Psalm 121.....

I have heard the word cancer so many times in my 45 years.... my mother has been inflicted with 3 separate cancers in my lifetime... my father died as a result of cancer.... my father-in-law, great-aunt, uncle, grandfather all had cancer... my husband and I have lost friends to this dreaded disease... and we have watched children do battle with it.... so it would seem that I would be numb to the reality of cancer and yet the mention of the word still brings tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart. Today I heard it again... a dear sister-in-Christ has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer... and my heart breaks for her husband and her children. How will they get through all that is to come? The surgery... chemo... radiation... tests... tiredness.... nausea... fear....anger... hurt... and then I remembered something.

I woke up with a song playing in my head this morning (I do that fairly often). It is "My Help" by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir... a wonderful rendition of Psalm 121. And in the words of that wonderful Psalm was my answer. This family will make it because they know where their help lies. No matter the outcome, they are embarking on a long and difficult... tiring... draining... journey. And yes, God in His infinite wisdom may choose to do the impossible (for nothing is impossible for Him!) and bring a complete earthly healing for our friend. But again... no matter what the outcome... He is their strength... their rock.... their foundation... their help. Just as He is ours every day.

So I am going to be praying Psalm 121 for Christi and her family. I would love others to pray also for this precious family.

Ps. 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

You can hear the BTC sing this wonderful Psalm here:

What a Promise!

"He (God) saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7 NIV

I have read through the book of Titus numerous times..... done studies on it.... so I know I have read this passage, but these verses jumped out at me in my quiet time recently... as if God had just spoken them for the first time... I could hear the echo of His voice.

What powerful awesome words! The reality found in this short passage is overwhelming if you really stop and think about it.

God... the creator of ALL... chose to save us not because we are worth saving... not because we do good things... but because He is a merciful God. This is one of the reasons I believe once saved always saved. Falling from grace hinges on my actions but the Word makes it clear that my actions have nothing to do with salvation... other than the act of confessing and believing in Jesus Christ.

And then He went a step further and gave us the Holy Spirit... not just a drop... He poured out the Spirit on us generously.... How awesome is that!

And all of this so we might become joint heirs with Jesus and have eternal life through Him!

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Phil. 3:18-19 NIV

When I first read these verses, I immediately thought of our nation. So many live destructive lives... certainly many have made their stomachs their God (after all we are the most obese nation in the world)... and all I have to do is look to the media to see many flaunting their shame... it's big news! There is no doubt that the eyes of most Americans are on worldly things and not God.

But then I looked back a bit and realized that Paul was talking to believers and about believers. So.....

What is my destiny?
What is my god?
What is my glory?
Where is my mind focused?

I don't believe I am destined for destruction, but I can't say I feel destined for anything more than the status quo... and yet, the Word says that Jesus came that I might have life and have it to the full. So where is that abundant life? Why am I not choosing to live it?

Lord, teach me to live the life You have planned for me... a full life that glories You.

No doubt my stomach is one of my gods... as is fear.. concern with what others think... money... and more... I don't acknowledge them as gods, but I live as if they are.

Lord, I proclaim You with my lips but I live other words... help me to put all these things in their proper place and to exalt You to the throne of my heart.

I honestly don't think about having glory... I'm wired with the pat "give God the glory" mindset... but I know I can swell up with pride... especially when someone compliments one of my kids... or when I am feeling especially intelligent... but I have nothing to do with any of that.

Lord, It is all about You. I know that, but I don't live it. Help me to see Your glory and to live a life that glorifies You and You alone.

For a bit each day I shift my focus to God's Word and prayer.... and yet even them I am easily distracted by things of the world... I really don't give God 100% even for a few moments a day.

Lord, I rob You of my time... and I am the one who really suffers because of it. Grow the love I have for You in my heart... to the point that it overflows and I love as You love. Set my mind on the things above and not the things of this earth. Renew my mind and keep me focused on greater things and not the trappings of this world. For I know that I am an alien and a stranger here, Lord. My citizenship is in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to take me there.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:20-21 NIV

Enough

We live in a time where folks rarely think they have enough. We want more.. more money, more clothes, more power, more house, more electronic gadgets, more jewelry, more car, more fame... more, more, more.... we are rarely satisfied.

The other day I was listening to a CD and Chris Tomlin's Enough came on... I was struck by the lyrics.. lyrics I have heard and sung many times, but which seemed fresh and new in my ears that day. A reminder that with Jesus I have more than enough..

"Enough" by Chris Tomlin

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply

My breath of life

And still more awesome than I know

You are my reward

worth living for

And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my sacrifice

Of greatest price

And still more awesome than I know

You’re the coming King

You are everything

And still more awesome than I know

More than all I want

More than all I need

You are more than enough for me

More than all I know

More than all I can say

You are more than enough for me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMzuHwVGuNc