“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal” is a quote from the #1 best seller on the New York Times Bestseller List, entitled, THE SHACK, by William P. Young. Several weeks ago, I came in contact with a woman that was reading this book as she sat in the waiting room at our dentist’s office. She began to share with me the story line of this fictional novel and I must confess it piqued my interest. So, while shopping at Sam’s, I picked the book up and once I began to read it, I could not put it down until I had finished it. It was truly captivating in its subject matter; in fact, the byline after the title is …..WHERE TRAGEDY MEETS ETERNITY. …and that my friend is something we all struggle with…trying to understand why bad things happen to God’s people.
This book, though a fictional account of a tragic murder of a young girl and her father’s anguish in dealing with this great loss, will stir every heart string and touch you in the deep crevasses of your soul. You will be moved to examine your heart and the heart of your relationship with your Heavenly Father…and as you do, you will once again be reminded of the Father’s love for you.
Who, in this great big world, has not been touched by some seemingly senseless tragedy and not ask God….WHY? This book and its story line make a valiant effort to help us understand the heart of God and the work of the Godhead in our lives when we face insurmountable sorrow. Each page seems to offer hope and encouragement that we are not alone in our grief….rather the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit are there to walk with us through the darkest valleys and to love us in the midst of unspeakable horror.
Though this is a work of fiction, the author is solid in his portrayal of a loving God who DOES NOT DO EVIL, BUT WILL USE EVIL FOR HIS ( and our) GOOD. Here is a quote from one who has been touched by this little book:
“THE SHACK” is a one of a kind invitation to journey to the heart of God. Through my tears and cheers, I have been transformed by the tender mercy with which Wm. P Young opened the veil that too often separated me from God and from myself. With every page, the complicated do’s and don’ts that distort a relationship into a religion were washed away as I understood the Father, Son and Spirit for the first time in my life.”
Patrick M. Roddy, Emmy Award winning producer for ABC News
The accolades go on and on; but let me say from one who loves to write and adores the written word, this book will have a profound effect on your outlook as well as helping you to trust your UPLOOK…..God is in control ….even if you can’t see His hand at work, trust that He cares for you. You may never understand why bad things happen in this world of sin and strife, but you can always know that God is with you and is working EVERYTHING OUT FOR YOUR GOOD…..HE LOVES YOU AND ME THAT MUCH!!!!!
If you can ….get this book, read it and pass it on. Someone you know needs to know that the God we love and serve is hurting with them. He is waiting to help them to deal with the pain, the grief and the sorrow if they will only do what the Scriptures say….“Casting all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.”
2 Peter 5:7
Healed by the infinite love of the Father,
WPQ
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
A FEW BAD APPLES…
We left off yesterday with 10 of the spies stirring up the Israelites with the tales of the giants that inhabited the land of Canaan…let’s continue in Numbers 14.
“That night all the people in the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly said, “If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14: 11-2, 4
Why did the Israelites consider returning to Egypt? Well, for one reason, it was not that far removed from them. Though it had been a time of great suffering, how quickly they had forgotten the hardships that had been their affliction. Their lack of faith and trust in the Lord brought them to the quick conclusion that they would rather return to Egypt than trust the Lord to deliver them as conquerors over the inhabitants of Canaan.
Secondly, it only took a few “bad apples to spoil the entire bunch”….to stir the crowd into such a frenzy that they wanted to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. The bad report of these leaders blinded the Israelites to the power of their God and wiped away the memories of past victories that had been theirs. God had continually cared for them and had already given them his assurance that He would be with them and provide them a homeland that was “flowing with milk and honey.”
As you can imagine, God was NOT PLEASED. He told Moses that He would send a plague that would destroy them; however, once again, that great man of God, Moses, fell on his face before the Lord and begged for mercy….and once again, God forgave the Israelites for their disobedience and lack of faith.
The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me 10 times (there’s that number of times God forgave) …not one of them will ever see the land I promised on an oath to their forefathers. No one who has ever treated me with contempt will ever see it.” Numbers 14:20-23
So, God granted their grumblings and let them wander in the desert for 40 years… until every one that had complained and wept aloud received their desire…to die in that desert!
