my lips shall praise You

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
Psalms 63:3 NKJV

There is so much we can praise God for. He is good, just, and righteous. He created us and made this world for us. We are blessed daily in ways we may not always recognize. Even moments that seem against us can actually be blessings meant for our good.  I remember in 2008 having a car accident that put me off work, unable to walk for three months. I spent everyday of my recuperation at my parents house for about two of those months until my parents left on a trip.  At the time, I was frustrated that I could not care for myself or my children. I was frustrated that I had to rely so heavily on my husband and my parents, and that I was hurting and injured. But, this was a time that placed me in a position where I got to spend time with my mother, talk with her, and connect with her in a deeper way. Unbeknownst to me, I needed this time with her as she was to pass away on that trip. I look back and feel so blessed that God orchestrated what seemed to be a trial into a blessing.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  For thou, Lord , wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Psalms 5:11‭-‬12 KJV

There is a protection that comes only from God. We can place our trust in Him and rejoice knowing He is our defender and protector.  We can rejoice and shout for joy even in the midst of trials knowing we are covered by the blood of Jesus.

We may be facing uncertainty, struggle and trial, but God is already working out the answer. He is carefully orchestrating what needs to take place. While we may be surrounded by fear and worry, we can find peace. We do not need to worry because He is right here taking care of us. When a job suddenly ends, or a doctor report comes back negative,  we can still have faith that never wavers. When we face terrible, painful loss, our Savior can comfort us and carry us through. When fear and anxiety about what the future may hold tries to take over and break us, we can call on the Name of Jesus and be filled with His loving presence.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 KJV

We can find strength to keep going, keep fighting, and keep trusting. We can praise and worship instead of fearing the future. We have God on our side. We can humble ourselves, present our petitions before God, and leave it at His feet. He is our strength and can be our song. We will walk through all circumstances and emerge with a victorious testimony.  When all seems lost in our perspective, there is hope in Christ Jesus.  He is already gone before us. He knows the plans he has for us and has set in motion the things needed to keep us and bless us.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV

Even when we are weak, He is strong. We can rest assured that there is nothing that surprises God, nor weakens Him in the face of trouble.  We can rejoice and shout a praise when every one expects  to hear fear and mourning. When we could have a right to complain, we can choose to praise.  We can praise God because of who He is. He is always good. He is always righteous. He is always loving us. He is always right on time in every circumstance, good and bad.  He already knows what we need before we even ask.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 6:8 KJV

I choose to rejoice when the cares of this life threaten to overwhelm me. I choose to give a shout of joy in the face of adversity. I choose to trust in Jesus,  because I know He has a table spread ready for me with all that is good for me.
Lord, help me always to find Your peace as I trust in You.  May I ever rejoice and give thanks regardless of what life hands me.  Help me, Lord, to not waver, keep my praise, and my faith ever placed in You.

where He leads

I wake up pretty early and it is usually dark when I sit down to eat breakfast, and read my Bible. I like to sit where I can look out the back window and watch the sun rise.  It is always beautiful to see the colors slowly rise and take over the darkness. It is like a glimmer of hope rising from the blackness of night. I began to talk to the Lord about my day, about the needs I know of and asked him to show me where he wants me to go and do. The words of this hymn came to my mind this morning as I watched the sunrise.

“Where He leads I’ll follow, follow all the way. Oh, where He leads I’ll follow, follow Jesus every day.”

I have always liked that hymn. It reminds me that we can listen to His loving words, we can go to him, and we can trust that He will lead us. Hymns seem to hold a lot of wisdom and truth found in the word of God.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I may be the only one, but there are times I don’t really know what or where I am going. I know I am seeking God and I know He has a plan. He promised a plan for our lives. We don’t always see it or even have a clue about what it might be. This is where trusting God really comes in. We have to place our faith in Him, hold His hand and know that He is leading us in the right direction.  This can feel uncertain, unnerving, and even maybe make us feel a bit lost at times. But, God already knows where we are supposed to be and what we are going to be doing. He has a plan already laid out. We need to take that next step and walk in the faith we have, place all our faith in Him and just keep walking.

Psalm 63:8

My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.

He will always keep us when the path ahead looks confusing, treacherous, or even just hard to see.  I know God is leading. I think about Abraham when God told him to go from the land of Uz and just start walking. God promised him that he would be the father of many nations and everywhere he walked would be given to him for his descendants. Abraham did not see this fulfilled in his lifetime but God kept that promise. He may have wondered at times if this promise was right. He may have feared at times. He may have even felt lost, but he kept walking in faith of that promise. He didn’t have an heir until he was 100 years old, but he kept going, knowing what God had promised.

