For They Will Be Comforted

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)

³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. ⁴ He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

I have a dear friend who is faithful to remind me in love of this truth when I go through difficult circumstances or seasons of my life. "Just think," she has told me, "one day, the Lord will bring someone to you with this same kind of problem and you will be able to minister to them." Sometimes that is hard to swallow in the midst of my circumstances, but isn't it true based on what this scripture says? My Lord comforts me in my affliction, so that later on I will be able to offer that same kind of comfort to someone else in their dark hour. In further study of the word comfort, I was lead to this exchange between Ruth and Boaz, her kinsman redeemer.

Ruth 2:11-13 (NLT)

¹¹ “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. ¹² May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
¹³ “I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”

Boaz knew what Ruth had done and the sacrifices she had made in seeing to her mother-in-law's needs. He knew that even though she was not Jewish, she had come to take refuge in the One True Living God, and he knew God would bless her for what she had done. Boaz's words were a comfort to Ruth. It's the same for us friend...Our Lord, our Redeemer, knows the sacrifices we have made. He knows the struggles we have faced. He knows our endurance in hard times. He knows the trust we have placed in Him. He is our refuge and He is going to bless us. We can be comforted by His words to us in the written Word. I wonder who Ruth went on to comfort later in life. She was King David's great-grandmother; perhaps she offered comfort to the "man after God's own heart." You and I don't know who's life we will be able to touch with the Lord's comfort as a result of today's struggle in our own life, but we can trust that this too shall pass and our Lord will use us as His Word says. Let these words written in red from our Redeemer fill us with hope, "God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Mark 5:4

A Wide-Open Door

1 Corinthians 16:5-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

Paul’s Final Instructions

⁵ I am coming to visit you after I have been to Macedonia, for I am planning to travel through Macedonia. ⁶ Perhaps I will stay awhile with you, possibly all winter, and then you can send me on my way to my next destination. ⁷ This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me.⁸ In the meantime, I will be staying here at Ephesus until the Festival of Pentecost. ⁹ There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.

Paul has options...he has plans for going to see the Corinthians, probably travel through Macedonia, maybe stay the winter with them, would like to stay longer than he did last time, and then, go on to the next destination. Paul also has opposition...which seems to be the norm wherever he goes. The thing that stands out most to me in this passage is that Paul has opportunity...A Great Door of Opportunity right where he is in Ephesus. He is staying put, because there is work to be done. Only a few verses earlier, Paul told the Corinthian believers to "be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." This is a great lesson for you and me. Sometimes I start weighing my options and devising my own plans as to what I want to do for the Lord when really there is a wide-open door for service right where I am. Other times, I let perceived opposition stand in the way of ministry opportunities. I miss out when I let either one of these scenarios keep me from God's will. I need to learn to be strong and immovable when faced with opposition and I need to learn to work enthusiastically where I am until the Lord does something different. I don't want to miss any doors of opportunity because I have my head in the clouds thinking of what is next. Paul had the right idea. Let's look around us today for those wide-open doors for ministry. Let's ask God to give us eyes to see and not to miss what he has for us here in Ephesus because we are so anxious to get to Macedonia.

Help us slow down, Lord, and go at your pace!

Tempted? There's A Way Out!

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (AMP)

¹² Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].

¹³ For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful[to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

In what ways are you tempted? From these verses, we learn that whatever temptation we face we are not alone for all of us are tempted in the same ways. Our enemy would love for us to think that no one has ever suffered such as this and that it is impossible for us to remain strong under such pressure, but that is just not true. God's Word tells us we are never subjected to more than we can bear and there is always a way of escape. It's probably important to mention here that our enemy will also tell us that what lies before us will meet the need, quench the thirst, satisfy the hunger, fulfill the longing...in short, it's going to fix everything. All of those are lies too. If you have any doubts at this point, remember Eve in the garden, Peter when the cock crowed, or David out on the roof noticing Bathsheba. Satan wants us to think it's our right and we deserve the privilege, when in reality we are destined for disaster. Regardless of the temptation you face today, I pray  you will hear the truth..."God will show you a way out so you can endure."

Tempted to quit? Don't. There's a way out!

Tempted to cheat? Don't. There's a way out!

Tempted to fight? Don't. There's a way out!

Tempted to lie? Don't. There's a way out!

Tempted to steal? Don't. There's a way out!

