Category: Encouragement

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Surrounded

Some of you are getting up this morning knowing that going to work means you are facing the enemy. Co-workers or even a boss that have been fierce in their dislike of you can make work seem like a battlefield.

It’s possible that your enemy is even closer than that. It may be a neighbor that is intent on making your life miserable or it could be someone living in your own home. You might be living with the thoughts of past failures and disappointments. You could be your own worst enemy.

Before David was anointed king of Israel, Saul tried to kill him time after time; he was pursued relentlessly through the deserts of Israel.

II Samuel, chapter 22, is a song David wrote and sang after he had once again escaped Saul’s pursuit. I encourage you to take time to read the whole chapter – David’s heart is one of praise for all God has done. I believe that David’s daily experiences are so much more intense than any of ours could ever be and so we can learn from him.

“He makes me free from those who hate me. You lift me above those who come against me. You save me from the man who wants to hurt me. 50 So I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord. I will sing praises to Your name. 51 With great power He saves His king. He shows loving-kindness to His chosen one, to David and his children forever.” II Samuel 22:49-51 NLV

All through the Bible we see examples of the Lord delivering His children from their enemies. Sometimes the Lord took them out of the danger, sometimes their enemies were destroyed in battle, and sometimes the Lord kept them safe in the midst of the danger. In each and every situation God could be trusted.

“He is the God Who punishes those who have done wrong to me. He puts nations under my rule. 48 He saves me from those who hate me. Yes, You lift me above those who rise up against me. You save me from those who want to hurt me. 49 So I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord. And I will sing praises to Your name.” Psalm 18:47-49 NLV

You may feel surrounded, like there’s no way out but there is.

“The Lord your God is with you, a Powerful One Who wins the battle. He will have much joy over you. With His love He will give you new life. He will have joy over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NLV

Give thanks today – not for the persecution but for the deliverance from the attacks of evil and violent men.

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Full of Confidence

I’ve always been an optimist. Never really seen things half empty, have looked at the best in people and the situations that I find myself in. I believe that God the Father and Jesus were/are the ultimate optimists! They see us as new creatures in Christ – we are forgiven, sins blotted out and created in their image.

It is vital to our daily walk with the Lord to see ourselves in the same way as God, the Father, sees us. Without that understanding we will be void of boldness. Look at these verses today and see the fullness that God has blessed us with.

“I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10 ERV

So many battle with insecurity and timidity. These verses are part of Paul’s prayer for the Christians at Colossae and so it is a prayer for us as well. It’s for Christians of every generation and all around the world.

“I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love and to have the full confidence that comes from understanding. I want them to know completely the secret truth that God has made known. That truth is Christ himself.” Colossians 2:2 ERV

“And we have a great priest who rules the house of God. 22 Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.” Hebrews 10:21-23 ERV

God welcomes us into His presence, not as beggars, but as His children. We come to Him with confidence because of what Christ has done on our behalf. We should never be held back by a guilty conscience that focuses on our actions, our sins are forgiven and so we have confidence in His grace and forgiveness.

Abraham was a man who had walked with the Lord for many years. God had blessed him greatly however, there was one promise that God made that hadn’t been fulfilled yet. Abraham waited to see that promise, the birth of his son, fulfilled for twenty-five years. Abraham was confident that God was able to keep His promises and we need to be too.

“But Abraham never doubted or questioned God’s promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God. 21 Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21 CEV

We can be fully persuaded, full of confidence, full of faith, full of hope because we are complete in Christ!

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Starting to Sink

A couple days back I shared with you the story of Peter going overboard. You remember, he saw Jesus walking on the water in the middle of the night and thought it was a ghost. Peter questioned Jesus and asked if it was really him; Jesus said yes. Then Peter said well then let me come to you on the water. Jesus said, ok.

“Just before the light of day, Jesus went to them walking on the water. 26 When the followers saw Him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, “It is a spirit.” They cried out with fear. 27 At once Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take hope. It is I. Do not be afraid!”

28 Peter said to Jesus, “If it is You, Lord, tell me to come to You on the water.” 29 Jesus said, “Come!” Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid. He began to go down in the water. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 At once Jesus put out His hand and took hold of him. Jesus said to Peter, “You have so little faith! Why did you doubt?”

