Good News!

Rom 8:28  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.

This verse has been called the most pain relieving verse in the Bible. It has such potential to help hurting people. But it doesn't say we will never have trouble in this life. We will have trouble, Jesus said so in John 16:33 " These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  We are given the assurance to know. There are so many things we can know in the Bible. 2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Just one of the many truths we can know. Everything that touches or concerns us comes through God's filter. It all "works together" like puzzle pieces fit to make a picture. Our circumstances may not be what we want or expect. But behind every action or allowance of God is a holy purpose. God is good. He is just as involved in our lives as He is in the running of the whole universe. Isn't that the most marvelous news that you have ever heard? No wonder the gospel is called the GOOD NEWS!

WAITING

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
 Psalm 27:14
 But what does it mean to "wait on the Lord?" Here are some definitions; "to pause for another to catch up; to look forward to; to remain temporarily neglected or unrealized." When we wait on the Lord, we learn to be content with what God is allowing right now. I find that I want to see and know what is next. But I need to be content in my situation this very minute. And not be afraid to trust Him. The last part of the verse says, "and he shall strengthen thine heart" Waiting on the Lord and having courage to be content will give us confidence. Joy comes with having confidence in God's time schedule. He is the Man with the plan.

Get Ready to Run

It sure is easy to run ahead of God, isn't it? Or am I the only impatient gal around. It seems like I am forever guilty of this. God is so patient with my impatience. This week I have been sitting with my friend Miss Mary (who is 105 years old). She is a delightful and gracious lady. She has to depend upon others to do so many things for her now. Her eyesight and hearing are failing....but her mind is sharp as a tack. We've had such interesting talks and her life has been filled with great experiences. She has been an independent woman and having to wait for others to do things hasn't been easy. I can identify with her about not wanting to wait. Impatience has caused me some pain and tears. Even this very week I learned that waiting on God is the only way to go. He always knows best and it just makes sense when you think of the benefits in this verse:
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint

Little Faith or Great Faith?

How important is faith in the Christian life? Well the Bible says ''Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Heb.11:6)  Faith is necessary to the Christian life. But just believing is not the issue of faith. It's what you believe and who you believe in that is important. My husband used to say that we have to have faith everyday. We have faith that when we turn the key our car will start. We have faith that there is really corn in a can of corn. It is the object of our faith that matters. The ultimate faith object is Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is certainly a reliable faith object. It seems to me that some are trying to live by faith in their faith, instead of faith in God and His Word. Little knowledge of God and His Word gives little faith. Great knowledge of God and His Word, gives much faith. I want to have great faith...don't you?

Thankful for Afflictions?

I Thess.5:18  " In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

This has been the reference verse that I use with my signature for many years. As a young wife and mother I had some really tough struggles with fear and depression. I was hospitalized two times. None of the world's cures worked for me. Not until I got hold of the truth of God's Word did I get better. And one of those truths was that I was to give thanks for everything that God allowed in my life. It didn't matter if I liked it or if it was hard. God allowed even my problems with fear and depression.  David said in Ps.119:71  "It is good that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." Having these problems caused me to run to the Lord and the Bible. That led to a saved husband who  became a preacher. Which led to  a wonderful life as a pastor's wife for 33 years.  I just have to say it again. THANK YOU LORD!

Living and Loving

Matt.22:37-40  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

First we are  to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. How in the world do we do that? The only way I know to love God is to get to know Him.  We do that through His Word. The more we know Him, the more we love Him, because we were created to respond to people who love us. To love Him with all our being is the first and greatest commandment. The next commandment in this passage tells that we are to love others as ourselves. So, if we are to love others as much as ourselves, stands to reason that we are to love ourselves. Now, that may seem like a selfish thing to do. But actually how we feel about ourselves determines how we treat and love our neighbor. So how do we love ourselves, anyway? By doing the right thing and making the right choices.  Let me use this illustration that happened while I was raising my four children. Our son, Brian, is the only boy and the youngest child. His main job was to keep the trash empited and the yard mowed. Many times when he had to mow the yard, he was not thrilled to do so. Some times he was downright unhappy, especially when he was younger. But we said to him, "Son, happy or glad, it doesn't matter to us, just get the yard mowed." How he felt about doing it was not the issue. He would start out a little slow, but after a while he would really get into doing a good job. When he finished the yard, he usually always said, "Hey, Mom, looks pretty good, huh?" He felt good about himself because he had done what he was told to do.  We are not helping our children to love themselves when we allow them to disobey us.
 Prov. 15:32 says, "He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul." I can find no other Biblical reason for a poor self-image. Loving others (our neighbor) is much easier when we feel good about ourselves. The last verse in this passage is such a relief to me. On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets. This is fantastic! God is telling me here that if I can remember to follow His commandments for loving, my living on earth will be to the fullest. The Bible Formula: 1. Love God (by getting to know Him) 2. Love yourself (by doing the right thing and making right choices. 3. Love others ( by giving and giving)

Gimme the Free Stuff.

I am a bargain shopper. So are all my girls.We love a yard sale, resale shop,etc. But mostly I love free stuff.
You can hardly beat free. The fact that we as Christians, can be free (not bound) is the best deal yet.
John 8:32 says "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." For years Satan had me bound up in fear and doubt. But thank God after I learned the truth, I knew he was a liar! But the truth did not make me free until I knew it. It's like a trained elephant at the circus. His hind leg is tied to a chain that is hooked on to a 6 inch peg in the ground. Yet he does not move away from it. He could pull that thing up in a second, yet he stays right there. Why? Because when he was young they tied him to a big tree or building and he couldn't go anywhere. Everyday he would try to move away. He just knew he couldn't move away. So when he got older they could chain him to that 6 inch peg in the ground, and he still thinks he can't move. But the truth is he could move, he just doesn't know it. Knowing the truth will help us to be free from the shackles of sin. God's Word is truth. "I'm free, praise the Lord, free at last." I love that kind of free......

I Am Not Myself Today

Do you realize that there is someone out there who is against you seeing yourself as God sees you?
It's Satan of course. He can do nothing to destroy your soul. But if he can deceive you into believing a lie---that you are not acceptable to God and that you will never amount to a thing as a Christian---then you will live like that. This is a big weapon against your growth in Christ. God gives us His precious Word to help us learn to recognize this truth. God calls a born again person a saint.  Eph.1:1, I Cor. 1:2, Phil.1:1, Col.1:2  I have heard it said that "you or either a saint or you ain't. It's not what you do as a Christian that determines who you are: it's who you are that determines what you do. Eph. 2:10, I Peter 2:9,10, and I John 3:1,2         No person can consistently live in a way that's not consistent with the way he sees himself. Well, hello Saint Jeanette!

How to Face the Day

(2Peter 1:3)  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Everything God demands of me, He has already given. What a blessing to know that God has given me all I need to live the Christian life. How has He done this? Look at the last part of the verse, "through the knowledge of Him." We get that knowledge from the Word of God. Wow! That makes me want to get up and face the world today (after my coffee, of course.)