Today's Reading: Psalm 94
O LORD, the God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice shine forth! Arise, O judge of the earth. Give the proud what they deserve. How long, O LORD? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat? How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast? They crush your people, LORD, hurting those you claim as your own. They kill widows and foreigners and murder orphans. "The LORD isn't looking," they say, "and besides, the God of Israel doesn't care."
Think again, you fools! When will you finally catch on? Is he deaf--the one who made your ears? Is he blind--the one who formed your eyes? He punishes the nations--won't he also punish you? He knows everything--doesn't he also know what you are doing? The LORD knows people's thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked. The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. Judgement will again be founded on justice, and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.
Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Unless the LORD had helped me, I would soon have settled in the silence of the grave. I cried out, "I am slipping!" but your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side--leaders whose decrees permit injustice? They gang up against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide. God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The LORD our God will destroy them.
Verses 1-7 are explaining setting the scene: the wicked seem to ahve the upper hand. They are prospering while the innocent, the widows, orphans and foreigners, are paying the price for their prosperity. The wicked are taking pleasure from others' pain. They believe God isn't looking and doesn't care.
Verses 8-11 are the writer's response to these outrageous claims. He answers in this way: Is he deaf--the one who made your ears? Is he blind--the one who formed your eyes? He punishes the nations--won't he also punish you? He knows everything--doesn't he know what you are doing? The LORD knows people's thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
Verses 12-15 are God's promise to protect those who seek his teaching. Judgement will again be founded in justice and those with virtuous hearts will pursue it.
In verses 16-19, the writer admits even he felt the pain and injustice of the wicked. He admits openly that if it had not been fro the LORD's help he would have died. But the LORD comforted him. He says it this way in verse 19: When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
How often does your mind fill with doubts? Doubts about your job, money, whether or not your doing the right thing, raising your kids the right way. The list goes on and on. Well, that is where I have been this week. Like my Granny says, I've been "running around like a chicken with its head cut off." I've been going through the motions of the day with no true sense of direction because like the writer of this psalm, my mind has been filled with doubts. I will be honest and say while I was running around in this state of mind I never once thought to come to the one place where I knew it could be fixed--GOD. I was too busy trying to fix it myself, too busy playing Mrs. Fix-It and all I wound up doing was making a bigger mess.
So if you are in this state of running around today, STOP! Know that with God there is hope and renewed strength, you just have to come to him before you make the mess worse.
Power Verse:
Isaiah 40:31
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Will you soar or tumble to the ground? The choice is yours.
Thought for the Day:
Just as you learn who your children are as well as their unique traits as they grow so too God longs for you to seek Him and learn who He is and in the process love Him for His uniqueness. He longs for a relationship with you.
If you don't know the LORD today, now is the perfect time to introduce yourself to Him and start that relationship. He is waiting with open arms. Here's how:
1. Know that God loves you.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16
The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. --John 10:10
2. Admit to God that you are a sinner and that you are turning from your sins.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. --Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. --Romans 6:23
And just as each person is destined to die once and aft that comes to judgement. --Hebrews 9:27
3. Believe in Jesus by thanking Him for dying on the cross and rising from the dead for you sins.
I have one message for Jews and Gentiles alike--the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. --Acts 20:21
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. --John 14: 6
4. Commit yoru life to Jesus by asking Him to come into your life as your Savior and Lord through prayer. After you have received Jesus Christ into your life, tell a Christian friend and follow Christ in believer's baptism and church membership.
"Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." --Romans 3:20
Friday, August 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Stressed? Anxious? Trust in God
Today's Reading: Psalm 93
The LORD is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannnot be shaken. Your throne, O LORD, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past. The floods have risen up, O LORD. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore--the LORD above is mightier than these! Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O LORD, is holy forever and ever.
Continous praise of God from Psalm 92 and continues on through Psalm 97. This psalm is one describing the Lord's might and his unchanging ways. It serves as a reminder that unlike everything else in the world the Lord does not change ever.
