wait for it

 The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.

- Isaiah 60:22 (NLT)

 

Patience is not one of my strong virtues, anyone that knows me will vouch for me on that.

Many times though, God tells me to wait.

All things happen in God’s timing, not ours.

We don’t always know what is right for us, but God does.

We may want that new job at a different company, but God knows that if we leave now we will miss a great opportunity, so we wait.

We desperately desire that brand new car or truck, but God knows that we are going to need that extra money for something far more critical in the future, so we wait.

We might have a yearning for something that seems so easy for someone else, but we struggle daily just to even keep praying for that event in our lives, but God has perfect timing for everything, so we wait. 
We watch loved ones struggle, their quality of life decreasing and the light in their eyes fading, yet God does not bring them home until He is ready.  

We will probably never understand why we have to wait, but God is going to make it happen, His way, in His timing.

It probably will be nothing like we expected but because we waited for God it will be 1000 times better.  

 

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one more thing

 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through Him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.

- 1 Corinthians 1:4-5 (NLT)

 

Last week we talked about being thankful for different things.

I want to bring up one more thing for which I am thankful – the pastors and leadership at my church home.

Pastors work way more than a 40 hour week.

Most of the time they don’t get to celebrate the holidays on the actual holiday with their families.

They go to be with people at all hours of the day and night, to sit with them when they are sick, to pray with them when they are lost.

The pastors and leadership at my church home have gone above and beyond expectations in taking care of their church.

I have learned so much from the sermons and the time spent with these people and their families.

I have experienced first hand one of the leaders literally dropping everything to be at my house when I was in need, at the hospital when I was sick.

These people have truly filled this verse, and I am thankful.

 

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still thankful

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

Today is known as the biggest shopping day of the year.

It has been named “Black Friday” because historically on this day businesses would sell enough merchandise to “get out of the red” on their books and end the year strong.

It has morphed into an repulsive event with people fighting over items and just being ugly to one another (after just 12 hours prior talking about love and family and being thankful!)

I blame the Cabbage Patch Kids riots of 1983 for setting the stage for the craziness that we now know, but I was a fourteen year old in 1983 and my parents were not part of that craze. 

But I digress.

I am still thankful, but this verse about giving thanks in ALL circumstances?

That is a hard one.

How do we give thanks for the difficult things in life, the things that make us sad, the things that hurt, the things that feel like the world is coming down around us?

As I scrolled back through my posts over the years, I found this one to be especially poignant today, oddly enough on November 20, 2017 I used this same verse and here is what I had to say back then: 

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving day here in the U.S. and I am sure that many of you, myself included, are busy planning and preparing and perhaps traveling to celebrate this day with family and friends. 

As we prepare for the food, fellowship and football, don’t miss the greatest gift that you already have - Love.

Be thankful for your home – many are homeless.

Be thankful for food – many are hungry.

Be thankful for warm blankets and clothing – many are cold.

Be thankful for friends and family – many are alone.

Be thankful for pets – many have never known unconditional love.

Be thankful for courage – many live in fear.

Be thankful for freedom – many have died for your rights.

Be thankful for your car – many have to walk miles every day, no matter the weather.

Be thankful for children – many have been taken.

Be thankful for police, firemen, and EMTS – they are working while you enjoy your day.

Be thankful for the military – many will not be with their family and friends this year.

Be thankful for education – many don’t have the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for your faith – many are persecuted for their beliefs.

Be thankful for this email – many can’t read.

Be thankful for the annoying Christmas music that started November 1^st – many can’t hear.

Be thankful for your job – many are unable to find employment.

Be thankful for laughter – many know only pain and sorrow.

This year I think we can add to that: 
Be thankful for your health – many are sick. 

Be thankful for the storms you have overcome – many struggle with their storms.

Be thankful for your church – many have not found their place to worship.

Be thankful for technology – we would have lost touch with so many without the wonders of technology.

Be thankful for love – the love of God surpasses any other love we have ever felt, and there is no greater gift.

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Happy Thanksgiving

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

- 1 Chronicles 29:13 (NIV)

 

Today I am thankful for pretty much everything.

I look around the house and I see family gathered together to cook, eat, play games and praise God.

I am thankful that we have a family that still makes an effort to celebrate together, even though miles separate us at times.

I hope that everyone can enjoy a meal, maybe watch the parades or some football.

In the middle of the food and fun, remember to give thanks to God.

We wouldn’t have anything to celebrate if it weren’t for Him.

 

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planes, trains and automobiles

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

- Psalm 100:4

 

I should have named this one cars, trucks and motorcycles.

