A Gentle and Quiet Spirit

 

     Humility appears to be missing from our culture. Pride and showmanship abound. Everyone is right and no one is responsible. It must be someone else’s fault. Self-centeredness and heartlessness shine their lights throughout our days in full-blown color and sound. The humble servant may not be noticed by man, but God loves a quiet and gentle spirit.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4

     He knows that a man is led by His heart and He sees right through the veneer.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6;45

Dear Father in heaven,

Guard our hearts to be open to You. Guard our mouths to speak good things. Keep our hearts so full of You, that Your love flows from us like a river. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You our Lord and Redeemer. (Psalm 19)  

In Jesus name,

Amen

Love One Another

 

     It’s easy to judge a book by its cover, isn’t it? To scoff at appearance. To question lifestyle choices. To put down others not living according to our opinions. Remember, many and even most people do not have a living, hope-filled, eternity settled, relationship with Jesus.

     It is easy to point out sin. But how do we even understand sin unless and until we know the truth about God and His desires? Living our lives according to God’s will is never easy, but our lives can be different. Our love can be sincere. Our humility rooted in the humility of the one and only Son. It is only because of Him we have hope. We are nothing without Him.

     Sharing that love will not be accepted if we put down and humiliate. Jesus does the changing. Not us. Jesus has to find the heart first and change happens over time, over a lifetime of relationship and it will never, ever be finished.

     Think about sharing who Jesus is and what He means to you. And let Him transform. Let Him turn the darkness into light and expose the things He desires to change.

     We offer so much through Jesus. Let it be said of us and let it show, we belong to Him.

By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

Finally, all of you be like-minded. Be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves had been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7

Jesus,

Instead of pointing to sins in others, let us point to You. Give us the words and the wisdom to share Your love as we meet others right where they are. You turn darkness into light. You take empty lives and fill them with living water. You give hope to the hopeless and joy to the broken hearted. Teach us.

Amen

New Day, New Way

 

     This morning in Minnesota it is 30 degrees. A week ago, it was close to 80! Roller-coaster changes in the weather are commonplace here. It may take some time for our bodies to acclimate to varying temperatures and seasons, but the change keeps us hardy and able to adjust and adapt.

     What changes are you experiencing in your life? There is a seemingly unending array of change throughout our lifetimes. Changes in weight, in age, in appetite, in values, in jobs, in houses, in circumstances. The list could go on and on and on.

     Change can be difficult and challenging. Some change is chosen and anticipated with enthusiasm. Other changes come out of nowhere, stopping us in our tracks. We do have choices when change is forced upon us or even as a chosen path. How do we adapt?

     Talking over change with the ones we love, exchanging possible scenarios and options and possible outcomes may help. Praying together or praying one-on-one with God will allow His hand to guide us into something new. When a difficult change is forced upon us, we can trust God to show us a new way of life, a new road to take, a ray of sunshine on a dimly-lit path, small blessings along the way as we wait expectantly for Him to work.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known. Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do. I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

     Let Jesus take hold of your hand and guide you through the dark times, the times you may not see a way out, hoping for light at the end of a tunnel. He will go ahead of you and make the rough places smooth and He will never leave you. Hang on. Change is coming.

Lord,

The changes in life are many and varied. Give hope to those experiencing dark times today. Guide all of us into days of hope and life.

In Jesus name,

Amen

New Mercies

 

     My father-in-law saw the signs of early dementia in my mother-in-law long before we did. After she broke her hip, he realized he couldn’t take care of her anymore. He visited her each day at the nursing home, teaching us, along the way, so much about deep love and about remaining positive, as he continued to share wisdom in his role as a great dad, father-in-law and grandpa.

     God’s mercies continued for all of us through those difficult days. Perseverance builds character and character, hope.

Not only so, but we glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character and character, hope Romans 5:3-4

     My mother-in-law was taken home many years ago now, but the following verses in the book of Lamentations spoke to me of all of the ways she suffered throughout those days.  The Bible always meets us exactly where we are.

He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. Lamentations 3:4-5

     As the words continue on through this chapter in lament, we remember the Lord’s love, His compassion and His faithfulness.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore, I have hope. Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions (mercies) never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

     When the tough times come, remind yourself of just this. He will show mercy through it all. His compassion, His faithfulness and our hope in Him will never fail. Great is His love.

Father,

Life can become so difficult when our lives turn upside down and inside out. Yet you remain steadfast. Always lead us back to hope and back to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

I Brake For Miracles

 

Caffeine on my mind, almost ready to rise.

Bur first, there is time to analyze.

I woke up this morning with the breath of life.

I woke up this morning as a mother and wife.

As I stretch on my tiptoes, I see the sunrise.

The coffee is made, what a delightful surprise!

As I reach the kitchen for my fix of the day,

I sit at the table and remember to pray.

 “Dear Lord, focus my eyes on things above.

 Teach me to see the world around me in love.”

There, out my window, a butterfly takes wing,

and the chickadees, robins and wrens do sing.

How often do I miss the color of the sky,

the bumblebee, the puppy, the newborn cry?

So many days I neglect these small joys,

as life becomes filled with chaos and noise.

Everyday miracles surround me as I work,

as I walk, as I drive, as the coffee does perk.

When the drudgery of life again takes a toll,

I promise myself,I will pause to fill my soul.

The laughter we share, a moment to chat,

a spouse, a friend or the curious cat.

Each clump of fur, each blade of grass

each color of the rainbow, each clink of a glass.

The bulb that I planted way back in the fall,

has a bright orange flower and is 5-feet tall.

Phone rings, computer calls; distractions ever near

the heart-pounding stress, the dread and the fear.

The business of the day must be dealt with, I suppose

just one more sip, one more fragrant sniff of a rose.

What time is it? Oh dear, I hope I’m not late,

I hightail it to the car, with a slam of the gate.

Surrounded by traffic, a meeting on my mind,

Deluged in details, back to the grind.

A bunny darts out, I move my foot to the brake,

He is undecided about which direction to take.

Smitten with his ears and his cotton-ball tail,

I recognize his frozen gaze, unsure of his trail.

At one with the bunny, I sit in a daze,

What’s next? Where to go? I meet his gaze.

What will God place in my path on this day?

Will I stop, take notice, find time to pray?

Please let me pause, savor life on my way

I’ll brake for miracles, what do you say?

 

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

 

 

 

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 or are experiencing 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 is at work. 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

Seasoned With Salt

 

     Right after Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth,” He gives us a warning.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Matthew 5:13

     When that valuable salt was contaminated in any way there was nothing to do with it but throw it on the road. In Minnesota that is not a bad use of salt in the winter! We want to be useful to Jesus and do the works planned out for us.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10

    I don’t want to get to heaven and find out I missed any of the good works Christ planned for me. Staying in constant contact with our Lord and recognizing His presence in all we say and do, reading His words of love to us and passing along the saltiness and light He has given us are a privilege and a worthy goal.

     Let that salt shaker keep us freshly salted every single day so we never lose our flavor and essence of Christ.

Dear Lord,

Show us the good works we are to do today. Remind us of how short our lives are and give us the courage to be the salt of the earth.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Seasoned With Salt

 

     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. We are not to get caught up in bitterness, anger, slander and malice. (Ephesians 4:31)

     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 be filled with Christ and His grace-filled, 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 guiding of the Holy Spirit, can we be grace filled. Fill us now and give us those words seasoned with salt.

We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Seasoned With Salt

 

  “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

Seasoned With Salt

 

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, the rainbow. (Genesis 9) With Abraham, the stars. (Genesis 15) With Moses, tablets of stone. (Exodus 34) And the new covenant centered on the blood and body of Christ is represented by bread and wine. (Matthew 26, Luke 22)

     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

 

Come Lord Jesus

 

     As followers of Jesus, we await His coming. Every generation of believers, since the time of His resurrection and ascension into heaven, watch for His return. We say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” He is right at the door.

     We wait, firmly planted, removed from darkness into light, side-by-side with our fellow believers, encouraging, waiting expectantly. We do not want to be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. It is not only pie in the sky when we die, but steak on the plate while we wait. Jesus will give us meaningful things to do, gifts to use, ways to help a hurting world, even when our eyes remain fixed on our heavenly home and heaven’s hope and glory. We know we will live forever and we press forward.

