A Present Help During the Storm/God’s Hand



During times of a storm, great waves bring on fear and distress. Loss brings about heartbreak and pain brings about loss of breath. How do we ride above the waves? What does the Word of God have to say?

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things,” Philippians 4:8.

What’s true? What’s noble? Where is the good report?

There is only One who stands and rises above this test. He is Jesus. He is the One who is lovely. He is valiant and noble. He is a giver of life.  He offers His Spirit to minister to us.

Call on His name. Weep in His arms. He is able to bring violent waves to a still and calm. How? I don’t know. But He is faithful. He has touched me in the past, and He is here right now.

I write so I can remember, even in times of darkness,  “Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves you. Yes, Jesus loves. Yes, Jesus.”

My eyes and my ears, become flooded with worldly realities, and my thoughts repeat them back to myself. Stress and distress is only magnified, until I cry out His name, and wait.

He is here. He is there. By my side. He’s with us now. That is why I love Him so much. Yesterday, and today, and no matter what comes. He is present. He is all powerful. He knows everything.  His love is supernatural.

So, I look for words, and He reminds my restless heart, “Look at old hymns and Psalms.” I open the hymnal, with barely the desire, but I obey, because He is my Lord.

And He lifts me out of my dark thoughts, and He lifts me out of doors:
This is my Father’s world,
And to my list’ning ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—
His hand the wonders wrought.

He’s opened my eyes to see the wonder of His skies, and somehow my heart is intent to read on, and stop thinking of earthly things that prove to break me down:
This is my Father’s world:

The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:

He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.

My Good Shepherd has presently “made me to lie down.” Not in terror and darkness but on a pasture of green. He is present. He is with me.

He warned us. He did. But did we have any idea that “tribulation” would look like this? In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

I read aloud the words that flow next:

This is my Father’s world:
Oh, let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world,
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

There is only One that is good, and that is God. Oh, how we need Him now. To flood our thoughts and help our hearts beat. He is the Lord. I can rejoice in Him.
Jesus said, in His love letter for us, knowing that we would face trouble and loss: 

 “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25 and 26, are beyond our comprehension. But with every ounce of my being, I reply, “Yes, Lord. I believe this.”

And for that reason I can, right now, presently, in the midst of waves and darkness,”Rejoice in the Lord.”

Phil. 3:1 reminds me that, this “is a safeguard for you.”
“Speak in psalms and hymns,” God’s word says, so aloud I speak the greatest of all comfort songs:

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

We might not be happy about the current affairs, but we can always find refuge in the presence of our Lord. I will quiet my restless heart and stop to rejoice, in the King of my heart, and the lover of my life.

Together in weakness we might be, but He will give us breath. He is our Victory. He brings day in our dark night.

This is My Father’s World, Maltbie Babcock.
Psalm 23. The Holy Bible.

Before God parts the Red Sea, Just Keep Singing of God’s Victory

It was time for a new song. A new attitude. Of Faith and belief.

This happened to be the very beginnings of a New Year.

Those who came to the Sanctuary, for the first mid-week service of the New Year, of praise and pronouncing truth from God’s Word, heard the Pastor ask,

“What do you hear God speaking to you for this coming year?” Then he offered to share the mike.

Everyone was thinking, and some came forward to speak. I heard not audibly, mind you, but impressed upon my heart,

“Sing God’s victory song, before the victory.”
“Before I part the Red Sea, sing praises to My name.”

The starting is easy, it’s the persevering that’s tough. As the old saying goes, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish that counts.”

My thoughts often raced at an accelerated pace, filled with new courage, but then Fear came running to trip up the steps. But God is greater, each step of the way, my mind would gird up thoughts: “Guard your heart.

Guard your mind.

Guard your tongue. And then, God’s gentle Spirit would remind,  ‘The battle’s Mine:'”

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3).

The Word of God directs continually.

By February, only weeks after my “mountaintop moment,” I felt the crashing of waves and fear enveloped me.

The fight to praise was overcome by fretfulness.

