You Raise Me Up

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,

set your hearts on things above, 

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 

Set your minds on things above, 

not on earthly things.

Col. 3:1-2 (NIV) 

The secret of victory is being above our circumstances.  If we are wallowing in them, we will feel depressed and discouraged.  We can't solve anything from below.  But, when we are raised above then we have the perspective to see who we are and what we need to do.  

Jesus lifts us up to the heavenly realms where it is all peace and joy.  With this spirit everything seems so much lighter and we don't take things so seriously.  

Lord, thank you for lifting us up with you.  Help us to keep that perspective in the midst of every circumstances.

                             And God raised us up with Christ

 and seated us with him in the heavenly realms 

in Christ Jesus. 

Eph. 2:6 (NIV)

Our citizenship is in heaven.

Eph 3.20

You Raise Me Up

When I am down and, oh, my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up to more than I can be.

You raise me up to more than I can be.

Josh Groban

Listen to the song:    You Raise Me Up

Good Gifts

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

 coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. 

James 1:17

Peace

 Joy 

Mercy 

Compassion 

Companionship 

Presence

Incredible Gifts 

All these treasures hidden in Him - 

the Son given, the Baby born -

 Wonderful
 Marvelous One
 Counselor and Guide 

 Mighty God

Faithful Forever Father
 Prince of Peace 

Indescribable Gifts 

He

greatest gift of all 

gave His all so we might live
 and He forgive. 

In Him we have redemption 

the forgiveness of sins,

 new life.

A costly gift.  

He paid the price.

Inexpressible Gift 

Open the gift.

 Believe and receive.

Ask Him in.

The greatest gift of all.

Jesus

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 

2 Cor. 9:15

God of Comfort

When we arrived, there was no rest for us.  

Outside there was conflict from every direction, 

and inside there was fear. 

 But God who encourages those who are discouraged,

 encouraged us. 

2 Cor 7:5-6

There are many times in this life that we feel overwhelmed.  All around our outside circumstances are challenging us and inside is nothing but fear. God understands. That's the time to look to him, the God of all comfort. When we feel helpless, weak and discouraged we can count on God's spirit. If we seek him and ask, he will come to encourage and sustain us in the midst of our trouble.

Thank you, God, for your spirit that comes to comfort and encourage us in all our times of trouble. 

God is our merciful Father

 and the source of all comfort.
 He comforts us in all our troubles.

 2 Cor 1:3-4

Equipped

 God's divine power has given us everything we need

 for life and for godliness.

2 Peter 1:3 (GW)

God promises to give us everything we need. That means he provides for our every day practical needs and also for our spiritual needs.

God provides whatever we need for our daily lives - our daily bread.  He is the good shepherd caring for his sheep and providing their every need - green pasture, clean water and protection from enemies. 

He also provides for our spiritual needs. When we hear the word "godliness" we may think, "I'm certainly not very godly."  But, our good shepherd provides for that need to.  By his spirit within us, he gives us the desire to pray, he inspires us to do good things for others and he fills us with his gifts of patience and kindness. He gives us peace and encouragement to accomplish whatever he has given us to do.

All these things come from him who gives everything that we need.  He equips us in every way by his power. 

 May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.

Heb 13:21 (NLT)

Peace

I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart.

And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.

So don't be troubled or afraid.

John 14:27 (NLT)

  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.Phil 4:6-7 (NLT)

The peace of God is a priceless gift. 

If I jump out of bed in the morning and charge into my day without contacting the giver of peace I can be confronted with an onslaught of the days worries and cares.  I look at my circumstances. They may be perplexing and difficult creating confusion and fear.  Sometimes things don't make sense. That's when I realize the world doesn't have much peace to offer me. 

But, if the first thing I do in the morning is line my spirit up with the Prince of Peace and put everything that will come my way into his hands, I can go through the day in peace.  The presence of his peace is my guard.  If my peace is disturbed, I can stop and listen.  Perhaps I need to change my course, set a boundary or release my anxiety.  
 
O Lord, thank you for the promise and gift of your peace.  May we partake of that gift today.  When this world tries to disturb our peace guard our hearts and give us wisdom.

