Category: peace

Stormy Times!

I am not Paul; I do not have his eloquence, but I can relate to him. My prayer, though, is that a little of what I have learned from my earthly Father and from my heavenly Father is worth sharing and reading.

1 Corinthians 2:1-10 “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about GOD. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s Power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on GOD’S Power.
We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare GOD’S Wisdom, a Mystery that has been hidden and that GOD destined for our glory before time began.
None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things GOD has prepared for those who love Him – these are the things GOD has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches ALL things, even the deep things of God.”

My testimony is not about me, but rather about Jesus and His healing power, just as Paul’s is. The hurt, the broken, the addicted, the hopeless. We have the power of healing at our fingertips. Jesus said in Luke 17:6 “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

I don’t even have that much faith!

Even though my faith is miniscule, it is enough. My God is enough. He is bigger than my faith, and He is bigger than my doubt! He is able to answer and He provides for my needs. Always.

He is here for YOU, too. Jesus. He is more powerful, more fierce, and more loving than anything we can imagine. Right here, right now, let Him have the battle with your demons. I cannot defeat mine, and you cannot defeat yours…. Not on your own and in your own strength. Only Jesus. ONLY JESUS.

Just say Jesus.

Love God, Hate Evil

I love that when I go to Facebook to put my thoughts out there, it always asks “What’s on your mind?” This is on my mind: Loving God, Hating evil; Living as God would have me to. Put another way: Love God, Love people, Love yourself…. Hate evil.

“As I learn Your Righteous regulations, I will thank You by living as I should!” – Psalms 119:7 NLT

How does that translate into our lives today?

“Jesus replied, “My Light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the Light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the Light while there is still time; then you will become children of the Light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.” – John 12:35‭-‬36 NLT

But, WHERE is the Light? How do we find it? It is so simple, many people can’t accept it. They want to make it complicated, but here is the simple, unadorned Truth: There is ONE source for the Truth; one source for the Light. That source is made available to anyone – ANYONE – who wants it. That source, the Handbook for life, is called the Bible. God-breathed, God inspired, God given. Paul gives us great instructions on sharing the Light of Jesus.:

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” – Romans 12:9‭-‬10‭, ‬13 NLT

It’s all about Love, Light, and freedom from an eternity in hell – and yes, Virginia, there IS a hell, an actual physical place that bleeds over into the world. I have seen glimpses, and it literally almost destroyed me, physically, mentally, and especially spiritually. Just as that evil still tries to destroy me, Satan, who embodies pure evil, strives to destroy us all. “HATE what is wrong.” (verse 9b)

The ONE thing that God is adamant about is the LOVE Him; to accept Jesus Christ as the One Way, the ONLY Way, to true contentment. If we love Him, and give HIM the priority in our lives, we are more likely to recognize evil. If we read His Instruction Manual, we are more likely to recognize the “wrongs” in our life.

Are you willing to turn your back on the things the world deems acceptable? Are you ready to have friends and family tell you that what they are doing is all in fun, and not at all sinful, in order to justify their actions?

Loving God and following His Word is often difficult because of the people around us, but the joy and contentment He provides is well worth it! Jesus taught His disciples and entrusted them with His profound message, which they shared with the world through their teaching and preaching. Most importantly, they wrote it all down, so that all further generations would have the Words of Jesus to follow, too. We have heard the Gospel; now, what will we do with it, in light of the current state of the world?

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed My teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of My Name, for they do not know the One who sent Me.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well.
If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both Me and My Father.
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
When the Advocate comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father – the Spirit of Truth Who goes out from the Father – He will testify about Me.
And you also must testify, for you have been with Me from the beginning.” — John 15:20‭-‬27

.

Pretty powerful stuff…….

Endurance

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly GOD Loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His Love.” – Romans 5:3‭-‬5 (http://bible.com/116/rom.5.3-5.NLT)

I find myself exhausted from the problems and trials we face today, as I am sure many others are facing the same. So much killing and mayhem and disrespect, and for what? We certainly don’t live in a perfect world, and in the United States, we have problems… but we also have choices, more than any other place in the world. If certain actors and athletes, politicians and business people, Trust-fund babies and others have such a problem with living here, then why don’t they leave? It isn’t as though there aren’t enough people trying to get in to our nation that we couldn’t replace those who want to leave. Seriously, think of all of those outspoken people who publicly expressed their intentions of leaving the country if Trump won the Presidency…. And horror of horrors, he did win, but those same people are still here. Why? It’s not like they can’t afford to leave. The truth is that they can’t find another place on earth where they can spew their messages of hatred and evil with the freedom they have here. It’s just too easy for them to remain, plus they have their soapboxes already prepared here. The truth is, it would require to much effort on their part and they aren’t prepared to expend it.

