Proverbs 31 Devotionals

• Jan. 29, 2009 - Finding Sanctuary

Posted in Trials

Finding Sanctuary

Have you found it a bit disheartening to see the economy plummeting, yet hear stories of how top executives are still going on lavish retreats? We hear stories of those who run the mortgage companies and auto industries living the lifestyle of the rich and famous, while we struggle to put food on our table and pay our monthly utility bills. It reminds me of what the psalmist was observing in Psalm 73.

He began to notice how the proud would prosper despite their wickedness. They seemingly lived painless lives, with strong, healthy bodies. They didn’t appear to be troubled like many who were daily plagued with one problem after another. The wicked would even flaunt their pride – wearing it like a jeweled necklace. It seemed as if they could boast and scoff against the Lord, yet face no punishment.

As the psalmist beheld these activities, he couldn’t help but have negative thoughts. He even began to question God’s goodness. He wondered if he had been serving the Lord in vain. It is the same for us. First, we begin to take our eyes off the Lord. Next, we begin to magnify the circumstances we are in, as opposed to the God who rules those circumstances. Our feet begin a slippery, downward slope; we find ourselves doubting the very God we have trusted for so many years.

What are we to do? The psalmist found a remedy in verse 17. He went into the sanctuary. Suddenly, his perspective began to change. Instead of focusing on the seemingly prosperous lives of the wicked, he focused on their destiny. He realized that while on the outside, it looked as if they were succeeding. Yet, in reality, they were really heading over a cliff to destruction. The dream they were currently living was going to come to an abrupt end.

Next, the psalmist realized that in spite of his foolish thinking, and his temporary doubts about God’s goodness, the Lord continued to hold his hand. He realized that God had never left him. God was still there, guiding him. That realization leads him to declare, “Whom have I in heaven but You, Lord?”

To adjust our focus, we also need to come to the sanctuary. This “sanctuary” is more than just attending church. It is living in God’s Word, for that is what will strengthen us. Our health may fail us. The shape of the economy may cause our spirit to falter and grow weak. Yet God is strength of our heart. He can only be the strength of our heart when we daily seek Him and diligently get into His Word to find the strength to sustain us in these uncertain times in which we live.

Go find your sanctuary in the Word of God today.

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• Nov. 3, 2008 - Politically Correct

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Politically Correct

“Politically correct” has become the new buzz word of the day. It appears the concept of being politically correct has also infiltrated the mindset of many Christians.

I have seen people who profess to be Christians, yet believe there is nothing wrong with being gay. There are even denominations which are ordaining homosexual ministers. Yet God clearly condemns this sin. The Word tells us that those who are homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. (I Corinthians 6:9-10)

I have heard numerous stories of men who profess to be Christians leaving their wives for another woman. Often, they will say that it just feels right, so it must be of God for them to continue this adulterous relationship. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. Our hearts will easily lead us astray, so we must follow what the Word of God tells us. His Word clearly denounces adultery in First Corinthians 6:9-10.

I see many professing Christians allowing witchcraft into their homes through a series of popular books. The Lord makes it very clear in Leviticus 19:26 that we are to stay away from these things. In Exodus 22:18, we see that anyone who practiced sorcery was to be put to death. So why would a Christian allow any kind of witchcraft in their home?

As I have taken a stand against these very things, I have been verbally attacked. I would expect this behavior from nonbelievers, but these vicious assaults came from people who profess to be Christians!

In a place of Christian fellowship, I was repeatedly bashed when I spoke out against a lesbian witch. She would pretend to be a Christian, yet was active in circles that flaunted homosexuality and Wicca. First Corinthians 5:9-11 tells us not to associate with one who professes to be a Christian, yet lives a lifestyle that says otherwise. When I dared to speak the truth of God’s Word on this issue, I was accused of being on a witch-hunt.

I believe we are living in the days when the love of many will wax cold. (Matthew 24:12) We are living in a time when even the elect are being deceived into choosing to be politically correct, rather than standing firm on the Word of God. (Matthew 24:24)

I have struggled to understand why professing Christians have so blatantly attacked those who choose to speak the uncompromised Word of God. I have finally come to realize that people who compromise on the principles in God’s Word can not stand the sight of excellence. They are deeply convicted when someone takes a righteous stand on an issue, and it makes them feel uncomfortable. The result is lashing out at those who speak the uncompromised truth.

Jesus faced this very thing many times with the religious leaders of His day. They lashed out at Him, persecuted Him, called Him names, and planned to kill Him. Jesus assured us that His followers will also be persecuted. (John 15:20)

As we get closer to the second coming of Jesus, things will only get worse. We need to make a decision. Will we choose to join the popular crowd and be politically correct? Or, will we join the ranks of those who refuse to compromise, and be Biblically correct?

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• Oct. 14, 2008 - Into the Fire

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Into the Fire

My daughter has done a ceramics project the last two years for her 4-H project. The process she uses to make her craft is very similar to some phases we go through in our walk with the Lord.

The first phase of making a ceramic is to take the clay and mold it into something useful. It takes a lot of work to mold the clay because it is cold, hard, and stiff until you start working with it. I have gone through spells where my heart would become rather cold toward the things of God. The only thing that would change my cold heart was to let God take my heart in His hands, and warm it with His touch and His Word. I have also had times when I was very hard toward things the Lord wanted to do in my life. I fought the work He wanted to do in me. The longer He held me in His hand, the softer and more pliable I became, until He could finally mold me into what He wanted.

Once Rachel had finished the molding process in making her ceramic, she would have to set it aside for two weeks so that it could dry. I have often heard people say that God has times where He puts us on a shelf. However, I do not believe that. I believe that even when we may feel like we are just sitting there, God has a specific purpose in mind. Just as Rachel’s ceramic had to set for two weeks so that it could absorb the shape she created it to be, God’s molding process in us may require that we sit for a while, just absorbing the work that He has done. It may also be a time for resting, preparing us for the next phase of our journey.

In the second phase of making ceramics, the ceramic must go through the fire. We also need to go through the fire at different times throughout our lives. The fire is the process God uses to refine us.

In the next phase of making ceramics, you must paint the item. It requires three coats of paint, letting each coat dry before you apply the next coat. This would be similar to how we come through fiery trials. As we are faithful to God, allowing Him to teach us during the fire, He ‘paints’ us with the colors of His glory. (II Corinthians 3:18)

After the paint dries, the ceramic must go through the fire once again. As the ceramic goes through this last phase of entering the fire, the paint will become vivid in color, as well as developing a beautiful shine.

When we go through the fire, our ‘paint’ is the genuineness of our faith. Once our faith is tested and proven real, our countenance becomes vivid, just like the paint on a ceramic. We will glow with God’s glory. (James 1:2-4; I Peter 1:6-7)

How is your ‘paint’ doing? Is it vivid in color?

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Mental Health

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Mental Health

We have had so many things happening in our world over the last few years that it would be easy to fall prey to a stronghold of fear if we let our minds think upon all of the troubling things which are taking place. Almost daily, we hear of more suicide bombings in Israel. We are still losing some of our precious troops each week in Iraq. Even where I live, the police departments can't keep up with all of the meth labs. That doesn't even include the daytime robberies where the perpetrators just barge into your home, beat you up, then take your goods. It appears that our city is being taken over by evil. Even sitting here, typing this, I find my eyes filling up with tears. It seems like our world is a hopeless place.

Let's bring it a step closer to home. What about the things taking place in our own life? What about the child who has chosen to rebel against God? What about cancer or some other disease that is ravaging our body? What about someone who is spreading lies about us? What about those of us whose spouse may be out of work? How do we keep our minds and our hearts from becoming overwhelmed with fear?

Prov. 12:25 tells us that an anxious heart can weigh us down. In John 14:1, Jesus tells us not to LET our hearts be troubled. This is a command to us, meaning that we have something to do. It means that we must not let those troubling thoughts come into our minds and find a place to rest. When they come to our minds, we must remember the command in Phil 4:6 not to be anxious about anything but to give our requests to God. Verse 7 tells us that after we leave our requests with God, His peace will guard our hearts and minds.

