Anticipating The Battle

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

The story of Joshua and the Battle of Jericho was always a favorite of mine as a child.  I remember singing the childhood song, “Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho…”  As I read Chapter 6 of Joshua, I thought about how the people prepared for the battle.

  1. The Lord told Joshua what to expect.  He was given a battle plan.  Like me, you may be thinking, “I wish God would tell me ahead of time about my battles.”  But wait a minute.  We have been told.  Christ said that we would have trouble in this world.  We can expect it.  And if we know to expect it, then we can know how to prepare for it.  We prepare by staying in the Word and heeding the voice of the Commander.  We’re told in Ephesians 6 about our battle gear.  We just need to keep that armor on, and we’ll be ready at a moment’s notice to face the battle.
  2. Joshua had the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant.  The Ark was the representation of the very presence of God.  Christ told us He would never leave us or forsake us.  As a child of God, the Holy Spirit lives within us and there is never any circumstance that we face alone. 
  3. Joshua told the people to not speak until he instructed them to on the last day.  Only the sound of the blowing horns were to be heard as they marched around the city.  When we are in the midst of the battle, we would do well to listen and praise more than we speak.  Our hearts should be lifting praise to the Father and listening for Him to give us our next move.  One of the ways we can be a huge witness to others around us is to allow our manner and actions to reveal a spirit of humility and grace as we endure the battle.  That will speak volumes more than any spoken words we can share. 
  4. The people took time to rest.  They marched around the city once a day for six days.  After marching around the city, they would return to camp to rest and then do the same thing again the next day.  Whatever battle we may be in, we must learn how to rest in the Lord.  Bible reading and prayer is so important, but even so much more during times of struggles.  We need to spend time daily with the One who can refresh our souls. 
  5. The people were obedient and steadfast.  After a couple days of doing the same thing, they may have wondered what good it was doing to march around the city.  Why couldn’t they just go ahead and finish the battle on day one?  But they continued.  We don’t know how long our battle may last.  We are told to number our days to gain wisdom.  We are told to stay steadfast.  And we are promised God will perfect, complete us in the end.
  6. Then finally, accept the victory.  On the last day, the people marched around the city seven times.  They then gave a shout when Joshua instructed them to, and the walls of the city fell.  When we are faithful to fight as the Lord leads us, the time will come when we can give that cry of victory as the battle is won.

Battles are never something we want or long for.  But they are inevitable.  So, take heart, dear friend.  Anticipate those battles with the knowledge that God is with us, will lead us through them, and give us the victory at the end of them.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of the Children of Israel fighting their battles.  I don’t like thinking about facing a battle but thank You for assuring me of Your help and presence as I go through those times of conflict.  Help me be prepared before the battle comes so that during the midst of it, I can stay obedient and strong as I trust in You.  Thank you, Father, for the warning and I praise You now for the victory that will come in Your time.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Break Time’s Over

Published on by Joan Category: Dad's Journey

1Cor 518

When Dad was told he was in remission in May 2018, the doctor had suggested doing a little more chemo just to hopefully keep the cancer away.  As I have said in earlier posts, the T-cell Lymphoma that Dad has is very rare and the doctor was not sure how long it would take to come back.  They just say that it will recur.

Dad said he wanted a break.  He wanted to regain some strength and enjoy some good days.  And he has had some good days along with some not so good days.  He has problems with arthritis and some bulging and ruptured discs in his back, so pain is often felt when he moves around a lot.  He was able to get some shots in his back that did relieve some of the pain for a while.

He went for CT scans every three months.  Each time many prayers were prayed in hopes the cancer would remain in remission.  Each time, prayers were answered.

The financial burden had been great over the year and a half he was undergoing treatment.  My dad had been self employed for many years and so did not have medical insurance.  He had always been very healthy until he got cancer.  His church put on a barbecue meal and I ran a Go Fund Me campaign for a while to help with their expenses.  We all were very appreciative of everyone who willingly gave to assist them with the cost of all the treatments.

