Words of Inspiration BlogInspirational and Uplifting

The Nearness Of God

Nahum 1:3b & 7 – The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Dear Friends – Are you facing whirlwinds of trials, setbacks, loss and defeat in your life? Have the storms of life so overwhelmed you that you find you are barely able to function? Are you a true child of God, holding tight in these troubled times but feel somehow you are losing your grip? These words are to encourage you to take heart. The above scripture says the Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm. It’s a simple scripture, it paints an allegory of God being as near as the clouds, which we see everyday. It is a powerful description of the nearness of God in times of storms and upheaval, but just as powerful is the declaration it makes that God will have His way in the whirlwind and the storm.

Beloved, if we had all the answers to life, its pitfalls and potholes, we would not need to look to One greater than ourselves. If we knew the way through the torrential onslaught of depression, pain and brokenness, we would not need go any further with a message of divine protection and intervention. But alas, as humans, we don’t know the way we should take in troubled times. I think it is most assuring and comforting to read and reread the above scripture that says God will have His way in the situations. See, you can read it with emphasis being on different parts of the scripture such as God WILL have His way, or God will have HIS way, or GOD will have His way, but ultimately, the message brings us to the same conclusion that God is in control period. God is in control when we’ve lost our way. God is in control when we’ve allowed ourselves to sink in despair, being fearful and unsure.

But, it’s oh so encouraging to know that just a few verses down  scripture says the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Think about it, meditate on that thought a moment. Let it sink in that first the Lord is GOOD. Yes whatever we may be facing, no matter how dark or dreary our circumstances, the Lord is GOOD and will bring GOOD things out of it if we are trusting Him. In the day of our trouble He is there to be a stronghold for us. Yes we may be weak, weary, fainting, feeling as if we’re going down for the third time. But GOD! He is a stronghold when we feel we can’t hold on any longer. He is a stronghold when our strength is gone. And why? Because He knows those that are trusting in Him. He didn’t bring us this far just to leave us or watch us sink into despair and die. No, Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Believe it, stand on it, and praise God for such redeeming Love.

Yes dear friends, trusting Him  no matter what is happening is key. We must keep our hearts and minds focused on His goodness, His abilities, His love and tender care of us rather than on our own imperfections and frailties. Believe that no matter how you falter, how you stumble, He is right beside you, encouraging you, inspiring you to come up higher with Him. For even in the darkest of days, and often in the midst of our darkest days, creativeness straight from the throneroom of God’s grace is birthed in our hearts. Suddenly we have answers to questions we did not even know how to ask. Suddenly there is a  bright ray of Light seen in the far distance of this tunnel vision we have inadvertently acquired. For so often in painfully hard places we forget that even though we may let go of God, He never lets go of His children.

At these times, God continues to care for us, provide for us. He wants us to trust Him but if trust fails it does not diminish His power to redeem us because He so loves us. He has compassion on us that we desperately need but can rarely comprehend. He’s not just waiting to see us fold under the weight of sorrow and heartache, sin or disillusionment without rushing to our side. No He has compassion on us, compassion to save, deliver and heal. His will is that none would perish but that all would come to know Him and have eternal life.

To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God, truly He does not require much of us (Micah 6:8).  A simple faith and trust in Him, believing He is there with us through every storm, not so hard would you agree?. If storms are raging in your life, if a whirlwind of clouds has left you reeling, remember God is right there in the storm, in control and having His way. Humbly give it all to God. He knows the way through every storm when we do not so why not let Him lead us through? And He has sent the Holy Spirit to come alongside us and be our aid. He has in no wise left us comfortless. Jesus came to take our place in death that we might be redeemed back to God. Since we have obtained so great mercy and such great love why not let God be at the helm of our lives? Remember, He has control of the whirlwind, He has control of the storms. He will have His way in these things  and His way will be good. Let Him be your stronghold today!

In His Love, 

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He Restoreth My Soul

Psalms 23 – The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Shepherd knows what pastures are best for his sheep, and they must not question nor doubt, but trustingly follow Him. Perhaps He sees that the best pastures for some of us are to be found in the midst of opposition or of earthly trials. If He leads you there, you may be sure they are green for you, and you will grow and be made strong by feeding there. Perhaps He sees that the best waters for you to walk beside will be raging waves of trouble and sorrow. If this should be the case, He will make them still waters for you, and you must go and lie down beside them, and let them have all their blessed influences upon you.
H. W. SMITH.

Dear Friends – May these words of encouragement bless you this day. May you become keenly aware of God’s love and tender care of you. As a shepherd tends to his flock, so God gives us direction at every turn. At every crossroads in life our Savior is there pointing the way. Often we do not listen. Too many times we think that just can’t be the path we have to walk as it is not what we feel is best for us or even where we wanted to go. Ah, but here lies the sweetest of truths. Just as the above quote by H. W. Smith says, the places God chooses for us may not be our choice, but God is able to still those raging waters, calm His children in the midst of trials and tribulations, and alas, there are “blessed influences” we would certainly miss by going our own way. 

In reading the Shepherd’s Psalm I am comforted by the deep and abiding care that is expounded upon. In reading it at first glance it seems perhaps the norm in life until one takes the time to meditate on each verse, to delve more deeply into the rich truths of the Psalm. In the first verse, if the Lord is our shepherd we will not want, one could stop right there and be filled with so much of Christ our world would most certainly change. For the job of a shepherd is to lead His sheep where they may drink of the water of life, have adequate food, protection from harm, etc. He speaks to them and soon they recognize his voice and they follow him because they trust him.

