Tag: Bible

Mysterious Trials? Let’s Praise Through the Battle with Psalm 139:

When the kids were young, we set out to memorize Psalm 139. Many years have passed and this Psalm is a continual “present help” to me in times of trial.

So, I wrote a song to sing in my heart when life seemed cloudy and dark. It’s called for now, “My Psalm 139 Song.” My in the title was to imply a personal connection for anyone who “sings” this song in heart and mind, or aloud with voice.

Do you have a mysterious trial you are walking through? Are you suffering from a physical ailment? Are you suffering loss and pain?

If I say, “Surely, the darkness shall fall on me, even the night will shine as day around me. The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

On You, I wait and pray. Your Word I hear and Praise . . . “

The Kanagy kids challenged themselves to learn My Psalm 139 Song, (and what a great job they did. Thank you, girls!)

If you need a song of comfort and hope from the Lord, pray this in your heart and mind. And better yet, play it so much you can sing it through your day!

My Psalm 139 Song, by Toni Rypkema

Let me know if the truths from God’s Word ministered to you today:

Psalm 139, NKJV:

God’s Perfect Knowledge of Man

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

139 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You [a]comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book, they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you [i]bloodthirsty men.
20 For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Just One Light Then Two, then Gloriously New!

What the world needs now . . .

Have you ever been to a “Candlelight Service?” The darkened room is changed by one lit candle. The light is then shared with another, then another.

Within a minute, the darkness is overcome by the light that continues to expand to transform the atmosphere into glorious!

Any description is shallow and flat, as a picture’s view of the ocean’s edge or a two-dimensional firework display.

To be present and witness the absence of light then the growing glow of illumination is like “seeing” Love with the eyes and all the senses.

Immediately, the heart is touched by the solution. “Yes, what the world needs now is Love.”

Child-like faith is ignited. Hearts melt. Eyes witness darkness to light. Hope shines in the atmosphere.

The true and living God is our only hope.

“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light” Genesis 1:2,3.

God’s Word sparks faith. Faith is sight to God’s grace poured out in the light.

The voice of Jesus is heard in each open heart. Without a sound, only expanding light.

“Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God” Mark 10:27, NLT.

First, the darkness.

But one lit candle speaks: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord,” Luke 2:11.

And the reminder:

But, “He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” Isaiah 53:3.

Jesus suffered and died.

For me. He took all my sin, failure, and guilt on the cross and suffered my punishment.

But as light fills the room, the nature of God sings: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness” Psalm 103:8.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16.

The expanding light is as a voice we can hear, “I am the light of the world” John 8:12.

God’s Word is illuminated to all who are open to His Spirit, “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen” Matthew 28:6.

The dark atmosphere transformed to light gives the opportunity and choice to respond,

“Yes, Lord, God. I receive Your light, Your love, Your grace, Your life. Your kingdom come into my life today. Take my hard, selfish heart and give me a new soft and tender heart. Transform me. I desperately need You!”

In Jesus’ name, our hope and light of the world.

Tonirypkema Bible Songs 1. Thanks, Irelyn and Graham!

Sometimes an Anchor

Sometimes, it’s important to put down an anchor when the boat is fighting strong winds, turbulent waves, and moving off course.

We need anchors for our soul through turbulence, as well. Instead of reaching for something new, it’s powerful to reach for something old, tried, true through the course of time.

I’m talking about an old hymnal.

Voice of Praise Published 1947 by Broadman Press

I bought this old treasure at an antique store for $5.00. To me, it’s worth thousands or more.

Why?

Because each of these old spiritual songs and hymns has me think on things upright, noble, full of goodness, and true. These trustworthy thoughts wash my chaotic mind, . . . immediately.

Instantly, these songs of praise lift me above my circumstance, and hope and truth set me free.

Find a hymnal! Open its pages. Read aloud the rich, solid words.

When I open the pages and read titles and phrases, I’m changed.

Doxology & Crown Him with Many Crowns!

The first page of this treasure, Voice of Praise by Broadman Press, 1947 calms my raging mind with Crown Him with Many Crowns by Matthew Bridges and Doxology by Thomas Ken.

As the “nations rage and the people plot in vain” (Psalm 2),

We can regain focus on God through the rock, solid words of faith, hope, and truth in an old hymnal:

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.

Immediate refocus on the King of kings this anchor of hymns brings:
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless king
through all eternity.

