PERSISTING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Do you ever look at the world today and wonder what has happened?  Have you ever viewed a particular situation or event and thought people have completely lost their minds. How could they?  What are they thinking?  What’s wrong with them?  What are they doing?  I know people have looked at me (you) in the same way.  Is she crazy?  How could she?  What’s she doing?  What’s she thinking? Has she lost her mind?  Quite possibly!

What does losing one’s mind look like?  How does one who can’t find their mind act?  How does one who is gone from their senses behave?  One (because I don’t want to point fingers at you or me) may act irrational (world’s opinion) – never!  One (again, no pointing) may have extreme thoughts (changing things that you never thought you would) – never!  One (again, the pointing thing) may become very outspoken and say extraordinary things (speak truth) – never!  One (again) may have responses that are not considered appropriate or acceptable responses to a particular situation (take a stand) – never!  Anyway, coming round the bend of Robin Hood’s barn, losing one’s mind calls one’s actions into question.  So, I ask myself, is losing touch with my senses such a bad thing?  Some may think so, but maybe not.

One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

But the teachers of religious law who had arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by Satan, the prince of demons. That’s where he gets the power to cast out demons.”

Mark 3:20-21

Folks thought Jesus had lost his mind too.  Why did they think that?  Because, to them, that’s what it looked like.  Of course, Jesus did lose His mind on them and went on to chastise and warn them in the strongest way – read the rest of the chapter.   

But, they actually thought He had lost His mind because of the way He acted.  His fervent displays of healing and supernatural power, was out of the ordinary.  Jesus was so bent on addressing the people that pressed in on Him with their cares, their brokenness, their need for healing, that He pulled long hours and didn’t take time out for a meal or a rest.  The kind of perseverance that He displayed caused his friends and family to become concerned about Him.  Existemi, that’s the Greek word used here for losing one’s mind.  It actually means to be displaced, to be outside of, to be astonished, amazed, out of mind, mad.  His family and friends tried to rescue Him because they thought he had become some  type of fanatic, that He’d lost His mind.  So, they showed up.  I remember as a kid my parents fetching me from someplace I wasn’t supposed to be.  That’s really kind of embarrassing, not for Jesus.  His mission was not to be deterred.  Check out His response.

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Mark 3:31-35

Jesus’ family came to fetch Him because they thought He was crazy, because they didn’t understand.  Do people look at us the same way?  They should you know.  Why?  Because we are to be like Christ.  Our lives must be so radically different that people want to understand.

If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:11-17

As in Jesus’ day, today anyone who displays a zealousness for Christ is considered fanatical and someone who has lost their mind, someone who needs to come to their senses. But the truth is that anyone who displays a zealousness for Christ actually brings glory to God.  In a nutshell, if we are out of our minds it is for God and if we are in our minds it is for others.  It’s circular.  Being crazy is being in the right mind. Being in the right mind is crazy.  Humbly delivering the truth (being in the right mind) to others brings glory to God (crazy).

Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

2 Timothy 2:22-26

When folks look at you and ask “Have you lost your mind?”  The answer should be a resounding “Yes!”  In today’s world losing one’s mind looks normal to us, doesn’t it? So, if our words, our responses, our actions do not look different, if we appear to be like everyone else, if we do not stand out as different, if we look normal by today’s standards, we need to come to our senses.  We need to humbly persevere, despite the cost, just as Jesus did.

Happy Love Day! Everyday should be Love Day, shouldn’t it? It’s a day to express love, give love, receive love. To eat red hots shaped like hearts, give red roses and boxes of the good chocolates, to show someone how much you love someone. When I think of Valentine’s Day, I know it is about romantic love, but all I can think about is God’s love for us. This is obviously not romantic love, it is so much more than that. It is not just brotherly love, a love of the will, a love in return, a love because we’re loveable. It is a pure, incomprehensible, blood flowing red, heart on fire, sweet pursuit, lay down your life kind of loves. All loves rolled into one love divine.

Charles Wesley penned this love poem in the 1700s. It can’t be said any better today. Soak in these beautiful words.

Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav’n to earth come down,
fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
all Thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love Thou art;
visit us with Thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest.
Take away our love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
end of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver;
let us all Thy life receive;
suddenly return and never,
nevermore Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve Thee as Thy hosts above;
pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Has His love entered our trembling hearts? Has His love set our hearts free? Do we glory in His perfect love? Do we get lost in the wonder, love and praise?

Some things just seem obvious, right? Well, at least they should, right? But have you ever had the occasion when the obvious was starring you right in the face all along, it’s been obvious all along? You’ve even acted the obvious, lived the obvious, centered your life around the obvious and then the obvious became obviouser (yes, that’s a new word)? Here’s what I mean.

