Belonging to Christ

     How are you holding up this week? I have started with praising God all four days so far. It’s a start! I definitely want to invest in making this a habit; waking each morning with a grateful heart and a recognition of my need for God.

     Looking for the unexpected blessings and humbling ourselves before Almighty God will bring joy to our hearts. I pray you see God’s beauty this last long weekend of summer. I will see you right back here on Wednesday morning. My husband and I are going to enjoy some days of relaxing and refreshment, including rides in our convertible and a trip to the State Fair.

     One of our vacation days will begin with a funeral. Our friend’s dad passed away last week after a few years with Alzheimer’s. He was 91. Life happens as we plan our days. Sometimes the blessings come in our ability to share a hug, to offer sympathy, to lend an ear.

     I’ll leave you with some words of comfort about this life and the next. We have Jesus in both.

If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:8

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may be together with Him.  1 Thessalonians 5:10

Jesus,

We belong to You today, tomorrow and forever. Make us aware of Your presence with us each morning as we welcome You into our lives. Whether we live or whether we die, it is for You.

Amen

Humble Love

     One of janitor Denny’s sayings reminded us to stay humble, not “thinking less of ourselves,” but “thinking of ourselves less.” God raises up the humble and rebukes the proud.

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them the way. Psalm 25:9

For the Lord takes delight in His people. He crowns the humble with victory.  Psalm 149:4

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.  Luke 14:11

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Ephesians 4:2

But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” James 4:6

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up. James 4:10

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherift the earth. Matthew 5:5

     Meekness is not weakness and humility keeps us from thinking more highly of ourselves than others. It allows us, like Denny, to put others first, to see everyone as dearly loved by God. After all, we have Jesus and don’t you want everyone to know Him?

Dear Father,

Keep us humble in spirit, willing to put others first and to offer kindness where none is deserved. When we humble ourselves before You, You lift us up with love.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Kind Blessings

     I started out to pray and walk yesterday morning, thinking about the words I had just written. My heart was heavy with concern for family and friends going through struggles, but I began with praising God for the breath of life and for the sunshine and for His ability to work in all things.

     God chose to bless me in unexpected ways on my walk. It was the usual 2 mile walk. Since I don’t drive anymore due to my eye disease, I take the same course around a small lake near our home. I ran into a friend from church; the first unexpected blessing. Next I saw a young man with two huge dogs coming my way and he showed me a small turtle he had picked up a couple of blocks away from the lake. He took the time to return the little guy to a safe environment.

     As I turned onto 86^th Street about halfway around, an SUV pulled up next to me and said, “It’s me, Denny! How the heck are you?” It was the janitor from our prior church, a friend I had not seen in almost a decade! His ministry continues to go way beyond his job description and he added so much to our congregation in a myriad of ways, including single handedly changing a young boy’s life.

     Tom rode his bike around our church parking lot as a very young boy and Denny befriended him over the years, until Tom finally joined our flock. He grew from a scared young boy in a very dysfunctional family into a hard-working, (now married) young man. Denny and I spoke of our families and the years that had gone by and he left me with these words, “God is so good, and he made us friends.”

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12

      We, like Denny, can stop with a kind word, to offer help to a young, lost boy and to remind us of the servant’s heart. May God bless you today!!  He has made us friends.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the day brighteners around us. Open our eyes to appreciate them, the turtle saviors, the church ladies, the ministering janitors among us. You are so good.

Amen

A Plan, A Hope, A Future

     What if we bagan each day praising God for His creation, (including us) for the fact that He is in all things, understands all things and holds eternity in His hands.

For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have been created through Him and for Him.  Colossians 1:16

     With that in mind, beginning our day with praise lifts us out of ourselves into something bigger than ourselves.

     What if we give Him all of our issues today? Give Him our irritations, our criticisms, our jealousies, our hopes, our dreams and desires and ask Him to work them all out for His glory? If He created us and knows us better than even our spouses and if He knows where we live, in which century we were created to live, and how our lives are planned to affect those around us, what if we let Him guide us every single day?

     I know, I know. Life is busy. We are distracted. We have interruptions and those people we work with!! How do we concentrate on a loving God with all of it? How do we make Him first?