32 When Jesus and Peter got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing. 33 Those in the boat worshiped Jesus. They said, “For sure, You are the Son of God!” Matthew 14:25-33 NLV

There’s more to this story than just Peter walking on the water. The first thing we should notice is that everyone in the boat was afraid. They were on the sea in the middle of the night and they thought they saw a ghost coming on the water.

Fear had gripped their hearts. The first thing Jesus wanted to do was calm their fears so he spoke words of encouragement to them. “Don’t be afraid.” We all have a tendency to fear during life’s darkest hours. Perhaps that ghost of failure shows up in your dreams in the middle of the night when you are most vulnerable. Can you hear Jesus? He’s there and He says don’t be afraid.

Peter is embolden by Jesus words so he says “if” it’s you Lord tell me to come. What’s Jesus to say? “No Peter, don’t try this or Yes Peter, it’s me but stay put.”

Jesus says come and Peter went.

His eyes were on Jesus and he walked on the water! But then something happened. Peter began to look around, maybe thinking “hey, boys do you see this?”. He took his eyes off Jesus, saw the waves and felt the wind (external circumstances) and he began to sink. Fear came back and he was going down. I’ve often wondered how does one begin to sink. But in that split second of beginning to go down, Peter cries out, Jesus reaches out and they walk back to the boat together! And the winds ceased.

Do you feel like you are beginning to sink? Maybe you feel like you’re going down for the third time? You’ve felt like you were doing exactly what God wanted you to do, what He called you to do, you heard him say “come” and now the waves and the wind are bigger than you thought and you are going down.

Call out. Jesus is there. He will rescue you and the two of you will walk back to the boat together. Hand in Hand. Once they were safely in the boat, the others who were there realized that Jesus truly was God’s Son and began to praise Him.

I remember one other incident when they were all in the boat and ready to sink in the storm. Jesus stood up and said “Peace, be still”. You know we relate the “peace, be still” to Jesus talking to the wind and the waves but I think that Jesus may have been saying “peace to you disciples who are so fearful” and “be still” to the storm. Just a thought.

In closing I want us to look at a couple verses in Psalms.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Psalm 37:7 NLT

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” 11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” Psalm 46:10-11 NLT

Be encouraged because it’s God who says “be still, I AM God”!

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Cure for Discouragement

Do you have times that you get discouraged and struggle when things aren’t going right?

For years I have been putting God’s word into my heart and mind. It brings hope, courage, peace, healing and joy. Many years back I shared some of my favorite Bible verses with you and as I was reading through them I knew it was time to share them again.

I look at Scripture verses like multivitamins. We don’t just take them one time and have them strengthen our physical system for years on end. No, they are called daily vitamins for a reason. Bible verses are better than vitamins. Once they are truly absorbed in our system they can strengthen and encourage for years on end.

“You were in serious trouble, but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.
20 By the power of his own word, he healed you  and saved you from destruction. 21 You should praise the Lord for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.” Psalm 107:19-21 CEV

God’s word brings the cure for any ailment.

I want to share a few of my favorite verses with you from the Amplified version of the Bible. I praise God for those who have been called to the work of translating the Bible, not just in foreign languages, but into versions that make it easier for us to use and understand. There are many modern translations and I like using the Amplified version because it gives a greater understanding to some phrases.

These verses have really helped me and I hope that there are one or two that provide what you need!

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE ME OR LET ME DOWN! GOD WON’T LET GO!
“Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]” Hebrews 13:5 AMP

WHEN CHRIST RULES, PEACE REIGNS
“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ’s] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always].” Colossians 3:15 AMP

HE TAKES MY WORRIES & MY CARES
“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” I Peter 5:7 AMP

I HAVE AN OVERFLOWING LIFE
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 AMP

GOD CAN’T LIE! “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good and fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19 AMP

MOSES AND I HAVE THE SAME GOD, THE GREAT I AM!
“And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am]. 24 Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I Am]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.” John 16:23-24 AMP

MY FATHER’S WORD GIVES ME CONFIDENCE
“And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.” I John 5:14-15 AMP

God’s word is filled with the power to change our lives. It never fails!