I do the Youversion study each morning — Verse of the Day, Guided Scripture, Guided Prayer — this is a fantastic way to start meeting with God when you don’t know how to go about doing that, or even when you do. Anyway, more often than not, what starts as a two minute read ends up setting the tone for the day, cueing me and coming to mind over and over and over throughout the day. In fact, sometimes, I don’t even realize how deeply His Word applies to my life until I stop and think about it. Stop and be still, stop and look, stop and listen. When I do, when I surrender my thoughts, my ideas, my endless mind chatter and lip chatter, He speaks — every time. If you want to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you, to do what He came to do, guide, direct, comfort, aid, advocate, counsel, petition, carry, heal — all those things and many more things, it is all done through the Word of God — you have to get into the Word.

Ok. Sorry, off that tangent and back to the obviouser. So as I was moving throughout the scriptures yesterday, Psalm 90:2, was pointed out:

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the world, from beginning to end, you are God.

Sometimes I read a verse like that and say how nice, that’s great, I like it, it’s good. You know, sometimes I rush through and move on. I don’t always stop and think, I’m on to the next. But, I’m coming to realize that the Word of God is something to sit in. Even what I (in my wrongness) would deem not as significant as another part of the Word, every single word of the Word is in the Word for a reason. In case we haven’t noticed, our God is not a frivolous God — He doesn’t speak needlessly. Every Word is important, whether I think so, or not. His Words are not weighted. One is not more important than another. All carry the same weight, the same importance, the same power.

Sorry, I keep digressing. Obviouser. So I sat in Psalm 90:2 for a couple of hours intensely, and then I carried it with me throughout my day, reminding me of the obvious over and over again. Here’s how it went:

From the beginning to end, You are God. From the beginning to end, You are God. From beginning to end, you are God! You are God, I am not! You are God, I am not! You are God, I am not! You are God. You are God. You are God!

I know, it seems quite odd, but I wrote those words out, I repeated them over and over until they became obviouser to me. He is God and I am not. I live like I am most of the time. You know, getting all dragged down into the details of life (you know who they say is in the details), the distractions of life’s circumstances. The how, when, where, what of things. I try to work out the details and then tell God how I’d like things to go. Don’t act surprised, I’m sure you have too! I come up with solutions to every life problem and make suggestions to the Lord. In fact, sometimes my if/then solutions are quite elaborate and frankly, some of them aren’t terrible ideas. The problem is that because He is God and I am not, I do not see the big picture. I do not see what He sees. I do not know the plans He has for me. When I act like I do, shamefully quite often, those details become distractions. The planning of the details, the solutions, become busyness in my mind completely distracting me and causing me to focus on the wrong thing. Myself. He is God.

You see, there can only be one in charge. God or me. When I run through the scenarios of life in my mind, plan, scheme and suggest them to God (ahem) or brazenly just tell myself I know what’s best, God is not in control, I am. Oh sure, I can say that God is in control, but my thoughts, actions and words are a reflection of what I believe. I am God, He is not.

In every season of our life, God is good. He is God. He is in control. He loves us in every season of our life. He is God. He is sovereign over all our circumstances. Not one thing happens in this world, not one thing, that God does not cause or allow. Every circumstance, every situation in my life, in your life, in the lives of every person on this earth. He is God, I am not.

So next time we start solving our own problems which we cannot solve anyway, they are God problems, why don’t we just think on this verse. The Creator of the heavens and the earth, of you, of me, of all good things, is God. Let’s ask Him how to work that reality out in our lives. We are givers and takers. We give Him control, we take it back. For me, this happens hundreds of times a day.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the Word of God. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for speaking this Word into that deep part of my soul. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for teaching me the obviouser, that He is God, I am not. Show me what that means in my life. Show me how to work that out. Show me how to live that out. Work in us to change, transform, encourage us, hold us, carry us. He is God, I am not. Spirit help my unbelief. You are God! I am not! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

There’s never a command in the Word of God that we cannot obey, no matter how difficult it seems, for God always empowers what He commands.

This is a quote from a devotional by Alistair Begg. Chew on it a little bit. Since I read this, I’ve mentioned it to friends, meditated on it, and talked to God about it. It’s so perfectly clear. It is perfectly true.

The Word of God holds many commands for us who believe. His Word is chock full. Every command for our good and for God’s glory. Let’s take the command of fear as an example. There’s a lot of that roaming among us all. Of course, we all say we’re not fearful, but our actions, our words, and emotional and spiritual states beg otherwise, so let’s look into that one.