     We can discipline our minds to think of Him first, giving our days to Him, asking Him to use us, to choose us, to allow us to be the ones to plant a seed, to change a life, to offer hope, to give love where none is deserved. Jesus did that for me and you. He knows us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Dear Father,

Turn our minds to You first and take the lead. You have plans for us, a plan of hope and a future. We give You our lives today and every day hereafter.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Eternal Hope

     Our ultimate hope is heaven. Our spiritual lives should become more and more vibrant as we age. Our lives can reflect our maturity in faith, our trust in Jesus, our hope for heaven. The older we get, the privilege of growing older only brings us closer and closer to our real home. We will see Jesus in His full glory, receive our eternal bodies and live forever!  I believe we will remain the essence of ourselves, know each other and we will serve and use the gifts we have used in the here and now.

     It will be glorious. We are only here for a little while. As the Bible reminds us, our lives are like a vapor or a blink and then they are done. One of my favorite worship songs is, “When All is Said and Done.” When all is said and done, will we have lived the lives planned out for us before the beginning of time? My hope is that we all find our pure joy in Jesus. He has given us the kingdom, forever and ever.  Our eternal hope.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  Titus 3:4-7

Dear Father,

We struggle and strain and wonder and grieve. We laugh and cry and find joy and despair. Through it all, we have You and the hope of eternal life. We are heirs to the kingdom! Remind us that each day draws us nearer to the hope of our salvation, to eternal life. We wait expectantly. Show us a bit of the kingdom here on earth.

In Jesus name

Amen

Peservering Hope

     The waiting and the watching are endless. We try to be patient and persistent in our prayers. But where is God? Has He heard us? When will an answer come? And will it be the answer we believe is the right one? Is there healing? Will she come home? Is he safe? Will they turn their lives around? Will I find a job? Is divorce the answer? How will I go on without him or her? Can we keep hope alive?

Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:30-31

     Hope when we are weary. Strength when we stumble. The Bible even goes so far as to count our trials as pure joy. According to Scripture here is the progression of our faith during a trial.  (Wish it always worked this way)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.   James 1:2-4

     The Scriptures today give me hope. All of us stumble and grow weary. Putting our faith in our Lord brings strength until we can walk and even run again. Test your faith. Is it in the power of Jesus? He has more than enough to spare and the Holy Spirit can fill you with peace and joy and hope in the very middle of the trial you are facing. Trust His goodness. The maturing of our faith takes time. When the persevering is done we will be complete, not lacking anything. I want that. How about you?

Dear Jesus,

Give us glimpses of hope today as we persevere through our trials. Give us patience and the peace that passes understanding. We put our trust in You, the author and finisher of our faith.

Amen

Finding Hope in Despair

     Psalm 42 is filled with words of despair and heartache and cryingout to God. God can take all of our feelings and fears, our worries and weakness and there we find hope. As we read through the Psalms and hear David’s voice in the singing, the praises, the despair, the cries for forgiveness, we hear the humanity of life.

     Even in the midst and, most often, near the end of each Psalm there is always a turning to God, with phrases like, “even now,” “and yet,” “I will yet praise Him.” And in the middle of David’s cries, see how David turns again to his God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturned within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.  Psalm 42:5

     Wherever you are today, praise God. Even if you feel hopeless and helpless, praise Him. Praise Him for His creation, for His love, for His forgiveness, for the hope of eternity. Sometimes praise is sacrificial. It may seem impossible. The writer of Hebrews understood this.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually ofer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.  Hebrews 13:15

   God honors our praise as we trust Him through the darkness. The sacrifice of praise will give you hope when there seems to be none.

Dear Lord,

We praise You for Your Son, for Your unending love, for Your understanding heart, for Your compassion. For all of these things and more, we praise Your holy name.

Through Jesus, our Savior

Amen

The Substance of Things Hoped For

     Hope. What a beautiful word. No matter the circumstances, the grief, the hurt, the trouble, with Christ there is always hope. Definitions for hope…

   Feeling that something desired is possible.

 Confidence

      Looking forward with expectation

     Take your worry. Offer your doubts. Stand up to your fear. And believe in the unseen hope in Christ. Here is a memory-worthy verse for you.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  Hebrews 11:1

     Finding substance and evidence in things not seen is hard, but understanding our God can do more than we can hope for or imagine offers us the opportunity to trust Him, to have faith in Him, to place our hope in Him. Drop it in His lap and let Him take it over.

     Let’s use these verses as our prayer today.

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, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen  Ephesians 3:20-21

Hope in Affliction

     Depression and anxiety surround us. The darkness surrounds with seemingly no escape. And we feel helpless. With the death of Robin Williams the subject is everywhere. Jokes and laughter can hide an emptiness. The show goes on, but what happens when the lights go dark?

     Depression and anxiety can hit suddenly, without cause or warning. Platitudes like “Cheer up,” or “Count your blessings,” or quoting Scripture often strike a hollow note. Professional help is available. Medication might be necessary. Do I believe Jesus is able to help? Yes. I believe in prayer and I believe in the power of the written Word of God.

     It happened to my brother. Jesus lifted his despression as his body was slowly closing down. He couldn’t control his hands, feet, legs or arms and his speech was slow and hard to understand, but the depression he lived with and suffered from for an entire 70 years lifted for the last two years of his life. He credited Jesus.  Yes, a true miracle.

     I wish depression and anxiety could be lifted in one mement of time to be gone forever for everyone. Let’s keep praying for those we know living with this darkness and fear. And, when appropriate share God’s Word. He is there, always, with hope. And when no one else seems to understand, He does.

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted. You encourage them and you listen to their cry.  Psalm 10:17

Dear Father in heaven,

We lift up to You this morning those suffering from anxiety and depression. You listen to their cries. Give them hope and give us ways to help. We don’t know how. Give them hope and a future.

In Jesus powerful name,

Amen

Our Salty Tears

     Someone we love is going through a difficult time. When you love someone that much you feel their pain and want to wash it away. God wants to do the same. As we complete our week on salt talk I thought about the fact that our tears are salty, too. God’s heart aches for us just as a father’s heart aches when his child is hurting.

     Psalm 6 is a Psalm of lament. Maybe you have experienced a time like this.

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.  Psalm 6:6

As David gives us insight into the depths of his grief, he reminds us later in that very same Psalm:

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord accepts my prayer.  Psalm 6:9

     Here is another amazing fact about our salty tears. God lists each one.

Record my misery; list my tears on Your scroll-are they not in your record?  Psalm 56:8

And in the NKJV the same verse reads:

You number my wanderings. Put my tears into Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?  Psalm 56:8

     Our Father in heaven counts our tears, lists them, holds them and when we meet Him in full glory…

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death-or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

     Let God catch those salty tears with His healing hands. He hears your cry. He feels your pain. He will answer your prayer. He loves you that much.

Dear Lord,

Comfort our sweet girl today and everyone else crying out to You. You hear every prayer and count every tear. Too wonderful for words. Shower us with Your love.

Amen

A Salty Life

     Are you developing a stronger thirst for God with all of this “salty" talk? Isn’t it exciting to dig into Scripture together? I love the fact that salt was such a valuable commodity when the Bible was written. And as children of God we are, what Jesus called, “the salt of the earth.”

     There is one more verse I want to share with you today:

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  Colossians 4:6

     The Bible is filled with instructions on our speech. We are to be slow to speak and quick to listen. (James 1) James goes on to say our tongues are a fire able to corrupt the whole body! And in Ephesians 5:4 Paul tells us to stay away from obscenity, foolish talk and coarse jokes.

     On our own it is difficult, if not impossible, to be full of grace and kindness. Our tongues get us in trouble. We think the worst and often speak it. It is possible for our speech to be Spirit-led. We can be full of grace, seasoned with that valuable salt, the flavor of Christ. We can be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us.

     Christ can bring healing to the harsh words, to the evil thoughts, to the back-biting talk, to the wounded soul. Let your speech today be filled with Christ; grace-filled and seasoned with His life-saving Words. Isn’t it incredible that He uses us?

Dear Father in heaven,

How can we thank You for giving us Jesus? Only with His help and with  the Holy Spirit’s guiding, can we be grace filled. Fill us now and give us those words seasoned with salt.

We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

A Salty Life

“You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5;13a  

     Jesus spoke the words above to His disciples and to us. Salt was a valuable commodity in those ancient of days and some Roman soldiers were paid wages in salt. Here are a few thoughts to ponder as you consider being “salt” to those around you.

