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It Is Good!

One of the things I enjoy about being in the mountains is talking with people who are enjoying God’s creation.

Night before last we had another amazing sunset! Last night, we talked with several people who were remarking on its beauty. “Did you see that sunset, it was one of the most beautiful I’ve seen?” And they would go on from there. One man we met is a professional photographer and he had been out one night photographing the Milky Way; he said he loves being up here where there is no artificial light to spoil the night sky.

I’m sure, as we were looking at the spectacular sunset God was too. I can just hear him saying, “Now that’s a good one. I hope they enjoy it.”

“ God said, “I command lights to appear in the sky and to separate day from night and to show the time for seasons, special days, and years. 15 I command them to shine on the earth.” And that’s what happened. 16 God made two powerful lights, the brighter one to rule the day and the other to rule the night. He also made the stars. 17 Then God put these lights in the sky to shine on the earth, 18 to rule day and night, and to separate light from darkness. God looked at what he had done, and it was good. 19 Evening came and then morning—that was the fourth day.” Genesis 1:14-18 CEV

God looked at what he had done, and it was good! Oh my, yes.

Good…I can find so many more adjectives in describing the sunset than good but then I’m not God. That was the phrase that struck me this morning, as I began to write. He called it good. Just good.

But when He talks about us He is much more eloquent.

“But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done. The Scriptures say, 10 “Once you were nobody. Now are God’s people. At one time no one had pity on you. Now God has treated you with kindness.” I Peter 2:9-12 CEV

Special…chosen…royal…holy. A beautiful sunset is good but we are special, chosen, royal and holy. WOW! To know that God thinks about me in those terms is overwhelming. When I look into a mirror I tend to see my flaws and imperfections but that’s not what God sees. He sees me as valuable and precious.

“Then the Lord All-Powerful said: You people are precious to me, and when I come to bring justice, I will protect you, just as parents protect an obedient child.” Malachi 3:17 CEV

Through the years I have learned that what God says about me holds greater value than what others say about me or even, what I say about myself. His opinion is the one that matters and to Him, I am precious!

The beautiful sunset is good but I am precious and so are you!

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Fare Well

Two phrases have been running through my mind – fare well (welfare) and well being. These two phrases are very much akin to each other.

Fare well: in the Old English meant to enjoy a life that was well provided for and later was shorten to become welfare. Fare well was used as you departed from someone, much like our word good-bye. I like that saying, it conveys a sentiment of concern for the other person’s good health and success.

Well being: is very similar to fare well. Again, it has to do with the condition of life. Well-being or being well implies more than just good health. It has to do with the whole man, spirit, soul and body.

When I pray for people I pray for the well-being and their welfare.

“I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns.” I Thessalonians 5:23 CEV

“With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been. 3 The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, 4 and protects us from death.
His kindness and love  are a crown on our heads. 5 Each day that we live, he provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle. 6 For all who are mistreated, the Lord brings justice.” Psalm 103:2-6 CEV

So many in the world think that God is wanting our lives to be filled with woe and agony, that is so far from the truth. From the time He chose Abraham to be the father of the nation and the people He called His own He has desired to bless us. He is our loving and gracious heavenly father.

If you have kids you understand that we give our children instruction and tell them to follow our words. They need to know not to touch a hot stove, to brush their teeth and wash their hands. We teach them to share and be kind and forgiving. We command them to rest, they may not want to take a nap but we know they must have good rest in order to be well and have a good temperament.

God has done the same for His children. He has given us instructions, commandments as it were, to follow. Each time He gave commandments He told his children to follow them and they would be blessed. They would fare well. He wanted them, and us, to walk in His blessings.

Part of my Bible reading took me to Leviticus 26 this morning. I won’t include all the verses here but may I encourage you to read it for yourself. Here’s an excerpt:

“ Faithfully obey my laws, 4 and I will send rain to make your crops grow… Your harvest…will be so abundant, that you won’t know what to do with it all. ..6 I will bless your country with peace, and you will rest without fear…9 I will treat you with such kindness that your nation will grow strong, and I will also keep my promises to you…11 I will live among you and never again look on you with disgust. 12 I will walk with you—I will be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God,…I have set you free; now walk with your heads held high.” Leviticus 26:3-13 CEV

These are the words of our God and loving Father. It is His desire that we fare well and have a life of well-being.

Fare well dear friends!

