Friends' Favorite - Have You Lost Your Mind ++

Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 Common English Bible (CEB)

"I think I'm losing my mind," her voice was subdued in response to my question. She wasn't joking or making light of the inquiry. I knew she was serious. There was no sparkle in her eye; there was only torment. The weight of emotional pain was overwhelming her - body, soul, mind, and spirit.

Have you ever been in that place? Chances are, you may have been at one time or another. Maybe you're there now, wondering what in the world you are going to do. And if that's you, I want to speak directly to you.

I don't know your circumstances or your questions, but God does. I don't have all the answers, but I know the One Who does. I have been in that same place and I am here to tell you - unequivocally - that God will bring you out. Don't give up. Don't quit now. He WILL see you through to the other side of this. What I DO have is the living proof of His faithfulness to make good on the promises in His Word.

You see, I thought I was a goner. I thought dying would be the only way out of the mess I was in. I was so broken and dead inside that I couldn't see any way out. I couldn't keep two coherent thoughts in my head because of the things that overwhelmed me. I was losing my mind. Then I found the verses of our Promise for Today.

Back then, I didn't know if God had the time or the inclination to hear all my prayers and petitions, but I chose to believe the Truth of His Word over the facts of my circumstances. And now, this many years later, I am here to tell you that God keeps His Word, and if we will choose to keep His Word, too, then we will surely reap the many benefits of His peace that exceeds all understanding and will keep our hearts and MINDS SAFE in Christ Jesus. 

The Word of God tells us if He does it for one person, He'll do it for all, so let me leave you with this encouragement from Psalm 40...    

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.

Prayer:

Father,
          I pray according to Your Word that Many will see what [You] have done and be amazed and that they will put their trust in You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

The Right Time

At the RIGHT TIME, I, the Lord, will make it happen.
Isaiah 60:22c NLT

When we’re at the 11^th hour and we are unable to fix it or make the ends meet, when our body is wracked with pain and we cannot find relief, when our loved one dies… In the midst of trouble and hard times, sometimes it’s difficult to remember that God is working all things for our good. The enemy of our soul would love for us to lose sight of this Truth, would love for us to be angry with God, would love for us to give up and walk away.

It is at these times when we must know what we believe. Will we choose to believe God's Truth over the facts and circumstances of our lives? Will we choose His Word above what we can see, hear, touch, and feel?

How many times have you experienced just the right word of encouragement at just the right time? How many times has an unexpected check or blessing come in the mail at just the right time - when you had no idea one was coming? How many times has someone you connected with years ago come back into your life to walk alongside you at just the right moment? That's God! Here's what else His Word has to say about it.

Romans 5:6 

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the RIGHT TIME and died for us sinners.

2 Corinthians 6:2 

For God says, “At just the RIGHT TIME, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Galatians 4:4 

But when the RIGHT TIME came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.

Galatians 6:9 

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the RIGHT TIME we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Ephesians 1:10 

And this is the plan: At the RIGHT TIME he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

1 Timothy 2:6 

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the RIGHT TIME.

1 Timothy 6:15 

For, at just the RIGHT TIME Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Titus 1:3 

And now at just the RIGHT TIME he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him.

1 Peter 5:6 

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the RIGHT TIME he will lift you up in honor.

That's our God. At the RIGHT TIME, HE will make it happen.

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for loving us enough to take our weaknesses into account and sending us Your reinforcements. Thank You for continuing to work Your plan for our lives in spite of our failed attempts. Keep us ever mindful that Your timing is perfect, flawless, and is ALWAYS the right time. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* A God Sign

Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth. 

Genesis 9:16 NLT

When you're in the middle of a tough time in life, do you ever have to fight to hold on to God's Truth? Do you ever struggle with holding onto the Truth of God's Word over the facts of what you're facing? Do you ever beg God for a sign? I think we all have at one time or another. Sometimes, life is hard.

What I love about our heavenly Father is that He understands our human frailty. I'm not talking about making excuses for bad behavior or choosing to do things our way instead of His. I'm talking about knowing that sometimes we need a faith boost, something to bolster our belief. Here's something that speaks to me.

According to the Answers in Genesis website, they've determined that the Flood took place about 2348 BC.  I didn't know Noah or any of the next umpteen generations after that. I'm old, but I'm not that old! In fact, I only know three generations back and none of them knew Noah, either. At least not personally. 

But in our Promise for Today, God said to Noah, I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. And for over 4,000 years that rainbow has appeared in the clouds of every storm where the sun has come shining through, both physically and spiritually!  God did not forget, nor will He forget what He has promised. 

Every time you see a rainbow, you can KNOW that God's promises are everlasting. He hasn't forgotten.

Prayer;

Father,

          You are so good to us! The depth and breadth of Your love are beyond our comprehension! Keep us ever mindful that we don't have to know everything; we only have to know You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* The Enabler

And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 1:12-14 NKJV

These days, being an enabler has a negative connotation. It implies allowing or helping an individual to do something that is detrimental to the individual's well-being. Well, once again, let's overcome facts with TRUTH.

God is the original Enabler. Have you ever read the book of Genesis?  And in the 2nd chapter of Genesis, verses 7 & 8, how God formed a man from dirt and breathed life into him? That dirt could not have become man - a living, breathing person - unless God enabled him.

Could David have been king without being enabled? Would Saul - persecutor of Christ - have become the Apostle Paul if God had not enabled him? Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15:10, But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. Does any of that sound detrimental to you?... No, not to me, either.

