Tag: turn around

Who Can We Believe? Only God’s Word is Truth!

God cannot lie. The Bible is the only truth to stand on. (For all eternity, to be exact.)

If you have a Bible on your shelf or can open an app on your device, it’s time to hear God’s voice instead of man’s highest wisdom.

I sound so dramatic, don’t I? And I’m a nobody. I have no large platform. “Oh, Toni’s always telling us to read our Bibles. Isn’t that just like her?”

NO! I’m not just talking flowery, or “religious” words! I’m talking about truth with a capital T and life, hope, and the only Love out there:

“For God so loved, “me,” . . .

Stop a minute and speak this aloud.

“He gave His only Son,. . . “

But God isn’t only Love, He’s just! He’s holy. Jesus came. He died on the cross, as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” John 1:29.

His blood was shed to wash our lies, our impatience, our envy, our pride, our anger, our hate . . . all our sin away.

It’s time to believe in Him, the Rock of our salvation, and stop building our “houses” of our souls on fear and unstable foundations that continue to change, crumble, and fall.

It’s time to humble ourselves and agree with God, “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.

The endless lies and “new” definitions about Jesus, family, humankind, marriage, babies, freedoms, justice . . . the Bible speaks on all of this in Genesis, Revelation, the Book of John, the Book of Proverbs, in all of the 66 Books of the Bible. Open The Book and hear it for yourself, not “hearsay!”

I spent my whole summer meeting up with children and bringing them the story of Noah in Genesis 6-8.

Can you believe, for 120 years Noah worshiped God, built an ark for a huge rain that no one believed would come, and told the people, “Come through this door and you will be saved from the destruction!”

No one listened. Everyone laughed and mocked, except his immediate family.

Noah wasn’t talking about the “end of the world,” he was talking about a saved life in a new earth. Noah was inviting people for safety, security, provision, protection, covering—

Year after year, month after month, day after day. Noah loved and obeyed the Lord.

The worldwide flood did come. We can go to the zoo and thank Noah he obeyed God and remained faithful to build the ark with the help of God’s Spirit and instruction. (Genesis 6-8).

As in the days of Noah, Satan is working overtime. Are there lies? Is there violence, stealing, and hatred in our world? What does the Bible have to say about Satan:

 “. . . He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” John 8:44.

What did Jesus have to say?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.

Jesus told us He is life. We can read it ourselves when we spend time individually, intentionally, and whole-heartedly with Him.

As Noah, we are to “build each other up,” (not be tearing each other apart,) and talk of the wonderful works of God.

Today, I talk about God’s greatest work. His gift of Jesus. He is the “Door,” to deliverance from evil, salvation, and life. He is the Good Shepherd. He is our only hope:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 

 I and My Father are one” John 10:27-30.

Do you feel the Lord tug on your heart? Is your soul thirsty for Living Water? Do you feel the need to turn around to the Lord of love?

We are at the last hour. There was a day when God said, “Noah, get on the ark.” And only days later, God shut them in. The time is short.

Do it today. Make today the first day of the rest of your “eternal life,” and pray to Jesus,

“Dear Lord, You have touched my heart. I need a Savior. I need to turn back to you. You alone can help me. Take my anger, my critical spirit, my hurts, my pains, my brokenness. Heal me, Jesus.

Take my life and come in to make me new. I need “new.” Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.”

______________________________________

Please tell someone if you have asked the Lord in your life. Pick up a Bible and make it yours. If you don’t have a Bible, ask the church if they have one for you.

Look up John 3:16,17 and yellow it in!

For God so loves . . . you!

Take a moment to let the sound of kids sing God’s Greatest Gift Song: John 3:16 & 17 to fill your heart with the joy of the Lord as you rejoice in His great love:

Original by Toni John 3:16 & 17 with Irelyn & Graham

News Alert: IT’s NOT Love to Applaud God’s Beloved Creation Who Walks on a Failed Bridge!

It is NOT love when a believer in the LORD applauds God’s beloved creation who walks on a failed bridge.

Love is to proclaim, “TURN AROUND!”

In a day where words are re-invented, God’s Word tells us what love is:

“This is LOVE. Not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to take away our sins” 1 John 4:10, (emphasis mine).

Noah, in his day, proclaimed “A storm is coming. You need to come in through this Door or destruction will come!”

NO ONE listened.

The Bible tells us, in the last days, it will be like Noah’s day.

Aren’t you glad Noah had faith in God and obeyed His Word?

The Book of Proverbs gives a warning: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12.

We should not be offended by warnings of danger. We receive them daily about germs, safety, and caution during a storm. It’s time we all turn around and agree with God. 

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 
All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. 
They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 
 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; 
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full"John 10: 7-10.

