The Never-Failing God

"For He has said, ' I will never leave you or forsake you'". Hebrews 13:5

From the book, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, he says:
What line does my thought take? Does it turn to what God says, or to what I fear? Am I learning to say not what God says, but to say something after I have heard what He says?
He has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man will do to me".

Have I really let God say to me that He will never fail me? If I have listened to this say-so of God's, then let me listen again.

Sometimes it isn't difficulty that makes me think God will forsake me, but drudgery. There is no Hill Difficulty to climb, no vision given, nothing wonderful or beautiful, just the commonplace day in and day out - can I hear God say-so in these things?
We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing, that He is preparing and fitting us for some extraordinary thing by and by, but as we go on in grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, in the present minute. If we have God's say-so behind us, the most amazing strength comes, and we learn to sing in the ordinary days and ways.

Today I pray that I will really allow God to prove his faithfulness to me.....that I will know without a shadow of doubt, that He is here and is orchestrating circumstances for the good.
My life verse has always been Romans 8:28 - "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".

He has shown his faithfulness to that promise many times in my life......I need to trust
he will do so once again.

Crown of Life

James 1: 12 says, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him".
Being a Christian is not easy! Since the early 1980's, there have been many who have taught the doctrines of prosperity, "rights" as a believer, etc. These who preach these doctrines tell their congregations that if you have enough faith, then you can live a life free from sickness, troubles and trials, and be financially rich. It's been called the "Name It & Claim It" movement. This is a false doctrine and I would urge you to look for another church where the gospel - the sinless life of Jesus, his death for the atonement of our sins, and his resurrection are preached.
The Bible speaks over and over again about the troubles and trials that believers will face, and it always comes back to what today's verse says - that God has PROMISED us victory.

I will again refer back to the well known poem called, "Footprints" which says,

"One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,“You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Let the Lord carry you in His arms today - there's nothing we face that He isn't right there in the middle of it with us.

Blessings

Thankfulness

One of the first things I wanted to teach my children when they were just beginning to talk, was to say "Thank You". Not only is it common courtesy, but it also shows gratitude to someone for what they've done.
Today's passage goes right along with that - it's from Colossians 3: 15 which says, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful".
We as believers are referred to as the body of Christ, with him being the head. We each have a part in the body, and if one part fails to do what it's supposed to do, then chaos comes into play. Our first priority is to love one another, which brings about the peace of Christ, and makes it to where we all function as one body, and lives are changed because of that. The last part of that verse is a short sentence which simply says, "And be thankful".
Do we show and/or tell the Lord daily "Thank You" for all he has done, and is continuing to do in our lives?
In I Thessalonians 5:16 - 18, it says, "Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Chris Jesus".
There is one very small word in that passage that has one very large meaning - "in". It doesn't say to give thanks FOR all circumstances, but IN all circumstances. I take this to mean that no matter what we face, we are to give thanks, because the Lord himself is in the midst of that with us, and he will see us through.
Take time today to thank the Lord for who he is, and for what he's done.

Janelle

Clothing Our Hearts

Yesterday's passage spoke of the things we as believers need to get rid of; today's passage tells us what to "clothe" ourselves with.
Colossians 3: 12 - 14 says, "Therefore, as chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which holds them all together in perfect unity".
This says we are chosen and holy - meaning that as believers and the body of Christ, we are to be seperated from all that is unclean. The virtues which we are told to clothe ourselves with are the same ones that Jesus clothed himself with, no matter what circumstance he was in.
Sometimes it's very hard to be humble, and to be kind and patient with people, especially when they aren't acting the same way, but the Lord is telling us that it's our responsibility as believers to don these attitudes in order for the world to see the difference in us. Then He tells us to do the hardest thing in the world for most of us - forgive one another. Our hearts sometime scream, 'but do you know what that person DID'? And we deem them unworthy of forgiveness. None of us are worthy of the forgiveness that the Lord bestows on us, but He forgives us over and over again day after day. When I've been convicted by the Holy Spirit to forgive someone, I most always have to tell him that I forgive them in my head because He tells us we must do this, but that He will have to work it into my heart. It doesn't mean that what that person did or said was right, but it frees me from the prison of unforgiveness, which builds a wall between me and the Lord.
The last thing we are directed to do in this passage is to put love on first - unconditional love will enable us to more easily act with the virtues of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Have a wonderful day!

