s not that I’ve given up on life and am settling into an old time religion, but rather that I am finding more strength and vigor from the Word for my daily needs.

God has given you a complete book of His precious jewels! He says in His Word to wear them, to bind them around your neck, to tie them to your forehead, to nail them to your doorway. Everywhere you go, He says your best asset, and your most valuable item is His Word. As the days wear on you will find that their value increases, unlike old costume jewelry which tarnishes and fades with time. While you may hesitate to wear antique jewelry, these special jewels of the Lord grow stronger and stronger and build your faith all the way to heaven!


Oh beloved, run to your jewelry chest, the Word of God this morning! Pull out the verses you have so lovingly read all your life. Then look at all of God’s Word and find beautiful new verses you may never have read! Handle them often. Wear them daily! They will only increase in value in your heart and mind as you put them on. God says to you this morning, you are my precious child and I want you to know all about Me. I AM the One who sets the stars in the heavens and your life’s every need is found in My Word. When you take My Word in and live in it’s light you can overcome obstacles and rest in my promises. You may have been told you are of little value, not worthy or used up, but I AM the one who decides your value and I AM the king who gives you all the riches of My kingdom.


Open your gifts today beloved and wear them! For the King of the Universe has given you access to every precious necklace, bracelet, earrings and more. He loves you and He’s for you and His Word will keep you safe and full of wisdom, power and love all the way to heaven.



Proverbs 3:3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.



Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.



Psalm 19:9-10 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb



Psalm 119:72 Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver.



Deuteronomy 11:18 So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

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.

All God's Promises Are True About You!

My mother went to the beauty shop just about every week when I was a teenager.  She enjoyed getting her hair washed and curled, set and fixed by the beautician. There were always magazines laying around that showed new hairdos and hair color. My mother had very little gray hair, even when she got older, so she never did have color put on.  Both she and my aunt went to the same lady.  It was comforting to know the routine and know the beautician well. She always did a good job for mother and my aunt. 

When you go to a beauty shop, you usually have some say so in how things will go.  The hairdresser needs to know the length you want, the kind of cut you want, maybe even the color or a perm. The overall outcome you’d like to have is important to her. But other than that, she does the thing she does because she’s knowledgeable about all that goes with hairstyles. You wouldn’t say for instance, hey don’t use those curlers, use this kind. You don’t walk around the store telling her what to do, you trust your hair to the one who knows what they’re doing.

You also don’t come into the shop and just sit there wishing you could get your hair done like everyone else is doing. You come to the beauty salon for a specific purpose, to take advantage of all the knowledge and expertise that’s there.  You want to look better, which usually makes you feel better. I know, you may have had a less than stellar experience once in your life, but really you go to the beauty shop to have something done for you that you can’t do on your own.

God’s Word is our beauty shop.  Inside the pages are contained everything we need to possess loveliness of heart and mind.   We can’t perform the needed changes on our own. We can’t fix our own messes, mend our own hearts or cleanse our own minds.  Without God’s touch, we are destined to go around trying to fix things ourselves, which always turns out to be worse than we could imagine.

But with God’s touch on our lives, we find true beauty, true peace and the rich and radiant blessings that are there for our taking. Unlike the beauty shop trip, which can cost a boatload of money, God never charges us for His work in our lives. He just performs His incredible makeover and we bask in what He does. As we leave the presence of His work, we radiate His truth for others to see.

We need to go to God’s shop at least once a day to get refreshed and renewed.   We need to stay close to the One Who has given us an extreme makeover. We need to stay within the reach of His loving care and incredible talent. No one else can make us over. No one else can hide our faults, fix our errant ways and create true beauty that will last forever. No one else can make us feel the way God does. Others may say you aren’t beautiful, you are a cast off, you are unworthy. But God always speaks love to you and His Word is your key to true beauty inside and out.

