Do You Trust Him?

Do You Trust Him?

One of our friends often tells of his daughter holding onto the rope as the horse drug her through the dirt. “I’m not letting go Daddy!” she yelled. Our little Stella jumps from the top stair into my arms and evidently she knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will catch her each and every time. Danny would beckon our own kids out on the edge of cliffs while we were hiking and they’d just go with him. The grandsons will follow him anywhere on one of those treks. Each experience shows that these kids simply looked into the eyes of the one they trusted and not one of them held back or said anything like “What if I get dirty?” “What if I fall?” “What if it’s scary?”

I’d like to think I trust God. Wouldn’t you? But do we? Really? When we say we trust God, what do we really mean? I trust Him to do things I want? I trust Him to give me my desires? I trust Him to…(you fill in your blank)

I can’t just say I trust Him to make me look good. He may not do that. He isn’t compelled to do so. We care about how we look. We care about what people think. We care about appearances. We want God to make us look good (for Him of course). But He cares about our heart. Real trust says, I will go where you send me, I will speak what you tell me to, I will humble myself and pray more and forgive always…It says I will go the distance simply because Jesus did, He has and He will.

God speaks to my heart: You’ll have to learn to trust Me in order to go where I have ordained you should go. You will have to hang on for all it’s worth. You will have to jump into what appears to be thin air. You will have to go out on a cliff and not care how high you are to position yourself with Me. I AM beyond the natural, beyond the safe, beyond the ordinary. This area of trust takes you beyond the realm of possible to the realm of impossible. It’s okay because I AM the one who calls you and I AM the one who will be with you all the days of your life. You have a choice, but if you choose to step out in faith I will teach you how to let Me speak through you, work through you and your destiny will unfold as the most beautiful life lived. 

Oh beloved, isn’t it time? Why don’t you give God your heart this morning fresh and new. Talk to Him about your lack of trust and let Him give you fresh anointing for the trust you will need. God is trustworthy. He is the author and initiator of Trust. He knows everything about you. Your life. Your hopes. Your dreams. Your hurts. Your fears. He knows you’ve tried to trust others, but sometimes it’s proved heartbreaking. He knows you have held on and yet others have cut the rope. He knows that you’ve looked for love and peace and companionship and were still left hanging. But He’s your Everything and as you learn to live Loved by the Lord of Heaven and Earth you will find that Trust becomes second nature. He will never let you down, never leave you alone and never forsake His call on your life. It’s going to be different in this land of Trust, but it’s worth it. Oh beloved, it is surely worth it.

God loves you and He’s got a wonderful plan for your life. Trust is the issue. And this is all we have to agree to. It’s all He agrees to. I trust Him to make Himself glorified through me.

Proverbs 22:19 So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.

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

Isaiah 26:8 Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your Name.

Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

Psalm 73:24 You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Cast Out a Little Farther

by rebekahbeene

Danny and I both grew up fishing alongside parents and grandparents. In turn we took our children fishing and now they too take their children fishing. It’s a good, clean activity that can produce some delicious results if done right. It does take some planning. The right bait and the right technique, along with the right equipment makes for a successful catch. Little children don’t know quite how to fish when they start so sometimes it’s a little haphazard. 

Jesus had taught His disciples much and yet they had so much more to learn. I can relate, can’t you? He appeared on the shore seeing that they weren’t able to catch a single fish. They were discouraged. The flesh was not cooperating, even though fishing was their very lifestyle. They already KNEW how to fish. Was it desperation or was it obedience? When He told them to cast out in a different direction they did it. The catch was beyond their ability to haul in. It was more than they could handle. Suddenly the men who couldn’t catch a perch had a month’s load in one cast. Peter, realizing it was Jesus, hurled himself out into the water and swam to meet Him! I love this. Are you ready to step out into deeper water with Him? Are you ready to totally immerse yourself in Christ and not care what happens or where He sends you or what He instructs you to do?

