TIGHT PLACES

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth should change.
And though the mountains slip
into the heart of the sea;

Though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains quake at
its swelling pride.
Psalm 47:1-3

Brian and I visited Chattanooga, Tennessee a few weeks ago where fifty years ago, we spent our honeymoon. We went to the places we had visited back then. I must admit that most of it had changed drastically (duh!). A favorite of ours was walking again through Rock City which is still a most fascinating place. Along this walk, one comes to places referred to as “tight squeezes.” It would be very hard for some folks to work their way through those places be it a problem with weight or even in some cases hampered mobility.

In recent days, I have taken a look at Psalm 47, really spending more time on the above verses. The entire Psalm written to be sung is a Psalm of Gods love and the security He provides for those who are His children. Just in those three verses we read of God's strength in our lives, especially in times of trouble. God being our refuge is such a comforting thought. A refuge is a place we can go to for safety, protection and help. In our day we know about shelters of various types...homeless, battered women, rescue missions sponsored by churches and even pregnancy centers. All are the extended arms of God to minister in lives of need whether we recognize that fact or not...remember “Jesus with skin on.”

At the end of verse one is the word “trouble.” The interesting thing about that word according to my reference Bible is that it is translated “tight places.” When I saw that translation, and seeing that during those times, God is a very present help, I thought of tight places through life I have gone through. As I recall, some of them were really tight especially during my single days. There were work and financial stressors where there just wasn't any wiggle room.

We've all known those tight places during family life. Tight places could include job issues, financial woes, challenges in child rearing, and even health problems that in any area could bring troubles (tight places) that seemed impossible to deal with or get out of. It seemed the more we wiggled to solve or get out of such problems, it was to no avail. At times, the more we wiggled to escape, the tighter the place became. In it all, God was a help during those times even if we didn't recognize Him at the time.

The other two verses in this section refers to something we are all experiencing in our country even today. There are times we glide through Scripture as if what we are reading is just historical and not for today. The other two verses refers to weather issues. We see that the earth will change. Yep, God is SO smart. Mountains are spoken of crumbling, tumbling into the sea. Volcanoes tremble and some even spew lave into nearby oceans. When that happens because of the heat, the waters roar and foam because of the hot lava falling into the water.

We hear in our day regarding “climate change.” I'd like to shout from the mountain tops that climate, no matter what it is, belongs to God. He can use it as He sees fit...IT'S HIS. Politicians can come up with all the solutions for climate change they choose, but it will be to no avail. They blame us in some ways for the changes in our air...misuse of fuels, industrial smog and even cattle “passing gas” while roaming their fields. The Psalmist tells us that we are not to fear no matter what happens weather-wise on our earth. He's got it all under His control.

For many people in our day, weather has created some tight places in their lives. We have seen on our TV's horrible fires ravaging through forests and homes. Flooding has destroyed entire cities with their being reports of people who have drowned. It would seem we've had an unusual number of tornadoes and hurricanes. Unusual cold weather has spread across our country with unrelenting snow storms striking in some unusual places. All of these events disable and destroy...tight places.

In it all, whether our tight places are personal or national, we have a Heavenly Father who is totally in charge of everything. I don't expect unsaved people of note to think spiritually about anything when they don't know Jesus. While they are full of panic, we can be full of trust in God, knowing He's in charge. We also know that in it all, God is trying to get our attention.

We have decisions to make...”Therefore we WILL NOT fear...” We can choose to trust during those tight places and not be fearful. God is our “very present help.” May we rest in that fact no matter what comes our way.

Dear Father, thank You for being my refuge in times of trouble and problems...my tight places. I may not understand circumstances that come my way but I know I can trust you in every disturbing event in my life. You are my strength and joy and have been in the tight places of my life. Help me to keep my eyes focused on You in the bad or good weather of my days. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

A HEALTHY THIRST

As the deer pants for the
water brooks,
so my soul pants for You,
O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God...
Psalm 42:1,2a

There are so many wonderful places in our national park we can go to for refreshment and renewal whether traveling by car or even by foot. Brian and I have been all over the place, but a favorite place we have hiked to is the Walker sister's cabin. Anyone who has been there knows it is a hike almost straight up. There are a few flat places along the way where one can catch a breath, but those places are few and far between.