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Jumping In

Have you ever noticed how much fun kids have jumping? It can be jumping in to a pool or jumping in a puddle; they like jumping on trampolines and jumping rope. They have to be told not to jump on the bed and the furniture. Jumping houses have become a favorite at backyard birthday parties. Yes, jumping seems to be a favorite pastime for kids.

Now, some adults seem to enjoy jumping as well but it’s a different kind of jumping. They like jumping to conclusions. This kind of jumping can be quite dangerous.

Without much background information and little research, snap judgements are made and conclusions are improperly drawn. Reputations can be ruined and discontentment can surface when we jump to the wrong conclusion.

The religious leaders of Jesus day jumped to the wrong conclusion about Him.

They had been waiting for the “coming Messiah”. It had been prophesied by their prophets for hundreds of years. They talked in their synagogues of His coming – would He deliver them from Roman oppression?

But when He came, they accused Him of blasphemy. They said He came from the wrong region of the country, that He had a devil because He could do miracles and that the Messiah wouldn’t associate with sinners who drank wine or had scandalous reputations. They jumped to the wrong conclusion.

“Later, Jesus and his disciples were having dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and other sinners were also there. 11 Some Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”

12 Jesus heard them and answered, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. 13 Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.’ I didn’t come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13 CEV

You know, I jumped to a few wrong conclusions about God’s love myself. I felt I had to be good enough to earn God’s love and if I messed up God would distance Himself from me. I felt my relationship with the Father was based on my good merit and didn’t understand His grace.

“But the gift that God was kind enough to give was very different from Adam’s sin. That one sin brought death to many others. Yet in an even greater way, Jesus Christ alone brought God’s gift of kindness to many people.

16 There is a lot of difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God’s gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. 17 Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has been so kind to us, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.” Romans 5:15-17 CEV

I had jumped to the wrong conclusion. God is gracious, loving and kind. He is forgiving. He desires to have relationship with us.

Let’s all jump to the right conclusion – God is love; jump into relationship with Him, the conclusion will be acceptance and an abundant life in Him.

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I Will Sustain You!

This morning those were the opening words in my Bible reading, “I will sustain thee”!

Those words have a particular importance to me today. I had been sitting here praying for my dear friend from high school. She and I have shared many experiences, heart aches and joys, over the years. Miles have separated us but the love we share has never waned.

I silence my phone during the night and so when I woke up this morning I had a text from her. She was diagnosed with cancer a week a go. Today she will have exploratory surgery. As I sat here I prayed for her strength and healing, for the medical teams skill and wisdom, peace for her and her family and death to every cancer cell in her body.

A fighting spirit emerged from my heart. I went to my Bible looking for answers and the Lord brought me this verse.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 NIV

God’s word has our answers, there is nothing that comes our way that He cannot change. “I will sustain you and I will rescue you” are great words of promise and hope.

We are never on the sidelines when it comes to our family and loved ones. The Apostle Paul tells us that we are all members of one body in Christ and when one members hurts we should all come to their aide. Our prayers, our encouragement, our faith are needed on their behalf.

And, when we’ve done all we know to do we stand, stand firmly on God’s word.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you are able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist when the times are evil, and after you have done everything to stand firm. Stand firm then!” Ephesians 6:10-14 TLV

This morning I need some gray-haired prayer warriors to send prayers of encouragement, of healing and strength to my friend. We have a Father who will carry us, sustain us and rescue us.

I believe that with all my heart.

“God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind! Does He speak and then not do it, or promise and not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19 TLV

Join me in my battle cry – “He will sustain and rescue”!

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More of God, Less of Me

Have you ever wondered if your life has any measurable significance?  I have!

I’m a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend and teacher. My experiences haven’t shaped society, nor have I ever invented a gadget that would make life better for millions of people.

However, I’m an ordinary person who tells others about Jesus and his amazing love.  I tell them about the Father, who is gracious, loving and kind.  He desires to have a relationship with us, a relationship of trust, love and forgiveness; He desires to protect and provide for his children. And I love to tell folks about the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, our counselor and our advocate.

Ordinary people have changed our world!

Moses was born to parents who lived as slaves in the land of Egypt and he was used by God to deliver over one million Israelites and lead them to what is now called the land of Israel.

Rahab was a harlot, that’s what the Bible says about her, and she hid some spies and was instrumental in the invasion of country by those Israelites.

Gideon was a timid man who was afraid of the marauding hordes and hid in his father’s shed to thrash wheat. He was the seventh son of a seventh son. He had no place of importance but he and 300 men were used by God to defeat a king and his armies.

