Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 150:6
Psalm 150 is the last in the Book of Psalms. How fitting to end with praise.
It’s a familiar one, isn’t it? The thing that made me go hmmm when I reread it lately was imagining what the writer of this Psalm meant:
Imagine every single one of God’s creations praising Him for His goodness.
Ponder that for a minute. What would it look like if every living thing in heaven and on earth praised God for His goodness. Here’s my vision of every living thing praising the Lord.
The trees of the fields and the mountains are stretching to heaven, swaying and bending low then rising high and tall their trunks to heaven again and again, their creaking songs of praise to God.
Imagine the leaves of the trees whirling through the air, lifted up, up, up and then gently drifting down only to be lifted up again. Their rustling songs of praise and adoration.
The flowers of the earth dancing on their stems, colors brilliant having been kissed by the sun. Petals stirring in royal wave expressing their praise. The sweet-fragrance wafting on the air rising high as an incense of praise to our God.
Imagine the birds of the air swooping and sweeping in joyful chase and song, beaks pointed to glory offering hymns of praise to God that combine for a heavenly symphony.
The fish in the sea gliding and dipping, the whales leaping in praise high above the surface, their powerful splash forcing droplets of water to meet the heavens like tears of joy.
Think about the animals of the earth in obedient reverence lifting their praise. Running, leaping and jumping in praise. Their praise-filled frolicking sweet to heaven’s eyes.
Picture the stars in the heavens sparkling and twinkling, glowing and shining bright in praise to our Lord.
Then think about every human being on this earth, faces turned upwards, hands lifted high reaching to touch heaven, knees bent humbling bowing before the King, bodies swaying in worship joining the praises of the angels in heaven singing Holy! Holy! Holy!
Now I want you to close your eyes and envision the trees, the fields, the mountains, the leaves, the birds, the fish, the animals of the earth, the stars in the sky, and all God’s children united with the angels in Heaven, with one anthem raised in adoration to the Most High God.
God’s creation praises Him everywhere in every way. We should join this rejoicing song of praise.
Oh Lord, my God When I, in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart Then I shall bow, in humble adoration And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!
The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains. Habakkuk 3:19
This, my friends, is one of my very favorite verses. In fact, when I was working outside the home, this verse was posted on my computer screen. Even when I had to go outside the office for work conferences or court, this verse was on a post-it on my laptop as well. It always brought me such comfort to know that no matter what situation I was in, the Lord was right there with me, strengthening me, making sure my steps were firm and solid and working me up and over the mountain I was climbing.
I have learned that although I have to make the actual climb, His promises that He will strengthen me for the climb and then bring me safely to the other side have always been kept, no matter what the “bring” looked like.
Verses 17 and 18 of Habakkuk actually give us an even greater perspective of verse 19:
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18
Talk about some difficult times, this is a little more devastating than our day-to-day life glitches. We’re talking the potential starvation and death of a nation. This would be terrifying, and is, to any nation. But Habakkuk would not be controlled by his feelings or the events going on around him. Even though the troubles were seemingly insurmountable, Habakkuk looked to the strength of the God of his salvation! In fact, he didn’t just have faith in the God of his salvation, He rejoiced in the God of his salvation! Wow!
Do we rejoice in the God of our salvation during difficult times, during trying times, during scarry times, during stormy times? We should. Human nature (sinful nature) is to get bogged down in the difficulties, the trying and the scarry. But, we need to take our eyes off of the difficulties, the trying and the scarry and look to God. Boy oh boy is that hard halfway up the mountain. But when we do, He will give us strength in those difficult times. He will make us sure-footed, He will give us hind’s feet, so that we can safely navigate the rough terrain we must travel, with Joy!
Isn’t it easy to know what we should do and harder to put into action what we know we should do? Yes! We’ve been through some of those difficulties and scarry times lately. Times when we didn’t even know where our feet were let alone how to put one in front of the other. But each time we experience difficult times in our life — just to remind you, if you are a child of God, you will absolutely, definitely, no doubt, experience difficulties — and arrive on the other side of what seemed like an insurmountable mountain, we can have Joy, from start to finish. Maybe not feel Joy in the climb, but know Joy, real Joy. Remember, Joy is not happiness. Happiness is completely dependent on our happenings, on our circumstances.
