All In Good Time

      Most of us live in the state called "busy" where our lives are scheduled by jobs, children, meetings or a host of other projects.  Then, suddenly, it all stops dead in its tracks.  Now, we are busy in new ways with some parents home schooling their children, working from home, or fixing things that need repair.  Yet, it is not the same as before where we had social interaction, and to be honest, it is hard to wait for life to return to the way it was before our unseen enemy, the virus, arrived.
     Life is filled with times where we have to wait for something to take place.  We may be waiting on test results, our jobs to return or business to re-open again.  Whatever it is, we can know that God is there with us through this period of time.  I find this comforting to know that His timing is perfect
     In Psalm 130, the author tells us of how he is resting in a period of waiting for God.  Verses 1-5 read:   "Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord hear my voice!  Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.  If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.  I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word do I hope."  The beauty of these verses reveals a heart that calls upon the Lord even in the darkest times.  Waiting on the Lord is often hard.  We live in such a world of instant gratification, but there are seasons when God tells us to patiently wait on Him.  The Psalmist also knows that God will hear him because God has forgiven His sins.  This is an assurance that we need to remember as well.  In Christ, we are redeemed, forgiven and cleansed so that we might be able to approach the throne of grace.  When waiting gets hard, our Father in heaven will hear us when we pray because of the blood of Jesus Christ.  What a great thought!  No putting us on hold, voice recordings that tell us what number to push next or any other hindrances between us and our heavenly Father.  We have His ear immediately.
     Secondly, in order to have hope when we are in a period of waiting, we need to know the Word.  Why?  Because it gives us hope!  As we read about various people in the Bible such as Joseph, David and Moses, we see how God interacted with them.  This brings hope for we see all the trials of Joseph and God's deliverance,  We watch as David runs from Saul's jealousy and observe God's protection.  In Moses, we read about a man who was timid about leading his people and watch as God transforms him into a great leader.  These are stories of hope for us.  We also see God's faithful dealings with His people.  This is a trust builder for us in times of waiting.
     One of the key verses in the Psalm is verse 5:  "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His Word do I hope."  Twice the writer says he is waiting and this is hard for us to do especially when we are anxious to get back to normal activities.  I, for one, wish there was a set date at which everything could just go back to routine.  However, we don't know when that will be with 100% accuracy.  This is a virus we did not expect and we have never dealt with before; so we must proceed with caution.
As Christians, we are called upon to build up our endurance and that is why we find ourselves in this place right now.  We have to learn to persevere no matter what happens in this life.
      However, God has given us what we need to make it through this trial at present.  2 Peter 1:3 tells us:  "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue."  No matter what we face, God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness.  We can make it through grief, heartache, broken relationships and yes, waiting to come out of quarantine because God has made us able!  We have what we need even during hardship.
     A final verse that points us towards hope is found in Philippians 4:13:  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Daily, we have to remind ourselves of this.  Our waiting is cultivating endurance which in turn produces perseverance.  God is our provider and sustainer and we must remember this during the boring days or the hard times.  When our time of waiting is over, we will find our strength has grown as well as our appreciation for the many things we have learned.    Let us wait on the Lord for He will never disappoint us...His plans are perfect.  Selah!

When Your Life is Out of Sorts....Praise the Lord!