And the same holds true for you and me when we gripe, complain and moan about the unfairness of life or the lack of God’s faithfulness. It is in these times; God leaves us to our own designs and allows us to wallow in our own grumblings. He may forgives us, but there will be consequences to our lack of faith and our poor vision of God’s infinite provision.
We are to remain steadfast and trust in Him to make us the over comers He has called us to be….for He is faithful, steadfast and unchanging…and if you think back, you can ALWAYS recall a time of God’s divine intervention in your life and the blessing that followed.
But there’s still a question that remains unanswered …what happened to those “few bad apples’ that sent the Jewish nation into such an uproar?
Numbers 14:36-38 give us that answer; “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it; these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. Of the men who went to explore, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.”
So remember, when God places you in a position of leadership, you have one of two choices….you can be a “bad apple that spoils the entire bushel” or you can be “the pinch of leaven that makes the entire loaf rise”….the choice is yours…. and the results of your decision can have heavenly, as well as, eternal consequences.
Striving to be an encourager,
WPQ
“That night all the people in the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly said, “If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt? We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Numbers 14: 11-2, 4
Why did the Israelites consider returning to Egypt? Well, for one reason, it was not that far removed from them. Though it had been a time of great suffering, how quickly they had forgotten the hardships that had been their affliction. Their lack of faith and trust in the Lord brought them to the quick conclusion that they would rather return to Egypt than trust the Lord to deliver them as conquerors over the inhabitants of Canaan.
Secondly, it only took a few “bad apples to spoil the entire bunch”….to stir the crowd into such a frenzy that they wanted to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. The bad report of these leaders blinded the Israelites to the power of their God and wiped away the memories of past victories that had been theirs. God had continually cared for them and had already given them his assurance that He would be with them and provide them a homeland that was “flowing with milk and honey.”
As you can imagine, God was NOT PLEASED. He told Moses that He would send a plague that would destroy them; however, once again, that great man of God, Moses, fell on his face before the Lord and begged for mercy….and once again, God forgave the Israelites for their disobedience and lack of faith.
The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs that I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me 10 times (there’s that number of times God forgave) …not one of them will ever see the land I promised on an oath to their forefathers. No one who has ever treated me with contempt will ever see it.” Numbers 14:20-23
So, God granted their grumblings and let them wander in the desert for 40 years… until every one that had complained and wept aloud received their desire…to die in that desert!
And the same holds true for you and me when we gripe, complain and moan about the unfairness of life or the lack of God’s faithfulness. It is in these times; God leaves us to our own designs and allows us to wallow in our own grumblings. He may forgives us, but there will be consequences to our lack of faith and our poor vision of God’s infinite provision.
We are to remain steadfast and trust in Him to make us the over comers He has called us to be….for He is faithful, steadfast and unchanging…and if you think back, you can ALWAYS recall a time of God’s divine intervention in your life and the blessing that followed.
But there’s still a question that remains unanswered …what happened to those “few bad apples’ that sent the Jewish nation into such an uproar?
Numbers 14:36-38 give us that answer; “So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it; these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. Of the men who went to explore, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.”
So remember, when God places you in a position of leadership, you have one of two choices….you can be a “bad apple that spoils the entire bushel” or you can be “the pinch of leaven that makes the entire loaf rise”….the choice is yours…. and the results of your decision can have heavenly, as well as, eternal consequences.
Striving to be an encourager,
WPQ
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
POOR VISION OR HEAVENLY SIGHT?
My quiet times, recently, have me studying in the Old Testament book of Numbers. Now I have often wondered why this book was named Numbers…. Was it because of the number of times the Israelites tried the Lord’s patience or the number of times He forgave them their transgressions. There is an answer to that question…but let’s save that for another time.
Today, I want to focus on the return of the spies from their scouting duties in the land of Canaan. If you remember the story in Numbers 13:1-25, Moses hand-picked twelve men to journey into the land of Canaan to scope out this “land promised to the Israelites by the hand of God.” Moses gave them a query of things they were to assess on their mission and told them to bring back a sample of the fruit of the land…after all, it was time for the grape harvest!