Tempted to _____? Don't. There's a way out!

Heavenly Father, Cause the truth of your Word to be the reality of our hearts. Cause us to call on You for the way of escape rather than listening and believing the lies of the enemy. You are faithful! You are worthy of our trust! Fill us with your strength to stand strong! In Jesus Name...Amen

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 8)

Psalm 8 (ESV)

How Majestic Is Your Name

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith.  A Psalm of David.

8 O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
²     Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
    to still the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that you care for him?

⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under his feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

We are the amazing product of the magnificent God David spoke of in this Psalm for He has made us in His own image. Consider His creation...the wonder of galaxy upon galaxy! Yet, He desires our praise and a relationship with us! The trees could clap their hands and the rocks cry out in praise of Him, but it is man's praise that He longs for! We were His heart's desire when He placed Adam in the garden and when He placed Jesus in the manger. We are still at this very moment His heart's desire! All praise, honor, glory, and majesty belong to the one who thought to make us, who designed us, who formed us, who redeemed us!

The Battle is the Lord's

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat was afraid because he had received word that Judah was about to be attacked by a great multitude from Edom. The king sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast. "We do not know what to do," he prayed to the Lord, "but our eyes are on you." While all of Judah stood before the Lord, the spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men in the assembly. He spoke to the people...

Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's...You will not need to fight this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.~2Chronicles 20:15b, 17

Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah fell down in worship before the Lord. The next morning they went out singing to the Lord. As they sang, the Lord set an ambush against their enemies and caused them to destroy one another. All that was left for the people of Judah to do was collect the spoil. Their God had done all He said He would do!
What battles are on your horizon today? Are you stuck not knowing what to do? Will you seek the Lord? Should you fast? Are you willing to let the Lord fight the battle for you? I confess, friend, that this is where I often fail. I can be very quick to jump right into the battle and try to fight it all by myself with my tongue. Why not go ahead right now and confess to the Lord that you do not know what to do? Then, set your eyes on your Lord and watch for his deliverance.

When I am afraid...

John 14:26-27 (ESV)

²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

When I was in college a friend of mine used to say I had phobia-phobia(I'm sure there is a more scientific name for it)...the fear of being afraid. Not that I was actually scared, but that I was afraid someone would scare me. I do not like to be scared. My oldest daughter is the same way...she always told us if she got out of bed in the night....not because she wanted us to know where she was, but because she was afraid we would get up to check on her and scare her in the process. It's amazing how easily fear can get a grip on us. For example, how many times have you planned the trip to the hospital or the funeral because your husband or kids were a little late getting home. And doesn't night time seem to be the worst? In the night, I am easily convinced there is no hope. It seems if I can make it until morning, I can gain a better perspective and won't be quiet so worried. In our minds, almost anything can be turned in to a fear. Fears are serious, because they paralyze us. They hold us back from the peace God intends for us. They inhibit our faith and cause us not to be able to think clearly.
What are your 3 biggest fears today?
1.
2.
3.
Over and over in the Old Testament and the New, we are told not to be afraid, but to trust in God. He has equipped us for this time here on earth, by giving us His Holy Spirit. It is His precious Spirit who is able to comfort us and give us peace of mind and heart if only we are willing to trust Him. He will remind us of all the truth we have learned from God's Word. The next time you find yourself awake fretting in the night, will you call out to Him?
Dear Spirit, speak your truth over my situation. Give me your perspective. Help me to trust that you are sovereign and your plans for me are best. Help me to lean on you when I am unsure, worried, or afraid! 
For further study, read Psalm 56.

Standing on the Promises

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain

I am struck by Russell Kelso Carter's words. I wonder what his "howling storms and fears" were at that time. Was he thinking of his call out of teaching into the ministry or even scarier, his call out of the ministry to become a doctor? I was encouraged in my spirit to be sure I was actually standing on God's promises and not just aware of them. Knowing them isn't enough, memorizing them isn't enough, quoting them isn't enough... I actually have to stand on them. I want to put my faith in the One who voiced the promises. I want to trust Him for He is faithful. I want to search His Word and seek His promises for me. I want to take them in, know them, recall them and trust them when storms of doubt and fear assail me. 

Assail means to attack physically or violently; to attack with arguments, questions, or doubt. Dear friend, what assails you? Will you choose to stand firm on His promises today? Ask Him to show you His specific promise for your specific need. 