God speaks to my heart: I AM the Lord. I AM the one who has redeemed you, given you a new name, reshaped your life and restored your soul. You are not who you were. So it’s time to cast out a little farther with Me. I want you to know the depths of the riches of My wisdom and knowledge. Where is your weakness? I AM there to strengthen Myself through you. Where is your lack? I AM there to give abundantly beyond all you could ask or think. Where is your blindness? I AM your vision, your purpose, your plan and your provision. Fishing for small fry was good when you were a child in the faith, but I AM calling you to deeper trolling of My Word. This will not be fleshly fishing, but will be Spirit casting into and beyond your natural beliefs. If you will let Me, I will take you beyond yourself and fully into the depths of My Kingdom and it will be for your good and My glory.

Oh beloved, God is calling this morning. You’ve been thinking about letting go of the bank of earthly cares and desires. You’ve wondered if God can be trusted. He can! You may feel less than but God is MORE THAN. You may have been bewildered by the lack of fruit for your labor. You may have been left to go it alone. All this is well within God’s plan to take you beyond the natural and into the supernatural. Run to His Word of Faith this morning and see! Run to Christ and believe! Run to the Spirit and let Him envelop you and change your plans. As you totally abandon yourself to Him you will find that peace will increase, fruit will overflow and life will be better than it’s ever been in your wildest dreams. 

God loves you and He is for you so wherever He tells you to cast your net, do it quickly. That’s where the real fruit and the real life in Christ is.

Luke 5:4 When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish

I John 1:4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Psalm 143:8 Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! 

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…

God Will Keep You Always

We love all the Toy Story movies. We see that Woody goes through a lot in each of the movies. Each movie showcases troubles that the toy Woody gets into. His owner Andy went away to college and he was boxed up and accidentally given away. Woody feels pretty bad about it all and is convinced that he meant much more to Andy than how it appears to be. Still Andy is gone and Woody is given away. Woody feels rejected and even though he wanted to stand with Andy forever, it’s over. Or so it seems. Watching to the end of the movies, each and every time we see how things turn out right for Woody, even when he’s in the hands of treachery and thievery. We applaud the good ending and rejoice with the toys.

I know there are times when we all feel like castaways. We may know that we were right where we belonged. We were doing a good job, just like Woody did a good job of being a toy for Andy. Yet things happen. While we are willing to go for the long haul, there are times when the worst happens. We get boxed up and sat to the curb. It’s then that we wonder what we are going to do. We feel alone, left out, and useless. We didn’t want it to happen but it did just the same.

Toy Story is just a movie, but the fact is we belong to Someone. We have given our heart and soul to the Lord and we pour our lives into where God has put us. Wherever we are, we are meant to sow as unto the Lord and we know that it’s from God we receive that reward. We can trust that the One who wrote our life story has not written finished, done or “the end”, for we are alive and looking for God to call us on to higher things. We can rejoice that whenever one door is closed, God most certainly has better plans for you. No one who is alive and breathing and belongs to God is useless. There may be a time of waiting for God to open that next door, but we must never give in to dismay or discouragement. This is the time to spruce ourselves up in Christ for the next big event.

Oh beloved, God knows your heart. He hears your cries of pain as someone invariably has put you out on the curb. They do not know God’s heart for you. All they can know is their perspective. But you can trust God, no matter what. You will never be called a castaway by God. And just like the ending to the children’s movie, the ending to God’s story of you is good. God promises to promote you beyond your own present situation, when you stay close to Him and rejoice in His truths. Don’t let yourself be sold out because of the current circumstances you may be in. You are priceless to God, and He will keep you safe all the way to heaven. Now is the time to get into the Word, get on your knees and get even closer to God. Your faith is your greatest ally and the Lord is your comforter. Keep watching, keep praying, keep forgiving and keep looking to the Lord for His response.

You’ll never lose out as long as you walk with Him. God is writing your story and you are In Christ. So the story of your walk with Him is written with great purpose and continuing plans of good and not evil. Nothing else matters as long as you realize that God loves you and He’s for you and His plan for you will be fulfilled.

Psalm 27:10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the Lord will take me up.

Isaiah 54:6 “For the Lord has called you, like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even like a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected,” Says your God.

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

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill His purpose for me.

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.

