How can we Rejoice?

The Apostle Paul told us in Philippians chapter 4 verse 4, to "Rejoice in the Lord always". He even said it twice, "Again, I say rejoice!" Rejoicing had become something of great value to Paul. I believe he had a depth of understanding that we sometimes struggle to grasp. I have asked myself as of late, why I haven't cried more over the disaster in Japan. Then, I turn around and read a blog post from a family that just lost a young 13 year old boy in an accident and my heart is broken in intercession. As for Paul, he was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, viper bitten and let's not forget that infamous "thorn in the flesh" he asked to be delivered of but never was. This is the same man who is telling us to "rejoice" always. Rejoicing can be nothing more that a heart attitude developed out of relationship and a firm trust that the object of that relationship, Jesus Christ, is true to His Word. If he said it, we can believe it. We rejoice because we believe that He has, in fact, ushered in the way of eternal life for us and that after we leave this fleshly tent of a body behind, we will put on a new, spiritual body and live forever where there are no "earthquakes" or "wars and rumors of wars". There will be nothing but perfection; Eternal existence without the presence of sin or it's consequences. Therefore, we can be confident of the Holy Spirit's desire and ability to lead our spirits as he will. We can give ourselves permission to abide in a place of spiritual reality and accept that we can rejoice and live life to the fullest and at the same time intercede and minister as He leads. We are not cold and unfeeling because we do not respond to every tragedy with the fervency we believe it deserves. We do not rejoice in the sufferings of others, but we do rejoice in the knowledge that this life is not the end. It is only the beginning to prepare us for the most amazing adventure we are unable comprehend with our finite minds, but only glimpse during those times of incredible connection when "the Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are (in fact) the children of God." Romans 8:16. We are children eternally, bought with the precious Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. In that is the rejoicing. So let us REJOICE: Celebrate, joy, triumph, delight, be overjoyed, jump for joy, exult, make merry, revel, for this is not the end but only the beginning. Romans 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer."

Lord, we commit our will and our way to you in the power and strength only you can give. Amen!

Not a Property Owner

I had such a great time at church last Sunday! Everything was great. The singing, the message, the fellowship. Amongst it all, one thing grabbed my soul and spirit in that special way you can all relate to. It was when Ed gave a snippet of what could develop into an incredible message of peace and freedom. He said, "I am a steward, not a property owner". Wow! That hit me with a ton of elation. I am sure it was a Spiritual Revelation. I began to think of all the things in life that I take ownership in that don't belong to me at all. My husband, my children, my car, my home, my pets, my clothing, my shoes, my food, my money, my talents, my abilities; none of these belong to me. You notice it is hard to get away from the word "my"? We are so used to grabbing and holding things. Along with that comes all the weight of responsibility to fix, heal, maintain, understand to the fullest, keep the peace, pick up the pieces, referee, mend, have the right answers, be successful, never fail. The list goes on and on. Yes, all those possessions are in your arena of life and you do have a responsibility toward them. However, there is a huge difference between Stewardship and Ownership. I Timothy 6:7 "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." God, our Father is the true owner of everything! We, ourselves, are bought and paid for by the precious Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ! Out of God's goodness and grace, he has given us everything we need to exist in this place. He is the Owner and we are the Stewards, the caretakers, the managers. On a train, ship or plane, a steward is responsible for the comfort of the passengers. In the U.S. Navy, a steward or Petty Officer is responsible for the Officer's quarters and the mess or kitchen. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24:1 He is so gracious that he makes us feel like things belong to us. We have the freedom to do as we choose with all these. Bottom line, it is all God's. An example of this and I have experienced it personally, is renting a home. The home is so beautiful. You love it. On top of that, the owners tell you that you can do what you like to make the home really yours. Choose paint colors, wallpaper, carpet, etc. They only ask that you maintain it properly and let them know immediately of anything that breaks so they can make sure it is fixed properly. So, there you are, all comfy in your custom home and you get a phone call. The owner informs you that he/she has decided to sell the house. You really come to know it is not "your" home when realtors and potential buyers come trekking through each room giving their opinions on what they would change or do differently. Well, if you haven't noticed, most of life is like that. You change over the years. Your spouse changes. Your children leave home. Your clothes wear out or just plain don't fit anymore. Your car gets wrecked or stops running. You get laid off your job and have to get a new one. Yikes! Turmoil strikes. The truth of the matter is: Everything belongs to the Lord, even YOU and he can do as he pleases with you and that which concerns you. Yes, his gifts are great and we can have many blessings in this place. He also told us we would have troubles but not to worry because he has overcome the world and we can be overcomers as well. Isaiah 32:17 "And the effect of righteousness will be peace and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever." The key is righteousness, His Righteousness which allows us to be in right standing with God and to be Justified (just as if we'd never sinned). Those are the things of continuous peace in our lives. Jesus said "My peace I leave you." The things of the Kingdom of God are: Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Spirit. Those things are constants. The things in the world will change. They are not constant. Since our Father God is the owner of all the things we have been given to enjoy, we take special care to do our best. It is up to the Owner what ultimately happens. Isaiah says, as we walk in righteousness, we will walk in peace and quietness. We will trust the Lord not only in what seems to be positive circumstances, but in those things we deem as negative and have trouble understanding the reasons. We walk in the knowledge that we are laying up treasures in Heaven as we live our life in harmony with him. Let us take hold of the grace and sufficiency to walk in that restful place of inner trust as we carefully handle all the many gifts he has given us for life as we await that trumpet call and are ushered into a new dwelling place for the rest of Eternity. Have a victorious 2011!