In times of trouble, stress or worry, learning to trust in the Lord is important. The word trust in greek means to believe in. We are asked to believe the Lord can do what He says. John 14:1 says: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." I know that not letting the worries, anxiety and stress of this world get the best of us is easier said than done but we are challenged to give all these things to God and know that He cares for us and wants better for us than to live in such strain on our minds and our very souls. John 14:27 says: I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
I wanted to share a video by Mark Brown that I watched last night after having a day full of anxiety and stress. I can tell you it was a gift from God and I was able to rest after watching it and I hope and pray that if you are feeling the stress and strain of this world on your shoulders this video will give you a new outlook and lighten your load by knowing that God is there and will show you how to handle stress and anxiety in a world where we fight it every day. God Bless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Qld3G4knk
The LORD is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength. The world stands firm and cannnot be shaken. Your throne, O LORD, has stood from time immemorial. You yourself are from the everlasting past. The floods have risen up, O LORD. The floods have roared like thunder; the floods have lifted their pounding waves. But mightier than the violent raging of the seas, mightier than the breakers on the shore--the LORD above is mightier than these! Your royal laws cannot be changed. Your reign, O LORD, is holy forever and ever.
Continous praise of God from Psalm 92 and continues on through Psalm 97. This psalm is one describing the Lord's might and his unchanging ways. It serves as a reminder that unlike everything else in the world the Lord does not change ever.
In times of trouble, stress or worry, learning to trust in the Lord is important. The word trust in greek means to believe in. We are asked to believe the Lord can do what He says. John 14:1 says: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." I know that not letting the worries, anxiety and stress of this world get the best of us is easier said than done but we are challenged to give all these things to God and know that He cares for us and wants better for us than to live in such strain on our minds and our very souls. John 14:27 says: I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
I wanted to share a video by Mark Brown that I watched last night after having a day full of anxiety and stress. I can tell you it was a gift from God and I was able to rest after watching it and I hope and pray that if you are feeling the stress and strain of this world on your shoulders this video will give you a new outlook and lighten your load by knowing that God is there and will show you how to handle stress and anxiety in a world where we fight it every day. God Bless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Qld3G4knk
Monday, August 20, 2012
Our Eternal Father
Today's Reading: Psalm 91-Second part of a prayer of Moses
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."
This is a psalm of prophesy. He speaks of one who will be protected by God, whom no disease will touch and whom angels will hold with their hands so that he will not hurt his foot on a stone. Moses even says that he will be one who can crush fierce lions and serpents under foot. He is speaking of Jesus!
In verses 14-16, we hear the very voice of God. He promises the same things he said of Jesus, thus making us heirs with Jesus!
How awesome to know that God will protect and keep us just as He did Jesus! We are His children after all and as our Eternal Father, He will care for us and love us.
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation."
This is a psalm of prophesy. He speaks of one who will be protected by God, whom no disease will touch and whom angels will hold with their hands so that he will not hurt his foot on a stone. Moses even says that he will be one who can crush fierce lions and serpents under foot. He is speaking of Jesus!
In verses 14-16, we hear the very voice of God. He promises the same things he said of Jesus, thus making us heirs with Jesus!
How awesome to know that God will protect and keep us just as He did Jesus! We are His children after all and as our Eternal Father, He will care for us and love us.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Ripping It Out And Starting Over
Today's Reading: Psalm 90: Prayer of Moses, the man of God
Lord, through all generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, you mortals!" For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep away people like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you--our secret sins--and you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan.
Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see your work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful.
Have you ever blundered or simply slipped up in life? Made a step you thought was good but turned out to be so wrong? Well, that is where I have been this week. Trying to recover from my slip up. It feels horrible to have to go so long being "successful" then with one wrong stitch you have to rip all your work out and start over. It's painful but in the long run it's worth it. I suppose you could continue on as if the mistake never happened but like my Granny and Papa taught me, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right."
This is where the people of Israel were when Moses prayed Psalm 90. They had slipped up yet again and Moses was praying for deliverence and restoration.
Verses 1-6 are a hymn-like introduction declaring God's eternity and the transience of human life. Verses 7-10 speak of the brevity and sorrow of human existance. Verses 11-12 are a prayer that the people may learn wisdom from considering this. Verses 13-17 are a prayer that Israel be delivered from its difficulties.
