The Whole Earth Is Filled With His Glory!

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah 6:3b NIV

 

Today in the garden I am far away in my thoughts. My thoughts carry me back to the week of creation. I am contemplating what it was like for the earth to be formless, empty, and dark? Only the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. I mean no disrespect as I imagine how it might have been. The God of the universe rolling up his sleeves, rubbing his hands together in excitement, and saying to the Spirit and the Son, “Let’s get started!”

 

Let me say right here I do not know if a day equals a thousand years or twenty-four hours, but I do know – that fact is neither here nor there! What is important is that I believe with all my heart that God is the creator and he is more than able to accomplish all of creation in a New York minute if he chose to do so! I do not have a problem with God’s timeline. More importantly, I believe that the Bible is inspired by God and its content is direct from the lips of God. His Word assures me over and over again of his greatness, his power, his glory, his creativity, his uniqueness, his holiness, and his desire to love his children and give them good gifts. Without a doubt, God created his masterpiece, our world and all that is within that magnificent creation.

 

Day One – God said, “Let there be light.”  Talk about words of action! God spoke light into existence. He then took his Almighty hands and broke apart, separated, the light into two pieces and one part of the light once again became dark. The light he called day and the dark he called night. I guess that moment of inspiration put a smile on his face!

 

Day Two – God said, “I have an idea, let’s make an expanse between the waters to separate the water from the water. I don’t know about you but I have never been able to separate water from water! But God knew just how to do it. He created the expanse and pushed the water under the expanse. He called the expanse sky. And to add to his delight he caused the sky to be an uncountable number of shades of blue and that sky reflected into the clear waters making the water reflect deeper shades of blue. I just love that creative twist!

 

Day Three – “God said, “What about creating some surface areas that are not wet? Perhaps he was already imagining what he would do with the dry surface areas and what he would do with the wet areas. So on that third day he said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let the dry ground appeared and he called it land.” Special note: the land was not wet nor was it muddy! That’s pretty amazing if you ask me. He called the water seas. What a time God must have had creating the boundaries between the land and the seas. Through his spoken words he scooped out basins and bowls to hold the seas and elevated the land around the edges. Furthermore, it worked! But he wasn’t finished.

 

God continued his work on the third day by God saying, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees with seed in it, and let’s make various kinds.” The rooted vegetation began to appear in the form of carrots, celery, onions, turnips, potatoes, parsnips, and so much more. After that, the vegetation with seeds began sprouting up. There were tomatoes, beans, cucumber, okra, squash, and peppers just to mention a few. Then he created the sweet tasting oranges, apples, peaches, plums, grapes, bananas, pineapple, melons, and more verities than I can name. I wonder if God took a moment to taste the fruit of his labor. Then with a wave of his hand the herbs and flowers began to appear. The color and the textures were marvelous! Incredible! Amazing! It was a sight to behold and the aroma from each floral creation was still waiting for Adam and Eve’s nostrils to breathe in the sensuous fragrance. I love that after each creation God stepped back, looked at the results, smiled, and gave himself a pat on the back and said to the Spirit and the Son, “this is good! We did an awesome job!” Then I imagined that they brainstormed and planned what this Holy Trinity would do next.

 

Day Four – God imagined lights in the expanse of the sky. The purpose was to separate the day from the night and they were to serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years. The lights were also to give light to the earth. So God created two great lights. The sun was the greater light to govern the day and the moon was the lesser light to govern the night. What order, what organization, what planning for what was yet to come! But a creative soul is never finished. I can imagine that just as God was about to wrap it up for the day, he scratched his head and with a twinkle in his eyes he said, I’ve got it! He dug deep into the pockets of his unfathomable resources and pulled out stars by the hands full and cast them into the sky! Believe it our not, they did not fall. Not a chance. As he hung each star in the sky, he looked at it and said only one thing remains, they need to twinkle! And he looked and saw that it was good.

 

Day Five – God created the great and small living creatures of the seas and the birds to fly across the sky. What an ingenious touch! We see this displayed in the color, the size, the texture, the uniqueness of each species. Where does this inspiration come from? Oh I remember, this inspiration comes from none other than a God who is infinitely more than our finite minds can begin to imagine. Therefore, because we can’t imagine it or create it our self, there are those who want to stamp out and shut down this amazing wonder. Humans create lies proclaiming that our world evolved or imagine that it banged into existence. What was the last big bang you experienced? I would guess it didn’t have any signs of order or beauty and was completely void of purpose.  But our holy God is Almighty and the whole earth is full of his glory! In addition the great “I Am” had the foresight to say be fruitful and multiply. So life still continues and will continue to exist on into eternity. Because of sin, the old will pass away but the new will be even more beautiful and amazing.

 

Day Six – I imagine that this day begins by God, his Son, and the Spirit enthusiastically walking the surface of the earth, filling the air with their presence, and agreeing to continue creating. This is the last day of creation so what will the grand finale be? God’s Word says, on the last day the land produced living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind. Not one class of animals but three types each with hundreds of species within its kind! It only takes one visit to the zoo for one to be inspired by the creative hand of God. As you watch and study each animal you begin to appreciate and celebrate the differences that are found in the animal kingdom. All created with a specific purpose.

 

Then the grand finale of creation! God said “Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness, and let him rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over all creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and told them to be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over it. God gave his earth to mankind. It is mind boggling to realize that it is our soul that has been created in the very image of our maker!

