Through It All

Isn't it funny how we tend to become melancholy towards the end of the year?  Regardless of whether or not we are eager for this year to finally be over and a new year to begin, we all find ourselves reflecting on the highlights and the 'lowlights' of events that have transpired in 2021.  Some treasured memories we want to cling to and never forget, and decisions we wished we had not made and want to forget.  Resolutions made at the beginning of this year that only lasted for the first few days, goals set, some we achieved, and others we did not.  Remembering the loved ones who are no longer with us.  Regardless of what took place, or what did not, it's time to let it all go.

    And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62

I'm looking forward to the New Year!  2022 just may be the year our Lord returns!

    He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

    Revelation 22:20

I hope you can look back on 2021 and realize that no matter what took place, whatever situation you had to go through, you did not go through it alone.  If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, He was with you all the time.

And my friend, if you do not know the Lord as your personal Lord and Saviour, the time is now to turn from your sins and turn to Him for salvation.  Trust Him.  He is all you need!

    But that's just me!

Through all of It

by

 Colton Dixon

There are days I've taken more than I can give,

And there are choices that I made,

that I wouldn't make again,

I've had my share of laughter, of tears and troubled times,

This has been the story of my life.

You were there when it all came down on me,

When I was blinded by my fear, and struggled to believe,

But in those unclear moments, You were the One keeping me strong,

This is how my story's always gone.

Chorus:

I have won, I have lost,

I got it right sometimes but sometimes I did not,

Life's been a journey, I've seen joy I've seen regret,

Oh, and You have been my God through all of it.

Bridge:

And this is who You are,

More constant than the stars up in the sky,

All these years of our lives, I look back and see you-

Right now, I still do, and I'm always going to.

Vexed

When I was a teenager, horror films were very popular.  Being scared by the likes of Jason, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers was 'fun.'

If only I had known then, what I know now.

Once you see or hear something, it will forever be in your mind.  Oh, it can become buried in the deep recesses of your mind, but from time to time, something will trigger those memories and bring them back up to the surface.  Your train of thoughts can become a train wreck in a matter of moments if you're not careful.

If it can happen to Just Lot, it can happen to us.

(For the righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 2 Peter 2:8

When I see my thoughts detouring into a place they should not be, I sing Philippians 4:8 over and over in my mind:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

We are often told to guard our hearts and to guard our minds, but we also need to guard what we place in front of our eyes, because once we see something, it will not be forgotten.

King David knew this: in Psalm 101:3a he said, 'I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:"

Why?

Because whether it be good or bad, our eyes affect our hearts.

I can't go back and change the things I have already seen, but I CAN make sure I set only those things that please God in front of my eyes from now on...

    But that's just me!

Still Hungry?

I once read that the parishioners in the German Village of Wittenberg often accused their preacher of preaching the same old message week after week.  Do you know how their preacher responded to their complaints?  He said, "I will stop preaching the Gospel when you no longer have need of hearing it."

    Martin Luther

What about you?  When your preacher asks you to open your Bibles to a familiar passage of Scripture, do you immediately think, "Not again!?"  Do you tune him out, or do you tune him in?

Do you feel 'full' to this Truth, like you can learn nothing new from this verse?

Or are you still hungry?

God's Word is the Living Word of God.  You can read the same verse over and over every single day for the rest of your life, and God will still show you a new truth.

You just have to have an appetite for it!

For me, The Ancient of Days will never grow Old.  I want to always be hungry for God's Word!

    But that's just me!

Say It All Again

by Wayne Watson

If I've heard it once,

Must've heard it a thousand times,

But familiar truths get dusty,

In a cold, sarcastic mind.

From Creation days,

To the tales of Kings,

To the baby born Messiah,

Something deep inside me clings.

And to this very day,

Through the passing years,

Under piles and piles of hidden memory,

What is really true is really very clear,

The spotless Lamb,

and the cruel tree,

And empty grave, the mystery,

And the forgiveness offered to me!

Bridge:

If the fairy tales and legends,

With the generations die,

Still, the hope of all the ages,

Will live on and on,

It will live on!

