Thursday, January 20, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear


Reason #6 – Your True Inheritance is in Heaven

“The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever.”
Psalm 37:18

The Bible clearly states that Christians - “the meek” - will inherit “the earth.”  God is not only preparing a place for us in heaven, but He will one day make a new earth.  I don’t understand all of that, but in the book of Revelation God paints a beautiful picture of the new city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven.  And a loud voice called out, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them…He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…” (Rev. 21:3,4)

In other words, God’s got your back.  For a little while we may have to endure some trials, but compared to the wonders of eternity with God, we’ll look back and see how “light and momentary” (II Cor. 4:17) they were.

We have an inheritance in heaven that will not “perish, spoil or fade.” (I Peter 1:4)  We so easily get our eyes on temporary things, concerned with the cares of this life, we fail to focus on those things that really matter.  We need to have our eyes on eternity.  That is where our real future lies.

An eternal focus helps to quench fear.  When our eyes are on eternity - focused on the things that really matter - the concerns of this life grow dimmer.  When our gaze is enraptured by the presence and glory of Jesus, fear becomes less and less.
Psalm 27:1,3 says,

“The Lord is my light and my salvation –
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life –
of whom shall I be afraid?...
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.”

The light of God dispels the darkness.  As we clothe ourselves in the armor of light (Romans 13:12), putting on the breastplate of His righteousness (Eph. 6:14), our hearts cease to become the dwelling place of fear.
JG - All Scriptures NIV

Monday, January 17, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

Reason #5 – God’s Promise Gives Us Peace

“By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
II Peter 3:7, NIV

There is a lot of talk these days about the future of our planet.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe we should take care of our planet.  In the beginning God commanded us to cultivate, subdue and have dominion over the earth.  I try to recycle, when I can.  I’ve littered very few times in my life.  I have a box next my desk at work where I discard paper for recycling, instead of placing it in the trash can.  I most definitely could do more.  I try to have a balanced perspective regarding my responsibility in being a good steward of the earth God gave us.

That said, though I believe we should definitely make efforts to clean up our world, our air, our water, etc. I also realize that this earth is NOT going to last forever.  This earth, despite what others might think, is not our forever home.  The Bible clearly reveals that our earth will be destroyed by fire and God will make a new heaven and a new earth.  II Peter 3 says, “…the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up… Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (vs. 10, 13, NKJV)

For those of us who are in Christ, we do not have to fear the day of God’s wrath.  Our security is in Christ.  We do not have to live in fear regarding the future of our planet.  God gave the whole human race a simple promise long ago, after He destroyed the earth with a flood.  He said,

“As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night,
will never cease.”
(Genesis 8:22, NIV)

This tells me that no matter how bad things get on this earth; farmers will continue to harvest their crops, summer and winter will endure, and the sun will rise every morning.  Dreadful times will come upon the earth.  But when they do, we know the end of this earth is near, and the consummation of our blessed hope in Christ is very near.

Several years ago I had a dream.  In my dream I was walking around my hometown in Michigan.  There was a feeling in the air of coming tragedy.  Everyone knew that a great earthquake was coming.  People were fearful, running to and fro, battening down the hatches, preparing for this great earthquake.  But I had such peace.  I had no fear or dread, just perfect peace.  As I walked into my house people were frantic, but there was a small child there and I looked down at him and began to tell him about Jesus.  As I told him about Jesus he began to cry.  Right there I led him to the Lord.

I believe that this is a picture of the body of Christ in the time in which we are living.  While the world is in terror, we will have peace.  And because of that peace people will be drawn to us and we will tell them about Jesus, the author of peace.  Like a fireplace on a dark, cold night, people will be drawn to our light, a safe place in the storm.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

Reason #4 – God is Just

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Psalm 37:7

On the surface, at least, it can seem as if life is not fair and God is not just.  We have to trust that God will ultimately bring justice to our lives.  What is not brought to justice in this life will be brought to justice in the next life.  At the throne of heaven, I believe, every wrong will be made right.

