​27 February 2019
God Will Provide
Genesis 22:8
God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

Genesis 22 is the recorded account of Abraham’s faith in God. The New Testament gives insight to this in a chapter called, Faith in Action.
    It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
 (Hebrews 11:17-19 NLT)

Abraham spent decades his life obeying God mixed with his own ideas and even his wife’s ideas. But after years of practicing faith like that, eventually we see him executing God’s directions without any plans mixed in of his own. In fact, he tells his son, Isaac, only this, “The LORD will provide.” (Genesis 22:8)

After living in the consequences of Sarah will provide and I will provide, Abraham eventually practices exclusivity to God’s plan. This makes me think. Will I double down and exclusively execute God’s plans for me today? Forgiving others (Ephesians 4:32), looking out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4), being honest (Colossians 3:9), submitting (Ephesians 5:21), serving (Galatians 5:13), and not returning insult with another insult (1 Peter 3:9) isn’t how a person gets ahead these days. In a world where the moral line is dissolving, can Believers still adhere to God’s Word even when it isn’t politically correct in society? What if I get mocked, teased, fired or jailed?

The LORD will provide... If I don’t believe this with all my heart, I will always and forever mix God’s ideas with mine and stall the blessings he has in store for those who trust him without wavering.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Dear God,
I do not want to waver in my faith. Thank you for using Abraham as our example of faith and documenting for us how his faith GREW. I ask you to grow mine too. Thank you for the many opportunities I’ll have for my faith to grow today. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
       

​26 February 2019
Oil & Water

Genesis 20:11-13 NLT
Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ 12 And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 13 When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”


When we tell white lies and half truths, we are only thinking of ourselves and our own momentary discomfort. In Genesis 20, Abraham, the Father of Faith, is caught telling a half truths, and the results were potentially devastating for others.

But the most interesting part of the lesson in this story for me is in verse 13. In the span of a single sentence Abraham declares faith and obedience to God (When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place...) and equal faith and obedience to his own plan. (I told her, ‘Do me a favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother...)

This is more destructive behavior than a barrel of half truths. We can’t blend God’s will with our own. They just don’t mix.   
     If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-7 NLT)

​Dear God,
I have so many ideas that I think would serve me well. Please intervene as they conflict with your will and my desire to obey you. Help me check my plans at the door of my heart today. I do NOT wish to waver and divide my loyalty between your perfect will and my “helping” you - that isn’t what you need from me at all. Thank you that you know I’m like this, and you graciously and generously give me the wisdom I need for today. I love you and thank you and pray in your Son’s name, amen.

​14 February 2019
A Valentine's Memory
Isaiah 2:22
Don’t put your trust in mere humans.
    They are as frail as breath.
    What good are they?

What a weird verse for Valentine’s Day, aye? This verse, of course, applies to relying too much on doctors, governments, teachers, mentors, etc. But I’ll include positive relationships like children, parents, best friends, and spouses.

I LOVE my husband! I adore him. He takes care of everything because he likes me to be a queen in my house. He works hard at his job to provide for us so that I can focus on things I like - being with our kids full time, keeping a beautiful home, participating in ministry, homeschooling, crocheting and more. I love it! He is also a doting father, and our kids aren’t even babies anymore. He is a fabulous man. But he almost died one time. That was a scary week in the hospital followed by a long recovery back to health. It was never his intention to accidentally “let me down” like that. But as strong as he is, his life, like mine, is frail as breath; limited like mine.

This is what I learned. I ENJOY my husband, but I RELY on Jesus.

Jesus was with me when Rob was unconscious. And Jesus reassured me that no matter what happened, HE would fill in all the jobs and positions currently held by my husband. Thankfully, God restored my husband’s health and his strength. But I never forget upon whom I actually rely.

Psalm 121 NLT
I look up to the mountains--
    does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.
​
Dear God,
YOU are not frail. You never get sick, you never sleep, and you never let me down. I remember your presence so vividly in the hospital with Rob when I should have been scared out of my mind. ONLY YOU could do that, and I am so thankful, and I never want to forget that YOU are my SOURCE for everything, and I’m actually relying on you while I enjoy the fantastic husband you gave me. I love you and pray in your Son’s name, amen.

​12 February 2019
A Little Shoulder Pain
Psalm 61:2-3 (NLT)
I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge...

When I was in my 30s and would see the doctor for my yearly check up, whenever he’d ask me if I was stressed, I would always say, “no.” It sounded weak to me to answer otherwise. After all, I’m a Christian, I trust Jesus, why would I be stressed?

Turns out I answered that question wrong for a decade. Yes, I am stressed. We all are. If you have other humans in your home, you are stressed. I have a house to take care of, a husband to encourage, four kids to raise, and a dog. Yes, I am stressed everyday.