In the Word, God has commanded us at least 365 times – do not be afraid, fear not, don’t-th be-th afraid-th. One command, 365 times. We often talk about how the things repeated in the Bible are the things we need to take note of. I’m thinking we need to take big note of this command and follow. But how, you say? I know, this one is a struggle.

The first step in beginning to follow the commands of the Lord is to recognize them. That can only be done through His Word. If you don’t know the Word, you can’t follow His commands. If you’re not following Jesus, you’re following a completely different set of commands, the worlds commands, and they lead to the City of Destruction. I think the second step is admitting that you’re not following a command. That’s a toughy. In our sample command, do not fear, it would look like admitting that we are fearful of something, of a few things, of most things. Fear is one of Satan’s most effective tools. Fear paralyzes us, it preoccupies us and distracts us, it puts us on an endless anxiety/depression cycle that’s hard to break, it breaks down our minds, it breaks down our bodies, it breaks down our spirits. Before we know it, if we allow fear to languish in our minds, we are completely broken down. Think about your life, your actions, your reactions, your words, your thoughts, your motives. Where do you see fear?

So, we know the Word of God so we can recognize His commands. Second, we admit we’re not following God’s Word. Next, we look and see how this lack of obedience is impacting our lives and the lives of those around us because we’re broken. Next…we seek a solution.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you have received God’s Spirit, when he adopted you as his own children…For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. Romans 8:12-15

If you are a believer, the solution lies within you at all times. Kind of sounds like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, doesn’t it? If we are children of God, His Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit, who lives within us, is our solution.

So we recognize, we admit, we look at the impact, we find the solution and then we just get to it, right? No. We cannot, in our own power, follow the commands God gave to us. But, we can tap into the Power that can.

God can apply the power of the Spirit within our lives to enable us to do what He’s commanded. Alistair Begg

How’s He do that?

This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Zechariah 4:6

There is no way we can follow God without keeping His commands and we cannot be obedient to God without His Spirit. His Spirit is who enables us to keep His commands and to be obedient to Him. The Holy Spirit living in us guides us, directs, protects us, intervenes, intercessors, loves, fills, carries. He is God living in us.

In looking at our sample command, fear, the Word of God says there is no way we can wish hard enough, think positive enough, block from our minds enough, take action on our own enough, fight enough, master our thoughts enough, come up with enough solutions on our own, change our circumstances enough, to overcome our fears.

We follow God’s command not by our power, not by our might, but by the Spirit of the Living God. That’s our action plan.

Lord, today may we take your yoke upon us and find rest for our souls. Show us today what it would look like to surrender our fears to you. You know them anyway. You see us struggling beneath the loads of them. Lord, we pray for You to cease our struggling, help us in your power to release those fears to You. You will not wrestle them away from us, Lord. But you do give us the power through the Holy Spirit to release them to you. In fact, Lord, you command us to and Lord you don’t command us to do anything that you have not enabled us to do — through Your power, Your strength. Holy Spirit fall afresh on us. Infuse us with Your wonder-working power to deflect the fiery arrows of the evil one who is constantly on the prowl. Lord, make us bold, make us strong to stand up against the fear. Lord, cause Satan to flee from our minds. Lord, hold us in Your humble and gentle arms and give us rest for our souls. Your yoke is light — Your yoke is Light! All praise to the One who is able to do more than we can ever think or imagine. Amen.

Have you ever noticed that it’s the little things in life that sometimes have the biggest impact? Take a diamond ring for instance. It’s a tiny little thing. So tiny that in fact it is often lost or misplaced. But, give that to someone asking for their forever, and it’s huge. The same can be said for a grain of sand. One teeny tiny grain in and of itself is not noticeable. Most times we cannot even see a single microscopic speck. But, put that tininess on a beach with billions of other tininess and you have a huge seashore. Or, what about a star. From earth they appear to be tiny, don’t they? But, on a dark night, look up into the sky and seeing a single star, the way it twinkles its light and illuminates the whole sky with its star friends is huge. Sometimes, seeing those Lights in the darkness illuminates our whole world, in an instant.

In scripture this week, the tiny little word “is” leapt out at me. A tiny little word really, but I was struck by its hugeness, especially when spoken by Jesus. The significance to me was like a twinkling star. Now I hate to sound like a big goof, but as that word appeared over and over in a couple of scriptures I was reading, I had to look it up. It is the “present tense singular of the word be.” Duh?

“Is” means “be.” Remember, I almost failed language class, the best I can come up with is “is” means “is.” “Be” means “is.” See, there you have it. That’s all just as clear as mud, isn’t it? Let’s get to the Word and maybe I can explain my jumbled thoughts.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT

God’s Word is alive, it is active. God’s Word is powerful. It is an active, effective force. Think about that for a hot second. God’s Word is living, moving, breathing life as it works in us. Hallelujah!