Chorus:

So, say it all again,

Same old story same old lines,

I have heard it all before,

But say it over one more time,

Would you say it all again,

Same old story, same old lines,

It will warm my frozen heart,

Could you say it over one more time?

Oh say it over one more time.

No Room

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.  Luke 2:7

Relief filled her heart.  After making a journey on the back of a donkey for most of the day, and being great with child, Mary's eyes lit upon an Inn up in the distance as she and Joseph entered Bethlehem.  Joseph took Mary by the hand and gently helped her to the ground, and these weary travelers approached the door to knock.  The door swings open, but before Joseph could utter his request, the innkeeper says, "Sorry folks, we are all full up for the night, there is no room," and he closes the door.

The innkeeper had no idea at this time, that he just closed the door on Jesus.  The promised Messiah, Redeemer and Lord.

I wonder what went through his mind when he heard the commotion of the shepherds who left their flocks in the night and made haste to enter into Bethlehem to see Who the Angel of the Lord just proclaimed in the night sky?  What he must have thought when he heard the news of the Shepherds that the Saviour had been born? 

Just outside the walls of his inn.

Over two thousand years have passed since the birth of our Saviour, and yet there is still no room for Him.

In the busyness of life, or in our unbelief, we have closed the door of our hearts.

Have we left Him outside?

This Christmas let's remember WHY we celebrate Christmas in the first place.  Let us remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

I want to make room for my Saviour, not only during the holiday, but every day!

But that's just me!

Tough Love

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.  Proverbs 27:17 

In Galatians 4:16, the Apostle Paul asked a very interesting question:  "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?"

Do you tend to make friends with those who will always choose your side in situations?

Do you tend to hang around with friends who will always agree with you, no matter what?

Do you know who to invite to your pity parties?

If so, it's time to choose new friends.

True friends will, at times, have to speak 'hard sayings.'  Meaning, they will love you enough to tell you things you may not like to hear.

That's when you know you really have a true friend.  

Not only do I want to surround myself with friends who will keep ME 'sharp' in God's Word, but I want to BE a friend to keep others 'sharp' in God's Word.

But that's just me!

Refused

For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.  Isaiah 41:13

Have you ever gone to someone for help and been refused?  I have.  Not only is it shocking, but it's also very disappointing.  Or maybe you have gone to someone for help, and they want to help you, they just don't have the resources to help you.  Again, frustrating.

There is One Whom I can count on.

Every time I ask Him for help, He is there.  He has every resource at His command.  His desire is to help me, and I have never been refused.  In fact, He invites me to come to Him.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

Psalm 46:1 tells us, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

God never turns me away, when I turn to Him.  He is always there!

I can trust Him to help me!

But that's just me!

Sickness

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  2 Corinthians 4:16

A week ago, I went to the Salon to get my hair colored.  I was looking forward to this appointment because my gray roots were beginning to tattle on me; but the longer I sat in the chair, observing my stylist wiping her nose with her sleeve, and telling me that her husband was home taking care of her sick children, I knew it would only be a matter of time...  

Three days later I began to cough.  I knew I had caught a bug.  

In today's world of Covid, I went to see my doctor to be tested, just to make sure this was only a cold.

Praise the Lord, it is just that, but each time I get sick like this I realize that my body isn't getting any younger, and that sicknesses seem to last a little bit longer and seem to be a little bit harder to endure.

Relying on OTC medicines to relieve symptoms but not take care of the actual problem can cause a person to go a little bit crazy!  All I can do is simply let this viral infection run its course; and so I pick up my Bible and read beautiful promises from my Saviour.  Words of Comfort and Joy!

I realize that living in this world we will physically become ill from time to time, but I'm so thankful that my inner man, my Spirit, is renewed every single day!

One day we won't have to worry about the latest bug!

As a hypochondriac, I'm looking forward to that day!

    But that's just me!

What a Day that will Be!

