Covered By His Mercy

"O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle." Psalm 140:7 (ESV)

If you are facing some kind of obstacle in your life right now, raise your hand. Life is a continual battle. We are constantly facing challenges and struggles. Navigating difficulties requires effort and resilience. We grow weary and exhausted. We feel stressed and overwhelmed. 

The battle is big for a reason. God desires to show Himself strong on our behalf.

In June of 2011 I was facing a battle. Having started chemotherapy treatments for stage 3, grade 3 ovarian cancer, one of the inevitable side effects was beginning to manifest itself. The Lord was calling me to another surrender, and this time it would be visible, unlike some of the other heart surrenders He had already asked of me. 

As much as I had tried to prepare myself for this relinquishment, I was not ready. Running my hands over my head and finding my fists filled with my crowning glory, I knew it was time. The following day I would offer another sacrifice to the Lord...my hair. At 10:00am I would sit in a chair and a transformation would take place. It was a very tough letting go. Although I had tried to prepare myself by getting my hair cut short weeks prior, and being pro-active in purchasing a wig, my tears indicated that I was still not ready to face this consequence of chemo head on. The time had come too soon.

It was then that I received an email from my Lead Pastor, Dr. Rev. Rick Baker. To be honest, I do not think I had ever noticed Psalm 140:7 before. Pastor Rick encouraged me that the Lord would be my covering. God would cover my head in the day of battle. Outwardly my appearance would change. No longer would auburn locks grace my head. It would become obvious, with a simple glance my way, the battle I was fighting, but I was not fighting alone.

I remember praying that more than the visual difference, observers would be drawn to a more startling makeover. A heart growing stronger. A confidence in my Saviour. A peace that passes understanding. A surrender to His will. A trust in the unknown. An intentional choice to love the Lord and keep holding His hand as I walked this path He had chosen for me. God promises to cover our heads in the day of battle.

This is the "alive and active" work of God's Word (Hebrews 4:12). It is also why we can never stop turning to this treasure. We hold an incredible resource in our hands when we open His Word. It is not just a book, but it holds the answers, guidance, wisdom and truth that we need to walk us through each day of life. Its well-worn pages tell the story of a child of God who continually seeks to know Him and finds direction for daily living. As our Young Adults Pastor has written, "A life immersed in Scripture is a life well-lived." (Pastor Nick)

As our battles rage on, God is not finished. Not being sufficient in ourselves, we need to pray for God's strength to sustain us. As we take our places on the front lines, the power of darkness and spiritual forces of evil are wielding weapons against us, but they cannot stand against the Lord. He is the strength of our salvation, the Sovereign LORD, the strong One who rescues us and protects us on the day of battle. Know with confidence today that He is covering you by His mercy.

The Real Deal

"Our actions show that we belong to the truth..." 1 John 3:19

It hit me so suddenly late last night that I could not believe I had failed to see it. I had done something so unintentionally that now caused me to worry I had upset someone. Early this morning I wrote to the one impacted by my actions of oblivion and expressed my sorrow for neglecting to consider them. They responded so quickly and with such grace. They shared that they had not even noticed my unconscious oversight and encouraged me not to think any further about it. But think on it I will, not to dwell on my thoughtlessness, but Lord willing to spur me on to act better given the next opportunity. Oh how I long to live Jesus better before others, so that they see Him and not me.

Our activity testifies to the truth we hold dear. Over twenty years ago our lead Pastor at that time, Dr. Rev. Rick Baker, shared a sermon entitled, "Are You the Real Deal?" In his message he shared four proofs that serve as tests of authenticity. We find all these proofs in 1 John.

1. Right Choices: The Moral Test (1 John 2:3-6)

Too often our tendency is to be selective in our obedience. We do what is easy and convenient or what seems "important". We obey "Thou shall not murder" and "Thou shall not steal", but what about other calls to obedience? Do we obey in the area of tithing? Have we considered whether we are stealing another's reputation? Each act of obedience moves us one step closer to Jesus.

2. Right Love: The Social Test (1 John 2:7-17)

A selfless love saves us from stumbling (2:10). A seductive love leads us to sin (2:15-17). A couple of tests for true love are found in answering the following two questions: How easily am I offended? And How quickly do I diminish other's accomplishments? How telling it is if we are slighted and the slightest remark. We also might not belittle or discredit the achievements of others openly, but suddenly sharing all our personal accolades devalues the one who reached a milestone. A one-upmanship is not the right love.

3. Right Belief: The Doctrinal Test (1 John 2:18-28).

We are to remain in community (2:19); remain in original teaching (2:24); and remain in Christ (2:24, 27). Are we gathering with God's people, staying in the truth we have been taught, and abiding in the Lord? A friend's granddaughter often tells her grandma, "Stay right there". This precious little one does not want her grandma to wander away. God is telling us to hold to His truth and "stay right there".