Our last trip up to the cabin was pretty uneventful, but much more tiring on me than I thought it would be. I could have curled up in that cabin for a nice long nap. After having time for a sufficient rest, we began the trip back down to the parking lot. One would have thought this wouldn't be much of a problem as the return trip to the parking lot would be primarily a downward trek. About a third of the way down, I was feeling faint, found a rock to lean against, but knew immediately that I had to have some water. We had failed to take any with us. There was a tiny, pretty, clear- running stream just off the trail. It was too far down for just leaning into the water so what were we to do? I was desperate. Soooooo

It dawned on me that I had a fairly new pair of moccasins on my feet. I pulled one off, handed it to Brian and asked him to dip it into the water and bring me a moccasin full of water. Anymore, Brian knows no matter how crazy something is coming from me, I'm generally quite serious about my request. With his long arm, he managed to get me a moccasin full of water. I have never had a more delightful, refreshing glass (shoe) of water as that water was from my moccasin.

I have seen our mountain deer, drinking from one of many cool, refreshing streams. I don't see them hanging out around the streams. They seem to drink when thirsty and when the thirst is quenched, they go on their way chewing on grass or just doing whatever deer do. When their bodies are thirsty, they seem to respond quickly to drinking all they want in that moment. Any body, whether animal or human, has a physical need for water (or maybe a Diet Coke?) and the natural reaction to that thirst, is get something to drink right away. It's just born into any living being.

Psalm 42 is a very emotional one. We don't know it's author, but whoever he was, he knew something about animals. He had observed somewhere along the way, the cravings or needs of such animals as deer. He quickly switched his thinking to spiritual craving in the heart of believers. I don't know about you, but there are times when my spiritual thirst reaches a real high and I can't figure out why. It's not that I haven't read my Bible, prayed or been in God's house for worship. Then there are those times when I haven't been as faithful in my spiritual walk when those water brooks call louder to me than times past.

There's no great lesson here. We know when our soul is panting (longing, thirsting) for our living God. When one is a believer, the Holy Spirit has a way of pulling and tugging at us to draw nearer to God and be refreshed. Notice our Scripture tells us we are being drawn to THE living God. So how do we do it?

First let me say that there are no spiritual shortcuts. There's no spiritual pill to take or Bible vitamin we can swallow. When we are spiritually thirsty there is only one way to God and that's to get into His Word. I'm not talking about being in church or a class of some kind even though those things can help. A spiritual thirst problem is a personal thirst problem. It means having a one on One relationship with Jesus in His Word and prayer...getting back to spiritual basics.

For me, I spend time in Psalms where I find joy, Proverbs where I find wisdom and a Gospel like John for closeness with Jesus. These things can vary, but I like to spend time in each of those areas. When my heart is panting of thirst for the water brooks of God, going to the source of that precious water (of the Word) is my only satisfaction. I don't have to drink from a moccasin. God makes it so much easier to just drink from the spiritual water He provides anytime I want a good drink of water whether I'm real thirsty or just seeking moments of refreshment.

Dear Father, thank You for providing Your living water through Your Son and Your Spirit. Thank You for always being available to me when my spirit cries for relief of my thirst and that I need never run dry. I love and appreciate You in so many ways. I pray through Jesus....Amen

PUT IT ON

Finally, my brethren, be strong

in the Lord, and in the power
of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10,11

For years, the book of Ephesians has been a favorite of mine. At various times, I have found comfort, assurance of salvation, instruction, and strength from that book. By now, I know just where to go in Ephesians where I know the Holy Spirit will speak to me in a very personal way to meet my immediate need. The book is often known primarily for the information we receive regarding the Spiritual Armor of God.

This subject is one of many passages of Scripture that are misunderstood, misused and very often even ignored. We may have seen a picture posted in a Sunday school room of a Roman soldier all decked out in full battle attire. It's impressive and as we read in Ephesians chapter six that each part of that soldiers attire represents a spiritual quality We learn the expectation is that those represented spiritual attributes are available to us to be a part of our own spiritual beings. These attributes are meant to strengthen us against the attacks of the Devil whose intent is for our spiritual detriment or even destruction.

My concern is that in viewing the the picture of that Roman soldier, I may lose sight of Paul's teaching regarding the armor's meaning. Very often as I read about it, the main things that stick in my mind is the picture I have of each piece of the armor instead of what they represent spiritually. I would venture to say that many if not most of us could recite the pieces of armor spoken of in this section of Scripture...helmet, belt, breastplate, shoes or sandals, shield, and sword. I listed those with very little thought or referring to my very worn memory.

In all of this, it is interesting that we are told to put on the whole armor of God. Notice, God won't just put this armor on us. It's actually things we must put on ourselves with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is armor we must crave and voluntarily put into our own lives. I've said before that God is a Gentleman. There are just situations where He will not force Himself upon us. This army we are a part of is made up of volunteers.

So what are the spiritual qualities we are to put on hopefully with great anticipation:

Helmet—salvation
Belt—truth
Breastplate—righteousness
Feet shod—gospel of peace
Shield—faith
Sword—Scripture

Without salvation, the rest just won't happen as God has prescribed. TRUTH is a kind of glue that holds it all together in our lives. RIGHTEOUSNESS is living rightly as God ordains. Feet on our bodies gives us the security of standing, moving appropriately...gotta have the feet. The GOSPEL does that for us giving us a spiritual stability and empowerment to go with His message. FAITH is who we are in God, trusting, finding our hope and security in Him. God is our great defender. And then there is SCRIPTURE...our marching orders for every day we live and breath. It's God's communication to us interpreted and taught to us by the Holy Spirit. By the way, it's the only offensive piece of our spiritual armor. Our shield we hold up in Satan's face as we resist his evil darts shot at us. But with the sword, the Word, that's what we use. The rest of the armor is basically protective.

I also notice that we are to put on the WHOLE armor of God. Leave any one of those pieces of spiritual protection to one side and Satan will know it. He will know exactly where our weaknesses are and will strike in those vulnerable areas. Satan doesn't want us to be righteous, truthful, or stable in our faith. He's smart using our weaknesses to his advantage.

The armor is God's provision for our strength and protection. The armor isn't just a list of items, but a list of spiritual qualities intended for our good. We live today in a dark and evil culture. The only way we survive is with God's help. Our encouragement is that in the end, we know Who WINS the ultimate battle. For the time being, let's not give the Devil an inch.

Thank You, dear Jesus, for saving us and for equipping us to not only be in fellowship with You, but also to stand against the attacks of Satan on our lives. Help us to know that Your provided armor is not a costume of some sort, but represent qualities vital to our spiritual welfare. I thank You, praise You and pray these things in Your precious name...Amen

TURN AROUND

Therefore, to him that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not,
to him it is sin.
James 4:17

In our eight years here, we've never had flood warnings. Folks who are regular visitors to our small town, “The Peaceful Side of the Smokys,” would be quite surprised if they were to see the flooding conditions here right now, especially affecting roads near the river. The river is rip roarin' and very high right now. However, our general area is also putting out flooding alerts to the point that some schools are going to close this morning. For a few days last week, rain had subsided but today again we have flood warnings because we are to get more rain today and tomorrow.

What is causing all of this? There are some basic factors that contribute to flooding. Of course, the major cause has to do with steady, consistent and unusual amounts of rainfall in a certain area over an extended period of time. Then there can be a problem of drainage because there's just so many places rain can go before overload sets in. Poor roads often washout with minor amounts of rain, but better roads in lower areas can also have a problem of drainage. Drivers often feel a flooded road isn't all that deep so they plow on through, sometimes finding themselves in the middle of disaster.

One amazing factor I saw on my computer warnings stated that even if a road has water on it that doesn't look deep, the road could have washed out under the water and you can't see the damage under the flooded area. Thus, such can create unforeseen problems for a car and it's passengers. The caution to all of us is the usual one that sounds trite, but a wise admonition...”Turn around, don't drown.” It's one of those warnings we have heard so much, it might be ignored.

On this dark, rainy morning with all the warnings I have read, I'm thinking of the times in my life I didn't heed the warnings from people concerning decisions I was about to make to my peril that wouldn't please God. I thought I knew better, the water on the road of life didn't seem all that risky and dangerous. In my mind, I felt I knew better, in fact, I KNEW I knew what was better for my own life at the time. Scripture is full of admonitions to flee sin of any kind. Fleeing doesn't mean to crawl, stroll away or do a slow walk....the word flee means to run as fast and far away from sin as you can. Most of the time that fleeing is first done in our minds ...getting away, forsaking...however we can get away from it as soon as possible. At times though, putting feet to our fleeing may be required. I have used that method often times.

The signs are often posted in front of us telling us to “Turn around...don't drown.” Sin can be a kind of water-filled sink hole where anyone dropped into it sinks. Walking near it didn't seem risky at the moment. It's like driving through that water covered road or bridge and then finding one's car floating away from anything safe. The warning signs were posted and media bulletins of warning spoke with urgency, but surely nothing unfortunate could happen to me or you. We learn of such happenings all the time.

