The Voice of God

...as it is said, Today if ye will
hear His voice, harden not your hearts.
Hebrews 4:7b

A speaking voice is something we take for granted. We may not think about our voices until we have sore throats or lose our voices for some physical reason. Some folks talk so much we might like to ask them to give their voices a rest. It goes without saying that our voices are very necessary when needing to communicate with others.

This thing of the voice came to me as I observed five grand-boys ages eight and under who were here in our home for the last four days with their parents. My hubby has always told me that “Little girls talk while little boys make noise.” Truer words were never spoken. It was amazing to observe the different voice ranges and volumes that are a part of each boy. It wasn't hard to detect who was speaking, laughing or crying when in another room or when in the back yard playing. From birth, our voices are meant to distinguish us from others.

Voices have various tones and even volumes as folks grow into adulthood. Few people sound vocally like other people. My sister, Sharon Kay, and I found people telling us that we sounded very much alike, especially on the phone. When visiting in her home, she would at times ask me to answer a ringing phone if she was outside with the her dogs and if her husband Kent was gone to run errands. There were church friends who sometimes called and I answered the phone. They would begin talking like they thought I was my sister. I always hated to correct them, but did and their responses were generally the same: “You and your sister sound just alike.”

There is a voice, however, that can never sound like any other voice. This sometimes a still, small voice that speaks to our hearts, a voice that can minister to us if we are silent enough to listen. That voice I'm speaking of is the voice of God. Scripture tells us to “be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) At times, we will hear His voice only if we are quiet enough in our spirits to listen and receive what God has to say to us.

Recently, in what I call “Recreational Bible reading,” I came across Psalm 29. This is the reading I do that isn't a deep study read, but when I just want to sit back with the Word and read whatever, wherever I want to. The first two verses of this Psalm got my attention right away for both verses started out with the same phrase...”Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.” That was just verse one. Verse 2 echoed the same as if to impress that same thought into the reader's heart...”Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” In these days, in our spiritual walk, we give a lot of glory to a lot of people, but true glory is reserved for God and God alone. We give glory to authors, athletes, musicians and even the best of preachers. Not one of them is worthy of true glory...only God.

However, the rest of this Psalm speaks of “the voice of the LORD” over and over, and lists some of the ways where God's voice is heard or felt. For instance:

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth...(3)
The voice of the Lord is powerful---the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. (4)
The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars (5)
The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire (7)
The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness (8)
The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve (9)

In this Psalm I see that my God can do anything with His voice. The list could go on and on if we look closer in Scripture. We human beings can have some influence with our voices, but no way can we come close to the powerful voice of God. I see from this Psalm that when God chooses to speak, it is more powerful than we can imagine. I also see that in all the ways I read how God speaks, that I am more important than any waters, cedars, wilderness areas or anything that is on fire. His voice can speak on my behalf under any of my circumstances.

This Psalm ends with proof of what I just said, when David, the beloved Psalmist says:

The Lord will give strength unto His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

We can take heart that the voice of God will function for our good and that He will grant to us a strength that can only come from Him as well as a peace that cannot be explained.

Away from Psalm 29 is another precious “voice verse” and we all probably memorized it when children in Vacation Bible Schools. The verse is Revelation 3:20:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:
if any man hear my voice and open the door,
I will come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with Me.

This verse is most often used to encourage an unsaved person. However, this verse speaks of “any man.” Even when saved, there are times when Jesus still comes and knocks at the door of our hearts but notice, He doesn't just knock...He also speaks. He does all He can on His part through action and voice to get our attention, to ask Him in for fellowship. 

John 10:3,4 tells us that Jesus, as the Good Shepherd Who knows His sheep and then adds that His sheep know His voice. You and I should not only know Jesus, but should know Him so intimately that we immediately recognize and heed that precious voice of His.

Dear Father, I confess that I get so busy about the things of life that can so easily focus on things in general to the point that I don't hear Your still, small voice. I know that You won't yell or even raise Your voice to get my attention. I pray I will be alert to Your voice and leading in even in Your whispers. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

LET

And LET the peace of God rule in your
hearts, to the which also ye are called
in one body; and be ye thankful.
LET the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3: 15,16

The word “let” has been a part of our vocabulary all of our lives. I remember some phrases from time past where I heard it:

“Let me help you.”
“Let me call you sweetheart, I'm in love with you.” (Blast from the distant past)
“Mom, let me go to Susie's house.”
“Let me talk to you for a minute.”
“Let me tell you something...”

Because of my study for our recent ladies Bible study on the book of Colossians, while paying close attention to Chapter 3, I found the word “let” used several times. I recalled other places in Scripture where that little word is found. It is scattered throughout our Bibles. I have found through computer information that in the KJV, the word “let” can be found 1,289 times. That's a lot of “lets.”