When the sinister things of this world enter your thoughts, make the choice not to sit and ponder on the seeming hopelessness of it all. Don't think upon the threats of more terrorist attacks. Don't think upon the unstable job market. We are commanded to think upon those things which are true (certain, reliable, trustworthy), noble (excellent, supreme, lordly), right, pure (genuine, unmingled, uncontaminated), lovely (captivated, delightful, splendid), admirable (worthy, good), excellent, and praiseworthy. Phil. 4:8

I have found that one way to speedily ruin my mental health is by thinking bad thoughts of others. In Zech. 7:10, it tells us not to think evil of others in our hearts. Often when we think the thoughts, we end up speaking those very thoughts because out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths often speak. Prov. 12:14 tells us that from the fruit of our lips, we are filled with good things. The only way this can happen is by renewing our minds and causing our thought life to be renewed (remade, reawakened, reconditioned). Rom. 12:2

Another way to bring mental health to our lives is by learning not to be quick-tempered. Yes, I know this a very hard one to do. I struggle with this on a daily basis. Prov. 14:17 says that a quick-tempered person will do foolish things. When we do those foolish things, then we have to deal with the consequences, not to mention the guilt. That can promptly remove any sense of well being that we had been experiencing. In Prov. 15:18, it says that a hot-tempered person will stir up dissension. This can happen in our homes, which God designed to be a refuge for our families, not a place of conflict, clashing, and opposition. Prov. 14:26 says that the Lord has a secure fortress for those who fear Him, and for their children, it is a refuge.

Another thing which can suddenly zap our sense of well-being is envy. Prov. 14:30 tells us that a heart at peace will give life to us, but envy will rot our bones. I Cor. 13 tells us that love doesn't envy. We are told to rejoice with those who rejoice. When we find it hard to rejoice with others when they have been blessed with something that we would like to have, we need to ask God to help us to be able to honestly rejoice with them in the blessing of God on their lives.

There is another snare that we may not think of right away when we ponder on what can hinder our mental health. It is that of gossip. Prov. 10:19 tells us that where words are many, sin is not absent. The more we say, the more we find ourselves getting into trouble. Do you ever wonder what may come back on you because of what you have spoken? Prov. 21:23 tells us that if we guard our mouth, we will keep ourselves from calamity, distress, or trials. If we don't quickly repent of speaking sinful words, there is that separation between us and God. I know when I find myself separated from my Father because of my sin, my frame of mind is not a good one. I miss the peace, tranquility, and calmness that I have when I know that my walk with Father is what it should be. God wants us to be wise with what we say because then our words have the ability to bring healing and restoration to those around us. (Prov. 12:18, 18:21,) If we guard what we say, we guard our very life, meaning that we will be mentally healthy, not to mention many other physical ailments which we may avoid. (Prov. 13:3)

I remember when I first got saved. I had been with a crowd that was really rough and sinister. I had to let my parents screen all of my phone calls because they wouldn't leave me alone. I was stalked by one of them for several weeks after pulling away from that way of life. It was a very fearful time for me, never knowing when one of them was going to be right on my tail. A dear man at church prayed over me regarding this. From that very moment, it stopped! I was amazed. Several months later, I saw the verse in Prov. 16:7 that reveals to us that when our ways please the Lord, He makes even our ENEMIES to be at peace with us. I have seen the person who was stalking me only one or two times in the twenty years since this took place, and both times, the FEAR was in THAT person's eyes! Light truly does chase away the darkness! I mention this illustration because many of you may have some "enemies" who are causing your mental health to be disturbed. I urge you to start praying the above scripture over your circumstances. You may see God work speedily on your behalf, bringing that tranquility back into your life.

I want to close with some final scriptures that talk about health. This can refer to mental health, as well as a vast array of physical health in our lives, if we choose to follow the decrees given to us.

Prov. 3:7-8 Don't be wise in your own eyes, but fear God and turn from evil. This brings health to your body and it nourishes your bones.

Prov. 3:21-22 Preserve sound judgment and discernment because they will be life for you.

Prov. 4:20-23 Pay attention to God's word and keep His word in your heart. His word is life to you and health to your whole body. Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Prov. 17:22 If we have a cheerful heart, it works like a medicine. (Not to mention that it's much cheaper than visiting the doctor!)

Awesome God, You love us so much, and you desire for us to have life, and life abundantly. Help us to make changes in our thoughts, where needed, so that Your life, love, joy, peace, and tranquility can be ours at all times, in all ways, in all circumstances, and in all conditions. (I Th. 3:16) Amen.

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Go Ask God

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Go Ask God

I remember a story about a wonderful saint in our church who has gone on to be with Jesus. Everyone in the church called her "Grandma Rose." One day, someone asked her a question. She paused to think upon the question, then she said, "Go ask God!" What wisdom Grandma Rose possessed! Too many of us would come up with some kind of answer, even if it were the WRONG answer. Grandma Rose was wise enough to admit that even she didn't have all the answers, and when she didn't know the answer, she knew Who would have the answer!

Moses had a lot of questions for God. In Ex. 3:13 he was asking God what he should tell the Israelites that His name was. In the next verse, God told him to tell them that "I AM has sent me to you."

When God told Moses that he was going to be God's spokesman to people, Moses came back with these reasons of why he couldn't possibly be the servant to speak to the Israelites. In other words, he was questioning God's wisdom in choosing him. - How many times have we made excuses for not doing what God was clearly telling us to do?

Once Moses spoke to Pharaoh and told him to let the people go, the workload of the Israelites drastically increased. Moses approaches God in Ex. 5:22-23 asking Him why He had brought this trouble upon the people. - I can picture Moses whining in this particular question. How many times do we go whining to God? In spite of this, as you read through the life of Moses, you can see that God used him mightily to fulfill His desire for the Israelites. God can even use us in spite of our own whining!

In Ex. 15:24, the people are grumbling to Moses about the bitter waters at Marah. Moses cries out to God. God told him to throw wood in the water (wood representing Christ), making the bitter waters sweet.

In Ex. 32:9-10 God calls the Israelites a stiff-necked people, and He is ready to destroy them. Moses asks God another question, seeking God's favor for the people. He reminds God of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Because of this, God relented and did not destroy the people. Maybe YOUR intercession on behalf of some people could cause God to change His mind on what He is going to allow into their lives.

In Ex. 33:16, Moses says, "What else will distinguish me and your people from all other people on the face of the earth?" (NIV) God answers him by telling him that He will go with them. He also tells Moses that He is pleased with him and knows him by name. - Let me remind you that God knows you by name. Even on those days when you feel utter despair creeping in, He still knows you by name, and His presence goes with you, just as His presence went with the Israelites.

In spite of the many questions that Moses had for God, God didn't give up on Moses. In fact, they had an awesome and intimate relationship. When Moses died in Deut. 34:5-6, God was the one to bury him. In verse 10 of that same chapter, we see that there was never another prophet in Israel whom the Lord knew face to face. Sometimes I think we fear going to God and asking Him any of our questions. God is a loving, gracious, and compassionate God. We don't need to fear asking Him questions. It doesn't mean that we will get the answer for every question we have, but we just might get some answers that give us very clear insight.

Is II Sam. 5:19, we find David asking God if he should go and attack the Philistines. - How often do we think to ask Father God if we should go do "this or that?" Too many times, we just make our plans and ask God to bless them, without waiting to see if that is even His plan for us.

In II Sam. 12:16, we find David pleading for the life of the child who was conceived in his adultery with Bathsheba. I can imagine him asking God many questions during the time that he was pleading and fasting on behalf of the child. In spite of not receiving the answer that he so diligently sought, we find that David cleaned up, then went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. - Many times we may not receive the answers that we want. We need to remember that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Is. 55:8) Even if the answer isn't what we many have desired, we need to remember that God always has our best interest at heart.

I have seen the above happen in my own life when I miscarried my first child. Although after eight years, I still have times when I am so saddened by the loss, and feel the emptiness, I can now say that I wouldn't trade that experience for anything in this world. I have learned too much about my God through it. I have come to intimately know Him as my Comforter and my Shield. I have seen Him as the Healer of Broken Hearts. I have seen Him take my hard heart and soften it to be responsive to the pain and despair that others feel.

