Every Breath You Take

  Job 33:4  "The Spirit of God has made me;
    the breath of the Almighty gives me life."

Psalm 39:5  "You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
    even those who seem secure."

          Sometimes I stretch the limits on how long I can go without my air assistance.  I feel drained and weak until I get that air pressure back in me and then it feels like I'm revived with energy.  Our organs need oxygen to make them run correctly.  Without oxygen, they struggle to keep up and to meet the demands we put on our bodies.  How comparable is God to oxygen in our lives?  Without either, we are doomed.  We are nothing without His power, grace and mercy.

        We are souls that live within that God-created body and our souls need God.  We choose how close to or how far we are from God.  Without God, our souls struggle to find meaning, peace, and purpose.  With God's soul support... we find hope, everlasting love, peace that surpasses all understanding, victory over death's sting, and an eternal destiny.  We feed the soul by using God's provisions in the way He intended.  "All time is nothing to God’s eternity, much less our share of time."

        Our souls are not meant to be fed occasionally, but daily by God's resources.  We need our daily bread of God's Word, prayers without ceasing and daily encouragement by our brethren.  Hebrews 3;13  ''But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.''

       " With this consideration also we should quicken ourselves to do good in our places according to our capacity. God has made us, and given us life, and therefore we should study to use our life to some good purpose, to spend it in glorifying God and serving our generation according to his will, that we may answer the end of our creation and it may not be said that we were made in vain. "

You may be tempted to debate
To change another’s view,
But nothing speaks more powerfully
Than what Christ did in you. —Sper

I pray that all those who are a witness to my life.. see, feel, and acknowledge how God is working on me and thru me for His purposes and glory.

Why do we need God: [M. Henry]

1]All the creatures, and mankind particularly, derive their being from him
2]We owe our being here, as His creation, to Him
3] We depend upon God for support in this life
4]We lie at His mercy
5] We are under his direction and dominion and entirely at his disposal
6] At His summons, every knee will bow to Him.  All souls are His.

        If your soul is feeling lost and depleted, then maybe you're starving it from Who it really needs... God.

God Delivers

Ezekiel 18:30-32 "“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?  For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!"



            This blog has been on my heart for some time now but I didn't know where to start.  I wanted to challenge the idea in a lot of churches that 'God is just Love'.  That is not the whole picture of God.  I would argue that 'God is Love and Just!'  John Piper's quote above, nails this true theology on the head.  God gives both love and wrath because He cannot ignore sin, but He gave us a way through love with His Son, Jesus, to avoid that wrath.  Deuteronomy 32:4  "All His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He."   God's love and justice intersect at the cross.
           "It’s true that life is often unfair. Some seem to be blessed with far more opportunities than others, but let’s not blame God. These injustices are here because mankind’s sin has invaded God’s creation. The Lord allows them, but He has not caused them. He grieves over them more than we do, loves us equally, has made eternal salvation available to all, and will judge everyone by the principle: “To whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48).  At the end of time, the Lord will right all the wrongs of the ages, and even the people most deprived and mistreated in this life will be satisfied with God’s justice. Ultimately, no one will have reason to accuse Him of being unfair."  odb.org
           The verses above from Ezekiel are a call to each of us to repent and turn away from our own sins before our own destined judgement day, so that we may be pardoned and washed white as snow.  Then receive a new heart and life for God and His will in our life.

4 Points to Consider from Ezekiel 18:30-32 [M. Henry]

1] We must not only repent of our sins but turn away or run from them. Just as sins are specific to each of us, so is salvation.  Your relationship with Jesus is yours alone.

2] " If we repent not, we certainly perish, and our blood will be upon our own heads."  We are judged or forgiven according to our own hearts, not others.

3] God takes no pleasure in our demise but desires our welfare.  God's mercy shows how much He desires each of us to turn to Him.

4] "We are made for ever if we repent: Turn yourselves, and live. "  God has prepared an eternal place for those who surrender to His will and ways. 

        Elisabeth Elliot wrote "Heaven is not here, it's There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for."

        Don't be fooled by Satan's lie that God's love ignores sin, instead believe in God's mercy and that His justice will prevail over sin, unless you repent.

Only Follow Jesus

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.”

Psalm 1:1-2  "Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night."

