The Lessons of the Kite 2/27

I love to make and fly kites. When my kite is grabbed by the wind and soars into the sky, my heart goes with it. But flying a kite teaches lessons, too. It takes two things to make a kite fly.
First, it must have wind. The kite has to stay oriented toward the wind catching the full force on the face. I am like that. I have to face life with its challenges and demands head on. If I avoid responsibility or refuse to fulfill commitments, I get all tangled up and crash.
Second, the kite must have a secure connection to the one in control through the string. If the string breaks, the kite falls to the ground completely out of control. The kite line maintains the orientation to the wind. In my life I must keep my connection to God strong.
There are results to learning the lesson of the kite that we don't always anticipate. First, when you fly a kite, you have to look up. When life is difficult, looking up reminds us we were made to seek God.
Second, the stronger the wind blows, the higher the kite flies. I am like the kite. When life's pressures are the strongest, I soar to unexpected heights through my connection with God. The message of the kite is, "Come fly with me."
…..Gayle Haynes (ghaynes64@dctexas.net) by way of Daily Wisdom (dw-owner@lists.gospelcom.net) (dw@lists.gospelcom.net ) and “Christian Voices) (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.com) Gayle has been married for 50 years. She is the mother of six. For ten years she was a psychologist in the Texas prison system. Now she spends her time writing and caring for her husband and one of her daughters who are both invalids.

My Comments: The part about avoiding responsibilities and refusing to fulfill commitments caught my attention. Although I am pretty good at commitments, I do ”put off” responsibilities until they seemingly take on a life of their own at times. I need to learn to do it now and then keep a secure connection the Lord for the grace to meet the needs I have.

Endings and Beginnings 2/25

(By list member Debbie Preuss, February 23, 2008)
Life goes on and everything must someday come to an end,
Whether it is a sunny day, or a relationship with a friend.
Some things crush our heart, so we feel we can't go on.
We find that it is hard to face the coming dawn.
We may have worked long and hard, at a job we love;
When one day we are let go, by the boss above.

As we watch our children grow, and see them test their wings,
Do we dread the letting go, or does our own heart sing?
Marriage is a pleasure; you give someone your heart.
But what do you do, if one day, the marriage falls apart?
Or if someone you love loses their good health;
What if bad decisions steal away your wealth?

There are so many changes, that we face each day.
If things suddenly end, will we be okay?
Sometimes the end is just a new chapter in our life;
Even though it often brings to us great strife.
When the ending becomes the beginning, we'll find we can go on,
Slowly, through the healing, God will make us strong.

One day we may look back at the places we have been,
And see the wisdom of the ending, when God did intervene.
Though the ending may be painful, and so full of strife,
Cling to the Savior, for He cares about our life.
So when the ending becomes a beginning, see what God will do,
For He loves His precious children, and I know He'll see us through.

My Comments: I have been through a lot of changes over the past 5-6 years. I feel like my life has pretty much changed in every area. So, I look for a little stability. Unfortunately, we learn that sometimes the areas that are feeling the most secure are the very ones that we need to give back to the Lord and release our hold. What a challenge this is.

