Yesterday, Tomorrow and the NOW!

Lord,

Time flies! May already?

How thankful I am that You are in total and complete control. 

Surely each day – each dawn – as I open my eyes to another 18 or so hours is a precious gift from You! A brand new opportunity to serve You. A new adventure to see Your hand in my life – a minute by minute direction from Your loving hand – notes played on a heavenly score sheet in harmony with Your Sovereign will.

You give me the NOW, the present. You inhabit the present and wait for me here.

You promise me the present. Yesterday is forever gone! Release me from its hold – the regrets, the would haves and should haves. Tomorrow is a vapor I can’t grasp. Worrying, fretting, wishing only robs me of precious energy and time provided for today. The NOW – this hour is mine to live in Your Presence – sense Your love – walk in Your prepared path for me of peace.

This Now is not about me but all about You!

Each heartbeat, each breath – make me fully aware You are the giver of both!
In Your Sovereignty, I choose:

To live joyfully

Pray continually

Give thanks each moment of the day, no matter what!

It is going to get worse!

Sitting in church several Sundays ago I heard Chuck Swindol quote 2 Timothy 3:1

 “In the last days perilous times shall come” 

He went on to say:


"Interesting word that Paul uses, translated “perilous” in the King James Version. “Troublesome” is the paraphrase that some will use. It is also like our English term savage. “In the last days, savage times will come.”

Then the statement that rocked me!

"Things aren't going to get better! 

Times will get worse and we are in those savage times!"

End times, last days . . . it is something we think about . . . wonder about . . . shake our head and sigh about . . .

So how do I handle "worse not better?"

God's Word! 

If I listen to "feelings" (which are all over the map), embrace the custom of the day (which changes with each generation), or buy into popular opinion (based on "feelings" and world's view of right and wrong which keeps changing) I have no solid foundation. There is no true standard.

Romans 12 - Paul not just asks, but pleads with the readers, because of God's mercy, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices . . .to not copy or be squeezed into the world's mold but allow our minds to be renewed by God himself!

2 Corinthians 10 - We live on a battle ground in the middle of a war! Our minds are the prize!

How I react is all "in the mind".  How I face "these savage times" is based on my thinking. If I am to be victorious, encouraged and a strong warrior in these increasingly difficult times, God's love letter to me must be written on my heart and in my mind!

"Jesus Calling" - beautiful!

". . . your response . . .will take you either up or down. (to difficult situations) You can lash out at the difficulty, resenting it and feeling sorry for your self . . . (leading) to self pity. Alternatively . . . you can climb up and see your life from My perspective . . . the obstacle that frustrated you is only a light and momentary trouble"

Worse times now and ahead - warriors in the middle of battle - Let me climb  up the ladder and see things from God's perspective and let Him win the battle of my mind!

God's perspective:

Cold Wind Blows

Last week we had some beautiful days, in the 80’s, warm breezes, blue skies! The the direction of the wind changed. Straight north it blew, bringing with it cold, damp air, clouds and rain. Such a drastic change! Had to dig out the winter clothes and pile on the blankets again.

Got an e-mail just a few days ago. It shared some rather sad news. Three weeks ago my three friends from Florida and North Carolina spent 6 wonderful days with me. Great fellowship, laughs, stories from our teenage years, it was precious. Then the news came. One of my sweet friend's father, someone I knew well was very ill, admitted into hospice and passed into the Presence of the Lord. 

The direction of the wind changed . . .

Another friend of mine, living life and enjoying the routine suddenly finds herself facing serious surgery and treatment for breast cancer.

The direction of the wind changed . . . 

Another friend’s business is slowing down and the bills are piling up.

 The direction of the wind changed . . . 

Last Saturday we attended a funeral of a 32 year old woman, last living child of a dear friend.

The direction of the wind changed . . . 

It is easy to trust, rest in our faith, when the sun is shining and the warm breezes blow. But what of the wind from the north? Do we start to doubt? Ask God why? Panic and fret because life is not going the way we planned?

The Sovereignty of God, the love of God, the hope we have in God must become secure and strong tethers as we live this life.

The winds will change, back and forth, warm and cold. 