It’s true, if I think about the world and all its affairs without the proper balance of meditation on the Lord, I’m sunk in despair, sadness, and gloom. But this hymn of praise anchors my soul to remember, my life, no matter what, is in His hands:

Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o’er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;

He came to save all who would believe in the name of Jesus Christ. And for all who receive His great love and salvation:


his glories now we sing
who died and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

What glorious assurance this hymn of praise brings, “the death” of death.

This is why every believer can sing the Doxology with all their heart in the power of the Spirit:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Thomas Ken.)

If you haven’t received Jesus in your life. He’s only a prayer away. He did the work on the cross. He paid each of our debts on the cross. You can be free and forgiven when you believe in Jesus. Talk with Him today. Open a hymnal, read the Bible and grow in His love and grace.

For those of us who believe, let’s keep our anchors in praise and focus on the Word of God.

Jesus is the anchor of our souls. Now. And forever. And, forever is a long time!

(My granddaughter had fun with some watercolors. I added some “notes” from my hymnal.)

“Dear Lord, keep of focused to praise You, in Jesus name. Amen.”

Toddler’s paint and notes to praise!

I pray today is the first day of the rest of your “eternal” life! Let someone know if you have asked Jesus to come into your life to make you new, today.

“Our bodies had no rest, we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. But God,”

Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:4-7 of hard times when they came to Macedonia—outside conflicts, inside fears.

“But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us . . . ”

We live in desperate times. Hearts around the world are broken and hurting today. Do we know the true and living God?

Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:4-6, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

Do you believe in Jesus? Do you have faith in God’s Word?

These are everlasting life or everlasting separation-from-God questions. Yes, these are heavy and important questions for this day in which we live.

Open the Bible in the Gospels and walk with Jesus to see and know Him more. Draw near to Him. He will draw near to You. If you don’t know Him, cry out to Him, He will show you His paths of life.

He is faithful to hear the cries of whoever will call on His name in spirit and truth.

There’s an old hymn, “Anywhere with Jesus.” Written in 1887 by Jessie Brown Pounds. She had turned her eyes to Jesus and opened her heart to His love, salvation, and power of His Holy Spirit.

No circumstance could change her home, because her home was in Jesus.

Consider Jesus today if you feel your steps are only harsh, dark, and without hope. Consider these words of truth from 150 years ago.

With the Spirit of God abiding in our heart, no matter the circumstance, we can proclaim:

Anywhere with Jesus, I can safely go;
Anywhere He leads me in this world below;
Anywhere without Him, dearest joys would fade;
Anywhere with Jesus, I am not afraid.

Refrain:
Anywhere! anywhere!
Fear I cannot know;
Anywhere with Jesus, I can safely go.

Anywhere with Jesus, I am not alone;
Other friends may fail me, He is still my own;
Though His hand may lead me over dreary ways,
Anywhere with Jesus is a house of praise. (Refrain)

Anywhere with Jesus, I can go to sleep,
When the darkening shadows round about me creep;
Knowing I shall waken never more to roam,
Anywhere with Jesus will be home, sweet home. (Refrain)

Together, let’s speak in a hymn and keep a heart of praise, because “Anywhere with Jesus, I am not alone, . . . Anywhere with Jesus will be home, sweet home.”

If you need prayer today, please communicate with me. We can cast all our care on Jesus because He cares and He’s able to help in all times of need.

Toni

toniryp@gmail.com

The Day I Was Diagnosed With Cancer

After my cancer diagnosis, I began to write. This is from August 17, 2010. I’m thankful to be alive and give praise to the Lord today.

His Word helped keep me . . . this day . . . thankful. And He brought the help I needed with each and every moment, through my anger, my doubts, my fears, my sickness . . . He did.

On the day I found out I was to face a cancer battle, this was the Word of the Lord to me.

I hope this will be an encouragement to anyone going through some difficult times:

Bible Journal Along the way

Date: August 17, 2010

Today I was diagnosed with an invasive lobular, 5×7 cm- estrogen positive cancer tumor of the breast.

I have breast cancer.

In the evening, I opened my Bible to one of my favorite verses so I could see it on the page:

Jeremiah 33:3, Call unto Me and I will answer, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not of.

So, I decided to go off my Bible schedule and read Jeremiah today.

While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time:

“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name:

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” Jeremiah 33:1-3.