     Sheltering in place is about as much fun as a prolonged game of chess (no offense to those who love the game of chess but for those of us who don't, it would be murder).  Yes, we have television, the internet, our cell phones, but it is not the same as fellowshipping with flesh and blood people.  Screen time is also not a healthy thing to do day in and day out.  So what is it we need to do that will relieve the stress and strain of our shut-in life right now?  A solution I have found that never fails to lift me up is praising the Lord.
     Psalm 42:5 tells us:  "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God."  When we find ourselves becoming irritable or impatient to get on with our lives outside of our homes, we need to remind ourselves that this is a temporary situation.  We do not need to be upset, but instead, look forward to the days ahead when life will resume its normal course of activities.  Some of us lead such busy lives, we needed a break from the crush of activities.  Others of us, needed time to think about the many blessings that God has given to us in the past.  It is how we choose to look at this situation that makes all the difference, and when we choose to praise God instead of complaining, our lives are the richer for it.
     Recently, my husband and I spent some time discussing some of the funny things that have happened to our family over the years.  Not only did it bring on laughter as we recalled them, but it also gave us perspective.  We thought of all the ways the Lord has blessed us through the ups and downs of life.  This leads to praising God who is the author of our faith when we spend time in such recollection.  Often in the Psalms, the Jewish writers would list the many ways that God had delivered them and kept them.  When we think on what He has done for us, we cannot help but rejoice.  We need to take time to look back and be thankful.
      Another thing that never fails to lift my spirits is listening to praise music.  Often when I have to do some task I would rather not do, I turn on praise songs or hymns.  Somehow filling the quiet of our
homes with lyrics that glorify the Lord also helps to bring joy.  This is especially true if the day has been hectic.  Lets face it, if you are working from home and homeschooling the children as well this can get anyone out of sorts; so this is the best way to change the atmosphere in a positive way.
     In these unique times right now, we can also use technology to praise the Lord.  Our home group usually meets on Wednesday evenings in person for prayer, praise and Bible study.  However, now we are not able to meet so we have turned to FaceBook Messenger Video Chat as a way to see one another weekly for a time of prayer and praise.  Each time we have a session, I feel refreshed because we have been able to talk to the Lord about the good things going on in our lives as well as the needs.  Praying and praising over the internet has definitely been a source of blessing.
      A song recorded by "The Imperials" and Russ Taff has long been a favorite of mine
called "Praise the Lord" .  The words go like this:
     Praise The Lord
When you’re up against a struggle that shatters all your dreams,
And your hopes have been cruelly crushed by Satan’s manifested schemes;
And you feel the urge within you to submit to earthly fears,
Don’t let the faith you’re standing in seem to disappear.

Chorus:
Praise the Lord! He can work through those who praise Him.
Praise the Lord! For our God inhabits praise.
Praise the Lord! For the chains that seem to bind you,
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him.

Now Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think
That we are paupers when he knows himself we’re children of the King
So lift up the mighty shield of faith for the battle must be won
We know that Jesus Christ is risen so the work’s already done

Chorus:
Praise the Lord! He can work through those who praise Him.
Praise the Lord! For our God inhabits praise.
Praise the Lord! For the chains that seem to bind you,
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him.

Praise the Lord! He can work through those who praise Him.
Praise the Lord! For our God inhabits praise.
Praise the Lord! For the chains that seem to bind you,
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him.
     We must remember when we are out of sorts that God inhabits the praises of His people.  If we will take time to sing, laugh and recall His blessings as well as reaching out by phone or technology, we can make our days joy-filled once again.  Be encouraged as we praise the Lord together.  Selah
     

