Cast Out

The other day, my husband and I pruned branches off of our spruce trees.  Before each limb was cut, we diligently searched for bird nests, making sure each one that we found was free of eggs and babies.  We came across an empty nest that was so beautiful, I couldn't help but be amazed at our Creator God.  He instilled such handiwork and creativity into the minds of birds.  The mama bird knows when it is time to build her nest.  She knows where she will build it, sheltered from the wind and Spring storms, and God gives her those things which were cast out to build her home.  I marveled at the nest in my hand and as I studied it, I praised God for His infinite wisdom and beauty.  This nest was constructed of broken twigs, straw, ribbon, shredded paper, grass and even a discarded dryer sheet.  Each piece was used, incorporated, and meticulously pieced together to make a secure home for her future babies.  This mama bird used what was broken and cast out to make something beautiful.

God does that too.

I couldn't help but think of some 'cast-out's:

Joseph was cast out from his brothers in Genesis 37:24. The blessing? 

Joseph was in the place of God.  Genesis 50:19

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace.  Daniel 3:21

The blessing?  The Son of God was with them in the fiery furnace.  Daniel 3:25

Daniel was cast into the lion's den.  Daniel 6:16

The Blessing?  The lion's slept, and the True God was made known.  Daniel 6:22

What about the woman at the well that had been cast out by five husbands, and living with a man who did not even want to commit to her?  John 4:4-30

The blessing?  God used her to witness to an entire City.  John 4:28

Stephen was cast out of the city and stoned.  Acts 7:58

The blessing?  The heaven's opened and the Son of Man stood!  Acts 7:56

And the witnesses there laid aside their clothes at a young man's feet.  Whose feet?  The feet of Saul.

Acts 7:58

The blessing?  Saul's salvation.  His new name!  Acts 9

Paul and Silas were beaten and cast into prison.  Acts 16:23

The blessing?  Salvation came to the Jailer and his whole house!  Acts 16:31

Christian-do you feel cast out?  

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Words of Jesus, John 6:37

You may feel cast out, but you are not.  Just like Joseph you are in the place of God.  He can still use you and bring glory to His Name.

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

Just like the nest I found nestled in the branches of our tree.

God can use what is cast aside...

    to create a beautiful masterpiece...

        to bring others to salvation...

            but that's just me!

"In everything both great and small, we see the Hand of God in all."

Helen Steiner Rice

Psalm 43

It's very important to know the context of the Word of God.  When reading accounts and verses in the bible, it's important to know who wrote the Scripture under the Holy Spirit's guidance, when they wrote it, to who they wrote it, what it means and why.  But I think sometimes we forget to ask God to really speak to our hearts, learn a principle to apply to our hearts and to really identify with what we read for our lives today; in the here and now.

In his book Mornings and Evenings, Charles Spurgeon writes, "It is well frequently to weigh ourselves in the scale of God's Word.  You will find it a holy exercise to read some psalm of David, and as you meditate upon each verse, to ask yourself, "Can I say this?""

A friend and I have been going through the Psalms in our bible study, and yesterday we read Psalm 43.

This is what David penned being moved by the Holy Spirit:

"Vs. 1-Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. Vs. 2-For thou art the God of my strength: why does thou cast me off: why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? Vs. 3-O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacle. Vs.4-Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.  Vs 5-Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

After reading this Psalm of David, I asked myself, "Can I say this?"  This is what Psalm 43 meant to me:

