grounded and settled

I always find encouragement and challenge when I read Paul's writings. Paul was sold out to the work of God. He denied all else so he could preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone and everyone. God used him mightily to spread the message to not only those he spoke to, but also to every generation since through his writings. Paul wrote half of the New Testament.  He gave details and explanations about what it means to live as a Christian and to be Christ like. When I read his writings, I end up feeling challenged to be better, to change and allow more of God in me.  I highlighted the following verse a few weeks ago and it still stands out,  especially the first part.

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Colossians 1:23 KJV

Grounded and settled.  We must be grounded and settled in the gospel. We cannot allow anything to draw us away or distract us from the truth of the gospel.  We can see examples all around us of beloved friends, family and even leaders whom have lost the way in Christ.  We try to understand, explain, and even question why, but we are not always able to change their minds on our own.  Only they can come to the realization that they still need Jesus in their lives.  They are not grounded, rooted, nor settled in the truth.

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luke 8:13 KJV

We need to be aware of where we stand in our faith. We need to be settled and grounded,  immovable. We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from the  truth of God's Word. We need to always be in the process of drawing closer in our relationship with Him. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. When we become complacent,  even comfortable with where we are, is when other things can creep in and take our focus off of God. We become lackadaisical in our commitment to Him.

This happens in many relationships. This same thing happens in marriage and other important relationships. Ideas, thoughts, and distractions enter in when we are not proactively guarding our hearts and minds from distraction or malcontent. Many hearts are broken by lack of attention, lack of pursuit, and downright betrayal.

God will never be the one to turn away, cheat, lie, or break our hearts. We do that ourselves when we do not pursue Him with our actions, our thoughts, and our love. We become unsettled and are no longer standing firm on the foundation of his truth. We become easy prey for the lies and distraction of unbelief and betray the One who loves us most.

We need to keep our eyes on the prize, our hearts set on Him, our minds engaged in His word, and our actions ever leading is closer to Him. We need to be as Paul said, grounded and settled, and cannot be moved away.
Regardless of what others may say and do, we need to stand our ground.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13 KJV

We must be ever mindful and on guard of the attacks against our minds, hearts, and faith. We can easily be persuaded when we are not on guard and sure of the truth. We need to be ever seeking more of God to find strength,  we need to be emersed in the faith, encouraged and be an encouragement  to others with fellowship aand church attendance, as well as seeking God through prayer, Bible study,  and fasting. We must daily be engaged with the Spirit of God to be lead by Him and protected by Him
He will guard our hearts and minds when are submitted to Him in obedience. We cannot give up on Him. He will never give up on us. He will never leave us or forsake us. How can we ever forsake Him? He redeemed us by the shedding of His blood. He bought and paid for our salvation and freedom. He set us free. He loves us more than anyone else we could ever meet. I cannot turn back now. I am all in. I am His and He is mine. My commitment is rooted in His blood and in His love for me. I want be able to say as Joshua said:

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .
Joshua 24:15 KJV

I may not be able to change your mind or anyone else's mind, but my mind is made up. I will be grounded and settled. I will not be  moved away from the gospel. My root will be planted in God's righteousness. I am firmly planted in the Rock, Jesus Christ.

A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
Proverbs 12:3 KJV

that ain't right

We are often very aware of what is right and wrong. We teach it to children and tell them to choose the right things. We expect good and right and condemn the wrong very often. In our society, we hear many people talking about how someone did something and they  may say, "That ain't right!"  We are quick to see how someone fails and identify the wrongs and the rights. Our political arena is full of people pointing fingers and calling each other out over perceived wrongs. As the story continues, we often find that same wrong coming back to haunt the accuser as well. 

I am no longer surprised by the next scandal or the next accusation. Politics in America, and the world, has become a rather sad display of accusations, backbiting, and lack of morality. This isn't about being progressive, conservative, or anywhere in between. This is about what we truly need to understand.  We need to realize that we all have a choice to make about right and wrong. We all have a responsibility to live by what is right. The truth about right and wrong starts with the little choices so we can make the big choices later. We must do our best to choose good based on  the truth of God's word . We will be held to that standard in the end . 

My son was telling about a little situation at school and I responded by explaining that doing that particular action would be stealing. He replied, "but everyone does it, and the teachers said to."  My husband simply replied, but it is still wrong and we don't do wrong just because others do it or say to do it. We choose to do what it right because God says to do right.

