The Amazing Word of God

 

     I pray for all of you as I write, praying that God will be with you and speak to you through His words. The Bible holds great power. It is alive and it goes deep into our souls. Memorizing Scripture will prepare us for any and all circumstances. Saying the word of God out loud shoos Satan away and beckons the angels to surround us.

Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Psalm 103:20

There are Scriptures just for you no matter where you are, no matter what you need. Comforting Scripture to combat fear and grief, to rejoice in praise or gratefulness, to share the Gospel, to remind you of heaven and hope, to ease our anxiety. We read through history, enjoy the poetry of the Psalms  or sit amazed at the prophetic word that has proven true.

Scripture holds the keys from the beginning to the end. Jesus has the answers.

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, “My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please.” Isaiah 46:10

Thank You Father for the gift of Your word. Give us time to dig deeper into it, to understand more and more of who You are and Your plans for us. We resist our enemy and listen to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

 

Our Songs

 

     My mom died the day after my wedding.  The final stages of cancer left her in the hospital the week of and during our special day. Walking through that grief as a newlywed left me helpless and left my husband wondering what to do with me. Throughout that time, I was diagnosed with an eye disease that would, one day, leave me legally blind, and my husband lost his job. All of the above left us floundering for answers.

Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5b

     I began to pray. This was the beginning of finding Jesus. I came to the end of myself and asked for help. God placed the right people in my life and sometimes slowly, but steadily, He has given me great opportunities to serve Him, such as leading crisis ministry teams and teaching Bible studies and now through the written word.

     It is astounding for me to look back over what now spans over thirty-five years of a deep and abiding marriage and a deep and abiding faith. Jesus has changed my life in so many ways. His purpose for me continually drives me with passion and joy and He provides enough grace to guide me through the challenges in life. Much suffering has been a part of our family’s life over the years, but the blessings far outnumber them. The craziness of it all has given me a strong and loving marriage as well as two amazing, beautiful, kind, awesome (you get the picture) daughters, the best sons-in-law and, you guessed it, the most wonderful grandkids in the world.

     Hang on through the sorrowful times. Jesus will bring good from them. I saw a quote years ago when I was feeling down about the circumstances surrounding me and I have never forgotten it.

“If God removed the rocks, a brook would lose its song.” Author unknown.

     I pray your song is making a beautiful melody today.

Lord,

I can only thank You for everything, all of it, difficult, delightful, and disastrous. You continue to give us difficult and necessary lessons along the way. I put my trust in You to get me through life’s journey, until one day, the tears, and the pain will be gone forever. Joy will remain.

Amen

The Journey

 

     Many years ago, I read a book called, “Hinds’ Feet On High Places.” It is the story of a girl named, Much Afraid, a girl like you and like me. She wants to stay in the valley where she is comfortable and knows her way around, until one day she has an encounter with the Good Shepherd.

     How she longs to follow Him, but her pesky relatives keep holding her back along the way. Friends and cousins like Pity and Pride, Fear, Resentment and Bitterness. They hinder her journey. She does not understand it at the time, but the Shepherd chooses Sorrow and Suffering as her companions and, slowly, she heads up a tough mountain trail.

     The hinds (or deer) she spots up ahead near the top of the mountain take an easier route, and she wonders why the Shepherd insists she take another way. But one day, she reaches the uppermost place, the highest place, lessons learned and joy attained.

     This allegory speaks to us as we journey along in life, never quite understanding all of it along the way. But Jesus does, and one day we, like the hind, will reach the mountaintop. Sitting in heaven, everything done for Jesus following along with us with whispers of “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He causes me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:33

Lord,

We won’t have all of the answers until we meet You in heaven. Keep us filled with hope and trust throughout our journeys on earth. Even when our companions include sorrow and suffering, You know the way out and through it all. We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Hope In What We Do Not See

 

     I recently searched through and perused some of my writings from years past. I realize that much of my most prolific times of writing have come both during and after times of great suffering. Suffering offers us hard-earned life lessons. Life throws so much at us and as we go through the tough times, it can seem impossible to see a way out, or to find a beacon of hope.

     Jesus taught me the most valuable lessons through these times. I learned to trust. I learned to hang on to hope. I relied on friends and family in ways I might not have had things continued to be comfortable and easy. We can carry each other’s burdens. And the God of hope travels along with us, opening our eyes to spiritual truths, to an eternal perspective, to a life beyond.

     If you are navigating a time of trial, reach out to Jesus with hope.

 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for, and assurance of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Jesus,

Thank You for the hope you bring to us and thank You for celebrating with us through the joys of life and staying close by our side through the difficult days. We can always find peace and hope when we trust in You.

Amen

Jesus Is There

 

     How is your view today? Are you in the deep valley of grief and sorrow or doubt and fear where the thought of seeing the sun again seems a far-off dream? Are you sitting on a mountaintop with a clear view? Life is in a good place, breath-taking and full of joy. Maybe you are on your way down after just such an experience or find yourself with the long climb up, about halfway but nowhere near where you want to land.

     The good news about Jesus, besides that He offers us eternal life, is that He never leaves our side once we take Him as our Savior. He is with us as our closest companion on the darkest of days, in the pure moments of joy and everything in between. He understands the dark better than anyone, and He resides in the gates of eternity where all things are possible.

     Give Him your heart this morning. Fill Him in on where you are and what you need. (As if He doesn’t know) He knows the answers far better than we know the questions. He will fulfill what we need, not just what we want. The deepest truths in life are found throughout the journey of life. As He reaches out to comfort and help us find our way, we can pass it along to others.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4

Lord,

Wherever we are, there you are also, offering companionship and comfort. We thank You for showering us with Your love and we ask that you give us someone that needs that same compassion and love.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Just For Today

 

     What holds us together when everything within us and around us tells us we should be falling apart? Just for today hang onto God’s word for you. Each day can be a new beginning. He is enough. Just for today.

     His grace is sufficient for each moment. His power is released in our weakness.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12

     When we fall away, His unending mercies are waiting to meet us each day.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

     He is near to our broken hearts.

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

     His deep peace, His perfect peace, His peace that passes understanding is ours

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

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in You. Isaiah 26:3

     When our faith fails, He remains faithful.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

     He protects us when we are scared.

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

     His love is yours until eternity.

Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring you to eternal life. Jude 1:21

     When hope seems unavailable, His hope remains forever and ever. Amen

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father who loved us and by His grace gives us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Just for today.

Amen

 

Faith

 

     As Jesus begins His work in our hearts and souls and minds, we begin to change. The changes may be subtle, transforming us slowly over the years. Other changes are dramatic, life-transforming, in an instant of time. Jesus changes everything.

     After walking with Jesus for almost 40 years, looking back over the decades, I have experienced what it means to follow Him. I still fight with the devil’s schemes as we all do. My anxiety raises its ugly head now and again. But my trust and faith in Him never waver. I return to His overwhelming grace each time I falter.

     All God desires from us is to trust Him, to remain faithful, to love Him and spend time with Him. As the Creator of all we see and experience, He really doesn’t need us to complete His purposes. But He chooses us to be a part of the plan, to help Him achieve His purpose and plan before He sets up the new heaven and the new earth.

     Trust Him with your life and experience His deep joy and peace. It is available and your faith pleases Him.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Lord,

Increase our faith as we earnestly seek You. You will reward us with the deep and abiding joy of Your presence.

In Jesus name,

Amen