I have always thought of John the Baptist as a bold man, full of spiritual strength, but we find in Mt. 11:2-3 that he sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the one who was to come or if they should expect someone else. Even this mighty man of God had doubts. In those doubts, he questioned the Lord.

The disciples even had a lot of questions. In Mt. 18:1 they asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In verse 21, Peter asks the Lord how many times they should forgive someone. After hearing Jesus say that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven, the disciples ask him, "Who then can be saved?" Mt. 19:25 (NIV) In Mt. 24, they ask Jesus about the signs of the end times. When out on a boat, in a frightful storm, they ask Jesus, "Don't you care if we drown?" Mk 4:38 (NIV)

In II Cor. 12:7-10 we find where Paul had been given a thorn in the flesh. He pleaded with God three times to take it away. I would imagine that he had questions of his own for God when asking for it to be removed. When God answered him by telling Paul that His grace was sufficient, Paul saw that he could delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, in difficulties because when Paul was weak, then his Christ made him strong. May we find that in our own weaknesses, our loving Christ can give us a strength to endure to the end.

One last example is in Mt. 27:46 when our precious Savior asked of His heavenly Father, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" (NIV) Even our Lord experienced a depth of loneliness that we will never have to face. He was actually separated from the loving presence of His Father. Because of that separation, we find in Rom. 8:38-39 these comforting words: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angel nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NIV) We will NEVER face the intense despair that our Christ felt while on that cross.

In those times when you have questions, go ask God. For years I was afraid to question God on anything because I heard an erroneous teaching about ever questioning God. I have learned in the last several years that God will often answer my questions. Maybe it's not the answer that I was looking for, but His answer always brings clarity and/or peace of mind to me. I have learned to go boldly to His throne because I have a high priest who is able to sympathize with me in my weakness and in my questions because He even had a question of His own when He was bearing the weight of my sin. Heb. 4:14-16.

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Promises of God

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The Promises of God

It seems that so many people are facing countless trials. I have friends and family members who are going through perilous times, and even some of you on this mailing list have contacted me regarding some of the situations you are currently facing. I am facing one of my own right now, so I decided to do a study on the promises of God.

I can't stress enough how important it is that we take the time to get to know our God in an intimate way. It is imperative that we take the time to read His word and meditate on it. We all will faces trials at some point in our lives, and if we haven't taken the time to plant His precious word deep inside of us, the storms of life are going to cause us to crash. We will find ourselves living by our emotions, rather than by God's promises.

When your emotions tell you that you are all alone, God's promise is that He will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you. (Heb. 13:5)

When you feel that God has left you, His promise is that even when we don't feel like we can find Him, He still knows the way that we take. He still sees us. (Job 23:9-10)

When your weariness tells you that you just can't make it through another day, Father promises that you can do all things through Christ. (Phil. 4:13)

When you are persecuted, your pride may want to step in and say a thing or two, but God tells us to be still and know that He is God. (Ps. 46:10) His promise is that we are blessed when we are persecuted, and that we have a GREAT reward in heaven. (Mt. 5:11-12)

When weapons are forged against you through false accusations, pride may want to step in and fight for you, but God promises that our vindication is from Him. (Is. 54:17) He promises that the battle belongs to Him, and not to us. (II Chron. 20:15)

When money is scarce, and fear tells us that we are going under, God's promise is that the righteous are never forsaken, nor are their seed ever begging for bread. (Ps. 37:25) He promises to meet ALL of our needs. (Phil. 4:19)

When your fickle emotions tell you that there is no clear way, Jesus declares to you that HE is the WAY, the truth, and the life. (Jn. 14:6)

When your world crashes all around you, emotions can cause fear to be rampant in your heart, but God's promise is that Jesus is your cornerstone (I Pet. 2:6), and that His foundation is a firm and sure foundation. (Is. 28:16) NOTHING can shake that foundation!

When emotions tells you that you will never feel peace again, God's promise is that He is Emmanuel, and He is with you. (Is. 7:14) He promises that He is your Prince of peace. (Is. 9:6)

When your feelings tell you that you are still filthy on the inside, God tells you that He is your Redeemer. (Is. 59:20) If you know Christ as your Savior, then ALL things have become new. (II Cor. 5:17)

When your heart tells you that no one loves you, God tells you that He has loved you with an everlasting love. (Jer. 31:3) He takes great delight in you and rejoices over you with singing. (Zeph. 3:17)

When emotions tell you that you are left out in the cold, God says to come and find refuge in the shadow of His wings. (Ps. 36:7) He says to let Him be your dwelling place, then no harm will come near you. (Ps. 91:9-10)

When going through physical ailments, or waiting on test results from the doctor, emotions can snare you with a paralyzing fear. God's promise is that He is the Great I AM (Jn. 8:58), and that there is NOTHING too difficult for Him. (Lk. 1:37) His word is that He is the God who heals all of our diseases. (Ps. 103:3)

Recently, I have been having borderline-migraine headaches. Just a few days ago, I discovered a knot on the back of my head. If I didn't know my Father intimately, I would have gone into an instant panic. Instead, I have been thanking Him for His wonderful promises. I have meditated on past times when I know that my Father has healed my body. Knowing Him intimately as my Healer has given me a great peace and confidence.

When we know Him intimately, even in the midst of trials, we can declare the words of Job. "I know that my Redeemer lives and that in the end, He will stand upon the earth." Job 19:25 (NIV)

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - God Sees You

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God Sees You

Are you troubled by many things? Do you easily get stressed when you think about the many things that you must get done in a day's time? In Luke 10:38-42, we see that Martha was very troubled by the many preparations. While her motives were good, her heart wasn't because she LET her circumstances trouble her. We are commanded in John 14:1 to not LET our hearts be troubled. We must remember that it is in taking that time to sit at the Master's feet that we will be refreshed, and able to go about our many tasks, without letting our hearts be troubled, for apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Do you want to see Jesus, but at the same time, you feel like you want to hide so that He doesn't see you? In Luke 19:1-10, we find the story of Zacchaeus, who wanted to see Jesus, so he climbed up in a sycamore tree. Notice that this wasn't just any tree, but a sycamore tree. There are lots of leaves in a sycamore tree. Could it be that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but he didn't want the Master to see him? But what happened? Jesus got there, and He looked up at Zacchaeus, then he called him by name. Today, if you are trying to hide from the Master, I tell you that He is calling you by name. Just as Zacchaeus had a change of heart, God wants to change YOU! And the change which He desires to bring is a change to better you and your life.

Do you feel insignificant? Do you feel like your life has no meaning? Ps. 139 tells us much about how significant we are. God knows when you sit and when you stand. He knows your very thoughts. He has hemmed you in -- behind and before; having laid His hand upon you. There is no place you can go where He cannot see you. He is the one who knit you together while in your mother's womb. He saw you, even while still in the warmth and protection of her womb. Even when your body was unformed, He still saw you. If you were insignificant, why would Almighty God take the time to see you in all of these ways? YOU ARE NOT INSIGNIFICANT - YOU HAVE GREAT WORTH! Father is saying to you today, "My child, I LOVE YOU with an EVERLASTING love." Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. His plan is to help us, not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future.

Are you sad, to the point of weeping, and you feel so all alone? In John 11:33, we see that Jesus saw Mary weeping over the death of her brother, and He was DEEPLY MOVED. Again, in verse 38, it says that He was DEEPLY MOVED. In the depths of your pain and sadness, He has promised to never leave you, nor forsake you, (Heb. 13:5) and He is deeply moved by YOUR tears.

