WHO SAID THAT?

"The miracle you need in your life
is on the other side of your worship."

--Vicki Yohe, worship leader
Charisma June 2006

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Tags: Worship , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Jesus , Christ , Christianity , Bible , Life

THINK ABOUT IT

Only God is perfect;
Only God can perfect.

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I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.
John10:10

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Tags: Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Jesus , Christ , Christianity , Bible , Life

DREAMING THE UNTHINKABLE

To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do much more than we can ever ask or even think. Eph 3:20

WHAT IS BEYOND THINKING?

This scripture tells us that God wants to do more - much more - for us than we can think or ask. What is beyond thinking? I recently heard Graham Cooke ask this question. I thought it was a good question. What is more than thinking? His answer was: "dreaming." God wants to do something for us and in us that is higher and more awesome than where our thinking can take us.

ARE WE WORLDLY OR OTHER-WORLDLY?

The image in this photo has an "other-worldly" appearance. Like it, we are to be extraordinary, rather than ordinary. We are to be something special in the earth. Something that reflects the glory of God. We cannot get to that place through our own devices, our own thinking. Dreams take us beyond our intellect and touch the hidden man of the heart (Prov 3:5). What if there is a part of God's glory waiting to be manifest in the earth that only comes through dreams? Sometimes he ignites dreams through images in the night and sometimes he puts secret longings and desires in our heart, and we call those longings dreams. Through dreams he works in us to will and to do what pleases him. (See Phil 2:13.)

DREAMERS AREN'T OFTEN UNDERSTOOD

Joseph in the Old Testament had a dream that brought much opposition and adversity in his life. Dreamers aren't often understood. That's why it's important to be sure your dream is from God before you commit to it. When I'm not sure my longings and dreams are from God, I ask him to give confirmation and I search his word to see if my dream is scriptural, while I continue to pray for clarity. I ask myself if the fulfillment of my dream will bring God glory. Often I discuss it with someone I trust, someone who knows the Word and the ways of God. Someone who won't kill my dream just because it is bigger than I am, just because it hasn't been done before.

HE WANTS TO TAKE US BEYOND OURSELVES

After due consideration, if we know that we know that God has put a dream in us, let us hold it fast and not let the naysayers steal it! Let us trust God to bring it forth. Eph 3:20 tells us that it is his power working in us that will cause the "so much more" to manifest. If we stay close to him, he will take us beyond ourselves. And that's not just a good thing, it's a God-thing!

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. . . it is God who works in you
to will and to act
in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Phil 2:13 TNIV


Be energetic in your life of salvation,
reverent and sensitive before God.
That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you,
God himself willing and working
at what will give him the most pleasure.
Phil 2:13 TMB

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Tags: Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Jesus , Christ , Christianity , Bible

CHECK IT OUT

My writing is usually for both men and women, but I just stumbled on a beautiful online magazine called Christian Women Online that I want to share with my women readers. It is subtitled CWO: Uniting Women of Faith. The layout and photography are professional; the writing is excellent. Some of the articles really hit the spot for me and others didn't but might appeal to you. Scripture references abound.

Regular columns include:

• DysFUNctional by Darlene Schact who writes wittily about family and life
• Wind Scraps by Shannon Woodward: my personal favorite
• Me and My House by Kim Brenneman speaks to large families
• Book Buzz with Heather Ivester reviews Christian books
• Home and School is by Ann Voskamp, mother and home schooler
• Bonnie's Kitchen offers simple ideas and recipes that make every event an occasion
  

Recipes and inspiring children's stories are included in this e-zine. Scrapbooking with CWO is, obviously, for scrapbook enthusiasts and Blogging with CWO is for bloggers. The last includes a blogroll of Christian women bloggers. And each month a different blog is featured as "Blog of the Month."

The theme of the June issue is Father's Day. Reflections of Our Father's Love, by Sarah Lantrips was selected as the winner of a recent writing contest. Her article is a heartwarming testimony to our Father's keeping power and love.

To check it out: click here.

