THROUGH THE FOG

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…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.  You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin [temptation or trials].

Hebrews 12:1b-3

“This too shall pass.” How many times have you heard people speak those words when they are going through hard times. Or maybe someone has spoken them to you in that situation. Actually the words hold only small comfort if we aren’t looking to a better future after we have made it through. I know you’ve heard the old saying, “They’re just jumping from the frying pan into the fire!” In other words, folks are just passing through one bad circumstance only to encounter something worse! I’ve known people whose lives seem to reflect this philosophy. They never seem to get a break!

When I lived in Florida, some years ago, I was recuperating from a physical and emotional breakdown. I was diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Sounds dismal doesn’t it. Well, it was! My future didn’t appear to be very promising in the natural. But I refused to look at the natural. I spent my days focused on the Word of God and His promises to me. I kept my eyes looking toward Jesus and I knew that He wanted to bring me through. I considered the fact that He endured many things such as I was going through and much, much more when He was here on this earth. And the Bible tells us that when He was on the cross, He took all of our sins and sicknesses upon His body. This is not figurative, it is literal! That means He felt every pain that we would ever feel…physically, emotionally and spiritually. He even ended up losing His life…and I had no where nearly gone that far! He also promised me this…”No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 The Message Bible)

After I was well on my way to recovery, my pastor, a lady who was also my good friend gave me a framed photo that she said reminded her of the trial I was passing through. It was a photo of a pier extending out into the water in Cedar Key, Florida where we had visited several times. The boards of the pier, especially toward the end, were broken and in disrepair. You couldn’t actually see the end of the pier, for over it and the water beyond, was a dense fog. If you were walking on it, each progressive step would be a step of faith into the unknown. There was no way to see through it to the end. You just had to trust that your steps were ordered by the Lord…and “look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.”

Pastor Retha gave me the picture to encourage me at that particular time in my life. And every time I looked at it, I pictured Jesus there with me, holding my hand, guiding me through the fog of an uncertain future. But I must tell you I’ve never completely gotten through the fog. The life of faith is an on-going experience. There may be a time when the fog lifts temporarily, but it will always come back, as long as we’re living on this earth. And when it does, we have to reach once again for the Master’s hand and take one step at a time, totally trusting in His guidance to see us through. We should never worry or fret, but rest in the fact that He has gone on before us and He knows the perfect way for us!

YOUR WORD, MY HOPE

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You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Ps. 119:114

Do you remember the time when a man’s word was his bond? I do. My father lived by that motto. If he told you he would do something, you can be assured it was as good as done. Not only so, but in those days (what my children called the “olden days”) men often shook hands on a matter in lieu of signing a bill of sale or contract to close a deal. I experienced the fruits of that method when my parents passed away and I had to get properties surveyed and lines confirmed. I ran into such things as, “Well, Mr. Jones and your dad shook hands and agreed that this road would be a common property.” But kids and grandkids of Mr. Jones knew of no such arrangement and some concessions had to be made. Sadly enough, those kinds of agreements are things of the past. Now days one has to have everything in writing, notarized and signed by two witnesses!

But, thank God, He is still a man of His Word! The Bible says in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” And the answer to that would be a definitive “No!” “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (II Corinthians 1:20) Whatever God tells us in His Word, we can consider His bond and we can say “Amen” to it. Amen means “so be it”. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her she was to birth the Messiah, her words were, “Be it unto me according to the Word of the Lord.” She was saying, “Amen, so be it!”

The Bible is filled with promises that are written to us, His children. But if we are unaware of them or don’t believe them, they will be of no benefit to us. So if you’re having a difficult time in any area, find a promise that applies to your situation, go to the Father with it, and picture Him shaking your hand and saying, “My Child, consider it a done deal!”

You know with all your heart and soul

that not one of all the good promises

the LORD your God gave you has failed.

Every promise has been fulfilled;

not one has failed.

Joshua 23:14

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!

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  Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

  But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV

Do you ever find yourself so tired you feel as though you can’t take another step? Or maybe you’re just weary in your mind and feel like you will certainly faint if you have one more decision to make or one more obstacle to present itself. Hey, I’ve been there… more times than I’d like to remember! Sometimes I think to myself, “I’m old enough now that life should be getting easier!” Then why isn’t it? Because we live in a world that is filled with a continual stream of challenges and choices…some that we make ourselves and some that others make for us. The bridge to one of my songs says, “I wake up every morning and I must decide. Will I follow Jesus or believe the devil’s lies?” The devil delights in bringing things across our pathway that would cause us to lose hope. But the devil is a liar. The choice to continue to hope in the faithfulness of the Lord is one that we must make at the dawning of each new day and maintain throughout the day. You may say, “Well, how do I do that?” Meditate on verses that encourage you and build hope. And remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in times past.

To keep an eagle from flying, you only have to clip its wings. We must not allow the hardships of life to clip our wings of hope and keep us from rising above the difficulties. Proverbs, the Wisdom Book says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12) Don’t let the enemy of your soul defer your hope! Let’s quote the title verse again with a little modification. We’ll call it TPV (The Personalized Version).

“Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

  But I hope in the LORD!
That hope will renew my strength.
I will soar on wings like eagles;
I will run and not grow weary,
I will walk and not be faint.”

Wow! My faith is fueled by that verse. I can feel my wings of hope spreading and the winds of the Holy Spirit lifting me above the cares that would vainly try to weigh me down!

WHO’S FOLLOWING YOU?

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Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 118:1

This verse is repeated numerous times in the Bible, especially in the Psalms.
It is another glorious thing to be thankful for…the fact that God is a good God and His mercy endures forever. I have had to lean hard on that verse many times in my life. A line in one of my songs says: “My life was so fragmented, my mind was so confused. But I took the broken pieces and I gave them all to You. And much to my surprise, You took them in Your hands. And You gave them to Grace and Mercy, to make them over again.”

Because of God’s intense love for us, through His grace and mercy, He gives us new beginnings. I don’t know about you, but I have had several in my life. I know I’m making it sound like I was some sort of Mafia character or something. Not so. I was basically the same person I am now. But I have made mistakes that could have ‘done me in’ so to speak had it not been for God’s goodness and mercy. And for that I am eternally grateful. The title of the song that the line above is taken from is “It’s Not Enough to Say Thanks”. I not only thank God every day for what He has done in my life, but also for what He is going to do in the future. You see, God’s goodness and mercy is never-ending. It endures forever!

Everyone is familiar with the Twenty-third Psalm. It is known as the Psalm of Comfort and has been read at many a funeral. But one particular line has always stood out to me that pertains solely to life…“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my LIFE!” I have made that my confession many a morning as I contemplate the day ahead. Let me give you an illustration.

I recently had a little puppy dog in my home for a few days. I couldn’t leave the room without him following me. I have hardwood floors and every time I changed locations, I could hear the tap, tap, tap of little feet following behind me. As children of God, we should listen for the tap, tap, tap of goodness and mercy following us at all times. Storm clouds may be rising on the horizon, but everything will be okay because goodness and mercy are following me. My bank account may be getting a little low this month, but it will be alright because goodness and mercy are following me. I’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately, but I won’t get down and out. Goodness and mercy are following me! If I stop for a moment and reflect on God’s love for me, I can feel their presence. And when I move again, I listen for a soft tap, tap, tap, coming from behind.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.
Psalm 23:6 NLT

UNPRECEDENTED FAVOR

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Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

One Sunday Morning, I was listening to my favorite minister on television. When I tell you the topic of his sermon, you will probably know who it is. He was speaking on the Lord’s “unprecedented favor” to His children. It really blessed my heart, boosted my faith and encouraged me in relation to my future. Afterward I was just sitting there meditating on the word he had spoken and talking with the Lord. I said, “Lord, I just thank You for unprecedented favor! You know that I have been going through some emotional upheaval and physical challenges lately. Would you please send something my way to encourage me?”

Later that evening I was doing a few things around the house when the phone rang. It was a friend that I had met the previous year on my cruise to Israel. She is from Arkansas, but we have been corresponding ever since. She said, “Do you want to go on another cruise?” Immediately my mind started spinning one hundred miles an hour about my financial limitations at this time. But before I could start any explanation as to why I couldn’t go she said, “It’s free!” You could have bowled me over with a feather! “What? Free?” She went on to explain that she had booked a cruise to the Bahamas with her husband and he decided he would rather take advantage of hunting season. Her words were, “So I decided that I’m going to give Nancy first dibs.” Now why would she do that? Although we have become friends, I would have thought she would have asked someone from her church or a family member. But she thought of me first! My Friends, that is the “unprecedented favor” of the Lord working through my friend Linda. I prayed for it, but I certainly didn’t expect it that fast! Our God is an awesome God!

Perhaps you may be thinking, “Why can’t something like that happen to me?” It can! God is your Father too. And He certainly doesn’t show partiality to His children. Start today! Believe that you have the “unprecedented favor” of the Lord operating in your life. And if you don’t really believe it now . . . say it until you do. Meditate on that verse in Ephesians until it brings the faith to believe. Don’t try to figure out how the Lord will bring it. I would never have thought about a trip to the Bahamas. But He knew I would love a cruise, fellowshipping with my friend Linda and He surprised me with it! Now make this your new confession of faith . . .

Lord, you are able to do exceedingly abundantly above
all that I ask or think.
I ask you today for unprecedented favor in my life!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE GOAL

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By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.
I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
Philippians 3:14
The Message Bible

As I was driving past a walking track this morning, I saw quite an unusual sight. The usual people were there…a lady in shorts and tennis shoes briskly walking around the track and an older man walking somewhat slower. But the unusual thing… the thing that caught my eye is this. Between the other two walkers was a young lady in a wheelchair. She was maneuvering it herself by rolling the wheels with her hands. No one was helping her. No one was even close to her. I’m sure the walkers passed her numerous times, but she seemed perfectly content to move at her own pace.

