Discouraged? Praise God

Rollercoasters can be a lot of fun, if you like that sort of thing. Typically I do, but for the sake of this entry today, I am not referring to a rollercoaster in the sense that you cram yourself into a tiny seat (well for me anyways), strap yourself in, secure any loose items, and hold on for dear life. Instead, I am referring to life itself, which can be a bit of a rollercoaster at times. “When are you going to get off this rollercoaster?” my Mom asked. I looked at her with this blank stare, almost emotionless and shrugged my shoulders. There I was in the pit and she was asking me that question, of all questions. My emotions were all over the place. I went from incredibly angry, to uncontrollably sobbing, and then back to angry, and then I would smile for a split second before I went back to sobbing. It was intense. If you have been there, you know exactly what I am talking about. One minute you are finally “fine” and the next minute, something reminds you of where you are or of what has happened and you are right back to square one. It was a living nightmare. The rollercoaster I was on seemed to be never ending. It was like I was strapped in for good, or stuck in that tiny seat – take your pick. I couldn’t manage level ground. I felt as if there was nothing in my life that made sense and nothing seemed to be going good for me, or so I thought. In Psalm 43, we see once again that the author is finding himself on the rollercoaster heading straight towards discouragement. He is fearful of his enemies and he is starting to feel as if God has even tossed him aside. Which he knows is not true. I knew God hadn’t left me, but it sure felt like it. Have you felt like that before? The authot knew there was nothing he could do about his circumstances. He knew that ultimately God was the one who could do something about it, and he needed to trust God to handle it. It is not easy to let God handle the things that you want to control, is it? Nope, not one bit. I found that during the darkest hours of my life, God was teaching me to depend on him. Everything that I had depended on was taken away from me, so all I had left to depend on was God. It was my wake up call to see that I wasn’t taking God seriously. Now, am I saying that God took it all away? I don’t know. What I am saying is that by losing all of those things I depended on more than God, I could clearly see the state of my relationship with him. I didn’t really have one. If a relationship is two sided, well He was doing all the work and I was ignoring Him. That’s the harsh reality I faced. I needed the light of God to come down and illuminate the truth in the midst of the darkness of lies I believed. The author needed to find his way out of the darkness too. “… Rescue me from these unjust liars. For you are God, my only safe haven… Send your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God – the source of all my joy, I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!” (1-4) The author realized that while he was being tormented by his enemies, God was on his side. He knew that God was with him and he knew that he wasn’t alone. The author knew that the best thing to do when he was feeling discouraged was to praise God because ultimately, God is in control and God will take care of him. This is what I needed to realize too. I spent all my time pushing God aside and depending on my job and on the money it brought in. They were far more important to me than God and you know what, I didn’t really even care about my job either, so you can see where God ranked. It was a harsh reality to face, but an even sweeter reality to know that God loves me, is on my side, and is with me every step of the way each and every day.

Thirsting for the Living God

“As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship thee. You alone are my strength my shield to you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship thee.” As one of my favorite hymns says, God alone is my heart’s desire and I long to worship only him! When I read the first line of Psalm 42, I was immediately reminded of this hymn. “As the deer longs for the streams of water so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God the living God” (1-2) The writer of this psalm longs for God much like the writer of the hymn longs for God. What he is saying is that he needs God as much as he needs water. God is that important to him! He is struggling with his enemies when he writes this hymn. They taunt him with the God that he loves and he longs for things to be as they used to be before he had sinned and fallen short of the glory of the God he loves so much. “My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be. I walked among the crowds of worshippers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of great celebration!” (4) The psalmist is consumed by regret and guilt over the things he has done. He wishes things could be different. Have you ever felt that way? I know I have! I know I have thought, “If I hadn’t done that then…” “If I had only done this then…” I know I am not alone on that one! He didn’t spend all his time dwelling on what he had done or what he hadn’t done though. He recognized that he was discouraged and then he immediately turned his attention on the lifter of his head! “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my savior and my God!” (5) The psalmist turned his focus off of his problems and put it back on God, praising him in the midst of his discouragement! He remembered who was ultimately responsible for his happiness and who loved him far greater than anyone on this earth. “Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you… each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me and through each night I sing his songs praying to God who gives me life” (6,8) I don’t know about you, but I find great encouragement in that! No matter what you are going through, God loves you deeply and greatly. He loves you the same each and every day no matter what you have done and no matter what you haven’t done. Take hold of that truth today and never let it go!

Say No to Gossip

Two-faced people, they are those people who come into your life and pretend to be your friend, earn your trust, and then the first chance they get, they turn on you, stabbing you in the back. Usually, you are totally oblivious to the malicious plan they have up their sleeve for you until it is too late; until you are already a victim at the hands of someone you thought was your friend. It’s hard to be in that position, to know that someone you trusted and believed was your friend, really wasn’t. The vast majority of the relationships I had with people in high school were this way. I’m convinced this is just the way that high school is. I would have much rather have had those mean girls, you all know some, who were outwardly mean and nasty to me all the time, than the girls who were nice to my face but talked and gossiped about me whenever they had the chance. I think most of us would. Sadly, a lot of adults behave like this still. I’ve been in a situation at work where a co-worker was gossiping about me. Typically, I would have talked badly about her in return for her ridiculousness, but I’ve grown up and I’ve realized that this is not the way that Jesus would have dealt with the same situation. Instead, I confronted her, asked her pointed questions about the issues, without alluding to my knowledge of her gossiping, and then I asked that she come to me if there are any problems she wished to discuss with me in the future. Her reaction was not one of retaliation, but instead she apologized for not talking to me about it first. I went to her with an attitude of forgiveness and I was willing to take the initiative to make things right between us. Unfortunately, her gossiping continued and I ended up requesting a transfer from that department and she lost her job. Have you ever faced a situation like this? In Psalm 41, David is dealing with a similar situation. “But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask. They visit me as if they were my friends but all they while they gather gossip, and when they leave they spread it everywhere. All who hate me whisper about me imagining the worst. “He has some fatal disease,” they say, “He will never get out of that bed!” Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food has turned against me” (5-9) Can you imagine being faced with a difficult time in your life and feeling so completely alone because even your friends have abandoned you and are talking badly about you? Some of you have been there, I know. That makes a situation that is already difficult to deal with even more so. But you know what? Even in the midst of this situation, David knew he wasn’t alone and the same goes for you. God is with you every step of the way. He is there to help you handle whatever comes your way. Gossiping about others and taking matters into your own hands only makes things worse. It never makes things better. Turn it over to God. He will take care of you.

