The Protective Hand of God

"The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Psalm 121:8

I've said it before, and I will say it again.  God protects His children.  He protects them every single day.  Sometimes we can see His hand at work, and sometimes we don't.  Yesterday my husband and I both saw the protective hand of God.

We set off to go to town, which is about a thirty-minute drive from where we live.  On most days, we will stop and pick up our mail when we come back home, but yesterday, we just decided to stop and get it before leaving for the day.  As we were driving out of town, we soon came to a stop.  There was a man on the side of the road, phone in hand, looking at pieces of his truck strewn all over the road.  The front of his truck was completely totaled and there was a dead deer in the ditch.  The exact spot we would have been at if we had not stopped to get our mail.

Thank you, God for your protection.

Knowing that the man was ok, and he was already on his phone reaching out to those who would help him, my husband and I continued on our way.  We both realized how evident it was that God had kept us safe.

Friend, it is so important to begin each day asking God to lead and guide us and to direct each step that we take.  When we do, we will see God's protective hand more clearly in our daily lives...

But that's just me!

"Gods' hand is in all things to guide, sustain, and protect us."

Helen Steiner Rice

I voted!

"And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Daniel 4:35

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."    Proverbs 21:1

Today is the Mid-Term Election.  We have been hearing about this day for months. There have been rallies, interview's, political ads on TV, all trying to manipulate the minds or American voters.  What I find sad is that all the 'hype' behind these politicians has caused fear and anxiety among some people, even Christians.  Believer, that ought not so to be.

My husband and I voted first thing this morning when the Polls opened in our small community and we were happy to do so.  We find it a Constitutional Privilege to be able to vote and allow our voices to be heard.  We did our part, and now we leave the results in the hands Whose Purpose and Plan for our Nation will be fulfilled no matter the outcome.

Even if we do not like the results, God is still Sovereign and He is still in control.

There is nothing to worry about and there is nothing to fear...

But that's just me!

Darkness

 "For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness." Psalm 18:28

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12

Daylights Savings Time begins next week.  I've already seen the time for daylight getting shorter and the time of darkness becoming longer. I'm not a big fan of the shorter periods of sunlight, but I do know that there are benefits to the darkness.  I only need to look at my Christmas cactus; it's already beginning to bloom, and Christmas is still weeks away.

For the Christmas cactus to bloom, it requires its roots to remain bound in a smaller pot, and it requires a long period of uninterrupted darkness.  Doesn't seem like the ideal growing environment, does it?  Yet it's exactly what it needs to grow, flourish and flower.

Sometimes it takes us being in a tight spot and experiencing some time in the dark in order for us to grow, flourish and flower in our Christian walk as well.  The time spent in such environment is not fun but look what it will produce when we keep trusting in the plan God has for us!

Things may seem a little dark right now...

    but don't worry, the Light is at the end of the tunnel...

        But that's just me!

"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present."

Francis Bacon

        

When Sorry Isn't Enough

"Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Colossians 3:13

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32

Have you ever offended someone unintentionally?  I have.  

You can tell immediately by the person's body language or expression on their face that you have offended them by the words you have just spoken.  You quickly apologize and explain that the words didn't come out right, what you meant to say was entirely different.

But instead of forgiveness, a grudge begins to take root. Your 'I'm sorry" was not enough.  

Jesus takes forgiveness very seriously.  

"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

Jesus requires us to forgive others when they sin against us, (intentionally or not) limitlessly; every single day.  There should never be an offence or an occasion where we do not offer our forgiveness towards a person who has offended us.

I'm so very thankful that Jesus forgives me when I tell Him I'm sorry.  He never makes me apologize repeatedly for my transgression.  He never holds a grudge.  He forgives AND He forgets.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."

Psalm 103:12

"He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19

Friend, be quick to forgive.

And if someone is harboring unforgiveness towards you...

        forgive them...

            It's the right thing to do...

                But that's just me!

"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you."

C.S. Lewis

"Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ."

Oswald Chambers

All Creation Sings

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."  Revelation 5:13

"Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice." Psalm 96:11-12

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands." Psalm 100:1

"Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light." Psalm 148:3

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Ephesians 5:19

All creation sings.  Even rocks.  (Luke 19:40) I've often wondered what a rock would sound like given the opportunity by our Creator to cry out.

Our pastor often jokes about how he cannot carry a tune, and yet he sings to the Lord with everything he's got!

I have friends and family who say the same thing: that they cannot carry a tune or make melody.  What comes out of their mouth by way of song should stay in their mouth.  I'm privileged to sing in the church choir, but there are times when I don't hit the right note.  Just ask the person sitting in front of me.

But I never stop singing.

There will always be reasons to stop singing, but there will always be more reasons to keep singing.

I believe with all my heart that when we sing unto the Lord, by the time it reaches His ears, it is a beautiful melody.  Why?  Because we are singing from our heart, praising Him.

I love listening to God's creation and the individual, unique sound that they make.