As I am one for looking up definitions, I found a consistency in meanings of the word while checking various dictionaries and concordances. I found the word “let” to mean what we might think it would mean: allow, give permission, enable to do something. Also indicated was that although it is a word that implies a voluntary action, it can also imply a request or command.

When we find the word, “let” in Scripture, we have to take care as to if that word means we can do whatever we want or what Jesus wants. That small, three-letter word “let” should signal for us a call to obedience. I'm sure the Lord would love for us to voluntarily obey all of Scripture with no questions or debate. So, LET us view a few Scriptures using our special word of the day. All of the verses are a means of encouragement to grow in the Lord. As you read the verses, remember the meaning of the LET-word

LET the words of my mouth, and the
meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and
my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

O magnify the Lord with me, and LET us
exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:3

LET your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in Heaven.
Matthew 5:16

LET this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus:....
Philippians 2:5

Nevertheless the foundation of God
standeth sure, having this seal. The
Lord knoweth them that are his. And,
LET every one that nameth the name
of Christ depart from iniquity.
II Timothy 2:19

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And LET him that heareth say, Come.
And LET him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, LET him take
the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:17

Scattered almost from the beginning of the Bible through the end, there are let-phrases that are too many to number. No matter how Scripture comes into our lives...preaching, teaching, private study/reading, this last admonition is worthy of our consideration:

He that hath an ear, LET him hear....

The word “hear” doesn't just refer to the physical process of taking in sound through the ears. This word has to do with taking in and applying information. As we read God's Word, may we be true hearers LETTING God change us for His honor and glory.

So what do I do in my own life with that little word “let?”
Will I LET Jesus have complete control of my life?
Will I LET the Word of God sink deep into my spirit?
Will I LET God use me in the lives of others?

May I LET it be so in my life and yours as well.

Dear Father, thank You for Your precious Word. Forgive me when I read it so casually that I miss allowing it to really penetrate my spirit. Help me to never approach Your word in a blaise way, but to take every word seriously, as a royal command from You. In Jesus name...Amen

Murmurs in the Wilderness

But with many of them God was not well
pleased: for they were overthrown in
the wilderness.
Neither murmur ye, as some of
them also murmured, and were destroyed
of the destroyer.
I Corinthians 10:5,10

Most people have their favorite persons in Scripture. Of course, we all would agree that Jesus is our favorite along with God, the Father and the Holy Spirit. Beyond that, our opinions would probably vary. I have my favorites, but one man I admire greatly from the Old Testament is Moses. Career-wise, in my life, I was a social worker more than anything else. On a very, very small scale, compared to Moses, I often had to work with groups of people of all ages, just trying to get some kind of project accomplished. Some of those projects were difficult and it didn't take long for the complaining to begin. Amazingly, many of those complaints came from “mature” adults and not teens or younger children. All of the griping only served to slow things down and the bad attitudes caused stress on others to the point of some just walking away from what needed to be done.

The Israelites left Egypt for their promised land. They were on track to go straight to that promised land under the leadership of Moses. God had no intention for those folks to take so long getting there. Their wandering didn't happen until there was a certain sin among the people...that of complaining.

And when the people complained, it
displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it;
and His anger was kindled; and the fire of
the Lord burnt among them, and consumed
them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
Numbers 11:1

Only when Moses prayed to the Lord for God's mercy was the fire quenched.

Even after that experience, the people griped, murmured and complained about everything...no water...no food. God, however, provided for their every need. They didn't want manna. Manna fell from the heavens on a daily basis. Water flowed from a rock. Even meat was provided for that ungrateful people. God's provision was always in place and functioning. Still, in their time in the wilderness, despite God's care, the murmuring continued so God stepped in to teach His chosen people a lesson.

We, too, can find ourselves in a wilderness of life. It may not be a place like the Israelites knew, but it seems like a wilderness, none-the-less. We can feel the same frustration and discontent as those folks felt so long ago. One of the main indicators of feeling like a wilderness wanderer is feeling trapped with the inability to escape from our wilderness, with no end to it all. For the Israelites, the trip was longer than anticipated, full of many inconveniences with 40 years added to it. I could think of several reasons for God judging their attitudes of ingratitude, but I was really surprised at His reason for bringing judgment on His people. They were punished for their murmuring...in our words...griping and complaining. I guess human nature has been a lot the same down through centuries of time.

The wilderness for us is rarely being in the middle of a hot, dry desert. The wilderness areas we find ourselves in take on entirely different characteristics. There are many places that can make up a wilderness for us. Our times in a wilderness are usually times of being very alone, not with hundreds or thousands of people like the Israelites were. So what might some of our wilderness experiences look like, where we find ourselves in survival mode:

*Stuck in a dead-end job
*Chronic or terminal illness
*Severe financial difficulties
*Divorce
*Child on drugs
*Close relative in hospice care
*Depression
*Consistent physical pain

You could probably add to that list depending on where you are at the present time. We have learned that God hates murmuring and complaining. What's wrong with our complaining every now and then?

