White as Snow

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Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city.
For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. Ecclesiastes 7:19-20

Although wisdom gives me power, it does not mean I am above sin. I am a sinner. As long as I walk this earth I will be a sinner. Only Jesus had the privilege of dwelling here sin free.

If I want to be considered righteous, I must have faith in God. Righteousness dos not belong to me, it belongs to Him. The only way I can attain righteousness is through Him. I must admit my sins, confess my sins, and turn away from my sins, all he while professing my faith in Christ.

Does this mean I will never sin again? Absolutely not! There will be days when sin gets the best of me….I am human. I will get angry for something and say the wrong thing, I will shout at my children and be short with my husband. I will roll through a stop sign or tell a “”little white lie.” Some days I will worry and doubt, and not find my strength in my Maker. I will have opportunities to witness that I let pass by. I will not use my calling to further the gospel.

The hope is that those days will be minimal, and that on most days I will serve my King to my greatest ability. (Not that I will ever be sin free on any day.). The hope is that I will reach for the prize, which is eternity in heaven with my Father. Then, and only then, will I be the sinless, white-as-snow version of myself that I hope to be.

Thank you Father that you are forgiving, and that you pour out that forgiveness on me. Thank you that you give me wisdom to navigate this life. Thank you that, because of you, I will one day be like Mary’s little lamb….white as snow.

That’s What a Savior Does

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That’s What a Savior Does

When we were kids, my brother and I loved to go exploring. At one time in our lives, we lived in a house with fields around two sides. There were houses behind us and to the side of us where the street was, but in front of us was a soybean field, and to the right was open land with a grove of trees off in what seemed to be a great distance (when I see that piece of land now, I chuckle at just how short of a distance it actually was). We would set out on a Saturday morning, our tin lunch pails packed with snacks, and head for that grove of trees far off in the distance.

Typically I would walk ahead of my brother. I would clear our little path and make sure there were no snakes, bears, or tigers. (We had quite an imagination!). My purpose was to make sure we got to the trees safely. We usually made it with no problems. Of course, our lunch pails would be empty because we ate all our snacks along the way, so we usually didn’t stay very long.

One particular time, we got scared along our path. I don’t remember exactly what it was that frightened us, (probably a dog…a big ferocious dog) but I do remember grabbing my brother’s hand and getting him safely back home. That’s what big sisters do.

That is also what the Lord does. He guides our steps, even on the most frightening paths. He walks ahead of us, clearing the way for our feet to pass. When we trust in Him, when we follow His direction, He leads us to our destination. And when we get frightened, he takes our hand and draws us to safety. When our time here is finished, He pulls us gently into His loving embrace, and He leads us home. That’s what a Savior does.

David said about him: “”I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Acts 2:25.

Hopes For Success

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Today is an important day. Our ministry has a big event. This is that day of the year when we host a fundraiser to support our ministry and get us through the year. Of course, we are hoping for a financially successful night.

The Lord has me pondering this morning. I really do want this to be a successful night. I want to earn the funds this ministry needs to continue doing what we do. But I also want it to be a success in another way. I want it to be an evening where people see the power of God. I want them to notice and appreciate the change and restoration that is possible through Christ. I want them to understand what love can do for someone who is broken. I pray they understand that supporting this ministry is more than just supporting the efforts of two women who choose to do this for a living, but it is more about supporting the work of God, helping others through times of trial, giving so that others can experience freedom from bondage. There is great joy to be found in helping someone change their life. There is intense blessing is leading someone to the Savior.

In a nutshell, I want this evening to be about the gospel. I want this evening to be about going out and sharing the word and love of Christ to all who will listen, and being excited by what the Lord is doing and will do through our combined efforts. I hope this evening is about others realizing that they, through their generosity, are making a huge difference for Christ in this community. Because of their support, women are excited and full of hope because they, like Andrew, have found Jesus and they want to share Him with anyone who will listen.

Where is Your Treasure?

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There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to et of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it I an evil affliction. Ecclesiastes 6:1-2.

When we focus on what we do and do not have on this earth, we will never find true contentment. Our eyes need to be on the prize….eternity with our King. He gives and He takes away. And even though it may seem unfair, we are not to question God, but to trust him in all things, knowing He has our best interest at heart in all that He does. Some of us may enjoy what we have here on earth while others struggle in discontent, pain, and anger. In the end, none of that is important. What is important is our relationship with the Lord. How much did we invest in knowing Him more? How true to Him were we in our words and deeds? Our riches and treasures are stored up in heaven.

Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is your heart today? Is it in the things of this world? Or is it on Jesus, the only One who can save our souls and lead us to an eternity of glory?

Something to ponder…..

Don’t be a Promise Breaker

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When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed — better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5.

Our mouths can lead us into so much sin. Empty promises and lies can flow out of them when we are desperate or frightened. “Oh God, if you’ll just do THIS for me, then I will do THAT.” How quickly we forget once the trial has passed. We also tend to “”over-promise” when we are extremely happy about something, then once the elation wears off, our eyes are no longer fixed in that promise.

God is not in the business of bargaining. When you make a vow or promise to Him, you should do so with every intent on keeping it. He doesn’t want our empty promises, he wants our solemn vow. He doesn’t want sinful lies to pass over our tongues. He desires that we have hearts and words of honesty and truth. If you can’t be dedicated to fulfilling the promise you make, then don’t make it. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise to God that you can’t or won’t keep.

Marriage is a mother great example of a vow to be kept. When you married your spouse, it was for better or for worse. You vowed to love and honor them through thick and thin, come what may. There were no “”except fors” in the statement you made…..”except for” when you annoy me, “except for” when you are sick, “except for” we don’t agree, “”except for” when someone better comes along. Your spouse expects you to honor that vow, and so does God.

If you struggle with this, ask God to help you trade your lips of lies with the tongue of truth. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Seek God, speak to God, and make sure that the vows you make to him are vows that you CAN and WILL keep.

Father, help us to have hearts of honesty that speak words of truth. Help us to think before we speak. Let us not fill the air with empty promises, but with vows that we are intent on keeping. Help us to seek sincerity in all that we speak, and to be faithful to you always. Amen.

Mary’s Rest in Martha’s Day

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As you rise and shine today, are you giving God the glory? Or are you too focused on your to-do list, and getting every single item checked off. Maybe your plate is full today. Maybe you aren’t even sure if you CAN get it all accomplished. Maybe, like Martha, you will spend your entire day trying to please others, see to the needs of others, and meet some kind of personal standard you have set for yourself.

The question is…what about the Lord? Is He on your to-do list today? Are you setting aside time to spend with Him? I don’t mean a quick prayer and a glance at a scripture so that you can check it off your list. I am talking about really sitting at His feet, as Mary did, and soaking in His word, being filled with His Holy Spirit.

When we take time to be with the Lord, he fuels us for whatever we have in our day. He gives us the strength to get through the difficult tasks, and He gives us joy in tough circumstances. With Jesus in our hearts, the tasks we do each day can make a difference for His kingdom. We will approach things differently, and the joy of the Lord, the joy of our hearts, will spread out to others as we share the love of Christ through our words and actions.

We can handle the to-do list if we rest first…rest in Him.

Beautiful Timing

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He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

God’s timing is not always our timing. In fact, most times it isn’t. But His timing is always so much better and sweeter than ours could ever be. I got to experience once such act of God’s timing recently that truly blessed my heart.

My mom and stepdad married when I was in high school. She broughtt two teenagers, a son and a daughter, to the equation and he brought two teenage girls. To say that we were a handful would be an extreme understatement! How we all survived those years, I am still not quite sure.

As we grew into adulthood and made lives for ourselves, we each went our own way and did our own thing. My sisters ending up moving off to two different areas of the country, and we rarely spoke or saw each other. Facebook came along, and that has given us a platform in which we can keep tabs on each other and be a spectator in each other’s lives.

My parents have had the opportunity to have two of the four of us together on many occasions, and rarely have three of us been at the same place at the same time. But just a few weeks ago, God’s timing was right to bring us all together in one place for several days, and we got the opportunity to enjoy a special event together as a family. He is so good that not only did He allow us all this time together, He even added a few of the grandkids in the mix to make it an extra sweet time of celebration. This was the first time in over two decades that my parents had all four of their babies in one spot, laughing together and sharing fun memories, all while making new ones that will last a lifetime. What a precious time that was! How beautiful is God’s sweet timing! His word says He makes all things new, and this is so true. He made new our love and appreciation for each other. He made new our desire to spend more time together. He made new our laughter, and our tears.

God is such a good God. He cares for us in such a special way. Don’t try to get ahead of Him in your life. Trust in His timing. It is beautiful every time.

Strength in the Suffering

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Feeling like you are in the midst of something you cannot overcome right now? Are you in the midst of trials and suffering? God’s word brings good news to those who are “walking through the fire.”

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of Grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10

God is walking beside you. He has your hand in his. He will not lead you to a place of darkness, but a place of light. Keep your eyes focused on the PRIZE not the PROBLEM. In Christ’s strength, you will come out of your situation stronger, wiser, and closer to the King. Rejoice in your situation because God is using it to teach you. James 1:2-4 reminds us to count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

And when you feel like you can’t stand another minute, when you are tempted to give up, remember what God tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13…No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you GE tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

A Time For Every Season

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I love this scripture! There is a time for everything. Sometimes we get focused on something and want it to happen “RIGHT NOW” but we need to remember God’s timing is best. He knows what He is doing in His grand orchestration of our lives. He will take us through different seasons. He will take us through different relationships…some will remain and some will not. He will direct us through pain and struggles. He will guide us through different opportunities. He will most likely ask us to step out of our box and try something new that we are fearful of, if for no other reason than to put our faith into action. The one thing we must keep in mind is that through everything and everyone He brings into our lives there is a purpose. There is an opportunity to share His love, utilize His word, and glorify Him. Be watchful…don’t miss a single opportunity each season brings you!

Changes

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Life isn’t always a bouquet of roses or a barrel of laughs.  Life can get HARD and we go through some tough trials along our journey.

Circumstances change.  Maybe you have been skipping along in life, going about your merry way, when BOOM…there it is!!!  An obstacle is in your path that really messes with that planned and predictable life you had set up.  What do you do in your uncertainty?  Well, if you are wise, you go to the word of God for direction. There are sure to be golden nuggets of wisdom found there that will speak to your heart and guide you through to the other side of whatever you are struggling with.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16

People change.  We have relationships that we are certain will last forever.  In an instant, that can change.  A harsh word, an untruth spread in gossip, or an unspoken apology can bring a rift that is hard to mend.  What do you do in your pain and regret?  Go to God’s word and gain His wisdom for your life.  He will teach you about forgiveness.  Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  As many as seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”  Matthew 18:21-22.     He will teach you about loving others.  He will help you restore what the enemy has taken from you.

Life is full of changes.  We should never get to “comfortable” where we are, because the devil is out there.  He wants to bring destruction and devastation to our lives.  He wants to steal our joy and rob us of our faith.  We must always stand guard against the evil one.  We must always seek after the things of God.  We must always remember that His word is our greatest weapon.  It never changes, it never fails, it endures always.  The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.  Isaiah 40:8.

 

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