Promises and Punishment

I read the book of Joel this morning. I was impressed at the severity and desperation that Joel spoke to the people of Judah. They continued to disregard the Lord and the warnings. To the point of famine they diregarded. There were so many locusts. There were four different varieties, to be exact. The locust swarm, the great locusts, the young locusts and the "other" locusts. Whatever one variety left behind, the others would eat. There was no wine, vines, grains, etc. Even the wild animals were looking for food. The entire area was suffering because this people were so stubborn and would not come back to the Lord. Have you ever paid attention to locusts when they come? They are ugly, loud and destructive. It is so amazing a creature. They burrow down deep into the soil and stay there for up to 14 years with no food or water. It's really no wonder they are so destructive when they come out. We would be too if we hadn't eaten in that long!!!
Has God given up or are the punishments now longer lasting and more permanent? Has He taken His hand off this country? Look at the leadership He has put in place currently and the diseases that we are battling...cancer in particular. We are blocked from finding a cure and every year more and more people fall victim to this disease.
Finally, I found it particularly interesting that the Lord promises that Jerusalem will never be invaded by foreigners again. It doesn't say a time frame for that promise, and there are no restrictions so I wonder if Israel still holds hope in that promise? Have you ever been to Israel or Jerusalem specifically? How close are we to end times, I wonder.

Clean Slates

My devotions this morning were a reminder of how Christ, with His unending supply of grace and unconditional love, gives us clean slates. I have spent many any hour or day going over my mistakes and my sins. I have reviewed and rerun my actions over and over. I have been told by several people in my life that I am harder on myself than anyone will ever be. Probably that is normal for most of us. I spent hours on my knees literally crying out to God for forgiveness with a repentant heart for sins I have committed. Things I felt that were unforgiveable.

He asks that we "confess our sins" and then states that "He is faithful and Just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) We sin on a daily basis. No matter if we became a Christian yesterday or 20 years ago. Christ dwelling in us does not eliminate us from sinning. He will highten our awareness and make our conscience more sensitive to doing wrong as the Holy Spirit nudges us, but does not make us an exception. We don't have to repeatedly ask for forgiveness for sins, nor does that mean that God will hold it over our heads forever. We definately will suffer the consequences of our sins. His forgiveness does not remove that responsibility, but it allows us to come to God in prayer with a humble heart and a heart full of praise rather that guilt.

Life is too short to live it looking back at what we've done. Rather, let's look ahead at what opportunities we have today and tomorrow to use our gifts and share the Hope that lies within us this season. The hope of new life, life eternal and love everlasting.

The Power of Praise

Praise is a word that crosses over from the religious venue to the secular venue. We PRAISE the Lord, we praise an obedient child or pet, we shower someone with praise....and so on.

What power is there behind that behaviour?

As we talked about previously, the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body and can cause the most damage to another human being, but it can also lift that individual up and give them the courage to pursue a goal, rise to meet a challenge and defend a stand. I haven't been on my blog here in several months because of life happenings but I sit here amazed that I pick up with the same thought pattern as the last entry! It always intrigues me how God works.



Praise is defined as meaning "to worship, commend, or give honor to."

King David was a master at praising the works of God in his life. All through Psalms we see evidence of this. In Psalms 18:46-49 he says, "The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Saviour!" When is the last time we exalted God our Saviour? When is the last time we energenitically and enthusiastically gave credit for it not raining on our picnic or all the lights being green on the way to work or bringing our family home safe at the end of the day? Does our praise have to be connected with earth moving events like winning a battle? Of course not!

God gives strength to those who praise Him. He wants to hear us making a "joyful noise" directed to Him and showering Him with our appreciation. Does our joyful noise need to be a structured symphonic composition? NO! Whatever praise you give and in whatever form....it is a joyful noise to the creator of you. How wonderful and how simple that we are not even required to praise in a structure this almighty, invisible and yet all powerful and omnipotent being.

The Power of the Spoken Word

James is a great book in the New Testament. I enjoy how honest and forthright he is in his rightings to the church. All the things he speaks about are applicable here and now in today's world just as they were back in New Testament times.

In Chapter 3, James talks about taming the tongue. He says in verse 2 that a man who is never at fault has control over his entire body....that includes the tongue. He talks about the bit in the horses mouth and how it turns the large animal easily and the rudder on a ship, how it steers the massive vessel without any effort.Verse 5 references a spark in a forest and how it can set a whole fire.

Our tongues are truly powerful for being such small muscles. No other body part as nearly the influence. And what powers this small muscle? The brain, the heart, or is it a combination of both?

My mother used to say "Think before you speak! Your mouth moves faster than your brain can process." How true that we don't think about the residual effects of words spoken before we say them. At first it would be considered childlike abandon and then cruel, rude and immature.

Words can build men up, inspire them to succeed, lead them into battle, rule a nation, destroy a relationship, undermine a structure, determine life or death, soothe a soul, trigger a rebellion and so much more. One a one on one level, how do your words affect others? Are they kind words, thoughtful responses, Christ-like inspiration or are they abbrassive, course, undercutting and destructive. It can be simply how you say rather than what you say....anyone who has had a few conversations in their life time would know that.

Our tongues are what put Chrsit on the cross as the masses cried "crucify Him!!" and tongues announced the arrival of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem while shepherds came to Bethlehem searching for Him. Words parted the Red Sea, words sapped Samson's strength, Zechariah was struck dumb from speaking too much until he announced the name of his son...John the Baptist.

Verse 10 states that "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing and this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" We cannot talk nice and church like out of one side of our mouths and then curse the church or take the Lord's name in vain out of the other side. It just doesn't work that way.

So which side of the fence are you on and what words have you used today that have inspired, encouraged, affirmed and loved someone else. Even if it's someone who is hard to love! Jesus did not discriminate about who to love. As a matter of fact, those who were harder to love are the ones He showed love to the most.

Revealed

I spent the other night up at my church at the piano and singing. I felt that was the best place for me to be. One of my favorite songs in "His Eye in On the Sparrow" and as I sang the words, I was reminded that the author was feeling many of the same feelings I felt that night.

"Why should I feel discouraged?"
"Why should the shadows come?"
"Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home?"
"Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise, when songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies."

All these things are the things I have been feeling and wondering and heavy with. Not just the lack of a mate, but rather the light to fuel my passions. The feeling of being out of place often overpowers my drive to live in the place where I am. I am often amazed at how awkward a space this is. I am constantly reminded of my place in the ever present pecking order here. I do long to be "home" someplace and I am sure that the only place that will ever be home to me, is heaven.

So the answer I was reminded of?

"My constant Friend is He."
"Let not your heart be troubled"; His tender word I hear. And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubt and fears. Tho' by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see, His Eye is on the Sparrow and I know He watches me.
"I should draw the closer to Him; because from care He sets me free. His Eye is on the Sparrow, and I know He watches me."

What a wonderful reminder of who we are and how He relates to us humanly, even though sometimes we may not think so.

Weary

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened. and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Sounds entriguing and it sounds like an escape from life itself! I sit here tonight writing this blog as if it were a "Dear Santa" letter. I'll hit the post button and know that no one will see it but I feel relief for having sent it.

If anyone is out there and reads this, I would like to know why my God is sometimes not enough. Perhaps it is the humaness of it all. Where is my "other half"? Worse yet is being in a relationship and feeling completely alone. Fighting for the two when there is more often only one. Perhaps it is the power of my mind. They say that what you think is then what you become. I believe that I can make myself miserable and yet I strongly dislike that position. I am a happy and outgoing or bubbly individual in nature. I love the outdoors and never drive with the windows closed. I need that fresh air and wind in my hair. I have a smile ready for anyone and love to laugh and hate to cry. Yet, more oft than not, I cry and don't laugh anymore.

I sit, in the evenings on my porch and listen to the wonders of creation as they drift away to greet another day. I lean back and look up at the awesome sky and cry within myself....Lord, how long until I am home someplace? Where am I supposed to be and how long until I get there? What are you waiting for me to do? What do I have to change?

I do have to laugh because I know that His timing is perfect but ...MAN! I'm getting restless and my heart is longing to be uninhibited. I have been told, more than once, that I don't know how to love. Perhaps that is true and this is how I am supposed to learn. I don't want my life to complete me, I just want more to look forward to at the end of the day and at the beginning of the day. Perhaps my lack of loving has reared its head at this point because I have avalanched enough lives with my own destruction.

Whatever the cause, Lord, I'm ready for it to begin a new. Can you rebuild the bridges I have blown apart? I know you can. Is that why you lay things so heavy on my heart? (Heavy and scary thoughts that I should revisit this oprtion of my life?)

I know, I know. Let go and let God. Well.....

I'm trying really really hard.

Life, Death, Renewal

Funny thing about death. When it happens, whether expected or unexpected, near or far, we have a moment when we look up and ask God "Why?". It is the process of life and as Christians we have hope and promise and even joy when we know that a loved one has gone on to be with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and His heavenly Father. Only God knows the day and time that we will leave this present earth. Only He knows where our hearts will be when it happens. For me, I am secure in knowing that when I pass away I will be heading home. A final place where there will be no more pain, whether physical, mental, emotional; no pain. I don't even have to pack a bag! No more living out of boxes and anticipating another move or change of job - nothing. I can hardly imagine what that alone will be like. At the same time, I must look at life as it is now and realize that I have an assignment, as a child of God, to share His love and radiate His light. How well do I accomplish that? Sometimes not so much!


I have a girlfriend who has been seeking the Lord for guidance in her life and took a step in a new direction without any kind of affirmation except trusting that she was doing the right thing. She followed the statement "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 We don't need to have a neon sign blinking to guarantee us of what the Lord wants us to do with our lives. Faith is not always, hardly ever, a tangible thing. but because she has been seeking and searching and staying in communication with her Heavenly Father about His will for her life and not her will for her life, she gets more and more radiant and beautiful. The peace and joy you see when you look at her are plain to see. "So in every thing gives thanks." No matter what.

So as I remember the life of one lost; one I don't know will be in heaven, I thank my God for the hope and promises I hold in my heart for my own life and the lives of those He has put around me who are also His children. I pray for those who will see us mourn and who are not saved and hopefully they will want to have the same hope. I pray for renewal of life as well as healing for those with hope.



Grieve with no fear for your God is near.