Once there, click anywhere on the top to enter. You'll then be greeted by a letter from the editor. After that, scroll down to find this month's features. On the left you will see groupings of specific articles and offerings. Be sure to click on Who We Are.

Wherever you click, you'll find something good!

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Technorati Tags: Peace , Heaven , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Church , Jesus , Christ , Christianity , Bible , Women

WHO SAID THAT?

"Stress is a choice, because whatever the 'trigger event,' we always choose our own response."

--John G. Miller
QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, p. 26

ROMANS 14:19
Bringing Peace to Ourselves and Others

. . . we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another. Good News Bible

So let us . . . definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another. The Amplified Bible

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LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Ps 119:105 KJV

God's word will show us where we are (a lamp unto our feet) and where we are going (a light unto our path.)

STAYING ON THE PATH

When approached prayerfully and in concert with the Holy Spirit, God's word will open our eyes to what is really going on in our current circumstances; we'll see truths we may have missed on our own. We will receive wisdom and insight that make difficulties "doable." We'll receive vision for the future that will keep us on the path of our destiny, even when darkness surrounds us.

Spirit can only be known by spirit--God's Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God's Spirit is doing . . . 1 Cor 2:15 TMB

COMING OUT OF CONFUSION

Making a habit of reading his word with the help of the Holy Spirit will bring us out of confusion by bringing clarity to our understanding of who He is and who we are in Him and to Him. As to our destination: He doesn't show us the entire path, but he does give us enough to keep us going in the right direction, even in the dark of night.

Photo by Claudia West, Creative Commons License 2.0
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Technorati Tags: Peace , Guidance , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Church , Jesus , Christ , Biblical Christianity

CHECK IT OUT

Do you know Eddie Smith of the U.S. Prayer Center? Eddie circles the globe in order to equip God's people in areas of prayer, spiritual warfare, spiritual mapping, deliverance, leadership and other Christian disciplines. He is the author of many books and articles and is a "writer's coach."

He is also blogging now. In an article entitled Living in Timelessness, he has opened a window into heaven. If you want to peek in, follow the link below. If the lord has called home someone you love and you are still feeling the loss, you will be comforted by Eddie's insight.

Check it out: click here.

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Technorati Tags: Peace , Heaven , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Church , Jesus , Christ , Biblical Christianity

WHO SAID THAT?

"Identity is a mix of who we are,
our dreams and aspirations, how we feel, and what we are like."

--Graham Cooke
A Divine Confrontation, p. 242

GUEST BLOGGER: MARGARET WHERRY

HOPE ALWAYS RETURNS

Hope is a peculiar thing. Even though it is often evasive and seems to easily slip out of our grasp, it is never far away.

Hope hovers over us like a devoted friend: it never departs from us entirely.

IT'S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE DAWN

Like God, hope always returns, fills us again, and brings new life.

It is always darkest before the dawn is an old cliche, but a truth nonetheless. It is in the darkest moments of our lives that necessary shifts and changes take place. It is where God often chooses to work the hardest. These changes make a way for fresh new sunshine and hope to move back in and bring with them a new day.

Don't give up. A breakthrough is on the way!

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Technorati Tags: Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , God , Christian

CHECK IT OUT

Select free MP3 Vineyard worship songs are available from Vineyard Music USA. Accompanying chord charts and lyrics are also offered. When I visited their site today I found these free titles:

• King Forever
  
• If You Say Go
  
• Bless His Name
  
• I am Changed (Unfailing Love)
  
• Saving Grace

Check it out: click here.

WHO SAID THAT?

"Character is what you are in the dark."

--A. W. Tozer

LOOKING FOR PEACE

Job States the Problem

I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil. Job 3:26

Jesus Gives the Answer

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Isaiah Adds This

"There is no peace," says the Lord, "for the wicked." Isaiah 48:22

Conclusion

Was Job wicked because he had no peace? And how could that be when God called him "blameless and upright" in Job 1:8?

