refining

Proverbs 17:3 Fire tests the purity of silver & gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

My Life Application Bible says this in it's footnote about this verse...

"It takes intense heat to purify gold & silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified. Through trials, God shows us what is in us & clears out anything that gets in the way of complete trust in Him.

"So when tough times come our way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your & purify your heart."

I realize that I'm the project. I'm seeing what's in me. I'm being pushed into a deeper trust than the trust that brought us here to Blairsville. It like my little brother, Andy King, once said to me - "the faith that brought you here ain't the faith that's gonna keep you hear." (or was that pastor john that said that?)

Then I just wonder about 2 things...

1) What it's gonna take for the Lord to be satisfied that I see the things in me He wants me to see, & how long is it gonna take;

2) And what's it gonna take for me to move to the next level of trusting Him that He wants me to be in, & how long will it take?

And has anyone mentioned how much it hurts to have parts of yourself being burned off?

just sayin'...

burdens

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said,
"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
   and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you.
   Let me teach you,
      because I am humble and gentle at heart,
      and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy to bear,
   and the burden I give you is light

don't cling to your life

Matthew 10:39 if you cling to your life, you will lose it; if you let go of you life for Me, you'll find it.


we don't like change. we want things to stay the same - well, a lot of the time.

we've all heard the old adage, "the only real constant in our lives is change"

growing up on the farm, I learned the hard way that if we don't change & grow, we die.


but here in this verse, there's a very practical & eternal app...

if we grasp the life we now have, that will keep God from implementing His dreams for our lives.

if we let go, say yes to the " 'ever's " - whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however - God is lead us into the seasons of the life He dreamed for us a gajillion years ago


God gave me this verse at the beginning of 2008.

and ever since, He's been whispering to me thousands of times, "don't cling to your life"

sometimes it's been easy to let go of something or someone in my life

sometimes it's been really hard

but when I first started carrying this verse around inside of me, I saw it as a negative verse - one that talked about what I had to give up

I now look at it as a verse that primarily reassures me that I can trust Him with my life


take it from me... don't cling to your life   ;-)

think about it

Matthew 9:35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 He said to his disciples, "The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."


consider this...

every one of us who are reading this are Christ followers because someone(s) obeyed the Lord & spoke the Word to each of us, or lived a life in front of us, or did whatever they were led to do be & do to us so that we, as a result, decided to follow Jesus.

what would have happened if any of those people who were pivotal in each of our lives had decided to not follow through in obedience to God's call?

I know where I'd be - either on the slippery slope to hell in my life, or there already.


have you ever thought about the reality that YOU & I are just those kinds of pivotal people in countless people all around us, all the time?

and what if we decide it's too much trouble, or we're too scared, or we're just too lazy, to obey God's leading?

something to hold on to

Isaiah 41: 9b-10

For I have chosen you & will not throw you away.

Don't be afraid,
   for I am with you.

Do not be dismayed,
   for I am your God.

I will strengthen you.

I will help you.

I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

some verse for someone

don't know who this if for - maybe you?


Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

   Keep on seeking, and you will find.

   Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks, receives.

   Everyone who seeks, finds.

   And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.


  9 "You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!

11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

worry

Matthew 6:25b  ...do not worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?

27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
 

28 "And why worry about your clothing?
   Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing,
   29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.

30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.

Why do you have so little faith?


  31 "So don't worry about these things, saying,
   'What will we eat?
   What will we drink?
   What will we wear?'

32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.


33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
 

34 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
   Today's trouble is enough for today.

keep walking

Proverbs 10:24 The fears of the wicked all come true; so will the hopes of the godly.

vs 25 Disaster strikes like a cyclone; whirling the wicked away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.

Matthew 5:3 God blesses those who realize their need for Him, for the kingdom of Heaven is given to them.

Isaiah 41:9b For I have chosen you & will not throw you away.
10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.


Perhaps the biggest step of faith is to keep walking forward with the assurance of these words when all about you seems to point otherwise.

calling & going

Matthew 4:18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.19 Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
  21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too.22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.


Sometimes, God calls us to be or do something with little to no explanation. The reasons for why He's calling will be made plain later or along the way.

