Seasons of Our Lives

     Keep looking up. The perfect earth God designed is a fallen one temporarily. As we see the earth and man continue to deteriorate, do not be surprised or dismayed. God foretold all of what is happening around us, all of it. Yes, we can do all we can to take care of this earth, to pray, to hope.

     But God foretold the weather patterns that would take place, the violence that would increase, the wars and earthquakes, the tumult of the seas and the storms. He knows the end from the beginning and He longs for a relationship with you and with me. As He allows evil to run its course, He will open many hearts to His truth.

     Let Him be your guide through these tumultuous days. He allows us to continue to appreciate all He has given us through it all. He remains steadfast and faithful. His grace is sufficient for this day and for every day.

     As we age, our hope only grows deeper. We are getting closer to seeing Him face to face. If you don’t know Him, please, please give Him a chance. Don’t be swayed by anyone else. Just Him. Read His word. Ask Him to meet you right where you are. I guarantee He will show up and fill your life with light.

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

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus, our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2

     I know Him and He is real. He changes the deepest, darkest parts of us and grows us in His eternal light, the light of life. (John 8:12) There is nothing more glorious, more real, more astounding than His gift. His gift to us is pure grace. His sacrifice took everything dark away, and He offers a clean slate to anyone who believes.

Let it be you.

Jesus,

Open more hearts to You. Help us to continue to plant seeds of faith wherever we go, knowing You will grow them at just the right time. I pray for each person reading this to feel Your power and strength right now, to finally surrender their lives to the only One who can save us. Jesus Christ.

Amen

Seasons of Our Lives

     Even as we have deepened our realization that our God is a God of order and detail in His plan for the seasons and days of our lives, we witness His creativity and unfathomable design. His miraculous and marvelous ways are beyond our human imaginings.

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways. He does great things beyond our understanding. Job 37:5

For You are great and do marvelous deeds. You alone are God. Psalm 86:10

     The colors of each tree, the numerous designs, fragrances and the varied height of each flower, the fruits and the vegetables that grow above and below the ground, the zebra, the giraffe, the koala bear, the panda. The swan and the eagle, the pelican and the duck, the lizard and the armadillo. The list could go on page after page after page. Think deeper. The stripe of the zebra and the tiger. The mane of the lion, the minute design of the ant to the magnitude of the elephant and rhinoceros, the mountaintop view, the expanse of the ocean. Stop and picture more of creation right now.

     Can you possibly imagine all of the above  with no Creator? Impossible! Everything has an intricate and impossibly imaginative and intricate design. None of this happened by chance. As we take in all that He has given us on earth and the heavenly home He promises us in the future, we can sink to our knees in grateful praise.

     God is good, all the time. His purposes will stand.

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

     God’s purpose will remain. Enjoy His creation. Thank Him for the sunrise and the sunset. Praise Him for the birds and the color of the sky, for the heart beating within, for the beauty of our children and the gifts He gives.

Jesus,

We praise You for all we take for granted each day, for the gracious gift of life, for the earth and the seasons, for our days and nights. Thank You, Lord.

Amen

/Seasons of Our Lives

God called the light “day” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning-the first day. Genesis 1:5

     God defines the seasons as He defines each and every day, from each second, to each minute, to each hour, to each sunrise and sunset. How marvelous to realize He holds the stars and the moon and the sun and the earth aloft each day, bringing us the dawn and the dusk to begin and end our days.

     There is a saying, “The darkest hour is just before the dawn.” This proverb, along with the rising sun, brings hope, reminding us that the slightest light, the least flicker or glow in our darkest hour offers a new beginning.

     Trust in God. Just as each season of life has its rain and sunshine, each day offers a fresh start. Dawn leads into daylight, dusk into night. Our God is a God of order and detail. Think of all He put in motion with creation. How each and every atom and molecule work in tandem in our own bodies, in the seasons, in each and every moment of life.

     We can place our trust in Him. The sun will rise today and tomorrow. The sun will set. The minutes and seconds of each hour will move along, just as they did yesterday. Rest in His constant hope for tomorrow.

Lord,

We thank You for the hope of tomorrow. Your light will shine upon us through our days and seasons of life. We are Yours.