We see in the first part of Chapter 42 that Job repented of the sin of a presumptuous attitude toward God. God viewed him righteous (as he does us), because of the blood of the Lamb. In Heaven's economy, we are declared righteous because we are clothed in Jesus own righteousness. But that doesn't mean we always have right attitudes or actions. When we are in the grip of a wicked attitude, we are subject to turmoil as Job was. But temporarily falling into sin doesn't change who we are in our relationship to God.

Jesus has given us his peace and a way back into that place of peace when we lose it through a bad attitude or sinful action. We have an invitation to come to him and exchange our heavy burden for his light one and our harsh yoke for his easy one. Because of this submission and change of direction on our part (repentance), we experience rest.

Photo by Melissa Wiese, CC License 2.0

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Technorati Tags: Peace , Righteousness , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Weary , Sin , Church , Jesus , Christ , Biblical Christianity

WHO SAID THAT?

"I have no peace, no quietness;
I have no rest, but only turmoil."

--Job in Job 3:26

More on this topic in my next post

CHECK IT OUT

In my previous post, I asked you to join me in a quest for greater peace and rest in God. Just after I posted that message, I visited the blog of a worship leader friend and found his testimony of how he trusted God in a time of stress and found rest. His article is entitled, "The Beauty of Saying Nothing." Here's an excerpt:

After a particularly brain-frying Wednesday and worship team rehearsal for Wednesday night service, I went into prayer with a lot on my mind. It was hard to focus, and I was tired, and I began to think that probably most people who would be in the service would also be tired. So, I ran through the gamut of things I could say to them to "pump them up" whilst trying to pray something spiritual to God. Well, He seemed to interrupt my thoughts and prayer and told me . . .

Check it out: For the rest of the story, click here.

RIGHTEOUSNESS BRINGS PEACE

The mountains shall bring peace to the people . . . by righteousness.- Psa 72:3

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. - Rom 14:17

Rom 14:17 can be seen as a progression with peace and joy proceeding out of righteousness. (In a class on Bible Study Methods, I was taught that the first word is the most important in a list of words.) But let's look for confirmation in other verses and let scripture interpret scripture. The opening verse of this article is our first confirmation, stating that it is by righteousness that the mountains bring peace.

THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS PEACE

Isaiah agrees with our first two scriptures by stating the same thing in this verse:

And the work of righteousness shall be peace. - Isa 32:1

Isaiah stated that the work of righteousness is peace and the psalmist wrote that peace is brought by righteousness. It seems that righteousness can rightly be called the foundation of peace. What an important bit of information to those of us who are hungry for peace! Also note that when these two are in place, joy well ups up within. Since peace and joy come out of righteousness, let'’s look deeper into what it means to be righteous.

DEFINITIONS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Here are two amplifications from The Amplified Bible that follow the word righteousness. In these scriptures, righteousness is defined as:

• That state which makes a person acceptable to God -
  Rom 14:17
  
• Conformity to God's will in thought and deed - James 3:18

In both verses, the word righteousness comes from the Greek word that Strong's Dictionary numbers as G1343. The definition of this Greek word ties together both equity of character (or act) and righteousness through justification. To paraphrase Joyce Meyer: When we first trust God and He comes to live within us by His Spirit, he puts righteousness in us. Then because we have a deposit of His righteousness in us, we begin to do right things.

Here are some other definitions of righteousness:

• Saying 'Yes’' to right things and 'No'’ to wrong things
• "Right living" - The Message Bible
  

These right actions flow out of our relationship with Christ.

Righteousness begins with receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior and letting the sacrifice of his blood justify us. God counts us as innocent because of what Christ has done. That'’s the Good News of the New Testament!

LET'S SEEK AFTER PEACE

Obviously, we cannot have peace without righteousness. In future posts we will continue to look into how we can cooperate with the Prince of Peace to experience more fully his peace within us and how we can bring his peace into our relationships and circumstances.

I'm on a quest for greater peace and rest in God; I hope you will join me in the days ahead!

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Technorati Tags: Peace , Righteousness , Hope , Religion , Spirituality , Faith , Inspiration , Encouragement , Weary , Sin , Church , Jesus , Christ , Biblical Christianity , God

THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY

To fear is to believe the evil one
has more control over my life than God does.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:19
Messengers of Reconciliation

. . . God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. NIV

God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. The Message

WHO SAID THAT?

