REALLY?

In everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

As I look at our country in general, I see a country, made up of thousands and thousands of people who have little if any gratitude or appreciation for being so blessed in so many ways. We all are loaded with benefits we never even give consideration for. Not everyone is rich nor poor. All of us living and breathing have individual cares and problems and often focus on them instead of all the wonderful blessings we do have.

Note that we are commanded to have spirits of thanksgiving. It's odd that we usually concentration on that during the last week of November. We then just hurry on to December, getting ready for Christmas. I see no where in the above verse where there is a date attached to our having thankful spirits. This thing of thanks is supposed to be a consistent ongoing part of our lives every moment.

For me, the catch is the word EVERYTHING. All of us have our share of problems, disappointments, hurts, illness and troubles that come and go. How in the world do we work up gratitude for those things. Perhaps we aren't reading the verse quite right or as for me, slow in catching on.

When it comes to our thanksgiving toward God, I don't believe He expects me to thank Him with great bravado if I'm facing a critical surgery or if I've been in a serious car accident or even if my income doesn't match my outgo. However, I do think we can be thankful not for those things but in and during those things. We have a heavenly Father who loves us dearly, never forsakes us and does more for us than we can imagine. Yes, in everything we can give thanks, not necessarily for but in it all.

Thank You Father for getting us through the rough times and for all the benefits that are ours because of Your goodness in our lives. Forgive our ingratitude and help us to stay focused on Your every blessing. Through Jesus...Amen 

 

IF ONLY...

Behold, I stand at the door and

knock, IF anyone hears My voice

and opens the door, I will come in

to him and dine with him, and he with me.

Revelatiion 3:20

I, like my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ am a sinner saved by the wonderful grace of God. We all have our flaws that our loving Father helps us through. I think we all have our IF ONLY moments. The IF times in my life are difficult. I have used those two words especially over the last couple of years, to beat up on myself.

IF is a very small word but is huge in it's meaning and influence. Some have said that IF is one of the most powerful words in our vocabulary. It's almost a bargaining word that.... IF I do this or that, this or that will happen. It's also a word we trip on when going through self-condemning times in our lives.

This word is rarely used for the here and now. IF can take us back to times we feel we should have made different decisions and didn't. IF is also a word that speaks of the future. In this way, we use the word in a bargaining way, hoping for the best IF all goes well.

For me, an IF that looks toward my future indicates a lack of faith and trust in God Who has everything under control and Who knows His plan for me every moment of every day. His decisions may not be what I would want, but my faith must be strong enough to trust God and not myself. When will we ever learn that we are not in charge. When will be come to know that IF we just trust God for our future days, His peace will be ours in abundance with no IF's, AND's or BUT's considered.

Father, thank You for just putting up with me when my faith wavers and I don't trust You with my past, present or future. Help me to use the word IF correctly and with full confidence in Your will for my life. In Jesus' name...Amen

NOT ALL THERE

And do this, knowing the time,

that now it is high time to awake

out of sleep; for now our salvation

is nearer than when we first believed.

Romans 13:11

Looking back some time ago, I can recall thinking at times about someone who didn't seem to be in the present. They may have appeared to be rather odd. After that person walked away, those involved would often point our index fingers to the side of our heads, indicating the person just wasn't thinking right.

I don't know the last time I saw anyone portray that indicator but being “all there” doesn't necessarily refer to ones lack of sense. I have thought of boring staff meetings, dry sermons in the past, listening to tales of events I've heard over and over...all things that tend to throw me into never, never land. There are just times, I'm not with whatever is being said and my mind drifts off toward other things more interesting.

There are times, when I'm not all there even in spiritual situations. As an elementary girl, Wednesday nights at church were rough. It was usually more of a prayer meeting and I dreaded one lady who always prayed. Her prayers were always very long. She was the dearest lady you would ever want to meet and we called her Aunt Sue {not her usual name}. You name it and it got prayed for and as a kid, my mind went elsewhere.

We don't have to be kids to mentally wander with respect to spiritual things. While reading our Bibles, our minds can stray to most anything that has nothing to do with the Scripture passage we are reading. A pastor can preach his very best sermon or teacher her best lesson and we can find ourselves just not all there. As best as I can tell, Jesus gave folks His undivided attention in very caring ways. I don't want to insult God by thinking about my next ham sandwich...He and others deserve my full attention.

