"Behold, I am doing a new thing, sayeth the Lord" - Isaiah 43:19

"And when the danger passed, and the people

joined together again, they grieved their losses, and 

made new choices, and dreamed new images, and

created new ways to live and heal the earth fully,

as they had been healed"

Kitty O'Meara, And the People Stayed Home

There seems to be some confusion on where this poem came from but my best understanding is that it is a recent piece and refers to our current pandemic crisis.  My thoughts and prayers these days are part of my journey to try my best to understand what the Lord is teaching me during this "time out".  Don and I have had so many good conversations about where we have been, where we are and where we are going.  Sometimes it takes a "timeout"...usually inflicted upon us, not one by choice, to help us break some old habits and establish some new ones.

I personally am so grateful for the wise words God has given us to help direct our thoughts.  These words are as relevant today as they were when they were first given.  God is calling us back to himself to remind us that His plans are still good and still better than our own plans.

Listen to Beth Moore:

The adrenaline's wearing off, saints.  So will the novelties

of assembling via screens.  Will we stick around?  We are

being tested by a God who is for us.  He's out to prove us, 

grow us, wean us off entertainment to produce in us pure

endurance.  Old-fashioned no-frills faithfulness."

Isaiah asks: "Do you not perceive it?"...the new thing that God is doing.  In these uncertain times, we can trust a "certain" (purposed) God whose plans and thoughts are higher than ours.  My commentary on this verse says: "Be ready to be surprised by God!".  Are you ready? When the danger passes, and it will, what will your new dreams be?  Will I make choices toward His way or will I still hold on to the old self-centered way.  My prayer is that when we join together again, His word will be what we seek.  The bigger dream will be about doing global kingdom work.

For further study:  Job 23:13, Psalm 33;11, Psalm 115:3, Jeremiah 29:11, Daniel 4:35, John 9:3,

Romans 8:28,  Galatians 6:7-10, Ephesians 1:11, Revelation 21:5.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,

Holly

He is Risen!

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,

And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

HE LIVES  by Alfred H. Ackley

I hope you are encouraged by the words of this hymn.  During this very unique time of instability, we cannot allow our hearts to be discouraged.  Chuck Colson once said:  "Despair is a sin because it denies the sovereignty of God".  Another way to say that is John 16:33:  "..take heart! I have overcome the world."

The words on the pillow are the words of the angel speaking to the women at the tomb who were devastated to have Jesus be absent from the place He was left.  They, in fact, were in great despair.  But these words - among the most profound in the Scriptures - tell a very different story than a story of despair.

The Greek word for "to rise" is egeiro and is used 141 times in the New Testament.  When Paul uses it, referring to Christ's resurrection, the verb is in the perfect tense which describes a "past completed action with continuing effect".  I hope you get the importance of that - "he is risen" has a permanent effect and is as true today as it was 2000 years ago.  He is alive today (as our dear hymn already stated) and Hebrews 7:25 says "...he always lives to intercede for" those who love God.  Today, He is interceding for us and He wants us to rejoice, not to despair.  This world is not out of control...He is perfectly in control!

Do you remember the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10?  Martha was frustrated and angry about the way her life was going and she made sure everyone knew how unhappy she was with her sister.  But sweet Mary recognized this one opportunity she had to sit with Jesus and listen to Him.  We have the same choice today:  will we grumble and complain about how hard life is or will we rejoice that our Savior lives and is very present with us today.  He is sovereign...He is quite able to order our steps...and our family's!  Will we sit with Him in His word and in prayer rather than hours and hours on our phones? 

I grew up in the church and knew about God...sort of.  But as an adult in my 30s, I heard a testimony from some folks about receiving Jesus as my Savior.  You see, God sent Jesus to the earth to give His life in death to pay for our sins.  Until I acknowledged my sins, and received Him into my heart as Lord, I had no Holy Spirit to "guide me into all truth".  Since then, His power has done a work in me my flesh never could have done and I am so grateful.  That's good news! He will do the same for you.

I hope you will be preparing your heart to celebrate on Easter Sunday.  We have put a palm frond on our front porch - along with other believers around the world - to identify our home as one who rejoices this Palm Sunday with those who shouted "Hosanna" at the Triumphal entry of Jesus: 

For further study:  Psalm 73:26, Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:6, Luke 24:6, John 20:9 and 21, Romans 11:33, Ephesians 1:20-22, 1 Peter 3:22, Rev. 21:;6.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word!

HAPPY EASTER!

Holly