Remember, even if you have take a few steps back or have to undo some of your "work", God will see you through.
Power Verses:
I Cornithians 10:12-13
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
James 1:2-3
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Matthew 26:41
Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!
Thoughts from chapter 17, pg. 192-194 of Espresso for a Woman's Spirit by Pam Vredevelt
I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute. Clothe those who are cold and don't hide from relatives who need your help. If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, and goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. "Yes, I am here," he will quickly reply...
And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you will all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an everflowing spring. --Isaiah 58:7-9, 11 TLB
It is not my ability but my response to God's ability that counts. --Corrie ten Boom
You can give without love, but you cannot love without giving. --Amy Carmichael
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. --Matthew 5:2 MSG
Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. --William James
Lord, through all generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.
You turn people back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, you mortals!" For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. You sweep away people like dreams that disappear. They are like grass that springs up in the morning. In the morning it blooms and flourishes, but by evening it is dry and withered. We wither beneath your anger; we are overwhelmed by your fury. You spread out our sins before you--our secret sins--and you see them all. We live our lives beneath your wrath, ending our years with a groan.
Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. Let us, your servants, see your work again; let our children see your glory. And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful.
Have you ever blundered or simply slipped up in life? Made a step you thought was good but turned out to be so wrong? Well, that is where I have been this week. Trying to recover from my slip up. It feels horrible to have to go so long being "successful" then with one wrong stitch you have to rip all your work out and start over. It's painful but in the long run it's worth it. I suppose you could continue on as if the mistake never happened but like my Granny and Papa taught me, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right."
This is where the people of Israel were when Moses prayed Psalm 90. They had slipped up yet again and Moses was praying for deliverence and restoration.
Verses 1-6 are a hymn-like introduction declaring God's eternity and the transience of human life. Verses 7-10 speak of the brevity and sorrow of human existance. Verses 11-12 are a prayer that the people may learn wisdom from considering this. Verses 13-17 are a prayer that Israel be delivered from its difficulties.
Remember, even if you have take a few steps back or have to undo some of your "work", God will see you through.
Power Verses:
I Cornithians 10:12-13
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
James 1:2-3
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Matthew 26:41
Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!
Thoughts from chapter 17, pg. 192-194 of Espresso for a Woman's Spirit by Pam Vredevelt
I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute. Clothe those who are cold and don't hide from relatives who need your help. If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, and goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then, when you call, the Lord will answer. "Yes, I am here," he will quickly reply...
And the Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy you will all good things, and keep you healthy too; and you will be like a well-watered garden, like an everflowing spring. --Isaiah 58:7-9, 11 TLB
It is not my ability but my response to God's ability that counts. --Corrie ten Boom
You can give without love, but you cannot love without giving. --Amy Carmichael
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. --Matthew 5:2 MSG
Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. --William James
Monday, August 13, 2012
Walking Through Fires
Prayer for today from the words of Psalm 119: 143-144:
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live. Today's Reading: Psalm 88
O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave, I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me.You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O LORD; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you?Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness? O LORD, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O LORD, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me?
I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desparate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.
This psalm is from a man's heart-the heart of one who has been ill since his youth, who has been abandoned by loved ones and friends, who sees death coming for him. Verses 10-18 are a prayer for deliverance, notable for the absence of even a spark of hopefulness. Sounds like someone else we know from just one book before Psalms-Job. He was in the same situation as I am sure there tons of people in the world feeling this way right now. You may be one. If you aren't, feel blessed and go out today and help someone who is in this situation of despair. For we are called as children of God to do just that, HELP!
Power Verses:
Hebrews 4:14-16
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would like them to do to you. AKA the Golden Rule
Today's Devotion:Then Nebuchadnezzar...said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking in the midst of the fire without harm and the apperance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." --Daniel 3:24-25
Jesus was with Daniel's friends in the fire. Lord, be my faithful God, just as You were to Daniel's friends. Keep me from harm as I walk through the fires in my life.