Our sound is unique as well.  Created by God.  To praise Him.

The next time you hear the croak of a tree frog, imagine it praising its Creator.

Maybe the cry of the loon isn't calling to its mate but praising its Creator.

The next time you hear the wind rustling the falling leaves in a tree, listen more closely, and perhaps you can hear it praising its Creator.

Every crashing ocean wave, every gentle raindrop making melody to its Creator.

The mournful cry of a dove, the hoot of a barn owl, the chirping of a cricket.  All praising its Creator.

And when we hear Creation sing, sing with them!

So, what if you cannot carry a tune....

    keep singing praises to our Creator....

        It's beautiful music to His ears....

            But that's just me!

"Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song. By grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue to sing." Spurgeon

Golden Vials of Prayers

"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." 

Revelation 5:8

"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand." Revelation 8:3-4

Our prayers are kept.  Every single one of them.  Our prayers are an incense to God.  According to Albert Barnes, the meaning of incense is acceptability and ascent.  Just as burning incense produces a sweet, agreeable fragrance, genuine prayer is pleasing and acceptable to God.  And just as smoke wafts upward toward the heavens, our prayers rise into the presence of God.  

Not only our individual prayers, but our unified, corporate prayers.  When church members come together in prayer, unified, they too, are poured out before God creating a sweet smelling savour.

When I read how my prayers are kept in beautiful vessels to pour out before my Lord, I had to ask myself:

-Are my prayers worth keeping?

In Matthew 6, Jesus gives His disciples a blueprint for prayer.

-Do I follow it?

Matthew 6:9-13 says:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." Words of Jesus.

This prayer is commonly called, 'The Lord's Prayer,' but it is actually 'the disciples prayer.' This example of prayer that Jesus gave His disciples contains elements of prayer that are important for all prayer. 

1-Prayer is to begin with worship.  Worship is the essence of all prayer.

2-Reverence is the second element of prayer, for God's name is to be Hallowed.  Revered.

3-The desire for God's kingdom to come is based on the assurance that God will fulfill all His covenant promises to His people.

4-Prayer is to include the request that His will be accomplished today on earth as it is being accomplished in heaven.

5-Petition for personal needs such as daily food is also to be a part of prayer.  'Daily' means 'sufficient for today.'

6-Requests regarding spiritual needs, such as forgiveness are included too.  This implies that the petitioner has already forgiven those who had offended him.  Sins, as moral debts, reveal one's shortcomings before God.

7-Believers recognize their spiritual weakness as they pray for deliverance from temptation to evil.

(Walvoord & Zuck)

So, are my prayers worth keeping?  Do I pray according to God's Will, or do I pray selfishly?  Do I pray for others, or just for myself?  Do my prayers praise my Saviour, or are they complaints and demands? Do I pray because I want to commune with my Lord, or do I only pray when I need something?  Do I only pray in despair and desperation, or are my prayers full of praise, gratitude and thanksgiving?  Are my prayers full of requests asking for more, or am I content with what I already have?

Our prayers are kept in vials of gold.  They are poured out before God...

    are they sweet smelling like they should be...?

        Or do they stink...?

            But that's just me!

"For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone." Psalm 86:10

"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore."

Psalm 86:12

a And b

 "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God:" Psalm 46:10a

"I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10b

I think sometimes when we read this verse, we forget that there is more to this verse than, 'Be still, and know that I am God.'  We see this part of the verse on bible covers, plaques, wall hangings, tote bags, and refrigerator magnets but we never see the entire verse written out.

To 'be still' means to 'cast down, let fall, or hang down,' especially 'slackening the hands.'

I love that!

It means I need to take my hands off of my situation or circumstance and let God completely handle it.  I don't need to make an effort to fix my own problems, I can leave them with God.  When I do that, my anxiety, fear, apprehension, and impatience will disappear.

Albert Barnes compares this verse with Exodus 14:13-14 which says, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Moses is instructing the people to 'stand still' with quiet faith and recognize that God will fight for them.

This is the same God Who is telling us to 'Be still' today.

When we read 'I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth' this emphasizes that God has throughly overthrown all foes, leaving no doubt of His supreme rule.' God is all powerful. He has everything under control, and the battle is already won.

In other words, we can 'Be still, and know that I am God' because of the fact that God  is 'exalted among the heathen and exalted in the earth.' 

Isn't it just like God to bring comfort in the midst of turmoil?  Isn't it just like God to remind us that He is in control?

In the middle of hard circumstances and in the midst of situations I don't understand, I will go to God in prayer.  Sometimes it seems like my prayers go unheard, but then I realize that, perhaps, God is waiting for me to accept what is and let Him handle what will be.  It's during times like these when God reminds me to just be still.  He's got this.  God promises to answer all of my prayers; but He doesn't promise to answer them on this side of Heaven.

Child of God...

    Be Still...

        He Will Be Exalted...!

            But that's just me!