Sunday, March 23, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Because He Lives....
I can face tomorrow.....because He lives....all fear is gone. Because I know, I know, he holds the future.....and life is worth the living just because He lives.
HOW TRUE!! On this week leading up to Easter Sunday....Resurrection Sunday, I can't help but think of how wonderful it is to know he lives! In Job 19:25 he says "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:" That's the difference in our lives as Christians is the knowledge that our Savior is ALIVE!!
If he had gone to the cross to pay our debt and not arose......we would have no hope. But he did! Hallelujah!! He is alive, and living in me! He is as real and as alive and as powerful as when he spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1:1. I see his hand every morning as I watch the sun rise, as I hear the birds singing and the sweet melody they make that proclaims his glory and it is as if I can almost hear them saying "He is worthy....He is worthy", I know He lives because when I am so burdened that I can't hardly stand and yet somehow I make it thru the trial....it was Him who was carrying me. I know He lives because I feel the nudge from the Holy Spirit that gives me discernment. I know He lives because I speak to Him every morning and I witness his working in my life every day. Sometimes great strides toward sanctification, and some small, but He is present thru it all. I know He lives because the tomb is empty and His word tells me he arose. It is truth! "Forever O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven."
Easter is a wonderful time to spend with family, to create memories with children and dye eggs and eat good food, but it is the real truth that thrills my heart and soul.....we serve a RISEN Savior! Hallelujah to the Lamb!!
HOW TRUE!! On this week leading up to Easter Sunday....Resurrection Sunday, I can't help but think of how wonderful it is to know he lives! In Job 19:25 he says "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:" That's the difference in our lives as Christians is the knowledge that our Savior is ALIVE!!
If he had gone to the cross to pay our debt and not arose......we would have no hope. But he did! Hallelujah!! He is alive, and living in me! He is as real and as alive and as powerful as when he spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1:1. I see his hand every morning as I watch the sun rise, as I hear the birds singing and the sweet melody they make that proclaims his glory and it is as if I can almost hear them saying "He is worthy....He is worthy", I know He lives because when I am so burdened that I can't hardly stand and yet somehow I make it thru the trial....it was Him who was carrying me. I know He lives because I feel the nudge from the Holy Spirit that gives me discernment. I know He lives because I speak to Him every morning and I witness his working in my life every day. Sometimes great strides toward sanctification, and some small, but He is present thru it all. I know He lives because the tomb is empty and His word tells me he arose. It is truth! "Forever O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven."
Easter is a wonderful time to spend with family, to create memories with children and dye eggs and eat good food, but it is the real truth that thrills my heart and soul.....we serve a RISEN Savior! Hallelujah to the Lamb!!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Come a little closer
My thoughts are on Psalm 86:1 this morning and I can't help but think of Hope. Our sweet Hope was born with a gift of meekness. She also is very intelligent, organized with her schoolwork, very sure of who she is and what she believes. She really has never been effected by peer pressure and she stands up for the weak. But one thing she does not have is volume!! lol! Hannah and I can be heard from any room in the house, we are loud, boisterous and very vocal! I remember when Hope started school the only complaint from teachers was that they could not hear her! They were continuously having to bend down to hear her. I have done the same thing. I have also in latter years learned to look at her lips and watch them as I listen. The verse in Psalm 86 says "Bow down thine ear, O Lord hear me: for I am poor and needy". Now we know that God can hear our thoughts much less our audible words. There is no need for him to bow down in order to hear. But I too have felt like I think David did, you just feel like you need Him a little closer. You want to make sure you have his "ear" so that He will hear you and more importantly ANSWER you. David says he is poor and needy. Oh how needy we are! We are incapable of even breathing without the Lord. Hope always seemed to have such a look of joy on her face when the teacher instead of saying "what did you say"...or "can you repeat that", instead just automatically leaned in because she KNEW Hope well enough to know that the answer would be quiet. God KNOWS you well enough to know when he needs to come a little closer, lean in and whisper "Child I hear you."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Rest
The word rest is defined by Websters like this 1. the act or period of taking one's ease after working or being active, as by sleeping, keeping still, etc. 2. freedom from worry, trouble, pain, etc.; peace.
I haven't been getting much "rest" lately even when I sleep because my neck has been hurting and my little pooch keeps waking me up to let her out around 2:00a.m. and sound sleep after that is almost impossible. I keep thinking about how when I was younger, I could sleep till noon. And not just doze...I mean sleep hard! So why does sleep elude me now? I just want 8 hours of good sleep! Last night I told Doug I was going to try the couch. I awoke this morning about 5:30 and felt ................GREAT! No neck pain, no back pain, no feeling like I needed MORE sleep....just a great rested ready to start the day feeling. How AWESOME!!
I began thanking the Lord for this rest. And a thought struck me......Psalm 23 says he "maketh me to lie down"......make us? Why would the Lord have to "make" us lie down? God's word also hits on the definition of rest .....in Psalm 37 It says "Fret not..", in Psalm 46:10 it says "Be still..", God wants us to have rest spiritually but we don't heed the ways to have it. Don't worry......Trust instead. Don't Try to fix it......Trust instead. Matthew 11:30 says "My yoke is easy and my burden is light", sounds like the Lord really doesn't want us to have that exhausted feeling, that feeling of heaviness and despair. He wants us spiritually to feel like I did this morning physically.....recharged and ready to start a new day!
I did some searching on the 23rd Psalm about this "make me to lie down" and one author said it like this "The shepherd starts the sheep grazing about 4 a.m. and they walk steadily as they graze; they are never still. By 10 a.m. the sun is beaming down and the sheep are hot, tired, and thirsty. The wise shepherd knows that the sheep must not drink when it is hot, neither when its stomach is filled with undigested grass. So the shepherd makes the sheep lie down in green pastures, in a cool, soft spot. The sheep will not eat lying down, so it chews its cud, which is natures' way of digestion. Study the lives of great people, and you will find every one of them drew apart from the hurry of life for rest and reflection. Sometimes, when we refuse to do this on our own the Good Shepherd makes us to lie down, because he loves us so and knows what is best for us." ......God help me to take time to "rest" in you so that you don't have to make me lie down, help me lay my problems at your feet and take your yoke that is easy, help me be still and trust in you.....you really can work it out much better than I can. Thank you for loving me and shepherding me through this life until I can spend eternity with you.
I haven't been getting much "rest" lately even when I sleep because my neck has been hurting and my little pooch keeps waking me up to let her out around 2:00a.m. and sound sleep after that is almost impossible. I keep thinking about how when I was younger, I could sleep till noon. And not just doze...I mean sleep hard! So why does sleep elude me now? I just want 8 hours of good sleep! Last night I told Doug I was going to try the couch. I awoke this morning about 5:30 and felt ................GREAT! No neck pain, no back pain, no feeling like I needed MORE sleep....just a great rested ready to start the day feeling. How AWESOME!!
I began thanking the Lord for this rest. And a thought struck me......Psalm 23 says he "maketh me to lie down"......make us? Why would the Lord have to "make" us lie down? God's word also hits on the definition of rest .....in Psalm 37 It says "Fret not..", in Psalm 46:10 it says "Be still..", God wants us to have rest spiritually but we don't heed the ways to have it. Don't worry......Trust instead. Don't Try to fix it......Trust instead. Matthew 11:30 says "My yoke is easy and my burden is light", sounds like the Lord really doesn't want us to have that exhausted feeling, that feeling of heaviness and despair. He wants us spiritually to feel like I did this morning physically.....recharged and ready to start a new day!
I did some searching on the 23rd Psalm about this "make me to lie down" and one author said it like this "The shepherd starts the sheep grazing about 4 a.m. and they walk steadily as they graze; they are never still. By 10 a.m. the sun is beaming down and the sheep are hot, tired, and thirsty. The wise shepherd knows that the sheep must not drink when it is hot, neither when its stomach is filled with undigested grass. So the shepherd makes the sheep lie down in green pastures, in a cool, soft spot. The sheep will not eat lying down, so it chews its cud, which is natures' way of digestion. Study the lives of great people, and you will find every one of them drew apart from the hurry of life for rest and reflection. Sometimes, when we refuse to do this on our own the Good Shepherd makes us to lie down, because he loves us so and knows what is best for us." ......God help me to take time to "rest" in you so that you don't have to make me lie down, help me lay my problems at your feet and take your yoke that is easy, help me be still and trust in you.....you really can work it out much better than I can. Thank you for loving me and shepherding me through this life until I can spend eternity with you.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
El Roi
The God who sees....that's what El Roi means. He is first called this name by Hagar in the book of Genesis as she is in quite the crisis. She is pregnant with Abraham's baby because she was made to be with him and Sarah (Abraham's wife) is now furious and wants her out of sight and out of mind. She is in the desert, afraid and lonely and without anyone to come to her aid and then......right on time....the Lord speaks to her. He sees her condition, her location, her dilemma, her broken heart, and he gives her instruction and most of all hope. He loves her when she feels unloved and sees her when no one else does. Have you been there? Have you felt like no one sees your pain? Have you felt like your situation is hopeless, your heart is broken, your wandering around lost in an emotional desert and no one sees you? ......Oh my dear friend....El Roi does! He knows EXACTLY where you are and how you feel. He has compassions that fail not....mercies that are new every morning......a love that is beyond measure and can not be severed and no one can pluck you out of His hand. Relish in those facts. He is YOUR God....and he sees you. He'll never leave you alone. Praise His name!
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