"Forget what is past; press toward the prize...in Jesus" - Phil. 3:13-14

HAPPY NEW YEAR, dear friends!  I love turning the page on a new calendar month...even better...a new calendar year!  Don preached on Sunday about the demon-possessed man in Mark 5 and how out of control he was.  Sometimes I feel that way...December felt that way for me.  But today as I turn the page, I am going to listen to the word of Henry Ward Beecher who said:

We have passed through one more year.  One more long stage in the

journey of life, with its ascents and descents and dust and mud

and rocks and thorns and burdens that wear the shoulders, is done.

The old year is dead.  Roll it away.  Let it go.  God, in His

providence, has brought us out of it.  It is gone...And now

we stand at the beginning of the next, the new.

 

I encourage you to read Deuteronomy 11:13-21 today.  Moses, in encouraging obedience for the Israelites, urged them toward the new land and reminded them "...the eyes of the Lord are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end."  So, I am going to forget what happened in 2012 - the things I didn't do right, the things that disappointed me, the opportunities I missed - and I am going to "press toward the prize" in 2013!  Like those entering the unknown land, we cannot know the circumstances that will happen in the unknown year.  But we can know that God is faithful, merciful, forgiving, sovereign, holy and loving.  He is our power source...unless you know His Son as Savior and Lord, that power cannot help you.  Today, if you do not know Him as Savior, in a simple prayer, tell Him you're ready:  you admit you are a sinner, you believe Jesus is His Son and commit to follow Him the rest of your life.  Then, and only then, will the Holy Spirit indwell you and enable you to do His plan and gain His blessings.

 

Today, I commit to listen more, criticize less, share better, give more generously, be patient longer, hug tighter and to love and encourage all!  Starting today, know Him better, read and study His word, pray and trust Him with all things.  May the Lord bless and keep you in the New Year!

 

For further study:  Joshua 1:6-9, Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 Cor. 9:24-25, Colossians 1:10-12, Hebrews 12:1-2,  1 Peter 2:9-12, 5:6-7, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 3:1-13, Rev. 21:6-7

 

May you be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly

"Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God" - Micah 6:8

Today is Election Day and I consider it a duty and a privilege to have a voice in our country's leadership.  Don and I were watching a program the other night about the Green Bay Packers.  Did you know (you probably did!) that that NFL team is owned by the fans?  Prior to a 2011 stock offering, 112,158 stockholders owned over 4 million shares in the team.  The report showed the "owners" shoveling snow off the seats prior to a game.  I love that they are a community working together for the common good.

We are the "owners" of our country...we get to elect those who represent us.  My prayer this morning was that those we elect will "act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with their God".  It is our responsibility to vote for those we believe will uphold Biblical values.  As Chuck Colson says: "we do have a right to a place at the table".

Micah was writing to the people of Israel to remind them that God wants ethical living for His people.    He goes on in Chapter 6 to chastise them for their cheating, violence and deceit...sounds way too familiar!  Do you doubt that justice, mercy and humility are what He still wants for His people?  His word is as true today as it was in 700 B.C.

Don recently preached a sermon where he said something like: "tomorrow [Wednesday, 11/7] when we wake up, as Christians we will still have the same assignment regardless of who is elected.  That assignment is to be on our knees for our nation and to entrust a holy God with every part of it."

I voted...I hope you did!

For further study:  2 Chron. 7:14, Psalm 37:28,  Proverbs 11:2,  Isaiah 61:8,  Hosea 6:6,  Phil. 2:3,  Titus 3:2,  James 2:12-13, 1 Peter 5:6

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly

Put your hope in God - Psalm 42:5

The writer of this psalm was apparently living in exile and longing for a place of corporate worship...he felt cut off from God without it.  He remembers earlier times of joy and thanksgiving in temple worship and needed to remind himself that his hope was in God, not in earthly things.

Don wrote in a letter to the church recently a quote from Tom Bodett who says: "everyone needs three things to be happy:  someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for."  According to Webster's Dictionary hope is "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out well".  Hebrews 6:19 says hope is the "anchor for the soul (firm and secure)" - that is the hope offered to us by God.

The question is: what is the object of your hope?  Is it the stock market? Is it your family?  Or is it a loving God?  Robert C. Roberts in SPIRITUAL EMOTIONS says:

The Christian...has a hope that may be able to fill her with joy

and thus to fill the gap that is left when she sees through

earthly hopes...hopes which are in competition with her

hope of sharing the glory of God.

 

So as we begin this next week toward our national elections and as we contemplate a busy and commercial holiday season, let us declare with the psalmist to "put your hope in God".

 

For further study:  Job 13:15, Psalm 20:7, Psalm 62:5, Isaiah 40;31, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 15:13, Col. 1:27, 1 Tim. 6:17, Hebrews 11:1, 1 John 3:3

 

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly

The word of our God stands forever - Isaiah 40:8

When Don and I first married, I knew my life experiences had thus far not prepared me to be a Biblical teacher to the women of our church.  However, I loved the Lord and I loved Don, and He had a plan for me which He slowly began to unfold.  I knew less about the Bible than most of the women in our church and so the Lord placed Precept Bible Study in my life.  I became trained to organize - not teach - a class and began to learn right along with the other women.  I was absolutely amazed at the truths contained in God's word and by His Holy Spirit, I began to hide His word in my heart.  Now, 28 years later, I can't imagine living a single day without His instruction or encouragement from the Scriptures.  I consider it a great honor and privilege whenever asked to teach today.