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer  and bread for the hungry. 11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 NLT

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Looking Up Makes Me Smile

I saw a sign that I really like

“No matter how tall I get I will always look up to my Dad”

That’s how I feel about the Father – I will always look up to Him. We have so many things that cause us to look down. Working on my laptop this morning I am looking down; most of society is engrossed in looking down at the screen of their phone or tablet. And some of the more critical around us look down their noses at others, they look down on the little people or they are like Eeyore and look down because their hearts are aching and they feel lonely or depressed.

LOOK UP!

When Daniel was in the lions’ den he wasn’t counting lions, he was looking up to the One who delivers.

When David was facing Goliath he wasn’t looking around at all the soldiers who weren’t joining the battle but he was looking up to the Rock of his salvation.

When Peter was on the sea he was looking at Jesus who was walking on the water of his storm but when he looked down at the waves he began to sink.

Where’s your focus today? Are you looking down at your circumstances or are you looking up to your Savior and your God?

“I look to the hills! Where will I find help? 2 It will come from the Lord, who created the heavens and the earth. 3 The Lord is your protector, and he won’t go to sleep or let you stumble. 4 The protector of Israel doesn’t doze or ever get drowsy. 5 The Lord is your protector, there at your right side to shade you from the sun. 6 You won’t be harmed by the sun during the day or by the moon at night. 7 The Lord will protect you and keep you safe from all dangers. 8 The Lord will protect you now and always wherever you go.” Psalm 121 CEV

I look up to my Father. He created the heavens and earth – there is nothing that happens in my world that He can’t control or have a solution for. I look up and see His strength and His love. I look up and see His kindness and mercy. I look up and find His grace to help in time of need.

“ Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3 NLT

After the great flood, the Lord put a rainbow in the sky and told Noah that every time he looked up and saw it, the rainbow would be a reminder that God would never destroy the earth again with a flood. We can’t see the rainbow if we don’t look up. We won’t see the stars, the sunrise, the sunset, the clouds in their beauty if we don’t look up.

Looking up reminds us of the Father’s greatness.

“When I look up and think about Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in their place, 4 what is man, that You think of him, the son of man that You care for him? 5 You made him a little less than the angels and gave him a crown of greatness and honor. 6 You made him to rule over the works of Your hands. You put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and cattle, all the wild animals, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and all that pass through the sea. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how great is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:3-9 NLV

Look up and see the Father’s loving face!

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Good Medicine

We have friends visiting us this weekend. Dear friends! Yesterday we spent most of the afternoon and the evening sitting on the back patio just talking. At one point we all ended up laughing so hard that our sides were aching and our eyes were watering. It had been a long time since I have laughed that hard – it felt so good.

“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22 NLT

“If you are cheerful,  you feel good;  if you are sad, you hurt all over.” Proverbs 17:22 CEV

God’s word is true. A cheerful heart is good medicine. I didn’t realize until just now that this ties in with yesterday’s blog on happiness. God intends for us to have happy hearts. It’s His medicine for our souls.

I know the Lord is in favor of joy and laughter because we are told that in heaven all sorrow and tears will be wiped away. There will be continual joy. That’s how it is when we are in God’s presence. We don’t have to wait for heaven to have joy; we can experience it each day by spending time with the Father.

“You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16:11 ERV

Our joy and happiness is a good measure of our trust and dependence on the Lord. It’s easy to get discouraged when things in life aren’t going as planned; illness, financial reversal, relationship issues can all deplete our reservoir of joy. That’s why we need to stay focused on the Father’s love for us and his goodness. Counting our blessings is a good way to encourage ourselves and to restore joy.

“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast. 16 Better to have little, with fear (reverence) for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.” Proverbs 15:15-16 NLT

I know I’ve told you this story before but it’s worth repeating. I heard Zig Ziglar, the motivational speaker, tell it years ago.

Two little girls were each placed in a room filled with manure and left alone for a short while. When the door was opened they found one little girl in tears. She thought this was an awful experience. But when they opened the door to the second room they found the other little girl laughing and playing in the manure. When they asked her why she was so happy she replied “With all this manure, there must be a pony in here somewhere”. This girl had a merry heart!

The one little girl looked at life’s circumstance and became despondent while the other looked for the blessing and remained joy filled.

Laughter is good! How long has it been since you had a good belly laugh – the kind that makes your sides ache and tears roll down your cheeks? If you’re feeling “heart sick” it’s time to take your medicine.

Laughter is good medicine!