Staying Connected in the Battle 2/25

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
 
      As I’ve been studying and reading my Bible I’ve been reminded that it’s important for us as the members of the body of Christ to stay connected with other members.   In my personal Bible Study, I came across the story of Aaron and Hur who held Moses’ arms up and as long as Moses’ arms were up with his staff, Joshua and the army of Israel had victory against the Amalekites.     
      Though Moses was the one who held his hands in the air, Joshua only had victory in the battle while he did.   Moses, being human, became tired.  His hands became heavy and it was hard for him to hold them up.   So, Aaron, the man whom God had ordained to support Moses, and Hur, a faithful man of the tribe of Judah, sat Moses down and held his arms up in the air, so that Israel could win the battle.
      As I studied this, I was reminded that if we’re a child of God (through the Blood of Jesus Christ), then when we have battles that God has directed us to, we must allow others to be a part of that battle.  They may not be in the actual fight but they may be prayer warriors, they may be those who bring us the message of God through encouraging words.
      You see, human nature makes it too easy for us to decide not to share our battles with others… Satan comes in and says, but “what would others think?”  “Won’t they think you’re not spiritual?”   He brings in shame because of the battle, when in reality the shame is found in not fighting the battle.   God has ordained that we help each other in the battles of life.   That is what the shield of faith does.  The shield of faith is rectangular in shape and has hooks on either side, to connect to the shield of the soldier on either side.  
      When we’re in a battle, we need to stay connected with others of God’s people.  We need to have the support of those who know how to pray.  We need to have the support of those who know God’s Word well enough to give us encouragement from the Word of God.   
      I’m not suggesting that we should become complainers… nor that every battle must be as public as I’ve allowed mine to be.  However, when you’re in a battle, you need to find someone who is a strong Christian who can come alongside and stay connected with them in the battle.  Then when God gives you the victory in the battle, be sure to share that victory with the ones who came alongside to help keep you going day to day.  
      When you’re in a battle, you need to have someone who can share God’s Word with you, particularly if you feel so besieged by the enemy that you find it hard to be in God’s Word yourself.     
    Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.  I am aware that this passage is often used in reference to our service to the Lord as we think of it in relationship to church activities, but is not supporting another member of Christ’s body during a time of specific battle, service to the Lord?   
     If God allows you to be a support to another, be there for them.  Stay connected with them.   If God makes you aware of someone in a particular battle and He lays it on your heart to pray for them…. Pray for them.  If He lays it on your heart to send them a card of encouragement… send the card.   If He lays it on your heart to supply food…. supply the food.  It may seem like a little thing to you but one who is in the heat of a battle, needs all the support they can get.  They need to stay connected.  A word of caution:  Don’t misuse God’s Word as a weapon against your fellow child of God.  Though God says in His Word in Hebrews 4:12   For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.  It is never to be used by the wielder as a weapon against our own.   Though God’s Word pierces and divides, it is meant to have a an ultimate healing capacity when used properly.
      Perhaps you are the one in battle and your natural inclination is to pull away from the body of Christ thinking it best not to share your battle with another.    If you decide to keep your battle to yourself… even though God may have given you someone specifically in your life to support you during this time, two things can happen.  Number one, you run the risk of prolonging your battle.  War is always easier to win when there is more support on your side.  Number two, you run the risk of robbing those who would support you of the joy of the victory God wants to give you.   Your victory in battle is a source of encouragement and joy to others who’ve come alongside you in the fight.
      When you have battles in your life… and you will if you’re a child of God…Satan will make sure of it… allow others to help in your fight.
      Perhaps you’re not a child of God, yet you find yourself fighting “something”… you know not what.   Won’t you give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and allow Him to come alongside you along with others of His children to give you support in your fight?  Won’t you do it today?
      As I thought on this, I’ve thought about the last 2+ years, when we started this journey after Katie’s diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.  I remember that day as clearly as if it were yesterday.  It was then that I reached out to you, my Christian sisters, through these devotionals and I know that many of you have prayed for me and my family.  I want to say thanks for being faithful to that call.   Thanks for joining in my battle with me.   Thanks for encouraging me to continue in the fight.  Thanks for reminding me the fight isn’t about me… but about God’s desire for victory in my life and the life of my family.  Thanks for reminding me to stay connected with you.  
 
Molly Winter
Col. 1:9-10

My Comments: The content of this message really hit home with me, since I have been through a number of battles lately and have really needed the body of Christ to help me stay strong and focused. I found a lot in this message that I need to go back over and deal with in my life. I’m convicted that I am often not available to others in the way I need to be for the battles they face.

The Lord is My Shepherd 2/22

(By Grace E. Easley)
The Lord is my shepherd, 
And I am His lamb, 
Who loves me in spite 
Of the way that I am. 
Who sees something in me, 
That other folks miss, 
And I sometimes think maybe, 
Because of this 
I've never felt bitter, 
Unloved or alone, 
Though sometimes I grieve for 
My loved ones now gone. 
For I've always believed in 
The words He has said, 
That the spirit lives on, 
Though the body be dead. 
And I feel closer to Him, 
Because of His care, 
And I know when I call Him, 
That He will be there. 
So I fear not the shadows, 
So dark and so dim, 
For my shepherd will carry me 
Safely through them.
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html

My Comments: Aren’t I glad that He loves me in spite of the way that I am? I’m not sure that I’ve never felt unloved or alone, but I do recognize that when I feel that way, it is because I’m not allowing the Lord to meet my needs.

A Perfect Heart 2/21

A Perfect Heart
 
2 Chronicles 25:2
 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
 
        In my personal Bible reading lately, I’ve come across the phrase “perfect heart” several times.   This verse here is talking about King Amaziah of Judah.   He is Joash’s son who did right until the death of his adopted father Jehoiada, priest in Judah. 
        This verse says King Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.   What is a perfect heart?  Does having a perfect heart mean you are perfect?   Does having a perfect heart mean you never sin against God?   Is my heart perfect?   Is yours?      
             As I meditated on this passage of Scripture, I realized Amaziah did what was right in the sight of the Lord as long as he saw benefit to himself in it.   After all, doing right in the sight of the Lord has many “natural” consequential benefits.  God’s laws are set out not to restrict our freedom but rather to enhance it.  Having a perfect heart means that like Jehoshphat, Amaziah’s great-grandfather, we set our heart to seek the Lord.    Having a perfect heart means we seek God’s wisdom and counsel for all we do.  We don’t do what is right just because it’s convenient or because someone influences us to do so.  We do right because we genuinely want to please our Lord.
        Amaziah did what was right as long as he could see benefit to himself.  He served God as long as it didn’t inconvenience him.  He did what was right because he’d learned doing right meant God’s blessings would flow as a “natural law” of consequences.    Then Amaziah did what God had warned His people against in Deuteronomy 8:14….Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God,  and in verse 17 of the same chapter  And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.    You see a perfect heart toward God never forgets Who his God is.  A perfect heart never forgets that it is only the grace of God that allows us to be where we are.   
        King David was a man after God’s own heart.   He made the decision early in his life that he would set his heart to seek the Lord.  His heart was completely enamored of God.   Yet, we know David was not a perfect man as we interpret perfectness today.   He made many mistakes, yet his heart was perfect toward God.   He had allowed God to come in and completely take over.  Yes, there were times David’s selfishness obscured God’s work in his life, yet while he was not completely sinless, while he did not always walk in a complete and mature walk with his Lord, his heart was God’s.   He said it this way, in Psalm 101:2   I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.   Having a perfect heart is behaving wisely before God.  It is choosing each day to walk in the path that God has set before us.   
        A perfect heart, when rebuked by the Holy Spirit of sin, immediately repents and asks forgiveness of God and anyone else who has been wronged in that sin.    David when he sinned and was rebuked by the prophet Nathan, repented and asked God’s forgiveness.  Amaziah, however, when rebuked by God did not and he suffered the consequences.  However, not only did he suffer but those who followed his leadership.    
        So, let me ask you …. Is your heart perfect toward God?   Do you walk with a heart that continually seeks to please God?  That’s what a perfect heart is… not one that never has a wrong thought pass through it, but one that when that thought comes through, immediately conviction sets in so that you repent and seek God’s forgiveness.   
        Do you serve God with a perfect heart?  A heart that though sometimes you mess up in your service for God and in your actions toward others, immediately repents and seeks restoration to the Father’s side, when God’s Holy Spirit brings conviction.    Are you like David, a person after God’s own heart?   Or are you more like Amaziah, you serve God as long as it benefits you but not with a perfect heart.   You see a perfect heart is what keeps us on the right track with God.  It keeps us from going off too far into sin.   A perfect heart is one that has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.     
        Hanani the seer (prophet) told King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.  King Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord for a time also but then he committed a foolish act.   Hanani told Asa God was looking for those who had a perfect heart toward Him so He could take action on their behalf.
        Let me ask you again… is your heart perfect toward God?   He wants to take action on your behalf if it is.   Do you find yourself in situations beyond your control?   If your heart is perfect toward Him, He wants to be active in your life.  He wants to accomplish His purpose in your life and the lives of those with whom you come in contact.   Are you willing to allow Him to?  
        Won’t you determine today to have a perfect heart toward Him today?
 
Molly Winter
Col. 1:9-10

My Comments: I so want to serve the Lord with a perfect heart. It seems so difficult at times, but it is getting a little bit easier to run to Him when the troubles come and when I fail Him, to return to Him as soon as possible. “Lord, please help me to have a perfect heart toward You...”