But the kind of Joy that comes from believing in our Deliverer, however He chooses to deliver us. Trust is grown and our faith in God is securely grounded on the mountains. If we didn’t need his strength, his help in getting over the mountain, we would not need God. But we do.
Bringing us safely over the mountain doesn’t mean that the terrain is not dangerous, that the terrain is not steep, it means exactly what it says, He’ll bring us safely over the mountain. Having faith in the God of our salvation that He will do what He says He will do should cause us to rejoice, regardless of the terrain we traverse. Rejoice!
Sidlow Baxter said the literal definition of verses 18-19 is:
“I will jump for joy in the Lord; I will spin around for delight in God.”
Here is the hilarity of faith!—Joy is at its best when circumstances are at their worst! Whatever trials may come, and they will, we must rejoice in the Lord and Joy in the God of our salvation.
So may you twirl with absolute Joy in the God of your salvation as His strength brings you safely over the mountains, little and big!
Awhile back I stuck a note on my spindle. A pointy thing that holds some of my thoughts I want to hang on to. I can only hang on to them if I write them down. If I come across a thought, I write it in my journal and then I write it on a scrap paper and jab it onto a pointy thing. There’s something satisfying about the jab. Periodically, I’ll go through the spindle and be reminded of why something was meaningful to me and sometimes I toss them thinking, why in the world did I write that down.
Anyway, at the end of last year a thought made the spindle and it’s staying there. It is a reminder that is pertinent to my life.
If I trust God with my eternity, why don’t I trust Him with my nows?
This thought comes up nearly every day, for me. When I’m thinking about circumstances or situations in my life or the lives of others and I see no way out, I dwell on this thought. It gives me perspective. The perspective is that if I trust God to keep His promises that I will go live with Him forever, no more tears, no more sorrow, no more pain, etc., and to be honest, I don’t doubt that one bit, then why don’t I trust Him to keep His promises in my right nows? If I trust Him in death why don’t I trust Him in life? Maybe because I’m not afraid to die, but I just might be afraid to live. Hmmm. Chew on that a bit.
It’s a matter of trust. Trust is not always the flip of a switch – click, I trust. Living grows trust. Living through hard stuff grows trust. When we do not trust God’s handling, God’s timing, God’s love for us, we take matters into our own hands and oh boy, what a mess we make. Right?
Am I more determined to navigate my own course than leaving it to Him?
I read something similar to this a while back and it gave me pause. After careful consideration, I’d have to say a lot of times, yes. I know, that shouldn’t be the case. I should be relying on God to steer me through life’s happenings instead of trying to pilot my own course and trying to control the outcomes. And when I’m piloting the course and trying to control the outcomes, which by-the-way I can’t do anyhow, that means I have a trust problem.
If I’m navigating my own course, or some might say trying anxiously to control, it means I do not trust Him. Plain and simple. Wait! No, I do trust Him, but… We either trust Him or we don’t. Granted, there is a disconnect sometimes between our minds and our hearts, sometimes we don’t always line up, remember the hind’s feet? It is perilous when our back feet (heart and mind) don’t land in the front feet (soul and strength) steps? We risk falling on the treacherous terrain.
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27
Trust. Reliance. Confidence. Hope. Faith. We cannot stumble through life with half-trust, picking and choosing the situations that God is capable of handling and those that we must handle for Him. This creates so many bad decisions on our part and frankly, just a miserable existence.
Trust is a tricky thing, though. We may feel it with our minds, but don’t know it with our hearts. Or, we may feel it with our hearts, but don’t know it in our minds. Trust is getting it all to line up and that’s a process.
If I am more determined to navigate my own course, my life will be a constant battle, kind of like a Pushmi-Pullyu. My head and my heart are connected to one body but constantly battling for control. Visualize that. Only when we give up control are we given freedom from the tug of war. Freedom to trust. Freedom to allow Him to navigate our lives. If we are constantly trying to control the outcomes of life, we will never have freedom.