So, off they went to explore the entire region; and, at the end of forty days, with a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that hung on a pole being carried by two men….they returned. Here’s the rest of the story…
“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account. “We went into the land to which you sent us and it does INDEED flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. BUT….(Numbers 13:26-27)
And that’s where the trouble began…right after the BUT. If they would have just continued to trust in the word of the Lord; in the leadership of his chosen spokesman, Moses; in the promise of a God that had never failed them or abandoned them in their time of distress or need….instead, they trusted what they could see…as we continue to read in verse 28, “But the people who live there are powerful and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.”
They continued to lament how it would be impossible to overtake the Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaannites who inhabited the land. But one of the explorers, Caleb, stepped forward to silence the people and proclaimed, “We should go up and take possession of this land, for we can certainly do it. But, the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than us.”
And that’s the difference …both the naysayers and Caleb saw the same things. Both stood with a large pole of a single cluster of grapes before them….both saw the size of the people living in the land…however; one was using heavenly vision and the others only saw the weakness of themselves as no match for the giants in the land.
What about you? When God as given you a mission or has set before you a test of faith…how do you see it? Are you empowered by your Heavenly Father to accomplish His will for your life or are you weak and powerless as you face the giants of inadequacies, confusion and despair?
You can’t move the mountain on your own…BUT (there’s that little word again) …NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD….for when He is for us, who can possibly stand against us? No One …NO WAY….NO HOW!!!!!
IT’S ALL A MATTER OF VISION….Seeing before you what God can and will accomplish when you surrender to Him and trust His word….Heavenly Vision ….ask for it by name…..and come back tomorrow for the rest of this heart-breaking story.
Looking through my faith to catch a glimpse of Him,
WPQ
Today, I want to focus on the return of the spies from their scouting duties in the land of Canaan. If you remember the story in Numbers 13:1-25, Moses hand-picked twelve men to journey into the land of Canaan to scope out this “land promised to the Israelites by the hand of God.” Moses gave them a query of things they were to assess on their mission and told them to bring back a sample of the fruit of the land…after all, it was time for the grape harvest!
So, off they went to explore the entire region; and, at the end of forty days, with a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that hung on a pole being carried by two men….they returned. Here’s the rest of the story…
“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account. “We went into the land to which you sent us and it does INDEED flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. BUT….(Numbers 13:26-27)
And that’s where the trouble began…right after the BUT. If they would have just continued to trust in the word of the Lord; in the leadership of his chosen spokesman, Moses; in the promise of a God that had never failed them or abandoned them in their time of distress or need….instead, they trusted what they could see…as we continue to read in verse 28, “But the people who live there are powerful and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.”
They continued to lament how it would be impossible to overtake the Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaannites who inhabited the land. But one of the explorers, Caleb, stepped forward to silence the people and proclaimed, “We should go up and take possession of this land, for we can certainly do it. But, the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than us.”
And that’s the difference …both the naysayers and Caleb saw the same things. Both stood with a large pole of a single cluster of grapes before them….both saw the size of the people living in the land…however; one was using heavenly vision and the others only saw the weakness of themselves as no match for the giants in the land.
What about you? When God as given you a mission or has set before you a test of faith…how do you see it? Are you empowered by your Heavenly Father to accomplish His will for your life or are you weak and powerless as you face the giants of inadequacies, confusion and despair?
You can’t move the mountain on your own…BUT (there’s that little word again) …NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD….for when He is for us, who can possibly stand against us? No One …NO WAY….NO HOW!!!!!
IT’S ALL A MATTER OF VISION….Seeing before you what God can and will accomplish when you surrender to Him and trust His word….Heavenly Vision ….ask for it by name…..and come back tomorrow for the rest of this heart-breaking story.
Looking through my faith to catch a glimpse of Him,
WPQ
Monday, March 23, 2009
Eye on the Prize
Living in the now is hard for a lot of God’s people …what with our world’s infatuation with gathering and storing and saving for our old age. It seems that hoarding has become part of the standard thinking of the rich and the “wanna be” rich. Now, I for one can empathize with this thought process, being one of the “baby boomers” who has been suckled with the idea that if I am going to live a long and satisfying life, I better stockpile lots of “goodies’ to see me through my senior years.