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Growing Happiness

The last week or so I have been reading things that talk about happiness. Just this morning there was a story on Facebook, I have seen a few times before, about a woman who said she decided each morning to be happy. The memories of her life were like deposits of golden joy that she withdrew from her account in her later years. She had six rules to happiness:

“1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less,
6. And enjoy every moment.”

Max Lucado has just come out with a new book, How Happiness Happens. I haven’t started to read it yet but I am involved in taking his seven day happiness challenge. Each day, he encourages us to find someone – friend or foe – and give happiness away. Not just to the deserving and kind but to the aggravating and cynical. It is a challenge! This is day four.

To me, happiness is different from joy but they are related. Joy, which is a gift of the Spirit, is planted in our hearts and grows as we do. Joy grows in difficult situations. It keeps us focused and in control. Joy is a stabilizing factor that gets us through the rough times.

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:1-5 NLV

Troubles don’t come from God but they can be used by Him if we keep our focus on the Father and not the problem. When cast our care (trouble) over on the Lord he takes it and works it out. We need to be patient in the process knowing that He hasn’t forgotten us but is working on our behalf. That’s what produces the hope we have and when we hope in Him we will never be disappointed.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:2-8 NLV

Happiness is an outgrow of joy. Think of it this way. Joy is a tree and happiness is the fruit. The tree needs sunshine and rain; it faces the elements, the daily hardships but it endures. And from the endurance it gathers nutrients that help produce the fruit – the fruit of happiness.

We can then take that happiness that has grown on the tree of joy and share it with others. God loves us and is working in our lives and on our circumstances. We can be joyful as we wait to see how He is working things out for us and then we can pick that fruit, happiness, and use it to bless others.

Grow happiness!

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Content With Life

I started my morning by looking at pictures that reflect contentment – so many images of serenity. I was content just looking at them.

Scenes of waves on a beach, a boat on a lake, a kitten curled up by the fire, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, big pillow-y clouds in a rich blue sky. If you were to photograph contentment what would your image be?

With some of the images there were quotes. Succinct sayings to convey the meaning of contentment.

  • 1. “To be content doesn’t mean you don’t desire more, it means you’re thankful for what you have and patient for what’s to come …
  • 2. “Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.”. Bilal Zahoor.
  • 3. “Contentment is an attitude that says, I will be satisfied with what God has given me.”. Anonymous.
  • 4. “Contentment comes from many great and small acceptances in life.”. Anonymous.

All too often we lose the joy and peace of today because we are striving to obtain more for our tomorrow. Perhaps, we are so busy reflecting on our losses of the past we forget to enjoy blessings of the present. These will both rob us of our contentment.

There is nothing wrong with ambition; with setting goals and having a vision. Those are good traits as long as we are letting the Lord be the one who sets our course and we are following Him.

I asked you what your picture of contentment would look like. When I asked that I had to stop because I was imagining what Daniel might have pictured – his would be sleeping among the lions. Peter’s image might be the inside of a prison cell and Jesus might take a picture of a boat on a rough and stormy sea. Paul and Silas would no doubt draw the inside of a dungeon during an earthquake and Jonah would possibly sketch the contents in the belly of the great fish.

Strange images, right? Not what you or I would choose to put on a the pages of a “serenity calendar” but these were places of contentment. In each of these places the occupants sensed the power and the presence of Almighty God. There they were content. The Apostle Paul said this:

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:11-13 NLT

My heart is stirred to focus on God’s goodness and His peace. The world seems more out of control than it has ever been, yet, in this world Jesus says we can have peace.

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” John 16:33 ERV

We all know that things do not bring happiness or peace. We have examples of people everyday in the news who seem to have it all and they are miserable. Again we have the words of the Apostle Paul:

“…These people think religion is supposed to make you rich. 6 And religion does make your life rich, by making you content with what you have. 7 We didn’t bring anything into this world, and we won’t take anything with us when we leave. 8 So we should be satisfied just to have food and clothes.” I Timothy 6:5-8 CEV

Lest anyone thinks that I am saying that we should all be paupers, I’m not. Our lives in Christ are to be full and abundant. When we are focusing on our relationship with the Father, He provides for all our needs and we can be content.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

I pray that we all find contentment in each day. Living in peace and enjoying the Father’s goodness.

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Memory Lane

A few weeks ago while my mother was here visiting we found ourselves talking about the “old times”. This is something we do quite often when we are together.