God's Lap is Big Enough

It is hard to believe it is Christmas Time, 2010. As usual, the things we think of at this special time of the year include: family, friends, food, gifts, joy, happiness, decorations and so much more. I love seeing the pictures of family members in the woods or at the local tree farm picking out that “just right” one for the living room or family room. A few Christmas Carols along with some hot cider or cocoa and/or a nice hot latte and in no time, the lights are lit and the ornaments sparkling. When all is set and we view our creativity, we who believe take the time to focus on the real meaning of the Season for us, none other than the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Most families enjoy nothing more than celebrating birthdays. We not only celebrate the day as special but the person as well. We marvel at their accomplishments; as children, how they’ve grown. It is truly a celebration of who they are! As Children of the Most High God, Creator of the Universe and everything within, we celebrate the birth, miracles, salvation, deliverance, life, beauty, glory, healing, ALL that has been given us through the Gift, the ONE in whom we are now joint heirs of the PROMISE of eternal life. Unfortunately, there are some things that can affect a “Merry” Christmas no matter how we look at it. Divorce, death of a family member or close friend, loss of finances, loss of home, sickness… the list goes on and on of the circumstances that can hamper or threaten to ruin our celebration. Most of these point back to the importance of family to all of us. My husband is in the process of researching his family history and is like a kid in a candy store when he discovers any new tidbit of information. Psalm 68:5&6 tells us that God is a Father to the Fatherless. He is a Defender of Widows and that “He sets the lonely in Families”. John 1:12, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--” Family is important to God. He has the capacity to spread his love evenly throughout the ENTIRE family. I have a little brown, long-haired Chihuahua named Rusty. He came first to my husband and I. Then about three and a half years later, Teva, our lavender calico kitten came along. There isn’t much difference in disposition between pets and children sometimes. We learned before we got Rusty that if you don’t want a lap dog, don’t get a Chihuahua. Well, that is so true. He loves to be in our laps. When he is in mine, all curled up and comfortable, he is quite content with the whole world. Well, little Teva wants lap time. As she approaches to curl up as well and get some attention, Rusty moves into his actor mode. He becomes “Alpha Dog” and expels the most vicious growl he can attain as he lunges forward to attack, only to be corrected as Teva is placed next to him. As long as Teva doesn’t attempt to be on the lap, they spend hours chasing one another throughout the house and giving their toys and food to one another. Well, competition, jealousy, intimidation, shyness, feelings of inferiority… none of these things can affect God’s love for us. Father God/Creator God’s Lap is big enough. Santa Claus is a finite part of Christmas and his lap can hold one or two or maybe three at the most and listen to the dreams and wishes of the children. Father God, the Infinite One, will reach down, pick us up and SET us in the position of family and not only listen to the desires of our hearts but give them to us as well. So, let’s be held by the ONE who has, through His Birth, Death, and Resurrection, fulfilled the PROMISE and given us the GIFT OF LIFE! “Merry Christmas!”