When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” Matthew 8:23-27
Do we think that the One that controls the oceans cannot control the seas of our lives? We are so like the Disciples charting our own course and then being engulfed by the waves. Here’s the thing I love about this passage. He rebuked the winds and the waves, but He did not rebuke the Disciples for their little faith. I can’t imagine that the Disciples were not trying to control their boat during this storm. I can’t imagine that they were not trying to navigate the waters, control the sails and bailing the water out of the boat. Only when they saw they were not able to manage the crisis did they cry out to Him. And He answered.
Freedom comes when we cry out to Him. Our freedom comes when we trust Him enough to take control. It is a process. But just like the Disciples, we can breathe a sigh of relief when we see He is true to His promises and trust Him more.
Only when we cry out to Him will we begin to believe that we can trust God with our eternity and our nows. Then we can really start living. Living in hope. Living without fear. Living in His promises. Living in His Light. Spreading His Light.
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning; Give me oil in my lamp, I pray. Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning; Keep me burning till the break of day.
Many of you may remember singing that chorus in church years ago. Maybe it was a Sunday evening fellowship service or weeknight revival. This song was a staple in our chorus booklet in the church where I grew up. I can still hear the joyful refrain –
Sing Hosanna – Sing Hosanna – Sing Hosanna to the King of Kings!
The ladies with the higher voices would hold onto each “Sing” and climb the scale as all others chimed in with the rest of the words. Those were happy times many moons ago. I never really asked what it meant, but I have to admit I didn’t understand the song much. What was this oil and lamp? Why was it so important for me to keep it burning?
As one of the teachers in our church, a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to teach on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. For those who don’t know, this is one of the parables Jesus told to His followers to illustrate how to spiritually prepare for His Second Coming. Found in Matthew 25, the parable tells of an imaginary wedding where ten virgins, or bridesmaids, are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. Five are wise, and five are foolish. Their job is to wait for the bridegroom to arrive and then use their lamps to light the way for him as he enters the wedding banquet. No one knows when he will arrive. The wise bring extra oil with them just in case the bridegroom is delayed, which, of course, is what happens. The five foolish are not prepared for his delay and have no extra oil to keep their lamps lit. As a result, they are locked out of the wedding feast.
Such a sad ending to the story for those who weren’t prepared. The moral of the story is to always be prepared because we do not know the day or hour that the Lord will return.
But, again, that story doesn’t answer my question – what is this lamp and oil?
The idea of the lamp and oil goes back to the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, we are told of the lamp at the Tabernacle and how God instructed the Israelites to make it.
Exodus 25: 31 – 40 “Make a lamp stand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms, of one piece with them. Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lamp stand – three on one side and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lamp stand. And on the lamp stand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lamp stand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair – six branches in all. The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lamp stand, hammered out of pure gold. Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lamp stand and all these accessories. See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
This passage gives us detailed instructions for creating the golden lamp stand – the menorah. Think of the beauty of this lamp and the care that God took in describing the intricacies. It was made of pure gold shaped to look like an almond tree – another of God’s creations. And it was filled with pure olive oil. In Leviticus 24: 1 – 4, The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. The lamps on the pure gold lamp stand before the Lord must be tended continually.”
Why was the light so important? If we jump to the New Testament we learn more about the light.
Jesus was speaking to the people around him in John 8:12 when he said, “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
He also said in John 12:46, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
Jesus is the Light of the World, and His Light continually burns for all to be led to Him. His Light continually burns!
That brings to mind another old hymn:
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin; The Light of World is Jesus. Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in; The Light of the World is Jesus. Come to the Light, ’tis shining for thee, Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me. Once I was blind, but now I can see. The Light of the World is Jesus.
How blessed we are to have these reminders that He is the Light of the World!
But then in Matthew 5:14 – 16, Jesus turns it around on us and tells us, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
Jesus knew that He would return to the Father in Heaven after His death and resurrection. He knew that His followers would have to continue on without Him. For all people, we need to believe that His Light is going to continue to burn.
In I Thessalonians 5:5 Paul tells the Gentiles, “For you are all children of light and children of the day and you are not children of the night, neither children of darkness.”
Not only was the Light being passed on to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. Jews and Gentiles alike are the Light of the world. And if we are to be Light for all others we must keep that Light burning continually.
“This little light of mine – I’m gonna light it shine!”
This question that remains is how? How do we keep it burning – shining?
