CHRONICLES OF LIFE

Be strong and courageous, 

do not fear or be dismayed because of the

king of Assyria nor because of all the

horde that is with him;

for the one with us is greater than

the one with him.

With him is only an arm of flesh,

but with us is the Lord our God to

help us and to fight our battles.”

And the people relied on the words

of Hezekiah king of Judah.

II Chronicles 32:7-8

Let it be known that I am not a Bible scholar. If I am not, it is totally my own fault. I personally believe any Christian with serious intent can know the Scriptures as well as any seminary professor. However, I've been in the process of reading through my Bible this year and like any normal, red-blooded Christian, I left the Kings and Chronicles until last. By the time I got to the two Chronicle books, I earnestly prayed God would really show me some things I hadn't taken notice of in the past or had deliberately ignored. Told you already I'm normal although I have friends and family who would question that statement.

This happens to be the time of a new year approaching that I am really trying to find a verse or two that are words of encouragement I can return to in times of difficulty. Little did I believe I would find just such a treasure as I was nearing the end of II Chronicles but there they were and you can read them. I realize King Hezekiah was speaking to his people in the face of an oncoming enemy army, but as I read those two verses, I thought of times I felt Satan's onslaught of evil on my life. In those times I've been as scared and concerned as the folks in Judah of that day. What Hezekiah had to say to his people though, are just as on target for us and in in our own day. We have an enemy who has declared war on us, especially if we are doing all we can in Holy Spirit power to live out our faith pleasing to our Lord.

What is a chronicle? I read that a chronicle is a record of events that happened in the past that is written in chronilogical order. In the Greek, chronicles are defined as “annals of time.”

Both I and II Chronicles concludes the history-oriented books of the Old Testament. Many Christians, including me, shy away from these books that seem to be so repetitive in content. The thing that contributes to some of the repetitiveness of Chronicles especially is a familiar statement found periodically in both books. Such statements tell the reader to refer back to the books of the Kings.

Often, I've suggested to ladies I've taught to still read often in the Old Testament...it isn't outdated or and is applicable in content to our living. The Old Testament gives us information regarding God's character along with so many principles of good and godly living. Just in reading through the Chronicles, I found some principles that stood out to me in large print letters, some of which are:

*God hates sin and will always deal with it.

*There isn't any such thing as “little sins.”

*It makes no difference our standing in life, God will still deal with our sin.

*God blesses the obedient life.

*God is greater than than anything Satan can dish out.

*God will help us fight our battles...we're never left alone.

Now that was just a few things from the Chronicles I noticed but sure there are more. Here's what dawned on me. You and I are in the process of writing our own chronicles, the events of our lives that children, grandchildren and perhaps friends, will look back on after we are gone. We may not put anything in print although it would probably be good if we did, but there are people who read our lives all the time. Hopefully when people look back on our life chronicles, they will be blessed and encouraged.

Father, I thank You that every word in Your Word is important. You've provided so many nuggets from Your character for us. Empower us to walk in obedience to your Word and ways. Help us to learn from the mistakes made by people we read of in Your Word. Thank You for never leaving us alone and for loving us despite our weaknesses. We love you. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

GIVE THANKS

In everything give thanks;

for this is God's will for you

in Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:18

At times, my first reaction, depending where I am in life, is to ask, “Paul, you must be kidding....EVERYTHING?” Well no matter what translation I've looked into to see what this verse looks like, it still relays the same thing. This verse doesn't say to be thankful FOR everything. That's easy to do, that is, when we are in a thankful mood. Thanksgiving should be a vital part of our praise to/for God and our praise should be more than often. FOR and IN are two different words as we use them in our language. In fact, being thankful IN all things is really more involved than just our thank you list. IN everything includes our FOR list.

Thanksgiving coming up is often relegated to sharing the biggest meal of the year with friends or family and settle down to watch a ballgame on television or to take a nap to sleep off over-stuffed bodies. Thanksgiving comes and goes if we are honest, but shouldn't we conscientiously make efforts to make the day more. If nothing else, each of us should make some effort in expressing thanks to God for His goodness in our lives.

