The Light That Never Fades

I had a strange experience driving home from work one day last week. It was after seven and the sun was setting. At first it seemed like I wouldn't need my shades, but as I turned westward, the sun burst upon me with a blinding glare. I hastily put my shades on, but then the  road became dark while the glare of the sun was still in my face.

Afterwards when I thought about that experience several passages of scripture came to my mind.

For now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known .1 Corinthians 13: 12.


Through my shades, everything around me seemed dark, even though the brightness of the sun was never diminished. Could it be that we are "seeing through a glass darkly," so that we miss the brilliance of the Son shining down on us? 

We live in a world that seems to be getting darker and darker, and the more we look at it the darker it seems, but if we turn our eyes away from the things of the world we would find that the light of Jesus shines as brightly as ever. 
 
Sin is on the increase. We call wrong right and right wrong, and Christians are fast becoming an endangered species. But let's not be discouraged, His light still shines. 

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. Exodus 34: 29

 Moses had to cover his face in order to speak to the people. But when he went in to speak with the Lord, he removed the veil. 

We need to remove our veil, our shades - everything that prevents us from seeing clearly - and get into the presence of the Lord. Let His glory shine down on us and then we can face the darkness of this world we live in. God bless.

If you love reading novels, here's my recommended reading for this week, and some music to cheer your heart.

National Senior Citizens Day

If we look at some online calendars, we will see some special days mentioned other than the regular holidays that we are familiar with. I happened to stumble across this one while looking at one of these calendars, and I'm glad I did, for we live in a society where the elderly are not always shown the appreciation and given the care they deserve. We owe a lot to our elderly. Their wrinkles, gray hairs, work-worn hands and frail bodies reflect years of loving, caring and all the hard work they put in to build the solid foundation that we take for granted today.

Look at your own family history and you will recall stories of heroism and courage your ancestors displayed. Take time today to go through your keepsake boxes and family albums with pictures of your parents, grandparents and maybe great-grandparents. Then go a step further -- call or visit at least one of them. Depending on their health status, they may not recognize you, but that's okay. Just your words, your smile, the touch of your hand will bring comfort to that person, and God will bless you for doing it because He cares for the elderly.

He says, "And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made , and I will bear ; even I will carry , and will deliver you" (Isaiah 46: 4).   

The psalmist prayed, "Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth" (Psalm 71: 9) . 

In the Bible, not only did care for the elderly, but He used them to carry out His work. Noah was six hundred years when God called him to build the ark. Abraham was a hundred years old when his wife Sarah, ninety, gave birth to their son Isaac. You can read about them here. Anna, an elderly widow, and Simeon waited in the temple until they had seen the baby Messiah and pronounced a blessing on Him. And more can be said of Moses and Caleb and Israel and others. 

So today,  let us show appreciation to our senior citizens. Let us drink from their fountain of wisdom, let us treat them with gentleness and kindness and not abuse them or cast them aside, but cherish them as your Heavenly Father does.

When Others Try To Discourage You

Do you sometimes feel discouraged? Do you feel that no matter what you do it may never be enough? That

your spouse, children, boss, co-workers, friends will never be satisfied? They will always look for ways to belittle you or put you down? As a writer, I often feel discouraged when I query an agent or editor, after putting forward my best effort, and never receive an acknowledgement. Or when I do, it's followed by a "No, thank you." No matter how many times it happens, rejection still stings.

I imagine that must have been the way Moses felt when the people of Israel grumbled at him in the wilderness. They had been under tremendous oppression from Pharaoh for four hundred years and had been crying out to God for deliverance. But when He finally delivered them through the hands of Moses, the Israelites sought every opportunity to complain. It began when they neared the Red Sea and saw Pharaoh and his army pursuing them.

 "Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14: 11-12).

But God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites were able to cross over on dry land. Then when they had all crossed over, God sent a wind to blow the sea back and cover up the Egyptians. The Bible says, "And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses" (15: 31). 

