We love Him, because He first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19
There are some people in our lives that are easy to love. My bestie Gloria is one such person, so are countless others. I am blessed with people. Lots of people that I call and mean it when I say they’re friends. And then there are people that I am acquaintances with via life or social media and of those I may or may not have a great depth of concern for.
I would
certainly pull them out of the path of a truck. But I might not take them
chicken soup if they were ill. That sounds very mean. But it’s not meant to be.
It’s not that I don’t care about their health, it’s that they are not on my
radar of cares of the day. Nor am I likely on their radar either. So how
exactly did God intend for us to love one another?
What is
our level of compassion for those outside our immediate family and friends?
For me I
only had to think about 1 John 4:19 for a split second before I realized that
before I knew God, before I realized what He did for me and when I was just
floating around in the world like a bubble on a summer day without concern for
my soul or anyone else’s… He loved me.
He
loved me when I was out in sin and behaving in a manner that would have made a
sailor blush. Yes, I was that kid. I grew up fast when I married and had
children, but I still didn’t know Jesus and was as filthy rags, and yet He
loved me. He maneuvered my life to get me into a position to hear the gospel in
a miraculous way that has me in awe today. He uses me even yet today when I
still fail Him miserably.
Now… I
ask myself that question again about the people I don’t know. “Shari, do you
care?” I asked myself that question
about the people I’m pretty sure I don’t even like. “Do you care?”
I ask,
because at any moment God could have given up on me or never thought enough of
me to waste His time and yet He did.
This
morning I was convicted by this thought because there are so many hurting people
that I know via ministry and social media that I don’t care enough about.
Ministry isn’t just to the pretty, easy to love people. Its’ for all people.
Even the sometimes ugly, grouchy, negative, arrogant, drunk and drugged up people. The latter of
which I have an easier time loving. The grouchy, negative, arrogant people not
so much.
I’m
wondering who might cross my path today that needs loved on? I’m wearing a new
pair of white jeans… I wonder if I’m willing to get them dirty. Isn’t that how
we decide?
I have
a doctor’s appointment for my knee this morning at 10 a.m. Perhaps it’s there
that I’ll answer that question. Maybe it will be on social media, or maybe on
an unplanned adventure. Like the one that got me saved.
It was a thought that seemed
almost foreign to me this morning as I read John 3:16…
For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It’s likely the most widely
known and quoted verse in the bible. We say it without thinking. It just rolls
off the tongue of most Christians regardless of how long they’ve been saved. The
point being, even if you can’t quote it, you know it. But this morning, it just
seemed brand new.
Not necessarily the verse,
but rather the concept of the depth of God’s love and the vastness of His
being, and the fact… I need to repeat… the fact that He did what He did for
someone like me. A nobody. That this morning in my living room and in the home
of my friend LuAnn, God spoke to us and said, I have a work for you to do.
I received a message from my
friend Faye yesterday, and through her God said… there is a work to do.
My friend Dewey and I speak
most every day. But lately God has given us a deeper love for the ministry and
a desire to do more. There is work for us to do.
Why me…
Why does God put these
awesome people in my life?
Because His concept is beyond
what anyone of us can imagine. And the possibilities of what He can do with us
are beyond what anyone of us can even think. And I know this because today John
3:16 was a brand new verse in this ol’ girls head.
The concept of the “Father,
Son and Holy Ghost” three in one has often boggled my mind. How can three be
one? It just doesn’t make sense to the earthly mindset. I’ve heard it explained
by using the illustration of the egg which has three parts (the white, yolk and
shell) yet it is one. It’s a great illustration. But it’s an egg… not God.
But lately as God deals with
me, trying to get me to a better place spiritually to where He can use me, He
speaks to my heart about understanding who He is, so I can better grasp who I
am in Him.
He is Huge!
Isaiah 48:13
Mine
hand also hath laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand hath
spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
Isaiah 40:12
Who
hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with
the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the
mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.
Who did that? My God! He is
in the details.
If God can measure Heaven
with His hand, that means He’s a pretty big Fella. That means that these people
who make light of our God, should really think twice. He can flip them off of
the planet. I have to be honest, that image kind of made me giggle. And kind of
made me want to watch! But then I remembered that He could flip me off the
planet too, and that God died for the “whosever.” Not only Shari.