Changes 2/20

(By Dale Johnson)
Our lives are full of changes 
Some we feel we cannot bear 
Those changes for the better 
Are the ones we quickly share.
But there are those that slip in 
Unannounced and uninvited 
That seem to bring the worst for us, 
Hearts full of grief...ignited...
We question why, why did this happen? 
Who caused all this disaster? 
The real question goes much deeper now... 
Who truly is our Master?
Are we the ones who hold all the keys 
To the destiny of our lives? 
Do we possibly know what's best for us 
In the midst of satan's lies?
How are we to handle life 
When changes come our way? 
Whether good or bad, we must know 
That "change" is here to stay.
We can kick and scream against it 
And "sport" a big bad attitude 
Or know our awesome God knows best 
And go to Him with gratitude.
For we don't tend to look at life 
With eternity in mind, 
We look at the very small picture 
Which often makes us blind
To all the good that eventually comes 
For those who trust in Him, 
The One who came to heal our hearts 
And build the ruins back again.
So we must fully put our trust 
In the omniscient God above 
And know that he allows changes 
For our good and from His love.
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html
My Comments: “Yes, our God is in Control, though pressures burden the soul. He allows both blessing and sorrow in His perfect harmony...” I’ve been dealing with change a lot this week. Interesting how these messages come to minister to my present need. Trust in the Lord, with all my heart and lean not unto mine own understanding... (Proverbs 3:5-6) It is surely difficult at times.

What God Has Promised 2/18

(By Annie Johnson Flint)
God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through.

God has not promised sun without rain,
Day without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, Light for the way.

Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love . . .

My Comments: Once again, a great reminder of God’s promise of grace and help when we need it.

Commitment - A Dying Trait 2/13

(By list subscriber Stephen Kollock) 
[Edited]
I have a friend who builds houses for a living - a process that fascinates me. Not just building houses but constructing anything on a grand scale; from ships to bridges to the house or apartment you live in.
When we had our house built, I was able to see the process first hand. The first thing they do is level the land on which the house is to be built. Once that is accomplished, a foundation is dug. Then comes the floor to support the walls, which support the second floor, walls, which support the roof. All of it was lots of work, taking months to finally get to the finished product.
The reason it took so long was because it had to be done right. If one stage was done wrong, the whole thing could fall down. It takes time to build something - at least to build it right. It takes planning. It takes skill. Most of all, it takes dedication. Building anything the right way it takes someone dedicated to doing the job right.
On the other hand, it doesn't take much to tear something down. It doesn't take a whole lot of skill - picture me with a sledgehammer in the middle of your living room. In a matter of minutes a bulldozer can bring down a house that took month's to build and has stood for years.
Seems strange that something that was built with such care can be destroyed so easily. But it's always easier to tear down than to build up, isn't it. It's easier to throw out than to bring back in. It's easier to stop than to keep going. I think in our lives today we are missing an ingredient that it would serve us well to revisit: commitment.
Remember commitment. It's the idea of saying you are going to do something and then actually doing it. It's saying I will marry you no matter what and then when no matter what happens, staying married. Or saying I want to have children and even when they become the little monsters you swore your kid's would never be, you keep being their parents.
Commitment is saying you love and appreciate your parents and all their sacrifices for you to the point where you will bring them to your home instead of the nursing home in the winter of their life. The problem with commitment is really simple though; commitment requires something most us do not want to consider: sacrifice.
Commitment may mean sacrificing your time or your money or some of your own dreams because you said you would. It means walking through the fire that will inevitably burn you because you knew going in hurt could be part of the deal. But more than that, it means staying the course until the end, no matter what the cost. Commitment means sacrifice.
I am afraid in our society we have made it too easy to turn from our commitments. We find it so easy to just stop if something gets too hard, to walk away and start over later or with a different person or maybe in a different place.
We are a people of excuses. And the excuses are mostly to relieve any guilt or apprehension we have about one thing: not living up to our commitments.
Here are some examples of those who display the kind of commitment I'm talking about and wish I had more of. The single mother working two jobs for the simple reason that she made a commitment to her kids. The father who leaves his family to fight for his country because when he signed up he knew that was part of the job. The pastor who stands up for God even when he knows it will cost him his way of life.
I admit it, I've taken my share of shortcuts, letting people down along the way. But the problem is so many people take most of their commitments with a grain of salt. We have looked and found all kind of exit clauses and loopholes to get us out of any commitment we make. Now it's as easy to get a divorce as it is to get married. If you don't want the child you are carrying, you can always go to a clinic and skip the commitment that comes with parenthood. We often say we believe in something until it's really put to the test.
Sadly, many Christians have fallen into this "limited commitment" category. We are often committed as long as it doesn't interfere too strongly with what we like to do. We all like to pick and choose. "I agree with the part about adultery but the part about honoring God with everything seems a little outdated."
With commitments like these and sacrifice being a thing of the past, is it any wonder our houses are falling in?
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html