Right now it may seem like evil is having its day and wicked people are prevailing.  We know that in the last days perilous times will come (see II Timothy 3:1-9)  As we near Christ’s return our world will become more and more lawless and wicked (Matthew 24:12).  We need strength to endure, knowing that this is not our true home.  Our true home is heaven, when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, and the New Jerusalem comes down from the sky.

In that place evil will not exist.  Injustice will be no more.  The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters (Revelation 21:8) and all those who practice a lie (Rev. 22:15) will have no part in that place.

Psalm 37 reminds us the ultimate destination of the wicked.  They will be “cut off” (vs. 9); they will “be no more” (vs. 10); “but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land” (vs. 9), and “enjoy great peace.” (vs. 11)  At times God seems far off and that evil is having its day.  Evil men are succeeding in their ways.  But, as we calmly trust the Lord we will see God work on our behalf, in this life, yes, and ultimately in the life to come where we will “shine like the sun in the kingdom of [our] Father.” (Matthew 13:43)

JG
All Scripture quotations are NIV

Saturday, January 15, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

Reason #3 -God Will Take Care of You

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:23

You can tell someone you care about them all day long.  Certainly those words have value and meaning.  But, if you say you care and never show it, words start to mean little.  Likewise, with God, He doesn’t just say in His word that He cares about us.  He shows it to us in real ways.  He gets involved in our lives in meaningful, personal ways.

Sometimes the way God shows He cares can seem strange.  Often He stretches our faith beyond what we think we can endure.  He doesn’t show up based on our timetable, but according to His perfect plan.

Think about the Israelites.  For about 400 years they struggled under the heavy yoke of slavery in Egypt.  Yet, in a particularly moving portion of Scripture, God appears to Moses from the burning bush.  He sends Moses as a voice of deliverance and releases His chosen people from their bondage, “with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” (Exodus 6:6)  He was faithful to His promises.

There is a secret to our difficult times.  I believe it is a steadfast belief in the faithfulness of God.  I’d like to say I’m a stellar example of a person who completely trusts in God, regardless of what is going on around me.  Often I am not.  But, I can say this:  When I praise and thank God for His faithfulness, even in the midst of situations where He does not feel faithful, I feel much better.  I’m able to face the trials with a much better disposition.  My inner man is encouraged, built up by God’s Holy Spirit.

In Luke 12:22 & 30 Jesus said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on…your Father knows that you need these things.”  God knows each and every one of our needs and desires.  He is faithful to meet all our needs, and He gives good gifts to those who ask, in His perfect time (see Matthew 7:11).

Last year, 2010, was a difficult year in many ways.  I have many desires for this life and my walk with God that remain unfulfilled.  It’s easy to become so focused on my lack of fulfillment that I forget how much God has blessed me.  I have a good, steady job, with the same company for the last ten years.  I haven’t missed a meal.  I have a wonderful, caring church family.  I have good friends.  My sister Jenny got married last year.  The Packers are in the playoffs!  And, God blessed me with a real nice car.

I no longer drive a 1997 Saturn SL2.  It was definitely showing its age and had over 190,000 miles on it.  My good pastor sold me his luxury automobile, a 2002 Acura TL.  Even though it has high miles, it’s in great condition.  He sold it to me for a good price.  It was a nice gift from God and I’ve enjoyed riding around in luxury for almost a year now.  It was a gift God didn’t have to give me, but He chose to bless me.  Thank God for reminders of His care and His faithfulness.    

JG
All Scriptures are NKJV

Friday, January 14, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

Reason #2 - God Cares

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
I Peter 5:7

Think about all the things going on in the world.  Is there cause for alarm?  Is there a basis for consternation?  Is there a reason to be knotted up in a ball of anxious thoughts and feelings?  Certainly, there is!  However, sometimes it is not the big things that cause us distress.  Sometimes it is the simple, daily things.  Often we fear things that are not even real.  We become fearful at the possibility of bad things.

