I take our dog, Jack, out for his first walk at 6:00am. That time of morning is so invigorating, a lovely way to start the day. Whatever the weather the air is fresh and near silence surrounds us. We walk around the nearby lake glancing at moor hens, ducks, and seagulls enjoying their own welcome to the morning. Once in a while we see another early morning dog walker with his or her own furry friend enjoying the gentle waking of day.
Often, especially as days grow shorter, making the mornings a bit darker as they are doing now, I can see lights begin to come on in various homes around the lake as people begin their day. Some windows are covered with curtains, others with blinds, but many never cover their windows. Walking by, anyone can glance in and see what’s going on. There are people sipping their own morning mugs of tea or coffee. Television’s are on with flashes of world news displayed. Some are dressed for the day while others are still adorned in their pajamas. They are not concerned at all that anyone can see into their windows.
A verse in I Corinthians 10:31 came to mind this morning: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” I learned this verse as a teenager. It impacted me then and it still does today. Just as homes with no closed curtains allow the world to see in, so our lives are watched by everyone we know. It’s rather daunting to think about — how we react in situations be they good or difficult, how we respond to the words of another be they words of praise or even cruelty, how we press on when we find ourselves in unwanted situations — somebody is watching. Someone is wondering if God in our lives is making any difference.
This brings another verse to mind. Psalm 19:14: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and redeemer.” Our own words affects our own behavior. If we speak harshly, our whole demeanor changes into something unpleasant to observe, but if we speak truthfully with intent to bring about good, our manner will be one of peace and serenity. Others may respond in calmness, too, when we display an even temper. It’s hard at times when injustices are done to ourselves or to others we love, but remember, with the help of the Holy Spirit, what our mouths say, what our eyes see, what our hands do or where our feet take us, inner peace and right behavior can remain intact. When that happens, it never matters who is looking through our windows.
Some years ago now, my flight from Central Asia had just landed in Istanbul. I had been up since 3:00am. It was now midday. My next flight was scheduled to leave in just an hour and a half, but no, that flight had been delayed. I would now have to wait a further five hours! Many of you will know the aggravations that come with postponed flights.
I wandered around and saw a welcome sight; a coffee cafe with enticing aroma filling the air. I ordered a cup and walked over to a table. The cafe didn’t have the sit down with chairs tables, but the stand as you drink kind. I sipped the comforting brew, watching other travelers hurriedly to-ing and fro-ing. Several tables away, another woman stood alone with her own cup of warming coffee.
As I watched her it seemed to me that she had about her, not just a tiredness of being a weary traveler, but a sadness. I began to pray for her. I have made this a practice over the years, praying for strangers I see, asking God that if they know Him, would He bless them today with a sweet sense of His presence, and if they do not, would He send someone or something across their path to reveal to them the Good News of how Jesus loves them.
As I prayed for this woman, a growing sense of urgency and caring for her grew within my spirit. Then it happened. God was speaking to me, telling me to go over and talk to this woman. My heart was pounding hard. This physical occurrence often happens when God is leading me to do something. I uttered a mild protest, saying to the Lord that she might not speak English. My objection did not work; instead, a growing imperativeness made me pick up my mug and let my feet take me to the woman’s table. “Excuse me,” I heard myself say, “but you look so sad. Are you okay?” She looked up, surprised, as her eyes glistened in tears ready to spill over.
For the next three or four minutes I told her how knowing Jesus as my personal Savior had changed my life for the good. I told her that not only did it promise forgiveness of any sin I ever committed and eternity with Him after death, where no sorrow or tears existed, but that it promised help for the here and now, giving me hope, inner peace and joy, even in difficult moments. The woman was so ready to receive Jesus. I prayed and she repeated after me. Her words were sincere and full of longing. When we said “Amen,” she looked up a transformed woman. I could see joy and hope in her eyes. I told her to get hold of a Bible and find other Christians to help her, for this is how she would grow strong in her faith. She thanked me. We hugged. She then hurriedly left as her flight was called for boarding.
I’ve never seen that woman since, nor did I even get her name or know where she lives, but what a joyful reunion we will have in heaven. I continued sipping my mug of coffee, a refreshed spirit within me as I said “thank you,” to the Lord for allowing my flight to be delayed. The remaining hours were pleasant as I rested in inner peace.
God may allow many unpleasant situations in our lives, some merely annoying while others may be fearful and full of inner pain. Even so, “all things” do truly “work together for good,” as we are reminded in Romans 8:28. The Apostle Paul knew that no circumstance was ever a waste of time in God’s economy of minutes and hours. Paul’s understanding of that is why he could write in Colossians 4:3, “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about His mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.” Imagine that! Falsely arrested, but it was an opportunity Paul would not otherwise have to both, share the wonderful love of Jesus with others, and to grow in personal intimacy of relationship with Him. We learn in Scriptures elsewhere, that because of his imprisonment, Paul was used of God to lead even some of Caesar’s own household to the saving grace of God. His joy in his dismal circumstance had to be an infectious encouragement to others.
When our every minute belongs to God, then even our most difficult situations count for something good on the timeline of eternity. May you be blessed as you give your every minute to Him — the good, the difficult, the unwanted minutes. In Him not one moment counts for nothing.
My mother and I have been enjoying watching the European Championships this week. We especially like the aquatic sports and gymnastics. After the awards ceremonies, when gold, silver, and bronze medals are placed around the winner’s necks, the interviews take place. The athletes talk about their dreams, their training, etc. One athlete made a statement that stayed with me. She explained that her coach kept her to a regiment of long hours and practice. She got tired, she had good days and not so good. She said there were times when she told herself that she would never be on the winner’s stand, she would not get through, she could not be good enough. She said she often got tired and discouraged. The days were long and arduous. Then she said this: “My coach was always with me. When I gave up, he never did. His strength and belief in me pushed me forward. Now here I am.”
Does this remind you of anything? Isaiah 41:10 sprang to my mind, “Don’t be afraid for I am with you. Don’t be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” There is another verse in Hebrews 13:5 where it says of God, “…I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
The Apostle Paul compared our walk with God like running a race, declaring that we run it to win the prize. That gold medal, of course, is eternal life with Him where no sorrow or discouragement exists. Until then, we get tired, we feel downcast, we want to give up, but then we are reminded of the One who is with us always, watching over, giving His own strength to assist us as we run the track of difficulty, or dive into deep waters of trouble, or balance on the beam of so much to do and not enough time to do it. Our Almighty, all loving heavenly Father is there. Jesus is watching over. His angels are often dispatched to give us aid. The Holy Spirit empowers us.
Our days can be hard, full of the unknown. We can be dreading what might happen next. We may want to give up, but please remember — your Coach is always with you, urging you on, designing your training plan, giving you His own strength and wisdom to face anything. “With God, nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) Keep running your race. Your Coach is right there with you.
Earlier this week I was washing the bed sheets. Taking them from the dryer, one of the sheets was still a bit damp, so I took it and draped it over one end of the dining table and two chairs. It was then I had a “deja vu” moment. Did your parents let you build forts in the dining room as a child? Did you toss blankets and sheets over the table and chairs? My mother even let me have some of the kitchen pots and pans to add to my private dwelling. It was not an attractive sight, doing nothing for the room’s decor. Even so, my mother enjoyed watching my creativity. She knew I would not grow into an adult throwing blankets and sheets over dining room tables to play beneath it.
Building forts was the extent of my imagination as a child. I wasn’t ready to travel to foreign lands alone. I had no experience in which I could write a book. I could never have prepared a lesson plan or given a talk before hundreds of people, but I could build an amazing blanket fort. I had the strength and the know-how to do that much. Other things would come later.
Isn’t it the same in our spiritual worlds? Sometimes we sense God leading us to do something new, to crawl out from beneath the familiarity of our blanket forts, but fear takes hold. We hear the lies of the enemy, Satan, telling us we will fail if we try. We believe we’re good for nothing more than building a blanket fort. It reminds me of Gideon.
Gideon was discouraged and afraid, but he was doing all he could think of doing to feed his family. He was actually hiding in a winepress, threshing out wheat for bread during a time of Midian captivity. His imagination could think of nothing else. He was building forts. Then, God spoke to him, telling him it was time for something more. It was time for him to lead the nation of Israel away from the imprisonment of the Midianites.
Imagine Gideon’s surprise. Why, he and his family were surviving on the wheat he could find. They would get by. They were comfortable and safe enough. He didn’t need to do anything more, but there comes a time in all of our lives when we have to stop building forts. We can be afraid, but we must come out from under the dining room table. Read what God said to Gideon in Judges 6:14, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of the Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” You see, God will never lead you or me to do anything without giving us the strength and ability to do it. Gideon succeeded. Why? Because he did what God told him to do, trusting that God would give him the strength and ability to do it. Always remember, obedience brings blessings, not some of the time, but all of the time. If each of God’s children would simply believe that fact, then we would all climb out from beneath our dining room tables.
There’s a time for building forts, for stretching the imagination, for learning and practicing; but the time must come, when we fold up the blankets and walk into the bigger picture our Father has set for us. Oh, what indescribable joy when we crawl out from under the dining room table, walking instead in the masterful design our Father has drawn out just for us, “plans for good and not bad, to give us hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
The weather in the UK continues to be warm and sunny. I just came in from a morning walk with our dog, Jack. I never tire watching him just be happy. He’s happy sniffing, running, and meeting his dog friends along the way. This morning, in a particular show of bliss, he flipped over onto his back, wiggled around in the grass, and kicked his legs in the air. I laughed, as did some of the other nearby dog walkers. What a show of sheer happiness. When he finished his joyful demonstrations, one ear was turned back, and bits of grass stuck to his head. It was of no worry to him as he continued on with another exuberant flip onto his back.
As we were returning home from our walk, a passage in Psalm 139:15-18 came to me, “You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, Oh God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me!” Isn’t that absolutely beautiful? From the very moment of our conception, God has a plan already laid out for our lives, a plan to give us hope and a future of good and not bad. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Those plans He has for us does not exclude storms of life which comes to us all, but remember, while strong winds can cause damage, it can also blow away life’s debris. It can aid us in seeing what is really important. A storm helps us to focus, to lean forward watching for a clear sky. Storms that rock our spiritual world serves to make us lean in, too, to shelter in the arms of our loving Heavenly Father, to gain His strength as we trust His plans unfolding. He has made us all with a particular, unique plan; so beautiful that even in the hardships of life, when you can’t imagine what’s around the corner, He will give inner peace, hope, and abundant joy.
Just think, from the moment of your conception, God had plans for you. Therefore, go ahead, flip over on your back and wiggle! Kick your legs in sheer happiness at all your heavenly Father has done for you. Make someone smile in your joy. Let your uniqueness show through. Be filled with God’s Spirit and be unforgettable!
It was a beautiful afternoon with sun filtering through trees as my mother and I walked with our dog, Jack, beneath an avenue of trees along the coast of the English Channel. An hour later we were back home, sipping mugs of hot tea, when in a moment my mother grabs her head. “Oh! A headache has just come!” In another moment, “My right hand is tingling.” I stand before her and see her mouth drooping on the right side. I ask her name, “Pat,” she answers slowly. I ask her last name. She’s struggling to remember. She begins to speak but the sounds are only gibberish. I phone the ambulance. It all happened in a moment.
In ten minutes the ambulance arrives. Another ten minutes and our vehicle of rescue flashes blue lights with sirens wailing. Ten more minutes and we are bolted through double doors of the hospital emergency department. In a moment my mother is wheeled into an empty bay. Curtains are drawn. The stroke team get to work. So much taking place in moments of time.
Something else was happening in those very moments. In my heart I called out to the All Seeing, All Knowing, All Loving One. In a moment Father God has dispatched angels to the scene. In the same moment He has infused my mind with peace along with my mother, too, who remained perfectly calm throughout. In a moment He has spoken loving reminders of His truth, like, “Call unto me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things which you do not yet know.” (Jeremiah 33:3) I call to Him and wait. In another moment the Holy Spirit whispers, “Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) In those moments I sense God’s holy and loving presence. I know in my heart, whatever the outcome, all will be well — in a moment.
You see, to the child of God, life and death takes on new meaning. To live on earth is to be filled with His Spirit, guided by Him, and lead along paths of peace and joy no matter the chaos of the world. To die on earth is to live on in heaven where tears and sorrow no longer exist. When a Christian leaves earth, the above ecstasy —all happens in just a moment.
Father God stands outside of time as you and I know it. He sees the end from the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He is in our every moment, loving us through every nano second of time. Never fear what any day may bring, for when it arrives, He is already in our every moment.
I overheard a conversation between two people sharing a difference of opinion. They debated back and forth until the conversation ended with one saying to the other, “You have your truth and I have my truth.” That made me think of what is indeed the only truth. You and I have available to us a guide book for life that contains only truth. It’s not to be debated, like someone attempting to present a case with hopes his or her point of view will be accepted. The truth of God is beyond human reasoning. It’s perfect without fault.
When it comes to God’s truth, we already have all we need. God’s truth is a measuring stick by which we have the privilege to conform. We need not argue as to whether or not we believe it, or whether or not God is right on some particular point. His Spirit within us bears witness to the truth of His Holy Scripture.
You and I have the very words of God available to us, but not only that, we have, residing within us, the Holy Spirit of God who is our comforter and teacher and life guide. I love those verses in II Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what it wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”
When we turn on the TV news, we quickly see the whole world is growing in chaos. Increased crime and war, growing inflation, hunger abounding around the world, people dying in abject poverty, phenomenal weather disasters. We may understandably wonder, what in the world is going to happen next? The answers are all in God’s book of truth. How to get through these dark days with joy and peace intact is found in that book. To everyone who is a child of God, we have the Holy Spirit to point out the areas of our lives in which we need correction. We have the Holy Spirit that breathes life into God’s written Word so that when we read, we are reading Living Words to be our perfect guide. There’s nothing to compare with the truth of God. There is nothing that gives greater joy. Conforming to His words conforms us to the image of Jesus. Imagine that!
Debating the validity of God’s Word is a waste of time. Debating which parts are important, and which may be discarded, is ludicrous. To those who have the Holy Spirit of God residing within them, discovering God’s truths and obeying them, becomes a daily adventure that always brings blessing. (John 14:6)
I hope you know Him personally. I hope you know truth. I hope you engage in life’s greatest adventure.
Prison cannot be a nice place. I’ve never heard anyone say, “my goal is to go to prison.” We understand it to be difficult and scary. It must be absolutely devastating when an innocent is falsely accused and put in prison. Why am I talking about prison? It’s because of Paul and Silas. Their story of being in prison is recorded in the New Testament in Acts 16:16-34.
Paul and his co-worker, Silas, had done nothing wrong, but they made some businessmen angry; therefore, were falsely accused and thrown in prison. Knowing of their unfair treatment causes us to feel sympathy for them, but their reaction to their predicament causes astonishment. They were singing! Yes, singing praises to God, worshiping Him. This incident reminds me of another verse found in I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Has that verse ever been confusing to you? It has to me.
For years I wondered how in the world someone suffering such injustice could end up singing and being happy. I know they were rejoicing — but how? I’ve often imagined that while I would indeed pray, my focus might be on getting a good lawyer or mulling over the unfairness. Perhaps any one of us might slip into some level of depression — but sing?
It’s the, “in everything give thanks,” that confused me for many years, but I realize now, that was because I was focusing on the wrong thing. I made the mistake for the longest time of believing that we were to try and be happy for every bad thing that happens to us. The truth goes far deeper.
Paul and Silas weren’t thanking God that they were falsely thrown in prison; they were thanking God that He was in there with them! His presence and sense of love so strong, they had to sing His praises. It’s no different for you and me today. We can find ourselves in a prison on despondency when we are unfairly treated, or our circumstances are unfavorable. Perhaps a relationship has broken apart or a dear loved one has passed away leaving one in a prison of grief.
The important thing to remember is, no matter how deep the grief or shattering the situation, we are never alone in our prison, and with God, He can open the doors, as He did with Paul and Silas, and set us free in our spirits. Never forget that God is always bigger than any problem. He was bigger than the lions when Daniel was thrown in the pit. He was ruling over the vast water when He parted the Red Sea for His people to walk on dry land to the other side.
When we choose to praise Him that He is with us in all of circumstances, pleasant or terrible, the beauty of His presence fills us with hope and peace. We are reminded that nothing is impossible with Him and He holds the whole world in His hands. When we are down and in despair, remember who is right there with you in the middle of the darkness of your present world, bringing His light of comfort and all His own strength for you to grab hold.
Recently, I was the guest speaker at a large church. Beforehand a delicious dinner was served. There was a cost to pay in order to eat. However, I was with the one who had invited me. Therefore, I did not have to pay. I was welcomed to eat to my heart’s content, free of charge. Many of you will already have guessed what I’m about to say next. It reminded me of our anticipated entrance into heaven.
Everyone is invited to live in heaven for eternity, in that place where there are no more tears or sorrow. We know that is true because we are told in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things will be gone forever.” However, while we’re all invited to gain entrance, we must be with the One who invited us. We must be with the One who paid the price for us. We must accept the invitation.
Obviously, I could not have eaten the church dinner if I had not first accepted the invitation to come. It’s the same in our spiritual world. God the Father tells us we are all invited. Look at John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the whole world: He gave His one and only Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” In other words, you and I deserve death because we all sin before a Holy God. His holiness determines that He cannot look upon or receive our sin. Therefore, Jesus paid the penalty, paying for our sin with His own death on the cross. Why was that detrimental to our eternity? Because, since He is the third part of the triune God — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Jesus had the power to conquer death by rising again. You and I cannot do that no matter how good we may be. You and I could not pay the penalty. It took a sinless Jesus to take on that responsibility and He did that solely because of His love for us.
Therefore, each of us are issued an invitation. We are invited to receive the gift of eternal life, by believing Jesus died for us, and accepting His gift of eternal life. How do we do this exactly? Just tell Him. Ask Him to forgive you your sins and thank Him for paying the penalty for your sins. When you mean it earnestly, are truly sorry for your sins, and desire to live a different life, you are saved from that moment for eternity.
When that happens, you become a child of God. You then have access to all the joy and peace and direction for life that God has planned for you. You are invited to live forever with God. You have free access — all because Jesus invited you and you accepted the invitation.
It was growing dusk. When I left the house in the late afternoon I believed I would be home before dark. Now a gray cloak was dropping from the sky. By the time I pulled into the drive, darkness covered the earth. As I drove up a small hill, and then descended, I could see the porch light in the distance. Nearly there my mother opened the door and stepped outside. I pulled in, turned off the engine, and looked up. Our eyes met. We smiled. All was well. I had come home.
As I lay in bed later that night, picturing my mother looking for me, I thought about the trumpet sound which signals the event of Jesus meeting every child of God in the air. In I Thessalonians 4:16-18 we read, “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So encourage each other with these words.”
Christians around the world are looking for this event. Especially as the days grow darker around us, as we watch the world turn its back on God, as people are deciding their own ways are best, we strain to see Him coming. As my mother longed to see the car’s headlights coming over the hill, so you and I yearn to see the One we love so much coming in the air. Imagine the joy that will illuminate our faces and His. We will have travelled far during the days of our lives on earth. We will have experienced the darkness of ungodliness descend around us. We will have anticipated in earnest the sound of the trumpet.
Just as my arrival brought peace, relief, and joy, the arrival of Jesus will bring an even greater peace and overwhelming joy. We will join Him. We will be on our way to our eternal home. Darkness for all who know Him will be no more.
“Oh, what joy for those who disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7-8
“For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
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