God In The Day To Day

It’s easy as a newly married couple to get caught up in the business of life and forego taking the time to have purposeful conversations centered around God, where He’s working in your life and in what ways we can pray for one another. I’m so thankful for my husband who remembers this is a priority and initiates this. One thing I’ve discovered is if you don’t work at making the subject of God a regular part of your life and conversation, when you do try to talk about it, it can seem awkward and forced. Just like many areas of life, things take work and practice to become a habit. God intended for His people to encourage one another, pursue accountability and run this race together. What a sweet outlet we have in marriage to practice these things. To build up our spouse and be built up. Thanking God today for His wisdom in giving us people who magnify His love and care for us and praying I can grow in being a great source of encouragement and means of grace to all who know me.

- L

Life Update

Life has been busy, busy, busy since being married on July 11th! After our honeymoon in Jamaica it was back to real life. Kev started his new job as a financial advisor and is LOVING it! What a blessing for him to have a job and one that he likes as well.

Our living situation has been ever evolving. We were in a condo which we found out was under contract as soon as we signed the lease in June. By early September we were told the closing date was set for mid October. The lady who owned that place has since let us move into one of her other condos for almost half the price! The Lord always provides. In the mean time we are trying to be patient as we try to find a house.

In other big news...my brother-in-law Kyle is marrying one of my dear friends and bridesmaids Candace this weekend! November 7th to be exact. This will be the second wedding this year for both his family and hers. I guess when it rains it pours. It will be wonderful to watch God's kindness to this couple manifested in their wedding and marriage to one another.

That's all for now. I'll post updates of the wedding after it happens.

- L

Christ is Message and Messenger

Every word spoken by Jesus must be understood by the life of Jesus. The one cannot be separated from the other. If we attempt to understand what He said without reference to what He did, we do violence to God's revelation of Himself. Here are some examples:

"Give up your right to yourself." Can this mean self-destruction, masochism, obliteration of the personality? See the perfect Son of God, exercising his human will in the fullness of its God-given power, as He offers Himself, pours out his soul unto death. What life streams from that giving up. What strength springs from his weakness.

"The truth shall make you free" (Jn 8:32 AV)--words often wrested away from their context ("lf you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free") and also away from the Man who spoke them. His life, his every act, was perfectly free. It was free because He heard the Word of the Father, did what He saw Him do, and knew Him. His freedom was the result of his obedience. There is no shortcut to our freedom. We must live the life Christ lived--a life of faith, a will offered to the Father, daily obedience. - E.E.

Patience and kindness. Not very powerful words. They don’t exactly strike fear into the heart. And yet, they are powerful weapons in the world today. To use them means to die to self. Think about the greatest victory in history that was overcome. The battle was won with love. Love displayed on a cross. The epitome of selflessness. When we choose to fight this world with God’s weapons, we can never fail. Living for myself is natural. Living for God and others can be a struggle. But with His help all things are possible. The Bible reminds us that showing kindness to the world is like heaping burning coals upon their head. So, today, with God’s help, I hope to show other’s kindness. Even if they don’t deserve it. Isn’t that what Christ did for us?

Weapons of Righteousness
“The means of conquering the world, spiritually speaking, are not weapons of violence or organized power. In fact they are not thought of in the world as "weapons" at all, but as pitifully ineffective for obtaining any kind of victory. They are patience and kindliness, gifts of the Holy Spirit, sincere love, declaring the truth and the power of God. They are weapons which we wield in both hands, right and left (2 Cor 6:6,7).

The object of our conquest not being power, position, property, or personal satisfaction, the weapons required are not such as would be used by men seeking those things. Our Captain had one aim in dying for us--that we should cease to live for ourselves (2 Cor 5:15). This is our aim. Therefore our weapons will seem to those whose aim is worldly (i.e., "natural," and selfish), a strange set to choose.” – E.E.

God Is Our Refuge, Strength And Mighty Fortress

Hmmm, I think the Lord has an agenda in mind concerning what I've been reading lately. Yesterday my Morning and Evening entry was on fear. My Elisabeth Elliot devotional was on fear. Valley of Vision spoke of fear. The scripture I read in Psalms was concerning fear. Is God hinting at something? Yeah, I think so. How kind of God to be so intentional about addressing the state of our hearts. I think one reason God takes fear and worry so seriously, is because when we struggle with it, it often paralyzes us and makes us ineffective, not to mention it tells God we don't trust Him. When you are afraid, trust in the Lord and remind yourself of the truth of His word. He promises to never leave us or forsake us. We can trust that promise!