If we let our minds go unrestrained, we are capable of dreaming up a multitude of scenarios that cause us to be fearful.  Sometimes I fear that God will forget about me.  God has given me some wonderful promises.  But I’ve gone through a season where I’ve felt like Joseph in the prison.  I have great dreams from God, but here I am, stuck in this prison.  Will God remember me?  Will He fulfill all He has promised?

In I Timothy 6:12 the Apostle Paul charges his spiritual son to, “Fight the good fight of faith.”  Our struggle with fear is a fight.  Fear can be a spirit.  Overcoming this spirit requires active resistance.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (II Timothy 1:7, NKJV)  One of the greatest weapons against fear is God’s Word.

There is power in declaration.  It might help to have a book of promises from the Bible.  I have one that my pastor’s wife put together, with Scriptures in it organized based on life’s various situations.  A handful of times in the past I have held it in my hand, paced around the room, boldly declaring God’s promises for my life.  At other times I just declare praises or Scriptures from my heart.  I can feel my spirit being encouraged by the presence of the Lord.

Our thoughts can be shaky from day to day and our emotions can be up and down.  But God’s Word is a sure foundation that never changes.  Just as God is the same yesterday, today and forever, His Word never changes.

All of this comes down to one thing:  God cares.  He did not stop caring just because things got tough.  He didn’t stop caring the day terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9/11.  He didn’t stop caring because we’ve come upon difficult economic times.  He didn’t stop caring because you made a mistake last year.  Through all time, through every season of our lives, in every moment, every second, God cares.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)      

Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  This tells me that no matter what is going on around us God still cares about the things that matter to us.  When we delight ourselves in Him, He is still faithful to do what He has promised.

God’s promises do not change just because times are hard.  You might think God is too busy with all that is happening in the Middle East to care about your broken down car, how you’ll pay your bills, or where you’ll go to college.  Yet, we are still His children.  God has promised to take care of our basic needs (Matthew 6:25-34) and even says He will “give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

Reason #1 - God is in Control

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Clearly, there are many evil things that happen in our world that God is not the author of.  Bad things happen to good people.  We have a real enemy who hates us and seeks to bring destruction into our lives.  Nonetheless, God sees the beginning from the end of our lives and our world.

God has a plan.  It is a good plan.  “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Even in the midst of heartache, suffering, disappointment, and tragedy, God is at work.  He is working out His good plan.  When we trust Him with our lives, He promises to guide and direct our steps.  He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us; plans to give us a future and a hope (see Jeremiah 29:11).

Even our failures and weaknesses are factored into God’s sovereign plan for our lives.  In fact, I believe that in some way all of that we view as the negative things of life are factored into God’s plan.  But, the Scripture says, none of these things separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39).  We may not always understand them, we may question them, and we may even become frustrated with them.  Still, God’s plan prevails as long as we are committed to following Him.

We can trust that God’s plan is ultimately good and for our good.  In that sense, God is in control.  He will work out all things for our good, even the things that are not so good.  And, in the end, we win!  Even if things are bad now, we can rest knowing God will ultimately bring justice to our lives and His universe.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

10 Reasons You Should Not Fear

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you… Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

We live in a time of fear, worry and anxiety. If we’re not careful, our lives can be dominated by a sense of dread regarding the future and world events. We can also live in daily fear, worrying about every little thing - our own personal difficulties, finances, or just our simple, everyday needs. Thankfully, God has made a way for us to live without fear.

In John 14:27 Jesus says we can have peace and tells us not to be afraid. Clearly, if Jesus tells us not to be afraid, there must be many good reasons not to fear. It must be possible!

As we focus on God’s promises, and less on the world around us, I believe our hearts can be established in peace. The kind of peace God gives is not the absence of storms, but peace in the midst of storms. Storms will always come. But we do not have to be shaken. We can be at peace. We can have victory over fear.