4. Right Living: The Parentage Test (1 John 2:29-3:10)

We should show evidence of some family resemblance. The DNA of God is placed in us at salvation and it cannot be removed. Do our lives reflect our Father?

Jesus obeyed the Father, loved people, believed doctrine and lived right. Our life is the best proof of Christianity. Are we the "real deal"?

(Thoughts today taken from old sermon note journals.)

With All My Heart

"I give You thanks, O LORD, with all my heart..." Psalm 138:1

As I opened God's Word this morning, the phrase above, written by David, was the first I read. It hit me so powerfully that I burst into tears. There are times when His presence is so palpable, our hearts overflow in wordless worship.

Giving thanks to God with all our heart. I recall years ago attending the "Walk Thru The Bible" seminar and during the course of the day we were taught that Saul had "no heart" for God, Solomon had a "half heart" for the Lord, but David had a "whole heart" commitment. We really all fall under one of those three categories. We either do not know the Lord as our personal Saviour, "no heart", we are believers but not living fully devoted to following Him, "half heart", or we have surrendered our everything for His anything with hearts completely surrendered to Him, "whole heart".

1 Kings 14:8 tells us that David was a man who followed God with all his heart. He had unwavering commitment to the Lord. It does not mean that he was perfect, but his heart was in such a place that he prioritized the Lord and when he failed, genuine repentance followed. 

Deuteronomy 6:5 instructs us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength. God desires wholehearted devotion, yet 2 Chronicles 16:9 implies that this kind of love for the Lord is rarely found. "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him." God is constantly looking for hearts that are abandoned to Him. Fully committed. No compromise. Completely His.

How I long for all my praise, thanks, love, ministry, entire life to be a whole heart expression to the Lord. In humility I fall to my knees knowing the times my "no heart" or "half heart" have directed my thoughts, emotions and actions. As I envision His eyes moving to and fro, do they ever stop and consider me...or you? Do our lives ever receive His pause? He longs to show Himself strong on our behalf. "It remains to be seen what God will do with a man who gives himself up wholly to Him." (Henry Varley to D. L. Moody)

As this year is moving quickly towards its end, we can resolve today, at this moment to come to the Lord with our whole heart, with either new or renewed devotion. A whole heart gives thanks, trusts, honours and praises the Lord at all times. I think that is why my tears flowed so instantly today. I long for my heart so desperately to follow the Lord in this way, yet see all the times I have failed. This struggle with sin will no doubt continue but God's love for us remains steadfast and His grace unending.

Back in the Fall, the Toronto Mass Choir visited our church. Just prior to the evening closing the choir director shared a short song with us that she had composed. The lyrics are repetitive and simple, but profound, expressing the deepest longing of my heart. How I pray you too can sing them and mean them. (Although I could have chosen a shorter video version of this song, the ten-minute link below is not too long for a heart that is fully devoted. Your response to the length is very telling. A whole heart praises the Lord with every waking moment.)

"Let all that I am praise the Lord

Let all that I am praise His holy name

Let all that I am praise the Lord

I won't forget the good things He does for me

With my whole heart, with my whole heart

With my whole heart, I will praise Him."

"With My Whole Heart" - written by Karen Burke; Micah Music; copyright 2011

A Bowl of Popcorn

"The LORD of Heaven's Armies sent me this message in reply:" Zechariah 7:4

Reading Zechariah 7-10 this morning God spoke so many messages to my heart. Kernels of truth were popping up throughout each chapter. Choosing just one verse was impossible. Like the salty goodness and flavour of a bowl of freshly made popcorn, I could not stop at just a taste. Please indulge me as I share several verses that drew my attention today.

Pop!

"During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and in early autumn, was it really for Me that you were fasting? And even now in your holy festivals, aren't you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?" (Zechariah 7:5b-6)

Question: Are we doing the right thing for the wrong reason? Remembering that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart, what is the motive for all that we do? Man? Self? God?

Pop!

"All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God's people. But is it impossible for Me? says the LORD of Heaven's Armies." (Zechariah 8:6b)

Question: When situations appear beyond any ability to change, do we hold fast to the knowledge that with God all things are possible?

Pop!

"Be strong and finish the task!" (Zechariah 8:9a)

Question: How many obediences do we start and abandon? Is the Lord calling us to complete a task?

Pop!

"Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and source of blessing." (Zechariah 8:13b)

Question: Do we realize any time God rescues us that we become both a symbol and a source of blessing? Through His deliverance we represent the Lord's blessing in our lives to others, and we also are used as a reservoir of blessing to others. Are we both a representative and reservoir, a symbol and a source of blessing?

Pop!

"Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you." (Zechariah 8:23b)

Question: Could that request be asked of us? Is there such clear evidence of Christ in us that others would long to spend time by our side in order to get to know the Lord?

Pop!

"Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey - riding on a donkey's colt." (Zechariah 9:9b)

Question: Christ's arrival changes everything! Do we see the coming of our King and Messiah in Zechariah's prophecy?

Pop!

"Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope!" (Zechariah 9:12a)

Question: Christ is our hope, and we can never stop believing what He can do! Do we fall prey to discouragement or are we prisoners of hope?

Pop!

"They will pass safely through the sea of distress...By My power I will make My people strong..." (Zechariah 10:11a, 12a)

Question: Do we need reminders of God's deliverance from distress by the power of His hand?

Each "bite" has given food for thought. Praying His Word blesses and encourages all our hearts today. Pop!

Seasons of Small Things

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand." Zechariah 4:10a

Many times, we use this verse as a way of encouraging others who begin a new endeavour. Don't despise small beginnings. The Lord rejoices to see the work begin. I am not denying the truth stated here. I have no doubt that God delights when He sees us walking in obedience to a task that He has called us to pursue, but there is so much more to the understanding of this text. 

For Zerubbabel, the temple had laid in ruins for twenty years. Twenty years of living "small things". We see our "small things" enduring endlessly, while a year is like a day to the Lord. What we must remember is that God is doing many things in our seasons of small things. We need to look at the present instead of straining for bigger things to come. Times of "small things" are not a punishment, nor has God forgotten us. Small beginning seasons are preparation. They are opportunities for faithfulness. 

Do you recall the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16? A steward has mismanaged his employer's money and is going to lose his job. He proceeds to cleverly cut deals, reducing the debts of those who owe him, foreseeing a need to have friends who will welcome him in the days ahead when he will be out of work. He manipulates and maneuvers the situation so that others will feel obligated to help him in the future. The punchline of the parable reads: "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities."

God is always watching how we handle "little things". Zechariah's instruction not to despise small beginnings is a reprimand to us all. If we are honest, we hate slow starts and small beginnings, but God has a purpose even when we do not understand. The "small" we are walking right now is not a mistake. If only we could embrace it, surrender to it, enjoy it and trust God in it. Instead, we often try to yield bigger results with our own efforts, yet the prophet has already spoken just a few verses prior, "It is not by force, not by strength, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies."

When will we learn that it is God who causes all things to grow? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:7, "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." It is always God who brings an increase to anything we do. Fruitfulness in ministry happens when we finally understand this truth which then enables us to serve contentedly wherever God has placed us.

It is always the enemy who stirs our hearts to dissatisfaction in the progress. You see, Satan is very aware of the work of the Lord. He knows that small things surrendered to the hands of God are great things. While we are despising small beginnings, Satan is fearing them.

Little works done with great faith are so pleasing to the Lord. God never measures success by size. Contrary to the saying, "Go big or go home", it is really not the way the Lord works in our lives. We do not have to go big to impress God. Can God do "exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or imagine"? Yes, and we love to quote that verse from Ephesians 3:20, but let's finish it together: "according to His power that works in us." It is not about strategizing but allowing the Lord to empower whatever task He asks of us and watching in awe as He divinely blesses our obedience.

In our longing to do big things for God, may we not overlook the value He places on small things. A small jar of oil (2 Kings 4), a small mustard seed (Matthew 17), a small lunch (Matthew 14), small children (Luke 18), a small offering (Luke 21). God is rejoicing as you hold the "plumb line" in your hand and begin the work, trusting Him completely with the outcome.

"I Am With You"

"Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave the people this message from the LORD: 'I am with you, says the LORD!'" Haggai 1:13

Yesterday my nephew, Pastor Daniel, shared a beautiful "manger message"* in the morning at church. One of his first reminders to us as a congregation, was God's presence with us from Luke 1:26-29. Knowing God is with us should bring us comfort. He shared an illustration of being in a situation where we might feel the responsibility of overseeing the outcome, until someone with more seniority walks into the room and we give a huge sigh of relief. The weight of the decisions no longer falls to us, and everything is going to be OK.

The prophet Haggai gave this message from the LORD to the people, "I am with you." God's presence with us should calm our hearts and strengthen our spirits, but like Mary when the angel shared the same news with her, it may also trouble us. When God encourages us with His presence, there is usually more ahead. He is reminding us of the peace and power He brings that will enable us to face something we are very aware we cannot handle on our own.

We know from scripture that Mary also responded with awe and amazement. Has hearing that God is with us become too commonplace? How seriously do we take the fact that God is with us? This morning, through an advent devotional** I am reading this year, I was reminded of a familiar old Christmas carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." There is a line in the lyrics that says, "Pleased as man with man to dwell. Jesus, our Immanuel." Not only is God with us now through the coming of Christ into the world, but because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, Christ is in us. It has always been God's desire to dwell with His people. His name, "Immanuel" portrays this truth so beautifully. "God with us."

If we know the Lord as our personal Saviour, He is with us. He is not just with a few chosen, favoured followers. He found Mary, a simple girl, living in a remote place. He can find us in the little corners of our world. We cannot qualify or disqualify ourselves from God's presence. We all find favour with God because of His undeserved, unmerited, unconditional grace.