When open enrollment for insurance came around in October, dad was able to sign up for insurance since he was in remission.  That has relieved a lot of the stress when it comes to thinking about the cancer returning.

So Dad had 10 months of being able to do some things.  Because of his age and the damage taking chemo had done to his body, he is not the same agile and strong man he was before 2017.  Yet on good days he would get out as much as possible.  Christmas was especially wonderful since he was well enough to enjoy getting together with family, children, grandkids and great grandkids.

Mom&Dad2

With the new insurance in place the beginning of the year, when it came time for another scan in February, the insurance dictated that the CT scan be changed to a PET scan.  God is working all things in the details together already.  The PET is more thorough anyway to detect cancer, which it did.  Had he just had a CT scan, it may not have shown up as clearly and the PET scan would have had to be scheduled.  A couple spots showed up in 4 lymph nodes in his chest.  It has been caught early.  The doctor recommends beginning chemo to keep it from spreading and growing anymore.

Dad’s break time is over.

He began chemo on March 4th.  The same type of drug that was used successfully before is being used again.  He will once again do chemo five days straight, have three weeks off, then repeat the five days of chemo.  This will last for six months.

As I think about the end of a break, to me it means going back to work.  Getting back to the labor that was being endured before the break.

When I was young, I never really enjoyed reading much of the Old Testament.  Some of the well-known Bible Stories were interesting, but when it talks a lot about the Children of Israel building the tabernacle and then later the temple, there was so much detail that I wasn’t really interested in.  Yet, when I became older and tried to really gain understanding of the whole Word of God, I looked at the Old Testament in a new light.

God ordains work.  Even from the very beginning, we are told in detail about what God worked on for 6 days, before He rested from His work.  When the tabernacle was being built, God gave skillful workers the ability to make beautiful works of metal and tapestries.  God gave specific instructions about how the artisans were to mold certain flowers from metal and coat with gold.  He gave specific instructions of what color thread to use in the tapestries and in the garments to be worn by the priests.  Every detail was carefully explained to every worker.  And when God instructed the people to have moments of worship, he instructed the people to restrain themselves from working.  Restrain from working?  I don’t have to restrain myself to stop working.  But obviously the people took their work seriously and saw it as something they were doing for God, so much so, that stopping to take a break meant laying down something they loved doing.

In the New Testament, Christ came to be busy doing the work of the Father.  He instructed His disciples to be busy working.  The thought is stated that if you don’t work, you don’t eat.  How well would that work in today’s society?

There were times when Jesus had to take His disciples away to a quiet place to rest from their work.  But they always returned to that work.  There is so much more that can be said about working for the Lord.  But for now, God has a plan and what my Dad is going through once again, I believe, is part of that plan.  God blessed Dad with 10 months of rest, but now the work and battle against this cancer is starting back.  God faithfully brought Dad through it before and I know He will do it again.

So many people prayed for my Dad and many, many people were touched because of Him.  We saw God working in so many details the whole time he was sick.  We saw things that could only be explained by saying it was a God-thing.  Perhaps now there is someone new that needs to be touched through everything that is going to happen.  I know it is going to be hard.  We didn’t know before what all to expect.  Dad knows this time much of what to expect from enduring chemo.  And it’s not a pleasant anticipation to have.  However, knowing my Dad and knowing my Abba Father, with the two of them working together, it’s going to be something amazing to watch!

So for now, break time’s over.  Get to work, Dad!  You have a battle to win!

 

(If you are new to following along with my Dad’s battle against cancer, you can read all previous posts under Dad’s Journey.)

Taking A Break

Published on by Joan Category: Dad's Journey

(This was the last post I wrote in 2018 about my Dad.  Updates will soon be coming.  Please Pray!)

Rest

All of my life I have heard of people who have had cancer.  When I was young, though, it was a disease that seemed like only “old people” had.  And they often didn’t live long after learning they had it.  However, through the years as I have gotten older, it seems like cancer is more prevalent and has no age restrictions.  Old and young alike are diagnosed and treated.  With the advancement in treatments, many people go into remission and some are cured.  Some, unfortunately, still pass quickly.  Once, the diagnosis of cancer was pretty much a death sentence, but not so now.