He Has Always Been
How can God have “always
been, and how did God, “beget” Christ, His Only Son? I don’t know. But when I
think about the Creator of the universe and His Son, who were from the
beginning, which is what the Bible tells us in John 1:1, I am somewhat
awestruck like a rock and roll fan at their favorite concert. I want to get
close enough to hear One whisper to the Other, and close enough to know them as
intimately as a bestie. But in order to do that, I have to get out of my little
brain get into Heaven as the Bible tells us we are in Ephesians 2:6 that says “And hath raised us up together, and made us
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
That’s present time, not
futuristic. So if I’m sitting in Heavenly places, that means I should be able
to overhear a few conversations of God and His Son. So can you.
In Jeremiah 1:5 it also says
that God knew us before we were in the womb. So… exactly how long has our
conversation been going? I don’t know. But what I do know is that as a child,
before salvation, I had a desire to know God. So Jeremiah 1:5 is not hard for
me to understand. And because of that it is getting easier to understand John
3:16.
He knew me, before I was me.
He chose me before I even came out of my mother’s womb and He placed me like He
placed the stars in Heaven on this piece of dirt in Calhoun County, West Virginia.
And He connected the dots with North Carolina, New Mexico, the Philippine
Islands and so many other places, in a
way that others may not understand, but I’ve experienced. So yes… I’m a fan of
my Savior. Yes, I reverently respect and fear Him because of the enormity of
Who He is. And today I feel so loved because of John 3:16.
There’s a story of a little
orphaned boy who is found on the street and a man sends him to an address with
the instruction to knock on the door and say “John 3:16.” When he gets there he
taken in, bathed, fed and tucked into his bed where he for the first time in
his life feels safe. He later says when he becomes a preacher that he didn’t
understand John 3:16 at the time but it made a dirty boy clean, a hungry boy
full and a scared boy feel safe.
Yes… yes it does. I don’t
have to comprehend the vastness of God. I can feel it.
That’s
the thought that came out of the teen class lesson yesterday as my co-teacher
Doug taught our youth. My brain goes strange places sometimes and either like
honey or mud, it’s stuck in that place until I dig around and find out what the
Lord needs me to know about that word.
The
word was “prove”. Meaning to demonstrate, show, give evidence or verify
something.
It’s
what most of us want on the everyday front of life; we want evidence that we’re
going the right direction, that God is pleased, that we’re forgiven. And God
tells us that’s okay. He wants us to prove Him.
But
sometimes proving Him leaves me feeling a little like a crash test dummy. Not
that God wants me to be that. He’d rather I be the evaluator. Not the
demonstrator. But I hit the wall again and again. I’m no different than the
original crash test dummies, they however were on camels not Kia souls.
Behavior Lessons
In
Exodus 15:24-25 it says
And
the people murmured against Moses, saying, what shall we drink?
There
third day into the trip and they’ve already found something to complain about
with leadership. They’d arrived at Marah and couldn’t drink the water because
it was bitter. And that was Moses’ fault.
Yesterday,
my grandsons Luke and Parker were wrestling in the floor and knocked something
off the table. Within a second of the crash Parker yelled, “Luke did it!’
We’re
always looking for someone to blame for our problems in life rather than taking
responsibility for it ourselves. I’m not apt to throw someone under the bus,
though I might, but more than likely I’ll blame circumstances for my errors.
Knowing it was my fault.
But
God gives Israel the bitter water to prove something about Himself.
Verse
25:
And
he cried unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he
had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for a
statute and an ordinance and there he proved them, and said, if thou wilt hearken
to the voice of the Lord thy God,
and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his
commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon
thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth you.
Praise
God for grace! We are not bound by the law. But that doesn’t make the law
nonexistent. It’s still there. But now it proves that we cannot keep ourselves.
We depend on that grace to clean us up when we crash and burn.
And
He does. The name of Grace is Jesus.
Faith
Lessons
In
Exodus 16 we find the children of Israel complaining again, but this time its
about the food.
Verse
3
And
the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of
the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did
eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to
kill this whole assembly with hunger.
For
some reason that scripture struck me funny. Although I don’t find it funny when
my provision isn’t coming in like I wish it would. If you’ve ever lacked (and
we all likely have), you can understand the children of Israel’s mindset. We
often chalk them up to being a bunch of whiners, but if you’re a million strong
in the wilderness and you’re not seeing a Walmart, you’re worried. But the Lord
intervenes in the conversation:
Vs.
4
Then
said the Lord unto Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the
people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them,
whether they will walk in my law, or no.
