But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love….Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.  For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.  How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 1 Thessalonians 3:6a-9

I just read my last blog entry. It was right before the Lord took my mom home to be with Him. I caught a vision of my own faith. I know that God provides that faith for us when we need it…manna for that time. We were talking about that last night at our first discussion in the Beth Moore Patriarchs bible study. We were reading about Abram’s faith in God… to leave his country based on the promises given to him by God.

Our time on earth causes us to leave alot of “familiar countries”. My mom was a “familiar country”. How in the world do folks get through the loss of a loved one without the rock solid knowledge of eternity, and the one, true living God? My mother is tucked in heaven with Jesus. The aftermath of someone’s death continues with people wondering how you are after the loss…I can comfort them by letting them know that she is no longer suffering When I blogged about God’s provision in July, before moms passing, I was experiencing faith, hope and love in a new way…Now I can reflect that in a different way because I know, I supernaturally know that I will see my mother again

What a gift, a growth, to see God’s glory revealed…to encourage and strengthen others along the path of such a gut wrenching time. The gut wrench (distress) of such a time can be used to build our faith, and to build it in others at the same time. What a blessing you all are when you are seeking the Lord, and depending on him for peace, faith, hope, love, compassion…I learn from you. I can see how to finish the race. Thank you for seeking His faith. You have shown me the way, and I did not know at the time…but I was giving you a glimpse of heaven because my dear mother was on her way there.

It gets better I am overwhelmed by all of the little details, signs, that God is in control, and that he has a plan…In the last few days I was not facing mom in her room, I was sometimes laying beside her, looking out the window of the nursing facility. The perspective out the window that she stared out for those months in bed. There was a sweet little church…I saw it each time outside… but it was right in front of her view out the window (while in bed). The name of the church was not on it…In big letters it said FAITH HOPE LOVE CELEBRATE THE SAVIOR! That was her pre-heaven view while still on this earth….wow

Hey, while we are here…we might as well look to the Lord to provide, stay on the path with each other to eternity. We can be such a blessing to others, and you have been. We need to see the truth of the bible walked out and lived out on the face of this earth…as long as we are here…This passage made me realize how blessed we are in the trial, and watching the trial…glimpses of the Lord at work right before our eyes.

Lord thank you so much for faith. I know that you want me to have it so that I can be close to You. Please help me to be a clean willing vessel to reveal your glory to other believers. Thank you so much for caring about all of the details, and help me to have eyes for the eternal. I pray that the time that I have on this earth can be used to further others in their walk with you, their faith, hope and love. I need you Lord Jesus. AMEN

Today I want to stay under the spout where the blessings pour out. Remember, there is a desert out there!

“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and beloved, clothe yourself with a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…and beyond these things, put on love which is the perfect bond of unity.”  Colossians 3:12, 14a

Sundays were always “dress up” days when I was a child.  Fancy dresses, patent leather shoes, hat, pocketbook and white gloves.  And as I grew older I donned high heels, that were progressively higher according to my age, and nylons with seams up the back that were next to impossible to keep straight.  It was unheard of to leave the house “underdressed”.

Needless to say, when Jim and I moved to Oregon in 1975 I had a few too many “fancy dresses” in my closet.   The fashion statement of the northwest dictated that I wear something different, even to church.  Over the years I have adapted to the more relaxed lifestyle and have all but forgotten the “dress up” days of my youth.  I appreciate more that ”man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.”

In Colossians, Paul tells me how I should dress, what I should put on and why.  Because God chose me and I am dearly loved by Him, He has asked that I put off my old self, clothes and all, and be dressed in the white clothes of His righteousness.  Revelation 3:5 says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white…”

My new duds include, 1) compassion - I must have a heart of compassion and tender care for those around me in need.  2) kindness - I must be generous and sweet spirited and speak with gentleness and goodness.  3) humiltiy - I become humble as I recognize that the creator of the universe chose to create me and graft me into the vine.  I have no right to be arrogant among others who are also “…a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.” (I Peter 2:9)  4) gentleness - I must be self-controlled as I learn to be God-controlled.  I need to model the maker as He “….while being reviled, He did not revile in return..” (I Peter 2:23)   5)patience - With my fellow believers I must practice patience, never being driven to cynicism, bitterness, or anger, but instead forgiving just has I have been constantly forgiven. 6) love - I must put on love each day and wear it so that all men will know that I am a disciple of Christ.

There was an old saying, “All dressed up and no place to go.”  In 3 John 7, we see that some disciples “…went out for the sake of His Name.”  We, too, must put on our “Sunday best” and head out into a world that is desparately in need of some new clothes.   

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 7)

The mind is a fascinating gift that God has created in us. It can persuade us, it can direct us, it can create peace or it can create havoc that affects our whole being. I have learned a valuable lesson that the thoughts in my mind that are negative always have to be replaced with something positive or that negative will keep coming back. For example; if my mind tends to conclude that God is a strict, unloving, impersonal God because of circumstances, feelings and situations in my past, I have to replace that thought of who I think God is with who I know God is. I literally have to tell myself, that is not true! And think purposely that God loves me and knows me and wants to guide me. Memorizing Scripture and saying it out loud is an incredible tool!
My sweet son is having a lot of difficulty getting to sleep at night. He lies awake and his thoughts begin to consume him until he gets frustrated and comes peeking out his room, risking trouble because he is scared, worried, or anxious. He and I have been talking a lot lately about this subject of the mind. How we might not realize it, but what we are thinking about can literally make us upset or even physically sick at times. The devil can and does use his manipulation with our thoughts in attempt to destroy us. It’s done through the media, the words of others or those ugly thoughts that exist in the back of our mind, simply because of human nature.