It's a trust thing. You have to trust Him for whatever He's calling you to be & calling you to do.

And you have to trust yourself that you heard right.

I'd rather make a mistake in hearing Him than not take a step of faith out of fear.

success

Matthew 3 talks about a cousin of Jesus, John the Baptist, that person who came along right before Jesus, to herald Jesus' coming, & his subsequent baptizing of Jesus

Even though we think of John as overshadowed by Jesus, Jesus said he was the greatest prophet that ever lived.

John fulfilled his purpose in life, he lived his life in obedience to God's calling on his life, he lived a life surrendered to God.

I wonder if John & his life kinda pokes holes in our present concepts of who we are as Christ followers?

We have such a success orientation when it comes to following Jesus. It would seem that so much of our concept of what the life of a Christ follower is seems to be so synonymous with the "American Dream" of the good life.

I wonder what John would say to that? In the end, John the Baptist landed in jail, & then had his head cut off.

...hardly an extension of the American Dream.

What am I trying to say?

I believe here in America we've forgotten that our lives as Christ followers is one of being a servant - doing what we're told. That doesn't mean we are guaranteed success. It doesn't mean we'll get a good job, have a decent income, a nice home, children who love the Lord, bulging 401k's, & a couple of SUV's in the garage to carry us to our kids' soccer practices or to Starbucks to get our skinny caramel latte or to our political action forum.

Following Jesus means we connect with the God of the universes & do His bidding, becoming a smal part in His overarching plan for humankind. It is a life of constant changes, different seasons, sometimes inexplicable course changes, and sacrifice. These are often antithetical to the American Dream.

As Christ followers, we are a faithful few plunked down in an overwhelmingly big world going slam to hell in a handbasket. And we are charged with touching the people in which we come in contact with Jesus message of love & forgiveness & connection with God.

Do we find this reality not very inviting? Yep.

Why open ourselves to that kind of selfless discipleship? Because we walk that journey with the God of the universes.

And besides, is being a Christ follower all about what we can get out of it, or is it more about giving glory to the God of the universes, Who totally deserves it?

don't cling to your life

Matthew 10:39 if you cling to your life, you will lose it;
if you let go of your life for Me, you will find it.

iow, if we abandon ourselves to God, let go of the control & direction making of our lives, God is free to lead us into the life He dreamed for us before we were ever born.

but even as Christ followers we don't do that. we have dreams, desires, expectations, and concepts about what our lives should be & look like. we want what we want, & ask God to bless our ideas about our lives.

the older I get, the smarter it seems to let go of control. let me hasten to say that Lynn & I are living a life that's not what we thought we'd be doing at this juncture in our lives. but here we are, taking it one day at a time. all we see is now. we don't know what's ahead. God does. He is out there ahead of us preparing the way, as well as mopping up behind us. as this season of our lives unfolds, we'll see more & more what it's about. our moving to Blairsville was all His idea. It will be interesting to see how His idea for us all shakes out.

I don't want any of you to think for a minute we walk around all day, speaking in "thee's" & "thou's", being all holy, & burning everyone with our halos. we're just walking this out. lynn's a whole lot better at just walking into things than I am.I think so much, try to figure things out, & don't go with the flow. but we ARE both here, with our hands open & our hearts surrendered.

this way of living - letting go of our lives - is preferable to anything we've done before, or seen anyone else do.

and remember one thing - God is very creative. and He's very creative when He dreamed up the seasons of our lives.

being used

Read Matthew 1 today.

It's the one with all the "begats" - iow, it's the linage of Jesus traced by through his earthly father, Joseph.

I found something interesting...

3 of the wives of the men in the lineage are mentioned...

1 was Rehab, who was a prostitute.

1 was not a Jew, but a person from Moab - iow, she was native born citizen from a country that worshiped Chemosh, a particularly violent god who demanded child sacrifice.

1 was Bathsheba, who had bathed on the roof of her house, in full view of the palace (I've always thought that curious), & had the affair with King David.


I think the lesson here is if we yield ourselves to Him, He can use however He chooses. If He can use these 3 ladies, He can use us.

An oversimplification?

Am I missing something here?

Think about it...

reminders

Sometimes, reading in the mornings is just a reminder of who I am & what I'm about.

