Tag: #GODisincontrol

I Stand In Awe

Our pastor talked about prophecies in the Bible last Sunday, and how many of them are about JESUS, MESSIAH. Even though the writers didn’t know the who, they knew the when and how, because GOD was directing their pens. It is fascinating to read the prophecies and to see how they have been fulfilled throughout history. Take Habakkuk, for instance. He identifies himself as a prophet, and it is generally acknowledged that he wrote this in the mid-to-late seventh century BC, shortly before the Babylonians captured Jerusalem in 586 BC. He couldn’t know what would happen in the 20th and 21st centuries, yet his words still apply to our world today.

“Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted. Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing?” – Habakkuk 1:3‭-‬4‭, ‬17 NASB

“Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” – Habakkuk 2:2‭-‬3 NIV

Habakkuk saw wickedness, destruction, violence, strife and contention, laws being broken and the courts subverting justice; he saw that wickedness was overcoming his people. Where was his GOD? Why was He allowing all of this to happen? When would the ALMIGHTY GOD redeem them? These are valid questions; questions I have asked myself, and ones I have heard others asking. Why, GOD? Honestly, to really know the answers, I believe we won’t know until we are face-to-face with our LORD. It will all make sense, then. Meanwhile…….

The LORD has seen fit to equip His Prophets with the visions and revelations that He revealed to them to be recorded in His Word, the book we call the BIBLE. I love this anagram of the word:

B – Basic

I – Instructions

B– Before

L – Leaving

E – Earth

We have the complete set of Instructions, written just for us in our time. Let us be like the Prophet Habakkuk, and lean on the foreknowledge that our LORD has seen fit to provide us. Rather than spending our time standing and questioning the things/circumstances we are in, perhaps we would be better known for our thankfulness that we are alive, that we know Him as our LORD, JESUS CHRIST. Thank You, GOD, for Your Forgiveness, Your Mercy, and Your Grace!

“LORD, I have heard of Your Fame; I stand in awe of Your Deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in Wrath remember Mercy.” – Habakkuk 3:2 NIV

Listen to “I’m A Survivor” by Zach Williams. ( https://www.zachwilliamsmusic.com )

(Image from https://www.everydayknow.com )

Distracted

The enemy of the LORD, my enemy, is quite accomplished at putting distractions in front of us so that our concentration, our focus, is removed from my LORD and onto other things. The truly important things in our lives are often set aside because our GOD focus has been interrupted. For the past week, the enemy, Satan the destroyer and the father of lies has been very successful with distracting me. GET BEHIND ME, SATAN!

I’m not alone in this. There are hundreds, thousands, of Christians who struggle with distracting circumstances every day – maybe even every waking moment. Disease, illness, and failing health are prime examples. When we are focused on those instead of GOD, whether it is me/you personally or someone close to me/you, it is difficult to focus on GOD and His plans.

Trust, or a variation thereof, is used frequently in both the Old and New Testaments. The prophet Jeremiah put it succinctly:

Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD…… Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose Trust is the LORD.” – Jeremiah 17:5‭, ‬7 NASB

How often do we condemn ourselves by refusing to trust in the LORD? This verse from Proverbs is one I have heard countless time:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NASB

I allow myself to be distracted though my worry and the urge to take charge; to “fix” things on my own, rather than rely on my GOD. How can I believe that He is Almighty enough to create everything, yet doubt that He can take care of me and my problems? Listen to Natalie Grant’s song “King of the World.”

Just a whisper of your voice can tame the seas
So who am I to try to take the lead
Still I run ahead and think I’m strong enough
When you’re the one who made me from the dust

It is so easy to fall into this trap of attempting to control life around us. I’m guilty of doing it over and over and over. Remember this definition of insanity? “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” My prayer today is that my focus on the LORD will grow, and that He will overcome the distractions. I’m not strong enough to do it on my own, so I must rely on the Holy Spirit to provide His strength. All we have to do is to ask Him for His help, and He will provide it. Thank You, LORD!

Delighted!

We all have places, people, and things that bring us delight. Babies laughing, puppy and kitten antics, majestic views, beautiful flowers and trees, music, food, children, spouses, friends, loved ones. These things, these delights, as much as we enjoy them and search for them, are all momentary and fleeting. On the opposite side, we also have our fears and frustrations, especially when when we are struck with physical, personal, or monetary crises. When disasters strike the righteous person, we question why. Why does the Almighty, Omnipotent GOD let His people suffer, but He allows the sinners and the lawbreakers, the evildoers, to (apparently) prosper?