Oh that we had that kind of childlike trust in our Lord. Green pastures, still waters, yes, but His green pastures, His still waters. There’s where the schism comes in at times. But in staying with Him, trusting at all costs, all your paths will be paths of righteousness, how blessed! And we think perhaps we don’t want to go where He leads at times?

Verse 4 speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death fearing no evil. One thing that jumps out of that passage of scripture is the word shadow. I feel it is a time in life where we may feel threatened in some way, certainly fearful, but it is only a shadow, not real, for God is standing so close to us the Light of His love will drive the shadow away. Another of the major keywords in that verse is THROUGH of course. One must keep going, keep trusting, keep putting one foot in front of the other until this season of the valley experience has passed. We know that a valley is a low place, usually with mountains on either side. One could be in the lowest of places in life, but see in the distance where they could be, would like to be, perhaps are trying to be. Keep going forward, beloved. Let God lead you in His way and be truly changed, uplifted, awakened to all the beauty that is the life God has prepared for you.

As you remain under the care and leading of the Great Shepherd you will soon learn that trusting Him and letting  Him lead becomes easier and easier. His rod and His staff are more than comforting, for with one He corrects us and with the other He leads us. And by staying on His chosen paths where do we end up? Alas, He prepares a table full of His bounty just for us and in the presence of our enemies, in the presence of all those that said we’d never make it. Yes here we are because we chose to trust Him, our head is anointed with oil, that’s feeling as if we could accomplish anything and have His power to do so. Our cup is running over, yes we have more than heart could wish. And ultimately, goodness and mercy are right behind us 24-7. Think of God’s goodness and mercy following you wherever you go, in all that you do, every circumstance. Goodness and mercy, goodness and mercy. You trusted God and now because of your faithfulness you have received a rich reward. What could not be accomplished in our lives if we knew of a truth that goodness and mercy were forever with us for there is no limit to God’s goodness, no end to His mercy?

 Receive it and be blessed today, my friends. Stay with the Lord no matter what. If your path is not what you would have chosen and the Lord has seen fit to lead you there, think on those “blessed influences”. For all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth  unto those that have made Him the Lord of their life (Psalms 25:10).

Beloved if you don’t know this One called Jesus, God’s Son, take a moment and ask Him to come into your heart and be the Lord of your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness, then by faith believe He has done so. Commit your life, your way, your dreams and desires to Him and begin to follow Him wherever He may lead you. You will soon realize you are walking on His paths of righteousness for His name sake.  For scripture says in Psalms 25:8 good and upright is the Lord and He wants to teach you in His way. If you are overwhelmed in life right now, if your life is broken and in disarray, if you feel lost and alone,  let God show you a true and better way, let God show you His way. Remember the “blessed influences”, the cup that runs over, the bountiful table prepared especially for you in the presence of your enemies, and the great goodness and mercy that will be ever with you.

 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace…Num 6:24-26 

In His Love, 

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The Darkness Before Dawn

Dear Friends – Step out into the early morning hours and look up at the stars. They seem to be shining brighter in the darkness before dawn. It is as if each one is dancing across the cosmos to its own rhythm. Each star is melodiously hanging there in all its glory, singing songs of their creator, songs in the night that  only God can orchestrate. So it is with our lives and circumstances. When the darkness seems overwhelming and the black closeness would seem as if we are smothering in pain, brokenness, confusion and turmoil, listen with your heart to the songs of the morning stars. For it is in this quiet oneness with yourself, your Creator, and beneath the starry deep displayed overhead that God speaks to us. Let these words of hope, these words of encouragement touch the pain and brokenness in your life and awaken in you the knowledge that with God truly all things are possible.

God is ever speaking to us of Love. His arm is outstretched to us in want of a loving embrace if we will allow it. His love is there for us as we call on Him in desperation for deliverance, for relief from oppression, and direction when we seem to have lost our way. His Spirit speaks softly to the brokenness. His healing balm flows over the schism in our bodies, the confusion in our minds, reaching the very core of mankind, inspiring one to arise and soar with Him. His will is not that we suffer and die in a tormented state, but rather that we turn and let ourselves be healed.

Turn today, beloved, and let the songs of the morning stars ring loudly in your spirit. Let the darkness before the dawn become a beacon of hope as you allow His love to lighten your life, His strength to lighten your load, and His way become your way. So much time is wasted in worry and concern. So much time we could be spending with God, sharing our thoughts, our longings, our innermost pain, and yet we avoid this closeness as if our Savior is not concerned about the smallest of issues in our lives.

Truly if one could only grasp this agape love and it’s most basic meaning so many lives could be transformed from darkness into light. For He loved us when we were not lovable. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to save us while we were yet sinners. We have no words for our defense. There are no works we can do or merits we can earn to open the door to so great a love. All we need do is ask Jesus to forgive us our sins, to come into our hearts and be the Lord of our lives. Lay it all on His altar of sacrifice. Lay down your heavy burdens for scripture says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Make that switch today. Why continue to carry a load that is much too heavy to bear?

In one of my poems I used the phrase “I sense my smallness standing neath a starry moonlit sky”. It is humbling, yet exhilirating, to just take a moment to look up at the Comos, all its vastness, all its beauty, and know that God that created this Universe created each one of us. The God that hung every star, called them all by name, calls each one of us by name as well. He calls us precious, beautiful, His beloved, His bride. He gives us counsel, comfort, love, encouragement, inspiration, hope in failing times, motivation in times of lackluster existence. He gives us strength in our times of weakness, the oil of joy for the spirit of mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He stands by us when others walk away. He stands with us in times of loneliness. We come before Him as walking wounded and He stands ready to help and to heal. He has sent His Holy Spirit to come alongside, to aid us in our time of need.