Janelle

Old Baggage

There is "baggage" that we bring along with us when we first come believers, and the Holy Spirit will reveal those things to us that aren't of God, and we are to get rid of them in order to be the light in the world, and cause others to be drawn into a relationship with the Lord.

Colossians 3: 5 - 10 tells us what some of those things are - things of the old nature before being renewed in our lives by the Power of God.

"Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self, with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator".

These things which the Lord is telling us to "rid ourselves of", are things which will prohibit unbelievers to ever ask us the questions about our faith that could in turn, lead them to give their lives to the Lord.

We all need to check our hearts and ask the Lord to purge from them, these things of our old nature - it's a choice we have to make, but we most certainly need the Power of the Holy Spirit to be behind that choice.

I know that today I will be asking him that very thing - I want my life to be a reflection of Him, and for those around me who aren't believers to see a difference in me.

Have a blessed day.



Janelle

Contentment

After taking a break for a few days, I am back to finishing up the final chapter of Philippians.
Today I'm reading chapter 4: 11 - 13
"For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength".
This is one passage that I do understand because I have lived on "both sides of the fence". There was a time in my life when I had the financial means to have whatever I wanted, and at another point in my life, I was penniless and on the brink of being homeless.
God was there with me at all times, but I felt his presence more in my life when I was stripped of all material things and had to depend on Him completely for shelter, food, and all my other needs. Once I surrendered myself to rely on Him to get me through my situation, I had unspeakable peace. He taught me what contentment truly means.
It's not wrong to have "things", but it is wrong when we depend on those things for our happiness and well being. I am thankful that I experienced having the things I held as security, taken from me.
I pray that you have a blessed week, and that you seek the One who can bring you peace and contentment in your life, no matter what your circumstances may be.

Janelle

Anxiety

The final chapter of Philippians is so full of meaningful verses regarding Peace in our lives, I will take a few days to explore them all.
Today I'm in chapter 4: 4 - 7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".
I'm the type of person who you could say is "high strung", and I deal with anxiety, so these verses really speak to my heart.
What we're being told here is that no matter what circumstance we might be in, to rejoice. What's there to rejoice about, you ask? The words following tell us - "in the Lord". It says that He is near - closer than our very breath. Think about Jesus, who he is, and all that he is - no circumstance can match that.
I have to remind myself to RUN to the Lord everytime I start to feel anxiety about a situation try to overtake my mind and emotions. I get the "what ifs", and the Lord is telling us to come to him in prayer with those anxious feelings, giving thanks that He is Lord, He is listening, and that we know He is in control. It says that when we do this, the peace that He will give us goes beyond what we can comprehend. It's a supernatural peace - not psychological.
I have already been having anxious thoughts today about a situation I have to deal with this morning, and I am thankful that the Lord showed me these verses. I will be praying for the peace he says is ours if we take our fears and anxieties to him. I have to put the situation completely in His hands, and know that he will walk me through.

Jesus - The Great "I AM"

Today, I'm going to share a few verses from the OT, in the book of John, that tell us WHO Jesus is. Whatever we need, He IS, and when Moses was before the Lord, preparing to go to Egypt to confront Pharoah, he asked him, "Who do I tell them sent me"? The Lord said, "Tell them I AM sent you".



John 6:35 - "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty".

John 6:51 - "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world".

He fulfills the void that's in each of us, that we all try to fill with other things and are never satisfied, UNTIL we come to realize that He is the only thing that can fill that void.



John 8:12 - "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".



John 10:7 -9 - "Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth. I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture".



John 10: 11 - 15 - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd layed down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. The the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep".



John 11:25 - "Jesus said to her (Martha), ' I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies'.



John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'.



John 15:1, 5 - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener". "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing".