I fervently believe that we will have it explained to us one day; the day we stand face-to-face with our LORD JESUS. Meanwhile …… it is important, critical, that as followers of the CHRIST we study and absorb His Word. There are numerous promises in both the Old and New Testaments that everyone will receive a final judgement in front of the Throne of GOD. The enemy of the LORD, the Father of Lies, the instigator who brought evil into our world, will receive his due – and it will not be pretty. All of the fallen, both people and supernatural beings, everything natural and supernatural, will receive their condemnation at that time. Read the Revelations of John! This is what I know to be true:

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.” – Psalms 37:4‭-‬9 ESV

One day soon, Psalms 37:9 will come to pass. All evil that exists will be washed away and removed from earth, and those who have chosen to follow the LORD will be rewarded with a new home – one where heaven and the true, the real, Holy City will actually reside here on earth with us! My conclusion? Fretting and worry on our part indicates that we don’t think GOD can handle the little stuff. I’m guilty, too! “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” – Psalms 37:7 ESV

I know, easier said than done! There’s a song done by Natalie Grant that pretty well sums up what often we do instead of waiting and placing our reliance on the LORD. What do you think?

When we stop trying to contain GOD, then we are able to delight in Him! Amen!

Resolutions

When I place my Hope in the LORD, He takes my fears and replaces them with Peace. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I do know Who controls the future, and it isn’t me – and I’m thankful I’m not the one in control. Remember Who holds the future! I am incredibly Blessed with more than I ever dreamed – and Thankful, because He has provided more than I ever imagined I could have. I have friends, family who actually like me (or they put on a good act 😎 ), and a home to call my own. That’s so much more than many have.

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:1‭,3‭,9 ESV

“The LORD is Good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. but, though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His Steadfast Love; for He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men.” – Lamentations 3:25‭, ‬32‭-‬33 ESV

“Draw near to GOD, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge. There is only ONE Lawgiver and Judge, He Who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” – James 4:8‭, ‬11‭-‬12 ESV

I am so guilty of ignoring these verses! My plans, my work, my tongue ….. how has all that worked out for me? Really, not so good. It’s a new year, a time of resolutions and good intentions. How many times have I said “I resolve …..” only to break the resolution within hours? My resolutions are like my plans. Without the plan GOD has for me, my plans don’t work out very well. To achieve success, we must commit our plan and our work to the LORD. “Draw near to GOD ….”

That’s my resolution for 2019.

“I’m alive, I’m alive, because He lives! Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Amen, amen!” – Matt Maher sings “Because He Lives” … Such a beautiful truth!

Chaos!

I read a great post by Debbie McDaniel (https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel) on chaos, and she referred to these 13 verses:

Just what I needed this morning!

The movers will be here tomorrow to load, roofers are here replacing the roof as I write this, the dogs are nervous messes because of the noise and the upheaval….. there’s more packing to do, and closings on both the house I’m selling and the one I’m buying is tomorrow. Oh, and did I mention that I have to be completely out of this house by 2:00 tomorrow, but the movers can’t deliver to the new (old) house until the next day? I thank GOD for my 19 year old nephew, who drove the 30 miles to my house (more than once!) to help me load all of my garden and lumber and tools and miscellaneous into a pod before the movers come. I am grateful to my brother-in-law, who made the same trip with his pickup, to take my plants and paints and crates of liquids and flammables that can’t be hauled by commercial carriers. (Yes, admittedly I have LOTS of stuff, even after some major downsizing…) He and my sister have offered a place for me to sleep tomorrow – I give thanks for my best friend, who is going to babysit the pups and Patrick the cat for a couple of days during the real chaos. Yikes.

GOD is Good, providing the help I need – even when it isn’t on my schedule! There’s even more than all this going on, but I know that He is in control, and I need to breathe (and sometimes, I just need to cry for a minute). JESUS said:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:26‭-‬27 ESV

The Holy Spirit works through others to remind us that we are not alone in our grief and our chaos. Any time we have changes in our life, and especially when it is traumatic change, we are going to grieve. Our LORD understands completely!

“….. do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to GOD. And the Peace of GOD, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6‭-‬7 ESV

He gets it. He knows how anxiety can creep in and how easily we get stressed out. He knows.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the Blood of Christ. For He Himself is our Peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility….. ” – Ephesians 2:13‭-‬14 ESV

Thank You, LORD, the GOD of the Universe and all of Creation, for understanding the chaos and anxiety I face, and for offering refuge from it. Amen.

It’s That Time, Again

“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance ….. ” – James 1:2‭-‬3 NRSV

Tomorrow, we vote. At least, I hope and pray we all do! Do we vote our conscience, do we vote party-line, do we vote the politically correct way – or do we skip it altogether because we don’t like the choices? I think that for the followers of CHRIST it has become a battle to know the ‘right’ way to vote. Negative political ads flourish on television and social media, every candidate trying to destroy their opponent’s credibility. Often, it comes down to picking the lesser of the two evils as presented. These are indeed times of trial for us. We cannot, unfortunately, take anyone at their word. It’s a definite challenge to “consider it [ALL] joy,” when it appears to be more of a time to weep.

I know who I will vote for. I have done the research, I have spoken with candidates when possible, I have talked with friends who might know the candidate, and I have prayed. Read the rest of these verses from James:

“…. because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask GOD, Who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the LORD.” – James 1:2‭-‬8 NRSV

I admit to being frightened by so much of the current rhetoric and hate being spewed out across all of the media. The reality is that these United States are being dragged into an exceedingly liberal, socialist time. Regard for Christians is falling rapidly as we embrace diversity in everything, including religion (except Christianity!), and especially the religion of “ME.” Selfishness abounds and is rampant in our so-called heroes of the day. The honor and respect for patriots, our armed forces, and our leaders is rapidly waning as Hollywood and pro-athletes and liberal politicians take over.

What can I as an individual do? Pray. Vote. Most of all, I must bow to GOD’s superior Will, realizing that it may not be what I see as the best for my country….. but that doesn’t mean I will just lie down and let my country go to hell in a handbasket! No matter what happens tomorrow, or in the next election, or the next, I know this without a doubt: GOD WILL PREVAIL IN THE END. There will be much tribulation, and many trials, for CHRIST-followers before our LORD returns, including the rise to power by the Liberal Socialism being touted as the answer to those trials. [Side note: L.S. is NOT the answer! Only JESUS.]

Don’t lay down, and don’t be complacent. Listen to Carrollton sing “Made For This” from their album “Made For This.” Ask GOD, and ask in Faith, never doubting. In the end, Satan loses. How do I know? Because my LORD promises the defeat and destruction of all of the Enemy’s handiwork. (Read the “back” of the Book, Revelations.) Amen!

The NAME

“The Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name in a curse. And they brought him to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan— and they put him in custody, until the decision of the Lord should be made clear to them.” …… “Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands on his head, and let the whole congregation stone him. And speak to the people of Israel, saying: Anyone who curses God shall bear the sin. One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; the whole congregation shall stone the blasphemer. Aliens as well as citizens, when they blaspheme the Name, shall be put to death.” – Leviticus 24:11‭-‬12‭, ‬14‭-‬16 NRSV

Walk around any public venue today, and you will hear GOD’s Name used every way possible, except in Praise. Blasphemy isn’t a term we hear or use much anymore, but that is exactly what we are doing. I’ve had my stint at cursing, and was good enough at it to make people reel at my words (years ago, and it was a terrible habit to overcome). Despite the garbage coming out of my mouth, subconsciously my mind prevented me from cursing GOD directly. Even in those days of shaking my fist at Him, I feared His wrath. WHY, do you think, that so many people curse GOD, but you rarely hear Satan’s name used to curse? Perhaps we are afraid of him, but primarily, I believe it’s because the enemy is already cursed and he encourages blasphemy as part of his plan to subvert us.