It must have taken a great deal of determination to even begin. I’m estimating the track to be about a quarter of a mile around. She couldn’t possibly have been thinking about how long the track was or the effort it would take to complete it. She must have fixed her eyes on the goal she had in mind and taken it one roll at a time.

It reminded me of the passage in Philippians 3 where Paul the Apostle says, (My paraphrase) “I don’t count myself to have arrived yet, but there’s one thing I am determined to do. Leaving the mistakes of the past behind, I will press on toward the future with Christ by my side. I will run this race of life to the end until I reach heaven my goal, and obtain the prize of eternal life!”

Paul faced a number of hardships and even handicaps in his walk with the Lord. He talks about being weak at times, hungry, persecuted and beaten, even shipwrecked. But always he kept his goal before him…to fight the good fight of faith and reach his heavenly home AND to take as many people with him as possible.

Do you sometimes feel like you are handicapped in this walk of life…at least compared to other people? Being a Christian and making right choices is not always a bed of roses. The Bible tells us that we will have temptations and trials in this life. But it also says that God will provide a way to escape them, so that we won’t be overwhelmed. The key to success is to keep our focus on the goal set before us. And when we finally reach that goal, it will be worth it all!

“Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also.”
~ Jesus

CLAY BALLS

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For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”
made his light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory
displayed in the face of Christ.  
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that
this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7

A while back I was called to serve on the Grand Jury.  We were comprised of sixteen people from differing backgrounds, socioeconomic status, race and gender.  No one knew what to expect.  No one knew the person who was sitting next to them.  And yet we were expected to act as one entity in determining whether the cases before us were to go to trial or not.  We were all apprehensive at first, but as time progressed and we talked among ourselves we became more comfortable with each other.  There was the orthodontist, the accountant, the nurse, the music promoter and the professor, as well as the Wal-Mart cashier, the nail tech, the receptionist, the housewife and the college student …many different people from all walks of life.  What if I had decided to alienate myself because I didn’t know them?  Obviously, I would never have gotten to know them.  What if I had looked on the outward appearance and determined that they were just not someone I would like to get to know.  I would have missed out on the comradery that we all developed.  I made friends that will remain so and fond memories that will linger from now on.  I have discovered that people are like unopened gifts.  They come in all different sizes, colors and packaging.  But like gifts, it’s really what’s inside that counts.

The following story is a perfect illustration. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I hope the impression it leaves will be one you’ll never forget.

Clay Balls
A man was exploring caves by the Seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn’t look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone! Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars’ worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away! It’s like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn’t look like much from the outside. It isn’t always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person. There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth. May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

…And everyone said, “Amen!”

Are You Content?

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The reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord leads to life,

and he who has it rests satisfied [content];

he cannot be visited with [actual] evil.

Proverbs 19:23 Amplified Bible

I read something in my devotional this morning that really jumped out at me. “Contentment is not getting what you want. It’s enjoying what you’ve got!”  Learning to live in contentment is an age-old problem. Solomon had this to say about it…“Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” (Ecclesiastes 1:8)

And in the New Testament the Apostle Paul says in direct contrast, “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.” (Philippians 4:12-13) Now Paul doesn’t say that contentment is automatic if you are a Christian. I know many Christians who are very discontent. Nothing ever seems to be exactly right with them. Paul indicates that it is a choice we make. He says, “I have learned…to be content.” I’m going to make a confession here, which as you know, I do quite often. (Well, the Bible does say, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.” ) I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve thought, “If I were wealthy, I know I would be happy and content. I would have no stress and life would be a bed of roses!” But I have learned, as Paul did, if I can’t be thankful and content now with all the blessings the Lord has already given me, it’s not likely that I would be content then either. And if I’m waiting for wealth to make me content…am I to make myself miserable until it comes? Life is entirely too short to pollute even one day with self-inflicted misery! I know you’ve heard this saying more times than you care to, but the statement itself makes it perfectly clear on whose shoulders the responsibility of our happiness lies, and it is this: “Don’t worry, be happy!” The understood subject in this sentence is “you” (don’t worry)…“you” (be happy!)” The choice is yours. The choice is mine! Focus on what you don’t have and be miserable or focus on what you do have and be content.

A very large factor in pulling off this contentment thing is trust. Hebrews 13:3 says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Do you believe that your Father God loves you? Do you believe that He has your best interests at heart? Do you believe that He is capable of meeting your wants and needs? Then tell me one reason you have for worry and discontent. It sounds to me like He has everything under control! Oh, it’s so wonderful just to rest in His love! You can rest in it when you remember that He sees the whole picture. He knows what is best for you and when it is best for you. Ruth Graham once said, “If it had not been for the grace of God, I would have married the wrong man…several times!” Sometimes God doesn’t give us what we want, when we want it, because He knows it’s not best for us. If we will just rest in the assurance of His love, how peaceful and content our lives will be! I don’t know about you, but that is my utmost desire.