The past year and a couple months have been eye-opening watching my Dad go through his diagnosis with t-cell lymphoma and subsequent treatments.  There have been some lows, some really-really lows, and some just okay days.  And there have been some good days, too.   The PET scan he had on May 1, 2018 is clear.  We are thanking God that He has brought healing once again and we are praying that the cancer doesn’t return this time.

Before Dad was diagnosed with t-cell lymphoma, his health had been going down.  He tried to chalk it up to getting old, but my Mom knew something wasn’t right.  And Dad knew it too, but had not been telling everything he was feeling.

He had swollen lymph nodes for years.  He had night sweats. He would tire very easily.  Only after receiving the diagnosis did some of the symptoms he had been experiencing make sense.

He became very ill in March of 2017.  His diagnosis did not come easy.  Had he not been diagnosed when he had, the doctor said he would not have lived but a few more weeks.  It was that advanced.  And that hard to determine exactly what was wrong.  He took chemo until the end of July 2017, before being told he was in remission the first time.  But the scan at the end of October showed it had returned.

He started back with a new type of chemo in November.  He would have a week of treatments, have two weeks off and then have another week of treatments.  They later let him go for three week in between treatments.  It was like being on a roller coaster.  He would feel good for a little bit and then would have to start back with another treatment and feel bad.  And even on the weeks when he had treatment, each day would be different.  One day wouldn’t be so bad, but then the next would be.

The drug they were using is a fairly new drug so the side effects were unknown to a certain extent.  And of course, with my Dad being the unique person he is, his side effects were not the same as the most common side effects they were watching for.  A couple unexpected symptoms were itching and hot flashes.  The hot flashes were uncomfortable.  Of course, we teased him about going through menopause.

Even though the PET scan in May 2018 was clear, the doctor had suggested that Dad still continue with treatments because of the type of cancer he had and the likelihood, in man’s opinion, that it will return.  But Dad wants a break.  He is feeling good and would like to have some time to enjoy feeling good.  So for now we are thanking God for his healing and praying this break he wants will last a long time.

Enjoy your break, Dad!

 

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,  I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 116:1-9  NIV

The Two Sunrises

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions, Uncategorized

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

 

Sunrise1

 

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

 A group of ladies with Encouragement Café met recently in Myrtle Beach for our annual retreat.  The retreat is a time of discussion about writing and planning for upcoming events.  We also spend time just encouraging each other, laughing and praying together.  We are just a group of ordinary ladies who have our share of struggles with life, but we serve an extra-ordinary, awesome God who faithfully leads us through every situation.  And we love sharing our stories in hope of encouraging others.

We had two mornings of waking up at the beach.  Although I am not a morning person, I got up early to watch the sunrise, as did several others.  The first morning, there were just a few clouds on the horizon.  As the sun came closer to peeking over the waters, the sky began to glow.  The oranges and yellows began to turn the black sky to varying shades of glorious blues.  When the sun finally appeared, the brightness prevented me being able to fully gaze directly at it.  Even the shimmering reflections upon the waters brought tears to my eyes.

The second morning was cloudy.  We could still tell that the sun was coming up, but even after sunrise, we could look directly at where the sun was hanging in the sky and see only shadows around the clouds.  There were some pretty shades of pinks intermingling with the gray clouds.  But the colors were not as vivid as the bright yellows and oranges of the morning before.

Sunrise#2

 

The world today is living much like the total darkness before a sunrise.   Evil and sin covers the earth.  The eyes of many are blinded from seeing any light of hope.  They revel in the darkness and forbid any light from shining through them.

When we receive Christ as our Savior, His light overtakes the darkness within us, dispelling all sin.  Our life becomes filled with varying colors of beauty.  Each day brings an anticipation simply because of His promise that His mercy and love are new every morning.  And just like the sun shining brightly and reflecting like diamonds off the water, His Light should shine clearly through us as we reflect Christ.  I would even hope that the brilliance of the unobstructed Light within us is so vivid, tears are brought to the eyes of those longing for the same light to glow within them.

