Rise Above

 

As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

     Jesus knew His time on earth was coming to an end. He knew the anguish He was about to suffer. He sets out resolutely. Sometimes we need that determination, the discipline to put one foot in front of the other. There is fear or grief, worry and despair. Somehow, we do it. One small step at a time. We move ahead.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.  Isaiah 50:7

     Jesus cries out to God in the garden of Gethsemane in anguish, His sweat turns to blood. The only time in eternity He is separated from the Father will come upon the cross, when the world darkens until the work is finished. The suffering of our Lord reminds us. He has been through it all and more.

     We have loved ones in heaven. We know the end of the story. Can we press on? Here are some amazing words to hang onto today:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

     Jesus saw the joy beyond the cross. We can see the joy beyond the pain if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of our faith, rising above our circumstances with a love beyond words.

Dear Father in heaven,

Remind us of the joy set before us as we struggle and strain through some of our days. Bless us and our families and friends and brothers and sisters in the faith, as we turn to Your Son Jesus. We can rise above with Him.

Amen

 

Rise Above

   To rise above, we need to trust and believe God’s promises, praising Him without understanding the world around us. The word of God replaces darkness with light. The word of God is alive, active and powerful. (Hebrews 4) Jesus is the word of God and dwelt among us. (John 1) Jesus brings joy and understanding.

     When we accept Jesus as Savior, we are “justified.” It is “just as if” we had never sinned. In that moment of true faith, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit forever!

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1;13

     But He is not done with our lives on earth. Justification is past, and sanctification begins. This is the process of setting us apart from the world and growing us in the faith, making us into the image of Christ. The word (Jesus) transforms our lives and as we become more and more His disciples we can grow in the fruit of the Spirit. We are sanctified in the present and throughout our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22

     One day we receive our glorification and our resurrection bodies and live forever with Jesus. There is never a moment when He is apart from us from our moment of belief until we step into heaven. You are made right with God. He is working in your life right at this moment and one day we will be praising Him along with the angels. Feel the hope and joy. You are His!

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. Revelation 19:1

We are justified by Christ, sanctified through Christ and glorified with Christ. Amen!

Rise Above

 

 “So the last will be first and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16

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

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

Humble yourselves therefore, under God’s mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

     I have more questions than answers this week. Searching and seeking over the last thirty-something years always brings me to the foot of the cross. Can I trust God even when I don’t understand? Or do I run from Him and try to figure it all out on my own? Or do I humble myself before the Creator of the universe with the understanding that He will get me through He will get us through.

     God hates pride above all. There is a list of the seven things God hates in the book of Proverbs and pride is at the top of the list. Satan’s removal from heaven came from his desire to be like God.

     Jesus is our example of the humble servant. He humbled Himself to die for us. He loves a meek spirit, a humble heart, a willingness to be the least and put others before ourselves. We can’t do it without Him. None of it. Beginning on our knees each day with a willingness to leave the answers to Him will set our hearts and minds in the right place. On Him. And He will lift us up.

     To rise above, we first need to humble our hearts.

Dear Father,

We come before You this morning, with a willingness to bow before You. We don’t have all of the answers, but You do. Comfort us and lift us up to be Your servants in the world around us.

In Jesus name

Amen

 

Rise Above

 

    Suffering is all around us. Two close friends are going through difficult surgeries and waiting for results, along with so many others on my prayer list. I know it’s the same for you. What do we do with the heartache and grief? Where do we go and how do we cope?

     After years of questioning and searching, I turn first in Jesus. Often in the darkness, we catch a glimpse of His light and hang onto hope. The presence of suffering does not mean the absence of a loving God. This fallen world was not His choice. But the offering of the sacrifice of our heavenly Father’s Son to wipe the slate clean came from Him.

     We have a creator who stepped out of heaven and felt it all. He placed it all on His shoulders and suffered the consequences meant for us. He will share the burdens of this life until we are with Him in perfection one day. His Spirit will groan with us, will comfort us, will teach us great lessons through the suffering and bring meaning and purpose to it all.

