Be steadfast in faith

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." 1 Peter 5:8,9

The enemy knew it was only a matter of time, and his time was short.  He didn't mind waiting for the right moment though; the children were becoming complacent.

He had watched as the littlest among them had been trying to keep the others awake and watchful, but her efforts were beginning to seem futile. He would prowl the perimeters and wait.

A low growl escaped one of his helpers.

"Silence!"  he hissed. "They mustn't hear. They must not suspect our presence."

The children yawned and stretched. The sun was warm and their bellies were full. Life seemed complete.

The littlest started to whimper again, something about feeling danger. She thought she'd heard a growl. The others gazed in her direction lazily.

"Don't be such a silly, frightened little thing."  the oldest and laziest chided her. "It's probably just your stomach. You've hardly eaten a thing.  Isn't it to your liking?" he teased her sarcastically while reaching for another handful.

"No! No, it's not that" she argued. "It's not my stomach.  I've eaten, although I won't take more. It makes me tired.  I heard something though.  Listen!!" she implored the others, leaning forward, straining to hear.

But her warning fell on ears that refused to hear.

On the fringes, the enemy lay low.

Silent.

Waiting.

Ready to devour his prey.

~~~~~~~

I wrote the piece above several years ago, but it seems even more appropriate today as I watch the world unravel into greater images of insanity of man's inhumanity to man. It makes my heart sad and deepens my commitment to pray for the young people of this generation.

What a sweet blessing to receive a picture from my dear friend Rhonda Stoppe ( #noregretswoman #momsraisingsonstobeen ) that she'd taken at the camp where she and her husband spoke this past weekend. In it there are six young boys on their knees praying for their families, their friends, their future.

Our future.

I cannot begin to express to you the pure joy and comfort her picture brought to my soul. It speaks volumes.

Not only are these boys praying, but they are young boys.  None of them are yet in their teens, yet their hearts are already burdened to pray for others. 

What a beautiful sight and so desperately needed for this generation.

I am so glad to know there are young men and young women who are taking up the banner for Christ and interceding in prayer on behalf of others.  As the world continues its spiral into the future, they are going to need to be well versed in God's word and fully equipped with the full armor.

Each of us need to take the battle seriously. This world is not our home.

Have you girded yourself for battle?

Are you steadfastly and diligently watching for signs of the enemy and fervently resisting him?

Don't become complacent.

The battle is real.

And the best place to fight it is on our knees in prayer seeking God's will.

May He guide, guard and protect us all.  To Him be all glory and praise.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." ~ Jesus as recorded in John 16:33

Well, it happened again.  Another tragic shooting on a high school campus.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/18/texas-high-school-shooting-leaves-at-least-8-dead-suspect-in-custody-report.html

It grieves my heart when I hear of things like this.
I am grieved of heart every time I hear how sin has captured someone in its snare and created chaos.

But it happens, again and again, and it's been going on since the beginning of man's existence here on earth.

The enemy of our souls prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. One of the most subtle tactics of the devil is to create a false sense of security, causing individuals to  become preoccupied with things, or complacent, rather than being watchful. But Scripture is very clear that we need to be ever aware, watchful and vigilant.  (1 Peter 5:8)

We wouldn't go out in the jungle without thought of the dangers, yet sadly far too many people go about their day with no sense of danger or care for themselves or those they love.

We are reminded in Ephesians 6:10-17 to put on the full armor of God, to take our position and stand
In 1Thessolonias 5:18 we are told to pray without ceasing.

This doesn't guarantee that no tragedy will ever befall those we love or ourselves. but it does empower us to face whatever may come our way and keeps our focus fixed on the Lord's face.

Sadly there are many in this world who will succumb to the distractions and lies of the enemy and he will consume them. Our only defense is to stand fast in the Lord and to continually pursue the path of peace...in spite of the noise of battle around us.

God is still in control even in the midst of the storm.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. In doing so others will follow your gaze and find peace, comfort and hope in Him.

              *************************************************************

Please pray diligently for all who were involved in this latest tragedy and continue to pray for revival in our Nation. 

Look and listen carefully

"And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but he LORD was not in the fire, and after the fire a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:11,12

Today was one of those days where I needed extra focus to keep my footing.  It seems of late, that not only is my physical balance a bit off, but I am more acutely aware of all the negative things in life. There seems to be a constant barrage of distracting sights and sounds.

It wearies my soul.

The noise in life had become increasingly loud, and sadly I had momentarily allowed my focus to shift off my Savior's face and onto the wind and the waves.

As I struggled to rise above the tide of discouragement that assaulted me from every angle, I fought valiantly to hear the peaceful chords of encouragement from the LORD.  The more diligently I sought refuge at His feet, the clearer the message became.

"Be still.  You can rest in me." (Psalm 46:10 and Matthew 11:28)

Immediately peace began pouring through my soul. I was finally able to take my eyes off the storm and refocus my attention on the Lord.

It takes deliberate action to stay focused on what is true when adversity swirls around us.  The enemy of our souls uses every tactic to distract us from the peace the Lord continually offers. But the Lord delights in those who seek Him.


"Seek the LORD while He may be found.  Call upon Him while He is near." Isaiah 55: 6
"Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." Mark 6:31

And so, once again I have found refuge in my Savior's embrace as He reminds me there is NOTHING outside of His control.  Even the fiercest storm is calmed at His command.

My prayer is that each of you will find solace in the knowledge of how deeply God loves you. May you continually find the strength and courage to carry on in the mission field of life to which you've been assigned by Him. When the winds of adversity howl and swirl around you, press into His embrace and listen carefully.  He has promised He will never leave or forsake His beloved children.

Above all else, rest in confidence that this life is but a vapor and eternal joy and peace await for all of us who truly seek Him. To Him be the glory and honor forever.

The Eyes/I's say it all

On the wall in the guest bedroom hangs a picture of my mom and dad.  Of all the pictures I have of them, it is one of my favorites.  Not only is it one of the last pictures of the two of them together, but it is the expression on their faces that makes it most dear. At the time of its taking, Daddy's health was already beginning to fade, and they knew they had limited time together left on this earth.  Yet you wouldn't see that in their faces.  They are both looking intently into the lens of the camera so they seem to be looking you right in the eye.

And oh, the message their eyes send.

Even though you can detect the slightest discomfort in her eyes, knowing her time with Daddy was drawing closer to the end, and in his, the sorrow of leaving her and the rest of us; the greater reflection is of deep, deep love. On the days when the weariness of the world threatens to steal my peace, one look at their picture and I am encouraged t continue to fight the good fight, just as they did.

Neither of them were particularly "religious" in their faith, but the love for Christ and family was demonstrated daily in their lives.  They lived the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (see Matthew 7:12) was carried out daily in their lives.

As I ponder the deep love they showered upon me during my childhood and as an adult, I am overcome with longing for their presence.  I miss them  And yet, because of the courageous way they faced life, and death, I am encouraged to do the same. You see, they both knew the power of God's gift in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  They knew that His "I's" carried the power of God, and they followed Him in confidence.

His "I's" say:

• "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
• "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5
• "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me, though he may die, shall live.  And whoever believes in Me shall never die." John 11:25,26
• "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." John 10:11
• "I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me he will be saved, and will go in and out an find pasture." John 10:9
• "I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35

My parents eyes reflect confidence and love in the "I's" of the One Who loves us best.  And in His grace and mercy we can rest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read these verses and contemplate what they mean "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God" John 3:16-21

All of us will ultimately face our final days here on earth and then stand before God. Are you ready? My parents were able to confidently face their death and separation from one another, because they knew Jesus Christ personally and had accepted the gift of salvation.

How about you? Are you saved?

Do you know the peace of God? Is it reflected in your eyes?

If you have any question about it, why not make today the day of salvation. "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10  Good works won't get anyone into heaven. It is by God's grace alone "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8

A simple heart felt prayer acknowledging your sin, your need for a Savior and inviting Jesus to be Lord of your life opens the door to eternal life. 

Won't you accept His invitation to eternal peace and rest?

"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden,,and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me , for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.." ~ Jesus as recorded in Matthew 11:28,29

The legacy we leave

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Jesus as recorded in John 14:27

I'm feeling a bit melancholy today as I try to write, and I'm trying to put my finger on the source. It's not the weather. Here in the canyon the sky is a gorgeous blue, and there are hints of spring already beginning to show. I don't think it's lack of sleep, or health, as I've gotten plenty of rest and finally beat the bug that was threatening to knock me down. Having had more time at home recently, I don't think it's caused by the greater organization I'm managing to bring to our home either.  I have been sorting through mementos from my brother's estate though, and just realized this is the anniversary of the day when my Daddy went home to the Lord. All of this has caused me to deeply miss those who have finished their race. It has also made me take a closer look at the things I still want to purge from our home to lighten the load on our children when my husband and I cross the finish line. Even though the subject isn't pleasant or comfortable, it is one that I've begun discussing with the kids and the older grandchildren. 

There is a deep desire to instill confidence that the separation is temporary and to ease their minds and sorrows when the time comes.

It makes me think of the sermons over the last few weeks at church where our pastor has been discussing Jesus's final days with His disciples. He was telling them of His deep love for them, and how would send a Comforter to be with them.(see John 13-17 for greater insight)
Going through things from my brother's estate and looking at mementos left from other family members has brought a ton of memories, but the comfort comes from knowing I will see them again when I cross the finish line. I want to be certain my children and grandchildren know that death is imminent for all of us, but that we can rejoice knowing we will be reunited on the other side.