Father, help me to be alert, attentive and considerate not just of others in being with them in the present, but most of all, to render to you my loving attention when with You. In Jesus' precious name....Amen 

BIRTHDAY BLESSINGS

Even to your old age, I am He,

and even to gray hairs I will

carry you. I have made, and

I will bear; even I will carry

and deliver you.

Isaiah 46:4

So blessed in God's Word every time I pick it up and read in it. His promises are so appropriate no matter the circumstances but especially thinking today about age. I didn't realize a couple of months ago that I would see myself with the number 85 behind my name. That's a lot of years, some of which I know I wasted in not always walking in God's will. Despite it, He has loved, forgiven and chosen me to be where I am in the great now.

I've experienced a lot of birthdays. Some of them weren't pleasant bu t most were. I didn't have a lot of parties like many folks have for their children in these days. Gifts might have been at times no more than a color book, crayons and maybe a small stuffed animal. Yet, it was great.

In November, 1999 our church was having a revival and on the particular Sunday was the last service. I found myself almost consumed with listening to the evangelist as he spoke and things began stirring in me I had never sensed before. Although that church is different now, I would be able to show you where I was sitting, the aisle I stepped into and the bright sun shining through the clear glass window accepting Jesus as my Savior. I had no family there but knew this was something I had to do and did.

That in my life was the greatest birthday any living person can experience no matter their age. That birthday gift will take me to Heaven where birthdays will never be necessary or missed.

Thank You Father for guiding in my life through Your Spirit and for Jesus who made my spiritual birthday gift a reality. In His name....Amen

 

MERCY, MERCY

The LORD is merciful and

gracious, slow to anger,

and abounding in mercy.

Psalm 103:8

You and I should be so very grateful forthe mercy of God in our lives. We are told that for our wrong-doing, justice is getting what we deserve. However, we also know that mercy is not getting what we deserve from God regarding our personal sin. You and I often don't even consider the everyday sins we might commit. To God, sin is sin....big or little. Because of Jesus' sacrifice we not only have salvation but the mercy of God. We must never take advantage of God's precious mercy. Just some things about this mercy in Psalm 103:

God's mercy can't be measured (11). It is too high and deep to be measured.

God's removal of our sin also can't be measured....east to west (12)

God's pity for each of His children is even more than what earthly fathers are capable of (13)

I am especially so grateful that God knows me inside and out. He knows my physical being, remembering that in the end, I am mere dust. (14)

Verse 17 is almost a grand finale verse:

But the mercy of the LORD is

from everlasting to everlasting,

on those who fear Him, and His

righteousness to children's children.

I praise You Father for Your merciful patience with me. In my weakness, You provide Your merciful care and patience. Thank You for Jesus' mercy and Your Spirit's teaching and leadership. In gratitude....Amen

 

OUR GOOD LISTENER

For I know the thoughts that I

think toward you, says the Lord,

thoughts of peace and not of evil,

to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and

go and pray to Me, and I will

listen to you,

Jeremiah 29:11,12

God's people were taken into captivity and we see Jeremiah at this particular time being a spokesman for them. The people as well as Jeremiah were ready to be finished with captivity and ready to go back home. God indicated to them the years they would spend in captivity, but they were more than anxious for it to be at an end.

In chapter 29, Jeremiah went to God in prayer and prayed a wonderful prayer on behalf of the people. After he had poured out his heart to God, God responded to him. God spoke right to the point, some of which is found in the above verses. For some reason, I have really liked this chapter in Jeremiah with interaction between him and God. I can't imagine Jeremiah's frustration and yet God's response was so loving and assuring even though Jeremiah still had no resolution to the situation.

There is something I often look for in my Scripture reading when God speaks. So often, He will begin a sentence or phrase with the two words I WILL. I don't know about anyone else but there are times when people have assured me that they would do something on my behalf and didn't come through. I also have to consider the times I have come up short in the same way with someone in need. Those two words indicate a promise whether we consider that to be true or not. When God says He will do something, it's as good as done.