Satan has a way of presenting us with flood conditions across some of our roads of life. He's so subtle...the “water” doesn't look that bad or even dangerous. We somehow feel we can't be tripped up...nothing vulnerable about us. Satan must get such enjoyment watching us in our states of pride and invincibility. He so enjoys tripping up God's people and it's all so unnecessary. What do we do?

First, we have to be aware and alert. Watch the news or any mystery program on TV and it's easy to see how a seemingly smart person can put their-self in such danger be they believer or unbeliever. Girls have been raped after meeting guys they didn't know in a club. Some folks make a habit of hitch-hiking...getting in a car with a total stranger. One can spend too much time with a married person of the opposite sex at work. When bored with ones church, trying another church more exciting, may lead to finding one trapped in a cult. The list of “bewares” could go on and on. Proverbs 4:23 tells in part to “Guard your heart...” don't allow Satan any freedom in ones life.

Secondly, read and obey the signs. We find those things in the Word of God, taught to us by the Holy Spirit. If we walk in the Spirit in close fellowship and obedience, we can be victorious in the big and little challenges of life. Galatians 5:16 assures us:

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

What if we plow on through the dangerous places of life and fail miserably. We find ourselves floundering in sin we never intended. God is so wonderfully full of mercy, love and forgiveness for His children. John tells us in his first epistle that we need to seek God in repentance, accepting God's forgiveness:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
I John 1:8

The only choice we have in pleasing our Father is to simply obey the warning signs He gives so lovingly and freely. He doesn't want us living in misery and defeat. Our job is to simply TURN AROUND (flee sin)...DONT DROWN (avoid sin's consequences)

Dear Father...thank You for the rain we need even in winter months to provide moisture on our lands. I pray for safety for folks today in our area who have to be out on the roads. Thank You for Your loving care and protection. Help us to stay close to You, Holy Spirit, obeying Your promptings we see in Your Word. I pray in Jesus' precious name. Amen

THE OLD TIME RELIGION

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to
write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you,
and exhort you that ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints.
Jude 3

I can recall when a young girl in our Baptist Church, sometimes singing “Give Me that Old Time Religion.” We would sing the verses “It was good for our mothers....It was good for our fathers...it was good for our grandmas”...and I guess you get the picture. I never even questioned what the old time religion was. It wasn't a “was” but then was “is.” There weren't any theological charlatans around then that I remember trying to tear up the things of Scripture. The most I ever heard discussed was the method of baptism that differed in some churches. Obedience to the Scriptures was something else. There were the same expectations of obeying the Word of God whether you heard it from the pulpit or in youth group that met Sunday evening prior to the church service.

Playing with God's Word as we are seeing it today for instance is cause for concern. Folks at the very risk of God's judgment have off and on through centuries revised, translated and changed Scripture to their own liking. Jude spoke in centuries past of such problems and it's just as real in our day as well.

Jude, Jesus' half brother, who wrote the 65^th book of the Bible, wrote completely from concern and urgency. He had heard of what was going on in a specific place learning of false teachers who were creeping into its fellowship. He said in verse 4:

For there are certain men crept in
unawares, who were before of old
ordained to this condemnation,
ungodly men, turning the grace of
God into lasciviousness, and
denying the only Lord God, and
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice, those false teachers, ordained men who had gone rogue regarding the Scriptures were now sneaking into fellowships to teach their twisted philosophies of the Word. Jude in the introductory verse encouraged the people to fight for the faith.

One of the problems for us when we come across false teaching is that we may often not recognize what is perverted. The problem for the average Christian is that he or she may not know enough about the Scriptures to know what is what is false teaching when it is heard. It is our responsibility to know the Scripture, not just from a pulpit or Bible study group. The Holy Spirit is more than anxious to interpret His Word to our hearts. He is the author of this wonderful Book and Who better to explain it to us than the Author.

At my age, I can't help but do some looking back. I miss the simplicity, but accuracy of preachers who weren't necessarily educated to the gills. The preachers I knew were known by Reverend, not Doctor. The music was simple and special music was with the heart even though the voice may not have been up to par. Bibles in the services were all the same translation so everyone was on the same page for the preaching. The preaching was to the point...right was right and wrong was wrong. We are are told our children can choose their own gender and then change what they are if they don't like it. Gay rights are as evil as can be and our preachers of old would have called it out. Old time preaching protected us as just about all preachers agreed on preaching the true Word of God.

