The pattern of life

Life has a pattern to it that was demonstrated by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. That pattern is this: TRAGEDY - DARKNESS - TRIUMPHJesus death was a tragedy to all who loved him - his mother, his siblings, his disciples, his friends. After he died, these people lived in darkness in the following days. You know the feeling. You're confused, sad, depressed. But then the resurrection occured. Jesus conquered death and demolished the lie that Satan had been telling everyone that death was the end. Jesus was victorious and triumphant.
This same pattern is the template of our life. Tragedy in inevitable. Life is full of heartache and disappointments, grief and dispair. After a tragedy, the normal human response is to go through a dark time. It's nothing to beat yourself up over - God created us as beings with emotions. So go ahead and feel sad and depressed. Grieve the loss you have had in your life. It's OK. But look at the pattern! After the darkness comes triumph! Yes, one day before you know it you will feel the beginnings of healing of your pain and despair. Jesus came to give you hope. There's one key however. You have to trust God to walk with you through darkness. He won't force Himself on you. In fact right now he's patiently waiting for you to open the door to your heart so he can come in. He's the one who will show you triumph and will draw you closer to him as a result of your walk of faith with Him. So don't give up hope because your Savior has not given up on you! Remember Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the grave on a Sunday. It may be a Friday in your life right now, but Sunday is coming!!!!!!!

What has praise and worship brought to your life?

In one of Beth Moore's devotions from her book, "David," she asked the question: "What has praise and worship brought to your life?" I grew up in a church was wasn't very demonstrative during the worship service. We sang the old hymns which are beautiful but sometimes felt routine. But I really latched on to the song "How Great Thou Art". My heart would soar when we sang it. It remains very special to me to this day. Many years later, my husband and I visited a different church and I was truly blown away by the worship service. There was an emphasis on praise in the music and in the attitudes of the people. I realized what I had been missing for so many years! It was the kind of praise and worship that can make my heart blaze with emotion because it reminds me of who God is! So to answer the question "What has praise and worship brought to my life?"...the answer is SWEET PEACE. I feel peace because I realize how small my problems and worries are compared to His majesty and power. Lord, help me to always remember the words of Job: "Your mysteries are higher than the heavens, deeper than the depth of the grave, longer than the earth and wider than the sea." How Great Thou Art!

Zip up those jeans

God has already promised to prosper us, give us hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). OK the promise is there, now its time to get started. I heard Joyce Meyer say yesterday that having good and wonderful intentions is not the same as obedience. Yikes! King David told his son Solomon when he became the new king to "devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God (I Chron. 22:19). The word devote in Hebrew is "nathan". It means to give, place, add, set forth, to set something in place and to fasten it. Interesting word picture, isn't it? We use fasteners every day. Buttons hold our shirts together, zippers keep us warm in our jackets, shoe laces keep our tennies tied, velcro keeps our Bible covers secure, bungie cords hold our cargo safely in our pick-up trucks and safety pins hold those cloth diapers on our babies. So when we devote ourselves to seeking God with our heart and soul, we are to fasten ourselves to that persuit as if we had zipped ourselves into a pair of tight fitting jeans! An additional note here: fastening is an action word. All the planning to get yourself into those jeans (or to seek God's heart) will get you nowhere. You have to actually zip them up to be obedient!

God is my sunscreen

I've enjoyed thinking about this over the last couple of days.
Psalm 63:7 says "Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Notice that it doesn't say I "hide" in the shadows of his wings. It says I "sing". I imagine singing songs of praise and joy. I imagine living my life to the fullest - not cowering in fear. I am busy singing my life's song while I'm protected from the harsh rays of the sun because I'm in the shadows of His wings. God is my sun-screen. I wonder what the SPF is?

Tears

TEARS
Here is a beautiful quote from Dale Evans Rogers:
"God is a good God!...The tears he has allowed to dim the eyes of my flesh have cleared the eyes of my soul, bringing each time a new depth of spiritual understanding and vision - because I trust him."
Tears are so cleansing and refreshing. Why do we resist them so? Why are we embarassed by them? God created us as people with tears - not by mistake but on purpose. Our tears are useful because not only do they relieve some of the stress and anxiety we may be experiencing, but they have a way of opening a door for God' s continued work in our soul as he brings us closer to him. So go ahead and cry. Just don't forget to trust God while you're doing it.

But for you who revere my name

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. Malachi 4:2
It's an undeniable fact. The sun comes up every day. Even on your worst, most depressing, most angry, most fearful day the sun comes up. It's a gift from God the creator. If it is a fact that the sun comes up every day, then it is a fact that healing comes every day. The healing is fresh each morning- just like the sun. Malachi tells us that the healing comes on the wings of the sun. Close your eyes and imagine what if feels like to have a bird flutter its wings close to your face. It creates a slight breeze doesn't it? Can you feel it? Now think about the wings of the sun fluttering close to your face. Can you feel the breeze of healing? Enjoy it. It feels good.
Father God, thank you for your lovingkindness...and the sun.