I’ve been sharing with him and praying with him about his troubled thoughts. We talk about replacing them with happy memories or distractions of peaceful things. Ultimately though, this battle of the mind can only be won with the help of God. I have been challenged right along with my kiddo to acknowledge those thoughts that are causing me chaos and to give them up to the Lord.

Philippians 4 tells us to think about what is true, noble, right, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy….and that the peace of God will be with you. How easy is that?! We have peace offered right there for us. It’s victory handed to us with a guarantee. A guarantee only if we completely relinquish those ugly thoughts and do as He asks…to think on good things.
With our thoughts turned over to God, we are given peace. We can feel contentment and “do everything through him who gives us strength” when we have peace. I’ve heard the term that the tongue can dictate huge catastrophes or victories. Even more so, what we think in our minds comes out in our words! So in my opinion, the mind is what ensures us either peace or defeat. What we believe in our heart and mind can literally pave the path before us.
What is on your mind today? Is there peace that settles and defuses those thoughts that cause you frustration, anger, or fear? I challenge us all today to consciously take our thoughts captive today. To offer them up to the Lord and to replace them with His words and truth. Perhaps this day that could’ve ended in turmoil, will be a delightfully peaceful day which God has planned if we remember to surrender our mind to Him.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

“Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
      from the wide open spaces, he answered.
   God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid;
      who would dare lay a hand on me?”  Psalm 118 

When things go wrong we often call on God.  Rescue me, we pray with desperation.  Sometimes we get ourselves into the mess we are seeking deliverance from - sometimes it is out of the blue.  Our wish is usually that God would pick us up out of the seemingly unescapable jam we are stuck in.  In this instance, the Psalmist got just what he was hoping for.  His or her back was pushed to the wall, God stepped in.  The sense that Yahweh had stood shoulder to shoulder with them prompted this Psalm of thanksgiving and a tremendous confidence - “The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can human beings do to me?”

This psalm contains some of the most well-known prophetic descriptions of what the Christ would be: verse 22 talks about the rejected stone becoming the very cornerstone.  Not only a stone worthy of being accepted, but the hand-crafted foundational piece that holds the building together.  Not just a great teacher, but The Teacher.  Verse 26 is a preview of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem… these very words would be screamed and sung as he arrived in King David’s city.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

God, through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, rescued us from the sin-mess we have made for ourselves.  God has stepped in and stood shoulder to shoulder with us, and asks us all if we want to be taken to the wide open spaces of His Redemption.  Total redemption.  All we have to do is say yes.  This starts a long and difficult journey, but it all starts with a simple acceptance of help we can’t give ourselves or anyone else.  God did this because He is good and His love endures forever - verse 29 tells us this.  Following the lead of the psalmist, those of us who have received this Holy helping hand should respond with a bolstered confidence (in Jehovah’s provision).  With gratitude.  With songs.  With thanks.  With praise.  With each other.

Thank you Father God - you have rescued us.  May we respond with thanks and devotion.  May we give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever.

Ecclesiastes 9:17, 10:12

The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips.
These passages talk about two opposites…words of the wise and words of fools. Words of the wise are quiet, gracious, and worthy of regard or obedience. On the other hand, the ruler of fools (not just your average “joe fool”) can shout and not be heard. In fact, the fool can be destroyed by his lips.
What impresses me is how the contrast between these is made even more extreme by the words used in the descriptions of the two kinds of people. The wise man is being compared to a king. Usually it would be the king who would be the most likely to be heard. What type of person would want their words to be unheard or devastating instead of quiet, gracious, and followed? I know I choose the second option. It’s easy for me to sit back and make a judgment call on someone else’s verbalizations, but more difficult playing back some of my own comments and conversations for evaluation. What if a tape recorder would play back 30%, 50%, or 75% of what I said just yesterday? Would I see the scale weighing heavier on the unheard and devastating side? As Paul would say, “May it never be!”  I want to speak quiet and gracious words that are worth being considered.
How can I get wise? Foolish seems to come so naturally, of course, because of my sinful nature. Proverbs 2 speaks so plainly about how to get wisdom. It comes from being in close relationship with my wise God most of all. It comes from accepting His words, storing up His commands inside of me (there’s that heart issue again), turning my ear to wisdom and applying my heart to understanding. On top of all of that, I should be calling out for insight, crying out and searching for understanding. All of that takes time, precious time. Proverbs 2:6 plainly and simply states that the Lord gives wisdom.
Lord, help me to use that precious commodity, time, to be with you and to be in your Word. May my words be quiet, gracious, and worth hearing. Give me the sensitivity to the Holy Spirit so that words that would be anything otherwise wouldn’t pass my lips or even be thought of. This is a big prayer, I know, but you said in Ephesians 3:20 that you are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine so I am looking forward to what that could possibly be in terms of my words. May the words of my mouth be acceptable in Your sight this day…and each day forward.