"What good has worrying ever accomplished? It has never made anyone stronger, helped anyone do God's will, or provided for anyone a way of escape out of their anxiety or confusion." - L.B. Cowman

“We must tread down our enemies, including all the nagging "what ifs" of our lives. To frightening possibilities Christ answers, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Let the very worst thing come to pass-even there, especially there, his hand will hold us. That's why He became a man. That's why He died. That's why He rose again. My Lord and my God--forgive my fears. Deliver me by the power of your resurrection."- E.E.

"Worry only destroys the effectiveness of lives that would otherwise be useful and beautiful."- L.B. Cowman

"God is our Refuge, our Strength, our Mighty Fortress. Nothing will get by the moat of his protection without his permission. To be afraid of what happens today or what may happen tomorrow is not only an awful waste of energy, it is not only useless, it is disobedient. We are forbidden to fear anything but the Lord Himself."- E.E.

Worry:"Can anything be gained by it? Don't we only make ourselves unfit for action and separate our minds from the ability to make wise decisions? We simply sink in our struggles when we could float by faith." - L.B. Cowman

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong,

and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:1, 13-14

Covenant

The past couple of days, the Lord has been overwhelming my heart with gratefulness for His constant care. For His tenderness to me when I'm breaking, His steadfastness when I'm failing. I love how His character and love doesn't change, even when my fickle emotions ride the waves. Thank goodness God is not like us! He has made a covenant with us that will never be broken and He is eternally faithful to this covenant. Am I? Will I love and follow Him in sickness and in health? In good times and in bad? God is drawing my heart to pursue more faithfulness and less fickleness. O God, bind my heart tightly to thee!

Lord, Jesus,

Grant me the favour of being lead by thee, under the directions of thy providence and thy word. Grant me the blessings with bitter things, to brighten and quicken me, not to depress and make me lifeless; Grant me, like Gideon of old, way-tokens, by removing things that discourage me; Grant me succour beneath the shadow of thy sympathy when I am tempted. Accept my unceasing thanks that I am not cast off from thy hand as a darkened star or rudderless vessel. Suffer not my life to extend beyond my usefulness; Cast me not under the feet of pride, injustice, riches, worldly greatness, selfish oppression of men; Help me to wait patiently, silently upon thee, not to be enraged or speak unadvisedly. Let thy mercy follow me while I live, and give me aid to resign myself to thy will. Take my heart and hold it in thy hand; write upon it reverence to thyself with an inscription that time and eternity cannot erase. To thy grace and the care of thy covenant I commit myself, in sickness, and in health, for thou hast overcome the world, fulfilled the law, finished justifying righteousness, swallowed up death in victory, and taken all power everywhere. Mark this covenant with thine own blood in the court of forgiving mercy; Attach unto thy name in which I believe, for it is sealed by my unworthy mortal hand. - The Valley of Vision (Puritan Prayer)

Ascend The Mountain

I am currently reading a book titled, “In Christ Alone” by Sinclair Ferguson. It is helping me to “know whom I have believed”. To know more so I can love and trust more. To think deeply so I can feel deeply. In Morning & Evening, Spurgeon uses the example of our relationship with God being like ascending a mountain. The higher we go, the more we can see and delight in Him. Every truth learned, trial passed through and day lived, has the potential to take us further up the mountain. But we still have to make the climb. With His help, it’s possible!

“When we first believe in Christ we see but little of him. The higher we climb the more we discover of his beauties. But who has ever gained the summit? Who has known all the heights and depths of the love of Christ which passes knowledge? Paul, when grown old, sitting grey-haired, shivering in a dungeon in Rome, could say with greater emphasis than we can, I know whom I have believed, for each experience had been like the climbing of a hill, each trial had been like ascending another summit, and his death seemed like gaining the top of the mountain, from which he could see the whole of the faithfulness and the love of him to whom he had committed his soul. Get thee up, dear friend, into the high mountain.” – charles hadden spurgeon

Learning The Father's Love

I thought it was so cool and so like God to reaffirm what I wrote about yesterday through Elisabeth Elliot's devotional today. "Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy."

