This Life I am Living

Have you ever felt like you just didn't fit in? Is this all there is? Why am I here, and for what reason? Have you ever wondered why my life seems to just be drifting along without any apparent plan. Does God really care? Does He really know what I am going through? There are times I wonder...there are times I feel like I am just waiting to die.

I believe most of us have experienced some of these at one time or another. Whether it's due to the stress of our fast paced society, sickness or some other form of ordeal, we need to keep this in mind...the devil always wants to get us into the place of despair. Feeling as if there is no hope and that we are the only one that is experiencing this type of anguish.

If you are a born again Christian, then what you are going through may be a partial truth, but it's not the total truth. You may be experiencing great financial trouble, but the Word of God says that He takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant! Sickness and disease may be ravaging your body, but the Word of God says that by His stripes you were healed!

The Word of God tells us that we have been given favor from the Lord, it's our inheritance as child of God. You may not be experiencing it at this very moment, but you can if you will focus on the total truth and begin to expect favor instead of lack and trouble.

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:11-12)

Remember this truth... If things can go wrong, they can just as easily go right! Each of us has been given a unique and individual purpose that cannot fail if we will cast off fear and stop listening to the lies of the devil. So, shake off that feeling of dread and despair. Get back into fellowship with the Father and put on the garment of praise, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

"I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

When we struggle with pain and suffering it is difficult to believe we are fearfully and wonderfully made, but trust that God had a plan in mind when he formed you. Sometimes I think about what I could accomplish if I had a healthy body and mind. Thinking I might better serve the Lord if I had better abilities.

I would be able to do more, go more, be more; but I suspect it might not be more of what God had planned for me. I suspect God knows that I would be so caught up in my own agenda I would loose site of His perfect will. If I wasn’t forced to be still I wouldn’t be able to hear His voice as clearly.

So, I will rejoice that God has a plan for me, just as I am, and that I am fearfully and wonderfully made...made for this life I am living.

In My Father's House

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John 14:1-4)

How comforting it is to know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. A place where we will reside with the Father and be reunited with our loved ones. In our Father's house there is shelter from the storms. In our Father's house there is great comfort and rest as He embraces us with His Holy Spirit.

Here are the Directions to My Father's House...

If you are headed down Sin Alley, you will soon find it is a dead-end road and that at it's end is a place called "Destruction".

To avoid this place you should:Quickly make a U-Turn and head towards Repentance Road.(You will have to make a Right Turn to reach this destination.)

Watch out for the Potholes of Pride that might deter you or Signs of Independence that might lead you to go the wrong way.

Once you are on Repentance Road, keep going until you reach Believer's Blvd.

Then, Keep Going Straight, until you come to Gospel Lane, make another Right turn and go through the Green Light, which is Jesus Christ.

You are now on Grace Blvd which turns into Forgiveness Lane.

Next, turn onto the Bridge of Faith, which at times may be over some troubled waters, but if you Keep Going Straight you can make another Right turn onto Prayer Place Parkway and once there, you will find help anytime of the day or night.

Then, another Right turn will take you to Words of Life Place which is on Scripture Street. This is a good place to find answers to any questions you may have about life for The Helper lives here and will guide you to all truth.

Remember, as you go on your way,yield Not to the traffic on Temptation Ave and Pass up Envy Drive, Hate Blvd and Grudge Lane.

Also, pass Hypocrisy Street, Gossiping Avenue, Lying Lane and Backbiting Blvd. You will also do well to avoid Worry Road, Doubt Street, Pride Place and Pity Path. For these are all Detours that will lead you back to Sin Alley or Depression Dump.

There may be times that you have to go down Long-suffering Lane, Persecution Blvd., or Trials and Tribulations Ave. But that's all right, because VICTORY Street is straight ahead!

So, Keep Going Straight for You are on the King's Highway and Heaven-bound!

If you follow these directions you will someday reach My Father's House where a special place has been prepared just for you to dwell in for eternity!

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)

Remember Me

We all would like to think we will be remembered after we are gone. That our friends and family will keep our memories alive. That we will me missed. I remember crying at my father's funeral over the loss of a father, over the traumatic experience of seeing him completely burned, but mostly because I never knew him. He started traveling around the world installing turbines the year I was born. I didn't grieve the loss of my father. I grieved the loss of never having one.

Years later I learned that, even though I could barely remember him through personal experiences, I could remember him through other people's experiences. I believe there is something important about remembering...you keep people alive in your mind and heart. The Bible gives us this same opportunity. Even though we didn't walk with Jesus, we can remember him through the experiences of the disciples. Jesus told the disciples "Remember Me!" as they shared their last supper.

"Remember Me!" Jesus emphasized that twice during the last supper, which we repeat when we share in Holy Communion. Holy Communion is about remembering Him and Him alone. It is about remembering His love for you and His victory over sin. It seems we have made it into something else...something ritualistic and self center...remember "me"...am "I" worthy. No one is worthy. It is through Jesus' broken body and shed blood that God forgets my sins... but not me. God remembers me!

