Faith as the Wise Men

Lord, give us faith as the Wise Men who, led by a bright, shining star, followed its light to the Christ child.  They journeyed in faith from afar.  They knew this Child was the Savior, so onward they trod, traveling long.  Turning back never though weary, they found new strength, faith and song.
Give to us this kind of faith, Lord, a passion for seeking our King, that we may know Him more fully. . . Our hearts be the gift that we bring.  Keep us on course like the Wise Men, lest worldly temptations distract.  O "Star of Wonder" keep shining, lead us for we've need to go back. . .
To seek again at this Christmas the Redeemer sent from above.  With adoration we'll worship God's gift of unspeakable love.  Lord, give us faith as the Wise Men, so in us a glow others see, a trusting faith in the Savior. . . our lives a reflection of Thee.  Beverly J. Anderson

Thanks to all the Veterans

Today is Veteran's Day.  Such an honor to know so many who have served and are currently serving our country to protect us and keep us safe.  Where would our nation be without you??  We can never repay you for your service to this country.  Saying "thank you" just doesn't seem adequate, but, that is what we can do.  Each and everyone of us can speak up and show gratitude in that manner.  So, today, and everyday as you see a soldier; a man or woman who has been broken because of their service to our country; a young boy or girl who has had countless days and even years spent away from their mom or dad because they are in the Armed Forces; when you see one of these STAND UP and thank them for their service. 

God is in the midst

We have just returned from a short camping expedition.  What a time we had.  It is November, but the weather was gorgeous.  A little cool at night and early in the morning, but the rest of the time was wonderfully warm and sunny.  Found time to take many walks and just visit the land that God created.  The swamps, the reds and yellows and oranges of the beautiful trees changing their colors to get ready for winter.  The moss and the Oaks were among the best part of the trip.  In California you do not see the Mossy Oaks as they have here in Georgia.  The breeze starts the moss swaying.  If you look closely you can see all kinds of images in the gray, filmy shapes that are attached to the branches.  I saw God's hand in so many places.  The giant trees.  The flowing water.  The bright, blue, clear sky.  He created and said "it was good".  I would have to agree.  Who would know better then God!!!  Once I learn to attach photos, I will post some of the beauty of this great land.
I believe that as I observe, pay attention, and seek, then I will see God's hand all around me.  He is busy doing a work.  He has created.  He has set this world in orbit.  It hasn't fallen.  I remember one song that I used to share with the kids.  There is a phrase that is so good   ". . . who puts the salt in when it gets to the sea?"  Yes, indeed.  How does the sweet, fresh water from the mountain spring end up in the ocean?  At what point does it become sea water?  Well, my God, knows these answers.  He is not confused on this point.  So, I would say to you today;  "Open up your eyes, your ears, your mouth, all of your senses and see what God has done for you."  He is surely available and present and eager to be a part of our lives.  Surely, He is in the midst.  Remember when you are in turmoil, questioning WHY, that He is as close as a prayer away.  Be blessed this week.

Has this been a good day for you?

This is a Sunday.  The last one in October.  Has it been a good day for you?  Did you go to worship somewhere with those you love and who love God?  Did you really worship?  Or, did you just exist as many of us seem to do at times.  We get in this "rut" as Pastor put it today.  We like the familiar.  We like the easy road.  But with a few more "digs" that rut becomes a grave.  Is that where you want to be in service for our Lord?  I surely do not want to be there.  I want to be one that He can count on to work for Him.  To share His love and grace and mercy with those who are desperately looking for something or someone to fill that empty hole in their spirit and lives. 
God has proven Himself over and over again to be faithful. What He has said, He will do.  His promises are new every morning.  He desires for us to grow in our relationship to Him and to others.  To stand on His Word and proclaim it loud and clear. 
I would ask that you check out your spirit.  How are you feeling towards those that are the unlovely?   The "outcasts" as the world would call them.  Are you reaching out in love to help meet their need?  Or are you shrinking from contact with those that are not just like you.  God wants us out of our pews and out of our comfort and out into the world.  Set apart, yet, part of the world.  So. . . .go and shine your light for others to see.  May you have a blessed week as we enter into November.

