Forgive me...another exception to my "Scripture only" rule! This is sooo close to Philippians 4:4! This actually is a quote from Anne Hathaway's mother. As I remember, when this actress was a young girl and had disappointments, her mother would encourage her to "choose joy" - it sounds like my mother! We do have a choice in how we respond to the disappointments of life. Our attitude is ours alone! I once heard it said: "First you make your choices, then your choices make you!". Lots of people have disappointments and crumble in body and soul; others rise above their difficult circumstances to peace and joy. There are lots of examples of both in the Bible. Let's concentrate on the positive ones:
--Joshua chose to focus on the Lord's promise rather than the giants in the new land (Numbers 13-14)
--Ruth chose to remain with her mother-in-law and make "her God my God" (she later became a part of the genealogy of Jesus) (Matthew 1:5) (Ruth 1)
--Joseph chose to do right rather than take advantage of a miserable woman's advances (Genesis 39)
--Paul and Silas chose to pray and sing in jail rather than blame someone else for their trouble (Acts 16)
Think about the choices you will have today!
Choose kindness!
Choose mercy!
Choose forgiveness!
Choose love!
Choose gratitude!
Choose faith!
Choose joy!
For further study: Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 37, Proverbs 8:10,, 16:16, Habakkuk 3:18, Matthew 5:12, John 7:17, Galatians 5:22-23, Phil. 4:4, 1 Thes. 5:16, James 1:2.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 28, 2011
June 23, 2011
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Paul was writing this letter to a church he had helped establish on his second missionary journey. He seeks to remind them of the eternal perspective in a culture filled with distractions (sound familiar?). He tells them "let us not be like others" (my mother's favorite line in my childhood). He told them we don't belong to the dark, we belong to the light of Jesus Christ! Prayer was as essential in Paul's time as it is today!
I'm going to tell a story on myself - Don's favorite! When we lived in Miami shortly after we were married there was a major storm and the city told everyone we would have to boil drinking water for 36 hours and I said "how can that be?" - I thought that old pot had to sit on the stove and boil for 36 hours! He later retold that story at a dinner party (and has told it many times since!) and the man across the table said "I'm so glad my wife didn't say that!". Don knew he had a "work-in-progress"!
Well, you might ask: how is praying continually possible? This is what Oswald Chambers says:
I'm going to tell a story on myself - Don's favorite! When we lived in Miami shortly after we were married there was a major storm and the city told everyone we would have to boil drinking water for 36 hours and I said "how can that be?" - I thought that old pot had to sit on the stove and boil for 36 hours! He later retold that story at a dinner party (and has told it many times since!) and the man across the table said "I'm so glad my wife didn't say that!". Don knew he had a "work-in-progress"!
Well, you might ask: how is praying continually possible? This is what Oswald Chambers says:
"If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs
and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood
flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly;
we are not conscious of it but it is always going on."
Are the lines of communication always open between you and your Father in heaven? Prayer is not an exercise in the morning, it's a dependence throughout the day that the Lord is with you and that He is listening to your heart. Do you believe that He hears and will answer? Trust Him with all that causes you joy and heartache and believe that His perfect will is for you to know Him and depend upon Him only.
For further study: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Job 42:10, Psalm 15:8, Matthew 6:7-13, 11:24, Romans 12:12,
Philippians 4:6, James 5:16, 1 Peter 3:12, Revelation 5:8
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 21, 2011
"The Lord bless and keep you" - Numbers 6:24
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace."
I wanted you to see the full verse. This is a priestly benediction that the Lord gave Moses to give to the Israelites following a lengthy discourse on the holiness of their community. They had been wandering in the desert for 40 years following the exodus from Egypt. Moses was their leader and they were in the process of "numbering" the clan. I have been in large family gatherings and large church gatherings and there are many times I look for the exit! But dear Moses continued to hear the Lord and shepherd these grumbling people. This blessing was specifically for those who had His name upon them (v. 27).
Why do we - those who have His name upon us - look for blessings from other sources? From things? From other people? From status? From escape? True blessing comes only from God. A.W. Tozer says in THE PURSUIT OF GOD:
"Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to
exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop
his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience
and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may
have hoped in his leaner and weaker days."
That's a blessed life! Let's stop competing with others, and start sharing the blessings God has shared with us! Remember, peace is at the end of our blessing!