He Will Come and Save You.

It was snowing pretty hard and the roads were already getting slick to drive on as the snow accumulated on them. I was coming home from working a late shift and I was definitely tired. I made sure I paid close attention to the road conditions and my speed, driving very carefully down the windy back roads that lead home. I yawned, glanced at the clock and then back at the road and before I knew it, my car was spinning around in circles down the road and out of control. When I finally stopped I ended up down a small bank in a field covered with at least a foot of snow, facing the wrong direction. I sat there for a minute trying to catch my breath, waiting for some of the adrenaline rush to subside. When I got out of the car to see if there was any way I would be able to get out on my own I noticed that I had just missed a telephone pole by mere inches. I also noticed that there was no way I was getting out of there without someone pushing me out, but I was alone. I got back in the car and called my parents, who lived nearby; I had no idea what I was going to do. Right in the middle of my conversation there was a knock on my driver’s side window. It definitely startled me. I rolled down the window to see a man in a snow suit smiling at me. He said, “Those roads are slippery, huh? Can my friends and I help you get back on the road?” I have to admit at 2:30 in the morning I was not amused by his humor, but I was glad to see someone and he brought friends. I thanked him and allowed him and his four friends, whom had all been out snowmobiling in the field I happened to stop in, to help me get back on the road. They came out of nowhere! I still have no idea who they were, but I am certainly thankful they were there to help me get out of the snowy field and back onto the road. I am also thankful that I was able to walk away with no damage to myself or my car. So many times in our lives we can find ourselves in situations like I was in. We are stuck in a pit waiting for someone to come to our rescue. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been in the pit of despair. I’ve felt hopeless and depressed, but God came to my rescue in the form of the people around me who love me and he rescued me out of that pit. He gave me what I needed to get back on my feet and walk forward. He supported me and guided me and encouraged me when I needed it the most. He did the very same thing for David. Time and time again, David found himself up against his enemies. He cried out for God to save him and it never happened right away. David had to wait for God to rescue him. But God did rescue him and he heard his cries. He lifted him out of the pit and set his feet on solid ground. God gave David what he needed when he needed it. “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing a hymn of praise to our God Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:1-3) God does the same for all of us. He hears our cries and he will come to the rescue of those he loves. He loves you greatly! Do you trust him to come to your rescue when you need him?

"He will come and save you. He will come and save you. Say to the weary one, Your God will surely come. He will come and save you." He Will Come and Save You - Don Moen

Power of Words

Have you ever said something and then immediately regretted it? I know I have. Sometimes we say things we don’t necessarily mean when we are angry, or hurt, or when we are trying to defend ourselves. Sometimes we say things that are meant to “poke fun” at others. Sometimes we are sarcastic towards others and sometimes we seek to maim with the words that come out of our mouths. The bottom line is words can hurt. The old “I’m rubber you’re glue whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you” saying that I know we have all said at some point, really is not true. It may be something you say over and over to yourself to lessen the sting of an unbridled tongue that went off in your direction, but when you think about it, words really do hurt. I remember one particular instance in my own life when words have hurt me. I had this “friend” who took it upon himself to make a list of everything he didn’t like about me and then he gave it to me, like someone gives you a present they are proud of. There was no other intention in writing that and giving that to me than to hurt me, and it did hurt me, for quite a while. I’m sure we all have been victims of someone else’s careless words at some point in our lives, but have you ever hurt someone with your careless words? Have you ever said something to someone, or even behind their backs with the intention of hurting them? I know I have. I’ll admit it. When someone hurts me, my first inclination is to hurt them right back. How many of you react the same way? If you are really honest with yourselves, most of you react the same way. I’ll be the first to tell you it is really hard to take it when someone says or does something mean and hurtful to me and not react in a negative way - really, really hard. I think even David understood that. Look at what he says in Psalm 39. “I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” But as I stood there in silence – not even speaking of good things – the turmoil within me grew worse. The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.” (1-3) Wow, so how many of you can identify with David here? I know I can. David was being attacked by his enemies and he wanted so badly to give them a good tongue lashing, but he knew that it would not be honoring to God. He knew that it was sinful, but what David also realized is that by dwelling on what was said and what had happened he was only making things worse for himself. Ever wonder why the Bible says our hearts and minds should be guarded? This would be why. We can sin in our hearts, we can sin in our minds, and we can sin with our mouths. Words are pretty powerful and they can really hurt people. They can also really encourage people. At the risk of sounding cliché, you need to decide whether or not you are going to use your words for good, or evil – whether or not you are going to honor or dishonor God in how you speak to and interact with others.

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8

Seriousness of Sin

Sin; it’s a word not very many of us like to discuss. It is, however, a word that needs to be discussed on a regular basis. You might be thinking right now, “Oh great, now, she wants to make me feel guilty all the time.” Well, that is not my intention here. My intention is to help you to realize just how serious sin is. Sin is not to be taken lightly. It is a huge deal. I hear so many Christians say, “Oh, it’s ok if I do it this time, God will forgive me.” If they are not outwardly saying that, they are showing that very same attitude in how they deal with sin in their own lives. I’ve been guilty of that as well. This is a big trap that the enemy sets out to ensnare us with. Minimizing sin has become common place in today’s culture. It’s no big deal to sin and living in sin? Well, now, that doesn’t matter either. These are some of the attitudes that our culture has. I say this not to make myself appear better than others, or to be judgmental, because I am a huge sinner! I just want you to see just how society has viewed sin as such a tiny matter. Sin is not a tiny matter. It is a huge one! You see, when you minimize sin, you are in effect minimizing the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made when he died on the cross for our sins and you can’t minimize sin without minimizing the power of the forgiveness that is offered to us. Is that something you really want to do? All of that also minimizes God, and that, folks, is something that I never want to do. The Bible says that the wages, or what you earn, for sin is death. (Romans 6:23) I’d say that makes sin a huge deal, wouldn’t you? Sin is offensive. It offends God, but not in the human sense of the word. Sin takes something that is meant to be pure and holy and totally destroys it. That is why it is offensive to God. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he struggled with sin in his own life. “My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.” (Psalm 38:4-8) David was well aware how serious sin was. He was reaping what he sewed, when he chose to sin. He was dealing with the consequences of his sin and his heart was broken. David was also truly sorry for what he had done. “But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done” (Psalm 38:18) Have you ever felt deeply sorry over a sin that you had committed? I know I have. When you love God and know that he loves you it is not easy to know that you have sinned against him and it hurts. It is imperative that you know that even though God sees the sin in your life, it doesn’t cast a shadow over the love that he has for you. He still sees the beautiful child that he created in his very own image. He loves you the same on your worst days as he does on your best days. He loves you the same all the time. All of this just shows me how much I need him and how much I need his love even more. How about you?