But we also need to realize that as believers, every morning may not start with the same measure of light and beauty.  Just like the morning that was cloudy, we can still have the Lord’s light shining from within us, but trials and troubles we may be experiencing are obstructing the radiance of that light.  There is still some beauty intermingled among the shadows like the pale pinks within the clouds.  On those mornings, we need to remember that behind that cloak of clouds that may have enveloped our hearts, the Son is still there.  We can trust in His presence and know the cloud of trials will eventually disperse.

Which sunrise are you experiencing?  Are things bright and beautiful right now?  If so, allow God’s light of love reflect off of you into this dark world.

Perhaps your days are cloudy.  Trust in the fact that God is still near.  You may not be able to fully feel the warmth of His presence, but stay faithful.   You may not be radiant with vivid color, but His Light is still shining and the soft pinks mingled with gray are just as beautiful when reflected with His love.

 Heavenly Father, thank you for each sunrise!  Thank you for the times when I can fully see and feel your Presence.  Help me to live a life that reflects Your love and light to others.  But in those times of cloudy days, help me to remember You are still with me.  Give me strength to stay faithful at sharing the light of Your love no matter the brightness of my day.  Thank you, Father.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Again, Lord? Really?

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Again, Lord- Really

Depression is not easily explained to someone who has never experienced it.  The best description I can offer is to say it feels like a very dark cloud without boundaries engulfing my very soul.  It’s like a black hole, a bottomless pit.  It has no beginning or end, yet I’m inside it, all alone.  I can’t get out and no one can get near enough to step within the invisible barrier to offer the needed comfort.  Not that I even want anyone near at the time.  Thankfully, the cloud is not a constant presence any longer in my life as it once was.

But there are days…

From the very moment right before I open my eyes in the morning, I can usually sense if the cloud is hanging over me.  On the mornings when it’s there, I inwardly groan and think, “Again, Lord?  Really?”

I have learned things that help me cope with the depression.  I’ve learned prayer and Bible reading is essential.  I’ve learned the truth in this verse about my thoughts:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

But there are still times when it’s not as easily handled.  I have often wondered what God’s purpose is in my struggle.  Why does He allow it?

I haven’t received an answer yet, but I cling to the promise that it’s for my good, somehow.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28 (NIV)

I have to say that the last several years have brought things into my life on which I know God had His hand.  I’ve had glimpses of things for which the phrase, “only God,” was the answer.  Miracles and healings have taken place.  Conversations and moments shared with God have given me a deeper understanding of some things that I would not otherwise have understood.

In those moments when I realized God had moved, I was overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed that He loved me that much!  Could it be I would not realize the depth of His love as deeply had I not experienced the depth of sorrow I’ve known?  Perhaps, I would not be as eagerly looking for glimpses of Him in every circumstance had I not felt the many times that He was no where around?  Maybe my prayers of wanting to experience a deeper fellowship with Him were answered by me having to cry to Him in desperation for my next breath when I was suffocating in darkness?  What I once felt was a huge weakness of mine was the very thing that strengthened me.

All I know is that now I do search for His fingerprints on everything.  Things that some people say are only a coincidence, I know it is God.  When prayers are answered, I know it is God.  When something bad happens, yet I see someone turning to Christ out of the rubble, I know it is God.  I’ve experienced moments where the movement of God was unmistakable and undeniable.  It’s become thrilling looking for Him and finding that He’s done something amazing.  I’ve gotten to the point when I see His hand, I excitedly say, “Again, Lord? Really?”

If you are dealing with depression, or know someone that is, please talk about it.  Know that you are not alone!  Don’t feel ashamed to seek help from a professional, but above all, draw strength from our Father through meditating on His Word and in prayer.  You are stronger than you think!

May we all keep looking for glimpses of Him and say, “Yes, Lord!  Please, do it again!”

Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me!  Help me when I feel the cloud of depression settling down, to keep my focus on You.  Allow me to have glimpses of Your glory, Lord!  May I draw nearer to You each day as I spend time in prayer and in Your Word.  Please strengthen me as only You can.  Thank You, Father!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lessons From The Journey

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions, Uncategorized

Lessons-Journey

My husband and I went on a group motorcycle ride one Saturday.  It was sponsored by the Brother’s Keepers Motorcycle Club and all proceeds went to assist children who were burn victims to go to camp.  Registration started at 8:30.  Everyone that registered and paid their fee was given a ticket for door prizes to be given away at the end of the ride.

There were close to 40 bikes when we first left the parking lot at 10:00.  As often happens when we ride, my mind began to ponder to so many things.  It’s easy when we ride to think about things because of the lack of distractions.  There’s no radio to listen to.  I don’t have my phone out.  There’s no conversation.  Just God and me, my thoughts and His creation.

As we left the parking lot, two law enforcement officers and one representative from the fire department blocked the two north bound lanes of the highway so that we could all pull out as a group.  After we were all on the highway, the law enforcement officers then went around us to block three more signals before their escort ended.  Before riding in a couple of motorcycle runs, I often wondered why a group like that was allowed to go through intersections unimpeded while others had to wait.  Safety is the biggest issue.   Other vehicles are more aware of a large group of motorcycles traveling close together and hopefully they won’t risk pulling out in front of the group as they might would if there were gaps in between the bikes.

We got off the primary routes and onto some back country roads.  We went through several different counties and on roads I had never travelled before. I noticed people outside in their yards going about their Saturday morning tasks.  Yards were being mowed.  Fields of corn were being cut.  A load of chickens were being delivered to some chicken houses.  Sometimes people continued with their work and sometimes I would see people stop to look at the group as we went by.

We also saw some of the lingering results of the Hurricane Florence that had come through the area.  There was dirt and debris still along the edge of the roads.  Gravel was across the road in some places.  And of course, there was some not so pleasant smelling road kill we passed by.  Another part about riding in a group is that one rider will try to alert the riders behind him about debris in the road that can be hazardous for a motorcycle to ride over.  As a result, a wave of hand motions pointing at the obstacle flows through the pack, starting from the ones in the front and continues with each rider, until the last one is aware of any danger.

When we came to an intersection, the leader would stop at the stop sign and when it was clear, he would make the turn.  Two bikes would pull into the travel lane and block any oncoming traffic and allow the rest of the group to pull out.  The two riders would then pull into the rear, their service to the group appreciated.  Time and again, the riders directly behind the leader would pull over at a new road and allow safe passage for the rest.  When we started out, my husband and I were in the middle of the group.  By the time we stopped, we were very close to being directly behind the leader.

We got to the end of the ride a couple hours later.  Food was available for lunch and people just hung out for a while, talking about the ride.  Then finally the door prizes were given out.  There were different gifts awarded worth varying amounts.  Once that was done, people began saying their goodbyes and going their way.

As I previously said, so many thoughts went through my mind as we rode.  The main topic that kept coming to mind was the lesson Christ taught His disciples that to be first, one has to be last.

Scripture-first last

We had one main leader that knew the route.  He maintained that position the whole time.  As a believer, Christ is our Leader.  When we faithfully follow Him, we won’t get lost.  We won’t get left behind.  We will arrive at our ultimate destination someday.  And when we do, we will enjoy the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  We will enjoy endless fellowship with other believers and with our Lord.  We will be given our rewards that we earned because of having our names registered into the Book of Life.

I don’t know if the ones who started out right behind the leader knew that they would be expected to sacrifice their position to be of a service to others.  But I know that after being close to the leader, they willingly humbled themselves to help the rest.  When we follow the leadership of Christ, we will be led to humble ourselves before others in service.  But the wondrous thing is, it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice at all.  Each time we humble ourselves and put ourselves last, God will start raising us back up, just as we ended up being close to the front when we ended the trip.

