I Will See God!

I know that I am not the only one who is dealing with heartache over the news from Connecticut.  I know that I am not the only one who was praying for the destruction and loss of life that occurred when hurricane Sandy hit the east coast. I know that I am not the only Christian who has prayed and struggled to find answers to why our nation voted in a president who does not care about the lives of the unborn.  I know that I am not the only resident of Washington state that is disgusted over the new laws that allows people to openly use drugs, and to "marry" a person of the same sex.  I know that I am not the only one to have been praying of late, "Come quickly Lord Jesus!!" 
As I was reading in Job this morning, I was in a way comforted to remember that sin and suffering have always been around...well, as long as humans have been around that is!  When God created man and woman He expected them to follow and obey.  He expected them to love one another, to have children, and to live a care-free life in the beautiful garden that He had created just for them.  But they did not obey...they did not follow.  Adam and Eve thought they knew a better way, they thought that it was no big deal to disobey God's command.....But it was and it is a big deal to disobey God's command.
I find it strange that we, as a nation, have taken God out of every nuance of public life, but then the people of this nation who wanted Him gone, blame God when horrible things happen!!

Proverbs 19:3 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.

As we can see from this verse it has always been so.  Man blames God for the choices that man makes!! 

I know that people do not choose hurricane force winds, and I know that the children in Connecticut didn't choose to die in such a horrible way, but God gives ALL men a choice!!  And (I hate that it is so) we ALL bear the consequences of anothers' CHOICE!!  That is why it is so important to make GODLY choices and to teach our children to make GODLY choices. For if we take God out of our day to day lives, then all we have left is......HUMANS!!  And humans, without God are evil!  They are selfish, mean, cruel to one another, back biters, haters, adulterers, murderers, sexually immoral, drunkards, liars, disrespectful of authority, war mongers, and they say that good is evil and evil is good!

 Lord Jesus, help us all!

When a Christian goes through a terrible time, when suffering is all around us, we need to know that God has a purpose and a plan for it.  Just as He had for Job.  Here was a man who in a matter of a few hours, lost everything that was precious to him.  He lost his home, his business, his children, and the respect of his wife.  He truly felt like he didn't deserve this kind of treatment from God.  As Job is pouring out his anguish, his pain, his heartfelt cry to God, the Bible says that he never sinned with his mouth!  This teaches me that God understands our heart's cry, He knows that we don't understand His ways, He knows that in our humanness, we feel like He is to blame for life's trials and heartache.  What I have found is that God allows me to go through times of heartache and pain so that I may bring glory to His name.  As I go through difficult and painful times with integrity and trust in my loving heavenly Father, people see that God is real, that He cares for me, that His love for me never fails.  It is in these times that I experience the peace that this life can never give to me.

I will end with these words from Job........

Job 19:25–27 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

 

As A Child

Mitch and I enjoyed having our four youngest grandchildren visit last weekend.  I love having the kids around, but it can be quite hectic at times!  They are a bundle of energy and they all love to play rough-house, board games, and thy really enjoy coloring or creating paper crafts.  We had dvr'd the movie, Spy Kids, and they loved watching that (and acting like spies later on...too cute!!) along with other cartoons.
To digress a moment, Mitch and I were not able to have this kind of playtime with our older grandchildren, because we lived in Colorado when they were young.  Now, we get to take them to lunch, or to the movies or shopping.  I enjoy having grown-up conversations with them, but feel a bit "cheated" for not being around when they were little.
Anyway, while the little ones were here, there was a point where they were all in the kitchen asking for a treat, yet they had just asked to play a game.  One of the littler ones, who is potty-training, said "I need to go potty Ninnie, will you help me?"  Then, one of them asked for a drink!!  I told them that I could only do one thing at a time, and needed to help the one on the toilet, before we had an accident.  The other kids patiently waited while I was in the restroom, and when I came out, I gave them their treat, and then we played a game.  I remember thinking to myself, don't they know that I can only do one thing at a time?  I even told them, "give me a sec....there is only one of me and four of you!" I can still see their sweet faces, expecting their Ninnie to grant their requests!  There was no hesitation to ask me for these things, they knew that I would give them all that I could give.
 It was in this moment that God brought to mind these verses:

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God tells us to come to Him as little children. The Bible tells us that we cannot inherit the kingdom of God without being like a child.  It is an innocent child that trusts that the person they are looking to is eager to help and eager to grant their request.  This is how God wants me to see Him.