More
evidence. More being tied to the law. Again… praise God for grace! Our
provision is not tied to the law, it’s tied to faith.
Philippians
4:19 ~ But my God shall supply all your
need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2
Corinthians 9:8 ~ And God is able to make
all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work:
Philippians 4:6 ~ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God
Verse
after verse we’re given about the provision of God. And yet ye all know that
there have been times when we’ve been without. Is that a lack of faith? Perhaps
it’s just another way God proves Himself to us. Paul said it like this in 2
Corinthians 12:9-10:
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am
weak, then am I strong.
Sometimes
it’s about learning that we can survive without it.
One
of my nephews crashed a motorcycle one time and once the downed bike stop
sliding and he stopped rolling, he jumped up and said, “I’m fine.” No one was
any more surprised than he was. He learned that sometimes we can crash and not
burn.
The
last place I want to talk about being a crash test dummy is in Exodus 20:20
Grace Lessons
We just talked about it through Paul. So how
does grace work with the laws of God.
And
Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that
his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
Moses
had just given them the Lord’s Ten Commandments. They had seen God come down as
lightening, thunder and the noise of a trumpet and they wanted no part of it.
They wanted an intercessor. So do we.
Remember,
this was before the days of sci-fi and special effects. This was the real deal
and I probably would be afraid too. The only one not shaking in his shoes was
Moses and that was because this wasn’t His first rodeo with God. He’d been in
conversations with God before.
But now. Glory to God!!! We don’t need an intercessor. We have a more excellent way. There is no need to go through a priest. Christ took care of that on the cross.
Matthew 27:51 – And, behold, the veil of the
temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake,
and the rocks rent;
Ephesians 2:18 ~ For through him we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father.
Second to the Resurrection, which proved my Lord’s power over death, my favorite part of that story is the renting of the curtain in the temple. The very thing that kept the common man out of the Holy of Holies was gone. Torn in two from top to the bottom, and opening our way to have direct access to God Himself through the Holy Spirit.
God
proves that every day to His children by showing them His presence in their
lives.
While
the children of Israel felt condemned by the law, there is no condemnation in
Christ, only grace for those who come to Him.
I truly am a
hippy at heart. And by hippy I don’t mean the stereotypical one’s that those of
us who were raised in the 60’s and 70’s remember. Though I must confess I would
have fit that mold at various times in my life too. But by hippy I mean,
tie-dye lovin’, peace seeking, freedom speaking child of God. I think God like’s
the hippy mindset so long as He is the center focus.
Perhaps you agree. Perhaps not. Either is okay. But it’s where my mind is at this morning. I actually drew two images (one above and one below for this blog) The first was the dove below but then the blog took on a whole other direction. And thus the hippy Shari showed up.
My verse this
morning for focus was Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
So you may be
wondering how I got from the dove to the hippy? It was a short trip. It started
with my niece Holly. She’s a little hippy-ish too. And she’s been on my mind a
lot lately. She’s a single mom of three and such a free spirit. I love her. I
love all my nieces and nephews and my children because each one is so
different. I mean really!!!!! different. Out of the 12 they have a few
commonalities, but their personalities are nowhere close. Much like the church
of God.
We have a
common bond, Christ Jesus; but our personalities are what makes us who we are
in Christ, and it’s what makes each one of us cope with difficult times in a
different way.
I cope with
life struggles by relying on the freedom of Christ. That’s the hippy mindset in
me. It’s not that I want to go wherever the wind blows, that’s not God’s way; but
I want to go in the direction the Spirit leads, and sometimes that’s down weird
path that other people don’t understand.
So on a day
that I’m struggling with some issues in life I turned to this verse and found
the freedom for living that I needed.
Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Perfect Peace?
What does that
look like? Well, first of all you have to tune into the first word of that
sentence. Thou. Thou is God. And it is in Him only that you’ll find perfect
peace.
It’s not that
life is perfect, it’s that we can rest in the knowledge that whatever we’re
facing is in His control. If He chooses to take us through it, we’ll go. If He
chooses to remove us from it, we’ll go out or around, but some way, somehow God’s
got it taken care of.
That sounds so
easy right? But we know it’s not always. Life sometimes stinks and it’s not any
fun, and that’s where the hippy attitude of the flower children and God’s
children parts. We’re not escaping reality, we’re living in the very real
knowledge that we serve a God who can and does amazing things in the lives of
those who serve and trust Him.