        Have you ever considered how quickly culture has changed in your own lifetime?  Is your foundation of beliefs changing with the wind and the crowd or is it never changing with God as your true guide?  1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”   The crowd should never be our leader or decision maker, believers are called to be different from the world around them.
       Psalm 1 describes the character and ways of a godly person.  It tells of how seeking God through His Word directs his path in life.  The crowd is full of those who have no belief or wisdom in God and His plan for your life.

       Who makes up the crowd of the world: [M. Henry commentary]

1] The Ungodly-  Those who have no fear of the Lord and neglect their duty to the Lord.  They have no acknowledgement of God in their life.
2] Sinners- Those in open rebellion towards God and seek sin and the ways of Satan.  Hearts with no repentance.
3] Scorners- Those who openly defy all that is sacred, scoff at religion, and make a jest of sin. 

          We are to separate ourselves from evil, overcome peer pressure and not follow the 'norm' of society.  When we follow the crowd, we seek joy in the wrong places.  Joy is found in Christ alone.  The crowd will lead you to darkness and despair eventually, if not immediately.  Choose wisdom, the fear of the Lord and He will guide you as a lamp unto your feet.      
          One  of my favorite and most recommended books of mine is "Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman.  It address the question, 'Are you a Jesus fan or a Jesus follower?'  Are we following His Truth's or the ways of man and culture?   I encourage everyone to read this book and decide which you are now and who you want to be...

Jesus fan or follower?

Grace and Mercy

Lamentations 3:22-23  "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."


           We would be nothing without God's grace and mercy, but do we really understand their value and the difference between them.  In today's blog, I want to elaborate on these two gifts from God in a small, concise way so we can each appreciate them more.
          This past week we sang "God shed your grace on thee".  What are we asking for when we ask for His grace?  Grace is God's unmerited favor.. we can't earn this gift from God. Grace can also be defined as God giving us what we don't deserve.  "Jesus tenderly offers absolute grace. He forgave an adulteress, a thief on the cross, a disciple who had denied ever knowing Him, and a man named Saul, who had made his mark persecuting Christians. Grace is absolute and all-encompassing, extending even to those who nailed Jesus to the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” were among the last words He spoke on earth (Luke 23:34)." odb.org  This endless gift of grace reminds me of the lyrics.. 'Grace, grace, God's grace.. grace that is greater than all my sin.'
           So what is God's gift of mercy?  Mercy is God sparing or not giving us what we do deserve.  As in the Lamentations verse above... we are reminded that even if things are bad, we are not consumed by them, only because of His mercy.  2 Corinthians 4:9  "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."  M. Henry says, "Had we been dealt with according to our sins, we should have been consumed long ago; but we have been dealt with according to God’s mercies, and we are bound to acknowledge it to his praise."  When we talk with God about our struggles, we will more readily see the mercies He provides to us daily.  One of God's greatest mercies is time... time to turn back to Him.
          We may feel we are too sinful to have any hope of God's grace and mercy, but there is no one beyond God's reach.  His offer of grace to save is for all who chose to believe in Jesus' life, death and resurrection.  In 1 Timothy 1: 15-16, we are reassured by Paul that none of us are beyond hope..."Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."
         

Hebrews 4:16

   "Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

        

The 'Only' Reason

Psalm 121:2  "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  "Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."


          
         This past week has been the start to a lot of prayers for people I know.  These are people who are considered strong and able, but they have been struck with sudden illness.  It is an uncertain time with fear of the immediate unknown, but they all trust in God's sovereignty of it all.  There's no greater comfort than that.
        It gives me pause to think of my own journey and the faithfulness of God.  I've worn braces since I was 6, two rods in my back since 14, sleep assisted breathing since 21, full time scooter use since 26, and daytime assisted breathing since about 38 and now I'm approaching 46.  While all of these have aided me along my life's journey, my sustaining grace is God himself.  I think of when I was younger and using all the strength I had and thinking how weak I was.  Now I pray for just that amount of strength.  God has shown me "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."  I've been on death's door, or so was thought, but God knew it wasn't my time to be called Home yet.  I know what it's like to have breath and no breath, but I also know Who gave me breath to life and Who sustains it every minute of my life.