THIRSTY FOR GOD

Psalm 63: 1-7 "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsts for thee, my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is. (vs. 1) A popular soft drink company once claimed that its product "deeply satisfies." That may be true as far as beverages are concerned; but God, and God alone, satisfies our spiritual thirst. David recognized this truth during two turbulent periods in his life; once when he hid in the Judean wilderness after fleeing from Saul and later when he was forced to flee Jerusalem after Absalom's revolt. David knew the lack of water and the difficult terrain made the wilderness a place of trial and testing. But instead of thirsting for water, David longed for God. He used physical imagery to describe his desire to see God's power and glory, just as he had seen it in the sanctuary. God's loving-kindness would satisfy his soul. As a result, David could lift up his hands and rejoice in praise. Even in the wilderness, David could find comfort and satisfaction in the shadow of His wings. Both early in the morning and late at night, David meditated on the Lord. God alone satisfies our spiritual thirst. At all times God is faithful. (excerpt from Open Windows). So what about you? Are you thirsty for God? Will you go through trial and testing and still "long for God?" I pray that is true of all of you who take the time to read this blog. May He be your All in All. May He be the one to satisfy your soul. May He be the one to guide, protect, and encourage you along your spiritual path.

Many ways of Worship; Have you found a way to express how much you love your Lord?

I have been learning a new way to worship. Several years ago I went on a Ladies Retreat and observed an awesome woman doing sign language to the music. I was fascinated as we (my husband and I ) had done interpretive dance in the past and it tugged at my hearts strings to go back and visit that experience. I remembered how closer to God I felt while doing this type of worship. In order to "sign" a song, I had to first learn the words to the song. Then I needed to look up the word in ASL so that I would be interpreting it correctly. As I struggled to learn the song and add this next dimension I found that great joy was to be had. I learned a new way to express each word as I put the knowledge into the music. Sometimes I could not find the word in the ASL Dictionary and so I would go to a thesaurus to find a word that had the same meaning as the one I was attempting to sign. Sometimes as in "sovereign" there would not be a sign. But it means "authority, power, one and only one". This would cause me to be able to sign a word with the same meaning. As I continued on with each verse, each chorus, I found myself enjoying the song more and more as I learned a deeper level of understanding of the writers words. I would encourage you, who want a deeper worship experience, to find an avenue, a way, to liberate you; to cause you to "dig" into the words of a song, the words of a verse of Scripture and really find out the meaning for your daily walk. As you seek His way and His will in your life may you be drawn ever closer to His heart. I believe that music is very much an expression of the heart of God. May you begin a new expression, even today, of your love for your Savior.

Aren't You Glad Your Worse Day Doesn't Define You?

I heard that statement the other day. Ever have a bad day? A day where nothing seems to go right? You get up in the morning. . . the coffee maker isn’t working and so you don’t get your morning brew before you head out the door to begin your day. You get in the car and rip your jacket on the door handle. As you travel along the road to the interstate you hit every red light. Of course, you were late starting out that morning to begin with! Now you are really going to be late. You finally make it to your job and find out that your Head Nurse is out sick today and no one was able to replace her. So, you become the Head Nurse. Your day goes on and on and on and on. Never seeming to end. When 3:00 finally rolls around you are so anxious to get out of there. You give your report to the next shift and go to your office and begin going through the pile of work that had accumulated all day while you were working as Head Nurse. Could the day get any worse? You drive home after stopping to fill up the gas tank. You walk in the door and there are the breakfast dishes staring at you – still on the kitchen table. Eggs crusted on the plates. The garbage is overflowing. The kids arrive home from the school bus and you find out from your 2nd grader that he is to take 24 cupcakes to school TOMORROW. As you check your pantry you realize that you do not have all the ingredients to make the treat. Heard enough? I know many people go through life with the above scenario or a similar one. You sometimes feel that you are just unlucky or that things just don’t go right for you – EVER. You have tried and tried to plan better! You make lists and hope to accomplish even one on that list so you can mark it off completed. But things (your life) never seem to get better. No matter how hard you try. It goes from worse to worst without even a blink. Or so it seems to you as you are in the midst of the struggle. But there is someone who has been there all along. God knows!!!! He has been there through the work day. He has been there through the traffic and the messy house. He is with you now wanting to encourage you to look to Him. Scripture says, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, perplexed but not in despair, sometimes persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed” 11 Corinthians 4:8-9 You see, as a Child of God, you are going to have rough times. You are going to have times where it seems like the enemy is getting the best of you. But rest assured, you have the promises of God that say, “you will not be defeated”. Jesus has already won the battle for you. So take heart. Pick up your armor. Strengthen yourself in His mighty Word and press on. Don’t give up in the midst of the struggle and difficulties but look to God. Allow Him to direct your steps and you will be the overcomer He has created you to be. God Bless you, Leola Stotts

The Parable of the Spoon

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.”  The Lord led the holy man to two doors.  He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.  In the middle of the room was a large round table.  In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man’s mouth water. 

