"Looking unto Jesus ...." Hebrews 12:2a
None of us are exempt from trials, tribulations, testing, problems and afflictions. But when facing them, where are you looking? What are you focused on? Are you focused on the problem or the promise? Are you focused on the fire in the furnace or the One who quenches the fire? Are you focused on the storm or the One who walks on water and speaks peace to the storm? Are you focused on the roaring lions or the One who shuts their mouths? Are you focused on the valley or the Shepherd of the valley? Are you focused on the dry place or the One who is Living Water? Are you focused on the mountain or the One who uses mountains as His footstool?
When problems come, and they do, you can't spend all your time and energy focusing on them. They will only get bigger and bigger. I am not saying that the problem isn't real, and I am not saying to ignore it or pretend that it doesn't exist, but the more attention you give to it-- the more of your heart, emotions and thoughts you give to it-- the more ominous, the more fearful, the more enormous, the more overwhelming, the more impossible it will seem. It is like adding fuel to a fire-- it only makes it grow.
The more the Israelite army looked at Goliath, the bigger he became in their eyes. The more powerful they thought he was. The more intimidated and fearful they became, the more hopeless it appeared, the more helpless they felt. But he wasn't so big. He was brought down with a sling shot and rock! Why? The army looked at the giant; David looked at the Lord-- the One who was bigger than the giant.
Yes, the problem is there but don't stay focused on it. Keep your focus in the right place. Focus on the Lord-- who He is and what He has provided for you to make it through your storm, your trial, your problem and your giant.
Have a great day. Focus on the promise, not the problem. Focus on the Lord, not the situation.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Thursday, January 5, 2017
"The Trap Of Unimportance"
"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2
I knew Christmas was going to be different this year given the fact that some of our family was no longer with us, some weren't going to be able to come "home" for the holidays, I didn't do any of the traditional baking I usually do and I couldn't seem to find time to decorate the outside of my house. But little did I know just how different it was going to be. I found out the week of Christmas just how different it could be-- my husband had to have triple bypass surgery. He had it two days before Christmas, therefore, we spent Christmas in the hospital.
While at the hospital my daughter and I were talking about how times like this help you to refocus on what is really important and what isn't. We tend to focus on things that really aren't important. We get caught up in life's trapping and traditions. We put emphasis on things that are temporary. We stress, worry and get anxious about making sure we get all the "details" just right. But we miss the whole point. Take Christmas for example. We are so concerned about the gift giving, the gift wrapping, the decorating, the baking, having everything we consider Christmas perfect, that we miss the whole reason why we are celebrating--- it is Jesus' birthday. We didn't get to enjoy the decorations, the holiday foods, the gift exchanging, etc., but life went on and we made it through it. Now it is all just a memory as it would have been had it been a "normal" Christmas for us.
When we focus on all the exteriors and worldly reason for the season, we get caught in a trap. A trap that leads us further away from the true meaning. The enemy of our soul wants to steal, kill and destroy us. He wants to get us caught up and focused on the things (cares of this life) that don't really matter that much so that he can trap us. Once trapped we get consumed with the externals. Once trapped we get fearful. We lose our peace and our joy. Once trapped we lose sight of what is and isn't truly important. Once trapped we neglect the eternal. Once trapped we forget about our God-given purpose because we are so pre-occupied with other things that aren't that important.
I know I have been lengthy. But stay on guard. Don't get caught in his trap. Prioritize what is and what isn't important. Don't lose sight of the eternal because of the temporary. Don't set your affection on things below but on things above. Some of the things we stress so much about aren't worth it. Choose the things that are worth it and focus on them.
Have a great day. Don't get caught in the trap of the cares of this life that aren't really important.
While at the hospital my daughter and I were talking about how times like this help you to refocus on what is really important and what isn't. We tend to focus on things that really aren't important. We get caught up in life's trapping and traditions. We put emphasis on things that are temporary. We stress, worry and get anxious about making sure we get all the "details" just right. But we miss the whole point. Take Christmas for example. We are so concerned about the gift giving, the gift wrapping, the decorating, the baking, having everything we consider Christmas perfect, that we miss the whole reason why we are celebrating--- it is Jesus' birthday. We didn't get to enjoy the decorations, the holiday foods, the gift exchanging, etc., but life went on and we made it through it. Now it is all just a memory as it would have been had it been a "normal" Christmas for us.
When we focus on all the exteriors and worldly reason for the season, we get caught in a trap. A trap that leads us further away from the true meaning. The enemy of our soul wants to steal, kill and destroy us. He wants to get us caught up and focused on the things (cares of this life) that don't really matter that much so that he can trap us. Once trapped we get consumed with the externals. Once trapped we get fearful. We lose our peace and our joy. Once trapped we lose sight of what is and isn't truly important. Once trapped we neglect the eternal. Once trapped we forget about our God-given purpose because we are so pre-occupied with other things that aren't that important.