 

This morning I am imagining the fingers of God moving all about the earth during those six days of creation. I’m sure he smiled and felt pleasure as he created. Perhaps his eyes sparked and he clapped his hands in delight as his fingers would carve out a mountain range, or as he would pile rocks of all shapes and sizes on top of one another. What wonderful joy he must have experienced as his finger tunneled out caves and his hands scooped out valleys. Such elation as he created woodlands, and the plains. What pleasure he must have felt as he arranged for the streams to flow into rivers and the rivers to flow into the oceans. Then the Master created sandy beaches and the painted deserts, the rain forests, waterfalls, lakes, farmland, and rice paddies. He placed deep with the earth minerals and diamonds, precious stones, and natural resources. What about the universe beyond the earth? The planets, each one created with purpose and hung in place by God's design. What about the creation of gravity and oxygen? The body of man alone is a masterpiece. Sometime the outside is not much to look at, but oh the inside is a miracle! The brain alone is still an amazing unsolved mystery to mankind. In addition, the perfect order and beauty of each season is a vision of delight. It is the glorious Creator shouting to mankind, “Look, see, and feast your eyes on all that I have made. I am real and I love you! Come to me.”

 

Day Seven – On the seventh day God rested.

 

Our creator is back at work because he is not finished with us yet. He continues to change those who love him. We are a work of creation that is still in progress and one day we shall be like him! What a day that will be when we step into heaven. The creation that we are now privileged to experience is just a foretaste of what still lies ahead.  “…as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” I Corinthians 2:9 NIV

 

Questions:

1. Do you believe that our world was created by the Almighty God?
2. Which day of creation do you find to be the most amazing?
3. Do you see God’s hand of order as one day of creation built on the next day with all five days leading to the grand finale of man’s creation on the sixth day?
4. Have you delighted in imagining God’s pleasure as he created our world?
5. Do you wonder what amazing things God is preparing for us in the future?

Prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father,

 

You are the Almighty God of creation. The whole earth is filled with your glory! I know beyond a shadow of doubt that all things were made by you. I praise you for your breathtaking works of creation. I praise you for the order and the beauty of all the seasons. I see your twinkling eyes of love in the twinkling starry sky. I praise you because  I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Thank you for your beautiful gift of creation that tugs at my heartstrings calling me to come close to you. At times Father, you seem so far away, but it only takes one look at a sunrise or a sunset for me to feel your love and know that you are faithful. Thank you for such a beautiful world to live in. Thank you for the new heaven and earth that is yet to come. I can only try to imagine!

 

With a heart of gratitude and in your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

When Our Plans Go South!

“Woe to the obstinate children declares the LORD,

to those who carry out plans that are not mine,

forming an alliance

but not by my spirit, heaping sin upon sin;…”

Isaiah 30:1 NIV

Today I will spend my time in the garden walking a well marked pathway through the woods. It is serene. The tranquility is perfect for worship. The trees make available a canopy that provides coolness and a welcome relief from the heat of the sun. During this time of reflection, I stop and stroke a bed of soft, emerald green moss. The softness of the moss is reminiscent of the love of my Father in heaven.

 

As I walk I begin to ponder this question. Why is it so hard to accept disappointment when the plans I make fail? It is during this time I begin to search my soul for answers. My mind immediately goes to God’s Word. “In His heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NIV

 

As a child I learned a scripture verse found in Jeremiah 29:11, but I must confess there have been many times that I didn’t believe this scripture was true “I know the plans I have for you,… plans to prosper you …plans to give you hope and a future.” My questions of unbelief would come to me during the times when my heart was broken, when my dreams were unfulfilled, when death took a loved one, or when money was scarce. My response to God was, “How can this thing be good? How is this in my best interest? How will this prosper me? Why did you give me this talent and then not allow me to use it? Where is my hope and where is my future in this scenario?

 

During times when I am working through confusion I have found that it is best to go back to square one. Today God faithfully began to remind me that on the day I was conceived I was created as his masterpiece. A masterpiece is something that is created with extraordinary skill. It is not always perfect but it is designed with great care for a specific purpose. Every single person ever created by God is a masterpiece! All of God’s masterpieces come fully equipped with flaws and imperfection, yet every creation has the ability to carry out their own specific purpose. God has designed each one of us to look the way he wanted us to look, he gave us a mind to work as he deemed best, and he gave us all specific abilities, gifts and talents to use for his glory and our enjoyment. God also put within each of us an eternal soul. God gave each of us our own unique personality and temperament. He lovingly installed inside each of us a set of human flaws that he uses as tools as he attempts to draw us into a personal relationship with him. You see, our flaws create need, and that need is the need of a Savior. All of us need a Savior to help us deal with all that life sends across our path. God created us and on the day we were conceived he set the plan for our life in action and he began the plan by selecting our parents and our place of birth.

 

Taking the first step in God’s perfect plan for our life requires an understanding that we have a personal need for God to re-create us. This can occur as a child or as an adult. The process is also referred to by some as being born again. At the time we experience this new birth, we also receive the Holy Spirit, who lives inside of us. As believers we have the unique privilege of receiving direction for our life from the Holy Spirit as he speaks the words of the Father into our mind. Jesus said that this is a process that is as mysterious as the wind, and so it is by faith alone that we believe in the unseen and when we believe we begin to experience the mystery. But first, we must accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We must invite him to come into our life. We must be born of water and then again born by the Spirit. …Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. How can a man be born when he is old? …Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit….You must be born again.” John 3:5-7 NIV

 

God has had a plan for your life since the day you were conceived. This plan involves your faith, your family, your career, your finances, and your ministry. God has specific plans for you that include his love for you and you loving him in return. We begin to show God our love for him through our gratitude and our personal worship. After we have fallen in love with Jesus we should chose to live our life by being, doing, going, and playing according to his perfect plan for our life. God’s plan is the same for all humanity it is only the details of that plan that are custom made for each one of his masterpieces.