The Bible tells us that “the word of the LORD came to him a second time.” I’m encouraged. Jeremiah heard these words not once, but twice, from the Creator of the Universe, the Most High God, the LORD:

“Call to me and I will answer you. . .”

“I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

My ears are open. It seems in great affliction, the heart is ready to hear. I kept reading:

For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword in the fight with the Babylonians . . .

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security” Jeremiah 33:4-6.

This was the Word of God to Jeremiah concerning Judah and Israel, but on a day when you find out you have cancer and you open God’s Word . . .

it speaks of a tearing down against an enemy!

This is good news to my heart. My soul can breathe.

I can trust God. If He can do this for Judah and Israel, I can believe God to heal me.

I need faith for this battle. The Word of God will help increase my faith. 

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”

“Dear Lord, I call to You. Show me great and mighty things through this trial. Give me understanding to Your Word. Help me believe! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the LORD. 12

I am a survivor. The Lord has done great things for me, and I praise Him each day for life today.

Please let me know if you are going through a great trial so I can be praying for you.

Thanks,

Toni

Notebook Praises Plus (a bit of) My Cancer Story

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men,” (people). “The Lord is at hand” Philippians 4:4,5.

tonirypkema.com

Today.

Yesterday.

Moving forward.

I can take joy in the Lord. I can’t always have joy in my circumstances, the weather, my location, or my past, but I can always take joy in the Lord.

He alone is good.

He’s holy. Perfect in all His ways. He’s the lover of our souls. Patient, gracious, slow to anger, kind. The Lord God Almighty.

He’s completely trustworthy, yet at times, hard for me to trust. If it wasn’t for His Word, my thoughts would believe He’s the opposite of all He is.

He allows great trial, confusion, pain.

Do I believe Him when everything falls apart?

His Word tells me He knows my name. Do I believe this in the moments when I can barely remember my own?

He hears the worries I have, my cries, my tears.

But doubt sometimes floods my being to bring me down as a sickness.

My faith fails, (past, present, and future), yet God remains faithful and true. No matter what.

“You’ve got cancer.”

My diagnosis, not someone else. This was trial number three, not one.

I lost faith, became afraid, yet in the fight, my sister told me, “Toni, the people who keep faith do best.”

Where else could I go? I looked to the Lord.

He helped me through my failures and gave me the strength to trust Him, (one day at a time) with eleven healthy, full-term births, and four miscarriages along the way.

The Lord upheld my marriage, year after year for better, worse, sickness, health, richer, and poorer.

The trials opened my eyes to the presence of the Lord, His keeping power and grace. Only one set of footprints could be found in the sand. Jesus carried me with compassion, grace, and love that bore all my “stuff.”

He brought “prayer warriors,” from all over the map. Food, gifts for the kids, desserts, cards, phone calls . . . the Lord was a present help. He was with me. He brought family, friends, songs, hymns, His Word.

I put all my eggs in one basket. The Jesus basket.

Cancer opened my eyes to many failures and sicknesses in my heart. When we pray prayers like, “Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting,” you better believe, God will answer. (Psalm 139:23,24).

Cancer gave me more than it took away, it gave me an increased faith in the true and living God.

After my third chemo treatment, I came home feeling very sick. The sickness was to begin in a day and a half, not an hour and a half. The kids were spending time with a neighbor.

Laying down on the couch, eyes closed, I felt death in my bone marrow.

My body was rocked hard with the chemo. It wasn’t used to anything meds, ever. Not even for childbirth! But, fighting cancer, . . . I did the chemo.

Did they give me too much Adriamycin?

Shouldn’t I be seeing lights? It’s so dark. I thought I was going to die. Darkness was there, but then . . .

I had a vision. (I know you’ll think I’m crazy,) but a door opened in the darkness and light came through.

Two, healed, but nail-pierced hands stretched out of the open door. Then words (which I had read thousands of times from my favorite children’s book by Glen Keane), came to mind:

“Not all know Me as their King.”

That was it.

This was huge!

I had the assurance I was to live. But even more.

The Lord enlisted me in His army. He gave me work to do.

Weeks later, when I was strong enough to return to church, a guest Missionary pastor highlighted on the screen a verse from Philippians 1:25,26.

“And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ . . . “

Again, the Lord was speaking, “Toni, you’re going to make it through this horrible sickness and multiple trials, but you will now share joy and faith in My name with others.”

Yes, “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I will say, rejoice!”