The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.  They appeared to be famished.  They were holding spoons with very long handles and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.  The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.  The Lord said, “You have seen Hell.”

They went to the next room and opened the door.  It was exactly the same as the one before. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man’s mouth water.  The people were equipped with the same long handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.  The holy man said, “I don’t understand.”  “It is simple”, said the Lord.  “It requires but one skill.  You see, they have learned to feed each other while the greedy think only of themselves.”  (Author Unknown)

Which room would others say we were in?  Are you one that is seeking only for yourself without thought of your neighbor?  Are you one who walks by when you see someone in need and say “someone else will meet that need?”  God calls us each one to work within our world to help those who are hurting, hungry, homeless and the list goes on and on. May you be one that is in the room where all are helping each other.

Prayer

Dear God,

please untie the knots

that are in my mind,

my heart and my life.

Remove the have nots,

the can nots and the do nots

that I have in my mind.



Erase the will nots,

may nots, and

might nots that find

a home in my heart.



Release me from the could nots,

would nots and

should nots that obstruct my life.



And most of all, dear God,

I ask that you remove from my mind

my heart and my life all of the am nots

that I have allowed to hold me back,

especially the thought

that I am not good enough.

Amen.

Make today count

I am in the midst of reading a great book.  One you might enjoy reading also.  "The Prodigal God, Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith."  Interesting title but as I began reading the book I realized it is surely for this time in my life.  The book talks about the ways we "righteous  people" try to do good things to please God.  We work hard doing what we feel He wants of us.  We help the poor.  We clothe those without.  We often say pious remarks to those around us that need to hear from God.  Yet, we really do not reach God.  We do not feel the heart of God in all that we do.  Those that are way out in the world, so to speak, find it easier to find God because they know they are out in the world and dealing with sin.  They can touch the heart of the matter easier then those of us who pretend to carry on daily as great Christians but never give Him our heart.  That is just a glimpse into the book written by Timothy Keller.  I would encourage you; if you are apathetic about your walk;  if you are discouraged with your walk with God; if you just want to learn, then get the book and read.  Allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you, up lift you and, yes, even correct you as you listen to His tender voice.

Life gives us lessons so take notice

I have been on a journey to visit family.  Along the way many memories arose.  When you get together with extended family there are always a lot of issues, conflict, trials, good times and much, much, more.  We can choose to respond either positively, as God would wish us to, or negatively, which is not our best.  For the first time, on these trips, I chose to let if fall off, like teflon, and not stick to me.  I purposely chose to respond and not react when conflicts arose.  I saw myself as a Peace Maker, not just a Peace Keeper.  What a joy!!!  That is indeed growth, on my part.  The Scriptures tell us that. . . "as much as possible keep peace with one another."  I  believe that to be words to live by.  I would encourage you to see all life lessons as one to "take note".  To learn and grow and expand and surprise one another.  Wouldn't it be great if we could just let things fall off of us and only exude sweet perfume on others?  This world would be a much better place to visit.  Enough of my thoughts for the night.  Tomorrow, when you awake, make a purposeful choice to give each other a break, to look the other way, to turn the other cheek.

Shoes in Church

I showered and shaved .............. I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat ............. in a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer ........ as I closed my eyes ...

I saw the shoe of the man next to me ..... touching my own ... I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side ...... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'

It bothered me, his shoe touching mine ... but it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: 'Our Father' ............. I thought,

'This man with the shoes,  has no pride.

They're dusty, worn, and scratched.

Even worse, there are holes on the side!'

'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.

The shoe man said ............... A quiet 'Amen.'

I tried to focus on the prayer ....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.

Aren't we supposed to look our best when walking through that door?

'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended ........... and the songs of praise began.

The shoe man was certainly loud .... sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters ........ his hands were raised high.

The Lord could surely hear the shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering ...... and what I threw in was steep.

I watched as the shoe man reached .... into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out ............ what the shoe man put in.

Then I heard a soft 'clink' as when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me ............ to tears, and that's no lie.

It was the same for the shoe man ... for tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service ...... as is the custom here.

We must greet new visitors, and show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow .............. and wanted to meet the shoe man.

