9/11

Notice the cross in the stars....

My nephew's birthday is tomorrow.  I'm sad that his birthday will forever stand for tragedy and loss,  something he is now acquainted with himself at the ripe old age of 10.  You see, his father passed away from breast cancer in July and this is his first birthday without him.

It is amazing how a date can be so full of meaning.  Thousands of people lost their lives that day 9 years ago and thousands more lost their way of life.  We all felt the loss and the shock of the tragedy of it all, but none so acutely as those who lost loved ones.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “ - President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

And so, even more time has passed.  I hope we are wiser, stronger, kinder because of it.  I pray we have turned more toward God.  But I see that the human heart is still desperately in need of a Savior.  We are still lost.  We are still living our own way as though what we do is the only thing that matters.  "When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him."  Proverbs 16:7 (NIV)

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord."  Romans 12:17-19 (NIV)  If we would, as individuals, truly live at peace with each other, with everyone, this world may be a very different, less terrifying place.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."  Isaiah 26:3  (KJV)

What can we, as individuals, do?  We can live lives that are pleasing to the Lord.  We can live at peace with everyone as much as it depends on us.  We can turn to God in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.  We can keep our minds stayed on the Prince of Peace.

Dear Lord,  Please be with those families who have lost loved ones on September the 11th 9 years ago.  Please be with a little boy on his birthday who lost his father just a few months ago.  Make us live lives that are pleasing to You, Oh Lord, so that even our enemies would live at peace with us...

Have a peaceful weekend!

Photo courtesy of Photobucket.com

True Peace is Reflected Peace

I often picture us rolling through life like boulders rolling down a hill (or a mountain!) gathering speed, crushing things as we pass,  ever hurdling toward the bottom.  We miss so much when we live our lives that way!  And I am a firm believer that one of our greatest enemies is our own busyness.  I sometimes think that we think that if we just keep ourselves busy enough, we won't feel the pain or the loneliness or the emptiness.  But underneath that busy exterior, a heart still beats, still fears, still suffers, still wishes things could be different.

We all long for peace.  The world even tells us to pursue peace.  They call it inner peace, or nirvana.  True peace is not something we can manufacture ourselves; it's not something we seek and find ourselves.  Oh, we may find a semblance of peace this way, but it is fleeting, difficult to keep, not easily pinned down.  Jesus Christ offers us a different sort of peace.  He said, "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." John 14:27 (NIV)

True peace is reflected peace.  It is the reflection of the peace of Christ.  "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."  Colossians 3:15 (NIV)  As Oswald Chambers said, "Are you still finding no well of peace or joy or comfort; is all barren?  Then look up and receive the undisturbedness of the Lord Jesus.  Reflected peace is the proof that you are right with God because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him.  If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself."  Are you right with God?  Have you looked to Him in and for whatever circumstance or difficulty you are going through? Or is there something in the way of your relationship with Jesus, something blocking His face from your view? Get right with God!  If you are looking to Him and are right with Him, you will have the kind of reflected peace He offers, the peace that passes understanding.  ^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

So our peace is a reflection of His peace because there is nothing between us; we are right with Him.  In turning our eyes upon Jesus,  and laying everything at His feet, "The perplexity goes, because He has no perplexity, and our only concern is to abide in Him."  (Oswald Chambers)

Dear Lord,  Thank you that You created us to be a reflection of You.  Help us to stay right with You and to never let anything come between us.  Give us Your peace which is not the kind the world gives, but the kind that passes all understanding...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Artwork by Chantal's Stained Glass at chantalstainedglass.50megs.com

God Will Take Away Your Fear, But You Have to Let it Go

We need a Hero to save us from ourselves. We don't make very good choices sometimes. Sometimes we pass up a really good thing in favor of something that has let us down in the past, something that we know isn't good for us, or some way of thinking that we know is damaging. We always think that the grass is greener somewhere else. We think the grass is greener everywhere else actually, everywhere besides where we are. Whether it is or not in truth is another question because sometimes our perceptions are skewed. And whether we move on to what we think are greener pastures or not, we have trouble being at peace because we live in fear.

Sometimes we are more comfortable with pain than peace. We go back to where we suffered because it comforts us. I know! It doesn't make sense that we would go back to a situation that really wasn't right, or a situation where we were not treated right, but sometimes it is familiar and we go back to it because it is. We do not like new, scary things, things where we may have to learn and grow, where we have to work. We would rather struggle with something that we know rather than venture out where we do not know what to expect. Proverbs 26:11 says, "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."

Many times the "right" thing is more frightening than the wrong thing. In one of my favorite movies, "Father of the Bride" with Steve Martin, he says, "First you worry about her (your daughter) going out with the wrong kind of guy. Then you worry about her meeting the right guy." Sometimes the right thing means a commitment you are not sure you are ready to make. Sometimes we just don't want to have to make that decision right now...Sometimes it means losing something, perhaps our freedom, perhaps part of ourselves. And we are afraid...

Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

"In that day you will say: 'I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.' With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: 'Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.'" Isaiah 12:1-6 (NIV)

"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah" Psalm 32:7 (NIV)

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

We are a people full of weaknesses! And if we are willing to step out in faith even when we are afraid, a whole new world of opportunity will open up to us. God desires to use us, with all our weaknesses, fears, sorrows. "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV) Embrace His grace. Rise above your fears and stand firm in the face of every possible distress. "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 (NIV)

God will take away your fear, but you have to let it go...

Dear Lord, Thank you that You have not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and discipline. Teach us to step out in faith when You lead us, knowing that Your grace is sufficient for us. Help us not to go back to old ways, old places, old situations that were not "right". Give us Your strength and Your power to live in Your victory.

Contentment

This is a recap of a sermon by Tom Holladay at Saddleback Church. To find the complete sermon and notes go to: http://www.saddleback.com/mc/m/45E0

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

To learn the secret to contentment, we need only look to God's word. The operative word here is learn. We are not born content; we must learn to be content. Contentment is not taking the easy way out. It is learning an attitude of life that allows you to work hard and gain godly success without losing everything else in the process. Learning contentment is trusting God for much more than you ever thought you could.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

The enemy of contentment is comparison. When we compare ourselves and what we have(or don't have) to others we find our joy draining away. We begin to allow what others have or their opinions of us to control our lives and our decisions. We need to learn to live in the joy that only God can give us. "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!" Luke 12:24 (NASB) And "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!" Luke 12:27-28 (NASB)

"Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else..." Galations 6:4

Learn to be content with whatever you have, whether little or much. Always chasing after more leaves us exhausted and angry and is like chasing the wind, an endless and impossible task. We need to remind ourselves that life is not about things and having more can cloud our vision and cause us to turn away from God. Things cannot be trusted. Put your trust in God.

"I say it is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind." Ecclesiates 4:6 (NCV)

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NIV)

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)

"Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." Proverbs 30:8-9 (NIV)

Be careful about what you pursue. What are you chasing after? Are you chasing after power, fame, fortune, approval, a bigger house, a nicer car? All of these things will leave you feeling empty and unsatisfied. We ought to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. We will only receive genuine contentment through our pursuit of God.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:10-11 (NIV)

"As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness." Psalm 17:15 (ESV)

We must rely on the strength that Christ gives us. We will never find contentment in wealth or a perfect life. These things are futile and empty. Our contentment is not found in our circumstances but rather in our relationship with Him. We can trust what He says. And if we trust what He says then we should also act on it. When you learn true contentment, you have a treasure which cannot be taken away from you.

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 (NASB)

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." Ephesians 3:16 (NIV)

Dear Lord, Please help us learn true contentment, the contentment which can only be found in You. Help us to trust in You and Your word and not in the trappings of this world which will only disappoint and leave us feeling empty.

There are no Magic Wands here...

I would love to be able to wave a magic wand and make everything better for everyone...But it doesn't work that way. The Christian life doesn't include any magic wands for us. There are no guarantees that this life will be easy or that we won't have difficult things to deal with. Quite the opposite, we are told that in this world we will have tribulation. What we are promised is that Jesus will be with us every step of the way. He will lead us and guide us. He will teach us and comfort us. Our goal is to have faith, to serve Him, to lift up His name, and to learn from this short journey. We must open ourselves up to His truth so that we can learn from Him. He offers us peace in the midst of the storms of life. He offers us hope in the midst of the trials. You see, if there is one thing that we need to learn, it is this: this life is not all about us. It's all about Him. This seems to be the most difficult lesson for us to learn because in our own books, it is all about us. But in the Book of Life, where our names are hopefully written (if we have confessed our sin and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!), the story is His.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29 (KJV)

"One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side of the lake.' So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!' And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, 'Where is your faith?' And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, 'Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?'" Luke 8:22-25 (ESV)

If Jesus asks, "Where is your faith?" what would you answer Him? Do you have faith that even when life is difficult or dangerous, He will still get you through it? Do you trust Him with your life? Or do you blame Him and abandon ship when things don't go the way you think they should? You need to come to the place where you know that without a doubt He is trustworthy. Jesus' question implies action on our parts. We must have faith. The truth is that we frequently have very little. "He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" Matthew 17:20 (NIV) You know how small a mustard seed is, don't you? If you have the tiniest bit of faith, you can move mountains through His power. Nothing will be impossible for you.

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father." John 14:11-13 (NIV) We need to keep in mind that whatever we ask should bring glory to the Father...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) We can know what faith is and even think that we may have it but unless we walk in it, is it real? "For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB) And, "Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.'" Isaiah 30:21 (NASB) There are three components to faith: 1) We must have the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 2)We must accept that it is true, and 3)We must trust in Him for our salvation. Do you trust Him?