I will never be ashamed to share the Good News of the One who has saved my life for salvation and every continuing day on this thorny earth.

While I have my being, I’m living for Jesus. He’s the only One Who truly, completely, perfectly Loves. (Period).

Jesus loves me, you, every human being on this planet. We all need Him.

This is not a religion. This is life, hope, peace, and love. This is what the world needs . . .

Do you know Jesus as your King? Perhaps the time is now.

Beautiful Messes bring Gracious Messages

God is good. All the time.

It’s not easy to get all the Ryps together these days, but we were all together in 2018. We’ve grown, changed, experienced great challenges in each of our lives, (as has everyone in the entire world).

We’ve added two amazing grandchildren to our number to bring unimaginable joy to all of us.

We are family.

The Ryps. Nick & Mandy. Carolyn & Patrick. Anneliese, Emily, Jared & Anastasia, Dave, Toni & Mike, Liz, Grace, Chris, Matthew, and Jonathan, (bottom).

And Christmas 2019:

No photo description available.
Picture from Christmas 2019. Toni, Mike, Chris, Anneliese, Carolyn & Patrick, Liz, Matthew, Jonathan, Emily, baby Reese, Sarah, Dave, Grace, Anastasia & Jared, baby Emeril, minus Nick and Mandy.

This mom and dad are little in this world. But, we trusted God in the beginning, 35 years ago and continue to trust Him now.

Our testimony has moments of faltered faith through many battles, but God in His grace and compassion always remained and remains faithful. We believe God’s Word:

Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15.

We love family pictures because they proclaim the victory and goodness of God: Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness Exodus 34: 6.

Trusting the Lord with our family was an unpopular thought, even back in the day, when our marriage began in 1986. To many it speaks of irresponsible behavior. “Get Mike a TV!” We would often hear as a joke, even amongst believers.

Each child was the Lord’s precious plan. God knew that Mike and I weren’t able, but “in Him,” all things are possible. Mike and I covenanted in marriage and in heart to the Lord. We were to trust Him, no matter what.

We didn’t want to be everything to our children, we wanted them to know Jesus, He is everything! We taught them in God’s Word and His way, and do our best to live as witnesses to His faithfulness each day:

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:7-9.

Don’t we remind ourselves and live this as a testimony to our families?

Mike and I failed often, but God never did.

We were weak, but He had a hold of us: for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’Acts 17:8.

We’ve been through “better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and health,” and we will see our marriage “’till death do us part.”

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 15:57.

We will sing today as in the beginning, “In our lives Lord, be glorified, be glorified, today.”

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others   . . . If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.  

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5: 11, 13, 14, 15.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord!

“Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Family.

Beautiful messes.

Each brings witness to God’s gracious message, “I loved you first,” love Jesus.

“Give us all a genuine encounter with You, dear Lord. That we might view our world through Your eyes. Help us not miss the glorious and precious. In Jesus’ name. Amen.“

Be Still

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth” Psalm 57:11.

God, the Creator of heaven and earth, our holy Father says to those who have ears to hear His voice today: “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.

 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved;
He shall judge the peoples righteously”Psalm 96:10.

For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary” Psalm 96:4,5,6.

Active worship brings victory over anxiety.

We will lift our eyes vertical instead of horizontal. We will seek His face. We cry out for mercy, justice, truth, provision, and protection. And we worship Him:

 “Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth” Psalm 96:7-9.

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; . . .

For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.

He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth” Psalm 96:11-13.

Amen! We will be still. God is faithful. Speak aloud

 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and give praise . . .

I will awaken the dawn” Psalm 57:7,8.

Amen. We will worship while we wait.

We will overcome, because Jesus has overcome.

In His name we pray, Amen.

The Final Answer

Can we be angry and humble at the same time? Can justice be found without anger? Where is the love we all long for? Can forgiveness be complete?

Today, our eyes witness evil. That is an absolute we can agree on.

“Justice,” is the people’s cry in the streets. This is a two way street that is an absolute .

Love is planted deep in the heart of every human. Family is a place to often see it grow.

Forgiveness is an absolute necessity and a great need.

“Where in the world do evil, justice, love and forgiveness converge at one point in history?” Ravi Zacharias concluded his talk at a United Nations Prayer Breakfast.

We know evil exists. We seek justice. We’re hungry for love. Forgiveness is needed. “Can I take you to a hill on Calvary and show you the person of Jesus Christ.”