Are you crippled physically, emotionally, financially, or spiritually? Do you feel bowed over in your spirit because of the weight you bear? In Luke 13:10-13, Jesus sees a crippled lady, and He calls her forward, then heals her. Jesus sees you, feeling so "crippled in spirit," and He says, "Child, cast all your cares upon Me, for I care for you. I will sustain you, for I will never let the righteous fall." (I Pet. 5:7; Ps. 55:22)

Are you sick? I want to encourage you by telling you that the Master does see you! In John 5:6 Jesus saw the man who had been an invalid for 38 years. In John 9:1, He sees a man who was blind from birth. In Mark 10:46-52, we find the story of the blind beggar. The persistent cries of this man stopped the Master. Jesus ceased from His activity to tend the need of this one man -- a man who is nameless in scripture. Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The man was very specific, and Jesus honored his direct request. This man teaches us three important things: 1) Be persistent in approaching the Master. 2) Be bold. This man took a bold step of faith. When he saw that he had the attention of Jesus, he threw his cloak aside. This garment is what distinguished him as a beggar. He knew that he wasn't going to need it anymore! 3) Be specific when you pray. -- I will never forget a time when I was dealing with severe moods swings from PMS. I humbled myself and went forward for prayer because I was desperate for God to touch me. The pastor was very specific in his prayer, praying that God would cause any hormonal imbalance to come back into perfect alignment, functioning the way in which God ordained it to function. I began to pray that over and over, and I found a huge difference in my moods! Praise the Lord!

There is another story in Mark 5:21-43 that talks about healing. Jairus (notice that it mentions his name) was a man of importance -- a synagogue ruler. He came to

Jesus because his daughter was dying. Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed. It mentions that a "woman" who had been bleeding for twelve years presses through the crowd to touch Him. Notice that it doesn't say her name -- giving the assumption that she wasn't very important in this story. The Word tells us that "immediately" Jesus knew that power had gone out from Him. He asked, "Who touched my clothes?" I really doubt that He was asking that question for His own benefit. He kept looking around to see who had touched Him. Then, this "insignificant woman" comes forward, and what does Jesus do? He calls her "daughter!" When you feel so all alone, remember that our Lord is calling you, and He is saying, "DAUGHTER!"

Now, back to Jairus. Some men approach Jairus and tell him that his daughter is dead. Jesus isn't swayed at all by the "chatter" of these men, but simply tells Jairus not to be afraid, just believe. At this point, in verse 37, it says that Jesus didn't let anyone follow Him and Jairus except for Peter, James, and John. Now, we know that there isn't anything in the Word that is "insignificant." Why do you think He did this? The rest of the people believed the word that the daughter of Jairus was dead. They accepted that as a fact, which wasn't going to change. But our God is in the business of calling those things which aren't as though they were! We see at the end of this story that Jesus brings Jairus's daughter back to life.

Now, when you are going through a serious illness, sometimes you need to separate yourself from "godless chatter." You need to surround yourself with those who will believe with you, who will pray for you when you no longer know what to pray, who will pray for you when you no longer feel like praying. You need to surround yourself with those who won't judge you, but will be willing to cry with you. You need to surround yourself with those who won't try to tell you the solution, but are willing to BE part of the solution! You need to surround yourself with those who are just willing to love you and stand with you!

Ps. 103:13-14 tells us that as a father has compassion on his children, our Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. He remembers our frame, that we are dust. So, He knows that we are going to have times when we doubt, fear, become anxious, get angry at Him over our circumstances, and more. Even though He knows this, it goes on to say in verse 17 that from everlasting to everlasting, His love is with those who fear Him. So don't despair when you have the feelings which I mentioned. God KNOWS you are going to do this, but HE LOVES YOU ANYWAY, and HE LOVES YOU IN SPITE OF THOSE FEELINGS!

Ps. 139:10 tells us that God's right hand will hold us fast. I just learned something new about this scripture. A visual picture of this is a mother who is walking with her toddler in a parking lot. She doesn't just hold the toddler's hand loosely, but she firmly grasps his hand with her thumb on the outside of the hand. She has a FIRM hold on his hand. God has a FIRM hold on YOUR hand, and He is NOT going to let YOU go!

God tells us in Isaiah 49:16 that He has engraved us on the palm of His hand. He could never forget you. Every time He looks at the palm of His hand, He sees YOU!

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Lessons from the Wilderness

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Lessons from the Wilderness

As Moses was the leader over the Israelites, our husband is the leader over our family. There are many lessons which we can learn from looking at the attitudes of the Israelites when they cried out and complained to Moses.

1. Don't be a stench. In Ex. 5:21, we see that the workload of the Israelites was increased. They cried out to Moses, telling him that he had made them a stench to Pharaoh. When our leader (our husband) makes a decision that causes some things to come about which we don't like, we need to be careful of what happens to our attitude. We need to ask ourselves if our attitude is causing us to be a stench to him. Are we nagging? Are we being a stench to him by talking badly about him at work, with our friends, or at Bible study? Is our attitude causing a stench to those around us?

2. Be an encourager, not a whiner. In Ex. 14:11-12, they asked Moses, "Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert." When our husband leads us to a place that seems impossible, do we help and encourage him in the time of trouble? Do we find ourselves saying these words: "I told you so!" or "I knew this was wrong thing for us to do." -- I mentioned in another devotion about the gentle and quiet spirit from I Pet. 3:5. A gentle spirit doesn't go about causing disturbances. A quiet spirit doesn't get upset at the disturbances caused by others. This same verse also talks about women putting their hope in God. When we go through these troublesome times, we need to remember that we don't put our hope in our husband, but we must put our hope in God.

3. Don't let your words cause more bitter waters. In Ex. 15:24, we find the Israelites complaining about the bitter waters. When we look to our husband to fulfill us all of the time, we are going to find ourselves in some very bitter waters. God alone can satisfy all of our deepest desires. When the job isn't going well, money is tight, the marriage is in trouble, we need to pray for God to help us keep our mouths shut when we want to speak negatively. Proverbs 31 tells us that WHEN the virtuous woman talked, the law of kindness was on her tongue. This means that she wasn't always talking. She knew when to keep her mouth shut! We need to remember that our husband carries a huge responsibility and he needs our support. When things are really hard, or money is tight, we need to pray for God to help us in being creative in how we do things at home. We can pray for His help in being creative with what food is in the house. I have done this myself, and have been amazed with the creativity that He has shown me in those times when there wasn't an abundance of food. To do something special, we can light candles while eating or even fix a special dessert that doesn't require a run to the store. Just as Moses threw in the wood to sweeten the bitter waters, if we keep our attitudes right, God can use us mightily to sweeten the bitter waters that our husband may be facing.

4. Don't grumble. In Ex. 16:3, they grumbled that Moses brought them out to the desert to starve to death. When we grumble against our husband, we are ultimately grumbling against the Lord, who has placed him in authority over us. (Ex. 16:8) God said that He would send down bread from heaven to them. They were to go and gather enough for each day (v. 4). In verse 7, God said that they would see the glory of the Lord, which was the manna. Notice that they were told to gather as much as they needed, no more/no less. It's the same with God's mercies. In Ecc. 3:22-23, we find that God's mercies are new every morning (just like the manna). Some days we will need more mercy, and on those days, just as the Israelites were told to gather more manna on the sixth day, God will provide more mercy for us. Jesus is our Bread from heaven (Jn. 6:33, 35). He is our Bread of Life, and we only need to seek Him, and we will find the mercy, grace, and strength that we need to do what He has called us to do.

5. Don't be quarrelsome. In Ex. 17:2, the Israelites quarreled with Moses. He asked them why they put the Lord to the test. We need to ask ourselves if our words and actions provoke our husbands, not to mention provoking the Lord! Prov. 21:9 says that it's better to live on corner of a roof than to live with a quarrelsome wife. Prov. 21:19 says that it's better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome wife. As women, most of us probably have certain times of the month where it is easier for us to fall into the trap of being quarrelsome. One thing I've learned to do, out of respect for my husband and my daughter is to tell them when I am having those days. I let them know that if I seem a little more crabby that it's not their fault. If my husband wants to discuss something with me during those times that could get me easily upset, I will suggest waiting to discuss that until the next day.

6. Learn to hold up his arms. In Ex. 17:11-12, we find that while in battle, if Moses had his arms raised, the Israelites would be winning the battle, but if he put his arms down, there was a swift change in how the battle was faring. As wives, we can help our husband to win his daily battles by being faithful to pray for him. By our intercession, our words of love and encouragement, we can help him to win many battles.

Father, help us to learn from the bad examples of the Israelites, so that we don't end up making the same mistakes. Help us in our shortcomings to rely on Your strength, remembering that You are a Faithful God, who is ever ready to help us in our time of need. Amen.

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Supper is Ready!

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Supper is Ready!