I love the next verse in Haggai. The prophet continues with this explanation: "So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God's people." (1:14a) Maybe that is what is missing in our response to God's presence. Our hearts need to be enlivened with enthusiasm for this truth in a fresh new way. Like the governor, the high priest and the remnant of God's people, we need the Lord to give spark to our spirits and realize afresh what it means that He is with us.

Christ's "withness" is really the heart of the gospel message. It is in this season of Christmas that we take time to reflect on the love that compelled Christ to come and bridge the gap created by our sin so that we can know Him personally. Once we know Him as Saviour, there is nothing that can separate us from His presence (see Romans 8).

Remember in every situation God is with us. Rest in that truth today. If you have casually forgotten the magnitude of this reality as a believer, ask the Lord to infuse you with the renewed enthusiasm with which He moved the hearts of His people in Haggai's day. The living God is living in you. How will that change your life today?

*Daniel's message can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paezv6X9-eU

**Advent Devotional: "Prepare Him Room: 28 Ways to Embrace the Spirit of Christmas"; author Darlene Schacht; Publisher: Time-Warp Wife Ministries; copyright 2024

Songs In The Night

"Oh, praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, you who serve at night in the house of the LORD. Lift your hands toward the sanctuary, and praise the LORD. May the LORD, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem." Psalm 134

This short little Psalm of only three verses completes the fifteen Psalms of Ascent recorded in scripture. It was a Psalm of blessing for the Levites who served as Temple watchmen. The worshippers would ascend the hill where the Temple was located and see the watchmen who protected it day and night. They saw the watchman's work as an act of praise to God, done reverently and responsibly.

Our work should also be done in praise to God. We need to honour Him by the quality of our work and attitude of service we bring to it. Just as the travelers had reached their destination physically and responded in worship, all our journey and journey ends should be filled with praise.

It does not escape my notice that these servants were working at night. Night-time. Probably the hardest time to be alert and productive physically. But what about nights of the soul? How easy is it to praise and lift hands in worship during the dark seasons of life?

"It is comparatively easy to bless the Lord in the daytime, when sunshine lies like His smile on nature, and all the world is full of music, and our lives flow on quietly and peacefully.  It does not take much grace to bless the Lord then. But when night has draped the earth and hushed the homes of men to solitude, and we stand amid the shadows that lurk around us in the sanctuary, facing the inexplicable mysteries of Providence, of history, of life and death; then the song falters on our lips, and chokes our utterance." (Meyer)

"One of the dearest treasures in your darkness will be the God-son He will give you if you'll receive it. To stand in the presence of the Lord when you'd rather go to bed and never get up, and to praise Him in the night when taunting voices tell you to curse Him - these things are nothing less than a battle cry of victory."

We need to praise the Lord when we least feel like it. The moment we feel defeated is the very second we need to begin to praise. When we have the slightest inclination to praise, is when we need to lift our voice the most. "A true Psalmist praises his way to victory, knowing it will come because the praise itself renders the first blow to his enemy's brow."

"Worship has endless side effects in the life of the everyday psalmist. Among the, it exalts God to the highest place, thereby relieving the sojourner of the backbreaking burden of ego It defeats our enemy. It answers grace with gratitude. And it ends in joy." "Yes, as the psalmist said joy cometh in the morning (Ps 30:5 KJV), but the very anticipation invites it into our night."

Today, we can invite joy into our night watches by lifting praise, knowing God's presence with us and anticipating His arrival. Over 2000 years ago Christ's light burst into the darkness, and as we worship He is still changing darkness to light.

All quotes not identified: Stepping Up, a journey through the Psalms of Ascent; Beth Moore; Lifeway Publishing; copyright 2007

Rescue 911

"So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials..." 2 Peter 2:9a

Yesterday my sweet daughter-in-love forwarded me a couple of adorable videos. My precious grandson Matthew and his cute cousin Noah were "playing fireman". Thanks to Noah's "tickle trunk" (for anyone who remembers the "Mr. Dress-Up" television series), Noah had a couple of costumes which enabled them each to play the part well. Dressed and ready, they were responding to emergency 911 calls and dragging blankets as hoses. They successfully put out fire after fire with determination. I love seeing the imagination of these little boys. If only all our rescue needs could be imaginary. Our emergency 911 calls are very real, and sometimes it seems like the response time takes so long. 

In Peter's second letter, likely written from prison, and being in very real need of a rescue himself, he writes such wonderful reminders and words of encouragement. In referencing the judgment of the wicked he highlights a couple of examples that we need to remember.

His first person of interest is Noah. Despite the flood that proclaimed God's judgment on the world, the Lord preserved Noah and his family. God guarded Noah and kept him from perishing. Even when surrounded by worldly wickedness, the Lord's hand is on those who believe and obey His word. Although Noah was rescued, he still had a journey of hardship. I am sure there was hostility and mocking from unbelievers. Building an ark to the specifications that God required had to be a challenge. The duration of time enclosed in this huge floating vessel with all the animals and extended family had to be difficult and tiresome at times. Rescue does not necessarily mean relief from work, but release from a pre-mature end. 

This is evidenced again with Peter's second example. When God condemned Sodom and Gomorrah and turned these towns into heaps of ashes, He also rescued Lot because he was a righteous man. With all the evil in those cities, God still had his eyes on one man. Genesis 19 tells us that even when Lot lingered and did not flee quickly at the angels urging, the Lord in His great mercy still delivered Lot. His escape however was not without loss. His wife looked back, disobedient to God's direction, and became a pillar of salt.

These accounts in scripture remind us that when we are in peril, God's power comes to the rescue of His children when they cry out to Him. Oftentimes when we are in the middle of the labyrinth of our trials, we cannot see a way out. Surrounded by difficulties and filled with discouragement we begin to lose hope that the Lord sees us. That is always the enemy, trying as he did with Job, to get us to curse God and die (see Job 2:9).

I had a S.O.S. message from a friend about twenty-four hours ago. Since November 23rd her husband has been in the hospital, most of those days being spent in the Critical Care Unit. Yesterday the Doctor said her husband's condition was both good and bad. Good that he is not getting any worse, but bad because there does not seem to be any consistent sign of improvement. My friend asked her prayer warriors to join with her in praying for a turnaround in his condition. This dear, godly man is in need of God's rescue.

My friend is representative of many others. I'm sure each one reading this knows someone who needs a 911 rescue. Maybe the person waiting for deliverance is you. Do not lose heart. "The Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials." Believe that truth today. His greatest rescue came in sending our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to defeat death and redeem and set us free for all eternity. Have you met Him personally as your Rescuer? 911 is a universal emergency number for assistance. God stands by to answer your call. "Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you and you will honour Me." Psalm 50:15 (CSB) 

God's Song

"For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." Zephaniah 3:17

I awoke yesterday morning to a message from a very dear, young friend, someone who is like family to me. She wrote, "I'm reading a devotional that asks for three of our favourite promises over our life. I don't think I know any." I loved her honesty and that she asked. I think she really did know quite a few, but she just needed someone to "prime the pump". So, I spent a little time sharing some of my favourite promises from scripture with her. Maybe it is because my mind has been focusing on God's promises that Zephaniah 3:17 took my attention. Do you see the five promises listed in that one verse alone?

1. The promise of His presence.

2. The promise of a Saviour.

3. The promise that He will delight in us.

4. The promise that He will calm all our fears.

5. The promise that He will rejoice over us in song.

Do you know that our Heavenly Father rejoices over us with joyful songs? Imagine God singing just for us! Has anyone ever sung over you? My son and his wife sing over their children as they put them to bed. My mom used to sing over me as a child to wake me every morning. 

Years ago, I recall attending a musical concert. A variety of local artists were performing, some instrumental numbers and other participants were studying voice. I was a young child at the time, but I will never forget when one of the presenters walked up on the stage and began to describe the song they were about to sing. It was a favourite of mine. Just before beginning the song, the performer looked down at my sister and I and dedicated the song to us. I still remember the thrill as a young girl. It was being publicly stated that this song was specifically for us. That song belonged to us in that moment.

God acts similarly when He rejoices and sings over us. Songs of belonging. Songs of delight. Songs of joy. Scripture records many songs of praise to the Lord. Singing is such an expression of love and adoration. This is the only verse in all of the Bible that mentions our Heavenly Father singing, and His reason to break forth in song...us. God sings. Creation sings. Angels sing. God's people sing. Interestingly, we never read of Satan and his demons singing. Sin does that. Sin removes any desire in our heart to lift our voice in song.

Maybe you struggle with the thought of God finding anything to sing over you. Maybe your mind runs to all the reasons for His silence. Maybe it is a hard leap from your thoughts to your heart to imagine God delighting in you with gladness, calming you with His love and rejoicing over you with singing. Can I encourage you to read the verse again? This text does not say that God takes delight in what you do, plan, or say, but He simply rejoices in you and sings! As we delight in Him, He delights in us.

I wonder what song He is singing today? Is the melody catchy and rhythm upbeat? Would it invite some dancing? Does He hum a tune or has He written lyrics? Is it a complete original, or one we might even know? Zephaniah tells us it is joyful. As we listen for the sound of His voice today may our hearts be captivated by His love song. The Lord is singing over you and me! Just thinking of God singing over us makes me want to burst forth in song!

Yet Moments

"Even though the fig tree has no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights." Habakkuk 3:17-19

For years now, whenever I read these verses, scenes from the movie, "Facing the Giants" come to mind. A young couple, serving God, knew about barrenness and loss. The wife appeared unable to conceive a child they so desperately wanted, and the husband's job was in jeopardy of termination. Outwardly both situations appeared hopeless.