Amen

Seasons of Our Lives

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

     Seedtime and harvest. Day and night. Winter and summer. God is faithful every single day, and there are analogies to be made between the times of our lives and the seasons of the year. Seeds are planted in the ground, as well as in the womb, in the environments God has created and designed for growth.

     Summer follows spring, winter follows fall, year after year, just as our lives go through seasons of their own. Through the spring of our lives, we begin weak and helpless, relying on the environment and people around us in order to thrive and to grow. Our two-year-old grandson amazes us with his ability to soak in so much as he continues to learn new words, new skills with more dexterity every single day.

     There is promise and hope in these years of our lives. It is spring.

     Summer finds us when the sun is high, as we are filled with energy, with strong bodies and the promise of careers, maybe a spouse and children. There is warmth and light.  Everything is in full bloom, long days, warm sunshine. There will be days of rain and darkness, as with any season of life, but these years are the second quarter of our lives.

     We reach our potential with strength and vitality. It is summer.

     Through the third quarter of our lives, we find true beauty and grace. Wisdom grows. Reflection sets in. Our purpose is defined. Some of our outer beauty begins to fade and some parts of us fall apart and fall down! Weakness creeps into our joints, but true beauty from within shines, just as we witness the glorious colors surrounding us in this season of creation.

     Just before winter sets in, these years find us in reflection of the past and renewed strength to face the years ahead. It is fall.

     As we move into winter, it is time to prepare. Gathering to find warmth. Filling our pantries to prepare for the cold. Remember, winter is a busy time from within. Creation is preparing its roots for the next spring. The nutrients inside will develop into the seeds of tomorrow.

     We prepare for our eternal home. It is winter.

     Our spiritual life deepens as we prepare for the next season, the season that will never end. The winters of our lives can be the most beautiful of all. Even though the trees of winter look desolate and the skies may be gray, God is working, just as He will continue to work in us and through us. Our souls continue to shine and thrive. Winter deepens our appreciation for Jesus. He is in control of the seasons surrounding us and the seasons of our lives.

He made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun knows when to go down. Psalm 104:19

Lord,

We celebrate the seasons of Your creation and the seasons of our lives. Your miraculous ways keep us in awe of You.

Amen

Seasons of Our Lives

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

     This weekend in Minnesota has been filled with humidity and heat. Summer rains cooled us down and we face a gorgeous Monday ahead. The seasons and times of our lives, just as the minutes on the clock, and the seasons of the year, move on, one after the other, year after year.

     God’s timing for the seasons of our lives and for the seasons of creation, are filled with His purpose. I pray that gives you hope today. Relax in His presence and appreciate the season of life you are experiencing right now. Time will keep moving, and each day He gives us is one in which to rejoice. The words of Solomon remind us that eternity is still to come and that beauty is all around us as we wait.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor-it is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:11-13

     Enjoy this precious day God has given you. Rejoice and do good!  God’s purposes will stand and our heavenly home will be waiting.

Father,

Thank You for these precious words of Yours. We rejoice in Your timing and purpose and in the beauty that surrounds us. Give us time to enjoy this life and to praise You in all we see and do.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Heart and Soul

     Much of our time focuses on the outward appearance, the temporary possessions, the schedule, the stress.  Ahhh, life! What if we spent a bit more time on our inner peace, our soul, our hearts? What if we spent more time in prayer? What if we spent more time recognizing the attributes of God and humbling ourselves before Him?

     The transformation of our hearts and our souls is an inside job. Nothing to do with the temporary trappings of our bodies and the world around us. The spiritual world is real. Angels and demons are real. Jesus is alive and well and our relationship with Him is real.

     What would we look like with shining eyes and a loving heart? How would we respond to the craziness around us? It’s not easy. I seem to feel anger rising in my spirit more and more these days as I witness our country falling to bits around us. God is not surprised. He predicted all that is happening. How? He knows the end from the beginning. He created the end of the story and the beginning of eternal life.

     Allow His work to fill you with deep peace just for today. Let it go. Turn off the news. Open the Word. Do a study on the book of Revelation and Daniel. No need to read the headlines. They are written there. In His mighty hands. Good over evil. Love over hate. Jesus ruling the world. One day soon.