As a newlywed, I couldn't wait for husband to get home at the end of the day so that we could be together once again. While at work, I would long for the hour to come when we could see each other. My heart yearned to be with him.

After having Rachel, I still yearned for him to come home for supper. It was important to me to have that meal ready for him at the end of the day. I remember how, in the early months of Rachel's life, the only way that I could get supper done was to play praise and worship music when it was time to fix supper. She would be in her carrier, sitting on the counter, watching me fix supper, and very quickly, she would dose off long enough for me to get supper ready. Many times Dean would walk in the door to that peaceful, relaxed atmosphere, finding his precious little one, sound asleep. (What he didn't know was how chaotic life had been prior to that nap!)

As Rachel grew up, I would anxiously await supper time again, wanting to tell Dean about the latest words Rachel said, or something funny that she did. Often, we'd find ourselves at the supper table, having a good laugh over the humorous things Rachel would do.

Even now, I still yearn for the hour when my husband will walk in the door. There is a contentment to our whole family when we are all together in the evenings. We feel complete when we are all together. It gives us that time for intimate conversation when we sit down at the supper table. There are even those times when Dean may be here, but yet he's out working in the garage. Finally, I am able to send Rachel out to tell him, "Supper is ready!" Once again, I'm longing for those supper time moments.

Even with as much as I look forward to supper time, there is another supper that I am even more anxiously awaiting -- the Wedding supper of the Lamb. (Rev. 19:9) I used to find myself feeling too attached to this world, but in the last few years as I have developed a much deeper and intimate walk with the Lord, I find myself feeling more like an alien and stranger on this earth. (I Pet. 2:11) I long to go home to that place that my Lord has prepared for me. (Jn. 14:1-3) I'm longing for supper time.

Sister, even in the midst of the daily grind and the myriad of trials that you may be facing right now, I pray that you hear the voice of the Father saying, "Supper is almost ready!"

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Will it Hurt?

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Will it hurt?

As mothers, we have probably all faced times when we had to take our child to the doctor for a shot, only to be asked, "Mommy, will it hurt?" Yes, it often does hurt them, but the end result is not to harm them, but to protect them from something which could cause much harm later in life.

In Jer. 29:11, we see where God has plans to prosper us, not to harm us. In Is. 61:1 We see the prophecy of how Jesus was going to come to bind up our wounds, those places where we hurt. In Ps. 147:3, it says that the Lord's desire is to heal the brokenhearted and to bind up their wounds.

Many times, in order to receive our healing, it requires us to yield, or dare I say it? To submit. We may want to ask the Lord, "Daddy, will it hurt?" He will likely tell us, "Yes, child, it will, but it's for your own good."

In my own life, I struggled with chronic colitis for many years. After reading many things on stress-related illnesses, I saw that colitis was caused by stress. Well, I had the perfect answer for why I suffered with this awful affliction. It was from the stress of my job! As I began to grow in my Christian walk, I found out that colitis, as well as many other ailments can also be caused by unforgiveness or bitterness. OUCH! I didn't want to hear that. Facing up to that reality meant that I may have to uncover some really ugly things in my heart! In that whole process of allowing God to uncover those hidden things, I was totally set free from the colitis. I went from taking 6-8 pills one day, to taking none the next, or the next, or the next... It was a marvelous work that ONLY God could do! Did it hurt to allow God to uncover those places? You bet it did! I thought I was a pretty good Christian, only to find out that my heart was full of wickedness, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, and more. Was it worth it? WITHOUT A DOUBT! You see, God had plans to prosper me, not to harm me. The end result of it kept me from further pain - the physical pain of the colitis, and the spiritual pain of not being able to grow in my walk with God because I was filled with sinful things.

Another example is through the miscarriage in 1995. The pregnancy was a surprise. We weren't trying to get pregnant, nor did we want to be pregnant. When I found out that I was pregnant, I looked at it as God having a much bigger plan for our lives than what we had. When I lost the baby, I was devastated because I thought having this baby was God's plan for us. How could I lose this precious baby that God had chosen for us to conceive? I just couldn't understand. I was so hurt, confused, angry, and grief-stricken.

In going through the grieving process, I told the Lord that I needed this baby to have a purpose. I couldn't live my life without seeing some purpose for having conceived this child, only to lose her. (I always thought it was a girl.) As I yielded to God, allowing Him to show me His purpose in this, I learned some awesome things about the Lord. I learned what it was like to be hidden in the shadow of His wings. I learned so much about His love and mercy that I didn't know before, and I learned about His compassionate heart. (Is. 66:12-13)

Did going through the miscarriage hurt? Yes, it did. But was I harmed? Absolutely not! It's made heaven a little bit sweeter, knowing that I have a precious child waiting for me over there.

In all of this, I also learned how God allows things to come into our lives so that He can comfort us, teaching us how to comfort others as they go through similar situations. (II Cor. 1:3-4)

So, my sister, I challenge you to allow God to "hurt" you in order to prosper you, and not "harm" you. It will be worth every bit of pain when you see the glory that is to be revealed. (Rom. 8:18)

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Beauty for Ashes

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Beauty for Ashes

Do you ever wonder why God has allowed you to go through certain circumstances? Do you wonder what good things could ever come from those painful, trying times? Do you struggle with guilt because sometimes you get angry at God for allowing those horrible things to have taken place?

Ps. 103:13-14 says that as a father has compassion on his children, so God has compassion on us. He remembers how we are formed - that we are dust. In other words, He knows you may be angry, and that the anger may even be directed at Him. The good news is that He knows we are dust, so He knows our various emotions, good and bad. And yet, He STILL has compassion on us.

II Cor. 3:18 tells us that we are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory. He can even use our painful past and troublesome trials to work that ever-increasing glory into our lives.

Be confident that He who began a good work in you will be ever faithful to complete it. (Phil. 1:6)

Is. 61:3 says that you will find that you have been given beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. You will be called an oak of righteousness (symbolizing strength), displaying God's splendor.

Don't despise your trials and those deep hurts in your heart, but invite God to do wonders through them!

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - The Interceding Lamb

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The Interceding Lamb

In the time when Jesus was born, the custom was to take the baby to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law required the parents to offer a sacrifice. In Lev. 12:8, we find that the requirement for sacrifice was a lamb. There was also a provision for the poor, who couldn't afford to sacrifice a lamb. Their sacrifice was two doves or two young pigeons. Mary and Joseph's sacrifice was the latter. Why didn't they sacrifice a lamb? For starters, they were poor. Another reason why they didn't sacrifice a lamb is because they held the Lamb of God in their arms. It wasn't time for the Lamb to be sacrificed, but there would be a time when Mary was forced to offer up the sacrifice of a spotless Lamb, a Lamb who grew within her very womb. Only this time, the Lamb would take away the sins of the whole world, having freely offered Himself upon an old rugged cross as the final sacrifice for all time. The Lamb of God who was born to die for us now lives to intercede for us.

What burdens do you carry that need someone's constant intercession?

Do you have a parent who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has your child chosen a life of homosexuality? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has your husband left you for a younger woman? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Are you suffering from years of infertility? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Are you in the depths of grief over just losing your baby to a miscarriage? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Have you received a diagnosis of cancer from the doctor? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Is this your first holiday without your soul mate? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has your mother passed away, and now Christmas will never be the same without her? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Did you just discover that your child is autistic? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has you teenaged daughter recently told you that she is pregnant?

Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has your son been sent to prison? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Has a close friend betrayed your confidence? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Are you overwhelmed with the everyday things of life? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

Did you or your husband just lose a job? Jesus lives to intercede for you.

It doesn't matter where you are, or what you are facing, the Son of God who grew up to be the Lamb of God now LIVES to intercede, and He is interceding for YOU. So when you feel all alone, and you feel like nobody cares, there is still Someone who is there, and He is faithfully interceding for you.

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - Friends

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Friends

Sunday:

Sincere Leigh: “Lord, I want to be more like You. Help me to be steadfast and faithful -- a woman of integrity and character. Let me be a woman of great faith who can encourage others.

God: “Child, are you sure about this?”

Sincere Leigh: “Yes Lord! I can do all things with Your help, and I know it’s Your will for me to be more like You.”

God: “You sound pretty excited and confident in this request.”

Sincere Leigh: “Yes, I am! I know I’m praying in accordance with Your will, so I just know You will answer me!”

God: “Yes, my precious daughter. I am pleased with your request and I will grant your request. Prepare yourself for some visits by several friends over the next few days.

Sincere Leigh: “Friends? OK! Friends can be a great encouragement to me in my Christian walk! This will be great!”

Monday:

Sincere Leigh gets up and gets her children ready for school. On the way there, the car breaks down. Later that day while the car is still in the shop, the school calls to tell her that one of her children has come down with the stomach flu. Since she’s without a car, she must call her husband at work. He’s unavailable, thanks to an urgent meeting. Now she has to try and find some merciful soul who will take her to pick up her sick child. After reaching four answering machines, she’s beginning to get frantic. Oh! What a day this has turned out to be!

Tuesday:

Sincere Leigh was hoping for a good night’s sleep after the disastrous day on Monday. As soon as she drifts off to sleep, her youngest child vomits all over the bed. Yes, he’s come down with the flu as well! Instead of sleep, she is now washing bedding at midnight and giving a very sick child an unwanted bath.

She awakens, feeling exhausted, but knows that she still has one child who must attend school today. Since the other two are sick, she will be forced to send her child to the dreaded bus stop. Her daughter is adamant that she’s not riding the bus because the kids are always so mean. After putting her foot down, and getting quite cross with her daughter, Sincere Leigh’s current crisis comes to an end.

After changing the bed sheets for the two children who are no longer vomiting, Sincere Leigh gets them settled for a nap. She decides to take a nap herself. She dozes off, and the phone rings. It’s the prayer chain calling. She quickly takes care of that and realizes that she still has a little time to rest before the children will wake up. The phone rings again. It’s her daughter, calling from school. She forgot her gym shoes and she’s upset because they’re going to play her favorite game during gym class. “Please Mommy! Can’t you leave long enough to bring me my shoes?” Of course, Sincere Leigh couldn’t leave the other two children home alone to rescue her daughter, even as life-threatening as it seemed to the poor child.

Wednesday:

Sincere Leigh’s last child came down with the flu at 2 AM. She starts the vicious cycle once again. She is exhausted by now, and she barely muddles her way through the morning routine as she tries to get one child off to school. Suddenly, she remembers that she is supposed to meet her friend for lunch today. She makes a quick call to cancel. Now all she wants to do is go back to bed, but she knows that she must start laundry.

Later, when Sincere Leigh goes to get the laundry out of the dryer, she discovers that it’s still wet, with no sign of having been heated at all by the dryer. At this, she throws up her hands, and begins to wail, “Why me, Lord? I didn’t need this right now! First the car repair, now the dryer needs fixed! I’ve had sick kids all week, and had to cancel my luncheon plans! Why can’t anything go right for me?” She cries some more, but doesn’t take the time to listen for the Lord to answer all of her ‘whys.’

Once the kids are resting peacefully, she decides to take a nap, only to remember that she hadn’t read her Bible all week. She thinks to herself, “I’m exhausted and I need some sleep. I have the women’s retreat this weekend. I’ll make up for it then.” Suddenly, the phone rings. Her husband has been unexpectedly called out town on business. He has to leave in two hours. Can she pack his bags and have them ready? “When will you be back?” she asks. He informs her that he will be gone until midday on Saturday. What!? What about the women’s retreat?

Thursday:

Sincere Leigh is really wiped out this morning. She is very short-tempered, leaving everyone walking on eggshells, and she’s having her very own pity party. She can’t have her parents watch the kids so she can go to the retreat because they are on vacation. She can’t take them to a friend’s house to stay because all of her friends are going to the retreat. She was really looking forward to this retreat, and now she can’t go. She is terribly depressed.

Friday:

Sincere Leigh wakes up and decides that she going to do something special for herself after she drops the kids off at school. After all, it’s been a very rough week. She has to miss out on the retreat, so she owes it to herself to do something special. She finally decides that she will go out for breakfast at her favorite restaurant. After saying ‘goodbye’ to the children, she notices that she suddenly has a pounding headache and her stomach feels rather queasy. She opts out of treating herself to breakfast. She barely makes it in the door, and to the bathroom, before she starts vomiting. Yes, you guessed it -- Sincere Leigh has the stomach flu.

After literally hanging over the toilet for about four straight hours, she feels like she is dying. She finally manages to crawl into bed and starts to fall asleep. When she reaches that ‘twilight stage,’ where she’s not completely asleep, yet not fully awake, she hears the Lord say, “How did you like the friends I sent you this week?” Angrily, she says, “What friends? No one came to see me. No one even called me.” With that, she starts to fall asleep. As she does, she keeps hearing “James 1:2” going through her mind. Even in her sleep, she dreams that her pastor is preaching from James 1:2.

When Sincere Leigh awakens, she gets her Bible and looks up James 1:2 and finds that it’s admonishing her not to resent trials. She thinks to herself, “Lord, this week has sure been a huge trial!” She finishes reading the verse and discovers that it says to welcome trials as friends. (Phillips)

WHAT? Friends? Suddenly, she blurts out, “Oh, I get it, Lord! When You told me to prepare for some friends, you were referring to trials! But I didn’t ask for trials! I asked for You to help be steadfast, faithful, full of integrity, character, faith, and encouragement.”

God replies, “Yes, child, you did. And now, let’s take a look at some more scriptures so that you will understand.”

Sincere Leigh begins to read I Peter 4:12-13 where it tells her that trials come so that her faith may go through a spiritual refining process. (The Message Bible) She discovers in Romans 5:3-4 that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance will produce character. She goes back to the first chapter in James. After reading verse three, she realizes that perseverance must finish its work in her so that she will be mature, faithful, steadfast, full of integrity, character, and full of faith and able to encourage others.

God speaks to her again: “Do you see it now? All of these trials are part of My plan and purpose for your life. Sincere Leigh, you sincerely prayed to become all of those things without realizing that to do so, it requires that I use trials to make you into that person. While your trials won’t be easy to endure, I will always be there with you, every step of the way. The end result will be a deeper, more intimate relationship with Me, and a heart full of joy for having grown so much during the trial.”

Sincere Leigh: “Wow Lord! I guess I’ve got a lot of growing up to do to become mature! Will you really be there with me through the whole process?”

God: “Always, child, always.”

Sincere Leigh had no idea what to expect when she prayed that bold prayer, but yet she did pray it sincerely. Sister, when you find yourself going through trial after trial, God is faithful, and He will also walk through it with you.

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• Oct. 2, 2008 - God Sees the End

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God Sees the End

When the angel visited Mary in Luke 1:30-33, he told her that she would give birth to a child whom God would give the throne of his father David, and that he would reign forever.

When Jesus was born, wisemen came to worship him and give him treasures. Mt. 2:1-11

When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple, Mary hears Simeon say "My eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all people." Lu. 2:30-31 She treasured this in her heart.

Lu. 2:8-19 tells us about the angels who appeared to the shepherds, telling them that a Savior had been born. Mary treasured this in her heart.

When he was only twelve years old, Jesus amazed the people when he spoke at the temple. Again, Mary treasured this in her heart.

In John 2:1-11, Mary witnesses the first miracle which her son performs. The Bible isn't clear about how many more miracles Mary was able to witness, but I would imagine that even if she didn't see them happen, she at least heard about them.

In Matt. 21:8-11, everyone is going to Jerusalem, and here comes Jesus riding into town on a donkey. Not only that, but the people line the roads, shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"

Just a few days later, Mary sees her beloved son hanging on a cross. Her chosen son, the son who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, the son who was to be a king, and he is hanging on a cross? How can this be? OH! The emotions that must have been coursing through her. Can you imagine what she must have felt? She must have felt such anger and confusion. Utter despair must have had a tight grip on her innermost being. Surely her mind was screaming, "WHY?"

After all, she was there when the angel proclaimed that he would be a king. She heard the angel say that he'd sit on David's throne and that he would reign forever. Why would God send an angel to tell her these things when it's obvious that he can't be a king - after all, he's hanging on a cross! She must have been asking God why he pulled Jesus from death's grasp when he was only two years old, only to have him die a cruel death on a cross.