Help

                God is our refuge and strength       always ready to help in times of trouble.                                  Psalm 46:1 (NLT 
Jesus is always there to help us with every need in our lives large or small.  He gives us the emotional support we need to deal with difficult and fearful situations. He gives us wisdom to help us to make decisions when we face a difficult dilemma.  He gives support and comfort when we face grief or lose.  What ever the need, he is there to help.  All we have to do is ASK and wait for the answer. 

How many times do we go on in fear, dread or confusion not knowing what to do and feeling overwhelmed by our circumstances.  We forget to put our faith into action and just ask for help.

Lord,  thank you that you are always ready to support and help us.  Let us look to you and ask for help all the time especially when we face difficulty. 

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, 

so that we may receive mercy

 and find grace to help us

 in our time of need.

Heb 4:16 (NIV)

Relax

For anyone who enters God's rest

 also rests from his own work.

Hebrews 4:10 (NIV)

A lot of our problems stem from ourselves.  From the stressing and striving and worrying that keeps us tied up in knots.   What we need to do is relax. Trusting means relaxing.  Let go and leave it all to God.

As I am totally committed to His will for my life, He assumes full responsibility for me - for my own personal needs, for the outcome of the projects He assigns to me, for the effectiveness of the ministry, for the response of the people, for the fruit of the labor and for the permanency of the work.*

We can't solve the world's problems by stressing and straining.  We can't even solve our own. We can pray, then rest, leaving the results with God.

 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.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) 

*Birkey, Verna. You Are Very Special, New Jersey, Fleming H. Revell, 1977: 138

Hope

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? 

and why art thou disquieted in me?

hope thou in God:

 for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 

Psalm 42:5 (KJV)

As I was walking this morning along the gravel roads rutted from the recent downpours here in Arizona, I was thinking about all the ruts in my own life - those areas of failure, of weakness, of shortcoming.  It is easy to become discouraged thinking about these things.  Then out of nowhere the word "hope" came to mind.  No matter how discouraged I am about myself, in God, there is hope.  

As I continued to walk along, I came upon some areas where the ruts had been smoothed out. The big, powerful bulldozer had been there, filling in all the gaps and leveling out the ruts.  In my own strength, I am unable to fill in the gaps in my life or to smooth out the road, but as I humbly entrust myself to my powerful God, confessing my shortcomings, asking for his help and trusting him, His spirit comes and does the work.  He is able to take those deep areas of need and fill them again with his spirit, his strength and his power. 

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 (NIV) 

Peace

Tim Howard, goalie

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.

 And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. 

So don’t be troubled or afraid. 

John 14:27 (NLT) 

Jesus has left us the gift of peace.  So many times we forget to open it.

If anyone should be feeling stress and anxiety it should be Tim Howard, goalie of the U.S. National Soccer Team. The U.S. Soccer team is moving on in the 2014 World Cup due in large part to the tremendous goalie skills exhibited by Tim Howard.  Even with all those hard shots coming right at him, he seems to maintain a sense of peace and command.

As he states here, Tim has found his sense of peace from a source other than success in sports:

The most important thing in my life is Christ.  He's more important to me than winning or losing or whether I'm playing or not. Everything else is just a bonus.

Today, I am blessed to be living a dream. And yet, if it all went away tomorrow, I know I would still have peace. That probably sounds crazy to most people, but that's the kind of peace Christ gives. It is rooted in His love, and it surpasses all understanding. 

You can experience this same sense of love and peace, too. All you have to do is ask for it.

That is such a great reminder to all of us.  No matter how stressful our situation may seem, we can open that gift that Jesus has given us.  We cannot find it any where else in the world, but we can experience it by tapping into Jesus, our only source of Peace.

Tim Howard Talks About Faith

Tim Howard: The Goal Keeper

Lead Me On

Roman Road and Arch, Donnas, France

When I walk through the darkest valley

 I will not be afraid because you are close beside me.

Ps. 23:4 (NLT)

There are times when things seem so dark we can't see our way.  We are weighed down with confusion and fear.  In times like these we need even more to trust the Great Shepherd who is always there and will never fail to lead us on. 