Abraham Lincoln had the right idea in declaring a yearly Thanksgiving day for our country. Perhaps folks back in the mid-1800's held an extra level of thanks than we do now. Our country was torn up because of a Civil War where Americans were fighting against and even killing other Americans. The entire country had been in turmoil, insecurity abounded, the country was deep in debt as were it's citizens, and families and friends were losing everything. By the way, there is a Civil War going on in our day. Some would disagree with me, but our present war has nothing to do with race or slavery. Our war today is more good vs. evil than ever before in our history. In it all, we are called on by Scripture to be thankful IN all the negativity we find ourselves in at the present time. He already has a plan as to hope it all will work eventually for His glory.

Putting aside all the conflict, arguing, mob activity, political jousting going on, we on an everyday basis have so much for which to be grateful. Let me mention a few such things:

T – Truth of God's Word and all it entails

H – Holy Spirit of God that indwells each Christian. He guides, comforts and teaches us.

A – Abode...we all live someplace with roofs over our heads God has provided.

N – Needs... God has promised to provide in our daily need, not necessarily our geed.

K – Kinfolks, family and friends who will always be a part of our lives

S – Sky and all of God's wonderful nature for us to dwell in and appreciate

G – God, our Heavenly Father, our all in all

I – Innocent...Christ's blood covers us and we bear His righteousness

V – Victory in Christ available to us over damage Satan would desire to do to us.

I – I AM....God's very name for Himself that only He can fully understand.

N – Nation...we live in the greatest country on the earth...we are Americans.

G – Generosity of God's goodness in our lives despite our being so undeserving of it all.

I can't even exhaust all of God's goodness in my life. I could use those same letters and write names of people who have great meaning in my life. Such a list can be a reminder of things for which to be grateful in these days. I pray we won't let Thanksgiving Day itself pass without our taking time to simply be thankful.

Dear Father...thank You seems to be so little using just two little words in expressing our gratitude for all You mean in our lives. You are so good to us despite the times we let You down and disappoint You. Thank You for Jesus, for Your Holy Spirit and for Your love that passes all understanding. In Your Son's precious name...Amen

THE NEW NORMAL

Jesus Christ, the same
yesterday and
today and
forever.
Hebrews 13:8

When we speak of “normal”, we are told that it's the everyday, typical or usual state of one's circumstances. For the most part, our lives are so routine that we seem to know what we are going to be doing day by day. I know the days I'm going to be at church, what day I teach a Bible study, scheduled doctor's appointments and even the day I get my hair done. My life is very full, but full of the expected. I keep a purse calendar where I make notes of any special events that are upcoming, but even special events aren't anything unusual because I try to stay “planned” as much as possible.

Lately, I've heard this term “new norm.” To be honest, the term concerns me just because of me. I like to have things planned and scheduled which makes for a pretty normal life. In that term though, is the the word “new.” I don't like that word because what it tells me is that “new” refers to “change” and I've never done well with change. I've been through a lot of it and have survived, but the unexpected tends to throw me.

The “new normal” in one's life indicates that there has been something transpire in life that has totally changed life for her or him for life and that even it will come to be normal after some time has gone by. Our lives, therefore, are going to be full of these new normals because of so many drastic and sometimes tragic changes that come our way.

There are some things we might consider negative in nature that can create for us a “new normal” that may require not just change but special attention being paid to them. For instance: death of a family member or friend, change in health that might be considered terminal in nature, empty nest syndrome, changes in location, financial crisis, divorce...the list could go on and on of those things that can be sudden and negative in nature.

“New normals” can also be positive and may require adjustments but the kind of adjustments folks don't mind. I'm thinking of weddings, new baby in the home, new job, moving into a new house, adoption of a child, some kind of financial windfall...all of which can be fun, positive, never perfect but most would consider to be positive events.

I don't know of a better example of a new normal than when I think of a person who comes to the Savior for salvation. Paul tells us that “Old things are passed away and all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) It's wonderful being around a new Christian with their excitement and enthusiasm for the things of God. Their old lives are gone and evil desires as well. There are new goals, lifestyles, habits, friends perhaps...with salvation comes a whole new life...a whole new norm. Paul wrote epIstles regarding his “new normal” after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Jesus became Paul's normal in every way even unto his execution. In that moment, even then, Paul was greeted with a forever “new normal” that would be ongoing.

Such was true about a friend of several years ago, whose husband was not a believer in Christ. He wanted nothing to do with Jesus although was a good man according to all reports. This went on for years. His faithful wife was active in church as anyone could be. Every Sunday, she saw to breakfast, getting herself and her children ready to leave for church. After church she came right home to fix dinner for the family. She and the children faithfully prayed for the man of the house, but with no response on his part. No one nagged at him and he was very compliant with the family's church activity.

