FIND ME IF YOU CAN

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from

Your presence?

Psalm 139:7

Growing up and still quite young, I had a huge imagination that I know would be hard for anyone who knows me to understand. Most of my adventures were alone. I was big on making “play houses.” Many girls will remember that term. I made mine all over the place. We had a very high front porch and I had a place all cleaned out under there where I could play for hours. I loved our old broken down coal shed. When my Mother couldn't find me, she would go there and would find me chewing on a piece of coal.....I loved the taste of coal. I could find places mostly near our house for my adventures. Once my “house” was ready, I would go get my dolls and there would teach them songs and tell them stories. I feel bad that kids today know nothing of such play times.

For years, I have loved Psalm 139. If smeone reads and absorbs it, taking it to heart, it's a wonderful Psalm that can make a person feel more than important to God. It's a wonderful piece of Scripture to build a healthy self esteem because of God's personal attention.

The questions we know answer themselves. You and I can go absolutely no where but what God is there. In this Psalm we see a couple of instances where it would seem there are those who would try to get away from God. They might even try to escape even being in the presence of God. A few of the following verses give examples of where folks may like to escape to from God. The places mentioned seem to ridiculous to me but are: ascend into heaven, bed in hell, fly on wings, parts of the sea...that person may really feel escape is possible. But then we read in verse 10:

Even there [places mentioned] Your hand shall lead me,

and Your right hand shall hold me.

Sometimes my Mother had to get out of the house to find me. I had my secret places but she always found me. God didn't have to go looking. He knew no matter my secret places, He always knew where I was.....by the way, He still does.

Thank You Father for keeping an eye on me, always knowing where I am and what's going on in my life. I pray I will never desire to hide from You but always be in close and loving fellowship with You. Keep me close. In Jesus' precious name....Amen 

THY WORD

Thy word is a lamp unto my

feet and a light unto

my path.

Psalm 119:105

One Sunday in November of 1949, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Our church was finishing up a revival week. During that Sunday morning sermon I felt funny {convicted} regarding my need of Jesus in my very young life. I had no family in attendance at the time so rushed home to tell my Mother. She was very dubious to say the least. For some reason, she felt one who was 12 years old and older could be saved. Well, I knew I was saved despite her age regulation.

In this process, my first desire was to have a Bible of my own. Here again, it would seem I needed to be 12 for this to happen. My friend Donna had a nice Bible. A few times I sat beside her in church and she would let me look on the pages with her. I noticed how she marked her favorite verses. I just wanted a Bible whether I marked a verse or not. I did get a Bible when I was 12. My aunt had been told that sending me one would be okay for my birthday. Since those days, my Bible has been such a precious possession. I've worn through some but that's okay. I think of adults in some countries, saved people who would give anything for a Bible or even a few pages from one.

Psalm 119 has been a favorite of mine for years. In every verse except for about 3 there is a synonym, a word that means “Bible” to us. Some of those words are: laws, statutes, judgments, commandments, testimonies, precepts, and word. When I get a new Bible, one of my first exercises is going to Psalm 119, reading it and in that process, circling each of those words. God has provided His Word to us in so many ways that may speak to us from different angles.

What a wonder God's Word is teaching and ministering to us right where we are no matter our times or circumstances. For weeks after Brian's Homegoing, I spent hours daily reading it. At times it was through tears, often hardly knowing what I was reading. However, God's Word will always meet our needs. It is a book of comfort and encouragement in the toughest of times. How can we allow it to just sit on a table or counter, ignoring what the God of all has to say to us? Those precious pages are calling!

Father God, thank You for Your Word and Your desire to show us just some of Who You are through it. Help us to be faithful in spending time in it not just for study but for getting to know You so much better. In Jesus name....Amen 

THE GOLD OF SILENCE

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him.

Psalm 62:5

Silence in our culture is a kind of lost art. No matter where we go, there is noise. Some of that noise isn't necessarily offensive, but we are almost programmed to demand sound of some sort in the background of our lives. Almost every store we go into, we are greeted with background music. While putting gas in one's car, there is often music or news coming from the speakers near the gas pumps.