That’s where
that free spirit takes me that is my happy place!!! I can trust in Him who I have
served for 23 years and watched as He brought me through time and time again. I
know that if I keep my mind focused on the direction God, the Holy Spirit is leading,
I’m going to come out a winner. Because I’ve read the end of the book.
Just as my 12 nieces
and nephews and 25 great nieces and nephews (yes there is a boatload of us)
differ and have many talents, so does the church. Find yours, give it to God,
and then walk in the freedom His peace affords knowing He’s guiding you.
That’s my advice to my kids and grand-kids, and it’s my advice for you…
Do you ever have those days when it feels like your entire self-worth was wasted effort? I get so excited about projects and life and then in a swift swoop, on a day when it feels that I can do nothing right, I find myself falling into this pit of despair (I know dramatic right?), but it feels very, very real and it’s very heavy on my shoulders. And the end result is usually a total mind melt down, followed by God prying my mouth open like a rebellious sick child and giving me a dose of the word. And then, glory! Miraculous healing.
That’s this
morning.
Quite often
the prescribed dose for days like this is from the book of Psalms. I love the
word of God from Genesis to Revelation, but the books of Psalms has a special
place in my heart, because it’s so often my go to place for days like this.
Like today.
When Psalm 138 was spoon fed to me by the Lord in just the right measurement…
They
Can Have their god
I will praise
thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
What gods you
may be asking? There is none but Jesus Christ our Lord, right? Right! But the
world didn’t seem to get that memo. People themselves think that they are
sometimes gods and deserve our undivided attention, even over the things of
God.
Tears just flowed from my soul and out of my eyes because I’ve been there too often lately. Too many things, some of mine, some of others that have taken my mind off the Lord’s work. I haven’t been singing His praises like I should.
They
Can Have Their king
2 I will worship
toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.3 In the day when
I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.4 All the kings of
the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of
thy mouth.
In that final day of earth, no man will bow
before another man. We will all bow before our King. The One with a capital “K”.
The One who resides in the Holy Temple of Heaven, who is kind, and honest and
does not speak to me in a the condescending tones of the earth that I despise
and it breaks my heart and spirit. Especially when it’s done by another
Christian.
That was my day yesterday. Don’t feel too sorry
for me. I’m fine. But it’s those days that we all have that the world takes it’s
toll. And our focus gets off Heaven and I forget where my headquarters is. And
they forget Who’s Boss.
They
Can Have Their work
5 Yea, they shall
sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of
the Lord.6 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he
respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.7 Though I walk in
the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand
against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.8 The Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake
not the works of thine own hands.
Glorrrraaaaaay! Those words
stirred me this morning. I’ve heard it said, and I’ve said it myself that I
serve the God who sits high and looks low. And there it is in the word of God!
Psalm 138:6
Though I walk in trouble, and there is plenty of
it in my world; it is God who will revive my soul. God will not only take care
of my enemies, He will give me the energy to thrive in my purpose.
Verse 8 really spoke to me in a way that I needed
so badly today.
The Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake
not the works of thine own hands.
God will “perfect” (finish)
that which concerns me.
There is a work He has called
me to do and He’s going to get it finished through me. That is such good news!
I’m pretty sure I’m into overtime with Him but it’s okay, it’s in His time, not
mine.
He has a work in you as well! And He’s going to get it done. But we need to stay focused on the One True and Living God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the world have their gods, show them how awesome ours is! Let me have their kings, they only “think” they have power. Let them have their work, show them what great and mighty things we can accomplish through Him. I hope your day is blessed with great eternal accomplishments. ~ Shari
I’m
beyond excited about the direction of my ministry. Thanks to a generous act on
my sister Shelia’s part and the grace of Almighty God, I will soon be a 501c3
ministry which will open the doors for me to do more and create a team of
ministry people, not just solo me. Who is sometimes (oftentimes) so tired. So what does that have to do with the message
today?
It
has to do with the great commission in Matthew 28:19-20 ~ 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
As
children of God that should be our primary focus. So today is a Recharge Monday.
I needed it. Not that I’ve forgotten that it’s my responsibility as a disciple
of the Lord Jesus, but that my battery sometimes runs low.
So How’s your
Battery Doing?
Who
doesn’t need a recharge? I need one multiple times a day. Burdens get on me
like cat and dog hair on a black sweater. That should sum it up pretty good if
you’ve been around critters. So how does my ministry, your battery and all this
tie together?