Vs 1-Judge me God.  Search me, try me, know me.  Plead my cause, because when I plead myself, I get it wrong.  I do it in anger, and I do it because someone hurt me.  But when you plead my cause, you know my heart, my motives and my intentions.  You also know my enemy's heart, motives and intentions.  You weigh me in the balances. Do I deserve what is happening to me?  Am I reaping what I have sowed? Or have my enemy's plotted wickedness against me to bring me down?  Deliver me from such evil men.  Vs 2-You are my God and my strength.  Why does it seem you are far away when my enemies are the closest? Is it because I am so focused on my enemies that I have lost sight of You? Why have I allowed the oppression of my enemy to cause me sadness and depression?  The Joy of the Lord is my strength!  Vs 3-I pray for Your light and Your truth to lead me.  Allow me to enter into Your holy hill, Your tabernacle, Your presence.  May I go boldly to Your throne of grace and be reminded every second of my day, whatever I may face, that you are here with me, protecting me and pleading my cause. Vs.4-Then I will approach Your altar with exceeding joy!  I will praise You with all that I have and all that I am!  Vs 5- When I ask myself, "Why am I cast down, why is my spirit uneasy?" I will hope and trust in my God.  The One Who has never let me down.  I will praise The One Who has never forsaken me!  Who gives me strength to go on, Who Sustains me.  My God.

Just sharing...

    how God spoke to my heart today...

        But that's just me!

"The Word of God is always most precious to the man who most lives upon it."

    Charles Spurgeon

A Place For You

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  1 Corinthians 2:9

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you."  Words of Jesus, John 14:2

The night before my 8th birthday, my mom told me that I would be sleeping with her and dad because they had a big surprise for me.  I was so excited!  I couldn't wait to see what they had done for me!  (It was very hard to go to sleep that night!)  As soon as I woke up the next morning, I made a dash to my bedroom, and stopped in the doorway.  I slowly walked into the middle of my bedroom, and slowly began to turn round so I could see everything my parents had given me for my special day.  My eyes gazed upon a new headboard for my bed and a pretty new bedspread.  Then I saw a new nightstand, dresser and dressing table.  And on the floor were two brand new pink throw rugs.  I couldn't believe my eyes!  My parents must have been up most of the night preparing my new room for me!  It was beautiful!

The bible tells us a lot about what heaven will be like, jasper walls, streets of gold, but we will also have our own 'place.'  Jesus Himself tells us that.

I try to imagine what He is preparing just for me.  He's been working on it for a very long time now.

Keith Green once wrote, "Seaside sunset, silver linings round the clouds, birds fly, singing, making such a joyful sound!  Thoughts of heaven somehow seem to fill my mind, But I can't even imagine, what it is I'm gonna find.  I can't wait to get to Heaven, when you'll wipe away all my fears, in six days You created everything, but You've been working on Heaven two thousand years!  Deep green forests, mountains reaching for the sky, grasslands and deserts, Your creation fills my eye!  Thank you, thank you Jesus, though this beauty is just a taste, of all Your glory, I'll see when I pass through those gates!"

But the best part of Heaven...

    will be because we will finally be in the presence...

         of our Precious Saviour...

            and that is what makes Heaven Beautiful...

                But that's just me!

            

Don't. Stop. Praying.

"What's your impossible? Your, 'I need a miracle,' what's got you barely hanging by a single thread?

What looks so hopeless now? What weighs down your heart with doubt? You beg for a breakthrough, but no sign of breakthrough yet.

When you've cried, and you've cried 'til your tears run dry, the answer won't come, and you don't know why, and you wonder if you can bow your head even one more time...

Don't stop praying!

Don't stop calling on Jesus' name, Keep on pounding on Heaven's door, and let your knees wear out the floor. Don't stop believin' cause mountains move with just a little faith.

And your Father's heard every single word you're saying...

So, don't stop praying!

    Matthew Joseph West/Jeff Pardo

    Meaux Mercy/Brentwood Music 2024

Recently in my little corner of the world, there has been a lot of talk and preaching about praying.

It's because, in my opinion, it's the most powerful source available to the Christian to communicate with our Saviour, and the most over-looked, taken for granted power-source.

What's happened?

We've become lazy and self-reliant.

Until we REALLY need help.

When was the last time you really wrestled in prayer with God like Jacob?

Are you, right now, in the belly of a whale of your own making before calling out to God?

Or are you diligent like the widow woman in Luke 18 who made her requests before the judge daily and was finally given an answer?

"And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."  Luke 18:1 (Parentheses mine) 

We have been taught the how, why, what, when and where in prayer, but sometimes we get lost in the answers to our prayers:  'yes,' 'no', 'wait.'  And so we stop.

