Category: New

Trials

 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NKJV 

For the past several days I have been in a brain fog, and physically feeling as though I was mired in a vat of molasses. Have you ever felt that way? It is depression, pure and simple…. but not so simple to deal with. For some people, depression is something they deal with on a daily basis; for some, it is seasonal or situational  (or both); and for a few, I suppose never experience it. There’s medication for that. Yes, I’m well aware of the pills available, and the counseling that is available, and I have integrated both into my life. However, sometimes all you can do is muddle forward as best you can. 

I just finished a book by Jennie Goutet called “Stars Upside Down, A Memoir of Travel, Grief, and an Incandescent God.” In her journey, Jennie struggled with depression and addictions, and finally, her return to God. There was a lot there I could relate to, and a lot I couldn’t. What I came away with was the message I have shared many times, yet I still need to hear. God never leaves us. We can turn our back on him: we can run from him, even to foreign countries, but He is always there beside us.

We can get discouraged, and feel frustration. Look at Job, and Abraham and Moses; even Paul was frustrated at times. Fall on this verse that he wrote and hold tight to it.

  “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38‭-‬39 NLT

We will have many trials in life. I fight the discouragement and helplessness of not having an income. You may also be struggling financially, or you or a family member could be dealing with illness or death. We can’t know what trials anyone else is facing. Our God is not only capable, but completely willing, to move our mountains. As Jesus said about the mustard seed:

  “It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches…. “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” ” – Matthew 13:32; 17:20 NLT

Jesus loves me, this I know. Oh, for the faith of a mustard seed!

(http://bible.com)

Wounded – And YOU Can’t Fix It

Yesterday, disciplined; today, wounded. Ugh.

  “An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.” – Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 NLT

When you are running as hard and as fast from God as you can, being disciplined and having friends and family confront you are the last things you want! Any kind of confrontation by family is, to an addict, like sandpaper and salt to an open wound. Until the addict chooses to hear, no one can reach them except the Holy Spirit. I know because I have been there, and because I have witnessed it with countless others. It isn’t just drugs or alcohol that a person can be addicted to. Add in the easy ones – cigarettes, prescription drugs, shopping, hoarding, lying. Then the “bad” things: stealing, burglary; sexual addiction, whether looking at pictures in a magazine or online; even as far as the violent, despicable crimes of rape, mutilation, murder…. did you know that God doesn’t distinguish sin? Any action can become an addiction; an escape from the real world.

Why? Why does God allow this? What causes people to do the things we know aren’t right, and what on earth could allow us to harm others?

There’s only one answer, and it isn’t one many people want to hear. Free will. God gave it to the first humans to pass down through the generations because He wants us to CHOOSE Him. Even the angels have the choice of loving God or leaving Him. 

  “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’ ” – Isaiah 14:12‭-‬17 NLT

Lucifer, the Shining Star of heaven, wanted to be greater than the Almighty, the Creator. When Lucifer chose his desires over God’s desires, he was kicked out of heaven and along with him were the angels who followed him. 

  “Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.” – Revelation 12:7‭-‬9 NLT

Satan has spent all of his time since being thrown out of heaven scheming to beat God. The only way he wins is by turning us away from our Creator LORD, and He is very vigilant about it. Michael threw Satan out of heaven, and it will be Michael at the side of Jesus when He returns for us. I want to live to see that day! There was a time when I dreaded the return of Jesus. I was always aware of the things I was doing that were sin in my life, and for years, I was powerless to change it. That answer to the “Why” questions, that free will, when given to Satan is impossible for us to get back on our own. The next question becomes “Why would anyone give SATAN control over their life???” 

Again, the simple answer is that he makes it look beautiful. Whatever the sin, whatever the addiction, he makes it looks pretty and easy… much easier than the “straight and narrow path” of Jesus. Even though I’ve done it, and left the path of Jesus, I still can’t explain it. It may be narrow, but His path is well lit. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34 NLT

“Turn from your selfish ways….” And there’s the answer.

We turn away from Jesus because we are selfish and want things OUR way. There are only 2 ways to turn. Toward God, or toward the enemy, Satan. We are FOR Jesus, or we are AGAINST Jesus, and if we are against Him, we have chosen the enemy. Free will. That’s where our friends come in. When we become aware of a friend or family member slipping, getting into something we know is a bad thing, it is our duty as Christians to help them. Carefully, prayerfully, lovingly help. Being careful not to fall ourselves, or to wound unnecessarily. Remember:

  “How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Luke 6:42 NLT

Discipline with care. Rebuke with more care, and only after much prayer. We don’t want it to hurt the person, just to get their attention turned to God. He is the ONLY cure; our only Salvation. Amen.


