Child of God

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children. 

 Romans 8:16

The greatest awareness we can possess is the settled knowledge that we are truly God's child.  With that knowledge so many things are taken care of.  With God as our heavenly father we experience all the blessings reserved for his children.  

First of all, we experience his great love for us - a feeling of being wanted, accepted and cherished.  With that comes the knowledge that we are protected and safe. No matter what happens, nothing can harm us - we are safe in his arms.  He guides us with wisdom and gives the right answer for every situation.  As a good father he disciplines us that we might grow and become more like him. As we rest in him, all needs are supplied.  

Thank you, Lord, for the realization that I am your child.  As I trust in you, may I experience the peace, rest and joy that are my birthright.

See how very much our Father loves us,

for he calls us his children,

and that is what we are! 

1 John 3:1

Constancy

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17 (NIV)

The big difference between us and God is he is constant and we are fickle.  Our moods can fluctuate from day to day making us sometimes erratic and unstable.

God, on the other hand does not change.  He cannot change his mind.  His plans and purposes are secure and steady.  

He is like a strong, steady sun that does not move across the sky but shines constantly down upon us - no shifting shadows.  We do not have to worry that he will grow tired and look away or ignore us.  He is always available when we need him, always watching over us.  His love and care never leave us. 

Lord, thank you for your steady light smiling down upon us. 

He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.

Psalms 121:3-4 (NLT)

No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

Isaiah 60:19 (NLT)

Power

Power Plant at Davis Dam, Laughlin, Nevada

 So that you can know and understand what is the

immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness

of His power in and for us who believe…

Eph 1:19 (AMP)

Throughout the psalms, David speaks of many fearful things - earthquakes, mountains crumbling, oceans roaring, nations collapsing, enemies out to kill him and armies rising against him - things that would terrify any of us. And yet he says,” I will not fear.” (Psalm 27 & 46.)  How could he say that??  He obviously had a strong faith in God’s power and ability and believed in God’s willingness to use it on his behalf.  He had a big God.

When we focus on our weaknesses, we are brought down by thoughts of our insufficiency.  When we think about God’s ability and power our faith is built up. 

How big is your God?  Maybe you have him in a box, restricted in what he can do, limited to only certain areas of your life?  Let him out.  He has the power to act in every area – inside and outside.   He is ready, willing and able.  Put your trust in him today.  He has the power to open doors of opportunity and to give you the strength to walk through them.  

Small god = small faith.

BIG GOD = BIG FAITH!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us,

 to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Eph 3:20 (NLT)

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

2 Cor 9:8 (KJV)

Weakness

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:3 (NIV)

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Matt 5:3 (NLT)

Recognizing our weakness is a blessing.  It opens the door to all the resources of God's kingdom.  As long as we rely on our own strength we are cut off from God's.  The Apostle Paul found this secret.  A man of breeding, accomplishment, education (Phil 2:4-6) and amazing visions (2 Cor 12:1-4), he realized that he could not boast about any of these things and concluded: "I am going to boast only about my weaknesses." (2 Cor 12:5).  He took pleasure in his weaknesses because they opened the door for God's strength.

Instead of putting ourselves down when we struggle and fail we should rejoice because we know that God will come in to supply the strength we need at that moment.  As soon as I acknowledge my weakness, I feel his strength.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Cor 12:9-10 (NLT)

Stormy Seas

I hear the tumult of the raging seas 

as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, 

and through each night I sing his songs, 

praying to God who gives me life.

Psalms 42:7-8 (NLT)

In the face of so much financial uncertainty in the world, we can easily be overtaken by anxiety and fear.  We feel as if our little boat is being tossed back and forth on a violent and stormy sea.  Thank God, that at the height of the storm, his words provide an antidote and anchor for our souls.

His word is a source of daily hope and encouragement.  The scriptures stimulate our faith and bring us courage for each new day and hope for the future.  Faith, as an anchor for our soul, holds on to the solid rock below as the storm continues to rage.  No matter what happens, our powerful God, will provide for our needs in his time and his way.  He will never fail to help us.  David passionately cry’s out, “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalms 62:8 NLT)

No matter how stormy the sea or how violently our little boat is being tossed about, we can anchor our soul on the solid rock.  Our anchor holds in God’s inner sanctuary.  Nothing on the stormy surface above can disturb the calm of the depths of his love.

And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement

as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 

Romans 15:4 (NLT)

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage,

for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.  

This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.  

It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Heb 6:19 (NLT)

Seated With Christ

Karen & Simon's Garden, Nelson, B.C.