We are not here to criticize or condemn the world or to inspect other people'’s fruit. An adversarial posture will only exacerbate the problem and nullify our message.

Our ministry, or service, is to bring about reconciliation
(see 2 Cor 5:19). . . .

--Charles Simpson, One-To-One, Spring 2006

BE STILL AND LET GOD MAKE YOU GLAD

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells

God is within her,
she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day

Be still and know
that I am God

The Lord Almighty is with us; The God of Jacob is our fortress

TUMULTUOUS TIMES

This beautiful excerpt from Psalm 46 is set in the backdrop of tumultuous times. Words like "quake" and "uproar" are used. Those two words describe the last two weeks of my life as I've experienced emotional transitions and relational conflicts. I'll bet you've had times like that, too. My greatest need right now is to find a quiet place in God and just camp there. I have a great desire for the peace of God and for his refreshing. And I take comfort in the words of this psalm.

THE GOD OF JACOB?

But what's this about "The God of Jacob"? How does this title of God fit in the context here? I wasn't sure how so I did some reading. This is what I found: Genesis 31:38-40 tells us that Jacob was a good shepherd. One of the most beautiful relationships in the Bible is that of a Shepherd to his sheep. It is a recurring theme in both the Old and New Testaments.

Jacob was a hardworking protector and caregiver. He was with the sheep under his care constantly to his own discomfort, in all kinds of weather. He was always alert to their well-being, he rarely slept. Specifically, we are told he protected them from wild beasts. He kept them safe. They prospered and multiplied. They had nothing to fear. They experienced peace.

HE IS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD

So how does this all fit together? The Lord Almighty in the last verse means "He is the Ruler of all things." Then we are told that the God of Jacob is our fortress. A fortress is a protected place. So, taken together, we are being told three times that God is our protector. He is our Good Shepherd. He leads us beside still waters. He can and will take care of us, if we will let him. I feel better already!

CHECK IT OUT

Francis Frangipane has a new article on worship. It's called, "At an Inconvenient Time." It starts like this: "The Lord has multitudes who believe in Him, but only a minority who truly worship Him." He goes on to tell the secret of being a true worshiper and gives examples from his own life.

Toward the end of the article he explains the difference in prayer and worship. Then he elaborates on these insights: " . . . if worship flows genuinely from our hearts, the Lord will repeatedly invite us into His presence. . . . As we worship Him, He will grant us inner strength and peace."

Check it out: For the full article, click here.

WHO SAID THAT?

"The resistance of a few moments can yield great results."

--Lyn Fitzpatrick, LRC-Houston

ISAIAH 54:4-5
God Heals Through Relationship

Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.

You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

For your Maker is your husband -- the Lord Almighty is his name --
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
He is called the God of all the earth.

The benefits of the first verses of this scripture come out of a personal relationship with our Holy Husband, who is also our Creator, our Redeemer and our God.

By drawing near to Him, confiding in Him, and opening our hearts to Him, we come to know Him and His love for us. In our time alone with Him, He comforts us and rescues us from our past hurts. The more we seek to know Him in this way, the more our confidence grows, enabling us to face life's difficulties without fear.

TASTING THE GOODNESS OF GOD

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Fear the Lord you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. Ps. 34:8-9

How great is your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear you. Ps. 31:19

In these verses we see that God stores up his goodness for those who fear him. Do you want to taste his "great" goodness? Then let's consider what it means to fear Him. Psalm 34:11-14 reads like this:

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

What It Means to Fear God in Plain Language

Here's my interpretation of what constitutes the fear of the Lord:

1. Keep my tongue from evil:
   Don't harm others with my words, even when I'm feeling cranky
   
   
2. Keep my lips from speaking lies:
   Don't lie, even when it makes me look bad to tell the truth
   
   
3. Turn from evil and do good:
   Deliberately do the kind thing, even when I don't want to
   
   
4. Seek peace and pursue it:
   Don't react in anger in a tense situation but look for the peaceful way out, even when I've been insulted or offended

If we practice these four activities, then we know we have the fear of the Lord and we qualify to taste his goodness, which includes lacking nothing and seeing many good days.