However, the people soon returned to complaining and disobeying God, and their journey lasted forty years instead of days. http://www.bibleabookoftruth.com/whythelordledtheisraelitesthroughthewilderness.pdf
Moses tried his best to be a good leader, but no matter what he did, the people were never satisfied. On one occasion, he became so angry he struck the rock when the people complained they had no water to drink. But despite his discouragement, Moses continued to do what God had called him to do. He served the people, and God, well.

We can all learn from Moses' example. He did not get to enter the promised land, but God took him up into the mountain and showed it to him. Then Moses died and God buried him there. What an honor! We are told that  "Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated" ( Deuteronomy 34: 7).

Whatever may be causing you discouragement, remember this: your success does not depend on anyone but yourself and God. Keep on serving and honoring God and He will honor you.

Do You Have A friend?

The focus of social media is getting us to establish as many friendships or connections as possible. The founders of Facebook and other social media platforms have capitalized on something the rest of us took for granted, so if you are not on Facebook, you are part of a rare minority. We all need someone to communicate with, to share our joys and sorrows with, and sometimes to vent our frustrations on.

The Bible gives us some examples of true friendships: David and Jonathan, Abraham and God, Moses and God, Ruth and Naomi, Jesus and His disciples, Paul and his disciples, and many others. God knows the value of true friendship. He has placed something in us that helps us spot a kindred spirit in unfamiliar surroundings, and if conditions are right, friendship ensues.

But sadly, in my job, I come across many people who tell me they have no friends. This always saddens me, because I can't begin to imagine my life without my friends. And I don't mean Facebook friends, although I love them as well. But there is Someone who will gladly be your Friend, if you will let Him. His name is Jesus. He is a friend of  sinners (Matthew 11: 19); one that sticketh closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24); He is the One who laid down His life for His friends (John 15: 13) and the One who promises never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Do you have a friend like that? I said earlier I can't imagine my life without my friends, but none of them carry the attributes listed above. They won't be with me forever and they certainly can't die in my place. So today, whether you have tons of friends or not even one, won't you make Jesus your friend?
Just pray this prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe you died on the cross to save me from my sins. Come into my life and be my Lord, Savior and Friend. Amen.

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Let It Go

4th generation Nissan Maxima (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1973 Nissan Motor Company (Int'l) (Photo credit: IFHP97)

This weekend I finally bit the bullet, to use a cliche, and bought a car. My old Nissan had been showing signs of old age, and was really begging to be laid to rest. But our relationship spanned thirteen years and three states. She'd never let me down, until recently when I had to take her to the doctor more often than I was comfortable with. As soon as I fixed one thing, something else would go bad. Then last week when she had a convulsion and came to a sudden stop in the middle of afternoon traffic, I finally took notice of  what she'd been trying to tell me.

So on Saturday, I said an almost tearful farewell to my faithful friend. I hope she finds a good home. Have you ever had to say goodbye to something or someone? Or maybe you are holding on, afraid to let go, because he, she or it has become so familiar, so comfortable?


Many times we hold on to people or things that are draining us of our energy and resources and are keeping us from being or having what God has in store for us. What are you holding on to? Friends who are taking you on a downward path? Sinful, destructive habits that put a rift between you and God? A relationship that is not right in God's eyes? Or one that has become so toxic that you are afraid of what might happen if you did let go?

Like I did with my old car, you might be saying, it's not that bad, it satisfies my needs, I don't think I can live without it. I'll hold on a little longer. And the more you say this, the more you deprive yourself of the joy that comes from letting go and letting God take control of your life. 

The enemy feeds you those lies to keep you in bondage. Remember the children of Israel? They had been in bondage for four hundred years and had cried out to the Lord, but when He sent Moses to deliver them, they didn't want to leave. Even after they left, they still murmured and wished they were back in Egypt.  They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?" (Exodus 14: 11).

Paul said, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3: 13 - 14). 

It's time to let go. From my experience with my old car, I know it's not easy.  But you know what you need to let go of. Why not ask God to help you put those things behind you  and press on to the goal He has for you? He will.

