"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

Trust in the Lord

"Don't worry about how things look.  

God is able." 

 Marshawn Evans

These are certainly uncertain times...to some they have never looked so uncertain!  We are all self-isolated, away from friends and family, unable to be in church, and find ourselves wondering who to really trust.  Isaiah found himself in a similar place.  He had just been commissioned to lead a fairly rebellious, stiff-necked group.  The people were conspiring and denying the existence of God and the Lord gave him instructions to lead them.  Isaiah was determined and told them: "I will put my trust in God." (Isaiah 8:17)  He didn't question what his job was and he didn't question how wrong it would be to put his faith in a world system that rejected God.  Why would we?

In this uncertain time, we must have "Godfidence"...confidence in a holy and powerful God...the one who created the heavens and the earth...is in control today.  So I will wear a shirt that tells people that is what I believe:

I want to have the faith of David standing before Goliath...a huge giant with metal armor and weapons.  David didn't shrink back and say he couldn't do something...he trusted the same God who had helped him in prior trials and used a puny rock and sling to slay the giant.  That is the same God who will help us today.  To trust in something is to believe in its reliability, to know enough about that person that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.  His Word is full of reassurances that He knows the way we take, He will never leave us or forsake us and that if we will dwell with Him, we can rest in Him.   That will require us to make a choice to receive the Son He sent as our Savior and to follow Him and release our own control.  Someone once said: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."  I don't have to know how this virus mess is going to end before I trust the God who holds the universe together.  He is able and He is good.

I'm reading A CONFIDENT HEART by Renee Swope and she says:

The only way we'll have a confident heart is if we move beyond

knowing about God to knowing and relying on Him - to depending

on His Word with our whole heart, mind and soul.

"Godfidence" is what we all need today to know that God is able to not only help our world in this current crisis, but His plans will not be thwarted.  If our leaders choose to use their own wisdom, God's will will be done.  That's my confidence today and in the future.

For further study:   Psalm 37:3, Psalm 75:3,  Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 40:28-31, Jeremiah 17:7, Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 8:38-39, Phil. 4:6-9, Hebrews 11:1, 1 John 5:14

Be blessed in your understanding of God's Word.

Love,

Holly

Wait in hope for the Lord - Ps. 33:20

Spring has sprung here in Texas - even though it's not officially due for a few more weeks.  When I lived in Chicago for several years, the grey days of winter really took it's toll and could be a particularly depressing time for many of us.  We waited - sometimes not very patiently - for the first crocuses to appear along Lake Michigan.  But we always knew it would come eventually.  Bernard Williams says:  

The day the Lord created hope was probably

the same day He created Spring.

Dr. Michelle Bengtson has written a book called HOPE PREVAILS.  She is a Dallas neuropsychologist who for many years suffered debilitating depression.  And for many years prescribed in her practice various forms of treatment...many of which were very effective.  But when it came to her own illness, she said "...hope was elusive".  She tells about a friend who came by to see her in the midst of her worst days, and she shared a Bible verse with her.  At that moment, she says:

As I began to recite God's Word, especially his promises,

the dark cloud that had settled in my heart began to lift and I

began to feel more hopeful.

When you have faith in God and believe He is who He says He is, hope is possible and you can know one day things will be better.  Dr. Bengtson says "hope...is a belief in a purpose, the belief in something better" and Hebrews 6:19 says: "hope is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure".  Like a boat adrift on the sea, it holds steady and fixed when there is an anchor.  Jesus is that anchor.  It holds us secure and steady.  That doesn't mean we won't drift a bit, but the anchor holds.  She says: "I can offer nothing to my patients that heals unilaterally.  My words don't fix, and my suggestions don't heal.  God heals".

We must believe God is at work (Romans 8:28)  "...in ALL things" even when we don't see it.  But we don't have to see it to believe it...that's what faith is.  Hebrews 11:1 says "...faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."  Spring is coming!

For further study:  Psalm 62:5, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:21-23, Micah 7:7, Romans 15:13, 2 Corinthians 1:10-11, Colossians 1:27, Hebrews 6:18-20.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,

Holly

LOVE ONE ANOTHER - 1 John 4:7

"Dear friends, let us love one another for love

comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born

of God and knows God."   1 John 4:7

Did you know that there are 59 "one another" references in the Bible?  Ways we are to care for those outside of self.  I am concerned that we are not doing well...we are such a self-centered society, our main focus is on "me" and what my needs are.  As you might imagine, the Greek word for this kind of love (there are 3 other Greek words for love in the New Testament) is agape which is the highest form of love...the way God loves us...selfless...charitable.  