Hope in His Mercy

In all honesty, I often fall short. So do my friends. Some are more established and mature than others. But none are perfect. When we fail, it's time to activate the part of our first scripture that invites us to take refuge in Him. When we mess up, we need to run TO Him, not away from Him. We need to "hope in His mercy" as it says in Psalm 33:18:

Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.

To summarize: let us keep the truth before us and exert ourselves to line up with it. But when we fall short -- let us repent, wrap ourselves in His mercy and start over. The reward is too great to quit! As we continue in this way, the fear of the Lord will increase in our lives and we will enjoy more and more of his goodness.

FRANK STEWART
October 31, 1945 - April 30, 2006

He dedicated the last 23 years of his life to AA and sobriety,
and thereby overcame his personal enemies
and broke free of generational bondage.

I'll be offline for a few days to attend the funeral of my cousin.
He was a generous friend to me and my family, especially
my son Scott who was given "the run of the place" and
enjoyed many wonderful hours fishing on Frank's farm.
We miss him already.

WHO SAID THAT?

"Salvation is a gift; godliness is a pursuit."

--Beth Moore

GALATIANS 5:22, 23 & 25
The Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . . . And if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

THUNDER IN THEIR EARS

After a drought, a thunderstorm was approaching our valley in the Hill Country. I climbed the highest hill around and watched as it approached. The clouds rolled and boiled as they came closer. Because the sun was setting, the colors of the sky were constantly changing, creating a heavenly light show. Beauty and power were both manifest. The voice of the storm was fierce as the thunder reached my ears. It sounded like speech, but I couldn't understand the words; however, I was awed by the intensity of the sound. I thought I must be feeling a little of what the Israelites felt when they approached Mount Sinai just before God gave the Ten Commandments.

The Lord said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you . . .

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled . . .then Moses spoke and the voice of the Lord answered him. Exodus 19

It was a frightening encounter for the former slaves, so frightening that they decided they no longer wanted God to speak to them directly; they chose to keep their distance and let God speak to them through Moses. (Exodus 20:18).

How blessed we are to be on this side of the cross! Our sins have been dealt with, the Holy Spirit has been given, and we can now be led by the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit, whose voice produces peace in us rather than fear (Gals. 5:22).

WHO SAID THAT?

"Ouch! Hallelujah!!"

--Joyce Meyer Seminar attendee upon hearing a hard
but redemptive word

DEFEATING ENEMIES

My last article looked at our attitude toward God while we are dealing with enemies and waiting for Him to give us the victory. Today, we see the offspring of Israel at war in 1 Chronicles 5:18-22. They were ready and it was time to engage the enemy in battle. They knew how to handle their weapons (see Ephs. 6:10-18 for our New Testament equivalent). Particular mention is made of the shield (shield of faith, Ephs 6:16) and the sword (sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephs 6:17).

Even though they were able-bodied, knew how to use their weapons, and were "trained for battle," they still needed God's help!

They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Harites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.

They won a decisive victory "because the battle was God's" (vs. 22). What moved God to help them? They trusted in Him and, more than that, they cried out to Him during the battle. The root of the Hebrew word cried means to shriek, as from anguish or danger. It is also a corporate word. They did this together. So two things are seen here: those who were doing battle were united in their cause and they were loudly and fervently calling on their God.

Most of us in western society tend to shrink back from such loud public displays. I know I do. Once I heard this after praying one of my nice southern lady prayers: "One-dimensional praying will not get the enemy off your back." Ouch! It's time to get out of my comfort zone. How about you?

WHO SAID THAT?

"Moses' God IS God."

--Pharoh in The 10 Commandments

DEALING WITH ENEMIES

Example in the Psalms

My signature scripture (Ps. 68:11 & 12 Amplified Bible) for this blog makes reference to defeating enemies. What kind of enemies am I talking about? I don't know about you but the ones I struggle with the most come to my mind and my emotions. When I'm dealing with these kinds of enemies, I often look to the psalms for help and instruction.