 

And God raised us up with Christ 

and seated us with him in the heavenly realms

in Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:6 (NIV)

This morning it was a comfort to me and a strengthening to realize that I have been raised to the heavenly realm seated with Christ.  As I imagine myself there, I realize that Christ is right beside me helping me to make decisions and calming me so that I can thoughtfully face my circumstances.  It is a very stressful time in my life right now. We are buying a new house in one state and trying to sell or rent one in another.  Thinking about moving and all that that entails has put a lot of stress on my mind, emotions and relationships.

It is good to know that as I am sitting there with him all the resources of the heavenly realm are at my instant disposal.  I don't have to run around frantically looking for the things I need.  I feel like a queen on her throne next to her king.  "Lord,  I need a little peace here.  Lord, I need some balm to soothe the nerves. Lord, I need an extra dose of patience to face the irritations." Then, instantly I have the supply I need.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms

because we are united with Christ.

Eph 1:3 (NLT)

Feast

Brian's & My Le's rib feast.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

Psalms 23:5 (NLT)

Jesus came to give us life, a full and abundant life, enjoying all of his good gifts and experiencing his love, joy and peace every day. 

Unfortunately, we are faced with many enemies that try to rob us of this abundant, satisfying life.  These enemies take many shapes; anxiety, depression, self-pity, fear, pride or anger. Our lack of knowledge of God and our lack of trust in him opens the door for these destructive things to take root in our lives.

God knows the temptations we face and so prepares a feast for us in the very presence of our enemies. It is not so much a matter of resisting and fighting against our enemies, but of believing in and receiving his life that makes the difference. He calls us to come and relax in his green pastures and feast at his table.  Just as we take in food and our bodies do the invisible work of assimilation that nourishes every cell and strengthens us, so also with the spirit. As we believe and take in the truth about him and all he is and has done, our spiritual being is strengthened.  The strength of his life begins to grow in us replacing our anger with love, our anxiety with peace and our sadness with joy. 

Jesus told the story of many invited to a great feast who were too busy to come (Matthew 22:1-14).  We need to take time to read, to listen, to meditate upon his words, to come to the feast and see what God has provided for us there.  As we feed upon the truths about God, we will be strengthened to resist those enemies which seek to destroy our souls.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. 

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.  

John 10:10 (NLT)

Quiet Waiting

Kokanee Park, Nelson B.C. Canada

 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,

for my hope is in him.

Psalms 62:5

A good metaphor for faith is that of rest or waiting quietly.  The clamor of our soul is quieted as we rest secure in trust and the knowledge that everything is in God's loving care and he has the power to work everything out.  We may be surrounded by enemies, things that attempt to distress and disturb our peace, but that is the very time God asks us to lie down, waiting quietly in trust and rest. There in that green pasture he feeds and protects us.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.  

Psalms 23:2

  So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.      Lamentations 3:26 (NLT)

Related articles

• Wait Quietly...Octavius Winslow (revivalandreformation.wordpress.com)
• How to Wait Well (philslocum.net)

You Know Where I Am

You know everything about me. 

Every moment you know where I am.

 Psalm 139:1,3 (NLT)

 Before me, even as behind,

God is —

and all is well.

– John Greenleaf Whittier -

How awesome to know that God understands exactly where we are when life's circumstances press in around us.  Often, we don't even realize what effect these circumstances have on our bodies, minds and emotions. We may have been burning the candle at both ends. Our bodies are worn out and our minds are frazzled. We are too tired even to focus on God.  He understands how we are made. He knows how much we can take. He won't give us more than we can bear and we shouldn't put more on ourselves. He hems us in behind and before. He is our shepherd.  We are the sheep under his care.

God knows where I am in this moment: tired from the long days of constant cleaning and packing to get our house in Oakland ready for sale; feeling uncomfortable because the house is "staged" and a prospective buyer may show up at any moment; confused by the uncertainty regarding the purchase of the house in Arizona.  He understands what effect all of this has had on me physically, mentally and emotionally.

You know where I am right now, Lord, and you know what I need, so I turn and look to you as my Great Shepherd.  Help me to hear your voice and follow your directions each moment, trusting in your shelter and surrounding care. Don’t let me put more on myself than I can reasonably bear.

Take a moment right now to turn to him.  He knows where you are and understands what you need.

Come, let us worship and bow down.

Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

 for he is our God.

We are the people he watches over, 

the flock under his care.