Oh beloved, take time to sit in the shop of God’s Word this morning, and let Him have time with you.  With His touch, you will feel more beautiful and see yourself as you really are – beloved, cared for, redeemed, made new, and set free. Redeemed to live in the light of His love.  Made new to bask in His presence forever. Set free to show forth the praises of your Savior.  He’s calling you ever so gently to come and sit a while as He pours His truth into your mind and heart.  What He says about you is true. You don’t have to wonder if things will turn out the way you want for He promises that just one touch from Him changes everything!  He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the only makeover you’ll ever need.

Psalm 40:5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list.  You have no equal.  If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

I Peter 3:4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Ephesians 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Psalm 92:4 For You have made me glad by what You have done, O Lord. I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

To Know God is to Love Him!

I was born in the bobbie socks era. My brother was 13 years old and I had many cousins who were teenagers. Because I followed them around every chance I got, I listened to their music. One song that keeps coming to mind this morning is “To Know Him is to Love Him” which was the number one hit single in 1958.

Such a soothing song and I can still see the girls with poodle skirts or rolled up jeans swaying to the lilt of the tune. It’s always good to reminisce about how special love is, especially young love. And to know that the object of our affection is so perfect and so worthy of our love makes those old songs even more meaningful.

Did you know that to know the Lord is to love Him? If you spend a lot of time with Him and you read about Him in the Word, you will find it so true. Every single attribute He has is founded in His love. Every single thought He has about us is pure love.  Every plan He has for our loves is planned with perfect love.

Unlike human love, which can wax and wane depending on the feelings of the one who loves or the recipient of that love, God’s love is independent of our worthiness, perfections or abilities. We may be an awesome person, but that’s not why God loves us.  We may have lots of problems, but not one of them causes God to denounce His love for us.

Oh beloved, run to the shelter of His loving arms this morning and read of His unending devotion!  He speaks to you and calls you out of your own darkness into His own Light, so that you don’t just survive, but you will flourish under His guardian care. He says to you this morning, I know you completely and I love you eternally. Before the foundation of the world, before there was a sky or a planet or a star in orbit, I loved you. I have a perfect plan for your life. Won’t you get to know Me better by spending more time with Me? I AM perfect love, I AM your perfect Savior, I AM the way, the truth and the life. By letting Me love you, you will find complete trust and adoration. Together we will conquer your fears, overcome your sins, go beyond your feelings and live in eternity forever. 

God loves you without any conditions and He’s for you through it all, and that’s all you will ever really need. 

Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people.

Jude 1:1 …I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 119:64 O Lord, Your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me Your decrees.

Psalm 9:10 Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for You.

God Holds All the Puzzling Pieces of Your Life in His Hands!

We have a whole closet full of jigsaw puzzles. Some of them have a thousand tiny pieces. Others have as few as 10 pieces, perfect for kids. Each puzzle is unique. Each puzzle has its own level of difficulty. For us grownups, the smaller puzzles with few large pieces are seemingly effortless.  But for the children, they are quite hard to do.

Children are more intent on seeing the pieces fit together.  They get frustrated easily and are ready to quit.  They don’t know how to relate the bigger picture on the box to their fragments lying on the table.

For adults the small pieces can be quite frustrating as well. If there’s a huge expanse of water, it all looks alike. If there’s a forest scene, those pieces too tend to run together.  The subtle nuances of colors in the water and in the trees seem so clear when looking at the big picture, but searching them out piece by piece seems so confusing.  The smaller pieces are easy to lose as well. One piece left out is very hard to find. If you’re only seeing the uncolored underside it’s especially difficult.

Once the puzzle is put together it all makes sense.  Often though, the puzzle sits on the dining table or a coffee table for some time. The puzzle fitter goes back and forth and tries to fit a piece at a time.  Kids on the other hand like to stay until the entire puzzle is right. They’re just not patient about it at all.

