Pride and Worry

Worry is a plague. We try not to worry, but the more we try not to think about something the more we think about it. God wants you to cast your cares on Him. He loves you and will shine a light in the deepest darkness that surrounds your life.

1 Peter 5:6-8 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

In reading the preceding verses from Peter, I am struck by the discussion. First he talks about humility to God, and then he commands us to cast our cares upon the Lord. The two topics do not seem to go together. Perhaps our pride gets in the way of our humility. It is humbling to admit that we cannot control events in our lives.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Pride, humility, and worry...I never grouped these issues together, but it seems that God wants us to take notice of the attributes we develope when we allow pride or worry a place in our hearts. Perhaps God sees our worrying as a symptom of the pride we continue to harbor in a small corner of our hearts.

Meditate on humbling yourself before God while at the same time casting your cares upon Him. You will be blessed, your heart will be lighter, and you will be exalted before God in His time.


Blessings

Do You Have Time To Fulfill Your Purpose?

Some of us think a lot about our purpose in life, others think very little about it. I ask you...does your life and actions fulfill your purpose? Do you even know what your purpose is? Our world has become a fast paced environment where time zips by without hindrance. I personally feel like the world has become a revolving door that passes before my eyes so fast that years have disappeared into the distance without my knowing it. There was a time when a woman's purpose was clearly defined. She would stay home, raise the children and create a comforting environment for the family. At least, that is what many would have us to believe...My personal experience was a little different. My grandmothers both worked outside the home. In their early years they worked in the fields wth the men. One of my grandmothers worked in a factory and in her own home taking in ironing and baby sitting until well into her last years. My mother raised her children and worked at the same time. She held many jobs and is a shining example of motherhood to her children and grandchildren. The Preacher in Eccliastes offered a wonderful discussion about purpose and timing.

___________________________________________________________________________

Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born, And a time to die;

A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

3 A time to kill, And a time to heal;

A time to break down, And a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, And a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to gain, And a time to lose;

A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

7 A time to tear, And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

8 A time to love, And a time to hate;

A time of war, And a time of peace.

___________________________________________________________________________

Stress takes its toll in our lives, effecting our health and our relationships. It is helpful to remember during times of crisis that God is still in control and our lives are in His hands. The first chapter of Eccliastes offers a thought for meditation:

3 What profit has a man from all his labor

In which he toils under the sun?

4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;

But the earth abides forever.

5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,

___________________________________________________________________________

One thing is certain...all our stress and heartburnings are really small compared to the greater crises in the world. The earth continues to revolve on its axis, the sun rises and sets every day. This will continue until God decides that it is finished. Nothing we will ever do can change that fact. Take some time to think about your purpose and how you fit into the grand scheme of things in the world. God loves you and me and has a plan for every one of us. His plan and purpose will be better than anything we can devise for ourselves.

Blessings

Where Are the Intercessors?

Isaiah 59 (KJV)

1Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

16And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

19So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 59 offers a powerful depiction of sin and the ability of God to redeem the lost. It is worth taking the time to read the entire chapter. Our world is falling into sin and deception more with each passing day. Many times our lives are filled with chaos and uncertainty as we approach the future in anxiety and stress. However, God does not want us to live in fear and worry. He wants you and me to trust Him to take care of our future and to also seek justice and salvation for the hurting people around us who desperately need His salvation and comfort.

Prayer is a great weapon against sin. When we pray we touch the throne of God and enlist armies of warriors in our fight to live holy in a sinful world. These warriors go forward to bring peace, conviction, and salvation to those whose names we call in prayer during our dedicated time of intercession. We must learn to trust God and truly believe in the power that our prayers release. To become an intercessor is the greatest position to be occupied by a child of God. Intercession is hard. It is not an easy path and the struggles are many. Intercession is not glamorous; it takes place in your private prayer closet or with other dedicated believers in an old fashioned prayer meeting. But the rewards are many as souls are brought into the kingdom, people are healed and their lives changed forever. Take time today to think about becoming an intercessor.

I wrote the following paragraph in response to a thoughtful email I received last week. Sometimes we succeed in coming up with words that are worth repeating. I really believe in the value of prayer and that prayer works in the life of every believer.

Prayer is a great gift. Through prayer we are lifted up above our problems, distractions, and wounds. Life has a way of wounding the soul and spirit. Having the ability to touch God in prayer gives us hope, comfort, and a sense of our place in the universe. Psalm 46: 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Take a moment today to indulge yourself with the gift of prayer. You will be blessed and in so doing bless others.

Blessings

What About Miracles-Signs-and Wonders?

Today I read a blog that I thought was about the mind. It turns out that I wandered into the playground of a group of Atheists who feel absolutely certain they can reason with us and lead us into the path of unbelief. One of the reasons this person gave for not believing in God or Christianity is the so called...fact...that God never answers prayers. Now, you and I know that God does answer prayers...but it is true that sometimes it seems that our prayers go unheard and unanswered. This writer used the verse in John 14 where Jesus said:

13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

It is interesting that this writer used these verses as proof of her unbelief...and proof that Jesus is a liar and the Bible false. I have been thinking a lot about these verses recently and it is undoubtedly true that Jesus plainly stated that He would do anything we ask in His Name. So, how do we reconcile these troubling differences? My first thought is not to doubt. I believe that if Jesus said it, it is the truth. So why do we not receive some requests from the Lord?

