"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
This was the verse that came up today on the app on my phone. It seems to be following a trend of verses that God has exposed me to in the last few days. It's one of those, "I know that you are going through something, but I am taking you through. Don't give up!" You know those kind of verses?
When I am going through rough times, whether they are challenges that others can understand or ones that no one seems to comprehend, I need these verses. The ones that remind me that there is an end and there is a promise. Most importantly it's a verse that lets me know He is with me.
I can admit that there are times when verses like this make me angry. Deep in the midst of the trial, when the challenges seem to be killing me, this kind of verse frustrates me. I wish that it didn't, but I have to be honest that it does. God know exactly what I need to hear and when, and He knows how I will react when I see it.
A few days ago, when a similar verse popped up on my phone app, I was angry. I didn't want to hear it. When I read the verse today my reaction was quite different. Today I saw it for the promise that it is, the promise of an end, a reward, and His presence. What's the difference?
The difference is where I am in the trial. When I am in the right place of the trial, the healing, then I can accept a verse like this. God doesn't stop making the promise just because of where I am though. He is ever present. His promises are always true and they do not waiver. I waiver. I am changing. I sometimes live in the past or the future, and ignore the present. Thankfully, God knows all of that and His Word is always true.
Know that He knows where you are in the trial. He knows how you will react to His Word. He knows when it is too hard to believe and when it is easy to believe. Keep reading His Word and know that He will always be with you!
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
From Dead Leaves to Blooms
"O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit." Psalms 30:3
This is a double lavender impatiens that was all but dead since I got it. My sister-in-law received it from a student. Unfortunately, it is a shade plant and her yard is not shady. Mine, however, is very shady. I brought it home and hung it from a branch on my dogwood tree. It would received all the necessary shade to grow. But it didn't.
I watered it, picked off the dead leaves, and made sure it was in the shadiest spot under the tree. But it was dying. It got to the point where there were only three very sad stems sticking up with no more than eight leaves between them. I was ready to give up and through it away. Then the weather changed.
The days got cooler and the sun was less intense. I noticed that it was gaining leaves, so I decided to see what happened. Now it has a few flowers and buds! It's October and it was close to death and now it thrives.
Our lives can be just like this flower. We can be in the right place, getting feed, and pruned, but be close to death. Some will look at us and think, "Throw her away. She's dead!" Others may decide that even though we look dead they'll wait until we are good and dead to throw us out. Thank God, He knows that we aren't dead.
He knows that we are going through a death process, a process that the bad is being removed from our lives. It looks ugly, feels dry and withering, and leads to thoughts of just giving up. But God knows that there will be a change in our weather. He knows that the right conditions are coming. Once they come we start to grow. We start to bloom. We start to flower. Others look at us in amazement and shake their heads wondering how we survived.
It's simple really, the Lord restored our lives from the ones that go down to the pit. Trust Him and His timing. He knows the seasons of our lives and He knows that our Spring is coming.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Feel Like Dying Grass
" 'All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.' And this word is the good news that was preached to you." 1 Peter 1:24-25
This verse come up on the app on my phone today. I read it twice, because it touched me. I found such comfort in it.
As we all know, grass dies and flowers only last for a season. The verse says all flesh withers and falls, dies. It would be easy to focus on the fact that we die, to think that it is hopeless. But the verses don't end there.
It goes on to talk about the fact that the word of the Lord remains forever. Jesus is the Word. He reigns forever.
I don't know about you, but I tend to get stuck on the first part, the dying part. Maybe it's a dying a season in my life, okay maybe is the wrong word. I am going through a dying season. The old, ugly parts that God wants to remove is clinging on, but I trying to pry it's fingers off and send it packing. In this stage I feel like dying grass, I feel like I am withering. I guess that's because I am. I feels like a bad thing, but it's not. It is a necessary thing; no matter how painful.
Then I need to focus on the second part of the verse. Through the whole process, the dying, Jesus remains. He is always with me. He loves me right through the dying process. He reminds me that I am not alone, that He will never leave me. Knowing that truly is the good news. He id the Word and He is the Good News!
This verse come up on the app on my phone today. I read it twice, because it touched me. I found such comfort in it.