God prepares us ahead of time, giving the remedy to stand and succeed.  Do you feel as me? Do you face a giant sea of circumstance? That always shouts out, “There is no chance!”

Then an army comes: Fatigue, Fear, Failure, and chariots of Doubt and Depression at my heart’s door. Their main goal is to defeat and destroy.

What is God’s plan for us? We must keep His plan in view and continue to walk in victory. The Battle is rough and we grow weak. Yes, the Lord watches us be as the disciple’s story in Mark 4:35:

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Can we remember to sing the victory song at such a time as this?

Oh, how sad to look as the disciples in my trials. Forgetting that God is on the boat with me. God’s Word is the remedy that I need.

“Lord Jesus, help me read, and receive, and let Your Word transform me. How I fail and become faint-hearted and forget that You care. I forget that You see. I forget that You are with me. My thoughts become circumstancial only, . . .
instead of praising Your Name, trusting fully.

Mark 4:39, Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
I am thankful that His voice sounds compassionate to my heart. Perhaps today, you and I can make a fresh new start.

Let us hear His voice, Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:10.
Let get back on the horse again. Let us give God praise for being gentle and kind, and though we may stumble, we will not fall, “for the LORD upholds us with his hand.” Psalm 37:24.

Let us lift His Victorious name in the midst of our storm, and watch Him deliver us from all harm. Amen, He is able.
Amen. He loves.

Together we will worship and lift up His Glorious name. “Jesus, we thank You for Your love everlasting.”

In Brokenness, The Lord’s Prayer, a Hymn.

“Our Father in heaven, holy is Your name, . . .” May I come to You with pure motives.

So many times I don’t.

I come for myself. You already know.
May I draw near to seek Your holy face.

But God, our Holy Father, you see when I only seek Your hand of blessing, without a thought to give You praise.

My thoughts aren’t Your thoughts. My ways aren’t like Yours.

May I seek to worship now. Thank You for Your everlasting love. You see my heart, Your know my thoughts, You know . . .

I have failed to stop and remember, of what You’ve already done. You’ve carried the cross up that steep, rugged path. You willingly suffered nails in Your hands.

You loved me first. You love me last. You love beyond the farthest star in the Universe.

I am held in Love’s grasp.

I love You Jesus. I draw near to You. And You draw near because Your name is Faithful and True. Not because of anything about me. You died on the cross.
“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, . . .” in this heart, right now. Cover me with the blood of Your Son.

You rose from the dead.

May I come to know the power of Your resurrection.

“Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us, . . .” from our natural ways.

All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give, 
let me do whatever lies before me as if it were for You Lord.
For You Lord, may my work be my praise. May this hymn be my song, all of my days:

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. 

I surrender all,
  I surrender all.
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
    I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory to His name!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, Colossians 3:23.

May I praise with all that I do, today. In Jesus name, Amen.

He Still Changes Water to Wine


“Read the Bible.” We hear people say.
But even when opened, do the words feel dry on the page?

It’s OK. God must know, because the only thing He gets at times from me at best, is a moan.
But, in the end, I can still say, “Thank You Lord. Thank You Lord, for putting up with me. Oh God, I’m confused and feel alone. Will You help me?”

So, the Word seemed dry, not moving me at all, but my eye caught focus at the bottom of the page of a short Spurgeon poem:

“Lo, Moses scatters plagues of wrath, A ministry of fire and death, But our Immanuel cometh forth, with life and love in every breath.
He turned their water into blood, for vengeance was his dread design: But, thanks to our incarnate God, He turned our water into wine.” (1)

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. John 1:17.

Jesus is unlike all the rest.

Five minutes in devotion to God, with an opening of His word with a few Spurgeon thoughts, I am changed from a whine to hope.

Jesus still changes water to wine.

Water is necessary. Like food and roof over our heads. We have school, or work. We all are under some authority.

We move quickly, we plan out our day, and we grab a water bottle as we go our way.

Water sustains.