     The disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested and sent to the cross. The Jews were expecting their Messiah, their King to rule over the earth, to defeat the oppressive Roman government. They thought, they believed, Jesus was the King. They did not understand.

     He came back to them from an empty tomb. He overcame death! He spoke with them. He walked through a wall and showed Doubting Thomas His nail-punctured hands. Impulsive Peter, as he had done once before, jumped right out of the boat when he saw Jesus along the shore. Jesus cooked for them and I imagine John (he called himself “the disciple Jesus loved”) sitting right next to his resurrected friend as they ate their fish picnic along the beach.

     He was back. The kingdom had come. Hope once more. But, not quite yet. Jesus tells them He must leave. He will send them the power of the Holy Spirit and they will be His witnesses. What?! They did not understand.

After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”  Acts 1 9-11

     Over 2,000 years later, we look intently into the sky. Is it today, Lord? The disciples could not have imagined a 2,000-year span before their King returned. They could not imagine the Gentile world being offered this gift of grace, a chance to be born again into new life, and that the power of the same Holy Spirit would dwell within us as we wait.

     Well, don’t just stand there! We have work to do, before He arrives. He will be back to get us and take us home.

Dear Jesus,

Each day brings us closer to seeing You in Your glory. We are Your witnesses to the ends of the earth. We fix our eyes on heaven, as we move ahead on earth.

Amen  

Together

 

     Life with Jesus lifts us out of the depths, gives us a firm place to stand and allows us to see a future filled with hope, a new life that will last forever. To make all of this good news even better, He brings us into fellowship with other believers to fulfill His purposes. We stand together. Jesus calls us His body and we each play a valuable part. Just as our physical body parts work in tandem, so, too, the body of Christ.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head that is Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  Ephesians 4:15-16

     Jesus, the Head, controls the entire body. Maybe you will be His eyes, seeing through to someone’s hurt. You may speak the word of truth as a pastor or teacher. Are you His hands willing to help others in a practical way or will you be His feel traveling to other countries in mission?

     The world places high value on the red carpet, bright-white teeth, athletic prowess, academic success, a new dress, a sports car, Wall Street. God places the highest value, the greatest honor on the parts of His body that are hidden. (1 Corinthians 12:22-23) You want others to notice you? Are you trying to impress? How about impressing God? How do we do that? I picture Jesus, smiling with Fatherly pride, on the mom devoting her life to her special needs child, the 90-year-old in the nursing home praying earnestly for her family, the mission worker in the slums of India, weary, but carrying on, the grieving spouse tenderly caring for his very sick wife, the bent-over man sharpening the pew pencils. The list goes on. The world doesn’t notice, but God does.

     We are God’s dwelling place on this earth and together, the house grows stronger. We build each other up, we encourage, we hold on through the tough times and we move on as we listen to the One in charge. The house is built on Him. The house is built with love. He will show you where, what when and how. Let’s do this. Stand strong as the body of Christ. You are one of His most valuable parts.

Dear Jesus,

Show us our part of Your body. We want to serve, to build up Your house until you return for us to take us to our true home. Help us to honor Your quiet servants today.

Amen

Not Shaken

 

     Did you know the prophecies about the end of the age include an increase in knowledge, an increase in evil, including violence and drugs,  an increase in earthquakes and an increase in wars? Our Savior tells us:

Nation wil rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.  Matthew 24:7-8

He continues:

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm in the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  Matthew 7:12-14

   “but, the one who stands firm in the end will be saved.” Stand firm. Fits in with our week, doesn’t it? Nothing comes as a surprise to God. The world is shaking. God sees the end from the beginning. The Bible is clear. We have ample warning. Watch. Beware. Encourage one another. Stand firm.

The author of Hebrews talks a bit more about the shaking of the earth.