This is love: Jesus.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” John 10:11. 

"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man" Matthew 24: 37-39.

Do you need to turn around?

The time is now. Jesus is coming soon!”

Conversation with the One Enthroned in the Heavens Who Lives in Our Heart

Our Advent Prayer Walk, 2021

In a day where news clips and billboards seem to scream in our every direction, the Lord speaks in the sunrise of the morning and the sunset of the night sky, 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.

“As we walk forward, slow with the challenge of keeping steady, we pray and cry aloud to You ‘who are enthroned in the heavens!'”

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is hands-1384735_1280-1024x765.jpg
To you, I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.

“Psalm 123 is our prayer, word for word, dear Lord,

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.

Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

“As empty gloves on the table become alive in our hands, help us put the promise of Your presence to give us strength now, for what comes today, to stand. Your Word is our comfort in our affliction,” (Psalm 119:50).

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go Joshua 1:9.

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed Deuteronomy 31:8.

“Help us remember Lord, our weakness as in empty gloves. To agree with You is surrender, yet this is our hope for strength in the battles. We are nothing on our own without You. Your Spirit gives us life.

Your promise to be with us wherever we go is repeated more than 18 times. Obviously, You don’t want us to forget this foundational truth. Keep us looking up, not all-around at every voice that speaks.

Your voice is not heard unless we are willing to hear:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?‘ Hebrews 13:5,6.

Help us remember this. We are like sheep and forget the foundations of our faith.

Keep us faithful . . . to believe You . . . now, today!

…’ And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age‘ Matthew 28:20.

We know this, but we forget. Help us remember:

You were dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and Your name is the Word of God” Revelation 19:13.

If it had not been for the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us, . . . Our help is in the Name of the LORD who made heaven and earth Psalm 124. (Calligraphy, tonirypkema.com)

“Our prayers are Your Word, dear Lord:

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, Let Israel now say – ‘If it had not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us;

Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.‘

Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth” Psalm 124.

And the hymns and spiritual songs are our meditations:

Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me

Cevilla D Martin, His Eye is on the Sparrow

Renew.

Restore.

We walk with ears to hear Your voice today. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.”

God says to the anxious and panic-stricken heart, “Be strong, fear not!” Do I believe Him?


Encourage the exhausted, and make staggering knees firm.

Say to those with an anxious and panic-stricken heart,
“Be strong, fear not!” (Isaiah 34:3,4).

“I don’t feel strong,” we might say.

“Fear not!” The Bible tells us with an exclamation point.

Indeed, your God will come with vengeance [for the ungodly];
The retribution of God will come,
But He will save you.”

The eyes of the blind will be opened
And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped . . .

These are words of hope. The Bible is the Good News to those who believe. But when I look left and right I see chaos and violence. How about you. We must fight to look up and believe God:

A highway will be there, and a roadway;
And it will be called the Holy Way.
The unclean will not travel in it, But it will be for those who walk on the way [the redeemed];
And fools will not wander on it . . . (Is. 34).

How offensive this might sound to the natural ear, mind, and heart. But those who have tasted and seen the goodness and forgiveness of the Lord in His willingness to take all our sin on the cross, we’re reminded time and again,

“This is all my righteousness, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

But just as winter turns to spring, work must be done:

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

It’s time to return.

And the ransomed of the LORD will return . . .
They will find joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing will flee away Isaiah 34: 3-5,8, 10, Amplified.

My open Bible changes me. It is true as Psalm 19: 7 proclaims:

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul; (Psalm 19).

I’ve found revival for my weary soul in only a short reminder in God’s Word. Is anyone else being revived in the process of turning to the Lord in His Word for help?

The testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple; 

But I wrestle with God. “What about this? How is this going to work out? What am I supposed to do?

Do we wrestle with God? Yes. We’re broken. We have stories and testimonies in our Bible pages of this.

But God never changes. He’s the same, yesterday, and forever. We can grow to trust Him more if we spend time with Him:

The precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether Psalm 19: 7-9.

If this is what God says will bring rejoicing in my heart, then I will seek Him now, with my whole heart . . .

join me in this need to know Him more?

“Dear Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief!”

Faith-less? or Faith-full? Look up. Listen up!

We must remind each other, God is good, even though things don’t seem as they should.

“This is impossible,” we say in our hearts, or perhaps out-loud.

The Bible reminds us, God is able to make a way, . . . through the wilderness:

This is what the Lord says—
    he who made a way through the sea,
    a path through the mighty waters, . . .
 “Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland . . . ” Isaiah 43:16-19.

We, who believe in God through His Son, (His great and perfect provision for us, Jesus), must not let our thoughts paralyze us. What are the promises? We must fight to think on these things and pray for increased faith.

