HELP!

Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV)

46 God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

Verse 1 of this passage came to my mind today as I was praying. I thanked my Lord that not only is He ever present and ready to help in times of trouble, He is ready to help all the time. What a comfort! I don't know what all you have going on in your life right now, but for me, things are pretty busy and all of the things going on are important. I needed this reminder to ask Him for help. I need to get over my "I've got this one" attitude and start relying more on Him to help me even in the small stuff. For example, I should ask Him to "help" me maintain a good attitude as I go through my day. More often than not, the people I am interacting with are swamped with responsibilities, too. A clash of wills could cause things to sour in hurry. I could also ask Him to "help" me remember that He is in control when I feel like things are out of control. What about you? Is your load feeling especially heavy? Do you need  help? Is there someone you think isn't carrying their part of the load? Maybe the Lord wants to give you the strength for the task at hand and show you that with His "help," you can do it!

Letting God be God

James 5:11 (ESV)

¹¹ Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, howthe Lord is compassionate and merciful.

After all the times our Lord has been true to His nature, I wonder why we are so quick as Bible believing Christians to doubt His goodness, His mercy, His love or any other of His many proven attributes. Haven't we learned by now that He does not act contrary to His nature? He can be trusted! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In her book, No Pat Answers, Eugenia Price said, 

We need to be freed from the disillusionment, disappointment, and perplexity which almost inevitably follow when we expect God to do a certain thing under a certain set of circumstances-especially when we expect Him to act in a way which we can understand as being "merciful and right," as coming from the hand of our concept of a loving Father.

Like the Israelites, all too quickly, we tire of going out daily to gather manna or having to get our water from a rock. A loving Father, we think, would provide in some other way. Perhaps we were better off before we followed God's man out into the dry, hopeless desert. Can this really be the way to a land flowing with milk and honey? Yet, He has promised to be with us, to go before and behind. If we believe this, how can we question or judge, His method of handling us on the journey?  Is there any promise He has left unfulfilled? Has any need gone unmet? How can we be so fully trusting one minute and so full of the doubt the next?  

It seems to me this is the very same strategy, our enemy, Satan, used with Eve in the garden. Wasn't it his goal the make Eve believe that her Creator wasn't all He made Himself out to be? Is there area of your life where you are offended by your Lord's handling of the situation? Will you let go of the doubts and disappointment and trust again in the nature of the One you know to be your loving Father?

 

No need to fear. No need to dread.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

¹⁰ fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

In 1975, the town I grew up in was hit by a tornado. One of the local elementary schools was damaged and I remember my dad taking my mom and me to my grandparents' house to stay while he went to help the victims. I was five years old and a lover of baby dolls. My mom let me pack all my dolls in a huge black garbage bag and bring them with me. Once we were at my grandparents' house, I lined them up beside each other the entire length of my grandma's brown vinyl couch. I remember making sure they knew they were safe. I remember the security of knowing I was safe there with my mom and grandparents.
I know I have used today's verse in blogs before when speaking of our Lord upholding us with His righteous right hand. This week I read it and was struck by the first part of the verse. "Do not fear. Do  not be dismayed." We are dismayed when we are upset or alarmed, or when we lose our courage or resolution because of dread or apprehension. I admit sometimes I become afraid and lose my courage. The prophet Isaiah penned God's words to me. He is my God. He will strengthen me. He will help me. He will uphold me with His righteous right hand.
Is there something you are facing right now that is creating dread or apprehension? Just like when I took time to carefully gather every baby doll and carry them to safety, you can trust that the God, who would leave the ninety-nine sheep to go after one, is aware of your situation. No need to fear. No need to dread for He is your God. He will strengthen you where you are weak. He will help you. You do not have to possess all of the ability that is required. He will hold you up. You can rest knowing you are safe in Him! For further study and more encouragement, consider reading all of Is. 41.

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 90)

Psalm 90(NLT)

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

¹ Lord, through all the generations
    you have been our home!
² Before the mountains were born,
    before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
    from beginning to end, you are God.

³ You turn people back to dust, saying,
    “Return to dust, you mortals!”
⁴ For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
    as brief as a few night hours.
⁵ You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
    They are like grass that springs up in the morning.
⁶ In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
    but by evening it is dry and withered.
⁷ We wither beneath your anger;
    we are overwhelmed by your fury.
⁸ You spread out our sins before you—
    our secret sins—and you see them all.
⁹ We live our lives beneath your wrath,
    ending our years with a groan.

¹⁰ Seventy years are given to us!
    Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
    soon they disappear, and we fly away.
¹¹ Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
    Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.
¹² Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
    so that we may grow in wisdom.

¹³ O Lord, come back to us!
    How long will you delay?
    Take pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
¹⁵ Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
¹⁶ Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
¹⁷ And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful!

Moses' prayerful contemplation of the brevity of life reminds me of an illustration in which C.S. Lewis suggests that we think of an infinitely extended piece of paper. That would be eternity. Then on that paper draw a short line to represent time. As the line begins and ends on that infinite expanse, so time began in God and will end in Him. If we combine the thoughts of Lewis and Moses, we can quickly surmise that our own lives are but a dot on a short line called time in the infinite expanse of all eternity. According to Moses, when we realize the brevity of life, we will begin to grow in wisdom. What is God asking you to do, the results of which would outlive your dot? Perhaps, it is something as simple as taking your kids or grandkids to church every Sunday. Could it be He wants you to pick up the neighbors kids and take them? Maybe it requires a little more. Is God asking you to help someone finance their mission trip or could He be asking you to go? Does He want you to teach Sunday school or share the gospel with a coworker? We have unlimited resources for creating results that will go on way past our little dots. Moses closed his prayer with these words, I will end with them too, "And may the Lord show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful"

He Will Finish What He Started

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Whose spiritual growth have you entrusted to the Lord knowing that He will finish what He has begun in them? Is there a prodigal child? Is there one away at college? Do you have a friend or loved one who is struggling? Have you said all you know to say? Is there someone you long to be with who is facing the world alone? Is it hard for you to "let go and let God?" Paul trusted the Lord to keep working in the Philippians even in his absence. We can trust, too.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
I thank you for giving this truth to me regarding two people in my life. I confess that I have prayed less than I should for I have considered their choices "final." But, it was You who started the work in them and You will finish it. Help me to be faithful to pray. In Jesus Name...Amen

According to His Riches

Philippians 4:19 (ESV)

¹⁹ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

In Bible Study this week, we were challenged to list our needs and commit to praying about the things on the list every time we think of them. I listed my needs, but it has taken me a couple of days seeking the Lord to figure out exactly what my prayer regarding each need should be. I want to be specific with my Lord and pray according to His will. Is the need for the situation to be changed or is the need for me to be changed? I have requests for both on my list. Another issue in regard to this challenge is committing to pray rather than fret or worry. I will have to stop myself and chose to pray. I also have to deal with the fact that for most of the things I listed, I don't see a "quick fix" on the horizon. I need my Lord to supply the need out of "His riches in glory" like the verse says. When the needs are met, all glory will belong to Him! How do I know He will come through? Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God proves true."
What about you? Will you make a list? Will you ask God how you should pray? Will you pray every time you think about those things? Will you trust with me that God is going to provide for our needs out of His riches in glory? ALL GLORY TO JEHOVAH-JIREH, OUR PROVIDER!

Faithfulness Yields Favor

Daniel 1:8-21 (ESV)

⁸ But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. ⁹ And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, ¹⁰ and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” ¹¹ Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹² “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³ Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” ¹⁴ So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵ At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. ¹⁶ So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

¹⁷ As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. ¹⁸ At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. ²⁰ And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. ²¹ And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

The decision not to defile themselves with the food and drink offered by the king ultimately gained Daniel and his friends favor and position. In the competitive world we live in, it is hard not to compromise and follow the world's methods for trying to get ahead. We need to remember that in Christ Jesus we are called to higher standard. We are called to act like Jesus. In what way are you being tempted to act like the majority instead of the minority? Will you trust the Lord's way and wait for His will to prevail? It may not be easy, but He is sure to honor your faithfulness!

Proverbs 28:20 (ESV)

²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

Undivided Devotion

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (ESV)

³² I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. ³³ But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. ³⁵ I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

In this passage about marriage and singleness, one particular phrase stands out to me..."to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." I began wondering how often my devotion is divided. I try to be totally surrendered to the Lord and make Him the priority He should be, but I admit, often I am tempted to please others like this passage suggests. It isn't just our spouses that can cause us to choose to divide our devotion. Many people or even things can prompt divided devotion. It's important here to notice that Paul said he wasn't trying to lay restraint upon them. In other words, he wasn't making a rule or a law, but he wanted them to be free from anxieties. Think about it...when we let other people or things come between us and the Lord or cause us to only be partly devoted to our Lord, we bring anxiety on ourselves. For example, if I spend too much time watching TV and not enough time preparing to lead my small group Bible study, I have divided my devotion. Or if I make exercise my priority instead of preparing dinner for my family, I have divided my devotion. God intends for me to make my small group and my family a priority because He has given those responsibilities to me. In the same way, I have to be careful not to spend so much time on dinner or my small group that I forgo my personal time with the Lord. The attention we give to things and to others in our lives needs to be a reflection of our first being wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. Let's take time today to regroup and make sure our hearts haven't become divided.

The Most Profitable Investment

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP)

¹⁶ Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),

¹⁷ So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As a culture, we pride ourselves in doing things that are profitable. We invest in our retirement. We exercise. We change the oil in our cars every 3000 miles. We buy organic products. We forego upsizing the combo meal. You get the idea...and when we don't do those things, we talk about how we should be doing them in order to get the most value or best results in the long run. Likewise, we need to understand that to get the most out of our spiritual journey, we need to invest in the study of God's Word. Why? As Paul said to the young pastor, Timothy, Scripture is "God-breathed." In other words, it comes straight from God. It isn't interspersed with the thoughts of man. The words written were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We need to be cautious and not make a habit of reading the best selling Christian authors' works in place of spending time in the Scriptures. There are many wonderful books to enhance our journey, but the books included in the Bible are the only books 100% divinely inspired.
Paul went on to list the ways in which God's Word is profitable:
~for instruction - How many times have you put a toy together on Christmas Eve only to end up with parts and pieces left over because you failed to read the instructions manual? It's the same with our spiritual lives...there's no need to have things falling apart when we could have done it right the first time by reading and heeding the instructions our Lord provided for us.
~for reproof and conviction of sin - I know...it isn't fun to be told when we've done something wrong, but it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance.
~ for correction of error and discipline in obedience - One of the beautiful things about God's reproof and conviction is that He has told us not just the things we shouldn't do, but also how we should behave instead. Obedience to the Lord results in blessing!
~ for training in righteousness - When we let the Lord develop us through His Word, we become spiritually fit and we begin to look more and more like Jesus in thought, purpose, and action.
Becoming spiritually fit requires an investment just like going to the gym, but the benefits outweigh the effort in big ways.  You will become complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work!

Awake Oh My Soul, Guest Blog by Marianne Chamblee

Psalm 118:24 (ESV)

²⁴ This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The dawn pushes back the curtains of night and a new day greets me.  What will I do with this day?

Micah 6:8 gives me my instruction; “He has told you O’Man what is good and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”.

In the words of Ralph S. Cushman;

I will not hurry through this day

Lord, I will listen by the way

To humming bees and singing birds

To speaking trees and friendly words

And for the moments in between

Seek glimpses of THY great Unseen

I will not hurry through this day,

I will take time to think and pray;

I will look up into the sky,

Where fleecy clouds and swallows fly

And somewhere in the day, maybe

I will catch whispers Lord from THEE.

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 27)

Psalm 27 (ESV)

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

27 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
⁹     Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will take me in.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
¹² Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living!
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;
    wait for the Lord!

In light of the events of this past week, Psalm 27 seems very appropriate. I invite you to read it and take it personally. Find yourself in the words. Let them comfort you. Pull out the truths about your Lord, about yourself, and even about your enemies. David's words, the Holy Spirit's words to us, are valuable and worthy of attention and remembrance. I'm asking the Lord to meet us right here. As we wait for Him to speak to us, I pray He will make us brave and fill us with His courage.

My heart has heard you say "Come and talk with me." 

My heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."(v. 8, NLT)

Time Alone with Jesus

Luke 4:42-44 (NLT)

⁴² Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them. ⁴³ But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So he continued to travel around, preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.

Scripture indicates that it was common for Jesus to go off by Himself especially early in the morning to pray and spend time alone with His Father. In this passage in Luke, we find Jesus trying to be alone when the crowd found Him and began begging Him not to leave them. Of course, Jesus was not deterred by the begging crowd. He remained focused.
Unlike Jesus, I can be deterred at times by the demands of other things and other people pressing in on me. I awake with a list of what needs to be accomplished on my mind and before I know it, the whole morning will have gotten away from me and I won't have spent a minute alone with my Lord. I want to follow Jesus' example. I want time with Him to be the first priority in my day everyday. I want to be alert and surrendered to following His will. I want to talk to Him and hear Him speak to me. Don't you? Will you put whatever is begging for your attention aside and spend some time alone with Jesus today? Will you open God's Word and let Him speak to you? Will you talk to your Heavenly Father and give Him time to talk to you? What a blessing we miss out on when we miss our time with Him!

No Orphans of God

Isaiah 1:17 (NLT)

¹⁷ Learn to do good.
    Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
    Defend the cause of orphans.
    Fight for the rights of widows.

At a presentation last night, I listened to a short-term missionary speak about his trip to the other side the globe and his visit to an orphanage. The children in the orphanage all carry HIV, but none of them have AIDS. Their country has deemed them ineligible for adoption. They look perfectly normal...sweet little babies and smiling older children. All of them appeared happy to interact with the mission team. I thought about how that orphanage which is not run by Christians is a prison of sorts for them. It protects the world from them.
In the same presentation, we heard from the team with whom my husband went into one of our state prisons. The prisoners, for a different reason than the children, are kept away from society for our protection. These are two completely different kinds of prison, yet both groups equally need to know  "there are no orphans of God" as the Avalon song says. One speaker said of the prisoners, "they are physically restrained, but they can be spiritually free."
There are two applications here...
First, are you imprisoned by your circumstances either innocently like the children or by your own doing like the prisoners? Do you realize you can be spiritually set free? Christ Jesus came to set us free. Surrender in this case is the first step to freedom. Will you surrender your life to Jesus?
Second, who do you know who is in prison...circumstantially or spiritually? Will you go into their cell/their orphanage/their village and love them in the name of Jesus?

Hebrews 13:3 (NLT)

³ Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

From Daily Strength for Daily Needs, by Mary Tileston

A treasure has come to me by way of my oldest daughter in a discard pile of books. I must say here that it is not like her to let such get out of her grasp. The little book I have discovered, Daily Strength for Daily Needs, was first printed in 1884 and is a devotional compilation by Mary Wilder Tileston. I have "googled" her only to find that little is known of this woman except that she had a love for spiritual literature. Today, I bring you her entry dated April 17th. I know you will marvel with me at timelessness of her selections. Enjoy!

Blessed it the man that maketh the Lord his trust. - Ps. xl. 4

That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. - I Tim. ii. 2

Just to let thy Father do

What He will;

Just to know that He is true

And be still;

Just to trust Him, this is all!

Then the day will surely be

Peaceful, whatsoe'er befall,

Bright and blessed, calm and free.

                                                         F.R. Havergal

Every morning compose your soul for a tranquil day, and all through it be careful often to recall your resolution, and bring yourself back to it, so to say. If something discomposes you, do not be upset, or troubled; but having discovered the fact, humble yourself gently before God, and try to bring your mind into a quiet attitude. Say to yourself, "Well, I have made a false step; now I must go more carefully and watchfully." Do this each time, however frequently you fall. When you are at peace use it profitably, making constant acts of meekness, and seeking to be calm even in the most trifling things. Above all, do not be discouraged; be patient; wait; strive to attain a calm, gentle spirit.

                                                                                            St. Francis de Sales

Unexpected Explosions

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

³ You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
⁴ Trust in the Lord always,
    for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

Yesterday, all eyes focused on one spot on the globe. The day set apart for joy and celebration quickly turned from triumph to tragedy. Cameras positioned to capture images of endurance and determination instead recorded fear and pain. Peace was interrupted...terror took over! The bombs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon and the immediate turmoil that followed caused onlookers around the world to grieve and hopefully, pray. I caught myself thinking of how many unsuspecting people face bombs of some sort everyday...not literal bombs necessarily, but unexpected tragedies that dramatically change  lives forever. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge my heart, "When outer peace is disrupted, inner peace takes over!" It's the inner peace of the heart that transcends all understanding. It's the peace that comes from knowing Jesus that will sustain us when outward peace explodes into chaos. If your external peace is under attack, cling to Jesus, our eternal Rock, and allow His perfect peace of the heart to take over. I know you join me in prayering for the people of Boston and those from around the world whose lives were impacted by yesterday's explosions.  

You are My God

Joshua 24:16-18 (ESV)

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, ¹⁷ for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

My eyes fell on this passage yesterday morning as our pastor was preaching from the passage above it. I particularly noticed the things the children of Israel recognized the Lord for doing in their lives. I personalized them on my paper as follows:
~ You brought me out.
~ You set me free.
~ You performed great signs.
~ You preserved me.
~ You drove out my enemy.
Therefore, I will serve You, for You are my God!
Once I had all these things written out, I realized He had done all of these for me through Jesus. Which of these do you need to claim today? Can you think of New Testament verses that point to Jesus for all of these things? Joshua went on to challenge the people to be sincere in their commitment and put away all their foreign gods. We, too, can make the mistake of letting something else or someone else become our focus taking our eyes off Jesus. Let's remember all these things He has done, ask forgiveness where we have lost sight of Him, and refocus our attention on our Redeemer!