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live. Today's Reading: Psalm 88
O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave, I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me.You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O LORD; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you?Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness? O LORD, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O LORD, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me?
I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desparate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.
This psalm is from a man's heart-the heart of one who has been ill since his youth, who has been abandoned by loved ones and friends, who sees death coming for him. Verses 10-18 are a prayer for deliverance, notable for the absence of even a spark of hopefulness. Sounds like someone else we know from just one book before Psalms-Job. He was in the same situation as I am sure there tons of people in the world feeling this way right now. You may be one. If you aren't, feel blessed and go out today and help someone who is in this situation of despair. For we are called as children of God to do just that, HELP!
Power Verses:
Hebrews 4:14-16
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would like them to do to you. AKA the Golden Rule
Today's Devotion:Then Nebuchadnezzar...said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking in the midst of the fire without harm and the apperance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." --Daniel 3:24-25
Jesus was with Daniel's friends in the fire. Lord, be my faithful God, just as You were to Daniel's friends. Keep me from harm as I walk through the fires in my life.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Consult the Expert
An excerpt from Espresso for a Woman's Spirit Encouraging Stories of Hope and Humor By Pam Vredevelt (chapter 16)
I do nothing without consulting the Father. --John 5:30, NLT
It was one of those periods of restless indecision. We were confused, not knowing which direction was God's. The church we were serving in at the time was suffering a very difficult transition because the senior pastor was in the process of leaving. Although John had been on the church staff eight years and was fulfilled in his assignment, we were wondering if this would be a natural time for us to make a change too. Often when a new senior pastor is hired, many from the former regime are let go. We weren't sure what God had in mind for our future.
I was pregnant. With a baby on the way, John and I had talked about moving closer to our parents so that we could spend more time with them and give our children the privilege of growing up with their grandparents nearby. It just so happened that at the same time all the upheaval was happening at our church, a church not far from both of our families was scouting for an assistant pastor. A leader from that church contacted us, and we met with him to discuss the option.
At the close of that meeting the answer seemed obvious. On paper it was cut and dried: The pros of leaving our current church far outweighed the cons. The new position offered twice the salary for John, an open door for me to practice as a licensed thereapist on the church staff, and close proximity to both sets of parents. The timing also seemed perfect. Any casual observer would have thought we were nuts for not jumping at the opportunity.
But something didn't seem right to us.
Neither John nor I had peace about saying yes to the move. I can't even give you a logical reason why--we just didn't feel the Lord's release to leave. We sought the Lord for direction and asked for wisdom. We told the Lord we would go wherever He wanted us to, but we needed Him to help us clearly hear His voice.
A certain verse held special meaning for us during that time: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good and leads you along the paths you should follow" (Isaiah 48:17, NLT).
About halfway through my pregnancy with Jessie, I developed a bad case of snoring that rudely invaded John's sleep. Consequently, sometime between midnight and dawn John usually groped his way through the dark into the spare bedroom so he could get his fair share of shut-eye. The poor guy was having his beauty sleep ripped off before this baby was even out of the womb.
One morning, just as the sun was beginning to peek through the gray Oregon clouds, John came in from the guest room and crawled back into bed with me. "I think I heard from the Lord," he whispered.
"Really?" I replied, trying to focus my sleepy eyes on him. "What did He say?"
"He said we're supposed to stay where we are."
In an instant I knew John was right. My spirit bore witness with his, and we both sensed a calm assurance that the direction was from the Lord.
I know--from a human standpoint it didn't make much sense. The out-of-town offer seemed to offer far more benefits. A series of unfornate events, plus departure of a much-loved pastor, had left our congregation wonded and grieving. Attending services was a drain because everywhere we turned, we heard grumbling and complaining. Some people leaned on us for comfort while others simply wanted to vent. Our church had turned from a consolation to a cauldron boiling with gossip and idle chatter. Tempers were hot. Fuses were short. People were burned. It was a painful season to weather. Leaving seemed a welcome escape to the path of blessing. But God was asking us to stay and endure hardship, trusting He knew what was best.