By
me doing what I’ve been called to do, which on Monday is to recharge your
battery after I first recharge mine.
I
did that today as I read 2 Chronicles 15, verses 1-15.
Asa
is returning from battle and he’s met by a prophet who encourages him to go on
with the work of the reformation of Israel by promising him that the presence
and help of God will go with him.
Well,
I’m not a prophet, but I can make that promise to you today because I have it
too. It is freely given to anyone who seeks God. He is a very present help
available to us without even speaking a word. He just knows.
Whether
or not you’ve been in a battle, Monday’s always seem to bring on the feeling of
too much work for one week. At least that’s how mine is starting.
So…
back to the story. Asa is returning from battle. And the word reads.
1And
the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa,
and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he
will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and
without a teaching priest, and without law.
One sure fire way to
get into trouble is to not have the teaching of God. As a teacher, I need
taught. I don’t profess to know
everything. But I know where to find it. And if I can’t find it, I have a
Pastor who can help me find it. He may not have the answer off the top of his
head either, because he’s not done learning. So point one for today is
Seek Him While You Can
Finding time in a
day to get alone with God may not be easy, but it should be a priority. Israel
had gotten themselves into trouble, into a battle because they’d been without
three things. The Power of God, The Prophecy of God and the Practices of God.
If you’re a child of
God, saved by the blood of Jesus, you can’t lose God, but you can lose His
power by not renewing your relationship with Him on a daily basis. Not just on
Sunday, but every day.
The Word of God is
forever, because it’s settled in Heaven. It hasn’t been the most read book in
the world without reason. God made it that way. But our failure to read it, the
very prophecy of God will suck the life out of you like leaving the lights on
in your car. The juice, the water of the word eventually drains out like the
juice in a battery if we’re not renewing ourselves by reading His word.
And while we’re not
under the law as the Israelites were, being away from God for very long will
cause you to forget the practices of Christianity. The behaviors. It’s so easy
to get drawn away from the things of God and into the things of the world without
warning when we’re not in a good relationship with God Almighty.
So every day we need
to be seeking the power of God, Reading the Prophecy of God and living in the
practice of God.
Serve Him While You Can
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to
him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the
countries.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did
vex them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your
work shall be rewarded.
It’s a privilege to
go, teach and observe everything that God shows us in His word. I know that not
everyone is a teacher, but you are an example. When the children of Israel got
into trouble they sought God. That’s good advice! And it’s always the example
we want to set for others.
Everyone messes up
in life. We all fall. We haven’t come very far, if any, since the days of the
Israelites battle. We still need God to clean up our messes. But after the
fall, after the struggle, pick yourself up and start serving again. Don’t let
Satan convince you to delay it, because it can cause you to stay out way too
long.
Always remember that
Satan is a liar. And the last thing he wants is for you to receive rewards of
God. So, he can stop them, by stopping you.
Succeed While You Can
There will be days of defeat. We all
have them. But start every week with an attitude of successful living.
Encourage yourself in the Lord because great is that reward and it is the
Matthew 28:19-20 Commission.
Listen to what happened when Asa got
recharged:
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the
prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land
of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount
Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with
them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out
of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third
month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven
hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their
soul;
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or
great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and
with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all
their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them:
and the Lord gave them rest round about.
They
won mighty battles, they celebrated their victories and they had rest. Who
wouldn’t want their week to end like that!?
He
brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted
in me.
Psalm 18:19
Room to Breathe
Have you ever been
trapped in a small space? Even sitting in a crowded theatre where people are
shoulder to shoulder is not a feeling I enjoy. I’m not claustrophobic but I still
don’t enjoy it. It’s the same feeling that I get when trouble happens in my
life. I feel as though the walls are closing in on me, breathing is difficult and
being a heart attack survivor, those times are not what I want to experience.
I need room to
breathe. And Praise God! He provides that room through His word.
Psalm 18, another
of David, who assuredly had enemies, was likely written in his old age. Perhaps
a reflection of his previous enemies, maybe new ones. As a child of God we all
have enemies, the greatest being Satan. Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy.
Heaping and heaping things upon myself, until I’m out of room.
This morning I
imagined God swooping in , brushing my burdens away and telling Satan, not
today. She’s got no time for that. And I could breathe.