The lesson of staying close together was also exhibited.  At one point in the ride, it became evident that part of the back of the group had dropped out of sight.  The leader pulled over to a safe location and we followed him.  We waited for just a couple minutes before it was decided someone needed to turn back from where we just came from to find those who were not with us.  A short time later, the group that had gotten left behind showed up.  We learned that a couple bikers had experienced a slight mishap and the riders behind them all stopped until they could once again get started back on their journey.  The group was safely back together and the one who had fallen was taken care of.  Were we not all part of a group, some would have fallen by the wayside and would have struggled alone.

So it is in our daily Christian walk.  Christ is the Great Shepherd.  He will leave the flock to go fetch one lost sheep.  But the body also is instructed to care for one another.  As brothers and sisters in Christ, we can encourage, edify, care for and lift each other up in prayer.  A hard life is made easier with Godly friends.

Scripture-encourage one another

I thought about all the people we passed by.  Many were going about their life doing their own things.  Some never gave the roar of motors passing a single glance.  Others would turn and look at us, a few giving friendly waves of their hands.  It made me wonder.  Am I living the type of life that just makes noise, but fail to get the message of Christ out to others?  Or am I living in a way that hopefully is getting the positive attention of those who are open to hearing the message of salvation?  I long to have folks see me that want to throw up their hand and ask to join along on my journey toward heaven.

Then concerning the wave of hand motions that start at the front of the group and travels from biker to biker until all are warned of danger.  This journey we are traveling is full of dangers and pitfalls. Life is hard.  As believers in Christ, we have words of warning to offer.  Yes, we are to share the marvelous message of Christ and share the way for people to be saved.  But we also need to warn them if they are traveling in the wrong direction and try to assist them in getting on the right path.  Even after getting saved and getting on the path to heaven, we need to share the warning that there will be obstacles in our path from time to time.  The road to Heaven is not always smooth and even, but when we continue to faithfully follow our Leader and stay close to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the road can be navigated successfully.

What about you?  Have you registered for this journey to Heaven?  Are you trying to travel this journey alone?  Are you heeding the warning signs along the way?

Christ died on a cross for the sins of each one of us.  Then He resurrected from the dead, ascended to heaven and lives to make intercession for us.  When we receive the salvation He offers, He will be our Leader on this journey of life.  He will faithfully guide us around pitfalls, warn us of the dangers to stay away from, and place us in His family of believers to travel alongside us.  It’s not always easy, but the reward that is waiting for us at our destination will be out of this world!

Spiritual Dementia

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!​​

 

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Dementia is an awful condition to watch someone go through.  I’ve seen someone with a very sharp mind get to the point where she can’t tell you what she just finished eating as she looks at the empty plate in front of her.  She often says the same thing or asks the same question over and over in a short amount of time.  She’s lost the freedom to drive or cook the wonderful dishes she was known for.  She doesn’t remember who she has talked to or what was said within a few minutes of the person leaving.   So many things that she could once do, she can no longer do.  Every now and then, when she realizes that she can’t think clearly, she breaks down crying.  It’s heart breaking.

Forgetfulness is awful at times but can also be a good thing.  Many times when I am struggling with depression, it is the negative memories I find myself dwelling on.  I recall all of the things I failed to do right.  I remember all of the things I did wrong.  I focus on all of the bad and stop remembering the good.  Satan knows if he can keep our thoughts on things other than the glory of God, we can and will be ineffective witnesses for Christ.  God knows that too.  That is why we are told in His word to forget the past when it comes to our sinfulness and shortcomings.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.  Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Not only does God instruct us to forget our sinful past, He says He will forget our sins, as well.

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”  Isaiah 43:25 NIV

If God, Himself, says that He will forgive and forget my sins when I come to Him in repentance, who do I think I am to keep bringing it up?