Walking With God

Flying on an airplane is not one of my favorite things to do. It makes me nervous. I get anxious. I don’t know why. Maybe it is because I also suffer from motion sickness. I guess the thought of getting sick on an airplane doesn’t exactly sound like fun to me. Or, maybe, it has something to do with being in the close proximity of so many random and strange people I don’t know. That makes me nervous when I am not even on a plane. Perhaps it is even because I know we are so incredibly high in the air. I don’t usually have a problem during take-off, typically, my nervousness increases as the plane begins to get closer to the ground. My anxiety level seriously increases during this time. These times of anxiety can be crippling, if I let them be, but I have chosen not to let them have that control over my life.

One thing that is the biggest help to me is a song that I sing quietly to myself every time I start to feel anxious in any situation. When I feel the anxiety coming on I start to sing, “Oh, God you are my God, and I will ever praise you. Oh, God you are my God and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning and I will learn to walk in your ways and step by step you’ll lead me and I will follow you all of my days.” I usually sing this over and over until I can feel the anxiety subside. It might seem silly, but not only does this work for me; it also reminds me that God is in control of that situation. It also reminds me that step by step each day, God leads me.

This is what David is saying in Psalm 37. “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every single detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall for the Lord holds them by the hand.” (23) I find great comfort in this verse. What encouraging truth is found here! God directs each and every one of our steps and he does so with such great care. He enjoys each and every detail of our lives. He delights in them. He is with us every step of the way to enjoy the journey with us. How do I know this? The Bible is full of passages that say that God is with us. He is near us. If you take a look at the end of this passage, it says that the Lord holds us by the hand. Wouldn’t that mean that he is walking WITH us? I can find great comfort in that! It is so comforting to know that my awesome God is right with me, holding my hand and walking with me each step of each day. He directs each one of my steps and leads me on the path that he has provided and created just for me. He does the same for you! It makes me want to intentionally go for a walk with Abba every day! Knowing that he is walking with me hand in hand each step of the way gives me such peace and strength. When is the last time you went for a walk with Abba Father?

You Are the Light of the World

One of my favorite authors of all time is C.S. Lewis. His insightful and poignant way of writing and explaining his point of view on God and living the Christian life has been impactful on my life. My favorite quote by C.S. Lewis continues to inspire me each time I read it. “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen. Not because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

In my own personal relationship God, I have found that the more I learn about him, the more things in my life are illuminated and the more clearly I see his plans for my life. It’s as if a veil is removed and I can see things for what they really are. It’s in knowing him that I find out who I really am and who I am meant to be. In this life, Christians are meant to be a light in a dark and dying world. We are meant to help those who are lost find their way back to God and into a right relationship with him. I think David understood the very same point that C.S. Lewis was trying to make. As I was reading Psalm 36, verse 9 really struck me. It says, “For you are the fountain of life, the light be which we see.” God is life. God is the light in the darkness. Everything comes from him. Jesus Christ illuminated many things, especially for the disciples, when he walked this earth. He exposed the lies that many had believed and he was willing to lead them to the truth. We need to be willing to lead others to the truth as well, giving them the light they need to illuminate this dark world and enabling them to find their way. Life is found in the light. Hope is found in the light. Truth is found in the light. Jesus Christ is the light. The Word of God is the light. We can be the light bringing hope, and truth, and love and even life into this dark world. It is what we are meant to do. This is the point I think C.S. Lewis was making. The world is much brighter when illuminated by the truth.

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father” (Matt 5:14-16)

On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand

At some point in our lives, we have all cried out to God to rescue us. Whether it would be from something or someone, we were all ready and willing for God to come in and save the day. In Psalm 35, David is once again calling out to God to save him. His enemies are after him again and David wants to be victorious over them. He knows that God is powerful enough to reach down and move him out of harm and he knows that God is powerful enough to wipe out his enemies without much effort at all. There’s something else that David is fully aware of as well. “Lord who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and the poor from those who rob them?” (Psalm 35:10) David raises some pretty good questions, don’t you think? There is absolutely no one who can measure up to what God is capable of and he is capable of such great things one cannot even fathom all that he can do. To David, God was his refuge, his impenetrable fortress, and his strong tower. God was David’s shield, his protector, his victory. He was the rock that could not be moved. David took refuge in him. He relied on him. He depended on him. He trusted him. He knew that God was mighty to save and he knew that God would bring him Victory. David relied on God all the time, not just when he was in trouble. How much do you rely on God? Where do you seek refuge? If you are not seeking refuge in the Lord, today, I encourage you to do so. He is the only one who truly is mighty to save and he is the only one who is worthy of your dedication. He rescues the weak from the strong and there is no one, absolutely no one who can even come close to him. "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand"

Praising God at All Times

Life is pretty difficult. I thought I’d mention the obvious. Sometimes it is full of happiness and excitement and other times it is full of sorrow and despair. I have found myself in the depths of that sorrow and despair fighting to hold on to every ounce of hope I had left on more than one occasion. It wasn’t easy to hold on. The world was taking hits at me left and right, threatening to take me down with every swing. I was struggling to keep my grasp, my hand tightly bound to the hope I had in Jesus Christ. At that time in my life, he was the only good thing I had going for me. Sure, I had friends who were there for me, but Jesus Christ was there for me all the time when I really needed him. He was there to pick me up when I let the world tell me who I was instead of the one who created me. This is a time in my life when I found such great solace in music. It could take me from the pit of despair to the throne room and at the feet of Jesus, where I would weep tears of joy for all that he had done for me, instead of tears of sorrow over my circumstances. If you have ever been in the pit of despair, you know how incredibly difficult it is to sing praises to God when you are so low you don’t even want to get out of bed in the morning. You know how difficult it is to even function as you normally would when all you can do is think about what you are going through.