(All scriptures quoted from http://bible.com)

Disciplined and Loving It

​  “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction…. Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.” – Proverbs 12:1‭, ‬15‭-‬16 NLT

Love discipline, listen to others, stay calm, don’t take offense. In these verses, God isn’t talking about the kinds of “discipline” that abusive, controlling people use. I’ve been there, lived through it, and there is nothing godly or good in abuse masquerading as discipline. 

Whoever wrote these words in Proverbs, whether King Solomon or someone else, managed to reach across the millennia and slap me up side the head. I don’t think I’ve ever taken being disciplined very well. Whether it was being scolded by my parents when I was little, or bosses, or my husband, or friends, I don’t like being told I am wrong. I wrapped myself in self-righteousness and used anger as a shield to protect myself. At first, with my husband, it was to protect myself from his belittling words and from his anger. Holding in all of the fears and anger; unable to really talk to anyone, I became cold and angry. The only way I could cope with it was to withdraw and to control whatever slivers of my life I could. Eventually, nothing I did – in his eyes – was good enough, so I defended myself the only way I could see. Anger. 

When I did talk to anyone, I hid the realities of my life. Both fear of reprisal and pride kept me from reaching out. How could I admit to such a grievous error in letting myself become entangled in such a relationship? Through this first marriage, I came to know myself as a person with no value. Since my pride kept me within myself, I built walls of control and temper around my heart. I know now that those were all lies of the enemy. I still don’t like discipline, and it is too easy to want to always be right. Staying calm when challenged with everyday life, and not reacting in anger when insulted or when someone is rude, can be difficult. Whenever those provocations occur, I try to remind myself that that person could be in pain. Physically, or emotionally or spiritually. We don’t know what they are dealing with in their own lives. We are told by our bosses to keep our personal and business lives separate… but is that really possible? 

To remain calm in the face of insults or confrontations is never easy. It is a process to learn to give up that anger and let the Holy Spirit deal with it. Holding on to anger and resentment doesn’t do anything good for the person who is holding it, and it doesn’t affect the one we are angry at, at all. These three verses may be the ones I need to put on my bathroom mirror as a reminder! GOD is Good. Through thick or thin, good or bad, sickness or health, riches or poverty, hell or high water, He is with me and willing to help me out anytime I ask. Remember, He is a gentleman and He won’t step into the fray without an invitation. 

  “The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His Name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your Rod and Your Staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your Goodness and UNFAILING LOVE will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” – Psalms 23:1‭-‬6 NLT

GOD will exact justice and revenge on all who have hurt His children, so we have no reason to even try in our lifetimes. Let it go! Until that time, hold tightly to Jesus, our Rock and our Salvation. Amen!

(All scriptures quoted from  http://bible.com)

No Matter What

​  “I love You, LORD; You are my Strength. The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Savior; my God is my Rock, in whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the Power that saves me, and my Place of Safety. I called on the LORD, Who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies. God’s Way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a Shield for all who look to Him for protection. The LORD Lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! He is the God who pays back those who harm me; He subdues the nations under me…” – Psalms 18:1‭-‬3‭, ‬30‭, ‬46‭-‬47 NLT

God loves me. Through feast and famine, divorce, abuse, homelessness or riches; GOD has LOVED me. No matter what – or who, or where, or when – God has always loved me. These verses from Psalm 18 are David’s song to his LORD on the day he was delivered from almost certain death from Saul and all of David’s enemies, and we should probably be singing these praises daily, ourselves. 

The artist Who created the earth and all that is within it chooses to love me; to love US, no matter what. 

I don’t know about you, but I have to confess that it kinda blows my mind. Focus on verse 2: “The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Savior; my God is my Rock, in whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the Power that saves me, and my Place of Safety.”

He is: Rock, Fortress, Saviour; Protection, Shield, Power, and Safe Place. ALL of God’s Ways are perfect. His desire is to be all of these things for me and for you. I NEED Him to be these things for me. I can’t live without Him. For years, I tried to live without Him, and I kept myself so busy in my sins so that I could ignore just how miserable I really was. Me, self-centered, selfish, stubborn, proud…. and angry, jealous, mean. It all goes together, and it thrills the enemy when we cling to those attitudes and feelings.

Even though I spent my 40 years getting through the “wilderness” of my making, my God never left my side. No matter how hard I fought to ignore His Presence, no matter how loud I screamed to drown out His quiet voice, He was always with me. Did I say “always?” Because I meant ALL ways, ALWAYS, no matter what, with me. He lives and He will give you Life if you will accept it. LIFE. 

  “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” – James 3:17 NLT

Do you want to be more like God? Can you imagine living life unafraid and joyful, full of peace, with a gentle and giving spirit? From my own experience, I can say without reservation that I know the way. Because I am an imperfect being, the reflection of God’s Holy Spirit is often distorted when His perfection as it comes off me. Still, there are times when He uses me to shine His Light on others, and it humbles me to know it. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in my power as a person to show His Mercy to others; it all comes from the Holy Spirit. 