Ravi, who has recently gone home to be with the Lord after a short but painful battle with a rare bone cancer stated, “Deep in my heart, I believe there are no other answers apart from the person of Jesus Christ.”

He shows us evil, taken on himself. He was the just and justifier who loved us so greatly that He prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”

What’s truth? Where’s God in all this suffering and pain?

Ravi Zacharias shared thoughts by James Stewart of Scotland:

“It is a glorious phrase of the New Testament, that ‘he led captivity captive.’ 

The very triumphs of His foes, it means, he used for their defeat.

He compelled their dark achievements to subserve his end, not theirs.

They nailed him to the tree, not knowing that by that very act they were bringing the world to his feet.

They gave him a cross, not guessing that he would make it a throne.

They flung him outside the gates to die, not knowing that in that very moment they were lifting up all the gates of the universe, to let the King of Glory come in.

They thought to root out his doctrines, not understanding that they were implanting imperishably in the hearts of men the very name they intended to destroy.

They thought they had defeated God with His back the wall, pinned and helpless and defeated: they did not know that it was God Himself who had tracked them down.

He did not conquer in spite of the dark mystery of evil. He conquered through it.”(James Stewart, October 17, 2012).

We seek peace in the midst of evil. We pray for justice. We desperately need love and forgiveness . . .

There are many questions.

Jesus Christ laid down His life us. He paid our debt in full on the cross at Calvary. He rose from the dead. And He lives today. Does He live in our heart, today?

The final answer? The Gospel:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.

A New Day to Trust and Obey, Again

The past is the seasoned instruction manual.

Today is here. We often start well, and then, well . . . the night often takes away our song.

But the Word is good news to the weary soul. God’s love is higher than man’s. His love is steadfast with mercies that never end: 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness”Lamentations 3:22,23.

When our desire is to believe God greater, and know Him with more depth of understanding, seek Him with thirst and hunger, and experience His blessing,

are we surprised when we find ourselves, “poor in spirit,” or in a place of mourning? What did Jesus tell the multitudes on the hill that day? What is Jesus telling me, this day . . . Matthew 5, in a New Living Translation: 

“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.”
 
(This day, I join an ancient crowd that gathered. Today, I ask God to help me hear what the Spirit says to me. Join me?)
 
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
 
God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
 
God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
 
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
 
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
 
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
 
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
 
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs”  Matthew 5: 1-10.

 

We pray for His kingdom to come. We ask for mercy, comfort, vision.

But what of our hearts? The old hymn reminds us to sing:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

But it’s not all sunshine and roses. The thorns line the stem of the flower’s glorious face. Jeremiah was a prophet of God. He did the good will of God and . . . wrote of his experience:

I am the man who has seen affliction
    by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.
He has driven me away and made me walk
    in darkness rather than light;
 indeed, he has turned his hand against me
    again and again, all day long.

 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
    and has broken my bones.
 He has besieged me and surrounded me
    with bitterness and hardship.
 He has made me dwell in darkness
    like those long dead Jeremiah 3:1-6.

The desperate story continues, but something happens in the reading. All of a sudden, I can see more than Jeremiah and my own loss and toils, I see Jesus. Yes, He is the One I see . . .

 

He drew his bow
    and made me the target for his arrows.

 He pierced my heart
    with arrows from his quiver.

 I became the laughingstock of all my people;
    they mock me in song all day long.


 He has filled me with bitter herbs
    and given me gall to drink. Jeremiah 3:12-15.

If Jeremiah can remember the faithfulness of God through the hardship, and I see Jesus through the Word, how He suffered for me, and died for my shame, yet rose that I might have victory,

then the song, Trust and Obey now makes full sense. Yes, I can sing of His steadfast love because Jesus satisfied all that’s required of me.

“It is finished,” He said. I believe this today. Today, I’m complete, and my heart sings with greater understanding: 

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Today, I lay it all on the altar. And ask that He give me grace to trust and obey. And let us grow in our faith, as we sing along the way: 

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

He is our hope, today, yesterday, forever.

In Jesus, we can be made new, even right now: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 1 Corinthians 5:17.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

 

 

Will I? . . . Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth

 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
    for your love is more delightful than wine Song of Songs which is Solomon’s 1:2.

Will I allow the Creator of all that I am, come near me?

Even so personal, and intimate as a kiss.

And not on the cheek.

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” sings the Song of Songs.