The next ten blog posts present ten reasons from God’s word we do not have to live in fear.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

From the Foundation of the World

“…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Revelation 13:8 (NKJV)

Redemption is at the very heart of God.  Before the foundation of the world, the Scripture says, Jesus was slain for our sins.  Think about that.  Before God said, “Let there be light,” before He placed the stars in the sky or caused dry land to appear, a Lamb was slain.   Before man ever made the choice to sin – there was a Lamb, slain.

I Peter 1:18-20 says,

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.  He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you…” (NKJV)

This is one of the great marvels of the Bible.  It also says something about God.  More than justice or truth, holiness or righteousness, God longs for redemption.  He delights in rescue.  He specializes in redeeming the broken pieces of our lives and transforming them into something beautiful.

What does this mean for you and me?  It means that no matter what mess we may have put ourselves in, we are not beyond the redemptive reach of God.  Before you made even the tiniest mistake, the smallest blunder, or committed a deliberate sinful act, a Lamb was slain for you.  It means that your greatest failure does not separate you from God’s love.

Before the foundation of the earth was laid, God loved you and forgave you.  Whatever sin you have committed, or will commit, it has already been forgiven.  The price for your sins has already been paid.
We have all strayed from Father God’s presence.  We have wandered away from him and fallen into sin.  Somewhere along the way we remembered our Father.  We turned back to see the look of disappointment on His face.  Then we returned to Him, with regret and remorse and tears of repentance.  In light of our sins, rejection from Him seemed reasonable.  But when we returned to His house we were not greeted by a stern gaze of condemnation.  We found a place had been set for us at His table.  He greeted us with words of love.  He says, “My child, this table has been waiting for you.  It was prepared from the foundation of the world.”

Sunday, January 9, 2011

The Greatest Joy:

Since I coach two sports I am not typically home until mid evening most nights, late evening to late night the other nights when there’s a game. Being that we’re right in the heart of our season now, it seems like every other night I am not home until way past bedtime. On those nights the only time I literally get to see my baby girl Joy is when she wakes up in the middle of the night crying for food or to be changed.
Even when I get home “early” there is less than an hour until bedtime for her. In that time we sometimes give her a bath if we’re lucky, she eats, poops, gets changed and goes to sleep. The point is; I simply just don’t get enough time with her. Teaching in a public school I get to see kids laugh and cry all the time, but unfortunately with Joy I mostly just get to see her cry- despite being a very happy baby.  
I was sitting on the couch today holding my baby Joy, which is something I don’t get to do nearly enough as made evident by my ramblings already. Today however I got to just sit with her, hold her, and enjoy my time with her. While sitting there I was making my baby faces and oohing and aahing as most people do with a baby. It made her smile, which in turn made me smile.
I went to reposition her when my left hand moved against her rib cage and she let out this loud giggle. I looked and she had this big smile on her face. Once I had her held steady, I moved my fingers across her rib cage again and she started giggling again. I found out by accident she was ticklish, but boy did I enjoy it.
The next 30 minutes I just sat there with her, tickling her while she giggled and laughed hysterically. It actually was contagious. I began laughing as well. I kept tickling her and she kept laughing and giggling more and more, and so I kept laughing and giggling more and more. This trend continued until my sides literally hurt. My wife even came in to check up on us and began laughing as well. I looked at her and said that of all the sounds in the world, hearing Joy laugh was my absolute favorite. This is only the 3rd time I’ve heard her laugh and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the things of life we forget to laugh and truly experience joy.  In my life, I sometimes work so much that I just don’t have time for Joy. My wife and I decided that was best so she could be a stay at home mom. When I get home at 11pm and leave by 6:30 the next morning, I don’t want to wake her and my moments are short and to the point, if I even wake up in the middle of the night.
How many times do we get so caught up in life, work, relationships, worries, fears, religion or any number of other things that we forget to just simply take time out for God and enjoy His presence. I know it’s easy to get busy but is it worth not spending time with God? Is it worth missing out on the joy in life the God wants you to experience?
Often times my hardest days are following a late game- not because I didn’t sleep but because I didn’t get to spend time the day before with my wife and baby girl, talking and communicating with them. If we don’t spend time with God, aren’t our days like that also? It’s not so much the day we don’t get to spend with Him that is hard, but often times the next day we feel sluggish or things just seem to go wrong. So I leave you with this: have you laughed with God today? Will you sit down and enjoy His presence? His company? If you truly take time for Him today, I can assure your tomorrow will be brighter and filled with more Joy.