  “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. For ‘Everyone who calls on the Name of the LORD will be saved.’ ” – Romans 10:9‭-‬10‭, ‬13 NLT (Joel 2:32)

NO MATTER WHAT….

(All scriptures quoted from  http://bible.com/116/psa.18.1-47.NLT )

Go

​  “Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.” …. “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”  

  “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” …. “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven.” 

  “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:1‭, ‬16‭‭, ‬28‭, ‬32‭-‬34 NLT)

Go! Go out into the world and tell people about Jesus. Let’s start with verse 16. We are being sent to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News, to the world, as “sheep among wolves.” Not a pretty picture. Then, to top it off, Jesus says to be “shrewd as snakes” – eeeeewww, gross; and “harmless as doves.” If nothing else, dove can be persistent! In spite of the picture I get from these verses, I find great comfort in verse 28a. 

  “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul.”  

I’ve made the statement (a number of times) that bad guys – thugs, gangsters, etc. – can’t hurt me, to friends who then try to correct me and tell me that I can be hurt. We are both correct. Someone might hurt this physical body, even kill me, but that isn’t what drives me. This body is temporary (thank GOD!) but my soul is eternal, and it belongs to God. I don’t want to be hurt, and I don’t like to hurt. I know that when I have been physically hurt in the past, I’ve done my share of crying and complaining. Maybe more than my share! The difference then and now is that I am no longer living in fear of hurt. I don’t consciously put myself in harms way, but I don’t cower in fear, either. 

I am confident that whatever happens, I will live on with Jesus, forever and a day. 

Going back to the scriptures, the last verse here is one of my favorite quotes from Jesus. He was humble and didn’t brag, and He allowed Himself to be arrested and tried, flogged and ridiculed, and hung on a cross. He also cleared the temple in Jerusalem, His Father’s house, in righteous anger, of all of the scammers who were selling goods there. He was humble, but He was not weak! Verse 34:

  “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.”

I don’t carry a sword; I carry the protection of my LORD. (A little target practice never hurts, either….)

The command stands. Jesus doesn’t tell us all to leave home and go to faraway places. Some of us need to stay home to reach neighbors and friends and family. Don’t be afraid of what man can do to you. When GOD sits on the great white throne and passes justice, everyone who has done evil to His children will face His wrath. If you have ever seen a human father or mother protecting their kids, just imagine how much greater is God’s protection and judgment! I can hardly wait!

  “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven….  And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of My followers, you will surely be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:32‭, ‬42 NLT)

(http://bible.com/NLT)

I Am Rich

Do you realize that if you have indoor plumbing, a home (whether one room or a mansion), more clothes than what you are currently wearing, food, and transportation, you are in the top 15% of the world’s population in wealth? According to an article dated 20 July 2016 at http://www.investopedia.com, and income of $32,400 (that’s $11.60/hour) puts you in the top 1% of the world in wealth. The top ONE Percent. That’s a staggering statistic!

Maybe you don’t feel wealthy because you are struggling financially. (I am, so I can relate.) We are bombarded through television and social media, billboards, signs, and peer pressure to buy more, buy bigger, have the newest… do you wonder why check cashing businesses and pawnshops and “We Buy Gold” businesses are thriving? Bankruptcy and divorce lawyers? Why so many houses are in foreclosure?  We become so focused on that newer, shinier, next thing or person, we build ourselves mountains of depth, creating deep levels of discontent and worry and stress, and these things destroy us. 

I am not immune! 

Keeping up appearances is something I struggle with just like so many people, but I am sure of one thing: I do NOT want to end up like the rich man in Luke 16. Read the whole chapter! 

“But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.” – Luke 16:25 NLT

Recognize how blessed you are. Be thankful for what you have, especially family. 

http://bible.com/NLT

Can You Hear Me Now?

  “​My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.  I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” – Job 23:11‭-‬12 NIV

First, let me tell you that this scripture from Job does NOT describe me! No, I’ve been pretty much the opposite of these words for most of my adult life. It isn’t anything I’m proud of, but it is true. To me, there is a distinct dichotomy. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. I believe in the Trinity, the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I know that the Bible is the Word of God, spoken through man, as a guidebook for us to live by. I believe in my heart that all of these things are true…..yet for years I lived as if they were all at lie.