But, let’s look at this from a Biblical perspective. This life is really just a dress rehearsal for the eternity that I will spend with my Heavenly Father …at home in the New Jerusalem. In fact, my entire purpose for living is to prepare me for eternity …to have me practice on earth what I will perfect in heaven. Now eternity, that’s a LOOOONNGGGG TIME according to 2 Peter 3:8 which says, “But do not overlook this one fact, Beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." God’s calendar is different than yours and mine…I may live to be a hundred here on earth, but I’m going to spend a trillion years in eternity and that requires that I get my eye on the prize while I’m here.
Each of us was made by God….and for God. God did not put us here to make us happy, but to make us HOLY…and that’s the struggle of life. Until we get that thought at the center of our consciousness, we’re probably going to spend our time and efforts in pursuing the wrong things of this world….and those “things” lead to our destruction. Sure, we all want to be successful, fulfilled and comfortable both now and in our “retirement” years; but God is more interested in your CHARACTER than in your comfort.
So, where does that leave us? Do we listen attentively to the noise from the crowd that tells us to “grab all we can” since we only “go around once in life”…or do we heed the Savior’s call to “take up our cross and follow him.” If your life is not facing some sort of difficulty, then maybe it’s time to check your Christian pulse and see if your really have a heartbeat for the Savior? Truly, it’s okay to want to be reasonably happy here on earth; to face a minimal amount of desperation or despair….but, remember, God is more interested in your growth in Christ than the size of your home or the value of your IRA. If you’re working for the Kingdom then trust me, opposition is near-at-hand….but that’s okay! 1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He that is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
So start living for the eternity that God has promised you and leave behind the cares and troubles that so easily beset us….Today is the first day of the rest of your eternity ….at home with Jesus and our Father of Love.
Letting go of today…Reaching for eternity,
WPQ
Thought for Today:
God brings life’s struggles not to impair us…but to improve us;
Life’s catastrophes not to impound us…but to EMPOWER us for HIS GLORY!
But, let’s look at this from a Biblical perspective. This life is really just a dress rehearsal for the eternity that I will spend with my Heavenly Father …at home in the New Jerusalem. In fact, my entire purpose for living is to prepare me for eternity …to have me practice on earth what I will perfect in heaven. Now eternity, that’s a LOOOONNGGGG TIME according to 2 Peter 3:8 which says, “But do not overlook this one fact, Beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." God’s calendar is different than yours and mine…I may live to be a hundred here on earth, but I’m going to spend a trillion years in eternity and that requires that I get my eye on the prize while I’m here.
Each of us was made by God….and for God. God did not put us here to make us happy, but to make us HOLY…and that’s the struggle of life. Until we get that thought at the center of our consciousness, we’re probably going to spend our time and efforts in pursuing the wrong things of this world….and those “things” lead to our destruction. Sure, we all want to be successful, fulfilled and comfortable both now and in our “retirement” years; but God is more interested in your CHARACTER than in your comfort.
So, where does that leave us? Do we listen attentively to the noise from the crowd that tells us to “grab all we can” since we only “go around once in life”…or do we heed the Savior’s call to “take up our cross and follow him.” If your life is not facing some sort of difficulty, then maybe it’s time to check your Christian pulse and see if your really have a heartbeat for the Savior? Truly, it’s okay to want to be reasonably happy here on earth; to face a minimal amount of desperation or despair….but, remember, God is more interested in your growth in Christ than the size of your home or the value of your IRA. If you’re working for the Kingdom then trust me, opposition is near-at-hand….but that’s okay! 1 John 4:4 says, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He that is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
So start living for the eternity that God has promised you and leave behind the cares and troubles that so easily beset us….Today is the first day of the rest of your eternity ….at home with Jesus and our Father of Love.
Letting go of today…Reaching for eternity,
WPQ
Thought for Today:
God brings life’s struggles not to impair us…but to improve us;
Life’s catastrophes not to impound us…but to EMPOWER us for HIS GLORY!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Drought Resistant for Today's World
We live in a quiet neighborhood, right across the street from the community pool and playground. This area is meticulously groomed each week and is always in the best shape when it comes to the caliber of care that it receives. I guess that is why I was so surprised to see one of my favorite willow trees cut down and carted off last week. Now, to be sure it was dead, but what struck me as odd was its demise.
