Category: Faithfulness

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Rough Roads

We had a great time taking the family to the Polar Express in Williams on Tuesday. It was one of those “memory makers” that we, grandparents, hope to make with our grandchildren.

We had hoped for some snow so the kids could also make their first snowballs and possibly a snowman. When we woke yesterday morning the cars in the parking lot at the hotel had a nice little covering of snow. What we didn’t realize was that the road which led to home was snow packed.

Making snowballs in the parking lot was fun for them. They giggled as they made their slushy projectiles, lobbing them at their mother and siblings. All the while Pappy and their Dad were making plans on how to navigate the roads.

The weather and road apps didn’t give us the full story. We talk with the hotel desk clerk, and she said her managers had come from Flagstaff and they didn’t report any problems, so we loaded the kids in their car, we got in the truck and headed out.

The first several miles were fine. Driving slower than normal but nothing too concerning. And then – well the roads got worse, no ice but snow packed ruts narrowed to one lane and it was very slow going. It was that way for the next hundred miles. (The picture was taken when the roads got better.)

As we reached the lower elevations the snow turned to rain and the roads were open again. Our daughter text me saying, “This is why I’m glad we no longer live in the snow”. Amen to that.

Those roads reminded me of a Scripture.

“A voice is calling, ‘Make the way ready for the Lord in the desert. Make the road in the desert straight for our God. 4 Every valley will be lifted up and every mountain and hill will be brought down. The turns in the road will be made straight and the bad places will be made smooth. 5 Then the shining-greatness of the Lord will be seen. All flesh together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” Isaiah 40:3-5 NLV

These are the words of prophecy that were given about the ministry of Jesus.

When life seems to be full of twists and turns, rough and rocky places, we can depend on the Lord to make the bad places smooth. The power of God in our lives will make crooked places straight; turn struggles into strength and battles into triumph.

Keep going even though the path narrows and the way seems constricted. It may be a difficult road to navigate but when we keep your eyes on Him we will see the path clear and His shining-greatness will be revealed.

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A Son Is Born!

Merry Christmas!

Those of you with little children have probably been up for hours, putting together those Christmas toys or answering the middle-of-the-night questions, “has Santa come yet?”. Maybe your home is filled with family, and you are just as excited for the events of Christmas morning as they are and that excitement stole your sleep. I’m excited too!!

Merry Christmas, a Son is born!

Because of Jesus homes and hearts are filled with peace and joy. Because of Jesus forgiveness and unconditional love is ours. Because of Jesus we have hope for all our tomorrows.

“The angel said, ‘Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. 21  Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ 22 So the Lord’s promise came true, just as the prophet had said, 23  ‘A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,” which means ‘God is with us.'” Matthew 1:20-23 CEV

A Son is born, and his name is called Immanuel, which means God is with us!

As you are reading the words of this blog, God is with you. When you go to the kitchen and start breakfast, as you open the presents under the tree, when you gather round the dinner table God is with you. He has placed Himself at the ready – some of you have invited Him into your hearts but He is still patiently waiting for others of you to extend that invitation.

Tonight, when all is quiet, and the dishes are done, and children are in bed Immanuel will still be there. Tomorrow morning, He will be a constant companion who has promised to never leave or abandon you. I pray that the abiding presence of Immanuel will be more than just a pleasant thought on Christmas. I pray that it will be a life-changing experience.

Because a Son is born, God is with us! Merry Christmas.

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Renovations at Christmas

Last night we flew in after dark. The Christmas light display from the air was beautiful. Once on the ground we had quite a drive to get home, again I was taken by the lights. Someone, many some ones, had gone to great effort to renovate these homes into winter wonderlands.

That got me to thinking about our theme of yesterday, “Mighty God”.

“…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 KJV

When you think about who God is and think about that phrase “mighty God” what comes to mind?

I think about the millions of lives that have been changed.

“On one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them. 18 Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was. 19 But they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus.” Luke 5:17-19 NLV

Here was a man who was paralyzed. He had four friends who knew if he could get to Jesus something miraculous would happen. In comes the “home reno”. Not being able to get into the house where Jesus was, they went to the roof and began to dismantle it. They removed enough of the roofing material to lower this man, on his bed, to the floor below, just in front of Jesus.

I’m sure the homeowner was less that thrilled. Debris began falling on the religious leaders as the demo started. Jesus knew things were about to get real, someone was exhibiting great faith in Him, after all, He was Mighty God.

That man was completely healed, and his sins were forgiven. The vestiges of his old life had been completely demolished and a new life of walking free had begun.