We have to keep its vessel filled – not with olive oil – but with what the olive oil represents – the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what keeps our light going – The Holy Spirit keeps our lamp lit.
Remember those ten virgins. Five brought plenty of oil with them so they would be prepared in case the bridegroom was delayed. The other five did not prepare for His delay, and they were left out. What a terrible shame!
Why is the oil so important? For several reasons –
In the Old Testament, we see that the oil was used for anointing. Aaron and his sons were anointed and consecrated so they could serve as priests. We are told in Exodus 30: 30 -32, “This shall be my anointing oil throughout your generations. It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you.”
The oil represented something very special – but what?
In 1 Samuel 16: 13, we see that kings were anointed with the oil. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.”
Wait a minute – the Spirit of the Lord – was that in the oil?
Again, digging a little deeper, we learn that Prophets were anointed with oil.
2 Kings 2:9 – “When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.’ And Elisha said, ‘Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.’”
A double portion – of the Holy Spirit. How cool would that be!
Where did they get the idea that the oil represented the Holy Spirit?
The name Messiah in Hebrew means – the Anointed One. In Luke 4: 18 Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Whenever the person was anointed, the Holy Spirit came upon that person.
But this was for the Jewish people. What about us, the Gentiles?
The Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Galatia who were primarily Gentiles. In Galatians 3:14 he wrote, “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”
Those, who are not Jewish, were promised the Holy Spirit as well.
Paul also wrote to the Ephesians. They were also made up of Jewish and Gentiles, but the majority of the people were Gentiles. He said to them in Ephesians 1: 13 – 14, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of His glory.”
God promised to pour out His Spirit on ALL people. And on the day of Pentecost that’s exactly what happened. The power of the Holy Spirit is displayed throughout the Bible and that power comes to ALL who believe in Jesus Christ.
So what’s the connection? With the Holy Spirit, each one receives specials gifts.
1 Corinthians 12: 7-11 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
There is also Fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23).
You see, when we keep our lamps burning, we are keeping them filled with the Holy Spirit. Just like the lamp is the vessel that contains the oil, our body is the vessel that contains the Holy Spirit.
How do we keep our lamp burning?
We keep it filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit. We do the deeds and the work of the Holy Spirit. Walking and living in the Spirit keeps that oil burning, but when we don’t live by the Spirit or walk in His ways the oil stops flowing and the light goes out. When we keep our lamps burning we receive eternal life – we get to enter into the banquet with the bridegroom.
Galatians 6:8, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
So, how about you? Is your lamp filled with oil?
No one knows when the Bridegroom will come. If He came today, even right now, would your lamp be burning bright for Him to see? He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us. Why not fill up your lamp?
Fill-a me up, Come-a Holy Spirit Fill-a me up to the top-a my soul. Fill-a me up, Come-a Holy Spirit Fill-a me up now and take control.
It’s that time of year when the deer have just started moving a little more. The oppressive heat of the summer has faded and the cool mornings and evenings of fall and shorter days cause them to stir a bit more in the open. We watch the parades from inside darting from living room to dining room to kitchen to gaze on their beauty. Man, there are some magnificent creatures moving about out there. It reminded me of a blog I’d posted several years ago about the hind. Every time I watch the parades from the windows, I think of Hind’s Feet.
Hind’s Feet, Repost July 21, 2021
I’m reading this book, I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, by Glenn Clark, published in 1937. It was in a box of books our mom had, I’m not sure where she got it. In the front is stamped “Springfield Lutheran Church, Pleasant Valley, Penna.”
I just love this book. It is old. The pages are super thick, super yellow and the edges rigid as if hand cut. It is handtied and the needlework is visible at each turn. The cover is green cloth, you know that really thin linen-like stuff they used to cover books with. This book just makes you want to touch it, to hold it, and sometimes I just do. One would think with the age of the book, nearly 85 years, that the book would be brittle, pages chipping, maybe even a little fragile, but it’s not. This book and its message were made to last. The books of new with their precisely cut, glued pages and glossy cardboard covers aren’t made to last and sometimes neither is their message.