     Salt is a preservative. In the days before refrigeration, salt was used to pack fish to preserve them and keep them safe to eat. As Christians we can prevent a soul from decaying by spreading the good news of Jesus.

     Salt adds flavor.  Flavoring our conversations with the love of Christ can bring hope and freedom to those God places around us.

     Salt creates thirst.  Jesus asks us to taste the living water of faith in Him. Can we create a thirst in others? Through our lives can we witness to those streams of living water available to us through the Holy Spirit?

     Salt is a purifying agent. The color of salt is a pure white. Jesus wipes the slate clean of sin. Our souls are cleansed from all unrighteousness through Christ’s death and resurrection.

     Salt melts ice.  When Christ resides in us and we share His love with others, it is possible to melt even the coldest heart!

     Let us be the salt of the earth, offering Christ’s flavor-filled, sin-cleansing, soul-quenching, ice-melting love. You are the salt of the earth!

Dear Lord,

Help us to keep our saltiness alive with the flavor of Jesus always on our lips as we move around in the world. We are the salt of the earth. Thank You for the opportunities You give us each day.

Amen

A Salty Life

Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? 2 Chronicles 13:5

     Salt is sprinkled throughout the Old and New Testaments. (Pardon the pun) According to the rules of sacrifice, the Israelites were to put salt both on the meat and the grain offerings. (Numbers 18 and Leviticus 2)  A covenant is a sacred oath, a promise of God’s faithfulness.

     God used some unusual objects in His covenants. With Noah, He used the rainbow. (Genesis 9) With Abraham He used the stars. (Genesis 15) With Moses He used tablets of stone. (Exodus 34)

     Salt represented hospitality and friendship and a common Arabic expression was, “There is salt between us.” Salt also became a symbol of a truce between enemies as they shared a dish of salt. Peace, friendship and a promise of God. Tomorrow we will talk about salt in the New Testament and what it means for us. We are called to be the salt of the earth.

Dear Lord,

We are fascinated with Your Word. Teach us how to be salt and light in the world and what that means. We thank You for the Holy Spirit’s guiding today as we turn our minds to You.

In Jesus Name

Amen

Graciousness

     Gracious living flows into us from God’s grace to us through the gift of Jesus. Some of the definitions for “grace” or “gracious” include;

Favor

God’s love

A prayer before a meal

Beauty in movement

Kindness

     Take in God’s gracious love this week. Let the living water wash over you until it soaks into the depths of your soul. He can heal the missing pieces and when He heals us and makes us whole we can flow with that same love and grace. We will show favor to others, pray for them, and share God’s love and kindness. Nothing is impossible with Jesus. He changes everything!

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  Ephesians 5:1-2

Heavenly Father,

Jesus gave up everything for us and now we are called Your dearly loved children. Lead us by example. We are Your children sent into the world by You and through Your beloved  Sons. Let grace flow through us as we carry on the heritage of our Father.

Amen

     

Graciousness

     The reason I asked God for more graciousness leads me to a confession. Does God ever put something right in front of you over and over? You hear a Scripture a few times. Other people are put in front of you as an example. Both happened to me this week.

     First of all I witnessed what true graciousness looks like in the lives of two pastors. One, the friend I spoke of earlier this week. The other passed away on Friday at the age of 88. As his funeral service began, behind the casket walked his wife of 67 years followed by their five children and spouses, their 21 grandchildren and spouses and their 21 great-grandchildren. Wow! The words the children and grandkids spoke were filled with love and gratitude for a gracious man; loving, kind, patient and most of all, a servant of Jesus. He left a heritage behind him. He sacrificed, he served, he loved, all with a twinkle in his eye. Gracious living towards everyone leaves a legacy.

     I blew an opportunity to be gracious this week. I have what I call, and maybe you have heard the term, my “sandpaper” person. My stomach turns to knots when I speak to her. I always feel put down, let down, less than, and that I don’t measure up after I speak with her. This time, I became a bit mean spirited. I said a couple of things that came out of nowhere and to be honest, I felt a bit proud of myself. It felt good.