For further study: Psalm 1:1, Psalm 2:12, Psalm 33:12, Psalm 112:1, Proverbs 10:6, Matthew 5:1-16, Romans 12:14, Hebrews 3:13, 1 Peter 2:9
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 16, 2011
"WAIT FOR THE LORD" - Psalm 27:14
In Psalm 27, David seemed to have evil men around him and trouble everywhere, yet he was convinced of and quieted by God's faithfulness. He knew in the "day of trouble", the Lord would keep him safe and "hidden in the shelter of his tabernacle". You see, he had experience with "waiting on God". Some of that experience must have come from making his own poor choices.
How sure are you that God will keep you safe and provided for? Honestly, one of my biggest weaknesses is "waiting". I have this woman inside of me that says: "do it now", "it will be gone if you don't", "it's a bargain of a lifetime", "later might be too late", "I'm sure He needs my help". She is a pest and a very vocal one and I must learn to say no to her!
To "wait for the Lord" means that you trust Him completely for your needs. We must remember He sees the big picture of our lives; His goodness and timing are impeccable! Ours are not!
I had a powerful spiritual experience many years ago at a retreat in North Carolina. I was very unsettled and anxious. I felt fear and oppression all around and within me. I was reading Andrew Murray's WAITING UPON GOD book about the mother eagle teaching her babies how to fly. The Lord does the same with us:
"He stirs up your nest. He disappoints your hopes. He brings down your confidence...and all the while He is spreading His strong wings for you to rest your weakness on...all He asks is that you should sink down in your weariness and wait on Him...allow Him to carry you as you ride upon the wings of His omnipotence."
Today, I will picture myself sitting on that rock with David waiting and trusting.
For further study: Psalm 31:24, Psalm 37:7-9, 34, Psalm 40:1-3, Psalm 130:5, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 40:31, Micah 7:7, Galatians 5:22-23.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
How sure are you that God will keep you safe and provided for? Honestly, one of my biggest weaknesses is "waiting". I have this woman inside of me that says: "do it now", "it will be gone if you don't", "it's a bargain of a lifetime", "later might be too late", "I'm sure He needs my help". She is a pest and a very vocal one and I must learn to say no to her!
To "wait for the Lord" means that you trust Him completely for your needs. We must remember He sees the big picture of our lives; His goodness and timing are impeccable! Ours are not!
I had a powerful spiritual experience many years ago at a retreat in North Carolina. I was very unsettled and anxious. I felt fear and oppression all around and within me. I was reading Andrew Murray's WAITING UPON GOD book about the mother eagle teaching her babies how to fly. The Lord does the same with us:
"He stirs up your nest. He disappoints your hopes. He brings down your confidence...and all the while He is spreading His strong wings for you to rest your weakness on...all He asks is that you should sink down in your weariness and wait on Him...allow Him to carry you as you ride upon the wings of His omnipotence."
Today, I will picture myself sitting on that rock with David waiting and trusting.
For further study: Psalm 31:24, Psalm 37:7-9, 34, Psalm 40:1-3, Psalm 130:5, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 40:31, Micah 7:7, Galatians 5:22-23.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 13, 2011
"I HAVE NO GREATER JOY THAN TO KNOW MY CHILDREN WALK IN THE TRUTH" - 3 John 4
First, Second and Third John were all written by the disciple John in the later stages of his life. They were written to encourage believers (who might be listening to false teachers) to continue obeying God's commands. He spoke about TRUTH, refering to the teachings of Jesus, as the means to discerning right and wrong. These people were not his biological children, but he loved them as if they were and he knew the path that would be best for them...walking in the TRUTH.
Don recently taught a parenting study based on the book: MODERN PARENTS, VINTAGE VALUES by Trevathan and Goff. In it, they talk about how technology (i.e. cell phones, social networking, internet, games, etc.) has so changed parenting today, making it much more difficult to raise Godly children. But the TRUTH of God's word has not changed. In the book, the authors name nine character traits that I believe are worthy of praying for our children:
--kindness (Ephesians 4:32)
--compassion (Luke 10:30-37)
--forgiveness (Luke 6:37)
--gratitude (2 Cor. 9:10-11)
--integrity (Proverbs 11:20)
--responsibility (Col. 3:23-23)
--patience (2 Peter 1:5-7)
--confidence (Psalm 18:29)
--manners (John 13:34-35)
Like John, we must continue to point our children toward TRUTH. Our boys are 23 and 24. Our youngest son, Alex, just got engaged to lovely Laura. Our prayers for them are still that they would walk with the Lord and follow His ways (TRUTH). By His grace, they are growing in their love and knowledge of Him. We have made many mistakes, but the Lord has shepherded them when we have failed.