His Love Endures Forever

Contemplating a Thanksgiving Blog Post, the contents of Psalm 136 came to mind. I had to enlist the aid of my sister, a wonderful Bible Teacher, to lead me to the address. I knew it was a Psalm and I knew the general vicinity. Of course, this gave us a chance to talk about Jesus! Our favorite subject of conversation! The words that kept echoing through my mind were, "His Love Endures Forever". These words contain the most valuable possession of my life. Yes, I possess Jesus within my entire being. Jesus, as a man, was God incarnate and GOD is LOVE. Jesus, who is God, sent His Spirit, who is God, to dwell within me. I POSSESS LOVE! It is that LOVE, that infinite; unending; universal; forever; all encompassing; all comforting; all strengthening; all consuming; all forgiving; all merciful; all understanding; eternal LOVE that I am most grateful for on this Thanksgiving Eve and every day thereafter. We love Him because He first loved us. He drew us, he wooed us, he wanted us to be with him FOREVER! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Send Reinforcements

May God Bless our Veterans today! I am thinking of a troop of soldiers trapped by the enemy, surrounded, with seemingly no way out and things are looking quite bleak. Then, out of the blue, literally, comes a squadron of their own country's air forces and behind the enemy troops, reinforcements on the ground. The enemy is destroyed and the entrapped soldiers, elated, shout with triumphant glee. They couldn't have been victorious without Reinforcements. Within the word Reinforcements, we have relief, rescue, sustenance, treatment, service, aid, encouragement, salvation and much more. There is an account in the Bible where Israel is fighting against Amalek. Moses, the leader of the Israelites is holding up the rod of the Lord in his hands. As long as he keeps that rod in the air, the Israelites prevail. If he drops his hands, the enemy moves into victorious position. Moses grows weary and cannot continue. Behold, Reinforcements arrive in the form of Aaron and Hur who take hold of Moses's hands and arms and lift them high into the air. They hold this position until sunset and the Israelites are delivered out of the hands of the enemy. We are called in the Book of Jude to "Contend for the Faith". There are days we become weary and feel surrounded by enemies of many kinds. We cry out for help as those troops, through our communication system. In our spiritual battle, our system is nothing greater than prayer itself. Freedom is the objective of the battle. Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has freed me from the law of sin and of death." This is the Freedom we have received because of the sacrifice of God giving His Son, Jesus Christ for us. We become Reinforcements for one another in our daily "contending". James 5:16 Amplified Bible, "Confess to one another therefore your faults--your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray (also) for one another, that you may be healed and restored--to a spiritual tone of mind and heart. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available--dynamic in its working." At any time in life, we can either be the soldier held under fire by lies, accusations, guilt, shame, sin, all brought on by our enemy or the one coming over the hill to bring aid in the form of spoken Truth, encouragement, edification, comfort through our Risen Lord. Instead of being "given into the hands" of the enemy, let us be "rescued out of the hands" of the enemy by the weapons of confession (admitting we are weak and need support) and prayer (lifting one another up to the one who Himself admitted His own need for sufficiency through His Father and in turn intercedes for us daily). Ephesians 6:18 Amplified Bible, "Pray at all times--on every occasion, in every season--in the Spirit, with all (manner of) prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding on behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people)". ...lifting one another up until "sunset". Then we can rest from the battle at His Return. "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20.