This strike a chord with anyone besides me?

Colossians 4: 5 Live wisely among those who are not Christians, & make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious & effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.

17b Be sure to carry out the work the Lord gave you.

commands

Look straight ahead

fix your eyes on what lies before you

mark out a straight path for your feet

stay on the safe path

don't get sidetracked

keep your feet from following evil

(Proverbs 4:25, 26)

all of these sentences are commands

God gave me this verse to hold on to on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, to hold on to for 2010, and as it looks right now, for 2011, too

all straightforward commands

I tried to do that last year through a lot of the unknown

I'm gonna try to do that this year, through a lot still unknown

so far, so good ;-)

then, & now

Pro 3:5 (The Message)

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   He's the One Who will keep you on track.

One year ago, tomorrow, God gave me this verse, in this translation, to hold on to during 2010. It looks like I'm supposed to hold on to it for 2011, too.

What was my life like a year ago?
   We were living in Macon.
   Lynn was teaching full time at Macon State in the nursing department,
   I was leading House of Grace in a warehouse in downtown Macon.
   I was leading on Sundays a satellite gathering in the same warehouse.
   I figured life was pretty amazing, our lives were running at 100mph, & it was crazy & wonderful - we thought we were probably in Macon for the rest of our lives.

And then God started the restlessness in my heart...
   Now we live in a 80 year old farmhouse in some of the most beautiful hill, just south of Blairsville, GA
   Lynn will be tracking nurse practitioner students in the area for N GA College.
   I'm unemployed.
   Our lives are pretty different from a year ago. We're taking one day at a time, trying to connect with this place, culture, & people
   There's been many miracles along the way, more to come.
    I don't think about what has been, but move forward to what is & will be.
   The trust level that brought us here won't keep us here - we have to trust Him more.


And then today, in the same chapter, He gives me this:
   Proverbs 3:25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster
  or the destruction that comes upon the wicked,
26 for the LORD is your security.
  He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.


And my 3rd reading this morning brought me across this verse...
   Colossians 2:7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

God gave me this verse, particularly for 2008 & 2009 as I walked toward starting a work in downtown Macon, but it still is one I hang on to & depend on still - probably always will.

I cannot imagine my life if I had not "let my roots frown down into Him, & let my life be built on Him."

The faith steps I've had to take, & that Lynn & I have had to take would have crushed us completely if we hadn't sunk our roots deeply into Him.

So...?

Trust God from the bottom of your heart. He's utterly & completely trustworthy, especially when we don't know what's going on, where we're heading, or how we're gonna get there.

Don't try to figure out everything on your own. I NEVER would have thought that His love & purpose for me & us would have taken us to this place for this season. This whole thing came out of nowhere, not on my radar screen. A year ago, if you would have told me this is where we'd be a year hence, I would have probably thought you's been huffing WD40! Just remember that God is VERY creative. Let Him be.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go. hen I read the "everywhere you go" part last year, I wondered what that meant - go? go where? and why? and what we gonna do when we get there? & how we gonna get there? and why are WE to be the ones who go? and are YOU aware we're in our 60's?!!!!!! Can you imagine the amount of listening I've had to do in the last year?! And will only have to listen even more closely in the days ahead?!!!

He's the One Who will keep you on track. How in the round world do you think I've made it this far? And how do you think I'm gonna make it to the end?!

Anyway, that's where I am today. Don't know what tomorrow holds, but then, who of us really does? I do know that God both precedes & follows me (psalm 139:5 - God gave that to me in 2008, too). I have no other choice to trust Him. He's got us on a journey the likes of which only He knows.

absorb this

Colossians 1:15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
  He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
  in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see
  and the things we can't see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
  Everything was created through him and for him.

17  He existed before anything else,
  and he holds all creation together.

18  Christ is also the head of the church,
  which is his body.
He is the beginning,
  supreme over all who rise from the dead.
  So he is first in everything.

19  For God in all his fullness
  was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
  everything to himself.

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
  by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
  21 This includes you who were once far away from God.
   You were his enemies,
     separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.
22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself
   through the death of Christ in his physical body.
As a result, he has brought you into his own presence,
   and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
  23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.
Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

worry

Philippians 4:
6 Don't worry about anything;
    instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need,
   and thank Him for all He has done.
7 Then you will experience God's peace,
   which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds
   as you live in Christ Jesus.

This was the verse God gave me especially for 2005. Man, I needed to use it SO many times that year - and since!

Even in 2005, He was getting me ready for stuff that happened in later years. Did you catch the phrase at the very beginning?

Don't worry about anything...

Yeah, He was trying to break my cycle of world class worrying even then.

He has, btw.

I've had a relapse since we've moved to B'ville, but not anywhere as bad as it used to be.

I've found that the most important part of this promise is the "...and thank Him for all He has done"

It's like the key that unlocks the door.

Because once I thanked Him, things seemed to happen, & I had a peace about it all.

It was kinda weird at first.

It's interesting to me that in 2008, He have me a verse that was appropriate for 2008 & 2009, & since. Matthew 6:25 "...don't worry about your life."

And 2 days before Christmas, 2009 He gave me another one for 2010, & it's spilling over into 2011...

1 Thessalonians 5:18a "No matter what happens, always be thankful."

Hmmmmmm....

ya think He's trying to tell me something?

joy

Philippians 3:1 Whatever happens, dear brothers & sisters, may the Lord give you joy.

Happiness is transitory gladness & is dependent on events & situations surrounding us.

Joy is a constant, gut level positive certainty that comes from connecting with something or someone bigger or stronger than ourselves.

We seek or settle for happiness too often.

God wants us to focus more on the unshakable nature of Himself & the constancy He brings to our lives.

lights

Philippians 2:15b You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked & perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.

our world is very dark - some people's lives are dark because of what's been done to them. some are dark because of what they've done to themselves.

we as Christ followers are people filled with light. Not everyone will be drawn to that light because they see who they are in it.

but where would you & I be, or anyone who follows Him, if the people whose lives were a beacon of hope in a dark world had decided live like that around us?

Who was the first person to tell Billy Graham about Jesus? Or Mother Teresa? Or Eric Liddell (chariots of fire runner)? Or Christy Zbylut, Dexter Meeks, Michael Hall (all on the World Race)? Or John Wood? Or Chris Tomlin? Or Mike Bickle? Or...?

You get the idea.

There is a ripple effect to our lives that we know nothing about, until we get to heaven.

Let's be who we are in Him, & let Him use His light coming out of us to change our world.

the flip side

Philippians 1:6 I am sure that God, Who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that when Christ Jesus comes back again.

vs 28 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Him.

We're so caught up in the concept that the American Dream & following Jesus are one in the same.

nope.

we think that if we align ourselves with Him, that everything will be just hunky-dorey, we'll be successful, we'll have plenty of money, & our lives will be easy.

nope.

As I wrote to one of my beloved sons this very morning, look at the people we hold up as examples - the disciples, Paul, Eric Liddell (the runner in chariots of fire who became a missionary to china), Mother Teresa - none of them had a pot or a window.

What we're about & who we are in Him is anathema to those around us who aren't follow of Jesus. We remind them of the life they're missing & they really don't like it. And eventually, we'll suffer the consequences of that dislike, in one form or another, if we are intimate with God & follow Him closely.

Not happy words, but still the truth - words I'm understanding better & better as each day passes.

suiting up

Ephesians 6:10 Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

11 Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
   12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies,
   but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
   against mighty powers in this dark world,
   and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor
   so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.
   Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

14 Stand your ground,
   putting on the belt of truth
   and the body armor of God's righteousness.

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News
   so that you will be fully prepared.

16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith
   to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

17 Put on salvation as your helmet,
   and take the sword of the Spirit,
       which is the word of God.
 
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.
Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.


Armor was something people saw every day back in Paul's day. there were always soldiers around, and depending on their social position & rank, they were wearing some sort of body armor.

So, using this analogy of body armor in regards to the plans & preparations for fighting against the costant bombardment & attacks of the devil & his minions would have made great sense.

I wish I knew more about the body armor used by our soldiers to draw a similar analogy. Maybe that would help bring the truth of these words about depending on all the tools God provides for us to make it through the minefield of our days.