Yes, beloved, He never leaves us or forsakes us. It is not by our righteousness or by any works that we have done but through faith in Him we have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Take your eyes off the overwhelming problems and brokenness in your life today and place them on Jesus. Focus on His love and His care of His world and we as His dear children. We will not always have the answers to our petitions as we had hoped. Our questions may still be staring us in the face. But in the gift of another day, gazing up at the twinkling stars, let us be reminded that our God is still in control of our lives. He is still very much aware of the pain and lostness. Yet for just a moment let your mind be at rest, your troubled spirit find solace in the starry space, your loneliness and sorrow be replaced by the overwhelming Love hanging in the heavens and the absolute truth that the God that created such a beautiful existence for the whole of man is still working miracles and opening doors to greater destinies than our finite minds can grasp. Our God, through faith in His Son Jesus, waits to pour this Love into each heart that will open unto Him and allow Him to begin a work of grace that will change us from the inside out.

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The Altar Of Sacrifice

Psalms 103: 1-6- Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

Dear Friends – Have you heard the song “I Surrender All”? The words go something like I surrender all, I surrender, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. That is where God wants us and that is the only thing that will bring true peace in our lives and  ultimate happiness. I have heard many testimonies of people who finally had a moment of realization that their way wasn’t working, people who in their Aha moment amidst a sea of futility finally fell on their face before God and simply said, “I surrender”. It is a moment that is usually followed by great peace of mind. It is a span of time when one walks from the human experience in the natural to an eternity in the supernatural.  One usually feels lighter to a larger degree because all the burdens and baggage one has been carrying around are left with God. When you totally surrender you begin to be able to think more clearly. All the issues that troubled you are now in God’s hands giving you more time for the things that matter. Just knowing He is in control of all in your life is reason to give Him praise. How can we not but be so thankful for His urging us to let Him “take a load off” and begin to live more abundant and free?

I love the song that is always at the end of the Billy Graham Crusades “Just As I Am”. Yes, just as we are is exactly how God accepts us. We don’t have to try to clean up our lives, to fix our messes, to change in some way. God is waiting on us to come to Him just as we are. Often the things we might consider undesirable and weak, character flaws we would rather not bring to Him are in reality His very gifts to us. For God chooses the weak and base things of this world to confound the wise. The things we may consider undesirable traits are usually what God uses to bless us and bless the world. He does not look for perfection, for there is none. He does not look for only the brightest, only the beautiful, only those that have it all together. No, He looks for the weak and ailing vessel. He looks for those who have given up and are ready to quit. He looks for those to whom He can show Himself strong. Yes, the brokenness becomes a blessing, the failures and strife become a beacon in the night to others on this sea of life when God orchestrates life fully. And how precious that there’s no measuring up to be done with God. He created us uniquely, blessed each one with gifts and talents to be used for  Him and the good of others, and when He saw what He had made His response was not just “good”, but “very good”. 

In the song “Just As I Am”, part of a verse says without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. That’s all it takes. God already prepared the way. We can not stand before Him with any words for our defense for we have not one plea, not one. And this is why it’s called surrender. Man may try for a while to follow God and yet have it be as man desires. For a short span of time this may seem to work. Ultimately it all comes crashing down and man begins to looks for another way or decides to do it God’s way. 

When God calls us it’s just as we are and He wants it all. It may seem like He asks for a lot in the beginning. After all, some things in our lives we seem rather attached to and they don’t seem to be causing anyone any harm. But one by one, it’s all revealed to us what needs to go and what needs to stay. Might as well comply sooner than later because if one walks with Him long enough the things one tries to hold on to from the old life only serve to hold one back from all the wonderful life God has planned. We can hold on in rebellion but if we want to go deeper with God, know Him more intimately, have a closer walk with Him, and experience blessing beyond measure, we surrender all. 

Yes things come up along the way we didn’t realize we hadn’t surrendered. The Spirit is ever leading, urging constant, loving always, and convicting when we get off track. A lack of peace in our lives usually means something is out of sorts, something has veered off to the right or to the left and we find we’re not where we need to be or even want to be. But God is so loving and forgiving. He’s not up there just waiting for us to mess up and get lost so He can say, “I told you so”. He’s going to come find us if we get lost. He is going to come save us when we cry out to Him. He’s a God full of compassion. Nothing we do surprises Him. No sin is beyond His forgiveness. No brokenness is beyond His ability to heal. No lack is beyond His provision. There is no end to His love for His children. He longs to touch us with lovingkindness and tender mercies. He is waiting to deliver us from our destructions. It’s a love that is almost beyond human comprehension but that is what makes Him God. 

Why does He love us so much? How can He love us at times? We don’t have all the answers to all the questions and that’s why we come to Him in faith, believing that He is, and that is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. We will never have all the answers and the endless search for them, the reasoning and analyzing, only leave us with more questions. Accept Him by faith. Look for the supernatural in your natural. Look for Him in ways  you never thought of before, big ways. Expect over-the-top from God. Surrender all, hold nothing back. Lay it all on the altar of sacrifice and begin to live again. He’s the God of second chances and we all need them every day.