He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Job 8 :21
JM

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Determination From Mockery


The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. Psalm 199:51

This past Tuesday my husband’s girl’s basketball team played a team that they were predicted to be able to beat.  Our team played very hard the entire night and was able to stay ahead in points, an average of 4 points the entire game.  However, in the 4th quarter the other team started to close in and bring the point system to an even closer range.  With 17 seconds left in the last quarter our team was ahead by 1 point.  The girls knew they had to push hard and play tough defense so that the other team didn’t score a basket in the few remaining seconds.
My husband called a time out to draw up a last play for the team.  After the time out, his player who had the ball was instructed it to inbound it to her team mate, who was supposed to drive to the basket for a layup.  The 2 girls did exactly that.  The first girl passed the ball to her teammate, who was wide open, who sprinted towards the basket and made a very athletic layup.  After this happened, instead of the crowd cheering, the entire gym grew silent.  She shot at the wrong basket!
Our team ended up losing by 1 point – because the girl made a basket for the other team…
The next day in school this girl was teased, ridiculed, and mocked.
As followers of Christ, often times Christians are teased, ridiculed, and mocked as well.  Psalms 119 portrays an example of this, “The arrogant mock me unmercifully…”
During that basketball game there were still 12 seconds to go in the 4th quarter after the girl shot and made the wrong basket.  She felt bad; she made a mistake; she had tears in her eyes.  What did she do?  She decided to stick in the game and play even harder, hoping to make up for her mistake and possibly taking another chance to maybe win the game.  The next basketball game she played her heart out, regardless of the teasing and mocking eyes who were watching her from the crowd.
The last part of the sentence of Psalms 119: 51 – “The arrogant mock me unmercifully, BUT I DO NOT TURN FROM YOUR LAW.”
Again, as Christians sometimes we are mocked.  We make mistakes at times no matter how hard we try to do right as a follower of Christ.  What should we do when we are mocked and teased, what should we do when we make a mistake and want to run and hide?  Do as this basketball player did, play your heart out.  Come back even stronger. 

EM

Friday, January 7, 2011

When God Speaks

Several years ago a good friend and I went backpacking to Montreal Falls in the Upper Peninsula.  Montreal Falls is in a remote location, close to the northernmost point in Michigan.  The falls descends, through a series of drops, directly into the vast expanse of Lake Superior, creating a beautiful waterfall at the mouth of the river.  We set up our tent several feet from the falls.  That night we fell asleep to the sound of rushing water.  I don’t think there’s a more soothing, beautiful sound than a running stream or a rushing river. 

If my memory serves me correctly, we finished the night praying in our tent.  I was in the tent praying to God, and my friend fell asleep.  There I was, possibly the only awake person for miles around me, talking to God, a sleeping friend next to me, a rushing river not far from me, and outside it was very dark. 

In the book of Revelation the voice of Jesus is described as being “like the sound of rushing waters.” (Rev. 1:15)  Normally we think of God’s voice as a gentle whisper.  That is an accurate way of thinking.  Most of the time God’s voice is quiet, soft, and gentle.  I don’t know many people who have heard God speak to them audibly or loudly.      

But God does not always speak quietly.  Sometimes, when He has something real important to say, His voice thunders.  Words roll off his tongue, from His heart, like a torrent of rushing water.  Perhaps He speaks loudly cause He wants to make sure we don’t miss it. 