*It reveals a lack of trust in God and His leadership in our lives
*Complaining keeps us focused on the wilderness problem
*Murmuring doesn't solve any problem
*Only to a certain point do people want to hear our complaints no matter our pain.
*Rest in the fact that nothing can touch our lives until it first filters through the fingers of God. He has everything in control even though it may not seem like it.

Books have been written on the wilderness experiences of people. There really isn't anything I can add to the writings of those authors. I only know what has helped me in such times.

*Know that in any circumstance, God will never leave you or forsake you.
*Even in the wilderness of life, there are practical lessons to be learned and we should take advantage of that time of learning.
*Spend extra time in God's Word even though you might now]t feel like it at the moment.
*Be a person of prayer. Our Father wants to hear from us...often.
*Take time to do something for someone else who is in their own desert experience. It helps to take one's mind off of their own problems.
*As hard as it may be, take time to be grateful to the Lord for His goodness.

In every thing give thanks: for this

is the will of God in Christ Jesus

concerning you.

I Thessalonians 5:18

Dear Father, I never want to disappoint You and don't want to so sin that You would have to bring judgment into my life. Thank You for Your unconditional love and direction in my life. Keep me from the sin of murmuring. I love You...In Jesus' precious name...Amen

Be of Good Courage

Have not I commanded thee?
Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed: for the Lord thy
God is with thee whithersoever
thou goest.
Joshua 1:9

A few years ago, I went to lunch with a friend in Austin, TX. Before leaving the restaurant, I noticed a series of shelves on the wall behind the cashier. On those shelves were a variety of mugs of various sizes, shapes and designs. One caught my eye...a John Wayne mug. I have always loved a good John Wayne cowboy movie on television...a good guy who almost always caught the bad guy. He also did a lot of moral teaching in his movies. I asked to see that mug. It was somewhat oversized with about three different pictures of “The Duke” on the outside. Much to my amazement, there was lettering on the inside of the cup that one couldn't help but notice when taking a sip of tea or in my case, soup. I had never heard the saying up to that point but have seen it several times since. I guess Mr. Wayne was known for it among other sage sayings of his. It said:

“Courage is being scared to death,
but saddling up anyway.”

I really like that definition of “courage.” Courage is also the ability to do something that frightens us. It can be strength in the face of pain, grief or fear. I've been thinking more and more about courage these days. I've watched the media with others as we've observed hostages being killed, many for their faith. I've seen people in our own country standing up for their own spiritual beliefs...bakery owners who refuse to bake wedding cakes for same sex marriages, teachers with their Bibles on their desks, cheerleaders who write Scripture on the huge paper banner their ball team members run through, Hobby Lobby that could have been shut down for their Biblical standards, down to the little check out lady in Wal-Mart who hummed, quietly “Amazing Grace” and always sent customers on their way with “Have a blessed day.” All of the things I've listed took courage with millions of dollars at risk down to someone losing a job.

I can't imagine how Joshua must have felt when God took Moses to Heaven. Joshua had been Moses' right hand man but now found himself the man in charge. I can't imagine the butterflies in Joshua's stomach, but God was right on hand to encourage him.. God gave Joshua every promise and assurance of His presence with this new leader. God gave him specific jobs to do. Over and over, God said, “Be strong and courageous...” God knew what it would take for Joshua to complete his assignments.

Joshua was faithful to do all God asked of him right down to the time of his death. It is so interesting at the time of Joshua's death that his final words to the leadership of Israel echoed what God had given him at the beginning of his time of leadership. He said in 23:6:

Be ye therefore very courageous
to keep and to do all that is
written in the book of the law
of Moses, that ye turn not aside
therefrom to the right hand or
to the left.

The one addition he made to that statement was for the people to be obedient to the book of the law of Moses. He also admonished them to establish a straight path with the Law and not veer right or left...just straight ahead, strict obedience. Joshua had come a long way from the “newby” leader to a man of strength and integrity, BUT, it took a great deal of courage on his part as well as trust in God's ability to bring him through everything he would face.

God often calls on you and me to venture forward in to areas that may be foreign to us. I think of my husband who stepped into teaching an adult Sunday school class. He had never taught adults and the adults were peers. I watched him with agony knowing a little of what he felt. I've watched folks of all ages sing their first solo in church. I had a big, strapping football friend who had to make his first speech in our college speech class. Even with stiff jeans on, those shaking knees could be seen. By the end of the semester, he wasn't a professional speaker, but was doing very well before the group. Very often, it's those “first” things that take all the courage we can muster.

There are ongoing things that require courage beyond our own strength. I think of caretakers I know who wake up every day to some very difficult circumstances. With great courage they face what must be faced. Some folks are mistreated on the job, but they go, face the difficulties and do their jobs day after day. We can't forget our policemen who keep us safe as well as firemen who do the same, but in a different way. I've had friends who go to face chemo treatments week after week who face it all with courage.