Maybe some of you who have or are in the military can help me out with that - maybe interpret it to the present day? Maybe my son in the navy could? Or my sons who have been or are in the Army?

promises

Psalm 146:3 Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.

vs 6b He is the One Who keeps every promise forever.


and what are some of His promises I'm holding on to?


Matthew 6:25 don't worry about your life (NIV)

Matthew 10:39b ...if you let go of your life for Me, you will find it.

Psalm 139:5 God both precedes & follows me

Proverbs 3:5 (The Message) Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   He's the One Who will keep you on track.

Isaiah 41:9b For I have chosen you & will not throw you away.
   10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
   Do not be dismayed, for I am your God
   I will strengthen you.

picked

Ephesians 4:1b ...lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
   2 Always be humble and gentle.
   Be patient with each other,
       making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit,
   binding yourselves together with peace.

4 For there is one body and one Spirit,
   just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5 There is one Lord,
   one faith,
   one baptism,
   6 and one God and Father,
       who is over all and in all and living through all.

It still amazes me that God has called me to be & do something(s) - that I somehow fit into His overarching plan for humankind.

hope

Psalm 144:1 Praise the LORD, who is my rock.
 He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.
2 He is my loving ally and my fortress,
my tower of safety, my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.
He makes the nations submit to me.
3 O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them,
mere mortals that you should think about them?
4 For they are like a breath of air;
their days are like a passing shadow.

5 Open the heavens, LORD, and come down.
Touch the mountains so they billow smoke.
6 Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies!
Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
7 Reach down from heaven and rescue me;
rescue me from deep waters, from the power of my enemies.



Ephesians 3:20 By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.


"more than we would ever dare to ask or hope"

more than we would EVER dare to ask or hope

more than we would ever DARE to ask or hope

MORE than we would ever dare to ask or hope

more than we would ever dare to ASK or HOPE

"by His mighty power at work within us"


kinda pokes a hole in our worrying & fretting?

coincidence

Genesis 12:40 The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. 41 In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the LORD's forces left the land. 42 On this night the LORD kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt.

They left on the last day of the 40rh year.

What are the odds that would happen?

Was it a mere coincidence?

I don't think so.

So?

If God can keep His promise to bring the Jews out of Egyptian slavery, so finally tuned that it was the last day of the 430th year, then He can keep His promises with us?


No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who follow Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the One Who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:5 (The Message)

For I have chosen you & will not throw you away. 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you.I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.  Isaiah 41:9b-10

who to lean on

Psalm 142:4 I look for someone to come and help me,
  but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
  no one cares a bit what happens to me.
5 Then I pray to you, O LORD.
  I say, "You are my place of refuge.
  You are all I really want in life.

In the ups & downs & vagaries of my life, even though I have found support from many well-meaning people, in the final analysis, I have found that the Lord is the only One we can REALLY depend on.

He's the only One who knows everything that's going on in our heads, knows all the intimate in's & out's of every situation, & sees both the big picture and the individual circumstances of each of our lives.

And when all is said & done, He's the only One we each will still be with us.

Am I bashing people? No.

Am I realistic about the finiteness of us all? Yes.

There's only One who's life energy is infinite. He's the One we can always depend on.

promises

Galatians 6:9 Don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged & give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

About 5 years ago, I had a really tough situation going on in my life. It was a situation over which I really had no control. It was one that I really didn't know what to do about.

One morning, during staff prayer (the staff of Christ Chapel spends the 1st 60 minutes of the day in prayer), I'm walking around the room holding this situation before God.

Clear as I can say it, something interesting & unusual happened - the thought dropped in my head, "Go read Galatians 6".

I'm thinking, "Galatians 6?!" I had read it recently, so I pretty much knew what was in it. I couldn't see how that would help in my situation.

The reply came back - Go read Galatians 6.

I've learned to obey that voice in my head - it's usually God dropping thoughts in my head.

So I go over to my Bible, flip it open, & start reading.

Nothing...

...until I get to verse 9...

...the words "don't get discouraged & give up" jumped off the page & slapped me across the face.

I was discouraged. I wanted to give up.

I was more than kinda stunned.

...particularly about the part that says, " for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time."

I didn't see how that was gonna happen. But then, I'm not God (can someone say amen?).

