Dec

13

Be still before him…

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With all of the worldly noise and chatter, it’s refreshing, at times, to be able to turn it all off. In the silence of our quiet times, with a Bible in our hands, is where the Word of God can renew and restore us. Our souls need spiritual nourishment as much as our bodies, and to allow our Creator’s word to take prominence in our hearts and minds as we struggle to silence all that would distract us, is a sure balm for whatever ails.

To be still before the Lord can take place at home, in the car, or while taking a hike in the rolling hills of Valley Forge. The silence of a forest…the rush of sea waves…the serenity of a swan on a lake—it all speaks of the Lord because he created it all! Yet being still is more than a place or position.

   For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him ~ Psalms 62:5

To be still is before the Lord is to be surrendered to him. To be still is to be yielded and open to the Holy Spirit’s direction. To be still is to seek his wisdom above our own.

Our hope remains steadfast as we rest in the Lord. May we continue to hold fast to being still before him always.

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~ Isaiah 40:31.

Dec

07

In God we trust or bust

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We’ve been told from a young age not to trust strangers and to be discerning in dealing with people we don’t know. Unless you know someone, you cannot be certain of the person’s intentions. Appearances can be deceiving.

As with God, how can we walk in the paths he’s created and trust him if we don’t fully know him? How does one have faith in something we can’t even see? Where does the faith and trust come in?

The word tells us that our faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. As we read and meditate on his word, the more we get to know him. The more we read, the closer to God we become and the more our minds are able to dwell on what he’s all about.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God ~ Hebrews 1:8-10

 The more we get to know the heart of God, through the Holy Spirit’s revealing God’s truth, the more yielded and trusting we become. Through the reading of his holy word, the more we see the hand of God working. As a result, the less fearful we are of our future and the more surrendered we become in placing our complete trust in him daily for everything.

Nov

30

Hearts, prayers, and thanksgiving

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The commands instructed by Apostle Paul regarding a believer’s conduct seem stringent. Pray without ceasing? In everything give thanks? Yes!

It’s an attitude of having our minds attenuated to things above and not necessarily on what we see below. Our circumstances do not dictate our mind; our mind dictates our attitudes.

We are able to rejoice always and remain content in all things by knowing we have God’s grace and His strength to draw upon…a quiet praise that transcends our circumstances.

We can pray without ceasing in that we present our lives and focus in the direction of God, repeatedly and consistently bringing our hearts before him. We’re not asked to don robes or kneel on our knees all day. It’s the position of our heart.

In everything, we give thanks when we fully trust that God is in charge and knows what he’s doing. From our earthly perspective, we may not see the pieces fitting together, but from heaven, the picture is all too clear.

Yes, rejoice, pray, and give thanks—always and in everything. It is our spiritual service toward a gracious and loving God as he molds us daily into the image of his Son.

Nov

23

The harvest is near

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While gathered together with family and friends to enjoy food and fellowship this Thanksgiving holiday, let’s also take time to remember the ones who are suffering for their beliefs and pray that God would abundantly bless them with his peace and provision.

In America, our blessings are so abundant that even the poor are considered rich compared with others around the globe. The word tells us in 1 Timothy 6:8 that if we have food and raiment, we should be content.

With thanksgiving in their hearts, the early settlers gave praise and honor to the Lord for many things, most notably, a liberal harvest. William Bradford wrote:

“…And afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair, warm weather as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving… By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine, now God gave them plenty … for which they blessed God.” 

When we stop to think about all that we’ve been blessed with as believers, the list should begin and end with Christ. Having Jesus as our Lord and Savior is our fruitful bounty. Everything else is but a garnish. For the Lord is our everything, and all that we have stems from his never-ending supply of love and mercy—his grace!

May your Thanksgiving be a joyous reminder of all that is Jesus!

Nov

16

In every season…

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To everything there is a season…winter, spring, summer and fall. Each is part of the pattern of life which God has established on earth.

The book of Ecclesiastes talks about the seasons of life. With everything under the sun, there is a time—a time to reap and a time to sow; a time to mourn and a time to laugh; a time to gather and a time to cast away.

With everything the Lord brings to us, whether to our delight or adversity, it’s for his purposes. Whether it pleases or not, there is really nothing to lose or gain compared to the fulfillment of a God-centered life, as only God brings us true contentment even apart from the situations in which we find ourselves.

Whether in good times or bad, the blessings of his hand in our lives is what sustains us. The surpassing joys or sorrows will fade in time and our spirits are sustained through it all as we remain focused on the power of his presence in our lives.

As with anything earthly, it passes. Though, the riches of the spiritual gifts designed by God for us are meant to be life sustaining and everlasting.

May the joy of the Lord be yours today and forever in every season.