Throughout the life of Jesus, we’ve seen many examples of renovated lives. A prostitute had the shame she had been living in destroyed and a new life of respectability was built. A rich man named Zacchaeus had his high-rise penthouse renovated, all greed removed, and compassion filled each room.

The demoniac who was living in a shack of fear, torment and disassociation saw his home, his life, rebuilt where there was no room for mental torment, anxiety, fear and humiliation.

All of these people, and more, were touched and changed by the one called “Mighty God”.

“ For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New life has begun.” II Corinthians 5:17 NLV

Be open to renovating this Christmas. The “Mighty God” reconstruction company comes to work as soon as a prayer is made. He’s willing to change the home, the heart, of anyone who asks.

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Willing to Wait

Well, this morning we are on our way to visit with our son and his girlfriend for a few days and then with our granddaughter and her family.

It seems I’ve been waiting forever for this day to come.

Waiting is hard, especially at Christmas time. Do you remember being little and having to wait for Christmas morning? Tell me ,why do parents put presents under the tree 3 weeks in advance? Why are we told grandma and grandpa will be here, 2 weeks before they arrive? For little ones that seems like an eternity.

Now, imagine if you will, being Mary on the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was about 120 miles. Each night of the trip she waited for a comfortable bed but there was none. She waswaiting, hoping in all earnestness, for a warm and comfortable bed upon their arrival. But there was none.

Never in her wildest dreams do I think she imagined that she would be giving birth to her first child, God’s Son, in a barn!

“ I would have been without hope if I had not believed that I would see the loving-kindness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Let your heart be strong. Yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NLV

These words were written by King David but I think they must have also been the words of Mary’s heart.

But Mary wasn’t the only one who had waited for the day of Christ’s birth. God, the Father, had been waiting too. He had been waiting since the days of Adam and Eve in the garden.

“ Then the Lord God said to the snake, “Because you have done this, you will be hated and will suffer more than all cattle, and more than every animal of the field. You will go on your stomach and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will make you and the woman hate each other, and your seed and her seed will hate each other. He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 NLV

These were God’s words of prophecy to the serpent in the garden. The seed of the woman, Christ, would crush the head of the serpent, Satan. Satan’s fate had been sealed! God would have the final word but He had to wait!

Are you waiting for something big to happen? A clear doctor’s report? A new promotion? A vindication among your peers? A restored relationship? Retirement? Graduation?

Don’t get tired in waiting. Don’t try to rush the plans of God. Be patient. Be willing to wait for God’s best, don’t settle for Satan’s counterfeit.

“ I wait for the Lord. My soul waits and I hope in His Word. 6 My soul waits for the Lord more than one who watches for the morning; yes, more than one who watches for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For there is loving-kindness with the Lord. With Him we are saved for sure.” Psalm 130:5-7 NLV

When we’re willing to wait good things happen. After all, it’s almost Christmas!

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Little Foxes

This morning I am reminded of the little things that try to steal our joy and gratitude. You see, night before last I made spaghetti for dinner. I was sampling the sauce, straight from the pot, and I blistered the roof of my mouth. Ouch!

Then yesterday morning, I wasn’t able to enjoy my coffee because my mouth was still tender and very sensitive to the heat. Same thing this morning, but not as severe. This made me realize how many times “little foxes” spoil our productivity and our praise. I was complaining instead of praising.

“Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!” Song of Solomon 2:15 NLT

What a strange little verse.

It was written by King Solomon to his lover. How many times do we let the “little things” in life ruin a loving relationship? Ruin a loving attitude?

Little frustrations – getting stuck in traffic, an overdue bill, being on hold and then getting someone on the line you can’t understand. A stubbed toe, lost keys, a mess in the kitchen or burning the roof of your mouth.

We seem to recognize the bigger issues more quickly and bring them to the Lord in prayer. We know He is always there to help in our time of need. But…the little issues, those little foxes can ruin our life’s vineyard of love, our heart’s gratitude, almost before we recognize it.

“ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16 NLT

Help when we need it most! Help when the traffic is at a standstill, help when the milk gets spilled on the kitchen table, help when the fuel tank is on E and we’re late for a meeting. Help!

“But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” Psalm 18:6 NLT

Knowing that the Lord hears our cry and answers our pleas is so encouraging. I often hear people, who really claim no relationship with the Lord, utter “Thank God” when a situation changes for the better.

Yes, thank God!

He is our strength, our deliverer, our “little fox” eradicator!