     And my Father in heaven checked my spirit.  I felt and maybe heard, “What did you just do, child?” Now, I hope you see God as your loving Father. He sees you as a beloved child no matter your age. And just as any loving father would do, He disciplines. He chastises. He improves us. And He has His work cut out with me! I asked His forgiveness and I recognized the fact that I had responded in the way that makes me feel bad about myself. And I wanted to hurt back.

And what does Jesus ask of us?

But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for them who persecute you.  Matthew 5:44

     The Holy Spirit convicted me. God never condemns. He only changes us for our own good. And, I prayed for my “sandpaper” person, through gritted teeth, yes. (This is a confession) The prayer released me from guilt and next time, (please Lord) I will wait for the Holy Spirit instead of lashing back on my own. My loving Father asks me to do just that.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the examples of gracious living and the difference graciousness can make in the lives of others. Forgive me for my harsh words and the times I want to hurt and pay back evil for evil. You ask us, instead, to love, to see the need and the hurt within others and to offer Your love, Your gracious, compassionate and abounding love.

Amen

Graciousness

I thought this went up this morning:)  Here it is.

     As we become familiar with God’s character; with His graciousness, His compassion and His abounding love, we begin to exhibit and imitate those traits ourselves. The image of Christ can work through us, even to those we believe don’t deserve it. After all, that’s where Jesus asks us to serve, giving people the grace and mercy they don’t deserve.

     The book of Proverbs was written by the man many believe was the wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon. God was pleased with him, when he asked for Godly wisdom as he became king of Israel. He wrote all of these Proverbs, along with the books of Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes.  Solomon reminds us of the power of graciousness.

The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in His sight.  Proverbs 15:26

The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.  Proverbs 16:21

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24

Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.  Ecclesiastes 10:12

     A pastor friend of ours is accepting a call to a church in another state. A young woman from his congregation wrote words to him of gratitude. She said he showed her a loving God that looked beyond her faults and beyond what the world saw in her. He saw her shyness rather than believing she was a snob. He told her the words and feelings of anger within could be turned into passion for her calling. He used wise words filled with grace to be Christ to her. I am asking God to give me gracious words, a compassionate heart and a loving attitude. Gracious words promote wisdom, healing and instruction.

Dear Father,

On our own we look for the fault, criticize what we don’t like and put others down. Give us your graciousness today as we look for ways to speak to a hurting world. Let the Holy Spirit give us those kind words for everyone.

Amen

Graciousness

     God’s character can be seen in the image of Christ. This week I want us to look into this character trait of God; His graciousness. Several verses in the Bible share the same or similar words to describe God. Let’s peek at these verses together as a reminder to our hearts.

And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”  Exodus 34:6

But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Therefore You did not desert them.  Nehemiah 9:17b

But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.  Psalm 86:15

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.  Psalm 103:8

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Psalm 145:8

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and compassionate and slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.  Joel 2:13

     Do you have those days of doubt? You aren’t doing enough. You don’t measure up. How can God love you? Right now, this minute, read the verses above over again. Meditating and placing God’s Words in our hearts and bringing them to mind when we have those moments, those days, those doubts can change our attitudes.

     God’s grace flows with compassion and love. Not just love, but abounding love! He is rich in love. He is faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to Him. Bask in His grace and love and remind yourself daily. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Dear Father,

Thank You for reminding us and repeating over and over again in Your precious Word how much we are loved. We need to hear it. We are Your children, called for a purpose, united in love. Be gracious to us today.

In Jesus name,

Amen

After the Fire

     Reliving a time of devastating loss brings back the pain and grief and suffering. Reliving also brings healing and It also brings to light the blessings received, the lessons learned and the ability of the human spirit (along with the Holy Spirit) to let go and move on to new beginnings.

     God can use our pain and suffering for good. Jesus is the perfect example of the suffering servant, willing to give up His life for a much greater good. Jesus takes us where we are, comforts us, teaches us and finally lifts us up again from our pain. Miraculously, we can pass along His love to others going through similar suffering. We hear one story after another of tragedy bringing hope and opportunity to others.

Peace 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.  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Dear Father in heaven,

Our comfort and compassion come from You. Comfort those who grieve, those in crisis, those in sickness or anxiety, those in despair. We don’t understand all that happens to us in this fallen world. We do understand Your love. Allow us to show the compassion and comfort You have given us to others.

In Jesus name,

Amen