Life is a lot like a puzzle. We only see small pieces at a time.  Even the larger pieces don’t always make sense. We get frustrated and we want to know why things don’t come together. We want to make sense of life and get everything neatly in order.  Often certain problems linger and we want to spend all our time on that one area.  We tend to work on the darker areas and try to figure out why they are so difficult.  We’re like children – we want it together and we want it now. Especially if the puzzle we’re working on relates to family. We want God to put the pieces back together quickly in our lives and the lives of those we love. We’re concerned that part of the equation will get lost and the beautiful picture of our loved ones’ lives will never be right.

As long as we’re the puzzle fitter for our lives and for those we love, we’re going to be in constant turmoil. We won’t be able to see the big picture until the very end. Even if we have something to look at the image is often distorted and discolored. But when we let the One Who created the heavens and the earth do the fitting we can relax and rest in the trust that comes from faith in Him.

Is your life puzzling to you right now? Did you think you knew how to put it all together only to find the pieces were swept to the floor and scattered yet again? Do you want to just pour your life into a box and shake it all out to try it over? Maybe you’re ready to throw away the pieces, the box and your hopes and dreams.  You can’t choose the pieces to the puzzle, but you can relax and let the One Who puts the stars and planets in order to do the right thing even in the most puzzling of situations.

Oh beloved, there is One Who holds all the pieces to the puzzle of your life securely in His hands. Each one is numbered and being laid out in correct order oh so lovingly. He can be trusted for He alone holds the keys to all of life – from the joyful to the mundane to the horrendous to the mournful.  He makes no mistakes, cuts no wrong pieces and has a perfect picture for the final display. He’s watching over your life and carefully allowing all the little things that you’d prefer to discard fit together for your good and His glory. He says to you this morning, My beloved – Let Me have all the pieces. Quit trying to be perfect and make sure it all fits. I AM the One who holds the whole earth together and I will hold you together, even if it takes a lifetime. In the end you will be blessed and I will be glorified as together we admire the fantastic picture of your life in Christ. Even if you mix up the pieces, I AM the one who can straighten it all out. Even if you lose a piece of the picture, I AM the one who lets nothing be lost. I AM your answer to everything and I AM the one who loves you completely and I AM for you eternally and that’s all that really matters.  Hand those pieces to Me and watch as I make a beautiful tapestry of it all!

Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.

1 Corinthians 13:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror; but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Colossians 1:17 He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

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

Don't Run Out of Fuel!

 

I have to admit that I hated to fill our last car with gas. I mean it cost a lot of money to fill it up! And because it was older and had high miles on it, we were getting poor gas mileage as well. Danny would go to the store in the evenings or run to town for something and come home and say that he’d put gas in the car while he was out.  He was always telling me that it was better for the car and better for me to keep it full and to fill it often.  He’d prompt me that we could have an emergency and there weren’t many stations open in the night in our area, so a quick fill up was harder to achieve.  It wasn’t long ago that I let it get so empty that I sputtered into our regular gas station, embarrassed that I would not make it.  

It’s important to keep our spiritual motor filled up as well.  For some reason folks try to maintain their lives on very little fuel. Filling up on Sunday is great but it’s not enough to keep us going the entire week. We find ourselves sputtering and coughing and having all kinds of problems as we try to coast back into our spiritual filling station on Sunday morning. We have 7 days a week to live, with 24 hours in each day and we try to make it on 1 hour of fuel. 

The engine of our heart begins to have problems. While our fuel levels wane our engine warning lights start coming on: the levels of anger, impatience, worry, fear, confusion and more start rising.  We try to keep making it and don’t even think about filling up. Sometimes we run out of spiritual energy altogether. We’re done in and left on the side of the road, hoping someone will stop and give us a ride for more fuel.

But our God has made a way for us to live keeping our lives filled up. Not only has He made a way for us to fill up on our own every single day, it’s completely free to us. He paid for all the filling we’ll ever need and His stations are open 24/7.  We never have to sputter and rattle and make it on fumes. We can live with our lives on Full all through the week.