Personally, there isn’t another country on earth where I would rather live. Oh, I would love to be able to travel and visit more places; getting back to Europe, going to Canada, traveling to the Middle East and the Far East, Australia and New Zealand, Africa… it’s all on my bucket list. Before all that, though, I would like to travel these United States and explore it from New York to California, and Alaska and Hawaii. (Dream on, sister!)

Take all of the problems we face, and they are many, and there’s no way we can deal with them on our own. They are too heavy to carry on our own, and when we try to handle all these things by ourselves we become physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. Fortunately for us, we don’t need to do it alone. We have access to the One Who can carry it all for us; however, in order for Him to take it, we have to let go of the burdens. I’m not saying it’s easy to let go, because I know firsthand how difficult it is. Remembering that the GOD of Creation is waiting for me to relinquish my burdens, and reminding myself of how much greater He is than anything or anyone in this earth…it’s often a full-time job! He is Capable; He is Mighty.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials….” (verse 3). This is the most difficult verse. Rejoice, Rejoice, REJOICING in adversity and trials. My human nature would rather destroy the thing (s) that hurts me, but our God says to Rejoice. Rather than wallow in the anger and frustration, the depression that stalks us (ALL sent by the enemy, satan), lay it all at the bottom of the cross, at the feet of Jesus. He is our sole source of Salvation. Not a priest, not Buddha or Vishna, not Mother Earth or any other gods. “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.” – 2 Peter 2:2 (http://bible.com/116/2pe.2.2.NLT)

The TRUTH: “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 (http://bible.com/116/jhn.14.6.NLT)

AMEN.

In Christ Alone

From the Catholic faith comes this beautiful prayer, called St. Patrick’s Breastplate, from which I pulled this excerpt:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today.

God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,

God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I am not Catholic, because I know that the only intercession I need with God comes through Jesus Christ, not a man. No matter what church name is over the door, it is the belief in Jesus’ saving Grace that we need in our lives. If the Catholic Church, or Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Church of Christ or of God, Southern Baptist or any other Baptist, or Methodist, teaches that the only way to God is through His Son Jesus Christ, that’s all that matters to me. The LORD will judge people’s hearts, not me.

This prayer touches my heart, and I pray that it touches many others. It reminds me of the 23rd Psalm, “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want… ”

Paul wrote to the Ephesians on the power of faith and prayer:

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the FATHER, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

Then CHRIST will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His Love is. May you experience the Love of CHRIST, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD.

Now all glory to GOD, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!AMEN.” – Ephesians 3:14‭-‬21 (http://bible.com/116/eph.3.14-21.NLT)

Words of Life

What a wonderful, life and love filled world it would be if we could just follow a few simple words!

“Children, obey your parents because you belong to the LORD, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” Parents, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them …. ” Ephesians 6:1-4 NLT

Simple words, easy to understand; not always easy to follow when the parents don’t honor the LORD with their lives. I know so many struggling people, in church, in the recovery programs, and in life, whose parents were far beyond anything worth honoring. Parents who sold their children for sex, parents who abused and brutalized them, even parents who used their own children in satanic rituals. It’s incredible that a parent could treat their child in these ways. Difficult to believe? Absolutely. Even witnessing the physical scars and permanent injuries, and seeing how hard it is for these children, who are now adults, share their stories…. first one-on-one, and then in small, safe groups of people with similar backgrounds, I find it almost impossible to comprehend that a parent could even imagine abusing their child in such a way. Yes, it’s incomprehensible, but it is real.

How do you tell a woman who has been abused her entire life by her earthly father, and often her mother as well, that there is a heavenly Father Who loves her beyond measures? A Father Who will protect her soul for eternity? I have a couple of friends who struggle greatly with this. For one whose parents sold her as a sex slave, and another who was forced to participate in horrific satanic rituals and sacrifices, it’s almost impossible to comprehend a loving Father. So many women (and men) use sex to cover the pain. It becomes a power thing, where she (or he) controls the act, and can even offer a fleeting few moments of physical pleasure. It is a brutal addiction that Satan capitalizes on. He thrives on the pain and addiction, and pushes for more. He is the father of lies and deceit, and he promises the pain will go away if the addict does as he whispers to them. He feeds the lies that she/he is worthless for anything other than the continued abuse. To stop the voices, many sex addicts use alcohol and drugs alongside the sex. Suicide beckons as a permanent escape.

I know that the only escape from the vicious cycle is to surrender everything to Jesus. Stop fighting Him and let Him have the burden. One particular friend wrote that she was tired of fighting, and tired of the constant struggle. I can only encourage her to stop fighting. Stop the struggle. I know it is almost impossible for her to see past the hurt of the past, but I also know that until we let go of the past, we can never move forward. It’s okay to mourn babies we never got to hold or only held for a very short time (and I believe we have to mourn in order to let go) and it’s okay to mourn loved ones who have passed on. There is a season to mourn, and then we must begin to live. She has been holding on to the tragedies and losses of her past so tightly, and for some long, she doesn’t know how to let go.