Giving Him All the Glory

     Looking back over my life, I have come to realize just how God has put so many things together that I could never have imagined.  I bet that has happened to you as well.  We make our plans, as the Bible tells us, but it is God who directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).
     When I graduated from high school, I fully intended to become a high school teacher.  My area of study was in communication (public speaking, debate, theater, radio) with a minor in English.  Upon graduation, I applied for and was accepted for graduate study at The Ohio State University, but by then, I had met my future husband who also would be going to the same college.  After a year of graduate study, I stopped pursuing my master's degree, and we were married.  People have asked if I ever regretted not completing
that degree and the answer would be no.  However, I did wonder if I would ever use my teaching skills.  Little did I know what God would do.
     While at Ohio State, both my husband and I became committed to the Lord Jesus Christ just three months before we married.  This changed the course of our lives in ways we could never have anticipated.  For example, I never dreamed I would be homeschooling our four children one day.  Yet God directed our steps both as a couple and individually.
     Many of you have been plunged into the new world of homeschooling your children and working from home.  No one saw a pandemic coming that would seemingly shut down our lives for a while.  Behind it all, though, God is at work.  He gets all the glory, and when this time is over, we will see more clearly how He has been at work.
     Recently, my Son posted a wonderful tribute to my ability to home educate, and also work at my husband's optometric practice off and on as needed.  He said "I was a saint".  To that I say a humble thank you as I am a "saint" as far as my relationship to Christ, but I give God all the glory for giving me the ability to do what He called me to do both in the home and out of it.  Each of us has talents, gifts and abilities to serve one another and the Lord.  So when we succeed, all the glory goes to God for allowing us to use them to be a blessing.
     In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes:  "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."  This is the secret of our success.  It is the power of God living in us to help us to fulfill what He has called us to do.  William Gurnall, an Anglican clergyman who lived 1616-1679, wrote in his book "The Christian in Complete Armour", the following:  "True faith is full of self-denial.  Faith keeps us low.  Paul didn't want us to be mistaken - 'It is Christ that lives in me, I don't live in my own power.  It is Christ that keeps house.  I mortify my corruptions and vanquish my temptations, but I am a debtor to Christ for the strength'" (11: 35-36).  What wonderful words for us to remember.
     This life is not about me and how many trophies I can accumulate.  Certainly, that is the message of this world, but if you believe that, you are headed for a burn-out eventually because you are running on your own steam.  However, when God calls us to a job, a vocation, or even to pandemic caused homeschooling, we have to turn to Him for the strength to do what is needed.  Why?  Because He receives the glory by our obedient efforts and He supplies what we feel we may lack.
     When people are blessed by what I write, I give the glory to God if it assisted them in their faith.  I don't do it for me...but for Christ.  In the same way, our pastors preach not to call attention to themselves but to share from God's Word that He may be glorified in our lives.  It is not about us at all.  Recalling the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it reads: " What is the chief end of man?"  Answer:  "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever."  For this purpose, we were created!  We find our satisfaction, completion and wholeness when we are found in Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, when we bring glory to Him, we are fulfilled.
     Let us remember that when we succeed as a Christian in whatever way God has called us to serve (at home, in a job, or in some other capacity) we are to give Him the glory.  Paul writes in Colossians
3:23-24:  " 23Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, 24because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.…"  Remembering this will keep us humble and allow us to shine for Christ.  Selah!
   

There is Power in the Blood

     This is Holy week for Christians.  A time of preparation for the greatest story ever told:  the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Yet, this year it is very different for all of us.  We are not able to attend services and fellowship as we would normally do but we can meditate on what Jesus did for us in the quiet of our own homes.  Like those in the persecuted church,  we must confine our faith within the borders of our own four walls until the current illness passes; so this should be a time to think on what Jesus did for us.
     After my walk this morning, I started singing a song I haven't heard in a number of years written by Andrae Crouch called "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power".  The first verse is so true:
     The blood that Jesus shed for me
     Way back on Calvary
     The blood that gives me strength
     From day to day
     It will never lose its power
     It reaches to the highest mountain
     It flows to the lowest valley
    The blood that gives me strength
     From day to day
     It will never lose its power.
     No matter what our circumstances, the blood of Jesus Christ made a difference for you and I.  It tore the curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the people meaning that we can now approach God directly through the blood of Christ.  Having that access means that God sees us as righteous because of our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  He no longer sees our sins.
     When I picked up a daily devotional book
("Voices from the Past" Vol. 2 pg. 98)  I read this Scripture:  2 Timothy 4:18:  "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom."  Then Thomas Brooks (a voice from the past) wrote these words that lifted me up:  "The imputed righteousness of Christ will answer all of the fears, doubts and objections of your soul.  How shall I look up to God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I have communion with a holy God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I find acceptance with God? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I die? - In the righteousness of Christ.  How shall I stand before the judgment seat? - In the righteousness of Christ" (Thomas Brooks, Works, v.:238-240).
     Because of what Christ accomplished in his life, death and resurrection, we are now accepted by God as righteous when we believe in Jesus Christ His Son.  He paid the price for our sin, and now we have access to God every day no matter where we are.  This is the wonder and message of Holy week.  We may not be able to gather as we normally would, but we can rejoice in the knowledge that our salvation is complete in Christ.  There is nothing we can add or take away.  As Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished."
     Thomas Brooks went on to say something we need to meditate on this week:  "The righteousness of Christ is your life, your joy, your comfort, your crown, your confidence, your heaven and your all. In righteousness you may safely and comfortably live, and happily and quietly die."  His blood has given to us the strength for each day.  Yes we shall get through this time of isolation because the blood of Jesus Christ will never lose its power.  We are free in Him and His righteousness!  Selah!