God knows how busy your week is. He knows that you don’t even feel like you have time for your weekly fill up. You’ve been running on empty and you feel lousy. Things aren’t working well and you wonder where you can find someone to relieve your stress. There may be things going wrong and you’re just tired and ready to pull off the road and just quit. He’s seen your plight – the sorrow, the burdens, the road hazards and more. But He’s whispering in words of love to stop a moment and fill up early so that you don’t have to go through the embarrassment of spiritual emptiness. He’s paid it and you just have to fill up, free of charge.

 Oh beloved, pull in to God’s filling station, the Word of the Lord and fill up completely! As you keep your life filled up you’ll find you get better mileage, less trouble and more quality of life on the road. God loves you so He’s given you the keys to the Kingdom and the fuel card that never runs out! He speaks to your heart and woos you with love: I AM your filling station, I AM your fuel for living, I AM your 24/7 attendant who will fill your life, check your heart and clean the window of your soul so that you can see clearly to live for Me in the light of My Love.  Without My infilling, you can do nothing, but when You are filled with Me you can travel far distances and handle the hazards along the way. I AM love and I AM for you and I AM all you will ever need.

Isaiah 29:19 The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the Lord. The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Joshua 1:8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

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

Let God's Word Be Your Mirror

 

Yesterday as our daughter walked across the street to her house, her long dark hair was waving behind her and for just a moment she looked just like she did as a young girl. It was just for a moment but it was there. We have three children. Our two daughters are married with children of their own. Our son is not married yet, but one of these days we’ll probably have a daughter in law and another crop of grandkids. 

 These three children are grownups. If they look in the mirror they see a grown up. But when I look at them I see my children. Each one of them is still and forever my child. Nothing will ever change that.

When we look at ourselves in the mirror we see just what we see. It is what it is comes to mind! We are liable to see our flaws, our wrinkles, a stray gray hair (or more). We’re looking at what we would call “the real us”. But when God looks at us, He sees his child. Each one is His own special creation. He doesn’t look for flaws. He cannot see them. While we think of ourselves as flawed and less than perfect, God sees us as redeemed, beautiful, complete and without spot or blemish.

We see the “real us” but so does the Lord. The only difference is that God is looking at us with eyes of love. He loves us perfectly, completely, without reservation. Since His very essence and nature is love, He sees us with eyes of pure love.

God knows it’s hard sometimes to see yourself as His child. The cares of the world are stressful and lines of grief and worry come. The past and present hurts and mourning what might have been cloud the view and make it hard to see the Truth.

It’s time to trade in the mirror on your wall for the mirror of God’s Word. The real us is described in detail throughout His Word. We must learn to believe that we are who God says we are so that we can live loved beyond measure. When we live loved, then we are able to live life as God’s child and let Him lead us, guide us and direct us always.

Oh beloved, run to the mirror of God’s Word and see your True self. As you were born again into God’s family you have His DNA running through your veins. You’ve been transformed and redeemed. You’ve been saved, sealed and delivered. God says to you this morning that if you will look closely at His word the reflection you see will be Jesus, as He is your covering and your new identity is hid in Him. He says I love you and when I look at you I see perfection. I see a child, growing in grace and knowledge, preparing for heaven, being guided by my Holy Spirit. I see a face that reflects my glory and nothing is more beautiful than that. I will guide you as you learn My Word and take on My nature, for I have redeemed you from the law of sin and death. I have redeemed you for your mistakes, I have redeemed you from your past, I have redeemed you from all that can keep you from seeing yourself as My child. I love you and I AM for you and that’s why I see the real you.

Trust Him as He teaches you the Truth about you. You are beloved, you are beautiful, you are cherished, you are protected, you are being perfected and you are His bride. Rejoice for your Redeemer is drawing closer and closer each day. Let His Word be your mirror and reflect the truth for you always. He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

Psalm 119:5 Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect Your decrees!