So how do we handle this need for courage in our lives? We rely on the strength God provides and His Word that guides and comforts. It's in His power that we put one foot in front of the other as we progress into areas that are frightening or foreign. Scripture gives us promise after promise of His presence and provision. So join me...let us BE OF GOOD COURAGE.

Heavenly Father, I know that your power can sustain and uphold me. Help me as I face decisions large and small. Help me to know that in it all, Your opinion is the only one that matters and I can be courageous because of who You are in my life as taught in Your word. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

Who Am I?

And God said unto Moses, I AM
THAT I AM: and He said, Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of
Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Exodus 3:14

We don't think much about who we are in the whole scheme of life. We all wear unseen tags that defines who we are. If introducing ourselves, we could easily begin a sentence with “I am...” We all wear invisible badges of various sorts that identifies us to people. For instance, I am Glendarae Lanoue and I am a: Christian, wife, mom, grandma, sister, daughter, teacher, church pianist, etc. I am not all of those things to everyone who knows me, but they suffice for whoever does know me. There are “I am's” that I know about myself that no one else knows, things I keep to myself. There is one name, however, God told Moses that was a name that could not be disputed. What can be said to One who says, “I AM THAT I AM.” There's just not much that can be said in reply to to that.

Moses was facing a huge assignment from God. He told God what most of us would or even do when facing an assignment from God. We, like Moses, try to give God all the reasons as to why we aren't able or talented enough to complete His desire It's then we come up with the “BUT, I am not...” or “I can't...” much like Moses did. But the great I AM extended to Moses His full support and backing in leading His people out of Egypt back to their homeland. It was all done with God giving His credentials for success to Moses...simply put...Moses was to tell Pharaoh that I AM THAT I AM had sent him.

Fast forward many centuries to Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus and His Father have more names and titles in Scripture than we could ever put to memory. Most of those names are expressed by those worshiping God...Almighty, Savior, King of Kings, Help, Refuge and many more. As I've been reading in the book of John, I have noticed that Jesus gives some “I am” statements about Himself. He wasn't bragging about Himself, but was just being honest as to who He was. Let me put these in verse order from this precious book:

I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never
hunger; and he that believeth on
me shall never thirst.
John 6:35

I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life.
John 8:12

Verily, verily, I say unto you,
I am the door of the sheep.
I am the door: by me if any
man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture.
John 10: 11,14

I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live.
John 11:25

I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.
John 14:6

I am the true vine, and my Father
is the husbandman.
I am the vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:1,5

With every “I am” Jesus spoke of Himself, He was also saying down through the years to you and me right now that He is those things for us. Every statement He spoke is a part of a huge letter of encouragement to us that has been signed, sealed and delivered with Jesus' precious blood. With every “I am” He declared, I can respond with great enthusiasm that if I know nothing else in this world, I do know that “I am His!” All other I am's in my life fade in comparison to that fact of belonging to the great I AM.

Dear Father, I know You are the great I AM but I'm grateful that you are my Abba...Father...and that I can rest in Your strong arms. It is in Your arms that I feel loved and secure. Thank You...Thank You. In Jesus' precious name. Amen

Love Letters

...but that ye might know the love
which I have more abundantly
unto you.
II Corinthians 2:4b

I was new to junior high school. Boys had always been so far down on my list of priorities that it wasn't even funny. However, one day in a math class, someone behind me passed me a note. After looking at the note, and seeing the name, I became quite flustered. A male classmate had passed the note to me through two other people. The note said the usual: “If you love me, then I love you. If you don't love me, then I don't love you.” With that, he signed his name. We had gone through grade school together so this was kind of a surprise to me. He and I had never even spoken that I knew of. SOOOO...I answered his note with: “If you love me, then I love you. If you don't love me, then I don't love you.” Class was about over so I gave it to a good friend of mine to hand to him on the way out the classroom door. She took the privilege of showing it to half of the school. Can't tell you the results of all of that and as a result, I don't think the young man and I ever spoke to each other even on through high school.

In high school, I had a couple of secret crushes, but had learned to never tell a single soul about it. My most serious relationship was in college with a dear Christian guy who was to be and turned out to be a pastor. We were parted for a summer. We both had ministry work we did that summer many miles away from each other. We weren't where we could telephone each other so letters had to do it. I can't begin to tell you how I rushed home every day anticipating getting a letter from that boyfriend. I read his letters over and over. He wrote at least every ten days or so which was good for a guy. When letters didn't come, I pulled out the ones I had and read them until they were almost tattered. When letters did come, I didn't leave them sitting on a dresser unopened for a week. I couldn't wait to tear those envelopes open. There were reasons for that. He was a dear guy I had come to know pretty well. We had a relationship that honored the Lord in every way. I knew he cared very much for my well-being. He was always honest with me, a person of truth. We shared a love for each other that was just for a measure of time. Still, we shared a love that had meaning even though it would never mature to full blossom. It was a blessing for that time.