And that is why I have written this book, to help you be that man for your home, your community, your neighborhood. Glenn Clark
In this wonderful book written specifically for men, the spiritual leaders of their homes, I’ve learned enduring lessons about the hind.
The red deer is Europe’s largest deer. Although the red deer is one of the Scottish Highlands most iconic sights, they originally hail from the Turkey-Persia area and are actually the only deer species to inhabit all of Africa. The male red deer is called the hart and the female red deer is called the hind.
The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Habakkuk 3:19
So what makes the hind creature so spectacular? The hart is also a magnificent creature, but there’s something special about the gal – and it’s her feet. The hind is known to be the most surefooted animal. Why is that? Because of the way her feet work together. When climbing craggy, rugged mountainous areas, the hind’s back feet land exactly where her front feet have just left. As she moves through, her front feet test the dangerous terrain and when she finds safe footing, her back feet then land right in that spot. Her front feet and her back feet line up in perfect correlation in order for her to traverse the terrain and reach the mountaintop safely. It’s precision tracking.
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Luke 10:27
In order to reach the heights of life, we too must have precision tracking. Our feet must perfectly correlate. Our hearts and our minds must line up. There’s a reason it is called the Greatest Commandment. When our hearts and our minds are in perfect alignment, nothing is impossible.
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Mark 11:22-23
Our hearts and our minds must completely align with Him in order to scale the mountains of this world. All four feet (heart, soul, strength, mind) must be coordinated to safely climb the mountain. In the mountainous regions where the hinds travel, those back feet not landing perfectly in the front feet footsteps, even by a fraction of an inch, can be deadly. One misstep by our back feet can cause the mountain to crumble starting an avalanche of boulders and we find ourselves laying at the bottom with rocks piled on. But, each step taken toward the top of the mountain, feet-in-feet, opens a more spectacular view than the last step. Ascending the mountain Jesus’s way – without doubt in our heart and believing with our minds — opens up the most panoramic vistas ever imagined!
True vision can only be found when we convert our feet to hind’s feet. It is a lifelong process. Sometimes we do misstep. Sometimes we are off by a fraction of an inch and we suffer devastating consequences. But as we work at having hind’s feet, aligning our back feet to our front feet, our hearts with our minds, the Lord will encourage us along the way and we will safely reach new heights which open to glimpses of Heaven. Praise the Lord of the Mountain!
I was walking the other morning in the predawn and it was a little warmer morning than some of late. As My Gal and I move steadily up and down the road that cuts the fields, a shiver ran through me. We’d hit a cold pocket. You know what I mean, you’re moving along and all at once the air suddenly turns cold. It’s the gentlest of breezes. The moving of the air is so subtle it’s almost imperceptible. But it’s just enough to usher in a chill pocket. We kept moving and as quickly as it came, the cold pocket was gone. That’s happened to you before, right? We notice those cold pockets particularly this time of year. But when we emerge from the cold pocket, we recognize it, don’t we? We notice when we travel through different temperatures, from hot to cold, or from cold to hot and we almost always comment on it and ask our companion, did you feel that? You see, we’re feeling people, right?
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease. Genesis 8:22
We’re told that as long as the earth endures we’re going to have cold and heat. We may walk through those cold pockets many times a day. It may even feel like we’re living in a cold pocket and the warmth will never come. Or that we’re stuck in a hot pocket and praying for a cold spell with every step. On the inside and outside. This reminds me of my deep need for Jesus. When I hit a cold spot and I need Him so desperately or, when I hit a hot spot and need Him so desperately. He knows what I need in the cold and the heat of life. Just maybe those little pockets were put there to remind me of that.
Because it was cold, the servants and officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made to keep warm. And Peter was also standing with them, warming himself. John 18:18
We’re just like Peter who hit those spots more than once. Those spots where we have been made cold by our denial, our pain, our loss, our hurt, our sin. Those spots where parts of our hearts are just frozen solid. Hard. But what does Jesus do in those places?
“The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter!” Luke 24:34
In those cold spots of life when we need Him so much, Jesus is there. He thaws our frozen hearts, with His presence.
Likewise, with those hot spots of life, you know the ones where we’re tested by the fiery flames of the world – mistreatment, oppression, persecution – followers of Christ have been, will be, or should be in those spots. Hot spots where our faith is challenged, our beliefs are questioned, our convictions tried. He protects us from the heat with His presence.