2 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Colossians 1:22 Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.

I Peter 2:9 … for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.

You Were Meant to Travel Light!

While working on my boss’s travel to Washington DC last week, I noticed that he had two tickets for baggage. Each time he checked his baggage, it cost him.  It wasn’t a whole lot of money, but if a person had to declare their baggage and pay for it every week it would count up.  I understand that some airlines charge for baggage even more when it weighs more. The heavier it is and the more bags you’re carrying, the more it costs. You can be charged on one airline for heavy baggage, large baggage and too much baggage. Three prices added up makes for expensive travel.  Imagine if you had to carry your heavy, large and overloaded amount of baggage onto the plane yourself? It would be so tiresome that some folks would just give up trying to fly.

We all have had baggage. Some of it was of our own making. We gave our hearts to the Lord but we didn’t know how to give our problems, our past, our regrets, our fears to Him. So we kept hauling that stuff around with us everywhere we went.  It makes for expensive travel. It bears so heavy on some folks that they are totally bent over with the load. Without having anyone to carry their baggage for them, they are destined to live under the load, tiring out easily and always out of breath. They can neither travel the high mountains of extreme joy nor make it through the valleys of trouble. It’s a rough life to walk around with excess baggage.

We were meant to travel light. We were never meant to carry the stuff we had before Christ with us forever. We aren’t meant to gather new baggage either. If we insist on carrying our own stuff, we will be so burdened that we won’t be able to share God’s love and tell others how He heals, sets free and delivers.  We won’t be able to do that because we won’t be walking in freedom from the load.

People are looking for someone to lighten their load. Nobody intends to live burdened lives with all that junk stacked in their hearts and minds. Nobody wants to have to pay daily for excess, too large or too much baggage.  It’s hard to feel you can never let it go. It’s a rough life to walk around with all your fears and animosity, your troubles and regrets drug behind you like an anchor in the sea.  You know people are looking for an answer to this oh so heavy load, because there are so many self-help books on that subject. Trouble with self-help books is they all point you to you!

Oh beloved, this morning God is walking beside you and He’s telling you that He will lighten your load! He will say to you were never meant to carry that stuff around with you eternally. He says to you, lay your burdens on Me. Let’s look at those things you’ve been carrying far too long and talk about each one. There – that Unforgiveness? I can relieve you of that. For I forgave you at the cross and already made arrangements for all of that.  There – those Regrets?  You don’t need to carry them around with you for I don’t even know about them – they are in the sea of forgiveness never to be brought up again. Fear? Oh my beloved, you were never meant to carry one ounce of fear, not for yesterday, not for today and certainly not for tomorrow. I AM your load bearer, I AM your lifter and your lightener. If you will let Me I will remove your baggage and together we will travel to My anointing and My plan for your life.

This morning the Baggage Carrier is calling out to you, I love you, I love you, I love you! And because of His incredible, unending, eternal, perfect love He will lighten your load, carry your burdens for you and give you a travel plan that’s out of this world!

 

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 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.

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.

You Can Thrive - Fully Alive!

We always make coffee when having a booth at rallies. CMA is well known for its “coffee ministry”. We met a biker at a rest stop who said he tells folks, “If you’re having problems or anything just go by the CMA booth and get some coffee. They’ll help you.”

The CMA crew got out the tracts and the coins and the prayer box. They set up the coffee, both the big pot and the little one. It’s just easier to make quick cups of coffee and serve them in the big pot. After plugging everything in and getting the first big pot perking we began to make a small pot. The surge protector kept flipping the switch. We kept turning it back on and still after just a minute or two it would go off again. We were getting frustrated because we didn’t know what the problem was.  

About that time one of the guys came up and followed the extension cord to where it was plugged in behind us. He came back and told us that there were too many extension cords pulling power from that small plug in. We would need to be plugged in to a greater power source to keep that from happening anymore.  So we rounded up more extension cords and he plugged it into a dedicated plug that nothing else was connected to. Sure enough, once plugged into a greater source, everything worked fine.