That place… that awesome
large place… is Heaven. Me seated in Heaven with the Father as spoken in
Ephesians 2: 6
And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
There
is plenty of room to breathe in Heaven!
Removed from Battle
He
delivered me. I did not fight the battle because I didn’t have the
strength. If David was in his final days
upon writing this Psalm, he likely wasn’t able to physically fight the battles
any longer. Regardless of age, life’s
battles takes its toll on your strength.
It weakens the spirit and with it weakens my hope that I’ll win.
I’m
in that place this morning.
It’s
why I turned to the word of God, looking for hope in the only place it is a
surety. It’s there I found the freedom to breathe and the relief of not
fighting the battle. Just to sit and watch God as He removed me from the
battle.
Raised in Belief
Belief that I am a favored child
of the King. Raised, meaning lifted up and strengthened in the knowledge that
He who sits high and looks low, not only controls my world but the world of
those that would seek to cause anxiety and stress in my life.
He loves us! He does not want us
to fight these battles alone and He desires that we talk to Him about it and
get out of the mindset of defeat. He delights in you!
I can’t help but think about my
own children and how I delight in them. I can’t wait to see them and speak with
them. I love hearing what’s going on in their life, it’s not a burden, it’s a blessing.
I want God to do amazing things in their lives and for them to have Victory.
Is it any different for our
Father?
Take heart child of God. You are loved and
adored by your Father above. You are with Him in Heaven and He is with you on
earth. The battle is over with Him
because He goes before us. We have His word as a promise and a reason to
believe.
I
hope this encourages you today! It sure did me
It’s a thought that’s been so heavy on my mind and
heart lately. I’m not thirsty enough. Not when it comes to water in a bottle,
or the water of the Bible. I just don’t want it bad enough, knowing that it is
the quencher to the thirst within.
Why is that?
The old adage “You can lead a horse to water but you
can’t make him drink” comes to mind. There are people all across the earth that
would literally give their right arm for what I have freely flowing in the tap.
The same holds true for what’s lying beside me on the couch. The water of the
word that is all over my house, on multiple tables, bookshelves, and electronic
devices, and yet I don’t thirst enough. I read it. But I don’t thirst for it.
In Psalm 42 David writes as he’s being persecuted
by Saul for doing nothing less than trying to be of help in a position that he
knows is actually his. He is on the run, driven from his homeland where he
longs to be. Away from family and friends, away from the house of God. All
these things that I have surrounding me and yet I take them for granted.
This morning I have burdens on my soul. Ministry burdens. Life burdens. But I’m not on the run. Sunday morning, Lord willing, I’ll be in the sanctuary of Victory Baptist Church listening to the word of God without fear of being persecuted or killed because I’ve openly walked through the doors in the free country that I live and am protected by.
However, today I’m so parched by the world around me. I’m thirsting. I’m tired. Maybe you are too. Maybe you’ve had enough of bad news, wickedness abounding and world of hurting people. If you’re ready to sooth your weary soul. Read along with me and let’s unpack how David lived on the run…
Thirsting for His Presence
One of my
favorite, fav-o-rite songs that I sing is “Your Presence is my Favorite Gift of
All” by Claire Lynch. It blesses my soul! It causes me to remember that feeling
that I have when I’m in the presence of the Almighty God. It causes me to long
to be there again. Imagine David, on the run and unable to attend a worship
service that He so loved being a part of. That’s where he is in the beginning
of Psalm 42. He misses being in God’s presence. So do I.
1As the
hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
when shall I come and appear before God?
The living God! Oh my stars if we could get a hold of that thought and take it in with every breath. God is not dead, He is very much alive! And He longs to be found alive within His church today. Not dry and dusty Christianity, but praise singing, hand raising, shoutin’ time Christianity. The real deal that comes from being thirsty.
I can imagine the hart
(deer) running to the brook after being high in the mountains away from the
water for a long time. Needing to feel that moisture running across his tongue
and down his throat into the depths of his belly. What a relief! that’s where
my soul was this morning. I needed to feel the Spirit of God like a glass of
water from a well spring. Can you feel it? Just in the reading of a few lines
of scripture I feel my soul moistening, tender, ready to receive His word.
Thirsting for His People
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
There was a time when many, many churches were on fire for God. They are few and far between. I need a church that praises and preaches the joy of God. One that I can feel the love of God through. I have that. David had that, he missed that. I long for a revival both in my soul and in my church. I want a soul stirring meeting that doesn’t want to end. We experienced one such in our church in 2010 when a 5 day revival went for weeks. We were thirsty. We not only thirsted for God but for each other. We couldn’t get enough of the fellowship. You practically had to throw people off the lot. David got that. He loved His people like that.