“We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:20-21 NLT

Don’t let the little foxes spoil the love that is growing in your garden. Chase them away with an attitude of praise!

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In Everything Give Thanks

“ Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

Be thankful in all circumstances.

Our circumstances don’t have to be perfect for us to have an attitude of thankfulness. As Christians we aren’t promised a problem free life, but we are given the promises that make us victorious in every situation. That is what we are to be thankful for.

“A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!” Acts 16:22-26 NLT

There was no apparent reason for Paul and Silas to be singing and praising God at midnight but sing they did.

“They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.” Acts 16:31-34 NLT

Some days it’s easy to sing because all seems right with the world, but other days come with unexpected distractions and joy-robbing obstacles. That’s where singing comes in – singing lifts the heart, it can make the heart skip and brings a lightness to our step.

Paul and Silas had been beaten and were chained in the prison but at midnight they chose to sing. I don’t believe they were singing the blues either, “nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”…No, I’m sure it was something like “I’ll fly away, o glory, I’ll fly away. When I die hallelujah by and by, I’ll fly away.”

“In” the worst of circumstances we can praise God “for” His faithfulness. Praise Him that He is a loving Father, and He has promised to never abandon us. Praise Him “for” being our source of strength, peace and joy.

Praise brings our focus to who God is and what His word says. Paul and Silas were focused on Jesus their Savior, and it led to the salvation of their jailer and his family.

“Come to worship him with thankful hearts and songs of praise. 3 The Lord is the greatest God, king over all other gods.” Psalm 95:2-3 CEV

Sing songs of praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Savior of your soul!

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The Day Is New

Did any of you get up in the middle of the night to see the eclipse? Me neither but in my life I have seen some pretty spectacular sunrises. The camera never does them justice but the one this morning comes from our time in Montana.

How many thousands of sunrises has God painted across the sky? Each one is an expression of His faithfulness. He one is a reminder that we are not going to face the day alone.

My reason for being thankful today is GOD! His great love and compassion amaze me each morning and I just want to give Him thanks.

“I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart;
    I will sing your praises before the gods.
2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name.
3 As soon as I pray, you answer me;
    you encourage me by giving me strength.

4 Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,
    for all of them will hear your words.
5 Yes, they will sing about the Lord’s ways,
    for the glory of the Lord is very great.
6 Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
    but he keeps his distance from the proud.

7 Though I am surrounded by troubles,
    you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
    and the power of your right hand saves me.
8 The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” Psalm 138 NLT

I give thanks to the Father for who He is and all that He has done. I thank Him for another day filled with his faithfulness.

God is Good!

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Good To All

Here we are about ready to step into November. The month when kids look forward to a few extra days out of school, when Moms look forward to having family “home for the holidays”, and Dads await the football games.

It seems there is something for everyone to anticipate. But there is also something for everyone to experience. No, it’s not the joy of having too much turkey and pumpkin pie. It’s not the smell of fresh baked rolls or green bean casserole or mashed potatoes and gravy.

It’s a different kind of yummy goodness. It’s the goodness of God.

All year long I indulge in this goodness and never gain a pound. I have been reading this chapter in Psalms daily for over twenty thirty-five years. This one Psalm talks about God’s goodness for ALL. As you read it this morning, I want you to stop each time you read the word “all” and say that’s for me, because it is.

“The Lord is full of loving-favor and pity, slow to anger and great in loving-kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all. And His loving-kindness is over all His works. 10 All Your works will give thanks to You, O Lord. And all those who belong to You will honor You. 11 They will speak of the shining-greatness of Your holy nation, and talk of Your power. 12 They will make Your powerful acts and the great power of Your holy nation known to the sons of men. 13 Your holy nation is a nation that lasts forever. And Your rule lasts for all time.

14 The Lord holds up all who fall. He raises up all who are brought down. 15 The eyes of all look to You. And You give them their food at the right time. 16 You open Your hand and fill the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is right and good in all His ways, and kind in all His works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. 19 He will fill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them. 20 The Lord takes care of all who love Him. But He will destroy all the sinful. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord. And all flesh will honor His holy name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:8-21 NLV

That’s a whole lot of ALL! No one is left out; God’s love is all-inclusive. If you’re not sure of God’s love and goodness toward you, I encourage you to go back and read those verses again or maybe you will be like me and now begin to read them every day.

Now say with me, God is good to all and that means God is good to me!

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Back In the Box

This past week Dave and I have been packing things up and getting ready to head back to the Valley. Our biggest struggle has been trying to get things back in their original boxes.