Yesterday, I woke up with a really sore shoulder. I was fine the day before, but it sure felt like I suffered some sort of injury when I woke up, so I visited the chiropractor. I got massaged and adjusted, and it helped, and I asked her why I would wake up with an injured shoulder out of the blue like that, and she said, “stress.” Seriously?

But I already know I’m stressed, and I give Jesus my overwhelmed and anxious thoughts every morning. I already know what to do about stress; I have amazing Bible verses about it, why is my shoulder getting involved?

Stress pops in without warning, and even though my head and my heart know what to do, my physical body caught the stress too...
 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)

I noticed that my heart and mind are covered, but there’s no promise here for my physical body. That’s because God’s brand of peace isn’t dependent upon my physical circumstances. And though I receive real relief from my Faithful Savior, my aches and pains serve as a great reminder to keep leaving my anxieties with HIM today.

By the way, there is a promise about our physical bodies; God makes us strong even when we’re not...
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
(2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT)
​
Dear God,
Thank you that no matter how I am physically feeling, I am not overwhelmed by stress because I have found your promise to bring me your peace everyday to be absolutely true, and I just can’t thank you enough. Thank you for making me strong yesterday and helping me accomplish what needed to get done even though my shoulder really hurt. That was a miracle you did for me. Thank you! Thank you for showing me how to trust you and not be overwhelmed by my family, our home, our jobs and even this divisive political climate we live in. Thank you for a little shoulder pain yesterday reminding me to cling to you even more. You are so faithful, and I just can’t thank you enough, and I pray in your Son’s name, amen.

8 February 2019
Don’t just call out, call out to God!

Psalm 25:3
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
    but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.


We are studying Job at church right now. I really like the observation made by Job’s friend, Elihu in chapter 35 when he says, “People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. Yet they don’t ask, “Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night?” (v. 9-10)

The book of Job often sparks the debate about questions like “Why do the wicked prosper?” and “Why is there suffering?” The remedy for both questions is the same; both groups need salvation that comes from God.

Job describes wicked people and the state of the oppressed in chapter 24. There he  asserts, The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the wounded cry for help, yet God ignores their moaning. (v.12) But are the oppressed crying out to God or just crying out in misery? How is God ignoring them if they aren’t crying out to him for help?

The skeptic refuses to believe and acknowledge God because he allows suffering, but to not allow suffering would be to not allow free will, and skeptics do love their free will. The skeptic who is really concerned about injustice shouldn’t blame God for giving us free will, they should preach righteousness to wicked people. Injustice and unrighteousness is the cause for suffering in the world not free will and certainly not God.

And what about the sufferers? They need God just as much as the wicked people do. Many people suffer and blame God and curse God, the very opposite of calling on him for help and rescue. Not all of suffering people are counting on God at all; he’s not ignoring them, they are not seeking him. And the wicked do not prosper because of God’s approval; God is kind and giving them plenty of time to turn their hearts towards him (see 2 Peter 3:9), and just because he hasn’t punished them yet doesn’t mean punishment isn’t coming for them; it certainly is. (See Malachi 4:1)

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced... Both groups, the oppressed and the oppressors, need the grace and salvation that only comes from God. God is not ignoring misery, and he is not ignoring wickedness. He is waiting for everyone to call out to him and be saved.
​
Dear God,
You see everyone, and you see every heart. Thank you that you have not ever forsaken anyone who puts all their trust in you, and you have not ever denied salvation to any repentant heart. Thank you that these truths about you are good and real. I know I have never regretted putting all my hope in you. My own experience is that you always help me, and I just can’t thank you enough. I love you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

​6 February 2019
Acknowledge the Light
Job 24:13
Wicked people rebel against the light.
    They refuse to acknowledge its ways
    or stay in its paths.

Judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.
(John 3:19-21)

Every human will be judged based on just one thing: Believing in Jesus.

God is not periodically sweeping the world with judgment like he did in the Great Flood. In fact, he told Noah that even though mankind will still deserve it, he won’t do it.
 I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night. (Genesis 8:21-22)

Mankind is already judged. We are already labeled wicked. We are all awaiting sentencing not judgment. And Jesus came to rescue anyone who believes on him from that certain penalty.
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

But the wicked will never acknowledge the “Light,” that is Jesus. They love what they do; they refuse to acknowledge the way of Light or stay in its paths.” And sadly, they will not receive the rescue from judgment that God graciously provided through his Son.

The unbelieving world is wicked. Not because I think so; it’s a label we all share. The difference between me and my unbelieving neighbor is that God is not going to give Believers the punishment we all deserve.
​
Dear God,
I pray for my unbelieving friends. They are so greatly deceived and so impressed with their own intelligence that it’s hard to get through. Only you can soften such a smug heart. I pray for them to have what has been shared about you stuck in their mind; may they mull over their sins AND your grace and call out to you today and be saved. Thank you for your Son, Jesus who has rescued me from the path of darkness, and I pray in his name, amen.