Thirsting for His Power
5 Why art
thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God:
for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me:
therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites,
from the hill Mizar. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy
waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8 Yet the Lord will
command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be
with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
The Hermonians lived on a high hill, Mizar means little hill. I have to wonder if David isn’t reminded of times when regardless of being in a high place or a low place he experienced God’s power.
Am I thirsting for that? Do
I even believe it will happen? I’m ashamed to say that there are times when I
just don’t believe. Not because of God, but because of the flesh that I allow
to rise upon with me.
I went to the Orthopedic doc yesterday for my knee injury that I got at work, so I decided to get an injury lawyer for this from www.phillipslawoffices.com/personal-injury/. His diagnosis without the MRI was vague. He said it could be that when I injured it I flared up some serious arthritis. Or it could be the original diagnosis of a torn meniscus. Following the appointment I went to my friend Tracy’s for a new hair doo and she is a power packed prayer warrior. So as we discussed my knee I said, I’d rather it be arthritis than the tear. Which is crazy because the tear can be surgically healed, arthritis not so much. But I can’t have the surgery due to the open heart surgery being to close. To which Tracy responded and loudly. “Why are you not praying for complete healing?” To which I said inside my head, because I don’t have enough faith.
David was using the water
that was overflowing him, that would have drowned a lesser man, to ignite the
revival in his soul and the power to give God glory for the victory, even in
the face of little hope.
Can I get a witness that
that has got to encourage your soul!!!
Thirsting for His Praise
David was distraught and
downhearted in a way I cannot even imagine. But I can imagine it on my level.
9 I will
say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of
the oppression of the enemy? 10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies
reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art
thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is
the health of my countenance, and my God.
I
have never felt that God forgot me, but I can tell you that I’ve felt that God
was choosing to ignore me. I always knew it was my fault. I allowed myself to
get there, but I couldn’t feel Him moving in my life. And I can tell you that I
did not praise in that moment. But David did.
When
the doc gave me the diagnosis yesterday I said, “Okay… this is what it is.” But
what if God said… “It ain’t what you think.” I didn’t even leave room for the
option.
I
need to be a little thirstier for God’s side of this discussion…
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is
of an excellent spirit.
One
might think (and often correctly) that me and the phrase “sparing words” would
never be in the same sentence. It is however a family trait. While I have no problem speaking what’s on my
mind, there are times (sometimes days upon days) that I’d rather say nothing to
anyone. The ringing of a telephone causes my stomach to go nauseous and even
messages on social media overwhelm me. I like silence. Because I know that in
those times is when I am most likely to hear God speak. And then there are
other times, if I’m honest, that I am drawn to the noise of the earth around me
because I know in the silence I’ll hear God speak, and that scares me too. It’s
crazy, I know! But it’s me being real.
Yesterday I attended the funeral of a sweet cousin who’s epitaph verse was Proverbs 17:27. He was a very well educated man with much to say, but seldom said it. This is one of the most serene funeral services I’ve attended. His daughter said it best when she said “if he spoke you should listen, because his words were weighted.” What an awesome testimony he had, all I can say is that it was a great cremation memorial with the most beautiful sympathy flowers I’ve seen in a while. A cremation services is much more peaceful for the family since their remains are with them after their passing. You can have a funeral pre-arrangement plans and hire cremation memorial services for your loved one if you want this process, you can view online all of the funeral services they have available at certain funeral homes.
As I sat there and watched his children work through their grief in front of an audience and do it so God glorifying; it did what cremation services like this should do, it caused me to reflect on my own life and the cause and effect of silence. Silence can be good, or silence can be bad, there must be balance as in everything in life. Even Cheesecake. I know that’s random… but it’s true.
The
Racket
Three
times in Psalm 46 the Psalmist says that “God
is our refuge.” Refuge being a safe haven, sanctuary or shelter. As a child
of God I understand that. I have run into that place to escape the sorrows of
the day so very many times. I’m in that place right now. I needed this word
this morning to send me to the feet of Jesus to speak to Him about the many burdens
in my life. They accumulate so quickly. Too much, too often and I’m consumed by
it. They’re a racket in my mind. God
understands. That’s why He spoke this Psalm into David. Not only for him, but
for us.