At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “Once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.  Hebrews 12;26-28

     When God created the earth and everything in it, He saw that it was good, but He gave mankind free will. He gave us choices. And He knew He had to make a plan. He saw how evil would seep in and eventually destroy much of His creation. So He gives us an out. He gives each of us a second chance. He finds a way. He offers The Way. He offers a new beginning. He offers us Himself. God saw the damage evil will do, the damage to the earth, the crash of the human spirit, the rising up of violence and drugs. He saw it all. What did He do?

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

     Stand firm and be saved. The kingdom of God cannot be shaken. The fallen world is crumbling around us. We shouldn’t be surprised. The authors of the Bible spoke of it thousands of years ago. Our foundation is secure. We cannot be moved. Stand firm.

Dear Father,

We thank you for Your words of hope even until the end. Continue to teach us and guide us even as the world is beginning to shake. We encourage one another with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, the kingdom of forever.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Stand

 

     The chaos in the world continues to grow. Pandemics, exile, famine, war. Natural phenomenon like typhoons, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes are shaking the foundations of the earth.

     Our physical and emotional storms can be as unexpected and just as traumatic. We turn to each other with questions, “Can you believe it?” and “What do we do now?” and “How do we go on?” and “How do we get back up and begin again?”

     When we stand on the rock, on the firm foundation of our faith, we always have a place to sit out the storm, a place to let it all out and a place to be restored, refreshed, reinvigorated and redeemed. Our homes and belongings are earthly treasures. The more we witness the tragedy and the destruction around us, the more we recognize the absolute necessity for strength in our spiritual houses.

     Our true value lies in our Creator. When He builds our house, we stand again and again to face the earth and all it can throw at us. We come to the aid of a hurting world, a hurting family, a hurting friend. We have been through so much you and I. Jesus went through all of that and more. He felt it. He lived it. He was tempted by it. He was mocked. He was tossed in a storm. He wept. He was beaten and tortured and finally, he was nailed to a cross.

     On His shoulders came the floods, the disease, the heartache, and finally, death. He took it. All of it. He experienced it. He overcame it and so will we. Our sure foundation is the cornerstone, Jesus. When all is said and done, He stands.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation, the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. Isaiah 28:16

     Can we find that kind of faith, when we are stricken with panic? Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our foundation is secure. And Jesus says to us,

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

     We are going to get battered and bruised and knocked around throughout our lives. We may lose some physical and natural treasures, but don’t panic. Jesus overcame the world. He’s got this. He’s got you. We can stand on the rock. We can stand for Him. Now stand.

Dear Father in heaven,

It is hard to understand the heartache, the disasters, the chaos. We put our trust in You. One day, very soon, You will put it back together, the way You created it, a new heaven and a new earth. The very earth is groaning for Your return. Keep us safe as we stand for You.

Amen

He Lifts Us Up

 

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him.  Psalm 40:1-3

     Wherever you are, whatever the cry of your heart, God will turn to you. He hears you. The three short verses above are a beautiful picture of salvation in Christ. We get to a point. We can’t do it on our own. Those fears, whether of life or death encroach and surround us. They seep in and they take over. We seek God, and He inclines His ear to us.

     There is His gift, His love, His sacrifice, our salvation for eternity waiting for us to accept. We allow grace to overcome guilt. And we are His forever. He begins to lift us out of the muck. Lives change. Climbing out of the pit isn’t easy. As our heads peek out of the darkness, it’s difficult to see in the bright light. We squint, shield our gaze, but the warmth of the light feels good.

     Old habits die. New ones come to life. Bitterness fades. Forgiveness rises up. Jesus just won’t give up. He continues to lead us out of the pit, out of the muck. And as our fingers reach the top of the pit and He lifts us out completely, we realize our tastes are different. Oh, the pit looks enticing now and again. We knew the dark. Everything was not so clear in the pit. Everything was not so, well…exposed.

     Jesus is doing a work in us. Over time, we are out. A little mud may remain around the edges, a tinge of muck is still stuck to our shoes, but we move on. In His light, there is always more light available. As faith grows, as the image of Christ becomes like a mirror, our foundation is more secure. We look around and sunshine has replaced the dark clouds. As our feet move out of the swamp and our fingers grab onto the rim of the pit, Jesus pulls us up to stand on the rock. He is the rock. We have a secure place to stand. We have protection from the storms around us. We see beauty in place of ashes.