There I was deep in the pit, holding on to the Lord, and I was listening to “How Can I Keep from Singing” by Chris Tomlin. In fact it was on repeat and I was even playing along on my guitar and singing too. It brought up a good question. How can I keep from singing? How can I keep from singing praise to God? The one who has given me so much? How can I stop praising him? I realized that just based on his love for me alone, I had more than enough reason to praise him, even in the midst of some very scary circumstances. God loves me! He deserves my praise and so as hard as it was to praise him when I was feeling utterly hopeless, I gave everything I had to lift my voice in praise. There were other songs that helped me praise him during this time too. “Praise You in This Storm” by Casting Crowns was one. “I’ll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands, for you are who you are no matter where I am” It reminded me that God was still God no matter what I was going through in my life and he was still in control. “Love Lifted Me” , a hymn that says “when nothing else would help, love lifted me” The love of God that came from him through his children helped to lift me out of the pit of despair I was in and helped to bring me back to living the life that God has called me to. The love of God is such a powerful thing! Why? Because He is such a powerful God and the sacrifice he made on the cross was a powerful sacrifice made once for all. Now, there is a point to all this. When I read Psalm 34, I was reminded of the time I spent in the pit of despair and I was reminded of how difficult it was to praise God in the midst of it, but reading this psalm showed me that David understood this as well. David struggled with desperation. You can see it in practically all his psalms. He struggled with fear. That is there too! Yet, in every psalm he doesn’t forget who God is and he doesn’t forget to praise him.

“I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart. Come let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the Lord and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow will darken their faces. In my desperation, I prayed and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.” (1-6)

Wow! David had such great hope and confidence in the Lord! He knew what it meant to praise God at all times and he did! He praised God when things were going well for him and he praised God when he was fearful for his life. He truly was a man after God’s own heart. God was most certainly with David every step of the way. He heard David’s cries and he answered them. He blessed David and he loved David. He loves you too! He hears you when you cry out to him!

“The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time” (17-19).

The book of Psalms should be an encouragement to anyone, especially those who are struggling right now. If you have found yourself in the pit of despair, there is hope. You are loved. Despite what the world tries to tell you, or what others may even be telling you, you are loved greater than you can possibly imagine. God’s love for you is powerful enough that he sent his one and only son to die on the cross as payment for your sins. Jesus has paid that debt in full. He loves you greatly. If you are struggling in the pit right now, it is my prayer that you would hold on to that hope and that you would cry out to God. He will hear you. Call out to him and he will save you. He is right with you as you read this. If you are struggling and you can’t think of anything to praise God for, simply praise him because he loves you. God is good all the time. He loves you all the time. If you aren’t in a place where you are struggling today, what a good opportunity to thank God for rescuing you! What a great opportunity to spend some time praying for those in your life whom you know are struggling. When is that last time you stopped to praise God for loving you?

“Taste and see that that Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (8)

Why Do You Praise God?

One of the best things we can do when we are struggling is to stop and praise God simply for who he is. In all the psalms I have covered thus far, David has done that. When he has been fearful of his enemies and waiting on the Lord to rescue him, he has praised God for who he is. When God has heard his cry and has moved him out of danger, David praises God for who he is. When David feels totally alone, he praises God for who he is. Well, the Psalmist in Psalm 33 is no different. It begins, “Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord for it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to him, play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.” (1-3) I love the next verse. It and the rest of the psalm answer the question why. Why should we praise God? We’ve already seen that it is fitting and pure to praise him, is there any other reason? “For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” (4) God’s Word is true. His promises are true. Everything he has said has happened. We can trust him. For me this is something I hold on to. I have had many people in my life promise me many things only to be disappointed again and again. God keeps his promises. I have a plaque with that inscribed on it sitting where I can see it every day, to remind myself that the word of the Lord holds true, and I can trust him. There is no one else in this world that can live up to that standard. Everyone in my life is bound to disappoint me at some point, if haven’t already, and yes it is hard when they do, but I know that I serve a God who will never let me down, who keeps his promises and who loves me far greater than anyone on this earth has and will ever love me. The same is true for you! Do you trust that God will keep his promises? Do you trust in his holy Word? The other verse I really like in this psalm is verse 11. It says, “But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever, his intentions can never be shaken” Wow, I just find such encouragement in knowing that all the plans that God has for me cannot be changed by something I do, or by something someone else does. His plan and purpose for my life will prevail over everything. That means no one can mess them up! That means that no matter how many times I fail, I cannot mess them up! Now, that is good news to me! The same is true for you. You can’t mess up the plans that God has for you. They are unshakable! Why? Because HE IS!! God keeps his promises and his plans cannot be altered by anyone. These are two big areas that I praise God for on a daily basis. I am so very thankful that I serve a God who loves me, who has a plan for me, whom I can trust, and whom is unshakable! Aren’t you? What do you praise God for?

