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Kindness & Peace

Some mornings when I get up I hesitate having any contact with the outside world. It’s not because I’m afraid of the reports on COVID-19. My heart gets grieved by the unkind words and actions that seem to be so prevalent.

Two things we can always use more of is kindness and peace. It would mean a great deal if people treated us nicer, right? I think we can get a hardy amen to having less drama in our lives. Here is the question: How can we be used to bring those two elements into the lives of those around us?

“This letter is to all of you in Rome. God loves you and has chosen you to be his very own people. I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!” Romans 1:7 CEV

Well, we can begin by praying for God to bless those we know with kindness and peace. And then we can follow through with being kind to those around us.

Kind to the other drivers on the roads, to the grocery store workers, our first responders, to truckers, neighbors and those we speak to on the phone and through electronic communication. To our kids and our spouses.

Kindness brings peace.

“Without wood, a fire goes out. Without gossip, arguments stop. 21 Charcoal keeps the coals glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive.” Proverbs 26:20-21 MSG

“Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?” Romans 2:4 CEV

God’s goodness is what draws people to Him. When we emulate God’s character we are being used to bring others to Christ. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.

“God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.” Galatians 5:22-23 CEV

Today I’m praying that God’s goodness and peace will overflow in our lives flooding all those around us.

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Are You Thirsty?

A number of years ago we lived in the panhandle of Idaho. We had one particular summer that was very dry. The catch ponds were drying up and the springs were only a trickle.

One afternoon the dogs put us on alert and when we looked out our windows, this is what we saw. A cow moose had wandered into our yard with her twins in search of water. Our sprinklers were running and they provided the much needed water that she was seeking. After they drank their fill, they rested in the shade of the tall pines. At first she was very cautious, looking about after every sip and then as her calves rested quietly, she found rest herself.

Have you been that thirsty, thirsty for God? Thirsty enough to “search” outside your comfort zone? To be willing to leave the familiar way of doing things and to find the answers you need in God’s word?

God asked Abraham to leave his family and his homeland. His descendants were the originators of the Jewish race. Ruth left all and followed after Naomi to a new land where God blessed her with a husband and a child. Christ was in their line of descendants. Peter left his fishing nets to follow Christ. Paul gave up his prestige as a Pharisee to follow Jesus and preach His word.

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2 ERV

When we seek God, we will find Him and we will find that He fills our lives with so much more than we ever dreamed possible.

“Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the LORD.” Jeremiah 29:12-13 ERV

Jesus ministered to a crowd on a hillside one day and he told them. ““Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them. 9 “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11 You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:7-11 ERV

God is loving, kind and gracious and when we seek Him we will find that to be true. He put all of our punishment and judgement on Jesus so that we could have a wonderful relationship with Him.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:17-19. ERV

Someone needs to know today that God isn’t mad at you! He loves you and if you seek Him, you will find Him waiting with arms of love open wide. Seek for Him like that momma moose who came to our yard seeking water.

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Tough Times

Determination — Perserverance — Strength
All three are needed to get through the tough times and come out victorious.

Noah preached the whole time he was building the ark and didn’t have one convert but he kept building and he kept preaching.

Abraham was promised a natural born son and he had to wait 25 years to see the promise fulfilled.

Joseph was sold as a slave, spent time in prison, was forgotten before he made it to pharoah’s palace.

Moses led a nation of grumbling and complaining people for 40 years in the desert and they never made it to the Promised Land. That should have been about a 3-4 week trip.

Jesus preached, died, rose again providing that He was the Messiah and still many did not believe.

Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, nearly drown and held in prison and still he kept preaching.

God, the Father, isn’t willing that any should perish and has offered salvation to all. He hasn’t given up!

Each of the men above had been given a promise by God which gave them courage and determination to continue. They encouraged themselves with God’s word and used it to fight discouragement. They found that God was more than enough!

“There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.” 19 Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. 20 He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God.” Romans 4:18-20 ERV (emphasis is mine)

” But the Lord said, ‘My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me. 10 Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10 ERV (emphasis is mine)

“Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,  but he harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” Psalm 31:23-24 NLT

I pray that we become like these men and we continue to hope. When we are weak we truly are strong because we go forward in a strength that only God can give. He is more than enough!

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We’re Champions

We all want to feel special. We want to know there is something about us that “entitles” us to the little extras. A bigger piece of pie, an extra scoop of ice cream, more money per hour at work, the bigger bouquet, the nicer car, the corner office and the list goes on.

However, I’ve never been one to win the trophy buckle, to graduate valedictorian, be promoted to executive team or even win the state championship. But there is one thing I’ve done that puts me in the top group every time!