There are many sources of power in this world. We have education, employment, friendship, marriage, hobbies and more. Each of these things will give us some power for emotional and physical needs to be met. The problem with these lesser sources is they don’t always work. Sometimes they lose their power, and we lose our power as well. If our source is found in people, places, finances, things or fun we will eventually run out of juice.

But when our lives are directly connected to the main supply of power, we can live fully alive and charged up for whatever life brings us. We have better marriages because the source is God. We have greater fulfillment because we are connected to Him first and foremost. Other sources are fine in their place, but giving God first place for all of our life’s needs will lead to more power, more wisdom and more fruit for His kingdom. It may take some maneuvering to get to the direct Source, the Lord, but it’s worth the trouble. If you need to move things around and reconnect, then do so, for your greatest fulfillment is found in God alone!

Have you been feeling a little weak in spirit and faith? You’ve tried self-help books, friendships, church and more. Still the lack of power is showing in your heart and mind.  You’re lagging in zeal and the gifts and fruits are just not able to operate fully in your life. Won’t you take a moment and see how your connection to the Lord is working? It may be that you’ve not stayed directly joined to the True Source of All Power for Godly living. Other sources may lag or fail altogether but God as Your Source will always provide.

Oh beloved, you can more than survive, you can thrive fully alive! Connect this morning to the One Who never turns you down, never weakens His link, never turns off the power and never unplugs your heart or mind. He says to you this morning, I Love you and because I love you I will never turn you away. My Power is always available, perfected in weakness and fills you with inner strength. The power I provide will keep you connected to grace and peace and joy, along with everything else you need for life in Me!  My power will keep you moving forward in faith, shining the light of My glory and warming your heart always, no matter what else is going on.

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

Zechariah 10:12 “By My power I will make My people strong, and by My authority they will go wherever they wish. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

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.

I AM that I AM Has Wonderful Plans for You!

I remember from most of my teacher friends that lesson plans are a real bone of contention. I don’t understand what all is involved but yesterday I noticed a friend posted on social media that she had lost a thousand pound weight – lesson plans were done for a class she’s taking at college! I also have a friend who has been sharing information about estate planning, especially for those who don’t have the finances to pay a lawyer or an estate planner. This will be a real help for many people.

Even with gardening and crop farming, there has to be a plan. You’ve got to know when to plant, what to plant, how much to plant and how to care for what you’ve planted. Without the proper plan all you can do is throw out seeds and hope something happens. It’s haphazard at best and going to be a waste of time and money.

From teachers to farmers, everyone has to make plans. We all need plans to create, organize and enjoy our lives.  We need plans to spend, save and pay our bills. We need plans to even have a great vacation or wedding or other exciting and fun event in our lives. A good marriage requires planning, even after the I Do’s.  Finding time alone is important to plan for couples with young children. Planning is required to have success in any area of life.

Planning for our spiritual life must be done as well. Unless we follow God’s plan, we have little hope to produce fruit in our lives or grow in faith and knowledge. If we don’t begin at the beginning, with His plan for salvation, we will never be able to make any other lasting plans. But with the foundational work done by the Lord Himself, we can build and make plans that will be for His glory and our good. God not only gave us a plan for eternal life, He has given us plans for godliness and abundant living.   

Maybe you are having a hard time seeing God’s plan through the tears, through the fears, through the hard knocks of life. Maybe you had plans and they were good, but they’ve fallen by the wayside or someone ruined them for you. You can hold fast to God in spite of these things, because God Himself is your Life and Estate Planner! His plans never fail, though we seem to be at others’ mercy many times, we are never out of His abundant care, as long as we hold onto God’s eternal, unchangeable, immutable plans.