Obeying God

Obeying God is very rarely an easy thing to do. We are all sinners and we all fall short of the standards that God has for us. Needless to say, obedience just doesn’t come naturally. Most of the time it is easier to disobey someone than it is to obey them and when it comes to God, obeying him causes us to make some pretty steep sacrifices while disobeying him results in some pretty steep consequences. Can you think about a time in your life when it was hard for you to obey your parents? How about a time in your life when it was hard for you to obey God? Have you ever had a time in your life when you have consciously chosen to disobey God, or even ignored what he has asked you to do? I can think of a couple instances in my own life. David had some in his own life. This could be why he had so many enemies. David took what didn’t belong to him, Bathsheba, and then he plotted to murder her husband, and he did. All of this went against what God had told him to do and it was all in direct disobedience to God’s Word. David may have sinned greatly against God, but God still called him a man after his own heart. Why? David was repentant of his sins. He turned his life around. David committed his life to following God, to seeking him every day, all the time. David loved God and knew that he was loved by God. He continually praised God and looked to God even in the midst of some of the scariest times in his life. He was eternally thankful for all that God had done for him and he never forgot who had rescued him in his darkest hour. David’s life was centered on God and even though he wasn’t perfect, he was still a man after God’s own heart. In Psalm 32, we can see just how thankful David is. “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty.” (1-2) David felt the power of the forgiveness that God offers to all those who accept it, regardless of what they have done. David knew the seriousness of sin as well. “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” (3-4) When we keep sin to ourselves and refuse to confess it, our bodies feel it. It eats away at us, it causes us stress in our lives and it slowly dwindles away all of our strength. Have you experienced that? I know I have. It is horrible! “When I finally confessed all my sins to you and I stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (5) I think the reason David felt so horrible about the sin in his life and the reason I felt so horrible about the sin in my life is because we both knew how wrong it was. We both knew we were rebelling against a loving God who only wanted the best for us and yet, we consciously chose to do what was contrary to his plans for us. This is what happens every time we sin. This is what happens every time YOU sin. You consciously choose to rebel against a loving God all for your own selfish gain. It’s like you walk right up to him and spit in his face. Now, I don’t know of very many people who would actually ever want to do that to God, but when we chose sin over God, essentially we are taking all that he has given us, throwing it in the garbage and spitting in his face. It is so very important that we recognize the seriousness of sin in our lives. It is not a light matter and it should not be taken lightly. The Bible clearly says that the wages of sin is death! (Romans 6:23) That means when we sin, we deserve death. It doesn’t matter what we do, or why we did it, we deserve death! I’d say that is pretty serious! That is why Jesus Christ came to die on the cross for the sins of the world. God knew it was a heavy price for all of us to pay and he loves us all enough to give us another chance. Jesus Christ died once for all on the cross. He paid the penalty that is owed by you and me when he sacrificed his life on the cross. This is not to say that there are not still consequences for our sinful actions, because there most certainly are. There is however, no more condemnation or punishment for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1-4) I mention all of this for a reason, while obeying God is not always, or actually is rarely ever the easiest thing to do, it is however, the best thing to do. God has every second of your life planned out. He knows exactly what is going to happen. He knows when you will fail and he knows when you will be successful in following him. He has provided a path designed specifically for you to walk on. He has one that he designed for me to walk on as well. No two paths are the same. God doesn’t take this lightly either. He took care in planning out our lives before we were even thought of by our parents. How amazing is that?! Following God in obedience is not a once and done thing. It is a one day at a time thing. Every day when I wake up I must choose to be obedient to God and the call that he has placed on my life. It is not always easy. Some days it is downright hard, but I know that God is with me each and every step of the way guiding me and directing me on the path that he has designed just for me. If you haven’t trusted God in this way, it is never too late. He loves you and has a plan and a purpose just for you. First, take some time to ask God to reveal to you any sin in your life, ask for forgiveness, and then ask him to show you what he would like for you to do for today. Keep moving ahead, fixing your eyes on him and forsaking everything else. He’s got your back. “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise and watch over you” (8)

He's By Your Side

Have you ever felt so completely alone? I think we all have at some point. There have been times in my life when I have been surrounded by people, but I have felt so totally isolated. I’ve wanted to speak up, speak out, and cry out, but the noise of all the other voices around me were so loud that I was drowned out. There have been times in my life when I have chosen to be silent; when I have chosen to keep to myself all the things that were eating away at me and destroying my heart. There have been times when I have felt attacked by other people and when merely being in their presence would cause me fear and anxiety.

One such instance was a few years ago at the very first “real” job I had, working as an X-Ray Technician at a Hospital. I was excited to begin my new career and my new job. I was excited to see all that was in store for me as I stepped out into the real world and there was nothing that was going to get me down, or so I thought. Things started out ok. I had to learn a whole new set of procedures from what I learned in school, but I was ready and willing to do so and I was trying really hard to do all that was asked of me. That is when the emails started. I would come into work to find emails from my boss belittling me, calling me names, and telling me I was a horrible person just about every day I came into work. Spending the first 15-20 minutes of my shift crying was becoming part of my normal routine. It seemed there was nothing I could to right in his eyes. Then he started calling me into his office and complaining to me about everything and anything he could possibly think of. He told me other people were complaining about me. He told me people wanted to leave because of me and he told me that I needed to think about whether or not I really wanted my job. Here I was working hard to please him and do what was asked of me and nothing I did was good enough. I ended up staying late almost every day so he could complain to me about something. He even started to complain to me about things that had nothing to do with me. Then he started asking my advice on how I thought things should be done in the department. Boy, was I confused and it took every ounce of strength I had not to take my shoe off and throw it at him. He said some pretty nasty things about my appearance and nothing that we talked about was ever recorded in the paperwork that went to Human Resources exactly as we talked about it. He always made me look worse. I felt totally alone. Everyone LOVED him. There was no one I could turn to. I battled some pretty fierce demons at this time in my life, depression being the biggest one. I cried a lot, but I didn’t really talk to very many people about all that was going on and this trend got me into some huge trouble when I found myself wanting to follow my sinful desires. I had some real live enemies and they were not backing down.

When I read the book of Psalms and I see David’s heart and hear his cries to God to rescue him, I am immediately brought right back to the place I mentioned just a bit ago, the place where I felt so completely alone. I couldn’t help but to cry when I read this passage in Psalm 31 “Have mercy on me Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and my soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. I am scorned by all my enemies and despised by my neighbors – even my friends are afraid to come to me. When they see me on the street, they run the other way. I am ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot. I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.” (9-13) I am even tearing up now as I read it again. How many of you can identify with what David is feeling here? I know I can. Feeling totally isolated is not a good feeling, especially when you are surrounded by people! I didn’t want anyone to know that I was struggling with depression because Christians are supposed to be happy, right?

