Whispers

Wow!  I can't believe it's been nearly a week since I posted my last blog!  I am happy to say school has begun and all the extra time I spent there helping get the rooms ready was well worth my time.  We have wonderful children again this year.  Please be in prayer for us and our students.  May God richly bless you!  I hope you enjoy my blog!

“He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.”  2 Samuel 23:4

While sitting at my kitchen table, I noticed a bird outside my window.  It was chasing a grasshopper.  The grasshopper jumped and tried to get away, but the bird quickly flew over to where it landed, took it in its beak and shook it.  The grasshopper in turn freed itself and hopped off to another spot.  The bird didn’t let it get away and kept following after it.  He took it in its beak and shook it again.  This cycle repeated itself until finally the grasshopper stopped jumping.  With one final shake, the bird pecked the grasshopper until it had a beak full.  The bird then flew off to enjoy its tasty snack.

Wanting to run outside and shew the bird away from the grasshopper I quickly came to my senses remembering that this is how nature works.   I couldn’t help but compare this example to Christians and the Enemy.  Unfortunately, the Enemy knows our weaknesses and loves to tempt us in those areas.  We try to get away, but, like the bird, he is always on our heels pecking at us and trying to get us to give in. 

I remember in 1975, Linda Ronstadt had a #1 hit called, You’re No Good.   There are times when we do give in to the temptations of the devil, and that’s when he whispers in our ears.  “You’re No Good, You’re No Good, You’re No Good!”  1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  

You can rest assured that the Enemy will try to tell us we’re no good.  Instead of listening to him, let’s listen to Lord as He reminds us that we are His.  Psalm 16:8 says, “I have set the LORD always before me.  Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”  

This week don’t listen to the Enemy when he whispers “You’re No Good!” in your ear. 

The Upside Down View

 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

Have you ever wondered why an ostrich sticks its head in the sand?  Or have you ever wondered how it would feel if you did it?  Or even possibly why you haven’t tried it before?  Sometimes if we would stop to think about it, it might just be the right thing to do.

Since most of my family lives in Alabama, I always treasure each opportunity we have to visit each other.  There is one particular visit that warms my heart whenever it comes to mind.  I can’t help but smile affectionately every time I remember it.

My brother drives an eighteen wheeler and had stopped by for a brief visit on his way to deliver a load.  My youngest daughter was about two years old at the time.  Like most babies at that age she was going through a shy stage.  As we sat in the den talking, she was curiously watching us and playing with her toys.  

The next thing I knew, she had turned her back to him, leaned down and put her head on the floor between her legs and was looking at him upside down through her legs!   She looked like a little ostrich!  We got so tickled at her.  She stood there for several minutes just staring at him.  I have often wondered what her little mind was thinking as she watched him from this new angle.  I'm not sure if she got tired or bored with her upside down view, but she quickly straightened up and began playing with her toys again and never gave him another glance. 

We often look at life through the Enemy’s perspective and live a defeated life.  We go through our day listening to all the negative things that are being said around us.  Slowly all the negativity begins to seep into our hearts until one day we find our self spiraling downward in a whirlwind of pessimism.  It is very easy to get caught up in speaking negative things about others or about life’s circumstances in general.  At first we feel guilty, but it eventually doesn’t affect us at all. 

What would happen if we stopped, turned our back on the negativity, put our heads down and looked at life and others in a totally different way?  We might by chance begin to see them as Christ does.  For when we look at life through Christ’s eyes, everything changes!  The next time our life starts a downward spiral, let’s remember the ostrich – let’s put our heads down and look at things differently!

Would You Please Be Still?

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.”

Psalm 34:8

Isn’t it funny how time changes things?  As a young girl, one of the things I hated, but desperately needed, was a nap.  Now, I long for the chance to lie down during the day even for a few minutes.

 

The older I get it seems as if the hours in each day get shorter and shorter.  I seldom find time, or maybe it’s that I seldom take time, to just sit and relax.  There’s always something to do around the house, whether it is laundry, cooking, or cleaning, or perhaps there’s somewhere I need to go.   I’m just busy doing who knows what!  I sometimes stop for a few minutes and wonder what happened to those carefree days when I had nothing to do! 