This trophy buckle pictured here is my husband Dave’s. When we were preaching on working ranches and at youth rodeos he wore it all the time. We wanted all who came to realize that when we have Christ as our Savior we are all champions. The first step is to kneel at the cross.

“Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life. ” John 3:16 ERV

Yes, I’m a member of the world – I’m an everyone! That makes me a recipient of the Father’s love and a participant in life eternal.

“Training your body helps you in some ways. But devotion to God helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too. 9 Here is a true statement that should be accepted without question: 10 We hope in the living God, the Savior of all people. In particular, he is the Savior of all those who believe in him. This is why we work and struggle. 11 Command and teach these things.” I Timothy 4:8-11 CEV

Father God provides salvation for ALL but He’s given us a part to play. We must BELIEVE that Jesus provided our salvation as a free gift.

If I came to your house with a big box wrapped in beautiful paper and tied up with a gorgeous ribbon and I had put your name on the box, would that present be yours? Well of course it would!

If you took that present and set it on the dining room table and looked at it, each day, admiring how pretty it was and how nice it was of me to bring it, would it benefit you? No, not really. It’s not until you open the gift, fully accept it, that it truly becomes yours and is a benefit to you.

Many people have seen the gift the Father brought them; the gift of forgiveness and restoration but for what ever reason have failed to open it and appropriate it for themselves.

“My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. 2 Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.” I John 2:1-2 CEV

“no matter if that person is a Jew or a Gentile. There is only one Lord, and he is generous to everyone who asks for his help. 13 All who call out to the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13 CEV

So you see if you are a whosoever, an everyone, an “all people”, the gift is yours! Accept it and take advantage of what is being given – it definitely makes you a winner!

Christ has made us champions – we are victorious!

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In the Midst of the Storm

Have you ever been in a storm? I mean a real storm! An all-hope-is-lost time in your life? That’s what I was reading about this morning.

The Apostle Paul is prisoner on a ship headed for Italy. He had told the captain that they should stay where they were because the seas would be rough. However, things appeared calm and since is was late in the sailing season the captain didn’t want to lose any more time and they set sail.

But, the weather started getting rough…you know how it goes.

“But then a very strong wind called the “Northeaster” came from across the island. 15 This wind took the ship and carried it away. The ship could not sail against the wind, so we stopped trying and let the wind blow us…The next day the storm was blowing against us so hard that the men threw some things out of the ship. 19 A day later they threw out the ship’s equipment. 20 For many days we could not see the sun or the stars. The storm was very bad. We lost all hope of staying alive—we thought we would die.” Acts 27:14- 20 ERV

I have never been in a ship on rough seas and for that I am grateful but I’ve been in some other storms that caused me to lose hope; storms of financial devastation, storms of betrayal, storms of relationships. Not every storm has high winds, boisterous seas or floods of destruction.

Listen to what Paul said.
“21 The men did not eat for a long time. Then one day Paul stood up before them and said, “Men, I told you not to leave Crete. You should have listened to me. Then you would not have all this trouble and loss. 22 But now I tell you to be happy. None of you will die, but the ship will be lost. 23 Last night an angel came to me from God—the God I worship and belong to. 24 The angel said, ‘Paul, don’t be afraid! You must stand before Caesar. And God has given you this promise: He will save the lives of all those sailing with you.’ 25 So men, there is nothing to worry about. I trust God, and I am sure everything will happen just as his angel told me. 26 But we will crash on an island.” Acts 27:21-26 ERV

How can this be good news? First he started with I told you so and ended with we are going to crash…but be happy because none of you will die! They had been in this storm for 14 days. How long have you been in your storm? Be encouraged, although things around you may be destroyed don’t worry you won’t die.

“Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. 2 When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. 3 That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. I, the Holy One of Israel, am your Savior. I gave Egypt to pay for you. I gave Ethiopia and Seba to make you mine. 4 You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you.” Isaiah 43:1-4 ERV

Now look back at Paul.
” Just before dawn Paul began persuading all the people to eat something. He said, “For the past two weeks you have been waiting and watching. You have not eaten for 14 days. 34 Now I beg you to eat something. You need it to stay alive. None of you will lose even one hair off your heads.” Acts 27:33-34 ERV

Let me paraphrase what Paul said. Don’t worry, trust God and let’s eat and live.

Let God into your storm. Stop worrying, trust Him and live! Remember what Jesus said to another storm – “Peace, be still” and the winds ceased.

Praise God today for the end of your storm!

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Light in the Darkness

We’ve probably all heard about the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel”. And for some these last few months have seemed like an endless tunnel with the light snuffed out. This is a path we have never walked before but let me tell you there is Someone who has and He has promised to lead us through!

“Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.” John 14:6 ERV

We can put our hope, our trust, our faith in Jesus. He knows the way through and He promises to lead, to be our guide in every situation. Years before He came to earth the prophet Isaiah foretold what Jesus would do for us. Even when we feel we are walking blind we can trust Him.

“Then I will lead the blind along a path they never knew to places where they have never been before. I will change darkness into light for them. I will make the rough ground smooth. I will do these things for them; I will not abandon my people.” Isaiah 42:16 ERV

In times when we are frustrated, disappointed, angry and uncertain we can come to the Lord and tell Him exactly how we feel and He will answer us and give us direction.

“I gain understanding from your instructions, so I hate anything that leads people the wrong way. 105 Your word is like a lamp that guides my steps, a light that shows the path I should take.” Psalm 119:104-105 ERV

The Lord’s instruction to us are written in His word. Fear Not – Trust in the Lord – Let Peace Guard Your Heart – Don’t depend on your own understanding. All of these words give light to our path today.

Many times I have felt like the Lord wants me to be a cheerleader for those who are discouraged. I’ve been through discouragement, disappointment, fear and anxiousness and I know this as sure as I am breathing this morning “God is faithful and He will not abandon us”.

“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’” Jeremiah 33:2-3 MSG

Long before social distancing and streaming church services, Dave and I attended an on-line church. Living rural like we do it’s nice to have worship services come to our home. We can watch services from anywhere in the world, any day of the week and be encouraged by the songs and messages. One song that has been particularly uplifting lately is called Way Maker. I’ll leave you with some of the lyrics. I can’t think of a much better way to start the day. (Click the link and hear it for yourselves)

Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
That is who you are
Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are

Please let me encourage you – if you feel you are walking around blind, that there is no light at the end of this tunnel, there is hope and His name is Jesus! He is our light in the darkness!

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Awful or Awe-filled

Just a week or so ago I was reading a post that went into great detail, listing all the things around the world that are awful. That word caught my attention, awful. But, in times like these we need to change our focus from the awful to the awe-filled.

Did you see last night’s sunset? Did you take time to watch a bird building a nest or the ant moving a crumb across the rocky ground? Did you watch your child sleeping peacefully or feel the tender touch of your loved one’s hand?

These things are awe-filled moments!

There is so much in life which inspires and encourages. We just have to look for it. God has positioned the wonders of the universe so that we have a sense of just how awesome He is.

“The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done.
2 Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. 3 They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. 4 Yet their message reaches all the earth,  and it travels around the world.” Psalm 19:1-4 CEV

“No one can stare at the sun after a breeze has blown the clouds from the sky. 22 Yet the glorious splendor of God All-Powerful is brighter by far. 23 God cannot be seen— but his power is great, and he is always fair.” Job 37:21-23 CEV

Our loving, heavenly Father wants us to be constantly aware that He is here and always ready to comfort and to guide. He doesn’t leave us to flounder on our own. He replaces what is awful with what is the awe-filled revelation of His presence.

“God, you give true peace to people who depend on you, to those who trust in you. So trust the Lord always, because in the Lord Yah* you have a place of safety forever.” Isaiah 26:3 ERV *Yah means mighty rock

Some years back I was sitting in a small community church. The song leader said that he would take requests from those in attendance. A sweet, unpretentious man raised his hand to make a request. Donald had been living on the streets; alcohol and drugs had stolen his family, his job and self-esteem. But one day someone introduced him to Jesus and his life changed. He was so aware of the Father’s loving presence. He said, “I hope we can sing ‘Our God is an Awesome God’. I don’t really know the tune very well but I do know that God is really awesome and that He loves me”. His matter-of-fact statement brought tears to my eyes.

We can look at the awful or we can seek our Awesome God and have each day filled with awe!

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.” Daniel 9:4 NLT

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Life’s Building Blocks

Our four year-old grandson loves making things with blocks. He has Lego’s, Magnetic blocks, wood blocks, Mario Maze blocks. He loves to build and has a great imagination. He gets frustrated when things fall over.

Me too.

I hate when I’ve worked hard on something and then see it crumble and fall. Not that I still play with blocks but…I’ve seen work projects crash, relationships tumble, financial investments end up in a pile and life’s moments scattered. Generally, there is one common factor to these failures; they weren’t built on a solid foundation.

Life, like building blocks, needs a wide and solid base.

I have four Bible verses that have been the foundation of my daily walk for the last twenty some years. In some way or another, each day I remind myself of my foundation in the Scripture.