        "In affliction, we learn the lesson of the necessity of living by faith and not feeling or perception. God teaches this by the uncertainty of life's changes: hope today, and tomorrow at the point of death; good news today, and bad tomorrow; comfort here, and soul-wounding terror there. O the ebbs and flows of earthly hopes!" -- Thomas Case

Things to remember when faced with the uncertain times of of life:

1] None of us are untouchable to the woes of life.  Trials draw us nearer to God, our Comforter, and He gives strength like no other.

2]We are to rely on God as a God of power and strength and a God all- sufficient for us.

3] Our confidence must come from God alone..not men or things of this earth.  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7

4] "We must see all our help laid up in God, in his power and goodness, his providence and grace; and from him we must expect it to come."

5] "He that made heaven and earth is sovereign Lord of all the hosts of both, and can make use of them as he pleases for the help of his people, and restrain them when he pleases from hurting his people."

6] God is bigger than any and all of our problems.  May we turn our burdens and fears over to Him and patiently wait for His answers to our prayers.


        We should be thankful in good times and bad times, because it could be worse and God uses all these times for our good.  There is ALWAYS someone struggling harder than you, no matter how bad things seem to be for you. Humble yourself always.  God has a plan for you, which includes adversity.  May it make you and those around you spiritually stronger as well.

Teach Me Your Ways, Lord

Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."
Ecclesiastes 1:18  "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;  the more knowledge, the more grief."


         Life is hard, but our hearts can be even harder.  How many times have we all ignored good advice, only to find out the hard way?  As for me, too many times to count with more sure to come.  We trust in ourselves too much and ignore the warnings God provides through His Word and wise council.  Proverbs 12:15  "The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice."
        As C.S. Lewis conveys in his quote above, God sometimes lets us hit rock bottom in our pains so that the only way to look is up--to Him.  As fire and it's flame is tempting to a child, sometimes we can only learn life lessons by getting burned.  Those burns of life hurt but we must see them as lessons, not scars.
       
How can we better listen to God's wisdom:

1] Pray for an understanding heart, that would inform and instruct us in the direction to follow

2] God teaches us with truth but we must choose to walk in it

3] Have a heart solely striving to put God first, not divided with the world

4] Ask for God's grace because our hearts are prone to wander after countless, meaningless things

5] Expect that with the more you learn of God's truth, there will be a better clarity of the problems of this world and a grief from it

6] "The more we know, the more we see there is to be known."  Seek him with all your heart, mind and soul.


       As for myself, I jokingly sing Toby Keith's song.."I wish I didn't know now, what I didn't know then.  I wish I could start this whole thing over again"...but that's not really true.  I am thankful for all the hurts, crossroads and mistakes of my life because they all made me who I am today.  That bumpy journey has made me cling closer to God's right hand, which has never let me go.

 "Seek wisdom, for it is more profitable than silver or gold!"

       

What Are You Reflecting?

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects the face,
    so one’s life reflects the heart.


          Water is like a mirror and shows us what we look like on the outside, but our lives reveal the condition of our hearts.  Does your life reflect a heart for God or for the world? Your life is a series of choices that either honors God or not.  Trust and obey...for there's no other way.
         "Though God alone knows a man’s heart and can read the secret thoughts in the inner depths of his soul, it is the outworking of those concealed attributes, which are demonstrated through words and actions, that manifests a man’s true identity to his fellow-man, and shows forth his character in his works and words. Corrupt hearts breed corruption, but sanctified ones exhibits Christ-likeness."
         The verse above stresses the importance of examining ourselves.  We must discern what our own true character is and what it displays to others, as an example of the world or of God?  We must test our conscience, thoughts, attitudes, intentions and actions against the Word of God.  Is He pleased?
        This verse also reminds of the likeness we have with each other.  I've heard and believe it to be true, that what we find fault in others is often a problem we have with our own self. "A grouchy, evil-spirited person evokes the same attitude in everyone he confronts; and the same is true of a happy and cheerful person." [studylight.org]
        It is easier to be critical of others and their choices than our own, but Proverbs 27:19 reminds us to look at the spiritual condition of our own hearts.  Often we judge others by ourselves, find them faithful or the reverse, as we ourselves are.  "The Word of God is the truthful mirror into which we should look carefully – for the face of Christ is that still water-pool upon which our hearts should gaze."
       I was reminded last week in bible study about the need of ours, as Christians, to give grace to others.  We are not all in the same place in our spiritual journey and yet we judge others harshly, where we once were.  A Christian's maturity is measured by their faith, love and hope.
      May we examine our own hearts and lives first, then encourage others towards the will of God in their own spiritual walk with God.  

On Whom Do You Rely On?

Isaiah 26:4  "Trust in the Lord forever,  for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal."


        During the summer, I decorate my room in frogs.  Summer is my healthiest time of  the year so I need a reminder with F.R.O.G.S. to not get over confident in myself but to Fully Trust On God.   Do you know that whatever circumstances you are in, that God is with you and cares about you.  His love is reliable and endures forever.
        God promises His peace to those who trust in Him, His will and His ways.  If chaos is a central theme in your life, examine how you might be trusting in yourself or the world for direction, instead of His Word.  "Whatever we trust to the world for, it will be but for a moment: all we expect from it is confined within the limits of time. But what we trust in God for will last as long as we shall last."  Those who trust in God will find and receive strength, which is an everlasting blessing.  We need to carry that confident trust with us, as we face every situation in our lives.

      As the verse above commands and promises us, it is our duty to 'Trust in the Lord.'

1] Submission to the will of God, whatever it may be--trusting in Him, assured that He is doing, and will do, what is right.

2] Our trust in the Lord will not be in vain.

3] We must trust God ..for everything and with everything.

4]  "We are not only consciously dependent upon Him, as conscious of our emptiness and of His fullness, but we depend upon Him, as being calmly and completely certain of Him and of His being and doing all that we need. In other words, trust is reliance."

5] Forever-- " An unchanging God ought to secure an unchanging trust."

Psalm 139:7 reminds us that God's presence is always with us.  There is no where we can go, where He is not there.   

"Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
8 

Psalm 5:11  "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you."

        In Whom do you trust?  God is unchanging with an unfailing love that endures forever.. in Him alone, will you trust and obey?

 

A Purpose-Full Life

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
    nothing was gained under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11


        



         Have you ever asked yourself, 'What's the point?"  The verses above from Solomon show 'there is no true happiness and satisfaction to be had in pleasure, and the delights of sense. '  So many people are living for the desires of the world with no sense of purpose, other than themselves.  Matthew 16:26  "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?"   Are you living with a godly purpose with your earthly possessions or are you living for the world with no reverence for God?   "One soul is worth more than all the world; our own souls are of greater value to us than all the wealth, honor, and pleasures of this present time, if we had them."

        When I read the verses above from Ecclesiastes 2, I immediately thought of Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life."  God made each of us with a purpose in mind...His purpose.  The book of Ecclesiastes can be discouraging because yes, without God, life is a cyclical routine that ends in death for all.  All paths without God lead to destruction and death.
        Ephesians 1:11-12   "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,  in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory."   

3 Principles from this verse on why our purpose in life starts with God:

1. You discover your identity and purpose through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

2. God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him. His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input! You may choose your career, your spouse, your hobbies, and many other parts of your life, but you don’t get to choose your purpose.

 3. The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.

        
        Life can get overwhelming with our daily routines and stresses but we must remember that God has us right where we need to be and there IS purpose in it.  We didn't get a vote on how God wanted to use each of us for His glory but His ways are greater than ours.
       "Even when we’re physically limited, a smile, a word of encouragement, a prayer, or a display of faith during our trial can be used to minister to the diverse and interdependent body of Christ. When we serve the Lord, no job or act of love is too menial to matter." [odb.org]  His glory is manifested in many different ways, so may we use whatever we have been blessed with to point others to Christ.
        As for myself, I feel a greater understanding of how God has and is using me for His purposes as I get older.  My 'routine' has changed drastically over the years, but I know that "suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope."   If God thought and knew that He would be more glorified with my temporary trials, then who am I to question His purpose in and through me.  I was "planned for God's pleasure, formed for God's family, created to become like Christ, shaped for serving God, and made for a mission."  May I persevere with an increasing faith, love and hope in Christ.
       I encourage all of you to read "A Purpose-Driven Life" By Rick Warren and deeper understand why God has a purpose for your life.

Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 28). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.