The Holy Spirit is likened as water in the Word.  It’s God’s Word that refreshes, the Holy Spirit directs us to be touched by Jesus. He changes us and gives us a song:

And when I think, that God His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died, to take away my sin. 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art. How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art,
How great Thou art.

Jesus still changes water into wine. For me, my whine to a song, that I might rejoice and experience His fullness of grace and truth, this day.
Let us celebrate today. We’re simply passing through. Let’s let others know about our eternal home:

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, and then proclaim, 
“My God how great Thou art!” 

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art. How great Thou art.
God is love. “Dear Lord give me understanding to know Your Name. Faithful and True, Merciful, Gracious, and Above all names:

“Lo, Moses scatters plagues of wrath, A ministry of fire and death, But our Immanuel cometh forth, with life and love in every breath.
He turned their water into blood, for vengeance was his dread design: But, thanks to our incarnate God, He turned our water into wine.”

Keep me singing dear Jesus, and drawing close to You that You might heal me and help me the entire day through:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee. How great Thou art! How great Thou art. 

Poem taken from C.H. Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible. Hymn: How Great Thou Art.

Evidence of a Spirit-filled life? Singing? Dear God, fill me that I might sing again

Evidence of a Spirit-filled life?

Singing?

As I open, Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan, a hymnal-devotion, many a mornings to me, I acknowledge even in the first of the day, after moments to pray, that my song is lost to thorns and rocks hidden within the soil of my heart.

I read the hymn, In My Heart There Rings a Melody, written way back in 1923.  Elton M. Roth penned the words: I have a song that Jesus gave me, It was sent from heav’n above, There never was a sweeter melody, ‘Tis a melody of love. 
In my heart there rings a melody, . . .”

But God can clearly see, this morning, my heart is out of key.
But the Lord won’t give up on me, “O ye of little faith.” His voice rings out over and over again to the disciples throughout His Word, yet with such tenderness and grace. There is none like our Lord.

He knows my heart, which is sad, so many days. Worried, and heavy, “leaning on my own understanding.” He watches me wrestle and strain. The illustration of me, is Romans 7—completely. I confess. My heart is weeping:

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God’s law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.

This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? (Romans 7:21-24).

Look at all those I’s! Truly, this is not to be ignored.

I thank God for the next words I read. May each word permeate my whole being, and Lord, please give me depth of understanding:

 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:25 ends only to bring me to Romans 8: 

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, . . .

Yes, I belong to Him.

the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you, . . .

That’s what I need to be reminded continually. I am like a sheep, forgetting God’s promise of the Spirit in me:
the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you,  from the power of sin that leads to death. 

 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.
 So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 

 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

God declared an end to sin’s control . . .by giving His Son . . . the requirement of the law would be fully satisfied . . .
This, yes, this brings back to me a song!

So I look on again at that age-old hymn, and yes, these are the words of praise I sing:
I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry, For He washed my sins away; He put within my heart a melody, And I know it’s there to stay.

‘Twill be my endless theme in glory, With the angels I will sing; ‘Twill be a song with glorious harmony, When the courts of heaven ring. In my heart there rings a melody, There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;

In my heart there rings a melody, There rings a melody of love.”

Thanks be to God. He will meet me today and work in my heart to trust in Him more. And lean on His Word, not my own understanding. To get rid of the “I’s” and look to the Lord!

Do we all agree with an Amen? “Amen.”

 

 

New Year, New Directions, New Hopes, Old Foundations

If holiness is the music God hears and a broken heart the sacrifice He honors, let us turn aside our eyes each morning and be moved by the cross.

And each night in the coming year, let us give thanks and worship Him, Who faithfully and patiently watches and keeps, and never fails to zealously love us.

“Transform us Lord, these coming days, as we wholly desire to know You more, and more, and grow in Your grace to trust more fully in Your ways. This is my prayer me, Your Church, Your Bride—and for all who choose to draw near and abide.”
This is the closest thing to a New Year’s resolution.

