A Place Prepared

John 14:1-3  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.  There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.  If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Revelation 4:3-7   I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”  And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”  And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18  We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.  So encourage each other with these words.    


These are some of my favorite verses and they made their appearance in today's sermon at my church.  They are the verses that give us hope for the future, for eternity.  When all around us in this world seems  crazy dark, they are the light at the end of our tunnel, the reason we continue to put one foot in front of the other.  This world and it's problems, and it's priorities will fade away, but we have for ourselves  "treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal."  Matthew 6:20.  Our place there, in the presence of our awesome God and Savior is forever.

Stay the course.  Keep the faith. Never give up to the despair  that life on this planet can sometimes brings.  No matter what happens, God is on the throne and as the song says, "His heart is kind."

He Knows My Voice

Saturday I had the privilege and blessing of attending Chris Tomlin's "Worship Night in America" tour and to say it was awesome would be an understatement.  Just being together, in one place, with so many people worshiping, praising and praying....amazing.   Along with an totally talented team of musicians and singers, there were two speakers, Max Lucado and Louie Giglio.  Of course God was the focus and the reason we came together.  Bringing to Him our adoration and the needs of our nation on such a large scale was a new experience for me and I can't wait to do it again!

Onward to my God visit.  Max Lucado brought us the message of how we have a good, caring, loving Father who thinks each of us as special and beloved.  One of the examples he used really struck me. He told a story of being in Jerusalem, moving through the street with a crowd of people, when he saw a young child stopped in the middle of this sea of humanity.  That child had been separated from her father, and was crying out for him.  Of course, her father, hearing her, came and scooped her up, carrying her safely in his arms.  And of course that was the whole point of Mr. Lucado's teaching, our Father hears the distressed calls of His children and rescues us from trouble. (Of course, that doesn't always mean we are rescued out of the trouble, sometimes the deliverance comes by the Lord carrying us through the fires or raging seas).

So my mind ran with that.   I know the distinct meow of each of my cats.  I can be in another room and know which one is crying, meowing for whatever reason that gets in their little heads....I don't even have to see who it is, I know their  distinct voices.  In John 10:4-5 Jesus speaks of us, His flock, knowing His voice:   After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.  They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”  But this teaching caused me to turn this around:  HE knows my voice.  And your voice.  And the voice of each of His children, specifically, individually and uniquely.  How amazing a thought!

Psalm 18:6   But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.  He heard me from his sanctuary;  my cry to him reached his ears.

Psalm 55:17  Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

Psalm 116:1  I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy.

Matthew 10:29-31 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin?  But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

God knows our voice.  Nothing about us, our lives,, our circumstances--both good and bad, escape His eyes or His care.  I find this very comforting.  I hope you do as well.

Lord, you know us, our voices cry out to You.  Thank You that You hear, and that You lovingly act on our behalf.  Help us to trust this.  We are never a face in a crowd to You, but Your own special, much loved, apply of Your eye child.

When all is wrong, remember that our heavenly Father is always right there with us, caring....even when it seems He doesn't hear our voice.  Believe.

Ransom

RANSOM
noun
1.  the redemption of a prisoner, slave, or kidnapped person, of captured goods, etc., for a price.
2.  the sum or price paid or demanded.
3.  a means of deliverance or rescue from punishment for sin, especially the payment of a redemptive fine.
verb (used with object)
4.  to redeem from captivity, bondage, detention, etc., by paying a demanded price.
5.  to release or restore on receipt of a ransom.
6.  to deliver or redeem from punishment for sin.

This word came up in Sunday's sermon and has been with me ever since. It keeps replaying itself over and over in my head.

1 Timothy 2:5-6:  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.  

Matthew 20:28  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

Galatians 1:3-5   Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,  who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,  to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Redemption price. Something to loosen with. These are the definitions given in the Strong's Concordance.   I've been left wondering where God is going with this.  When something sticks with me like this, I know God has something He is trying to get me to understand or see....and as I write this I believe I am starting to see a tie in with what He's been showing me recently.  There is always purpose behind God's visits...His hand touches and reveals because He lovingly desires a deeper relationship, a change in our hearts, a direction to follow, His good plan to fulfill.

So, I am seeing the chain from ransom linking back to Romans 12.  Romans 12:1  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.  

Is there any doubt, that our lives should reflect the gratitude of a ransomed people?  Rescued, redeemed, and ransomed for a purpose.  To be God's holy people, shining His light and love into the world around us.  Living out Romans 12.  Loving the connection here!  In order to want to live the life God calls us to, we must first understand what we've been saved from....how we've been rescued and who paid our ransom.  God is so good.

Lord, create in us a heart of understanding and gratitude.  Thank You for being our ransom.  Let that knowledge make us want to live our lives for You, letting go of selfishness, self centered-ness, and self focus.  Lord help me!

This week, let's mediate on Jesus our ransom and what it means in our lives.

Songs To Match

The Lord reinforces His messages.  The last couple of weeks I've been focusing time on Romans 12. Remember, God's little instruction book.  One of the songs we sang on Sunday was right in line with this ongoing teaching.  It's about having our lives so transformed that every part should be used by God, for God, to His glory.  And that is my deepest prayer and the truest longing of my heart.  

Allowing God this kind of control, living with this kind of devotion and trust...it's not easy, it does not come naturally to most of us.  I want to be in charge of me!!  I want to do my thing, in my time, in my way. But that is not the path to a peaceful, deeply fulfilling life.  I can personally attest to that. It's in giving all to the Lord, that we become all we are meant to be.  How hard that is to remember!  And that brings us to the next song we sang on Sunday (and it one of my faves).  It one of the absolutely best lines in it I've ever heard in a song, or anywhere else for that matter.  One of those short prayers that should be a whisper on our hearts and lips each and every day.

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders."  How many of us can honestly, wholeheartedly pray that prayer?  I know there are things I hold back, things I'm frightened of letting go...frightened of the answers and the results.  But that is a border.  It holds me back from living the transformed life of Romans 12.

Beautiful God visits, through song and Scripture.  We serve an amazingly intimate and awesome God.

Lord, let my life be transformed by You.   Truly lead me where my trust has no borders, no limits. The way you operate in my life is so beautiful, so honoring.  I am humbled by Your touch.  Show us how to live a life wholly devoted to You, sharing Your love, and Your tender care with those around us.  I ask You to help all of us tear down our fences.  Lord, remind us to keep our attention and focus on You.  Let us trust totally and unconditionally. Transform us!

Relax in God's presence and let His music wash over you, flooding your heart with His peace.  Sit quietly with Him today, just for a little while, rest.

Romans 12:1-2  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 your think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  

from the living translation (sometimes I just love the way it puts things):

 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Power For Living

We've been in Romans for our Bible Study.  And last week I wrote how I felt like Romans 12 was a little instruction book for life.  But how do we put it into practice?  It's hard to love our enemies and be kind to them.  Sometimes even doing right by those we care about requires more sacrifice than we are comfortable with.  Practice hospitality?  I'v worked all week, I'm tired and I'd have to clean the house!!  And sometimes, isn't it easier, less lonely to follow the world around us, than to stand up and stand out?  Living our the instructions in Romans 12 might seem a herculean task at times.  I know for me it is. Some of it comes more naturally than other parts of the chapter.

This weeks sermon pointed to the answer for that how question.  It's the power of God that makes it possible for us to do, what for us as humans, seems impossible.  Our Pastor gave us some verses that I will share with you.  He spoke of "embracing" certain aspects of our Christian walk and way of life. I believe as we "embrace" these verses, take them into us and make them our own, believe and rely on them, we will see changes in our hearts, and the ability to live out Romans 12 in our daily lives. What a wonderful blessing that will be for us, and for those around us!

Again it seems as if the Lord is stringing things together...a kind of part one, part two....to get His message across, and again He is using His wonderful Word to do it.  It's the season of the Bible! (I'm pretty sure that the Bible is always in season though.  LOL)  On to the verses.

Philippians 3:10a  I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.

The same power that raised Christ from the dead, lives in me, empowering me to live the life God designed.  Imagine that!  Let it flow!!

2 Corinthians 12:8-9  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time He said, "My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness.  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

It's about God, it's His power at work.  It's not me!  Let His power shine through!

Ephesians 6:17  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.  

The Word of God contains an endless supply of promises and directions.  Search it.  Study it.  Stay in it. Take it into our heart. Let's open our Bibles (and keep them open)!

When I look into Romans 12 I see the way I want to live my life.  But it's the power of the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit that make it possible.  I cannot do it by sheer willpower.  And I know that it's all a process.....in Romans 12:2  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way your think.  Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.  

It's a process.  It's a threefold effort....We put God's Word in us....through reading, listening, studying. The Holy Spirit then goes to work inside, transforming us, changing our hearts and our thinking.  We listen for the Holy Spirit's leading, believe and obey.  Our lives then, usually slowly, come to reflect the glory and character of Christ!  2 Corinthians 3:18  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord   And the Lord--who is this Spirit--makes us more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.  

Thank You Lord for this answer, and for the power You have given us.  Work in us today, let us be obedient to Your leading, believing You are more than able to make us into the people You want us to be, living lives that are holy and acceptable to You.  Today I want to follow Your instructions!  

Make a plan to study the Bible.  Then do it.



 

Life's Little Instruction Book

I've mentioned in previous post that we are studying the book of Romans in our Sunday morning Bible study at my church.  This week I am working on chapter 12.  As I'm reading through the verses and a thought pops into my head--this book has all the instructions one needs to get through life!  It speaks of our relationship to God, ourselves, and others.  How do we worship and honor God?  Verses 1-2.  How we see ourselves? Verses 3, 6, and 16.  Life in the church?  Verses 4-8, 13.   People in general?  Verses 9-10.  Work?  Verse 11.  Our mental and spiritual outlook? Verse 12.  How about dealing with those who don't treat us right?  It addresses that too in verses 14-20.  And just for an all encompassing, wide range way of going through this life?  Verse 21.

How awesome is this.  If we read this chapter a few days a week, really plant it in our hearts, I'm sure the Holy Spirit would use this to transform our lives into a beautiful reflection of Christ Himself.       2 Corinthians 3:18: So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Once again, as the Lord and I had our time yesterday morning, He gave me a special touch through His Word.  I love it!  And the bonus blessing is I get to share it with people here on this blog!

 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. 2 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.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.  4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 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. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 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.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 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!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 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.
20 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.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Lord, help us to follow Your instructions.  Make them the anchor for our day.  They are the fences that keep us in the good, safe pasture of Your will.  Following Your ways brings peace to our hearts and minds.  It's not always easy, and we need Your Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.  Help us with the submission part!  Lord, forgive me for falling so short.  Today, I want to reflect Your Son.

Make Romans 12 a part of your reading!







 

Proverbs

These are the proverbs of Solomon, David's son, king of Israel.

Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them 

understand the insights of the wise.

Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,

to help them do what is right, just and fair.

These proverbs will give insight to the simple,

knowledge and discernment to the young.

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.

Let those with understanding receive guidance 

by exploring the meaning in these proverbs,

and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,

but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 1:1-7

Lately, it seems many of my "God visits" are coming through Scripture.  It's funny, when I look back on those special touches in which God has made Himself known in my days, sometimes I've seen seasons of similitude.  For a while it was comforting, encouraging music, other times it's been one or two poignant sentences while listening to podcasts.  Sermons have spoken to me, there have been heart reaching devotionals and teachings I've encountered that brought correction and instruction. Lately it has been the Scriptures themselves popping off the  clean white pages of my much loved new Bible.  Other times, the Lord just strings a few different ways together and makes a stunning jewel coated rope that brings His message together for me.  I love how the Lord works in our lives, always just what we need, even if we don't know we need it, or some days, don't really want to hear it! LOL

Many years back, one of the ways I used to read my Bible was to do one Psalm and one Proverb each day. It was one of those "plans" on reading your Bible.   And it really is a pretty good one!   I've gotten back into reading the "In Touch" daily devotionals and they have a program where you can read a few  Bible chapters a day and by years end you will have read the whole Bible. Yesterday, for some reason I decided to read the chapters for that day, which were in the Book of Proverbs.  As I read, I realized I had not spent any time in this book for quite a while and was missing out on some of the greatest words of wisdom in all of history and in all the world.   Gee, I've missed this book!!

Listen to these verses!  In this day and age, where wickedness and evil seem to prevail at every turn we are reminded in Proverbs 13:9  The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the light of the wicked will be snuffed out.  There's a warning on pride in 13:10:  Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.  Who are you hanging out with?  Proverbs 14:7  Stay away from fools, for you won't find knowledge on their lips.  Okay, this one I love.  Proverbs 14:4  Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. You gotta get messy to bear some fruit!!  And speaking of harvesting..check out 14:22:  If you plan to do evil, you will be lost; if you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.  Want good health?  Proverbs 14:30  A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.  And anger is not very prudent according to this wonderful book.  15:29 People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.  

On and on it goes...wisdom after wisdom.  Any instruction you can possible need to get through your day, your life, it's in here!!  Wouldn't it be great if the whole world starting reading and following this sage advice given to King Solomon by God?  But even if the most of the world's population ignore God's Word, we can still make our little sphere of influence and our time on this earth better, richer, more peaceful and God-glorifying.  I'm so glad the Lord brought me back into this beautiful book.  I think I'm going back to reading a Psalm and a Proverb a day.  I've missed it!

Lord, You are so smart. Beyond anything I can think or imagine.  Help me and all of us, to remember that fact when things don't go the way we like.  Lord, I want to follow Your precepts and principles...for in them is the path of life, the road to peace and the highway to joy and fruitfulness. Lord, let each of us plan each day to live by Your ways, then we will walk in Your unfailing love and faithfulness. Thank You for giving us clear instructions...let us not be lazy and fail to  utilize this wonderful book You've given...Proverbs 14:23  Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty! Only through hard work and diligence can we grow.  Help me to make this a priority in my life, to not let living and busyness crowd out Your presence and Your Word.  I pray in the holy, precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Make a plan today to read some of Proverbs everyday.  You will be blessed!

Teach me Your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end

Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;

I will put them into practice with all my heart.

Make me walk along the path of Your commands, 

for that is where my happiness is found.

Give me and eagerness for Your laws rather than a love for money!

Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your Word.

Psalm 119:33-37

It Hurts

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

It hurts.  That's all you know.  Life feels like you are living in a windowless room, no light can penetrate, and  even  if you could find the door it would be locked anyway.  And it hurts.  I've been there.  I know someone who is there now.  And I know many others sit in the dark, wondering if they are forgotten or will ever get out.  At times like these faith seems futile.  Why bother?  You don't have the energy or desire to scrape some together anyway.  In times like these we feel God has forgotten us, hates us, or maybe doesn't even exist.   But none of those are true.  Satan loves for us to blame God, to turn from Him, to stop believing.  It plays into his evil plans for us, for destruction, for loss. I've done this myself...doubted, blamed, turned away...and yet, God never did.  He never turned from me.  And He is not turning from you either.  He is there with us in the fire, even if we can't see through the smoke and flames.

This is the time to seek Him more, through prayer and fasting, study and worship.   This is the time when we need to go to the deepest parts of ourselves and dig in.  This is the time to hold on tight to the promises of Scripture.  All those things....it's hard, but it's the only way to exit the fire, unharmed and not even smelling like smoke.  Why bother?  Because the truth is God has a good plan.  It's just a ways down the road and out of sight right now.  I know.  I am in my own dark tunnel in some areas of my life.  I don't see the light, there is no easy way through.  I don't see the plan.  And I hate it.  But I know God.

For all those who are fighting, for those who have given up, I pray.  I pray you will lift your face to the Lord.  I pray that He will give you the strength for today.  I know it's empty and dark...I pray that this hour, this minute you will grasp His hand and hold on.  Lord, light a spark of belief, a tiny flame of trust and let it grow.  Thank You for the example of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  I pray that this entry will encourage those who are in the fire.  You are God.  You are sovereign and You know infinitely more than we ever can...help Your children to believe and hold onto that truth.

Take a tiny step of belief today.

Romans 11:33-34 Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge!  How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways.  For who can know the Lord's thoughts?  Who knows enough to give Him advice. 

Romans 8:35-39  Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?  Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?   (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed everyday; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 43:1-4  But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.  O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.   I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.  Others were given in exchange for you. traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you.

This was a verse the Lord gave me long ago, when I was in an especially dark and heartless place. He just wants each of us to know how very precious we are to Him.  Praying for all of you, dear readers, that you will be encouraged, be strong in the Lord, and hold on.

Fast, From Mom

Fasting.  Not something many of us think about or even do anymore.  I haven't heard or seen it spoken of in quite a while.  But it's such a strong tool of Christ's body for fighting the evil around us, clarifying our minds and spirits when seeking God's will,  showing repentance and clearing our lives of the junk so easily collected.  Scriptures speaks of it, and Jesus taught it about it.  Here's Mom's thoughts and the information she found as she studied it.

A voluntary denial of food for a time set aside.  Absolute fast:  abstinence from both food and liquids. Normal fast:  abstinence from food only.  Partial fast:  abstinence from certain kinds of foods.

Jonah 3:5  The people of Nineveh believed God's message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.  

Our minds become clear.  We get greater understanding of Scripture.  We have increased spiritual discernment.  God's power is released into our lives.  Greater intimacy with the Lord.


 After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edo] is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)

3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord’s help.

5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’

10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. 11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.

15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord.  19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.

20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:

“Give thanks to the Lord;
    his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

When we fast it is a sincere, heartfelt desire admitting our helplessness to God.

vs15:  Do not be afraid nor dismayed.
vs 6.7:  You are my God.
vs12: for we have no power...nor do we know what to do, but my yeys are upon you.

vs3 fasting
vs4-13 prayer
vs21-22 praise

Humble yourself before God.  Seek the Lord God with all your heart.  Set yourself to seek the Lord. Remember, fasting is not a tool by which one manipulates God to accomplish something.  Fasting should be and is simply an outward indication of an inward sincerity, evidence of the urgency we feel when praying for special needs.

Fast: a time set aside to mourn or pray with no provision for one's normal needs. (Word Wealth)  The power of fasting is to prepare us spiritually for God's work in our lives.  It allows us to give Him our individual attention and we begin to see things from His perspective.  With the Holy Spirit's help we will be able to identify areas in us that need to be changed.

Ezra 8:21-23  And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God.  We prayed that He would give us safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.  For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way.  After all, we had told the king, "Our God's hand of protection is on all who worship Him, but His fierce anger rages against those who abandon Him, so we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and He heard our prayer.  

Pray, humble ourselves before God.  Seek from Him the right way--for ourselves, for our families, for our possessions.  He will answer our prayers.  Seek--His guidance, His assistance.  Allow unanswered prayer to become time for soul searching.

Fasting is to be seen only by God.  Matthew 6:16-18, 9:15  And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting.  I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.  But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.  Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private.  And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.  9:15  Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom?  Of course not.  But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast."

Pray, fast and seek the Lord.  Praise the Lord.  Acts 13:1-3  Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called "the black man"), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood  companion of King Herod Antipas) and Saul.  One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them."  So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.  

Fasting is a spiritual exercise, a voluntary restraint from food, a seeking of God for some specific spiritual need or for some specific individual's struggle. Whatever or whoever the Holy Spirit puts into our hearts.  "I pray this fast, Lord, is not merely rote, but I come to you heartfelt and prayerfully. I seek your direction and wisdom at this time."

Fasting for my desire, for a powerful relationship with God--more intimate, deeper.  To un-clutter my spirit, be more sensitive to God's will, to be more hungry for God than food.

Giving, praying, fasting.  Practiced together in the life of a believer will not be easily broken.

From myself.  And might I add to that list, worship, thanksgiving and praise.  Fasting, along with these others, is a spiritual discipline no believer should be living without.  I know I need more of it in my life.

Lord, show us when we need to fast.  Lead us in this practice, for ourselves, for others, for Your glory.  If it's something we've never done before, show us how.  Lord, we need more of You in our lives.  Bring us deeper.  Let us fast to honor, fast to humble, fast to be closer to You, hear You more clearly.  You alone are God.  You alone are our all in all.  Let everything in our lives become faded and secondary to You, to Your will, to Your leading.  Thank You for the powerful tool You've given us in fasting.  Teach us to use it!

Ask the Lord to guide you in a fast this week.  For His purpose, in His way.  Be bold!  You can do it!