The old days are gone and won't return. These days must be our “good old days” for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Our responsibility for now is to be in the Word, even singing to ourselves the familiar songs that bless us, making prayer a way of life with the comforting thought that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. His Word is truth no matter what the world tells us. Yes, the old time religion should be good enough for all of us.

Thank You Father for being our never-changing God. Thank You for the consistency you teach us. Give us the wisdom we need in today's world to navigate through all the uncomfortable areas of today's world. Keep us faithful to You and Your Word. In Jesus' name....Amen

BROKEN BUT NOT DESTROYED

The sacrifices of God are a
broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O
God, You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17

When we first moved here to Tennessee eight years ago, there were things for the house I purchased mostly for décore purposes, but also because out of need. One of those things was a new canister set for the kitchen. I found one I really liked through a computer purchase and have never regretted purchasing it. It is ceramic in make up and colorful just the way I like it. The set has its place on a particular counter that is handy to get to and at the same time, looks nice sitting right where it is.

I decided recently to fix myself a bowl of cereal. I took sugar out of the larger canister that sits nearest to the edge of the counter. In my haste, I lost my grip on the lid of that canister and it went flying to the tile floor. The fortunate thing is that ceramic doesn't break like glass. Glass shatters...ceramic tends to break in manageable pieces with lots of small chips around it. Brian came running and pretty much gave up on the usability of that poor ceramic top.

Without hesitation, I picked up the large pieces while he swept the rest of the damage up in a dust pan. Brian felt the lid was a lost cause. After he left the kitchen, I proceeded to “diddle” with the chunks and found they could be glued together and once again usable. They wouldn't look quite the same with some chips now gone but from a distance, I felt any damage wouldn't be that noticeable.

All of this got me thinking about how grateful I am now for some of the broken experiences God has allowed me to experience in my life. Many of those experiences, I brought upon myself. God and no one else had to do the breaking in many cases, but I can recall how God picked up the pieces and put me back together with His “super glue”...His amazing love.

Looking on my computer at a Bible app I often use, I looked up the word “broken.” I was surprised the things mentioned with regard to being broken. Some of them are: some body parts, buildings, branches, ships, bread, congregations, covenants and even the broken body of our Lord. Please note that most of those broken things God used in trying to get His message across to individuals or groups. Many of those things were caused by folks and their deliberate disobedience.

Job, in the Old Testament, probably spoke more personally of his broken experiences than others in Scripture. As I've looked at those things he said about the breaking process in his life, his feelings about it all feels like I have when I've gone through some breaking times. I've never been broken as he was, but still hurt. It's been a combination of not understanding the why's, while at the same time, seeing God in it all.

Often when God allows a breaking time in our lives, we don't think in those moments about being very spiritual. We know the things we ought to do....Bible, pray, confess sin, even be faithful in church attendance. If attending church, it might be just going through motions. It's as if such experiences almost paralyze us emotionally and spiritually bringing us to a stand still. And yet, if I stood still for too long, I ended up spending the time crying, fretting, stewing while feeling very sorry for myself.

The thing is that we are God's children. He loves us with a love we can't even begin to comprehend and yet, He stands ready as a perfect parent would to help put the broken pieces of our lives back together. We moms used to wipe a child's tears away, kiss the boo-boos, bandage up the hurts, allow the teenage girl to cry out her hurts on our shoulders...we did a little of it all. God heals the brokenness because He can do it like no other can. We don't need to always cry on the shoulders of others, but God does provide friends we can find comfort with, friends who will pray and lift our spirits.

Oh yes...my canister top. I tried using tape putting pieces together just to see if it could be done and it looked like it could work. Took the pieces to Brian who is our Mr. Fix-it. He got out his super glue and got the lid put together, very nicely I must say. There are a couple of obvious places where some small open places are, but from a distance, the damage isn't that noticeable. I'll tell you though that I will take good care of that lid. It went through a real breaking process not of its doing. It's still very usable and it's beauty is only slightly marred.

It'll be the same for us. When we walk through those breaking times, pieces will begin to come together and our Father will love on us, heal our spirits and we will have learned. A caution: if we don't learn from our broken times when God intended such to teach us a lesson, we may have to go through a breaking again just to make sure the lesson “sticks” We may be left with a few scars and chips, but they will remind us of victory brought about through our Father Who never wastes a thing in our lives. Such is intended for us to continue to be usable for His glory.

