The Best and Worst of Times *

You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.
Psalm 65:11 NKJV

The reviews are mixed in my little corner of the world with regard to the end of the year and start of a new one. For me personally, it feels defined by the famous Dickens quote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

The deaths of several dear loved ones; the births of more - Abby, Lucas, Elisha, Olivia, Judah, Greyson, and Boo.  Several beautiful weddings, including my daughter's. A couple tragic divorces (I think all divorces are tragic!) Betrayals... they are so ugly and painful, but God provided overwhelming outpourings of love and support through His people. I've spent eleven months of the year helping to battle devastating health issues with friends and family and seven of those months overcoming serious personal health issues of my own. And yet, at the end of this year, the bad is eclipsed by God's crowning this year with His goodness and causing His paths to drip with His abundance in my life. 

If you knew all the details of my life, you might ask how the bad could fade into the background. Well, you see, God knows the deepest desires of this mother's heart and He has fulfilled them this year. Both of my children (now grown and married with lives of their own) have moved back to my part of the country and are within 10 minutes of me. This Christmas, I had all my children and all my grandchildren in one part of the country - my part. It's only taken 20 years overall, but my God is faithful, proving once again that His ways are not my ways. His thoughts are far above my thoughts. 

Through it all, He is faithful - He causes ALL things to work together for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose - in the best of times and in the worst of times. Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer:

Father, 
         You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. And we are so grateful! Help us to keep our eyes and our hearts focused on You and Your purpose for our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

True Freedom *

The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
       Because He has anointed Me
      To preach the gospel to the poor;
      He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
      To proclaim liberty to the captives
      And recovery of sight to the blind,
      To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
      To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

 Luke 4:18-19  NKJV

How many times have you read this portion of Scripture and held on to it for dear life - or used it when ministering to someone who was heartbroken? Have you ever wondered if God really understood the depth of your broken heart? I'm not trying to be fractious or facetious. I've had people express that very question to me. To be honest with you, I've wondered a time or two myself - God, do You know to what extent exactly it was broken?

Let me assure you, He does.

There are some horrible, deplorable, gut-wrenching events that take place in the lives of those around us and in our own lives. Some we know about. Some we don't... not till much later. Some we read about and throw a prayer heaven-ward, but are we touched with the feeling of their situation? For instance, when was the last time we thought about and fervently prayed for the people of Malaysia who are still trying to recover? Scripture tells us Jesus IS touched with the feeling of our situations. 

If we do even just a little study on the word thrauo  - which is the Greek word interpreted as oppressed, we will find that it means to break, break in pieces, 

shatter, smite through.  If we go to the original reference (Isaiah 61:1), we find that the Hebrew word definition translates to break, break in or down, break in pieces, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench, rupture (figuratively), to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked, to shatter... I'd say that pretty well covers it, wouldn't you?

And as Jim Mackey sagaciously pointed out a few years back, anything that crushes or shatters our life creates a prison of our own making. It is from THAT prison Christ came to set us free. Free to be who God created us to be. Free to free others from the chains of their souls, no matter where they may be. 

That's true freedom.

Prayer:

Father,

          Continue to illuminate Your Word so that we get it and can walk in the freedom that You alone can and have provided for us. And as we grasp the Truth of Your Word, help us to give the keys to those around us who need a way out of the prison of their souls. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Installment Plans and Warranties

It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

2^nd Corinthians 1:21,22  NLT

Christmas is typically a time when we are forced to do some kind of shopping, even if we hate to shop, and I’ll tell you, I hate to shop. I have friends and family members who love it, though. Hmmm, maybe I ought to consider getting them to shop for me… oops…sorry, I got distracted there for a minute.

Shopping today is nothing like it used to be. Once upon a time, you could walk into a merchant’s facility and plop some money on the counter to buy an appliance or other high-dollar item for so much down and so much a month and expect to live happily ever after. Well, maybe not forever, but you could expect the item to last 15 or 20 years. Nowadays, no matter where or what you purchase, or how you purchase - installment or no installment, you’re offered the opportunity to buy an extended warranty with each purchase. Of course, it’s only good for 5 years or less or 50,000 miles/hours whatever, and whichever comes first. You may even be offered the opportunity to purchase an insurance policy on your installment payment and/or balance, in case something bad happens to you.

It might just be me, but I do not see how this is supposed to inspire any kind of confidence in the product or the workmanship that went into it, despite what the salesperson has to say. The only thing it seems to guarantee is that it’s going to break down, or if it doesn’t, it probably will after the “free” annual maintenance checkup – you know, the “Free” one that comes with your PAID warranty. Well, let me get to the good news.

