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.

Time....

Stumbled across this today in an article I was reading on prayer and thought it was good... something to we all need to consider....

The question deals with finding time to pray...

Q. How do you find the time?

A. Time isn't found. It's chosen. We all get the same 24 hours a day. No one is too busy. They just busy themselves with different things by their choice. That's the tough news. From the Gospel accounts, Jesus appears to have regularly withdrawn for whole evenings of prayers. Do you think that you are busier than Jesus? I doubt it, so if He had the time, then you should be able to have the time. (from http://thepracticaldisciple.com/ )

Ouch? Yep.. Ouch! Like it or not we make time for the things we want to do and that we deem important. I am praying God moves in our hearts so that we see what is truly the most important.. that we will be like Mary and choose the better thing.. that we will seek first the Kingdom.

God's Unfailing Love....

Leads us: In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. Ex. 15:13a

Saves us: Turn, O Lord, and deliver me, save me because of Your unfailing love. Ps. 6:4 Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love. Ps. 31:16

Keeps us from Being Shaken: For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken. Ps. 21:7

And It cannot be Shaken: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken not my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord who has compassion on you. Isa. 54:10

Surrounds Us: Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trust in Him. Ps. 32:10

Our hope is in it: The eyes of the lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love. Ps. 33:18 The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. Ps. 147:11

Rest upon Us: May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put out hope in You. Ps. 33:22

Is Priceless: How priceless is Your unfailing love. Ps. 36:7a

Redeems Us: Rise up and help us; redeem us because of Your unfailing love. Ps. 44:26

Is to be Meditated on: Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love. Ps. 48:9

Brings Mercy: Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love. Ps. 51:1

We trust in it: I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. Ps. 52:8

God Shows it to Us: Show us You unfailing love, O Lord, and grand us Your salvation. Ps. 85:7

Satisfies Us: Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Ps. 90:14

Give Thanks for It: Let them give thanks tot he Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31 (He repeats this 4 times in this Psalm... God is serious about our giving thanks for His unfailing love!)

Comes to Us: May Your unfailing love come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your promise. Ps. 119:41

Comforts Us: May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant. Ps. 119:76

Is with the Lord: Oh, Israel, put your hope in the Lord for with the Lord is unfailing love. Ps. 130:7

Silences our enemies, destroys our foes: In Your unfailing love, silence my enemies, destroy all my foes, for I am Your servant. Ps. 143:12

We desire it: What a man desires is unfailing love. Prov. 19:22

Is Great: Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. Lam. 3:32

Bears Fruit: Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up you unplowed ground for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

God is still in charge...

The national health care bill has passed and many are up in arms... grieved over the thought of Government funded abortion. Not to mention the doors this opens for other radical health care changes such as care being withheld from the elderly. I have no idea where this decision will lead us, but I do know this... it did nothing to change the fact that GOD is Sovereign... nor did it thwart His plans.

He is allowing this for a reason... one we probably could not understand even if He told us.

Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

We must realize that God sets up authorities... which means He placed all the various leaders that are "in charge" in their places:

He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. Daniel 2:21

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1

And they aren't quite as "in charge" as they think they are...

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases. Proverbs 21:1

So what are we to do? What the Lord tells us to in 1 Timothy 2:1-2:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

God is still God.... His plan continues to move forward unto completion.. we are to pray and be about His work... sharing the good news and glorifying Him in every thing we do!

A Season of Trials

Life, lately, has been a series of somewhat rough times. Health issues... financial woes... home repair emergency... things like that... all starting back shortly before Christmas. Even with lots of prayer and time in the Word, my life circumstances haven't changed a bit ... in fact, it seems more and more keeps piling on... but last night God brought to mind the verse where Job says "Though you slay me yet I will praise You." I am choosing to do that as best I can. This life was never meant to be easy. I prayed a couple of months ago and asked God earnestly to make me more like Jesus and I believe that is part of all this. He is growing my faith.. bit by bit. I am a stubborn tough root that needs a lot of pruning and hoeing and work!

So here are a couple of scriptures that have really spoken to my heart today:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. Romans 5:1-5

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

It is really comforting, to me, to know that we don't go through trials and suffering for no reason. God uses everything in our life.. even what we perceive to be bad. And often it turns out that bad is actually a path to better... God's better!

Narrow or Broad... which do you choose?

We are reading through the New Testament in 40 days as a church, so we are in Matthew right now. Read lots of familiar stuff today, but this one small part really popped out at me:

Matthew 7:13 & 14 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

That is a very sobering thought and also one that applies to life choices other than salvation (the most important choice). We so often view this as a passage for the lost, but I think there is a great message for Believers here also. It is easy to go along with the crowd on the broad road... to do the thing accepted by the world... but it is much more difficult to walk through that narrow gate and do what Jesus would have you do. To stand firm and be set apart.

While the easy (broad) way seems easy at the time, it does lead to destruction.. even if you are saved and your eternity is secure, the enemy can use that broad way to destroy your witness and your testimony and steal that abundant life Christ offers. That narrow road choice may be tough, but it brings life.. abundant life... now and eternally!

2010's Word of the Year

Shortly before Jan. 1, 2008, I read an article and in it the author talked about picking a word for the year. The word was to sum up what they hoped or expected for the coming year. I liked the idea. So I asked the Lord to show me a word for 2008... sort of a theme for me. 2008's word was Gratitude and I strove to develop an attitude of Gratitude.. thanking the Lord for all He provided and did. 2009's word was peace. I really wasn't sure why God lead me to that word, but I knew that I peace is something I seek often. Interestingly, there have been a lot of times and situations over this past year where peace would not be the norm. And yet, I have found peace in the midst of those times through the Prince of Peace.

Now it is 2010 and I have again been searching for a word. God spoke it to me a couple of days ago, but I don't like it. So I've tried to find another one, but He keeps speaking the same word... CHANGE.

I know that 2010 will be a year of change. My older child graduates college and then moves out of state to pursue her Master's. She has lived at home for 22 years, so this will be a big change. My younger child graduates from high school and while he is going to live at home during college (we have an awesome Christian University here), it will still be different. He will be pretty much here to sleep, eat and grab laundry! My mother is 78 and while still active, I am starting to see changes in her... changes that remind me how short our time is here and changes that require me to do a bit more for and with her. We continue to adapt to having 2 young dogs (still puppies) in our home... to getting older ourselves... to new opportunities like leading Bible study and being involved with a new ministry at church... my husband's secure job with the government may not be so secure after the legislative session... financial crunch is affecting us like everyone else and with 2 in college that it seems tighter than ever... so yes, we are feeling change and see more coming.

Certainly there are changes in our country and world. From health care reform that really helps no one... to more divorce... same sex-marriage being legalized in more states... more people choosing to live together and have children without ever getting married... and more and more folks who dislike Christians and our faith and feel free to show their feelings.

So no, CHANGE is not the word I would have chosen. But then 2 things hit me. One, I want to change this year in one specific way. I want to be more like Jesus each day than I was the previous day. That is my constant prayer. I know it is God's desire to make me more and more like His precious baby boy and that only happens through change. And two, while things are changing all around me I can count on one thing not to change.. Malachi 3:6 says "I the Lord do not change." That is a promise!

In the midst of change, I can hold on to the fact that God is still God.... He is still my Father, Rock, Redeemer, Deliverer, Strong Tower, Provider, Friend, Lover of my Soul, Savior... He is still with me.. He still never slumbers... He still watches over and guides me... it is still impossible for me to be separated from His love... and so much more!

CHANGE might not be fun, even when necessary, we can make it through by keeping our focus on the One who does not Change... GOD!