I hope these verses have spoken to your heart, and given you reassurance of the knowledge of who Jesus is. I also hope that if you are searching for the truth - today will be the day that you find the truth - Jesus!



Have a blessed week!



Janelle

Running the Race

The 11th chapter of Hebrews spoke of faith, and gave examples from the OT about many of what we know as "heroes" of the Bible in their faith, when things seemed impossible for them. Chapter 12 starts out referencing back to them and it says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart".
There are a lot of messages in those three short verses.
The things that hinder us as believers can be doubt, unbelief, fear...anything that opposes faith in the Lord's faithfulness. The race that we run is our daily walk as a Christian; sometimes it's an easy road, sometimes it's got its share of trials and sorrows. The solution to keep from falling out of the race is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Think about Him, his life, and all that he went through for each one of us.
Not only did he live a sinless life, but he was put on trial, beaten, mocked, spit upon, and betrayed by those who had once followed him. He kept his eyes and his heart focused on the promises that God the Father had given him, and he willingly laid down his life for us. If we let the reality of what Jesus did for us be a constant thought in our minds, and how he promises us of a life eternal with him in Heaven if we only believe in him, then it's a whole lot easier to get through our daily lives with a spirit of faith and hope, just like Jesus did.
If you are not a believer, but question the existance of Jesus not just as a man, but as God himself in the flesh, I urge you today to give those questions to the One who can answer them for you. Let God reveal himself to you through Jesus, the living Son of God, "THE way, THE truth, and THE life".
Have a blessed week and remember to tell those you love how much they mean to you.

Janelle

Refining Silver

I was sent an email the other day with a story I'd read before, but it went so well with a verse I read in Proverbs, I wanted to share this story.
The verse in Proverbs is from Chapter 25: 4, "Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for the silversmith".
The story is referencing Malachi 3:3: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver".
Here's the story:

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: ‘He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver’. She asked the silversmith if it was true that He had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.; The man answered that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined”? He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy, when I see my image in it”.

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Have a blessed Friday, and enjoy a safe and peaceful weekend!

Janelle

Drawing Near to God

Today's passage comes from Hebrews 10:19 - 23. It lets us know that we as believers, have direct access to the throne of God.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our heart sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswerving to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful".
Before Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross for us, the only way to get atonement for sin was through the law - a priest would take in goats and bulls and sacrifice them on behalf of the people, but he had to do this over and over again. No one but the high priest had access to the throne of God, but Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice ONCE and for ALL, when he took all of our sin to the cross. He made a way for us to each come to the throne of God for ourselves, to receive his grace.
We never need to be afraid to approach our Father God about anything - He LOVES us, and his heart's desire is for us to come to him - for us to want to know him more each day, to allow Him to cleanse us and change our lives for the better. To heal us, deliver us, and let his grace flow through us to others in need.
The best way to get somebody you know who isn't saved, who doesn't have a personal relationship with the Lord, to get to the point of wanting to know Him, is to exhibit all the qualities of Christ to them - his grace, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, and love.
If you are one who doesn't know Jesus as your savior, but have questions about who He is, and what this "born again" is - ask Him....get real with Him and let Him know you are searching for Truth - I promise you that as it says in the scriptures above - He who promised is faithful. He will come to you and show you who He is.

Have a blessed Thursday
Janelle

Reincarnation Argument

Today I'm taking on the argument of reincarnation. I had a friend who had a family member die in a car crash, and at about that same time, another family member had become pregnant. He asked me if I thought that the baby could be the spirit of the dead family member in a new body. I quickly replied, "NO"! Of course, he wanted to know why I was so adamant in my view on this, and I referred him to this passage in Hebrews 9:27.
"Just as a man is destined to die once, and after that to face the judgement". A cross reference to this is in Genesis 3: 19 - Adam and Eve had sinned, so God was telling them of the curse that was now on them. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return".
We have but this one lifetime to come to salvation; it's our decision to make. God doesn't "send" anyone to hell - he gives us the choice to make while here on earth. Once we die, our eternal destination has been sealed. We will each live on forever, but where will you live - in Heaven, or in eternal torment in Hell?
Make today the day that you can answer that question with assurance of eternal LIFE - let the Lord know you have realized your sin and need for a savior - he will immediately meet you where you are and fill your heart with his love and forgiveness, giving you the promise of eternal life.