James 4:17 says "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is a sin." We are given plenty of direction and explanation in the Bible about what is right and what is wrong. We are given a clear understanding of what is sin and what is not. We are then given the opportunity to apply this truth to our lives every single day. We make a choice to do what is good or to sin. Simply put, you choose to sin even when you know what is right. 

There are people out there saying, "You do you." or,  "I choose my truth." There is no truth outside of God. We need to understand that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6). We cannot find real truth outside of obedience to the Word of God. We cannot explain it away, or change it. We cannot ignore it and hope it doesn't really mean what it says. God spoke and it is truth. His Word is truth. He is truth. We can only find good and right in Him. We can only find peace and happiness when we submit to Him and His ways. We can only find true contentment by believing and obeying His word and choosing to follow Him.

Joshua 24:15  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.

I have this on my wall of my living room for my family to see and read. I hope we all have this embedded and buried deep in our hearts so it will nourish our faith and help us to everyday choose to serve the Lord through our actions, our thoughts, and our lives. I do pray that my children and my family chooses to do what is good and not allow our sinful nature to continue to rule our hearts and our lives. 

Deuteronomy 30:19I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

We have a choice we make every day and sometimes every moment. We have a choice to choose life and truth or not . I want to choose life. I want to choose blessing. I choose to do what is good. I pray I can make that choice every moment. When I fail, I will choose to run to the Savior and make it right. I want His approval above all else. I want to show my love for Him by how I live my life and the actions I choose. I want my choice to say that Jesus rules my heart and He is my first choice. I want my life to be a reflection of His truth and His love for me. Let us pray that our choices are for good and what is right according to His Word. 

trust through the process

I often bake and I enjoy making things. I like getting to that finished product and seeing what I have accomplished.  It takes a process to get to the end product. I cannot just throw in some flour and say it is a cake. There is a recipe, measuring, mixing, and baking. There is a time of cooling and a time of decorating the cake.  It takes an ordered process and it takes time.
In Ecclesiastes chapter 3 we learn there is a time for every purpose under heaven.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;  A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1‭-‬8 KJV

There is a time for going through a process. A process means there is change and growth. Growth means we are in a process.  We don't instantly become adults.  We go through a process.  Living in this life should mean we are growing.  We may be fully grown adults, but we should still be in a growth process, maybe not physically any more, but spiritually, emotionally, and in maturity.

When I cook or bake, there is a process. When something is being built , there is a process. We are also in a process.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 KJV

This life has good times and bad times.  We go through times of struggles and times of victories. Each of these are part of a process that God is using to bring us closer to Him. He wants to use these opportunities to change us, mold us,  and make us more like Him. God asks us to trust Him as we go through these processes.  We may feel like we are being mixed up or even put through a fire.  We may see a lot of things that want to capture and hold our attention to get us to take our eyes off of God. We may become distracted, overwhelmed and maybe even lost in the many things of living in this world.  But God says to keep our eyes on Him and our faith firmly placed in God. He has our best interests in mind and He knows where we have been,  where we are, and where we need to go. We are going through a process. He may even be taking us through a process to increase His will in our lives. We may not see the recipe or even know where we will end up. God does. He is the Master and the Potter. He is working on us and taking us through a process of growth and change if we allow Him to do what He has in mind.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 KJV

There is a purpose for our process. There is a purpose for every trial and every victory. There is a God walking with us, leading us, and carrying us through every thing we face in this life. We only need to trust Him through the process. His ultimate goal is to bring us closer to Him every moment so we end up spending eternity around the throne in heaven. He want us to run the race with endurance, fight a good fight,  finish the course, and keep the faith. I Timothy 4:7.

Each part of the process is our opportunity to place our faith in Jesus, to lean on His wisdom, to trust Him completely, and to find strength in the joy of the Lord.

He is my Shepherd

The other day I realized that I have known one particular verse pretty much my whole life. Psalms 23:1  The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. I recall being very small and being able to quote this verse with my mom and in  Sunday school. This verse has been planted and embedded in my heart and mind for a long time. It popped up the other day in my mind as I was thinking and praying about some concerns and then again a little later on my Bible app as the verse of the day. I realized that God was reminding me that He is a good Shepherd that cares for His sheep.

The Hebrew for this verse is Jehovah Rohi. This literally means "The Lord our Shepherd." It means that God is a caring God who takes care of us and our needs. He provides and protects. That is what a good Shepherd does for His sheep. He doesn't leave them alone and in need. He is there tending the sheep and watching over them.