God was reminding me that He longs to hear my requests and that He wants to grant my every wish, so to speak, if it is good for me!  God loves to see my sweet face expectantly waiting on Him to do awesome things for me. 

"Fight On!"

I was contemplating our nation's last presidential election, and thinking about how we elected a man who is against quite a few of the things that are good and godly.  He is for abortion and gay marriages, he seems to be against Israel, and his ideas for our economy are totally "out-there."  I know that I need to exercise my right to vote, but more importantly, I need to pray!  For all of our country's faults and ungodliness, we still are blessed to live in a nation that allows us the freedom to worship and to serve our God.  I was reminded to be thankful to the Lord for being a US citizen, but also to remember that I am to speak the truth at all times. The battle that is being waged against godly values will continue until the day that Lord comes to take us home, But I am not to ever give up fighting for those values; therefore I must be about the Lord's work, I must be watchful in my prayers, and I must look for every opportunity to share with others how blessed I am to serve and be loved by Jesus.

Psalm 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand.

A Time Like This

I was reading in chapter four of Esther this morning, the part where Mordecai is encouraging Esther to take a stand for her people.  Esther was afraid and rightly so.  If she chose to take a stand for her people, it would mean that she would need to tell the king that she was Jewish too.  Therefore, not only was she was putting her own life on the line by going to see the king uninvited, but the decree to exterminate the Jewish people would include her too!  Being the queen would not save her life!  As I read how Mordecai encouraged Esther to choose to save her people, I was reminded that I need to be this kind of help and encouragement to those around me.  Many times when a loved one is going through a difficult situation, or is faced with a life-changing decision to make, I will have a tendency to ask God for a quick and easy solution to their problem.  I forget that God is glorified as His servants go through difficult times.  It is so easy to allow myself to forget that I am to pray that they are strengthened for the trial, that God would show Himself strong to them; and not to just pray that the trial goes away.
There will be times that a loved one will need to decide if they are going to obey God or not.  So often in these times there are "extenuating circumstances" that make the correct choice hard to see, and even more difficult to make.  I can sympathize with this, for often this choice is mine to make too.  Still, God requires us to speak the truth, He asks us to be willing to make the hard choices, to be willing to obey no matter what.  God asks of us to encourage our loved ones to make the choice to choose the call that is placed on their life.
Mordecai told Esther that she alone needed to decide what she was going to do, Mordecai could not make the decision for her! Just as Mordecai encouraged Esther, I am to point others to Jesus!  He alone can give them the courage to say, "Yes, LORD."
I will close with a sentence that I have written in my Bible next to this passage in Esther.....
"Let us not weaken those whom we love by weak sympathy, but let us love them enough to detach them from ourselves and strengthen their hands in God."

Waiting on God

Do you ever wonder why God waits to answer you?  Are there times that a reply to a prayer seems long in coming?  Does it seem that the heavens are bronzed over, and that silence reigns?  I have found that unanswered prayers, are just that, unanswered prayers.  So, I need to keep on asking!  The Bible teaches me that God hears every word, every thought of mine.  Jesus Himself taught us that when we ask anything according to His will, we have what we ask for.  Prayer is to be something that I do without ceasing.  It is the way that God set up for us to communicate with Him.  God knows all things, and yet He asks us to talk to Him. It is for our benefit that we are to be in constant communication with our Heavenly Father.  I know, from past experiences, that I tend to try to live my life without God's help.  I was reading this morning in Job and Isaiah, and the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about this.  I so often think that I know what is best for me, I tend to think that I can do it on my own.  But, God is faithful to use my everyday life to show me that I should not be doing so. 

Job 35:10–14 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’ There they cry out, but He does not answer, Because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not listen to empty talk, Nor will the Almighty regard it. Although you say you do not see Him, Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.

Pride in my heart keeps me from going to the Lord, I think that others can help me, I think I know how too solve my problems; these things keep me from going to God.  So often the answer to my prayers tarry, because God is teaching me just that!!  Gos alone knows what I need, God alone knows what is best for me, God alone can change my world. 