One of the visuals that has etched itself forever on my mind is the moment of decision the wife makes after hearing the results of another pregnancy test. She enters the doctor's office with such hope and excitement, convinced this time of positive news, only to hear the nurse confirm again a negative outcome. She is now standing in the parking lot bedside her vehicle, tears streaming from her eyes, unable to face this bitter reality another time. Through her heartbreak and in her grief, she looks up and says, "Lord, I will still love You." Her world is being devastated, yet she will hold on to God. She chooses to continue to love Him, even though she doesn't comprehend why He is not answering the deepest longing of her heart.

Yes moments.

I am sure all our lives are filled with them. Events are speaking opposite to what our prayers have requested. God's hand is nowhere to be seen. Nothing is making sense at all. We do not understand what God is doing, or not doing. Our hearts are starving, our lives are barren, we are experiencing loss and we feel forgotten and empty. We question God's timing, purpose and presence. But, from somewhere deep within, a calm assurance begins to rise. We remember truth. We grab hold of promises. Faith trumps feelings and from some hidden place inside we offer a sacrifice of praise, exclaiming with defiant confidence, "yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" Look at those exclamation marks! This is spoken with determination and commitment!

As January 1st quickly approaches, this year may still hold some "yet moments". It is possible we have held hope that this year would have been a year of change, but we are still praying for God's intervention and His plans to be revealed. The prophet Habakkuk also reminds us that God has appointed a time that will not delay, and even when answers seem slow in coming, we are encouraged to wait on Him. (Habakkuk 2:3)

Yet, we will rejoice in the Lord! This is a decision to rejoice. Not in our circumstances. Definitely not in our feelings, or how things currently appear, but in our Lord! Our Lord is our strength! He makes us surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

Many years ago, while visiting a zoo, I captured an incredible picture. A goat was standing on the peak of a man-made mountain. How he got up there was beyond my comprehension. It would not have been an easy route. How was he still standing and not falling? God spoke to my heart in that moment. "Joy, that can be you. It is not easy, but I can enable you to rise above. Not tentatively and hesitantly, but with certainty. I am your strength. Come with Me and tread upon the heights." God empowers us to rise above all the concerns of this world that threaten to weigh us down.

We need to take our eyes off our limitations and focus on God's unlimited power. He is alive and in control. God gives us strength and confidence when we cannot see all He is doing and His presence reassures as we wait for what He is yet to do. Our faith shines in the yet moments when we choose to love and praise God for who He is, especially when we cannot trace His hand.

Bigger Still

"...He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet." Nahum 1:3b

Just yesterday my friend sent me some pictures. She had told me about the destruction a burst pipe had created in her home and I imagined the mess, but my mind had not come close to envisioning the size of the chaos. Walls torn back to the studs. Flooring removed. The entire interior was gutted. It will be months before it is livable again. A small oversight, not of her doing, has resulted in a big disaster. Thankfully the Lord is providing, and she does have other accommodation.

Have you ever felt something was big and then once you experienced it, big doesn't begin to describe its magnitude? Reading about the Grand Canyon is one thing, standing on the edge and overlooking its grandeur is another. Seeing pictures of the Swiss Alps, the photography portrays their beauty, but climbing their heights puts their size in perspective. Without encountering some things ourselves, our minds are too guarded in their creativity. Our world is often too small.

Reading in Nahum that the billowing clouds are the dust beneath God's feet, my concept of His greatness grew a little bit more. Maybe it is because we are taught that the Lord lives within us by the presence of His Holy Spirit making Him seem too containable, or maybe knowing His Son walked this earth in the form of a man makes Him seem too human, but far too often our understanding of the largeness of the Lord is guarded by our perceived reality. 

Clouds, that look massively huge to us, even from earth, are described as the dust beneath the feet of God. Stop and think about that. Do you know that the largest particles of dust are roughly the width of a human hair? Are you envisioning this? The "largest" particles of dust are no wider than a strand of our hair. That is how the clouds appear beneath the feet of God. Are you starting to get the idea? Does this help broaden your understanding of the immense power and presence of God?

Do we comprehend that for something like the clouds, something so large to us, yet described as something so miniscule in the Lord's perspective, can only mean that our God is BIG! Years ago, I did a Bible study that included in the lessons a poem entitled, "Bigger Still". As the writer shared scenario after scenario in rhyme of times she went to the Lord with needs, each incident requiring increasingly more and more of God's provision in order to make it through, she continued to learn that God is bigger still. Regardless of how big our minds stretch concerning God; He will always be bigger still.

The Creator of the universe is beyond our comprehension. Even with intentional efforts to expand our understanding of God, while walking this earth we will have limited ability to take in His greatness. Back in 1952, J. B. Philipps wrote a book entitled, "Your God is Too Small". In it he points out that many Christians do not see God as big enough to handle their needs. Sadly, this conclusion is then reached by those watching Christ-followers. But all is not loss. There are others, albeit a smaller number, who have trusted Him in Doctor's offices, unemployment lines, barrenness, broken marriages, heartaches over prodigals, financial loss, and by experience, have tasted that God is immeasurably bigger.