I think also that we have often found ourselves in our own personal times of captivity. I realize we haven't been carried off to Babylon for 70 years but our captivities can seem a lifetime when not resolved. Captivity for us is any negative situation we find ourselves in that seems to have no answers or finish line. For some folks, captivity might be a health situation, financial disaster, loss that crosses any number of areas and on it goes. There are times we feel as helpless as Jeremiah and the people of that day.

When in that kind of fix, what do we do in the middle of all the impossibilities? Jeremiah prayed a wonderful prayer that was very respectful and we see God's answer. God hadn't forgotten His people. He was thinking about them, looking forward to good things. We may not feel in our circumstance that God ever gives us a thought. How wrong can we be. He also assured Jeremiah that He listens to every prayer. No matter what we find ourselves enduring, God is present...thinking about us, seeing our future with good things and listening to our every prayer. We are such a blessed people.

Thank You Father for Your loving attention toward us in both good and difficult times. May we be people of prayer, all the time knowing You are the best listener ever. Thank You for Your personal attention toward each of us. In Jesus precious name...Amen

 

LITTLE IS MUCH

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits.

Psalm 103:2

It didn't seem like much at the moment, but it was one of those wonder moments that would have meant nothing to anyone but me. Recently, I had to go have lab work done in anticipation of my six month checkup with my doctor the end of the week. I ventured out on Wednesday morning hoping to get it all finished while still hoping to make it to our Wednesday morning Bible study at church.

My timing was questionable at best because of the flood of others who show up for such tests first thing in the morning. I could just see it....parking lot with no close up spaces except for out in the boonies of the lot. The waiting line for registration I imagined to be at least twenty people which would be the usual. It was just the facts of what I had seen in time past.

I was right about the parking lot. It was really full and there was no way I'd find a handicap spot. I went ahead and pulled up into that area with the blue squares on the concrete of the parking spaces. So I did a quick cruise anyway and almost hit a pickup as it decided to pull out in front of me, leaving me a wonderful parking space...I was thrilled and quickly thanked my Lord for His favor. I went on into the registration area and there were only three people in front of me in the line. That was nothing short of a miracle. I was in and out in a jiffy. Before leaving, I took a casual look to see what the line up for service looked like. I counted 25 people and growing. If I had arrived just a little later, it could have been a mess.

In my car I was almost in tears of joy. It was all God's timing and doing and I was rejoicing. It would have all been very small in the eyes of others. There's an old song I have loved for years entitled..”.Little is Much When God is in it.” We need to brush out the cobwebs of our spiritual memories and remember those seemingly little ways God has cared for us not just in the big ways but in the smallest of ways. When God is in the small things, they suddenly take on very huge meaning. Oh how He loves you and me!

I praise You Father, for all the little things You bring my way that bless me and often aid me in ways I need. You are always looking out for me and I'm so grateful. Your little things in my life seem to grow into giant proportions and I'm so very grateful for Your love in my life...In Jesus' precious name.....Amen

KEEP GROWING

I am the vine, you are the

branches, He who abides in Me,

and I in him, bears much fruit, for

without Me, you can do nothing.

John 15:5

My sisters and I were attending our Dad's funeral in California. In that time, we drove around a lot just viewing the sights. As I recall, my aunt, who was hosting us, stopped at someone's house. The nice thing about our visit to a friends home was that we girls just walked around the well-landscaped yard.

My aunt caught up with just as we approached a beautiful fruit tree. The grapefruit hanging on that tree was something none of the three of us had ever seen. You would just want to grab one of them off the tree and dig in.

Much to our surprise our aunt came up to us and asked how we like the lemon tree. LEMON TREE??? She had to be wrong. People don't see lemons that size no matter how classy a grocery store is. These pieces of fruit looked like grapefruit in every way...they just couldn't be lemons, but they were.

As it turned out, not only were they lemons but she pulled one off of the tree and just began peeling it. She handed each of a piece. It smelled like lemon and looked like lemon sections except they were huge. We knew what would result with taking a bite....puckered up faces. Nope...it was like biting into delightful lemonade, sweet and refreshing.

Because those lemons had been left to ripen and mature on the branches, those lemons flourished. Like with anything else though, when pulled from the source, a lemon's life, and growth stops and dying begins. Apart from it's source of sustenance, it would never grow to it's full potential.

What about our spiritual maturity? Have we taken advantage of our life source? A believer can be saved enough for Heaven, but what about now? If we don't keep a strong connection with our Father, we can become small and sour in our testimony before others. God wants us to stay fully connected to Him so we will grow and mature in Him beyond any of our expectations.

Father God, thank You for the privilege of having a close connection with You. Help me to want to grow and mature in You, not for my glory but for Your glory alone. Forgive me for the times I pull away from You...draw me back, keep me close. I love you..In Jesus precious name....Amen 

GREAT THINGS

The LORD has done great

things for us, and we

are glad.

Psalm 126:3

Recently, I read the above verse and for good reasons, and I felt very convicted by it's message. Thanksgiving has been THE time of year we are supposed to take time to count our own personal blessings. Supposedly, such blessing counting only includes just the previous year.

During the course of a year, we may feel a kind of gratitude off and on depending on the blessings that have come our way. The writer of this above Psalm is writing out of joy. At that time God had brought back captives back to Zion. That was really a big deal for those folks who had been away from their homeland for such a long time. Their response to returning was that of joy and singing in celebration of being free and in their land.

That was a really big event for those folks who had known captivity for such a long time. I'm sure God was thrilled with the adoration of the people. We can look through Scripture and read of God's goodness to people in so many ways.

We may know nothing of their circumstances and joy. They had known captivity for years. We may never know that kind of captivity but we've known our own captivity times. When in captivity, there always seems that there is no way out.  The above verse alone doesn't give us the sizes of our problems. It also doesn't address anything small.

Standing alone, a simple statement comes from the verse. In fact that statement is written two times in both second and third verse: “The Lord has done great things for (them) us.” We can't just think of God's goodness in terms of the past. He didn't just work for those captives but continues to do great things for us right now. I'm determined to be more aware of God's goodness in my life. I want to be more grateful for the great things He does in my life everyday while taking note of the numerous ways God shows Himself in what we would consider the smaller blessings of life.

Dear Father, You show us Your love for us in so many wonderful ways both in huge events and the every days of our lives. Thank You for loving and caring for us in so many ways that we sometimes overlook. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

 

ALWAYS NEAR

Be strong and of good courage,

do not fear nor be afraid of them;

for the Lord your God, He is the

One who goes with you, He

will not leave you nor forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:8

It's almost unimaginable what Joshua was facing. Moses was gone and Joshua found himself stepping into the sandals of Moses to lead God's people into the Promised Land. God gave him many words of help and encouragement that could have been hard to absorb in those moments. Most of those recorded words we now have in our Scriptures aren't quick for recall, but the above verse is one believers have hung onto for a very long time.Over the last several months, I have been and will continue to be one of those believers who clings to the promise of Gods ever and ongoing presence in my life. There are two key words in this verse to note....leave and forsake.

Leaving in most cases refers to a temporary absence. It indicates a person leaving will usually return at some time. We may leave for work, leave on vacation, leave for church or a military person coming home on leave. The word usually refers to a going and coming process but still indicates a time of being away.

Forsaking is a totally different word. Forsaking indicates a permanent leaving with no return in sight. Forsaking is often a quick exit from one's life, be it a job, family, friends and is usually done in the middle of great hurt, anger or severe offense. I've usually heard the word with respect to family members but can apply in other areas. Just about the only forsaking I have known as being a good thing is when a person forsakes sin and wrongdoing in their lives.

This precious verse is found twice in the Old Testament that I saw and it referred to Joshua. However, the verse is repeated in part in the book of Hebrews. In all three places, we believers are promised that God is going to be a constant presence in our lives every moment of our being . He is a party to our every tear, disappointment, time of joy, words of praise, physical pain and loneliness. It's another of God's I WILL statements we can claim all the way into Heaven.

Father, help me to relax in the knowledge that You are with me at every moment of everyday. I pray I won't ignore Your presence but will recognize Your being such a part of my life and that I'm never alone. In Jesus' precious name...Amen