A New Name - Israel

The nations will see your righteousness.
World leaders will be blinded by your glory.
And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.
The Lord will hold you in his hand for all to see—
a splendid crown in the hand of God.
Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City”
or “The Desolate Land.”
Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,”
for the Lord delights in you
and will claim you as his bride. 
- Isaiah 62:2-4

Scripture 
Genesis 32:24-28
. . . This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
“What is your name?” the man asked.
He replied, “Jacob.”
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

Observation
Jacob, alone, filled with fears and distress prays to God.  He wrestles all through the night.  Jacob did not give up.  He wept and sought God's favor - a blessing.  He contended with God and prevailed.  Hosea 12:4,5  "Your name will no longer be Jacob - supplanter, deceiver, over-reacher, but from now on you will be called Israel" - a prince of God, one who strives with God, and God blessed Israel.

Application
Continue to persevere in prayer until the Lord answers.  Don't give up and don't quit - no matter how difficult the situation, no matter the pain.

Prayer
May I continue to press on and persevere in my prayers!  May hope in You Father God, ignite in me a renewed vitality that only You can give.  As I stand my ground and contend for all you have for our family - the precious promises of new life and blessings, give me grace for the day, and baptize me freshly with Your Holy Spirit.

Hesitation or Hope for the Future?

January 7, 2017
Scripture
Genesis 19:16-17 
When he (Lot) hesitated, the men grasped his hands and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters, and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.
As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives!  Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain!  Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"

(But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.)

Observation
I'm mindful of Lot's hesitation to leave behind the past and move to a new place - to flee!  With a warning, "Don't look back!"
He didn't seem to pick up on the urgency to leave.  His sons in law thought he was joking.
Obedience to God is necessary for life.  When we hesitate to obey the Lord, it reveals what is in our heart; such as, doubt, indecision, non-commitment, and fear.  Spending too much time thinking about what the angels were saying almost cost Lot his life.
Hesitation is not an option in responding to God.  Looking back can kill!

Application
When God is talking to me about change - don't hesitate.  Obey God immediately when I hear Him and do what He says.  Don't dwell on the past or the way things were.  Looking back can 'sweep me away' . . . there is no future when I dwell in the past.  

Prayer
Father, what vivid stories in the Bible!  Yes, they really happened that I might learn!  As I journey through Your Word this year, speak to me, that I might take to heart all You want to teach me.  Give me hope for the future!  No turning back!  I press on to the goal - to win the prize of God's high calling, in Jesus Christ my Lord!

Romans 15:4 Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope!  

For Those Who Grieve

November 7, 2016

Days of difficulty and distress, in life’s darkest times, when God is silent – how do we navigate our life and emotions when we are grieving the loss of loved one, friend, or suffering from a family fracture?  What about a move that displaces us from family and friends?  How do we deal with all the stuff that steals our joy?  What can we do to get through the times of depression, despair, and sadness that sometimes clouds over our whole being? 

There is no timeline for grief.  After the untimely death of our 17 year old son, Johnny, from lymphoblastic lymphoma cancer in 1990, we became all too familiar with grief.  Only later did we discover that grief is a miraculous gift that is given to us by God to help us to heal the pain . . . if we allow it.  Grief always works. Grief always heals.   It had been over a year after Johnny’s home-going, that a dear friend said, ‘You can’t hurry the healing.  You are right where you are supposed to be.’  It was a relief to know that we weren’t stuck in grief but that we were in process of being healed.  We still are.  We are a lot further along now, but we won’t be completely free of grief until we see our beloved son again in heaven. 

What we can do:

* Honor your own loss.  Take the time to remember, reflect, and miss them.  Our youngest son Ben at the time of his brother’s passing was 8 years old.  He was worried we would forget Johnny.   We made a collage of photos and put pictures in albums that we had long neglected.  We hung them up in the hallway where we see them everyday.

* Don’t Judge.  Other people’s feelings are not your business.  Everyone grieves differently; there’s no right or wrong way to grieve.  It does not always play out in orderly, predictable stages.  Try not to take outbursts personally or try to force someone to open up.   We grieve because we love.

*  Strengthen yourself in Lord.  We can strengthen ourselves in the Lord by fixing our thoughts on Jesus, being anchored in God’s Word and promises; knowing that as we hope in God, we can experience His joy on the other side of suffering. 

  

Lamentations 3:20-25 I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”

Unshackled

Scripture  
Romans 8:26-27 In the same way the Spirit helps our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  

Observation
When we are feeling weak or tired in waiting for God - His Holy Spirit is right there helping us.  If we don't know how to pray about something, it doesn't matter.  He prays for us!  He makes prayer out of the depths of our being in groans and sighs.  He knows us much better than we know ourselves.  He knows our hearts and prays for us and keeps us in God's presence and will, as we commit ourselves to love and obey Him.