Come to Jesus, girlfriend. Let Him have your burdens. Open your hands and your heart and allow Him in to clear out the cobwebs. It’s okay to grieve, but move on to the good memories and live life in the now instead of in the past. Revenge is not the answer. Prayer and praise for our deliverance, and thankfulness for our salvation… these are the answer. Come to Jesus.

“Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.” – Romans 15:4 NLT

CREDITS:

John Lawton, for his glorious, happy paintings; and

http://bible.com for the Scriptures.

Food, Glorious Food!

“The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” – Matthew 4:4 (http://bible.com/116/mat.4.4.NLT)

Can you imagine not eating for 40 days? No food, no snacks. I don’t know about you, but most days I have trouble going 6 hours without at least a snack, let alone 24 hours, or a week. 40 days. That’s what Jesus did, and He did it with intention. The scriptures tell us that He did this before He began His ministry, but also this: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.” – Matthew 4:1 (http://bible.com/116/mat.4.1.NLT)

He went out specifically to be tempted, and Satan did his best to cause Jesus to give in. He tempted Jesus with hot bread after all those days without food. For me, the smell of bread, fresh out of the oven, is incredibly tempting. Even if I have just eaten, a hot roll or slice of hot bread is hard to resist. Just smelling it makes my stomach rumble in anticipation! When the hot bread didn’t work, Satan went on to another temptation, the ability to fly, really, because he knew – and Jesus knew – that His angels would prevent Him from hitting the ground. I’ve dreamed of flying across the country, and it would be another great temptation for me to submit to. Finally, Satan shows Jesus the world.

“Next the devil took Him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to You,” he said, “if You will kneel down and worship me.” – Matthew 4:8‭-‬9 (http://bible.com/116/mat.4.8-9.NLT)

Imagine! You are offered the chance to rule the entire earth; could you resist? Really? We know that God created the earth, and that ultimately He will rebuild and reshape it into the perfection it was in the beginning. For now, though, and since Adam and Eve, God the Almighty has allowed Satan to rule because of their choices. So Jesus was offered the world…. He knew that Satan was and is the ultimate liar. Even so, it had to be tempting to take back the world in that instant. Jesus, through all of His temptations, gives us the words to get past the temptations we face daily.

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your GOD and serve only Him.’ ” – Matthew 4:10 (http://bible.com/116/mat.4.10.NLT)

Are you faced with a specific temptation today? I encourage you to pray about it, and to let the enemy know you recognize his tricks. Saying the words out loud can be a powerful tool. Satan and his minions can’t see into our heads or know our thoughts, but they have had years, centuries, to learn faces and behavior patterns. Be vocal against the enemy! Call him out, and let Jesus in so that He can stand with you against Satan.

I NEED You, LORD

There’s a hymn we used to sing in church, “I Need Thee Every Hour.” It was written by Annie S. Hawks in 1872, a song that we could all relate to if we just admit our losses and failures. See if you agree.

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;

Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

Oh, yes, I need Him to make sense of the chaos and difficulties, the stumbles and falters, the failures I experience. I was in many ways more fortunate than most. I had an earthly Father who believed and practiced following Christ to the best of his ability, and a mother who made sure we were fed and dressed and well-mannered. We attended church services every Sunday and Wednesday; our churches hosted guest speakers, often in week-long revivals, so we were exposed to Christians from around the world. I learned very early that I needed Jesus, and accepted Him as my Savior very early in my life. Even as I became an adult and made the choice to step into the temptations of the world, I knew in my heart Who was LORD. I have been reminded over and over in the consequences of my choices that God is Supreme. He pulled me out of the depths of sin and depravity more than once. For a season, I would acknowledge His Lordship, and then I would turn my back on my Savior and go my merry way.

It amazes me that He never gave up on me. I’m not proud of my choices, even knowing that the greatest men of the Bible succumbed to temptation as great as mine. It amazes me that God chooses to use the bruised and the broken to follow Him. I think that’s why these words of Annie Hawks resonate in my soul. These words, along with the hymn ” Just As I Am” touch me so deeply. God doesn’t care about our past, or our color, or our financial state, or our physical condition. He cares about ONE thing; He cares about our souls, our heart condition. That’s why, in the Old Testament, the priests made blood sacrifices; to cover the sins of His chosen people. That’s why He sent His Son Jesus, to make the ultimate sacrifice and to cover ALL of our sins, past, present, and future, when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior. It’s why Jesus sacrificed Himself. For YOU. For ME. If you were the only person who ever lived, Jesus would have done whatever He did, just for you.

Mind-boggling; simple, but hard.

“Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the Everlasting GOD, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding.” – Isaiah 40:28 (http://bible.com/116/isa.40.28.NLT)

HALLELUJAH!