Dear Father, I remember some days when I was more broken than I can even now describe. There were some dark days, but You as usual were my Light and Salvation and I learned I needed not fear. Your presence was and is still so precious. My prayer is that I will stay close to You, knowing You will do all things well in my life. In Jesus name...Amen

FINISHING WELL

So teach us to number our
days, that we may apply our
hearts unto wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

This blog will soon reveal it isn't for a large, mixed crowd. It has to do with a subject I've been forced like many to know in intimate detail. I'm referring to the subject of aging. Billy Graham said, “Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life.” For those of us in the process, I think we could resound with a loud, “AMEN!” to that statement.

When children, we were provided with books dealing with growing up. Our parents may have had some along the same line, but more with child rearing. There were books for teenagers and on and on the books went dealing with various stages of life. Somewhere along the line, I missed any encouraging, informative, useful books for people approaching or already dealing with the “elderly” years. Most of such books tend to be books that instruct, but don't encourage.

When a child, my parents seemed old to me. Both grandmothers seemed much older, especially one who had to walk with one crutch. I heard my mother chatting with someone from church and they mentioned my Sunday school teacher, Nellie Barker. Nellie was from England and we kids loved to hear her talk. The shock was, however, that my mother said she thought Nellie was around 62 years old. I couldn't believe anyone could ever live to be that old. I knew there were really old people in the Bible, but that was the Bible...but 62 just wasn't clicking in my young mind that Nellie should still be alive.

Like Billy Graham and others, being a person of age really crept up on me. I knew it was going to happen, but I like others found myself always in the middle of life events...college, marriage, mom to three, lots of church work, back to school in my 50's, new careers, kids weddings and then grandchildren, lots of Bible study groups and Sunday school classes with probably thousands of “foldies” made to pass out to classes. In it all, I maintained fairly good health.

After Brian retired about nine years ago, we made our retirement move here to Tennessee. Shortly after our move, I was diagnosed with malignant bladder cancer and went through two surgeries and some chemo. It was the first it dawned on me that I was really a person of age...72 at the time. I was definitely a slow learner.

One of the reasons I'm writing this blog is that I have come upon a treasure. It's the most loving, inspiring, sensible, spiritual outlook on aging written by one who wrote a book on the subject while in the aging stages. It's a book I have hoped to find and when getting a copy of it, read almost half of it in a couple of days. I found myself devouring the information as it was so practical and encouraging. It isn't a new book, but one that somehow I missed as I have tried to read just about everything Billy Graham ever wrote. He was in his 90's when he wrote the book. I ordered it and got it in just a couple of days. It's one to read and to pass along to friends who need encouragement regarding where they may be in this aging process. The name of the book is “Nearer Home.” I love that title as that's how I feel in these years I am in now.

There were some things that were reinforced in my own mind as I read this book, things that are already a part of my own practice and thinking, such as:

*Live everyday to the fullest.
*Have goals to be stretching for.
*Maintain good spiritual practices...Bible reading, church attendance, prayer, etc.
*Have a responsibility at church or ministry of some sort.
*Surround yourself with fun, encouraging and godly people.
*If still married, enjoy your partner like never before.
*Stay as healthy as you can.
*Read on a regular basis if you are able.

*Have an enjoyable activity you look forward to doing....cook, handiwork of some kind, get an adult color book & colored pencils, find a craft activity to do you enjoy, etc.

Perhaps there are things you could add to that list. I just know that God has kept every person here for His own reasons no matter the age. He will keep us here until we have finished His intent for us. With our last breath we are to be faithful in serving Jesus. It may be from sitting home bound, in a church pew, attending an outing with friends or whatever else we find to keep our minds functioning. I know ladies who crochet making small baby afghans for a local pregnancy center. Meanwhile we have experience and wisdom we can share with the younger folks we come in contact even though we are “Nearer Home” than they may seem to be. May all of us finish well, no matter our age hopefully all for God's honor and glory alone.

Dear Father, I'm so grateful for Your guidance and provision in my life. I pray I will stay available to You to serve You in any way I can. I want to finish well in such a way that will please You. Help me to appreciate these days in my life and in them, come to love You like never before. In Jesus name....Amen

BEING A COMFORTER

Blessed be God, even the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the
God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able
to comfort them which are in
any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.
II Corinthians 1:3,4

Remembering some uncomfortable days when just a little girl, I thought back to my proneness toward having bad colds in the winter. When stuffy and coughing before bedtime, my Mother would come into the room, sit on the edge of my bed prepared to do battle. Mother had a weapon that I considered deadly, but that she saw as a cure-all. Even in the dim light coming through the slightly open bedroom door, I saw her deadly weapon. It was found in a dark blue jar with a dark blue lid. All she had to do was open that jar and it seemed as though the aroma filled the room. Yep, it was good ole Vick's Salve. She would rub it on my chest. With what was left on an index finger, she would rub it with one swipe under my nose. Can't tell you how much I hated that stuff, but in a short amount of time, I was asleep with sinuses clear and no cough.