His word is reliable and true.  Listen to an unknown writer:

 

This book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation,

the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.  Its doctrines

are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true,

and its decisions are immutable.  Read it to be wise, believe

it to be safe, practice it to be holy.  It contains light to direct you,

food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.   It is the traveler's map,

the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the

Christian's character.  Here paradise is restored; heaven opened and the

gates of hell disclosed.  Christ is its grand subject, our good its design,

and the glory of God its end.  It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly,  frequently,  prayerfully.  It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of

glory, and a river of pleasure.  Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary,

to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity."

 

As the election approaches, you would do well to fill your prayers with words that the Lord gives us.  This verse tells us all else will fail eventually, God's word never will. 

 

For further study:  Deut. 11:18-21, 2 Sam. 22:31, Ps. 119:9-11, 105, Isaiah 55:10-12, John 15:5-8, John 16:13, Colossians 3:16-17, 2 Tim. 2:15, 2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3-10.

 

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly



 



GIVE THANKS

Are you ready for the holidays?  It seems early, but as I'm getting ready for a holiday craft show this week, I'm reminded that it takes some preparation for our hearts to be grateful in the midst of too much chaos and commercial celebration.

I'm reading a very sweet book by Ann Voskamp entitled ONE THOUSAND GIFTS in which she says that "thanksgiving is the way of the fullest life."  She makes a remarkable discovery that in the midst of many miracles and times of crisis, Jesus gives thanks.  I've given you several references below, but have a blessing and do a word search yourself.  When are we the most likely to give thanks?  If you're like me it's when we get something we really want...or when someone pulls through a health crisis...or when our children do what we tell them.  1 Thes. 5:18 says "...give thanks in ALL circumstances".  How many times are we asking for more when we haven't said thanks for what we have already received?

Listen to Deborah Norville in THANK YOU POWER: "Gratitude helps us take care of the emotional business of negative things in our lives."  I have heard it said that it is impossible to have a negative attitude when you have a grateful heart.  Let's be the example others can learn from:  starting right now let us be the one to GIVE THANKS!

For further study:  1 Chron. 16:34, Psalm 7:17, Psalm 100:4, Daniel 6:10, Matthew 14:19, Matthew 26:26, Luke 7:36-50, Luke 12:48, Luke 24:30, 1 Cor. 11:23-24, Ephesians 5:19-20, Colossians 3:17

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly

In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him - Rom. 8:28

Happy Fall, everyone. Today's verse is one of the sweetest promises in God's word.  It has given me encouragement many times.  Sometimes we want to believe it means something different than it does.  It is not a promise for all people, but for "those who love Him" and the verse goes on to say "those who are called according to his purposse".  He calls us, we love Him, He works for our good.  It really is not that complicated.

Oswald Chambers says:

The idea is not that we do work for God,

but that we are so loyal to Him, that He

can do His work through us.

 

 

I never think in terms of my loyalty in this verse or that that would be a condition of Him working in my life.  If we don't see evidence of Him at work, maybe we should check who or what we are being loyal to.  Matthew 6:33 says "seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness".  Where have you placed your loyalty today?

 

For further study:  Genesis 50:20, Deuteronomy 30:16, Psalm 18:32, Psalm 119:68, Isaiah 30:18, Jeremiah 33:3, John 10:11, 2 Cor. 9:8, Phil. 1:6, 1 Peter 2:3

 

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly

If my people will humble themselves, pray and seek my face, then I will forgive and heal" - 2 Chron. 7:14

Last Friday, over 38,000 people signed a pledge begun by Pastor Max Lucado to pray for 40 days leading up to our U.S. elections.  Their motto is "Unite Us; Strengthen Us, Appoint and anoint our next president".  In 2 Chron. 7:14, God gives all nations a promise to hear, forgive and heal.  Lucado says:

"The healing of the land begins with the prayers of

the people.  Do we desire God's favor and blessing?

Then let us pray."

 

A lay preacher brought the message at our recent Sunday night service.  His title was "How to be Holy During an Election."  He so rightly said it is often hard to distinguish believers from nonbelievers when it comes to stating our opinions in politics.  Many of our Facebook pages reflect a definite worldly flavor. Here are some of his important points to being holy during elections:

 

1.  Be active - our verse today says to be humble, to pray, to seek.  We need to do the work God gives us to do in our churches, in our offices, in our neighborhoods, in our homes.  We need not sit back and think someone else will do it.

 

2.  Be Honest - Are you passing on information that may not be true?   Do someone else's opinions become fact without your checking to see if they are true?  We need to be very careful that what we are saying is true.

 

3.  Be Aware - Be aware of the issues that are being debated.  Rather than tear someone else's idea apart, reshape the discussion to a Biblical view.  Do your homework before jumping in.

 

4.  Be Imitators (of God) -  Lev. 11:44 says "...be holy because I am holy".  We have His word to show us how to do that.

 

In my prayer time, I'm going to plead for the men and women who will be elected on November 6th to seek wisdom from God.  I'm also going to confess my own stubbornness and pride and ask for opportunities to be part of the solution by being a Godly witness.  I pledge to have faith in a Sovereign God rather than fear at what man can do to me or my family (Hebrew 13:6).  How about you?  Will you pray with us on the Lucado team?

 

For further study:  Psalm 33:12, Psalm 118:8-9, Proverbs 14:34, Isaiah 56:6-7, Isaiah 60:12, Luke 6:27, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 13:1, 1 Peter 3:15, James 1:5

 

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

 

Love,

Holly