 

Being – It is God’s plan that we be diligent in our work, be available for service, be responsible with our finances, and be there for our family.

 

Doing – We are to do our best when we are at work, we are to do our ministry as well as we can while we work to accomplish God’s eternal purposes; we do our best to plan and manage our finances wisely. We are to do all we can to reach out in love to the needs of our family.

 

Going – We are to go to work and perform our tasks with the mind set of being a dependable employer or employee, we go into our ministry as a humble servant, we go about managing our money with an openhanded spirit of gratitude and giving as we give back to God and to others, and we go about serving our family in selfless love.

 

Playing – We are also created to play. We are to enjoy and play with our co-workers. We are to celebrate our ministry. We are to make time to play and enjoy life because this is necessary for our rest, relaxation and restoration. We are to enjoy and play with our family because this develops unity, love, respect, and makes happy memories.

 

God has also included in his plan space for us to rest. On the seventh day God rested and so must we. We are more productive when we take time to rest. There are also other times for relaxation and fun. Playtime makes us laugh, enjoy others, relax, and provides opportunity for restoration. Unfortunately, play also has a dark side. Too much play can cost too much time and too much money. Therefore, we must pass our recreation through the Holy Spirit and ask him to help us to play in a manner that is pleasing to God.

 

So why does the plan that God has specifically created for us often go south? My guess is because it is our plan, NOT his plan. The bumps in the road of our life are often there because of our disobedience and refusal to follow God’s plan. When we go about our life ignoring God we run the danger of stubbing our toe. When we fail to consult him before making a major decision we are going off, as they say, “Half-cocked”!

 

If you are not a believer you must realize that you do not have access to God’s plan for your life. Non-believers eyes are veiled from spiritual understanding. On the other hand, when one becomes a believer that person must open their eyes and hone in on God’s plan for their life through the direction of the Holy Spirit, because now, God will little by little reveal his plan for your life through the Spirit. When believers ignore the directives of the Spirit there will bumps in the road and personal failure. Seeking to know God’s will and hearing his voice requires that we set aside blocks of time in solitude without intrusion from the world around us. Sometimes we are simply not willing to do what is necessary in order to hear from God. Hearing the voice of God takes more than one visit to the beautiful garden of prayer! We must desire to know God’s plan for us and then we must seek him and ask for him to reveal his will to us.

 

The bumps in the road come when we choose to do it our way. In our work ethic and our career, if we are slackers we will fail. If we insist on having a career that makes us feel good or lets us do what we believe we are gifted to do, we often leave God out of the equation and do it our way without even consulting him. We often pursue our desire more than we pursue God. If achieving success in our career is measured as the world defines success, then we set our self up for future disappointment when we begin to experience an inner emptiness at the end of the road of so called success. It is at this point we cannot understand why what we wanted and desired has left us feeling so empty and unfulfilled after we have achieved our goal. At this point we again go off chasing the next thing that strikes our fancy as we look for fulfillment and what we believe to be happiness.

 

God’s plan for all of us includes our faith, family, career, finances, and ministry.

 

Failure in faith occurs when one rejects the call of God. This can be the greatest mistake anyone can make in this life. We are eternal beings and we will live forever. This life is NOT the end. Our choice to find and follow Jesus will result in eternal pleasures forever in the presence of the very one who made us, loved us, and gave his only Son so that we can be forgiven and restored to the fellowship with our Creator. However, rejection of this opportunity will result in eternal separation from your creator and all that is good for all of eternity.

 

Failure in family occurs when a family member becomes selfish and is not concerned how his actions and attitudes will affect other members of the family.

 

Failure in career occurs when we run ahead of God and do not consult him and our career choice does not agree with God’s choice for us. We may have some measure of success but it will never produce the joy that following God’s choice would bring. I have noticed that sometimes, when one gives their gifts and talents to God’s service, he often blesses that person by weaving their gifts and talents into a career. When people flip this scenario around they choose what they want and then ask God to bless their choice. This often results in failure.

 

Failure in finances comes when we mismanage our money and go in debt. This lifestyle fosters constant worry and stress! When we hold on to what little we have too tightly, we become selfish. When we refuse to trust God to be our provider we also sit ourselves up for failure. A lack of gratitude, a heart that covets, and a spirit of greediness will create a distance between us and our Lord. These are major bumps in the road that breeds discontentment with life and can even cause depression.

 

Failure in ministry occurs when we simply choose not to serve or we create our own ministry apart from God’s direction. It is important for Christians to understand that we will never have a ministry if we are not first of all available to God for his use. Busy people who hold God at a safe distance have no ministry. People with excuses have no ministry. People who think they have nothing to offer have no ministry. God slights no one. We must dig deep within ourselves to find where our loyalties lie because it may be here that our ministry is waiting to be discovered. Our thoughts from the Holy Spirit are designed to ignite desire and point out need. What are the things in this world that break our hearts? What new ministries would we like someone else to start? What triggers compassion within us? Answers to these important questions may be the key to discovering your God blessed ministry. Maybe you are the one God is calling.