The thing is that to this day, I keep a small jar or Vick's Salve in a bedside table drawer. I usually only use it just inside the nostrils of my nose. It clears my nose up and extends into the throat. Even when I don't have to make use of the salve, there are times I get that little jar out to look at, even some time to the point of smelling that strong aroma. It's a reminder of another time when physical comfort was provided for a little girl with bad colds.

When looking at sources of personal comfort, memory is a good place to delve into. All of us have bad memories of time past. However, we can detour around them to the more pleasant memories we have of childhood or of those up to the present that brings smiles to our faces.

Most often when in need of comfort, it's because of traumatic events life presents. It's during these times that comforting ourselves doesn't seem to come easy. However, we can find personal comfort in the Word of God. Psalm 119:50 tells us: “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” The Word of God quickens, brings life back into our spirits. When a comforter, one of the best things we can give to one in turmoil is the Word of God. Preaching isn't necessary but a verse assuring of God's love or concern can be helpful. Notes or cards with just an appropriate verse can calm one's spirit.

No matter the difficulty, the best comfort we have is through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We read a lot about Him in John 14. Jesus was instructing and trying to comfort His disciples regarding His leaving them. He assured them He wouldn't leave them alone spiritually. He spoke to them of a Comforter that would come to them upon His leaving.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in
my name, he shall teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Spirit would indwell those disciples upon Jesus leaving, going to Heaven. To this day, we benefit having the Spirit's presence in us the same as those disciples who were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost. He's in us to comfort and teach us. However, the Spirit only indwells those who have accepted Jesus as personal Savior. When in a position to be of comfort to another, we have the indwelling Spirit who wants to lead and teach us in the whole process of ministering to someone in need.

We are living in a culture that is sick and evil. Unfortunate things aren't just happening to people who are a part of the unsaved world. Christians are being put to all sorts of tests. Some events may occur just through natural events of life, while other things may come in the form of tragic, unexpected events. As God's people, we will often be called upon to be comforters. We prepare by being strong in the Lord and knowledge of His Word. I'm so grateful for comforters who knew along the way, that I was going through a tough time...those special people who came along side of me with words of encouragement and comfort.

Thank You Father for the comfort You extend to Your children through Your Word and comforting of Your Spirit. You are always on time with meeting our needs of comfort with a special touch that assures us of Your love and care. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

COUGH IT UP

I waited patiently for the Lord; and
he inclined unto me, and heard
my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible
pit, out of the miry clay, and set my
feet upon a rock, and established
my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my
mouth, even praise unto our God;
many shall see it, and fear, and shall
trust the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3

It's a common phrase, at least as I remember...”Cough it up.” I would say it to my children when they were young and seemed to be choking on something. It was also a term often used when getting someone to give something to another they felt they had coming. An example would be: “You owe me five bucks...cough it up.”

Of course there is the usual cough we all endure from time to time. I've often go through it because of all the pollen that at times floats in the air here in mountain country. I swallow allergy meds, but still end up with a pretty good cough.

I have done this before with my blog, but there is a particular brand of cough drops I probably use most that is often an encouragement to me even before putting a drop in my mouth. I won't mention the brand, but it will probably come to mind for anyone who has used them in the past. With this cough drop, there is a very different paper cover on each one. Most people don't either know it or pay attention to the small sayings printed on each wrapper. For the most part, the sayings are words of encouragement. I've gotten where I pay attention to the sayings before throwing the wrappers in a trash can. So allow me to share one of these sayings with an added word of Scripture of encouragement.

“Turn 'can do' into 'can did!'”

I'm reminded of Paul's encouragement in Philippians 4:13 that says: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” I've found in the situations where I'm nervous of the new, that God's timing is always right. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. I have slowly come to learn that when God calls, He equips. Not only does He equip, but He hangs around me during the entire process of whatever it might be I'm called to do. His presence is always such an encouragement.