On this week’s challenge of finding something to be thankful for every day and focusing on how that something has been a blessing, today I choose transportation.

I am thankful for transportation.

This afternoon my husband and I will begin our journey to the great white north to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

This trip today almost did not happen for me, as my 91 year old mother who has Alzheimer’s disease fell yesterday morning and broke her right hip (broke her left one in June 2017), so I felt like I needed to stay here since she had surgery last night. 
After much conversation with the doctors and the hospital last night and this morning, we have determined that since I am not able to visit her at the hospital (or the skilled care facility) due to Covid restrictions, I am really of no use here, so I will go. 
I normally don’t look forward to the drive and this drive has been made in a car, in a truck and yes even on motorcycles. 

What I do look forward to is spending time with family. 
Family has always been important to me, and this year due to some health challenges it is more important than ever that I appreciate my family.

As we cross each state line I am thankful for whatever mode of transportation that is bringing us closer to our childhood homes. 
As we enter his parents’ house, I am thankful for the ability to spend this time with family.

As we worship with family on Sunday morning, I am thankful for the freedom to worship my Lord without fear.

Thankfulness is not just an emotion, it is a choice and a state of mind.

So take a moment now and ask yourself: What can I be thankful for?

How can I praise God’s name today?

Don’t be surprised to see your heart change as you do, because praise and thanksgiving is designed to take our eyes off of ourselves and place them on the One who has the power to change us.

 

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kingdom hearts

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

- Hebrews 12:28 (NIV)

 

Yesterday I proposed a challenge to you this week, to find something to be thankful for every day, no matter how tiny it is, and focus on how that something has blessed you.

Today I choose to be thankful for hearts. 

Not the card game, not the candy and Valentines kind, but for kingdom hearts (not the action game or movie).

Jesus talks about the kingdom of God being with us, in our hearts.

When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we ask Him into our heart and we receive that kingdom of God that cannot be shaken or broken.

I am thankful for the hearts that Jesus has changed, for the people that have come into my life as a direct result of His work, I am thankful for the hearts of those who can see through the evil in this world to the good that still exists and for those who work endlessly to show others that we need to be thankful for what we have been given.

If you are reading this, I am thankful for your heart.

 

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brrrr it’s cold out there!

Our God has blessed the earth with a wonderful harvest!

- Psalm 67:6 (CEV)

 

Here we are, Thanksgiving week 2021.

Even though it has been a rough year for many, we still have a lot for which to be thankful.

Sometimes though we find it difficult to see these things when life throws us a curve ball and often we find ourselves trying to encourage others through a challenging situation, yet our words only hurt them more. 

Our God has blessed us, even when we don’t see it.

This week, I challenge you find something to be thankful for every day, no matter how tiny it is, and focus on how that something has blessed you.

Today I choose to be thankful for the change in the weather. 

Even though I don’t like cold, the change in seasons gives the earth a chance to regenerate and rebuild, and with the change of seasons comes life. 

We celebrate the birth of Jesus in this season, His birth brought us life.

While the cold air is chilling, the love of God warms our soul, and that is a blessing.

 

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through water and fire

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters,  I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

- Isaiah 43:1a-2

 

Indulge me for a moment while I say happy birthday to the love of my life, I hope today brings you so much happiness. ❤

I asked my husband what his favorite verse is because I wanted to honor him in my daily verse, after all, he is pretty special to me. 
He immediately talked about this verse, which also happens to be one of my favorites.

When we read Isaiah 43, we find that God promises to protect us from water and fire, and that we are His, He calls us by name, we are His own.

This is a promise from God, that we belong to Him.

God formed us and redeemed us, He will never ever abandon us.

No matter what challenges, trials, struggles or difficulties we face, He will deliver us and bring us to safety and victory. 
We can look throughout history and see the one constant, the one truth, God is always there.

Time and time again He has rescued His children, He will not forget us.

We know this to be true, because it is His promise, we know it from history and we know it by faith. 
He calls us by name, there is no way He will let us be overcome. 

 

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taking steps

You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.

- Jeremiah 29:13

 

A few years ago at an event held in a church, I witnessed a young autistic girl that kept asking her daddy “Where’s God?”.

She knew she was in a church and she had been taught that God can be found in the church.

Many times I hear people ask “Where was God when this happened?”.

People forget that He is with us always, even when bad things happen.

God is always there, we just need to let Him in, to seek comfort from Him.