 

Few people have extremely visible ministries. Most people have quiet behind the scene ministries that bring just as much glory to God as the more visible ministries do. This is true because God judges not on what we do or how much we do, but he judges our simple obedience one task at a time. All believers must be willing to minister as God chooses. God is the one who will choose where and when he needs us to use our gifts and talents. Other times God calls us to step completely out of our comfort zone and serve him. When we fail to step out in faith this is disobedience. Sometimes I wonder just how many blessings I have failed to receive by ignoring the voice of God.

 

If we are to walk a path in this life that succeeds we must consult our Maker. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how he designed us, why he designed us the way he did, and how he plans to use us. He knows our strengths and he knows our weaknesses. He knows the number of our days and what the future holds. Our Maker knows the plans he has for us that will give us hope and a future.

 

Even when this fallen world surprises us with poor health, pain, suffering, loss of a loved one, or we become the brunt of sinful behavior, abuse, injustice or tragedy, God still has a plan for our life. That plan includes his love and comfort, inner peace and joy, eternal reward, and vengeance that belong to him alone. If we will embrace this truth and trust our Lord, then when we meet Jesus face to face, we will hear him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” because we have chosen to trust him for all that enters our life. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…He makes his steps firm. Psalm 37:23 KJV It is the Lord that makes our steps firm even when the ground trembles below us. It is the Lord that directs our going and our coming, our starts and our stops. In God’s great design for our life he has made plans for our protection, our comfort, our refinement, and his glory.

 

The Lord brings specific people and opportunities into our lives. We must be alert and watch for his gifts. When the plan is long in coming together, remember that his delays are delays of love and our waiting on the Lord produces patience. Sometimes we hinder God’s plan by not being obedient to what he has asked us to do. Often our obedience reveals the next phase of God’s wonderful plan for our life.

 

Sometimes in this life we are privileged to witness God’s healing, restoration, and justice. But if it is God’s will to leave the suffering in our life I believe he will make it up to us in heaven. I also believe that there is never any disappointment in Jesus. In this life we often look back and see that his plans were best. But in eternity we will observe that all his plans were perfect. We will understand that the flaws God created within us were placed there to accomplish his purposes and the adversity that he allowed to enter our life he also used for our good. I am convinced that if we insist on knowing the answers to all the “whys” in life we will miss out on his joy and peace.

 

Questions:

1. What is the first step in allowing God to direct your life and reveal his plan for your life to you?
2. Have you taken the first step? If not, why not do so right now. Tell Jesus that you want to partner with him and follow his lead as you move forward with your life.
3. As a believer, what specific area of your life is causing you the most frustration?
4. Have you considered that the bump in the road may be the result of you doing things your way instead of God’s way?
5. Will you surrender your plans into the Lord’s hands for his direction?

Prayer:

Dear Lord.

 

In Proverbs 19:21 your word tells us, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.” Father, forgive me when I rush ahead of you. I want to follow the plans you have for my life because I know that within your guidelines and plans I will find peace, joy, and contentment. “You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5 Lord I do not want to be an obstinate child, who is determine to  carry out my own plans instead of yours. I have experienced that when I pile repeated sin upon repeated sin there is nothing left but disappointment and failure. “I know, O Lord, that man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23 Father, I pray that I would willingly surrender my plans into your Sovereign hands. Lord, I pray that you will direct my steps and lead me down your path because it is the only path that will give me hope and a future. Father, when my plans go south, help me to see that disappointment as an opportunity to re-evaluate my position before you. Am I leading or am I following?

 

It is in you name I pray. Amen.

The Lifter of My Head

“I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high”

Leviticus 26:13 NIV

 

I love going early to the garden. I love going midday to the garden and I love going to the garden in the evening. For me the garden is such a place of beauty. Today is no exception. The azaleas are especially pretty this time of year. Some of the azaleas bloom early in April and still others flaunt their beautiful bonnets on into May. They add striking bursts of color to the shaded garden. There is such a variety of color among the azaleas. Blooms of soft pastel pink graduate to a vibrant hot pink punctuating the garden landscape. Creamy peach blossoms and deep melon blooms welcome all who will pause to enjoy their beauty. Pure white, lavender, and deep purple accentuate this color palette with royal beauty. But my all-time favorite is a deep pink azalea that always makes me say, “Beautiful, just beautiful!” The garden is not only a place of beauty, it is also a place of amazing hope!

 

Even when we know the Lord, life has a way of pulling us down. It seems I often forget that I am a jar of clay, fragile and easily shattered. Joy can rule deep within my heart because of the constant love of Jesus. Yet, emotions are all up and down the chart when it comes to external happiness.

 

When those we care about suffer, we feel sad and helpless. When the weather is dull and drab for days we can become unmotivated and depressed. Overload at work sometimes makes us feel that we have been taken advantage of and dumped on. Prolonged physical problems leave us feeling weak and weary. Other times our plans must be changed and we feel disappointed.

 

Sometimes our emotions push us to an entirely different level. The words of another have wounded us. Negative comments and judgmental opinions of others directed toward us can crush our spirit and break our heart. At time we feel unappreciated and devalued. We long to hear words from another that let us know they love us, respect us, value us, cherish us, and support us. Unfortunately, in many cases those words never come.

 

Ever so often we walk into a situation that leaves us totally broken. It is a “yoke” of loss that is next to unbearable. But this too is a time when God wants to draw us near and lift our heads. We can depend on God to come through for us and heal our broken heart. “I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high” Leviticus 26:13 NIV

 

There is so much hope to be experienced when we go to the garden of our heart and sit at the feet of Jesus.  Second Corinthians 7:6 says, “But God, who comforts the downcast…” God is the lifter of my head. No matter what is going on in your life there is still hope. The very words “but God” is the precursor to hope. It is God who is able to bring comfort to my wounded emotions, my downcast spirit, and my broken heart. The Psalmist asks,” Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. “Psalm 42:5 NIV

 

There is absolutely no better remedy for raw emotions, hurt feelings, a downcast spirit, disturbing events in life, or a broken heart than to sit for a spell in the garden with the Lord. Enter the garden, look over the fence and lift up your eyes to the hills. Feasting on the mountains will work just as well and without a doubt you will find help, strength, comfort, healing, and peace. Allow the Lord to lavish his love upon you. He will take your face in his hands and lift your head. He will dry your tears and fill you with his joy. He will minister to you and give you both help and hope. “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 NIV

 

You will eventually leave the garden and go back to the same circumstance that sent you here in the first place, but now you will feel different because you are filled with hope. You can face today, tomorrow, and the days ahead because the Maker of heaven and earth will sustain you.

 

Circumstances seldom change but our outlook regarding those circumstances does change. Time spent in honest prayer before the Lord will always lift you higher. Jesus will whisper words into your thoughts and tell you where you need to change and what you must overlook. He will teach you about compassion and mercy and you will be able to graciously move on. I love so much that Jesus is the lifter of my head! What a verbal picture of what it is that my Lord is able to do for me.

 

Questions:

1. Are you currently walking around despondently looking at you toes?
2. Are you going through your day with your chin up but your spirit crushed?
3. Are you hiding behind a fake smile as you go about daily responsibilities, yet when you are alone you cry?
4. Are you one of those tough guys who never cries but yet you contemplate ways to escape the heaviness that sits on your spirit?
5. Are you in need of hope?
6. When was the last time you went alone to the garden so that Jesus Christ could lift your head?
7. Is there a better solution? I think not.

Prayer:

 

Dear Jesus,

 

How is it possible that my hope for eternal life is sure because I am your child and yet, not always, but sometimes I feel hopeless about the events surrounding my life? Forgive me when I allow people to bring me down. Forgive me when I forget to ask you to lift my head. I confess that most days are good, yet sometimes when I least expect it, Satan catches me off guard and tries to drag me into dark moments. But you Lord are the light of my life and my salvation. Who shall I fear? Who shall steal my joy? Your Word is a lamp into my feet and a light unto my path. You allow sadness but lace it with comfort. You allow others to speak hurtful words, but you redirect me to your Word. You take my overload and help me to set priorities and simplify my life. You show me the difference between what the world says is important and what you say is eternal. I thank you Lord for always standing near. How amazing that you are indeed only a prayer away. This day I choose you over discouragement, depression, despair, disgrace, and discontentment. With all my heart, I thank you Jesus that you are the lifter of my head.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen

Red Flags

“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.

For I have the desire to do what is good,

but I cannot carry it out.

For what I do is not the good I want to do;

no, the evil I do not want to do – this  I keep on doing.”

Romans 6:18-19 NIV

“For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;

 but I see another law at work in the members of my body,

waging war against the law of my mind and making me

a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”

Romans 7:22-23 NIV

 

“What a wretched man I am!

Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Romans 6:24-25 NIV

The sun is up! That puts a smile on my face. The coffee is fresh and smells wonderful! I hurry to pull on my “Life is Good” tee-shirt and start my day. As the day progresses, things happen, my mood changes, interruptions frustrate me, people irritate me, and from afar I see ridiculous red flags popping up in my heart’s garden. The flags are flapping in the whirlwind of my life reminding me to be careful, slow down, and take a Jesus break! I am ignoring the flags and one by one more things happen to spoil my day! The spiral down from “life is good’ to “you’ve got to be kidding” is out of control and about to do me in.

 

In total frustration I head for the garden. At least I can get those bizarre, random red flags out of my garden. I am so self-absorbed that today the flowers along the path in the garden are just so-so! Not ugly, but neither are they beautiful. As I pass by the Master Gardener I give him an over the shoulder “hey, how ya doing?’ as I make tracks to remove the annoying red flags.

 

As is his practice, the Master Gardner sneaks up behind me and taps me on the shoulder and says, “Paula, what’s your hurry?” Clearly, I am in no mood for this. Again, he speaks, “What’s up with the aggressive flag removal?” So I turn quickly on my sassy heels and look him square in the eye and say, “I’ll tell you what’s up!”

 

And so it begins. I begin to recall my morning. First the sun came up and I enjoyed a cup of coffee. Then I burned my toast! After that I had a relational conflict with a family member. Next my computer was not cooperating. Then phone rang revealing yet another problem. Grabbing my keys I ran to the car ready to begin my errands. Of course, the gas was on next to empty and as I was driving to purchase gas to feed my starving car I realized I had made a huge mistake in my checkbook. Since the Master Gardner seemed to be so interested in my insane life, I now dared to express to him that my impulsive nature was begging for a quick fix for all of these matters. Surely he could see that I was getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

 

While I had his attention, I told him about an incident that had happened a few days ago when fear nearly got the best of me. I also recalled the week before. I had been unmotivated, lazy and daydreaming my time away. It had left me with a deep sense of regret and lack of accomplishment. Then Jesus asked me a question, “Didn’t you see any of the red flags?” My response, “what red flags?”

 

I then began to lecture him about my lack of time for his red flags! Lord, you know I am an independent person and I am more than capable of controlling all that bothers me. Then Jesus smiled and said, “How’s that working out for you?” Sometimes he can be so annoying!