“Eyes up, ears open. God speaks: “

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.
 I, even I, am the Lord,
    and apart from me there is no savior.
 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
     Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?” Isaiah 43:10-13.

Am I a child of God? Perhaps that’s the first question.

God is good, the Bible tells us. The world is broken, dark, chaotic because of the fall. But God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” Gen. 1.

The account is written. Wise is the man who checks out the light of His Word daily.

God’s faithful love is dependent on nothing.

Love is who He is, . . .

the LORD:

For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Isaiah 43:3.

Is He my Savior? Am I a child of God trusting and relying on Him to save me for salvation, and give guidance and help for each day’s trials?

How can I trust Him greater? Am I relying on my intellect, my bank account, my careful plans to save me from my hour of peril or trial?

“Yes, that’s sensible. That’s logical.”

Even more than people to come and discourage our trust in a (so called) invisible God, our own hearts discourage us in our weakness.

This is the fight. This is the battle. We must as soldiers have a plain command: “Look up. Listen up.”

As soldiers in the lord’s army, are our eyes up? Hear God speak:

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze Isaiah 43:1-2.

Or are we faith-less this day:

“Yet you have not called on me, Jacob,
    you have not wearied yourselves for me, Israel . . . But you have burdened me with your sins
    and wearied me with your offenses” Isaiah 43:22, 24.

Today, one heart at a time, beginning with mine, I feel the need to repent. I need to believe God and pray. “Forgive me for my unbelief Lord, increase my faith, in Jesus Name, Amen.”

“I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions, for my own sake,
    and remembers your sins no more.
 Review the past for me,
    let us argue the matter together;
    state the case for your innocence” Isaiah 43: 25,26.

“Lord Jesus, the only innocence I have is the complete and sufficient washing of Your blood. ‘This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.’ And for that, I say, Thank You Lord.”

Jesus lifted my eyes and gave me ears to hear again. His amazing grace, how sweet the sound. He saves me from myself daily.

Are you a child of God? He is only a prayer away. Call on the name of the Son that God the Father has sent to pay each of our debt in full for our sin and shame. Yes, believe in Jesus, and ask Him to empty you of all the old, and fill you a new with the Holy Spirit.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” John 3:16,17.

If you have prayed and asked Jesus to come into your life to cleanse and make you new, please tell a trusted friend that today is the day of salvation for you!

 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Amen! (Exclamation point, mine).

What are we listening to? Fear? or God’s Voice? Let’s STOP and hear:

“Trust Me now.” I hear a still small voice speak. “Trust.” When the waves are huge, and blinded eyes can’t see.

“Trust Me.

Put on faith’s glasses, take off  fear’s clouded goggles, and . . .
B-R-E-A-T-H.

Don’t panic.

Remember, I walk on the turbulent seas.”

Don’t caress thoughts that are sharp and dark. Don’t linger in pits of past regrets—STOP.

Speak instead, faith thoughts.

Let—suffer, allow, the Holy Spirit to sing in your heart.

So I open the Hymn book at the Spirit’s prompt.  It opens, Doxology, page 1:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

And I think right away,

“Oh God, how can You patiently watch my faith so quickly, fly away?

With an envelope from the mail. With a headache in the morning. With the world’s events spinning. Each and everyday, dear Lord, You watch my faith take flight. As if it’s always night, and never day.

Oh God,  . . .

lead me to P-R-A-I-S-E.”

So I turn in the hymnal to Page 2. If only I could always remember this hymn proves time and again to be a “faint heart’s” rescue.

Fanny Crosby, though blind, could see. Spiritually, her words help my weary heart sing:

All the way my Sav-ior leads me; What have I to ask be-side? Can I doubt His ten-der mer-cy. Who thro’ life has been my guide?

Heav’n-ly peace,

di-vin-est com-fort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell For I know what-e’er be-fall me,

Je-sus do-eth all things well;

All the way my Savior leads me;

Cheers each winding path I tread.

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living bread:

Tho’ my weary steps may falter, And my soul a thirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! a spring of joy I see;

Thank you Fanny for your pen and song. My eyes are lifted from the earth to the Son.

All the way my Savior leads me; Oh, the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised In my Father’s house above . . .

Will you join me in entering God’s rest? Can we seek accountability to trust.
We can rise above earthly trials. Trusting that our Savior leads the way.

And while we wait, we praise our Savior. And He fills our hearts and minds with His peace.

We like sheep, irritated and butting heads. Quick, run to the Shepherd for anointing Oil. Remedy, at last!

Sheep! Stop!