Is this the Song above all others?

The greatest song our hearts can sing?

The ultimate song of surrender?

Can I believe that the Creator God of all the Universe and all that’s in it, desires time with me?

Only me?

Intimate and concerned with . . . me?

Perhaps doing hard things in life are more than huge tasks and difficult adventures.

Doing hard things might be . . . simply letting God love us.

You.

Me.

Being still to receive.

Will I?

Allow, authorize, commission, license, accede to, agree to, consent to . . .

God and His precious love for me?

Will I concede, grant, endure, and tolerate . . .

the kisses of His mouth, to my lips?

Will I?

It’s natural for my hurting heart to turn from, or hinder, impede, obstruct, censure, deny, disallow, disapprove, refuse, reject, revoke, suppress, and withhold.

Hurts permeate our souls. We’re broken.

Weak, with no energy to fight, God’s love endures. He patiently breaks through.

He suffers long through ages of time and rejection.

God’s love rises above envy and pride. He’s never provoked or rude as we so often are.

How can He bear all things?

How does He believe the best in each one He sees?

How can He hope all things for me? He remains steadfast. He never gives up on anyone. (1)

There is none like God. (2)

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” Song of Solomon 2: 1,2.

He gave His precious life, a red rose of Sharon, a tender lily among thorns of the cross.

Before I knew the beauty of the Lord, His love surrounded me.

“Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves eyes” Song of Solomon 1:15.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” Jeremiah 1:5.

He knows me. The good, the bad, the ugly.

He knows you too. Yet, He reaches out His arms to us.

“His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me” Song of Solomon 2:6. 

In His arms of love, there is no other place of peace.

“The voice of my beloved, behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills” Song of Solomon 2:8.

Mountains of trouble and strife are everywhere, but  he comes leaping on them, skipping up the hills.
Yes, He’s lover of my soul, and you?

“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
For your love is better than wine”

“Your name is ointment poured forth; . . .
Draw me away!” Song of Solomon 1:2,3,4.

Can we hear Him call?

“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come” Song of Solomon 2:10,11.

Yes, . . . we will.

(1) 1 Corinthians 13

(2) 2 Samuel 7:22

The Hard Stuff: Love your enemies? “Christ in us, our hope of glory”

An empty glove can’t move. But with a hand in it, the glove is fluid to move in marvelous ways.

What’s natural in human nature, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy” (Matthew 5:43), is evident all around.

But “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you?” this is hard stuff in Matthew 5:44.

What if Jesus could sit with us this morning and have our ear and our whole heart for a bit:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  

that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous Matthew 43-45.

Is there evidence of God in Christ Jesus in us? Are we “children of our Father in heaven,” (Matthew 5:45).

Do we love those who love us? Naturally, yes. This is easy. The Bible tells us that even tax collectors do that. 

But God calls us to impossible standards: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Matthew 5:48.

 There’s no way, nada. Especially if we’ve been deeply hurt, there is often no willingness. 

We can’t naturally love our enemy. We’re much like the glove with no hand.

Jesus said multiple times, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” Matthew 19:26.

“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believes” Mark 9:23.

“With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27. 

Who’s ready to believe big with me? Unity is what Jesus desires. Oneness of the Body of Christ, and salvation to the lost souls of the world. 

Time is short. Jesus is coming back again.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 
 
 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 
 
 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 
 
 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the worldJohn 17:21-24.
 

I want to believe God to work miracles of unity that “the world will know” that God sent His Son, and see that God loves everyone. His desire is that all should know Him and receive Salvation and grace in His name.

I want to believe in a revival of love and forgiveness one person at a time. 

This is big, but not too hard for God.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace Ephesians 1:7

If I don’t have a heart willing to forgive, God sees and He understands the struggle. He’s been hurt more than any human being through all of time, as He laid His life down at the cross.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” Luke 23:34.

How can we get to such a place? 

“Christ in us is our hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

He rose from the dead. Jesus is alive. 

Christ in me. . .  my only hope to love in a “perfect” way. 

The Potter adds the water of the Spirit and repairs dried-up clay to create a vessel fit for the Master’s use.

What’s impossible in ourselves, is possible in Him.

Let’s go to God for our “impossibles.” His hand in our empty gloves = possibility of amazing grace and His love spread in all dark places.

“So I say to you: 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 fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

 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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:9-13.