The definition of trust is reliance on and confidence in the truth, worth, reliability, etc., of a person or thing; faith. Likewise, it is a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship. Faith and Trust are inextricably linked. I think the reason that we may not trust Him is that we are afraid of the end of this life and the uncertainty of how that will happen. We ask, "How will it end? When will it end? Why will it end?" Billy Graham said, "We cannot truly face life until we face the fact that it will be taken away from us." And once we face the fact that this life is temporary and very brief, we can be free to live a life of faith in Him. As it says in Psalm 39:5, "Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah." (NIV) We can walk a true walk of faith because we have let go of the "what if's" of this life. This requires practical thinking. It requires the release of our own control (of which we have none anyway!) and the acquisition of true faith. As George MacDonald said, "We can walk without fear, full of hope and courage and strength... waiting for the endless good which God is always giving as fast as He can get us to take it in."

Dear Lord, Please help us to know how brief this life is and that the only way to live it in peace is through faith in You. Give us true faith and help us to place all our trust in You. Teach us to take in Your endless good and walk in faith without fear...

Peacemakers

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such 'wisdom' does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:13-18 (NIV)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9 (NIV)

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Romans 12:18 (NASB)

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)

Dear Lord, Let us be at peace and let us be peacemakers in this world full of suffering and strife. Show us how we can help others feel Your peace even among the difficulties of this present life. Teach us to sow in peace so that we might raise a harvest of righteousness...

Serenity

This prayer was given to me when I was a young girl by my paternal grandmother. It is one of the very few things that I ever received from her as she was quite poor and generally sent two dollars in a card for my birthday every year (which I always looked forward to eagerly). For years, I had the plaque propped on my dresser and only recently did I put it away in a box. (I intend to go in search of it very soon!) The Serenity Prayer is as follows:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference. by Reinhold Niebuhr

The definition of serenity is: the quality or state of being serene; calmness; tranquility. I find that accepting the things I cannot change is freeing, and allows me to move on. But I don't find freedom just because I accepted something, and I don't move on because I accepted it either. I accept it because I have a God who knows more than I do, because I can trust Him with all things and because "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB) I can feel God's calmness and tranquility because I know He is in complete control. Now that does not mean that things will be perfect or even wonderful, but it does mean that I can trust that whatever happens, good or bad, it will be okay because He is in control.

One of my favorite verses, Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." This does not mean that everything will be "good"! Far from it! The Bible says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV) What it does mean is that God will use all the things that happen in our lives (both good and bad) for our good and the good of those around us, if, we love Him and are called according to His purpose. I try to stay focused on my part of the promise: loving Him and being called according to His purpose. Then I assume that He will be working all things (both good and bad) together for our ultimate good. The thing that sometimes frustrates us is that we can't always see that or figure out what our "good" is. That is where our trust in Him comes into play again. We trust Him that He does know and that that is all we need to know!

So I have accepted the things that I cannot change because God can be trusted and He is in control. The next part of that prayer says that I should change the things I can and ask for the courage to do so. The one thing I can definitely change with God's help and His courage is my own behavior and incorrect attitudes. I have many choices and I can make "good" choices or "bad" ones. The decision is up to me... I can choose to do the "right" thing or my "own" thing. God's word says, "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 You see, when His power and strength rest in us, we can discipline ourselves to make good choices and to do the right thing. He also says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (KJV) Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (ESV) God will give us the courage we need and we can be assured that He will be with us along the way, wherever we go. In the Old Testament, God says to be strong and courageous in 13 verses that are fairly close together. He says it 4 times in Joshua chapter 1 alone! I think he wanted Joshua to get the message, don't you? God wanted Joshua to know that this should be his attitude and that the Lord, Himself, would be with him and would give him the strength that he needed to do what the Lord had asked of him. He will also give us the strength that we need to do what He has asked of us.

The last part of this prayer asks for the "wisdom" to know the difference between the things we cannot change and should accept, and the things we can change and should act upon. The important thing to ask for is "wisdom". "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6 (NASB) "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom." Psalm 51:6 (NASB)

"My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course, for wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul..." Proverbs 2:1-10 (NASB)

"How much better to get wisdom than gold!To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." Proverbs 16:16 (ESV) We need to pursue wisdom and understanding and that is found in God's truth. We should invest our time in His word so that we might gain the knowledge of Him so that we might walk as He walked. "The one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked." 1 John 2:4-6 (NASB)

Dear Lord, Grant me Your peace so I can be content even when things don't go the way I think they should. Grant me Your peace when I realize that I can't change something. Give me courage, Lord, to do what You have asked me to do, when You have asked me to do it. Help me to be transformed into Your image by the renewing of my mind through Your Word. And grant me the wisdom and understanding that can only come from You.