Ben L. Speer 1955

There is coming a day, when no heartaches shall come,

No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye,

All is peace forever more, on that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear, 

No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there,

And forever I will be, with the One who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

Chorus:

What a day that will be,

When my Jesus I shall see,

And I look upon His face, 

The One who saved me by His grace,

When He takes me by the hand, 

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be!

Piddly Things

For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.  Psalm 9:4

When I was a little girl, every time my feelings got hurt, I would run to my mom and tell her all about it.  While holding my hand, she would listen intently to every word that I had to say.  When I was finished with every detail of this event, she would pat my hand and say, "Tracy, why worry about such piddly things?  In the grand scheme of things, this is a very small thing, and by tomorrow it will be forgotten."

She was usually right.

As an adult, when our feelings get hurt, it's harder to put it behind us. Sometimes we still make mountains out of mole hills.  

It's comforting to know that God hears all things, sees all things and knows all things, and that one day He will make all things right.

But this morning, I was thinking about that...

1 John 3:2 tells us, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I asked myself this question: 'The moment I look upon my Saviour's face, will piddly things really matter anymore?'

The answer?  No.  So, why should they now?

    But that's just me!

I can Only Imagine

Bart Millard

MercyMe

I can only imagine,

What it will be like, 

When I walk by Your side,

I can only imagine,

What my eyes would see,

When Your face is before me,

I can only imagine.

Surrounded by Your Glory,

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for You Jesus?

Or in awe of you be still?

Will I stand in Your presence?

or to my knees, will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine.

I can only imagine,

When that day comes,

And I find myself,

Standing in the Son,

I can only imagine,

When all I will do,

Is forever, forever worship you,

I can only imagine!

Prepared

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.  2 Chronicles 12:14

I like to think that I prepare myself and my family for anything.  If I see the weather channel predicting a blizzard, I like to make sure we have enough groceries to last not only the duration of the storm but for a few days afterwards.  My husband makes sure we have gas for the generator in case we lose power.  Before we leave for vacations, we make sure we have made hotel reservations, and pack our suitcases with the proper clothing for not only the activities we want to participate in, but according to the weather conditions.  When we invite friends over for dinner, we make sure to have our home clean and inviting and serve things we know our guests will enjoy.  Before going to the grocery store, I make a list of the items I need to make sure I don't forget anything.  Before we leave for church, we grab our Bibles and notebooks before heading out the door...

but wait!

What about our hearts?

The very first time I read this verse in 2 Chronicles, it felt like my heart skipped a beat.

Am I missing the most important part of being prepared?

Have I taken the time to pray for my Pastor, the choir, the Sunday School Teachers and the Nursery Workers?  Have I prayed for visitors, for souls to be saved?

If I haven't, then I'm not prepared for worshipping the Lord.

A startling thought, isn't it?

The mechanics of Sunday Worship can make us 'think' we are prepared for worship, but it's not until we meet the Lord with our hearts that we are truly prepared.

I want to be prepared!

    But that's just me!

"A private relationship of worshipping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness."

-Oswald Chambers

Accepting Help

They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.  Isaiah 41:6

We had a few inches of snow fall in our area over night, and while outside cleaning off my car, my Pastor pulled up and got out of his car and offered to do it for me.  At first, I refused; obviously he was on his way to do an errand or to meet with someone, but deep down I knew I refused because I have a hard time accepting help.  I have no problem helping others when I see or hear of a need, but for some reason I have a hard time accepting help.  I don't like the thought of putting someone out, or being a bother to someone, but then the Lord gave me a taser-like-jolt and said, 'It's your pride.'

YIKES!

I smiled and handed my ice scraper over to my Dear Pastor and let him work.

In John 13, Peter had the same problem.  No way was he going to let Jesus wash his feet, but when Jesus told Peter that if he didn't allow Him to wash his feet, then Peter would have no part with Him.

Jesus gave us a beautiful picture of humility-

To serve...and to BE served.

"For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you." John 13:15

I learned something this morning: when I don't accept help or a kindness that someone wants to do for me, I am robbing that person from being a blessing.

From now on I will graciously accept their assistance, and thank them from a heart of gratitude-

That way we both walk away blessed!

    But that's just me!