In His Love, 

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Whatsoever Things Are Lovely

Philippians 4:6-9 -  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Dear Friends – Staying in peace in times of turmoil and stress, how hard it is. Settling it in your heart, what you’ve believed and received, is a must in today’s world, and certainly the foundation of a peace-filled existence. Scripture exhorts us to be anxious for nothing. But often we display just the opposite characteristics. I believe that the mind with its constant barrage of questions, concerns, doubts and fears, trips us up quicker than any other storms we may face in life. Staying in peace is both physically and mentally rewarding in that when fear and doubts come we know what we have believed and with our mouth we confess it. It sounds like a simple enough task, a rather menial endeavor, but think again. Staying in peace takes extreme discipline for even the most committed of followers. When the storms are raging in life it’s easy to start to focus on the waves. It’s easy to take our eyes off the Savior and begin to fret. And as the boisterous waves of life’s calamities and hard places continue to pick up strength and speed, it becomes even harder to stand.

But stand we must. Stay in peace at all costs. Run to God at these times and get alone with Him. He knows your heart before you call. He is aware of your needs before the prayer is spoken. But in your time alone with Him pour out your requests and supplications, make them known to Him heart to heart, then thank Him that He’s heard and will answer. How precious that no matter our problems, no matter what troubles us and keeps us on the run, we have a Savior that is ever at our side, looking for fellowship with us, to comfort us and settle us, to establish us in His way.

Yes staying in peace is a precious gift. That is why scripture says it “passeth all understanding”. For we ask ourselves how can we stay in peace in the torrential onslaught of mental and emotional turmoil? How can we stay in peace in the face of physical distress? Can we stay in peace in the midst of financial difficulties, for ourselves, for others? What about wars and rumors of wars? It is possible to truly trust God so much that these things don’t distress us and cause us to fall? Can we trust Him to such a degree that we spend our days looking for ways to comfort and strengthen others rather than worrying unceasingly about our own difficulties. This is the peace which passes understanding. This is the peace we experience through Christ Jesus, knowing He will keep our hearts and minds because they are committed to Him.

It seems impossible at times to stand believing, committed, trusting in Him at all costs, but to experience that peace that passes understanding, I promise you the end result will leave you strengthened, refreshed, encouraged, with a new perspective on your circumstances and the possible outcomes. What good is worrying about so much in life when in reality we can usually change very little? And so much time spent worrying about things that may never even happen can steal the moments we could be living, laughing, helping others, all of which have much more benefit than pacing the floor and wringing our hands in dismay when we have allowed problems or people to overwhelm us and send us reeling out of control.

No, we must not allow ourselves to lose another moment of this precious gift of life so lovingly bestowed on us by our Savior. It may not make sense to some lost in pain and despair. Some may ask how can just staying in peace change the situation or the outcome of such? First of all, it passes understanding, meaning we as mere humans can’t really understand how God can bring peace in troubled times just because we are trusting Him. But this loving Savior does bring peace when we choose to walk in it and above all stay in it. I actually put this to the test in my personal life. First I gave God a week, just baby-steps. In prayer I decided to trust Him with issues in my life that seemed too big to ever be resolved, with people that were difficult, and with situations I had no answers to and felt it had become my lot in life to just suffer through every day rather than walk in victory. One week. That’s how it all started and I can say it was the best decision of my life.

Circumstances may not have changed that much but I changed. My perspective on life changed. The realization of what was important and what was not changed. Trying to justify myself and my feelings changed. For ultimately God forgives us our frailities and failures and expects us in turn to forgive others. Let the sin debt be paid, friends, yours and others with whom you have to do. And those “others”, well they changed too because they saw the glorious work God had done in me. I started with baby-steps and am now experiencing leaps and bounds on my spiritual journey.  And all because I made the quality decision to trust God and stay in peace.

At the end of the first week, I found myself at a crossroads. Would I pick up the old life of worry, anger, fearfulness, or would I go on for another week of staying in peace? It wasn’t a hard decision. I was definitely feeling “lighter”. The old baggage had been tossed aside so I decided another week would be good. At the end of the second week, well I was no longer at a crossroads asking what I should do. No, I knew I was on a bountiful path that could only lead me to beautiful new beginnings. Since this “staying in peace” journey began I have 3 books on amazon.kindle and 3 books on amazon in print. Amazing that what I had been trying to do in my own strength for so many years miraculously turned around because of that baby-step week. I say none of these things would have come my way had I continued in struggling, worrying, unforgiveness, and all that entails. I trusted God and He met me at every need. I trusted God and He gave me a new life, a new purpose, and truly joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Truly, it has passed all understanding. I would not trade the old life with it’s worries, concerns, failures, uncertainties and drama, yes, always drama, for the peace I have found in Christ alone. I’ve been blessed, truly blessed, above and beyond anything I expected at the outset of my little baby-steps. My heart is at rest, my mind is at rest. It was an even more surprising  life-changing event because I’ve always been somewhat of a worrier. Now when thoughts trouble me, when I feel that urge to pick up the old life and take matters into my own hands, I commit it to Him. I commit it to Him knowing He is taking care of all things much better than I ever could. I commit it to Him knowing He is for me and not against me, and that all things are working together for my good. I commit it to Him, take my hands off, walk away in peace, that peace that passes understanding, and focus on the good that I can do, those that I may help in some way, or just relaxing and living the life God has called me to live. It’s gloriously liberating and freeing.

I pray these words of inspiration have encouraged you to stay in peace today, my friends, and begin to live the abundant life Jesus died to give us.

In His Love, 

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The Voice Of God

Psalms 40:12b, 13 – Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.