A Month Of Thankfulness - God's Grace

The book of Numbers gets its name from the numbering or counting of the children of Israel during their wandering in the desert.  During this process, God instructed Moses in the counting of the people and assigning them their specific duties.

Numbers is an amazing book, but to my mind, the book of Numbers can also be taken to show the number of times the people of Israel murmured against God. And even though they provoked Him to wrath, yet He saved some of them and continued to give them victory over their enemies. 

When I think of the number of times I murmur and complain over insignificant things: it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, it's not raining. I am amazed that God still puts up with me. 

 Why? Because He is a God of love, a God of forgiveness. Each time the people rebelled and God threatened to wipe them out, Moses, their leader, interceded for them and God spared them. Today, I too have an intercessor. His name is Jesus Christ. "And if any man sin , we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2: 1 -2).

So this week my thankfulness is for God's grace. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life" (John 3 : 16).

Does that mean I can murmur and complain as much as I please? No. Rather, when I am thankful for His love and His grace, I will cease to complain because I know that He loves me, and just as He took care of His children in the wilderness, provided for them, guided them and gave them victory over their enemies, He is doing the same for me. 

Accept the gift of His grace today, and be thankful.  

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Stand Still

Have you ever noticed a bird standing still? I have the good fortune to live in a lakefront community where I can watch the birds as they skim over the water, perch on trees or rest on the bank. It is a very calming and restful sight. One of the things I always wonder about birds is why do they stand still at times. As I write this, there's a group of four white ibis standing still on the lawn just outside my apartment. What are they doing? Are they thinking? Contemplating their next move? Or just enjoying the view?

Birds are very intelligent creatures. They know how to forage for food, where to find the perfect living conditions and how to protect themselves and their young from predators. Man is also very intelligent, but sometimes I wonder if that intelligence isn't undermined by our constant busyness. When was the last time you stood (or sat) still without doing anything? And I don't mean while you are sleeping. In Exodus 13: 14 Moses commands the Israelites, "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."

There are other places in the Bible where people were commanded to stand still so they could hear from God. Elijah had that experience after Jezebel threatened to kill him because he had slain the prophets of  Baal. Elijah became afraid and fled to a cave. Elijah, great man of God who had performed so many miracles, wanted to die because of fear. The Lord appeared to him and told him to stand on the mountain before the Lord. Now see what happens.

"And, behold, the LORD passed by , and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice" (1 Kings 19: 11 -  12). 

There's a lesson here for us. God does not speak to us in all the noise and confusion. We have to escape from the busyness, the hustle and bustle of today's life to a place where we can "be still and see the salvation of the Lord." Many times during His ministry when the crowds pressed upon Him, Jesus would call His disciples aside so they could "be still" and then return refreshed and renewed. 

What about you? Do you make time to be still so you can hear from God? Impossible, you might say. But there may come a time when you have no choice but to be still. What if you were lying in a hospital bed? The world will go on without you. Make time now, if only ten minutes out of your day when you turn off the ringer, close your door and be still. Quiet your mind and let the Holy Spirit infuse your soul, your spirit and even your body with His peace and calmness. Be still. You can do it.  

The Lord Shall Fight For You

The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace …Exodus 14: 14.

 

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that seems difficult and insurmountable? Have you been fretting and complaining and telling yourself there is no way out? Such was the position of the children of Israel. They had been toiling under Pharaoh for four hundred and thirty years, and they had become sick and tired of their situation. Have you been in a place for so long it seems it will never end? You may have even become so used to your discomfort that when deliverance comes you hesitate, you look to the right and to the left,  shake your head and say, “No, I think I may be better off where I am. At least I know what to expect under Pharaoh, but I don’t know what may happen if I leave here.”

Such must have been the position of the Israelites as they followed their leader, Moses, out of Egypt and into the wilderness. The Lord Himself went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to give them light, and for a while everything seemed fine. But they were still in the wilderness when the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he decided to go after them. And when the Israelites saw the Egyptians in hot pursuit, they lashed out at Moses. “Are there no graves in Egypt? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die out here in the wilderness.” (Read verses 11-12). 