So, I accepted it that day, & have held on to it over the years.

Trust me, w/o this verse I would have given up on this situation LONG AGO.

But I haven't. I don't know how He's gonna bring "a harvest of blessing" to it, but then that's His job, not mine. My job is to simply continue to love & care, & be who I am. He's in charge of the rest.

I've come to accept the fact that I may not see the "reap a harvest of blessing" part until I get to heaven.

That's ok. I'll have an eternity to enjoy it.

Then again, God is very creative - the "harvest of blessing" may find its "appropriate time" this side of heaven. We'll see.

You should know I have seen a few very small, somewhat mysterious changes in the situation in the last year.

But a promise is a promise.

I'm holding on.

The important thing here for me is that God very specifically spoke to me about this situation, gave me something (a verse from His Word) to specifically hold in to, & a promise to claim.

And this isn't the only time He's done something like this.

If He will do it for me, He will do it for you.

fruit

Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Fruit comes as a by-product of growth. It's not a gift. It comes from spending extended periods of time with our Abba Father.

Psalm 139

selected verses from the monolithic Psalm 139. Read them all, linger over what they mean to you.

Psalm 139:1 O LORD, you have examined my heart
  and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

3 You see me when I travel
  and when I rest at home.
  You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say
  even before I say it, LORD.

5 You both precede & follow me.
  You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
  too great for me to understand!


7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
  I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
  if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
  if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
  and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
  and the light around me to become night—
12   but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
  Darkness and light are the same to you.


13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
  and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
  as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.
  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
  before a single day had passed.


17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
  They cannot be numbered!
18 I can't even count them;
  they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
  you are still with me!


23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
  test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
  and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

plans

Psalm 138:1 I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
  I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2 I bow before Your holy Temple as I worship.
  I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for Your promises are backed
  by all the honor of Your name.
3 As soon as I pray, You answer me;
  You encourage me by giving me strength.

4 Every king in all the earth will thank You, LORD,
  for all of them will hear Your words.
5 Yes, they will sing about the LORD's ways,
  for the glory of the LORD is very great.
6 Though the LORD is great, He cares for the humble,
  but He keeps his distance from the proud.

7 Though I am surrounded by troubles,
  You will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out Your hand,
  and the power of Your right hand saves me.
8 The LORD will work out His plans for my life —
  for Your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.
  Don't abandon me, for You made me.


(Put the emphasis on the capitalized words as you read this sentence in italics...)

The LORD will work out his plans for my life
   iow, the God of the universes is so intimately aware of the individuality of His creation, that He is actively involved in the minutia of each one of our lives

The Lord will work out HIS plans for my life
   I am less than a nano-speck in the cosmos, & yet the God of the universes has dreamed a dream for each of us, & will bring it all to fruition in each of our lives

The Lord WILL work out his plans for my life
   it's not an iffy thing of maybe He'll implement what He's dreamed, if He has the time - He is gonna make it happen in every one of us who surrender ourselves to His plans for us

The Lord will work out his plans for MY life
   His plans are specifically deigned for specifically me - His plans for not generic, one size fits all

The Lord will work out his PLANS for my life
   plans - plural, not singular

The Lord will WORK OUT his plans for my life
   He's gonna make "the planets align" so that the things He's dreamed for us happen in a sequence & order that will fit into the overarching scheme He has for humankind, while at the same time bring Him glory & renown, while taking our breath away as we watch it happen. as it says in Psalm 139:5 "God both precedes & follows me." iow, He's out there in the future working things out, & will go behind me & mop up the consequencs of my obedience.

The Lord will work out his plans for my LIFE
   this isn't just a one time shot for Him - He's got plans for the entire scope of my life, no matter how long or short, famous or obscure, multi-faceted or singular, glitteringly successful or seemingly boring - there's a plan for each and every season, segment, &/or moment of my life


and here's the kicker...

Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.

Think about all that on this 1st Sunday in the new year. I'll tell ya one thing - it's truth like this that's the only thing that's holding me together these days.

where I am

Galatians 2:20 (The Message)

Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ.
   My ego is no longer central.

It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion,

and I am no longer driven to impress God.

Christ lives in me.

The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God,
   who loved me and gave Himself for me.