Psalm
46
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and
though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the
mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Those roaring waters and trembling mountains that feel as though they’re going to bury us in defeat are exactly what runs us into the refuge. If it were not for that trouble, we’d think we didn’t need help. We’d be sure that it was us who could get us through the issues of the day. God doesn’t make the trouble, but He’ll get His glory in the midst of it! I witnessed that yesterday.
My cousin’s death was not a death of God’s timing. But God knew the heart of the man and used the occasion of his memorial to quiet the noise in my life and probably many others. Death has a way of putting life in check.
This is important. √
This is not. √
The River
4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of
God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help
her, and that right early.
I sing a song titled “Tell Me One
More Time About Jesus” and in that song there is a line that speaks of the
Pastor’s words being like a “cool drink of water.” The Psalmist’s words are
such. So were the words of the memorial, because they all point to Jesus. Jesus
is that river, that makes glad the city of God! When a child of God comes home,
whether timely or not, you better believe there is rejoicing in Heaven! Should
there not be on earth.
I told my cousin Duke last
night when he called to see how the funeral went, that “I love a good funeral!”
We laughed, but he knew what I meant. Because we both know Jesus. And there is
joy in knowing that a loved one’s struggle is over and they are sitting beside
of Victory! Glorraaaaaay! That puts a shout in my soul.
The Refuge from the Rage
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice,
the earth melted. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the
bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
You can better believe that
Satan was not a happy camper at Gassaway Baptist Church yesterday. He expected
worlds to fall apart when he moved “his kingdom.” But this world is not our home,
and this world was not what my cousin’s children had their eyes on. They were standing in the refuge of the God
of Jacob. The same God and Savior who gave Jacob a new name when he wrestled
with God in Genesis 32.
Every battle of a child of God
ends in Victory, even if it doesn’t always appear that way.
My cousin was described as a man of few words, yet he was a writer, a thinker, a ponderer… and he and I had many times talked about our ponderings of God. He left his testimony with us through his children when his daughter said, “Our dad was a humble man who wouldn’t want you to focus on his education, successes and the many things he did that no one knew. He would want us to tell you of the day he made Jesus his Savior.”
With
every stroke of the brush, marker or pen my mind’s eye goes into critical mode.
“That line’s not straight… that looks dumb…why did I put that there?” It’s likely
the nature of the beast of an artist. A word I have always had issues with
because I’ve never considered myself to be one. So today, 2 Corinthians 12:9
caught my eye and took me to a different place.
The place
called grace.
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he
said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that
the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Perhaps it’s a trip you
needed to take today as well.
His
Grace
The only grace that truly matters, because He is the only One Who is worthy to give it. I can extend grace to others and I should, because I need it as much as they do. I’m a sinner saved by grace, fully forgiven because of the blood of Jesus Christ. But often times there is no one harder on me than me. I’m sure Apostle Paul could identify. How many times did Satan remind him of his previous life? Countless no doubt. And for me, Satan may only have to remind me of fifteen minutes ago. But there’s something about pen to paper that makes my mistakes more permanent than just the ink.
His
Strength
Seeing the mistake on the
page weakens me. It reminds me of the fact that I often consider myself faux
artist, much like the technique of faux art. I’m not real. It’s why I need His
strength. I rely on it to get me through those times when Satan would tear me
down and with me the ministry I long to build for the Kingdom of God. That’s
why Satan does it. Every time he can use
self-criticism as a tool he can thwart the Kingdom’s work.
His
Power
I don’t know how many
times, far too many to count that I have walked off the platform feeling like a
dirt dog because I had failed. Only to be greeted by a child of God who
described a performance that was far above the one I experienced. That’s His
power! Not mine. He can take a vessel, marred and broken like me and use me in
spite of myself and my mistakes.
There was an illustration
once at a retreat I attended where the ladies had taken a pitcher, broken it
and glued it back together. In front of the audience they poured water into it
only to have it pour through the cracks of the broken vessel. Hello! This is
where we get happy. If we allow our brokenness, our mistakes to be seen by
other people, the Holy Spirit can flow into and out of us blessing many and
drawing them to the grace, the strength and the power we experience as His
children.
Yes… this is what I have to remember. My imperfections are made perfect by my Lord. His grace, His goodness, and His greatness dwell within me. I just have to let them leak through the cracks of my broken, messed up self.