Well, I was wrong and if you are thinking that today, dear one, there is hope! It is ok to not be happy all the time because you know what? The Bible does not say that following Christ will guarantee your happiness. It doesn’t say that you will be happy all the time. It also doesn’t say that you HAVE to be happy all the time. Following Christ is HARD, it was never meant to be easy, otherwise how meaningful would Christ’s sacrifice on the cross really be? Some of you might be thinking, well, fantastic, now what? The whole point to following Christ, is knowing that you have someone who loves you greatly, who has a plan for your life and who has your best interest in mind by your side all the time. Once you know this, you can show the very same love that has been shown for you, when Christ died on the cross for your sins, to all those whom you come into contact with. It’s continually seeking God with everything you have all the time and not just when you want to or when you want something. Christianity is not about religion and getting what you want and being happy. It is about having a relationship with the God who created you and loves you each and every day whether or not you are happy to see him! David totally understood that and that is why he was able to be so real with God. That is why he was able to be crying out to God and asking him to rescue him, or asking God why he had forgotten about him and then in the next minute he is praising God for who he is or thanking God because he has answered his prayers! I cannot stress the importance of being real with God enough. I mean, really, there is no reason to be “fake” with him. He knows everything anyways, so you might as well just tell him. David was real with God and you can be too.

I’ve already shown you that David cried out to God to rescue him from his enemies in Psalm 31. While he was waiting for an answer, David praised God for who he was. “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence far from accusing tongues.” (19-20) I really believe David did this as a reminder to himself of who God is and I think this really encouraged him to continue to wait upon the Lord. I think it gave him the strength he needed to carry on. This is what knowing God does! The more you know him, the more weapons you have in your back pocket when the enemies are closing in.

David also never forgot to thank God for all that he had done for him. In this passage, he thanks God for answering his cry. “Praise the Lord for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack. In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.” (21-22) David was truly thankful that God saved him from his enemies. I often wonder if David even had a clue about just how encouraging all that he wrote would be for those that read it. I wonder if he even knew that people would be reading it one day.

I think it is interesting that after all of this, David even takes the time to offer a few words of encouragement. “Love the Lord all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes the arrogant. So be strong and courageous all you who put your hope in the Lord.” (23-24)

I think those are some words we can all take to heart. Be strong and courageous because following Christ is not easy, but God is mighty to save. He loves you and will hear you when you cry out to him. You are never truly alone when you have him right by your side.

Joy Comes in the Morning

When we are in the midst of a major storm in our lives, there really is nothing we want more than for it to stop. I remember being in the middle of one of the worst storms I have ever weathered. I was in so much pain and distress that I just wanted it to end. I remember crying out to God and asking him to save me, to pick me up out of this mess and rescue me. There was no immediate answer, but I kept crying out to him, for a while, and after a while of no response, I simply gave up. I started to lose hope and I was so far beyond discouraged that I had no idea what to do. What I realized through this experience, was that I was not trusting God, at all. I wanted him to just come in and change everything on my terms, but I was forgetting that God doesn’t work on my terms and he most certainly doesn’t answer to me. I was so consumed by the storm and my circumstances that I was failing to keep my focus on the only one who is in control. The problem was me. I was being self-centered and stubborn and like a child who wasn’t getting her way I was on the verge of throwing an adult-sized tantrum. What was adding to my frustration, like I mentioned before, were the people who were quoting Jeremiah 29:11 to me all the time. If God had plans for me, then why wasn’t he letting me see them! It was only when a friend of mine pointed out that the rest of the passage wasn’t being mentioned that I realized what the issue was. I wasn’t seeking after God with everything I had and I certainly hadn’t surrendered to him. I still wanted what I wanted. Now, the whole point of me telling you this is; sometimes the whole reason we take our focus of Christ when we are in the middle of the storm has nothing to do with the storm itself, but it has everything to do with the condition of our hearts. I know I’ve said this many times before, but David was a man after God’s own heart, and this showed. Even in the midst of some terrible storms he kept his focus on God. He would question God in one sentence and then he would praise him in another. I think this is the very thing that helped to remind him that God was in control in the midst of his storms. “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? Hear me Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord. You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” (Psalm 30:9-12) What was true in David’s life is true in your life as well. God is in control. Even when the rain is pouring down, the wind is howling and the thunder booms across the sky, God is in control. When the trees bend beneath the force of the wind or the waters rise, God is in control. Do you really think he would not be in control of something when it involves someone he loves so much? He is in control whether you like it or not and his outcome will far outweigh anything we can come up with. The storms we go through in life, although they seem to last a long time, are but a blip of time in comparison to eternity. So, hold on. Relief is coming. “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning” (5)

Storms

Thunderstorms can be so interesting to watch. All of that thunder and lightning lighting up the dark sky is another glorious display of God’s work, strength and power. Thunderstorms can also be scary too. The loud booming of the thunder and the crashing of trees to the ground not to mention the howling wind, pounding rain, and rising waters can bring fear and anxiety to anyone. In Psalm 29, David uses a thunderstorm to remind himself of God’s strength and power and he praises him for it. The loud booming thunder of a storm can be heard echoing over the land, lightning is seen flashing across the sky, and off in the distance the wind begins to howl… “The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon skip like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with bolts of lightning. The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the mighty oaks and strips the forests bare.” (3-9) David uses this illustration to show God’s ultimate power and control over his creation. God completely in control of all that he has created. When storms happen, all of God’s creation is under his control and nothing happens that he hasn’t planned out. The same is true when storms come into our lives. Storms can be very scary. They can uproot your lives and cause you great peril. When the thunder crashes and you lose your job, when the lightning strikes and a family member becomes ill – God is in control. The problem is us. We forget that God is strong and powerful. We forget how mighty to save he really is and we start to trust in our small, weak, sinful selves to handle lives big, powerful storms. I have seen this happen in other people’s lives and I have seen this happen in my very own life when my actions lead to consequences I didn’t like and I took matters into my own hands instead of trusting God to handle it. Folks, God is bigger than ANY problem that could EVER come into your lives. There is NOTHING that scares him. He’s seen it all. He can handle ANYTHING you give him. One of my favorite passages is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Notice that last part. “through Christ who strengthens me” See how it doesn’t say anything about going at it alone? Here’s another passage I love found in John 15. Jesus is talking to the disciples about remaining in him, continuing to seek him, to depend on him, and to rely on him. He was talking about their need for him. He says this in verse 5. “Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them will produce much fruit. FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING” Ah, yes. There it is. We can try to handle the storms that life throws our way on our own and in our own strength, but where will that lead us? Frustrated, angry, bitter, depressed, etc… OR We can trust God, who is mighty to save, powerful and more than capable to handle anything, to have control over our circumstances and our lives. He knows the way out of the storm and he knows how to keep us safe. He provides for us all that we need to weather the storm if we trust in him and ask him for it. “The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace” (11)