Praise Him, He does not! What He promises is set in stone. What He says He will do. His love for us is eternal, unfailing and complete.

Satan’s strategy, when the direction of the wind changes, is to cause us to question and doubt .

Let’s stand firm together trusting our loving God who will not change 

nor will the direction of the wind change around His throne!

Psalm 27

Psalm 91

Psalm 46

 

Sufficient

"Being what is needed - enough, plentiful"

Our sufficiency is from God

2 Corinthians 3:5

I read something recently that caught my eye.  "My spirit in you is more than sufficient to handle whatever today may bring" (Jesus Calling) - a wonderful statement that, if we let it, impacts every area of our life.

His sufficiency:

  touches our heart, our need, our innermost being.

 expands outward to our children, their children,

 our family and friends to meet every circumstance, event and surprise.

Is enough for each moment at work, each phone call, each e-mail, each meeting.

 Is what is needed for every decision.

Will fill our future!

He is sufficient

He knows the content of each day before we open our eyes

He promises to provide for all our needs in that day

He IS GOD - nothing surprises Him or is too great for HIM

Nothing can stand against HIM

He is sufficient

Choose Life!

I have set before you life and death -

blessing and cursing

therefore, choose life!

Deuteronomy 30:19

Choice: God's way - Not God's way, but Satan's

Our Father loves us enough to parent us with open hands. He is gentle in His way with us. He allows us to choose. He gives us the freedom to choose. He offers His way as a path we can follow or not. He never demands, He is totally honest and open. His way - love, grace, mercy - no condemnation, no finger pointing, no "I told you so", -  only acceptance and forgiveness. Life and life abundant - freedom to live in His protection, trusting in His sufficiency.

In trusting in the One who loves us, intercedes for us, died for us, our hearts and minds are guarded, resulting in:

Peace

Thankfulness

Patience

Joy

Freedom

Acceptance

The alternative - Satan's way - following the one who hates us, demeans us and wants to destroy us and our families. The one who is determined to distract us from spending time with our Lord.  He advocates the definition of success as the acquiring of power, position, prestige and possessions at the expense of ourselves, our families and our relationship with God.  The result? 

Anxiety

Worry

Anger

Fear

Deceitfulness

Worthlessness

Selfishness

Revenge

Choose life! The Father pleads!

We cannot walk two paths. We can't dabble in both. It is one or the other . . . 

Life or Death

Blessing or Cursing

God's way 

or Satan's

If we are not following the God who loves us - LIFE,

 we are following the god who hates us - DEATH!

CHOOSE LIFE!!!!!

 

 

Silence

The silence is shouting at me this morning after such a wonderful, busy week with my dear friends from the South.

Bruce is back at work and Wendy (my dog) and I wander about adjusting to the change.

I sit quietly in my chair and hear in the silence, laughter, words of friendship and sisterhood, precious  stories long forgotten and reclaimed and encouraging words of love.

Without the distractions – TV off, computer asleep and company gone – I see in my mind all the activities again, the adventures of last week. I hear our laughter -  till we cried. I relive the stories of the past, moments in time we shared together that helped form us into the women we are today. Stories of loved ones, now in Heaven and the impact each had on our hearts, bringing again smiles and tears.

I marvel and thank the Lord for that “sister” love we four share which began almost 50 years ago  and continues, blossoming into a sustaining and supporting relationship we can count on now and for eternity because of our bond in Christ! Love you guys!

I “hear” my Savior whisper, “in quietness I am here, be still and know I am God. Listen and remember. Relive all the times I touched your life. Come and sit with Me, in the silence, and share My love!”

A friend loves at all times!

Proverbs 17:17

What if . . . ?

What if eyes, not of this world, watch our actions and reactions as we journey through this life. 

What if ears, not of this world, hear our words, our whispers, our mutterings in response to this life.

What if voices, not of this world, join us in praise to God or loudly accuse our stumbling and even applaud our rebellion in this life.

Just a thought . . .

Hebrews 12:1

                Therefore, we also, who have all of these witnesses

        who surround us like clouds, let us throw off from us all the weights of the sin

        which is always ready for us,

      and let us run with patience this race that is set for us.