I do not know what trial you are currently facing, but God is bigger. Ask God to give you a clearer vision of His greatness as you look to the clouds and remember that they are dust beneath His feet.

The Genuine Article

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine....when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter 1:6-7

"If someone asked you, 'How can I know if my faith is genuine?' how would you respond? What metrics would you suggest for self-evaluation? Perhaps the fruit of the Spirit, or the virtues commended in the Sermon on the Mount? There are many from which to choose."* These sentences began a devotional I was reading with my husband tonight and immediately these verses from 1 Peter came to mind.

I think we would all love to gauge how genuine our faith is by incredible steps of accomplishments and trust, not by persevering through trials. And did you notice? Not just "a trial", or a few, or several, but these verses tell us we must endure through "many trials"! Peter repeatedly emphasizes that we will experience a great number of troubles and adversities.

When we watch others walk through seasons of suffering with inexplainable joy and indescribable peace, genuine faith is evidenced. When they keep loving Jesus, believing in Him and holding on to hope, faithfully enduring, others see that Christ is real. 

Trials are temporary, even if while in the middle of them they feel like they will never end. God has set a timeframe on each one, and although they often seem unending, in the light of eternity, they are fleeting. Because of this, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, not to lose heart, "for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison...The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 

When difficulties arise, when questions go unanswered, when sleeplessness consumes our nights and tears mark our days, these are the times when our cry for help to the Lord testifies to genuine faith. Even if all we can voice is a desperate, "Lord, help me", the fact that we turn to God in trust when tested, this is genuine faith.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "The one who would glorify his God must be prepared to meet with many trials. No one can be illustrious before the Lord unless his conflicts are many. If, then, yours is a much-tried path - that is, a path of many trials - rejoice in it, because you will be better able to display the all-sufficient grace of God. As for His failing you, never dream of it - hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now should be trusted to the end."**

We can endure by trusting in God's grace, and as we do, we will discover that we can rejoice, because our happiness is not dependent on circumstances, but in persevering in our faith and experiencing Christ's sufficiency. 

Most likely written from prison, Peter concludes his first letter by saying, "My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in this grace." (1 Peter 5:12b) It is hard to understand when trials are described as "God's grace", but He uses them to refine our character, increase our dependence on Him and prove our faith genuine.

Remember, our faith is a sword (Ephesians 6:16) and it is meant for battle. "A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted."

*Quote: Truth For Life, Volume Two; Alistair Begg; December 10th reading; The Good Book Company; copyright 2022

**Spurgeon: Morning and Evening; Crossway Publishers; copyright 2003

Rising Again

"...For though I fall, I will rise again..." Micah 7:8b

I have had some nasty physical falls. Last year I recall falling three times. Twice on ice, and once on a slippery, wet hill in my sister's backyard while running with our grandchildren. I also recall a couple of embarrassing sprawls while hurrying to respond to employers. In both of these situations, in two different locations, the culprit was a box of books, one at a library and the other in a bookstore. Those mishaps landed me face down in very awkward positions. The last one I will recount was in the grocery store. Let's just say, hurrying on wet floor with a 20-pound bag of potatoes. It did not end well. With the exception of one of those falls, with eyes watering, nose tingling, body aching, I sprang to my feet. More embarrassed than injured. Although shaken, I refused any attention. Praise the Lord, there has never been any broken bones, which is miraculous with my osteoporosis diagnosis, just battered pride.

Not all falls have recoveries so quick and easy. Physically we may be laid up for a season, but often emotional, mental and spiritual falls take longer to heal. Outwardly there may be no bruising, but inwardly wounds cut deep. On a downward spiral, we can find no safe edge to regain footing.

Stumbling blocks of low self-esteem, insecurity, pride, fear, unworthiness, rejection, captivity, shame, doubt, hopelessness and judgment are our "boxes of books" on the path of life that cause our feet to slip. James 3:2 says, "We all stumble in many ways", yet, Psalm 37:23-24 reassures us, "If the LORD delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand."

When we "fall" openly or secretly, failing in an area of obedience to the Lord, as my friend Elaine pointed out to me many years ago, sometimes our healing is hindered by bouncing back too quickly, dusting ourselves off and pretending our internal injury is less severe. When someone asks if we are "hurt" or "broken" how much better it would be if we honestly expressed our pain and asked for help. Sometimes regaining strength after a fall takes time.

One "fall" we all need to do more often, is to fall on our knees, in our hearts or on our carpets, and seek God's forgiveness. It is the fall of repentance that precedes our rise. Confession enables us to fall upward and then the Lord's hand brings us upright. In Proverbs 24:16, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote these words by divine inspiration, "The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again." We undoubtedly will fall numerous times, but what matters most is that we rise again.

The prophet Micah encourages us, that although we may be brought low, it will not be for long. God will indeed lift us up. Like those little "Weebles" that wobble, but don't stay down, the Lord picks us back up. We have a God who specializes in resurrection. Not rising in our own strength, but having confidence in the One who has already risen.