Now, there where two willow trees planted not fifteen feet apart and for the last five years, I have watched them grow and mature, ever spreading their lovely branches and providing a great place for young children to take shade from the hot summer sun….and that’s my point of consternation. One lived and one died; each, seemingly, planted in the same soil, given the same care and exposed to the same elements. But, upon closer examination, I found the difference ….one had been struck down by some insects while in a weakened condition from the drought…the other willow tree’s roots had found a greater source of water. You see, about six feet away, the sprinkler head had malfunctioned and had built a small pond in a low lying area. In fact, every time we get any rain, the water puddles there….so, this tree near the puddle got more water and nutrients and was able to remain strong while its next door neighbor succumbed to the drought, insects and other natural causes and died.
The lesson for us in all of this is found in Jeremiah 17:7-8,
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of the drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
How’s your root system today? Are you trusting in the Lord …is your trust in the Lord and not in what you can do? Are you firmly planted in His word so that the barbs and darts and arrows from the Devil have no effect on your life? God has promised in His Son, Jesus Christ, to NEVER leave us or forsake us. No matter what you are facing today, God is here to see you through. Let you roots sink deep into the well of everlasting water and be refreshed. Know the joy of your salvation is something that is yours now and eternally. Don’t let the devil or circumstances or others rob you of the joy and peace that is yours as you continually grow in the Lord. Remember, WE BELONG TO HIM ….and we are to produce much fruit.
Today, give up the dry, barren way of following Christ…giving lip service and little else. Instead, look for a way to serve, offer a word of encouragement, do more than is required of you….Smile, tell someone you love them and back it up with your actions. God is the great gardener and He is watching to see if you are growing or if your roots have died and you should be cut down.
I pray that today you will be firmly planted, growing exponentially with roots that reach to the very soul of the Master and that your fruit will be bountiful for the Lord….”He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3
Planted together…prospering for the Kingdom,
WPQ
Now, there where two willow trees planted not fifteen feet apart and for the last five years, I have watched them grow and mature, ever spreading their lovely branches and providing a great place for young children to take shade from the hot summer sun….and that’s my point of consternation. One lived and one died; each, seemingly, planted in the same soil, given the same care and exposed to the same elements. But, upon closer examination, I found the difference ….one had been struck down by some insects while in a weakened condition from the drought…the other willow tree’s roots had found a greater source of water. You see, about six feet away, the sprinkler head had malfunctioned and had built a small pond in a low lying area. In fact, every time we get any rain, the water puddles there….so, this tree near the puddle got more water and nutrients and was able to remain strong while its next door neighbor succumbed to the drought, insects and other natural causes and died.
The lesson for us in all of this is found in Jeremiah 17:7-8,
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of the drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
How’s your root system today? Are you trusting in the Lord …is your trust in the Lord and not in what you can do? Are you firmly planted in His word so that the barbs and darts and arrows from the Devil have no effect on your life? God has promised in His Son, Jesus Christ, to NEVER leave us or forsake us. No matter what you are facing today, God is here to see you through. Let you roots sink deep into the well of everlasting water and be refreshed. Know the joy of your salvation is something that is yours now and eternally. Don’t let the devil or circumstances or others rob you of the joy and peace that is yours as you continually grow in the Lord. Remember, WE BELONG TO HIM ….and we are to produce much fruit.
Today, give up the dry, barren way of following Christ…giving lip service and little else. Instead, look for a way to serve, offer a word of encouragement, do more than is required of you….Smile, tell someone you love them and back it up with your actions. God is the great gardener and He is watching to see if you are growing or if your roots have died and you should be cut down.
I pray that today you will be firmly planted, growing exponentially with roots that reach to the very soul of the Master and that your fruit will be bountiful for the Lord….”He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3
Planted together…prospering for the Kingdom,
WPQ
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
To Blessed to be Stressed
Remember when you where a small child, first learning to read and write and master the use of words. Your teacher began with the simplest of building blocks ….the alphabet. You and your classmates learned to recite the entire alphabet and made up games to spur you on to greater achievement….and before you knew it, you were stringing words together in fluid thought and cohesion.