O Thou, to whose all-searching sight
The darkness shineth as the light!
Search, prove my heart; it pants for Thee;
Oh, burst these bonds, and set it free!
G. TERSTEEGEN

Yes, this sin which has sent me weary-hearted to bed and desperate in heart to morning work, that has made my plans miscarry until I am a coward, that cuts me off from prayer, that robs the sky of blueness and the earth of springtime, and the air of freshness, and human faces of friendliness,–this blasting sin which perhaps has made my bed in hell for me so long,–this can be conquered. I do not say annihilated, but, better than that, conquered, captured and transfigured into a friend: so that I at last shall say, “My temptation has become my strength! for to the very fight with it I owe my force.”
W. C. GANNETT. 

Dear Friends – May these words of encouragement bless you deeply today and motivate you to take a second look at your circumstances, a reevaluation if you will of the hurts and pain, the brokenness and bitterness, and yes, even the  agonizing anger that has taken deep root within your soul to the depths that you are barely able to lift your head. And as you take a second look may you, by God’s grace, come to the revelation that your life is not over. Your best days are yet to come. The innermost desires of your heart are still God’s desires for you and He is still willing and able to bring about great things in your life if you are trusting Him.

So often in life we allow things to overwhelm us when we’ve truly prayed and asked God for guidance. People disappoint us and hurt us. People betray us. Friends walk away. Disasters happen at inopportune times and catch us unawares. The enemy likes nothing better than to see us struggling in pain and disillusionment. He is at work in our discouragement, slowly isolating  us because when we are discouraged and depressed the first thing we do is want to be alone in our misery. Once we’re isolated there is a constant barrage of destructive thoughts. We begin to feel that our situation is somehow an exception to all the rules. We are certain that our pain is different than what others suffer, deeper, more devastating, more traumatic, and in allowing these thoughts to continue, before you know it the enemy has moved in and set up a stronghold.

Beloved, scripture says there is nothing new under the sun. That means every human experience is not new even if we’ve determined in our hearts that surely no one has been hurt like this, surely no one has suffered so many blows that they are no longer able to function. The worst thing we can do in desperate times is convince ourselves that our situation is too far gone for God to give assistance, our situation is too heavy for God to carry us through, and worst of all, God doesn’t seem to even notice our situation anymore and Heaven seems silent.

When we have suffered so much for so long it begins to look hopeless to us. When the darkness is unrelenting though we pray fervently to the best of our ability, we stand on the brink of giving up. But the good news is this is when God is doing His greatest work in us. For you see, the seeming silence of Heaven, when it seems God is not talking to us, is actually just the opposite. God is preparing us for great things. We have others around us watching us, watching what we will do, how we will react, and just when is our God going to show up. Well it may not seem like it but God is always on time. Just when we think we’ve surely lost our minds  and everything else in our life, He shows up. God knew you could handle the stress, the anxiety, the seeming overload because He gave you what it takes beforehand. He knew you could do it but did you? He never left your side. He has every confidence in us but do we have the same confidence in Him? 

In Joel Osteen’s book “Every Day A Friday” he says, “When He (God) is silent, don’t assume He has left you. He is right there with you during the test….God is not mad at you when He is silent. He has not forsaken you. His silence is a sign that He has great confidence in you. He knows you have what it takes…”.  Scripture says He never gives us more than we can handle without making a way of escape. Knowing this, we should be rejoicing even in the tough times because what a privilege to discover the God that created the Universe has such confidence in us. So may we never be tempted to throw away our confidence as it is truly one of God’s priceless treasures and His word says it has great recompense of reward.

If you want the deeper things of God it takes a greater faith. You must learn to trust Him with your life and all that it encompasses. If your wounds are always open and bleeding then the pain is easily triggered by sometimes unexpected events, but usually a more familiar happening, a song, seeing a particular person, a certain locale. You may go back and relive the painful experience. You may revisit the devastating circumstances over and over in your mind. Yes, you may even feel justified in doing so because in your reality, it was an exceptional pain, an exceptional injustice. But beloved, in doing so we only hurt ourselves. God wants us to let it go and let Him heal us. We can’t be healed if we constantly look back, constantly indulge ourselves in these excuses that no one understands us or how bad our pain really is. God understands us, God understands how deep the pain is and how devastating to our lives the wound has become, but He not only offers healing if we trust Him, His word says what the enemy means for evil God will use for good, our good, and the good of those around us.

There will always be opposition to our faith. We have to understand that to go higher with God usually means more opposition, greater obstacles. But God is the one that will fight for us. When we come to the end of ourselves and can’t seem to find a way to keep going then God will carry us. He doesn’t want us to spend our lives running around putting out fires. He doesn’t want us to waste our days avoiding every trigger of that familiar failure, pain, etc., running from life looking for some safe haven with which to rest. No, He will fight our battles for us while we continue to trust Him and grow and begin to experience all the life He’s providing, exceeding, abundantly above all we could have ever asked or thought. As Tullian Tchividjian so profoundly states it, “The gospel is not a command to hang onto Jesus. Rather, it’s a promise that no matter how weak your faith may be in seasons of spiritual depression, God is always holding on to you”.

If you’re plagued with torment from the past, past hurts, past failures, commit it to Him. Commit it to Him and leave it alone. God is able to deal with it. Scripture says He will vindicate us. Scripture says He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. By trusting Him explicitly, even if you just start with baby steps, soon you will be sitting at that table dining on God’s bounty while your enemies look on. What a testimony! And by baby steps I mean perhaps you are deeply troubled, so troubled that you can’t even lift your head or speak, but give God a day, give Him a week, totally let it go and trust Him for a short amount of time. Then as  you see He is faithful in the shortrun, trust Him for the long haul. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. What He’s done for others He will do for you. With man these things seem impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible.