Throughout Scripture, every story of victory, and overcoming, and living life to the fullest, and growing in the nurture and admonition of the Lord - all are because the LORD enabled. He enables us to do the things He planned long ago for us to do. He gifts us with the talent and skills and knowledge... He puts people on our paths every day to help teach us, to work Godly character into the very fiber of our being. The Word says every good and perfect gift comes from the Father! (James 1:17)

How can this be? Mark 10:15, NLT reads, Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Everything...EVERY thing is possible with God. He is such an Enabler!  Praise His Holy Name!

Prayer:

Father,

          Without You, we can do nothing. Without You, we are without hope. Thank You for enabling us to walk in Your footsteps. Help us to faithfully follow You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

What We Believe +

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1st Corinthians 4:20 NLT

A question has been raised concerning living what we believe vs. living what we've learned. Are they the same? If not, does it matter which one we live? Good questions...

I've pondered on it now for awhile and here's what I think. I think we live our lives based on what we believe - about ourselves, about others, and about God, (no matter what it is)... For instance, if we believe we CAN do something - we're right, we can! By the same token, if we believe we CAN'T do something - we're right again, we can't...

However, we do learn a lot of things. You can teach a child that hot will burn. But generally, they will still reach for the hot. It is imperative that we are careful about what we learn and how we learn it, because we must be on guard about what we come to believe. 

You see, if we truly believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly. If we don't believe the Word of God, we will act accordingly.

Let's not just talk it. Let's walk it, and live what we believe, and believe so we may live - truly live.

Prayer:

Father,

         Quicken Your Word in our hearts and minds. It is living and powerful and rightly divides between soul and spirit. Father, give us wisdom to know what to believe, preferably without getting burned. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHiTVuGaKM

To See Clearly+

satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2nd Corinthians 4:4 NLT

All of us - at one time or another - have been blinded by the sun or a camera flash or have gotten something in our eyes that temporarily caused us to not be able to see. Soap or conditioner or suntan oil - something that made it so our eyes were not able to focus or clearly see what was in front of our face. Something that should NOT be there. 

We know it. There are warnings all over the containers - "Do not use near eyes" - and then they print what to do if we DO get it in our eyes. Why? For the reason that they know many of us will not use the necessary precaution, or we will become complacent and forget to use caution because we've done it hundreds of times before. The remedy is nearly always the same: "wash thoroughly with water; see a physician" or "cover eyes and seek proper attention."

I was reminded this week that satan's tricks are just like that. He'll appear as an angel of light (see 2nd Corinthians 11:14) and so try to dazzle us with things that appeal to our worldly desires, or the oil from his snake oil sales routine as he tries to sell us a false bill of goods will splash onto us and get in our eyes and we can be temporarily blinded. Why? Because we have ignored the warnings, or we have become complacent about using the proper precaution. However, the remedy is nearly always the same - wash thoroughly with water  - the water of the Word - (see Psalm 51:2) and see the Great Physician. Or cover our eyes - stop looking at the world and what it has to offer - and seek proper attention. And when we do, God allows us to recognize the wiles of the enemy for exactly what they are...once we see clearly.

Prayer:

Father,

         Thank You for washing our eyes so we can see...even if You have to use tears to do it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Taking Into Consideration +

Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

Deuteronomy 4:39 NKJV

How many times have we come through a tough time and at the end of it made the remark, "Well, all things considered, I think we came out ahead of the situation." Sometimes we're "ahead" just by being alive. But I have been wondering lately about all the things that we take into consideration and whether or not we take into consideration MORE than what needs to be considered.

Generally, people try to gather the facts regarding a situation before making a decision about it, no matter if it’s a simple purchase or a life-changing event. Just think about how many search engines you can name. However, as I’m fond of pointing out, facts and Truth are not the same and because of that principle, there is a HUGE difference between knowledge and wisdom. For those who may not have considered the difference, let me give you my spin on it. Knowledge would be equivalent to the facts of a situation. Wisdom is the Truth about it.  

I remember the story of Baby Ashley who was born in 2009. An ultrasound before Ashley’s birth confirmed that she had NO kidneys. The hospital prepared the family for the worst – and the compassionate ministry of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep was called in to take special photographs for the family to have after she was gone. Those are the facts – the knowledge of the situation. 

When Ashley was born, she was immediately hooked up to life support, etc, to give the family a "little" time. But Joanne (the photographer) had the wisdom to call for prayer. The request went out world-wide through prayer chains. The hospital scheduled the day that they would disconnect life support…then one of the NICU nurses caring for Ashley, in the course of keeping the baby clean, noticed the diaper was wet. Well, basic anatomy will tell you that a baby can’t produce what will wet the diaper without a kidney. They did another ultrasound and found a kidney…

Instead of disconnecting life support for the end of Ashley’s life, it was disconnected so she could go home and grow up with her parents. All of our advanced medical and technical knowledge told them, “No, I'm sorry. Your baby will die.” Wisdom chose Truth. A God who is our Healer. God, our Creator. Maker of Heaven and Earth. Psalm 8: 3-4, When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

When you face seemingly impossible odds – when all the facts point to bad – what does Wisdom founded in Scripture tell you? I’m not talking about name it-claim it, confess it-possess it, blab it-grab it. I’m asking directly - What does Wisdom founded in Scripture dictate?  

1^st Samuel 24:12 reads, Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

Abraham had a promise of a son. But he understood the knowledge about being 100 years old – his wife was 90. And how that even in her so-called best years, she could not conceive… but Scripture tells us in Romans 4:19-21, And not being weak in faith, he [Abraham] did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

Some things should not be taken into consideration. When all things are considered, what will you include?

Prayer:

Father,

According to Your Word, the wisdom of Your Truth that we find in Hebrews 10:23-25, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for You who promised are faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as we see the Day approaching. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen