Victim or Victorious?

First of all, where did September go???  I intend to blog at least once a month but this past 30 days simply escaped me. When I write, I pray it to will be something you are glad you took the time to stop, read and consider.

This past year, I took a challenge from a  friend  to post one "thankful"  each day for 30 days.  Then I just kept going.  I know I have missed some days, but have tried earnestly to keep it going all year.  

It is so easy to forget what we have to be thankful for and begin to complain, to whine, to grumble about the negatives.  There are many and some must be dealt with. Pretty soon, we are down, discouraged and just grumpy!  However,  many situations are beyond our control. I have tried to practice true belief in the Word. This past year has been one of learning what actions and situations are mine to own and what belong to others. We can and should learn to set boundaries and limits.  It is not only healthy, but I believe Biblical.  Otherwise, we will spend our lives spinning our wheels, stuck in the same old rut.  Stuck in the past.  We will never truly enjoy the victory of overcoming our sin or the hurts hurled at us by others.

Today I choose to be thankful for the glorious gift of life in Jesus Christ.  I choose *not* to be a victim of past injustices or hurts. I look forward with a heart full of gratitude and thanksgiving  to a gift far above my of surpassing mercy and grace.  Because God, through Christ, loved us enough to send the only One through which we can find eternal salvation.

With Just a Word

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 
~ Hebrews 11:3

Consider how strong the word of God is.  He speaks and things come into existence from nothing.  That sends chills down my spine!  No one else could do this.  One of the laws of nature is that all matter comes from pre-existing matter.  Not one thing comes from 'nothing.'  Yet God is able to speak, and things are there which were not!!  In Genesis 1 verse 3 it states, "Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light."  He just says the word and light is where it was not before.  

Then if we jump over to the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the raging seas we find not creation, but Jesus asleep in a ship at sea, a raging storm threatens and his disciples are frightened.  "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,“Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." 

His word carries such authority, such power. How is this so?  Because He is the Creator, the great "I Am."  He is, was and ever will be God, the son.  The Bible tells us that nothing that is made was made without Him.  He has the power the authority given Him by His Father, to command light into being, seas and winds into stillness.  They are His workmanship, at the disposal of His will.    

Is it any harder to believe that the God who spoke this world into being from nothing can take away that which exists?  Is it any more difficult for Him to take away our sins; that He can make us clean and pure, fit for the kingdom?  Yet we condemn ourselves by not believing, but guilting ourselves day after day for things done in the past.  Hebrews 8:12 states, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”"

Do we believe?  Then we must act as those forgiven, if we have indeed asked for it.  Now it is up to us to walk as those whose destination is heaven!  Our walk must be worthy of our eternal home.  (Titus 1:2 and Ephesians 4:1)  

Travel directions

I am currently in route to Washington State.  Plans are for me to stay a few weeks to help our eldest child with her family while she settles into her new role with the National Guard.  My dear husband and I prayed and talked about what we could do as grandparents and this is one thing we felt would benefit the boys as they adjust also.

Many times in our married life (we just celebrated our 32nd anniversary) we have had to adjust to new direction.  We met in the small church of Christ in a tiny mountain town in California where he worked in radio and I was the new school teacher.  I smile as I remember those early days of shyness and uncertainty.  Little did we know when we committed to one another that hot day in June where the road would take us.

We could not have begun to imagine the places or experiences we would visit. He eventually left radio to begin training for pulpit ministry.  God blessed us with children. He also blessed us with loss, not only of a much-wanted child, but also of parents, and sometimes hopes and dreams.  Through it all we have clung to the hope and dream of eternal life with God in heaven.

I believe that God in his infinite wisdom does not let us see the future, joyous or sorrowful, for many reasons.  Trusting Him has to be the top of the list.  Where would faith come from if we knew what would befall us?  Would we rush headlong into things that eventually would undo our faith?  Would we avoid situations that were meant to strengthen and establish us?  Certainly these are both possibilities.

I recently set my status on Facebook as "thankful for suffering."  I smile again thinking of the growth that is taking place as I submit to God, learning to trust his strength, giving up my own will. The battles are not easily won. The progress must be defended daily.  I learn to trust God's direction for my footsteps.

Several verses clamor to be shared here:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Forgetting those things which are behind; . . .   I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12b & 14

I thank my God upon every rememberance of you. . . . being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;  Philippians 1:3 & 6

So as I continue traveling on this detour through Washington State (where, by the way, my journey here on earth began over 56 years ago.)  Some may smile at the thought of coming 'full-circle.'  But this isn't anywhere near the end.  Who knows what time I may have left here?  Only let it be spent in following the footsteps of Christ where they may lead. Let me be found faithful, setting an example of His love and good works for those who follow.