“We pray dear Lord, ‘let there be peace and love on this earth, and let it begin with me. You are our only hope. Christ in us, our hope of glory.’ In Jesus Name, Amen.”

 

Time to ponder: Corrie Ten boon

Increased faith  is gained by reading biographies.

The Hiding Place, written by Corrie Ten boon is one such biography.  This is a hard, but unforgettable read.  The suffering was great, but the testimony of God’s faithfulness shines bright in the darkness:

“You will never know that Christ is all you need until Christ is all you have,” Corrie Ten boon.

In The Hiding Place, Corrie writes of her family’s  capture by the Nazi’s. Taken abruptly from their home, they became prisoners for hiding Jewish friends during World War II.

I share a portion of her story here in hopes to increase faith for our own days here and now.

Corrie writes of a time confined into a cell of solitary confinement with endless amounts of time, stripped of everything. However, before confinement, Corrie gave credit to God, who was present in a nurse, who only had seconds but asked Corrie,

“Quick! Is there any way I can help you?”

Corrie’s quick response, “Yes, Oh yes. A Bible! Could you get me a Bible? And a needle and thread. And a toothbrush. And soap!”

Well, later Corrie did receive 2 small precious bars of soap and not an entire Bible, but little books of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

“I stepped inside. The door clanged behind me. The bolt was slammed shut . . . six steps long, two wide, a single cot at the back.

I must not let my thoughts run wildly; I must be very mature and very practical. Six steps. Sit down on the cot. This one reeked even worse than the other: he straw seemed to be fermenting. I reached for the blanket: someone had been sick on it. I thrust it away . . . at that moment the light bulb in the ceiling went out.

The cell was bitter cold, wind hammered against the wall. In the morning my fever was worse.”

But God was with her, and she had received the gospels, the Good News. Here is what she writes:

“As my health returned, I was able to use my eyes longer. I had been sustaining myself from my Scriptures a verse at a time; now like a starving man I gulped entire gospels at a reading, seeing whole magnificent drama of salvation.

And as I did, an incredible thought pricked the back of my neck. Was it possible that this—all of this that seemed so wasteful and so needless—this war, Scheveningen prison, this very cell, none of it was unforeseen or accidental?

Could it be part of the pattern first revealed in the Gospels? Hadn’t Jesus been defeated as utterly and unarguably as our little group and our small plans had been?

But . . . if the Gospels were truly the pattern of God’s activity, then defeat was only the beginning. I would look around at the bare little cell and wonder what conceivable victory could come from a place like this.” (The Hiding Place, pg.139).

Four months later, Corrie had a trial with a Lieutenant Rahms. With his true National Socialistic mentality, he remarked about Corrie’s family’s humanitarian efforts,  “What a waste of time and energy! “If you want converts, surely one normal person is worth all the half-wits in the world!”

After reading the gospels for four months and keeping company with a few ants that came to eat crumbs through a crack in her cell, here is Corries response to a Nazi Lieutenant: “The truth , Sir, . . . is that God’s viewpoint is sometimes different from ours —so different that we could not even guess at it unless He had given us a Book which tells us such things.”

Did you know that instead of getting into more trouble, the following morning this Nazi Lieutenant himself unlocked her cell door and escorted her to her hearing.

She writes Lieutenant Rahms words, “I could not sleep last night, thinking about that Book where you have read such different ideas. What else does it say in there?”

“On my closed eyelids the sun glimmered and blazed, “It says,’ I began slowly, ‘that a Light has come into this world, so that we need no longer walk in the dark.’ Is there darkness in your life, Lieutenant?”

There was a very long silence.

“There is great darkness,” he said at last. “I cannot bear the work I do here.”

The Hiding Place uncovers many great testimonies of light in great darkness.

“When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark, do you jump out? Of course not! You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through . . .” Corrie Ten boon.

Taking a glimpse of this story invigorates faith in me today.  I hope you Agree.

Four other quotes among many in Quotes of Corrie Ten boon are:

“Do you know what hurts so very much? It’s love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.”
“Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work he will give us to do. ”
“And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things too. Don’t run out ahead of him.”
“Love is larger than the walls which shut it in.”
“Even as the angry vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him . . . Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness . . . And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on his. When he tells us to love our enemies, he gives along with the command, the love itself.”
Let us ask the Lord that He may give us His forgiveness and His Agape love.
“Help us Lord Jesus, we can’t do these things without You.
In Jesus name, we pray,
Amen

#4 God Reveal: 7 Reasons to Believe God Created

Today I take time to look at creation, to be open to hear a Word that was spoken.