You Can Believe God!

“Do you swear to tell the truth so help you God?” That used to be the oath that was sworn in courtrooms across our country as men and women would place their right hands on a Bible. The truth is something we treasured. Swearing on a Bible meant we put our words in God’s hands and basically were asking Him to help us tell the truth no matter what. I’ve heard that now you can choose whether to reference God into it. As kids we would pinky swear or say the proverbial “stick a needle in my eye…” quote. The truth is so important that even kids wanted to be sure of their friends telling the truth.

My husband is a man of his word. The more I got to know him the more I realized that he tells the truth. I’ve never caught him in a lie ever. I’ve never heard him tell an untruth or try to shuffle things around to make himself look better. He just tells the truth. If you ask him he’ll tell you. Because he’s always told the truth I am in a position to readily believe what he says about any subject. So I’m privileged to rest in his words. They comfort me and help me have knowledge about things I don’t know. I refer to him often when I am asked a question about deep things of the Scripture or other important things like how to loosen a bolt. I am also confident that when I’m with him anywhere he can be trusted. It’s good to know that he won’t lie for me and he won’t lie to me either. Often he has laughed as I asked him something he might not know. He laughs because I assume he knows everything because he tells the truth about everything. Knowledge is a real high quality to have if you’re going to tell the truth.

You and I are privileged to put our faith in God through Christ. As a believer we can know that God is a God of His Word. God doesn’t lie. So we have a sure foundation for our faith. We can readily believe what God’s Word says because it’s truth. We can rest in His promises because He’s a God of His Word. What He says about you is the truth. What He declares for you is the Gospel. What He asks you to do is possible because it’s His truth and He’s trustworthy.

Oh beloved, you can believe God! You can trust God! You can rest in His promises. Are you struggling with an issue this morning? Run to His Word and get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. God will not laugh at you because He knows everything – everything about you, everything about your situation and everything you need to know to live a life of godliness and contentment. Others may not tell the truth about you or to you, but God has your back. He will turn the things that aren’t right into His glory and your good. Because He can be trusted you can rest in every single promise. You can walk in all the privileges. You can honor every declaration. You can live in His truth and take it as your own.

Precious one, no matter what situation you find yourself in God’s promises are for you. They will carry you through hardships, rejections, disappointments, physical ailments and pains of the heart. He loves you and He’s for you and those promises will let you walk valiantly all the days of your life.

Psalm 119:160 The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.

John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

2 Corinthians 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. AMP

Romans 4:20-21 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

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

Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Is It Foggy Right Now?

It’s been foggy and rainy a lot lately. It’s just that kind of fall weather when staying inside seems the best choice. The leaves falling and the overcast skies hide the true colors of the leaves that are so brilliant in the sunshine.

The fog is so deceptive. It too hides things that are road hazards in your path. You get disoriented and it’s easy to miss the turns and bends in the road ahead. Try turning on your bright lights, which usually gives you a better view, and you find that the path is even more obscured.

Left to my own preference I’d just stay home until the dampness receded and the fog lifted. I prefer sunny days, especially in the fall. I don’t like to have to feel my way through the roads and hope that no deer suddenly appear in front of me.

We can’t choose the weather. We can’t tell the fog to burn off. We can’t make things happen just the way we want to. So we trust the weather and the effects of it to the One Who knows exactly what’s going on. We can’t see ahead many times for we are trapped in the heaviness of our situations. But we can trust that the One Who knows what is going on is also going to go before us and make the way passable.

Life often changes just like the weather. Sunny skies turn to darkened nights. This change makes us feel as though we are in a fog. We’re used to sailing through familiar pathways on to our comfortable lives. Then the fog rolls in. We’re caught without sight much further than right in front of us. It’s scary, it’s unnerving and we’re not sure if we’ll make it through. We’re not sure which way to turn so we have to slow down and proceed with caution.

God speaks to my heart: You don’t have to live in the fog. You just have to go through it. And you don’t have to go through this foggy season alone. I AM the light in the darkest night. I AM the beacon shining through the fog. You can’t trust the situation, you can’t trust people to help you, you can’t trust your own senses at times like this. But you can trust Me. This is the time you can grow in Me. Slow down and listen to My voice. I will direct you, I will counsel you, I will guide you through. While you see the foggy times as impossible situations, I will use them as times to teach you to trust Me more. I AM never going to leave you or forsake you. I will not allow this to be a time of destruction but of instruction. My love and power and mercy will get you through. Proceed with caution so that you can hear Me clearly for I AM always speaking protection, direction and care over you.  You may think the situation is so hurtful, wrong and unfair but when the fog lifts you will see that all things, even this, work together for your good.

Oh beloved, is it foggy where you are living right now?  Run to the Beacon of Love! Open your heart in prayer and your mind in trust! He’s not going to let you wreck, He’s not going to let you fall, He’s not going to let you live in the present situation. Don’t despair and don’t trust your senses. Trust God and sink your heart fully in His Word! At just the right time – His timing – He will bring you through the fog and into the sun again. It will lift and the beauty of a new day will be your reward. You will be stronger, more sure of your faith and ready to meet the road ahead with fresh determination. For what you learn in the foggy season, will be your message to others who need to know God’s abiding care.

God loves you and He’s for you so that you can proceed with Him through any weather as you let Him watch over you, guide you and keep you safe all the days of your life.

 2 Peter 1:19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

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

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

You Can Trust God Always!

When you ride on the back of a motorcycle you’re dependent upon the driver for everything.  For me, since I cannot and do not ride my own bike, I’m really dependent on Danny.  I depend on him for many things, from bathroom breaks to steep hills and curves breaks! I literally put my life in his hands every time we climb on the goldwing.  I admit when I first climbed on behind him in the 70’s I wasn’t so sure about His abilities! But I loved Him and so I went with him with my whole heart. 

Over the years he’s proved himself to be a top notch driver. We’ve been through sleet, snow, rain, fierce heat and winds. We’ve had blow outs, alternator trouble, battery issues, gas filter clogs and more. Every single time I’ve found myself in what I’d think was a tight spot, Danny has come through with ingenuity that I certainly did not have. There have been times I’ve been very afraid of the road but I’ve never been afraid of him.  I’ve laughed and cried and prayed and held my breath on the back of the motorcycle, but he’s always gotten me through it all. In all my life I’ve never trusted myself to another. I’ve never ridden on the back of a bike with anyone else and I’m glad.  I put my trust in him early on and he’s never let me down.  I believe Danny is the best motorcycle driver and husband there ever has been. 

When I first met the Lord and became a believer, I was not always sure of God’s abilities. But I gave my life to Him completely.   I put myself in His hands and let Him do the driving, the leading, the choosing and the blessing. He’s never once let me down. Oh there have been times that I just knew I wouldn’t live through it – the sorrow, the hurt, the mourning, the trouble – but each and every time He has proved Himself to be the absolutely perfect Savior, Master and Friend. My faith in Him has grown and grown. I find that I put more and more trust in Him and He’s always there for me. Not once has He left me on the roadside of life. Not once has He said He couldn’t get me through a problem. Not once has He let me down.  There is no other Savior like Him.

Oh beloved, today is the day you can trust God completely! He is worthy of your trust, your faith, your prayers and your thanksgiving.  He will not let you down on the highway of life even when others may fail you. He cannot fail you, even when the economy fails. Even when the sky grows dark, He will be your covering for the bad weather. Even when the strong hot winds of adversity blow against your tender skin, He is your shade and shield. Even when you can’t imagine how you will get through it, He is carrying you through it all.  He’s the only Savior worth trusting your life to. He’s the only Friend who loves you enough to guide you all the days of your life. If you will put yourself in His hands and let Him do the driving, leading, choosing and blessing – you will never be disappointed.

The Lord of Heaven and Earth loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth putting your life in His hands forever!

Psalm 33:20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.