Yes, there is always good news when it comes to God. In Scripture, we learn that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. And the warranty work to fix anything that may get broken along the way is already paid for – by the Maker. Not only that, there are no exceptions, nothing hidden, no black-out dates, no gotcha clauses. On top of that, it’s not a 90-day warranty or 5-year extended warranty – it’s a lifetime guarantee. All we have to do is say, yes, we want it. That’s included, too. Already paid for. And don’t worry, we’re already identified by God with a gift He gives us – the Holy Spirit. We are ALL that He says we are. We can have everything He says we can have – that’s a lifetime guarantee that extends through eternity.

Prayer:

Father,

          There is nothing offered here that even remotely compares to what You offer us on a daily basis and Your Son paid the price for it all. Open our eyes to see You, Lord, and to recognize the magnitude of the provision You have made for us. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

* How'm I Doing?

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

James 3:19 NKJV

You know, I really, REALLY don't like it when my actions become an illustrated sermon of how NOT to act. I have a sign at my desk - I think I told you about it before - It reads, "Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder...and Your hand over my mouth." Unfortunately, today it was just a decoration hanging on the wall; it was not a prayer, nor an act of submission to God's greater good. I lost track of how many times today I muttered, "Idiot" under my breath...and I am terribly convicted by it. But there is a Promise for it - it's found in 1st John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Sometimes, God has to use an illustration to get our attention and make us see His Word...well, at least that's how it works in my life. I'm a hands-on, visual learner. Thankfully, He loves us enough to reprimand us when we need it, and then provides grace and mercy, along with His forgiveness.

The other point He drove home for me today is that, if the prayer or the Word is just a decoration, just something sitting around and not actively in use, it doesn't do us or those around us any good. And we are here to follow in Christ's footsteps, who according to Acts 10:38a-b, ...you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good...  So, what am I doing? 

How'm I doing?

Ask me in the morning...His mercies are new every morning.

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for loving us enough to correct us. Even though we may not like the correction at the time, thanks so much for caring enough about us to make the correction. By Your grace, and with Your provision, we strive to do better. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Waiting for the Encore

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

Hebrews 13:8 NLT

I remember a few years back, my grandchildren and I attended a Christmas concert performed by the Houston Brass Band, the only British-style brass band in southeast Texas (according to their website  http://houstonbrassband.org/).  We had a good time. Of course, grandchildren are a ready-made party waiting to happen!

Obviously, that night was all about the music. Some very familiar Christmas songs interspersed with some not-so-familiar ones. It was fun to watch the kids' eyes light up on songs they recognized, and it warmed my heart to see that some of the old classics were just as well known to them. It wasn't until about half-way through the concert, though, that I realized we did not share the same point of reference for knowing the songs. While my mind's eye played scenes from The Nutcracker and White Christmas (sung by none other than Bing Crosby), my grandkids were exclaiming, "That's from Home Alone!" and "That's from ELF!"

When the intermission came, they thought that was it. But it was a full concert and there remained another whole half of a concert. And even though there were a few times when I knew they'd had all the "culture" they could stand - evidenced by "How many more, Granna? " - when the band played Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride as their rousing encore, the kids were totally enamored by it, and it was as if that was the only song the band had played all evening, and Oh, how fun!!  They thanked me for inviting them and hugged me and told me they loved me. As we parted ways for the evening, it was then that today's Promise came flooding in.

Jesus Christ IS the same yesterday, today, and forever which makes Him relevant for all time - to all generations. There will always be a way to connect to those around us through Him, even when we don't have the same points of reference. And even when we think we have had all the experiences we can stand - we need to understand that Jesus has got a big finish planned, too. Wait till you see His encore!

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the continuity of Your love that transcends time and space and keeps hearts knitted together in You. Help us to share You with those around us and in our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

This Little Light of Mine +

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. Isaiah 42:3 NLT

Candles are very popular and they continue to gain in popularity.  Did you know you can purchase a candle that smells like dirt? Truly!  And if you like food-scented candles, how about trying the pizza, popcorn, bacon, nachos, coffee, or cotton candy candles?  And those who are into the great outdoors but can't get there through work or weather, these will carry you through - lawn mower clippings scent, campfire candle, pigskin candle, or smores... and how about this? A Hippie-scented candle...I can't even imagine what would go into that...and I'm not sure I want to know!   Whatever the scent, no matter if it's 2 for a dollar or $40 a candle, none of them burn without a wick. And the wick has to be properly maintained for the candle to do all it's supposed to do and for the time it's supposed to do it. 