Don’t let the enemy isolate you and convince  you you can’t be fixed, your problems are too complex, too far reaching. No shut the door on him and  his wiles for scripture says he comes to steal, kill and destroy. As believers we are commanded to take captive every thought that sets itself up against God. Yes, we may feel bad about life, but we’re not failures utterly. We may have been down for a season, but don’t count us out. The pain may have been devastating but give it to God. Allow Him to take whatever brokenness and/or bitterness that is keeping you from living life to the fullest and bring about His good in your life. For when you allow Him free reign in your life you often find the scope of His Love and healing is far greater than you ever imagined. Not only do you find peace, joy, healing, strength for the journey that you’re on, but His Love touches others in your life, and before long you’ve got a powerful testimony rather than a pitiful mess.

If you are so distraught that the only prayer you can utter is, “I commit this to You”, that is good enough for God. Do it every time you feel like you can’t make it. God is a God of justice and He will not allow us to be used and abused indefinitely when we are trusting Him for our care. God will show up when we least expect it and show Himself strong on our behalf. Those who stand against us or those who may not necessarily stand against us but have hurt us deeply will see God show up and bless us. Yes, dear ones, you will set at His table and dine in their very presence. Man may have counted you out, but God says you’re just getting started.

So if Heaven seems silent to you, my friends, just know of a certainty that you are much farther along than you realize. Know assuredly that God has been at work in your life in a powerful way. For in the silence you’ve been searching, searching the scriptures, praying for wisdom, direction, deliverance. Take heart, for God has heard your prayers and the pit you have been in for so long will soon be forgotten when His glory is revealed to you, in you, on you, through you, and all to the glory of God. Scripture says “by grace ye are saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God”, and what a gift it is. We don’t earn it, we can’t buy it, we just reach out and by faith we believe it, and we receive it. This great grace is touching your life today because you have chosen to trust Him, and the glory is about to be revealed. Don’t give up and don’t give in, only believe. Let the very thing that broke you, the very circumstance that brought you into the pit you’ve been in for so long, be the catapult in your life to be all that God created you to be. Let the very thing that makes you feel the weakest, hurts unbearably, and causes you the greatest fear, be the thing  that with God’s help you capture and conquer, so that as W. C. Gannett said,  ”My temptation has become my strength! for to the very fight with it I owe my force.”

In His Love, 

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For Such A Time As This

Dearest Friends – For such a time as this you were created! Scripture says “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). You may be groaning under the weight of your load. You may be faltering, stumbling, unsure of your footing in troubled times. But the sufferings of these times are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

You ask how can this be? How can our lives, that at times seem so dark and hopeless, be in reality a beacon of hope to a lost world? Because you are being led by the Spirit of God and you are the sons and daughters of God. You can shrink back in fear in troubled, chaotic times. You can run from life and hide your gifts and talents from the world rather than believe God to do a beautiful work in you and through you. But in all these things God’s word tells us we are MORE than conquerors through Him that loved us (Romans 8:37). We are in essence children of God, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus if so be that HE is truly our Lord and Savior.

When we are overwhelmed by life the Spirit helps our infirmities. When we don’t know how to pray the Spirit makes intercession for us. God has provided a way where there might not seem to be a way in your life. If He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not then with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32). Freely! His only requirement is that we believe Him; believe Him that He is able, believe Him that He will do what He said He would do. The Way is the only way in yesterday’s world, today’s world, and tomorrow’s world for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

If your heart is broken from hurts of the past He has you covered and will bring miraculously good things out of it if you will commit them to Him. If you are living in fear of today’s turmoil, today’s pain, today’s seeming harshness and helplessness, He is the God of your today. He will hold you and help you without fail and without condemnation. And if your thoughts constantly run to tomorrow and where you will be, what you will do, what of your loved ones, that too is covered. For the whole of creation rests in the palm of God’s hands and we as His beloved children are above all safe, saved, delivered and redeemed from our own destructions and downfalls.

Truly, beloved, there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ, nothing. Romans 8:38-39 says ”For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. These times may be troubling but NO THING and NOTHING can separate us from the love of God. God has called us into His family, and who He calls He also justifies, and those He justifies He also glorifies (Romans 8:30). It’s powerful beyond what man can reason in his finite mind. It takes simple faith and trust in Jesus to believe that no matter what kind of dire straits we may find ourselves in God is right there with us. Nothing is too difficult for our God. His arm is not shortened that it cannot help. His ears are open to our cries. And when we are without strength there is no greater time to let go of our efforts, our worries, and just experience a freefall right into His loving arms, for scripture says in Deuteronomy 33:27 “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…”. What a beautiful expression of total Love and care for us. He’s our refuge, and if we fall, we fall right into His everlasting arms. Think of it. That thought of falling into the everlasting arms brings the phrase “Let Go and Let God” into virtual focus. Let go today precious ones, and let God show you a true and better way. He will not fail you and He will not leave you.

I heard a song long ago that goes something like “In times like these, we need a savior. In times like these, we need an anchor. Be very sure, yes very sure, your anchor holds, and grips the solid rock”. Jesus is the Rock that is higher than we are. Jesus is the anchor of our souls. So may these words of encouragement touch your heart today and inspire you to be sure, be very sure, that for such a time as this you are trusting in the Anchor of life, the Love that is unconditional, and in so doing your Anchor WILL hold. For in times like these nothing material, nothing secular, nothing of this world and its goods shall be able in any wise to save you, it is in Christ alone that we are saved, in Christ alone.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26.