But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a divine being!”
Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Daniel 3:24-25
His presence calls us beyond the cold spots and hot spots of this life. Being rescued and protected by His presence then requires us to live our lives as rescued and protected people. If we know Jesus, the cold and hot spots of life are tempered by the presence of the Spirit living inside us and we will emerge warmed and untouched by the flames. The Lord has really risen!
Are you walking through a cold spot or a hot spot? You are not alone, Jesus is there.
If we are not constantly reminded we will quickly forget.
How true! Anyone else out there shaking their head up and down saying right on, amen, I’m picking up what you’re putting down? Think about it. The Lord God gave us these magnificent, incomprehensible brains. These brains govern our every thought, our every movement, our every action. Our brains make our heart pump, our faces smile, our eyes cry, our minds to love. Really, it is quite amazing what our brains do when you stop and think about it.
But, one thing my brain is not so good at is remembering. Yours too? I write notes, make lists, tell another person to remind me, set alarms on my phone, email myself, tie a string around my finger – not really but some folks do. All of this and more to remember to do what I’m “supposed” to be doing. In part, it’s because we have very busy lives and there are just a lot of things to remember. But, it could also be because we fill our brains chock full of “useless stuff” that takes up very valuable brain space, or at least that’s the case for me.
The Word of God is full of reminders, in fact, it is in totality a Book of reminders. A reminder of who God is. A reminder of who Jesus is. A reminder of what He’s done for us. A reminder of how we are to live our lives. A reminder of His power. A reminder… The entire Bible is filled with reminders. The word “remember” itself can be found at least 250 times in the Bible. The inference of the word “remember” can be found many hundreds of times. Does that tell us something?
“Remember” means to bring to one’s mind, to retain in our memories. The opposite is “forget.” Well, I’ll tell you right now I’m super good at that. No amount of Jeopardy, puzzles, mind games, or supplements on the shelves out there right now would change that. I’m sensing I’m not alone!
But, here’s the thing. God knew we would struggle with remembering. His Inspired Word uses the word “remember” anywhere from 250 times to 357 times, depending on your translation. The word “forget” can be found anywhere from 60 times to 90 times, again depending on your translation. Whatever those numbers might be in your Bible, it’s a strong message.
The Bible says we are to remember God’s commands:
But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him, and his righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep his covenant, who remember to observe his precepts. Psalm 103:17-18
We are to remember our responsibilities towards each other:
They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do. Galatians 2:10
We are to remember Jesus’s death:
On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
It not only talks of our remembering, but it also talks of God’s remembering.
God always remembers his promises:
For he remembered his sacred promise to Abraham his servant. Psalm 105:42
God always remembers his people:
The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD. Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the LORD.” 1 Samuel 1:19-20
The Bible also tells us the results of remembering.
Remembering leads to rejoicing:
Come and see the wonders of God; his acts for humanity are awe-inspiring. He turned the sea into dry land, and they crossed the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him. Psalm 66:5-6
Remembering leads to repentance:
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
Remembering leads to hope:
Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:21-24
The only way we can remember is to be reminded. The only way to be reminded is to be in the Word of God.
If we are not constantly reminded we will quickly forget.
♫♫He has made me glad, He has made me glad, I will rejoice because He has made me gla-a-ad!♫♫
♫♫He has made me glad, He has made me glad, I will rejoice because He has made me glad!♫♫
Remember that song? That should be our daily anthem. I read a devotion where the phrase “Cheerful Holiness” was mentioned. Once I understood the meaning, I love it too and I probably won’t be able to get it out of my head. At least I hope not. Think about it for a speck, Cheerful Holiness. What is Cheerful Holiness?
It is the expected attitude of one that has been saved from something, the result of someone who has been redeemed. Oh, my. Do we have that attitude? Do I have that attitude? I pause to think. Let’s check it out. What does cheer mean? It means glad, joy, delight, encouragement, hope.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
So now, what is holiness? Holy means to be separated from sin and set apart for God.
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. John 17:17-19
He redeemed our lives with His life, so that we can be set apart for God. His sacrifice ensures our eternity. Not our here and now, but our now and then. Does that not stir up even the slightest bit of cheer?