On one occasion, he asked his daughter what she wanted for her birthday. She replied that it would be such a special birthday if he would come and sit with her in church. Seeing his daughter's sincere look and hearing her sweet, but urging words, he agreed to attend church the following Sunday. He did arrive and the family sat toward the back of the church. Little did he know how many of the church members had prayed for him through the years at the request of his wife and children as well. When invitation time came, amazingly, this man immediately stepped out,went to the altar where he was sweetly saved. There was hardly a dry eye in the church as people rejoiced with him and is family. He became a very active church member and eventually a deacon. For that family situation, their “new norm” became a whole new dynamic.

Even spiritually, there can be a new normal. Sometimes a Christian backslides, gets away from the Lord. Through the Spirit's leading and prodding when someone like that comes back to the Lord, it's like a whole new beginning for them. I've seen folks like that who get back on spiritual track. They get back to who and what they should be for Christ and they get a fresh start with a new normal in life.

In all of our “new normals,” only the Lord can bring a healthy normal to our new norms. Our “new normals” don't have to be frightening. God goes before us no matter our circumstances but never leaves us. He always keeps us in His sight and will always be a Presence no matter the status of the normals in our lives.

Thank You, Father for the times You've been such a strength in my times of adjustments when life has taken turns on me. You are always faithful in my life and I'm more grateful than I can express. In Jesus' precious name...Ame

MIND YOUR MIND

There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye
may be able to bear it.
I Corinthians 10:13

My Scotch grandmother made good use of the word “mind.” Maybe it was a word she was more familiar with in her home in Scotland when she was a child. It wasn't unusual for her to say to me, “Mind your manners.” Often she would say, “Mind your Mother.” Growing up I also heard people say to others, “Mind your own business.” For me, minding had to do with obedience or seeing to some kind of self control. Of course, you and I also know that the mind refers to our thinking process.

I'm convinced in our times that we should be minding our minds...taking control over our own thinking especially with regard to all the negatives in life we are often called upon to deal with. Whether we are aware of it or not, we aren't left helpless when it comes to choosing what we entertain in our minds. As Christians, we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who is available to guide and teach us. He also has the ability to steer our thinking, but I'm convinced we must want Him to do that.

There is something in us that wants to know everything about everything that is going on be it regarding our associations, family business or even political happenings. We live in an age of available information and have become almost addicted to getting every bit of news we can cram into our brains. It keeps getting worse...people's lives are exposed in full, feuds of all sorts, political war, terrorism, murders, missing children, school shootings, etc. If we want info on anything, it's right at our fingertips with rare filtering.

The sad thing is we have control over the on-off switch on our TV's or on the screens of our computers. We would like to think we are at the mercy of these things and just can't help ourselves. It's as if we have been made prisoners with no where to turn. This may be true of a non-believing person. People who aren't born again Christians don't realize a lot of the damage they do to themselves or others. They don't have the Holy Spirit to guide their thinking and actions. However, we believers have no excuse.

God never gives us a command in His Word we cannot obey. God isn't a tease, dangling a carrot in front of us, daring us to do the right thing. He is our biggest cheerleader urging us onward and upward to doing the good and right things. He's provided His Spirit to empower us to be victorious over Satan's wooing in our lives.

Safety equipment is used in our day to protect people....car seat belts, hard hats on a construction worker, bullet-proof vests for policemen and military personnel, protection items for our firemen, car seats for young children and helmets for athletes. Football players of all ages cannot step out on a football field without their protective helmets on. All of those things protect bodies, so why don't we take steps to protect our minds, be it screens we view or even people we associate with who aren't good for us. We are to think on good things. We may have lots of information from all over the world, but our knowing it all won't change anything.

Another command that is the key. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus...” The next few verses lists those qualities found in Jesus. We are told to be like Jesus. He had to walk in this world. He saw all of the negatives around Him yet could rise above all. You and I are called to rise above the fray...to be like Jesus...to get our thinking in control all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father, we hate seeing our culture spiraling downward. We have concerns as to the kind of world our children and grandchildren are going to have to live in with it's sins and dangers. We pray for a moving of Your Spirit in the hearts of folks in our country despite who are what they are. You are the answer. Keep our minds and hearts pure as only You can. Keep us in Your Word and away from those evil things that would keep us concerned and nervous. We love You and are grateful for Your power in our lives. In Jesus name....Amen