I needed to be reminded about how much He cares for me and all of us that day. We sometimes get so focused on life and the problems, we forget to rest in the knowledge that He is a good Shepherd watching over us in loving care and concern. He knows well what we need and what is best for us.  In Matthew 6:8 Jesus said,
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
This tells us He is already aware and is working on our behalf. We don't need to worry, we only need to trust Him.

Why do we need to know the scriptures and verses such as these? These verses help me when I need to remember what God has promised and remember who He is.  I need to know that His word speaks about my needs and even my desires. There are promises in His Word meant for all of us. Reading His word reveals these promises and learning them keeps them hid in our heart to rely on and sustain us when we need encouragement and strength. We can recall these verses and find life abundant to keep moving forward and keep growing faith in Him.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalms 119:11 KJV

My parents taught me scriptures early on. They planted a love for God's word and made sure I could find my strength in the Word of God.  As a tiny child I knew The Lord is my shepherd. I have never forgotten this verse. It still brings  peace and comfort some 40 plus years later. It is the Word that sustains and builds my faith.  I can still rely on God's promises.  I find there is no other joy or comfort like God's  word.  I am grateful I have Him to turn to in all situations, good and bad. Plant the Word and hide it in your hearts and your children's hearts.  Give them and yourself the best source for life that there ever will be.

run the race with faith

I enjoy reading. I especially enjoy reading the Bible. The Word of God often reveals things about God and challenges the reader to be better and move closer to God.  Yesterday, as I read Hebrews chapter  12, the first verse kept my attention.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1 KJV

The eleventh chapter had just listed heroes of faith, ordinary men and women whom had displayed faith in God during extraordinary circumstances. Here in the very next chapter we are immediately called to recognize the great groups of witnesses surrounding us, the men and women who are the examples of faith who can attest to what God did, can, and will do. We can read their life stories. But I also thought about the witnesses of our walk with God. We have people all around us that will witness our lives as we walk in faith.  We need to be aware that we can look at those who have gone before and strive to live a faith-filled life as they did and at the same time, be an example of faith to those around us.

The second part of that verse tells us that we need to lay aside the weights and sin that holds us back and works to destroy our faith. We cannot run this race of faith carrying around weights and permitting sin to be in our hearts.  These things will cripple our ability to be a faithful example.  When we hold on to those things, such as anxiety, depression, self-doubt, fear, addiction, bitterness, and so on, we cannot run for very long and our endurance is no longer there. We are weighed down and bogged down with life's frustration and cares. We have to lay all this down so we can really run in faith.

Paul knew this. He knew that this would not be easy, but he gave us a key to help us  in verse two.

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

We only need to look at Jesus. He endured the cross for us. He offers us life. He can help us lay aside the weights and forgives the sin. He changes our lives so we can run.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith.  He will keep working on us so we can endure and finish this race, not just barely make it, but with endurance and victory. He will take the weights for us. He said,
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" In Matthew 11:30 KJV. He takes our heavy burdens so we can run freely and gives us a light burden instead. We can become an example of what faith in God can do.

I encourage each of us to look at the examples, the witnesses of faith we have laid out in scripture and around us to see what God can do, then be one of those examples of faith to those who need to see what faith in action. Lay down the weights and sin and run the race that is before you. Run with faith and be a witness to someone else.

linger just a little while

We often get very busy in this life. We have so many things to do with jobs, family, and activities. We stay busy and may even feel like we will never get it all done.  Busy, busy, busy. But, do we get so busy doing all the things we do, that important moments are rushed and may even be forgotten?  I purposely schedule time to pray and read my Bible every day. I find this is extremely valuable to my sense of well being and to my spiritual growth and wellness.   However, I have realized that at times, I even rush through the time I have scheduled.  I get distracted and hurry because all the other things waiting for my attention.
 
The other day, as I was praying, I felt like God was asking me to just wait or linger just a while longer in my prayer time; to take time to just be there and to just linger in Him.  It felt so peaceful and I could feel His love just holding on.  It is so hard to move on from those moments.  Too often, we are so hurried we forget to linger just a moment and soak in the good.

Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord .
Psalms 27:14 KJV

There are times that the presence of the Holy Spirit is so sweet and almost tangible. I love to be in those moments.  But, in my rush to my business, I may forget to just wait on Him.

This goes for many moments in life. There are times we may need to just linger a little longer. Maybe linger just a bit in conversation with someone who needs to talk, or maybe linger a bit longer in that sweet hug from your child.  Linger a little longer as you see a sunset or witness something good.  Soak in these moments. These moments strengthen relationships and strengthen faith. These moments build up courage to go on. These moments let others know we care. These moments of lingering may be the times we can really hear God speak to us with clarity.