I know of another man who was a wonderful letter writer. I first came to know him as Saul of Tarsus. His life required a great deal of refining, but he came to know and love Jesus probably like no other man I have heard of. In that process, Jesus changed his name to Paul as he was on a road trip. Because of his very personal meeting with Jesus, Paul was considered an apostle. I never had the privilege of meeting him personally, but I have read his letters, his love letters. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God to write each one. I have read some of his letters to the point of having some worn pages in the Book where I find each one of them. The difference is that I'm not the only one reading his letters. I don't care if a friend shares his letters with others. They are for all to read and to share with others.

Paul probably speaks of love in his letters as much as any other contributor to the Scriptures. In a few places, he expresses his personal love for his readers while most of the time, he encourages his readers to be people of love. Even Paul in some of his letters, that are now ours, speaks of his love for his readers. If Paul were writing his letters today, hewould still express his love for us.

       My love be with you all
       in Christ Jesus, Amen.
   I Corinthians 16:24

And I will very gladly spend and be
spent for you; though the more
abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
II Corinthians 12:15

The Holy Spirit spoke through chosen men and now the Scriptures belong to you and me personally. His love written is as good as spoken from the heart of God for all of us in our present times. If you are not a born again Christian, reading the Bible is like reading the love letter that belongs to someone else. It might be interesting but wouldn't be personal. For God's love letter to be meaningful, we must have a relationship with Him. If there is no relationship, there wouldn't even be an interest in reading it at all.

The whole of God's Word is our Heavenly Father's love letter to you and me, born in His heart in eternity, coming down through His Spirit to you and me this very day. Remember, as I have quoted before from the godly scholar, Woodrow Kroll:

                                      “The Bible is the only book God has written.
                                           I think he'd be pleased if we read it.”

Dear Father...I love You because You first loved me. Forgive when my love grows cold. I want to stay close to Your heart. As You pour Your love into me, I pray I will allow Your love to flow from my life into the lives of others. May my life be as a letter of love that others can read and see your love in action. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

How Could I Live Without It?

Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11

It was January 23, 1968, and the news was spreading quickly by radio, TV and in the printed press regarding a military incident. A United States Naval submarine had been captured by North Korea. It was a reconnaissance submarine, but was in international waters so shouldn't have had a problem. However, a sub spotter from North Korea picked up on our submarine, the USS Pueblo, and took it captive. On board were 83 men and they would remain in captivity for a year. It was not an easy time as all were tortured in varying degrees during their captivity. It was our family's privilege to hear one of the crewmen who had been on that submarine speak at the church we were attending at the time. The one thing he spoke of was how the men were kept in side-by-side cells and how they communicated. They weren't allowed to speak out loud to each other so they developed their own systems of speaking to each other by code and writing.

One of the things the men did was to slide small pieces of paper on the floor from cell to cell. On that paper, each man wrote down whatever Scripture verses they remembered from time past. It finally got to the point that there were several slips of paper to pass around for the men to read. The total of those slips of paper came to be known as the “Pueblo Bible.”

I recently saw on my computer a group of young adults who were meeting in secret in an Asian country that I won't give the name of. Two people came into the room where the young adults were seated in a circle, and in the middle of the circle placed two large suitcases. When the suitcases were opened they were full of new Bibles. Those young folks walked slowly to those suitcases and almost reverently picked up their own copy of a Bible. Some lovingly held their Bible close to them as if hugging that precious book. Most wept as they held their new Bible, while some even kissed their copy. While sitting in my living room looking at that scene play out before my eyes, I looked at just one of my bookcases where there are many Bibles of different versions. I use them for study in preparation for lessons I teach in various settings. I was stricken with the fact that I have so many copies of God's Word and take for granted that I will always have a copy of the Bible of my very own. The day IS coming, however, when even in our country, Americans could lose many Christian privileges that would shock us at the thought. The Bible will definitely be under attack and in some ways, already is.

A single friend of mine lived with her very old and dying mother. Both ladies had been students and lovers of God's Word for more years than they could count. At one point, my friend's mother was near death and not being very responsive. When the end seemed near for this dear mother, her daughter recalled a favorite verse her mother loved, so she began to quote Psalm 27:1 aloud. She said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation...” and suddenly in a weak, quiet voice, she heard her mother say, ”whom shall I fear?” With some shock, her daughter went on, “the Lord is the strength of my life;” and her mother finished the verse: “of whom shall I be afraid?” How interesting that even in this older ladies weakest moments before her Homegoing, the Scripture was as fresh on her mind as the prior fifty years or in her girlhood days.

Remember Vacation Bible School? I memorized more Scripture in those days than is believable. We had memory time, learned even more with the Bible stories we heard, and after a recess time (cookies & Kool-ade) there were more opportunities for learning more about God's Word. I still know many of those memory verses learned under Ruth Young and her helpers. Then as God would have it, Ruth enlisted me to teach memory time to the junior class when I was “too old” to be a VBS student. I learned even more there...the teacher always learns more than the students.

If you and I ever find ourselves in a place totally without the Word of God, written or on a media device, how much do we know by memory that could be of strength and comfort to us? Could we write some verses out on scraps of paper? Laying in bed in the darkness of night, how many verses can we recite to ourselves that somewhere in years past we memorized? Could we recite precious promises of God in our weakest moments, whether in times of depression, illness or even with our approaching Homegoing?

How much do we pay attention through the week to that special book that sits on our coffee table, bedside table or top of our refrigerator? How precious are the words we find in it. My husband and I had the privilege last summer of hearing Woodrow Kroll teach on Psalm 119. I'll never forget seeing him hold up his open Bible. In that moment he said, “This is the only book God ever wrote. I think He would be pleased if we read it.”

One of the major ways we can please God, is reading His writings and even committing some of it to memory. A great source of our own personal strength, joy and spiritual well-being is being in that most wonderful book that could ever be placed in our hands...God's precious Word.

Thank You, Father, for writing Your precious Word through Your Holy Spirit that not only brings us into a relationship with You, but that teaches and comforts us along the way. Create a hunger in me to know You better through Your wonderful book. In Jesus name....Amen

"I HATE Getting Old!"

And even to your old age, I am He;
and even to hoar (gray) hairs will
I carry you; I have made, and I will bear;
even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Isaiah 46:4

The title of this blog is something I often say to my husband when arthritis makes itself evident on certain days. His reply is always: “You're NOT getting ollldddd” and then we have a slight chuckle between us. The simple fact is that all of us are aging. In younger years, young folks don't think about aging that much, but nine year olds don't hesitate telling you that they are “nine and a half.” They are quite anxious to move up the age ladder. I gave that “half” stuff up a long time ago.

Our aging process begins at conception when life begins and aging continues to the grave. However, in our earlier years we usually noticed aging only as we looked at parents, grandparents or even family friends. To be honest, I never really noticed the aging process in most of them until they were REALLY old...like 60 years old and up. :0) When I was in grade school, if someone turned 45, they were ancient to me. I never thought I would get to that age, but I did. We have to remember that around the time of the 1940's, people didn't live to be as old as they do now.

I don't know of anyplace where age is on display like in church where children and youth watch those of age...and they watch more than we can realize. In my little church, the Loyal Mothers Sunday school class was where our senior ladies met faithfully every Sunday morning. They always sat together in church, center section, third row from the front. For Sunday school they went up a few altar steps to the small choir section where their class met. Most of them as I recall, wore hats. We little girls sat in the row in front of them. We had to behave or get a bit of a poke in the back. Most of those Loyal Mothers carried candy in their purses and they often passed some our way.

So what's wrong with aging other than it reminds us that D-Day is drawing nearer and nearer. If our hope is in Jesus Christ be it here on earth or when making our way to Heaven, the older years can be just as fruitful and of use as any other stage in our lives. Let me tell you, I look back and there is no stage of life I have gone through that I would want to revisit. God wants us to serve His purpose in our lives in the here and now....living to the fullest in the present.

Books have been written about the aging process and how to do it gracefully. No matter the stage of life, we are never to give up on serving the Lord. It's not unusual to hear a person of age say, “Well, I put in my time...it's time for the younger ones to do it now.” Never give up serving the Lord. If you are 95, there are ways you can serve Him. I know men and ladies who are wonderful prayer warriors. Some verbally greet visitors to a church service. There are ladies who send out cards of encouragement to sick or shut in folks. I know some good soup makers in our church who are quick to share it with folks who are ill. God still needs our hands of service, even if those hands are gnarled with arthritis.

I have said to ladies I teach that every one of us has purpose in God's eyes. He doesn't see age when it comes to His purpose for us. That purpose may take various types and shapes depending where we are in our stages of life, but He has a plan and purpose for us until we are ushered into Heaven. We women have a responsibility to be of influence upon those women who follow us. It doesn't take a masters degree, but only a degree in life lived and one's spiritual experiences as well. For instance, in Titus 2:3-5, Paul tells us:

The aged women likewise, that they be
in behavior as becometh holiness;
not false accusers, not given to much
wine, teachers of good things.
That they may teach the young women
to be sober, to love their husbands, to
love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,
good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.

I have said to women of all ages that they, no matter their age, are aged women to someone.  I remember in my latter 20's having someone younger than me coming to me for advice. We are older women (or men) to any others who are younger than we are. This is a responsibility according to Scripture that we can never get away from. I find it sad in today's society that we don't have more Christian men teaching younger men how to be good husbands and fathers.

Next, a major advantage of age, is all that life's experiences have taught us. In our walk with God, we hopefully have attained to a certain level of wisdom. Wisdom comes from God and He will give us opportunities to share that wisdom in an appropriate way with others. We have much to share with this present generation and must take advantage of those moments presented to us without pride or arrogance.

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of
days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he
hath counsel and understanding
Job 12:12,13

Remember that “The hoary (gray) head is a crown of glory...” Proverbs 61:31a. Whatever amount of gray hair you have, wear it proudly. I tell people that I've earned every, single gray hair I have...all of us, of any age, have and should wear our gray with satisfaction. My prayer is that I won't waste a single day of where I am right now in life. I always want to be found faithful to God's plan for my life, no matter the date on my birth certificate. Join me!

Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one and that to come. (Psalm 71:18)

Amen...and...Amen

Real, Living Temples

Know ye not that ye are the temple
of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?
I Corinthians 4:5

In my younger, more spiritually immature days, I must tell you that I didn't really care for the Apostle Paul. No matter what I read that he had written, I felt if nothing else that he was a braggart, always patting himself on the back. However, as I matured and came to understand more fully that it was the Holy Spirit inspiring Paul to write everything he did, I came to appreciate him more. Now, the Holy Spirit speaks through him in such wonderful and unique ways to me personally.

In my study of all Scripture, I have been fascinated through the years regarding the Old Testament tabernacle. The tabernacle, that temporary structure and that later became a magnificent temple was the very center of the people's spiritual life, their salvation and their nearness to God Himself. The temple provided all a person would need in keeping in right relationship with God. God had thought it all out carefully, for you see, God has purpose in all He does and “He doeth all things well.”

With Jesus' arrival, ministry and death, there was no more a necessity for that building. Just as Jesus died on the cross, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom. Where only the high priest was allowed in the holy of holy's once a year, everything was now open, no obstacles between God and man. All of that was such a huge deal, but then Paul took it further that involves every born again Christian there has ever been or ever will be.

Along with every wonderful advantage God has provided to supply us for spiritual living, Paul blessed us with the information that we are temples...walking, talking temples. It's hard to comprehend that we as temples are as precious to God as those buildings were in Old Testament days.

If we are temples of God, there are then some comparisons we can make to the Old Testament tabernacle/temple and the temples we are. This might give us some perspective in our function as the temples Paul speaks of.

Approaching the outside of the former temple, it was there that blood sacrifices were made for the sins of the people. For us to be a temple, we have to have gone through that process of sins being washed in blood. In our case, Jesus took care of that with His death on the cross. That gives us the privilege of being that living temple. The people had to provide the animals for sacrifices, for the cleansing of their sin. In our case, God provided the lamb...Jesus.

Next as we would enter the temple, we would see, in a very large room, three priceless items, each having it's own unique purpose. To our left, there was a golden candlestick. Jesus said that we are the light of the world. This is a distinct feature of our “temple-hood” that we are witnesses for Jesus at all times. The lights of that large candlestick were never allowed to go out. It should be the same with our witness...constant and consistent.

To our right upon entering the door of the temple was a table with shew bread on it. Jesus is the bread of life. The bread is often compared to the Word of God that feeds and strengthens us. You and I can't afford to suffer spiritual malnutrition if we are to be strong in the Lord.

Straight ahead was the altar of incense where the ascending smoke off of that altar was symbolic of the prayers of the people. I have to ask myself how strong my prayer life is? Do I settle for asking the blessing over my food or sending up some SOS prayers. God doesn't like the silent treatment from us anymore than we like it from others.

Of course, straight ahead beyond that altar of incense was the huge veil behind which the Spirit of God abided. The common person would never ever enter that place...death would be the penalty. Even the High Priest entered that area only once a year to sprinkle sacrificial blood on the mercy seat. God's spirit was seen in the wilderness over the tabernacle through a pillar of cloud by day and a piller of fire by night that hovered over the Holy of Holies.

We don't need pillars of anything to guide us now because that powerful Holy Spirit of God now resides within every person who has accepted Jesus as Savior. He is there to teach, guide and comfort. When the people in the wilderness saw the pillar begin to move, they got things together immediately and followed the pillar. When the Holy Spirit in us moves us to obey in any area of life, we are to respond immediately (pack up if necessary) and follow His leading. We don't have to understand the whys and wherefores, but need to move at His prompting.

I feel so blessed in knowing that the very spirit of God that led those folks in the wilderness was the same powerful spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. He's that same spirit that lives in those of us who have accepted Jesus as Savior. How unfortunate that we often live in spiritual defeat when that Spirit is available to you and me to walk in spiritual strength and victory. This Holy Spirit is a gentleman and won't force Himself on us. He is more than available to we “temples” as we witness, pray and feed on the Word.

When our children were MUCH younger, I found a Tabernacle cut-out book. It had all the pieces of the tabernacle to punch out and put together. We got it all together but it was just a replica made of some sturdy paper. You and I aren't temple replicas. We are the best of the better, just as God planned. Are we the real thing or just paper replicas. God is the only One who can tell the difference.

Dear Father...Thank You for making me one of Your children. May I really know what a responsibility it is to be Your temple. May I be faithful not just in various responsibilities but may I be a person of worship in this temple that I am like never before. I love you...In Jesus name...Amen

Choose Obedience

If ye love me, keep my
commandments.

John 14:15

In viewing the Christian life, I feel one of the hardest parts of it all is that of obedience. I guess it shouldn't be, considering all Jesus has done for us past, present and into the future. After all, we have the wonderful privilege of basking in the love of God every minute we live and breathe, so what's the problem?

Someone asked me a few years ago what I considered the main theme of the Bible to be. I told her that I felt at the time and still do that every word of the Bible is penned with the ink of God's love. However, I feel the next resounding theme of God's Word is that of obedience. We can see it all through the Old and New Testaments that affected not just Bible characters, but real live human beings with similar feelings we have come to know in our own lives.

Follow my thinking for a few moments with my own paraphrases:
It all started from the very beginning of God's Word when God spoke to that first couple in Eden about that one tree in the middle of the garden...”Don't touch it.”
Noah...”Build an ark.” (He didn't know what an ark [boat] or even rain was.)
Abraham...”Sacrifice your son.”
Moses...”Lead my people back home from Egypt.”
Joshua...”March around Jericho with my people and the walls will fall.”
Ezra...”Lead My people back to Jerusalem.”
Nehemiah...”Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.”
Esther...”Speak to the King on behalf of our people.”
Isaiah, Jeremiah and the rest of the OT prophets...”Prophesy!”
Joseph...”Take Mary and the child to Egypt.” (Of course, more could be said here.)
Disciples...”Follow Me.”
John from a desolate island...”Write...”

This list could be filled in with so many other people from Scripture. I think of the times when Jesus healed people of various maladies. That healing was often accompanied by a command where the sick or impaired person was asked to respond in some way...”Take up thy bed and walk.” “Maid, arise.” “Weep not.” “Young man, I say unto thee, arise.” I am wondering what would have happened if those folks had refused to obey Jesus in those moments. It was a way of their claiming their healing. Would they have been healed? It's interesting to contemplate.

I'm wondering in the course of my own spiritual walk what all I may have missed because of disobedience. I know there were times when the Holy Spirit encouraged me to arise out of my circumstances and walk strong and tall, but I was happy attending my own pity party. One of my daughter's spoke of a friend of hers who had young children. When one of those children would become a little on the misbehaving side and hadn't responded to the mother's look, she would go to that child and would quietly say in his ear, “Choose obedience.” She was admonishing that children not only to behave correctly, but those two words also served as a warning of consequences that could result.

How often have we read our Bibles and found wise counsel for living, but we quickly move on to the next verse or page, not realizing that we please God most when we choose to obey Him. What a shame when God has to get our attention and perhaps teach us hard lessons that could be avoided if we would only make the good choice of obedience.

In the Gospels, there were people who were amazed at the power in Jesus to perform the miracles He did. After calming the raging sea, those present marveled that even the wind and waves obeyed Him. There was a healing where even unclean spirits obeyed Jesus. In Acts chapter five, we read how we ought to obey God rather than man. This is where many of us fail. We tend to be “people pleasers”

I've always felt bad that my children were born in the 1970's. I so wish they could have come into an America where there was respect for authority, no riots (racial or otherwise), unconditional respect for teachers and policemen, proper attire, music that made sense and when parents were obeyed without sass. Those are things they were born into and I knew they would never know anything like the “happy days” of the 1950's. Those folks born after 1960 have had to learn, often the hard way, what obedience was. I'm so grateful that my children weathered those days and are God-serving and loving adults. So what is obedience?

Obedience: complying with an order, request to another's authority.

That may be hard at times, but with God, because of His great love, obedience should really be our first response to Him. The thing is, who or whatever we follow is where our allegiance will be. Paul says:

Know ye not, that in whom ye yield yourselves
servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey;
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto
righteousness?
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became
the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:16-18

Here's the problem...we have to know what God wants us to obey which means being in His Word consistently. We will be held accountable for every word of it whether we have read it or not. Here at the beginning of a new year is a great time to set some Bible reading goals.

Impossible to believe but it's true, that as we obey God and His commands, we will walk in spiritual freedom. So....

God+Me+Obedience=Spiritual Freedom

You see, it begins with God and me being in right relationship to which I can add obedience. The result will be a spiritual freedom beyond all explanation. Too often in our day, there are distractions that can keep us from walking in the freedom God intends for us. May it become as normal as breathing for us to be God's obedient children. His desire is that we CHOOSE OBEDIENCE.

Dear Jesus, thank you for the clarity of Your words to us. Empower us to want to walk in obedience to You not for ulterior motives but simply out of our love for You. We really do love You. In Your precious name....Amen