Being a Light in the Dark New Reality

     In the last few weeks, we have all experienced some changes we never thought we would see in our lifetimes.  No longer do we gather in our churches for worship.  Now we watch our services online.  Even Bible studies, home groups and youth groups are meeting online due to the pandemic spreading across our country.  Certainly this is something none of us ever considered a possibility.  However, there has never been a better time to use the technology that God has allowed us to develop over the years.  While safely remaining in our homes to limit exposure, we are able to see others over the internet and even pray together.  Certainly, it is not as warm as when we can be near one another, but it certainly beats the isolation people must have felt during the Plague.  With this in mind, lets look at the positive things that God is doing through this calamity.
     First, families are being together for longer periods of time than ever before.  Those of us who are working or have worked at some point often longed for more time with our spouse and children.  Like it or not, God has given us time to grow in this area.  For those who are now having to home school their children for a while, the Bible can now be taught daily in the curriculum.  There is time for prayer and eating together rather than running in ten different directions.  Children can learn new practical skills like cooking, baking, cleaning the house, and helping with the laundry.  On top of all this, there is time to have family devotions.  Deuteronomy 11:19 tells us this about teaching our children God's truth:  "Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  Now is the perfect opportunity.
     Secondly, this is a great opportunity for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ over social media, and when we encounter our neighbor (while observing social distancing).  Being on Facebook, Instagram, Parler or Twitter, there are many ways we can share Scripture, point to Christ, and proclaim our faith.  Each day, I have been uplifted by hymns, Christian musicians, and even pastors who take the time to offer a moment of prayer for our nation via Facebook
.  This is happening all over the internet. I have been surprised that even on Twitter, which is usually very contentious, people are talking more and more about prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ and how we can help one another at this time.  Remember the admonition that the Apostle Paul gave us in 2 Timothy 4:2:  "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction."  This is our call and especially now when we have a captive audience so to speak on the internet or even in our neighborhood.  We have prayed for a revival.  So let it begin with us.
     Finally, God has given us an opportunity to build our trust in Him through prayer.  This current pandemic is beyond our control.  No one can wave a magic wand and make it go away.  The doctors, nurses, first responders and military are doing all they can along with our leaders to stop this infection, but ultimately, God is sovereign.  He controls all things and desires that we depend on Him.
As the Apostle Paul clearly told Timothy (in 2 Timothy 1:7):  "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control. "  Other versions say "a spirit of fear".  We are not to be afraid of the things we are seeing.  Instead, this is a chance where we can lean into the everlasting arms for comfort and strength.  He is our refuge and our rock and we cannot be shaken.
     As we think on these positives, lets remember that the world and the Enemy of our Soul would rather drag us down into fear and insecurity.  Since Jesus has overcome the world, the flesh and the Devil by His death and resurrection, we, too, can be overcomers at this time on the earth since we belong to Him.  May we shine as lights in this dark world right now and add salt to our world by standing strong in Jesus Christ and using every opportunity to do good while we can.  Selah!