The Apostle Paul was the greatest Christian ever.  But even he said he often found himself doing the things he did not want to do, and not doing the very things he did want to do.  So he also said to forget the past and to focus on moving forward.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)

I believe when it comes to our past mistakes, the best thing we can do is to have spiritual dementia.  We need to realize that the forgiveness of God will release us not just from the sin, but from the guilt and condemnation we try to hold onto.  We need to allow God to restore us to Himself.  And through justification (just as if I had never sinned), we can look forward to the future of living for Him by allowing Him to live within us and through us.  Don’t just let go of the sinful past – forget about it.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins.  Thank you for saving me and forgiving me for my sins.  Too often, Lord, I have allowed negative memories of my past to keep me from fully serving you in the present.  Help me to understand that even as You remember my sins no more, I need to forget too, so that I can be used by You.  Thank You, Father.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

 

Take Inventory

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!

Give Thanks 1 Thess518

Jesus feeding the 5000 is a well-known miracle recorded in the Gospels.  One Sunday our Pastor was reviewing the miracle within a sermon.  The disciples thought Jesus should send the people away into the nearby towns to eat.  Jesus told them they shouldn’t send the people away when they could feed the crowd themselves.

“When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”  But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.””  Luke 9:12-13a (NKJV)

Our Pastor said it’s as if Jesus told the disciples, “Take an inventory.  You’ve got more than you think.”

That comment stuck with me.  Why is it that in this Land of Plenty, so many people seem to feel like they don’t have enough?  We are considered the richest nation in the world, yet people are in debt trying to afford things they don’t really need and longing for things they don’t have.

The disciples had their eyes on the magnitude of the situation.  The Bible tells us there were 5000 men, a number that didn’t include the women and children.  All they could see were the numbers of mouths needing to be fed.  They didn’t seem to even consider any option other than telling Jesus that He should send them away into the surrounding towns for them to find food.

But they had all they needed right there in front of them all the time.

I remember back when my children were young and I was feeling frazzled handling all the craziness of marriage, kids, job, home and all the responsibilities of each.  Someone told me to turn every chore into a prayer of thanksgiving.  When I was doing laundry, I thanked God for clothing my family.  When I was washing dishes, I thanked God for food to eat and my growing, healthy children.  When cleaning the floors, I thanked God for our home.  When I got up early to prepare my kids and myself for the day, I thanked God for my job and the strength to perform it.  Everything my hand touched was a gift provided by God.

When we get caught up in the struggles of life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the worry and frustration that comes along with the problems.  Like the disciples focusing on the magnitude of the crowd, we focus on the size of our struggle.  We forget that as a Child of God, He is right there with us.  We may cry out to Him asking Him to take care of the problem.  But we have to understand that He may not solve the problem the way we think that He should.  He may tell us to take a look at what we already have.

We have Him and the strength, peace and comfort that only He can provide.  When we turn our focus back to praising Him for what He has already done and trusting for what He will do, we will experience the miracle of Him giving us just what we need exactly when we need it.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for all that I have.  Thank You most of all for Your Son and my Savior, Jesus Christ.  May I ever be mindful that during good times or during times of struggle, You are all that I need.  Help me to focus on You more than on my wants and needs, because You have always provided everything I need right when I need it.  May I not take that miracle for granted.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Parade

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

1 Chron 16

My pastor recently preached a Thanks Living sermon.  The scripture was from 1 Chronicles 16.  It was the account of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back into the tabernacle he had erected.  He offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.  David gave to all the people of Israel a loaf of bread, some meat and a cake of raisins.  Then he broke out into a song of praise of Thanksgiving before the Lord.

“Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.   Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.  Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.  Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.  Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.”   1 Chronicles 16: 8-12 (KJV)

Whoever said that the pilgrims and Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving meal obviously didn’t know about this story!

But I also got to thinking about the parade that took place before the meal.  If you read in 1 Chronicles Chapter 15, it tells the story of the procession.  It was very organized and consisted of musicians that played and sang along the way.  They also wore their best linen garments and had sanctified themselves.  The reason for the celebration?  They were returning the Ark of the Covenant, the visible representation of the presence of the Lord, back to the place of worship.

When the procession entered into the City of David, King David was leaping and whirling around, dancing before the Lord.  When David’s wife saw David from her window, the Bible said she despised David.  From the account of this same occasion in 2 Samuel 6, she confronts David and tries to shame him for his un-kingly behavior.