Sometimes, when things go amuck, we simply need to get back to the basics. I don’t know how things are going in your life at this moment; but, if the reports that are coming at us from all of the media sources today are anywhere close to being accurate ( and I rather doubt they are)….life has its challenges!
So, let’s get back to the basics of trusting our Heavenly Father for our daily needs. A look at the Holy Alphabet may be just what you need. This was sent to me a few days ago in an email and I felt led to share this with each of you ….read on and be blessed.
And remember…..when you can’t see the hand of God at work …you can ALWAYS TRUST HIS HEART!!!!!
Singing His praises…trusting His heart,
WPQ
The Holy Alphabet
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but....
Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!
"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!"
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.
Sometimes, when things go amuck, we simply need to get back to the basics. I don’t know how things are going in your life at this moment; but, if the reports that are coming at us from all of the media sources today are anywhere close to being accurate ( and I rather doubt they are)….life has its challenges!
So, let’s get back to the basics of trusting our Heavenly Father for our daily needs. A look at the Holy Alphabet may be just what you need. This was sent to me a few days ago in an email and I felt led to share this with each of you ….read on and be blessed.
And remember…..when you can’t see the hand of God at work …you can ALWAYS TRUST HIS HEART!!!!!
Singing His praises…trusting His heart,
WPQ
The Holy Alphabet
Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but....
Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!
"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!"
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Patience Wearing Thin...Turn to Prayer!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I encounter some people that really try my patience. In fact, in all honesty, they make me lose it completely. Now, I’m not one to name names…you know who you are; but in my studies the other night, Paul admonished me in Philippians 1 verse 3 to pray with joy. He said” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Do I always pray with joy? Not on your life…but there it is, from one of the pillars of the early church….PRAY WITH JOY!!!!
Paul is telling us to begin our experience with others by remembering them and then, in our remembrance, to pray with joy. Unfortunately, it seems that I don’t always remember the good things of others …only the things that seem to make me lose my patience and too, too often, disrupt my walk with my Lord. What if I started using “spiritual eyes’ to view those that God brings into my life and as we unite in the partnership of the gospel, I won’t have to overlook their faults? Instead, I will be focused on the good work that God has begun in them and in our relationship.
Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He that began a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.” It is this very thought that should be my focus…if I must be myopic, let my focus be on the good work that God is accomplishing in each of us. Now I can take the easy way and wallow in the misery of the moment, past or present…..or I can look at those around me and see them as God does….A WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!
And then, I can pray for them and with them in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving...knowing that God is at work, bringing to completion this person of faith …my brother or sister in Christ. And that’s the eternal partnership that is available to each of us….we belong to Christ and we belong to each other. So, let the praise and prayer begin and let the JOY of Heaven rain down.
ABUNDANTLY BLESSED…PRAYING IN JOY,
WPQ
Do I always pray with joy? Not on your life…but there it is, from one of the pillars of the early church….PRAY WITH JOY!!!!
Paul is telling us to begin our experience with others by remembering them and then, in our remembrance, to pray with joy. Unfortunately, it seems that I don’t always remember the good things of others …only the things that seem to make me lose my patience and too, too often, disrupt my walk with my Lord. What if I started using “spiritual eyes’ to view those that God brings into my life and as we unite in the partnership of the gospel, I won’t have to overlook their faults? Instead, I will be focused on the good work that God has begun in them and in our relationship.
Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He that began a good work in you will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.” It is this very thought that should be my focus…if I must be myopic, let my focus be on the good work that God is accomplishing in each of us. Now I can take the easy way and wallow in the misery of the moment, past or present…..or I can look at those around me and see them as God does….A WORK IN PROGRESS!!!!
And then, I can pray for them and with them in a spirit of joy and thanksgiving...knowing that God is at work, bringing to completion this person of faith …my brother or sister in Christ. And that’s the eternal partnership that is available to each of us….we belong to Christ and we belong to each other. So, let the praise and prayer begin and let the JOY of Heaven rain down.
ABUNDANTLY BLESSED…PRAYING IN JOY,
WPQ
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