I am so thankful for the rich tradition of scripture and song that I have been surrounded with these last 47 years since I came to know Christ.  In times of trouble, a scripture or a song comes to mind to encourage me. This morning I woke singing Precious Lord, Take My Hand, written by Thomas A. Dorsey, the father of Black Gospel music.  

He wrote this song a week after the tragic loss of his wife and son in childbirth. As he tells the story:

I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody. Once in my head they just seemed to fall into place: 

'Precious Lord, take my hand lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.' 

The Lord gave me these words and melody. He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power. 

And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comeswhen He will take me and gently lead me home.

How much encouragement we gain from listening to the stories of those who have experienced the dark times and have found God faithful to carry them through. 

Oh Lord, let us always cling to you, trusting you to lead us on toward the light no matter how dark it seems.  We know you will bring us through because your grace is unchanging, your love unfailing.  Give us eyes to see, give us faith to believe that you are always there close beside holding our hand.

Click here:  Elvis singing Precious Lord. (In honor of my mom who was an Elvis fan.)

Sacrifice

American Cemetery and Memorial, Normandy, France

On our recent trip to France we visited the beaches of Normandy where the allied troops landed to begin their assault to free Europe from the Nazis on June 6, 1944.  This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of that invasion. There we visited the Memorial where thousands of crosses mark the graves of those who gave their lives.  Their sacrifice allowed the people of Europe to be set free from a vicious enemy. 

As I meditate upon the sacrifice of those brave men, I am reminded of the sacrifice of Christ.  It is because of his willing and courageous sacrifice that I have life today.  As those thousands of crosses represent new life and freedom for the continent of Europe, so that one cross represents new life and freedom for all who identify themselves with it.

Omaha Beach, Normandy, France

Sin & The Cross

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ

so that sin might lose its power in our lives.

 We are no longer slaves to sin.

 Romans 6:6 (NLT) 

Sin isn't a popular word these days.  People don't want to be categorized or condemned about any aspect of their behavior, but all we have to do is look around and see the things happening in the world to realize that sin is a reality. 

Sin is destructive - destructive to our lives in the form of addictions and negative behavior and destructive to our relationships in the form of hurtful words and actions.  We don't love ourselves and others as we should.

It doesn't take long to realize that we are prisoners of our sinful nature. God, in his great mercy and love, being very much aware of our condition, devised a plan to set us free.

There, upon the cross, Jesus took upon himself the weight of our sin. All of the pain we have caused to ourselves and others fell upon him. This is a great mystery, but, if we, by faith, see ourselves dying in him and with him on that cross, we are set free.


There are still the residual effects of sin in our lives and our feelings often don't agree, but we are declared to be righteous before God because of our faith in Jesus. From this position of acceptance, we can continue to grow in goodness and love. Just as the prickly old cactus sprouts beautiful flowers, so our lives can sprout the good things that bring joy instead of destruction - all because of the Cross.

Care

 Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.
 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers

that are here today and gone tomorrow, 

he will certainly care for you. 

 Matthew 6:28, 30 (NLT) 

God cares for us and cares about us.  He is our ally, the one who is always there to help us.  He tells us to cast all of our care upon him because he cares for us.

There are times that we may not feel his love and care.  We may feel alone and abandoned.  But his care is a sure thing.  It never fails.  One of the central characteristics of God is his unfailing love and mercy.  We need to constantly remind ourselves of this fact.  

Why is it sometimes we do not remember?  It is hard to wean ourselves from the idea that we have to take care of ourselves.  We become worried and anxious about things forgetting that God is ready, willing and able at any moment to help us.  It is so hard for us to understand that dependence upon God is not weakness, but strength.  When we depend on his unlimited resources to solve our problems we are so much better off than when we rely on our own limited supply.

Maybe we feel we don't deserve his care because of how we have failed. His faithfulness is far greater than any of our failures.  We read in Nehemiah about how the Israelites failed God, they were proud and stubborn and paid no attention to him.  They refused to obey or recognize all the good things he had done for them and yet he did not destroy them but sustained them.