Soon after the Lord had given us direction, word came that a new pastor and his wife were coming to our church. We didn't know Ted and Diane Roberts, but we knew the Lord had asked us to stay and serve with them, so we did. That as fifteen years ago.
Hindsight offers clarity. Today we see clearly why God asked us to stay. It was His intention to restore the church and us, and He wanted us to have the joy of being a part of the healing process. Don't get me wrong; the path of healing wasn't easy. Wounded people need extra time, attention, and gentle care. Under the circumstances, John and I felt like physicians in an emergency room where the revolving door never stopped ushering in the injured. Being bombarded by so many needs--including our own--was taxing and called for every ounce of patience and perseverance that was in our reserves.
During the next several years, we had the privilege of watching God mend broken hearts. Fractures have been repaired. The church has grown from eight hundred to 6,500 people. Today those who were wounded are reaching out to others who have been assaulted by this world's hardships. Lives, including ours, have been profoundly influenced and forever changed by the healing power of God.
Yet I don't think I have ever been more grateful to God's leading in our lives than when I was speaking at a woman's conference a few years after the Lord had told us to "stay put." The retreat was held in the town adjacent to the city where we had considered relocating. During a break following a general session, I was standing in a circle, casually talking with a group of women. Clusters of ladies with Styrofoam cups of hot coffee in hand were visiting throughout the foyer. The groups stood fairly close together, so it wasn't difficult to hear what was being said around me.
There I was minding my own business, when all of a sudden I heard a woman behind me say, "Isn't it a tragedy what has happened at such-and-such church?" It was the church we had been invited to join! That's when I started eavesdropping on purpose. What I gleaned from the conversation just about stopped my heart. Apparently the church was falling apart because of some serious mistakes made by a couple of prominent people in leadership. The news deeply grieved me.
The coffee break ended, and I had to call upon every ounce of caffeine in my body to stay focused on my next seminar. I don't think the ladies in the foyer knew their conversation had reached my ears, but I believe the Lord allowed it. When I returned to my hotel room at the end of the day, I knelt beside my bed in humble reverence and said, "Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, Lord!"
It's sobering to think about what may have happened had we not sought the Lord in our decision-making process. It would have been easy to do what naturally made sense. After all, we could have escaped a lot of heat had we left at that time.
But it would have been a huge mistake with far-reaching consequences. We would have been relying on our own finite efforts to get us out of that mess. We would have been trusting in our limited human reasoning and abilities instead of on the Spirit's guidance and timing. In the process we would have cut ourselves off from an extensive and beautiful work of God's grace in our lives.
We see now how consulting the Father spared us misery upon misery. Had we relocated, we would have gone from one broken church congregation into another. I'm not certain we would have survived those stresses very well. I'm so grateful for God's mercy.
It makes sense to weigh the pros and cons when making a decision. But one thing I have learned through the years is that we must never stop there. Even if an answer seems obvious to the human mind, it may not be the divine course of action. We can save ourselves much weariness and grief if we stop and consult the Expert. Though the direction He gives may involve rough waters, His counsel is always in our best interest.
For only God sees the big picture.
Only God knows the future, and the full implications of our decisions.
Only God can detect when an apparent escape hatch is a death trap in disguise.
Only God knows what will fulfill and restore the darkest depths of our soul.
Only God knows when, where, and how the flames in this world will run their course.
In His mercy, He is eager to lead us on. We can be confident that the guidance He gives will always be for our highest good.
Even if it means enduring the heat a little while longer.
Power Perks:
One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.
The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need You. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't You just go on and get lost?"
God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well. How about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest."
The scientist replied, "Okay, great!"
But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."
The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.
God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"
God's heavenly plan doesn't always make earthly sense. --Charles Swindoll
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way." --C.S. Lewis
Where God has put a period, do not change it to a question mark. --T.J. Bach
I do nothing without consulting the Father. --John 5:30, NLT
It was one of those periods of restless indecision. We were confused, not knowing which direction was God's. The church we were serving in at the time was suffering a very difficult transition because the senior pastor was in the process of leaving. Although John had been on the church staff eight years and was fulfilled in his assignment, we were wondering if this would be a natural time for us to make a change too. Often when a new senior pastor is hired, many from the former regime are let go. We weren't sure what God had in mind for our future.