“God is no mere human! He doesn’t tell lies or change his mind. God always keeps his promises.” Numbers 23:19 CEV

“But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him.” Hebrews 11:6 CEV

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs that others do. 6 Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. 7 Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. 8 Love never fails!” I Corinthians 13:4-8 CEV

So here’s the progression of thought. God never lies. I am convinced that the Bible is true. God’s promises can’t be broken. He tells me to seek Him out in every situation and when I do He rewards me by providing the help and strength I need. Love is the source of my firm foundation – God’s love for me, my love for Him and my love for others. Love will never fail!

My decisions, actions and reactions need to be grounded in the knowledge of God’s amazing love for me. His character is love and He shares that with me so that I can walk in faith and please Him. I should never put faith in my own works or abilities but always in His! Then and only then is my life truly successful!

“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.” Matthew 7:24-25 ERV

Let’s build our lives on a solid foundation. The Word of God is a foundation which cannot be shaken.

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Learn What’s Important

I often remember my college days; the friends I made, some hard life lessons and the kindness and wisdom of some of my professors. At the beginning of each semester, one professor in particular would welcome us to class and then explain his expectations of our learning.

He made a statement that we all made note of. He said, “If I say something twice it’s significant and you should retain it to memory, if I repeat something a third time it’s important and will be on the test. Write it down.” He kept his word; when I heard him repeat something I would write it in my syllabus and underline it. This was my indication that it was important.

I don’t know about you but it seems that we have been going through exam week. There have been so many things to test our resolve. The one thing I have been careful not to do is blame God. He’s not at fault – that I know for certain.

“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV

Our heavenly Father is the giver of life and peace. His character is to give love and comfort. He is always the same. There is a Psalm that reminds me of what my college professor said. Read these verses and see if you can figure out what’s important to the Father.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.

4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1-9 NLT

This Psalm has twenty-five verses and each verse boldly proclaims that God’s love for us endures forever. There are two important things we should take away from this Psalm. 1) Give praise to the Lord and 2) His love endures forever. Since the second statement is true it becomes the premise for the first statement.

Since we know that God’s love endures forever we can always give praise to the Lord. No matter what we experience – joys and challenges – if we remember that the Lord loves us unconditionally we can praise Him, knowing that He will protect and provide, knowing that He desires to fill our lives with good and perfect gifts.

“Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.

5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:4-7 ERV

Now, what I think Paul is wanting us to see is that even in difficulty we can remain joy-filled. God will not abandon us or have us figure things out on our own. No, to the contrary, He will be there to give us the wisdom we need and we will come through this time stronger, with greater resolve.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”

The question on the exam of life may be this: How do we handle the difficult situations of life? The answer, He repeated it several times to make sure we get it: Give thanks because God’s love for us endures forever!

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Look for the Signs

We live in a rural area; one where coyotes and javelina forage at night. Rarely do we see them during the day but we hear them at night – sometimes in the lot next door or across the street. We see the tracks of the javelina in the morning and before the fence went in, those tracks would be in our backyard.

The javelina eat our cactus and other desert foliage. The coyotes are on the prowl looking for some small rodent to prey upon. We are alerted to their presence by the barking of the neighborhood dogs. Their barking is constant and loud. They sense a danger and are trying to warn us.

It’s annoying when we are awaken from a sound sleep and even more so when we aren’t able to get back to sleep…

Why is it we get annoyed by warnings?

Right now, we are bombarded with warnings. Wash your hands, wear a mask, stay at least six feet apart. But before all this there were signs everywhere. At Disneyland we are told if we have heart problems, are pregnant, under a certain height, etc. we can’t ride certain rides. There are railroad crossing signs, the icy road sign, the do not touch wet paint or slippery when wet signs, the speed limit postings; we have an aversion to all of these and think they apply to others and not to us. So we go blissfully on our way ignoring the warnings and most of the time suffer no consequences. We will master our own universe!

Some people feel the same way about reading the Bible or attending church because they say it cramps their style. It’s just a bunch of rules. Following Jesus is never about rules, it’s relationship!

I may ignore warnings from people I don’t know but if Dave calls me and tells me to stay off the road because there’s a storm headed my way or to stay away from the wood pile because there’s a snake under it, I heed his warning. He loves me and I know he is concerned for my welfare.

When Jesus gave warnings and instructions throughout His ministry He wasn’t being mean. He was showing how much He loves us.

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.” John 10:10-11 CEV

Paul gives us instruction for living in a way that will keep our blood pressure down, help our heart stay healthy and will please God.

“Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don’t yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. 32 Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ. Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. 2 Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.” Ephesians 4:31-5:2 CEV

As we go through our day let’s pay attention to the warnings around us and not ignore them.

God has a wonderful life designed just for us and He wants us to be safe!

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