So after the closing prayer ...... I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark .... and his hair was truly a mess.

But I thanked him for coming ........ for being our guest.

He said, 'My names' Charlie ............ I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'

There were tears in his eyes ........ but he had a large, wide grin.

'Let me explain,' he said ......... wiping tears from his eyes.

'I've been coming here for months .... and you're the first to say 'Hi.''

'I know that my appearance ............ Is not like all the rest.

'But I really do try .................'To always look my best.'

'I always clean and polish my shoes ... before my very long walk.

'But by the time I get here ..........'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'

My heart filled with pain ......... and I swallowed to hide my tears.

As he continued to apologize........... for daring to sit so near

He said, 'When I get here .............. I know I must look a sight.

'But I thought if I could touch you ... 'Then maybe our souls might unite.'

I was silent for a moment ........... knowing whatever was said

Would pale in comparison ... I spoke from my heart, not my head.

'Oh, you've touched me,' I said ...... 'And taught me, in part;

'That the best of any man ............... 'Is what is found in his heart.'

The rest, I thought, ..................... this shoe man will never know.

Like just how thankful I really am ... that his dirty old shoe touched my soul 
  
You are special to me and you have made a difference in my life.

I respect you, and truly cherish you.

Good Morning

                                    JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT IS CHRISTIAN PERSON WEEK AND YOU SHOULD SEND THIS TO ALL BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE.
'A person's heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find them.'

When I say that 'I am a Christian', I am not shouting that 'I am clean living. I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success. I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!

Today is Beautiful Christian Person's Day.
Pretty is as Pretty does but, Beautiful is just plain Beautiful..

Go Deeper; Draw Near to God and He will Draw Near to You

It is a beautiful summer day.  The waves are lapping at the bank.  The water is crystal clear.  Beautiful to watch.  Great to hear.  I love to hear the water washing up onto the shore.  The waves come up and pound onto the sandy beach.  It draws itself back into the midst of the deep water.  The water is cold.  Feels wonderful to the touch.  Clean, refreshing and salty.  

All of my senses are in high alert.  I hear, see, feel, taste and touch the cool water.  I ride the waves as they surround me.  I walk further and further out into the water.  I am soon up to my neck.  The tide goes out and the water has gone down to my calves.  I keep walking.  Wanting to get totally drenched in the sweet water.  The next wave comes and I am knocked down by the pressure of the water.  I am down under the water and fight to get my footing.  As the wave recedes I keep walking further out into the deep.

Soon, I cannot touch the sandy bottom.  I find that I have to swim in order to stay afloat.  The next wave comes and under I go.  I am totally one who loves the water.  The feel of my body floating in the waves and being tossed to and fro.  Up I come, just in time for another wave.  I am having such a great time.

As a child of God, I find that I often times are in the same boat with my walk with God.  I sometimes want to just get my feet wet.  I just want a little refreshing but do not want to get totally drenched.  Other times I want so much of Him that I walk straight out into the dark green water of the deep.  Trying to learn more.  To hear more.  To sense what He is trying to say to me.  My walk with Him changes sometimes daily, as my needs, wants and desires change.  But, I have found that as I seek more of Him, He is actually drawing me to Himself.  It is He that gives me the desire to want more of Him. 

We all have different walks in life.  Some of us have an easy path.  Others find the path full of pot holes and mud.  Still some find their path paved with fine gravel.  Or maybe it is a path of no return.  Wherever your path leads you, make sure that you are heading down the road.  Not staying still.  Stagnate.  But, moving and flowing and growing.  Remember;  what the adversary, the devil, plans for your demise, God plans for your good.  Don’t stay in one place.  Don’t allow the enemy to tempt you into becoming “contented” or “self-satisfied”.  Instead, get out into the deep water of life.  The areas where you have to rely on God for your protection and guidance.  Those are the places where you will see great growth in your life.  Don‘t remain in this season of your life – but, move on, grow and sprout.  Ecclesiastes tells us that “there is a season for everything”.  Now is your time to grow deeper into Him.  Deeper into His love and care for you and your loved ones.  Rely on Him and let Him direct your path.

HOPE

 If I can put new hope within the heart
         Of one who has lost hope,
         If I can help a brother up
         Some difficult long slope
         That seems too steep for tired feet to go,
         If I can help him climb
         Into the light upon the hill's far crest,
         I shall begrudge no time
         Or strength that I spend, for well I know
         How great may be his need.
         If I can help through any darkened hour,
         I shall be glad indeed.
        