I remember the first time the Lord put on my heart,

“You’re a worship leader.” It was many, many years ago when my second child was in a baby seat.
I thought I had an image of what a “worship leader” was to be, but God had plans way beyond my imagination.

Through the course of over 30 years, marriage, pregnancy, chronic laryngitis, children, teaching, serving, moving, sickness, and recovery, and the beauty of brokenness, God has shown me,

“Toni, to lead in worship is simple and true. Look to Me. Talk to Me. And Believe Me and My Word, through and through, no matter the rough terrain, the pain;

I wash all the stains.

Look to the cross, and lead others there—children, and hurting, and feeble, and doubting. Talk of Me and pray, I will strengthen and empower.

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself, John 12:32. 

So, to begin a new year with old foundations laid, I set out to frame God’s Word, powerful and true:

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth, Psalm 46:10.


Jesus. Old words, prayerful songs, I pray I will remember and consider the whole year long.
It seems easy, yet not—to let sound out on these words so sweet. The reality is, . . . these thoughts are difficult to speak,  in truth and honesty.

The Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, He knows my heart, He sees. He knows and understands the wrestling.

As a child, I want to open up my voice. Will you join me? Not reluctantly, but the best we can today, faith-fully:

“Open my eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus. To reach out and touch You, And say that I love You. 
Open my ears, Lord, and help me to listen. Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus.
To mean these words, with all my heart, soul, and mind, I need help from Him, but I believe. Help me grow to believe more, . . .

In His time.
In His time.
He makes all things beautiful,
In His time.
Lord, please show me everyday,
As You’re teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say
In Your time.
Lord, our lives to You we bring
May each song we have to sing
Be to You a lovely thing
In Your time.”
I never thought a worship leader could lead with a pen. But I hope and pray that I have put a song on your heart to sing to Him.
“Dear Lord, Open my, (our) ears, open my, (our) eyes, help me, (us) to trust that You will make all things beautiful, in Your time. In Jesus name, I, (we) pray, Amen.”

The Best Gift I Can Give to My Kids

The best gift I can give to my kids, is first and foremost, to remind them, they are His.

The Creator of all the beauty they see. The Father, the Son, The Holy Spirit will continually speak. And when their hearts believe, God is pleased.  Hearts soft and open, have eyes to receive.

Jesus is not only the giver of light and life, He is Light.

Jesus is not only the giver of life, He is Life.

Jesus is not only the giver of bread, He is Bread.

He is LORD. He is above the rest.

So, the best gift I can give my kids today, is to faithfully, and honorably, live and believe all this, but also, . . .

show them moment by moment, with all of my heart, faithful and honorable love for their dad. Yes, I believe the best gift today, that I can give our kids, is love and grace for the dad-of-all-dads.

I want to please God.

He says to me, “love.”

I fail miserably time and time again, but each new day, He says, “My mercies are new. S e e k Me.”
And He watches me fall. He watches me miss. And He forgives me new, as each day, His face I seek.
And He says to me, “Now . . .
do that for others, as they miss the mark too. Offer grace. Offer forgiveness. Be patient and kind. Remember Me, and abide.”

And kids, you watch me, day after day, so easily offer this as I go on my way. But it is hard stuff to do as I walk through our front door. It is hard to honor and offer grace to the very one, that I said to God “I Do, for all of my days.” And for this, daily, I seek His grace.

How I miss the mark and fall flat on the floor.
(Forgive me, Mike.)

Forgive me kids.

I want to do a better job at offering love and all of this.

So I seek the Lord and He fills and supplies. He is our Lord. He is the One we will both lift up our eyes.

So, I will start this all off with the word: Remember.

It is good to look at pictures of beginnings, that we might reminisce. And kids, I sure hope you spend time praying for us both, as we need your prayers that we might faithfully keep our oath.

That we continue to bring glory to our Lord and our King. And that we love each other, day after day, faithfully. Etched on the inside of my wedding ring, you find the name Mike. His, has the name, Toni. We do well thinking on and remembering these things.

I love you kids. I give you a gift. A promise that I will give it my best, day in and day out to faithfully and honorably love your dad.