Not by men and their gathered thoughts, but by God sprinkled throughout His 66 Books.

Faith is the key, I must confess. We need faith to receive what the Bible does tell. But it takes faith in the wisdom of man to believe every word the public arena does sell.

We hear the world’s message loud and clear, but for the children’s sake, should we stop, and at least, take some time to hear?

What does the Bible say? Do we know? Will we be as a Berean back in ancient days? It is told they had open minds, to listen eagerly, and to search for answers day . . . after. . . day. (1)

Let’s open the Book and view the wonder of God’s love on display:

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3. 

This living Book, The Bible was written for you and me, and for ever it will be. (2)

God understands the difficulty to trust and believe. He gives His Word and waits as we receive:

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell . . . ;
 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
    or let the fish in the sea inform . . .
 Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?
 In his hand is the life of every creature
    and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10. 

Oh, would it not be amazing to stop and ask our animal friends.

God is gentle, kind, patient, and true. His glorious creation is His daily gift to human-kind, the whole earth through.

You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased, Revelation 4:11, this is the Master Artist’s creation.

Psalm 95:4-5,In his hand are the depths of the earth;
    the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

God’s Word is Living. Ask Him. He gives grace to understand!

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1. How vast is His expanse. How grand is His Hand. He deserves praise each day for the warmth of the sun.

God loves. He speaks each day through His creation.

How many are your works, Lord!
    In wisdom you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures, Psalm 104:24. 

 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth, John 17:17.

Is the Word not powerful and glorious? Ask God to reveal Himself and give you understanding!

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse, Romans 1:20. 

These are seven Scriptures that gently speak of God the Creator of everything. Are we curious and hungry for more? The Bible has answers for more, and plenty!

Take time to follow God in His Word. He will give you peace. He is the LORD.

(1) And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth, Acts 17:11.

(2) Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens, Psalm 119:89.


First Things, Along the Way

A look out the window or a walk out the door and a word about creation can be simple as a breath. But what’s simple might not be easy, especially when it comes to talk about the Lord.

There are so many words that have evolved through time. Opinions, books, nature shows, and more, but there is a Word of power, life, and truth,

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, (1) . . . 

This Word is said to be living and able to transform death to life.

And today, for those who have faith, as we walk out the door, with young or with older, as we experience troubles and pressures on every side,

we can overcome darkness by speaking of the Light.

We can reveal or remind that in the beginning the earth was a formless mess. Empty and dark, told in the second verse of God’s Holy Book. God didn’t leave us alone in despair, in the same verse it continues,

and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (2)

Good news was present in the dark, formless story. And the Spirit of God moves over our empty, dark hearts as well.

God is here. God was there. God’s Spirit is moving over the waters of our being, this moment, as well.

And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.”(3)

God moves first. God’s Word of power changes things.

God saw that the light was good. (4)

Safety, peace, warmth, pleasure, and glory are given by God through His Word. “Let there be light.”

We agree with God when we say true Light is good.

And he separated the light from the darkness. (5)

God’s Word proclaims.

We need to know that we’re all separated from God. Each of us has a dark, empty, and cold heart.

We’re all selfish, insecure, and impatient, naturally.

The kids understand, they know, they see, how easy it is to want to hide, and fear, and want their own way. Adults might want to look the other way.

But we can share our story of beginnings, when our darkness of heart was touched by the Light.

No one can debate the story we have inside.

In the beginning, when we received God’s Word. Power was given. A new creation was born. God the giver of Light came to shine in our empty, formless life.

Jesus the Man took hold of my sin and the guilt all died, with Him.  He breathed His last, on the cross. After three long nights, He rose again.

It’s time to share the stories to this generation today.

Many books could be written throughout the history of man, if each new creation in God told how he was touched by the Light, and it was no longer night.

God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. (6)

Is your heart burning within you? Has darkness the guilt of night seen it’s final hour?

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.

God has given His Son for you and me.

He who believes and receives Jesus today, becomes a new creation. Today can be — your very first day.

While it is day, join me in reminding others of the true Light?

 

 

(1) Genesis 1:1

(2) Genesis 1:2

(3) Genesis 1:3

(4) Genesis 1:4

(5) Genesis 1:4

(6)Genesis 1:5