A Few Thoughts on Friendship

"You have known me in good and bad times. You have seen me when I was happy and when I was sad. You have listened to me when what I said was intelligent and when I talked nonsense. You have understood me when I knew what I was doing and when I made mistakes. Thank you for believing in me, for supporting me and for always being ready to share thoughts together. You are a perfect friend." Susan Polis Schutz
I often think of the warm sentiments this message contains. The mug on which it is written used to hold the warm coffee I would sip as I thought of the fun times my friend and I had together. This mug has long since lost its handle and become a holder for my many pens and pencils. I don't drink out of it any more nor do I use many of the items found inside. It has been a long time since I have talked to the special friend who gave this to me. I tried to call her tonight but the phone was busy. I am sure I will reach her soon. This little saying, in my opinion, does describe the perfect friend. I began to think about how many people in my life actually fall into this catagory. I believe the catagory of friend can include your spouse, your sibling, your child, your parent, your boss and more. The role may be one thing and the friendship another. It's the ingredients that count. Then my mind went to social networking. We call these people friends, but how many of them really fit the description of friend. Probably most of them to one degree or another. A friend can be someone to whom you are emotionally attached, someone who helps or supports you, even someone who simply is not your enemy. There are several Bible verses that describe friendship. In John 15:15 Jesus told his disciples that he no longer called them servants but friends because he shared everything he learned from the Father with them. Of course, that now applies to us as we walk with him as His friends. In John 15:14, He says we are His friends if we do what He commands. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that a friend loves us all the time. And in Proverbs 27:10, not to forsake your friend or your father's friend. Lastly, that "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother", Proverbs 18:24. I am thankful for all my friends and want to always be a good friend. I believe we need each degree of friendship we receive. I must say though that when we are privileged to have a friend or friends that reach the depth of the above saying and the afore mentioned Scriptures, we are truly blessed. I am truly blessed!

A Fishing Story

There I was on the dock fishing from millions and millions of gallons of water imprisoned within the banks of Bryan Lake in the state of Washington. My line was cast and it was time to remove the slack. I reeled in a little, then a little more. Hmmm. Feels like a fish on, albeit a small one. I continued to reel in. Soon, the weight appeared above the water. What? What in the world was dangling from my #4 hook? I blinked my eyes once, then twice. It was. Yes, it was... a pair of black sunglasses spinning as the swivel unwound the fishing line. Not only was it a pair of sunglasses, the name Oakley appeared in bright white lettering. That was only the beginning of the significance of my “catch”. I cleaned them off and tried them on. They were bent perfectly to fit my face, as, like most people, one ear is a tad higher than the other. I heard from the Lord instantly. “Don’t you think that if I can put those sunglasses on the end of your line, I can take care of all your needs no matter how big or how small?” After some research on line (not fishing), I discovered this particular style of Oakley sunglasses are worth over a hundred dollars. Naturally, I had to spread the “good news” of how God provides. I love it when he uses object lessons from His creation to illustrate a truth from his Word.

Today is my 38th birthday. Before you say, “Hmm, does not compute,” let me elaborate. 38 years ago I was Born Again, just like it says in John Chapter 3. I can say before that time I had become emotionally dull being dead in my trespasses and sins, Ephesians Chapter 2. I think I had moved beyond the ability to worry about anything. I just didn’t care anymore. After I became alive in Christ, my emotions became alive as well. With that new life, came the ability to worry. A definition of worry is: to feel uneasy or anxious; torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret (Websters Dictionary). You’ll notice worry is an action word or verb. It takes effort to worry.

What stands out to me in that definition is the word, torment. Why in the world would anyone in their right mind want to torment oneself? The only way we can be right minded is to be like minded with the Word of God and stand in a position of trusting what He says. God means it when he says he will provide all our needs, protect us, teach us, never leave us, guide us, counsel us, comfort us, etc..

As with the sunglasses, not only did they fit my face, they were no ordinary sunglasses, they were top of the line. Our Heavenly Father wants to give us the best. He does answer prayer. As we walk with him through the years, we learn to trust that ALL things are truly working for the good for our lives even though we may not know the reason for everything that happens. The key to that trust which has no room for worry, is His love for us. Something to note is that where worry is a verb, trust is a noun meaning: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence (Websters Dictionary).

Love and trust are both nouns: PERSON, place or thing. Ponder the fact that God is Love. It takes work to worry, it takes rest to trust. As we abide in Love itself, trust becomes an outcome.