“Gory to God in the Highest. And on earth, peace and good will to all men.” Amen.

Holidays can bring inside rain. The Remedy?

Holidays. Family plans. Thoughts of giving and sharing—overwhelm. Memories. The good, and the bad—stir up at times, a storm.
Christmas lights and music. Christmas movies and food. Along-side of  family needs, and neighbors’ crisis, and attacks of  the enemy. We are tempted to break down like a blown fuse.

Light vanishes. Darkness makes its move. Feelings and tired nerves leave heavy judgments to dis-prove. Busy-ness and time crunches cloud up our Holiday mood.
Then a song comes from no-where. A song to turn my head. I see the words and I read them. As if, God says, “Think on this, instead:

‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.'”

Oh, how the Lord loves us. He is a present help in times of need. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are active and alive. God again and again, saves me, He saves us from life’s oppression.

He saves me from my self. From my doubt. He lifts my head to see. He uses words of old hymns and familiar melody. Somehow, it’s a mystery. God transforms me. O let the hymnal sing:

“O soul are you weary and troubled. No light in the darkness to see. There’s a light for a look at the Savior and life more abundant and free”

“Thro’ death into life everlasting, He passed and we follow Him there. Over us sin no more hath dominion. For more than conquerors we are!”

It’s as if a wave of hope comes upon me. Everything inside begins to breathe. Words and music, and new songs begin to flow. God’s Holy Spirit directs my heart to sing. Time and time again:

“Fall on your knees, O hear, the angel voices, O night divine, O night , when Christ was born. O night divine, O night . . . when Christ was born.”

It is night for so many. It is a time of great dismay. But, Christ is born. Right here, right now! He is come to be our help this day.

“His word shall not fail you, He’s promised.

Believe Him and all will be well.

And go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell.”

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,. . . 

He’s the lifter of our head. He’s the light, the hope of heaven. He is our Immanuel.

When my God seems small . . .

When my God seems small, I need to stop. To behold. To take time. To look and read.

Then the Bible reminds me:

I Am that I Am.

The Creator. Provider. King of all Kings.
I Am in the heavens, the oceans, the grass, and the air. I AM Spirit. Evidence of Me is seen everywhere.

I Am Father. I Am Son. I Am Holy Spirit, Elohim.

I Am one God, but three. I Am great mystery.

Do you doubt? Are you confused?

I Am greater than any darkness that surrounds.

I Am God Almighty. I Am God Most High.

Open My Book, that you might be touched by My Light.

Are you cold? Encompassed by darkness and sharp, noisy sounds?  Or is it  a silence that follows you around?

I Am the Light of the world. I warm the heart. From death to life. I Am able to revive.

Believe Me now. Is there still delay? My grace is sufficient to be all you need, to bring a new start. I Am Who I say. I Am faithful.

I Am forever the same.

Are you hungry?

I Am the Bread of Life.

Come to Me and devour My Word. My Word is True.

I promise comfort and deliverance.

Ask, seek, and knock. I Am the Door, Come to Me. I will open.

I will answer you.
You are more than body. I gave you spirit inside.

Call My name,. . .

“Jesus.”

I Am here.

I am Immanuel, “God with us,” the Christ Child.

I Am a present help in trouble, I Am by your side.

Faith is believing.

Faith breaks through this moment of time.

I Am able to turn water . . .to wine.

I Am spiritual Bread.

Spiritual Light.

Spiritual day to help you endure your night.

I will sustain you, strengthen you, help you and hold. Believe Me?
This moment. Be Still and Behold.

I Am the good Shepherd. I gave my life for my sheep. I can see you. I hear all of your cries. Let deep cry to deep.

Faith believes I AM the Way. I AM the Truth. Faith is experiencing time and time again, that  I Am life. I Am the Resurrection.

I Am the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning the end. I Am gracious,
compassionate, slow to anger, . . .

I no longer call you servant. I now call you, friend.

This, and so much more than you can comprehend, this is,
Who I Am.

“And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14).

“I am the bread of life.He who comes to Me shall never hunger” (John 6:35).

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”), (Matthew 1:23).

“I am the door” (John 10:9).

“I am the true vine” (John 15:1).

 
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

“I am the resurrection and the life”(John 11:25).

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you,” (John 15:15).

Your Faithfulness Reaches to the Clouds, Ps. 36:5

Your mercy, O LORD is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds, Psalm 36:5.
This Word makes me look up. Something happens inside, yet outside nothing changes.

I’m stirred, something’s awakened. My heaviness is pushed off,  my soul is lifted to  new heights.

I can believe again.

I can see something not seen. My heart still beats. My lungs still breathe.
I’m restored enough to dream.

By faith, I’m moved from strife and unrest, to hope, and a peace that goes beyond my comprehensiveness.

Your mercy, O LORD is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds, Psalm 36:5 proves to resuscitate my being.

Curious, I seek to find, “What is the rest?” Though the dark clouds remain, I ask God, speak now to my brokenness:

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
    before their eyes.

 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.

 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
    they fail to act wisely or do good.
 Even on their beds they plot evil;

    they commit themselves to a sinful course
    and do not reject what is wrong.

 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.

 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.

    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
 They feast on the abundance of your house;

    you give them drink from your river of delights.
 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light, Psalm 36:1-9.

His unfailing Word speaks deep and  through time.

Faith pours in me. As water fills an empty vessel. I ask of the Lord, “Increase my faith. Help me feel Your healing touch. O God of the heavens, help me look up at the clouds, and in You, fully trust.”

This is the way, walk in it.

Moving furiously to draw me away, from You, O God, I cry.

Distractions and needless attractions and vices move to catch my eye.

And what about Fear, who continuously lurks nearby?

And Doubt, his best friend who endlessly tempts me to trust only in me, myself, and I?

What a whirlwind of destruction and deception and such. In circles, ever appearing—giant waves of human-ness!

But God, He’s the same. There is none like Him.
He’s able.

His mercy has no end.

He loves not like men.

But I forget . . . unless His Word is on my table!

The stories, the history, God’s provision, the songs. God proclaims salvation from the beginning. His heart . . . so longs:

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said,

“Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea.

“Silence!” He commanded.

“Be still!”

And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 4:37-40, tells a story for me, and you? “Do you still have no faith? . . . Why are you so afraid?” 

“Forgive me O God. May I continually seek Your unfailing aid. Give me an ear to hear Your voice in the morning. May I, in awe and wonder, faith-fully  obey.
And may I remember You and Your powerful Word. May I not forget, time and time again, that You are ever with me, that You are,
my Lord.”

 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more;

with your own eyes you will see them. 

 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, . . .

“This is the way; walk in it,” Isaiah 30:20,21.

Snapshots of Thankfulness to God through my doubts and confusion

I am thankful. Thankful to God, because He hears our cries for mercy.

But first, I must confess a snapshot of yesterday morning.

One of disappointment, confusion, stress, and unrest.

Yes, ultimately, I wasn’t disappointed about circumstances or people, (but, consciously, I might of thought myself to be), but because I truly believe the Lord is in control and that everything that happens is “filtered through the Father’s fingers,”

I need to be flat out honest here, in all reality, my anger and disappointment was toward God.

I believe in God. But yesterday morning, every ounce of my being was in warfare. I was fighting a battle in my mind, and my heart, I suppose, as I woke to face a challenging day.

Just do the next thing, words I remembered from Elisabeth Elliot came to mind, so I opened God’s Word,  in Psalm 34 in my rough state of being:

I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; . . .

I couldn’t find a song. It’s as if it were lost. I felt I was dangling in an ocean’s depths with seaweed around my neck.

In this snapshot of  my moments of confusion and doubt, I felt as if trying to believe His word, but as in a dream, unable to reach the destination.

Trying to find some solid foundation,  but the seaweed of confusion had me sunk below the surface.

“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears, . . .” 
More like, ” I fought the LORD, and doubt had silenced my cry.”