I know I have been lengthy. But stay on guard. Don't get caught in his trap. Prioritize what is and what isn't important. Don't lose sight of the eternal because of the temporary. Don't set your affection on things below but on things above. Some of the things we stress so much about aren't worth it. Choose the things that are worth it and focus on them.
Have a great day. Don't get caught in the trap of the cares of this life that aren't really important.
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
"Jesus Sang In The Night"
"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Isaiah 53:7
Yesterday we talked about singing songs in our "night time". I asked if your song was one of self-pity, fear, etc. Or was it one of praise and trust. I went on to say that our song should be one of praise and faith in the Lord. This morning I want to talk about this again.
Sometimes our "night time/season" is the worse time of our entire life. It is the hardest thing we have ever gone through. It doesn't/can't get any worse than what we are going through. That being the case, how can we sing songs of praise, faith and victory? The trial is just too hard. It is too overwhelming. It is impossible to sing songs of praise because the night is so dark.
It is not impossible. We can sing a song of peace, praise, joy and victory in spite of the darkness of our night. Consider Jesus. He went through the darkest night ever known to mankind. He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was in agony to the point where He sweat drops of blood. He was taken like a common criminal. Brought before an angry religious crowd. Falsely accused. Had a mock trial. Beaten unmercifully. Mocked. Blasphemed. Faced the death penalty. Yet we never hear Him singing a song of self-pity, anger, resentment, fear, defeat, complaining, etc. (He opened not His mouth.)
It may seem impossible for us to sing a song of praise in the night, but if we look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; if we look to Jesus the One who is touched by the feelings of our infirmities; if we look to Jesus who was tempted in the same manner we are tempted; if we look to Jesus who has already walked in our shoes; we can find the strength and grace to sing a song of faith and trust and peace and praise in our night time.
He didn't open His mouth and sing a "negative" song. But He was singing a song of praise and peace inside. We know this because He went through that long night because of the joy that was set before Him. (That joy was you and me, beloved.) So, if you aren't at the place where you can sing praise in the night, just don't sing at all-- don't sing a negative song of defeat. Look to Jesus instead, and look at Him for a while.
Have a great day. Singing a song of praise in the night is possible as you look to Jesus, the One who faced a darker night then any of us ever have.
Yesterday we talked about singing songs in our "night time". I asked if your song was one of self-pity, fear, etc. Or was it one of praise and trust. I went on to say that our song should be one of praise and faith in the Lord. This morning I want to talk about this again.
Sometimes our "night time/season" is the worse time of our entire life. It is the hardest thing we have ever gone through. It doesn't/can't get any worse than what we are going through. That being the case, how can we sing songs of praise, faith and victory? The trial is just too hard. It is too overwhelming. It is impossible to sing songs of praise because the night is so dark.
It is not impossible. We can sing a song of peace, praise, joy and victory in spite of the darkness of our night. Consider Jesus. He went through the darkest night ever known to mankind. He was betrayed by one of His own disciples. He was in agony to the point where He sweat drops of blood. He was taken like a common criminal. Brought before an angry religious crowd. Falsely accused. Had a mock trial. Beaten unmercifully. Mocked. Blasphemed. Faced the death penalty. Yet we never hear Him singing a song of self-pity, anger, resentment, fear, defeat, complaining, etc. (He opened not His mouth.)
It may seem impossible for us to sing a song of praise in the night, but if we look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; if we look to Jesus the One who is touched by the feelings of our infirmities; if we look to Jesus who was tempted in the same manner we are tempted; if we look to Jesus who has already walked in our shoes; we can find the strength and grace to sing a song of faith and trust and peace and praise in our night time.
He didn't open His mouth and sing a "negative" song. But He was singing a song of praise and peace inside. We know this because He went through that long night because of the joy that was set before Him. (That joy was you and me, beloved.) So, if you aren't at the place where you can sing praise in the night, just don't sing at all-- don't sing a negative song of defeat. Look to Jesus instead, and look at Him for a while.
Have a great day. Singing a song of praise in the night is possible as you look to Jesus, the One who faced a darker night then any of us ever have.
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
"Singing In The Night"
"But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night." Job 35:10
We all face "night" times- times of darkness, confusion and uncertainty. The "night" are times of great trials and testing. Night time is a time of weeping. (Weeping endures for the night.) Night is a time of grief and pain. It is a time when you can't see any light or any good thing that can come from the situation you are in. It is a time when hope is shrouded in darkness.
