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

We Can't Help But Speak

 

     Some say faith is a private issue. It is a personal and unique relationship between an individual and God. True, but, as Christians, the Holy Spirit fills us to the brim with the living water of Jesus and we have to speak! Peter and John had been arrested. They were forbidden to speak about Jesus.

     Did that stop them? Not at all. They were right back out in the public square preaching the news. This news was too good to keep to themselves. The Spirit within them would not allow them to be quiet. Here is their response:

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes, to listen to you or to Him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about all we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:18-20

     As for us, we can’t help speaking of all we have seen and heard. Let it be true of us as it was for Peter and John.

Jesus,

Let us speak in Your name, even as we are persecuted and ridiculed. You want everyone to know You.

Amen

Your Story

 

     Each of us, as believers, has a story to tell. Some of us have known Jesus since childhood, others met Him as seniors. I love the fact that Jesus is ready whenever we are. He knows when our hearts are ready to receive Him.

     I have witnessed how He places the right people at the right time in our lives to share the Gospel. Sometimes we just don’t want to hear it from our own family or friends. A stranger could just “happen” to walk into a life with the good news.

     If you know Jesus, you have a testimony. No one else met Him in the same way or at the same time. All of our stories have meaning and purpose. Maybe God is preparing you to share the love of Christ, how He has changed you, how He has opened your heart, how He loves you. Your story is unique and maybe, just maybe, someone around you is ready to listen. Don’t be afraid. The Holy Spirit will give you the words.

At that time, you will be given what to say. Matthew 10:19b

For the Holy Spirit will teach you, at that time, what you should say. Luke 12:12

     Go and tell what God has done for you.

I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1

Father,

We lean on You to help us speak of Your wonderful deeds. Lead us to those ready to hear Your voice and let the Holy Spirit give us just the right words.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

Seek Him and Find Him

 

     God is waiting for you. Have you noticed a yearning in your heart? Are you hesitant to come closer? See if Jesus is for real? Is it possible God truly sent His Son to earth over 2,000 years ago?

     The profound and transforming answers to those questions will change your life. The blessed assurance of finally and forever letting yourself go safely into His arms will set you free. Free from the penalty of sin, free to find peace for your soul, free to be loved forever, free to hope for the reality and assurance of eternity.

     How can you go wrong? Here is His voice speaking to your heart.

You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all of your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

     Believe He will answer your seeking heart.

I sought the Lord and He answered me. He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

     All of us fall short of the glory of God. All of us. God gave us a way to Him through Jesus. Jesus Christ died for you and for me. The only sinless man to walk the earth. Fully God and fully man. He rose again and conquered death and He is alive! He has risen! No more death and all we have to do is believe. Here is the good news for those of you seeking an answer.

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

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe resulting in righteousness and it is with your mouth you confess resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10

     It is a pure gift of grace. None of us deserve it. None of us can attain it without the one and only Son, sent from the Father.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1;14

Lord,

There are no words that can express the thanksgiving we have in our hearts for Jesus. Please open more hearts to His truth, to His Gospel, to His grace.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Fullness of Christ

 

And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.  Ephesians 1:22-23

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:10

     When I taught Bible studies, I used this example. On a table sits a pitcher filled with sand, an empty jar and three rocks. Imagine taking the pitcher of sand. As you pour it into the empty jar, you list the ways you spend your days. Pour in the work, time with the kids, cooking, watching TV, reading, laundry, phone calls, computer and anything else that comes to mind.

     The jar is plum full. You love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and strength. The three rocks represent the Bible, prayer and service. You try to squeeze them into the top of the jar but they just won’t fit. Now picture the sand being poured back into the pitcher. The three rocks are placed into the bottom of the now-empty jar first. And the sand? As it is poured back in, it all fits!

     We think we do God a favor by sitting in a church pew for an hour each week. One hour out of the 168 available to us. If the service goes over an hour, we look at our watches, think about the game about to begin or what we will have for lunch. A distracted faith. It’s there, but we place little value on it when all is said and done.

     Jesus wants a real relationship with us, not a ritual, not a religion, not squeezed into the last five minutes of our days The Bible is His gift to us. It is a way to get to know the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit intimately. I guarantee when you soak yourself in the word you will develop a hunger and a thirst for more.  Remember the living water yesterday? It is always available.

     And reading Scripture and time with Jesus won’t feel like an obligation or duty, it will be the most important and valuable portion of the day.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Matthew 5:6

     And you will be filled.

    And to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

 Dear Lord,

We long to sit with You on a daily basis, filling up on Your word and praying and talking with You. Let that be the desire of our hearts from this day forward. Develop in us a hunger and a thirst for Your righteousness.

Amen

Soul-quenching Love

 

     Is your soul thirsty and parched? That abundant love and contentment Christ offers can fade into the background of our daily existence, when the urgent takes precedence over our needs, our physical, mental, and spiritual needs. The Samaritan woman at the well during the hottest part of the day, met the One who would fill the dryness in her life. Here are His words for her and for you and to me.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

     The lost woman believed. She would become one of Jesus’ first evangelists as she offered the Messiah’s truth to her family and the surrounding area. Soul-thirsty answers, life-quenching truth, free-flowing living water available whenever and wherever we need it. Is it time to stop and drink?