Photo credit: greyerbaby from morguefile.com

How easy it is for us to give in to fear, anxiety and anger when the chips are down. When God’s promises are not immediately fulfilled. When, in spite of the pillar of cloud and fire, we think God has deserted us. But Moses said to the Israelites, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord … The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your peace” (13 – 14).

 
Photo credit: elvin_jacob from morguefile.com

So, are you in the wilderness? Is the Red Sea before you and the Egyptians after you? Do not be afraid. Do not murmur and complain. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. He is ever present in the time of trouble. He will fight for you and He will deliver you.

 
Photo credit: xenia from morguefile.com

Do You Know The Lord?

I wanted to touch on something from my last post about the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. When Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh to tell them what the Lord had said, Pharaoh replied, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5: 2 KJV).

Those words are significant. I know not the Lord. Do you know the Lord? Here are some ways you can tell if you know the Lord.

1. You listen and obey His voice. You might say you do not hear God's voice. God may not speak to you audibly the way He spoke to Moses, but He may speak to you in so many other ways: through His word, through another person, through a sermon or even through an incident. Moses first saw a burning bush before he heard the voice of the Lord.

2. You fear the Lord. Some say we should not fear God because God is love, and since He loves us we have nothing to fear. Proverbs 1 : 7 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" People who know the Lord fear His punishment, His judgement, His wrath. Most of all they fear being separated from Him as a result of sin. Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10: 28 KJV).

3. You love the Lord. To know the Lord is to love Him with an all-encompassing love. A love that goes beyond anything you can feel for your spouse, parents or even your children. It is a love that makes you almost impatient to be with Him. Paul said, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart , and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philippians 1: 23 KJV).

4. You trust the Lord. Moses and other great men and women of the Bible knew the Lord and trusted in His goodness. He is the God who says, "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psalms 50: 15 KJV). It is what made Paul say, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver : in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1 : 10 KJV). And when the children of Israel grumbled against Moses he was able to say with confidence, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14: 13).

Pharaoh was right. He did not know the Lord, therefore he did not listen, he did not fear, he did not love and he did not trust the Lord. He didn't know there was a King far greater than he who would defend the Israelites and give them the victory. Do you know the Lord? If you do, fine. If you are not sure, examine yourself in light of the above. If you don't know Him, ask Him to come into your heart today. He will teach you everything you need to know.

God's Perfect Timing

I have been reading the story of Moses and how he tried to get Pharaoh to let the Israelites go by working all the miracles God commanded him to do. It's a story I have loved ever since I was a child, as it conjures up for me memories of The Ten Commandments, one of the greatest movies of all times.

If you read the story, you may recall that God sent ten plagues on the Egyptians before Pharaoh gave in and released the people. Actually, God had hardened Pharaoh's heart so he would not let the people go. And God knew exactly what had to happen and at what time Pharaoh would cave in. But something struck me as I read the chapter this morning. Exodus 12 : 40 - 41 says, "Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt." NIV

God could have made Pharaoh release the people long before then, but He had a perfect timing arranged for the Israelites to leave. 430 years to the very day. Not a day sooner, nor a day later. Is God a God of order? Is He a God of precision? Over and over God uses expressions like "appointed time", "set time", "at that time", "in the fullness of time." God does nothing by chance. Although it may not appear that way to us, He has "an appointed time" for everything. Ecclesiastes 3 : 1 says: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" And verse 11 says, "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."

Have you been praying and waiting for God to do something in your life and it seems like nothing is happening? Don't despair. If it is His will, He will do it. He may have hardened Satan's heart against you in order to fulfill His purpose. But at "the set time" Satan will have to release you, your son, your daughter, your finances, your marriage. Whatever he is keeping in bondage, he will have to let it go in God's perfect timing. So, don't cease to pray or to praise. Just wait on the Lord.