When you are in a "night" time, what song do you sing? We all sing a song in the night. The song we sing may be one of gloom, despair and agony. It may be one of self-pity. It may be a song of complaining, criticism, murmuring, distrust, unbelief, questioning, fear, accusation and so on. Or it may be a song of praise, hope, trust, peace and faith. It may be a song proclaiming confidence in the faithfulness of God. It may be a song of surrender to God's divine will and plan. It may profess that it is well with your soul. It may be a song of victory amidst trouble.
Which song do you sing when night comes? Which song should you sing when night comes? Should your song be negative and written through the emotions of the flesh? Or should it be one of praise and written out of faith in the fact that your loving Heavenly Father is with you working all things together for your good? When it is night/dark, we are unable to walk by sight-- we can't see. Therefore, we have to walk by faith-- faith that God sees and has it all under control. So the song we sing should be one of faith and praise written by our trust in the faithfulness of God.
Have a great day. What song do you sing in the night?
We all face "night" times- times of darkness, confusion and uncertainty. The "night" are times of great trials and testing. Night time is a time of weeping. (Weeping endures for the night.) Night is a time of grief and pain. It is a time when you can't see any light or any good thing that can come from the situation you are in. It is a time when hope is shrouded in darkness.
When you are in a "night" time, what song do you sing? We all sing a song in the night. The song we sing may be one of gloom, despair and agony. It may be one of self-pity. It may be a song of complaining, criticism, murmuring, distrust, unbelief, questioning, fear, accusation and so on. Or it may be a song of praise, hope, trust, peace and faith. It may be a song proclaiming confidence in the faithfulness of God. It may be a song of surrender to God's divine will and plan. It may profess that it is well with your soul. It may be a song of victory amidst trouble.
Which song do you sing when night comes? Which song should you sing when night comes? Should your song be negative and written through the emotions of the flesh? Or should it be one of praise and written out of faith in the fact that your loving Heavenly Father is with you working all things together for your good? When it is night/dark, we are unable to walk by sight-- we can't see. Therefore, we have to walk by faith-- faith that God sees and has it all under control. So the song we sing should be one of faith and praise written by our trust in the faithfulness of God.
Have a great day. What song do you sing in the night?
Monday, January 2, 2017
"He Walks With You"
".... great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23b
As you all know I haven't sent out the devotional in almost two weeks. One of the last ones I sent out dealt with eventful days. We never know when a day begins how it will end. Well, the reason I have not been sending out a devotional is because we had an eventful day that has lead to many eventful days.
My husband had a stress test which revealed that he had some blockage in an artery. So a heart catheterization was scheduled for him. His cardiologist thought it was going to be an easy fix. When they did the catheterization, they discovered that it was not an easy fix. He had three blocked arteries which would require open heart surgery. He was admitted immediately into the hospital to await surgery. Two days later the doctors performed a triple bypass on him. One artery was 100% blocked, another one was 98% blocked and the third one was 95% blocked. The surgery went well and he is back at home recovering. His recovery is a process but the same God who was with him and kept him from having a heart attack and who was with him during the surgery will be with him as he recovers.
When we go through trying times, the Lord is with us through the entire situation. He is there at the beginning and at the end. He doesn't leave in the middle of what you are going through. He doesn't leave you before it is finished. He stays with you through it all. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Author and Finisher. He walks with you through the valley, up the mountain, in the fire, on the storm, in the wilderness, wherever it is you are walking, He walks there with you and stays with you until it is over.
Have a great day. The Lord is faithful to walk with you no matter where you find yourself, and He will walk with you all the way to the end.
As you all know I haven't sent out the devotional in almost two weeks. One of the last ones I sent out dealt with eventful days. We never know when a day begins how it will end. Well, the reason I have not been sending out a devotional is because we had an eventful day that has lead to many eventful days.
My husband had a stress test which revealed that he had some blockage in an artery. So a heart catheterization was scheduled for him. His cardiologist thought it was going to be an easy fix. When they did the catheterization, they discovered that it was not an easy fix. He had three blocked arteries which would require open heart surgery. He was admitted immediately into the hospital to await surgery. Two days later the doctors performed a triple bypass on him. One artery was 100% blocked, another one was 98% blocked and the third one was 95% blocked. The surgery went well and he is back at home recovering. His recovery is a process but the same God who was with him and kept him from having a heart attack and who was with him during the surgery will be with him as he recovers.
When we go through trying times, the Lord is with us through the entire situation. He is there at the beginning and at the end. He doesn't leave in the middle of what you are going through. He doesn't leave you before it is finished. He stays with you through it all. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Author and Finisher. He walks with you through the valley, up the mountain, in the fire, on the storm, in the wilderness, wherever it is you are walking, He walks there with you and stays with you until it is over.
Have a great day. The Lord is faithful to walk with you no matter where you find yourself, and He will walk with you all the way to the end.
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