I have been giving serious though to this question for several months and do not have a complete understanding of the problem, but I am coming to believe that the problem is one of simple belief. It is easy to say that you believe God and do not doubt in your heart, but if that is so you should be as bold as the Apostle Peter who went to the temple and was interrupted on the way by a lame beggar who wanted his money. Peter did not have any money but he had something that was worth more than money and changed the man's life. I must ask myself if I have the faith to give healing to someone on the spur of the moment like Peter did. Do I believe it is possible that I have the power within me to do this? Jesus said we would receive Power when we were filled with the Holy Spirit. I can only conclude that we are living below the level that God meant for us to live. I do not like having Atheists throw the Word of God in my face to prove their point. I mean to continue on my road of discovery until I find the Power and Might that is promised to every believer in the Book of Acts. I will talk about this topic more later.

Blessings

Confusion, Chaos, and Understanding

The Grand Canyon in Arizona

The rugged beauty of the Grand Canyon speaks to my soul. It calls to rememberance a favorite passage in Psalms that I turn to when my life is distressed. I turn to the word of God to bring me out of my difficulties.

Psalm 121 (New Life Version) www.biblegateway.com

The Lord - Our Helper

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep.

4 Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your safe cover at your right hand.

6 The sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul.

8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.

When your life is in chaos, and trouble is on every side, you need a rock to stand on in the middle of the storm. One thing you can be certain of in this life is that trouble will come, problems will arise, and distress will grab you when you least expect it! All of us know there will be times of trouble. It is the way of life. The key to keeping your cool is to make up your mind before the storm comes. I heard a sermon by T.F. Tenney years ago that said it best, "When your life is in chaos, and you don't know where to go; be of good cheer! You just drove up to God's front door".

Gaining perspective is important. Never before has our world been so full of confusion and mixed messages. Just when you think you have it figured out, something comes along to upset your vision and you are back at the starting post! God is able to keep your mind at ease and your fears at rest. He will be your comforter. John 14 is a wonderful chapter. It gives is comfort, peace, enlightenment, and hope all within one chapter of the Bible. Jesus is talking to his disciples and said it like this:

John 14
1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

Take the time to read the entire chapter of John 14. It will be a blessing to you and comfort your soul.

Blessings

Are We Living in Perilous Times?

Image retrieved May 30,2008 from bhmtx.org/hopeforamerica.aspx

II Timothy 3:1-7


1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Timothy gives us a clear and terrifying word picture of the world in the last days. It is terrifying because we clearly see the reality of this world every day of our lives. Our world has become a place where evil is disguised as good, good is made to appear to be evil, and people are quick to judge one another based on their own personal world view of right and wrong. We have no absolutes, and are quickly losing our basic rights. We look for help, but our world leaders can no longer be trusted to place the interests of the people ahead of their own personal ambition, desire for power, or other agenda!

There have been other periods in history when people were certain they were living in the last days, and modern day prophets are loud in predicting the end of the world at every turn. While it is impossible to know if we really are living in the end of days, it is possible to receive comfort as our world turns chaotic before our eyes. In the book of John, Jesus gives us hope.

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

I am not a prophet and cannot tell you that we are in the last days. However, I can tell you that Timothy's description of the world in the last days is a perfect description of the world in which we live. Whether the Lord comes today or a thousand years from today; there is only one way to keep your sanity in a changing, chaotic world. Make your calling and election sure...II Peter 1:10 10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There is no doubt that the world we living in has become a complicated place. Loyalty appears to be a lost concept in our day to day interactions with others on many levels. This makes our relationship to Jesus Christ even more important as we learn to trust and walk by faith every day of our lives. God loves you! No doubt our lives will continue to be complicated and fraught with difficulty but God is faithful and will walk with you every day of your life.

Blessings

How Do You Handle Crisis in Your Life?

Life has a way of reaching out to grab you when you least expect it. Your world rocks along on its axis and life is good. Maybe there are issues, but nothing life threatening...and then it happens! A life altering event rocks you back on your heels and makes you sit up and take notice. This event may come in the form of life-threatening illness for you or a loved one. Change can take the form of divorce, death, or loss of your job/career options. It is important to know that when the world around you becomes fluid and you do not see the end from the beginning...that God is in control. You can have comfort, joy, peace, and righteousness in the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes your problems are like this mountain wall. They seem to be immovable and block your path to the future. Sometimes you wonder what will become of you in the future. At times like these it is important to take comfort in the Word of God. He has promised to never leave you, nor forsake you. He will guide your path. He is strong, caring, loving and keeps His promises. He provides a window in the solid wall that is holding you back just like in this desert image.

Things may not turn out in the way that you expect them to turn out, but that does not mean that you will have a total loss. Be patient and wait on the Lord. Dottie Rambo, who was killed in a bus accident last week wrote a song that has given me much comfort through the years. The name of the song is I Go To The Rock. A few lines of this song are:

I go to the rock of my salvation; I go to the Stone that the builder rejected! I go to the mountain, and the mountain stands by me...When the earth all around me is sinking sand; On Christ the solid rock I stand! When I need a shelter, when I need a friend, I go to the rock!

I know I am talking music today, but that is the way I keep my sanity when my life erupts into chaos. Another old song whose author is unknown goes like this:

I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don't borrow from it's sunshine...for it's clouds may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the future, for I know...what Jesus said. And each day, I'll walk beside Him...for He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow...I don't even understand. But I know who holds tomorrow...and I know... who holds my hand.

Luke 12 (NKJV)

22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.

23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.

30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.

31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Blessings