Stay Up Chick Fil A

It's a sad day when a person is ostracized for voicing his opinion in America. No, I take that back. It's a dangerous day. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? This past week Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A came under fire from gay rights groups for expressing his opinion on same-sex marriage. To counter this, anti-gay groups turned out in large numbers - 500, 000, according to one post - on Wednesday to eat at Chick-fil-A restaurants.

I support Mr. Cathy's statement that marriage, as instituted by God, is between one man and one woman. But even if I didn't, I think the man has a right to express his opinion without fear of reprisals from those who share opposing views. According to Mike Huckabee who whipped up support for Chick-fil-A via his radio show, "every American -- has a right to an opinion. You don't have to agree with it. You don't have to like it. But you ought to respect that people have that wonderful right. You don't have that in North Korea. You don't have it in Iran."

This morning I read part of the story of the Exodus where the children of Israel were made to suffer great hardship just because they said they wanted to go and worship God in the desert. Pharaoh piled on the pressure, ordering his foremen to require the slaves to gather their own straw and produce the same amount of bricks as they had previously. The enemy's tactic has always been to frustrate God's people to the point that they either forget about worshiping Him or they bow to the enemy.

The Israelites, to their discredit, became angry at Moses and Aaron and accused them of bringing trouble upon them. Moses, in turn, confronted God. Listen to him: "Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all" (Exodus 5 : 23). Sounds familiar? Blame God when the enemy persecutes us.

The Chick-fil-A president's troubles began the minute he declared his position for God. So far, government officials from Chicago and Boston have pledged to keep the fast-food chain out of their cities and one of their outlets was vandalized. As if that wasn't enough, gay activists decided to stage a kiss-in outside of Chick-fil-A restaurants. But Mr. Cathy has reacted to all of this in a Christlike manner. He told the LA Times, "...I feel God's going to be with us through this and he'll be with the opposer as well. He doesn't hate anybody."

The Bible says, "Blessed are ye , when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely , for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matthew 5 : 11-12). Mr. Cathy, you are in good company. Thousands have already demonstrated their support for you, but more importantly, God supports you. Stay up!

Why Are You So Angry?

Photo credit: lesterp4 from morguefile.com

It would seem that anger is everywhere - on the roads, in the home and in the workplace. Road rage has taken lives; in the home children and parents, husbands and wives scream at each other and violence often erupts in places of employment. Why is there so much anger? If you find yourself becoming angry very often, you may need to slow down and try to determine what are the underlying reasons for your anger.

Your anger may stem from one or more of the following:

1. Fear. Surprisingly enough, a person who is angry is usually afraid of something. This quote from a Star Wars episode states, "Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

2. Frustration. Are you frustrated by your attempts to succeed at something and always coming up short? If you are always frustrated, pretty soon you'll become angry.

3. Exhaustion. Have you found that you become irritable when you are tired? That irritation can turn into anger if you don't slow down and get some rest.

4. Environment. Anger can also be learned. If you live in an environment where everyone is angry all the time, you'll soon follow their example.

5. Worry. This often leads to fear, which, as we saw above can turn into anger.

Anger in itself is not always a bad thing. It's how that anger is channeled that will determine whether you overcome it or allow it to overcome you. Ecclesiastes 7 : 9 says, "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry : for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Ephesians 4 : 26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" However, there are many references to people in the Bible who became angry. Remember Moses? Great man of God, chosen to lead God's people out of the bondage of Egypt. But if Moses had a psychiatrist he would have ended up in anger management classes. Because he couldn't control his anger, he was not allowed to enter the promised land.

Is your anger preventing you from enjoying the promises that God has for you? If yes, you need to confess it before God and ask Him to remove it from you. Jesus warned, "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say , Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire" (Matthew 5 : 22).

Anger can be a destructive force that prevents you from enjoying God's best and also land you in a lot of trouble. It can also be the catalyst that drives you to make positive changes in your life and the lives of others. In the coming weeks I will continue to explore other aspects of this emotion.