In His Love, 

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The Holding Pattern

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Dear Friends – Victim or Victor? That is how we may perceive our situations and circumstances when we are in a holding pattern. You have the choice to be a victim of life or a victor in Christ. Often we feel a great pressure, maybe even some confusion in life when we have done all we know to do and things just don’t change in the way we hoped. God owes us nothing but He paid for us with the blood of His Son, Jesus. How precious we must be in His sight!  God owes us nothing but He gives us all things according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. What we allow to become a victim mentality, and this is by choice, is a missed opportunity to learn what God may be teaching us, both about ourselves and about others.

The holding pattern is a time we should use to grow spiritually. This holding pattern, though it may try our patience, can be in reality a great gift. So often we want instant relief, instant change, instant answers to prayer, especially when the heat has been turned up. But these are the times God calls us to trust Him for both guidance and protection. His provision is there if we are relying on Him, though it may not be the provision we desired. I saw on a church billboard this statement – God is never there when you need Him but He’s always on time. Yes beloved, that would be His time and not ours. There is a season and a purpose to all He does in our lives. In our limited understanding and finite minds, we may fail to grasp the true meaning of God’s purpose and plan both for the moment at hand and our lives in general. Perhaps we fail to see the bigger picture. After all, we are a part of God’s great tapestry and we are being woven into the lives of others just as we are being woven into Christ. What an opportunity for blessing others! For God is not as interested in our comfort as our character “for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

If your life is in a holding pattern and you feel frozen in time, unable to move those mountains or seemingly affect their impact on your life whatsoever, believe that God is very much at work in your life. Scripture says in Hebrews 10:36-37 ”For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry”.  So what character can He develop in us through these circumstances?  What patience and virtue can come from trials and tribulations that are met with a welcome mat rather than taking the first road out? If God has allowed a situation into your life His intention is to bless you and others in the process. His word says He does not give us more than we can handle without providing a way of escape. But often our way of escape is to run away.

So when we run away, where are we going, for wherever we go, there we are. And just as we remain the same after trying our own escape maneuver, alas we look up only to find the problem remains the same also. As Martin Luther King once said, “Carve a tunnel of hope through a mountain of despair”. This would be God’s way of handling a situation.  There is no quick fix for most of life’s problems, but we do not have to view them as victims for which there is no hope and no help. For God is a very present help in times of trouble. Scripture says in Isaiah 58:11 “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not”.

Yes even when things look dry and lifeless around you God is guiding you continually. We can be prosperous in lean times when we are trusting Him. And to be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not, think of the possibilities. For folks around you are feeling dry and lifeless as well.  What a blessing to be used of God in such a time as this to minister to others in these times of great need. What a testimony one could have if God is allowed to bring His plan to fruition without our bailing before the work is done.

Scripture says in Psalms 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him”.  Truly if we are trusting Him, He is helping us, and if He is helping  us our heart will be greatly rejoicing. To feel His presence in our lives gives reason to break out into singing for there is no love like God’s love, unconditional in all respects, deeply fulfilling. It changes us from the inside out to such a degree that the problems that once overwhelmed us lose their bite. God makes all things beautiful in His time and a temporary holding pattern is part of the process. But it is a richly rewarding process. We learn to appreciate the things in life that really matter rather than continuing to focus on little annoyances or even major catastrophes. Of course there is heartache in life, and a lot of heartache man cannot fully understand, but God knows and is working things out for the good of all in your life.

If we trust Him His word says we shall never be ashamed. If we run ahead and try to get things done or change things in our way and in our time, then we become responsible for the outcome, and not just the outcome for us but the resultant backlash that may be heaped on those around us, albeit that was certainly not our original intention. If things get worse, who can we blame but ourselves? For our lack of patience and rush to judgment comes with a price. I would rather know that Jesus is right there with me, guiding every step, and remain in a holding pattern until God moves me out, than let my impatience foil an exceeding abundant work of the Holy Spirit in my life.

In James 1:17 God’s word says that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”. I believe that these gifts from God, things like deliverance after a long battle with illness or extreme difficulty, financial gain in times of severe lack, times of peace and love in place of turmoil and hatred, are just a sign of God’s great love for His children and His desire to bless us ultimately rather than watch us die in some self-made slime pit for which we can find no way of escape. I believe the fruits of the Spirit including love, kindness, patience, etc., are much more to be desired than material blessings and instant gratification, for they work a far greater reward in our lives than we could have ever imagined.

Our spiritual journey will be full of pitfalls, twists and turns, and uncertainty, but God will send spiritual discernment through faith and trust in Him. And this spiritual discernment in turn will lead to spiritual growth. God will speak to His children in His way and in His time about particular matters, but the Bible is full of words of wisdom, words that are full of life and life-changing. Take time to receive daily inspiration and Godly exhortation by reading His word, asking Him to open your eyes to see His working in your life. Ask Him to open your heart to feel His presence, His love, and to give you a heart for others around you, to see their needs and have a willing spirit to minister His life and love through the gifts He has given you.

Yes, dear ones, your life may be in a holding pattern, but this is only temporary. His word says in Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge”. No matter how dire your circumstances seem to be you can have a strong confidence in the Lord that He will come through for you. He has not forgotten you or forsaken you. This feeling of being in a holding pattern is just God at work in your life so let patience have her perfect work and when patience is allowed to have her perfect work you will find you are entire, wanting nothing. What a blessed place to be! You waited on God and He did not disappoint.