Psalm 41:7 provides a typical example of the problem: All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, a vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies. What we have here is imagination providing images of disaster in our mind, fueled by a voice whispering that we deserve the worst and predicting exactly that for us.

Psalm 42:9 shows us another enemy. It reads like this: I say to God my Rock, Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? Have you ever felt forgotten by God? There was a time of glory in your walk with Him but now there is silence and He seems to have withdrawn?

What do we do in times like that?
How do we deal with these kinds of enemies?

God My Rock


Photo by Carsten Clasohm
The psalmist was on the right track when He wrote, "I say to God my Rock." He started his complaint to God by acknowledging that God was his rock. His situation was threatening and his feelings were unstable. But God was his rock. He knew his circumstances and his feelings were temporary before a God who was His rock.

My Savior and My God

We see in vs. 4 that he pours out his soul to God. He doesn't whitewash how he feels. He remembers former good times with God. And in vs. 5 he encourages his soul. He exhorts himself to put his hope in God. He professes a future in which he will again experience God and praise Him. He addresses God as "my Savior and my God." He repeats this profession at the end of the psalm also.

In Psalm 43 the appeal for victory continues. Sometimes victories are a long time coming. Maybe the doctor's diagnosis was bad. Maybe a friend betrayed you and left you with a broken heart. At these times feelings and imaginations are incited and enlarged by the whisperings that come to us.

My King and My God

In the midst of this kind of struggle, the psalmist remembers that it is God who gives victory, and he adds this profession: You are my King and my God, through you we push back our enemies, through your name we trample our foes. He is saying, "Despite how I feel and the bad things going on in my life, I know that you are in charge. I put things in your hands. You are the one with the power and the wisdom and I trust you to bring victory when and how you see fit."

The psalmist has moved to a higher level in his faith and his profession. He may not have his victory yet, but he is expecting God his King to give it to Him. These psalms give us an example of how we relate to God while we are waiting for Him to "give us victory over our enemies and put our adversaries to shame" (Ps. 44:7). He will do it if we embrace Him as our Rock, our Savior, our King and our God.

Cliffs of Moher photo by Carsten Clasohm

EPHESIANS 1:6B
Accepted in the Beloved

. . . He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The verses that surround this statement are rich and full and I recommend reading them all. But this single truth is profound by itself: when we are in the Beloved Son, we are covered by his righteousness and perfectly acceptable to the Father. It's not a mistake-free life that makes us acceptable, it is our position in Him.

MORE Calm Down! Cheer Up!

Previously we looked at verses in Philippians 4 for biblical insight into how we can calm down and cheer up.

But we didn't look at Philippians 4:8 at that time:

Finally, Brethren whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things.

The lovely phrases in Philippians 4:8 have always intimidated me. I knew that if I could get hold of the truth there I could, "Calm Down!" and "Cheer Up!"but somehow I just couldn't make them mine. Then I read John 16:33 (Be of good cheer!) and a light dawned: what God wants me to do is be full of good news, news that gladdens my heart. I don't have to figure out all the phrases in Philippians 4:8 -- instead, asking the Holy Spirit for help, I focus on being full of good news, one thought at a time, one event at a time. (But not to the extent of ignoring reality. See previous post, Opening Our Hearts to God.)

I used to get irritated when I went into a little store where the shelves and checkout stand were covered with injunctions to "Smile" and commands to "Cheer Up!" and such. Maybe that works for you, but it frustrated me. I found the words there to be like the Law. It can tell me what to do, but it can't help me do it. On a painful day, my willpower just wasn't enough to lift me up and keep me there. In God's word and by the enlightenment and empowerment of His Holy Spirit, I have found a way that works.

GENESIS 18:14
God is Able

Is anything too hard for God?

These words were spoken by God to Abraham and Sarah when they were "well stricken in age." In the natural it was impossible for them to have a child. Gen. 18:11 reads like this in The Amplified Bible:

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with young women.