We all know the end of Mary's story. We know that only three days later, her precious Son rose victorious over death, hell, and the grave. We know that He is indeed a King.

Just as we know the end of Mary's story, God knows the end of YOUR story. You may be going through a heart wrenching experience. You can't possibly see what good God could make of the situation. You don't understand what He is trying to teach you, or to show you.

There are times that Rachel wants me to explain things to her. Sometimes the things which she asks about are things that are just too complicated for her little mind to understand. At those times, I have to tell her that I can't give her the answer to that right now because she isn't old enough to understand. She has to just trust that I know best for her. God, who is our loving Father, often chooses not to reveal things to us, as well. He sees that some things just don't need to be explained to us. We just have to trust His wisdom in it.

Is. 55:8-9 says that God's thoughts are not your thoughts, and His ways are not your ways. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and His ways are higher than your ways.

Jer. 29:11 says that God knows the plan he has for you - plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.

Rom. 8:28 tells us that ALL things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose.

Hab. 1:5 says that He is going to do something in your days that you wouldn't believe, even if you were told.

God is so much bigger than ANY problems which we face. He will not fail us. He will not forsake us. Be patient and wait on Him. Be still and know that He is God.

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - When it Floods

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When it Floods

After seeing the worst flooding in Kokomo, Indiana since 1958, I made some observations that can be applied to our spiritual lives.

As I was watching those terrible storms rolling in, the winds began to blow furiously. The storm was raging outside, but inside my home, all was peaceful, calm, and full of light. The Lord gently spoke to me that there are times when it feels that life is fiercely blowing one storm after another at us, but if we stay connected to the vine, we will be able to have light, peace, and calmness in spite of what is going on around us. Ps. 1:3 mentions the person who is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season. The tree yields its fruit because of a deep root system. If we don't keep our roots going deeper and deeper into the Word of God, when the winds begin to blow in our life, we aren't going to be able to withstand for long. How are your roots doing?

I was in the living room watching a storm rolling in from the west. It was only 8:45 AM, but looking outside, it looked more like 8:45 PM. The darkness was unbelievable for that time of day during the summer months. When we face trials of many kinds, our outlook can become darkened. II Sam. 22:29 tells us that the Lord turns my darkness into light. Ps. 28:28 says that the Lord keeps my lamp burning and turns my darkness into light. Ps. 37:6 says that our righteousness will shine like the dawn. Ps. 112:4 says that even in darkness, light dawns for the upright. Even when the darkness of trials and tribulations surround us, God can cause our light to shine forth.

The destruction from the flooding was incredible. It was unlike anything I had ever observed. So many families saw the destruction of their homes, their cars, precious items were destroyed. Many lost treasured family pictures and sentimental gifts. When we are flooded with problems, we can face spiritual destruction. We can feel that our fortress has fallen, never to be repaired. We must be sure that we are laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven. (Mt. 6:19-21) We must remember that we are aliens and strangers on this earth. (I Pet. 2:11)

After the water receded, everything was so dirty and polluted. When we are being flooded by numerous trials, are we allowing ourselves to become polluted? Are we allowing the wrong, negative thoughts to set themselves up as strongholds in our thinking? Are we allowing our hearts to become bitter and hardened? I remember hearing our pastor mention that the only difference between the words "bitter" and "better" is the letter "i." Many times we can't stop the trials that come upon us, but we can choose how we will respond to those trials. When troubles assail us, we must choose to think upon those things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy. (Phil. 4:8) When our flesh is wanting us to think negatively all the time, we must choose to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Rom. 12:2)

Once the water began to shrink back, you could see that the grass was dead. The flooding waters choked the life out of the grass. Mt. 13:20-21 talks about the seed that fell on the rocky places and relates it to one who falls away in times of trouble. In verse 22, Jesus talks about the seed that falls among the thorns representing those who let their worries choke their spiritual life. Is this our response when we face misfortunes? Jesus admonishes us in Mt. 6:33-34 that we need to seek His kingdom first and not worry about tomorrow. In John 16:33 He reminds us to take heart and be of good courage because He has overcome the world. It doesn't matter what storms come our way, our God is big enough to help us through them!

While we were out observing some of the effects of the flooding, we couldn't help but notice the stench that was left after the waters had shrunken back. When facing multiplied trials, do we become a stench to those around us? Does our attitude stink? (No pun intended!) Is. 3:24 says that "instead of fragrance, there will be a stench." (NIV) But in II Cor. 2:16, it mentions that we can be the fragrance of life. Which description is a more apt description of us when troublesome times assail us? My prayer is that we can say, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." II Cor 4:8-10 (NIV)

When the Mississippi River had the great flood in 1993, I was flying to Arizona to visit my brother. From the plane, I could look down and see the devastation everywhere. I could also look up and see the beautiful clouds and sunshine that surrounded the plane. The clouds looked like huge sculptures that day. They were stunning to observe. I had the choice of choosing to either look down at the devastation from all of the rain, or I could lift my eyes and see beautiful artwork, done by the Master Creator. It reminded me of Is. 40:31 where it tells us that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, that they will soar on eagle's wings, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Even when there seems to be trouble on every side, we can find our strength in Him.

Many people have fallen away from the Lord in times of trouble and distress because their roots didn't go deep enough to sustain them in the winds and storms that raged in their lives. Ps. 119:165 says that those who love the law of God will have great peace and NOTHING can make them stumble. We must be sure to keep our roots going deep. Ps. 42:7 mentions deep calling to deep. When we face various trials, we need for deep to call to deep, pulling out from the reservoir of God's spirit in us, the words of life to sustain us and give us hope, encouragement, peace, and strength.

Many years ago I worked as a bank teller. I remember getting off from work one evening after an incredibly stressful day. I was on my way to the post office to drop off the bank's mail, yelling to God at the top of my lungs in such frustration. It had been raining that evening, and as I turned to make my way out of the post office parking lot, I saw the most beautiful, vivid rainbow that I have ever seen. It was so awesome that I immediately stopped my yelling, but instead of closing my mouth, my jaw just hung there in awe. Very gently, Father whispers to me, "Daughter, you will face trials of many kinds, but I will NEVER let them overflow you." His Word spoken to me is the same for you. Do not fear. Your trials will not overflow you!

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - When the Lord Goes to Battle

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When the Lord Goes to Battle

Parenting is a very rewarding experience, but it can also be one of the most taxing, frustrating experiences for us as well. On top of the many demands we face as mothers, there are times when we find ourselves facing situations that drain us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. There are bills to be paid, even when the budget is already tight. We may have a tense relationship with someone that requires some attention. Having major expenses come up from car repairs or faulty appliances can leave one feeling overwhelmed. Dealing with a family member who is seriously ill can leave us emotionally exhausted.

When we think that we can go to church and find a refuge for a few short hours, we may find ourselves at odds with someone in the church. Someone may make a biting or sarcastic remark to us, or maybe use body language that speaks volumes in a less-than-positive manner. Unfortunately, most churches have at least one busybody. It seems that when you need a refuge the most, here comes Miss Busy herself, thinking that she needs to help you to straighten your priorities. With the multitude of things which we are facing outside of the church, these added situations can leave us feeling emotionally undone.

The words in Is. 59 may seem to fit us quite well at times like these.

Verse 9 - Justice may seem far from us. We may feel that righteousness is a distant place, due to the low emotional frame of mind we have at that given moment.

Verse 10 - Like one who is blind, we grope to find our way. Even at noontime, we stumble as if in the dark. Among those who seem strong, we may feel like we are dead.

Verse 11 - We growl like bears and mournfully moan like doves. We look for justice and deliverance but it appears to be so far away from us. We may feel like God has forgotten us.

While we are feeling so alone and depressed by our circumstances, God has not stopped moving on our behalf. Verse 17 tells us that He puts on His righteousness as His breastplate, as well as the helmet of salvation. He puts on garments of vengeance and wraps Himself in zeal like a cloak. Verse 19 tells us that He comes on the scene as a pent-up flood.