Eternal Security

Today's chapter 6 in Hebrews is a complicated passage, because there are so many views as to what the Lord is trying to say here.

It starts off with "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about CHrist and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement."
I think what the author was trying to say here is that once we become believers, we need to get the foundations laid for the basic principals of Christ, then once we have those - to move forward - go from milk to meat, so to speak.

It's the section following the previous one that is so controversial. Verses 4 - 6 say,
"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace".

I was raised and still believe that "once saved, always saved". I do not believe that one can do anything that would cause them to lose their salvation, but I do believe that a person can make a conscience decision after he's saved, to turn completely around and denounce the Lord and who he is - therefore leaving him in a place of no return - no chance for redemption.

How anyone, after being in a personal relationship with Jesus - talking with him, knowing his grace, mercy and love, feeling his presence - could ever turn away from that and to the evil one is beyond me.

I hope you'll take the time to read this passage for yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to shed light on your heart as to what he's trying to say. Sometimes when we hear or read what someone says about a certain passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit confirms it in our hearts, but then there are times when we need to get alone with him and hear him directly - without someone else's take on what it means.

I hope you have a blessed day - remember to pray for our troops, who put their lives on the line daily for our freedom.



Janelle

Guarding Our Words

Today I'm breaking away from my study in Hebrews because in reading my devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest", and my daily reading in Proverbs, the message that's so strong is dealing with our words and how we use them.
In my devotional journal, the scripture is from Matthew 7:1, which says, "Judge not, that you not be judged". It says that the average Christian is the most penetratingly critical individual....OUCH! In the spiritual domain nothing is accomplished by criticism. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the true position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong with a person without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into communion with God when you are in a critical temper; it makes you hard and vindictive and cruel, and leaves you with the flattering unction that you are a superior person.
If I see a mote in someone else's eye, it means I have a log in my own. Every wrong thing that I see in you, God locates in me. STOP BEING A MEASURING ROD FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
In Proverbs 17:27 it says, "A man of knowledge uses word with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered". A reference to that passage is Job 6:24, " Teach me and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong".

Well, that sure pierces my heart! I know there are times when I fall into being critical, and need a strong message like this to break me and bring into repentance. I've asked the Lord today to forgive me for when I'm critical and hurtful with my words towards someone, and to let me see them through his eyes. I hope you'll do the same.

Have a great Tuesday, and make sure you give the Lord some time - He longs to spend time with you!

Janelle

The Power of God's Word

After taking a couple of days rest to enjoy some time with my hubby for Father's Day, I'm back to studying Hebrews. Today I'm focusing on Hebrews 4: 12 - 13.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account".
In this passage, the writer is telling us that God's word has the power to reach to the inmost parts of one's personality and to judge the innermost thoughts - the soul and the spirit. They stand for the innermost facets of our immaterial nature, just as joints and marrow, the material aspect.
God knows each of our hearts, our thoughts, and our words, even before we speak them. He has given us his word to shed light on those sinful things which need to be taken to him in repentance to be forgiven, and to be washed clean from.
Sometimes we think that things we say or think about someone is our own little "secret", but here it says that there is NOTHING in all creation that is hidden from him. We need to confess and repent for those things which deceive us into that kind of thinking that "nobody will know".
When we get to Heaven and see Jesus face to face, we want to hear him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
I know today I will be asking the Holy Spirit to shed light on those dark places in my heart that I need to ask forgiveness for - to change ME and my attitudes towards people and situations, and not the other way around.
Have a great week, and if you haven't asked the Lord to come into your life and wash you clean - to lead you in this life - make today the day that you choose to do that!

Janelle

Open Heart Surgery

Today I go into Chapter 3 of Hebrews, verses 15 - 16.

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt"?



How can we apply this verse to us in this modern day? What's Moses and Egypt got to do with us?