These childen are not given to us for our enjoyment - they are given to us to "train them up" in TRUTH and send them out. Our joy comes when they make the choice to "walk in truth". We must not find our life in our children, we must send them out to be life to a dying world. John Ortberg says "parenting is the one job in which success is measured by making yourself obsolete." How successful are you?
For further study: Deuteronomy 6:7-9, Psalm 19:7-11, Proverbs 22:6, Isaiah 45:19, John 1:14, John 8:32, John 14:6, John 16:13, Romans 1:25, 2 Thess. 2:9-12.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
Don recently taught a parenting study based on the book: MODERN PARENTS, VINTAGE VALUES by Trevathan and Goff. In it, they talk about how technology (i.e. cell phones, social networking, internet, games, etc.) has so changed parenting today, making it much more difficult to raise Godly children. But the TRUTH of God's word has not changed. In the book, the authors name nine character traits that I believe are worthy of praying for our children:
--kindness (Ephesians 4:32)
--compassion (Luke 10:30-37)
--forgiveness (Luke 6:37)
--gratitude (2 Cor. 9:10-11)
--integrity (Proverbs 11:20)
--responsibility (Col. 3:23-23)
--patience (2 Peter 1:5-7)
--confidence (Psalm 18:29)
--manners (John 13:34-35)
Like John, we must continue to point our children toward TRUTH. Our boys are 23 and 24. Our youngest son, Alex, just got engaged to lovely Laura. Our prayers for them are still that they would walk with the Lord and follow His ways (TRUTH). By His grace, they are growing in their love and knowledge of Him. We have made many mistakes, but the Lord has shepherded them when we have failed.
These childen are not given to us for our enjoyment - they are given to us to "train them up" in TRUTH and send them out. Our joy comes when they make the choice to "walk in truth". We must not find our life in our children, we must send them out to be life to a dying world. John Ortberg says "parenting is the one job in which success is measured by making yourself obsolete." How successful are you?
For further study: Deuteronomy 6:7-9, Psalm 19:7-11, Proverbs 22:6, Isaiah 45:19, John 1:14, John 8:32, John 14:6, John 16:13, Romans 1:25, 2 Thess. 2:9-12.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 6, 2011
"TO GOD BE THE GLORY! GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE"
On Maundy Thursday, 1981, I walked into a PCA church in Coral Gables, FL and this was the hymn they were singing. I was immediately struck by the power of these words. I had been raised in a church, but had never had words of a hymn sink deep into my soul. I knew I wanted more. In that church I learned the chief purpose of man from the Westminster Catechism: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I had gotten it all wrong - I thought enjoying life was what it was all about! I had done a pretty good job of that up to then, but kept searching for something to matter! Shortly after that night, I read John Stott's BASIC CHRISTIANITY and yielded my life to Christ.
An American hymnwriter, Fanny Crosby wrote this hymn - and many others - in l875. Oddly enough, Crosby was blind from 6 years of age, and yet still praised the Creator for all the works of His hand. The hymn was mostly in British songbooks until it was sung at a Billy Graham Crusade in l954. It is a beautiful hymn of praise and a reminder of God's grace and that He alone is to be given the glory.
I watched 60 minutes last night and Lady Gaga was interviewed. She was quite proud to proclaim she was "mastering the art of fame" - hers, I presume. I can't imagine trying to take credit for any of the blessings of my life, let alone making my reputation "widespread". It is God who is the Maker of heaven and earth; God who was "in the beginning". God who calls us into a personal relationship with Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. My goals are so small compared to what He wants to do with my life.
Although I am not a regular watcher of Oprah, I confess to watching her last show several weeks ago and whatever you say about her views, she has been a large influence for good in the world. Her last words of the show were proclaimed loudly: "TO GOD BE THE GLORY!" I want those to be my last words. I want Him to be glorified and honored above all things. He is the only one worthy!
For further study: Exodus 15:11, 1 Chronicles 16:7-36; Psalm 19:1, Psalm 29:1-2, Isaiah 6:3, 48:11, Romans 1:21-23, 1 Corinthians 1:31, 10:31, Revelation 4:11.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
An American hymnwriter, Fanny Crosby wrote this hymn - and many others - in l875. Oddly enough, Crosby was blind from 6 years of age, and yet still praised the Creator for all the works of His hand. The hymn was mostly in British songbooks until it was sung at a Billy Graham Crusade in l954. It is a beautiful hymn of praise and a reminder of God's grace and that He alone is to be given the glory.