Esther was an orphan and a refugee. She was raised by her uncle. No one of significance yet she became the queen of Persia and saved her people from annihilation. She was born “for such a time as this”.

John the Baptist, was an early day mountain man. He lived in caves, wore clothing man from camel’s hair and ate locust and honey. He lived of the land. Not quite the advance man that you would pick for the King of Kings but that’s what he did.

Saul, who became the Apostle Paul, was a religious zealot. He hobnobbed with the social and religious elites.  He was well educated and rose to a prominent place in society. But his stand for Christ and the message of redemption caused him to lose it all. He called all the accolades “dung”.

All of these people changed the world, although they may not have known it at the time. They were ordinary but when God called them to a task they accepted His calling. They lived a life of more of God, less of me.

“Don’t let anyone fool you by using senseless arguments. These arguments may sound wise, but they are only human teachings. They come from the powers of this world and not from Christ. 9 God lives fully in Christ. 10 And you are fully grown because you belong to Christ, who is over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:8-10 CEV

God has an extraordinary plan for each of our lives. We are complete in Him. We just need to be willing to let Him reveal it through us.

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The Right Path

Last weekend our oldest daughter and son-in-law came to the campground to spend a few days with us.  On Saturday, we went a place called “The Catwalk” in Glenwood Springs, New Mexico.

The Catwalk is a mining site developed in the late 1800’s after gold and silver were discovered. There is a hiking path that flanks both sides of a creek. When Dave and I were there in July, before we had many days of rain, the creek was shallow and not very swift. However, on last weekend’s outing the water level was higher and more rapid.

The path, in most places, is well marked but the water crossings were somewhat obscured because of the amount of water flow.

After we had made the crossing, safely, and got home  I remembered this verse.

“You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path.” Psalm 143:10 CEV

Sometimes we walk a path that seems familiar and we feel we can handle it on our own but other times we are in uncharted waters and we feel vulnerable. No matter the circumstances we can trust the Lord to guide us through safely.

“Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.” Psalm 119:105 CEV

When we need help we can depend on God’s Word to give us the proper guidance. If we seek Him we will find that He is always there. God isn’t hiding from us or leaving us to flounder on our own.

No, even in the roughest places and the hardest times, He is there to guide us.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. 4 I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe.” Psalm 23:1-4 CEV

By peaceful streams or through rough waters the Lord is always there. When we follow His voice, His word, He will lead us on the right path.

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Spelling Lesson

School is back in session for most of the kids and they have spelling lessons. Today, I’m going to teach you a new way to spell two words, defeat and quit.

How do you spell defeat? It’s spelled q-u-i-t. How do you spell quit? It’s spelled n-e-v-e-r!

Things come up in life and it looks like we’ll be defeated. Some times the hard things make us want to quit! It could be a relationship, an illness, financial problems, a continued process of setbacks but we must not quit!!!

Fight the battle – victory will come.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume.” II Corinthians 2:14 ERV

ALWAYS!

Do you remember the story of the Israelites after they had been delivered from Pharaoh and Egypt ? They had seen God do mighty things and now they were standing on the edge of the Promised Land. The Lord told them they would go in and possess the land so they sent in spies to see what the land was like.

Twelve spies went in; they brought back clusters of grapes so big that two men had to carry them on a pole. It truly was a land flowing with milk and honey as God had said it was (He doesn’t lie you know). The land was lush and beautiful. A land to be desired but…the spies reported there were giants in the land.

God knew the giants were there when He said He would give them the land. Were the giants really any bigger an obstacle than the Pharaoh’s army or the Red Sea? If God had provided victory for them in the past, why would they doubt His ability now?

The spies took their eyes off of their God and looked at their own ability. They had given up. They were defeated! Joshua and Caleb, two of the spies, tried to get their eyes back on the bigness of God and the people were ready to stone them.

“ It is a land filled with many good things. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land. And he will give that land to us. 9 So don’t turn against the LORD! Don’t be afraid of the people in that land. We can defeat them. They have no protection, nothing to keep them safe. But we have the LORD with us, so don’t be afraid!” 10 All the people began talking about killing Joshua and Caleb with stones.” Numbers 14:8-10 ERV

Trusting God isn’t “a way” to get things done, it’s “the way”. Jesus didn’t say I am “a way”, “a truth” and “a life” – NO! He said I am THE way, THE truth and THE life.

We must stay focused on the greatness of our God or we’ll be like the Israelites and quit before we get started.