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read, “Slow down. Look around, and enjoy God’s creation.”  One of the things that makes God so awesome is His creation.  When I saw that bumper sticker, I thought of how much I needed to take its advice.   How I need to take time to focus on the beauty our heavenly Father has placed around me.  How I need to make sure I slow down every day and enjoy some quiet with Him. 

Psalm 46:10 tells us to “Be still and know that I am God…”   How can we be still when we convince ourselves we have too much to do?  How can we know God intimately if we don’t get still and listen to Him?  In regards to this, the question we should be asking our self is, “How can we NOT choose to be still and know that He is God?”  We read in the scriptures of how God speaks to His children in a still, small voice.  Haven't you found, like I have, that when we are too busy, we can’t hear Him. 

This week, let’s purposely set aside some time each day to be still before the Lord.  Then, during this still, quiet time, let’s place the names of those needing prayer at the Master’s feet.  Finally, let’s get some of that much needed rest, which comes from the peaceful presence of our gracious God.

Come Sit by Me!

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; …praise his holy name…

and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins…” Psalm 113:1-3

When I used to drive the YMCA bus, there was a little guy who rode and was constantly hopping around, standing up in the isle, falling out of his seat, and to top it all off, he was always talking ninety-to-nothing.  I always had to tell him to sit down, don’t talk so loud, and get back in his seat.  Then there was the little girl who sat across from him.  She talked occasionally, but not too loud.  She would sometimes turn around in her seat to see what was happening behind her, but mostly she was a good little passenger.

The cutest thing happened one day between the two of them.  Because of a problem that occurred on the bus I had to move one of the older boys to sit in her seat.  Knowing she liked the front seat I asked her if she wanted to sit with the little guy in the seat beside her.  She said, “Yes.”  One day she sat down by him and he turned and asked her, “Why do you want to sit with me everyday?”  With a sheepish grin she replied, “Because I think you’re pretty.”

Most of the time, we are like the little guy - hopping around and always doing something we shouldn’t.  Then, just like the little girl, here is Jesus still wanting to sit by us.  Even though He knows our faults, He sits by quietly watching us hop from one crazy thing to another.  His grace is amazing and His forgiveness is complete.  Psalm 103:11-12 says, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  


Today may we remember that our Heavenly Father loves us and considers us His treasured possession.  And most importantly, He loves to sit by us!

The Heartbeat

“And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”

Mark 10:16

I remember, as if it were yesterday, being a small child and crawling onto my mom’s lap.  I may have fallen down and gotten hurt or just simply wanted her to hold me. Whatever the reason was, I’d lay my head on her chest and sit as still as a stone.  She would put her arms around me and even at that young age I knew there was no sound more comforting and no sound that could make me feel more secure than listening to the beat of her heart.  There was no mistaking the love she felt for me.  With my ear pressed as close as possible against her chest, I’d listen to the sound of her voice as she talked or sang quietly to me.  It was a sound I will never forget.

There are times now when I love to crawl onto my Savior’s lap.  I can feel His love embrace me as I tell him all my troubles and cares.  He dries my tears and wipes away my fears.  He never tires of listening to me.  In fact, to prove this, He has it written down in His Word.   Matthew 11:28 says, “…Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”   

There is nothing on this earth that can match the gift of love, whether it is from God, our family, or even our friends.  Today, we all need to crawl onto Jesus' lap and rest our weary heads upon His chest.  We will surely be calmed by the sound of His heart.  While we are there, let’s take a few minutes to reflect upon the promise of Psalm 91:1-2 which says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  

Where's the Light?

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  John 8:12

When I was a child I always hated waking up in the middle of the night and having to go to the bathroom - especially when it is winter time.  It was cold and dark in the house.  We didn’t have a night light in every room like I do now.

There was a street light on the left corner of our front yard that gave out partial light to the left side of our house, but, the bathroom was on the right side!  It was normal for me to stub my toe on something because of the darkness.  I dared not turn on the lights in the middle of the night so as to not wake anyone else up.  So, I’d stumble, sleepily, all the way to the back of the house where the bathroom was.

Thinking back on it now, I remember the trip back to bed was easier than the trip to the bathroom.  After being awake in the dark for a while, my eyes would get used to the darkness.  Before I would make it back to my bed, I could see pretty good. 

That’s how it is with most people today.  John 3:19 says, “And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.”  There is so much evil in the world we have become oblivious to it.  We are no longer shocked when we watch the news or when we watch a gory movie.