The Side Road

Isaiah 58:11 (ESV)

¹¹ And the Lord will guide you continually
    and satisfy your desire in scorched places
    and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
    like a spring of water,
    whose waters do not fail.

I found a note I had written to the Lord in my journal asking Him what He intended to have me do while I was on a particular "side road." In other words, that day I must have felt my Lord had detoured me. If I remember correctly, I found myself reading a book I had not intended to read. I picked it up and found the Lord spoke to me immediately. Does the Lord have you taking a detour? Did you plot out a different course only to find that you have been led a different way? For all of us who are plotters and planners, it is hard to regroup and go another direction when we think our course has been set. For example, Matthew 2:12 says, "And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they (the wise men) departed to their own country another way." The wise men were still headed toward their original destination, but their path had changed. Another instance of this happening is I Corinthians 16:8-9 where Paul said, "But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." In Paul's case, the plan changed keeping him from moving on in order to seize the opportunity before him. It could be the Lord has you on a side road for your own protection or for a special task. I think the lesson we need to learn is "don't despise the side road." There really isn't a side road. It may not be the road we thought we would take, but it's the road God had planned for us all along!

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 93)

Psalm 93 (NLT)

Psalm 93

¹ The Lord is king! He is robed in majesty.
    Indeed, the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength.
The world stands firm
    and cannot be shaken.

² Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
    You yourself are from the everlasting past.
³ The floods have risen up, O Lord.
    The floods have roared like thunder;
    the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
⁴ But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
    mightier than the breakers on the shore—
    the Lord above is mightier than these!
⁵ Your royal laws cannot be changed.
    Your reign, O Lord, is holy forever and ever.

He's got the whole world in His hands,
He's got the whole wide world in His hands,
He's got the whole world in His hands,
He's got the whole world in His hands.
Do you remember as a child confidently singing these words with your hands cupped while you swayed back and forth? It seems in the society where we live today, there are more and more reasons question the reality of this little song. The truth is there is never any reason to question. Our God is as strong as ever and our world stands as firm as it did on the day our Lord spoke it into being. Sure there are floods rising, floods have risen before, and they will surely rise again, but the Lord is mightier. Our God is sovereign! The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary says, "The Bible teaches that God possesses all power and is the ruler of all things. God rules and works according to His eternal purpose, even through events that seem to contradict or oppose His rule." I know when we look around we see things all over the world that seem to contradict, but His laws cannot be changed. His reign is holy forever and ever!!!
To what area of your life do you need to apply this truth? Will you make a decision to no longer side with those who favor fear, but rather to take a stand for faith? I pray this be the song of our hearts today:
My God is so big!
So strong and so mighty!
There's nothing my God cannot do!

Devoted to Doing Good

Titus 3:3-8 (NLT)

³ Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
⁴ But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, ⁵ he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. ⁶ He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. ⁷ Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” ⁸ This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

Paul thought this kind of teaching was essential for we need to be reminded that we too used to be lost, but in Christ Jesus by His grace and mercy we have been changed. The change in us should prompt us to always be ready to do good works. Let's look at how we used to be: foolish, disobedient, misled, slaves to lusts and pleasures, full of evil and envy, and hatred. After we were saved, He washed away all our sins, gave us a new birth and a new life, and poured out His spirit on us through Jesus. Now, we are declared righteous and have the confidence of eternal life.
All of that and we did nothing to deserve it...not one righteous deed for there was no righteous deed in us. Now we have the opportunity to do good. Scripture says our good deeds were prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. It also says that when we know to do good and choose not to, it is sin. Sometimes it's hard and we don't want to choose to do good. It is easy to revert back to our old ways. Jesus came that we might walk in a better way...the best way. I challenge us today (and I am right there with you), are we choosing to do what is good? Do we look at the world around us through the love of Christ realizing that except for the grace of God, we used to be just that lost. Or do we scoff and go our way? Let's be looking out for doors of opportunity today! Someone is going to need to be loved like Jesus loves them! In Christ, that love is waiting to overflow from you!