Wicks should be trimmed to 1/4 inch every time before the candle is lit. Carbon accumulates on the end of a wick and can weigh the wick to one side so that the candle burns unevenly. That nobby of carbon on the end of the wick can also prevent oxygen from getting to the flame, or if the wick gets too long it cannot draw wax all the way up to the top. Both can cause the flame to go out because the wick itself will then start to burn, which also produces the black soot. It gets ugly rather quickly. 

I know you don't need a lesson in candle care and you might be asking what does all this have to do with anything in the eternal weight of things. Well, I can't seem to get away from today's Scripture. I keep seeing the smoldering wick of one who is overwhelmed by life, the one who sees no way out, the smoldering wick of a life that has born much pain, and wants to believe someone cares - that they matter. They want to believe... and we glance over and think,  "They're okay, I still see some light..." 

You know who they are - they're burning themselves out and spewing soot all over everything around them, where once they burned brightly, cleanly. Now, there's that faint red glow on the wick that's burning itself out, no light left, just a little smoke because it's drowning, but if they could just get a little breath of life blown their way to feed the flame... or get a little help to get rid of the weighty carbon nobs of accumulated sin so they can once again draw from the wellspring of life. 

Does that make any sense? Have you seen them? Is it you? 

Wicks have to be tended for the candle to maintain a clean flame. Each candle is created to burn for a certain length of time, and that time is NOT accomplished if the wick is not tended properly. And if they don't burn for the length of time for which they were created, how many will not see the Light?

Prayer:

Father,

         Please, trim what needs to be trimmed in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Breathe Your breath of Life on us to fan the flame of Your Light to the world. As this world becomes darker, Father, cause our flame of fervor for Your Truth to burn ever more brightly so that all are drawn to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Sit Still

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Luke 5:16 NLT

I'm about to write a sentence that could very well be nominated for the understatement of the year.

Life is busy. (I'm hearing a mixed chorus of Duh... Ya think? and No kidding!)

Listen, satan doesn't have to entice us into sin - all he has to do is keep us preoccupied. It's way more effective at keeping us ineffective and subtle enough to make us think we're not sinning. 

Jesus - King of kings and Lord of lords - often left the crowds and all the happening events where He was the main attraction and got alone with God. He knew He needed to be uninterrupted to formulate His thoughts and prayer and He had to be able to hear the still, small voice of God. How could He have done what the Father instructed Him to do if He couldn't hear the Father?

How often I've heard, Oh, I don't watch the TV, I just have it on in the background - for noise... Can you hear Him over the teaser for the latest episode of Survivor? How about over the commercials for the latest drugs and their many possible side-effects?

When was the last time we sat STILL for 15 minutes  - no phone, no music, no TV in the background, no computer screen glaring, waiting for us to return to it... sat STILL before the Lord with the express intention of praying without interruption or just waiting to hear His direction? Just askin'...

Prayer:

Father,

        Shine Your Light of Truth on the time thieves in our lives. Help us to understand the great value of being still to know who You are. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Shhhhhhhh, Hear Him?

But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

Proverbs 1:33 NLT

Some people call it their conscience; some that little voice. But those who are following after Christ know His voice. John 10:27 reads, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. How many times have we heard it? I should call so-and-so and see what's going on in her life... And we call and she answers with a tear-filled voice, a voice that had just asked God to send someone who cares...

Isn't it inexplicably wonderful when that happens and you get to see the hand of God touch someone's life? I know the joy of that. However, I also know the pain of missing it. I'm too busy with stuff, or worse, I'm not listening...

The thought comes unbidden, I should send a note to encourage him and tell him how cool it is to see his growth.  Or we get the idea to hand somebody a little money and the whole time we're thinking,  I really can't afford this or I might run short this week or They don't look like they need it. What if they think I'm crazy or think I'm being prideful? God, they drive a better car than I do!...And yet, you really feel like you're supposed to do it. So, you go and stammer a little, hem and haw and finally say, I think the Lord told me to give this to you... And their eyes fill with tears as they clutch your hand and say, I had no lunch money for my child this week. I didn't know what I was going to do...

So what will you do?   “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts..." Hebrews 3:7b-8a

Prayer:

Father,

          In this lost and dying world, help us to listen with our hearts to hear Your voice and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Whatever You Do...