We are often the ones at fault when it comes to appreciating the need for silence in our lives. We don't see the need to practice being still. The quiet moments in our lives can often be nerve wracking...we don't seem to feel comfortable in our own silence. In our day, if we are to have silent moments where we can think and pray, it will take discipline on our part, and yes, even some work. Many years ago, I recall “older” people saying, “Silence is golden...let's get rich.” It was a nice way of asking for silence in the moment.

In recent days, I read a paragraph regarding silence that left such an impression on me. No author was noted but I loved the thought. The paragraph said, :”Silence is a direct path to God's presence. Silence is the door where God stands waiting to enter.” The statement is simple yet so profound. Only in silence can we REALLY hear what He has to say to us. I also read from another general source that silence allows a connection to God beyond what words can express.

For me, the only background sounds that aren't disrupting for me would be the sounds of God's creative nature. I have a place not too far from our house where I park by the river. I lower the front car windows and hear the gurgle of the river's movement and at times, light breezes passing through the tree tops. Those sounds, the handiwork of God's hands, are not noticeable to the point of being a distraction. I have been addressing this thing of needed silence in my own life. I have counseled myself with the following verse:

Be still and know that

I am God.

Psalm 46:10

Noise to one person may not be noise to another but we all have distractions. Minus those distractions, especially when reading the Word, we'll come to know and love our Father better.

Thank You, Father for listening to us through all the noise and distractions of or our lives. Help us to know the importance of being in Your presence with little if any distractions. Thank You for being so patient with us. We love You. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

 

THE FAITH OF FOUR

Then they came to Him,

bringing a paralytic who

was carried by four men.

Mark 2:3

The incident mentioned in Mark of four men getting a paralytic man to Jesus for healing has been one of my favorites. Reported in this incident, we really see more about the four men and their activities than that of the paralytic. We begin with Jesus preaching in a residence. The house was full and many people were in the overflow. Those carriers, however, were very determined. If they couldn't get in the door to Jesus, they would find another way. There was a strong determination to get that handicapped man to Jesus. Jesus' reputation had spread and they saw Him as their friend's only help and hope

I don't know how the house owners felt about it, but the men went up a side stairway that was common to houses in that day. Common also was the construction of roofs. They had no air conditioning and little accommodation for air circulation. Most houses then had removable large pieces of a roof that could be opened and moved to one side. Those guys were very creative and determined to get their friend to Jesus. It worked. They lowered that paralytic down right to Jesus.

How about us? We may not have ever been paralytic physically in times past, but I believe there have been other times of paralysis...emotional, spiritual, difficult circumstances where for some reason, we just couldn't get to Jesus. It was never the fault of Jesus because we know He's always with us, never forsaking us. Some things happen that just seem to stop us in our tracks. At those times, nothing feels normal.

Obviously, the four men in the incident above were toting some kind of stretcher with each of the men taking one corner. We don't know the size of the paralytic but it would seem that four were needed to carry that man to Jesus. You and I in our most difficult of times have had “stretcher” carriers that in it all have worked on our behalf to get to Jesus. 

 In my own life I'm thinking of a dear Sunday school teacher, deacons, pastoral staff members, children and good friends. They haven't all functioned at the same time, but I've often had four or more who have ministered in my life to get me to to Lord. Salvation wasn't the issue...rigors of life were. As I often say, they were “Jesus with skin on.” Never underestimate the importance of being a burden bearer in the life of another even if it means taking some unusual steps in doing so.

Father God, I'm so grateful for those who have carried me along over the last several months. Bless them and somehow let them know what their ministry has meant to me. Keep me aware of times I need to take hold of a corner of one's life encouraging that person of Your loving care. In Jesus' precious name....Amen 

 

WEEDS

If we confess our sins, He is

 faithful and just to forgive us our

sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

Well, I finally did it....I did some weed pulling around my rose bushes that are up against the front porch of the house. I've noticed them increasing around the bushes but have very little energy to get down on the ground and do the pulling necessary. By now, there are weeds I'm quite acquainted with. Some are just little green tufts that are easy to pull. Having had a good rain in the last couple of days, I knew they would come up with little resistance.

The next weeds are those that are a little more mature. They take some pulling. They almost look at you like a rebellious teenager daring to be pulled and yanked on. They are tough to pull out but not totally impossible.

Then there are the wide spreading ones that look like they should be on the lawn itself and not near any rose bushes. They require more attention. One can trim some of their leaves away but then the tugging and pulling must be applied. It's not a place to use a shovel. I could dig some of the dirt from around them but the dirt wasn't the problem... a well established root was the problem. The long root secured the bunch of grass but it did more. With some effort, I found two places where I pulled single roots that were close to two feet long. Those roots were also generating small shoots of grass on down by another rose bush.

I came in the house, hot and dripping from sweat. Took time to cool off and in thinking of the process I had just participated in, I found myself comparing all that pulling and tugging with sin than can so easily take root in our lives.

Sin has beginnings and that's the time to prayerfully get them out of our lives. That's easier than the next step when a particular sin can become a little more at home in us. Ridding ourselves of it can take a lot more effort. Gone unattended that sin can take very deep root, growing and even multiplying itself. It may even become comfortable for some depending on what it is.

The key is to allow the Holy Spirit to convict us and we respond in repentance no matter the sin, how old or how deep it runs. Taking care of it in it's early stages can be much easier. Any of the processes must be done through our love of Jesus who paid all that we might have victory over sin that can so easily beset us and take root in us.

Thank You Jesus for loving us and forgiving us when we allow sin to invade our lives. Thank you too through Your Spirit encouraging us to repent of all sin that loves taking root in us. We praise You for the victory and freedom we have in You...In Your precious name, .Amen

PRECIOUS SCENTS

Now thanks be to God who always

leads us in triumph in Christ, and

through us diffuses the fragrance

of His knowledge in every place.

For we are to God the fragrance

of Christ among those who are

being saved and among those

who are perishing.

II Corinthians 2:14,15

The last time my grand girls were here, something interesting happened and it was just a moment. We were standing in the front yard and I noticed Hannah kind of looking up and taking some deep breaths. She wasn't trying to bring any notice to herself, but I asked if she was okay. She told me that she liked breathing in the air here where I live that it smells so good. Living here, I don't pay much attention to it but know the air is definitely different from other places we have lived. Trees breathe. They take in the bad stuff and give off oxygen...the good stuff. It makes a great difference in the air compared to other locations.

Our sense of smell is something we take for granted. One of the problems with aging among others is that the elderly tend to loose some of their sense of smell. Smell may not rank up with the senses of hearing and sight but we would greatly miss it if some physical problem took it away from us.

Just think of the things we smell. Smell alerts us often to things that must be taken care of RIGHT NOW. For instance...burning food on the stove, a baby's dirty diaper, overly used kitty litter, smoke from somewhere in the house, garbage, and so many other things. However, we love the sweet smelling aromas we have come to know such as: fall leaves, bread baking in the oven, familiar perfume worn by a grandmother, flowers of various types, lotioned baby after it's bath, husbands after-shave lotion, etc.

There is a certain aroma all of we believers are expected to exude. It's not a smell that comes out of a bottle, oven or flower garden. However it is a sweet spiritual aroma that comes through us to others that is only possible through our close relationship to Jesus Christ. It is an aroma from us to both saved and unsaved people. It's a fragrance that can't be purchased or given to us as a gift from a friend. It comes through our spirit because of who we are in Christ. That fragrance can be affected by our closeness to Jesus or lack thereof. I've been around some who claim Christ in their lives who because of sinful lifestyles, don't smell so good spiritually speaking. Perhaps bad choices have been made and one's spiritual fragrance is affected.

The sweet aroma of Jesus that can come through us to others is not only a joy to us but can be of an encouragement to others who come in contact with us. It should be a part of our witness and testimony before others. May we so live for Jesus that His sweet aroma will be a blessing in the lives of others.

Father, thank You for Jesus and all the benefits He brings into our lives. Thank You for loving us so much that You want to use us to be an influence for You. Keep us close to Yourself that Your sweetness will continue to rub off on us but only for Your glory. In Jesus' name...Amen 

OVERWHELMED

When my heart is overwhelmed;

lead me to the rock that is

high than I.

Psalm 61;2

For some readers, some of what I'm about to say will sound familiar. I recently taught a Sunday school lesson speaking of God as our rock. In the book of Psalms, the word ROCK can be found 29 times. Sometimes the reference to the word may refer to an actual stone but most of the time, it speaks of God as our Rock.

In many of my Bibles, I have written a date or time beside a particular verse depending on the event at the time. The above verse says two things: 2/24/22---5:10 AM the time of my husbands Homegoing. I may have not looked all that overwhelmed at the time or even some days later but it's a good thing no one could take a peek inside of me. In that moment when Brian went to Heaven, I had never felt loss like that nor have I felt it since. We all have times in our lives when we are overwhelmed, but may not know the use of that word.

When overwhelmed, we are usually left with our lives turned upside down because of circumstances that have come our way . It may be just one major event that throws us or it can be a series of events that seem to come in bunches. We can be overwhelmed when a series of really good things come our way. We don't know what to say in the middle of all the really good things. No matter the causes, being overwhelmed can put us almost in a state of shock, incapable of the ability of sorting through all that seems so jumbled in our thinking.

Being overwhelmed at any time is very human no matter the circumstances. I'm grateful we have a Heavenly Father who is never overwhelmed. He always has things thought out and planned well. I don't have to know He does it. I'm just glad He can take the wheel in our lives when we can't seem to even walk a straight line.

I'm so grateful for all of God's open doors in my life. He's never late but on time when it comes to our needs and how we are to deal with them. There are no impossibilities with Him. When overwhelmed, He always knows what to do. I'm so grateful for His leadership, my Rock, who is so much higher than I am and who can take care of my overwhelming moments. Such moments seem so personal though and He helps us deal with them individually. Such was especially true for me on Thursday, 2/24/22 at 5:10 AM when bidding farewell to the dearest on earth to me. I have many friends who in this moments know exactly what I mean and we have seen God's sufficiency in great measure. We have come to know the strength and power of our Rock that provides for us all we need in our overwhelming moments.

Thank You Father for leading us through the overwhelming times in our lives when we don't know which way to turn. You are a wonderful Father and we are so grateful for your love and care in the overwhelming times that come into our lives.. We love you. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

THE BEST OF DAYS

This is the day the Lord has

made; we will rejoice and

be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Through the years, holidays have been very important to us. For many years we had the usual holidays we celebrated in several ways. Then came the special months we were to be aware of for the sake of certain groups. I've never figured out how we're supposed to celebrate some of those. I also notice on my computer being told of special days we are to support such as: Donut days, Pet days, Cousin days and it goes on to be beyond sensible. Many folks I think just come up with these days in order to take space on their computers.

The holidays we've celebrated for many years will always be the favorites to those of us who have grown up with them from childhood. In my early years, Christmas was really special. In those days my sister and I would get boxes of gifts in the mail from relatives. But Christmas also had a deep and serious meaning. Same for Easter. Yes, there were Easter baskets and perhaps a new dress, but we knew why we were celebrating that holiday time.

Fourth of July is similar in our thinking as those mentioned. The difference is the participation of community for this special day that honors our country, it's heritage and history. For this holiday across our country, groups meet to celebrate with community picnics, parades and yes, fireworks. The sense of community and patriotism is catching, like it or not. I feel bad for folks today who would rather just ignore this holiday and all it means to we normal Americans.

Where we Christians are concerned, I guess I feel we should be ashamed of ourselves. Yes, we love our holidays. They give us a rest and change in the average hum-drum of life and they serve that purpose. We can see in Jewish history, celebration of special days but most are based on traditional and historic events many of which we can find in our Bibles.

None-the-less, no matter our beliefs or reasons for our celebration, we read in Psalm 118 that for we believers, each day we wake up breathing, is to be regarded as a very special day unto itself. That means there will be days with no birthdays, Christmas presents or new dresses...every day is God's day that He has cut out just for Himself and us. Each day is worthy of celebration even beyond Thanksgiving where we can enjoy the goodness of God in our lives. We often refer to Sunday as the Lord's Day. That's okay but Scripture tells us that every day is His day...so no matter our earthly holidays, may we appreciate and celebrate our Lord's day...every day.

Father, you are so worthy of our daily love and appreciation for all the goodness You our into our lives every single day. Thank You for Jesus who on a particular day when He gave His life for us, we now can celebrate every day. Thank You for our days with You and may we live them to the fullest. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

HIS PEACE

Peace I leave with you, My

peace I give to you; not as

the world gives do I give to

you. Let not your heart be

troubled, neither let it be

afraid.

John 14:27

There are so many wonderful promises in God's Word. I guess there are those scholars who have attempted to count them, but if we knew every one of them, we would find there are those that speak the loudest to us in certain situations of life.

For a long time, I have dearly loved John 14-17. Jesus was trying to prepare some very nervous and concerned disciples of upcoming events in His life. These bits of news were more than concerning to these men (11 at this time) who had been such a part of Jesus' ministry. Having Him gone from their lives just couldn't be imagined.

Jesus promised to leave with them a gift, the gift of peace. Peace isn't the absence of problems and conflict. Peace is much more than that. We expect peace to come to us from outward sources, such as there being no more war, riots, family battles, and all the other negatives life can throw at us. Some of those things may be resolved, but will never bring with them a true, genuine peace. Because of our heritage handed down from Adam and those genes that reside in us, true peace cannot be conjured up or paid for in any way.

I have found it interesting in reading the epistles of Paul that almost to a book, Paul greets his readers with “Grace and peace be unto you.” He doesn't say “peace and grace” and there's a reason for that. You see, without grace there can be no peace. I often say regarding deep thinking theologians who argue who authored Hebrews, that Paul's opening phraseology is not found in Hebrews so mark him off your list.

The only peace we can know is the peace God gives us at our initial moment of accepting His grace into our lives through His Son's sacrifice on our behalf. Peace, that calm in any storm, comes through the Holy Spirit indwelling us with the assurance that all is well with our Father in control of our lives. Peace is a constant when we are in Christ. Peace is ours in the good days as well as the really bad ones.

However, notice Jesus inserts words that throw some responsibility into our laps...”Let not....” Those two words hold us accountable in choosing peace over trouble and fear. God's peace is more than a gift. We must do our part to accept that gift, not allowing all the negatives in our lives to rule and reign. A gift isn't totally a gift until the receiver accepts it from the giver. God's gift of salvation won't be forced on us, but without that gift there will be no grace or peace to get us through life in our crazy, evil world. May we LET God be all He wants us to be for His glory.

Thank You Father for so many precious promises in Your Word. May we not let our hearts be troubled or fearful but rest in Your promises of peace we can have from You in abundance. Thank You, Jesus for Your gift of salvation and thus, Your peace....Amen

BE PREPARED

Eye has not seen, nor ear

heard, nor have entered

into the heart of man the

things which God has prepared

for those who love Him.

I Corinthians 2:9

Happy are the memories of my days as a Brownie Scout. I loved my tacky brown uniform that I wore on those school days when our troop met after school. I loved all the learning that prepared us for the day when we would “fly up” to the Girl Scout level. That day I remember as well as any of my three graduations.

In Girl Scouts, one of our main motto's was that we should always BE PREPARED. I wasn't quite sure for what at the time, but came to know it was an overall goal, for among others was to be a person who stayed well prepared no matter the task.

We all have lived lives of being prepared. From those earlier education days, I remember preparing for tests, as well as other educational endeavors that required some work ahead of time. For instance, most of us prepared for a career, wedding, coming baby, church responsibilities, retirement and for most, even the developing a will for after our demise.

I live where I can look out a window and see mountains...God's creation like no place I've ever seen or driven through. God in all His power, needed no time to prepare for all creation that came to be. There were no tools or materials to be gathered. He wonderfully made everything out of nothing. All of that everything was in preparation for mankind and a resulting family with whom He could fellowship. I like to think of God having fun in this whole process. In it all, He stood back and declared how good it all was.

There is one secret God withholds from us as seen in the above verse. We see that there is no way for us to know all God is and has prepared for our futures. Our eyes can't see it nor our ears comprehend it all by hearing. Even our heart can't grasp all God has in store for you and me. God has and continues to prepare a life for us we won't fully know until we are with Him. Such anticipation should be ours.

Father, we know You can't show is all You have prepared for our future days here and soon in Your presence. We are grateful that You love us so much to make such preparations for our Homecoming. In Jesus name...Amen