^{56 "}Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant." I Kings 8:56(ESV)

I had fun today and I love you!

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
    He delights in every detail of their lives.

Yesterday, I spent a couple hours with my friend's little girl while her mommy was at an appointment. She's come to my house before so she had an agenda in mind for what we would do today. First things first, she wanted to know where the dog was. About that time Lady, our pup, came happily bounding down the stairs for some licks and kisses. Next, she asked for the toys she had played with before. We don't keep them out anymore so it took a little bit for me to move some things around and retrieve them from the attic. She played with delight for a while and let me get a few things done in the house. Then, we were ready to go to wal-mart. I thought it was a great idea to go potty before we left home. She did not. I did not want to have to go in Wal-mart. She said, "We can go at Wal-mart." I said with a little more authority, "We are going to potty here not at Wal-mart." Reluctantly, she went. In the car, she wanted to know what music we had. "How about this one," I asked turning on David Crowder's I Saw the Light. She liked it! We listened to it over and over. In Wal-mart, she wanted a toy. I said we could only look at the toys, but I could buy her a book. With a $25 toy in hand, she explained that she really wanted a toy. I asked if she had money. Much to my surprise, she pulled out invisible cash. I explained that Wal-mart doesn't accept invisible money. She furrowed her brow. Now, she would let me buy her a book. At the end of our time together, she said, "I had fun at your house today, Mrs. Christy." Then, almost immediately, she came back and said, "I had fun at your house today, Mrs. Christy and I love you!" My heart melted...big hug and a kiss on the head! What a great day!
I say all of this to say...sometimes I have an agenda for what I think is going to happen. Some things will go exactly like I planned and I will get to do just what I wanted to do. Some situations require patience to wait for what I want...others will require that I stop for a break I don't think I need to take. Likely there will be times of singing and rejoicing that I wish could go on and on. Eventually, there is bound to come a time when I will want something I cannot have. I will try to figure out a way to make it happen on my own, but it won't. I may have to settle for what I think is second best. I may frown and be disappointed. But when I look back over it all, I know the good will have outweighed the bad..."Jesus, I had fun with you today. Jesus, I had fun today and I love you." What privilege we have in knowing He directs us! I will choose to trust Him in with my day today. Will you?

Give or Go? How do we know?

Matthew 9:35-38 (NLT)

The Need for Workers

³⁵ Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. ³⁸ So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Do you remember "back in the day" when we had to use the dial to tune into a radio station in the car? I remember being a little girl sprawled out on the back seat trying to sleep(no seatbelt required). My dad would start fiddling with the dial trying to find a station with a good signal. He'd twist and turn it until something came in loud and clear. Sometimes we'd hear the local station which was, back then, unmanned in the evenings. Other times, we'd hear a tent revivalist in a far away place. Often, we'd hear static and depending on exactly how the signals crossed, sometimes we could hear that preacher preaching his heart out in Texas, Loretta singing at the Opry, and Elvis playing right on top of it all. Mixed signals! They can be so confusing. Wouldn't it be great if all the matters of life came in loud and clear with no disruptions? Think with me in light of our call as believers to spread the gospel throughout the world. With so many different options, the opportunities to give and to go get stacked up like the radio waves and it's hard to know which one to tune in to. Each one in it's own way seems best! It concerns me too that we don't get frustrated or lazy and fail to tune in to what God has for us.  Literally, there are children to sponsor, slaves to free, prisoners to visit, victims to assist, downtrodden to counsel, homeless to shelter, hungry to feed, naked to clothe, sick to tend, wells to dig, houses to build, plus missionaries to support on the foreign and local fields who have given their lives to all of these kinds of service...all in the name of Jesus! Our communities and our world are full of people who still need Jesus! Are we tuned in? Are we listening clearly for the Holy Spirit's direction as to how He wants to use us? Are we distracted or are we focused on His clear signal? Are we willing to go or to give regardless of the cost? Will we obey? Are we concerned that our lives are already too busy? Are we afraid to take risks? Are we willing to invest? Will you ask the Holy Spirit what He has for you to do today? Lord, how will you use me to further the global spread of the gospel? How far can my arms and legs or my dollars reach? Will you ask the Lord of the harvest if you are the laborer He wants to send?