-When my brother Dave was very small, we spent a week at the seaside in Belmar, New Jersey. In vain my father tried to persuade the little boy to come into the waves with him and jump, promising to hold him safely and not allow the waves to sweep over his head. He took me (only a year older) into the ocean and showed Dave how much fun it would be. Nothing doing. The ocean was terrifying. Dave was sure it would mean certain disaster, and he could not trust his father. On the last day of our vacation he gave in. He was not swept away, his father held him as promised, and he had far more fun than he could have imagined, whereupon he burst into tears and wailed, "Why didn't you make me go in?"

An early lesson in prayer often comes through an ordeal of fear. We face impending adversity and we doubt the love, wisdom and power of our Father in heaven. We've tried everything else and in our desperation we turn to prayer--of the primitive sort: here's Somebody who's reputed to be able to do anything. The great question is, can I get Him to do what I want? How do I twist His arm, how persuade a remote and reluctant deity to change His mind?

When the people of Israel were encamped in Pi-hahiroth and saw the Egyptians coming after them, they felt they were looking death in the face and it was all Moses' fault--"as if there weren't enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die!"

"Don't be afraid," said Moses. "Stand by. The Lord will fight for you if you'll just be quiet."
You know the story of deliverance--the sea was rolled back, Israel marched through it dry shod, and when the Egyptians pursued them the sea swamped their horses, their chariots, and the whole army. "Not even one of them remained." The song of victory Moses and Israel sang reveals their recognition not only of the strength, majesty and wonder-working of the Lord, but of His loving-kindness, immeasurably beyond anything they had dared to hope.

Poor Dave! His father could have forced him to come into the water, but he could not have forced him to relax and enjoy it. As long as the child insisted on protecting himself, saving the life he was sure he would lose, he could not trust the strong love of his father. He refused to surrender. In this simple story we hear echoes of the most ancient story, of the two who, mistrusting the word of their Father, fearing that obedience to Him would ultimately bar them from happiness, chose to repudiate their dependence on Him. Sin, death, destruction for the whole race were the result.

Learning to pray is learning to trust the wisdom, the power, and the love of our Heavenly Father, always so far beyond our dreams. He knows our need and knows ways to meet it that have never entered our heads. Things we feel sure we need for happiness may often lead to our ruin. Things we think will ruin us (the chariots of Egypt, the waters of the sea, or the little waves in Belmar!), if we believe what the Father tells us and surrender ourselves into His strong arms, bring us deliverance and joy.

The only escape from self-love is self-surrender. "Whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25, NIV). "Dwell in my love. If you heed my commands, you will dwell in my love, as I have heeded my Father's commands and dwell in His love. I have spoken thus to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy complete" (John 15:9-11, NEB). My father knew far better than his small, fearful, stubborn son what would give him joy. So does our Heavenly Father. Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself, as my little brother did. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy.-e.e.

So, I had a new thought this morning...well, maybe not a new thought, but at least a better Formed, better Informed one. Selfishness/self-seeking directly correlates with not trusting God. The result? God will often times let us have our way, but in the end we will be unsatisfied. The opposite of that is unselfishness/surrender which correlates with trusting God. The result? God will take our interests into His hands. He will take care of us. You would think that knowing that truth would make us never want to take things into our own hands again, but no, like foolish children we often grab for control again and again! God is so kind and patient with us though. I am hoping to continue grow in trusting God and giving all to Him...He always knows the best time to give and the best gifts to give.

“If you will devote yourself to God,

as making a sacrifice of all your own interests to him,

you will not throw yourself away.

Though you seem to neglect yourself and to deny yourself,

and to overlook self in imitating the divine benevolence,

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU;

and He will see to it that your interest is provided for,

and your welfare made sure…

If you are selfish,

and make yourself and your own private interests your idol,

God will leave you to yourself

and let you promote your interests as well as you can.

But if you do not selfishly seek your own,

but do seek the things that are Jesus Christ’s,

and the things of your fellow-beings,

then God will make your interests and happiness his own charge, and

He is infinitely more able to provide for and promote it than you are.”
-jonathan edwards

Responsible to Praise

We cannot always or even often control events, but we can control how we respond to them. When things happen which dismay or appall, we ought to look to God for his meaning, remembering that He is not taken by surprise nor can his purposes be thwarted in the end. What God looks for is those who will worship Him. Our look of inquiring trust glorifies Him.
One of the witnesses to the crucifixion was a military officer to whom the scene was surely not a novelty. He had seen plenty of criminals nailed up. But the response of this Man who hung there was of such an utterly different nature than that of the others that the centurion knew at once that He was innocent. His own response then, rather than one of despair that such a terrible injustice should take place, or of anger at God who might have prevented it, was praise (Lk 23:47 NEB).