The Dangers of Complaining

How many times have you heard someone complaining about something and in order to show sympathy you joined in with them?


"Oh, this job is wearing me out."


"Me, too. It gets harder everyday."


"Boy, it's so hot today."


"Yeah, I wish it would rain. When was the last time we had rain?"


"Whew!" shaking your umbrella and removing your jacket, "that is some downpour. Traffic was so slow. I knew I'd be late ..."


Does that sound familiar? Could you imagine God having to listen to that multiplied by billions everyday? We must be wearing Him down!


The children of Israel had been subjected to cruel and inhumane conditions under the hand of Pharaoh. They cried out to God for deliverance and God intervened by sending them Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt. But no sooner had they escaped from Pharaoh, they began to murmur and complain. Listen to them: "Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14 : 12).

Did they really say that? Yes, they did. They had experienced all the amazing miracles that God had performed by the hands of Moses, but now when it seemed like Pharaoh's armies would overtake them, they lashed out at Moses. And they continued to do that even after God had parted the Red Sea and made a way for them out of no way.

Are we any different from the Israelites? I am shaking my head, no. I know that I complain when I shouldn't. I give in to fear instead of faith, doubt instead of certainty, worry instead of prayer. Do you? The Bible tells us, "Do all things without complaining and disputing" (Philippians 2: 14).

Remember what Joshua did when he wanted to take the city of Jericho? "He commanded the people, Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!" (Joshua 6 : 10) Sometimes we have to "be still" and allow God to perform His work, because if we open our mouths and complain, we may stifle His purpose for our lives.

God's Grace And Mercy

It’s amazing how we can read the scriptures many times over and then one day something jumps out at us that we never noticed before. This happened to me one night as I was reading Psalm 90. This Psalm was written by Moses, appealing to God on behalf of the children of Israel.

For those of you who may not know it, God had sent Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt where they had been in bondage for four hundred years. After many trials, Pharoah, the ruler, finally agreed to let the people leave Egypt. However, no sooner had they been freed, they began to rebel and complain. Their journey into the promised land which should have lasted a few days took forty years to complete. During that time God became so angry at their rebellion, he threatened to wipe them out, and would have had not Moses interceded for them. They were bitten by snakes, and many other troubles overcame them.

The children of Israel suffered the wrath of God. Hence the reason Moses wrote this Psalm. In verse 7 he writes, “For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.” Again in verse 9 he says, “For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.”

I read these verses over and over, then I thought, we are no longer under wrath, but under grace. When Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, He got rid of the curse that we had been under since Adam fell. When Jesus died, He restored us to a right relationship with God, the Father. When Jesus shed His precious blood for us on the cross, we obtained “grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Timothy 1:2).

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6). “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Had Moses lived in Jesus’ day he would never have written that Psalm the way he did, for he would have realized that God hath dispensed with His wrath and bestowed grace and mercy on His people.

And there’s the operative word- His. Those of us who belong to Him through Jesus Christ are assured of His grace, but those outside of Christ are still exposed to His wrath. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). So that’s the key to escaping God’s wrath-accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will not perish. God bless.

Rest And Relaxation

This weekend I decided to take some much needed time for R&R and spend it with God. You know, we rush around so much doing this and that, and sometimes when we should be relaxing we find it hard to just unwind and do nothing. Well, this weekend with my grandchildren away at a camp, I decided I would do something I had been postponing for a long time.

I think God was pleased with my decision, because even the weather conspired to keep me indoors. If you live in Atlanta you know what I'm talking about.
So with the rain gently washing my window panes, I sat on my bed, read, prayed and sang. When I tired of that I lay still and just meditated on God and what I had read in His word.

Want to know what I read? Exodus. One of my favorite Bible stories. The part where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. Then I flipped over to Matthew and read where Jesus said, speaking of the Law, "... I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (5:17). Then on to Romans where Paul explains that "a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law" (3:28). And then he sums up how the law is fulfilled in the life of a believer: "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (13:10).

Rest, relax, love God, love your neighbor as yourself. It doesn't get any better than that.