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

This week instead of stumbling around in the darkness, may our lights shine for Christ so that all will see and give praises to our Heavenly Father.

I Will Bless the Lord Forever!

As you can see, I've not updated my blog since last Sunday.  I've painted my daughter's room plus I am trying to finish everything else that I had planned to do during summer break before school begins next Tuesday.  So, with that explained, here is today's devotional.  May God bless you!

“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn? 

~Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice)

I was listening to the radio on my way to the YMCA and I heard the radio show hosts talking about something they had read in the newspaper.  This man couldn’t afford to have the air conditioner in his car fixed so he decided to improvise.  He had an old window unit a/c at his house and he hooked it up to a generator and stuck it in the sunroof of his car.  They laughed and said, “He’s driving around town in his “cool” car now.”

When I heard them talking about it, I cracked up.  I could visualize a few people I know doing the same thing or something similar, bless their hearts.

After taking a few visual moments, I turned my thoughts to how amazing the Lord is.  How at times He provides for us in the most unexpected ways.  Lamentations 3:21-23 (NCV) says, “But I have hope when I think of this: The Lord’s love never ends; his mercies never stop.  They are new every morning; LORD, your loyalty is great.”  

I love the lyrics to the praise & worship song, “Made Me Glad.” We sing it at church sometimes.  Here are some of its lyrics.

“I will bless the Lord forever ~   I will trust Him at all times

He has delivered me from all fear

He has set my feet upon a rock

And I will not be moved and I’ll say of the Lord

You are my shield, my strength,

 My portion, deliverer, My shelter, strong tower,

My very present help in time of need.”

Just think: He is our portion, He’s everything we need.  Have you thanked Him for His provisions for you today?  

Crossing the Road

“I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.”  Psalm 119:59-60 (NLT)

For two summers, I drove the bus for the local YMCA.  While on my way to the Y, I saw some gofer rats scooting across the road.   The first one was really big.  It was fat and long and fast.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw it come zooming out of the grass to my left.  It ran in a straight line across the road directly underneath the car in front of me.  To my complete amazement, he safely reached the other side of the road and scurried into the grass!

Then, another day in about the same vicinity, I saw a small mouse come running from the left.  It also ran in a straight line across the road.   However, this time it was going to be under my car and not someone else’s. 

I have always heard about how intelligent mice are.  This one proved himself to me that day.  As he ran across the road, he suddenly stopped right in the middle of my lane in front of me.  Not having time to stop, I kept driving and wondering if I was going to run over him.  Curiously, I looked in my rearview mirror and again was totally amazed to see him safely dashing across the remaining section of my lane into the grass.  It seemed he knew he couldn’t make it all the way across the road and knew exactly where to stop to prevent getting run over by my car. 

After my second encounter with the rats, I began comparing myself to them.  Like the gofer rat, I sometimes take daring chances by running straight in the path of danger, and by the grace of God, barely miss total disaster.  Then, at other times, like the little mouse, I dash out without thinking. Then realizing what I’m doing, I stop just in time to avoid getting into serious trouble.  The bible says in Daniel 9:9, “The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”  I am thankful for His mercy and forgiveness - especially during the times when I resemble a rodent more than I resemble His Son.

The next time we find ourselves hurrying, may we take the advice of the Psalmist and hurry without delay to obey His commands.

What Did I Just Hear?

“Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if

no birds sang there except those that sang best.

~Henry Van Dyke~

One summer I was listening to Pastor Greg Laurie on the radio and thought you, like me, would find this interesting.  In Denmark, birds are mimicking cell phone ring-tones.  They say it is sometimes hard for people to distinguish what they are really hearing: their cell phone or the mimicking bird!  One lady said there is a bird in her backyard who sounds so much like her cell phone she has nicknamed him “Nokia!” 

Doesn’t that remind you of Satan?  He disguises himself as something he’s not.  He’s a deceiver, a mocker, a liar.  As much as he desires it to be so, he is not the real thing – the One True Living God. 

There are times when we as Christians listen to the Enemy.  We allow ourselves to be deceived and fall deeply into his trap.  Like the example of the birds, we think we are hearing one thing, when in fact it is really the bird tricking us by its amazing ability to mimic.