Even when circumstances look so gloomy, DON'T GIVE UP! You don't know when God will arrive on the scene of your situation as a pent-up flood. Let Him step in and take vengeance on the adversary, whether it be Satan or someone with flesh and blood. The vengeance that He will take is so much better than anything we can think up in our finite minds. For when the Lord goes to battle, who can possibly stand against His awesome power and might? (Rom. 8:31)

Just when you think that you will never laugh again, God arrives on the scene and does a marvelous work before you. Where your spirit once was overwhelmed, and your eyes were filled with tears of despair, you now look radiant and your heart throbs and swells with joy! (Is. 60:5) NEVER GIVE UP! Your God is working behind the scenes, and He will fight for you!

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Fine Jewels

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Fine Jewels

Have you been afflicted with various trials? James tells us in chapter 1 to count it all joy when you face trials because the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance works forth maturity in us. Rom. 8:18 says that our present sufferings aren't worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed in us. I Cor. 2:9 reminds us that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, BUT He has revealed it to us by His Spirit.

In Is. 54:11-12, I found some "revealed" things that I hope will encourage you as you face trials and sufferings. God will build you with turquoise, and your foundations with sapphires. He will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates will be sparkling jewels. All of your walls will be of precious stones.

As we go through trials, allowing God to work all things together for good, according to HIS purpose, we will find our inner being adorned with a beauty that is better by far than the most precious of fine jewels. We will sparkle radiantly with His glory. Just as people are drawn to the beauty of fine gems, we will be a gem to which people are drawn because of the inner beauty which God has made in us.

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - It's Been Filtered

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It's Been Filtered

A few years ago, we got a new furnace. Along with that, we decided to go with one of the clean-air filters since Rachel and I were both having allergy troubles. With this filter, as the furnace turns on, the air is filtered before it reaches us.

Did you know that God also filters things before they come to us? In Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-6, we see where Satan approaches the throne of God. When God points out Job, his righteous servant, Satan attacks Job's character, stating that Job only serves God because God has made things very easy for Job. God allows Satan to afflict Job's belongings and Job's family. After seeing that Job didn't sin in all of this, Satan approaches God again. As the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), Satan declares that if God allowed physical pain and suffering into Job's life, Job would curse God. Once again, we see God allowing Satan to bring terrible affliction upon Job, yet Job still didn't sin.

When we face trials in this world, we shouldn't be surprised. God uses those trials to let us share in the sufferings of our Lord. In the end, we will be overjoyed because we will see God's glory revealed. When suffering according to God's will, we need to commit ourselves to God, continuing to do good, knowing that He can work good in us and through us. Once we come through the trial, we will realize that is was good for us to be afflicted because that very affliction has caused us to learn much more about out God. (I Pet. 4:12-19; Rom. 8:28; Ps. 119:71)

Everything you face has been "Father-filtered."

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

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Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I love to see rainbows. They remind me of how faithful God is to His promises. One thing about rainbows though -- you can only see them after the rain. Even though all the components are there in the atmosphere for making a rainbow, you won't ever see one until there's been some rain. Then suddenly, you see it, off in the distance is a fascinating sight -- a rainbow. It's beauty is captivating; you don't want to take your eyes off of it.

In our own life, we have the opportunity to see rainbows, but first we must go through the storm. While in the midst of the storm, we may see the wind blowing furiously. We may be engulfed in a raging storm, with thick, dark clouds turning our light into darkness, obscuring our way. We may even feel ourselves bending like a tree branch in the wind, feeling like we are going to bend far enough to break.

While the scenario I've just described doesn't sound inviting, we need to take a moment and look at some examples in scripture of people who have gone through storms.

Naomi found that there was a famine in her land, so her husband took her and their two sons and moved to Moab, which was a land filled with very ungodly people. Soon after that, Naomi's husband died, leaving her with two sons. Then her two sons marry pagan women from Moab. Ten years later, her sons die. Now she is all alone... except for Ruth. We see that Ruth refuses to leave Naomi, even in Naomi's bitterness of soul. They go back to the land of Judah. Ruth marries the kinsman redeemer, then gives birth to a son. At that point, the women from Judah approach Naomi and they tell her that Ruth loves her and is better to her than seven sons.

Another example of a person who went through a violent storm is Job. In one day, he lost his sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, servants, and all of his children. Shortly after that, he is afflicted from head to toe with very painful sores. After all of the afflictions on his own body and dealing with a nagging wife who wants him to curse God and die, he also has to deal with judgmental and critical comments from his friends. (Some friends!) In Job 42, we see where Job prays for his friends. It's after that point that Job finds that God makes him prosperous again, giving him twice as much as before. The latter part of his life was more blessed than the first. It sounds to me like Job saw a beautiful rainbow in his own life.

Our last example is found in Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was visited by an angel and told that she was highly favored. Then the angel proceeds to tell her that she will bear the Messiah. Mary finds that she's having one of those mountaintop experiences, only to find that in the very next chapter, Simeon tells her that a sword will pierce her own heart. She had to face the sneers of people who believed that she had sex with Joseph before she was ever married to him. Then, as Jesus got older, she heard the people call her Son a lunatic and a blasphemer. She watched as He was brutally beaten, then as He carried the cross to Golgotha, and then, she watched her precious Son die on that cross. But three days later, Mary saw a rainbow shining brightly after the worst storm of her life. Her Son was no longer dead, but He was risen!

Sister, if you are seeing storms all around you, don't fret. Don't give up! You are about to see a rainbow in your own life!

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• Oct. 1, 2008 - Fighting Sleep

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Fighting Sleep

I remember holding Rachel when she was a baby. Whether it was in the evening hours when she was tired, or at naptime, she would always get all snuggly in my arms, and pretty soon, she would be contentedly sleeping in my arms. I used to love to watch her as she would start to fight sleep, and then even as she fell asleep, sometimes I’d have a hard time wanting to put her in her crib. It was just so precious to watch her sleeping so peacefully!

I think we get so caught up in thinking of God in His holiness, righteousness, and in His fatherly role that we forget that He also has the same feelings toward us as we have toward our children, as we watch them, peacefully sleeping. We don’t often remember God has a soft, tender, motherly side to Him.

Recently, I overheard a conversation where some ladies were dealing with feelings of guilt for falling asleep at night when they were trying to pray. If that was the only time I talked to the Lord, I suppose I may feel the same way. But since I do talk to the Lord many times during the day, I think of it as a precious time of curling up in my Lord’s lap, letting His arms hold me securely. Before I know it, I am fighting sleep, just the way that Rachel used to do when she was in my arms. Next thing I know, I’m sound asleep, content in Daddy’s arms.

In Matthew 23:37, Jesus talks of wanting to gather Jerusalem, as a mother hen tries to gather her chicks under her wings, yet Jerusalem wasn’t willing. Daughter, are you willing to let Him gather you under His wings?

You’ve probably heard parents talking about their new baby, saying that the child is ‘the apple of my eye.’ Daughter, you are the apple of God’s eye. (Zechariah 2:8) He delights in watching you, even in those hours when you fall asleep while trying to pray.

Have you ever had moments when you sat there, watching your children, unnoticed? We can take great delight in watching them in those moments. They are so precious. God takes great delight in you, dear one. (Zephaniah 3:17) He loves to behold you, even as you sleep.

There are those times when a child will come running to Mommy, crying out in disappointment, frustration, or even in pain. Mommy will pick up her baby, hold her close, and whisper, “Shhh, it’s OK.” Sometimes a simple, loving kiss to a ‘boo-boo’ will fix things and quiet them. God wants to quiet you with His love. (Zephaniah 3:17) In those hours when you are finding it so hard to stay awake and focus on prayer, maybe your Father just wants to quiet you with His love, giving you a much-needed peaceful rest.

Just as a mother can’t forget the babe at her breast, nor can she have no sense of compassion on the babe, neither can God forget you. He’s even engraved your name on the palm of His hand. (Is. 49:15-16) God uses these kinds of illustrations in His Word to show us His tender heart toward us. Daughter, don’t feel guilty because you may fall asleep at night while trying to pray. God knows you so well. He knows the busy, stressful day you’ve had. Just as we have compassion on our children when they’ve had a rough day, God does the same for us. Look at it as a gift from Him. He knows you need to rest, so Daughter, are you ready to quit fighting sleep and just rest contentedly in your Father’s arms?

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