Psalm 29:3-4 says, “The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.  The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”  (Psalm 29:3-4)  There is a power behind God’s voice that affects great change in our lives.  Like the voice of a parent, sometimes He has to shout at us to get our attention, to turn us back to the right direction. 
Today, God might seem distant.  He might seem quiet.  It may feel like He doesn’t hear, like He is not speaking.  There are times, seasons in our lives, where God is silent.  But He will not be silent forever.  He will speak.  And when He speaks, though it may be soothing, like the sound of a gentle whisper, it will be backed by the very power of heaven.


JG

Thursday, January 6, 2011

A Happy Place

Verse of the Day:  “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” –Revelation 21:2-3

the sad longings of eternity roll on like the waves of the ocean that roar
I can hear their groaning
from without and within
I hear the longings of ancient days
in the beginning when there was nothing
heaven was a happy place
a joyful God with a happy face
creating things from the bounty of His pleasure
the sadness I feel today is felt in heaven
not condemned but redeemed
for there will be no night there
no darkness, no sorrow, no sighing, no pain
no sad faces there
no frowns on the faces of angels
for heaven is a joyful place
even in the midst of my questionings
I can feel heaven itself like a river
bubbling and flowing inside of me
eternal river, eternal stream
I can feel you, and it brings a smile to my face
hope, in the midst of my aching and longing
no more fighting, struggling, laboring
in this land of the curse
but living, breathing, loving, in the City of the King
I can see it, like a blanket which unfolds
heaven is unveiled, and coming towards earth
a bridegroom to be united with his bride
the consummation of the ages
city of Jerusalem, you make all things new
you fill the earth, a happy place
sadness no longer crosses a weary face
only the laughter, the song of the redeemed
the laughter of eternity rolls on and on like the river which flows from the throne of God


JG

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Joy of Heaven


Verse of the Day:  “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” -Revelation 21:4


When I think of heaven, I think of a happy place.  In heaven there will be no sadness.  God promises to have wiped away every tear from our eyes.  No more death, no more sorrow, no more pain.  No mundane existence, drudgery, sickness, or weariness.  Gone will be days of loneliness and frustration.  Where there may have been struggle there will be a heart and mind at peace.   

In heaven, every day we will awaken to joy.   

The thought of heaven is wonderful to me.  Because as much as I want to be joyful, many days I am not.  As much as I thirst for happiness, sometimes I feel sorrowful.  Though I long to be free, often I feel weighed down.  I am weighed down by the cares of life, decisions I struggle to make, the longing of unfulfilled dreams and desires…and other things.

Despite my struggles, I have tasted enough of God’s presence to know that heaven is a place of pure and incredible joy.  In His presence is “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)  Of course, this joy is not just reserved for us in heaven.  We can live in it now! 

Nonetheless, especially on bad days, it helps to look up and remind ourselves of what heaven will be like.  Heaven will be absent the things that cause us to lose our joy here on earth.  The things in this life that threaten to weigh us down will have been completely whisked away by the glorious presence of God.

JG


Tuesday, January 4, 2011

PATIENCE AND PRAYERS

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 9: 11-13

What do you collect?  Not everyone, but most people collect some sort of item.  For example, my husband collects turtle figurines, and my mother-in-law collects snowmen – each have well over one hundred because family members purchase them as gifts.  The items that I collect are a bit different, as you can’t purchase them in a store.  I collect rocks with intended holes in them.
Growing up on Lake Superior, I always found myself feeling the closest to God while walking by myself up and down the shorelines.  During these times, I would pray long and hard, feeling His presence and talking with Him.  One day in particular I was praying and I don’t exactly remember what I was praying about but I remember I wanted to hear from God, have that special “hug” from Him, and know He was there with me.  I walked until I found what I felt was a “special” area of shoreline, sat down upon the multitudes of rocks and sand granules, shut my eyes, and prayed – feeling the wind upon my face, the sun’s heat warming my body, and listening to the waves.  After many minutes I opened my eyes, brushed the sand off my butt as I slowly stood up, and went to gather my personal items that I brought with me.
As I reached down for my bag, I noticed within a foot from where I sat, there were exactly 7 rocks, all a deep bluish/gray color – and all had a small thumb print size indentation in them.  To me, that was God telling me that He was there with me – that was Him speaking to me.
I scooped up the rocks, saving them and placing them on my bedroom window sill when I went home.  I have been on many “prayer walks” along the shoreline since, and in many cases after praying I would look down in the sand and there would be another similar rock.  Do I feel these incidences are coincidental? No, to me it is God’s way of telling me that he loves me and is there with me.
What do I hope you take from this story?
 I hope that you are encouraged to pray and talk with God.  You can always talk with him, whether you are in your “special” place or not.
I hope that you are patient enough to listen to God’s voice.  God is always listening to you and will at times speak to you whether it me a voice you hear or through another communication method between you and Him.  Are my rocks very easy to find? No, it seems I am only given one of these rocks when I am patient and willing to listen for God.
In Jeremiah it says that God always listens to you when you pray and that if you seek Him you will find Him.  So I encourage you to pray and be patient enough to hear from Him too.
EM

Monday, January 3, 2011

He Directs Your Steps


Verse of the Day: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.”
-Proverbs 16:9


Proverbs 16:9 has been one of my favorite Scriptures for a while. It reminds me that even though I make plans for my life, ultimately God is the one who directs my steps. It gives me confidence that He is weaving His perfect plan through the events and circumstances of my life.

Often God’s direction for our lives is not as clear as we’d like it to be. There have been times of incredible clarity in my life, when God led me in specific ways. I launched out into the deep, following God on an incredible adventure. At other times, I have felt like I’m groping in the dark trying to find my way and it just doesn’t seem like God is speaking to me.

I lean back on this promise from Proverbs 16:9. God is directing my steps even when I am not aware of it. Though I cannot see it, His invisible hand is guiding me. He is leading me into His perfect plan and will.

As Christians, we have the internal compass of the Holy Spirit guiding us through this life. The world is full of struggles, setbacks, disappointments, and hardships. The Holy Spirit helps us find our way through the pitfalls of life. He helps us navigate the difficulties of life and come out victorious.

God’s plan for us is much greater than mere survival. When we set our hearts to seek Him, He gives our life meaning and purpose that we would never experience without Him.

God has a specific plan and purpose for each one of us. He has a specific place for us, a place where our talents and abilities bear fruit for His glory. A place of service where our lives become a blessing to others.

It is not God’s plan for His children to feel like they are wandering about in the darkness without direction for their lives. I pray that this year will be a year of greater clarity for you. I pray you will hear God’s clear voice and sense Him directing your steps.

JG

Saturday, January 1, 2011

For January 2, 2011

The Greatest Vision

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.”
Philippians 3:8

Having a life vision is important.  What do you want your life to look like?  What kind of person do you want to be?  Is there something you believe God has called you to do?  Is there a desire from God that burns deeply in your spirit? 

I want my life to count for eternity.  I don’t want to waste my time pursuing things that really do not matter.  Yet, sometimes I lose sight of God’s vision for my life.  I get discouraged, side-tracked, lured away by frivolous and unimportant things. 

The New Year provides a good opportunity to look back at what we’ve been through and look forward to where we want to be.

Today I was organizing a large bin of notebooks.  The notebooks contain many things I have written, such as journaling, poetry, Bible study notes, etc.  I scanned through many of them to find the dates of the period in my life the notebook covered.  For each notebook not already marked I took a black Sharpie permanent marker and marked the dates on the front.  I had notebooks that went as far back as 1997, the year I graduated from high school. 

I like to look back at things I’ve written in the past from time to time.  Scanning through my notebooks, journals and writings reminds me of my hopes, dreams and desires.  I remember places I’ve been, encounters I’ve had with God, and trials He’s graced me to endure.  Occasionally I come across something God spoke to me that I had not remembered. 