In His Love, 

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 Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace – author unknown/photo copied

Believe!

 Philippians 4:6 – Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

WHAT IFS 

I have a dear and precious friend with pining, anxious soul.

O’er worried mind, the fear within, she cannot gain control. 

“What if”, she says with trembling lips and wringing of the hands. 

“What if”, she says, ‘midst her distress, her cares like ocean sands. 

Too numerous to count, you see, their torment never ending, 

for what ifs never cease in life when all our time we’re spending 

looking at our frailties, our weaknesses and pain. 

We must look to our Savior, His Spirit will sustain.

The Bible says He cares for us no matter who we be. 

The details of our life He knows and every tear He sees.

He feels our pain, our longings, and every woe will take 

from off our minds, from off our hearts, a lighter burden make. 

Be not anxious was His command, fret not He spoke as well. 

He cares for us, He loves us more than words can ever tell. 

Go to His throne and kneeling there your heart to Him lay bare, 

then leave it at His throne and know He’s heard your every prayer. 

The what ifs of this life do only serve to choke the Spirit 

that ever speaks to us of love and comfort if we hear it.

For God, our maker, is concerned and He alone can bear them, 

if our burdens we lay down and with Him learn to share them. 

There is no problem He can’t solve, no need He won’t supply, 

if we’ll but take Him at his word and on Him we rely. 

We’ll never understand it all, the way life is, the whys, 

but we will understand it in our home beyond the skies. 

So if you’re feeling useless, broken hearted, in despair, 

let Jesus take your load, your life, and keep you in His care.

 Dear Friends – I have known a great many troubles in life, but most of them never happened. – Mark Twain 

We all have what ifs in life. The question is not whether we have them or indulge them, rather, how long is our list? In today’s world there seems to be a growing uncertainty of the future. How many times a day do we say, “but what if this happens”, or “what if that happens”, not realizing that this is basically a negative outlook on situations that have not occurred yet, and as Mark Twain stated, perhaps never will.

Yes, beloved, we can spend precious time reasoning, reasoning, analyzing, analyzing, and never figure anything out, remain in a quandary about situations and future issues, and ultimately find ourselves still planted, and that rather firmly, on square one. God gives us one day at a time and tells us to “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt 6:34).

My beloved friend that I wrote the above poem for at her request, was a precious saint. We spent many hours on her front porch talking about our love of the Lord. But the what ifs plagued many of our conversations. It was a real awakening for me to realize that these what ifs plague us all. We may not voice them openly, perhaps they are just nagging queries our minds struggle to keep in perspective, but a distraction to the things in life that matter, and certainly draining emotionally to always be looking for the elusive “bottom line”. And it is elusive, like a butterfly, just when you think you’ve got the net on it, it flitters away, or changes altogether. The only “bottom line” that matters is God’s, for He knows when we don’t, He helps when we won’t, and He sees what we can’t. He just has us covered, covered with love.

The point is we don’t need to know everything about everything to be happy, well adjusted people. God is in control of His Universe, His Earth and all that dwell therein. He loves us each one as if we were the only one and He is aware of all that troubles us, all that causes us uneasiness, fear, worry, anxiety, He knows. He knows and He tells us take no thought, don’t worry, He’s got it all in the palm of His hands. What a blessed thought! Doesn’t it make one feel totally inept to spend so much time asking the what ifs, expend so much mental energy on the cares of the future, when God has it all in His hands? Can we by any means work things out as He does? Is there some way we can even see our needs as He does?

God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. What man may consider life-changing and disastrous, God can fix with just one Word. When we look at a situation and feel all is lost we must remind ourselves that God can make a way where there seems no way. God is so able when we’re so not. We may not know how things will work out, all the ins and outs and specifics of our lives, but we can rest assured it WILL all work out because, if we are trusting God, He has a great plan for our life. He said He would never leave us or forsake us. He said if we trusted Him we would never be ashamed. With man it may seem impossible but not with God, for with God all things are possible. And even when it seems like there is no good thing that can come out of a messy situation, once again, God’s word says what the enemy meant for evil, He will use it for good.

So He covers us in His grace and mercy. He sends angels to watch over us. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in our place to be the Sacrifice Lamb. And this Jesus was broken and spilled out for you and for me, that through His blood we might be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. There just aren’t any excuses, precious ones, we trust Him or we don’t. Rather than spend the gift of another day in thoughts of uncertainty, worry, excessive concern, etc., just believe God loves you and that He’s right there with you. Just take every negative thought captive the moment it enters the mind and replace it with a positive thought, a loving thought. Dream big dreams for your future and the future of those you love instead of worrying. Why not? Put God first in your thoughts because He has put you first in His.

What ifs! We all have them, but we must not allow them to overwhelm and depress us. Believe that when we’ve got questions, God has answers. Commit your what ifs to Him and trust that He has a beautiful plan for your life, plans to give you a hope and a future and not to harm you. Because what if you trusted God’s way and not your way and the issues of your life turned from tragedy to triumph? What if the refiner’s fire heated seven times hotter that you feel you have been in for so long brings you out looking like Jesus rather than the burned out mess you may be fearing? What if you trusted God’s economy and not the world’s? What if the hopelessness and hardness you experience is committed to Him and your life becomes a testimony, a testimony that can reach the world? What if? We live in a time where God’s way is not just the best way, for all intents and purposes it is the only way. For only God knows the future, your future, my future, and that of the world. Give Him your all today and let him change the warfare into worship.

In His Love, 

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