We can keep going in faith, knowing that God is leading. We can follow where He leads. There is a peace that comes as we know we are walking in His will even when it doesn’t seem clear. His ways are higher than ours and He already prepared the way for us. The road ahead may appear dark, but there is light on the horizon. There is clarity and victory. There is a destination that is sure. There is a God leading us when we hold to His unchanging hand. He knows the way. Trust Him. 

promises

As a new year begins, I see possibility. We have a whole new year ahead of us that holds promise and possibility.  Some may look back at the year before and recall good times and bad times. It may have been a rough year or a good year. It may have held joy and pain. But a new year is upon us. As I laid down on the last night of the year,  I felt like God was speaking to my heart about His promises. I was reminded of all the promises His Word holds for us. I am excited to renew my desire to read through the Bible and hold on to His promises for me and for all of us who seek Him.

For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 Corinthians 1:20 KJV

He is faithful and just. His word will be done. God has promises for all of us.  I know when I trust in His promises, it will take place just as he said.  I think about David being anointed king of Israel long before he was actually placed in the position of king. He had a promise in word only. He had to live in that promise, trust that promise and hold onto the Word of God as his life was threatened and as he hid from Saul. He encouraged himself when he felt alone. David had a promise.  He knew God had a plan and a promise for his life. He could have given up. He could have become frustrated or angry with God.  Even when he couldn't see how it would work out, he kept his eyes on the promise of God. He walked through trouble and trial. Some times seemed hopeless and that all would be lost, but David held on to the promise in faith.

We need to keep our eyes on the promise of God. He has plans for us to walk in. He has set out a path for us. Even when we cannot see how it will work out or may feel all alone, keep our eyes on the promise. We may not see the answer to our problems. We may be tempted to give up, feel hopeless or frustrated,   But God says He has a promise. He will not give up on us. He will not go back on His word. He will fulfill His promises.

As I woke up the next morning, the following verse came to my remembrance:

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14 KJV

We need to keep our eyes on the prize of His calling.  We need to press in and press on as we have great promises. Our faith needs to be set in action and motion needs to take place. We can miss out on promises when we do not put our faith in action. Pressing toward a mark means we are taking action. I cannot press toward something without actually moving or acting upon my belief or faith.  We must put our faith into action and move forward toward the goal, or mark. We have a calling and a prize. God has promises to apply to our lives as we move and apply our faith in Him.

We all have promises from God for physical and spiritual needs. We have promises in His Word and promises He has spoken to us from ministry or spoken to our hearts as we poured out our desires to Him. We can find peace in knowing He will fulfill His promise. And as David kept his eyes on the promise, we can live in the promise, act on the promise, take that next step forward, live in faith. This is a new year in which we can claim the promises of God in our lives. We have expectation and promise from our Lord. We have a new year to look forward and press forward in the promises of God. May we all keep our eyes on the promises and press on to that mark. There is more in Jesus for your life. Press on, keep faith, take that step forward. Claim the promises of God.

faith and hope

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Faith.  Do I have faith? Do I have enough faith? That depends sometimes on how things are going.  It shouldn't depend, but it does at times. I get side tracked and look around at the circumstances instead of God.  We may start to think God cannot help us and we may begin to doubt, but....

When we have faith, our hope and confidence are completely focused on God.
I may not be able to see the answer, or even a glimmer of hope in some circumstances,  but when I keep focused on the promises of God, there is always hope. His Word can sustain and strengthen in the hardest of moments. When we cannot see through the trial, we can see hope in His promises.

We can believe His plans are for our good, not our harm. (Romans 8:28) We can trust that He is our shield and our place of safety. (Psalms 18:1-2) We can trust that He is already working to bless us and keep us.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psalms 91:1‭-‬4 KJV

We have promises in the Word of God.  We have nothing to fear and no reason to ever doubt the Word of God. His Word is true and He never fails to keep His Word. We can say: For ever, O Lord , thy word is settled in heaven.
Psalms 119:89 KJV
We know He is not slack concerning his promises. (2 Peter 3:9)

When life or situations seem to overwhelm you or feel impossible, that is when faith becomes most important. When it seems that desperate prayer may not be answered, when illness threatens, when that lost soul you so desperately love and want to see saved seems so far away,  faith in God's  Word will carry you into the promises.

I have seen God heal the illness.  I have seen the impossibly lost come to Christ. I have seen God take an impossible situation and change it miraculously. I have seen prayers answered. I know God will continue to make a way when there seems to be no way. He will heal, deliver, and bless. He will not forget His promises and He will not fail.