My Comments: I very much agree with this message, and for once, I was feeling pretty good, because I felt like I am generally more committed than others to the responsibilities I have. Then, of course, the Lord started digging a little deeper and uncovering some areas where I am not so responsible or committed... so I guess I need to recommit to some responsibilities, too.

Looking for Love 2/14

(By Barbara Sanders) 
[Edited]
Jude 1:21 "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
Valentine's Day is upon us once again. With it comes cards, candy, or flowers from our husbands, boyfriends, spouses. Also coming with this approaching day is the fact that not everyone is comfortable with Valentine's Day. Not everyone is fortunate to have a husband, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. Or perhaps some have chosen to live a single life.
This is a secular holiday - nothing wrong with celebrating our love for one another. But have you heard the song, Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places? Seems to fit right in here, especially with those that don't feel loved, loving, or have never 'met' their one true love. Perhaps they have looked in the wrong places for love, like chasing a dream and never finding it. Most of us want to be loved, but we rarely realize that what we really have is a longing to be able to be at peace with ourselves. God will give us this peace. We need only ask. But first, let's find HIS LOVE.
God loved you before you were born. He loved us all much more than we'll ever be able to perceive.
John 3:16, as you may know, says "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."
He's here today, calling out to the lost, the unloved, the oppressed, the frustrated, those who know no peace - He wants to 'love' you as no other can love.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)
Why not come to Jesus now, confessing your sins, believing that He died for you, and was raised again to go to the Father - and that HE is there at this very moment, at the right hand of the Father. He is the propitation for your sins and He brings Grace through faith, a free gift, to all of them 'that believe'.
Romans 3:25 "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;"
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
Our Heavenly Father said I LOVE YOU by sending His Son in the flesh, Jesus Christ, to become the 'the way, the truth, and the life'...for each of us. May you experience that LOVE today.
"Heavenly Father, today, the day we celebrate the earthly holiday for love, may you draw those that feel lost, without hope, without love, and are searching for the love they've never known. May you fill their life with love, joy, peace, and all the things for which they've searched for years and never found. Give them the kind of peace and love that only can be found through your Son. We give you thanks for the love we feel today and thank you for sending LOVE in the person of your dear Son to the lost and dying world today. We give you praise, honor and glory. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen."
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html

My Comments: It is such a great reminder that we have a GOD that LOVES us. We need to remember His love and trust Him for the needs in our lives. Trusting in Him for salvation is the most important act we could ever do. After that we rely on His love when those around us fail us.

Praising the Beauty of Holiness 2/11

2 Chronicles 20:21-22
 
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.  22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
 