 

I wanted to pour my heart out to him but my pride kicked in and I wouldn’t admit my defeat or need. Secretly, I knew I was an emotional mess and on the edge of a melt down. Truth be told, none of this was a secret or a surprise to him. I knew he was listening so I began to complain about the good fortune of others. My pity-party was in full swing! Once again, Jesus asks, “Didn’t you see the red flags?” My response was, “Well maybe a couple, but I just didn’t have the desire or time to investigate why they were there.”

 

Then Jesus taught me as only he can teach. “Paula, I am the one who places the red flags in your garden. When I look into your future and see that you are in danger of making a mistake, heading for emotional melt down, or facing fear. I know when you will face an opportunity for an outburst of anger, or when you will be in a situation that will position you for greed, control, self-pity and selfishness. I know when you will be facing conflict with another person, depression, and discontentment. I purposely wave a red flag and then I place that flag securely on your pathway to serve as a warning.”

 

“Lord, what do those red flags mean?” Jesus replies, “My child, they mean you are about to sin!” “Lord it seems that I either do not see the flag, I ignore the flag, or like today I simply want the flag out of my sight!”

 

Now that I think about it, some of the same flags continue to reappear over and over flagging my repeated sins. I really don’t like to call them sins; I am far more comfortable labeling those incidents as mistakes or personal failure. Today I am wondering why I can’t seem to learn from these flags. Lord, why don’t you give up and stop making opportunities for me to heed the red flag warnings in my life. Lord, I try but I’m pretty sure I will never change. I don’t think I will ever get it right.

 

The fact is Jesus loves me so much that he will stop at nothing in order to get me to recognize the sinful flaw in my spirit that is keeping me from personal spiritual victory regarding every sin. There is no limit to the opportunities he will allow me to experience regarding sinful behavior. I am beginning to understand that Jesus simply wants me to trust him with my failures and allow him to help me overcome all my repeated sinful behavior. But because of God’s great love the opportunity to succumb to Satan’s temptation will always come with a red flag of warning.

 

The purpose of red flags is to make us all stop and evaluate what we are thinking or about to say or do. Red flags are an opportunity for us to consider the consequences. Red flags slow us down so we can remember all that Jesus has done for us and then, out of love and gratitude to him, choose to heed the red flag warning and obey his law. We must all come to a point in our spirit when we choose to love God more than we love our sin. Red flags are meant to be retrieved, placed in the hand of Jesus and their warning must be embraced and obeyed. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us to assist us in our weakness. Wretched people that we are, it is only Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit that can rescue us in our time of need.

 

There is no future in repeated sin. It fractures relationships; it ruins marriages, creates addictions, piles on debt, fosters discontentment, ends in unwanted consequences, and pushes God further away.

 

God is not the enemy. He does not find pleasure in slapping our hands or shaking his finger in our face. He is the one who raises the red flag. It is not a yellow flag of caution; it is a red flag that demands we stop! His precious hands prod and pull, He lures and loves. He convicts but he does not condemn. His purpose is to take us higher and perfect our spirit in the amazing process of sanctification. God is both consistent and persistent in his work of perfection in our life.

 

Satan on the other hand is the deceiver. As I walk in the garden of life Satan is busy stuffing self-interest propaganda flyers by the handful into my pockets as I pass by! He applauds my impulsive nature as I shove God into the background and sprint ahead. He throws smoke bombs between me and my Savior so that he will be out of sight and out of mind. He is giving away free tickets to Pleasure Island, but when all is said and done, he laughs and says, “You are a pathetic failure.” and my spirit is crushed!

 

But Jesus says, “Come to me, I am the lifter of your head! I am the lover of your soul and a very present help in trouble. I am able to change you from glory into more glory! You are precious in my sight!”

 

Questions:

1. What sin is it that God continues to bring you back to over and over again?
2. Have you considered the fact that God alone is able to help you overcome repetitive sin in your life?
3. Are you amazed at the extent that God will go to allow you to continue to repeat sinful mistakes in your life until you are able to surrender that sin to his forgiveness and restoration?
4. Is there currently a red flag waving in your heart’s garden?
5. What will you do with that flag? Will you choose to ignore it or heed it?
6. Will you ask God to help you to overcome the repeated sinful habit of the flesh that wars with your spirit?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

 

Thank you for your amazing love. Thank you that your love will not let me go. I even want to thank you that you continue to bring me back again and again to my point of disobedience until I finally learn a lesson and choose to heed your red flag of warning. It stands to reason that I will never have victory over that sin in my life unless I hand you my sin and obey your laws. Father I know that there is no way out of this trap of sinful behavior apart from you because I am weak, but I know that you are strong. You are my rock, my fortress, and my constant help in times of need. Jesus I know that there will always be opportunities for me to fall backwards. Therefore Lord, help me to focus daily on you so that I will not miss your red flags and that I will desire to heed every warning you set before me so that the victory will be mine! With you Lord, I know that all things are possible.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen.

Love At First Sight!

“I have loved you with and everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Jeremiah 31:3 NIV

 

Do you remember the first time you laid eyes on your child? I do. What a precious moment of falling in love forever. Even if you have never been privileged to be a parent there was a day many years ago that someone fell in love with you. Your mother took one look at you and asked, “How could I be so blessed to have been given this precious, adorable child?” If your father was present, he too was amazed at the miracle of birth and the perfection of his child. I have been told the same exact thing happens in adoption, there is unbelievable joy when you see your child for the first time! Regardless of the circumstance by which your child came to be your child, it is indeed love at first sight. However, there are some babies that come into the world that are unwanted and unloved. What a heart breaking tragedy.