I watched 60 minutes last night and Lady Gaga was interviewed. She was quite proud to proclaim she was "mastering the art of fame" - hers, I presume. I can't imagine trying to take credit for any of the blessings of my life, let alone making my reputation "widespread". It is God who is the Maker of heaven and earth; God who was "in the beginning". God who calls us into a personal relationship with Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. My goals are so small compared to what He wants to do with my life.
Although I am not a regular watcher of Oprah, I confess to watching her last show several weeks ago and whatever you say about her views, she has been a large influence for good in the world. Her last words of the show were proclaimed loudly: "TO GOD BE THE GLORY!" I want those to be my last words. I want Him to be glorified and honored above all things. He is the only one worthy!
For further study: Exodus 15:11, 1 Chronicles 16:7-36; Psalm 19:1, Psalm 29:1-2, Isaiah 6:3, 48:11, Romans 1:21-23, 1 Corinthians 1:31, 10:31, Revelation 4:11.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
June 3, 2011
"THE LORD GOES WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO" - Joshua 1:9
The great prophet Moses faithfully freed and delivered the enslaved Israelites by the power of God. He led them in the wilderness for 40 years eager to see the Promised Land. However, due to disobedience (see Numbers 20:1-12), he would not be the one to take them there.
His faithful assistant, Joshua, was sent with a group to explore the Promised Land (Numbers 13) - kind of an advance team! What they saw there frightened most of the team - exceptionally strong,, tall men and fortified cities. And they were supposed to "take" this land? Only Joshua and Caleb were rewarded for their positive attitude that if the Lord directed them it would happen!
As we begin the book of Joshua, it was time for him to take the reins. Moses had died and the Lord came to Joshua with last minute instructions. He assured Joshua that they were ready to enter into the Promised Land, that He would go with them and never leave them. He was their guide, their friend, their commander, their support, their hope.
My dear friend, Dena, introduced me to Mandisa's "He is With You":
"He is with you when your faith is dead, and you can't even get out of bed,
Or your husband doesn't kiss you anymore. He is with you when your baby's gone,
And your house is still, and your heart's a stone cryin' God, what'd you
do that for? He is with you."
Oswald Chambers (6/2) says: "The whole of our life inside and out is to be absolutely haunted by the presence of God...if we are...nothing else can get in, no cares, no tribulations, no anxieties."
I believe our future is our Promised Land. If we will take His hand, follow His laws and walk humbly with Him and others, He will be present with us and guide us in all we do. What a great promise!
For further study: 1 Samuel 12:24, 17:37, Psalm 25:4-5, 12, Psalm 27, Isaiah 41:10, 43:1-3, Jeremiah 31:10, Micah 6:8, Hebrews 13:6, James 4:8
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
His faithful assistant, Joshua, was sent with a group to explore the Promised Land (Numbers 13) - kind of an advance team! What they saw there frightened most of the team - exceptionally strong,, tall men and fortified cities. And they were supposed to "take" this land? Only Joshua and Caleb were rewarded for their positive attitude that if the Lord directed them it would happen!
As we begin the book of Joshua, it was time for him to take the reins. Moses had died and the Lord came to Joshua with last minute instructions. He assured Joshua that they were ready to enter into the Promised Land, that He would go with them and never leave them. He was their guide, their friend, their commander, their support, their hope.
My dear friend, Dena, introduced me to Mandisa's "He is With You":
"He is with you when your faith is dead, and you can't even get out of bed,
Or your husband doesn't kiss you anymore. He is with you when your baby's gone,
And your house is still, and your heart's a stone cryin' God, what'd you
do that for? He is with you."
Oswald Chambers (6/2) says: "The whole of our life inside and out is to be absolutely haunted by the presence of God...if we are...nothing else can get in, no cares, no tribulations, no anxieties."
I believe our future is our Promised Land. If we will take His hand, follow His laws and walk humbly with Him and others, He will be present with us and guide us in all we do. What a great promise!
For further study: 1 Samuel 12:24, 17:37, Psalm 25:4-5, 12, Psalm 27, Isaiah 41:10, 43:1-3, Jeremiah 31:10, Micah 6:8, Hebrews 13:6, James 4:8
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
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