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

Psalm 34:19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 46:1 God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. (AMP)

Psalm 9:10 And they who know Your name [who have experience and acquaintance with Your mercy] will lean on and confidently put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek (inquire of and for) You [on the authority of God’s Word and the right of their necessity]. (AMP)

Proverbs 16:20 He who deals wisely and heeds [God’s] word and counsel shall find good, and whoever leans on, trusts in, and is confident in the Lord—happy, blessed, and fortunate is he. (AMP)

Drop Every Restraint and Take Every Chance with God!

Our 3 year old grandson, Caleb loves to play on my phone. When I enter the room he walks up to me with the sweetest face and says, “I want to pay you pone”. Sometimes I let him. Other times the battery is too low. Occasionally I will try to get something from him in exchange. “Okay, if you give me a kiss!” Rarely do I get one of those. But sometimes when I say, “Okay, give me a hug” he’s willing to make the exchange.  Other times he just says “hmph!” folds his arms and walks away. He weighs the give-and-take in the balance and just can’t let go even though he desperately wants to play a game on my phone. We’re both disappointed. Me, because I really wanted that hug or kiss and I so wanted to bless him. Caleb - because he really wanted to receive the blessing of getting to play on my phone.

We’re like that with God sometimes.  He speaks to our heart about moving out or moving on or simply letting Him choose the road we need to take. It’s just a little east of our comfort zone. We look at the request from God, we look at the desires of the heart, we look to Him and we look at ourselves. It’s just too much to give.  We weight it all out and find ourselves walking away after deciding the exchange is too costly.  It’s a huge disappointment for us – for we who are in the household of faith ought to be more willing to let go.  Not sure if it’s a disappointment to God, for He knows all about us and He already knows what we’ll choose. But He has to wonder why His children don’t just give the hug and receive the blessing!

Unlike Caleb, who is simply thinking with his mind, we are able to pray about our decisions and look at them from a spiritual aspect. If we let ourselves see with the eyes of the Lord, then we’ll say sure to God and move with Him!

Caleb will outgrow his toddler thinking. He will grow out of being so shy and unsure of the consequences of letting someone have a hug or a kiss. As children of the Lord, I hope we outgrow our restraint with God.

Oh beloved, I pray for you today! I pray that you will see the Lord and run to Him willingly and give Him your whole heart! I pray that you will not hold back one piece of yourself from Him. I pray that as you give yourself entirely to Him you will see all the amazing blessings that come from a willing heart. I pray that you will measure carefully what God is asking of you and do it with all your might!  I pray that as He speaks to you, you will listen with the ears of faith and see with the eyes of trust and hold out your whole life with the hands of service. I pray that you will feel the hug of His amazing love and hear the joy in His heart as you give it all to Him.

I want to encourage you to drop every fear, worry, concern and control and take every chance that God presents to you. I know in your heart you want to receive every blessing, every mission, and every plan from God. You’ll have to drop your guard in order to receive completely from the Lord. But I’ll let you in on a little secret – it’s more than worth it!  Why? Because God loves you and He’s for you and that’s where the real blessings are received.

 

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.

Psalm 119:32 I will [not merely walk, but] run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing. (Amplified)

2 Chronicles 25:2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

1 Chronicles 29:9 Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.

 

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

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.




 

Look Away From Your Troubles!

As we rode into town the other night there were 4 large deer crossing up ahead. It was hard to make out the animals except that their eyes were brightly shining in our headlights. They had stopped in the middle of the road staring straight our way. You could say they had that “deer caught in the headlights” look. As we got closer they picked up their pace and trotted into a friend’s yard. If they’d not gotten their eyes off of us, we’d have run over them. If they had panicked in confusion and run back into the highway it would have been a disaster. But they looked away from us and found refuge in the trees off the road.

I’ve had that look before. I’ve been stopped dead in my tracks and been caught so off guard by circumstances I was not expecting. Sad to say we can be totally mesmerized by problems, illness, heartbreak, anger, resentment, fear and more. We become frozen in time and blinded by it all. If we’re not careful we’ll be run over by the incident that was merely a passing situation. But because we were caught in the blinding light it can cause us to become victims.

