Month: May 2020

by

And then the Sun Came Out

It had been raining for days. The rivers were rising. The farm fields had turned to ponds. Gardens were bedraggled and swamped.

Our rain gauge overflowed the 8″ mark at the top.

And then the sun came out…

 

20200520_102341_4941

The tulips had survived the constant battering.

20200520_102251_4939

The flowering trees suddenly had blooms.

20200520_102409_4943

…and the trees that looked sad and lonely yesterday were dancing with joy today.

20200520_102536_4944

It is all a reminder of God’s faithfulness. Even in the darkest times He is at work. Days of pelting rain had not destroyed His handiwork.

We are living through some dark times, but there will be a new day.

God is not absent. He is certainly not silent. We often can’t hear because we have grown deaf. He has promised to be with us. He has also promised that He is getting a place ready for us.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”            John 14:1-3

And such a place it will be.

“Then He showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him;”  Revelation 22:1-3

So take heart. God is still watching. God will right the wrongs. It may seem dark, but a new day is coming.

“and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

 

If you are uncertain about your eternal future there is a free Bible study link below. Please e-mail me or leave a message if you have any quetions.

For further study: redeemed-2014-august

 

 

 

 

by

Free at Last – (Wilderness Journey #6)

 

They were finally free. They were no longer slaves, but freedom is never free. It had come at a cost.

God had wrenched them out of Pharaoh’s grasp. The years of abuse and bondage by an evil power were finally over. Pharaoh had been warned, but he chose not to listen. He paid with the life of his son.

God had warned that the first born of every household would die. The death angel would not take into account their social status or birthright. Ruler or slave, death would come.
There was one thing that would save them. They were to take the blood of a lamb and apply it to the door of their homes. (Exodus 12:22-23) This was a sign for the death angel to pass over them. Those that believed what Moses told them applied the blood. At midnight all the firstborn from houses where the blood had not been applied were killed.

Blood is what saved the Israelites. The blood of a lamb applied to each of their doors .

It wasn’t the last time blood would be used to save a people. God was pointing forward to another lamb that would save , not just Israel, but would purchase the freedom of the whole world.

It wasn’t enough for Him to die. The blood needs to be applied. Not for the world as a whole, but one by one, each individual.

God’s son died on Passover. The day yearly set aside since the time of Moses to remember their deliverance from Egypt. That deliverance was a shadow of a greater deliverance. A deliverance from sin and bondage.

When the blood is applied a journey begins. The road will be difficult. It will involve learning to trust this God who gave His only Son to purchase our redemption…but He promises that someday we will reach the promised land and the journey will be worth it.

Listen – Believe – Apply – Live

It is that simple.

Truly, truly I say to you. he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life.” John 5:24 (NASB)

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” I Peter 1:18-19

For further study: Exodus 11&12; II Corinthians 4:25

by

Learning to Lament

Lamenting isn’t something Americans do well. We know how to complain, whine, throw pity parties, but lamenting is completely different.

Lamenting is taking our deep sadness and trouble and bringing it to the only one who can help, God Himself. Realizing the God who made us is the only one who can sort out our difficulty. Admitting that we are helpless without Him.

So here is a very private letter to God. I don’t think he would mind me sharing it with you.

” Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” Jeremiah 17:5-8

Dear Abba Father,

My heart is so heavy. I feel like a bush in the desert, not like the tree by the river.

We are isolated and alone. Forbidden to gather or meet. Grieving the loss of contact.

A handshake, a hug,

NOT ALLOWED!

And a little bit of us dies every day.

We are becoming more inward focused. We weren’t made to be alone. We were made to interact and come along side. To work hard for the common good.

Instead we are turning on each other. Friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor, disagreements over how we should move forward, what to do, what not to do. Anger is close to the surface, ready to boil over if you don’t think like me, if you don’t act like me. We each have our own “expert”. Woe to the man who listens to the wrong one.

Father, please open our communities back up. I pray that those who have an evil agenda would be thwarted. That those who are ignorant would gain wisdom, that those who are deceived would see the truth, that those who are sick would be healed, that doctors who have answers would be heard, that leaders grasping for power would be put down and removed.

Most of all that those who need the gospel would be receptive, that they would seek and find, that we would speak boldly about the hope within us.

Punish evil men and forces that would do harm to our families, churches, cities. I pray that truth would prevail, that the veil of deception would be swept away.

I ask these things not because we deserve it for we are a wicked, sinful people. We fail to turn our faces fully to you. We rely on ourselves, our leaders and our governments to “save” us.

We turn in repentance. You alone give us life and breath. It is through you that all things hold together. I pray that you would show yourself strong in defeating this enemy. They are nothing to you. With a word you can dismiss the virus. With a word you can expose the proud and corrupt.

I pray that you would do it in a way that is unmistakably you. Do a new spectacular thing.

Today the birds are still gathering, the sun is still shining, the trees are springing to life. The wind is calm, the waters are still.

I believe you will act. I know you hear. I know you see and take notice. Bring salvation to many through this. Soften hearts to finally see you. Bring repentance and a renewed commitment to you and your ways.

Thank you for being a God who is not sleeping or silent. Thank you that you are already at work in this world gone mad.

Today I will honor you with my mind, with my actions, with my voice.

“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14

(“Mourning Into Dancing” – Copyright 2016, Karen Pickering)

by

Sometimes it Helps to Cry

adult alone anxious black and white

Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

There is an ache in my soul. I’m trying to be positive… trying to be encouraging to those I am around… trying to calm my spirit lest I start crying and can’t stop.

My God has been faithful again and again. What is different about this time? This time it involves the whole world. We aren’t at war like WW I and WW II, but we are certainly in crisis. The widespread trouble has gotten our attention, finally.

So what do we do now? Maybe it is time to lament. If there was ever a time to do what David did on several occasions it is now. Here is one of his laments below. I have listed a few more in the “For further study” section.

Psalm 13
How long will thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;
Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Notice that laments follow a pattern. They usually start with utter discouragement and invariably they end with a change of heart and mind, looking to the God of their salvation.

I would encourage you to write your own lament.

Here are a few questions to get you started.

  1. Have you been through a crisis or life changing event? What have you lost as a result of what happened? Be as thorough as possible. Don’t minimize the loss. Don’t pretend there wasn’t a loss. Be honest in your assessment. What do you still struggle with?
  2.  Bring this list to God. Tell Him what you are thinking. Face this with Him. Cry out to Him. Ask Him any questions you have been afraid to ask.
  3. Be quiet before God. Let His Word speak to you.
  4. Take the things you have written here and write your own lament psalm. Use the outline in the link below as a guide.

Lament Outline

I’ll check back with you in a few days. I need to go work on my lament.

 For further study: Psalm 22, 28, 44 & 69