Lord,

Open our hearts and minds to Your truth. Your Word is truth. Change our hearts to reflect You.

Amen

Reflecting Jesus

     Following God’s wisdom and filling our hearts and souls with Him will show in the way we live our lives. How amazing is that! God is in the business of transformation. As we deepen our knowledge and understanding of Him, we begin to reflect Jesus.

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Proverbs 27:19

     May our lives be filled with God, believing Him, following Him, walking in His wisdom. Our hearts and souls are waiting to be filled with His love and faithfulness, until our very lives reflect Jesus, our Lord.

Lord,

Make it our priority to study, to learn, and to put into practice the Words of life You offer. Give us wisdom and let our hearts and souls be changed to reflect Your Son.

Amen

Love and Faithfulness

     Part of Godly wisdom is learning to rely on Him through any circumstance in life. Not always easy. When tragedy strikes, when illness attacks, when death knocks on our door, when violence rises and pandemics spread, we can easily lose heart and wonder; “Where is God?”As we age and look back over our lives, we recognize His all-knowing and ever-present love and and His loving arms of faithfulness.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3

     Let that be a part of our prayers. Let love and faithfulness NEVER leave us, not ever, no matter what.

God,

We long to trust You through it all, until we meet You in eternity. Bind Your love and faithfulness around our necks and write them on our hearts in permanent marker.

Amen

Inside Knowledge

     God gives us His wisdom and understanding and knowledge through the Word and the guiding of the Holy Spirit. Bending our knees and bowing our heads in obedience to Him brings us deep and abiding joy. This week we are looking at the heart and soul. The external fades in significance to our Lord.

     The Bible makes it clear that our bodies are the temporary tent for our soul and spirit. If only we would spend as much time focusing our attention on what God finds valuable. King Solomon knew this as he taught his son through his proverbial wisdom.

For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2:10

     I pray you find this proverb to be true in your own life. May God’s wisdom and knowledge become pleasant to our heart and soul.

Lord,

We thank You for leading us to deep truths. Your wisdom is beyond the external, beyond this world. It comes directly from heaven. Give us a hunger and thirst for more and more of You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Guard Your Heart

     God weighs the heart. All we do and say comes from the condition of our heart. It begins with a heart for God and, through Him, our lives will be lived out with love. Listen to this Proverb:

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

     Above all else? The condition of our heart is vital for a healthy life, both physically and emotionally. Guard your heart with God’s Word. Let it fill you with all good things, until all we do flows from its bounty.

     Jesus calls Himself the bread of life and He reminds us that when we have Him we will never hunger and thirst again. Our souls will be satisfied and well. Go deep and drink and eat! Your heart and soul will be richly filled with food for the heart.

“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 4:14

Father,

Teach us to guard our hearts. Keep them safe from the hatred surrounding us. Give us the bread of life and the living water You promise to those who believe. Fill our hearts and souls to overflowing, giving us a life of peace, joy and hope to share with others.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Holy Ground

     I love going barefoot. Socks? Despise them and I toss them aside as soon as I walk through the door. I love to go barefoot around the house, spring, summer, winter or fall. The impossibility of going barefoot through months of long Minnesota winters only makes my anticipation and appreciation grow as spring and summer draw near. One day while reading the Bible, I paused at the following Scripture verse.

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5

     Moses was called to meet God. We can only imagine the encounter and what it meant. The ground was holy. No sandals allowed. Imagine my surprise. God asked Moses to be barefoot while in His presence.

     In Old Testament days, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. This was the inner sanctum of the temple. No ordinary folk allowed. It was a sacred place, a reverential place. It contained the presence of God.

     After Christ’s death, burial and resurrection, He gave His followers a foretaste of heaven. He left His disciples (including us) with the gift of His Holy Spirit. Yes, the Spirit of God within us! No more outer temple. The very temple of our God lives within.

     Not only is Christ beside us, around us, and in front of us, His Holy Spirit remains in us.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you whom you have received from God? You are not your own. 1 Corinthians 6:19

     Now that the temple of the Lord is within us, everywhere we step can be considered holy ground. Wherever you are right now is Holy ground. Wiggle your toes. Where will you step today? Will it be in God’s creation?

     You may feel the rough terrain of a mountain path or sift through the soft sand of a sunny beach. Let the fertile soil of your backyard garden ooze through your toes. Tap the linoleum of your kitchen floor as you wash the evening dishes. Feel the texture of the carpet as you tuck your kids in bed. Wrap your feet around the rungs of the chair beneath your desk. Feel God’s presence around you. Wherever you stand, walk, sit or dance is indeed Holy ground.

     We are the temple of the Spirit of God. Jesus is with us each day as we visit the magnificent and the minute, the extraordinary and ordinary, the mountaintop view and the laundry room floor, the miraculous and the mundane. What a profound thought. We are His ambassadors as we walk the earth.

     So take off your shoes as you wash, and tuck, and type, as you speak and listen, as you walk through your day.  Maybe you can lead others to see the holiness around them, too.

     And, one day soon, Jesus will walk us from the pull of the earth’s blessed ground to step onto heaven’s eternal garden path. As I meet Him finally, face to face and He asks me to take off my earthly shoes, I will gladly obey and run barefoot with Him forevermore.

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let that Spirit grow so strong that wherever we are and whatever we do, we recognize Your power and presence with each step.

Amen

Spirit Power

     The Holy Spirit begins His work in us by convicting us and convincing us of our need for a Savior (John 16:8). When we first believe, God seals us forever with His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14).  The Holy Spirit within us testifies to us that we now belong to God and that we are His beloved children (Romans 8:16).

     Read through these verses and believe in the work of the Spirit. He lives within us, ready to teach us, to strengthen us, to counsel us and to lead us into truth.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:26

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him, but you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15--17

For God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of love, and of power, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

     Just as the moon’s light is a reflection of the sun, so we reflect the light of the Son. Allow His Holy Spirit to shine from within with the light that will never fade.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness, with every increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus,

Increase Your glory within us through Your Spirit, so we may continue to shine until You bring us home.

Amen

Unending Love

     Jesus picks up the broken pieces of our lives. He forges the path ahead and straightens our path for the future. He speaks to our inner souls with the power of His Spirit. He is always and forevermore on our side. He is working for us. He protects us. He will answer our prayers.  His presence surrounds us, and nothing, no nothing will ever separate us from our Savior.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

     The height of our pride will not separate us. The depths of despair will not separate us. The demons tempting us will not separate us. Death will not separate us. He is here, there, and everywhere, our ever-present Savior. He adores you.

Jesus,

Thank you for Your uncompromising and unconditional love that far exceeds any earthly love. Your promises are eternally true. You are the way, the truth and the life.

Amen

Forever His

     Along with my husband, many of our friends have retired. What’s next? Do we put our feet up, sit on a beach and indulge ourselves for our remaining years? It’s a tricky question. Certainly, God has placed enjoyment and pleasure in His creation. The warm sunshine, good friends, refreshment and relaxation.

     On the other hand, He never tells us to retire from His service. He has purpose for our lives until He takes us home. What is He asking you to do? Moses did not lead his people out of Egypt until he was 80 years old. Abraham and Sarah had Isaac in their 90’s. Caleb was just as strong at 85 as he was when he began serving God as a young man. John was given the revelation of Christ when he was well over 90.

     No matter what we do, no matter where we land, He gives us the ability to encourage, to share, to teach, to serve, to show mercy, to gain knowledge, and to love. What an adventure! We have only just begun.

They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright. He is my Rock and there is no wickedness in Him.” Psalm 92:14-15

Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He. I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4

     How wonderful! Only God knows the number of our days. If we are blessed to live into old age, we will stay fresh and green in Spirit as He continues to sustain us, to carry us and to rescue us. We all need rescuing, don’t we?

Father,

We want to bear fruit at every age. Give us purpose and opportunities until we walk through heaven’s door. Give us more and more love to share.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Cracked Pots

     Have you heard the ancient story of the cracked pot? A servant carried a pole across his neck with two pots used to fetch water, one hanging from each end. One of the pots had a large crack in it, yet the man continued to use it each day. Why? He found that as some of the water oozed out of that crack, it watered the flowers planted along the way to his master’s house.

     I personally have several cracks. We are all cracked pots in one way or another. Fortunately for us, Jesus uses our weaknesses to show his strength.  He covers our flaws with His faithfulness and He brings good from our frailties and our failures.

     How does He do it? The only way to explain it, is through His mighty power. As Paul reminds us, His power is made perfect though our weaknesses.

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 12:9

     Let it go and let God water some of the seeds that need tending in your heart. He is ready to grow some healthy spiritual fruit in each of us. He is the vine and we are the branches. Let Him prune a few of the pesky foliage blocking your view.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2

     Abide with Him.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me, and I in you, you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Father,

Thank You for the work of Your Son in us. His strength gives us power through our weakness. Teach us how to trust and abide in His Spirit.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Heaven Awaits

     Let’s move into heaven, with a glimpse of what is to come. Jesus gives us a peek at just some of what is to come, but I believe much of the glory would be far too astounding and miraculous for our earthly minds to comprehend. We wait, with our imaginations whetted, with our hearts pounding with hope, with awe-inspired words to hold onto while we remain. One day, soon, Jesus will appear to take us home.

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

They will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever. Revelation 22:4-5

     Read through Revelation 21 and 22 for more of the glorious heaven and earth to come. I pray this week of anticipation brings hope and light to a sometimes dark and dreary world. Keep an eternal perspective as you live out your life. Spread the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is risen and He lives forever. As He is, so will we be one day soon. He conquered death for us all and we don’t want anyone to miss out on our heavenly home.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen Revelation 22:20-21

Heaven Awaits

     Heaven awaits. During this time of quarantine, of riots and unrest, of more questions than answers, remember, Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. He knows the end from the beginning. Evil will be vanquished one day and His will and His promises will remain forever. Let your mind move with anticipation into the throne room of heaven.

However, as it is written, “what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived-the things God has prepared for those who love Him-these are the things God has revealed to us through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10

But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3;13

    Today what God sees as evil is being called good and good, evil. One day all things will be right, all will be transformed, even our bodies. For now we are in a temporary tent, one day to be transformed into a forever body, like the Lord’s after His resurrection.

For we know that in this earthly tent that we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body) we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made by God Himself, not by human hands 2 Corinthians 5:1

     I encourage you to read more about our eternal bodies in the beautiful verses found in 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

     Longing for heaven? Somedays I do. As my 89-year-old friend, Phyllis, says, “Aging is not for sissies!”  I can’t wait to have perfect vision again, or to see my brother, who died of a debilitating Parkinson’s disease leaping for joy. Yes, it will come to pass. Stay at peace. Jesus is waiting with your resurrection body and a mansion prepared just for you, never to perish or wear out. It’s made for forever!

Lord,

We wait with anticipation and hope for heaven. While we are here, give us the peace that transcends all understanding, the comfort that comes from Your Spirit. Give us angels to surround us and shine your everlasting light upon us now.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Heaven Awaits

     All of us dream of a long and healthy life, praying we remain physically and mentally active and healthy until we die in our sleep. I have had the privilege of serving with the most incredible women of faith over the last twenty-five years, many surrogate mothers to me. I have witnessed their suffering. The eyes that no longer see, the ears that struggle to hear, the lungs with so little breath, the body so weak and frail, the chronic ever-present pain. These are the outward signs of aging and they will affect us all, if we have the privilege of living to an old age.

     What have these women of faith shared? A peace, a longing for heaven, a joy that remains. How? It is Jesus. Don’t get me wrong. The struggles come with doubt. There are questions with no easy answers. Pain and suffering are real. There is deep grief, but there is always hope. The Psalms speak to their hearts. The suffering of Jesus reminds them that He understands and He comforts.

     Those of you who know me well, know these have become some of my favorite verses. These verses remind me and the loved ones around me in the midst of suffering, that a glory awaits us, a glory that is forever and a glory that outweighs any and all earthly suffering.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles  are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

     Perspective. Anticipation. Hope. These earthly troubles are “light and momentary.” The glory that awaits “far outweighs them all.” Fix your eyes on Jesus. Everything around us is temporary.

Jesus,

Your Words give us comfort and hope for a glorious heaven and a new earth with You and our loved ones. Keep us mindful of what awaits as we go through times of suffering. Keep us filled with the deep joy You offer, the peace that passes all understanding as we wait.