Incorruptable Beauty #1

A few years back, I was invited to speak at our church's "Mom's Group."  The theme for that year was about lasting beauty.  One morning, while getting ready for work, putting my make-up on and fixing my hair, the topic of my talk became clear.  I'll speak on Incorruptable Beauty, from 1 Peter 3.  On that morning, God spoke to me about a prayer, using the metaphor of putting on make-up and fixing my hair.  It is a way for me to consciously place my mind on the truth, and not believe the lie.  Each morning as I get ready for the day, I can take these steps, I can pray these prayers to God, so that I am a woman of Incorruptable Beauty, from the INSIDE out!!
As I have written in previous posts, I am getting older......yes, the wrinkles have come, and my hair is turning gray, and my body is certainly not like it used to be.  Recently, during my quiet time one morning, I was complaining to God about it all.....He reminded of the talk that I gave on Incorruptable Beauty.  God was telling me once again, that what was important to Him was a woman who feared Him, and who loved Him with her whole heart. The Bible holds many verses on the passing "glory" of man......woman.  We are here today, and gone tomorrow......our lives are likened to a flower, a blade of grass, that withers away.......smoke that dissipates into the air.
Maybe some of you are in the same place as I am, struggling to understand all of the physical and emotional changes that come in our 50s.  Maybe some of you are in the "prime" of your life, enjoying a strong and beautiful body.  Or maybe you have a physical ailment, that keeps you from realizing your body's full potential.......a disfigurement of your face, that makes you feel not so pretty.  Whatever the case, I hope that what follows will help, and bring comfort, and a renewed sense of your worth, in the eyes of our Lord.
I hope that you will be patient with me, for I will not be able to complete this in one post. So, please keep checking back for more.
As women we are taught from our youth that physical beauty is something of great value, far greater than even our intelligence or personality, even our society places great emphasis on the human body.  But God, does not.
In 1 Samuel 16:7, when the Lord gave instruction to the prophet Samuel in regards to anointing of the next King of Israel, the Lord spoke very clearly on this subject. "But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him (speaking of David's older brother, Eliab).  For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Therefore, I must choose to think purely and in a godly fashion, about my appearance, and about my physical body.  I choose to not believe the lie, the lie that tells me that my face and form must be beautiful to be of any worth, of any value.
The Incorruptable Beauty Prayer.
The first thing that I do, before I put on any make-up, is to cleanse my face.  As a woman we know that dirty skin, full of bacteria and dead skin cells, causes clogged pores and then pimples.
As I begin my day, I must ask the Lord to clean my heart, and to clean my mind of sinful thoughts and actions, and of dead works. For if my heart is clogged with sin, dead works, and self, God can not use me.  The Bible teaches us that we can do nothing without Jesus, and Jesus also taught us that every issue of life comes from the heart.

Luke 6:43–45 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

 It is the work of the Holy Spirit in my day to day life, that brings about any lasting work or victory over sin, self, and dead works.
But, if my heart has become clogged, and full of sin and self, then my day will be full of sinful actions and thoughts, not full of the beautiful work of God.  Therefore, a clean and pure heart makes for a day that is joy-filled (not perfect), because we are in pure fellowship with Jesus.  It makes for a day that brings about actions that are pleasing to God, actions that will be blessings for me and for others. 

"And the Bride says, 'Come.'"

"Nothing is intolerable that is necessary.  Now God has bound thy trouble upon thee, with a design to try thee, and with purposes to reward and crown thee.  These cords thou canst break; and therefore lie thou down gently and suffer the hand of God to do what He pleases."  Jeremy Taylor
My grandson, Adam, had a routine appendectomy a few weeks back.  The surgery went well, he was released from the hospital that same evening.  The surgeon sent the appendix to the lab for pathology, which is protocol when a organ is removed from a person's body.  The lab discovered a pea-size tumor in the appendix, and with further testing found it to be cancerous.  The doctors are confident that the cancer is out of his body, but my daughter and her husband are having more tests done......blood and urine tests, and a PET scan.....just to be sure. 
Cancer, I hate that word!  I hate the waiting to hear if all will be ok with Adam.  I hate the thought that it might not be ok.  I hate the thought that my sweet baby girl and her man, may have to go thru the most horrible thing any parent could imagine, the sickness, or the death of their first born son. I hate the thought that my grandson may need to go thru chemo or worse. And yet, in the midst of all this HATE, I have been reminded that there is LOVE.......the love of a Father in heaven Who sees all and is intimately involved in all of this.  A God, Who promises to bring good through ALL things.  A God, Who will never, ever leave or forsake us.  God's love for us is so great that He sent His first born, His only Son to make a way for us to remain ALIVE forever.  Yes, we are not getting out of this world, "alive."  We will all either die, or we will be taken-up in the rapture.  Either way, we will go to be with our loving Father; and all of this world's sickness and sin will be done away with.  There will be no such word as "cancer" in heaven.  There will be no such word as "hate" in heaven.  Love will reign there, and great will be our peace and joy.
"Come quickly, Lord Jesus."