For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. Hebrews 10:14
We are cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb and our sins are forgiven, our lives are not perfect, it doesn’t mean we will not have troubles but, it does mean that we are holy.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Since we are a holy people, should we not live like holy people? Since we are redeemed, should we not live like redeemed people? Since we are forgiven, should we not live like forgiven people? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m a sinner through and through, as Paul said, I’m the worst of the worst. So, the fact that Jesus saved me brings me exceeding great joy. His love and work are enough for joy and gladness.
Holiness is not a state of denial, characterized by abstaining from defiling thoughts, motivations, and behaviors. True holiness is a state of delight. And the more true holiness we experience, the fuller our joy and greater our pleasures! Jon Bloom
I then have to ask myself. Does my life reflect Cheerful Holiness or Gloomy Holiness? Which one? Ouch! If we are to be witnesses to the world, shouldn’t we live lives of Cheerful Holiness? Are we showing the world what it looks like to be separated from sin, to be in the world but not of the world? Do people see a difference? Do people want what we have?
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. Psalm 51:7-14
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation – Cheerful Holiness! And renew a right spirit within me – Cheerful Holiness! Are we joyfully singing of our forgiveness? Are we practicing Cheerful Holiness?
Something I have been mulling over lately? Connection. Specifically, cell phone connection. I think I may have mentioned before that we live at the foot of a mountain that currently supports four cell towers. You can see those towers from most points in Berkeley County when looking west. If you’ve got a cell phone they may be your source of connectivity.
Well recently, we have been having cell phone connection problems. Lots of dropped calls, many no calls, you know, those dreaded words in the middle of an important conversation — CALL FAILED. That screen on our phones can really put the frus into frustrating. But, here’s what I have noticed, the overwhelming majority of those dropped calls happen inside my house. Despite the towers, we’ve never had great call power in our house, but within the past two months, we’ve sometimes had nil, zip, nada. But, there is one call we are able to make, the distress call … —…
True as can be, when I’m sitting in my living room my phone goes to SOS mode.
See! Again, frustrating!! But, it is just another reason to look at that cute little face. Anyway…
There it is, right at the top, SOS. I can call for help, but I can’t call to order a pizza. Hmmmm. So, I get the SOS mode of my phone usually in the evenings when I’m just sitting down to relax, or at least that’s when I notice it most.
But, here’s the thing I noticed the other day as I was prayer walking on the road facing the mountain.
Four bars, 5G!!!!!
I know this is totally about my connectivity, my cell phone power, the cell tower strength, satellites, signals that go out and bounce around, all stuff I don’t really understand and don’t care to, I just want my phone to work. But, it did make me stop and think a little.
In order to get out of SOS mode, in order to connect and communicate, I need to move closer to the signal. Hmmmm, again. My frustrating phone is a great reminder that in order for it to work properly, it must be able to receive a signal. My phone must be close to a signal in order to receive what it needs to receive a signal. That just makes sense, doesn’t it?
Not unlike us, right? In order for me to work properly, I must be able to receive the signal. It is not lost on me that when I’m sitting in my living room, usually watching some mindless TV or scrolling, trying to decompress from the day, that my phone goes to SOS. And yet, when I am hoofing it up and down that road connecting with the Lord in prayer, I have four bars, 5G, a perfect signal. Point taken.
You see, the Lord doesn’t want us to live in SOS mode. He wants us to live always connected to the signal, not only able to make SOS calls. He calls us to the perfect connectivity, always four bars and 5G, connected to Him at all times. If we live in SOS mode, we are constantly trying to reestablish the signal. We’re constantly toggling our reception on and off trying to reconnect.
He definitely wants us to cry out in our distress, but He desires more to have a constantly connected relationship with us. It’s not relationship if we only call on Him in distress. In fact, some of our distress calls may be completely eliminated by staying completely connected.
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
Check out your connection. What we fully connect to will be our source of strength.
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11
I’ve been studying on Psalm 119. I’m moving slow, trying to spend time meditating on each verse. It’s a super cool Psalm for many reasons, but I recently happened upon this verse. This is one of those we know so well, isn’t it? We’ve heard it many times, we’ve studied it, and we may even have memorized it. But, the words jumped off the page this time.