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:16-17 NIV 

We've talked a lot about our conversations and words, and the power of life and death that is in them. I will never forget the morning the Truth of that Scripture was beautifully illustrated. I was getting ready for work one morning a few years back, when the Christian radio station I listen to, (KSBJ.ORG) played a recorded call that came into their station from a man who was in a remote area of the Bolivar Peninsula. 

The man had planned to commit suicide but heard a message of hope from the evening DJ between the songs she played. No preaching. No ministerial degree. No bells or whistles or hoopla. Just the Truth of God's message to the world - a few sentences between songs. Words of hope. Words of light and life. 

This broken soul picked up his cell phone and called in to let the radio station know what had transpired. The deep well of his pain poured out in the tremulous tone, and yet, he had grasped hold of the life that is Christ from the message that he heard. The DJ did not know he was listening - she had not prepared a perfect speech or a 3-point message designed with him in mind. She just did what she does every night; psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him... 

So, whatever you do, speak life...someone is listening... 

Prayer: 

Father,
         According to Your Word in Ephesians 4, Let no corrupt word proceed out of our mouths, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

How to Conquer Evil *

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Romans 12:21 NLT

It can be hard to find someone with a good work ethic - especially in this day and age - but we ought to be able to find our first one when we look in the mirror in the morning... and I don't mean the person behind you. I mean YOU. We are to give our best to those God has given us, just as Christ gave His best for us. How are we to do that? Romans 12 - the chapter - has the answers. Read on...

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 

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. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

   “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You, Father, for giving us gifts that we can utilize to strengthen others. Help us to use them mightily for You.  May we always look to You and Your Son to be the Author and Finisher of our faith for direction in conquering evil. Give us wisdom, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Then

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. [emphasis mine]

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

The world will tell you - it's not what you know, it's who you know that gets you through. Well, for once, I might have to agree at least in part with the world's take on that. For if we know the Great I AM, Jehovah Jireh, God our Provider, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Creator of Life, the One in whom we live and move and have our very being, AND then we tell Him what we need AND then CHOOSE to trust Him (trusting Him means we believe His Word over our circumstances) AND then THANK Him for all He has already done, THEN we will experience God's peace which exceeds anything we can understand.

In a time fraught with political upheaval and unrest and uncertainty, we are given a guarantee of peace. Our Promise for Today in Philippians echoes Isaiah 26:3, You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done, THEN you will experience God’s peace...

Prayer:

Father,

        We will tell You everything. We will let You know all that we need, trusting You to take care of us as we choose to submit our lives and our will to You. Lord, we KNOW it is You who has brought us through and it is You who will lead us safely home. And we give You praise and offer our requests with thanksgiving for all You've done for us, knowing that then we will experience Your peace. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Thinking of You

Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.
Psalm 40:5 NKJV

It's been a crazy few weeks and that's a fact. To someone on the outside looking in, just looking at the facts, it might seem as though God is not listening to a word we are praying... but I know that's not Truth. There are too many verses of Scripture that confirm He hears our cry. God may not answer the way I would want Him to answer, but I'm okay with that. He tells us outright in Isaiah 55 that His ways and thoughts are FAR ABOVE our ways and thoughts. The evidence of His love can never be bigger or more visible than Golgotha's hill, but His love flows freely from there. We are never so far from Him that we are out of His sight or off His radar. 

In His loving kindness, He has surrounded our family with people who daily encourage us with e-mails and cards and phone calls - "Thinking of you" - "Our thoughts are with you" - "Thinking thoughts of you" - "Praying for you" - "Lifting you up to the Father." That's just like God, isn't it? Always thinking of you.

Do we know what the end results are going to actually be for the things we face at this time? No, we don't. We could look at all the facts and make an educated guess, but let's not get lost in facts. Let's seek His Truth. Believe in miracles. We know what the Word of God says. If we don't see the answers we want to see, we can rest assured that God has a better plan because He told us so. 

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Either way, He's thinking of you...

Prayer:

Father,
          I'm truly thankful Your thoughts are so far above our thoughts and that our ways are not Your ways - for Your way is always good and always motivated by love. Calvary - Your greatest act of love - when viewed merely by the facts seems more cruel than anyone can endure. Help us to always see and CHOOSE Your Truth over the facts of life. According to Your Word, in 1st Samuel 12, we will be sure to fear and reverence You, Lord, and faithfully serve You and think of all the wonderful things You have done for us. In Jesus' Name and by the power of His precious blood. Amen