Simple Thoughts

The Psalms are filled with David on the run, people trying to kill him, the enemy on all sides. In whom did he put his trust? God. Listen to his declarations:

Psalm 56: 3: “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

Psalm 57:1: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.”

Psalm 59: 17: “O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.”

Psalm 61:1-2: “Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,”

Psalm 62:1-2: “For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

Psalm 62:8: “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. “

Psalm 63:3-4:”Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.”

What spiritual, emotional, physical battle are you in today? Seek God. Pray. Come to Him with your burdens. In Him you will find peace and strength to face today.

John 16:33: “I (Jesus) have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

I remember being asked recently, as I started out on a hike, would I like to take a walking stick with me. I poo-poo’ed the idea, thinking I was fit and athletic and I wouldn’t need an aide like a walking stick on my hike. Halfway through our hike, I started looking for sturdy limbs to use for a walking stick. I realized I was prideful at the start, thinking I could rely on self to have an enjoyable, successful hike. Hiking is taking careful steps, being sure of the terrain and a walking stick provides stability, whether going uphill or down. I realized my error and humbly admitted my mistake. I gladly accepted the walking stick that was handed to me.

In the same way, as we live our lives, under our own power, birthright, gifts, talents, abilities, we try the best we can to do good, live morally, and serve self and others. But is that enough? My search for God and His drawing me, opened my eyes to His truth. I do not have righteousness on my own and no amount of good works will put me in a right standing with God. The apostle Paul says the same thing in Philippians 3. He had the birthright, the education, the lineage, the religious title and when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he fell to his face, blinded by the light of Jesus. When he came to faith in Jesus Christ, He said he counted everything in his former life as rubbish. The only thing that mattered now was his life of faith in Jesus Christ and living a life of faith, looking to Jesus, the author and perfector of his faith, our faith.

Put aside your pride. Take hold of the free gift of salvation Jesus offers you today. Live a life of faith, growing and maturing in the knowledge of your Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:5-11 “I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

 

“It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring. He bumped his head and went to bed and couldn’t get up in the morning.” (Nursery Rhyme)

When we were little, if it was a rainy day, we would sing this song, telling ourselves that it was going to be an indoor kind of day. I could sing that song again today. Lots of tropical moisture, rain, steady. It’s an indoor kind of day.

The rain is not actually what brought this nursery rhyme to my mind today. As I was listening to the radio, a song came on by Micah Tyler, titled, “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring.” In the refrain, it says, “It’s raining, it’s pouring and You are restoring my soul… My sorrows are drowning in hope.”

In our country today, downpours of hate, discord and violence have turned to drops of unity, calm, peace. As a Christian, I look to God and give Him all the praise, glory and thanks for restoring not only peace in our cities, but for restoring hearts. Redeeming those who choose Jesus, choose forgiveness, choose love.

Our fears, anger, anxiety over this past week are now drowning in hope. Hope for wise words to be spoken. Hope for kindness to return. Hope for a better life for our children. Take time today to examine your own heart. Allow Jesus to enter your heart, redeeming your soul, restoring peace in your life, giving you a future and a hope.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”(NLT)

Why Black Out Tuesday? As I am scrolling through social media, I am seeing many posting “black” on their page. I get it. Bring unity, remembering a man senselessly murdered.

As I look at the black though, I am led to see the “black” as a symbol of sin and darkness which is what has fueled the riots and violence following that one senseless act. Be upset. Seek to bring about change. Peacefully protest the injustice. The man responsible has been arrested and will face justice.

Instead of posting “black,” let us post light, for it is God who has the power to change and transform hearts. Let us see each other as humans, walking this earth together. Let us come together to pray for a country divided, scared, in chaos. Satan is the god of this world and what is happening right now in our country brings him joy. Chaos, disorder, violence, fear is what he wants to see. People who live this way serve self. They know better but are allowing their emotions drive their actions. John 3:19-21 says, “the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Let us look to another example. Jesus. The Son of God senselessly murdered. He was arrested, tried for His crime, sentenced to death, beaten, crucified. Why? To bear the sins of all mankind. To do the will of His Father. To be the sacrificial Lamb. The wrath of God was poured out on Him at the cross. He died, was buried and 3 days later ascended into heaven. That you and I may have life in Him.

As a human, I became convicted of my black, sinful heart. I turned my eyes upward, asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and turned to follow Him. In that instant, my heart was changed. My life was transformed. It was the Love and Light of Jesus that opened my heart that day. It is the Love and Light of Jesus that rules in my heart today.

As I change my profile today, I do so to bring people’s attention to the Love and Light of Jesus. He is what all black, sinful hearts need today. He has the power to transform hearts and change lives today. Accept the love of Jesus and let your light shine on the true Light of Life- Jesus Christ.

I have never met a perfect human being. We all have faults, shortcomings, areas of our lives that the outside world does not always see. We have been given an opportunity to be introspective these last few months. To take stock of our lives, our habits, our character. What has God revealed to you in your life that needs to be worked on? I am working on patience, thankfulness, quieting my tongue, listening more, less binge watching and binge eating, more reading, deeper study of God’s word.

We are all in the midst… in the midst of a pandemic… in the midst of an emotional crisis… in the midst of a physical struggle… in the midst of a spiritual battle. Overcoming the sin in our own lives, the bad habits, the wrong thinking, takes work. Takes effort. In prayer, I confess my sins and under the power of the Holy Spirit, I take heed of that still small voice, directing my thoughts, my words, my feet.

Jesus had trouble, difficulties when He walked this earth. He knows and understands exactly what you are going through. Turn it all over to Him. Submit your life, your all to Jesus, walking with a new focus, a new heart, a new attitude. You can be an overcomer!

John 16:33 “Jesus saying, ‘I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.'”

I enjoy the early morning quiet. Before the noise of the day begins. The gentle song of the bird, the crowing of the rooster. Taking in the quiet, looking out at God’s creation. Today, we are forced to take in the quiet as we stay home. But what a blessing that has become. We are embracing these quiet sounds of the morning, the glorious sunrises to start the day. As we slow down and take notice, we are finding God in these quiet moments, praising Him for who He is, thanking Him for the birds, the sunrise, His creation.

Worshipping God every day, not just once a week or when our busy calendar frees us. Let us continue to see God working in our lives, to recognize Him in His creation, to draw near to Him with praise and thanksgiving, as our lives slowly return to normal. Let the new normal bring a return to our faith, to the God we knew and loved as a child. Let us proclaim His love for us as He keeps us and gives us strength with each new day.

Days are long. Nights seem longer. What are you thinking on? Where does your mind wander? Isolation brings us in touch with our inner self. Sometimes, my mind thinks on things and I’m like, “What? No, get out of my head.” I immediately seek God in prayer, asking for forgiveness. Then I repeat some scriptures I have memorized or parts of a favorite song. I want to re-focus my thoughts on God. I also love reading Psalms and the songs there. As I read Psalm 42 this morning, I am reminded of a song from the CD “Glory Revealed.” “Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my Lord.” Ps 42:11

What song has God put in your heart today?

Big Sunday dinners. Leftover Monday. Ground up ham sandwiches and ketchup Tuesday. My mom in the kitchen with the leftover ham and her meat grinder. She loved ham salad sandwiches but she always kept some plain ham for her picky daughters. Mix the plain ham with ketchup, put it on bread and voila… you have a childhood delicacy. Sitting down to lunch today, making use of the Easter ham and enjoying this same sandwich today.

Thinking of how God nourishes us with His precious words. Feeding us truths daily, sometimes in small portions, bite size chunks, and other times dining in His presence taking in all we can at once.

Enjoy the meals and memories you are making with your family, inviting God to come and dine at your table, desiring His nourishment, as well.

We have a new Saturday morning routine. My husband cooks bacon outside and I fix the eggs inside We then meet on the porch for a nice, quiet, easy start to our day.

This morning, as I finished breakfast, as I sipped my morning tea, I reflected on these times. Routines broken. New ones established. Jobs lost. New opportunities arise. Staying at home. More time enjoyed with family. Many people are taking this same time to make their own personal reflections.

As we look forward to tomorrow, Easter Sunday, let us reflect on the magnitude of that time, of that event. Jesus crying out in the Garden. “Your will be done, Father.” (Matthew 26:39) Jesus, dying on the cross, taking upon Himself the wrath of God on our behalf. Jesus declaring, ” It is finished!” (John 19:30) as He breathed His last. Our acceptance of His precious blood shed at the cross, we breathe new life because of His sacrifice. The resurrection, overcoming the grave, victory over death, as He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God.

Our hope, as we reflect today, is that Jesus died and rose victorious, that we might live… today, tomorrow and for all eternity, praising Him as we proclaim, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9)

The week before Easter. A time of preparation. In Matthew 21:1-11, we have the Triumphal Entry, prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. The crowds that day spread their cloaks on the ground, some cut branches and laid them down. All were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9). They were acknowledging Jesus as the One to grant them salvation. Sadly, just days later, these same worshippers, who had been looking to Jesus to save them from Roman occupation and economic relief, enthusiastically supported His arrest and crucifixion.

Jesus, the Messiah, who came to save us from our sins and separation from God, the sacrificial Lamb who came to die for all mankind, who wants all men to come to Him in repentance and faith. This same Jesus did not fit their narrative. Save us now. Relieve us from our current afflictions. Meet our fleshly needs.

Today, as we prepare this week for the triumphal Resurrection that is Easter Sunday, I pray you prepare your hearts. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, do it today. If you are a Christian who has wandered away, the time is now at hand to come back to the Lord in repentance and faith and set your heart back on the Lord. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Let us renew our walk with Christ, looking to Him for everything. We come to Him empty and broken and He fills us with His love and a desire to know him more, to follow Him, to learn from Him. Let this week be a time to get your heart right with God. Sing praise to God for sending us His Son that we may have eternal fellowship with Him.