The Master Physician cuts into our beings with His Word as His scalpel. He is carefully cutting away and exposing my moral and spiritual character. Ouch. Nothing can be hidden from God. My life is all laid before Him. I am completely exposed to Him. He sees my guts. I am vulnerable, helpless and utterly exposed. That’s hard to think about.

His Word is alive and powerful. Right now, right at this moment, working in me, if you are a child of God, working in you, working to separate the evil from the good. Changing me, transforming me, healing me, from the inside out. He’s cutting a path to holiness. Amen!

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 NLT

There it was again. That word “is.” My word of the year is “foundation,” so this passage particularly struck me. Bedrock, foundation. The New Living Translation says that even though trials come, even through the storms of life, that because my house “is” built on bedrock — the solid rock, Jesus, it won’t collapse. I might sway a bit. I might take on some water. I will not collapse, crumble, or go under.

Now both of these scriptures have pertinent life lessons, the whole of the Bible does, but as I read and reread them, something started to percolate in my mind. Two separate readings kept connecting in my mind. I couldn’t get away from the word “is” and how it was used in both scriptures. The Holy Spirit kept nudging me to meditate on these verses. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would reveal the message to me, why was I hung up on these verses, that word? What was the connection? As I prayed, He revealed. Lately, that’s how it’s been for me. As I write out my scripture prayers and pleadings to Him, He teaches me.

It makes me a little raw to share for all the world to see, but I’m not sure I can put into words the way He taught me, except through my prayer.

Lord, my Word of the year – Foundation! You knew that! How firm is my foundation? How firm is my bedrock? I love in Your Word where it says “it is built on bedrock” it doesn’t say “it was built on bedrock,” or “it will be.” Not only in the past and not something I have to wait for in the future but in the now. Profound again! The Word of God is active, living, breathing, it doesn’t say it “was” even though I know you are the omnipresent God so you were, you are, you will be. Your Word is still active, is always active. Does that mean, Lord, that my foundation is being built through Your active, Living Word?!?!? Does that mean, Lord, that as Your Living Word is working in me, cutting through, that the active, powerful force of Your Word is building my foundation??

It’s outrageous, Lord, that you would reveal to me the working of Your Word. Even me! Thank you Most Kind Heavenly Father for Your Word revealed! Lord, you have shown me that Your Word is continuing to build my foundation in You. You didn’t just build it, send Jesus, and walk away and say stay right where you are, no need to go further. O, God you are so good! My Light in this darkness. You continue the work of Jesus through Your Living Word, sanctification, illuminating the holiness path. All built on Jesus’s blood and perfected (?) in Your Word.

Father, may I be obedient to You! Holy Spirit, my Counselor and Advocate teach me more. More about my God. Reveal to me Your Living Word!

Your Living Word has raised the dead, calmed the storms, brought chaos to order. Please, Lord, work in my life and the life of those I love. Raise the dead! Calm the storms! Bring order to the chaotic messes of our lives!

Lord, please activate Your Word in my life, the life of my family, the life of my friends, the life of my church!!! Lord Your Word is sent out and it never hits the ground — Your Word will never fail!

Lord, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path. Your Word is deep. Your Word is lasting. Thank you, Lord, for Your Word! Amen.

Such a little word is “is.” But God spoke it, that makes it huge.

But forget all that — it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 18-19

This was the verse of the day Monday. Profound. I marvel at the Lord and His Word. I’ve read this verse a few times before, but the Holy Spirit quickened me when I read it Monday. I’ve been meditating on it and I even shared it at our Women’s Prayer group the other day. We’ve talked often about how verses speak into our lives at certain times in our lives. Remember, this is not by chance, this is by God. Hallelujah!

I’ve been diligently working on my prayer life. I feel a fool to know in my heart that the greatest weapons we have in war are the Word of God and Prayer — both are direct communications with God, and still not use them in the battle. The Word of God is God speaking to us and Prayer is us speaking to Him. It’s a two-way street. That’s how communication goes. In a vital love relationship (our relationship with God) there has to be communication between both parties. God speaks through His Word and we must listen. We speak through our Prayers and God delights to listen. Our prayers are so important to Him that He collects them in a bowl in Heaven. For real.