            I’ve been meditating on the chapter these verses are found in.   This is a favorite chapter of the Bible for me.   In fact, verse 15 of this chapter has gone with me in many a battle since I was a teenager.  With shame though, I have to confess that sometimes I’ve forgotten the verse when it seemed like there was a battle at every turn.  
      If you’re not familiar with this chapter (and maybe even if you are), I’d like to encourage you to read the WHOLE chapter.   The “he” in this chapter is King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.   Perhaps one of my favorite Bible kings.   He had made some errors in judgment…. Made alliances that God was not pleased with, yet when he was rebuked by God’s prophet, he repented and set his heart to seek the Lord once again.   This is where we find Jehoshaphat… on his way back to a right relationship with his LORD.    He gives me hope when I mess up.
      In the middle of this, he finds himself surrounded by the enemies of God, Moab and Ammon.  They were many more than Judah… “a great multitude”.   Jehoshaphat was afraid.  This really looked bad for him and his kingdom, yet, the Word says, “he set himself to seek the Lord”…. How did He do that?
      First Jehoshaphat recognized God’s proper position not only in his life, but in the lives of those who would be his friends or his enemies.    He recognized that God was the God of his fathers.   He was God in heaven and he rules over all kingdoms… both those who recognize His Authority and those who do not.   
      Next, he recognized God as all powerful.   No one could stand against the Lord or anyone who stood with the Lord if He deemed it so.   Jehoshaphat recognized God’s past work of power in the life of Israel as a nation and the individual lives of his forefathers.    He recognized his forefathers’ submission and worship of the God of the universe. 
      Then he recited back to the Lord His promises to His children to protect them and work on their behalf when they would call on him.   Then he called on God to work on his behalf.  
      Now much of this you may have heard before.   Verse 15 being one of my favorite verses in the Bible…”Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of the great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”   That has been such a comfort to me over the years when I’ve remembered I’m not in the fight alone.   In fact, if God says stand back and let it alone, I don’t need to fight at all.  
      However, there is something more in this chapter that has caught my attention this time (don’t you just love God’s Word?   How you can read something over and over again and STILL He’ll speak to you through it?)   Jehoshaphat bowed and worshipped the Lord after God told him, He’d go with him into the battle.   Then the Kohathites (Levite descendants) the singers for the Temple… began to praise the Lord with a LOUD voice ……
      Then the most amazing thing, Jehoshaphat commanded the people to “believe in the LORD your God”… so they would be firm in their stand for God and then he appointed the singers to ‘praise the beauty of holiness’… Praise the Lord.   They hadn’t even gone out to battle yet… They just knew that it looked to be insurmountable odds against them.   Yet, something amazing happens when they started to praise God…. The Lord set ambushes for the Ammonites, the Moabites and everyone else who had come with them against Judah, so that they killed each other rather than harmed Judah.
      Wow!   As I thought on this, I thought how often do I find myself in hard circumstances where the odds of coming out intact in my spiritual, emotional and physical walk are against me?   What do I do?   Well, I must confess, I find myself whimpering and feeling sorry for myself.   Instead I should be praising the Lord.  
      Let me get a little more specific here.   What happens when I don’t agree with my husband in how he chooses to lead our household?   Do I fight against him?  Do I try to belittle him to others?   What if he wants to do something I feel God would not be pleased with?   How do I handle that?   Do I separate myself from him, either physically or emotionally by pouting about it? 
      As a wife, I am commanded to follow my husband unless what he wants to do is immoral or against what God has commanded me.    Now, I have to admit sometimes it’s very tempting to use God’s Word as a sword against my husband…. That’s misuse.  Peter told women, whose husbands weren’t following the word (and I believe this applies to men who have a personal relationship with Jesus as well as those who don’t), to live the Word in front of them (I’m paraphrasing you understand but you can go to I Peter 3 and see if I don’t have the principle right), so that as we live the Word and follow our husband’s leadership (whether we want to or not), God can work on his heart.   This principle applies to our pastor, our teachers, to anyone whom God has put us under authority.    How do we do this?
      I think the answer here is to “praise the beauty of holiness”.   I believe the beauty of holiness is the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.   As we praise Him for His mercy… because let’s face it most of us could have it a LOT worse… then He is freed to work in and on the behalf of those who’ve set themselves to be our enemy, either physically, emotionally or spiritually. 
      Our pastor often encourages us to say and often greets us with “Well, God is good, isn’t He?”   What are you supposed to say to that?   I have to admit, there’s something deep inside me sometimes that wants to say “yes, but if you only knew ...…”  There is no but… God is good and His mercy endureth forever!
      What about you?  Do you feel surrounded by circumstances that you just don’t seem to be able to do anything about?   Do you have a relationship that has you all tied up in knots because you just can’t make the other person see your view of things?   Has God placed you somewhere you’d rather not be?    Do you feel grumpy and out of sorts and just want to complain all the time?   Start praising the Lord.   Can’t do it on your own?  Get out some good "praising God"  music on a CD or tape and get it going… listen to it, let your heart be captured by it and then start singing along…. See what God will do when you start praising Him for WHO He is, not just for WHAT He can do for you!
 
Molly Winter
Col. 1:9-10

My Comments: How often I find myself struggling with something that has occurred and I have no control over the outcome, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be something I don’t like. According to this, I’m to praise the Lord for His person, His holiness, His mercy (that it isn’t worse). Then He can work in the situation to turn it around. I definitely need to hold on to this thought. I have felt completely overrun recently by these types of issues. I do want God to work. Can I trust Him to do best in the situation? I surely need to trust.