We talked about her childhood, my childhood and that of my children. I find it hard to imagine what it must be like to have ninety-six years of lifetime to remember. She does so well; sometimes its hard for her to remember yesterday or last week but her memories of times past are sharp.

Several years ago Dave and I made a trip to Arizona from Montana through Colorado and New Mexico. As a girl, I lived in northern New Mexico for about a year. My dad was doing road construction and this was the next leg of the journey.

Anyway…I shared my memories with Dave on that trip and then Mom and I reminisced about those same things when she was here. It was a special time for me; my first snow, picking pinyons on the mountain side, the neighbors peach orchard, good friends who lived close to the creek, Christmas Eve mass at the Catholic mission and visiting the hogans on the Indian Reservation every week and to bring kids into town to the Good News club.

It was a magical time.

When our children were very little, Kim wasn’t quite two and Koy was only weeks old, we moved from Phoenix to Las Cruces, New Mexico. That was a special time for Dave and I.

It was there that God revealed Himself to us as the Great Healer when He healed our son. It was there, too, that we first learned about the victorious Christian life that God wants us to live. We began hearing teaching from God’s word on the authority of the believer and that we weren’t subject to a life of “just struggle through and when we get to heaven it will be worth it all”. Oh yes, it will be worth it but God has called us to be more than conquerors and overcomers in Christ Jesus and our eyes were open to that then. That was forty-two years ago.

It’s good to take a walk down memory lane. In fact, God told the Israelites that they should recall the deliverance from Egypt to their children so they wouldn’t fall into the trap of serving false gods. The Passover was and is a time of remembrance of God’s deliverance.

It’s important to remember!

Sometimes we get so caught up in the hear and now that we forget about God’s faithfulness in the past. Some of today’s problems seem monumental, insurmountable but in remembering the past, we see God’s faithfulness and how He moved to deliver us from the giants of days gone by.

Take time today to recall the miracles God has done in your life – tell someone your testimony. Remember when you gained new insight in God’s word and it brought you out of bondage to fear, to religious tradition, to addictive behaviours, etc. Let your journey be an encouragement to your children and to those you love and maybe even to a stranger.

“Remember these commands I give you. Keep them in your hearts. Write them down and tie them on your hands and wear them on your foreheads as a way to remember my laws. 19 Teach these laws to your children. Talk about these things when you sit in your houses, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. 20 Write these commands on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. 21 Then both you and your children will live a long time in the land that the LORD promised to give to your ancestors. You will live there as long as the skies are above the earth.” Deuteronomy 11:18-21

Let your walk down Memory Lane encourage you – God was faithful then and He is still the same today.

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Loud & Noisy

When will I learn? Once again it happened; that annoying three beep blast from the smoke detector at 3:30 a.m.! It’s now 4:30 and my heart rate is just now coming back to normal…I can guarantee you that I have now written on my calendar “Change Batteries” on both September 1 and March 1.

A noisy gong and a clanging cymbal! Life has many obtrusive interruptions. The Apostle Paul writes about such things.

“ If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” I Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT

These are the first verses in what is called the love chapter. Paul is telling us that we may have all sorts of talents, abilities and motivations but if they aren’t done with a loving attitude then our good deeds are worthless, annoying and for self-gratification.

Like a clanging cymbal!

However, when done from a heart of love, a servant’s heart, people’s lives are impacted and they are pointed to Jesus.

“But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light.” I Peter 2:9 ERV

A clanging cymbal can be either an annoyance or a sound of joy and comfort. The little toy monkey pictured with this morning’s blog is one of the most annoying toys ever. Clang- Clang- Clang! It can certainly be compared to the blast of the smoke alarm.

But then there is the blast of the horn of a fire truck on it’s way to rescue someone or the siren of an ambulance. Those sounds might annoy drivers in traffic or someone in their home trying to nap but they most definitely bring comfort to the one who made the 9-1-1 call.

The clanging cymbal – it can be like the little toy monkey or it can be like the finale of the 1812 Overture. It can be dreaded or excitedly embraced! The same is true of our actions. We can be annoying because the things we do are void of love or we can be a comfort and source of joy.

“Praise him with a clash of cymbals;  praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 150:5-6 NLT

Today I choose to be a loud clanging cymbal used to praise God and tell of His greatness!

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