Whether you had a relationship with your earthly father or not, we have a Heavenly Father who will never leave you nor forsake you... in your sorrow and in your pain...He will remember you!

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Isaiah 49:15-16

Who am I

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.

Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.

Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours, I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.

Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

It seems many times we get so caught up in who am I that we loose sight of who He is. Whether it is the self center search for identity and importance or the self deprecating paralysis of I am not worthy and not capable...they all focus on "self." You hear many times "It's not about me...it's about Jesus." Easy to say not always easy to do. Our "self"... "flesh" wells up at every turn. It's a constant battle. The first step is to recognize your battle.

Are you constantly looking inward trying to find yourself and purpose? Are you too afraid to step out in your calling because you believe your are not good enough. Do you hear the enemy saying "who are you, that God would use someone like you?" Do you battle addictions and compulsions? Do you have analysis paralysis? The enemy knows our weakness. If he can keep us focused on ourselves we can not focus on The Kingdom. I battle everyday...some days easier than the others.

Years ago God spoke to me to pray for the Christians in Lebanon. I didn't even know where that was at the time. I had a horrible vision of Christians being slaughtered. Quickly the enemy was speaking in my ear...you just had a pizza dream..."who are you, that God would use someone like you?" Days later I heard on The 700 Club that all the Christians in Lebanon had been slaughtered. I just shook with regret that I had thought only of myself.

"He who seeks only himself brings himself to ruin, whereas he who brings himself to naught for Me discovers who he is." Matthew 10:39

It is only when we get beyond asking who am I to who I am in Christ we begin to discover who we really are.

Changing Seasons

It seems many people are going through a very difficult season these days. Whether from financial difficulties, stressed relationships, or poor health the sources are endless; the need for a change of season epidemic.

Too many are suffering in a winter of discontent. Do we just endure the long winter or can we change the season. Daniel 2:21 says God can "change times and seasons." If you don't like the season you are in... change it.

So, how do we change the season? If I can take liberty with Shakespeare..."Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of [God]. Through Christ our winter is made a glorious summer. The presence of the Lord will bring us times of refreshing in the midst of our drought.

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," (Acts 3:19)

To change our season we need to repent and be converted so that our sins may be blotted out that a new season "may "[is allowed] come. To repent means "to change one's mind" (Webster.)

If we change our mind...the Lord will change your season. He will change the winter of our discontent into glorious summer. When we change our mind...our thinking... we don't change the winter...we change the discontent!

We still have financial difficulties, stressed relationships, or poor health, but through Christ we can change our mourning into dancing. Through Christ we can choose to be joyful and content in the Lord. For…the joy of the Lord is my strength. We can change our discontent, our whining, and complaining into rejoicing.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

You are to rejoice always, because joy is the easiest fruit to lose. You can't live off of the joy you had yesterday. Joy can give you strength only when you possess it. Yet you need to rejoice always because if you don't then you lose the strength to fight when facing trials.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds." (James 1:2)

Why is it pure joy whenever we face trials? Because joy gives you strength to fight in the midst of your trials. So by rejoicing, you have victory over your trials. When you change your thinking from despair to rejoicing...you can change your season.

Are you facing a challenge or difficulty that seems overwhelming? When you stand strong and remain faithful to God, He promises to set your course for victory! And victory doesn’t necessarily mean everything is going to go our way all the time or work out the way we planned.

The Bible says that the real battle we face isn’t in our circumstances, it’s in our minds. The enemy is after your thoughts. He’s after your peace and joy. He knows that when you have peace, it’s a sign that you are connected to the Father. When you hold on to your peace and choose to be joyful, you are walking in victory, and it’s just a matter of time before your circumstances line up!

Remember, God knew every person who would wrong you, and He’s already laid out your vindication. God knew every disappointment, and He’s already laid out new opportunities. God knew everything that would be stolen, and He has already laid out your restoration. Rejoice today knowing that He has set your course for victory in every area of your life!

"He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones" (Proverbs 2:7-8)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the victory You have in store for me. I choose to be faithful; I choose to walk humbly before You. I stand in faith knowing You are working all things together for my good because You love me. In Jesus´ Name. Amen.

The Word

God has been speaking to my spirit about His Word...the knowledge and awareness that His Word is the very essence of who He is...that it is more than philosophy or wisdom or guidance (which it is), but the very nature of God. It is love letters and correction letters and to do lists that we share with one we have an intimate relationship with. I know wherever His Word is, He is. Still there are times when I want to go my own way and spend my time on other things...so I avoid the Word...because I know all to well the conviction His presence can bring. Yet my soul hungers for His word.

Lately God has been showing me that His Word is fluid. To be fluid is something "that can flow, not solid, able to move and change shape without separating when under pressure....a liquid in the body." So the Word is the life force that flows through the body of Christ. I believe the internet is a perfect forum for God's Word... because it flows. I think there is something powerful with this. God's Word...His presence being sent out into the air waves 24/7...I believe as Christians we should be posting His Word whenever and wherever possible!

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds;tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home,and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the landthat the Lord swore to give your forefathers," Deuteronomy 11:18-21