Moses was a great leader and deliverer of the Israelites, who stood up against Pharoah and set God's people free. They were led by him out of Egypt, where they'd been in bondage, and were tested in the wilderness for 40 years. They saw many miracles of God, yet they got out there in the desert and started complaining and then sinning against him, wanting to go back to Egypt.

Moses was used as the voice of God to the people, giving them the Law - the 10 Commandments, but they rose up against him, making their own god - a golden calf, and rebelling against the Word of God.

Today, we have Jesus as the One and only deliverer, able to free us completely from sin and bondage. Egypt for us is our lives when we are in sin and not in a relationship with him as Lord. He comes to us as a Mighty deliverer sent by God Almighty, to free us from the sin and bondages of this life that lead to spiritual death. If we accept his call, and not harden our hearts when he speaks, he will prove what he said in John 8:32, "Then you will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free".

As Christians, we sometimes have "wilderness" experiences. God will allow things to come into our life to test our faith and trust in Him. We need to keep our eyes focused on Him, and his Word and follow closely wherever he may lead us. If we take our eyes off him, the temptation to go back to "Egypt", our former way of life, will come back to us, and Satan will make it appear appealing, just like he did to the Israelites when they were on their way to the Promised Land and got tired and impatient with God.

Open your heart to hear the voice of Jesus today - let him free you from the hurt that someone caused that has in turn, made your heart hardened; let him free you from the sin that has you saying, "God can't forgive me for that - it's too big"; from the chains of addiction that are slowly destroying your life.

In Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, "With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible".

Let God show you today what He's able to do with your life - ask him to come into your life and wash you clean from your sin, and to walk with you as your Father, your Friend, and your Deliverer.

We're just here on earth temporarily, waiting to get to our Promised Land - Heaven!



Happy Friday - have a good day, and a great weekend!



Janelle

Praising God

Today I'm wrapping up with the book of Psalms. Chapter 150 isn't a long one, but it sure is powerful!

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre; praise him with the tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with the resounding cymbals. Let EVERYTHING that has breath praise the Lord".



Now I grew up a Southern Baptist, and back in the 50s - 70s, of course we read this chapter, but you sure didn't see much of this kind of praise practiced.
It seems that Israel's music was loud and rhythmic, with a lot of percussion and stringed instruments. We had a piano and organ, and would sing hymns, which are beautiful, but always had to show "reverence" by NOT getting loud or to even THINK about clapping hands or dancing!

It wasn't until I was an adult and went to a "non denominational" church that I saw this kind of praise practiced, and at first felt uncomfortable - UNTIL I felt the presence of the Lord fill the sanctuary.

Why was it that the church was seemingly afraid to show forth this kind of praise? Was it fear of what others might think? We shouldn't be worried about that one bit - when we worship, our focus should be on the LORD, and allowing the presence of his Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and exhibit that, so others can see the JOY that the Lord brings to one's life.

In 2 Samuel 6, Israel was bringing the ark of God back to be put in the temple. Starting at verse 5 it says, "King David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals."

Jumping down to verse12 it says, "So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with rejoicing. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the Lord was entering the city, Michal, daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart."

Vs. 20 " When David returned home to bless his household, Michael daughter of Saul (David's wife), came out to meet him and said, ' How the king of Israel has distinguised himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!' 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. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor'.

And Michal, daughter of Saul had no children until the day of her death".

David was full of the joy of the Lord, and wanted to show it to everyone in Israel - to his wife, he was acting like a fool, but in the eyes of the Lord - he was practicing what it says for us all to practice in Psalm 150. TOTAL praise - letting go of "self" or what others might think, and offering praise to the ONE and ONLY ONE who is worthy of it.

Jesus is worthy of our praise - let us fix our eyes on him and take our eyes off of ourselves and give him the praise he's due.