Principles for Prayer

1 John 5:13-15 (NLT)

¹³ I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. ¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. ¹⁵ And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Those of you who read frequently might have picked up on the fact that I have been reading and learning about prayer. My prayer for my own spiritual growth right now is that God would teach me how to pray more effectively and that He would help me love more. Although I don't have it figured out well enough yet to write about it, I know that in the end I am going to find out the two somehow go hand in hand. Here are some things that stand out to me from Rosalind Rinker's Prayer, Conversing with God and 2 days of Kay Arthur's Lord, Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days. First, Rosalind teaches that we should only pray for what we actually believe God can do. For example, if I need a new car. I can pray for God to give me a new car, but I don't truly have the faith that God is going to drop a new car in my lap. However, I  do believe God will  show me areas where I can cut corners financially to be able to save for a new car. Praying this prayer and seeing God answer increases my faith and grows my praise. Next, I might pray for God to bless me with a raise or help me to be faithful to save the additional money. Then,  as time goes on I could pray for God to show me the type car for which I am saving and so on. Each time praising Him for His answer and keeping the next prayer simple and specific. I love this method, because it causes me to stop and really think before I rattle on to the Lord in prayer. Second, in Kay's book, I've been learning that "asking" is key. We have not because we ask not.  Kay says this in regard to the scripture above, "If you want God to hear you and provide for what you ask, then you need to ask according to His will. And how will you know His will, Beloved? By listening to-knowing-His Word!" When we put the principles these 2 ladies and the scriptures teach together, we learn that by knowing God's Word, we are able to pray according to His will. As we pray according to His will and see Him answer, our faith will grow enabling to trust Him and believe Him for more and more! What a privilege it is to be able to communicate with the Almighty! To what area of your life are you able to apply these principles today? How will you pray differently? I echo the prayer of the man in Mark 9 whose son had been set free from an evil spirit, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

Saturday in the Psalms

Psalm 147 (ESV)

He Heals the Brokenhearted

147 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
    for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
² The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
³ He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.
⁴ He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.
⁶ The Lord lifts up the humble;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre!
⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds;
    he prepares rain for the earth;
    he makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He gives to the beasts their food,
    and to the young ravens that cry.
¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
¹¹ but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

¹² Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
¹³ For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
¹⁴ He makes peace in your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
¹⁵ He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
¹⁶ He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.
¹⁷ He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
    who can stand before his cold?
¹⁸ He sends out his word, and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
¹⁹ He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
²⁰ He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 103:2 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Let's carefully go through Psalm 147 together and take note of the benefits was see listed that particularly pertain to us as his children: The Lord builds up, he gathers the outcasts, he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,  he is great, he is powerful, he has unmeasurable understanding, he lifts up the humble, he takes pleasure in those who fear him, he strengthens, he blesses, he makes peace, he declares his word to us. Did I miss any? Which ones of these truths about our God do you need to claim today? Do you feel torn down or outcast, brokenhearted or wounded? Do you need to rest in his greatness and trust in his power? When you don't understand, you can feel safe knowing he does. He has your best interest at heart! I like vs. 20, "He has not dealt thus with any other nation." Only his children enjoy these benefits! Let's join the Psalmist in songs of praise to our Heavenly Father  for all He has done for us! 

Not My Will...

Romans 5:10 Amplified Bible 

¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

I bring you this quote from Prayer, Conversing with God by Rosalind Rinker.

All the known and unknown rebellions of my life are being taken care of through the power of Jesus Christ's resurrected life. I know, too, that He expects me to cooperate with Him in bringing my will under His control, so that all these rebellions can be stripped of their dominating power. When, face to face, I am alone with Him in prayer, and His love is pouring over me, somehow it is possible to hand over to Him the specific thing I wanted to manage myself. 

This word of testimony which the author has tagged to Romans 5:10 reminds me of the powerful work my Lord can do in me when I surrender my will to Him. Isn't it true, too, what she says about how much easier the task of surrender is when we are enveloped in His love in prayer? After all, it is His kindness that leads us to repentance. What is the Lord asking you to surrender? Is there some sin that stands in the way and interrupts your prayer life...a grievance, an attitude, a behavior? Today, will you kneel in prayer and let go of the thing that ensnares you? What promise of overcoming victory awaits us when let Him have His way!