I read on in Psalm 34, but I was unable to grasp anything to bring rest and peace to my heart.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!

There is no want to those who fear Him.
 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;

But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

Because of circumstance, I was sinking in unbelief. I later sent texts for prayer.
I called a family member who knows me—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Prayers to our God were given.

The next snapshot of the day, is the struggle to breathe in and out through activity and interaction, minute by minute, hour after hour.  And, all the while, fighting inside to find the air of Peace, and Truth, and Comfort, and Joy.

Just do the next thing . . . this thought, my only motivation.
But, in hectic and schedule, I walked through a door. His hand picked me up. His arms took hold of my weak flesh. He turned my lack into abundance.
God did.
The very One whom I was disappointed in before.

God reached out and touched my sinking heart by hands from . . . the Church. 
The Snapshot: People pooled together in energy ignited by the Lord, (because He did hear my cries. God does hear our voice.)  Out of the ocean’s depths of sorrow, I was picked up in an instant.

Immediately, lifted from heaviness to light was I.

So, this morning I write. “Thank you God for Your faithful love and grace. And Thank you Lord for Your hands touching me through the Church. Dear Lord, help us remember and believe past our unbelief:

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry . . .
 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.

 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all,

I believe You dear Lord, and I thank You for Your Word, and the loving hands of Your Church.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed. 

To Psalm 34, the Lord’s faithfulness, and the Love of the Church, I say this new morning, Amen.”

The Snapshot: Joy.

 

Yes, I make mention of the enemy of mankind. His days are numbered. We must keep that in mind . . .

We believer’s in God are instructed to “pray in Jesus’ name.” And we do to bind the work of the enemy  each and every day.

We pray for God who is greatest to bind this enemy—the deceiver, the lier, the father of lies, the hater, the stealer, the destroyer of mankind.

Lucifer by name, was cast out of heaven. This story is not made up in some fairy-tale book. It’s found in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Chapter 12 in the Revelation’s Book. Ask, seek, and knock as you search . . .
and look.

He was cast out by God and sent to earth. He is on earth twisting words, bringing pain, destroying. In lives, deceptions . . .
he births.

He wants everyone to believe he doesn’t exist. His name can’t even be mentioned. He’s deceived the world that God is to blame for all of this!

But God so loved the word that He sent down His Son. Jesus told us in this world we would have tribulation. Satan is working to deceive the whole world, . . .
but Jesus came.

The very Word.
To lay down His life.
Whoever believes—receives . . . eternal life. He is Lord.

Heaven is the place we will call home.

We are simply passing through.

Created by God in this broken world to do one great thing—and that . . . to proclaim His name.

So, the deceiver, the hater of all of mankind has done his job to make sure the Book is closed. He paints his pictures throughout the earth with pointing fingers, brining guilt, or prideful poses.

But God is not anxious. God does not pace. From the Beginning in Genesis to the End in His Word, God’s Rescue Plan is proclaimed. Yes, Satan will bruise the heal of the Lord, . . .

But God has crushed the serpent’s head, and his numbered days have been told.
Warning, warning! The alarm must no longer be on snooze. ARISE, the Gospel message was sent. We need this Good News.

Everyone on this earth is loved by God. Get your eyes up, and your heart humbled, and soft. Stop pointing fingers. Let your focus be Him.

Read His word. Satan’s days are about to come to an end.

Satan is cast out of heaven. Sent down to earth to deceive. But God . . .

is on the throne.

His arms are opened wide. He gives wisdom, and healing, and power, to all who receive.

Receive. Him. Receive Truth.
Read God’s Word. It is time to stop weeping. It is time to . . . Believe:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 

She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 

 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 

 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 

 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”

 And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 

 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

 Then war broke out in heaven.

Michael and his angels fought against the dragon,

 and the dragon and his angels fought back. 

 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 

 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,

    and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.

11 They triumphed over him
    by the blood of the Lamb

    and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.

 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
    and you who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,
    because the devil has gone down to you!

