Come On, Ring That Bell

Yesterday, I stood with 95 year old GRACIE whom I was 'parking' back in her nursing home room in her wheelchair. We'd just finished singing hymns and Christmas songs together with others down the hall. Somehow, I could tell I needed to stay with her a little while longer. (I'd been told she'd been a little cranky earlier- very unusual for her.) At that moment, I realized I was wearing a medium/small sleigh bell attached to the necklace chain I wear a cross on. I definitely knew I was meant to give that bell to this dear lady. As I freed it, she asked what I was doing. I said I was going to give her the bell. To my utter surprise, she basically broke down bawling.. deep, deep sobs and lots of tears. I couldn't leave her for more than 5 more minutes. Why the tears? In her words, "You are giving this to me? Someone really cares if I live or die.. I feel so lonely all of the time.., etc." I assured her that her daughters do come see her because I've met them throughout the 7 years I've known Gracie. My heart just about broke though as I hugged her during these emotionally cathartic moments. Actually, I counted myself blessed to be the one who got to be there for her. It made me wonder just how many times we are feeling deprived of something we think we need when, in truth, our Lord Jesus IS there (here) for us at ALL times! His deepest desire is to be the ONE who shares all of those special moments with us. HE is the one who can/does 'ring my bell!' That particular bell I gave to Gracie, had been given to me yesterday with a note attached which said, "Ring the bell of joy." (referring to this Christmas season)  Of course, I always emphasize how true JOY (as well as true PEACE and HOPE) can ONLY come from our LORD JESUS CHRIST as He is welcome to dwell within our beings! So, dear readers.. "Come on, ring those bells!-- Light the Christmas tree.. Jesus IS the KING, born for you and me!"(opening line of a favorite Christmas song of mine..) It's our JOY to share HIM with all those around us as well as with ourselves! The Joy of the LORD is my strength!

TUNE IN, or.....

When I was in 9th grade, I came across a sort of  1960ish, sort of psychedelic book of poems intended for teens to read. The title was simply, TUNE IN. It had brightly, metalic colored pages which were narrow at first, but got wider with each page. Needless to say, it caught my attention and I am certainly glad it did. For, you see, there was one poem in particular (the only one I recall) that has stayed with me for over 40 years. Entitled, THE WELL, it directed readers to the only way to satisfy true thirst. This is by drawing from the depths of God's love, mercy, compassion, grace and SO MUCH MORE, as we rest assured He meets our every need. The final line profoundly stated, "And help me, O God, to admit how thirsty I really am!" Talk about something that impacted me! It was another year before I began to understand that my 'religious beliefs' could make a '12 inch trip' from my mind down into my 'heart' (my soul, which includes my mind, emotions, and will). Once I was led into this personal access, intimate relationship to my Lord, I was delighted to admit how thirsty I was (still am today since like physical thirst, I need to drink frequently.)

NOW- onto why I chose this title for today-- I have realized just how many of us sort of forget to 'tune in' to the wonderful TRUTH and REALITY of God's presence within us! HE'S the creator of ALL things! I'm talking about THE LORD GOD Himself indwelling us. I am so aware of how often I frankly 'tune Him OUT!' UGH! What deprivation I accept by doing this.. So, as I close, please pray HE will remind you often of this glorious, wondrous TRUTH of his intimate relationship with/to you. 'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' (Romans 15:13) True PEACE, HOPE and JOY are some of the most wonderful GIFTS we can receive.. GRACE, MERCY, LOVE and RIGHTEOUSNESS in Him, are some others! 

   Have a blessed Christmas and a wonder-filled new year as you TUNE IN to His presence within if you have received Him into your life by accepting the way made possible for you to fellowship with him. Praise God for his compassion that allowed his Son, the Lord Jesus, to become the sacrifice needed for our sins .. He said, IT IS FINISHED.. All we need to do is accept gratefully, this GRACE beyond measure!

LION'S DEN, or FIERY FURNACE?

The fact that it's been nearly a full month since my last post might hint of a very complex/challenging past few weeks. My choice of title today also can be a clue! I'll just state it this way: "I am so grateful for out Lord's insistence upon directing my attention solely to his all-sufficiency, faithfulness, protection, compassion, mercy, and SO MUCH MORE! I have never been so impressed and refreshed by those 2 accounts of how God's faithful ones were miraculously spared destruction from flames and hungry lions. His presence was actually observed by Nebuchadnezzar as he gazed into the furnace and saw 4 unbound men walking around! The three men had been bound before they 'fell' into the furnace! I am so grateful HE doesn't mind being with us when 'through fiery trials, our pathways shall lie.. His grace all-sufficient, being our supply!'

  Moving on, I want to introduce the topic of the PREEMINENCE of CHRIST.. Not, the prominence of Him, but the preeminence! In the above stated examples of His presence, we do see his GREATNESS, EXCELLENCE, SUPREMACY,  SUPERIORITY, AND PERFECTION.  No matter the circumstances we may find ourselves in, we get to (must?!) TRUST only in His presence within and with us to enable the living of our earthbound lives solely to his glory! (SOLI DEO GLORIA!) Daily ask yourself if you are focused totally upon his ALL-SUFFICIENCY to display his PREEMINENCE in/through you! I will join you!  More to come....

  

BFN or, BFF?

