* It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

2nd Corinthians 5:17-18a NLT

One of the guys at work - when you ask him how he's doing - always replies, "Man, it doesn't get any better than this..." Usually what he means is, "This is it, so you might as well learn to live with it." On days that have been particularly trying, that is not what I want to hear. Although this evening, I was reminded that I used to believe exactly that because I had no hope. I was a hopeless case.

I've walked down Memory Lane a few times in the last week or so. You see, I have no problem remembering what I was and where I was when God finally got my attention. I remember thinking back then that I deserved everything that happened in my life because of the choices I'd made along the way. I distinctly remember thinking that it would never get better because I didn't deserve better... and truly, I didn't... 

But thank God, it wasn't about me and what I did. It was - and is - all about Christ and what He did to pay for my life - and yours - on the Cross at Calvary. And that has removed the pain from those memories and left only the glow of God's goodness, His love, His mercy, and redemption to cover the multitude of my sins. Praise God, by His grace, I am able to look down that road through the filter of His forgiveness and love. 

Tonight, I was blessed to sit down to supper with 30 women - strong women of God - women that Titus speaks of in chapter 2. Laughing, talking, sharing, eating Tex-Mex...sitting with them, loving them, one with them. And I marvel at what God has done in each of the lives represented there. New creations, The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. 

It doesn't get any better than this. Only Heaven will be better...

Prayer:

Father,

          I pray the words of Leeland's song - It feels like there's not enough praise inside of me. With all these words, all my heart can sing is 'Holy! You are holy!' I want to walk worthy of the life You have given me. I want to reflect You, Father, and only You, because it doesn't get any better that that. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* Worse Than Not Knowing

Baffled by what I hear, undone by what I see. Absolutely stunned, horror-stricken, I had hoped for a relaxed evening, but it has turned into a nightmare.

Isaiah 21:3b-4 The Message

Isaiah asked God to let him see what was going to happen. Isaiah thought that in knowing, he could prophesy to the people and give hope. But when God granted Isaiah's request, the prophet was overwhelmed. I have lived as a Christian long enough that when I read this Scripture, I found myself praising God that sometimes the answer is 'No."

Looking back over my life, I can truly give thanks and worship a Holy God who lovingly refused to show me some things ahead of time. I wouldn't have been able to stand it had I known some of it ahead of time. It would have caused me to run in the opposite direction, but when thrust in the midst of it, I turned to the only One I could trust. And having lived through it, bearing the fruit of what satan meant for evil, God turned for my good, I am able to see and praise God for His guiding hand on me during those times. Would I have chosen it? No. Absolutely not, but on this side of it, I am eternally grateful for the lessons learned, the wisdom gained, and for the capacity to love to be enlarged.

Now, when I think back on all the times I begged God to show me what He was doing; what was going to happen, and He would not,  I'm so thankful He's God and I'm not, and He chose not to. What a loving Father, a protective, caring, loving Father. You see, there are things worse than not knowing. I don't have to know it all as long as I know the One does.

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for revealing those things that need to be revealed. Thank You, Father, for every heads-up You provide.  And we pray, Father, as the psalmist prayed, Hear my cry, O God: Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me. A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Lord, keep us on a need-to-know basis as defined by You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Much? +

And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

1st Corinthians 7:22 NLT

Susannah is a very poor African woman about my age. I saw a video clip about her. An evangelist held a week-long revival in her village and every evening at the end of the service, the people would bring their offering to the front of the meeting place and lay it on a table. They brought fruit and vegetables, some of it equal to their day's wage. They brought small animals, chickens, etc, but no one had money. They were giving what they had in order to keep the ministry of evangelism going strong. 

Susannah had nothing to give. She was destitute. Her husband and children had died and she was alone...until she heard the Word of God preached  - the Gospel of Jesus. It literally transformed her and did an immediate work in her heart. She came to service every night and desperately wanted to give something, but she had nothing. The last night of the revival, she came in with the biggest smile and clutching something in her hand. When it came time to bring the offering, Susannah walked quietly but confidently to the front of the church and laid a silver coin on the table. The evangelist knew she had received salvation at the beginning of the week, but also knew she had nothing. He was concerned that she had stolen the coin in her desperation to give.

After service, the evangelist pulled her aside and asked her point blank where she had gotten the coin. She began to explain. God had made such an incredible change in her heart and her mind - freed her from the awful depression and loneliness - made her alive again. She wanted everyone to hear the message of Christ and knew she HAD to do her part in making sure that more would hear. She asked him, how could she receive such newness of life and not do everything within her power to make sure that others heard (keeping in mind that she is not a young woman). That day, Susannah had gone to see the plantation owner and sold the only thing she had left - the rest of her life - to work the fields of the plantation, so she could bring an offering to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1st John 3:16 NLT, We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. The video ended with her working the plantation field, and as the camera zoomed out, there seemed to be no end to those fields.

How much have we received from Christ? How much will we give so that others may live?

Prayer:

Father,

          Change our hearts, Father. Change our attitudes. Let Your desires become ours. May we see, hear and hasten to do Your will. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* For Those Days

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3 NLT

There are those days when there aren't words to fully express the depth and magnitude of what we are feeling inside. And on some of those days, it's probably a good thing that we can't, amen?  But those aren't the days I'm talking about. It's those days when we learn of the grave illness or death of a loved one or our children going off to war or some other great, overwhelming tragedy...

And on those days that don't happen to us, but happen to someone we love, what words can we possibly use? What is it that we - in our finite-ness - could possibly say that would make a difference?

We want to express what we feel. We need to express what we feel, but all we have are tears. The good news is that God in His great love and mercy gave us those tears and they are a language that He alone completely understands, so it's to Him we should give them. With tears, you don't have to worry about which words to use to adequately or properly convey all that's in your heart.

On those days, encourage yourself in God's Word. Take comfort from the One who promises us - and delivers - the peace that passes understanding. Usually, I use the New Living or New King James Bible when writing the Promise; but oftentimes, when we need comfort, we go to what is the most familiar. For me, that's the old King James. Today, that's what I want to give you.

Psalm 121

 ¹I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
 ²My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
 ³He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
 ⁴Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
 ⁶The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
 ⁷The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
 ⁸The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

For those days. From this time forth, and even for evermore.

Prayer:

Father,
         We love Your Word. We love the song You gave the songwriter, I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can't climb. I will lift my eyes to the Calmer of the oceans raging wild. I will lift my eyes to the Healer of the hurt I hold inside. God, my God, I cry out, Your beloved needs You now. Help us to release everything into Your care, knowing You care for us. Thank You, Father, for Your peace in the midst of the storm. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen