Searching…searching…asking…questioning, ”Where is the solution?”…”Did I miss something?

Maybe I missed the answer; if I asked God, he will be faithful to answer?...Right?” Hmmmm, but how long must I wait?

Lamentations 3:25, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;” (NIV)

But Lord didn’t you hear my cries in the night? Did I miss something? 

Well let me answer that for you…yes he did.

1 John 5:14, “We have courage in God's presence, because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will.”(GNT)

Did you get that? According to HIS WILL, not mine. God’s will is for all that is good…sometimes mine gets off course…you know it becomes all about me.

Even in the storms of this world he hears your plea. When you, with an earnest heart, come humbly before him.

Psalm 66:18, “If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. But he most surely did listen, he came on the double when he heard my prayer. Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love.” (MSG)

Okay, okay I am getting it our God is faithful. So…what about his answer did I miss?

Sometimes the answer comes in ways that are unexpected…not in the way we would answer or choose a way to solve our situation. You know what I mean; our answers are usually in a way that is comfortable and consoling. But…uh-oh here it comes…the “on the contrary”. In the answers to my “questioning heart” God’s way, is the best way, even when they do not make sense.

Sometimes the answers are not what we where looking for…they were unexpected. Maybe they even rumpled our brow a little or created a fear in our limited thinking.

Did you know that Jesus knows your heart and thoughts?

That he loves you?

1 John 4:16, “Also we have come to know and trust the love that God has for us. God is love; and those who remain in this love remain united with God, and God remains united with them.”(CJB)

And that he cares enough to do the unexpected.

Jesus after having fed the 5,000 who had come to hear him in the country, sent his disciples on ahead of him in a boat to the other side of the lake. Then he retreated to spend some private time in prayer. As the darkness of the night engulfed the lake, a storm stirred the waters into a frightening upheaval.

Matthew 14:24-27, “Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” (NLT)

So are you in a storm? Don’t get cozy with the evil one. Why not look to the unexpected answers…the answer that God knows is best…and trust that he is faithful and loves you very dearly.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, help us to keep away from the things that tempt us, into taking what appears to be the easy road. Instead help us to trust you in the storms and to recognize your answer. Amen

Be prepared…


Are your ducks in a row?
Is your check list completed? 
Look out here it comes…
Are you Ready?...hmmm…for what? 

I just went to Disaster Relief Training. 
I hope I am ready to help others through the recovery of disaster. 
And in all honesty I just added to my “To-Do” list the updating of our first aid supplies. These are great ways to be prepared. 
There are also other things we need to get ready for…
marriage, education, buying a home or further down the line…retirement. 



But how prepared are you for that final breath…
the last gasp of air on this earth? 
Are you ready for your death? 
Have you thought about your life and it’s final end?


Psalm 39:4, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end
 and the number of my days; 
let me know how fleeting my life is.” (NIV)

 People in general don’t like to talk about it…I wonder why? 
How about you are you ready? 
Or are you like the others? 
Is it because they are in denial?
 Is it that you have bought what others say about “this is all there is”?

Hebrews 9:27-28, “We die only once, and then we are judged. 
So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many people. 
But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. 
He will come to save everyone who is waiting for him.” (CEV)

I believe in God and his promise.

John 3:16-17, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, 
so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 
For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, 
but to be its savior.” (GNT)

Why is it so difficult to believe in God…He believes in you. 
And why not trust him and take it to the next level? 
To this day I have not understood why so many say they believe in God…
yet reject His precious gift of Jesus, His son.

Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” 
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, 
you will be saved.” (NIV)

I can say with confidence, I am ready! 
I am ready to live in Heaven with Jesus. 
Won’t you get ready? 
Heaven is real and it would be wonderful to see you there!

Jesus speaking…John 14:1-8, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. 
Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. 
If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, 
so that you will always be with me where I am. 
And you know the way to where I am going.”

“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. 
“We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 
No one can come to the Father except through me.” (NLT)

 

Caprice <><

Yesterday was a wonderful day full of chubby hugs, giggles and tears. 
Tears? Yes tears. 
As Grand-mama I not only get the delight of seeing my little ones discover the joys of this world…
but also to learn its boundaries. 
For my little sweetheart who has never heard Grand-mama say a stern “No” 
it shattered her eco-centric world of everything must be here for her. 
And then if my “Stern No” is not yielded to…the unbearable happens.


Hebrews 12:11, “It is never fun to be corrected. 
In fact, at the time it is always painful. 
But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.” (CEV)

Up she comes into my arms to be set away from the temptation to a place of “time out”. 
And this is when the tears of self-pity start to pour! How could a loving Grand-mama be so cruel! 
All she wanted was to explore and see what was out there.

Proverbs 3:5-8, “ Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 
With every step you take, think about what he wants, 
and he will help you go the right way. Don’t trust in your own wisdom, 
but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 
If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body.” (ERV)

I love my grandchildren and not everything they want is good for them…
Just like you and me, not everything out there is good for us.

Proverbs 3:11-12, “But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. 
It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.” (MSG)

Are you in the midst of a time out?

Maybe you need to take a breather…
evaluate your situation…
collect yourself from the “why me” and look up. 
Just like my grand-daughter who once she was tired of crying looked up to see if I was still there…
yep…I was there waiting…
with a sniffle she whispered “I sarry”…
I smiled…held open my arms…and said, “come here sweetie”

Paul wrote the following to a church in Corinth regarding the need for correction;
2 Corinthians 7:9-10, “But now I am happy—not because I made you sad, 
but because your sadness made you change your ways. 
That sadness was used by God, and so we caused you no harm. 
For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation--
and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death.” (GNT)

She ran to my arms and we cuddled in a very precious moment of understanding…
sometimes the lessons from God can be tough…
but they are always for my own good and because He loves me. 
So when the “time-out” of God’s love comes don’t forget to look-up, 
tell God you are sorry and trust that he loves you!

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” 
says the Lord. 
“They are plans for good and not for disaster, 
to give you a future and a hope.” (NLT)

 

Caprice <><

“ In spinning a robe of your own righteousness, before the sun goes down you will find it all unraveled.” Curtis Hutson

Have you ever had a tapestry or garment that unravels? You know that one thread that gets loose and snags. You try to put it back in place but alas it only continues to pull out of place…until…well you know.

Our walk as a body of believers is like this one thread that unravels and compromises the integrity of its intention, you can become the one who compromises the entire tapestry if you deviate from our purpose.

A great example of this is found in Genesis when a selfish desire makes a greedy choice. Abram and his nephew Lot had been blessed with a great number of livestock so much so that it was time to part ways.

Genesis 13:8-9, “So Abram said to Lot, “There should be no arguing between you and me or between your people and my people. We are all brothers. We should separate. You can choose any place you want. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left.” (ERV)

Lot liked this arrangement and took for himself the choice location with a bounty of watered grassland. See the problem is that he took advantage of his uncle’s generosity and pitched his tents not only in a fertile valley, but near a city full of that which we should run from.

Verses 11-13, “Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.” (NLT)

This year when you think of the changes you want to make in your life, consider the following before making decisions…

STOP

S-Seek God’s will for your life

T-Take time to reflect on Godly principles

O-Observe God’s hand and direction in your life

P-Pray for wisdom, protection and praise Him for the results

May your year be blessed with many opportunities to serve others in the example given to us by our Lord Jesus.

Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. 
A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. 
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 
In the same way, let your light shine before others, 
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (NIV)

Caprice <><