As we all know, grass dies and flowers only last for a season. The verse says all flesh withers and falls, dies. It would be easy to focus on the fact that we die, to think that it is hopeless. But the verses don't end there.
It goes on to talk about the fact that the word of the Lord remains forever. Jesus is the Word. He reigns forever.
I don't know about you, but I tend to get stuck on the first part, the dying part. Maybe it's a dying a season in my life, okay maybe is the wrong word. I am going through a dying season. The old, ugly parts that God wants to remove is clinging on, but I trying to pry it's fingers off and send it packing. In this stage I feel like dying grass, I feel like I am withering. I guess that's because I am. I feels like a bad thing, but it's not. It is a necessary thing; no matter how painful.
Then I need to focus on the second part of the verse. Through the whole process, the dying, Jesus remains. He is always with me. He loves me right through the dying process. He reminds me that I am not alone, that He will never leave me. Knowing that truly is the good news. He id the Word and He is the Good News!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Unknown Blessings and Honor
"For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
The other night my Bible study group was going through John 1-5 and noticing all that John wrote about who Jesus is. He is the Word, He is the Light, He is the Living Water, and so much more. One story that we focused on was when Jesus turned the water into wine.
We talked about why He did it. One of my friends mentioned that He was honoring His mother. I never thought of that. Jesus did tell her that His time had not come yet, and I would take that as a "no". But He turned the water into wine anyway.
The story also goes on to state that the servants were the only ones who knew what He had done. Then the master of the feast goes to the bridegroom and tells him that unlike others he has saved the best wine for the last. It was the custom to serve the cheap wine well into the celebration, after everyone is good and drunk. But Jesus turned the water into wine and raised the bridegroom's status in Cana.
We have no idea who this man was. We don't know his standing, but it had to have increased with the wine that Jesus provided for him. The best part is he didn't even know that Jesus had done it. Only the servants knew. He must have wondered how it happened that his best wine was saved, yet we know that it wasn't.
I have to think whoever this man was he was a righteous man. God blessed him through His Son and gave him favor. Sometimes we are blessed by God through ways that only He can make happen. He gives us favor and we don't even know how He made it happen. We just need to keep walking in His way and He will bless us and honor us, even when we have done nothing to bring it to pass.
The other night my Bible study group was going through John 1-5 and noticing all that John wrote about who Jesus is. He is the Word, He is the Light, He is the Living Water, and so much more. One story that we focused on was when Jesus turned the water into wine.
We talked about why He did it. One of my friends mentioned that He was honoring His mother. I never thought of that. Jesus did tell her that His time had not come yet, and I would take that as a "no". But He turned the water into wine anyway.
The story also goes on to state that the servants were the only ones who knew what He had done. Then the master of the feast goes to the bridegroom and tells him that unlike others he has saved the best wine for the last. It was the custom to serve the cheap wine well into the celebration, after everyone is good and drunk. But Jesus turned the water into wine and raised the bridegroom's status in Cana.
We have no idea who this man was. We don't know his standing, but it had to have increased with the wine that Jesus provided for him. The best part is he didn't even know that Jesus had done it. Only the servants knew. He must have wondered how it happened that his best wine was saved, yet we know that it wasn't.
I have to think whoever this man was he was a righteous man. God blessed him through His Son and gave him favor. Sometimes we are blessed by God through ways that only He can make happen. He gives us favor and we don't even know how He made it happen. We just need to keep walking in His way and He will bless us and honor us, even when we have done nothing to bring it to pass.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Search Me and Lead Me, O God
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." Psalm 139:23-24
We like to think that we know our selves so well, but the truth is we don't. There is only one who knows our every thought, fear, feeling, dream, hope, and dread. Read all of Psalm 139 and you will see this is true.
God know us even before we were born, He knit us together in our mother's womb. I do not knit, sometimes I think I'd like to learn. Yet I do quilt. I take pieces of material and sew them together. The more pieces I sew the more the pattern starts to become evident. I have a plan when I quilt, a specific pattern. God has a plan as He knits us together. He know exactly what out makeup is because He's the one who made us up.
Knowing that brings a seems of freedom, a sense of peace. I know I have messed up. I know I have sinned. I know I have feared. I know that I have been gracious. I know that I have shown kindness. I know things about me, but there is still so much more about me that I don't know. Knowing that He does calms me. He already knows my next idle word or unkind thought. He already knows the next time I will be loving towards someone. Regardless of whether my next move is good, bad, or really ugly, He knows me and loves me.
He is waiting for me to ask Him to lead me. I need His lead. I have my own plans, but they are so small, so insignificant. I need to be lead in His way, for His way is everlasting. Notice He said that He is the Way? I just thought we don't all walk the same path, otherwise we'd be bumping into each other and knocking each other off. The path that He has set my feet on looks different than the path He set your feet on, but both paths are led by Him.
Now, I'm not saying "all paths lead to Heaven" because they don't some paths lead to destruction and Hell. I need to make sure that I'm on His path, following the Way. How do I do that? I ask Him to lead and I follow.
We like to think that we know our selves so well, but the truth is we don't. There is only one who knows our every thought, fear, feeling, dream, hope, and dread. Read all of Psalm 139 and you will see this is true.
God know us even before we were born, He knit us together in our mother's womb. I do not knit, sometimes I think I'd like to learn. Yet I do quilt. I take pieces of material and sew them together. The more pieces I sew the more the pattern starts to become evident. I have a plan when I quilt, a specific pattern. God has a plan as He knits us together. He know exactly what out makeup is because He's the one who made us up.
Knowing that brings a seems of freedom, a sense of peace. I know I have messed up. I know I have sinned. I know I have feared. I know that I have been gracious. I know that I have shown kindness. I know things about me, but there is still so much more about me that I don't know. Knowing that He does calms me. He already knows my next idle word or unkind thought. He already knows the next time I will be loving towards someone. Regardless of whether my next move is good, bad, or really ugly, He knows me and loves me.
He is waiting for me to ask Him to lead me. I need His lead. I have my own plans, but they are so small, so insignificant. I need to be lead in His way, for His way is everlasting. Notice He said that He is the Way? I just thought we don't all walk the same path, otherwise we'd be bumping into each other and knocking each other off. The path that He has set my feet on looks different than the path He set your feet on, but both paths are led by Him.
Now, I'm not saying "all paths lead to Heaven" because they don't some paths lead to destruction and Hell. I need to make sure that I'm on His path, following the Way. How do I do that? I ask Him to lead and I follow.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Let the Redeemed Say So
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble." Psalm 107:2
Lately, an old song from my growing up years keeps going through my mind. I know there is more to the song, at least I think there is, but the part that keeps going through is, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so". Before you continue reading this post I think you should take a moment to read the whole chapter of Psalm 107.
Okay, did you read it? If not, go read it!
I love that this chapter gives examples of some of the different people that should say so. God brings so many different people to Him. We all come from different experiences. Some of us have been wanderers. Some of us have rebelled against God. Some of us have been fools. Some of us have had roller coaster lives. But when we called upon the Lord He delivered each of us. No matter where we came from, no matter what we have experienced or put other selves through, He has delivered us, and we need to announce it.
When I am out in public, at the store for example, I see people whose lives declare that they are still lost. I also see those whose lives seem to declare that they have been redeemed. I hope that when people see me and my life that they see that I have been redeemed. I hope that my life declares that the Lord has redeemed me.
I could vocally declare that He has set me free, and I should. But if I'm checking out at the grocery store will the cashier be more impressed with my words or my actions? Will she see that I am patiently waiting while an item refuses to ring up? When someone cuts me off in traffic will others be more impressed with the Christian music on my car radio or with how I react? Will others see that I just continue to drive safely and not ride the car's bumper?
It is very important for me to say what He has done for me. To declare that He has redeemed me. It is also so very important that the people who can't hear my words will see my actions, and that He has redeemed me and my life says so.
Lately, an old song from my growing up years keeps going through my mind. I know there is more to the song, at least I think there is, but the part that keeps going through is, "let the redeemed of the Lord say so". Before you continue reading this post I think you should take a moment to read the whole chapter of Psalm 107.
Okay, did you read it? If not, go read it!
I love that this chapter gives examples of some of the different people that should say so. God brings so many different people to Him. We all come from different experiences. Some of us have been wanderers. Some of us have rebelled against God. Some of us have been fools. Some of us have had roller coaster lives. But when we called upon the Lord He delivered each of us. No matter where we came from, no matter what we have experienced or put other selves through, He has delivered us, and we need to announce it.
When I am out in public, at the store for example, I see people whose lives declare that they are still lost. I also see those whose lives seem to declare that they have been redeemed. I hope that when people see me and my life that they see that I have been redeemed. I hope that my life declares that the Lord has redeemed me.
I could vocally declare that He has set me free, and I should. But if I'm checking out at the grocery store will the cashier be more impressed with my words or my actions? Will she see that I am patiently waiting while an item refuses to ring up? When someone cuts me off in traffic will others be more impressed with the Christian music on my car radio or with how I react? Will others see that I just continue to drive safely and not ride the car's bumper?
It is very important for me to say what He has done for me. To declare that He has redeemed me. It is also so very important that the people who can't hear my words will see my actions, and that He has redeemed me and my life says so.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Power To Make Satan Bow
"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
The other day I was lying in bed and satan started chirping in my mind. He was stirring up, old garbage that has been dealt with. I laid there listening to it and started to feel like yuck, when I decided that he just needed to shut up.
Sometimes I just tell him to "shut up". Sometimes I get really into it and rebuke him and tell him who I belong to and the whole nine yards. Once I even told him to go to Hell. This time I just didn't have much in me to fight back, but I think I used the most powerful force possible. I simply said, "Jesus". and I just said His name over and over and over again. Soon satan was silent and gone.
Satan can stand a lot of things from us. He doesn't really mind those scripted, pious prayers. If you are truly saying it that's one thing, but if it's just words it he's heard it before. Some plead the blood, which is found nowhere in Scripture. Look it up if you don't believe me. The blood of Jesus covers our sins. There are any number of other ways that people try to deal with the attacks and whispers of satan.
The Bible gives a wonderful, easy way to deal with him. Say the name of Jesus. That's it! Look at verse 10. "so that AT the NAME of JESUS EVERY knee shall bow, in HEAVEN and on EARTH and UNDER THE EARTH. Under the earth is referring to Hell. Even there satan has to bow to the name of Jesus. He has no choice. He hears it and it affects him. He hears it enough that he can't do anything but bow, and he would much rather flee than bow. So he flees.
This is such a simple reminder to me that I don't have to listen to him. I don't have to let anxiety control me. I don't have to let the past affect me. I don't have to let any attacks of satan, and sometimes those come in human skin form, assail against me. I can simply say the name of Jesus, as much as I need, because there is incredible power in His name.
The other day I was lying in bed and satan started chirping in my mind. He was stirring up, old garbage that has been dealt with. I laid there listening to it and started to feel like yuck, when I decided that he just needed to shut up.
Sometimes I just tell him to "shut up". Sometimes I get really into it and rebuke him and tell him who I belong to and the whole nine yards. Once I even told him to go to Hell. This time I just didn't have much in me to fight back, but I think I used the most powerful force possible. I simply said, "Jesus". and I just said His name over and over and over again. Soon satan was silent and gone.
Satan can stand a lot of things from us. He doesn't really mind those scripted, pious prayers. If you are truly saying it that's one thing, but if it's just words it he's heard it before. Some plead the blood, which is found nowhere in Scripture. Look it up if you don't believe me. The blood of Jesus covers our sins. There are any number of other ways that people try to deal with the attacks and whispers of satan.
The Bible gives a wonderful, easy way to deal with him. Say the name of Jesus. That's it! Look at verse 10. "so that AT the NAME of JESUS EVERY knee shall bow, in HEAVEN and on EARTH and UNDER THE EARTH. Under the earth is referring to Hell. Even there satan has to bow to the name of Jesus. He has no choice. He hears it and it affects him. He hears it enough that he can't do anything but bow, and he would much rather flee than bow. So he flees.
This is such a simple reminder to me that I don't have to listen to him. I don't have to let anxiety control me. I don't have to let the past affect me. I don't have to let any attacks of satan, and sometimes those come in human skin form, assail against me. I can simply say the name of Jesus, as much as I need, because there is incredible power in His name.
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