There are many people living the same way right now, knowing the Truth yet living the lies of our enemy, Satan. These are people who, like I  did, profess Christianity with their mouths while living lives full of anger and deceitfulness, backstabbing and envy, ambition over family, infidelity, and so on. The lies of the enemy are powerful, blatant, and loud. He drowns out the Words of God with his smoke and mirrors, every time we give him an opening. Satan has mouse bones….. know what those are? A mouse can squeeze through openings that are entirely too small for their body to fit through. Somehow, they are able to manipulate their way through these tiny cracks in order to get what they want. Satan is like that. If we give a tiny opening, and we are not guarding our hearts, he will sneak in for the attack. 

Satan is subtle when he needs to be, and loud and obnoxious when he can get away with it. I know this from my own life, up close and personal. It has also been evident in the lives of people I chose to associate with…. not such good choices.

The only way to escape the hold that the enemy has on us is to immerse ourselves in God’s Holy Word. We have to spend time in prayer, and we have to stop everything long enough to hear what our LORD  has to say. The still, small voice of God can be easily drowned out by the cacophony of life. This is why it is imperative, as Christians, to take a few minutes out of every day to spend them alone with our Lord. I certainly don’t have my best days when I skip my God-time in the mornings. It doesn’t matter when you carve out your time, as long as it is done.

  “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:3‭-‬4 NIV 

FYI- I am NOT claiming to be like Paul, as one approved by God! I am simply and prayerfully writing my thoughts, hoping that perhaps a word will reach someone who needs it. The last sentence is accurate. I am not aiming to please people, but God. 

God is asking us, “Can you hear Me now?” Can you?

(Artistry by God; Photo by Mark Campbell, Carmel CA 03/2017)

http://bible.com/111/job.23.11-12.NIV

New Life

  “He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; He suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading His clouds over it. He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at His rebuke. By His power He churned up the sea; by His wisdom He cut Rahab to pieces. By His breath the skies became fair; His hand pierced the gliding serpent. And these are but the outer fringe of His works; how faint the whisper we hear of Him! Who then can understand the thunder of His power?” – Job 26:7‭-‬14 NIV
New LIFE. That’s what the Creator has breathed into the world, and into to us. As we move into spring, we see the renewing of the earth in the early daffodils and hyacinths and tulips, trees bursting out in blossoms, and babies being born all through creation. Beauty surrounds us when we open our eyes enough to behold it. Jesus chose the time when the earth begins to stir to new life to sacrifice His life so that humanity could have new life. Beautiful, indeed! Are we spending our time of renewal sleeping with the Apostles, or praying with our LORD?

  Then [Jesus] returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” He asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:40‭-‬41 NIV

Hurting, feelings of depression, believing that we are not worthy are all coming directly from the enemy. Look to Jesus Christ! As C.S. Lewis said “Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look to Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him everything.” 

(Scriptures from http://bible.com)

Joyful, Patient, Faithful

​  “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” NIV, or as the NLT translates, “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” – Romans 12:12 NIV, NLT

Hope, Patience, and Faithfulness. Not exactly what we want to hear when we are going through trials, and it’s a daily struggle for me to do these things. I like the way the NLT phrases it: “Rejoice in our confident hope…” Hope is what gets us through the hard times, but not just any hope. Without the Hope of Redemption by Jesus Christ, anything else fades away. 

  “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” – Matthew 11:28‭-‬30 NLT

Have you given much thought to this scripture? Jesus asks us to take His yoke – but why would I exchange one burden for another? We talk about a yoke as if it is a commonplace item,but I’m certain there are people who don’t have any idea what it is. 

A yoke can be used on oxen or on people, as illustrated above. It is a tool to allow more weight to be carried, and done properly, we can carry much more with a yoke than in our hands and on our backs. An oxen can pull many times his weight with a yoke. Most of my adult life I spent dragging a tremendous amount of baggage with an ill-fitting yoke, and it weighed me down, exhausted me, and kept me in pain. I’m not talking about physical baggage. This is emotional, physical baggage, and it is what Jesus wants to take away to replace with His yoke. Having that tremendous weight taken away allowed me to breathe, really breathe, for the first time in years. I didn’t understand that all that time, the reason I was in so much pain was because I wouldn’t – couldn’t – let go of the baggage. It was mine, and it was all I had. If I let go of it, what would be left?

There is beauty in letting go! I still hold on to some baggage. It’s a process, a journey. Jesus takes the majority of my burden – as much as I can let go off – and in return, all I have left to carry is His Love, His concern for others, His Light, and His Word to share with others. His burden is LIGHT!! (Yes, it’s a pun, AND it is pure truth!) Let it go, let it go, let it go… whether you are singing Elsa’s song from the movie Frozen, or you are repeating the words from a 12-step group (Let go and let God), what counts is that you are letting go of the baggage and looking to Jesus for His help.

When we let go and let God have our burdens, even the scary, dramatic, drastic ones, then no matter what the enemy throws at us, we can and will overcome because we have God with us; GOD with ME. Amen!

(All scriptures from http://bible.com)