So, what does it mean to say “I have hidden your word…”?
The word “hidden,” or some Bible versions say “treasure,” in Hebrew means to save, to conceal, to keep, to store. So, it might look like this:
I have saved your work in my heart, I have concealed your word in my heart, I have kept your word in my heart, or I have stored your word in my heart.
Are we able to say that? Hmmm. It’s something to think on. Have we saved, concealed, kept, stored God’s Word in our hearts? Hmmm, again. We may think we have the Word of God in our hearts, but if we don’t have it in our minds, we don’t. The Word tells us that the only way to be transformed is “by the renewing of our minds.” You see, our hearts and our minds are interconnected. Our hearts shape our minds and our minds shape our hearts. When they work together, both on the same page, that’s when true transformation works. Transformation cannot happen without our hearts and our minds. So, what’s that mean?
It means that “hiding or “treasuring” the Word of God in our hearts and therefore our minds, is how spiritual transformation takes place. If we want to be changed by the Word of God, we have to know the Word of God. In this context, “hiding” encourages believers to internalize the Word, creating a spiritual treasury. I love the sound of that, but what does it actually mean?
We should endeavor to memorize the Word of God. Please don’t X out of this post. This is completely possible or God would not have told us repeatedly in His Word to do so.
Your brain has the ability to learn and grow as you age — a process called brain plasticity — but for it to do so, you have to train it on a regular basis. Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
See, it’s completely doable. For some of us “old dogs,” it sounds like we can learn some “new tricks.”
Some of us may be saying, I don’t think it’s necessary. I agree it does sound daunting, but, if the Lord thinks it’s important enough to put in His Word, I think we need to take notice. If we think about it, we can probably see many benefits in memorizing scripture.
In order to memorize, we have to meditate. We have to examine it, play it over and over in our minds, think on it. Not just checkmark it.
Meditating on God’s Word changes the way you think, the way you act, respond, reason, and speak. Glenna Marshall
I don’t know about you, but I can come up with a whole lot of reasons (excuses) not to memorize scripture. But they would all be just that, excuses. The Lord calls us to delight in His Word. Memorizing is one way to do that.
In essence, when you start a new habit, you are essentially rewiring your brain by creating new neural pathways that support that behavior. This is why consistency and repetition are key to forming strong, lasting habits. Healthline
There are all kinds of methods out there for memorizing. Settle on the one that works for you. Don’t get hung up in the method. Do what works for you.
The number one step, the most important step, is to seek help from the Holy Spirit. The Word tells us apart from Him we can do nothing. That includes memorizing scripture. Then start small and work your way up. The key is repetition. Although we may feel like we’re forgetting as soon as we finish a passage, what is stored in our minds will be brought into the light by the Holy Spirit, at just the right time.
One easy way to memorize scripture is to do it one word at a time. For instance, memorize two word scriptures, then three word scriptures, then four, and keep going. Don’t move on until you know what the scripture means and you can recall it. Don’t rush. You have until eternity to work on it.
Two Word Scriptures Jesus wept. John 11:35 Rejoice Always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Three Word Scriptures Keep on praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 God is love. 1 John 4:8
Four Word Scriptures Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 Be strong and courageous. Joshua 1:9
Five Word Scriptures Rejoice in the Lord always. Philippians 4:4 Delight yourself in the Lord. Psalm 37:4
Six Word Scriptures God is our refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1 Love is patient, love is kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4
Seven Word Scriptures We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us. 1 Thessalonians 5:25
Eight Word Scriptures This is the day the Lord has made. Psalm 118:24 Then He asked them, where is your faith? Luke 8:25
Nine Word Scriptures Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace. Luke 17:19 For by grace you have been saved through faith. Ephesians 2:8
Ten Word Scriptures God who calls you is faithful; He will do this! 1 Thessalonians 5:24 Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2
You don’t need to plan to memorize a book of the Bible, you can just do it organically as you are reading. If a verse speaks to you, commit it to memory. But the key is to practice, practice, practice. Start making those grooves. The more you do it, the easier it is.
Jump in with both feet. It is life-changing. I’m praying for you.