Keep your faith firmly planted in Christ. Read His Word and cling to the promises.  Trust Him in spite of the what you can or can't see.  He will come through for you. Just believe and find hope in Him. Never lose hope. Jesus Christ is our hope.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37 KJV

issues of the heart

I love how the Bible always has advice for every situation you can face. I especially love Proverbs. Proverbs is full of the best advice for anyone seeking to live a life of joy, peace, and righteousness. The following passage from chapter four of Proverbs particularly stood out to me recently.

Proverbs 4:20-27

My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.²¹ Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;²² For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.²³ Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.²⁴ Put away from you a ^[c]deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.²⁶ Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.

This passage tells us that we need to follow the words of the Lord. Anyone that is speaking words that are negative, deceitful and evil need to be aware that this type of speaking goes against what is good and right in God’s sight. We need to be aware not just of following the Word of God, but also what words we speak.

We need to pay attention to the word of God. We must listen to it, hear it, and not let it depart from our eyes. We must read it and most importantly, keep the word of God in our hearts. What we plant in our heart is most important for out of the heart, spring the issues of life.

What does this even mean?  The actions and words that come out of our heart reveal what we love, who we love, and what we hold dear.

If I react with patience, love, and faith in God, then my heart is revealed to hold faith, love and patience. My heart is responding with what I have held dear. My heart is responding to a situation with what I have planted in my heart and mind.

If I react with anger, bitter words, fear, and chaos, then I have planted those things in my heart.

My heart issues forth the things I have planted in it.

What we sow, we will reap even in our own lives.  Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

If I have not sown the things of God into my heart through reading and study of His word, prayer and seeking Him, then my heart is not prepared to respond with His word into my own life and situations.

Our response to crisis, to trouble, to trials, reveals what we hold in our hearts. What do I mean by this?  When a trouble comes, do we respond with speaking faith, speaking His word into the situation and seeking God’s guidance or do we respond with angry words, speaking doom and gloom or react out of fear?

I have watched many people over the years respond to crisis in both of the ways above. My grandparents will always stand out to me as an example of responding in faith. When they had two children in two different hospitals, they did not allow despair and fear to reign. They responded by encouraging and praying with other parents in the same situations they were in. They held onto faith, they trusted God even as they laid their precious daughter to rest. Had they always responded this way? No, they had learned to do so over many years of trial.

I have also seen people respond to a crisis with fear, angry words, and confusion rather than trust. It led to hurt feelings, depression, and even turning against God. Any response that takes us from God rather than into His presence should not be acceptable.

Our response to any situation reveals our heart and what we have stored up. God asked me: “What have you placed before your eyes and allowed to enter your ears? What have you poured into your heart?  What have you kept in the midst of your heart?” 

Have we allowed the distractions and entertainments of this society to take the place of His precious word? His word is there to comfort, guide, protect, and keep us from harm and heartache. When we stand on His word, we can have correct response of placing faith and trust in Him. We can stand on His word in the face of any trial or struggle and know that our Heavenly Father is holding us, protecting us and has good in mind for us. No matter the situation, I want to respond with faith not fear; with trust not anger; and with peace, not chaos.

My heart has plenty of room for more of His word and even more as I remove the things that take away from my faith in my Savior, Jesus Christ.  May we ever place His word before us and in our hearts.  

be thankful

There are times I forget  and times I really don't take time to notice, but I am so blessed. God has truly been good to me. I haven't earned it nor do I deserve it, but I am blessed. Does that mean hard times haven't come? No. It does mean that God has been with me through it all. I was looking  through some old pictures and recalled times my son had surgeries,  times of loss, times of rejoicing, my kids being baptized and playing in the snow. As I looked at pictures of loved ones lost and all the fun times, I could think about how God's goodness has carried me through every moment.  My husband and I will be celebrating our twenty fifth anniversary next month. That is twenty five years of learning to trust God, praying for one another, and learning how to love each other the way God loves. It's years of failures and victories. It is the ups and downs, good and bad. It has times when I held him up and times he held me. I am so thankful for a husband that seeks God and turns to God to become an even better man. I am thankful for my two children who are blessings. I am so proud of them and who they are. I rejoice as they are growing and learning how to serve God and others. Have they always been perfect angels? No, of course not. But they are wonderful. I am thankful for my life and health. I am thankful for my job and yes, even my bills. I am thankful for my church and my family. I have so much to be thankful for.