Stop being offended by every gnat, and mosquito, and “baa” from  every other sheep in your path. Run to the Good Shepherd. He has anointing Oil to allow you to have peace, wisdom, direction, and rest.

We are as sheep just as the Chief Shepherd has proclaimed. Oh, the pests that swarm around our heads and irritate us sheep greatly. But the Good Shepherd, He is calling, “Today.” “Today.”

And the sheep that hear His voice come for His anointing oil to be poured out on our heads.

Oh, the peace.

He speaks in gentleness. He is faithful. He is love and help. He is life. His way is true.

He brings relief.

The anointing oil, His Holy Spirit, changes us. This is the Good Shepherd’s remedy.

Now we can see and focus on Him and be filled with thankfulness.

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all,” Isaiah 53:6.

Oh, that we sheep who hear the Shepherd’s voice, never tire to tell others of His remedy and love. He sends us out, that we might bring others to Him.

And, perhaps they can see with their very own eyes, Goodness and Mercy that seem to follow us along. That we might multiply the sheep that seek to knock on God’s Door.

That the sheep will see Him as He is and not from their own thoughts anymore:

 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth,” Isaiah 53:7-9.

We suddenly see “Who” is the “He.” And we realize He has faced every evil thing.

The anointing Oil changes us. The focus, now shifts from other sheep, to Him.

We realize, He does love us.

His anointing brings wisdom. And we continually discover, growing knowledge, understanding, patience and self-control.

He becomes Chief Shepherd by our own, personal invitation.

He is all that we need.

We are no longer irritated by the pests and the rest, as, together we follow and are led to green pastures. He brings restoration by refreshing Living waters.

He has a plan.

He gives us understanding to know Him more and more. His anointing heals the “annoying,” and our hearts see ever clearly:

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors, Isaiah 53:10-12.

And together, we follow Him closely, listening to His voice. We don’t hardly notice the mistakes and messes and irritating stresses. We’re changed. We’re better. As we simply allow the Shepherd to fill us and anoint us again and again.

And step by step, He’ll lead us,

until He calls us home to His house of Love. And we go on forever, rejoicing. Rejoicing in glorious praise, fully unified. All because Christ died.

And rose.

And sealed and anointed us with His Spirit of Hope.

In Jesus name, Amen!

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.

 

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.

God Calls a Meeting

God calls a meeting.
He’s tugging at my heart.
I’m hungry. I’m tired. My tapestry is unraveling.
I’m seeking, but not finding. There’s a Dead End again.
Where is this place of meeting? Does my heart yearn to go?
My thinking goes amiss. I think, “Before the meeting, I have to do this.”
“I have to get rid of that, but I can’t. I can’t. Or maybe, it’s more like, . . . I won’t.”
Is this how we think? Do we believe, “God doesn’t want to  meet with me, I’m way too lost. I’ve gone too far.”
God calls a meeting, time and time again. Do I continue to run the other way?
Do our minds spin out of control?
God saw me running. So He brought me a 3 year old. To simply watch and listen.
A child’s smile, the skip, the joy, the love. How we’re always changing, but some things never change.
As I was watching a child at play, it was like a first day of spring. It was like a sky with fun, puffy clouds.
I was running from God, so He brought me a child. So I could see with my eyes, something I knew of before. Of forgiveness and grace, gentleness, and noise. Of making a mess, but having a second chance – of two sides of a coin.
God called a meeting and I kept putting it off, until He brought a child in my view.
I heard the song coming from their heart during play, “A,B, C, D . . .” So accomplished and confident. So, I broke in and asked, “What’s your favorite song?”
She began to sing: “Jesus loves me . . .”
I watched a tender faith. I witnessed a confident trust. I knew these words. They were hidden deep down in my heart.
“Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”
My heart was pierced, that very moment. I forgot what was true.
I forgot what I knew.
As sheep often do.
I left from following the Shepherd. I thought I had to “plow on through.” By myself. On my own.
I became like the prodigal. Hungry, far. With pig slop for food. It was when that child sang,  “Jesus loves, . . . ” That I heard, “Remember Me.”
The child sang, “this I know . . .”
My thought, “No, I don’t know anymore.”
The Lord kept His appointment. He spoke:  “Remember Me.”
Gentle and kind. God used a little child to remind. To remind me it’s not “Do this.” “Don’t do that.”
Simply, “Jesus loves.”
How I forgot.
So, I turned around that moment. That moment was new. Because, in my heart, instead of my back, I turned my face to the Lord. Inside my heart was bursting.
I held it all in, but, if I didn’t I would have a face filled with tears.
Immediately, . . .
I felt hope.
Out of a child’s praise, I remembered God’s amazing grace.
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, . . .” Jeremiah 29:12-14.