This is our first responsibility: to glorify God. In the face of life's worst reversals and tragedies, the response of a faithful Christian is praise--not for the wrong itself certainly, but for who God is and for the ultimate assurance that there is a pattern being worked out for those who love Him. - Elisabeth Elliot

The Master Gardener

I have been thinking a lot about God's work of grace in my life lately. About instant justification upon accepting Christ and progressive sanctification over the course of life. About why some people seem to advance in sanctification more quickly than others? Why some fall away and some stand firm? God obviously knows all those things. I heard someone say once, that to be a Christian means that you better get comfortable with mystery. So true. It's not up to me to understand all the ins and outs of God's work of grace in our lives, but instead to trust and believe that He will complete the good work He began in each one of us like He promises. It may take time, just like cultivating a garden, but we can have confidence knowing we are being taken care of by The Master Gardener.

Often times what I think will help me grow and what the Lord KNOWS will help me grow look very different from each other. The longer I live, the more I see His unerring wisdom and perfect sovereignty. I see how He uses joys, trials, people, His word and so many other things to fashion me more into His likeness. I see how much I need Him to be apart of every aspect of my life and my need to stay near the cross. So, I guess all that is to say, that this morning I am praising God for His work of grace!

"For the most part, God's people are exercised with sharp trials and temptations; for it is necessary they should learn not only what He can do for them—but how little they can do without Him! Therefore He teaches them not all at once—but by degrees, as they are able to bear it." - john newton

What Makes God's Work Shine

Brother Masseo asked St. Francis of Assisi why all the world should go running after him who was neither handsome nor learned nor even of noble birth. At this, Francis was overjoyed, and after kneeling to thank God, said, "Why me? Why me? The all-seeing God, looking down and finding nothing viler on earth, quite naturally fixed His gaze on me. For to make His work shine forth in men's eyes, the Lord takes what is learned, strong, and noble, so that the glory may go to the sole Author of all good." - elisabeth elliot

We are only pots--common ones of clay, so that the splendid power may belong to God and not to us (2 Cor 4:7 NEB)

Therefore We Will Not Be Afraid

The Lord has been teaching me patience and joy through burdens and afflictions. It's hard for me to even call them by those names, because what I go through pales so greatly in comparison to what others endure and most importantly what Christ endured. The reality is that every believer on the face of the earth will at some point in their life encounter hardship. Whether it be a hard fight against sin, bearing burdens, a long term illness or just the trials of life. Sometimes we can think we don't have the strength to walk through another trials or defeat another sin and we would be right. The kind of strength needed for that can only come from God. Like I've said before, I see that sin and trials keep me on my knees and close to the cross. And like a speaker said at a recent conference I attended, "It's better to be tormented by Satan, than to be proud." The following quote encouraged me today...as well as the thought that God is able and willing to make perfect His strength in our weakness.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble! Therefore we will not be afraid, though the earth trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas!" Psalm 46:1-2

November 2, 1761

My dear sister,

Let us not be greatly discouraged at the many tribulations, difficulties and disappointments which lie in the path which leads to glory. Our Lord has plainly told us, that "in this world, you will have many trials and sorrows." Yet He has also made a suitable provision for every case we can meet with; and is Himself always near to those who call upon Him—as a sure refuge, an almighty strength, a never-failing, ever-present help in every time of trouble!

Jesus Himself was a man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief for our sakes. He drank the whole cup of unmixed wrath for us! Shall we then refuse to taste a sip of the cup of affliction at His appointment; especially when His wisdom and His love prepare it for us—and He proportions every circumstance to our strength; when He puts it into our hands, not in anger—but in tender mercy—to do us good, to bring us near to Himself; and when He sweetens every bitter sip with those comforts which none but He can give." - john newton

Thank Goodness God Is Sovereign, Not Sentimental!

Came across this today. I'm not even going to expound on it's content...it speaks so truthfully and directly. I couldn't agree more with these words!

“I want to celebrate unanswered prayer.