Jesus told  his disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem for the Comforter after his resurrection. They went and waited in the upper room.

 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Luke 24:49 KJV

We see later in Acts that the Holy Spirit was poured out on them and they began to speak boldly. Through the preaching of Peter on that day, 3,000 souls were added to the church. This outpouring came through waiting.

We need to take time to wait and linger just a little longer to hear from God and to experience what He has for us. We need to wait on His promises. We need to linger in His presence to find strength and encouragement. We need to linger a little longer in His word to learn and understand Him more. We need to take time to linger in the moments that are important and with the people who are important. Some of the other stuff will wait and may not be as pressing as we think.  May we stay and wait just a little longer with the Lord who made us, saved us and loves us more that we even understand. He is more important than all those chores and jobs claiming our time anyway.  Wait on the Lord.

rend my heart

Sometimes a word or a verse really grabs my attention.   This verse in Joel, and in particular, the word 'rend' captured my thoughts and attention.

Therefore also now, saith the Lord , turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Joel 2:12‭-‬13 KJV

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, rend means 1. To remove from place by violence: wrest,  2. To split or tear apart in pieces by violence, 3. To tear as a sign of anger, grief, or despair.

As I think about the context that Joel was writing these words I relate the lack of holiness and sinful state in which Israel had been found to where our current society, even the church itself can be found.

Joel was calling Israel to repent from the idol worship and the outright sinful state they had turned into. Israel had completely rebelled and turned away from God. God was so displeased, he allowed the natural consequences to transpire, sent other nations against Israel hoping they would realize that they were not doing the right things. He hoped that Israel would turn from the wickedness. He sent prophets to warn them and call them back to Him. Israel ignored the prophets. Israel suffered great consequences before they finally turned their hearts back to the God Almighty that had waited  and loved them deeply.  It was the hearts that were not committed, not in a position to love God.  They loved themselves, the pleasures of the world and the easy things. There had a hardening of their hearts to the things of God.  They were allowing sin to reign and had accepted this as a lifestyle.  Does this sound familiar?

Today, we are seeing consequences of a people wno have turned from God. We have a sinful, violent society  with no one willing to take the blame.  We see violence and lifestyles all around us and even in churches that reflect a love of self and pleasures rather than a love for God and His righteousness.  Many make excuses and set aside righteousness. We set aside the things of God and we do not take it serious as we begin to hear a call to turn back to Him.

Thankfully, God is slow to anger, full of grace and mercy. He is kind.  But he is calling His people to awaken.  The church needs to rend it's heart. The people of God need to rend their hearts; break their hearts for the sinful state we find around us.  We cannot stand idly by and make excuses for what is happening around us.  We need to turn our hearts to God, seek Him and let our hearts be broken for what is breaking the heart of God.  It is not His will for the suffering brought about by sin. It is not His will to see violence overtake us. It is His will to save souls and change lives for the better.   He wants to use His people, but we must be willing to be used.  He needs His people to follow after His heart. Our hearts need to be in tune with His heart. We are mistaken to think God does not see our sin. We are mistaken to think God does not want to help the lost and suffering. We are mistaken to think God does not love the hurting and even those that do the hurt. We, as the church, need to rend or tear our hearts apart to get to a place that we can feel compassion and be moved by those around us.  Are we concerned for the souls around us? Do we notice the world suffering around us enough to pray, to seek God on behalf of those that don't know God? Do we reach for the lost and dying? Do  we fast and pray with fervancy because we truly believe that God is the answer for the pain around us?  Have we allowed our hearts to be moved by the things that move God? Have we become numb and unwilling to move with the heart of God because we are too worried about our pleasure and status? Has the church become too bogged down in distraction to actually be the hands and feet of God?

May we arise from the slumber and the slow lull of sin that has blinded us, hardened our hearts and distracted us from the true purpose of the body of Christ. I pray that my heart be broken. I pray that I turn my heart, all my heart, to the work and service to which God is calling me. Are we willing to fully commit ourselves to Him and His purpose to see a change in our world?

  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Psalms 24:6 KJV

As Joel wrote, let us seek the heart of God with prayer and fasting.  Let us mourn for the things that go against God. Let us seek to please the Lord and in doing so, bring about a spiritual change in our lives and in our communities. Rend our hearts, Lord. I rend my heart for you.