Amen

Heaven Awaits

     Keep an eternal perspective as your life continues to unfold. The Bible helps us do just that, reminding us of the short journey we have on earth. Most of us have said our earthly goodbyes to some precious loved ones. We grieve at the separation, but we can grieve with hope!

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve as the rest of mankind who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:11

     Hope remains when we have Jesus. We grieve, but we grieve with hope, the hope of heaven, the hope of reunion, the hope of spending a beautiful eternity in the presence of Jesus. Life is fleeting.

For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall. 1 Peter 1:24

Why you don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

    Most of the world fears death, placing all of their hope on this life. With an eternal perspective, forever sits in contrast to, at the most, 90 or 100 years, most even more brief. Whether we are in the body or with the Lord, we are His.

Father,

Help us keep eternity ever on the horizon, working to honor You through our short days here on earth. Your Gospel can be shared. Your glory is available to shine. Your sacrifice and Your resurrection take away our fear as we move closer and closer to heaven.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Heaven Awaits

     This week will be a week of anticipation. Are you looking forward to an event, a birth, a wedding, a family celebration, a vacation? Some of our plans have been put on hold lately. As we journey through life, we often look ahead. What’s next? College, job, retirement. Life marches on. Memories form and hope remains. Hope for a future, and a plan with a loving God and Father.

“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

     “Hope and a future,” are, indeed, words of anticipation. Place your trust in Jesus today and forever. Heaven awaits and whether we are here or there, we are in good hands.

For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 2 Corinthians 5:7-9

     Paul wrote the verses above. He was one of a few escorted into the throne room of heaven and he longed to go back over his lifetime of ministry. Be at peace. The anticipation of heaven is real. We need have no fear of death. We will be present with the Lord. Place your life in His hands. We await heaven!

Father,

Your plan for us is good, whether here or there, now and forever. What a glorious homecoming awaits us. You long for us as much as we long for You. We walk by faith as we live to serve and to please You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Through It All

     When Joseph was thrown into a pit by his own brothers and sold into slavery, he trusted God. When he was falsely accused of seduction, he trusted God within the prison walls. God worked through him until he found himself second in command to the ruler of his time and his brothers came to him in need. A beautiful story of a faithful servant, of God’s timing and of God working for good.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

     As a teenager, Daniel defeated a giant with the help of a slingshot, surrounded by the strength and will of his God. As an old man, Daniel refused to bow down to anyone other than God and was thrown into a pit of his own. His pit was filled with a den of lions. Daniel trusted, understanding he need not fear even death. Angels closed the mouths of the lions and Daniel was unscathed.

     Are there giants ahead in your path? Is Satan coming after you like a roaring lion? Trust in your Creator. Hold up your shield of faith and He will protect you. Through the storms and fires of life, He is there. Your story is bigger than the sum of your years. It lives on through others as an example. Just as Joseph and Daniel give us examples to follow, so your life will live on.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

     The storms can be frightening. The heat is uncomfortable. God is with us. His angels will surround us and when the time is right, they will escort us home.

Lord,

You are there in the lion’s den, you are there to fight the giants. You are among us in the scorching flames, through the flood waters and in the pit. You promise us a future and a hope. Would you help us to see that hope today? Grant us spiritual eyes to see Your work.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Happy 4th of July.  God bless America!  See you Monday

Focus on Jesus

     When our faith rises above our circumstances, trusting God keeps peace in our hearts. A book I read years ago, said something like this; focus on yourself and your problems once for every ten times you focus on Jesus. His hope and His provision will answer our deepest cries. Have faith in Him above whatever you are suffering.

     Pray for the ability to be patient as You wait for His answer and for a way out. He may be preparing you through a difficult time. As He lifts you out of the pit, He will use your time of darkness for His glory.

     When our lives become His, we are offered freedom to believe. To believe in His promises, to believe in a future of hope, to believe He will lead us. Focus your attention on Him and wait, pray and love.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

     Joyful, hopeful, patient, faithful. Good words to consider every single day. God’s timing is perfect in your life and in mine.

Jesus,

We focus our attention on You. Find answers. Find hope, Find joy. Find peace. We place our faith in You. Give us the freedom to accept it today and to believe it.

Amen