In my desire to speak more to God, I’ve been learning to pray His Word. You may say duh, but I’m just now realizing the importance of speaking His Word back to Him. He speaks directly out of it. It’s such a wild thing. But I’m also learning to write my prayers. It helps so much. There’s little chance of distraction (Admit it, you get distracted during prayer too!). If I have to think about what I’m writing to the Lord, think about what I want to say to Him, just allowing the words to flow from my heart onto the paper is a game-changer for me. No white-out, no colored pencils, no circling underlining, checking cross-references — those are all tools for my study time. It’s just pouring my heart out onto the paper. I’m going to share with you my personal prayer regarding Isaiah 43, not for any other reason than for you to see where the Lord can take you, when you pray His Word. This practice has been life changing and life saving for me. Here it goes, don’t judge:

Lord, I can’t thank you enough for Your Holy Word. Thank you Holy Spirit for guiding me, teaching me, bringing the Word to life and to Light. Thank You!

I desire Your Word. I crave it’s wisdom, Lord. Holy Spirit work this Word into my life! This Word is about God. This Word is about Jesus. This Word is so precious Lord. I’m sorry I have underestimated the Word and my need for it for so long. Thank you Lord for creating in me a new heart, transforming my mind and renewing a right Spirit in me all through Your Word. You are so worthy of praise! Hallelujah!!!

As you said in Isaiah Lord, what you’ve done in the past is nothing compared to what You Mighty God are going to do. Thank you Lord that You are constantly working — you never stop working Lord for Your Children. We do not deserve it Lord, nevertheless, You work for our benefit and Your glory never stops, it goes on and on. Hallelujah!

Of my goodness Lord!! Isaiah 43 tells of a new exodus through a new wilderness! You ask here Lord, are you watching — do you see what I’ve done? You say, I will bring you out of the wilderness again, I will provide an exodus that will not even compare to what I did in the exodus of Egypt. Lord, it’s so crazy to think about and so hard to imagine how anything could be bigger than the great exodus circumstances. Lord Above, You put a baby in a basket on a river. Lord Above, you had Pharoah’s sister find the basket. Lord Above, You had the baby’s mother care for him until he was weaned. Lord Above, you had him raised in Pharaoh’s palace as an Egyptian. Lord Above, you gave him a passion for his people. Lord Above, you had him escape to the desert. You prepared his heart to listen to your instruction. Lord, burning bush, holy ground, plagues, Passover, release of the captives escape into the wilderness, and then you sustained in the wilderness. O yea, you even parted the sea for escape!! O Lord God, so many unbelievable-believable miracles in that escape Lord!! You are God Almighty!!!

And now, you are telling Isaiah, I am about to prepare another wilderness escape that is incomparable to what I did before. But Lord, isn’t that just like you!! Providing a way when we see no way?? O Holy God above, how can we ever doubt you? How? You are constantly providing an escape from the wildernesses of our life and each time it cannot compare to the escape of the former. And yet I doubt you. Ugh! I’m so sorry Lord. Help my unbelief!

Lord, you promise a new exodus and you call me to be watchful — you say “see” “see it.” You tell us to watch and learn. You call us to “see” where you’re working — you don’t just say you’re going to, you say watch me, look!! Lord God Above, thank you, thank you, thank you that you are cutting the path through the wildernesses in my life You make a way when there seems to be no way — you work in ways I cannot see but at the same time you call me to watch as you cut a swath through the adversities in my life. I’m watching, Lord!!! Show me, Lord!!! Show me Your Glory — I want to see You working, Lord! I want to learn from Your working, Lord. I love Lord that you are creating rivers in my dry wastelands, in my circumstances and in the circumstances of those I love so dearly. May Your rivers of Living Water flow over the deserts and wastelands in my life. Flood me Lord. I know they will, Lord, because that’s what you said in Your Word. You will create rivers in the wasteland. You will work extraordinary, outrageous, only Holy God ways in my life. Rivers don’t flow in wastelands, but God does! Magnify! Magnify you Lord for what you are about to do, something incomparable, Lord, I’m watching, I’m waiting, Lord, I want to see. LORD YOU WILL BE GLORIFIED!!! I love you Lord!!! Thank you, Lord!!!

You are doing a new thing!!! Forget the past!!! You’re making something new, you’re making a way!! I read that paying attention to Your provision is vital for recognizing Your presence.

Jesus!!! You are the provision! You are the pathway in my wilderness! You are the only pathway, Lord. You came to make The Way but you did not leave us alone. Holy Spirit, my Advocate, my Counselor, teach me! fill me! keep me! use me! even me! Amen.

There it is. Poor punctuation, sentence structure, misspelled words, and incomplete thoughts. But, I believe the Holy Spirit presents our prayers to God on the throne in perfection. I hope this deeply personal prayer helps you see that God is a two-way street. I don’t just offer my prayers to Him, my requests. I’m not the sole communicator when I want or need something. He longs to communicate with His. He longs to display his glory to us. One way to hear Him more clearly is by being in His Word. We cannot be Christians and not rely on His Word. Truth. He answers our prayers in His Word. Can you see? Are you watching? He’s about to do something new that will blow your mind. Don’t miss it!