Janelle

Watching and Waiting

Today I'm taking passages from Proverbs 8: 34 and Isaiah 31:18.
Prov. 8:34 says, " Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway".
Isaiah 31: 18 says, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait on him".
Waiting can be hard - we live in a world of instant gratification, and when we ask for something in prayer, we expect God to give us an immediate answer. Sometimes when he's quiet, we tend to think he doesn't hear us, or we just step out on our own and don't wait to hear what he's got to say.
God doesn't live by a watch - he is always in the present, and sometimes has to organize or rearrange things in order for them to all be in place, so the things he has planned for us can occur. We need to all learn to understand that even though it looks like things aren't happening, God IS behind the scenes orchestrating things, and once we grasp hold of that, waiting becomes much easier.
Today, if you're waiting on God for something - re-read that verse from Isaiah - "the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion". He's wanting the very best for your life, and wants nothing but your trust in him to keep you strong that he can and will make it all work out.
Have a blessed week!
Janelle

Making Choices

Today's passage comes from the OT, in the book of Joshua, starting at verse 14 - 15.
"Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served behond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord".
Sometimes when we are given choices, we make instant decisions without giving much thought or prayer to the matter, and we end up getting out of God's will. He needs to be involved in every aspect of our life, and although some choices might sound good to the natural, we need to take the matter to the Lord and let him talk over with us the pros and cons, and how it will affect us not only in the physical sense, but most importantly, the spiritual sense.
The "rivers and Egypt" in today's verses represent to us in this day, our former lives before we came to know the Lord. The "land of the Amorites" represents the world and it's viewpoints. We made choices and served other things without letting God be in the center of them. Most of those decisions were selfish ones - with our god being SELF. What is most important - to live the standards of the world or by God's standards and his will? I want to grab hold of the verse where it says, "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord". No matter what situation I am put in, as long as that is my mindset - I know the Lord will be with me and walk me through anything as long as I allow him to be involved.
I was given a choice yesterday whether or not to go back to my old position in the working world. The offer they made me was good, and all the things I said I would have to have were so I could lay out all the pros and cons of the situation not only with my husband, but most importantly, before the Lord. My main goal for the rest of the time I have here on earth is to put God first in every decision I make, no matter how big or small. I want to be in the center of his perfect will, and be at peace with the choices I make in my life.
I know in allowing the Lord to be at the center of this, I will have his peace with my decision.
I pray today that if you're at a place in your life where you need to "choose this day whom you will serve" - you will choose the Lord. If you don't know him, it's as easy as just talking to him to let him know you choose to let him into your life - to be the Lord of your life and save you from your sin and your inability to live without him in the center of your life.
He will never steer you in the wrong direction - his will is perfect, and he wants only GOOD for you. He says in the book of Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11
Today, put your life in God's hands - there is nothing too big or too small for him - he can and will help you with every choice you're faced with, and he's just waiting for you to ask him for his help.

Have a blessed Thursday...

Janelle

God's Love Toward Us

Today I'm focusing on Psalm 145 - it's a hymn of praise.
Starting with verse 8 it says, " The Lord is gracious, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all he has made."
I think most of us at one time or another in our lives have thought that God was some mean old man sitting up in Heaven waiting for us to mess up so he could "punish" us.
WRONG! These verses tell us that his love and grace are his heart, and that it takes a LOT to anger him.
Continuing with verse 13, "The Lord is faithful to all his promises, and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He filfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them".
Notice how many times just in these few verses it makes a reference to "ALL he has made"? It doesn't say that some can receive his love, his promises, or his coming to us when we call out to him.
We are all sinners, and when crying out to the Lord to come into our hearts and be our savior, he doesn't reject that call - that's what he is waiting for! He wants us to want him in our life - he created each one of us with the need for him, and he is the only thing that can fill that void.
Once we accept Jesus as Lord of our life, all his promises are ours; his grace is endless, and his love is what gives us life.
"For God SO loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life". John 3:16
He sent Jesus to die because He loves us SO much - He knew the only way we would be able to come and live with him for eternity was to have the perfect sacrifice to pardon our sin. Jesus WILLINGLY died for us - he left his home in Heaven and came to earth for that very reason.
If you've felt an emptiness in your life, and have tried to fill it with "things", and your life continues to get more lonely, and the emptiness is starting to swallow you up - call out to Jesus today - the verses today say, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, and call on him in truth".
Call him - pour out your heart to him, and he not only CAN, but WILL change your life!

Janelle