         For I recall how often I have been
         Distressed, distraught, dismayed,
         And hands have reached to help, and voices called
         That kept me unafraid.
         If I can share this help that I have had,
         God knows I shall be glad.

  - Grace Noll Crowell

Safely Kept

And that is why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know the One I have believed in and am persuaded that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day. 2 Timothy 1:12, HCSB

We know the importance of placing our valuables and money in safe places. We put our important documents in the banks’ safety deposit boxes. The government insures our bank savings through the FDIC.

In today’s passage Paul wrote about entrusting something far more important than material things for safekeeping. He instructed Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel or of his mentor Paul who was in prison. Paul described the gospel, its power to save, and its origin in the grace of God.

Paul was suffering for the gospel, yet he was full of confidence and hope for the future based on the person of Jesus Christ, in whom he had believed. He had not placed his faith in some philosophy or creed. Because Paul knew Jesus intimately and personally, he was certain he could trust Jesus with the salvation of his soul. He knew it would be kept safely until that last day of accounting.

Father, thank You for Jesus, who is able to keep me until that last day.

This devotional is courtesy of Open Windows.

God's Perspective

Scripture
After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield;
your reward will be very great." Genesis 15:1, HCSB
Thought
To understand your bad or difficult circumstances, God's perspective is vital. Deep trouble and crisis is often the easiest time to hear God speak. One word He always gives in such situations, "Do not be afraid." Fear is the human reaction toproblems. Hope is God's reaction.
Prayer
You who takes away all fear, look in love on me today. You know the circumstances that bring fear, frustration, and failure to my life. Only Your word can dispel my fears and deepen my hope. Amen.

This devotional is courtesy of Experiencing God Day By Day Devotional.

An Island Within

I rise before dawn and cry out for help; I put my hope in Your word. Psalm 119:147, HCSB

Some Bible teachers say: "If you are filled with the Spirit, then you can draw from God's resources, not just at the beginning of the day, but every hour of the day. Better a fountain in the heart than a fountain by the way."This confuses two quite separate issues. It is perfectly true that by reason of the Spirit's indwelling, we can draw upon His resources moment by moment, but that does not do away with the need for a daily quiet time.
One writer puts it like this: "Those who say they can live in a state of prayer without stated times for prayer will probably find themselves without both. It is as futile as thinking that you can live in a state of physical nourishment without stated times for nourishment." I believe with all my heart that the divine Shepherd seeks daily to lead His sheep to the "still waters" of His Word, and how sad it is that so many Christians prefer to drink from the polluted pools of the world. The poet says:
What a frail soul He gave me, and a heart
Lame and unlikely for the large events.
I wonder if, more often, we haven't given ourselves "a heart lame and unlikely for the large events." God has given us infinite resources through prayer and the reading of the Scriptures. They are ours for the asking and the taking. The quiet time creates an island of quiet within us, and that becomes the atmosphere of the day.

Daily Prayer
O Father, help me come to the quiet time with quiet expectancy - expectancy that here my weakness shall become strength, my doubt become faith, my fears become courage, and my sin become redemption. I ask this for Your own dear name's sake. Amen.

This devotional is courtesy of Every Day with Jesus.

Sin Can Be Overcome

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 13:14, HCSB

Every sin can be overcome. Don't allow yourself to admit to any exception, for if you do, this exception will be the loose bolt that causes the bridge to fall down. One of the sad things about certain sections of the modern-day church is the moral fatalism that says in regard to one's sin: "But what could I do? I am just a frail human being."
The implication is that sin is an integral part of human nature, and as long as we remain human, we shall never be able to overcome sin. The clear message of the gospel is spelled out in this verse: "Sin will not rule over you" (Rm 6:14).
Today's text in The Amplified Biblereads: "But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and make no provision for indulging the flesh - put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature - to gratify its desires and lusts." Notice the phrase: "make no provision for indulging the flesh." In other words, do not provide for failure; provide for victory. There must be an absoluteness about the whole thing.
There are dangers in pretending we are winning the battle against sin when we are not, or in approaching the whole issue from self-effort. But these dangers, in my opinion, are not as great as mentally providing for sin in our lives. The tyranny of this fatalism - that as long as we are in the flesh, we must expect to sin - must be broken. The Christian life must be lived from the standpoint that we expect not to sin. I repeat: every sin can be overcome.
Daily Prayer
My Father and my God, help me to lay hold on the fact that Your offer is not simply to help me realize what sin is, but to release me from it. May I enter more and more into that glorious deliverance day by day. Amen.