Philippians 1:6 Amplified Bible 

⁶ And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

 

God Makes The Seed Grow

1 Corinthians 3:7 (NLT)

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

Our small group is studying the book of James. Tonight our leader asked a question something like this: When a person comes to you with a physical need, you should respond by meeting the need, but what do you do when a person comes to you with a spiritual need? My answer was...we meet the spiritual need because the command we have been given it to "go and make disciples." That doesn't just mean go and make converts. It means to teach them, train them, bring them along. It means jump into the septic system of their lives and help them spiritually. Then, I realized how hard this concept is for me. I am a "fixer." Therefore, I am tempted to look at the person and figure out what I think they should be and then expect them to become just that. For example, we have a plant in our dining room that I am convinced is a blooming plant.  I don't know anything about plants! Often this particular plant will show signs of new growth. It creates a bud-looking sprout-ish thing that is covered in beads of liquid. Every time that happens I rejoice for our plant is about to bloom. But it never does. Apparently, those sprout-ish things are only new leaves forming, because overnight they disappear or open into leaves or something. Clearly, I do not have a blooming plant. I believe in the plant and I offer encouragement by giving it fresh water and sunlight. This plant is never going to produce what I dream for it. The truth is: it is producing what God intended it to make...lovely green leaves. The plant is not falling short of what it was intended to do. Do you "get it?" It's important when we are called on to journey with someone in their spiritual walk that we allow them to bear the fruit they were intended to bear...to be the person they were intended to be. Sure God wants us to be a nurturing part of their growth, but only He can determine what kind of fruit they are to yield and the rate of the yield.  And let's face it, His plan is probably going to look different than the one we come up with! ...steppin' all over my own toes...

Set Your Focus on Jesus

John 6:16-21(NLT)

Jesus Walks on Water

¹⁶ That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. ¹⁷ But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. ¹⁸ Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. ¹⁹ They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, ²⁰ but he called out to them,“Don’t be afraid. I am here!” ²¹ Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

This is my favorite of all the stories in the Bible involving Jesus and the disciples out on the sea. I can relate to the guys in this story because often when a storm is raging in my life, I fail to recognize Jesus in the midst of it.  He promises to work all things together for my good so obviously He must be working. I have a tendency to get so focused on the storm that I don't see Him. He is good to make His presence known to me. Then when I get my focus off the storm and onto Jesus, I am able to see that I am right where He intended for me to be all along. What storm is raging in your life today? Will you ask Jesus to make His presence known and then choose to focus on Him?

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

³ You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Lord, I don't get it!

When was the last time you sent a text message or received an email that was taken the wrong way? It is easy to mis-communicate the written word. Tone and intention cannot always be transferred. Here's what I mean: In a text, my future son-in-law, Nate, asked my advice about a purchase he was about to make. He did not know, but I was in the doctor's office awaiting the orders for my younger daughter to have a STAT CT scan. In haste, my text back said something like, "You should wait." He did not ask me if I thought he should buy it. He asked how to buy it. Therefore, my text opened up a mile long list of questions in his mind. On top of that, the urgency of the situation at the doctor's office caused me to drop out of the conversation. Nate thought I was angry about his desire to make the purchase. In reality, I thought that if he let some people know about his need, someone would have one that they would give him or sell him for little cost. None of what I was trying to say communicated in the text I sent. I had to explain it all later. As it turned out, Nate's mom had exactly what he needed.
I discovered recently that Paul, Silas, and Timothy had a similar communication problem with the church at Thessalonica. Thus, a second letter to the Thessalonians had to be written to clear things up. "In his first letter, Paul explained that Christ could return at any moment, but apparently some believers misunderstood this to mean that they should stop working and simply wait for Christ to come back."~NLT Bible.
2Thes. 2:1 says,
Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.
And  2:5 states,
Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?
2:15 goes on to say,
With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.
And then, 3:5
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
Can you think of a time when you read something in the Bible and did not understand it? We've all had times when like these people, we just did not get it. We need to be faithful each time we delve into His Word to ask the Holy Spirit to give us insight and wisdom regarding what we are reading. Ask Him to give clarity and answer your questions. He wants us to know Him and to know about Him. He will be faithful to answer our prayer.

One of Those Days!

Psalm 139:13-16

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹³ For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricatelyand curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery].

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them.