Maybe you’ve got that look right now. There are so many things that can cause us to slip into depression, despair and pain. You’ve gotten a bad report and that’s all you can focus on. You’ve heard sorrowful news about someone you love and you’re done in. You think God has left you, people have left you and love has left, so you just want to lower your head and let life run you in the ground. I know it’s hard, I know it’s almost unbearable. I also know the Lord. And His promises are higher than your lowest moment, brighter than the darkest hour and safer than the oncoming troubles.

Oh beloved, Look away! Look away from the troubles that have you caught square in their path. Look instead to the Lord! That’s His hand motioning you to come to Him. That’s His Spirit that is wooing you to listen. That is His safety that is calling you to forget what you’ve been staring at and look into His Wonderful Face! He will either take you out of the situation altogether or stand in the gap for you through it all.  He can be trusted! He can be believed! He is more than a Savior, He’s your friend! Because He loves you like no other, He can be trusted more than circumstances, people, places or things! Hallelujah! What a Lord!

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 123:2 We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.

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

Psalm 18:30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.

Psalm 34:19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

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

This is the Ride of Your Life!

I have always wanted to ride a scenic train. Hopefully this summer will be my opportunity. We have plans for just that. I know that this type of train travels on the edges of rivers, winds through mountains and dips into valleys. There will be a couple of tunnels to travel through and there are no lights in these tunnels. I will not be able to see outside the train car, but I’ll be safe inside where it is well lit and all our needs for comfort are met – drinks, bathrooms, soft seats and air conditioning. I’ll also have my wonderful husband by my side.

I don’t know if I’ve told you, but I’m not fond of heights, dips, cliffs, bridges, curves or the dark! Yet I am planning a trip that will take me through those exact situations. My fears of those things are overcome by my desire to enjoy the ride!  I won’t be riding alone anyway, even when I’m afraid my husband never is and he will hold me close and remind me that it’s safe.  I might get scared from time to time but it will be okay because the trip will be outstanding and the scenery will be breathtaking!

We don’t always get to choose our trip. There will be hard times. We must go through them just like I will have to go through the tunnels. Life’s twists and turns can be rough. We don’t know how we can hold on. We want off the ride and back on terra firma – safe ground.  But regardless of the dangers ahead, we are meant to dwell in joy! The train cars of life are full of His care and comfort – we can abide in joy and peace. Our conductor is no novice –for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He knows what He’s doing.  Not only that, the one who sits with us and comforts us and whispers words of safety is our Lord and Savior!  Even when we are in the tunnels of life and we can see absolutely nothing or no one, the music playing in our head is the Word of God sung to us by the Holy Spirit, who is with us always.

Oh beloved, run to God’s Word for you are in for the ride of your life! The Word of God is your ticket to heaven, but it’s also your seating assignment, your boarding pass and your safety net! Read it all and take it in for you will be refreshed in hard times and strengthened in weak moments. When you cannot see anything, the Word will increase your vision!  When you wish you were somewhere else the Word is your reminder that God is orchestrating your life for His glory and your best! You are blessed and highly favored for the King of your life not only gave you heaven, He has taken care of all your needs for this life as well! Keep your eyes on Jesus for He is the Conductor of your entire life – He will check your ticket and attend to all your needs and safety all the way. 

Psalm 112:6-8 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.  They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly.

Isaiah 25:9 In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in Him, and He saved us! This is the Lord, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation He brings!”

Isaiah 42:16 “I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them.  I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone.” (New American Standard)

Proverbs 1:33 But all who listen to Me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

Blessings Come in Trusting God For Everything

You know it is amazing how much kids are alike. If they get something they don’t need or aren’t supposed to have, the minute mom or dad checks it out, their little hands go behind their backs. Somehow they think holding the object behind them will keep the parents from seeing it.  “Let me see” is usually followed by two little fists holding even tighter to the object. Often the fists must be pried open to get the unwanted object out of their hands. For some reason, the more they shouldn’t have the object, the tighter they hold it! Running is usually involved as well! As they get older they get a little better at hiding things, but parents just know.  Amazingly most all children are alike – they just want to hide what they shouldn’t be holding onto.  We parents get the object away and usually pat them on the head and remind them that it’s a “no no”. Sometimes as children get older, they begin having tantrums when the object is taken from them. But a strong parent will not heed the gesture and do what’s right for the child in spite of their objections.