This devotional is courtesy of Every Day with Jesus.

Thoughts for the New Year

I am just beginning a journey into a book entitled  “The Grand Weaver; How God shapes Us Through the events of our Lives” by Revi Zacharias.  It is giving me pause to think.  What really is God’s plan in my life?  Am I on the right path?  Is there a wrong path?  Can I make a wrong choice and end up in a place not of His choosing?  Can I make a wrong turn and still end up in His perfect will?  Lots of questions arose as I began to review this book.  I have only read the introduction, but I believe it is going to be a great source of information. 

So, think about your path.!!!!   Do you believe that each step has been ordained by God himself?  Do you believe that He created you with an end product in mind?  That He genuinely cares about you, your needs and wants and desires.  I KNOW that He is involved in my life.  He selects and uses each path that I trod for His glory and for His purpose.  The big decisions and the small ones.  The Word of God tells us that our steps are planned by our Mighty God.  To me, that includes, all the baby steps I take when I step out in fear or uncertainty or concern over the future, the problems of this world and the pleasures as well.  He is directing each step.  Each footprint; He knew where it would land.   Each arm that reached out to give and to receive a hug.  He was there.  Each time a tear was shed, a heart was broken.  That is my take on it.  My God is sovereign.  He is just.  He is omnipotent.  He is omnipresent.  He is omniscient. 

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9 

I pray that this New Year will be one of growth for each of us.  That we will be known by the fruits that we bear.  That we will be alive and well and doing His will within each of our communities.  Don't forget those that are hurting, needing, feeling unloved or unlovely.  Those that feel as though they do not have a friend.  Reach out to those. Let your footsteps include the unfamiliar areas of your world. May God expand all of our territories in this New Year.

Battle Rested

Read Ahead: Psalm 23:1-6

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5, HCSB

Soldiers don't usually sit down for a picnic in the middle of a raging battlefield. They either fight to the death, or they turn and run!
But David painted a very different kind of battlefield scene--a picture of total security. In the midst of the worst onslaughts his enemies could dish out, David found peace in God and a reason to celebrate. Others were trying to keep the crown from him, but they couldn't stop God from making him king.
Going through life's hardest battles can sometimes teach us the most about God. When our enemies are attacking us and we want to panic, God gives us peace. He lays out a banquet to celebrate the victory that's already ours. He reminds us who we are in Christ: a royal treasure claimed by the King as his own.
When everything is going well, we might take God's presence for granted, but when life is hard, we can often see his presence more clearly. That's because he gives us peace and cause for celebration in places where we'd expect only despair.
If you're experiencing some of the difficulties that life throws at you, look to see what God is doing. He hasn't gone anywhere. He's preparing a table for your victory party, pouring out his blessings on you. You don't have to leave the battlefield to have your picnic, because God is with you... and your enemies don't intimidate him.
What's wrong with the idea that a loving God would never allow hardship into our lives?
Read Up: Habakkuk 3:17-19, 1 Peter 4:12-19
This devotional is courtesy of TQ.

Shadows

Read Ahead: Psalm 23:1-6

Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff--they comfort me. Psalm 23:4, HCSB

David's beautiful psalm about the Good Shepherd is one of the Bible's most well-known passages. In fact, it's probably read or recited as much outside of church as in it. Truly, this inspiring message of hope speaks in a way that all of us can understand.
David did what every good writer does: he wrote about what he knew. He knew lots about life's shadows, plus he was intimately acquainted with shepherding. So he masterfully joined the two together to pen some of the most comforting words of hope ever written.
David faced many dangers in his life--times when he didn't know if he'd live out the day; times when he was misunderstood, threatened, and attacked; times when the shame of his own sin sent him into the depths of despair. Yet through it all, he experienced the unwavering presence of God.
Just as he once led his sheep through the valleys, David's Shepherd guided him through the dark times in his life. Just as David's sheep used to recognize his voice through the darkness and follow the sound, God's voice brought comfort and direction to David when he didn't know where to go.
Life is full of shadows. There's evil out there--dangers and frightening valleys where the mountains block out the light. But Jesus, your Good Shepherd, will walk with you through the valleys and dispel the shadows of fear.
What good things have you been kept from enjoying because of fear?
Read Up: Isaiah 43:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
This devotional is courtesy of TQ.