Why am I saying all this?  Because I can so easily focus on what has gone wrong and all the stresses. I can get so caught up in worry over many things, most of which I cannot control. I can fret and worry over finances, health,  my kids, the future, etc. When I do this, my eyes and my heart lose focus on  the goodness of God.  I begin to lose the joy and peace. I begin to feel the fear and depression. I begin to fail and question more. My faith wanes and I begin to complain. It slowly gets ugly. This is exactly what God does not have in mind for us.

He has not given us a spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7)He does not want us to stress and worry. He says we can cast all our cares on Him he cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7)  He is able to give us all we need and provides for us in ways we can never even imagine when we put all our faith and trust in Him. When we are thankful and full of praise, we are able to keep the right attitude and keep our eyes focused on God.

O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Psalms 108:1 KJV

We can keep thankfulness as our attitude and change the way we see our circumstances.  When we are grateful, we show appreciation and actually feel more happiness and peace. We more easily recognize our blessings. We see the blessings all around us rather than focusing on the problems.  We can look to Jesus to get us through and know He has already taken care of us by giving us the greatest gift of all: salvation.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 KJV

As we approach Thanksgiving,  I hear so many talking about being thankful and counting blessings.  There is joy in the counting of blessings. I love the feeling in the air at Thanksgiving  as people take time to recognize the blessings and appreciate the goodness of God. We need to keep that attitude all year long, not just for a season,  but for a lifetime. Imagine how much worry we could avoid if we just stayed focused on being grateful  rather than finding reasons to complain. I am going to do my best to make thankfulness my heart's first thought rather than worry. I am going to try to stay thankful even after the special day has passed on by. Every day, I want to start with saying thank you to God for the blessings of the day.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Psalms 140:13 KJV

Thank you, Lord, for all Your blessings on me.

peace , not anxiety

We often question ourselves and what we are are supposed to do. We have self-doubt, anxiety and worry. We may not really believe that we are actually chosen and ordained of God to do a work for Him. We may become fearful, lonely, and even depressed. BUT, He has called each of us to share His love and the great news of the Gospel with those around us. We have purpose in Christ and we are loved by our creator. He did not form us for no reason. He has a plan for each of us.

Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;
Jeremiah 33:2 KJV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

God wants us to realize that He wants the best for us and has set a plan in motion. We need to trust Him and place our faith in Him to the utmost. We should not worry or fear when we are putting every bit of our faith and trust in our loving God.

Anxiety is on the rise in our society. Every day anxiety keeps people from reaching out, trusting, and living the life with which God has blessed them. Anxiety destroys relationships and creates depression and hurt. Anxiety tells you that no one cares, that you aren't good enough, and actually creates hurt when there shouldn't be. Anxiety causes you to find fault and feel hurt from someone who truly had no intention of hurting you. Anxiety is not from God. It separates us from Him.

Anxiety is a spirit that goes against the will of God to keep you from really trusting and believing in the plan God has for you.

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
II Timothy 1:7 NKJV

We have many good reasons to put aside anxiety. The biggest reason is it is keeping us from a good relationship with our heavenly Father. We cannot truly trust Him nor can He truly fulfill His plans in us when we allow anxiety to keep us from giving Him our heart fully and completely.  We aren't able to give everything to Him when we listen to anxiety's lies.

We need to find ourselves at an altar and repent for not trusting God and ask for His help in defeating anxiety once and for all. Living in anxiety keeps us from the peace and joy that God has for us. We need to live in His peace and experience true Joy rather than what anxiety has created.

Jesus spoke these words about peace and joy:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 NKJV

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:11 NKJV

We need to understand that anxiety is not God's will for us. His will is peace and joy. He offers us good things and wants to give us good gifts. He does not want us suffering and fearful. He wants better for His children.  He has the best for us, not just getting by,  dwelling on hurt or fear of hurt. That is the goal of the enemy of our soul.  He wants to destroy and keep us from the goodness of God.

We can call on Him and He will answer. He will bring about His mighty will in us if we turn it all over to Him.
We can cast all of our cares at His feet and walk in faith knowing He is taking care of it all for us. He will lead us and make our paths straight.  He will answer our prayers, meet our needs and supply for us in  ways that will amaze us when we call on Him in complete faith and trust.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3 KJV

I pray we can put aside the fear, worry, hurt and trouble that anxiety has caused. We need His peace and joy operating in us. That is what will change lives, draw the sinner to the love of Jesus, and make us truly effective in the Kingdom of God. Let's call on Jesus when we hear the painful whispers from anxiety telling us lies of pain, hurt, and fear. Let us find strength in Jesus and the in the Word of God to stand in faith, live in joy and claim peace that only comes from Him.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7 KJV