Wait

Once again, God nails it; He sends me exactly what I need.

“Wait for the LORD.” (Best advice EVER!) –

I don’t like waiting. I’m not very patient. We live in a world of instant gratification. We want what we want, and we want it NOW. Young adults want the big fancy house or apartment, with granite counter tops and all of the amenities. Children want their own phones and computers and televisions and electronics. When they are able to drive, they want their own car; a HOT car, not the parent’s car.

Adults aren’t setting any kind of example, either. A new car every few years (guilty!); credit cards that enable us to live beyond our means; divorces because we are no longer “in love” with our spouse – adultery is rampant, pornography is the norm. Look at the TV shows and movies that are popular. Disrepecting our parents and others is “cool.” We worry and fret over situations and circumstances that we have zero control over.

I am blessed to have my home and friends and family. Yet I find myself lacking contentment at times. There’s so much more I would like to do. Even after a lifetime of knowing that waiting on God is the best way, I still want what I want, now.

“Wait for the LORD….”

John puts it beautifully:

“In the beginning the WORD already existed. The WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD.

He existed in the beginning with GOD.

GOD created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.

The WORD gave Life to everything that was created, and His Life brought Light to everyone.

The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness can NEVER extinguish it.”

– John 1:1‭-‬5 (http://bible.com/116/jhn.1.1-5.NLT)

Does it get any clearer than this? Let’s try one more from Luke, the physician who followed Jesus and researched the story of His birth in order to give us a factual, historic accounting.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the LORD appeared among them, and the radiance of the LORD’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them.

“Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.

The SAVIOR – yes, the MESSIAH, the LORD – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

– Luke 2:8‭-‬12 (http://bible.com/116/luk.2.8-12.NLT)

Isn’t this the most insane, most beautiful thing you’ve ever read? Can you even begin time imagine what John and Luke are describing for us? When we take the time to wait for God’s impeccable timing, fabulous things happen. Mary relied on the LORD, when she was a young, pregnant, unwed girl…. because she recognized that God, the Almighty LORD, had given her the most precious gift. Joseph waited on the LORD, and took this girl and the baby she was carrying, and was rewarded by being the stepfather of the Son of GOD! The Bible is full of examples of people – ordinary, sinful, broken people – who waited upon the LORD and we’re rewarded. Joseph who was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers; Abraham and Sarah, too old to bear children and yet they had a son; Rahab the prostitute; Noah and his family; king David and his son Solomon….. the list is too long to put it all here. Wait for the LORD..

“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” – Psalms 27:14 (http://bible.com/116/psa.27.14.NLT)

Probably Going to Upset Someone…

Over the centuries, these verses have caused consternation and controversy among followers of Christ. It is not my intention to upset or offend; however, I am compelled to present my thoughts.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:1‭-‬2 NLT (http://bible.com/116/rom.12.1-2.NLT)

Many took these words to mean that they should separate themselves from the world, and live as hermits. Others joined like minded individuals and founded monasteries, where they could live in seclusion from the world, to study God’s Word. Like everything human, these became flawed institutions where men and women took the LORD’S instructions and perverted them. Please don’t misunderstand. Not every person became an extremist. That is, unfortunately, one of the flaws we carry in our humanity; the ability to take something good and holy and twist it. We ALL do it to some extent. There are many good and decent men and women who have taken the vows to become monks and nuns; many more who are truly committed to following the Lord than those who twist their vows into something ugly. Take for example the practice of self-flagelation. How, in the Name of all that is Holy, can harming ourselves be conceived as something our God would condone, or encourage? I think not. Paul addresses this in his letter to the Corinthians:

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19‭-‬20 NLT (http://bible.com/116/1co.6.19-20.NLT)

Whether harming ourselves through self-flagelation, physically or mentally or emotionally, or doing it to someone else, it’s wrong. Just consequences for wrongdoing are necessary because of our sinful nature’s, and they (hopefully) help us learn right and wrong. Setting one’s self apart from the world for a time of mediation and study can be enlightening and help us find peace with inner turmoil. The key is to use the time wisely, and then to rejoin the world to be an example for Christ. If you go back to Romans 12:1-2, it is clear that we are to be a light in the world. We should be different from the world, discerning in our dress and attitude. Our minds and our bodies belong to God, and when we surrender our lives to Jesus, our souls then belong to Him as well.

“We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.” – 2 Corinthians 1:12 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2co.1.12.NLT)

“In Christ Alone” just came on K-LOVE radio, one of my favorite new hymns, recorded by Kristian Stanfill. We are God’s children through His Son Jesus, and it is through Him that we are able to live apart from the world while at the same time we live in the world. I believe that this is what Paul meant when he said not to copy “the behavior and customs of this world,” and not to seclude or exclude ourselves from it physically.

Again, just my thoughts.