I was pregnant. With a baby on the way, John and I had talked about moving closer to our parents so that we could spend more time with them and give our children the privilege of growing up with their grandparents nearby. It just so happened that at the same time all the upheaval was happening at our church, a church not far from both of our families was scouting for an assistant pastor. A leader from that church contacted us, and we met with him to discuss the option.
At the close of that meeting the answer seemed obvious. On paper it was cut and dried: The pros of leaving our current church far outweighed the cons. The new position offered twice the salary for John, an open door for me to practice as a licensed thereapist on the church staff, and close proximity to both sets of parents. The timing also seemed perfect. Any casual observer would have thought we were nuts for not jumping at the opportunity.
But something didn't seem right to us.
Neither John nor I had peace about saying yes to the move. I can't even give you a logical reason why--we just didn't feel the Lord's release to leave. We sought the Lord for direction and asked for wisdom. We told the Lord we would go wherever He wanted us to, but we needed Him to help us clearly hear His voice.
A certain verse held special meaning for us during that time: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good and leads you along the paths you should follow" (Isaiah 48:17, NLT).
About halfway through my pregnancy with Jessie, I developed a bad case of snoring that rudely invaded John's sleep. Consequently, sometime between midnight and dawn John usually groped his way through the dark into the spare bedroom so he could get his fair share of shut-eye. The poor guy was having his beauty sleep ripped off before this baby was even out of the womb.
One morning, just as the sun was beginning to peek through the gray Oregon clouds, John came in from the guest room and crawled back into bed with me. "I think I heard from the Lord," he whispered.
"Really?" I replied, trying to focus my sleepy eyes on him. "What did He say?"
"He said we're supposed to stay where we are."
In an instant I knew John was right. My spirit bore witness with his, and we both sensed a calm assurance that the direction was from the Lord.
I know--from a human standpoint it didn't make much sense. The out-of-town offer seemed to offer far more benefits. A series of unfornate events, plus departure of a much-loved pastor, had left our congregation wonded and grieving. Attending services was a drain because everywhere we turned, we heard grumbling and complaining. Some people leaned on us for comfort while others simply wanted to vent. Our church had turned from a consolation to a cauldron boiling with gossip and idle chatter. Tempers were hot. Fuses were short. People were burned. It was a painful season to weather. Leaving seemed a welcome escape to the path of blessing. But God was asking us to stay and endure hardship, trusting He knew what was best.
Soon after the Lord had given us direction, word came that a new pastor and his wife were coming to our church. We didn't know Ted and Diane Roberts, but we knew the Lord had asked us to stay and serve with them, so we did. That as fifteen years ago.
Hindsight offers clarity. Today we see clearly why God asked us to stay. It was His intention to restore the church and us, and He wanted us to have the joy of being a part of the healing process. Don't get me wrong; the path of healing wasn't easy. Wounded people need extra time, attention, and gentle care. Under the circumstances, John and I felt like physicians in an emergency room where the revolving door never stopped ushering in the injured. Being bombarded by so many needs--including our own--was taxing and called for every ounce of patience and perseverance that was in our reserves.
During the next several years, we had the privilege of watching God mend broken hearts. Fractures have been repaired. The church has grown from eight hundred to 6,500 people. Today those who were wounded are reaching out to others who have been assaulted by this world's hardships. Lives, including ours, have been profoundly influenced and forever changed by the healing power of God.
Yet I don't think I have ever been more grateful to God's leading in our lives than when I was speaking at a woman's conference a few years after the Lord had told us to "stay put." The retreat was held in the town adjacent to the city where we had considered relocating. During a break following a general session, I was standing in a circle, casually talking with a group of women. Clusters of ladies with Styrofoam cups of hot coffee in hand were visiting throughout the foyer. The groups stood fairly close together, so it wasn't difficult to hear what was being said around me.