A friend of mine recently asked, "How do we know if the answer is 'no' or wait?'

Good question.

This was my answer:  "I guess if it comes to pass after a really long time, it was just wait.  I remind myself that God is not limited to time.  A day is like a thousand years to Him and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8)  So, if  a thousand years go by and I didn't get an answer to my prayer, God would say, 'Yes you did, I answered that yesterday!'"

Silly response?  Maybe.  I don't think it is always about the 'yes, 'no' and 'wait.'  I think it's all about our obedience to trust and have Faith enough to know that God knows what He is doing in each of our lives, and when we ask of Him something in prayer, He will answer according to what He knows is best.  

Prayer is about resting IN Him.  He knows just what we need before we even ask.

And when He answers...

     you will know...

        and it's always right on time...

            But that's just me!

"Prayer isn't always about asking.  It's about praising and thanking The One Who saved us and gave His life for us.  Prayer is telling God that you need Him and love Him"  T.H.

Necklaces

" Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."

Proverbs 3:3-4

I used to work in a Clothing Retail Store that is known for its animal prints and large jewelry.  (Both favorites of mine.)  From time to time, I will wear a necklace from my past employment days, and my husband will smile and say, "Going chunky today, huh?"  I just smile and laugh.

Today I read about other pieces of jewelry that are to be worn by all of God's children:  mercy and truth.

A necklace to be put on daily.  We are told to 'bind them about thy neck.'  They are to be worn like your most beautiful accessory.  Ornaments of grace that are kept close to the heart.  

Things that are the closest to our hearts reflect outward to others, and upward to God.

Our reward?  Favour and good understanding, not only in the sight of God, but man.

I couldn't help but think of Proverbs 16:6-

"When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

If we find ourselves at odds with others, maybe we aren't wearing mercy and truth?

Is your mercy and truth visible like chunky jewelry...?

    Or do people have to squint to see it...?

        Something to think about...

            But that's just me!

       

            

Keep your Hearts and Minds

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace that passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 

Five words spoke to my heart when I read these verses the other day:  "Keep your hearts and minds."

When asked the question, 'What is the heart?' in his book The Enemy Within , Kris Lundgaard answers it this way:

"The bible describes the behavior of the heart in different ways.  Sometimes it believes, (Romans 10:10) sometimes it has eye enlightened, (Ephesians 1:18) sometimes it decides, (2 Corinthians 9:7) sometimes it acts, (Ephesians 6:6) sometimes it feels. (2 Corinthians 2:4) In Hebrews 4:12, the heart thinks and intends.  The best way to describe the heart is to say it comprises-

    Our thoughts, plans, judgments, and discernments, (the mind)

    Our choices and actions, (the will)

    Our longings, desires, revulsions, imagination, inclinations and feelings, (the affections)

    Our sense of right and wrong, which approves or condemns our mind, will and affections.  (the conscience) pg. 35"

In short, our hearts are the very essence of who we are.

Who have we given it to?  Have we kept it to ourselves?

Or have we turned our back on our sin, and turned to Christ for a New Heart?  (Ez. 36:26)

You know, the world likes to distract our thinking.  It wants us to be focused on the things that cause us fear and anxiety.  The world, the flesh and the devil want us to worry.

But God tells us something different.

He doesn't want us to worry, He wants us to pray.

When we pray with thanksgiving about all things, a peace that we cannot understand will KEEP our hearts and minds.

Webster defines Keep, as-to retain in one's possession or power, to have in control.

I find that fitting.

God is in control, He has the power and Authority to handle all of my worries.

When I pray, I am placing myself, my worries and my cares all into the Hands of the One Who will KEEP me.

I love that thought!

I think when I'm in heaven, as God wipes away all the tears from my eyes, and He allows me to say goodbye to all that was, I will look back for one last time and see all the things that I worried and fretted over and finally realize how petty it all was.  What a waste of time it all was.

Child of God-

    The peace that passeth all understanding shall KEEP our hearts and minds...

        through Christ Jesus...

            so, relax...

                    But that's just me!