A Beam or A Whisker?

There are two types of people:

Male and Female-"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 1:27

Saved and Lost-"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

Those who walk in the Flesh and those who walk in the Spirit- "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

Those who Forgive, and those who hold Grudges- "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18

"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22

The other day while I was putting on my make-up, I made a horrifying discovery!  I saw a very dark whisker protruding from my chin that had grown long enough to have a little curl to it.  I was mortified!  Quickly reaching for my tweezers, and not very gently, I plucked the invading hair from off my face.  While I was doing such meticulous work, I thought to myself, 'Why didn't my husband tell me I had an alien growing on my chin!!??'  I would soon find out and in doing so, I discovered that...

There are three types of Observers:

Those who notice motes in other people's lives while living with a beam in their own eye-"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" Matthew 7:3

Those who will carry the burdens of others and restore them-"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Galatians 6:1-2

After taking care of my foreign whisker, I went in search of my husband.  "I just plucked the most disturbing growth from my chin while putting on my make-up this morning.  There was a whisker there about a mile long!  Why didn't you tell me it was there????"

My husband looked up at me and said, "Sweetheart, I didn't see it because I don't look for things like that."

The third Observer are those who do not look for the imperfections in others, why?  "Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." Proverbs 10:12 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

How do you observe others?  Do you focus on faults and imperfections, or do you relieve the burdens others carry and restore them back to their Heavenly Father?  Are you looking for something to critique?  Or are you looking at them in Love?

"Dear Lord, remove my critical spirit towards other's imperfections...

    and give me a love that will restore those back to you..."

            But that's just me!

"Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offences, and even some large ones, are readily overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts abound-to Satan's perverse delight." Grudem

From Anguish to Thankfulness

I began my morning with a hymn called, Thanks to God.  

As I began to read the words and hum the tune, I realized this hymn seemed to cover every single thing I should be thanking God for on a daily basis.

And it reminded me of David's anguished prayer that had turned to praise!

"Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." Psalm 28:7-8

Has something ever happened in your life when you felt like your heart turned to stone when you heard the startling news?  Has there ever been a time when sudden fear took over and it was so overwhelming that you didn't really know what to do?

David experienced such things.  He hid in caves from his enemies.  Those who he was most loyal to, sought to take his life.  In Psalm 28, David expressed such confidence, trust and praise in the LORD.  He knew that God would rescue him from the wicked and preserve him in his distress.  He prayed to the Good Shepherd to guide his way.  Psalm 28 is a companion to Psalm 26, but here the danger David faced was eminent.

According to Albert Barnes, David transitions from an anxious plea for deliverance into a confident song of praise, thanking God for hearing his prayer and interceding for the nation of Israel.  In a moment of anxiety, David's prayer brought a calm, settled, assurance. 

"And suddenly, the prayer becomes a song of praise, an act of adoration."  Morgan

David was overwhelmed by sudden fear, and so he began to pray, and as he began to pray, God's calm assurances rained down upon him and his fear turned into complete trust, which then turned into pure praise.

Praise will remove all fear.

I love that because I've been there.

There have been times in my life when I was down on my knees at the foot of my bed praying for God to help me to just get through the day, and although my prayer began in such anguish, the longer I prayed, my words turned to thankfulness that God was hearing my prayer. 

My fear began to wane, and I had the assurance that no matter the outcome of my situation, everything was going to be ok.

It will be for you to.  Just start praying.

God hears you and He is listening...

    Pray, and soon your prayer will turn to praise...

         But that's just me!

"My dear friend, if you can say, 'The LORD is my strength,' you can bear anything and everything."

Charles Spurgeon

Thanks To God

From the Swedish and translated by C.E. Backstrom

'Thanks to God for my Redeemer, Thanks for all Thou dost provide!

Thanks for times now but a mem'ry, Thanks for Jesus by my Side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime, Thanks for dark and dreary fall!

Thanks for tears by now forgotten, Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou has answered, Thanks for what Thou dost deny!

Thanks for storms that I have weathered, Thanks for all Thou Dost supply!

Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure, Thanks for comfort in despair!

Thanks for grace that none can measure, Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside, Thanks for thorns their stems contain!

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside, Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow, Thanks for heav'n'ly peace with Thee!

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow, Thanks through all eternity!

The Absence Of, For the Presence Of

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for ever more." Psalm 16:11

I had a CT scan this past week and the results revealed some concerns.  Enough to repeat another scan in four months.  But a wonderful thing happened when I heard the results from my doctor:  I had no fear.  In times past, my health has caused me great anxiety, worry, and fear.  In times past, I would meditate on my health concern most of the day and well into the night.  But not this time.

What changed?

I exchanged my fear for the presence of my Saviour.

My pastor, Josh Fryman, said something recently in one of his messages, that I have played over and over again in my mind.  He said, "You have heard that the absence from worry brings contentment, and that's true, but to have the absence of something, you must have the Presence of Someone, and that Someone is Christ."

It's true.

The absence of fear in my life is a result of having the presence of God in my life.

The absence of worry, anxiety, stress, and you fill-in-the-blank, is a result of having the presence of God in our lives.

I've wasted too many years worrying about things that I cannot change.  I refuse to do so this time around.

I'm choosing the absence of fear...

    And seeking comfort in the presence of my Saviour...

        But that's just me!

"I Know It's Hard"

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Psalm 119:71

As a parent, we have all had to allow our children to go through hardships that would build their character; to mold them, shape them and to teach them.  To train them 'in the way that they should go.'  Proverbs 22:6 It wasn't always easy, but it was for what was best for them.

As adult children, there comes a time when we have to do hard things for our elderly parents.  I have a friend right now who is currently moving her mom into a Nursing Home.  It's breaking her heart, and yet at the same time, she is aware that her mom needs round -the- clock care and that her mom will be safe in her new environment.  In her email to me this morning, my friend wrote, "I honestly don't like this!  I know this is not easy for her, but she puts on a brave face.  I keep reminding myself she is in God's loving hands, and He is her Good Shepherd."

In my reply, I wrote, "I know it's hard placing your mom into a Nursing Home, but deep down it's the right thing to do and it's at the right time.  She needs care."

But then I began to wonder something.

I wonder if our Heavenly Father thinks that way at times?  Perhaps He is thinking, "I'm allowing something in your life right now that you don't understand but just know that I'm allowing it because it's what is best for you and it's because I love you.  It's going to be hard, but remember, I will be with you every step of the way."

There are going to be hard times in this life...

    But as children of God, we can be assured that it is what is best for us...

        And we can know that God is with us...!

            But that's just me!

"Hard times are purposeful tools for spiritual refinement rather than random suffering.  Whenever God means to make a man great, he always breaks them to pieces first.  Hardship is seen as the soil where strength, humility and faith grow."  Charles Spurgeon

"My Treat"

From time to time, I like to treat ladies from my church to soup and salad at the Olive Garden.  It's a time when I can treat my special friends so we can catch up with each other, it's a time when I can treat ladies that I would like to get to know better, and at other time's it's because I know that there is a dear lady who just needs some special time of encouragement.  It's always a 'treat' to 'treat' and it's also a 'treat' to be 'treated.'

I read an interesting account the other day from Matthew 17:24-27.  It tells us of a time when Peter and Jesus were in Capernaum at the same time that the temple tax was due.    A person collecting the tax had approached Peter and asked him, 'Doth not your master pay tribute?'  Jesus knowing how Peter answered the tax collector, went on to ask Peter another question, "What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?"  Jesus is asking Peter if an earthly king taxes his own children or 'strangers,' those outside of his immediate family.  Peter answered correctly; the tax is for strangers.  Jesus is showing Peter that as the Son of God, He is exempt from paying a tax for His Father's house, because God's children are free.