Another place the same word is used is in Hebrews 10:24:

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on

toward LOVE and good deeds..."

Women:  are you dressing to encourage or entice?  Men:  is your language encouraging someone?  Children:  are you being kind to someone who snubs you?  We don't see "love and good deeds" as a worthy goal portrayed in movies or TV shows.  I would like to be viewed as a positive role model in Biblical terms and I would like to encourage someone today toward righteous living...not living to indulge self.  Unless we know God's word, we will listen to how the world defines that.

On this Valentine's Day, let us be part of the "Charitable LOVE gives" campaign.  How are you loving today?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

For further study:  Proverbs 17:17, Matthew 19:19, John 15:17, Romans 12:9, Romans 13:8, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Cor. 16:14, Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 4:19.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's love.

Love,

Holly

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord - Jer. 17:7

Jeremiah, often called "the weeping prophet", was given by God a hard assignment to warn the people of upcoming judgment.  He was called to this task (1:4-5) by the LORD and when the LORD calls, he equips.  Jeremiah struggled most of his days to find joy in his task...and yet in Lamentations (his book of laments), we find the powerful and lifegiving verse:

Because of the Lord's great love we are not

consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lam. 3:22-23

Our verse for today's blog reminds us that the kind of blessings Jeremiah is talking about do not come to all.  Blessings come to one who puts his trust in the Lord...not trusting money, fame, success or family.  That would mean a total dependence upon the One who created us to do His work.  That would mean a giving up of self, of professing faith in Jesus Christ and being His witness wherever He calls us.  Trials will come but God will always always BLESS!

I think the part of this passage that I love the most...even the "weeping prophet" knew that when he put his trust in the Lord, he would be "...like a tree planted by the water"...he would flourish...he would not fear when the going gets tough and he would never fail to "bear fruit" (verse 8).  What a sweet, sweet promise.  Earlier in the chapter in verses 5-6,  it talks about a person in the wastelands, whose heart has turned away from the Lord and he was parched, poor and weak. 

We have the same choice today as Jeremiah did.  Will we seek to be obedient to the Lord who made us or will we waste away languishing in the wastelands?   I hope you are studying God's word to know what pleases Him.  Do you know: "...the Lord longs to be gracious to you" (Isaiah 30:18) and He has a wonderful plan for your life (Jer. 29:11)?

For further study: Deu. 30:16, 1 Kings 2:1-3, Psalm 1:1-3, Prov. 29:18, Matt. 5:1-12, John 15:10, Romans 8:28, James 1:12.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,

Holly

Gratitude or Greed?

There are times that I am overcome with GRATITUDE at being able to do what I do with my Scripture embroidery.  Grazing over God's word and making something lovely is so satisfying.  However I cannot pretend that is always my attitude.  I am selfish, prideful and GREEDY at other times.  I cannot for the life of me figure out why I don't see the very clear cause-consequence theory!  When I am filled with God's word I am grateful.  When I am filled with me I am greedy!  Duh!

Jamie Munson wrote about "Gratitude vs. Greed" and how our attitudes affect every aspect of life:  our desires, view of money, perspective, job, church, relationships and so many more part of our day.  He says in regard to God's grace:

Rather than cultivating humble appreciation, we covet a higher

standard of living.  Rather than gratitude for His grace, we

exhibit greed for our own gain.

I see two very clear cause-consequence scriptures that I encourage you to study.  First, Phil. 2:14-18 shows us that "laboring in vain" begins with grumbling and a contentious attitude...not a thankful heart.  Rejoicing is done by those who "hold firmly to the word of life".  Secondly, Ephesians 5:18-20 tells us that praise, singing and thanksgiving flows out of the person controlled by the Spirit of God.

It's a choice:  a grateful heart or a greedy one?  It will affect everything we do today.  What is spilling out of you today?

For further study:  Ecc. 5:10, Psalm 119:11, Psalm 136:1, Matt. 6:24,  Luke 12:15,  John 15:10, 1 Tim. 6:10, 2 Tim. 2:15, Heb.  12:28, James 1:17.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,

Holly