I want the message that I leave behind to bear testimony of God's deep abiding love and the access He has provided for all who are willing to accept the gift He offers through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I want the sorrow of those I love to be temporary, and their joy to be in the confidence of reunion on the peaceful shores of eternity.
There will be plenty of "stuff" for them to sort through and share, but giving them hope is the best legacy I can leave.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? hall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angles nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

What's that smell?

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in ever place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of in Christ." 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Be we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
 2 Corinthians 4:5-7

A sweet memory crossed my mind this morning while chatting with a friend on social media.  She was telling me about the cabin she had inherited from her parent's estate and had posted a picture of the outhouse among other pictures. I immediately thought of the cabin my family owned when I was a child and the outhouse there.  Although the memory of the cabin was sweet and even funny as the outhouse had space for two, the memory of the noxious smell wasn't pleasant. I learned to hold my breath for a long time in those days.

It's interesting how smell is such a powerful sense which can cause either a positive or negative response.

Some of my favorite scents create strong emotions.  I love the smell of rain, the ocean, pine trees, fresh baked bread, meat grilling on the BBQ, lavender and peppermint essential oils, and the list goes on. These scents make me smile even thinking of them

The memory of the outhouse however does not make me smile.  It stunk, as do many things that cause us to recoil even at the thought of them. I won't post them here, but I'm sure each of you immediately thought of the smell of things that were unpleasant and even may have made you feel nauseous.

I was recently given a necklace that holds essential oil.  I love being able to smell the peppermint throughout the day, and enjoy the reaction of others who are in near proximity to me.  They often smile and remark at how they enjoy the scent of peppermint as well.  Things that smell good draw people while things that smell bad, repulse and push away.

So it is with our walk with Christ. The sweet fragrance of Christ draws those who recognize it, or are longing to remove themselves from the stench of sin and death.

The question arises; are we being a vessel that allows the sweet fragrance of His mercy and grace to be shared?

As we step into yet another year I encourage all to take a moment to reflect on the message you want  presented to your sphere of influence. Do you want those around you to be drawn to the Savior? Is the message in your every day walk one that draws or repels?

Breathe deeply of the love which God richly pours out and allow the peace that you feel be motivation for sharing it with others.  May the response be one of delight and desire that draws all into a deeper relationship with Him.

Into the new

This morning as I looked out my window I was reminded once again of the numerous blessings the Lord has bestowed on us.  I love foggy mornings in the canyon, because the stillness always causes me to reflect more deeply upon the nearness of my Savior.  It is always humbling to realize that He desires intimacy with me.  Far too often I get caught up in the rush and crush of the world and fail to spend adequate time sitting at His feet, listening to the love song He is always singing. Mornings like today help me to slow down and really listen.

As I was sitting at the table doing my morning devotional and pondering the close of another year and beginning of a new one, my eyes were drawn to Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who as a contrite and humble spirit. To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." I was then drawn to Isaiah 66:1&2 "Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and earth is My footstool, where is the house that you will build me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exists" says the LORD. "But on this one thing will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word."

What an awesome and amazing thought!

The God of all creation, Elohim, Who sits with heaven as a throne and Whose footstool is the earth, yet He looks on the one who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at His word. 

Think about that for just a moment.

I mean, really think about it.

Today the reality of His greatness and my insignificance in the realm of all creation settled just a bit deeper in my soul.

You see, I am not always as grateful for the things He brings into my life.  Although I know Scriptures remind me to be thankful in all things (Ephesian 5:20) and to be joyful in all circumstances (James 1:2), I still struggle. In many ways I am like the children of Israel who He delivered from captivity, only to have them whine in the desert...even in the midst of blessings. (For a quick synopsis read Psalm 78). When He first moved us to the canyon, I sadly admit to being a bit like Lots wife who looked back over her shoulder to see what was being left behind. (Genesis 19:26) Thankfully He didn't turn me into a pillar of salt, but gently and graciously revealed to me the blessing He was pouring out.

Realizing this always humbles me.

So many times I have whined in the midst of being stretched spiritually, or held my hand out asking for greater than He has already provided.

Forgive me Lord.

Whenever I look at His enormous grace towards me always creates a deeper love for Him and greater security and peace of spirit than I can describe.  It is the what I always find when I choose to dwell in the place of contentment in the hollow of His hand.

As the new year begins to unfold before me, my only desire is to go deeper into my relationship with Him.  I am so very thankful for the love He has lavished on me and those I love. I pray earnestly that each will comprehend the vastness of His love, and will desire greater fellowship as well.

The message of Christmas is that God brought hope into the world for all mankind through His Son Jesus Christ.  The message needs to go out boldly in the new year. There are still so many who don't know.

May each of us have eyes to see the path God puts before us, ears to hear the love song He is always singing and hands that are willing to do His will. May He be glorified in everything we say and do.