Romans 4:19 contributes this information :

Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead -- since he was about a hundred years old -- and that Sarah's womb was also dead.

In Hebrew, "too hard" is the word pala. It means to make great, to accomplish high things, to show marvelous works, to do miracles, to perform wondrous things. So we could paraphrase Genesis 18:14 like this: Nothing is too great, too high, too marvelous, too miraculous, too wondrous for God to perform.

Since our God calls Himself the great I AM, He is a "now" God. He wants to do amazing, marvelous and miraculous things for us now. Let us believe what He says and trust who He is and reap wonders in our lives!

THE CROSS: HISTORY'S MAIN EVENT

The following is an excerpt from the Easter music CD Max Lucado: He Chose the Nails:

History has only one main event.
Scripture has only one main event.
Others matter but only one is essential . . .
David's defeat of Goliath might reduce your timidity but only the cross prepares you for eternity.

For if there is no cross of Christ, then there is no truth to Christ . . .
To remove the cross is to remove the hingepin from the door of hope
For if there is no cross, then there is no sacrifice for sin.
If there is no sacrifice for sin, how will you face the sinless God?
Will you cleanse your own sin?
And if there is no cross of Christ, then there is no resurrection of Christ.
And if there is no resurrection, how will you live again?
Will you push back your own grave?

Let there be no mistake, the cross is not an event in history,
it is The Event of History.

Cleansing from sin, access to God's throne room, grace to help, defeat of our enemies, eternal life: Yes, the cross of Christ is The Main Event in history, both in mankind's history and in our personal history. It is the springboard into all the good things of God. Let us prioritize our lives around it.

JOHN 3:16-18
What's Good About Good Friday?

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed;

By believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. The Message//Remix

The original Good Friday showed us the depth of God's love for us. He made a way for us out of sin and into His presence when we believe Jesus is God and trust that what He did is sufficient to make us right with God.

HEBREWS 13:8
God's Complete Unchanging Doctrine Is in Jesus

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. NIV

The divine nature of God never changes. How Christ acts, that is how God acts. What He did in New Testament times, He wants to do today. We often look at the Gospels and ask why we don't see today the great and frequent miracles recorded there. Theories abound. But do they hold up to this verse?

I recently heard a message by Bill Johnson where this theme was repeated again and again: "Jesus Christ is complete theology." He said that our theology should start with Jesus. We don't start with an unanswered prayer or a person who wasn't healed and work out a reason for that. We start with what Jesus said and what He did. That's the starting point of Christian theology.

Colossians 2:9 is a supporting scripture: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.

Calm Down! Cheer Up!

Great Advice or Pop Psychology?

I've heard these two phrases most of my life. But are they biblical? If you've read my previous article on recovering from weariness (click here), you know I'm looking for ways to bring newness to spiritual disciplines that have become routine. So today I'm quoting from The Message Remix because it sums up truth in precise meaty phrases that "cut to the chase." I found the following verses that relate to our title:

Philippians 3: 1: Be glad in God.

Philippians 4: 1: Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God.

Philippians 4:4: Celebrate God all day, every day.

Philippians 4:6&7: Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray.

Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Aha! So "Calm down. Cheer up!" IS good advice. It's just incomplete. It doesn't tell us how to be calm and cheerful. But Philippians 4 does: it's all "in God."

Stay in Him

We see from verses 6 and 7 that we stay in Him by noticing all the good things He does for us through the day(s) and valuing them to the point of celebration. When situations come up that worry us, we don't hold on to worry and try to work things out in our own minds but we ask Him for what is needed, thanking Him for the invitation to bring our concern to Him, thanking Him that when we come in obedience to His word, He hears us.

How long to pray on one specific issue? Philippians 4:6 and 7 give us the answer: Until Christ's peace displaces worry at the center of our lives.

NAHUM 1:7
He Is Our Refuge

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. NIV

When you are in trouble, call on Him: He is good and He wants to help.

What Do You Most Desire?