Psalm 95:6,7 (NLT)

 http://reflectionsintheword.org/2011/07/12/he%E2%80%99s-an-on-time-god-yes-he-is-a-true-story-of-gods-perfect-timing/

 

Lighter Than Air

It is intriguing to watch the hot air balloons rising up over the desert as we look out from our apartment.  It makes me wonder what it would be like calmly floating up above the earth being carried by the breezes. 

I think, "That's the way I'd like my life to be."  Floating serenely above the landscape of my life I'd see my problems and concerns from a different  perspective. Down here at ground level things look so big, but from the vantage point of that hot air balloon floating through the vast sky the things on earth would seem quite small.  

As we cast our cares upon the Lord our spirits are lightened so that we can rise above our difficulties. When we magnify the Lord our earthly problems are minimized and we will find ourselves sailing along enjoying the view and the fresh, cool breezes.  The vastness of the heavens and the unseen supply keeps us rising enabling us to face our difficulties with new strength.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matt 11:28-30 (NLT)

Listen to Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4uIyz_d90

Satisfaction

Remember the old Rolling Stones song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." That seems to express the condition of the human heart.  Satisfaction and contentment seem hard to come by. What we have is never quite enough. We're always looking for just a little bit more. Could it be we are seeking satisfaction in the wrong places? 

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ.”*

There is a truth expressed here.  There is a place in us that will never be satisfied by anything but God.  If it is not filled with God, then like a vacuum, it will suck in whatever is available to fill the void - material things, activities, relationships, etc. (All good in their proper place.)

Our Father is the only one who understands our needs and what will truly bring us satisfaction.  For your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Matt 6:8 (NLT).  A true sense of fullness and satisfaction comes from our relationship with God.  As we open ourselves to him and come to rest in simple trust in our Father, he satisfies our longings and fills our lives with good things. 

Why spend money on what is not bread,

 and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

 and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Isaiah 55:2 (NIV)

You satisfy me more than the richest feast.

Psalms 63:5 (NLT)

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

(From Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting - Jean Sophia Pigott 1845-1882)

*This quote is often attributed to mathematician Blaise Pascal.  It seems that it is not an exact quote but is derived from his writings in Pensees #425

Unlimited Resources

We have limited resources.  We run out of gas at the end of the day.  We need sleep to refuel.  But God never grows tired. He doesn’t need sleep.  He is a constant source of vitality & energy.  He never tires of watching over and caring for us.  Our resources will always run low and be depleted.   Instead of decrying our lack, putting ourselves down because of our shortfalls, let us look to the one with boundless supply.  Instead of trying to dig deeper into ourselves to find the resources we need, let us look to him who supplies all our need from the riches of his glory. 

 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources

he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Eph 3:16 (NLT)

 

There are so many old hymns that I love. This one, written by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932), speaks so beautifully of Gods unlimited resources.   Annie was orphaned as a child and crippled as an adult and yet writes so confidently about the provision of God.  

                                He Giveth More Grace

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

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.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Listen to the song at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOhFfSFK7TQ

Delight

Yesterday, I saw a father on the golf course with his young son.  Dad was the “caddy” tending the kid size golf bag with the kid size golf clubs.  The father was there patiently watching and encouraging, delighting in his son as the boy tried out his budding golf skills. 

God, as our Father delights in us. He enjoys watching us play, have fun and learn new skills.  He is not an austere, strained and strict father, but an extravagant one who gives us so much to enjoy.  As we take time to gratefully enjoy his gifts, God is pleased.  Our Dad joins with us and delights in us as we play, learn and grow.   

He will take great delight in you,

he will quiet you with his love,

he will rejoice over you with singing."

Zeph 3:17 (NIV)

Ask

God, as a good Father, delights to meet the needs of his children.  He knows exactly what we need even before we ask him (Matt 6:8).  He loves to hear us ask because our asking is an expression of our trust in him. He tells us to ask and not give up asking even when it might seem the answer is slow in coming (Matthew 7:7).Sometimes, we don't recognize his answer because it doesn't come in the package that we expected or, sometimes, we may be asking with wrong motives.  God, as a good Father won't answer those requests.As we grow in our understanding of the generosity of God, we will be more inclined to ask and trustingly wait rather than strive and worry.  We can rest in trust, knowing he knows every need we will have today and tomorrow and has the resource ready for us from his rich supply exactly when it is needed.  God, grant us the disposition of a trusting child who is confident in the Father's ability to provide and then waits patiently for it .                If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matt 7:11 (NIV)

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

 coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

 James 1:17 (NIV)