Song reference: 
Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise you

Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise you

I will seek You in the morning

And I will learn to walk in Your ways

And step by step You'll lead me

And I will follow You all of my days

We won’t have to look far when we seek Him, He is waiting for us to let Him into our hearts. 
Where is God? He is right beside you, all you have to do is ask Him to come in. 

 

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rise up

Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it. (NIV) 

Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it. (ESV)

- Ezra 10:4 

 

This was an unusual verse that came across my desk, I was not sure how to use it, but somehow I knew that I need to find a way to post it.

So I did what every person does when they don’t understand something, I googled it! 
There are a lot of commentaries and explanations of the meaning of this verse, but John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible found in Bible Study tools it was broken down for me.  

Arise or rise up: Ezra was on his knees praying for guidance. 
this matter is in your hands: Ezra was a priest and he had the authority to put the law of God into execution.

we are with you: the people in the church were there to help him, he was not going to be doing anything on his own.

be strong and do it: his task was going to be tough and there would be some opposition to it, but he would be successful. 

Like Ezra, we often face things in our lives and the way we handle them does not bring us a lot of popularity votes, but when we handle these things with God in our hearts, we have His support and we have the support of other believers that we are doing the right thing, even when it’s ugly.

When we are faced with these challenges and need to make a decision, the best place to find answers is on our knees asking for God’s guidance just like Ezra did and more often than not, we will find the answers there. 

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wondering why

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

- 1 Peter 3:18

 

This verse says a lot, I mean, Christ suffered – like really suffered tremendous pain like we have never experienced when He was crucified.

He didn’t suffer for sins that He had committed, but for the sins of the world.
That is my sin, your sin, our sin, every single sin, Christ took that sin upon His shoulders and died.

Died.  

Why?

To bring us to God.

To give us a chance to turn away from an eternity in Hell.

To show us what the love of the Father can do.

The Message translation of this verse is as follows: 
If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.

Do you know His name?

Do you know the Man that God raised from the dead so that you could enter His kingdom?

As followers of Christ we need to be ready to tell our story. 
It may not be glamourous (it probably isn’t), but it is our story and we need to share it so that others would come to God too.

 

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when we need help

Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, and glory in Your praise.”

- 1 Chronicles 16:35

 

Life is hard, the struggle is real, and there are times when we just want to give up.

But we can’t give up, there is something that is driving us forward, preventing us from withdrawing from the world.

It is those times that we need help, we need to cry out to God and ask for Him to rescue us.

Song reference: 
Father to the fatherless

Defender of the weak

Freedom for the prisoner

We sing

This is God in his holy place

This is God clothed in love and strength

Sing out, lift your voice and cry out

Awesome is our strong God, mighty is our God

With us in the wilderness

Faithful to provide

Every breath and every step

We see

This is God in his holy place

This is God clothed in love and strength

Sing out, lift your voice and cry out

Awesome is our strong God, mighty is our God

When we cry out to God, He does hear us and He is there for us.

God really will defend us and we find freedom in Him, God in His holy place.

He is a strong and mighty God.

When we find ourselves out of the shadow of the gloom that we are feeling we can be thankful that He really is our Deliverer.

 

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what I did wrong

Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.

- Job 34:32

 

I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. 
If my kids are reading this, then yes, I have admitted that I was wrong. 

Admitting that we are wrong is hard, especially if we don’t believe it and it is very difficult to hear from someone else exactly how wrong we were.

But that friends, is how we grow. 
Job did not understand why he was going through the things that were happening to him, but he did not give up.

He asked God to show him what he was doing wrong so that he could learn from his mistakes.

That is the other part of it, learning from our mistakes.

What good does it do to admit that we are wrong if we just turn around repeat the same thing?

So if someone points out that we were wrong, let’s not get defensive and storm angrily away, instead let’s listen with an open mind and heart so we don’t do it again.

 

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tomorrow, tomorrow

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

—Proverbs 27:1

 

Spoiler alert!

We do not control tomorrow, no matter how much we have planned.

There are so many things about tomorrow, it may not come, or if it does come something terrible could happen to us or someone we know. 
I am sure that the folks that lost everything in the stock market crash of 1929 did not go to sleep on October 28^th thinking about what they would do to survive the great depression that followed. 
God holds tomorrow in His hands, and as Christ followers we know that because our life is in Him, our tomorrow is secure.

Tomorrow may not be anything like we expect, things may not go as planned and who knows, it could be a crazy exciting day instead of the dull day we had anticipated, but the thing is we have a tomorrow when we live our lives for God. 

Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as having said“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift––that is why it is called the present.” Shouldn’t we treat each tomorrow as a gift?   