Ever feel like that poor tree looks?

This little tree sits in my front yard, right by by driveway. I love it. I love to have something lit outside that can be seen from Poor House Road, something I can see from a little distance that gives me that almost home feeling. This little tree is it.

I went out, chopped it down with a saw that’s at least 100 years old with its original blade. It wasn’t so bad. It only took about 20 minutes to cut the 2 inch trunk. I drug it out of a thick brush area, cleaned all the leaves out of it, and prepared to put it in my wheel barrow. Now, my experience with the wind out here reminded me that I definitely needed to have it secure or plop it would go. So I thought a bit about how to secure it and decided it was a little too tall. I cut off another 12 inches from the bottom. The gale force winds out here blowing against a spindly seven foot tree, secured only by rocks and bricks just wasn’t going to cut it.

I finally heaved it upright and many cedar splinters, many heavy rocks and bricks, and many stick wedges later, I felt like it was reasonably secure. I was so excited about this little tree. You know how it is when you have a vision in your head and my vision was coming to life.

I ran the 100 miles of extension cord wrapped with electrical tape and started decorating. Lights first. Of course, we all know what happened with the lights. Five strands, two worked, but I needed just one more. I found one more strand and voila, it was lit from top to bottom. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize at the time, the top strand of lights was a different color white. Tony tried to explain something about cool LED, or white LED, warm LED, or something like that. For an OCD person it was a little bothersome, but what could I do, that’s all I had and I was determined to use what I had.

Next, I took some tinsel and wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped. It was nearly perfect. Then came the crowning moment — the star. But…I couldn’t reach the top, even standing on a bucket or the bumper of my car. I had to wait until Tony got home. Until then, I busied myself with greenery around the bottom, going for that homespun vintage Christmas look. Except for the star, it was perfect in my eyes. I could smell chestnuts roasting on an open fire…

And then, a week later we had a huge windstorm. Yep, 25 mph sustained, 45 mph gusts. I looked out one morning and could see she was defiantly blowing in the wind with lights bouncing and tinsel trailing, but standing still thumbing her branches to the wind. Ten minutes later I looked out and it was woman down, wheel barrow and all. I was crushed. After the wind storm, I determined to put her upright again. But, of course, I needed to make some adjustments to prevent it from happening again. She needed to be more secure.

So, I’m back at it, heaving this wobbly, gangly, thin trunked tree back into the wheel barrow. I’m stacking more rocks around securing the foundation of the tree. I’m wedging more heavy sticks and branches around the base to secure it. It worked! Three weeks later, despite some torrential rains and gale force winds my tree still stands shining bright for all to see. Admittedly, it looks a little bedraggled — lights hanging off, tinsel knotted, and my star all whopper-jawed, but even though it’s leaning a little, slightly tilted, that baby is standing tall.

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. Isaiah 28:16

This foundation stone the Lord is talking about we just celebrated last week — Jesus! He secures us. He keeps us from toppling over during the gale force winds. If He is our foundation, if He is the one securing us in the wheel barrow of life, we may be slightly disheveled, our star may be askew, but we never topple over, we are firmly secured by the Cornerstone.

The start of a new year is a great time to take a look at our lives and evaluate what exactly is securing us? What stones are stacked against our trunks? Storms are abrewin’ in this world. We can clearly see that. We might want to think about what is securing us, keeping us upright. Whoever believes need never be shaken. Do you believe?

We have babies coming out of our ears on the LeMaster side, last baby 28 years ago; now, three in six months. It’s awesome! Precious, precious, precious gifts. It’s caused me to think more and more about the Baby whose birth we celebrate in a few days. The births of our babies in modern day is quite easy-peasy (the mothers may disagree) compared to the circumstances of Jesus’s birth. Conceived in a miraculous way, knit together in His mother’s womb as His Father (Our Father) prescribed. He was born under very harsh conditions. No mother/baby hospital, no heat or AC, no glow lights, birthing plan, labor bed, epidural. The Lamb was immediately on the lam from King Herrod. And then folks who wanted to stop by their house with baby gifts didn’t find them for two years. When they finally caught up with Jesus, they didn’t bring diapers, a bouncy seat or a onesie He’d already outgrown. They brought some pretty cool gifts. They brought gifts fit for Royalty. Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Gifts fit for a King. My King. Your King. Our King.