Have you ever had "one of those days" when you just didn't feel good (not sick, but not good either)? When you wished you could crawl back in bed and steer clear of all circumstances and people because you felt ill equipped for handling anything or anybody? A day when it wasn't that you didn't have anything to contribute, but just that you couldn't find the words to use to bring it? A day when you thought the best thing you could do for all concerned was to rest and regroup and try again tomorrow? I had a day like that recently. Just when I was about to call and say I can't come today, I realized it was really to late to back out. "But Lord," I reasoned, "Will my presence make that much difference? That's all I can contribute...my presence." I pressed on and made it through. That night, I sat before the Lord and surrendered the things that were hard about the day. I asked Him to help me to entrust them to Him and not give in to the temptation to pick them back up and worry or "stew" over them. In that moment with my Lord, I realized that He totally understood how I had felt all day. He made me with all of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. He made me flesh and bones with weaknesses and limits. He even came and dwelt here on earth in a body like mine. He totally "gets it." He knows what it's like to be tired, to want to get away from the crowd, and to handle frustrating situations. God's word says He was tempted in all things like I am. He knows what it's like to want to call-in sick and crawl back in bed. He knows what it's like to muster courage, strength, and discipline and go on. Whatever happens today, will you trust that He knows exactly how you feel? Let this truth bring comfort to your body and soul!

Gloria's Testimony

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In February 2009, my mother-in-law, Gloria(see pic below), died after and intense battle with colon cancer.  Her suffering was incredible. Yet her attitude remained focused on her Lord. Her faith did not waiver. The last four months of her life, she spent almost entirely in the hospital. The cancer had moved into her hip and a fracture put her in rehab for some of that time. I remember one particular phone conversation when we talked about the labor of it all...the work it required from her. She said to me, "I ask the Lord every day to give me His strength." At that moment, I was brought back to reality in my own life. I had been so busy and worn thin in my own world striving to get by on my own strength. I had forgotten that my Lord's strength was available to me. Gloria's testimony was freedom to me. Comfort and peace washed over me as I asked the Lord to give me His strength for all that was on my plate. How could I have forgotten? All I needed to do was ask. In what area of your life do you need God's resources? Are you worn out from striving on your own? He has stored up for us the supply to meet all our earthly needs. Would you pray this prayer and fill in the blanks? Father, today I need your _________ to be able to _________________. I trust you for it! I put my faith in your ability and not my own. Help me to wait on you and not rush ahead. In Jesus Name, Amen 

Saturday in the Psalms (Psalm 42)

Psalm 42 (NLT)

For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.

¹ As the deer longs for streams of water,
    so I long for you, O God.
² I thirst for God, the living God.
    When can I go and stand before him?
³ Day and night I have only tears for food,
    while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
    “Where is this God of yours?”

⁴ My heart is breaking
    as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
    leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
    amid the sound of a great celebration!

⁵ Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and ⁶ my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
    but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
    from the land of Mount Mizar.
⁷ I hear the tumult of the raging seas
    as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
⁸ But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
    and through each night I sing his songs,
    praying to God who gives me life.

⁹ “O God my rock,” I cry,
    “Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
    oppressed by my enemies?”
¹⁰ Their taunts break my bones.
    They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”

¹¹ Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!

Sometimes it is best to let scripture speak for itself. This Psalm touches me deeply. It exposes me. It is alive and powerful! I will get out of the way so it can have its way in you too. ~Christy

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. (Heb. 4:12-13)

Truths from Jacob's Journey-Genesis 32-33

In Genesis 32-33, we find the account of the reunion of Jacob and Esau after years of separation sparked by deceit and betrayal. In preparation for the encounter, Jacob sent his wives and children on across the river and stayed by himself for the night. At least he thought he was staying by himself. Much to his surprise, Jacob had an event filled night of wrestling with a man who eventually left him with a disjointed hip and a new name. Jacob, now Israel, worshiped knowing for certain that it was God Himself who had come to him in the night. Humbly, he limped on behind the generous gifts of livestock he had prepared for his brother. It might have been fear that drove him, but it was love and forgiveness that met him in the arms of his weeping sibling.
Our Bible study teacher, Janice Gleason, brought out these truths...I have added the verses:

1) Face your fears with God for only He can enable you to focus on His promises.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

he delivered me from all my fears. Ps.34:4(NIV)

2) Whether I like how God wrestles with me or not, He will always win.

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Phil. 2:12b-13(NIV)

3) God can change the things we perceive as impossible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 

Mark 10:27(NIV)

I needed all of these truths this week. Which one speaks most to your heart? 

Click here to view Janice Gleason's full teaching on Gen. 32-33.