No, we don’t have a cat and if we did we wouldn’t put them in a box but we did have canvas tarps and poles for our garage and also the awning and stakes for our canopy. Dave kept saying, “how did they get all this in the box”.

After what seemed to be hours of struggling with folding and refolding, packing and unpacking and packing again, we were tired. At one point I said to him, “no more today, it can wait till tomorrow”. I went in and he kept working.

This may all seem silly to you but each of us face daily struggles. How do we keep everything in order? How do we get all our “junk” back in the box?

“He said, “This is the message from the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Your help will not come from your own strength and power. No, your help will come from my Spirit.’ This is what the Lord All-Powerful says.” Zechariah 4:6

When we have Christ in our life we never have to draw on our own strength. We have his promise that He will provide the strength that we need.

Some things become easier with age. We have the experience to be more relaxed in different situations. Things don’t seem as stressful because we’ve walked this ground before and know that eventually everything will work out. Or at least that’s how it seems.

However, with age some things can seem more difficult. The physical things that we once had the power to handle when we were younger not can be tiring and frustrating.

“I love you, Lord! You are my strength. 2 The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my place of safety. He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection. He is my shield; by his power I am saved. He is my hiding place high in the hills. 3 I called to the Lord for help, and he saved me from my enemies! He is worthy of my praise!” Psalm 18:1-3 ERV

The Lord never intended for us to do things on our own. He came to walk and talk with Adam and Eve each evening. He talked with Abraham, friend to friend. The Lord visited with Moses and gave him direction. He gave David strength to defeat a giant and was there when Daniel needed Him in the lion’s den.

Jesus talked with the Father continually and obtained the strength He needed for each day. The Apostle Paul made this statement to the churches in a letter written as a prisoner in Rome.

“Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” Philippians 4:13 ERV

What is it that takes your strength? Packing up to go home, an illness, an obnoxious co-worker, financial stress? In each and every situation the Father promises to be our help and provide our strength.

Trust Him. He knows how to put everything back in the box.

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On the Right Path

I woke earlier than normal this morning. I was organizing my thoughts and my activities. We leave the mountain in one week.

So much still needs to be done. There are responsibilities to complete here and preparations to be made for the trip home. Yet, in all of this, I heard the Father saying, “Trust Me, I know everything that needs to be accomplished and I will direct your path”.

Deep breath in and then a slow exhale. His presence always bring joy and peace.

I’ve been reading through II Samuel. This morning’s reading was the accounting of Absalom’s mutiny against his father, King David. David wouldn’t allow anyone to speak evil against or do harm to his son. He let the Lord, his God, be his defender.

From there I went to Psalms. I just happened to be reading Psalm 55, these are the words King David wrote after being betrayed by his “trusted friend”, his son. He ends that Psalm with these words; “But I – I will trust in You”.

King David had a deep grasp of God’s faithfulness. He knew the Almighty God was trustworthy in every situation.

“All day long those who hate me have walked on me. For there are many who fight against me with pride. 3 When I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 I praise the Word of God. I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can only a man do to me? ” Psalm 56:2-4 NLV

“My heart will not be moved, O God. My heart cannot be moved. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises! 8 Awake, my shining-greatness. Awake, harps. I will awake early in the morning. 9 O Lord, I will give thanks to You among the people. I will sing praises to You among the nations. 10 For Your loving-kindness is great to the heavens, and Your truth to the clouds.” Psalm 57:7-10 NLV

When we put our trust in the Lord we can walk free from fear. Our Father promises to maintain us – He is our strength, our shield and our defense.

“Followers of the Lord, trust in the Lord!  He is your strength and shield.” Psalm 115:11 ERV

He will always keep us on the right path, if we ask Him.

“Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you. I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance.” Psalm 143:8 CEV

“Praise the Lord!  He is my Rock. He prepares me for war. He trains me for battle. 2 He loves me and protects me. He is my safe place high on the mountain. He rescues me. He is my shield. I trust in him.” Psalm 144:1-2 ERV

“ I will tell of your greatness, my God and King. I will praise your name forever and ever. 2 I will praise you every day. I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 The Lord is great and deserves all our praise! No one can fully understand his greatness! 4 Each generation will praise you and tell the next generation about the great things you do.” Psalm 145:1-4 ERV

(Take time to read Psalms 143, 144 and 145 today)

Whether I am on the mountain or back down in the valley, the Lord is faithful and always will be. When I trust Him, I will be on the right path.

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