When we are going through the toughest of times, there is no way we can have the company of an encourager twenty-four hours a day. In the direst of times, it's pretty difficult for any human being to help us keep an “I can” attitude. Life can really beat us up when we are confronted with fear, discouragement and even depression. I realize when encouraged to turn to the Lord, that may not sound like a reality because it isn't a human body to sit with and talk with face to face. BUT, God's presence is different. With the Holy Spirit in us, God's presence is constant and He can move mountainous problems in ways we can't begin to comprehend. Isaiah 41:10 has always been a great encourager to me helps me when I need to keep my chin up.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed;
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I
will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with
the right hand of my righteousness
.

I'm so grateful that He will uphold me in ways that are unbelievable. It's true that “I can do all things through Christ...always in His strength.”

Father, I'm always amazed at the big and small ways You sen my way little nudges of encouragement and even instruction. I'm grateful today for your strengthening and presence in my life. Thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit and for sending Jesus...in Whose name I pray. Amen

YEAR OF THE BIBLE

Forthe 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.
Hebrews 4:12

I don't know if you've noticed it or not, but we are in a spiritual war in our country right now like no other time I can remember. Our culture has gone “catty-wampus” and guess what, a Christian can see clearly the workings of a devil who is out to destroy us all. You and I know that God is the only answer to this spiritual culture crisis and that we will be sustained only through being people of the Bible. We look around and see that Satan is alive and well and out to destroy us and all we cherish. Don't expect unsaved people who are politicians, educators or unsaved people in leadership to make godly decisions Satan has them on board and Jesus and His word is the only anwer for any of them.

The Word of God has provided us with information in Ephesians 6 regarding spiritual armor to protect and arm us against Satan's ploys. All of the various pieces of that armor are to strictly protect us from Satan's darts...with the exception of one piece and that's the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” That's the only defensive weapon we have. But what good is that sword if we not only don't use it, but don't even know what it is and the power it holds in store?

I have been reading from Franklin Graham and others that this is to be the Year of the Bible. I am so glad the idea of this program is being spread. Churches, schools, families, etc. are encouraged to set some reasonable goals to get back into the Bible this year. There are times when we are discouraged, sick, angry or whatever that negative things that can come our way that having some Scripture memorized can be such a help, strength and blessing.

There there are some folks I know who really want to get back into the Word this year. We forget that a year is a long span of time with twelve months and 365 days. Getting into the Word may go smoothly for a couple of weeks and then there is a slacking off and eventually, the Bible sits on the coffee table, untouched. Satan wants us distracted and defeated and wants God's word ignored.

Remember that this is to be the Year of the Bible...not the Year of the Devotional Book. May I give a few suggestions that might be a help and encourage, maybe keeping you going for more than a few days: Some folks won't need any of these suggestions but might need one or two, so here we go:

*If you've never read through a single book in the Bible, this isn't the time to say you're going to read through the whole Bible. Before I am criticized, let me go further.

*Select a small book in the Bible to read....I John, Philippians...a book with no more than 5-6 chapters. Feel the success of accomplishing one book. It will begin to work in your system to go for more.

*Pick a time to read that is comfortable for you. There are those who tell you a certain time of day is a must. God is watching and listening no matter the time

*When you can, read your Bible out loud. This is one of the greatest things I found several years ago. It forces me to concentrate, keep my eyes on the page and encourages me to stay awake.

*ALERT!!! The huge danger in all of this is that you are READING your Bible....reading it word for word, reading while getting all those words under your belt. Most often, Christians who set out on a Bible reading plan become a part of a great race...to get it done, but day by day, walk away with nothing of what was read digested and applied. Better you glean strength from one verse than nothing from an entire chapter.

*Do not set out with a goal of reading with a determination that YOU are going to get this thing done. That will really kill your effort within days. Satan wants you to have that attitude. He laughs at us when he sees us reading and reading while walking away with nothing.

*Lastly, whatever or however you plan to get into the Word this year, never pick up your Bible to read without praying and asking the Holy Spirit to teach you. When we launch out on our own without our Teacher, every word can seem like chewing on cardboard.

Sorry about the lengthy suggestions. Not everyone will need most of them, but pick out something that may be a new thought that may refresh your Bible reading. Let's truly make this the YEAR OF THE BIBLE.

Father, God....thank You for giving us Your Word. Help us to see the critical need for instilling it in out hearts and minds that we will be ready to fend off the wiles and tricks of our enemy. Help us to be open to what You want to say to us in the precious moments we have with Your word and the Holy Spirits teaching. Keep us teachable. In Jesus precious name...Amen