I want to … thank God for all the prayers

I have prayed sinfully motivated,

that the Saviour hasn’t answered.

I want to thank God that he is sovereign, not sentimental.

I want to thank God for all the times when …

I have approached the Saviour

demanding that he do for me whatever I ask, …

that the Saviour’s response was not simply,

“You don’t know what you are asking”,

but that he withheld an answer to that prayer.

I am grateful to God for unanswered prayers.

Here’s a question, though: how do you respond to unanswered prayer?

I believe how we respond to unanswered prayer

normally reveals our motive

and ultimately reveals the purpose of our prayers.

If I encounter someone who is bitterly declaring,

“I have prayed … and the Lord hasn’t provided”,

that is usually the voice of someone who wants to use God …

rather than serve him for his glory.

I find unanswered prayer purifies my motive,

and often alters the very content of my prayer as well. - c.j. mahaney

“My disappointment and doubt when my prayers are unanswered show what’s in my heart. I think that God should see things my way. I think that he exists to make my path smooth. But where in the Bible am I given such a small view of God — a God whose thoughts are, well, my thoughts (Isa 55:8-9)? Where am I promised that every stone and bump in the road will be leveled before my feet?

In his mercy, God doesn’t say “yes” to my petulant, childish demands. Like a loving parent, he says “no”. When I respond with whining self-pity, like a spoiled child declaring, “It’s not fair!”, my wise Father doesn’t give in. He gives me what is truly good — what makes me more like Jesus, what furthers his kingdom, and what brings glory to his Son — rather than what looks and feels good to me at the time.

God sees things from a very different perspective to me.He sees things from the perspective of inconceivable wisdom,infinite goodness and immeasurable love.He sees things from the perspective of his glory…

Praise God for the blessing of unanswered prayer." - jean williams

How Should I Walk?

Trying to discern God's will has always been something I have struggled with. I over analyze, over spiritualize and am just plain scared to make decisions for fear of making a wrong one. But over the past several months God has been graciously helping me learn to think a little differently. Through words of wisdom from people in my life, books and the scriptures, my theology concerning God's will has been shifting. That's not to say I still don't have a difficult time sorting through decisions, but it's getting easier. I've been learning that when I am devoted to glorifying God in all I do, reading the scriptures and in healthy fellowship with other believer's, making wise decisions comes more easily. Yes, sometimes it's good not to rush into a decision and instead take sometime to think and pray about it, but I realize that I have made cowardice and procrastination into a spiritual matter. I need to love God, trust Him and make decisions in faith, knowing that our caring and sovereign God will redirect my steps if need be. I would recommend the book by Kevin DeYoung called "Just Do Something". It's a wonderful resource on this subject and challenged my thinking considerably. - The following from John Newton speaks perfectly about the importance of being lead by God and His word. Advice and reason can go a long way in making a choice, but ultimately, we are to be governed by God's word. He knows we need help and He is ready and willing to lead us...the leading just might look different than we think.

"No person can adjust and draw the line exactly for another. There are so many particulars in every situation, of which a stranger cannot be a competent judge, and the best human advice is mixed with such defects—that it is not right to expect others to be absolutely guided by our rules; nor is it safe for us implicitly to adopt the decisions or practices of others.

But the Scripture undoubtedly furnishes sufficient and infallible rules for every person, for whatever the circumstances; and the throne of grace is appointed for us to wait upon the Lord for the best exposition of His precepts. Thus David often prays to be led in the right way, "Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by Your truth and teach me." Psalm 25:4-5

By frequent prayer, and close acquaintance with the Scripture, and a habitual attention to the frame of our hearts, there is a certain delicacy of spiritual taste and discernment to be acquired, which renders a proper judgment concerning the nature and limits of questionable things. Love to Christ is the clearest and most persuasive factor; and when our love to Jesus is in lively exercise, and the rule of his Word is in our eye—we seldom make great mistakes!" j.n.

NEXT

- Christ's Preeminence

- Christ's Incarnation

- Christ's Life

- Christ's Death
- Christ's Resurrection
- Christ's Return

The above list are the title's of the message's that will be preached at the upcoming Next Conference (formerly known as New Attitude). I can't believe how excited I am about the fact that I will be hearing all of those teachings! To learn more of God, to have my heart and mind informed by His word, to be with thousands of other believers worshipping the Savior...besides spending eternity with the Lord, it can't get much better than that! I know God is moving on my heart to feel this way and I am praying that I, as well as, the others going will meet God again in a fresh way and remember that our purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Only one more week!