Application
I am unshackled!  Free from sin!  Free from the law!  Free in Jesus!  No longer am I shackled to sin!  No longer am I trying in my own strength to live under the fine print of the law!  No longer am I bound to generational curses and sins!  I am free to live a new life!  I have freedom in Christ!  The Holy Spirit helps me and prays for me as I set myself to follow after God.  I will pray in the Spirit and groan and sigh when I have no words - knowing my prayers are heard.

Prayer
O Father!  Thank You for freedom in Christ!  You will never give up on me!  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Obey God & Be Happy!

Scripture

Jeremiah 42:1-7, 43:1-2

1 Then all the commanders of the forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people both small and great approached 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our petition come before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, 3 that the LORD your God may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should do.” 4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I am going to pray to the LORD your God in accordance with your words; and I will tell you the whole message which the LORD will answer you. I will not keep back a word from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with the whole message with which the LORD your God will send you to us. 6 “Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God.” 7 Now at the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.  43:1  But as soon as Jeremiah, whom the LORD their God had sent, had finished telling all the people all the words of the LORD their God--that is, all these words—2 Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You are not to enter Egypt to reside there.’

Observation

The commanders asked Jeremiah for a ‘word’ from the Lord.  They said they would listen and obey to whatever God said to Jeremiah.  They preferred, however, to do what they had already made up their minds to do - and even called Jeremiah a liar when he told them what God said.  They were set on going to Egypt.  They decided for themselves what the word of the Lord was for them.  They were seeking God’s approval and affirmation but wanted their way, not God’s.  They would not listen to Jeremiah.  They asked for counsel, but never intended to follow it if it was contrary to what they wanted.  They were determined!  Ten days later, the word came.  Why the delay?  Perhaps to give them time to decide that they really would obey God or go their own way.  God gives us free will to decide – to choose to obey Him or not.

Application

Choose to obey God always. Wait for God and His timing.  Allow God to sort out in my heart what my motives are and what might be best for me. His way leads to life and blessing,  I will obey God and be happy.

Prayer

I see stubbornness and pride getting in the way of obedience.  Lord I pray that You deal with areas of my heart that should not have any reign or hold on me in regards to doing what You want me to do.  May my heart completely yield to Your will, Your way, always.  In Jesus Name, A-men.

Life Long Learner

Scripture
Isaiah 50:4  The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

Observation
God's Word is true, and it will sustain and uphold those who are weary, heavy burdened, grieving, downtrodden, sad, remorseful, repentant, those needing strength to keep on going.  'A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.'  

Application
When I read this verse this morning, my first thought was God hasn't given me a well instructed tongue.  Not me.  God gave me a tongue that stumbles over words, and tells the long way around stories.  I have to make myself get to the point.  Get to the bottom line.  
But this morning, God's Word spoke to my heart that He HAS given me words to speak that will help in times of trouble to those who are weary.  It is His Word that I can speak to encourage my friends, my family, the lonely, those who I come across as I walk through my day.  My teacher, my instructor is the Holy Spirit and He does all things well.  I can share what great things God has done for me, share a Bible verse, and encourage the weary with God inspired words.  
For the last 46 years I have a difficult time sleeping in past 6:00 am.  I'm a morning person, usually up around 4:30-5:30 without an alarm clock.  I love reading, and my favorite book is the Bible.  I read a lot of other books too, but a good day always begins with the Bible.  It's God who has been waking me up to spend time with Him, to learn of Him, to read all about Him - so I can share a well instructed Word to a friend.  Cool.

Prayer
Thank You for Your Word that sustains the weary.  Fill my mouth with words of encouragement, hope, joy, peace, love, and build others up with the words You have taught me.  Awesome God, thank You for using someone like me to deliver Your message to others who need a lift.  I am a life long learner, an eager student, and a willing teacher all the days of my life.

God is With Us!

Scripture 
Isaiah 8:10-17  . . . God is with us.  For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Observation & Application
These readings in Isaiah sounds like present day happenings.  I'm hearing words like, conspiracy, fear, dread . . . but God says don't follow what the people are doing or saying!  Remember!  God is with us.  Fear God, honor and respect, and worship Him!  He is your hiding place, your sanctuary, your hope!  Stay your ground and read and study the Word.  Preserve the teachings of scripture!  Look to the Lord in times of trouble!

Prayer
Father God, I trust in You.  My hope is in You.  Whom then, shall I fear?  You alone I look to, and I wait for You.  I honor You and give You all my heart devotion.  I worship and reverence Your Holy Name, the Name above all names.  I choose You to be my hiding place and I stand my ground with the help of Your Holy Spirit power, Your strength.  I will do what You ask or require, and what you speak to me.  I will keep the teachings in scripture; to study, read, search, learn, and obey, and share with others the truths in Your word.  In Jesus Name, for Your glory!  A-men.

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.