Finally:
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for teh Savior,  the lord jesus christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.  Philippians 4:20,21

- Unbelief will keep us from Heaven -

Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

When going through suffering we must guard our hearts against unbelief.

'But I believe!'  I can hear your voices protesting. . . but belief is not just a statement of fact or a one-time confession, we need to pursue it with constant action on our part. Trust me, as I stated (was that back in April?) We must not lose heart and become unbelieving by complaining, grumbling, growing weary to the point of giving up. (Gal.6:9)  We must be thankful for the things God has done, great and small. (Phil.4:6 and Ps.126:3)  He is in control and He will bring it to pass in His time, not ours.  (Isaiah 40:31)

To stay strong, we must exercise our spiritual knowledge in doing what God has taught us through His word.  It is essential that we let God's word dwell richly in us.  Read (or listen to), meditate, ponder, memorize, and sing it throughout the day. (2 Pet.1:5-9)

God knew we needed this reminder, or He would not have written it here.  So, my dear sisters, I exhort (strongly urge, emphatically plead) that you read God's word, understand what He is asking you, and do it with all your heart.  

Today may be all we have; this moment, this time, the present, to do what we must do.  Do not procrastinate in giving your lives to living totally for the One Who gave His all that we might have life, abundantly and eternally.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23


We know that God speaks to us through His word.  But have you ever heard that 'still small voice' nudging you when you begin to doubt?  Let me assure you, it just takes a little of that doubt to settle in and soon the mind becomes  paralyzed by fear.


 I was privileged to hear a Ladies Day speaker a few weeks ago who challenged me in my weakness. "I want to leave you with two words today, "Trust Me."  She reminded us of what God had already said, but my own thoughts drowned out.  I shared a few of her thoughts with my husband, but left this one out. Maybe I was feeling guilty over my lack of trust and faith.  I don't know.  But Sunday evening I heard him say, "God is telling us, 'Trust Me.'"   It made me squirm!  I knew I was being reminded that I was wavering and needed this reminder!  Again, the next day, someone or something reminded me of these two words.  Believe me, after hearing it three times in three days, I became very contrite and humbled over my lack of belief and trust.  


There was just no getting around it.  I was not really believing God was going to keep His promise, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (From Hebrews 13:5) When the going gets tough, sometimes I just want to run and hide.  But that isn't an option.  We either need to prepare for the battle that we see coming and remember that God's grace is sufficient for the day, or we will fail miserably in our Christian walk.  


I'd like to leave you with these words in closing, "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."  Ephesians 3:20-21  We don't need to fear, because He has promised and He, unlike our earthly friends, family or neighbors, will always keep His promises.  

Isaiah 43:1-3 (and 4a) has become 'home' to me recently.  It is easy to become overwhelmed when life is out of our control.   We begin to feel like those waves crashing over us will swallow us up.  We feel frightened at the heat of the fire all around us, licking at our feet.  

'But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
⁴ Since you were precious in My sight,

As the dear friend who pointed this passage out to me noted, "It does not say 'if', but 'when'"  In other words, why are we surprised when trials come our way?  When the way is not smooth and easy?  God has promised, not to keep the hard times from us, but to see us through them!  Unscathed.  And with personal attention.  I so love reading those words, "I have called you by your name, You are mine!" and, "Since you were precious in My sight. . . "  

We all need to feel loved and cared for.  We need to belong to someone.  It is too easy to give in to the lies that we are uncared for, unloved and unwanted.  He has called me precious!  He keeps His eye on me, because he said so!  According to the Psychology books I read in college, we have basic needs for food and water, but even deeper, we need to feel loved and to belong.  Those needs are stronger than our hunger and thirst even.  They can cause us to do some strange things if not satisfied.  If we surrender to the thought that no one cares for us or that we don't belong anywhere, we may even give up on life.  

But what sweet words to hear that the very Creator of the universe looks down on us with such loving, caring eyes.  He has not forgotten us, nor has He abandoned us.  So when we are crying out to God for relief when the waves or the fire get too near us, remember these words! Hug them close to your heart, whisper them in the dark of the night.  Shout them when you feel like you are  drowning.  Lift your head and repeat them over and over: 

"Fear not. . . "  for

"I will be with you."

"I am the Lord, your God."

"You are mine."

When all comforts of this world flee and you are not sure where to turn, look up, let God comfort and secure your soul.  He cares and wants us.  He made us!  We belong.

Hagar - - Choices

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. ----Genesis 16:1-4

What is written in the scriptures is there for our instruction in Godliness.  When you consider Hagar, several issues that we as Christian women should consider come to mind.  First:  although Abraham and Sarah were God-fearing and faithful, Hagar never, apparently, comes to an understanding of who God really is.  She talks with Him a few times in desperation and God saves her and her child more than once from certain death.  Yet, she never apparently comes to an obedient faith.  

There may be different reasons for this, but it was her choice ultimately.  Some things that happened were because of the decisions of those in authority over her.  She bears a child for her mistress' husband in an attempt to satisfy Sarai's and Abram's desire for a heir.  That backfired and Hagar and the child are eventually sent away.  The effects of those decisions are still being felt today. 

We as Christian women must be careful of the decisions we make each day.  Those around us are affected, today and in the future.  Hagar had choices, those in authority over her had choices, and we today have choices.  

The saying, No man is an island, is true on so many levels.  We live in the world, but we are not to be of the world.  A small preposition makes a big difference! Two little words can change the meaning of a phrase.  And so a little decision today may have effects for generations to come.  Think on these words found in Joshua's appeal to his fellow-countrymen:

“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!  And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - - - Joshua 24:14-15

How Do You Walk?

"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." ~ Ephesians 4:17-19 

I hope you will bear with me in a little foolishness, but when I read this, an illustration of futility came to mind .  In the past, I was a huge Star Trek fan and followed the show for some years.  At one point they were battling a seemingly overwhelming foe.  I remember the cold monotone voice when anyone tried to defy them, "Resistance is fu-tile."  The intent was chilling and no matter how valiantly they fought, the end result was assimilation into the collective conscience of the enemy.  Of course, as is the way of such things, they eventually found the Achilles Heel, and the enemy was defeated. 

Do you ever feel like this, that resisting temptation is useless?  No matter how hard you try, nothing you do will change the outcome?  Failure seems inevitable.

 But if we have committed our lives to Christ, by repenting of our past life (Acts 2:38), being baptized in an appeal to God for a clean conscience (I Peter 3:21), and desiring to live new in Him, then God has granted to us an avenue of escape from the empty lives we once lived.  Our walk as Christians is not in the futility of sin.  We are not destined to be part of the collective, futile mind of this world.  

But rather, in contrast, let us consider the change in us:  

• Our thinking has changed (Romans 12:1-2, II Cor. 10:4-6),

• We are no longer aliens, but family, washed in the blood of our Saviour and brother, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:18, Col.1:21), 

• Our hearts and lives are new in Christ (Romans 6:4, 1 Cor. 5:7, 2 Cor. 5:17, Gal.6:15),

• We have a clean conscience (1 Tim 1:5, 1 Tim.3:9, Hebrews 9:14), 

• We are intended for good works (Eph.2:10, I Tim. 2:10, I Tim. 6:18, Titus 2:7. Heb.10:24, 1 Pet. 2:12)

I know this was rather long.  I do hope and pray that you will take time to copy these scriptures, to read and meditate on them and be renewed in your commitment today to walk as one who has overcome the things of this world and is headed for a home in heaven.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Recently I hosted a tasting party at my home.  We were chatting about this and that and someone asked me, "Where is your home?"  It is a common question, but one that made me stop and think.  I quickly smiled and said, "Why, here!"  But later I thought how that answer missed the whole point I wished I had made.

First of all was the inquirer's intent.  The questioner meant,  'Where are you from?' in recognition that I wasn't 'from here.'  Since everyone within 10 miles knows we are new to our present home and work it was an honest question.  We ask our new neighbors or acquaintances where they are from in an attempt to gain information about where they were born, raised, and where their family is established.

Many thoughts ran through my head as I quickly answered.  First, my family and my husband's family are scattered from coast to coast.  My parents are not homeowners, and so they don't have a permanent address.  I also consider the idea of my husband and children as my family and 'home.'

Later on I also pondered on the belief that my spiritual family is my true family.  We share an eternal bond through Christ Jesus. The conclusion I come to now is that this earthly existence is temporary.    My real home is not the USA, although I love Kentucky and the beauty of this earth.  My hope, my aim, my joy lies in heaven, where Jesus has prepared an ever-lasting home for me.

"Home is where the heart is," is often quoted.  Where is your heart today?  Is it longing for the acceptance and love of family?  Do we recognize that this longing was place within us by a tender and kind God Who wants us to search for Him?  Only in Him will we find the peace and contentment of true family and home we are looking for.

I see many searching.   They try to fix the longing and fill the emptiness by using people, things or  philosophies instead of turning to the One who created them.  He knows just what we need to be complete and truly 'at home.'

Praying that your search ends at the feet of Jesus!