Falling Dice

Worry hinders us from being as effective as we could be. We get caught up in Christ's business and end up neglecting our own. It's comforting to know however, that we have a God who sympathizing with our weaknesses. Who takes the time to draw us near to Him and remind us of His steadfast love. The following passage from Spurgeon was perfect to remind me of God's constant care.

"We may throw the dice—but the Lord determines how they fall." Proverbs 16:33
If the fall of the dice is under the Lord's control—then whose is the arrangement of our whole life? If the simple casting of the dice is guided by Him—how much more the events of our entire life—especially when we are told by our blessed Savior, "The very hairs of your head are all numbered! Not a sparrow falls to the ground without your Father!" It would bring a holy calm over your mind, dear friend, if you were always to remember this. It would so relieve your mind from worry—that you would be the better able to walk in patience, calmness, and cheerfulness, as a Christian should. When a man is anxious—he cannot pray with faith, or serve his Master. When you worry and fret about your lot and circumstances, you are meddling with Christ's business, and neglecting your own! You have been attempting "providing" work—and forgetting that it is yours to "obey". Be wise and attend to the obeying—and let Christ manage the providing."- charles hadden spurgeon

More Than Watchmen For The Morning

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."-Hebrews 11:1-3

I have been reading through Hebrews in my devotions and was extorted afresh from chapter 11 concerning "faith". The writer is reminding the readers about the past examples of demonstrated faith. He speaks of Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab...and mentions so many moments of the believer's faith in the faithfulness of their God.

"And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."

.

What the Christians of old walked through was not easy, but they trusted that God had a plan and so they had faith. My trials and difficulties are so insignificant in comparison, but I am called to have faith as well. Like the apostle said, faith "conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight." Who wouldn't want that kind of faith?! Well, we can have it. God desires us to have it and we need to have it. What a comfort to know our lives are in the hands of a faithful God.

Out of the depths, O Lord, I cry to You

When I am tempted to despair

Though I might fail to trust Your promises

You never fail to hear my prayer

And if You judged my sin

I’d never stand again

But I see mercy in Your hands

So more than watchmen for the morning

I will wait for You, my God

When my fears come with no warning

In Your Word I’ll put my trust

When the harvest time is over and I still see no fruit

I will wait, I will wait for You

The secret mysteries belong to You

We only know what You reveal

And all my questions that are unresolved

Don’t change the wisdom of Your will

In every trial and loss

My hope is in the cross

Where Your compassions never fail

God, My God

Prayer is a weapon, a tool, a life line. I know that I often want instantaneous results when I pray. Sometimes prayer may seem ineffective and like a mere charade. But God’s word tells us time and time again that He hears ours prayers and is at work even when we can’t see it. He is at work preparing the “good” things that were promised to us. “If you, bad as you are, know how to give your children what is good for them, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him?" -Matthew 7:11

“Are you as often tempted as I am to doubt the effectiveness of prayer? But Jesus prayed. He told us to pray. We can be sure that the answer will come, and it will be good. If it is not exactly what we expected, chances are we were not asking for quite the right thing. Our heavenly Father hears the prayer, but wants to give us bread rather than stones.” – Elisabeth Elliot

I know that I sometimes feel guilty for continually going to God for needs and wants, but God has been so kind to remind me through His word and gentle prompting that He desires us to come to Him. I read once that it is stranger how little use we make of spiritual blessings, but it is stranger still how little use we make of God himself. We apply ourselves little to him and we ask little of him.

Spurgeon says, “How seldom do we ask counsel at the hands of the Lord! How often do we go about our business, without seeking his guidance! In our troubles how constantly do we strive to bear our burdens ourselves, instead of casting them upon the Lord, that he may sustain us! This is not because we may not, for the Lord seems to say, I am thine, soul, come and make use of me as thou wilt; thou mayst freely come to my store, and the oftener the more welcome. It is our own fault if we make not free with the riches of our God. Then, since thou hast such a friend, and he invites thee, draw from him daily. Never want whilst thou hast a God to go to; never fear or faint whilst thou hast God to help thee; go to thy treasure and take whatever thou needest--there is all that thou canst want. Learn the divine skill of making God all things to thee. He can supply thee with all, or, better still, he can be to thee instead of all. Let me urge thee, then, to make use of thy God. Make use of him in prayer. Go to him often, because he is thy God. O, wilt thou fail to use so great a privilege? Fly to him, tell him all thy wants. Use him constantly by faith at all times. If some dark providence has beclouded thee, use thy God as a sun; if some strong enemy has beset thee, find in Jehovah a shield, for he is a sun and shield to his people. If thou hast lost thy way in the mazes of life, use him as a guide, for he will direct thee.”