An Evening Prayer 2/8

(By C. Maude Battersby)
If I have wounded any soul today, 
If I have caused one foot to go astray, 
If I have walked in my own willful way, 
Dear Lord, forgive!
If I have uttered idle words or vain, 
If I have turned aside from want or pain, 
Lest I myself shall suffer through the strain, 
Dear Lord, forgive!
If I have been perverse or hard, or cold, 
If I have longed for shelter in Thy fold, 
When Thou hast given me some fort to hold, 
Dear Lord, forgive!
Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee; 
Forgive the secret sins I do not see; 
O guide me, love me and my keeper be, 
Dear Lord, Amen.
My Comments: This song was sung by my mother at family devotion times and often throughout my childhood. As I have heard it recently, it has really spoken to my heart about keeping my heart clear of sin before the Lord and realizing all the ways I can limit God’s working in my life throughout the day. We have such an influence in the lives of others. It is so important to be aware of our ministry in their lives

Dandelions 2/5

(Author unknown)
No matter how carefully I try to pull one out, I never get the whole thing. The root stays deep in the ground, threatening to grow and blossom again. But despite their bad reputation, dandelions are pretty little flowers with their yellow strands all tucked neatly into the center. And truly they are the most beautiful of all flowers when presented clutched in a child's dirty little hand. No one gets yelled at for picking them. Perhaps they grow only to be used and enjoyed by children.
Dandelions are ignored or attacked, never nurtured or cared for, and yet they always bloom profusely. They demand no pampering or special attention to yield their bright blossoms; they pop up in fields, in lawns, and between cracks in the sidewalk, even in the best neighborhoods.
Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They'd sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put.
Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered, we are evident everywhere, even in the best neighborhoods. We should be as easily accessible as a dandelion. Jesus is. We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening - the crack in the sidewalk or the lawn of a country club.
"Dear Lord, may the wind of Your Spirit scatter us to become effective for You wherever we are planted. In Jesus' Name, AMEN!"
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." - 1 Peter 3:15
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html

My Comments: This spoke to me of our need to take the gospel to all those around us. So often I become afraid to let others know of the great news that I have, which they need. Why are we so ashamed that we have the truth? Can we let people go to hell because they seem to be more educated, refined, or confident than we are. It seems easier somehow to take the gospel to those who have real evident needs than to those who appear to have everything they need. Are we accessible to them all or to any of them? What a challenge to my heart!

Thy Will Be Done 2/4

And shall I pray thee change thy will, Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather
I pray thee blend my human will with thine.

I pray thee hush the hurrying, eager, longing,
I pray thee soothe the pangs of keen desire,
See in my quiet places wishes thronging,
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire

And work in me to will and do thy pleasure,
Let all within me, peaceful reconciled,
Tarry content my well beloved's leisure,
At least, at last, even as a weaned child.
Betty Scott Stam

My Comments: So often I want my will to be done, but it won’t make me happy in the long run. Allowing God’s will in my life will accomplish so much more. I just must remain yielded to Him. I need my will to be lost in His.

Mushrooms 2/2

I never liked mushrooms when I was a boy. There seemed something strange about them. They grew in clumps of dead leaves, on rotting tree trunks, and in moldy basements. Their white, fleshy texture seemed almost ghostly as well. In addition, I had been warned a hundred times not to eat any wild ones because they might be poisonous. This didn’t put me in a mood to taste them then when I saw my Grandma getting ready to put them on a pizza one day. I did, however, work up my courage and ate a raw one while she was spreading the sauce. It tasted just like it looked: musky, bland, and unwholesome. I spit it back out right away and from then on I picked the mushrooms out of anything I ate without tasting them.
It wasn’t until I was an adult that I was pressured into trying mushrooms again. This time, though, I found out something I hadn’t known before. When you cook mushrooms in something they not only take on the flavor of that food, but they enhance it as well. Soon I was enjoying mushrooms in soups, on steaks, in sauces, and even on pizzas. I became a true mushroom lover and have enjoyed this wonderful creation of God ever since.
I realized something special too. God often gives us a lot of different "mushrooms" in our lives. Often we have to go through things and experiences that we don’t like and even are afraid of. After they are stirred in with the rest of our lives, though, we find that they have helped us rather than harmed us. I know that more than once I have been mad at God for having to go through pain, disappointment, and hardship only to later find that these things have brought me to a place of deeper love, joy, caring, and oneness with Him. Don’t be afraid of the mushrooms that come your way then. Stir them in, cook them up, and enjoy the feast of life that God has given you. And don’t forget to set a place at the table for everyone you love.
…..Joseph J. Mazzella (joecool@wirefire.com) by way of "Christian Voices" (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.com).