There I was minding my own business, when all of a sudden I heard a woman behind me say, "Isn't it a tragedy what has happened at such-and-such church?" It was the church we had been invited to join! That's when I started eavesdropping on purpose. What I gleaned from the conversation just about stopped my heart. Apparently the church was falling apart because of some serious mistakes made by a couple of prominent people in leadership. The news deeply grieved me.
The coffee break ended, and I had to call upon every ounce of caffeine in my body to stay focused on my next seminar. I don't think the ladies in the foyer knew their conversation had reached my ears, but I believe the Lord allowed it. When I returned to my hotel room at the end of the day, I knelt beside my bed in humble reverence and said, "Thank You! Thank You! Thank You, Lord!"
It's sobering to think about what may have happened had we not sought the Lord in our decision-making process. It would have been easy to do what naturally made sense. After all, we could have escaped a lot of heat had we left at that time.
But it would have been a huge mistake with far-reaching consequences. We would have been relying on our own finite efforts to get us out of that mess. We would have been trusting in our limited human reasoning and abilities instead of on the Spirit's guidance and timing. In the process we would have cut ourselves off from an extensive and beautiful work of God's grace in our lives.
We see now how consulting the Father spared us misery upon misery. Had we relocated, we would have gone from one broken church congregation into another. I'm not certain we would have survived those stresses very well. I'm so grateful for God's mercy.
It makes sense to weigh the pros and cons when making a decision. But one thing I have learned through the years is that we must never stop there. Even if an answer seems obvious to the human mind, it may not be the divine course of action. We can save ourselves much weariness and grief if we stop and consult the Expert. Though the direction He gives may involve rough waters, His counsel is always in our best interest.
For only God sees the big picture.
Only God knows the future, and the full implications of our decisions.
Only God can detect when an apparent escape hatch is a death trap in disguise.
Only God knows what will fulfill and restore the darkest depths of our soul.
Only God knows when, where, and how the flames in this world will run their course.
In His mercy, He is eager to lead us on. We can be confident that the guidance He gives will always be for our highest good.
Even if it means enduring the heat a little while longer.
Power Perks:
One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.
The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need You. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't You just go on and get lost?"
God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well. How about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest."
The scientist replied, "Okay, great!"
But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."
The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.
God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"
God's heavenly plan doesn't always make earthly sense. --Charles Swindoll
There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way." --C.S. Lewis
Where God has put a period, do not change it to a question mark. --T.J. Bach
Always Room At God's Table
Today's Reading: Psalm 87
On the high mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!
I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me--also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem! Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, "Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there." And the Most High will personally bless this city. When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, "They have all become citizens of Jerusalem."
The people will play flutes and sing, "The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!"
When we read how God loved Jerusalem and that He made it His resting place, it is easy to believe that the rest of the world is left out in the cold, standing outside Jerusalem's gates looking in, that we aren't allowed to be part of His kingdom. But that just isn't true. In fact the opposite is the truth. God wants all of us, all nations, to come to Him. Egypt, Philistia and Tyre along with others like Assyria were listed in Psalm 83 as being the rebellious nations looking to destroy Israel in the Old Testament. Yet here in this chapter of Psalm, we see God welcoming them into His kingdom with open arms. He will do the same for each one of us. We can all be "citizens of His Holy Place". All we must do is believe.
Power Verse:
For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16
On the high mountain stands the city founded by the Lord. He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel. O city of God, what glorious things are said of you!
I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me--also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem! Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, "Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there." And the Most High will personally bless this city. When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, "They have all become citizens of Jerusalem."
The people will play flutes and sing, "The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!"
When we read how God loved Jerusalem and that He made it His resting place, it is easy to believe that the rest of the world is left out in the cold, standing outside Jerusalem's gates looking in, that we aren't allowed to be part of His kingdom. But that just isn't true. In fact the opposite is the truth. God wants all of us, all nations, to come to Him. Egypt, Philistia and Tyre along with others like Assyria were listed in Psalm 83 as being the rebellious nations looking to destroy Israel in the Old Testament. Yet here in this chapter of Psalm, we see God welcoming them into His kingdom with open arms. He will do the same for each one of us. We can all be "citizens of His Holy Place". All we must do is believe.
Power Verse:
For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. --John 3:16
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)