I have been sustained and upheld many times recently by taking hold of the gift of prayer. To be able to go to our caring Father and pour your heart out and receive the strength that He offers is such a sweet blessing. I know that I don’t always pray perfectly and that my motives are often mixed, but we serve an understanding and merciful God who does not treat us as our sins deserve and lavishes us with His steadfast love. So, whatever cares may be burdening your heart, cast them on your Heavenly Father. He loves to be our friend, help and support. He is able when we are not.

“Whatever you are, and wherever you are, remember God is just what you want, and just where you want, and that he can do all you want.”

Don't Believe The Lie

He's keeping something from me! He doesn't want what's best for me...he's not giving me the best! Yes, he's given me lots of good things, but not the thing I want most.

I would imagine that Eve struggled with all of those thoughts in the Garden before she decided to take matters into her own hands. She began by breaking the first commandment and that was to start loving something more than God. She wanted her own happiness and desires fulfilled more than she loved God and wanted to obey Him. She craved something that wasn't hers. A lie was presented to her and instead of choosing to believe God, who had given her every good thing, she chose to believe the serpent. Eve was content in her fellowship with God and in what He had given her. But than she began to question God's goodness. She began to believe the lie that God didn't have her best interest at heart...that He was withholding something from her.

I don't know why God decided to have one tree in the Garden that was off-limits to Adam and Eve, but God knows. We sometimes imagine that God might eventually "sit us down" and "explain" His mysterious ways to our satisfaction. But being a Christian means getting comfortable with mystery. I read an example once about the possibility of a person never having seen a skyscraper. If we were to to happen upon a fenced in area where there was construction going on. Huge earth movers are at work; hundreds of men in hard hats are busy at mysterious tasks; cranes are being moved into place; truckloads of pipes and cement are being unloaded. What on earth is happening? There is nobody around to answer our questions. If we wait long enough, nobody will need to. When we see the finished building, all the incomprehensible activity becomes comprehensible. "Oh! So this is what that was for." It's the same way with God's plans.

Sometimes, we know exactly what a skyscraper looks like. It's big and beautiful and was made with our own hands. We can't imagine anything making us happier than the dream that lays before us. But God often times has other plans.

"When God shatters dreams, He rebuilds them into something beautiful. Perhaps not beautiful by worldly standards but more akin to what is captured in Isaiah, when God says He will give His people "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair" (Isaiah 61:3)."- Suzanne Hadley

It's hard to trust that what the Lord chooses to give us or not to give us is His best. It's takes faith and daily surrender. It takes the practice of immersing ourselves in God's word and learning the character of who He is. The character that promises to never leave us, nor forsake us. The character that freely pours out steadfast love and forgiveness. The character that gave us the best gift we could ever imagine...His Son. Faith is holding out your hand to God and saying "I trust You". How comforting to know, we can trust our faithful Father.

"Sometimes when I was a child my mother or father would say, "Shut your eyes and hold out your hand." That was the promise of some lovely surprise. I trusted them, so I shut my eyes instantly and held out my hand. Whatever they were going to give me I was ready to take. So it should be in our trust of our heavenly Father. Faith is the willingness to receive whatever He wants to give, or the willingness not to have what He does not want to give. I am content to be and have what in Thy heart I am meant to be and have. From the greatest of all gifts, salvation in Christ, to the material blessings of any ordinary day (hot water, a pair of legs that work, a cup of coffee, a job to do and strength to do it), every good gift comes down from the Father of Lights. Every one of them is to be received gladly and, like gifts people give us, with thanks. Sometimes we want things we were not meant to have. Because He loves us, the Father says no. Faith trusts that no. Faith is willing not to have what God is not willing to give. Furthermore, faith does not insist upon an explanation. It is enough to know his promise to give what is good--He knows so much more about that than we do." - E.E.