A BLESSED NATION

Blessed is the nation whose

God is the LORD, the people

He has chosen as His own

inheritance.

Psalm 33:12

In these days, I would imagine I am among the few who have very clear memories of World War II. Although not even in kindergarten, my impressions of those days run very deep because of family and friends interactions sometimes over the back fence, sharing what war information any had heard.

I was much smaller when I saw neighbor ladies crying as they spoke of PEARLS. In those days, almost every woman had a pearl necklace. I just figured someone had lost theirs and was sad. Little did I understand that more than a necklace had been lost in one swoop of an enemy over a place called Pearl Harbor.

Our nation was different then. It wasn't a perfect place but it was a people with a love of our country, who had moral and spiritual standards in their lives. We were known as a Christian nation because of our historical heritage and ongoing maintaining of standards lived out in folks lives. We are a different nation now. Immigration has changed things a lot. There was a day when legal immigrants were welcomed to America and perhaps had even more of a love and appreciation for our country than many native citizens.

Everyday life changed then. Women went to work in factories, we saved things like newspapers and empty food cans, victory gardens were grown in most back yards and every family had ration books because certain food items were scarce. There were no complaints. Citizens felt it was their way of helping our country toward victory in the fox holes across Europe and the Pacific Ocean.

God still loves our country and wants it back in His caring arms. Our country will be a blessed country anytime God is honored in every way. We aren't perfect and God knows that but His love is consistent and He'll never give up on us. The war effort is different now but overall, it's still not so all that different. We still have a dreaded enemy Satan who will use anything and anyone to defeat us. The spiritual war isn't over. The ammo is different but the Commander is still in charge.

Bring us back, dear Father, bring us back....In Jesus' precious name...Amen! 

MY DAD CAN BEAT UP YOURS

Your MERCY, O Lord is in the heavens;

Your FAITHFULNESS reaches

to the clouds.

Your RIGHTEOUSNESS is like the

great mountains;

Your JUDGMENTS are a great deep;

O Lord, YOU PRESERVE man and beast

How precious is Your LOVINGKINDNESS, O God!

Psalm 36:6-7a

In my childhood days, it wasn't unusual for neighborhood kids to get into their arguments. It also wasn't unusual at times for a parent to be brought verbally into any resulting fray that might take place. I think dad's all across our country hated when their children referred to them as being the dad who could beat up any other dad on the block. It was unusual to hear from a very angry boy or girl, “My dad can beat up your dad any old day.” I also believe that just about every dad across the country took such a statement with a grain of salt.

In my reading, I came across the above Scripture. I put those attributes of God in bold print for a reason. They stood out to me almost immediately as I thought of our Heavenly Father who makes those things a reality in our lives because of who He is, our Father. In our world today, many folks establish their own gods. Such gods can offer nothing but temporary satisfaction and usually a lot of disappointment.

Our God freely and lovingly offers to us all of those things that will enrich our lives because of who He is. It may seem for some that the things of this world are worth temporary fixes. God's gifts of love are never temporary. My Father can beat up the father of this world any old day.

Father, I'm so grateful for Your personal love and care for me. Keep me trusting You above all others. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

 

BLESSED HANDS

Whatever your hands find to do

do it with your might....

Ecclesiastes 9:10a

A precious friend of mine put something touching on my computer regarding a lady of some age who sat looking at and evaluating her hands. God has created us in such special ways that our body part function in every way to our benefit. We rarely consider anything about our bodies or parts until something goes wrong with them.

Hands are of necessity and are rarely thought of. This isn't a time for listing what mine have meant in my life but in the present moment, there are indicators. My hands hurt most of the time because of arthritis. They really aren't beautiful hands like some ladies my age have. However, I'm grateful that they are still usable for my own benefit and to be of help where others are concerned.

There are indicators on my fingers in the form of jewelry that speaks of my life. There are rings...engagement and wedding ones picked out solely by Brian. One Mother's Day, he purchased a simple mom ring and then on our 50^th anniversary a special anniversary ring with some diamonds on it. It seemed rather unusual to have one so lovely. Then on my right hand is one ring...Brian's wedding ring that I'm not sure he ever took off. I've had it since he passed away. All rings on my hands say so much of me.

My hands have scars from the past but there are no nail scars. Only One did that for you and me. We claim and cling to those scars that make everything else irrelevant. Jesus' scars outdo any jewelry or small scars I may have. He consistently works and touches my life with those hands. Jesus' scars outdo all else and aren't we glad.

Thank You Jesus for dying for me that I might have an eternal and loving relationship with You. I look forward to seeing Your precious hands in person some day. With all the gratitude I can muster, thank You and Amen.

A SPIRITUAL JOB DESCRIPTION

...that you may walk worthy of the Lord,

fully pleasing Him,

being fruitful in every good work, and

increasing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:10

With most professions, when one is called in for an interview, there is usually conversation relating to the job where there are expected duties. This conversation may be just in pointing out responsibilities, but many will give those duties written out, often to be signed by the interviewer and future employee. I don't know how much attention is paid through time to such a document but it is still important for one to know what is expected in the workplace.

When ladies have asked me how much of the Bible I read in a day that isn't prep study but for personal enrichment, I've told them there is no amount. I often read until the Holy Spirit stops me on a verse. I stay with that verse until I've taken in as much as I can in that moment.

Such is the above verse. I was reminded of what a spiritual job description might look like. There are still expectations in the next two verses following. They would be worth your reviewing. With the opening verse, in my typing of it, I deliberately divided it line by line as to expectations. There are four of them listed there. I see no unreasonable expectations there because God is never unreasonable when it comes to His Word. They seem to me to be very reasonable in our loving association with the human resource Person of our lives.

Our life is to be one of a lifestyle, our walk, that pleases the Lord. We are to be fruitful for Him in every way possible; and then, we are always to be learning more and more about our Heavenly Father. Too many Christians could be ranked as primary Sunday school students when it comes to really knowing God and things about Him. It doesn't mean just knowing facts, but really wanting to know Him beyond the facts. Am I living up to God's expectations of me in this verse as well as in this same chapter in verses 13-18? Paul is quick to show us the benefits of being God's child....benefits no company on earth can match.

Dear Father, thank You for Your patience with me in my not taking time to know You better. I thank You for Your Word and it's being so clear in every way of Your loving direction in my life. I love You and praise You in Jesus' name....Amen 

CONTENT YOURSELF

Not that I speak in regard

to need, for I have learned

in whatever state I am,

to be content.

Philippians 4:11

Perhaps you haven't noticed, but we are living in a country and it's culture full of people who know nothing about contentment. One meaning I found for contentment is: the state of happiness and satisfaction. If we go by that definition, I'm afraid there are few people who will know contentment in their lives.

Paul not only spoke of contentment to the Philippians but also in writing to Timothy. Timothy was young and it's often difficult for young folks to sense real contentment in their lives. All people struggle with this thing of contentment. Our society tells us that we never have enough, to always be scratching to get ahead. Such thinking robs us of a gratitude we should be feeling for God's goodness in our lives.

It's hard to understand how Paul could be so at ease in the state of contentment. Looking at his life, we see a man constantly under scrutiny and also often under arrest. He had given up a good life to follow Jesus, but he never viewed his life in that frame of mind.

Even more amazing is how he could find such contentment under the torment, abuse and often living on the edge of death. The thing I see is a man with great contentment determined to carry out God's will in his life while enduring those things that should have caused such discontent.

His secret was a very deep relationship with God. God was His focus in life. God was all He wanted and all He needed. In both, we too can find the contentment Paul spoke of.

Father, through Your Holy Spirit, keep me focused on the things in life that are important. Trials and needs will come but I want to maintain a joy and peace in my life in it all. In Jesus' precious name...Amen

 

 

LOVING GOD MORE

We love Him because He first

loved us.

I John 4:19

Brian and I had dated only a couple of months when he first told me he loved me. I was rather surprised as I had never felt anyone could love me in a romantic way. I knew I had deep feelings for him but his declaring his love for me created in me a desire to know and even love him more than I felt I already did.

When all this came about, I purchased a small spiral notebook and it was my Brian book. I wrote all sorts of notations in that book regarding things I was learning about him. I listed and kept adding to the pages things that were mostly favorites of his that had to do with a little of everything. I made note of the things he mentioned that were special in the way of food, entertainment, Bible books/verses, special interests and on and on it went. In a short time, I could open that notebook and find my heart beating a little faster as I reviewed all of those interesting things about him.

It concerns me at times that I don't love God as much as I ought to love Him. This isn't a question of salvation but of a maturing relationship on my part. There are so many things in our lives and culture that are grabbing for our attention on a regular basis. We can be easily sidetracked from things that have real meaning in our lives, especial those things with spiritual and eternal meaning.

Having a spirit of gratitude is one means of loving God more as it focuses our attention on His goodness. When I had my knee replacement, Brian waited on me hand and foot. I often thanked him even for little things and he would tell me that it's just what we do. I think deep down, he liked being appreciated.

God does so much more for us than any human being and we will know that as we spend more time in God's Word. His Word shouldn't just be words we scan but a means of knowing and loving God more and better. It may not be in the form of a small spiral notebook but His Word still speaks of His assuring the eternal love.

Father, I love You but want so much to love You more. You are consistently so good to me and showing Your love for me. May I read Your love letter with appreciation and a growing love. In Jesus' precious and loving name....Amen

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