He is filled with fury,
    because he knows that his time is short.”

 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 

 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 

 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 

 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 

 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus,” Revelation 12:1-17.

 Where can we find the fall of Satan?

Isaiah 14:12-14. Ezekiel 28:14-18. Luke 10:18. Revelation 12:3-4. Revelation 12:9.

Read. Read God’s Word—that you might have ability to see and understand.

Pray without ceasing at this time, in our dark day.

The Light is coming. Our King is on His way.

After great storm, a house on a rock stands firm.

Thanksgiving comes, with gatherings and planning. But for many, it’s a time where memories bring pain. Loss has occurred and the year has brought rain. Rains that came down hard, loss that has brought bleeding-heart pain.

An old story comes to mind about a house built on the rock. Who told the story? Why is it coming to mind?  Because the Holy Spirit lives in me, and He cares, and He’s kind. His job is to point me to Jesus, and . . .
remind.

So I looked it up in Google, for a quick concordance: “the story of the man who built his house on the rock.”

And it gave me the passage in Matthew Chapter 7.
The story is told by Jesus, Himself. From the Book that is worthy to pulled daily from the shelf:

 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 

 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall,

because it had its foundation on the rock. 

 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice

is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 

 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27. 

Now that the rains have hit heavily on “this house,” this old story has richness and  great hope in it’s meaning. But then I think, “what are these words of mine, that Jesus taught? So, hunger is there to read the entire Chapter Seven.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Jesus’ words spoken so long ago. How they have meaning and instruction for me, today, as I go. Matthew Chapter 7, is building material for us, that we might make the choice. Will it be sand, or the Rock?

All I know, building on the Rock is a daily choice. Not some little decision I made way back when with my strong, confident voice.

So, I read on, carefully, slow and steady, with a new understanding that the choice to build on the Rock is hard and heavy:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

I’m reminded today, of the Golden Rule. I didn’t know that building my house on the Rock includes this!

“Oh God, bless me, that I might hear and not make for myself excuses!”
Jesus speaks on instructing in Chapter Seven, that we might have good understanding of what is a Rock Foundation:

 “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.”

There is more. A rock foundation is important,  Jesus warns:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 

 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 

Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit,

but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 

 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,

and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 

 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

We can inspect fruit. Yes, this is not judging, per-se. We may recognize fruit and the lack of it. This is important today.

 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,

 but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

 Many will say to me on that day,‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Whoever builds their house on these words will go through rains, and storms and all. But God is a Foundation, steadfast and sure, and He will deliver us through it all. His Word is true. I will pray, and you?

“I need You Jesus. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. We trust in your Word. Lord make us ready. Today, tomorrow, every waking day, to not make the choice to build our house on the sand, but to do “hard things,” and hear You, and build our house on the Rock that will stand.”
Amen, and amen.

a prayer for the morning

Today, Lord God, give me a teachable heart. Let my mind bend and not be fixed and stubborn.
Give me willingness, that I might listen.

Teach me honor. What it means to honor You, my Father in heaven. What is honor to mother and father and family, or those who most closely watch over me?

Your Book is not all honey, it brings light to my faults. May I make changes toward harmony. Search me and show me where to start.

Take the critical and bitterness out. Season the words from my mouth . . . with salt.
Teach me to put other’s interests and ideas above my own. Minute by minute, I can’t do this alone.

Make me to lie down, and discover Your pastures, they are sufficient for me. To Be still and know “true love.” Give me sight that I might “see”
that perhaps, I need to make things right.

To turn around in my ways and consider Your broken heart. Today. Today, let me walk in a new light.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Mold me into a vessel for Your glory and not mine. As well watered clay, transform me . . . by Your love.

Help me live this day, as if it were my last day in earthly time . . .

In Jesus name, Amen. Hear my morning prayer, again, and again.

Psalm 51: 1-15, to be read aloud, that we might hear with our ears, the sounds, and let God’s love abound:

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
    and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
    you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
    and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
    you who are God my Savior,
    and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.