You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. In your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.  For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!  Nehemiah 9:16-21 (NLT) 

Jesus has not abandoned us and left us as orphans (Jn 14.18).  He has sent his holy spirit to be with us and in us.  Let us bring to remembrance the constant and unfailing care of God and turn to him quickly in our time of need. 

He remembers us in our weakness. 

His faithful love endures forever. 

Psalm 136:23 (NLT) 

He Gives More Grace (Click to Listen.)


He giveth more grace when the burden grows greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials
His multiplied peace.

Chorus:
His love has no limit,
His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again!

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

He Speaks Peace

 Now may the Lord of peace himself

 give you his peace at all times and in every situation. 

The Lord be with you all.

 2 Thess 3:16 (NLT) 

One of the blessings of seeking, trusting and getting to know God is the blessing of peace.  God offers quietness of heart as an antidote to the feverish activity and strife of our lives.  An orderly and quiet life is a precious treasure.

We know God is interested in our peace.  He is called the God of Peace (Heb 13.20).  He is the author of peace, not confusion (1 Cor 14.53).  One of the symbols of Christ in the Old Testament is Melchizedek, the king of Salem which means king of Peace (Heb. 7.2).  He preached peace (Eph 2.17).  He has called us to peace (1 Cor 7:15).  Practically every book of the New Testament opens and closes with prayers for God's peace.

He especially speaks peace in times of distress or trouble. After his crucifixion, when his disciples were behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, Jesus appeared among them with the words "Peace be with you" (Jn. 20.19). He confronted the boisterous wind and waves of a violent storm with the words, "Quiet! Be still!" (Mk. 4:39).

Feelings of anxiety and fear are natural in the face of trouble, but God is greater than our hearts.  If we give in to feelings of anxiety we will have few resources to handle our problems.  A harmonious state of soul and mind actually encourages the development of the wisdom and power needed to better handle every difficulty.

God values peace.  He speaks peace to the disturbing forces in our lives. As we open our hearts to him, as we cast all of our cares on him, his peace will rule in every situation.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

Col 3:15 (NIV)

The Quaker poet John Greenleaf Whittier writes these beautiful words:

Drop Thy still dews of quietness

Till all our strivings cease;

Take from our souls the strain and stress, 

And let our ordered lives confess

 The beauty of Thy peace.

Listen to the hymn:
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Trust

Natural Bridges.  Can you find me in the picture?

  God is our sure foundation. 

 We are exhorted over and over again to trust in him.   

  O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

       Psalms 62:8 (NLT)

Our peace depends upon our trust. 

 Whenever worries arise, replace them with trust. 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.

      Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

He will provide all that we need as we trust in him.  

 In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Isaiah 33:6 (NLT)

More Than Conquerors

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us.

Romans 8:37 (NIV)

So many troubles and problems assault us in this life.  It is so hard for us to go through difficult times, our emotions are so intense.  Fearful feelings, anxiety and worry overwhelm us.

When we are in this state, it is hard for us to imagine ourselves as conquerors, victorious over every thing that life throws at us. It is hard for us to see how our failings and weaknesses could be woven together for good. 

Paul recounts his own struggle: 

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

But he said to me, 

"My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. 

For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV) 

We can only hold onto God's promise with what little strength we have. God is faithful. He is holding on to us with a firm grip even when it feels like our grip is failing. For,  "It is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."(Heb. 6:18,19) 

He will bring us through. No trouble, hardship or problem can ever separate us from God.  Hold on!

Home

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down

 (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body),

 we will have a home in heaven,

 an eternal body made for us by God himself 

and not by human hands. 

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT) 

Just a few days ago our neighbors lost their thirteen year old son to cancer.  This is the second time in my life that I have known a thirteen year old boy who has died from this devastating disease.  Each was a sweet and kind child. How is it that such a young body could be filled with such destruction and pain?  How is it that a life could be cut so short?  It is so hard to understand.  It is beyond our comprehension. The grief of the parents and family is overwhelming.

Death and loss are very real experiences in this life.  When things are going along smoothly and care free we don't think about it much, but the fact is our lives here are only temporary.  "This world is not my home. I'm just passing through." as the old song says.  