How Can I Keep from Singing

My absolute favorite song is “How Can I Keep from Singing” by Chris Tomlin. When I was going through a really difficult time in my life, I listened to this song over and over again, singing and weeping as I listened to the words and what they were saying. “There is an endless song, echoes in my soul. I hear the music ring. And though the storms may come I am holding on and to the Rock I cling. How can I keep from singing Your praise? How can I ever say enough? How amazing is Your love? How can I keep from shouting Your name? I know I am loved by the King and it makes my heart want to sing. I will lift my eyes in the darkest night for I know my Savior lives. And I will walk with You knowing You’ll see me through and sing the songs You give. How can I keep from singing Your praise? How can I ever say enough? How amazing is Your love? How can I keep from shouting Your name? I know I am loved by the King and It makes my heart want to sing” In Psalm 28, David is crying out to God to save him from his enemies yet again and he is asking him not to abandon him, but near the end of the Psalm all of David’s perseverance and trust in God has paid off. “Praise the Lord for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” (7) David did indeed trust the Lord with all his heart and that is so very evident in all the psalms he has written. He was definitely a man after God’s own heart. He loved God dearly and that showed in how he lived his life, he wasn’t perfect, but his devotion to the Lord was clearly evident. I’ve realized in my own personal life that even through the painful things that come my way, God is working. He is still good. He is still on his throne and he is still in control. Even when things look terrifying and hopeless, I still I have a reason to burst out in song! God is still God. He never changes. He loves me just the same all the time. When I am helping an elderly woman with her groceries or when I am irritable and yelling in my car at one who is going under the speed limit in front of me – God loves me just the same. My circumstances will change, but God will never change. He will always remain the same. So, “I can sing in the troubled times. Sing when I win. I can sing when I lose my step and I fall down again. I can sing ‘cause you pick me up. Sing ‘cause you’re there. I can sing ‘cause you hear me Lord when I call to you in prayer. I can sing with my last breath sing for I know that I’ll sing with the angels and the saints around the throne” The next time you are faced with a difficult day, I challenge you to think of God and how much he loves you and then see how difficult it is to not burst out into song.

Be Strong and Courageous. Wait Patiently on the Lord.

I have mentioned before that David was a man after God’s own heart and in Psalm 27 here he is again seeking God in the midst of some trying circumstances with great faith and anticipation. While I was reading through the Psalm, there were several things that struck me. David starts out talking about things that would invoke fear in just about anyone. His enemies were once again coming after him, but he was confident that the Lord would keep him safe and would protect him from them. “Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.” (3)

The first thing that really stood out to me about this Psalm can be found in verses 4-6. “The one thing I ask of the Lord – the one thing I seek the most – is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary, I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.” David was confident that God was where he would find safety and security. He was also confident in God’s power to protect him. David wanted nothing else in his life but to follow God each and every day. How many of us can really say that? There was nothing else in this life that David wanted more than to seek and follow the Lord with all his heart. His enemies were closing in, making it difficult for him to do what he longed to do, but he was strongly confident in God’s protective and saving power. Even though David knew that God was with him and that God would protect him, maybe he thought God wasn’t moving fast enough for him. How many of us have ever thought that? I know I have. “Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” (7-10) David was in tune with the voice of God, he knew that God was calling him and he was trying desperately to follow him no matter what the cost. David cries out to God because he knows that he is trying so hard to do what is right and he is not seeing the promises that God has made being fulfilled right when he expected them to. It is incredibly difficult to wait on the Lord and to wait on his timing, but God’s timing is indeed perfect. His plans for us far outweigh anything we could ever imagine. It is even hard for me to write those words, because it has most certainly been a struggle for me to wait on the Lord and for his timing and I have been so discouraged by well-meaning people who have told me that God’s timing was not own and it was better than mine. I have been so discouraged by that folks, but it’s not because they were saying something wrong. It’s not because what they were saying isn’t true. It’s because I wanted things to happen in MY timing and in MY way and I was failing to trust the God of my salvation! You see, God wants us to be fully dependent on him. If we are depending on our own strength, and resources, or on other people, then we are not dependent on him and we end up floundering around when troubles come. I think it is so very interesting that David ends that set of passages with this; “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close” If you think about it. Having the people who are supposed to be the closest to you abandon you is pretty scary, even terrifying. David’s confidence in the Lord and his timing was strong enough to recognize that there was nothing that could happen to him where the Lord’s presence would not be felt. He knew that even in the most terrifying circumstances, that the Lord would hold him close. Folks, that very same thing David came to realize is also true for us. The Lord holds us close all the time, in the happiest times in our lives and in the most terrifying times in our lives we are held close by our Father God who loves us very much. Please understand that this life is not easy. It is full of difficulties, but God gives us all that we need to persevere through it all and he holds us through it all. If you are struggling right now, know that he is near. Know that he loves you and has not abandoned you. Take some time to be still in the presence of God and listen for his still small voice. Pick up his Word and read! The book of Psalms is such a great place to be reading when you are discouraged. God does hear you! Talk to him! Wait for Him! It’s not always easy, but it is oh, so very worth it.