 

Today it occurs to me that no matter how we come into this world, our Father in heaven is crazy in love with each of us. The first time he laid eyes on you deep inside your mother’s womb he fell deeply in love with you and has continued to love you with an everlasting love. Do you love him in return? Have you felt the way God has drawn you with loving-kindness or have you been so self-absorbed that you have never felt the joy of his love? Do you wonder if there is more to life than you have ever experienced? If so, that feeling is your Heavenly Father, sweetly calling your name and asking you to come to him and enjoy his everlasting love forever.

 

Children are a blessing from God. Someone has said that God couldn’t be everywhere so he created mothers. Of course, that is not true. God is everywhere. Yet, God partners with mothers and fathers to do his loving work as caregivers to his precious children.

 

Being a mother is not a job for the faint of heart! It is a job that never ends. Oh sure, your children may move out of your house but you never stop being concerned for their well being. So if you are a Christian mom – you pray. If you loose your focus – you begin to worry! If you purposefully redirect your thinking to Jesus – you embrace trust. You remember that God loves your precious child more than you do and that he has been crazy in love with them from the time he first laid eyes on them. His love is not fickle nor conditional, it is everlasting.

 

Mothers are needed to be caregivers, spiritual examples of God’s love and grace, and prayer warriors. Do not loose heart if you feel you do not do this perfectly. Remember you are a simple jar of clay. All of us have cracks, flaws, and most of us has experienced brokenness.  We must never forget that it is Christ in each one of us, who is able to give us all the needed strength to rise to this high calling. As moms, we get discouraged, we get tired, we get frustrated, and we wonder if we are invisible to our children. Still we love and we care for those we love. What a beautiful picture of God’s love for each and every one of us!

 

Dads also get discouraged. Dad’s have a huge responsibility. They are not only providers but they are also men of great influence in the lives of their children. Fathers remember, your child admires you and adores you. They want to be just like you. Ask God to give you the wisdom you need to lead your children down a path that will help them find and follow Jesus. When words fail, lead by example.

 

Many parents are doing double duty. They work outside of the home and at home as well. Some single parents never get any relief from responsibility and nerves are raw and bodies are tired. Truth be told, parents have a hard job and there is not a single one who will do this job perfectly. That is exactly why we all need Divine intervention from our God, the one who loves us all.

 

Jesus loved us at first sight and he continues to love us. However, at some point we must really see him. We must realize that we need our Father and choose to become his follower. If we are serious about having a relationship with Jesus Christ we will immediately begin a journey that will cause us to fall deeply in love with him. There are so many ways to do this. We all must discover ways that work the best for us and zero in on seeking to know him in a fresh and new way every single day! The deeper in love you fall with Jesus the greater influence you will be in your family. Life is busy and schedules are full but as you run the race of family life snatch and grab all of Jesus that you can get every day. It is worth it and the reward is great.

 

As parents and grandparents we can agree with the apostle Paul when he says in 2 John 1:4, there is no greater joy than to know my children walk in truth. Parents, it is a joy to be able to give good things to our children such as security, protection, education, opportunities, activities, gifts, and financial inheritance. But above all give them a legacy of your spiritual faithfulness. I know of no other effective, lasting way to do this other than personally falling deeper in love with Jesus and letting that love spill out naturally on our children in the form of godly influence. Your children and grandchildren are watching and they don’t miss a trick!

 

I must remember, even though I am an adult, God still loves me with an everlasting love. He will not let me go. Neither will he let you go. He continues to draw you every day in loving kindness. God is you helper in the job of parenting and grand parenting. If you are available to him he will use you in amazing ways in the lives of all your children and grandchildren. We need his guidance and he needs our obedience.

 

I have found this is true with my children and you will too. There is no greater joy than knowing your children walk in God’s truth!

 

Questions:

1. Are you filled with joy as you remember that God always loves you, his precious child, with an everlasting love?
2. Who are the children in your life that you can influence for Jesus?
3. If you are a parent, do you remember looking at each of your children for the first time? What did you see?
4. How did you feel? What were you thinking?
5. No matter what your children do, do you have an everlasting love for them?
6. Do you recall a time in your life that God gave you needed strength for the job of parenting?

 

Prayer:

 

Dear God,

 

Thank you for the privilege of being a parent. I pray that you will continue to help me rise to the task of pointing my children to you. Help me to guard my influence. I pray that I will guard my words and my attitudes. I pray that I will teach my children of your never ending love and faithfulness. Father, help me to above all else leave them with a legacy of faithfulness to you that they can draw upon even when I am no longer with them.

 

Father, bless all mothers whose arms are empty. If it be according to your will, give them a child. If they are to remain childless fill that void with other good things from your heavenly storehouse. Show them ways to influence other children that may be within their realm of influence.

 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Does Knowing God Make A Difference?

“For I know the plans I have for you,"

declares the Lord,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.” 

 Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

 I was born into a Christian home but NOT into a personal faith. The fact is the opportunity to know God came to me at a very early age. I first prayed to accept Jesus Christ at age five. It did not end there. In fact, the influence of living in a Christian home made it almost impossible for me to see my life as being anything apart from what I learned from the influence of my parents. I grew up being a good girl. I kept the rules, I attended church, and I believed in God. I definitely did not want to go to hell so what other choice did I have? I had to be a Christian.

 

At age twelve, I began to make my faith more personal. I made a choice to be baptized and at that point I knew that I did not want to be anything other than a Christian. During my teenage years I often wanted to step out of the box of my parents faith. Some of the things  I had not been allowed to do became a little more alluring.