In a way, looking at these notebooks helps orient me, like a compass.  Remembering what I have been through helps me remember where I am going.  It adds value and meaning to my life.  More than anything, I think, I am reminded of the rich heritage I’ve been given in the Lord.  I realize that the meaning of my life is not so much defined by the things I have done or been through, but the relationship I have with Christ.  Through it all the deep desire for a real relationship with God permeates everything. 

Above all things, at the forefront of God’s vision for our lives, is a desire for relationship.  He initiates relationship with us.  We respond to His call by running after Him, seeking Him with all of our hearts. 

For many of us, all too often what we DO defines us.  This year, perhaps, what ought to define us the most is who we belong to – God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Our vision for life ought to be wrapped up in the relationship we have with Him.  The greatest vision is that of knowing Him.

JG
NEW BEGINNINGS

Verse of the Day:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trial of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2)

Looking back at last year I could easily argue that 2010 was filled with disappointment, hardships, and failures. Early in the year my wife was hospitalized from dehydration- definitely a trying thing to go through. While there she was given a medication to help with her sickness which she had an allergic reaction to. For the sake of details and sanity, it’s a scary thing to see someone have a medicine injected into their veins and then find out they're allergic to it. All this hardship we found out was from her pregnancy and on July 20th, this hardship turned into a huge blessing when our baby girl was born!
A few months later I found out that I was losing my job and would not be hired back the following school year. With school loans and a wife to take care of and knowing there’s a child on the way, there was night after night I would lie awake wondering how I would take care of them, provide for them. I sent out resume upon resume and applications all over and nothing came through. I had to have been rejected well over 200 times, each time losing a little more hope that I would be able to provide for my family. My wife also sent out numerous applications and nothing.
Interviews came and interviews went and we expanded our searches to states we definitely didn’t want to move to, but where jobs were somewhat available. I had an unofficial offer on the table in a place that would take 25 hours to drive to (without a baby!). While we didn’t want to move there per se, it was the only option we had at this point. I had one interview close to home that we were really hoping for but knew it was an extreme long shot- very extreme. I had told my wife that if I hadn’t heard from this place by the end of the current week, I was going to have to go the following weekend and accept the other position 25 hours away.
The week came and went I didn’t hear. It was Friday evening so I began planning my road trip when the phone rang and I was offered the job close to home! Through hundreds upon hundreds of applications, resumes, and many interviews and rejections- God provided me with the job I wanted! A job my wife and I and our soon to be daughter could be close to family.
Two days later my wife and I were visiting her family when she started getting intensely sharp back pains. We were sure it was labor, but as it turns out it wasn’t. It was the beginning of a problem she eventually would need surgery for; to have her gall bladder removed. She would go a few months and the pains would get worse. Luckily one day her father, who is a paramedic, was around when she was having these pains. He told her doctor the next day to check her gall bladder and sure enough- a problem fixed.
Before that however, we’d been to the E.R. multiple times, seen 4 different doctors and none of them could figure it out. She’d have sharp pains that would cripple her and then they’d disappear as if nothing happened. Through all this, she was still able to deliver a very healthy baby, have her surgery, and is now back on her feet and full of life.
These are just a few of the hardships and trials I had to face during the 2010 year, yet each time God brought us through. He was faithful through it all. As I look back on 2010, I could easily say it was a hard year, but when I really think about it, it was a year filled with blessings! A lay off from one job provided a job close to home and family. My wife in the hospital proved to be nothing more than a baby growing in her womb! When no doctor or trip to the E.R. could find what was wrong with my wife, it was a chance visit with her dad that brought to light what was wrong with her- God provided that visit. So despite these hardships, each one was followed with a much greater blessing.
As you prepare yourself for 2011, know that you will suffer, that you will endure hardships, but also know that God is faithful and will bless you more than you can imagine. I look back at 2010 and am reminded of when James said to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trial of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2) When you persevere and put your trust in God, He will reward you and bless you. As you jump into 2011, fight your trials head on and trust in Him who will reward your perseverance. Happy New Year- may it be filled with hardships, and, blessings!

JM