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (14)

Perfection Not Necessary

I’m going to tell you something shocking right now. Hold on to your hats. Go ahead scoot to the edge of your seats and lean forward so you can hear me well. Are you ready for this? Ok, here goes. I am not perfect. Sigh. There now you know. Now, I know that it may not have been a surprise to some of you that I am not perfect, but there was a point to me telling you like I did. When the world hears the term “Christian” many of them automatically think of the word hypocritical. I’ve heard it many times before. “I can’t go to church. It’s full of hypocrites” “Those Christians are all hypocrites!” For some reason, the world is under the impression that Christians are perfect, or at least have to be perfect. The truth is that Christians, just like anyone else in this world, ARE NOT PERFECT. Not only that, but they CANNOT be perfect. It just isn’t possible. Jesus Christ was the only perfect being to ever live. No one else will ever come close. In Psalm 26, David is asking God to examine his heart. He has lived his life as he should, not with sinless perfection, but with sincerity. David has tried everything he could to live according to way that God has told him to. He knows that he is not perfect and he is asking God to consider his sincerity and his integrity. I believe that God honored that in David’s life and that he will honor it in our lives as well. He doesn’t expect us to live perfect lives. It isn’t possible. We will make mistakes. We will slip and fall. We will sin, but God is forgiving, loving and merciful. What is important is that we make every effort not to sin and we make every effort to live a sincere life for Christ, living not for ourselves, but for the one who loves us, who chose us, and who calls us his children. Jesus Christ sacrificed his perfect life on the cross as a full one-time payment for every sin I could ever commit and for every sin you could ever commit. He lived a perfect life because he knew that we would not be able to. If you are struggling with the need for perfection, I encourage you to lay it at the cross and find freedom in knowing that it isn’t necessary. God’s son Jesus, divine perfection in the flesh, was enough perfection for us all. Strive instead to live for sincerity, authenticity, and with integrity, so the world will see what a real Christian is like and will then come to know who the real Jesus Christ is. Let God be God, because you are not.

“Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love and I have lived according to your truth.” Psalm 26:2-3

Following God

There is nothing I want more in this life than to follow after the will of God in all that I do, but more importantly than following his will is following after and seeking him wholeheartedly. It hasn’t always been this way and I have learned quite a bit as I have journeyed with him. Sometimes I have traveled with him and other times I have chosen to go my own way and I have stumbled and fallen flat on my face begging for forgiveness. God has always picked me back up, brushed me off and placed me back on the path that he has provided for me, right back on the journey with him. God is so loving and so forgiving that he is always ready and willing to pick us all back up when we fall flat on our faces. Even in the midst of our stubborn rebellion, he is ready to take us back every time like we are the prodigal son, or daughter, returning home after we have blown all of our inheritance on our selfish desires. God knows the plans and purposes that he has for my life and he knows the plans and purposes that he has for your life. He knows the paths we are meant to be on very well. He designed them with us in mind. Following God is a daily process, not a once and done thing. Every day I must choose to lay aside my selfish agenda and follow Him. Don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes and don’t follow him perfectly. It isn’t possible to follow him perfectly and he knows that! We are sinners and we all fall short of God’s standards for us, but the good news is that his grace is enough for us! He loves us enough to cover us with his grace and mercy. Now, this doesn’t mean we can just not try to follow him. We must make every effort to follow God as he has instructed us, but with plenty of room for improvement. This is what I was referring to when I said that I have learned quite a bit since I started my journey with God. I have made mistakes and I have wandered off from him, but I have learned from them. When we wander off from him he is not disappointed in us and he is not angry with us. He knew it was going to happen. He waits for us to come back to him so he can pick us back up and lead us back to where we belong. He knows when this will happen too. Every time I have wandered from him, God knew I would. He knew when I would come crawling back, tears streaming down my face begging for forgiveness too. I am forgiven because I am loved greatly and so are you. If you are wandering off from God or are far away from God, it is never too late to come back to him. He is waiting for you with open arms. He loves you and he will forgive you.

“Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you” (Psalm 25:4-5)

Sorry I am Taken

We all want to belong somewhere or to someone. Whether it would be to our family, to our friends, to our church, we have all had the desire to feel like we belong. For as long as I can remember, I have always dreamed of getting married. I have wanted to belong to someone. To have someone tell me that there is no one else for them, but me. To feel loved accepted and cherished by one man, that’s what I’ve always wanted and, until recently, it was something I struggled to let go of. I realized I was holding onto the dream of wanting to belong and I was forgetting the reality that I already did belong. I have this bright pink t-shirt that I like to wear. I wear it a lot. On the t-shirt it says in big, bold letters “Sorry, I’m Taken.” Now, this may come as a shock to you considering how I have longed for marriage, but the reality that is displayed through that shirt is that I AM taken. I DO belong to someone. I belong to God and in Him I find all that I need. I am accepted, loved and cherished beyond what I ever could’ve come up with on my own. The best news ever is that YOU ARE TOO! God’s love for you is unwavering, unchanging, unfaltering, unlimited and unconditional! Woo Hoo!! Now, that is something worth celebrating!! You belong to him and he most certainly loves you!

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it. The world and all its’ people belong to him” Psalm 24:1

God and His Flock

“The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23)

I just absolutely love the New Living Translation of this Psalm. It is so beautiful! I love to take my time reading through it many times because there is so much in the passage that is encouraging! Just a few short fun facts, well I think they are fun. Sheep are completely and totally helpless on their own, much like we are when we try to live our lives without God. Shepherds provide everything the sheep could possibly need to survive – food, water, protection, love, etc… God is our shepherd, providing everything we could possibly need to survive. Shepherds let their sheep rest and lead them to green meadows and streams of water for rest and refueling. I love the fact that God LETS me rest. He doesn’t just allow it, he encourages it! I love to go hiking with my camera because I see so many beautiful things that God has created and they remind me of him. Green meadows and peaceful streams would certainly remind me of HIM! On their own, sheep are defenseless, but with a shepherd nearby, they are protected and given strength over their enemies. Shepherds lead their flock on the right paths away from danger. God is not only my source of strength, but he renews it! He gives me guidance and helps me to stay on the right path that he has provided for me. He helps me to bring honor to his name! Even in the darkest valleys, the Shepherd stays close by his flock, protecting them from harm. God does the same thing for us! He is with us all the time, no matter what we are going through, he is there! He protects us and comforts us! A shepherd takes care of his flock even in the midst of danger. God takes care of us in that way too! He continues to provide for us even when our enemies are closing in on us. Shepherds stay with their flock for life. They don’t leave any sheep behind. Not even one. God does the same for us. He will never leave us behind. He is with us for life. How encouraging is that!