     And others begin to recognize the new life, the new bounce in your step. The new shoes, the clean shiny ones without the muck attached to the soles, the praise on our lips, the coarse language gone. The sunglasses are gone. You have adjusted to the light. The temptation to slide back into the pit is there, but the choice is as clear as your soul. You choose faith. You choose the solid rock. You choose the new life, and others will be blessed. Others will ask. Others begin the climb. The view at the top is breathtaking.

Dear Lord,

The words penned long before Your Son’s birth make the path to salvation so vivid, so true. You hear us, You guide us into new life, and we are secure. Help us to sing this new song loud and clear. Lead others to those hymns of praise.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Steadfast in Suffering

 

     Are you waiting for an answer to prayer? As you know, our family has been through many months of uncertainty and fear as our grandson travels through the journey of a rare type of epilepsy. Each time we are raised in hope, more seizures return. The list of medications and the doses increase and we wait again.

     This stressful time continues to take a toll on all of us, especially on our daughter, Lauren and her husband, Garrett. Lauren has taken a leave from teaching and has been with her boys every single day. All of us are surrounding their family with love and support, and we return time and again to Jesus, His promises, and to prayer and hope.

     We ask “why?”  Why this sweet boy? How can he continue to go through this? What is the next step? Sleepless nights, emotional roller-coasters, fear-filled thoughts are tough to work through right now. But what would we do without Jesus? We go to the throne room of grace minute-by-minute. He gives us words and hope through our friends and families. Songs and prayers appear at just the right time.

    Even last week with the worst of the seizure activity, our son-in-law “just happened” to be off work due to a delay in getting the job site ready. There have been small blessings continually along the way and we savor the good days and we continue to hope for a a miracle. We want the glory of God to shine through this so that others may see, hear and learn about our God.

     Is life perfect as a Christian? Don’t believe the hype from the prosperity preachers. The Biblical followers of God suffered greatly along the way. But God stepped in at just the right moment. He fought as they stood waiting. God saved Israel through Esther. The family line leading to Christ continued after Naomi lost her husband and sons and her daughter-in-law embraced her faith, Mary gave birth to Jesus only to lose Him as a young man (to save us all). His ways are mysterious and miraculous and they are so much higher than ours.

     And yet, we trust, always and forever. For those of us in a time of uncertainty, let David help us turn back to God in our time of distress.

By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me-a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God, my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony and my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your trust in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:8-11

Jesus,

Through the suffering and uncertain times, we will praise You. Through the nights of anguish, we will cry out to You. We wait. You are working. Keep us steadfast.

Amen

God's Everlasting Love

 

     If you have children, you understand the deep bond. God built us to be in relationship. Love cannot be explained or easily put into words, but we feel it and believe it to our very core.

     As we let go through the stages of our children’s lives and see them grow into adulthood, we look back and see God’s hand of protection and love. God knows each of us before we were born. He forms us in the womb and continually watches over us. I count on that.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

     I come boldly and confidently to Jesus recognizing He loves our children and grandchildren even more than we do. Seems impossible, but He has loved us with an everlasting love. And the good news is, we can love Him right back.

I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me and that all will go well for them and for their children after them. Jeremiah 32;39

All your children will be taught by the Lord and great will be their peace. Isaiah 54:13

     We love you Angela and Lauren. What a gift! What a blessing! What a joy! We celebrate you and your families, under the care of Christ.

Father,

We thank you for the gift of Your Son. As parents we can’t imagine the pain of His suffering and His loneliness at being separated from You. Thank you for the gift of marriage and children. Your works are wonderful.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Confidence in Christ

 

     It doesn’t take much to experience defeat. Just one wrong word from a co-worker, a failed test, a wrong turn, a faulty alarm, or a missed appointment can ruin our day. We are shaken and we lose our self-confidence. What would life be like, how would it change, if we placed our complete confidence in Jesus? What if it was no longer about us, but about Him?