Oh beloved, God has a wonderful plan for your life! Open His plan book, the Word of God, this morning and read about His plans. Read again how He has plans to prosper you, give you hope, give you a future and bless you with joy and peace, faithfulness and forgiveness. When God speaks to you He says, I AM your Planner, I AM your Guide, I AM your Answer to every situation of life! You can trust ME because I AM that I AM and I will guide you, bless you, forgive you, redirect you, redeem you, uphold you, care for you all the days of your life. And when I AM ready to take you home, I AM the One who will welcome you in to My Father’s House. You have nothing to fear and nothing to dread for as you follow Me, I will protect and deliver you from every messy plan that others try to give you and wipe them from your heart, replacing them once again with My plans. I love you and I am always for you and that’s a plan worth following!

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 33:11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken.

Psalm 40:5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

Jude 1:1-2 This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.  May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

Ordinary Can Become Extraordinary!

It’s nearly always going to rain during the Wild Hog Music Festival in Helena. This year was no exception. We so enjoy helping out with this event. CMA puts up a booth where we give out coffee, water, tracts and friendship. Meeting folks and praying for them is a real privilege. Even though it rained a lot this week-end, we still had ample opportunity to help folks as well as work the gates for the promoters.




We don’t often get time to do much else, but I was drawn to a little shop that is right downtown and next to one of the ticket gates. We went in there several times to look around at the scented soaps and candles, along with gifts and jewelry. We went in there several times.



The owner was cordial and we struck up a conversation with her the last time we went inside the shop. She asked us what we were doing at the festival and how we ministered there. We shared what we do and then she told us that some of our group had come into her shop last year. She was having a rough go of it at the time and they prayed for her and her shop. She said that it was an answer to prayer. She told us that we don’t just minister to the bikers; we minister to the community people as well. It was a real turning point for her.



Often we think that ministry is strictly for those who don’t know the Lord or those who are down and out in some serious way. We know that people need the Lord, but once we are saved, we’re not sure about our walk with the Lord. Because we still have struggle and issues, we find it hard sometimes to see God in our midst. God is totally concerned with our salvation, that we meet the Lord and give our hearts to Jesus. But He’s also concerned about our everyday lives. He wants to be a large part of everything we do and how we live; He wants to become the center of our existence so that we can live in the light of His Word and prosper and thrive in this world.



Maybe you’ve been trying to make sense of the life you are living. You know you gave your heart to the Lord, you know that you are headed for heaven, but the here and now seems so insecure, so unsure, and so uncertain. You’re struggling with the issues of life and you have cried out to the Lord, asking Him for help. Like the shop owner, you have questions and you need answers.



Oh beloved, God wants you to know that you can more than exist. You can live a life that is not just ordinary but extraordinary! You can have the confidence to live a life that is pleasing to God and spiritually successful. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll make it, if you’ll thrive or if you will know how to live. You’ve asked for help and looked for someone to give you answers. Even if no one comes into your life to pray, Christ Himself makes intercession for you! He can send people to pray for you and give you encouragement, but even if He doesn’t He still speaks to your heart straight from His heart. He wants to fellowship with you and hear your deepest needs. Lay them out before Him and watch as His truth unfolds and your steps are established. He speaks to your heart this morning to give you confidence and hope. He says I am with you! I am all that you need. If you will follow Me and seek My face in all your ways, I will take your life and give you more than you can imagine and all that you need. Ordinary for you will become extraordinary with Me because I hold your hand, I gift you with faith, truth and knowledge. Everything you need is found in Me. Trust Me this morning and I will send you the answers so that you can live in the light of My Word.



God loves you so much that He will move heaven and earth on your behalf. He is for you continually as you make decisions and walk the walk of faith in this world. You are His beloved!



Psalm 73:24 You will guide me with Your counsel and afterward receive me to honor and glory.



Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth I cry to You when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.



Proverbs 16:9 A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps and makes them sure.



Psalm 32:8 I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.