Judging from the current language standards, I’d say that the enemy is succeeding in a huge way. It has become the norm to curse and be disrespectful of the LORD; so much so, that we hear it from newscasters, athletes, politicians, teachers, actors, and bosses; on tv and in movies. Even people professing JESUS as LORD use foul language as part of their every day, ‘normal’ speaking patterns. I shudder to think of all those people (including myself) facing the Day of Judgement and confessing our use – no, our misuse – of our language, especially for those who don’t have an Advocate in JESUS. This verse from Proverbs states it well:

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” – Proverbs 13:20 NRSV

We have to determine who we will walk through life with. Most, if not all, of us chooses badly at some point in our lives, or maybe many times, like I did. Without choosing JESUS as our primary partner in life, I’m not even sure it’s possible to walk with the wise, but I can testify to the folly of keeping company with fools! Do you choose life with the companionship and wisdom of the LORD, or are you past all that and making your own choices? I promise you, choosing to walk through life with JESUS may seem to be more difficult than life without Him, but the Peace and Joy – and Mercy! – more than compensates for our difficulties. The thought of having a Glorious Eternity with Him keeps me going!

Are you confident of your eternity? Take a Salvation check – are you ready? Let’s be Radical Christians together.

“And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have Eternal LIFE. “For GOD so loved the world that He gave His Only SON, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” – John 3:14‭-‬16 NRSV

Image credit: http://www.charlesspecht.com

You WIN!!!

Lotteries, PCH (Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes) casinos; betting on sports, dog tracks and horse racing, fights – human and animal. Schemes on how to make millions, and evangelists who twist the WORD – the BIBLE – to persuade you that GOD will reward you with abundant financial wealth if you just do what they say (starting, of course, with supporting their ‘ministry!’

Everyone is looking for the eeee-sy money; the life of leisure. What shows are popular on tv? Reality shows that promise large sums to the ‘winner,’ gossip shows and ‘celebrity watch’ shows, glorifying the power, glitz and glamour that comes from having millions. Game shows – Who Wants to be a Millionaire? I’ve had a running joke for years, saying “When I win the lottery, I’ll ….. Oh! That’s right, you have to buy a lottery ticket!” (Never have bought one, either!)

If you actually won, how would you use the money?

The reality for Christians is that we don’t need millions. How can I say that? I don’t know your circumstances, or your life. Ah! No, I don’t know your life; I’m too busy negotiating mine to try to know anyone else’s! I care about you, and I pray for and do what I am able to do to help others. So why do I say Christians dontneed money? Here are a few reasons:

“The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” – Psalms 23:1 NRSV

JESUS said to His disciples, “….. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20 NRSV

“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve GOD and wealth.” – Matthew 6:24 NRSV (also Luke 16:13)

I am facing a mountain, and a boatload of cash would go a long ways toward conquering that mountain. I can despair and focus on the mountain, wishing for that mound of cash …… or I can lift my eyes from the mountain, and focus on my GOD. It’s a choice we get to make every day. I choose to look up….. and I WIN.

“To YOU I lift up my eyes, O YOU who are Enthroned in the heavens!” – Psalms 123:1 NRSV

But, GOD!

JESUS said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.” And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Luke 11:2‭-‬10 NRSV

I got to hear Dr. Mark Hitchcock preach yesterday, and one thing in particular he said hit me in the face. Well, several things really, but today I need to focus on this. He was using the 23rd Psalm, and I realized that I have done what he said for most of my life. We read it, and scripture says, “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” – Psalms 23:1 NRSV How many of us read it, then pray like this: “The LORD is my Shepherd, BUT I need a job.” “The LORD is my Shepherd, BUT I need healing.” “The LORD is my Shepherd, BUT I need ….” Is the LORD my Shepherd, providing for my needs (* key word: needs, not necessarily wants), or is He not? Pastor Mark suggested reversing the prayer so that we acknowledge the Shepherd. “I need a job, BUT the LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” “I need healing, BUT the LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” “I need __________ , BUT the LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

We brilliant, oh-so-smart humans think we are smarter and better planners than the LORD. Really? Looking at all of the decisions you’ve made in your life, on your own, without seeking or waiting for HIS input – how’s that working out for you? I get as frustrated as anyone (more frustrated!) when my life doesn’t go the way I think it should. I need a job. I need to know whether to keep my house on the market or take it off. I need, I need, I need….. but do I really? What I need is to change my mindset and my prayers. I need, BUT the LORD is my Shepherd. Is He your Shepherd, taking care of your needs, or are you attempting to be your own shepherd and caretaker?

‘The Shepherd and his Flock’, 1905, Wikipedia.org

Jesus said, “I AM the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I AM the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me…. I AM the WAY, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the FATHER except through Me.” – John 10:11, 14, 14:6 NRSV

Amen.