I don’t know your situation or what battles you have been fighting but don’t quit! You’re not in this alone – God is there to fight the battle with and for you!

Don’t quit – don’t give up – don’t accept defeat and you will ALWAYS TRIUMPH!

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Many Wonders

This morning I have a short thought to share with you from the book of Job.

Job was the object of the devil’s destruction. He lost his home, his livelihood and his children. In all of it, he never blamed God or walked away from his relationship with Him.

His friends thought Job had sinned greatly and that God was punishing him but Job maintain that he hadn’t sinned. After many days of their rebuke, the Lord spoke and confirmed Job’s innocence of any great sin.

The one thing that stands out to me from this trial is that Job always saw the greatness of God, his friends made mention of it too. They talked of creation and all that God had made. They talked of the way nature moved in harmony and were amazed by what God had done.

I believe this is where Job found his strength to endure the trial is was in.

“Job, consider carefully the many wonders of God. 15 Can you explain why lightning
flashes at the orders 16 of God who knows all things? Or how he hangs the clouds
in empty space?” Job 37:14-16 CEV

We would do well to follow these words; “consider carefully the many wonders of God”.

When we are going through a trial and feel alone and lost “consider carefully the many wonders of God”. Our God and Father who created all we see is by our side. He has promised to never leave us. He is our protector and provider, He is our strength and our joy!

The other day while we were hiking by a river I saw this marvelous mushroom. It’s called a turkey tail. It’s amazingly different for many of the other mushrooms. Our Father created it. If He would put this much creative thought into creating a mushroom just think of how much thought and purpose He puts into designing our lives.

“I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.” Jeremiah 29:11 CEV

If you need to be encouraged today, look around and consider the many wonders of God. This God and Father knows the number of the hairs on your head, He knows your name and you are valuable and special to Him!

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Good Morning!

This will be a good day! Why? It’s the day the Lord has made and everything that God does is good.

“The Lord made this happen, and we think it is wonderful! 24 This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be happy today!” Psalm 118:23-24 ERV

Sometimes we are tempted to look at a day with angst. The things that transpired the day before have us wondering if this day with be filled with more of the same stress and anxiety. We can choose to stew and fret or we can look for the blessings that the Lord has ordained for us.

I’ll admit, I was doing more of the first when my day started this morning. Yesterday was filled with challenging situations. I almost let it get me down but the longer I sat here, joy began to bubble up in my heart. I’m not going to let frustration captivate my day.

I choose joy!

“Let all who run to you
for protection
    always sing joyful songs.
Provide shelter for those
who truly love you
    and let them rejoice.” Psalm 5:11 CEV

If you are having a hard time greeting the day with joy, spend some time in prayer telling the Lord what it is that has captured your peace and trust Him to take care of it for you. He will!

Begin listing all those things that you are grateful for and you will soon find that joy and peace return and you will be strengthened.

Choose Joy!

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Oops!

This morning is a time of confession. I hope you don’t mind that I share.

Yesterday, I didn’t stop myself from doing something I know is wrong. I allowed myself to gossip! And yes, I have repented. It was wrong and ungodly.

There are so many more things we can fill our mouths with, without filling them with words that are derogatory. My actions made my heart hurt and I also know that the Holy Spirit was grieved.

Why am I sharing this with you?

I felt it was important to let you know what the Lord is ministering to me this morning. Our words have creative power – they can give life but they can also bring about death. Maybe not physical death but they can bring death to a relationship, to someone’s character, to a good testimony.

“Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.” Proverbs 18:21 CEV

James, the apostle, tells us that a mature persons learns to bridle their tongue. Jesus’ example is always the one we should follow. I’m sure He had numerous occasions to gossip but He didn’t. He didn’t because He knew it wouldn’t please the Father. Proverbs tells us that gossip is one of the seven things God hates. Now that’s strong!

The question then comes, how do I keep from it. This was King David’s prayer:

“Help me to guard my words whenever I say something.” Psalm 141:3 CEV

“Let my words and my thoughts  be pleasing to you, Lord, because you are my mighty rock and my protector.” Psalm 19:14 CEV

And these words come from King Solomon:

“Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble.” Proverbs 21:23 CEV

If you find yourself in a situation where you are gossiping or saying something unkind, stop and repent. The best way I have found to control my tongue is to keep quiet – learn the vocabulary of silence.

“But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God.” Matthew 15:18 CEV

Lord, help us all to honor You with our heart’s attitude and our words! Amen!!

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