 

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going home

We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

—1 Thessalonians 4:14

 

Speaking of confidence (yesterday’s post), we are reminded that the resurrection of Jesus is merely the beginning! 
If we have faith that believes and trusts that God rose Jesus from the dead we should have confidence that we belong to the same God, and that when Jesus comes back we will share in His victory over death – what a celebration that will be! 
But what about those that are not on earth when Jesus comes back?  
The Message translation of this verse covers it pretty well I think: 
And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.

I do believe that we will see our loved ones again, that death is not the end and the grave is not the final resting place for our soul.

My confidence in the Father is strong and from that I know that we have so much to look forward to.

 

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confidence

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

—Hebrews 13:6

 

Confidence is a trait that people seek in others, employers look for confident employees, parents want teachers for their children to be confident in their ability to teach and teacher enjoy students that are confident in themselves. 

How do we show confidence? 
The band Sanctus Real tells us about confidence: 

I'm not a warrior

I'm too afraid to lose

I feel unqualified for what you're calling me to

But Lord with your strength

I've got no excuse

'Cause broken people are exactly who you use

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den

Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness

Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense

So I can face my giants with confidence

You took a shepherd boy

And made him a King

So I'm gonna trust you and give you everything

I'll be a conquerer

'Cause you fight for me

I'll be a champion claiming your victory

So give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den

Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness

Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense

So I can face my giants with confidence

We should seek to find our confidence in the Lord, He is there for us every step of the way! 
He assures us that we can count on Him and that we should not be afraid of the future.

I’m confident, are you?

 

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take care of yourself!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 

Did you know that there is a specific time period during the year dedicated to awareness or darn near everything health related?

Some diseases, defects and health concerns get a day like Family Health and Fitness Day, World Heart Day and National Donor Day.

Some get a week like National Eating Disorders Week, National Poison Prevention Week and Food Allergy Awareness Week. 
Others get a whole month like Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Epilepsy Awareness.

Medical News Today lists hundreds of awareness campaigns that take place in the US each month and includes links to find out more about each event, there is even a Stress Awareness Month (I might need to research that one). 

With all these reminders to take care of ourselves, not many think to look back at the origin of taking care of our bodies. 
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to remind them that as Christ followers they needed to set themselves to a higher standard ethically, morally and that included respecting and taking care of their bodies.

God gave us these bodies as a place for our spirit to dwell while on the earth, and the better care we take of our bodies the more time we have to share His word with others.

Treat your body like the temple that it is, take care of yourself.

If not for yourself, then do it for the glory of God.  

 

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truth

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

- 2 Corinthians 13:8

 

Quite often when I hear a Bible verse, I look up the different translations to learn more about the verse and what it means, hoping to find a way to apply it to my own life.  In doing so, I often come across different commentaries, sermons and thoughts on different versions.

This verse in the Message translation reads “Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise.

We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.”

Well, that is a bit different, isn’t it?

We do need to be solid in our faith because there will be trials there will be times when our faith is tested and stretched and if we are not strong, we will break.

Albert Camus, a French philosopher, author and journalist is quoted as having said “I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't, than live as if there isn't and to die to find out that there is.”

Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, writer and Catholic theologian is quoted as having said “If God does not exist, one will lose nothing by believing in him, while if he does exist, one will lose everything by not believing.”

These quotes sound like they are vaguely the same, but historians suggest that the writers were in fact saying very different things.  Pascal was a devout Christian, where Camus was considered to be an existentialist (believing that we’re born without purpose into a world that makes no sense).

We need the truth, we need to be strong in our faith and we need to stand in our faith when facing adversity, because the truth will indeed set us free.  

 

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fighting for me

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.”

- Psalm 35:1-3

 

King David had a lot going for him in his time, but he also had a lot against him.

The guy started out as a shepherd boy, he killed a giant with a rock, became a favorite of another king only to end up running from that king and hiding for years. Then he becomes king himself, commits adultery, arranges a murder and goes into hiding again!  

It is no wonder that in this particular Psalm, David is petitioning God to fight for him.

God didn’t ever stop fighting for David, and He won’t stop fighting for you – song reference!

You will never stop fighting for me

When I can't fight for myself

Every word is a promise You keep

'Cause You love me like nobody else

You stand up for me in the darkest night

When my faith is weak You're still by my side

You will never stop fighting for me

Riley Clemmons pretty much nailed it with the song Fighting For Me.

No matter what battles we face, God is there, He is on our side, He is our shield and our armor, our strength and our salvation.

He will never stop fighting for us.

 

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