“David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.”  2 Samuel 6:21-22 (NIV)

As I thought about this story, the Thanksgiving meal, the Thanksgiving song and parade, David joyfully dancing along, this verse really hit me.

When we focus on Thanksgiving about all the things we are thankful for, we thank God for all of His blessings.  It’s natural to do that.  At Christmas, we thank God for the birth of Christ and celebrate that.  At Easter, we remember the sacrifice that Christ made for us, giving His life as payment for our sins.  We celebrate the resurrection and the hope of living with Christ for all eternity.

But this parade, this celebration of David and the people of Israel, wasn’t on a designated holiday.  It didn’t take place during one of the designated feasts.  This celebration was all about God’s presence being back among the people.

After thinking about these verses, I had to ask myself.  How often do I praise the Lord, not because of a special day, but just because of who my Lord is?  How often do I truly come with real humility before the Lord?  Yes, I’m truly blessed.  But am I willing to be humiliated, willing to lose my dignity when it comes to openly, joyfully, expressing my praise just because I can feel His presence?

I’ve always been quiet and shy.  I cry easily, but often feel embarrassed by it.  You know how sometimes older people say exactly what they want, embarrassing or not, and people laugh and say they have earned the right to be that way because they are old?  Well, I think I’ve reached that age.  (I did just have a birthday.)  I think it’s time to lose a little dignity.  It’s time to be humiliated before the Lord and celebrate!  I can’t say you might see me dancing, because I’m not very coordinated, but I pray God will be pleased by the uplifting of my hands, the song in my heart and on my lips!

I invite you to join this parade with me.  May the people of God become more vocal at praising our Lord all year long simply because of His presence!

 

 

Can I Call You Right Back?

Published on by Joan Category: Devotions

Hear My Voice

One day as I was just leaving work, my daughter called me.  She had not gotten but a couple of sentences out of her mouth when I heard my phone beep.  I looked at the screen and noticed it was a coworker and I knew I needed to take the call.  So I told Martha that I would call her back and I took the incoming phone call.

When I did call my daughter back, I apologized for hanging up on her.  She said that it was only the third time that it had happened to her that same day.  Two earlier times during the day when she had been on the phone with someone, they had asked her the same thing, “Can I call you right back?”

She told me the thought had come to her when I hung up that she was so glad that when she went to God in prayer, He didn’t say, “Can I call you right back?”

That is one of the amazing assurances we have with our Lord.  We don’t have to wait for Him to pick up the phone.  We never get a busy signal or a dropped call.  And He never says, “Can I call you right back?”

David often cried out in his Psalms for God to hear him.  David knew without a doubt that God not only heard him, but would act on his behalf.  Here are two verses I like:

“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”  Psalm 4:1 NIV

“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”  Psalm 17:6  (NIV)

 

And this verse in the New Testament also gives us assurance:

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”  1 John 5:14 NIV

But what about us?

How often does God try to speak to us and we hang up on Him?  How often do we simply ignore His call?  How often is the connection really bad due to sin in our lives we refuse to let go of?  David also knew that if he had sin in his heart that God would not hear. (Psalm 66:18)

The Prophet Isaiah stated it this way to the wayward Children of Israel:

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”  Isaiah 59:1-2 (NIV)

And from the words of Christ Himself:

“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”  John 8:47 NIV

I agree totally with Martha.  It’s wonderful knowing that because we have accepted Christ as our Savior, there is never a moment when Christ will not hear us calling out to Him.  And just like David, may we be faithful to praise Him for hearing us and may we be faithful to tell everyone about it.

Heavenly Father, I want to praise Your name and thank You for hearing my prayer.  It’s an awesome thought knowing that whenever I cry out to You, my cries don’t fall on deaf ears, and that You are never too busy for me!  May I be faithful like David in proclaiming this wondrous truth:

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.  I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.  If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.  Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”  Psalm 66:16-20 (NIV)

Thank You, Father!  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.