     When our confidence and faith depend on Him, we lose our self -focus, our guilt-ridden, fear-filled, worrisome thoughts and our shaky foundation. Let Him take the reins this morning. Leave Him with the unrest in your mind and heart and soul. Be bold in Jesus, not in yourself. He can handle all of the indecision and all of the questions. Even in the midst of deep struggle and chaos, let Him be your strength.

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:15

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God. Who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31b

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Jesus,

You gave everything for us. Keep us focused on You today. You are for us and our confidence is in You. Hold us in Your protective arms and work through and in us.

Amen

Share the Hope

 

     The early apostles spoke boldly of Jesus. All but John and Judas died for their witness. Paul suffered beatings and imprisonment as he continued to speak the word of God. When you surrender to Jesus, everything changes. The old you becomes the new you, born again, washed in the blood of Christ. No longer does God see our sin. He sees Christ. And like the early disciples we, too, can say:

“As for us, we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard”. Acts 4:20

     Be ready with an answer to those around you. When someone asks about the hope that is in you, speak of all you have seen and heard. Has Jesus changed your life? Is He working through you and in you? Miraculous changes occur when Jesus steps into a life.  I love this verse:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

     For people to ask, they must see a hope in us. Are you ready to give the answer? Preaching and forcefully telling someone what they must believe never works. Let them see a difference in you. It is because of Christ we have the eternal hope. And answer with gentleness and respect. Let the Jesus in you do the talking and share the hope!

Father,

Let Your Holy Spirit shine through us so that others may see Your Son. His hope is available to everyone. Please let us be a bold example of Your faith in action as we speak of all we have seen and heard with gentleness and respect.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

The Throne Room of Grace

 

     My prayer list is lengthy. I love to pray for each person and their families each day. When I don’t have the time, I ask God to bless and keep each person on that list. He knows each one and He knows their needs. He knows the right people to surround them. He knows when they are going to look up for the first time and say, “God, I need You.”

     Life transitions hit us, whether it is adjusting to life without a loved one or dealing with a chronic condition that changes everything. Even joyous celebrations including marriage and children take some adjustments, or the newness of retirement or the empty nest. Each season brings about times of joy and mourning. Maybe you have been on a roller coaster of emotions lately, as we have in our famly. Maybe you have a huge decision to make. Maybe you are watching a loved one suffer or maybe you are lonely.

     Bow your head and ask for help from Jesus. He will be your constant companion. His words to you will bring you comfort and hope. He is there and He loves nothing better than to sit with you a while and listen to your needs. And as you get to know Him and to count on Him, He will use you to share His love. He will make you an ambassador of love to a hurting world.

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should. Ephesians 6:19-20

     And He will ask you to pray for others. What a privilege. What an honor. If someone asks you to pray, take it seriously. The throne room of God is available through Jesus, He will take your prayers and He will move the heavens with His power and might. Come boldly to the throne room.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet He did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16

Jesus,

You have opened the very throne room of heaven to us through Your death and resurrection. Such amazing grace! We come boldly to the throne of grace with our needs today. Be with us. Fill us with Your comfort, Your understanding and Your power to accept all of life’s transitions.

Amen

Spiritual Armor

 

     Finally, in this rich chapter of Ephesians 6, Paul gives us one more spiritual weapon. We talked about it some yesterday. Searching in and meditating on God’s word, and reminding ourselves of who we are in Christ are powerful ways to resist the devil’s schemes. Speaking and listening for God’s voice and His direction, both in His word and in prayer keep us on the offense.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  Ephesians 6:18

    Prayer sets our hearts and minds on Jesus. Satan would love to keep us as far away from God as possible, and he is creative in his tactics. His lies usually have some truth to them, as he entices us with his counterfeit ways. Praying in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of requests and praying for each other adds one more protective layer.

     Put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, and take up the shield of faith. Continue to study God’s word and pray incessantly. We have the power to stand firm against the spiritual realm of evil.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  Romans 8:37

Dear Jesus,

You love us and give us all of the spiritual tools we need to stand firm in our faith, in our salvation, in our right-standing with You. We walk in Your peace. Help us to invade  and take down Satan’s territory with powerful prayer and the sword of the Spirit, which is Your word and the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen