Battles...

I was thinking about a friend earlier today... she is traveling to Houston to MD Anderson, recently diagnosed with an aggressive and advanced cancer... I was praying... and God brought several verses to mind, especially some from 2 Chr. 20.. which is one of the most amazing passages of Scripture! God used it in a huge way in my life years ago and still brings it to mind regularly. So here are the things He reminded me of this morning concerning my friend and this "vast army" she faces and the battle ahead...

from v 15 - 17 "This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ...You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Awesome promises, right!? But then as I was meditating on those verses.. while putting on makeup and getting ready to go off into the real world... it hit me, yes.. those promises are for my friend.. but they are for all of us today.. and for the many battles we face every day...I have friends struggling with rebellious children, financial difficulties, unemployment, chronic illness, elderly parents, marital difficulties and so much more ... whatever you are dealing with right now, that is the army you face and the battle you see coming or are in the midst of, but here is the great news.. It is not your battle! It is the Lord's. He asks that you stand firm and let Him be God. That doesn't mean sit back and do nothing.. unless He tells you to. My friend is going to Houston for Medical Treatment because God has called her to do so... we will all do what needs to be done as He shows us... but we don't need to live in fear and try to be God in this... give it to Him.. whatever it is.. no matter how big or small it seems.. and then do whatever you feel He is telling you to do, all the while knowing that HE is God and the battle is His. He will deliver you.. maybe not in the way you want or plan or in your timing, but He promises to always deliver His children.

Life Verses

I often hear folks share a special Bible verse and say "That's my life verse". Then today as I was doing some Bible study, the author of the book I am working through suggested that I write out my life verse and memorize it.. and she added if I didn't have a life verse I should pray for God to show me one. I had to laugh a bit at that. If I didn't have one? No, I didn't have one.. I have many!

I don't know if I could sum up my spiritual journey.. past, present or future.. with just 1 verse or even a passage of scripture. About 12 years ago God walked with me through the darkest periods of my life... one I pray to never repeat... trial upon trial hit me over the course of several years... I truly felt I was going to be completely destroyed. I survived and, honestly, came out better in many ways. I don't love that I went through all that.... and some of it was of my own making and left scars not only on me but on people I love... but it truly was like silver being refined. I hit a point where His Word was my life... not just a life verse, but a life line! I spent hours going through the Bible.. searching for promises.. praying and begging Him to lift the darkness... He eventually did.. but not until I came to fully understand the Power of the Word... I know without a shadow of a doubt the reality of Hebrews 4:12...

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Maybe that is my life verse! God's Word is living and active in me... it is what sustains me... I honestly do not know how anyone survives without it.

As I thought this morning about the task at hand.... to write out my Life Verse and memorize it.. I realized I had already done that. During those dark periods I would write out verses.. promises I could pray and claim. I didn't set out to memorize them, but when you live off the Word like I did at that time He writes it on your heart never to be erased. I have continued the practice of making verse cards and carrying them with me. Some I set out to memorize.. others are with me to remind me of something He has promised. Over time I will learn them.

So here are a few... a very few... of my life verses...

Ps. 34:4 I sought the Lord and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.

If I honestly had to choose a verse that summed up that dark time this would be it. I remember vividly the moment my eyes were opened to this verse and I memorized it within seconds! I said it so many times over those years. It is a part of my marrow. I am a walking testament to the fact that this verse is true... it is as if I wrote it myself instead of the Psalmist.

Phil. 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is a popular verse... you hear it a lot when someone is asked "What's your favorite Bible verse?" It is one of the few verses I remember memorizing when I was a teen. God took this verse and taught me to personalize it and eventually it became a verb in my life. My family is quite use to hearing me say "We are going to Phil. 4:13 this." That means it might seem un-doable, but we are going to do it with Christ. I share it often with friends... Sue can hold her tongue when she wants to snap back because Christ gives her the strength to do so... Margaret can have peace while waiting on the tests results because Christ, the Prince of Peace, enables her to do so. It is a great ACTIVE verse!

Eph. 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us

I am immeasurably more... my parents were told no more children... 1 in a million chance... and my mother mourned that she would never have a daughter. A year later I came along... God taught them a great lesson. And He has taught me many with this verse. When I try to limit Him, He immediately brings this verse to mind. I have seen the immeasurably more... I have seem more than I can ask or imagine... the God I love and trust in is the Eph. 3:20 God!

Zeph. 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. And He will rejoice over you with singing.

I have heard this verse for years, but then my kids gave me the CD Glory Revealed. All the songs are Scripture and this is the first one on the CD. I sing this verse more than I say it. The picture it paints in my mind is precious to me. My big strong Daddy God wraps me in His protective arms and with a smile brighter and wider than anything I can imagine He gently strokes my hair and sings to me with a love that is purer and truer than anything I know. When I feel worn out.... useless... ignored... unappreciated... I sing this verse to myself knowing that He is singing to my soul... I just have to listen.

Those are but a few of my life verses. I could go on for days! I challenge you to start digging in the Word and finding your life verses. They are there... you just have to open the book!

Walking Through the Psalms

Years ago, a wonderful Titus 2 woman in my life told me about something she did in her quiet time. She had learned about this in a Bible study she took. She read through the Psalms in 30 days and along the way she noted things she learned about God... His attributes, character, names. I loved the idea, so I decided to take my own walk through the Psalms. I kept a notebook and would write out verses and then what I learned about God. It was a wonderful adventure..... one I recommend to anyone who wants to know God better... I still have the notebook and have pulled it out over the years.

Recently our pastor mentioned that he was doing this....going through the Psalms... noting what he learns about God. I have been doing some hit and miss (mostly miss) in my quiet time and so this morning the Psalms came to mind again.. I decided to take a walk again....

So today I read through Psalms 1 - 3... read them out loud... more than once... found some exciting things and God led me to other verses that connect... I love seeing the connections in the Word!

Here are the things I noted in my journal.....

Ps 1 verse 6... God watches over the way of the righteous.... Thank you Lord that I am made righteous through the blood of Jesus! (2 Cor 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.)... God watches over my way....

Ps 2 v 12 tells us that we are blessed when we take refuge in God... Deut 33:27 says The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying "Destroy him!" .... Thank You, Father, for going before me... driving out my enemy.... You do this as You watch over my way... You are my refuge!

Ps 3 v 3 But you are a shield around me, O Lord, You bestow glory on me and lift up my head... I love this verse... I never have to walk around with my head hung in shame... or scared to look up into the face of God... HE lifts up my head...

Ps 3 also shows an active tense God.... the Lord answers me (v 4) .... sustains me (v. 5).... delivers me (v 8)....

Thank You, Abba Father, for being an active God... a participating Father.. present in my life, not an absentee! I thank You for the righteousness I have in Jesus and for the blessings that it brings... help me to walk in a way which is worthy of Your righteousness.

Thank You for being my refuge... that safe harbor needed in a storm... for hearing my cries.. my ranting and rambling,.. and answering me with Your truth.

Thank You for being my sustainer and delivered.. my shield... the one who lifts up my head. May I walk in the knowledge of these truths today.