But this is what I found so beautiful in this account.  It's verse 27.  Jesus says, "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee."

Jesus not only paid a tax He didn't owe, but He paid the tax that was owed of Peter.

Isn't that just like our Saviour?  To pay a debt He didn't owe?

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 6:23

Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross of calvary...

    He didn't have to, but He did...

         For you, and for me...

            Have you accepted His free gift of Salvation?  

                But that's just me!

Alway with Grace

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Colossians 4:6

At 5:30 in the morning, I'm not always aware of how my words or tone will sound, but I was reminded of it this morning by my gracious husband.  As I groggily made my trek to the bathroom to empty out the water canister of my CPAP machine, I did not turn on the light.  My husband came around the corner and saw me enter the bathroom, so he reached in and went to turn on the light, but before he could I said, 'Leave the light off.'  As he retracted his hand, he said, 'I was only trying to help you, you didn't need to snap at me.'  I told him that I didn't snap at him, but he said, 'No, but it was negative.'  He was right.  I rejected his kindness towards me with negativity, and it didn't matter how early in the morning it was; he did not deserve to be spoken to like that.  

After I finished my devotions this morning, and I looked out the window to watch the rain, the Lord told me to spend more time in His Word.  As I prayed to be directed to words the Lord wanted me to read, I began to turn to Philippians, but as I was turning there, I saw a highlighted verse in Colossians.  The one on top of this page.  I stopped and read it over and over again.  This is what the Lord wanted to remind me of this morning.  My speech.  My tone.  My words. Are they graceful? Do they heal? Or are they unkind and hurt?

Albert Barnes interprets this verse this way:

"Let your speech always be gracious-" Christian conversation should be kind, courteous, and humble. It should be entirely free from bitterness, uncleanness, and gossip, and should reflect the mild, affable spirit of Christ Himself.

"Seasoned with salt-" This prevents corruption and adds flavor. Just as salt keeps food from going bad, our speech should be pure, wise, and edifying. It should be lively, engaging, and spiritually savory rather than dull, vain or corrupt.

"Knowing how to answer-" Having a grace-filled, 'salted' heart prepares you to respond appropriately to everyone you meet. Whether someone is questioning the evidence of your faith, discussing daily topics, or treating you with hostility, a heart rooted in piety allows you to reply with wisdom, gentleness, and integrity rather than foolishness or rash anger."

"Thank you, Lord, for the reminder today..

    To be gracious and kind with my words...

        no matter what time of the day...

            But that's just me!

"Grace and salt make an ideal combination." Robertson

No Expiration Date

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints."

Revelations 5:8

"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" Psalm 56:8

"And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Acts 10:4

By Law, there are 'Best By' dates, and 'Expiration' dates on most of the products we purchase today.  Even if the product doesn't ever expire, there is often an expiration date on the label of the item.  If you are like me, you've probably had to throw food items away because they had been pushed to the back of your kitchen cabinet and have long been forgotten.  (I have since wised up and incorporated a colored sticker system.  Each color reveals the year the product expires.  As I unload my grocery bags, I place the appropriate colored sticker on my item before I place it into my kitchen cabinet.  I no longer have to search the item to find the expiration date, I simple see the color of the round dot I placed on my item to know how soon I need to use it!) 

But back to the subject on hand...

We recently had a visiting speaker come and preach at our church.  Evangelist, Fidel Hughes, reminded us that our prayers never expire.  My ears perked up at such a thought!  He used the example of children coming to Salvation in their adult years who mentioned the fact that their parents had diligently prayed for them throughout their entire lives.  Even after their parents went home to be with the Lord, the prayers prayed on their children's behalf were still before the Throne of God.  Never forgotten.  Never out-of-date.  Never expired!  What a mighty God we serve!

To know that God keeps each prayer I pray...

    Causes me to pray all the more...

        But that's just me!