My Comments: I’ve got a boatload of mushrooms in my life right now. It’s hard sometimes to choose to trust the Lord when you are covered in mushrooms, but we can know that the flavors that will result from this time can be a blessing to ourselves and to those around us.

The Strength of a Man 2/2

(Author Unknown)
The strength of a man isn't seen in the width of his shoulders. 
----It's seen in the width of his arms that circle you.
The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice. 
----It's in the gentle words he whispers.
The strength of a man isn't how many buddies he has. 
----It's how good a buddy he is with his kids.
The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work. 
----It's in how respected he is at home.
The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits. 
----It's in how tender he touches.
The strength of a man isn't in the hair on his chest. 
----It's in his heart...that lies within his chest.
The strength of a man isn't how many women he`s loved. 
----It's in how he can be true to one woman.
The strength of a man isn't in the weight he can lift. 
----It's in the weights he can lift off of others.
Laugh & Lift at http://www.laughandlift.com/list.html

My Comments: This is a good description of what we want in a man. I believe my husband does pretty well in meeting up to these standards. There’s a challenge here for me as well, to give the respect he deserves and provide the support that he needs to be able to do what God has for him to do.

A Prayer to God 2/1

DEAR GOD:

I want to thank You for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed; I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive.
I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties.
I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.

I'm thanking YOU, God...You haven't given up on me.

[forwarded by Alberto Bauzon]


My Comments: Isn’t it true and good to remember that God hasn’t given up on us? He as already done in our life the things that we need to cause us to be successful in our Christian lives (I’m not talking about riches or fame here.). He has loved us with a love that we have such a hard time comprehending, and He holds in His hands all the solutions to the problems we encounter. As we seek to live in His will, He meets all our needs.

Where are You? 2/1

(By Mike Hoskins, http://www.cfdevotionals.org)
Gen 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, "Where art thou?"
Take one omniscient Being.
Think about omniscient. God knows everything. He does not have to think things over. He doesn't have to wonder what will happen or when it will happen. He doesn't need a lie detector. He doesn't need to see the video tape over again - no instant replay required. He knows the end from the beginning. He doesn't have to add up the column of numbers to get the answer. He just knows.
And while that whole concept may be something very tough for our finite minds to completely grasp, we get a taste of it. Then to see this question, "Where are you?" It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that something is odd. If I shouted down the hallway, "Where are you?" First you might wonder what I was doing in your house. But after that the question would be perfectly valid. I obviously do not know where you are. I need help locating you.
But here is the oddity. God knows everything, so He knows where Adam is hiding and why. But the all-knowing Creator of the Universe still asks Adam, "Where are you?"
One point is that God is asking for Adam's benefit. Adam, think about where you are. Think about what has happened to you. Why are you hiding from me? Surely you know I care for you more than anyone. So, what has come between us Adam?
Has God ever asked you, "Where are you?" meaning, "What is it that is in your life that is coming between us?" It is an uncomfortable thing. The best thing to do is just confess and repent. Adam tries to blameshift to Eve, but God knows all about that too. That is the trouble with trying to argue with an omniscient Being. In a battle of whits we are greatly outgunned to the point of being comedic. A rubber raft and one oar complete with pea shooter verses a full outfitted, nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. Get a picture of that in your mind because that's about as close as our limited scope can grasp to the actual reality of the situation.
There's one other thing about "Where are you?" that is clear if you think about it. It also says, "I love you." I'm coming to you and I want to help. I want you to see the predicament you are in clearly. I'm being very patient with you in My care and concern for you. Let Me help you.
Remember, tears are indeed a language that God understands.

My Comments: The fact that God loves us enough to come looking for us when we have separated ourselves from Him needs to really minister to our hearts. It has been something that I have had a hard time grasping, but also a thought that has become very precious to me as I have sought my way back to the Lord after wandering away.