Proverbs 19:22 in Today's New International Version reads like this: "What a person desires is unfailing love." Love that doesn't fail, that is the greatest need of all humankind.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way: That which is desired in a man is loyalty and kindness, and his glory and delight are his giving.

So we could say that someone who relates to others with unfailing love is loyal, kind and generous ("For God so loved the world that He gave ... ). Other translations use the word "lovingkindness" instead of unfailing love. Can you imagine the impact it would have on our neighborhoods and our world if all children were raised with unfailing love? If all marriages were based on unfailing love? A young man soon to be married asked a couple whose marriage he admired, "How can I make my marriage succeed?" The answer was, "Love your wife unconditionally and sacrificially." That's another way to say, "What a person desires is unfailing love."

Alcoholism and drug addictions not only destroy individuals and families but put a terrible strain on our society. Pastor Henry Wright in a tape on addictions states that all addictions are rooted in the need to be loved. Simply put, if we feel unloved, if our hearts have been broken, we are deficient in the neurotransmitters necessary to feel good about ourselves. It is easy for people who feel bad all the time to become dependent on activities or substances that make them feel good. But whatever the "fix," it is only temporary. Even a good thing (like food!) when abused, is destructive.

Here's the good news: Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds those who trust in Him.

How do we receive God's unfailing love? By trusting in Him. And if we want to trust in him but find it hard, He will even help us with that. How do I know? In Mark 9:23 we see a man who confesses, "I believe, help me with my unbelief!" And Jesus gave him what he asked.

PSALMS 103:1-5
Sin Forgiven and Diseases Healed

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name, Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits --

Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Isn't that good news? Verse 3 in the Amplified Bible reads, "Who forgives [every one] of all your iniquities, Who heals [each of] all your diseases."

A Sweet Release

Most of us have heard the story about the man whose sympathy moved him to open a cocoon to release the struggling creature inside, only to leave the butterfly crippled and unable to fly. The lesson he learned was that a butterfly shouldn’t be released before its time, that the struggle to break out is a part of what turns a worm into a strong beautiful butterfly.

But it’s the release I want to bring to your attention. Butterflies are associated with new beginnings and new life. What a sweet release to be set free from the thing that has bound us after a long time of struggle! And God, unlike the man in the story, knows just when to intervene on our behalf.

For an encouraging prophetic word about a heavenly release, click here.

3 JOHN 2
God Wants You to Prosper & Be in Good Health

It's a fact! 3 John 2 reads like this in the Amplified Bible:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and that your body may keep well,
even as I know your soul keeps well and prospers.

It's Spring!

My husband and I just traveled from south central Texas to north central Texas and then back again so we could visit family and celebrate a grandson's 2nd birthday. This journey of 800 miles was made easier by the beauty of the countryside as it yielded to a new season. The budding out of trees and the greening of the fields seemed to shout: "It's Spring!" Everything along the way was bursting with new life. Lovely as it was, to a Texan, nothing says Spring like the appearance of the state flower. We love our bluebonnets! This photo demonstrates why.

A New Season is Springing Forth

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? Is 43:18, 19

My understanding of this verse in light of other scriptures in the Bible is not that we literally forget the past. It is biblical to think on happy events of the past to remind us of the goodness of God. In that way we encourage ourselves and build up our faith. It is also appropriate to bring bad memories or traumas to our Heavenly Father for them to be healed. And, of course, as the Holy Spirit brings conviction, we remember things for which we need to repent and be cleansed. But we are not to continue in old fruitless ways and thoughts.

God is Doing New Things

I believe this verse is pointing us to the fact that our God is always doing new things and He wants us to follow after Him. Look at the last phrase of verse 19 ("Shall you not know it?"). This comment implies that we are walking close enough to Him to sense when He is starting a new season in our lives. Then we can cooperate with Him in letting go of the old and embracing the new, much as we do Spring after a long winter. Sometimes our reality will change gradually. And sometimes we will "Spring Forth" suddenly.

God loves suddenlies. I just received one. It was a long time coming and then POW!-- there it was and now I am on the other side, walking in newness. If you need a suddenly, I pray you receive it and enter into a new season, too.