The time we have here on earth is a gift from God.  But this earth is not our final home.  There are many good things here, but there is also much sorrow, strife and pain. Our bodies are weak and continually decaying. When we come to terms with that fact, it completely changes our perspective.  The grief and sadness of death do not change, but we can accept it as part of the life process and as a door into our eternal destiny. 

With this change of perspective, we will see that our purpose here on earth is not to settle in but to learn and grow - to learn how to love.   Every experience is only a stepping stone moving us toward our true destiny.  Life experiences here fit us for the real life to come and when the time comes to drop our human bodies it will be only an entrance into the beauties of that eternal life.

What about those two beautiful boys who left us too soon.  We don't know why they had to go, but we know that they have entered into their new life of joy and beauty a little sooner than most of us.  I know God has a lot more work to do in me and I look at every moment as a preparation for that day when I will enter into that beautiful place and see all the things God has in store for me forever.  

We do not grieve as those who have no hope. (1 Thes. 4:13)

That is why we never give up. 

Though our bodies are dying,

our spirits are being renewed every day.

 For our present troubles are small 

and won’t last very long.

 Yet they produce for us a glory 

that vastly outweighs them

 and will last forever!

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now;

 rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.

 For the things we see now will soon be gone, 

but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) 

Reminders

Arches National Park

 Let all that I am praise the LORD;

 may I never forget the good things he does for me. 

Psalm 103:2 (NLT) 

It is good to be reminded of God's faithful love for us.  His constant care and love never fail.

• He surrounds me with love and tender mercies. Ps. 103:4

• He fills my life with good things Ps. 103.5

• He is merciful and gracious:  he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. Ps. 103.8

• He is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who honor him for he understands how weak we are he knows we are only dust. Ps. 103.13,14

• Your hand will guide me and your strength will support me. Ps. 139.11

Lord,  what a joy to have your unfailing love surrounding us.  If we feel alone, sad or discouraged in this moment let us remind ourselves of who you are and ask for a renewed sense of your presence with us.

Listen to this beautiful hymn:
Love Divine, All Love Excelling

Prescription for a Happy New Year

A good way to start the new year and every new day:

1. Present yourself to God each morning. Give him your day. 

 "Here I am Lord.  Fill me with your love and peace today."  

Present your bodies a sacrifice--living, sanctified,

 acceptable to God--your intelligent service. Romans 12:1 (YLT) 

2.  Ask for his guidance in everything that will come your way today. 

"Lord, what ever happens today give me wisdom and guidance to do and say the right thing." 

 He guides the humble in what is right and 

teaches them his way. 

Ps 25.9 (NIV)

3.  Tell God everything you are concerned about even the small things.  

I pour out my complaints before him 

and tell him all my troubles. 

Psalm 142.2 (NIV)

4.  Leave all your concerns with him.  Trust. 

" Lord, I trust that you will take care of everything that I am concerned about today. " 

Give all your worries and cares to God,

for he cares about you. 

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

5.  Ask for strength and courage to follow and obey him in everything today.  

 And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus. 

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) 

6.  Yield quickly when you sense rebellion, anxiety or self will rising in you. 

"Lord,  I quietly submit my spirit again to your will.  Don't let me be overtaken by my own emotions or desires that are not pleasing to you."   

 When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn.

Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.

 Psalm 142:3 (NLT)

7.  Be thankful and accept what ever comes your way today as from the hand of God. 

"Thank you Lord that you are using everything I face today to teach and train me and to change me to be more like you."   

Be thankful in all circumstances, 

for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 

1 Thess. 5:18 (NLT) 

8.  Allow God's peace to rule in every circumstance. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds

 as you live in Christ Jesus.  

Philippians 4:7 (NLT) 

9.  Rest in him.  

"Lord,  I rest from my own labors and strivings as I trust in you today."

 Let my soul be at rest again, 

for the LORD has been good to me. 

 Psalm 116:7

10.  Rejoice.

"Lord, thank you for the joy you give.  I choose to rejoice and be happy in every situation that I face today .  

 Always be full of joy in the Lord. 

I say it again—rejoice! 

Phil. 4:4 (NLT)