1 Peter 5:8-9a says, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”  Don’t allow him to mislead you. 

Whatever you are facing today, make sure you know who it is you are listening to.  As we speak to others this week, may the sounds they hear coming from our mouths resonate the voice of our Risen Savior.  

A Makeover?

“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit,

and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2b

These days you can find a reality show on television for nearly every circumstance.  I enjoy watching “Extreme Makeover Home Addition.”  The family whose home is chosen for a makeover always has a sad story.  Then, at the end when they reveal the newly made over house, I boo-hoo right along with the TV family.  It’s pathetic, I know.  But, I still enjoy watching it.

I have joked about submitting our home for a makeover.   I could desperately use some new floor coverings throughout my home.  I recently found out that if you go on their website, they give instructions on how you can apply to have your home made over.  Even though I would like some updated things in my home, I know I will never submit my request to them.

There are many times, however, when I need a makeover, and I do submit my request.  This one is a makeover from the inside out.  The main difference between this request and the Extreme Makeover Home Edition request is that on the TV show, only a few people can be picked.  That’s not true with God.  He chooses to makeover anyone who asks.  He is right there with His unlimited resources ready to begin our spiritual makeover. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  What an honor it is to have the precious Son of God do our makeover!

He wants to do a makeover in every area of our life.  He will renew our joy, our peace, and give us more kindness than we’ve ever known before.  He is alive and accessible for us today; all we have to do is call upon His Name.

 

Allowing Him to live through us is the most extreme makeover we will ever need.  Have you submitted a makeover request lately?  Let Him pick you!

Fun in the Mud

“I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  

Psalm 121:1-2

I remember when I was a young girl my granddaddy bought and raised a hog for him and granny to eat.  My sister and I loved to go out and stand on a rail of the old wooden fence and watch that old hog.  He was so stinky and fat.  He’d snort loudly and root around in the mud searching for anything that might be edible. 

When it was feeding time, granddaddy would throw some slop over the fence and onto the ground.  That old hog would eat every bite he could find.  Then he’d stick his nose in the mud and dig a little deeper just in case a tasty morsel happened to hide itself from his view. 

Every once in a while, granddaddy would take a little time and stand there with us.  We’d watch that old hog eating, grunting and snorting.  We’d laugh together as he rolled around in the mud getting muddy!  We could tell he was having a great time wallowing around in that mud!  There was no doubt he enjoyed his life.

Thinking back I don't recall that hog ever looking up to see where his food was coming from.  He kept his nose buried in the mud expecting the food to be there for him.  He always wanted more!  He never seemed satisfied with what granddaddy gave him. 

Sometimes we as Christians are like that old hog.  We never stop to look up and see where our blessings are coming from.  We don’t think about who the source is, we just take for granted all the good things that come our way.  Like that old hog, we’ll root around in the mud searching for just a little bit more.  We’re never quite content with what the Lord has given us.

1 Corinthians 8:6 reminds us of who our source is:  “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (NIV)

This week let’s not forget to look up and give thanks to our Source and Strength, Jesus.  Let’s remember the cross, the grave, and that glorious resurrection morning!   Let’s be thankful for the One who allows us to enjoy our time in the mud. 

The Chase

“We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses…We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”  2 Cor. 10:4a & 5b)

Do you ever find it strange when you think about the things that interest us?  For example, for some reason, I enjoy watching that program on TV where police are doing high speed chases after criminals. 

I saw one episode where a guy had escaped from a jail in California and had hi-jacked a car.  He was driving madly down the interstate, weaving in and out of traffic.  Of course, there was a policeman in hot pursuit chasing after him. 

The guy takes an exit off the interstate, goes through some stop lights, then, gets rammed by the policeman.  This knocks him off the road onto a sidewalk.  He incredibly straightens out his car and speeds off getting back onto the interstate with the policeman still chasing right after him. 

The camera crew in the helicopter zoomed in on his front left tire.  It was wobbling and looked as if it was about to fall off, which made it nearly impossible for him to steer.  He finally, on the interstate I might add, came to a complete stop. 

He jumped out of the car, raised his arms up, laid face down on the road with arms stretched straight out over his head, and then, in one final move, put his arms behind his back.  He did all this before the policeman ever got to him!  He had finally given up and had allowed the policeman to catch him.

Whether we realize it or not, we, also, have someone chasing us.  It is someone who wants to fill us with Himself.  Psalm 23:6 tells of how God’s goodness and love will follow us.  In this passage, the word “follow” literally means, “pursue.”  The Message Bible translates it this way:  “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” 

In His great love for us, He wants us to have a fresh encounter, a fresh wonder, and a fresh awe of Him and His Word every day.  It gives Him pleasure to overflow in goodness and love toward His children.  It fills Him with great joy when we allow Him to catch us.

Let Him catch you today!

Chasing Shadows

“I have come into the world as a light,

so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”  John 12:46

Don’t you just love the Disney movie, Peter Pan?  One of my favorite parts of the film is when Peter is trying to catch his shadow.  I believe the way the shadow moved around to avoid Peter from attaching himself back to it was one of the neatest concepts the writer had.

I recall hours of fun when I was a child playing with my shadow.  I’d chase it around the yard, I’d make funny shapes with my hands, and I’d change standing positions to make my shadow either taller or shorter.

Sometimes a cloud would pass over the sun, or I’d get too close to the house, or to the shade of a tree.  This would envelope me into a larger shadow.  As long as I kept walking with my back to the sun, I kept stepping into my own darkness.  The only way I could lose my shadow was to turn around, face the sun, and go in the opposite direction.  My shadow was then behind me. 

There is no way we can run away from our own shadow, or, as in the Peter Pan movie, neither can it can’t run away from us.  However, we can turn around, putting it behind us as we face the sun.  We can walk out of the darkness and into the light.

Ephesians 5:8 says, “In the past you were full of darkness, but now you are full of light in the Lord.  So live like children who belong to the light.”  As Christians, it is sometimes easy to start walking in our shadow.  We get caught up in the darkness and before we know what hit us, we find ourselves enveloped by it.   But, thanks be to God, we have a choice to turn from that darkness into the light – and that light is Jesus.  When we do this, our darkness is automatically gone, and we are once again living in the light of the Lamb. 

This week may we choose to keep our shadows behind us as we walk in the light facing the Son.

Ugh...Liquid Soap!

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

When I stop to think about this, I realize it is just ridiculous!  One of the things I hate doing the most is refilling the hand soap bottle.  I will pump every last drop out of that thing.  I’ll even go as far as adding water to the last bit of soap inside trying to postpone the inevitable.  Then, I’ll go farther than that!  I’ll spend a few extra days pumping nothing but air before I finally go get the giant bottle my husband buys at Sam’s to refill it with. 

As I begin filling up the empty bottle, for a little while things go smoothly.  The soap is coming out of the big bottle in a nice, thin, steady stream.  Then, out of the blue, this gigantic glob of soap comes out spilling soap all around the sides of the bottle.  It runs down the sides before I can get it all scooped up.  I’ll fuss every time while I’m scraping the sides and scooping that soap back into the hole in the top.  (The hole that is way too small, I might add!)  Then, I have to wash the bottle off and dry it before I can put it on the counter to be used.

This weekend was no different.  I was cleaning my bathroom and knew the soap needed refilling.  So I decided to prepare myself for the aggravation of refilling it.  As usual, all of the above happened.  However, there was one thing different this time. 

As I was scooping the soap from around the sides of the bottle and putting it back inside, I started thinking about Jesus and me.  I thought of how, like that empty bottle, I need to be refilled at times.  The Lord showed me how I am like that liquid soap.   For a while, I’ll go exactly where the Lord leads.  Then, without warning, it all changes!  I know which way I am supposed to go, but, instead of going that way, I’ll run all around and avoid going in the direction He wants me to go.  I’ll get all messy as I make my journey down to the bottom. 

Then, in love, here comes Jesus!  He scoops me up, puts me back where I belong, then, He washes me clean so I don’t mess up the place where He wants to set me.  It is at this time, He knows I am once again ready to be used!

What a wonderful Savior we have!   He loves us although we are determined, at times, to go our own way.  He loves us even though He has to clean us up because we have gotten messy going our own way.  He allows us to do this in order to teach us to trust Him at all times and in everything.  He wants us to lean on Him and not on our own selves.   He is always there with us, even when we aren’t conscience of Him. 

This week, let’s thank Him for His loving care of us.  Then, as the Lord leads, let’s “scoop up” a wandering friend or loved one who, like that glob of liquid soap, has wandered off the right path.  Let’s lovingly direct them back into the soap bottle – back on the right track.