    How do we receive this flowing spring water that will last until eternity?

“Whoever believes in Me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”  John 7:38

   Believing in Jesus begins with His abundant love. We realize our need for a Savior and His offer is iron-clad. We are His until He will wipe the earthly water from our eyes and we will walk with Him beside the streams of living water forever.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  Revelation 7:17

    Heaven will provide perfection one day. What about our dry, cracked souls today? He offers us thirst-quenching answers for every tear-stained question, for every deep longing, for every pit of shame. The water is satisfying. Thirsty? Dip into the life-quenching well of Jesus.

Dear Jesus,

Walk with us beside the still, cool waters of Your saving grace in our uncertain lives. Take our hands as we search for answers and lead us to the Words of life. Refresh our souls. You are the answer to our longings. Fill us to the brim.

Amen

Overflowing Love

 

     The ordinary events of everyday life can be filled with the presence of Jesus. It takes practice. It takes time. It takes a deepening sense of who He is and how to seek Him in the middle of the muddle, in the sorting of the laundry piles, in the sneak peek out the kitchen window while cleaning the dinner dishes, in the warm embrace of your spouse. His presence is everywhere, anywhere, anytime. Ready?

The grasslands of the wilderness overflow, the hills are clothed with gladness. Psalm 65:12

     Creation overflows with gladness. Ok, our Minnesota winters may not fill our hearts with gladness. But this fall has been glorious. The last couple of days have been around 60 degrees with bright blue skies and vibrant colors.  God gives us these spectacular colors before the cold sets in.  With Jesus we can overflow with hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

     Trusting Him allows us to live in hope.

All this is for your benefit so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4;15

      God’s extravagant love, His overflowing grace is available to us in His presence and in His word Weaving through the intricacies of our lives we find balance and a rhythm as we walk with the Holy Spirit of God. As our knowledge grows and our lives change, the love that has filled us miraculously begins to overflow.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.  1 Thessalonians 3:12

 Dear Father in heaven,

Thank You for Jesus. He gives us a life overflowing with grace and love that rises up to eternity, that extravagant love that fills our hungry souls. Overflow our lives with that love, so we can give it away, just as You gave it to us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Extravagant Love

 

     Extravagant love. What comes to mind? Is it a bracelet dripping with diamonds, a trip around the world, a love poem written just for you? Our world tells us, “You deserve the best.” “You are worth it.”  “You need this to be happy.” Jesus turns all of that upside down with His sacrifice on the cross. While we were yet sinners, He took it all upon Himself, suffered and died, because He loves us.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  1 John 3:1a

     Extravagant love may not come in the way we envision it. It comes in the heart of the mom with the disabled child. There is not much time to think about herself or her needs. She would not have wished or dreamed about this life for her family, but would she have it any other way? No, the love is deeper than anything she has or will ever experience.

     Sacrificial love. It’s all around us, in the care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s or cancer, in caring for the poor, in missionary work in other cultures, in the service of our country, in the front-line heroes. These lives are all around us and they are beautiful. The extravagant love of Christ is available and ready to be absorbed and shared.

     This sacrificial love is often found in places and with people the world would rather avoid. The difficulties and sufferings we are called to endure, often become the very places we witness the holiness of Christ and His love. Don’t be afraid of His lavish love. It is there for the taking. He gives it richly, abundantly, extravagantly, sacrificially. Can we do the same?

Jesus,

You, the pure light of the world, washed the filthy feet of Your disciples. Show us how to love in the ways of Your heart. Take away our fear as we step a little closer to serving others sacrificially in Your name. After all, that’s what you taught us to do.

Amen

Satisfying Love

 

     It was a summer, Saturday evening about 30 years ago. The picture is etched in my mind. Our daughters were somewhere around the ages of six and four. The house was clean. The gardens were planted. The yard freshly mowed and trimmed thanks to my husband. Our girls sat quietly with their French braids, clean from their baths in their freshly laundered nightgowns.

       “Ahh.” Pure satisfaction. You may have noticed the time frame. This is not a daily experience. Far from it. We have those moments when all seems right with the world; when the jobs are done, the tough project complete, after enjoying a satisfying meal, or a day off. Then hunger returns. Another project rears its ugly head. Dishes are dirty. Laundry is piling up. The house is in chaos, the kids squabbling, just too much to do.

     Jesus offers us this deep and satisfying, soul-quenching contentment. All day. Every day. When we place our lives totally in His hands, we recognize the kids are from Him, the grass and all of creation was breathed into existence, just for us. And our lives can be given completely to Him, the satisfying days, along with the frustrating and chaotic days. What Jesus offers us is more than a momentary feeling of satisfaction. He offers us the abundant life, grace-given, love overflowing assurance of the more-than-enough life.

But Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

     Contentment with Jesus is available in the midst of the chaos, in the fear of the moment, in times of hunger and peril. Every moment can be entrusted to Him. Let’s dig into the abundant life this week. In the meantime, breath out a satisfied, “Ahh” with me. He has you in the palm of His hand. Be content there and then go tackle that mess.

Dear Father,

You gave us Your Son. He gave everything up for us and loves us too much to ever let us go. Give us that Godly contentment every day no matter what is in front of us.

In Jesus name

Amen