     In the meantime we are in this together. We struggle together, cry together, rejoice together and sit with each other when we hurt and when there seems to be no answers and no comfort to be found. The hurt is unbearably tough isn’t it? All of it is temporary and as fleeting as a teardrop. God is collecting those tears and one day will wipe away every last one of them. (Revelation 21)

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

Dear Jesus,

You know our pain and our loss. Comfort us today with Your unfailing love and give us the comfort we can share with others. You understand. One day we will know in full. Give us hope today.

Amen

Rise Above

 

     I facilitated a women’s Bible study for about seven years.  I remember I was having a bad day. Everything had been going wrong and at the end of that tough day I received an e-mail from a friend questioning some decisions I had made on behalf of this group of 30-40 women..

     My first reaction was to immediately type a response, which I did. The words came easily, contradicting some points and defending my decisions. I paused for just a minute and did not push, “send.”

     If you hear nothing else today, I encourage you to hear this. As Christians, we need each other. During those years, I had some trusted Christian friends that I saw at least twice a week. We prayed together, studied together and went through life together, both good and bad, joy-filled moments and heart-breaking loss. They know me then and now  in such deep ways that I trust them to speak openly and honestly with me.

     And so I shared the e-mail and asked the question. “How should I respond? Like this?” And provided my response. She encouraged me to look deeper into the writer’s words. Don’t look at the supposed criticism, but see what she is really asking.  Does she want to help? Does she want her opinions to matter? Does she want a voice in some decision-making?

      My final response included me asking forgiveness, asking for feedback, asking her to look at some items for me. The response back to me was immediate. A thank you. Thanks for being sensitive to my needs. Thank you for your responsiveness. I am grateful. I am grateful for a God who forgives me consistently, over and over again. I am thankful for Christian friends who speak truth when I need it most. I am thankful the situation de-escalated, rather than escalated. I want to view people through the lens of Christ.

     To rise above my immediate reaction and the kick-right-back response. I want to look a little closer. To pause and give the other person the benefit of the doubt and not be so sensitive and emotional.

      Jesus loves us all. And He not only asks us to love and forgive others. He goes so far as to unabashedly ask us to forgive our enemies and to bless them. Can’t we at least do that for our friends and families?

     Rising above our circumstances. No easy task. Life is hard and we are all so frail. We all hurt and lash out. Can we, instead, be the peacemakers?

Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.

Matthew 5:9

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Dear Father,

Rising above the little annoyances and critical thinking is not easy. Show us how to see through to others hearts and guide us to seek peace wherever we go today. Thank you for the friends that speak the truth in love. Show us how to be Jesus to others today.

In His name we pray.

Amen

Plans

 

     God’s purpose, His plans are above our own. His hand is in control. And when we give Him our very lives and walk in His ways, His purpose for us will be done.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

     Many of my plans have not worked out. How about you? Put your hand in the hands of Christ and He will use your life for good, for His eternal purpose. Let’s jump in with both feet and see what He has in mind. God's plans for you are good

"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

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

     He works “all things” together for good, even when we can’t see the end result. Maybe the end result will be after we are in heaven. God gives us His Holy Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing the life everlasting.

Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5

     One more verse this week and I’ll send you on your way to work and to act for our God. It is His work in us! Let’s let Him figure it all out.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Philippians 2:13

Lord,

Your purposes are good. Work through us and give us passion and purpose as we rely on and trust You to work everything out in Your way and in Your time.

Amen

Peace

 

     Faith in Jesus provides the best, most passionate life. His love drives us beyond ourselves to a focus above the earth. The perspective God shares with us, about us, and through us is invaluable. His vision is eternally-bound and yet He understands our earthly living.

     Our temporal circumstances can be so difficult, so traumatic and so sad, but Christ rises above them all. His love encompasses our lives and beyond. Trust Him for the answers, trust Him to use your suffering for His good, trust Him to shower you with the power of heaven. We can do all things with Jesus.

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

     Everything was made through Him and for Him, and with our faith, we can move the mountains in our way. His mighty strength and power is everywhere.

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. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

     Think we can keep the faith and trust our Lord? All things are held together because of Him. The sun every morning? The air we breathe? The rain, the stars and the moon? Yep, it’s Jesus. Trust Him with your life and He will see you through today and tomorrow and forevermore.

Lord,

We trust You. We know You are sovereign over all things. Everything is held together because of You. It is so much for our human minds and hearts to ponder. We love You.

In Jesus name,

Amen