I find myself holding on firmly as well. It’s not always something outright bad, but the implications of holding so tightly to things makes us look more to the object than to the focus we should have.  Almost daily I find that my Father is asking me what’s in my hands. As I relinquish the object of my affections into His hands, He reminds me that He knows best. There are times that I want to hold onto my grasp and try to argue with Him.  But my Heavenly Father has my best interests at the heart of all He does.

Oh beloved, what are you trying to hide from the Father? What are you holding onto? It may be a child, a spouse, a friend, a possession, or misbehavior. He may be asking you to move up, move out or move on.  As you relinquish that most favored treasured thing to Him, He promises that it’s for your best.    Beloved, God knows your heart and He knows what you hold precious. All He asks is that you come to Him with open hands and an open heart.  Let Him choose what you can hold onto; when you give it all to Him, He will either return it later or replace it with something better.

You can be sure that your Father God can be trusted. While you may not always agree with Him and you may not always see why, trusting in Him and letting Him take care of you makes for blessings beyond your wildest imagination!  Give Him your heart! He died for you.  Give Him your possessions!  He gave them to you to use for Kingdom glory.  Give Him your love and affection! He loves you beyond your belief and He has promised to care for you all the days of your life.

Jude 1:24-25 To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things.

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.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

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

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.

Life is Fragile! Follow the Lord and Trust Him

As kids, both Danny and I participated in drills during the school day. Among them were the fire drill, tornado drills and even atomic bomb drills. We were urged to listen to our teacher and follow her instructions quickly and without questioning. After all we were preparing for a life and death situation. It was imperative that we obey in order to save our lives.  I can imagine that the teacher in Connecticut who saved the lives of her entire classroom must have urged the children to get into closets and cabinets quickly. Were they afraid? I’m sure. But they knew their teacher, that she could be trusted so they listened to her. She probably told them to be very quiet as well. Her quick thinking combined with their quick obedience saved their lives. The teacher, just like our teachers back then, shielded the lives of her students.  

While none of the drills I participated in as a child ever resulted in needing an escape or protection plan in real life, still I remember believing the teachers’ words without any desire to disobey.  For the fire drill, when she said “line up” we did! We wanted out of the building as quickly as possible. Out on the school yard we’d look around and see that the entire school was safe. 

We are a blessed people, those of us who have believed God and listened to His voice. We have said Yes, when He called and accepted the shield of faith that saves our lives, literally. The call to Christ is no fire drill, it’s real and the call to obey is urgent. Without a quick response to the Savior of the World, we won’t make it out alive. Today is all we have. Tomorrow may not come.  There are many dangers, toils and snares – each one designed to take our lives by keeping us from heaven. But God’s plan of Salvation is so simple that a child can follow it.

We are blessed as well because when our Lord says “line up” it’s in our best interests to do so. Sure, everybody’s doing their own thing, but God says to His children, “Line up according to My Word.”  It’s not a drill, it’s real life. And the only way you’ll be safe is to quickly obey the Master’s call. His Word is not meant to keep us bound but to set us free! True freedom is only found in putting our trust in One Who knows better than we do. He can be trusted and followed without question.

Oh beloved, life is so fragile! Are you listening to the Father’s voice? Are you handling your troubles, trials, sorrows and mourning with prayer? Are you giving your hopes and dreams to the One Who created you so that you can live a life without regrets? Are you sure in your heart that you can trust God, that even when bad things happen, you are safest in following Him closely and listening to every Word that proceeds from His mouth?  God freely offers you the blessing of heaven, but He wants to give you the blessing of obedience here and now as well. Won’t you run to Him this morning and take time to hear Him clearly? Before the noise of the day and the busy-ness of life drowns out His voice. His love is saying, “Here is the way” and His care is saying, “Safe are those who trust Me”.  Now that’s a God worth praising and following all the days of your life!

Luke 1:46-47,49 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

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

Deuteronomy 13:4  Serve only the LORD your God and fear Him alone. Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.

Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.