Recently, I've been thinking more and more about how wonderful it is to be called a friend of God! I am perplexed at how little I live in that truth most of the time. It seems the Lord certainly understands this though because just this morning as I was 'down on myself' due to struggling with a particular, ever-insistent addictive behavior in my life, HE made certain the following song began the music line-up on my morning devotions radio program.   "There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus... No, not one.. No, not one.. None else can heal all our soul's diseases.. No, not one.. No, not one!"  As soon as the 'soul's diseases' words were sung, my precious Lord comforted me by assuring me He is there all the time and is willing to heal, thus deliver me from this behavior I succumb to more often than I'd like to admit. Each time, though, I must consciously decide whether to say,'By For Now' to Him and his offer of deliverance, or to welcome my Best Friend Forever as He offers his Holy Spirit's strength to me.

One of the keys to accepting His power to deliver me is to remember to remember! My husband says he often forgets to remember! Oh, how I know this reality personally!  I need to pray more fervently for myself, asking for HIM to remind me!  I need to close now, so please consider PSALM 103 as it exhorts us to 'forget not all his benefits..' He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases.. redeems our lives from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion... satifies our desires with good things so our youth is renewed like the eagle's.  I, especially need to let HIM satisfy my desires with all HE knows is good for me! Who could ask for a better forever friend?

TO BOAST, or not TO BOAST?

In my current study of the New Testament book of ACTS, I am at the part where Paul says he knows a man who was allowed to get a glimpse of the 'hereafter,' as one who loves the Lord will know it. His account speaks in a third person manner although he could have been the one he speaks of..(He would not want to boast of having had this experience even though he had been left for dead after being stoned on his first missionary journey.) If he was indeed the one granted this look into eternity, he chose not to draw attention to himself which makes sense because those of us who love the Lord only want to point to our Jesus in all of his glory.. not ours!

So, what does it mean when we are told to boast in the Lord? Jeremiah 9:23-24 remind the strong, rich,and wise not to boast in their strength, riches, or wisdom respectively.. Then it says , 'But let him who boasts, boast of this.. That he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.' Wow! We are told to speak with strong confidence about how we can/do KNOW, and understand, the LORD GOD, CREATOR of ALL!

I like the lyrics to a contemporary song which basically say this,.. "I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ..." (then they go on to list things like his grace, his power, his mercy, etc,.. but I don't have them accurately memorized..)   I will wrap up for now, by simply saying that for me, it is a joy to ocassionally share with you just a little bit of what the LORD has me thinking about. May He give you the wisdom and fervor to share whatever/whenever He is intending you to do so.  SOLI DEO GLORIA.. To God's Glory Only!

SUNDAY- SON'SDAY or, SINDAY?

Warm greetings to all who read this... The title pretty much says it all... OF COURSE, I realize that some of you gather for worship on SATURDAY, which I fully understand... So, the puns don't 'work' for you, but the gist of this message still applies to us all... We get to choose how to spend each day of  'our' week so most of you who read this DO choose to set aside one for worship, fellowship and other God-centered activities.   The reason I am writing this is because I WAS DELIGHTED when I finally thought of the use of SON'SDAY for a pun on SUNDAY! Also, in an earlier message, I'd mentioned SINDAY, which of course, is how a vast majority of humanity is content to designate it. (whether it's by 'busyness' around the house, yard, etc... or with sports, etc..) OH! I do realize that many Christians have jobs which require 24/7 staffing so I have worked a paying job on Sundays in the past.. This message is not about being 'legalistic,' but is meant to encourage each of us to set aside at least ONE day per week to worship our Lord, fellowship, minister, and rest.. (even if this means doing so alone or with a spouse, etc. due to a job or unavoidable committment..)

The 'particulars' of how we spend this day vary greatly and I am certain our Lord will direct each of us according to his pleasing will..   Basically, we can be grateful HE provided us with a precedent by resting on the 7th day! Enjoying our Lord, thus blessing HIM, is something many of us forget to let ourselves do! So, dear readers, make it a point to have at least one SON'S DAY  each week, NO MATTER the name of the day on the calendar!                         P.S.- I don't mean to say we can only enjoy the Lord one day a week! Actually, each day can be a SON'S DAY, thus making it a truly SONny day!

These T.R.Y.ing Times

Years ago, my mom taught me to Trust, Relinquish, and Yield.  Of course, she was referring to trusting only in the Lord as well as yielding to his wondrous all-suffiency in all matters.. Then, as we do these, we can more readily relinquish any/all desires to insist upon 'our' way instead of his! Basically, this is what I wrote about in my most recent post, but it is a re-packaging of it. I am quite aware of how so many of us seem to only be 'comfortable?' when we are yielding to what we think we want.... UGH! Notice, I said, 'us,' since I want to make certain you all know I struggle with not wanting to relinquish my inclusion of too much food going into my body. I know true JOY when I do relinquish, thus I would love to know that many of you 'out there' are also experiencing the relief and joy of yielding your will to his... I think of the when Paul (I think it was him) stated his need for 'More of YOU, less of me.' I don't know the location of this in scripture since my limited concordance didn't include it, but, it all boils down to... Who are we trusting to know what's best for us- to meet our every need?
There are more 'global' matters at hand in our lives as Americans currently so I am very glad I can, and do, know I can sing, 'I am not afraid,.. I will trust in YOU, my Father,' as a song I was just listening to says so well. I urge you all to take a look at any areas you might be forfeiting the PEACE of GOD due to clinging to 'how you think things should/could be.' Let's all loosen our grips on what we think we want or 'need,' so we can experience much more of that true PEACE, HOPE,  and JOY He intends for/through us....  May the trying times in, and aspects of, our lives be transformed into times of truly Trusting, Relinquishing our wills, and Yielding to all He knows is best so we may live more fully to his GLORY as another result.   Because His Love is Perfect and is focused on us, Sheila