Christmas isn’t about Santa, gifts, cookies, decorating our houses, hanging tinsel, or whether or not there are two different colored white lights on the tree. It’s about the Light that came to Shine in the darkness. It’s about the Light that will never be extinguished. All of preparations for Christmas are a-okay, if we do each of them with the Baby in mind.

Baking cookies, decorating our homes, giving gifts are all good things if we do them to honor our King. If we are just going through the Christmas motions to get-it-over-with, we may need to change our focus. There’s still a few days left to remind ourselves that Jesus is the best gift ever, He’s the Light of the world. I think most of us can agree that our world is a pretty dark place these days. We need a Light. Jesus can be honored in every we meal we make and every cookie we bake, every gift we buy, every gift we wrap, every light we hang — even if the colors don’t match.

We’re not in control of very many things these days but we can be in control of our Christmases. Let’s remember that Christmas is to celebrate the Birthday of the King, our Savior, Christ the Lord.

What Are We Going to do About This Baby? Repost From December 2018

You do know we’re having a baby tomorrow, right?  Had you heard that?  Are we ready for it?  Not Christmas silly, the baby.  There’s lots of preparation that takes place before a baby comes, right?  Babies change our lives, completely upside down, right?  Not only a newborn coming into the world, but in a way when the baby arrives, we too are reborn.  Old habits, old routines, chucked right out the window.  Right?

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.  Luke 2:6-7

So, what are we going to do about this baby?  Anything?  Remember the story of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend?  Lazarus died.  Jesus raised him from the dead.

Many of the people were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.  But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.  Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation.  “What are we going to do?” they asked each other.  John 11:45-47

See there, the Pharisees and the leading priests were asking the same thing.  What are we going to do about this baby?

You know, a baby changes everything.  Babies, this Baby, changed the course of the world.  Will this Baby change us?  What will happen if we don’t allow ourselves to be changed, to experience new birth, to be reborn?

So, what are we going to do about this Baby?  You know, the one swaddled at birth and placed in a manger.  You know, the one swaddled at death and placed in a tomb.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and He was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  He created everything there is.  Nothing exists that he didn’t make.  Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone.  This light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  John 1:1

The light that gives light to all mankind left behind the cloths in the manger and the cloths in the tomb.  He was born!  He did die!  He is risen!  Indeed.

So, what are we going to do about this baby?

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.  The stars in the sky look down where He lay.  The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the poor Baby awakes.  But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.  I love thee, Lord Jesus!  Look down from the sky.  And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay.  Close by me forever and love me, I pray.  Bless all the dear children in thy tender care.  And take us to heaven, to live with thee there.

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:34-35

This Word is a pretty familiar passage to most people. It is repeated every year this time, although not as often as it used to be. We’ve talked often about the revelation of the Word. You know, how familiar passages, even one’s we can quote, those we’ve heard over and over that we give a nod to, come to life at just the right time. Familiar passages spoken to those long ago that speak right into our now’s. Those that drop us to our knees when we see them revealed in all their fullness. Thank You, Lord! That’s this passage to me. It made me wonder if I’d ever really spent time meditating on this Word. I love how Holy Spirit, our Helper, teaches us about His Father!

As I spent time pondering this passage, I thought that I’m a lot like Mary — How can this be? Throughout the scriptures, God reveals His character over and over. And then, when He says this is what I’m going to do, don’t we say — How can this be? We’ve often talked that one of the characteristics of God is that He is Omnipotent, He is All Powerful, His ways are not our ways, He doesn’t work in our power, He is the Powerful Mighty One. But the thing I love most is that He doesn’t get frustrated with the question — He gives an answer.

…The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35

Doesn’t that just blow your mind? Now, we know a little about babies in the LeMaster family. Our family has been in the baby business lately — three baby boys in six months!! One sweet guy came this summer. One is my grandson, my precious Baby Beau. One we’re waiting to arrive any second — for real. Here’s the thing, we all know how these babies were conceived, how they were made, that they were knit together in their mothers’ wombs. God saw it.

But, Mary was a virgin. How can this be? Our God does the impossible! No kidding, this phrase has been popping up everywhere I turn. Our God does the impossible! The Holy Spirit’s revelation to me in this passage was that God is capable, He is able, to do the impossible. A virgin conceived. Roll that around in your mind.

If the Lord caused a virgin to conceive by the work of the Holy Spirit through the power of the Most High, is He not capable of handling my life stuff? How can this be? Our God does the impossible!

I also learned through this passage that He is willing. We know by now that God is not going to do anything that He doesn’t want to do, anything that doesn’t fit into His plan for good for His people. He is God, He clearly saw that His people needed saving (we make that obvious, don’t we?). And He willingly sent His Son to do just that. How can this be?