 

In my twenties I had a few ups and down in my faith. Nonetheless, I continued in my faith. It has been a wonderful journey of faith but at times I have had many questions. Sometimes it seemed that my mind became confused as I observed that bad things happen to good people. At times it seemed to me that people who had no faith at all seemed to have more and be happier. It was hard for me to determine if knowing God really made a difference.

 

I began to realize that lots of people knew about God but  didn't have a relationship with him. Others who called themselves Christians had accepted Jesus Christ but continue to live their life apart from him. They did not seek to follow his teachings, they did not trust God and they didn't seem to be interested in learning more about God . I also observed some Christians who had found forgiveness through Jesus and they were actually pursuing and following him.

 

I eventually learned that being a Believer does not make you a Follower of Christ. Somewhere around thirty years of age I actually became both a Believer and a Follower of Christ. That is to say, I now desired to know Jesus Christ in an intimate way that I had never known before. I desired to pattern my life after the truth that Jesus taught in his Word, the Bible. I wanted to find ways to serve Jesus Christ and I wanted my life to be lived in such a way that others would also want to find and follow Jesus.

 

Still again, there was that nagging question that begged for an answer. Does knowing God make a difference in a person’s life? How was I to really know? I had always been a morally good person. I soon discovered that if this question was to be answered, it was going to take more than a few trips to the garden to get the answers. Finding the answer was going to require me spending time with the Master Gardner so that I could hear his gentle whispers as he revealed his answers to me. It was going to be Jesus who would disclose to me why knowing him does makes a difference.

 

So to the garden I went as I endeavored to discover how my life might have turned out if I had not become a seeking Believer. There in the cool of the garden among the beautiful rhododendrons, God began revealing to me some very amazing details of my life that I might not have ever considered if I had not given my life to him. I began to think back to the very beginning of my life. What if I had decided to walk away from the faith I had learned at the knees of my parents? How would my value system have differed? Where would I have gone to college? Who would I have married? Who would have become my best friends if I had chosen a different path? What blessing would I have missed? Would I be at peace in my spirit? How would I respond to others? Would I be an angry, fearful woman? How would I have responded to the sorrow and pain that I have experienced? How would I feel about life after death? How would my life be different if I had traveled a different road? Would I have lived in different places, had different jobs? Would I attend church or would I have ever read God’s Holy Word? How different would my thoughts be? How would my words and actions be different? Would I be totally self-absorbed? Would I be searching for happiness in all the wrong places? What would my attitude be when faced with adversity? What would my view of God be?

 

As I pondered each of those questions the answer was crystal clear. The answer in my heart was a resounding “YES”. My life would have been completely different. Some of my friends have known Jesus Christ most of their life and their story is much the same as mine. Our faith has been such a constant that sometimes we have to think long and hard to imagine how our lives might have looked apart from Jesus Christ.

Others I know accepted Jesus Christ later in life after they had lived many years apart from him. It is not hard for them to imagine a life apart from Christ because it was not so long ago. Some of these people made mistakes and choices that caused heart breaking consequences. Still other first generation Christians came from good moral homes but their parents did not teach them to follow Jesus. They have their own story as to how they came to know Jesus Christ and the difference it has made in their life. But the truth of the matter is, apart from Jesus Christ all of our lives would have led us down a different road. A life without Jesus Christ may not be a bad road but it is not the best road.

 

God has a plan for each of our lives. It is a plan for our good not our harm. It is a plan to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. This is not a life void of trouble and pain, but it is a life that can experience peace in all circumstances when we learn to trust the One who holds us in the palm of his hand and loves us more than we can ever imagine. I know now that my decision to become a “Follower of Jesus” was the best decision I have ever made!

 

Today in the garden I am feeling nothing less than the abundant, lavish, love of my Heavenly Father. It is joy that is unspeakable and void of understanding to those who have not dared to follow Jesus. But for those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus we can live daily with a deep settled peace in our soul. It is a peace that no one can take away. Someday I will exit the door of this life and step into eternal life. It will be a day of rejoicing! I will leave behind the problems of this life. I will enter into a new life that will be void of the pain and suffering that permeates this world because of sin. Does knowing God make a difference? Yes, both now and in eternity. God has a perfect plan for each of our lives. It is a life that will give us a hope and a future!

 

Questions:

1. Are you a Believer in God or are you a Follower of Christ?
2. What is the difference?
3. As a follower of Jesus Christ have you ever wondered if following him has made a difference in your life?
4. Can you name three differences that following Jesus has made in your life?

Prayer:

 

Dear Jesus,

 

I am so thankful for the road that you have taken me down. What a magnificent plan you have had for my life. It is a wonderful plan that I continue to enjoy everyday. Your plan has indeed given me a hope and a future. Your plan has been a plan for my good and not my harm. Dear Jesus, knowing about you is one thing, but being a Believer is quite different. Different still is being a Believer who longs to walk with you daily in a loving relationship. I want to walk with you in simple trust and obedience. Lord, I want to be recognized as one of your followers. To know you is to love and to follow you. Living the Christian life is not always easy. Many times following you is a road that is sad, painful, and perhaps even lonely. Still following you Lord is an amazing journey. I thank you Jesus for making such a wonderful difference in my life. It is a life that encompasses me with love and comfort, fills me with peace and joy even in times of trouble. It is a life that is full of hope because I know that when this life is over I have only begun to live forever. Yes, being a Christian makes an amazing difference! Lord thank you for guiding my steps, putting the right people in my life, and leading me to your truth.

 

In you name I pray. Amen