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. John 3:16

God “gave” His Son. He wasn’t forced to, He willingly gave Jesus because of a love for us that we cannot possibly comprehend.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18-19

Our God is not only capable and willing to save, He desires to save! Just chew on that for a hot second. God wants us — He wants me! He wants you! He desires us! When we look at the mess of our lives we may be thinking – How can this be?

This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he desires everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

He wants everyone! Not just the good (who is?), not just the ones who already have their acts together (who does?), not just the ones who deserve it (who does?). He desires EVERYONE!

He isn’t just capable, He isn’t just willing, He isn’t just desirous, He will do it! Hallelujah! What a Savior!

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together – spirit, soul, and body – and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.

The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it! 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

God can save us. He alone can make us holy and whole. Such good Words. Don’t we need to be made holy and whole? The long and short of it friends, is that we need a Savior. We were born in sin, we were born already missing the mark. Every last one of us needs saved from ourselves. It’s not something we can do on our own. We can’t be good enough, positive enough, nice enough, serve enough, care enough, or love enough to remove our own sin, to save ourselves. There is only One Way. That Way is Jesus. The One who is capable, willing, desirous and who will do it, if we humble ourselves, admit our sin, admit our complete lack of control, our powerlessness, and call upon Him.

Only Jesus has the power to save! His name is the only one in all the world that can save anyone. Acts 4:12

Lord of the Virgin Birth, the God of Possible, thank you that through Your Holy Spirit, Your Mighty Power, that Your Holy Work is done. Thank you for revealing, Lord, that if you are capable of breathing into Mary a Savior for all people, that you are capable of working in our impossible life situations. How can we doubt you, Lord? The act of sending Your Son, of manifesting Him, making Him visible to me in this Word, all because of Your great love for us, doing something we cannot do for ourselves, and was never intended to. You sent your Son in an incomprehensible, miraculous, world-take-notice, impossible way. Thank you, Lord! And if you did this to save my life and the life of everyone who accepts you, won’t you also save the days of Your children? Won’t you also do miraculous work in our daily circumstances. Just when the world was about to break, you did the impossible! How can this be? Because You love us so much that You want us to be with You forever, but not just in eternity, but in the now too. You delight in us! You cherish us!

And now to Him (all glory, praise and honor), who is able (willing, desirous and surely will) to do more than we can think or even imagine (He already has!), move Holy Spirit in our lives and the lives of the people we are connected to, to the nth degree. You Are The Only Holy God — The God of the Impossible!

That was the title of the Family Bible Church’s float in last night’s Christmas Parade in downtown Martinsburg. We wanted to take the real message to the world. It’s super easy to completely lose the real message this time of year — twinkling lights, pretty packages, parties and all. This reminder was not just for the parade-watchers, but it was also a reminder for us parade-walkers too. Jesus is the Greatest Gift given to us by God the Father. All else pales in comparison.

This morning’s get up and get going was a little slower. I think it probably is for most of my church family who worked so hard on loading and unloading hay, moving the trailer, wrapping packages, making bows, arranging the gifts on the float, securing the gifts on the float, decorating the float, crawling around, tying signs, running home for this, running to church for that, etc. It was hard work and we used many muscles we’re not used to moving. And then…we had to actually walk in the parade! Again, sets of muscles we may not be used to using. A mile walk , up hill and down, thankfully it was a straight shot.

But as I creaked out of bed this morning, being reminded of the muscles I didn’t know I had, I also thought about Paul’s instruction to Timothy:

Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. 1 Timothy 4:7

It made me wonder, are there spiritual muscles I don’t know I have? You know, muscles I haven’t used in a while or even at all, spiritual muscles that need to be worked, or worked more so that I’m not stiff and limping along in my faith? Preparing in and walking in a parade is a once-a-year-thing, frankly, my muscles should be aching a bit.

But, preparing for and walking with Jesus in His Way, should not make me too achy. If it does, maybe there are some faith muscles I need to be exercising more. Maybe reading my Bible a bit more, spending time in prayer with the Lord a bit more, serving a bit more? When it gets right down to it, the more we read our Bibles, spend time in prayer, fellowship with Christian friends encouraging one another — have fun and cry with one another, the more our spiritual muscles will grow. We will creak a little less, hurt a little less, grow a bit more. When the world sees us easily moving about in our faith, speaking Jesus, trusting in God, relying on the Holy Spirit to teach, guide and intervene at the Throne on our behalf, living the peace only He can offer, they may take notice of Him.

Exercising our spiritual muscles isn’t just for the present, just so we can get through the parade, but it prepares us for the future so that we may easierly (is that a word?) walk the road that God calls us to with Love.