Some falls we can avoid. Like today, with freezing rain covering the ground and my car blanketed in ice, I have sent my regrets to a friend hosting a Christmas Tea. Other times we can make choices that remove certain temptations, or, when faced with a moment of decision, we can choose the "ancient path". But when we do fall, God immediately stretches out His hand and offers a way to return. If today finds you down, take His hand. He will empower you to rise again.

Gifts

"Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

I remember so vividly the day our son was born. One does not easily forget thirty-six hours of labour and then an emergency C-section. I was actually in the hospital for a week following his birth and when the day came to go home, I was so nervous. This new, wee life entrusted to us was so precious and neither Gord or I had any experience with infants. I had only babysat my neighbour's granddaughter once as a teen, and it didn't go well. I had to call my mom for help. Now, my husband and I were responsible for the life of our little boy.

Children indeed are a gift from the Lord, but as I reflect on this verse, my heart is tender to those who have never married or who have never been able to have children. As much of a blessing that children, (and I will add grandchildren), are to a family, they are just one of the many gifts with which God blesses us. The Lord grants us blessings in many ways. I think when we read a scripture verse that possibly makes us feel broken because we have not experienced this particular gift, we have to recognize all the other ways that God bountifully blesses.

As believers God's gifts to us include:

- spiritual gifts (2 Corinthians 12:7)

- salvation, grace, faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 9:15)

- eternal life (Romans 6:23)

- the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)

- the fruit of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:22-23)

- the Lord, as Heavenly Father, gives good gifts in response to our asking (Matthew 7:11)

- every good thing is a God-gift (James 1:17)

- seeking the Lord is rewarded (Hebrews 11:6)

Other rewards from God come in recognition of our faith. Think about when hope rises through despairing situations. That is a gift from the Lord. What about unspeakable peace in troubled times?  The gift of being loved. The blessing of strength in weakness, or joy and laughter in times of grief. Consider the times the Lord showers us with mercy and forgiveness. Knowing His guidance is a gift. Life is a gift. Daily breath is a gift. The gift of His presence, and the beautiful opportunity He gives us to come to Him in prayer. The gift of fellowship and community with other believers.

Children are indeed a gift, and I will be forever thankful for the blessing of our son, but there are so many other ways that the Lord gifts and rewards. Sometimes we can become so fixated on one particular gift, we miss all the others the Lord is continually lavishing on us.

"All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know Him better, love Him more surely, and serve Him more faithfully." - Ignatius of Loyola

Moving On

"Arise and depart. This is not your place of rest." Micah 2:10a

Five years of discontent. We were struggling spiritually at the church we were attending at the time. I kept praying that the Lord would make it clear if we were to go or stay, but confidence in that clarity had not yet come. Friends were giving advice. Family offered guidance. We were waiting on the Lord. In the waiting I was throwing myself into activity and heavily involving myself in areas of ministry. I was not one to sit and complain. If I was not happy about something, then instead of grumbling, volunteer and do something!

On this particular morning I was weary with the continual indecision. I was pleading with the Lord to speak. I wanted to put this request behind us and move on, if not from a physical location, to move forward in my heart and mind. I promised the Lord that I would not ask again. If His silence remained today, I would accept that as His desire for us to stay. It was a Friday morning and I would be heading to the church shortly to set-up for a Women of Grace event the following day. Using a read-thru-the-Bible plan, I opened God's word and discovered I would be reading in Micah. Immediately a thought came to me. I am ashamed to voice it now, but it is what ran through my mind at that time. "Oh...Micah...well, I guess I know my answer." The audacity to think that God could not speak to me through any part of His word. I believe He showed up big this particular morning just to prove to me that ALL of His word is living and active!

I was reading along, and honestly, not paying too much attention to what I was reading, I had surrendered to the stay, when suddenly Micah 2:10 jumped off the page: "Arise and depart. This is not your place of rest." What? Lord...You are telling us it is time to leave! The peace that flooded my heart knowing God's conclusive direction.

Heading to the church a couple of hours later, the emotions inside me were running wild. I knew the event the following day would be the last one I would organize here in this location. Yes, there was excitement, but I would be leaving all the dear friendships that were so precious to me.

The ladies day ran smoothly. The Lord honoured all the efforts the team and I had poured into preparation. The gospel message was presented and hearts were changed. As the guest speaker was packing up her props (this particular speaker always came with "show and tell"), she walked over to me and said, "Joy, you have seemed a little distracted today. Is everything OK?"

Sitting down in the front pew of the church I shared with her a journey our family had been travelling for a while and the verse the Lord had spoken to me the previous day. Her response was the confirmation I needed. She also encouraged me that we would be leaving on such a "high note", not in anger or frustration, but because the Lord had said "depart", and now was His time.

That Sunday was our final service in that church. We knew that if we stayed any longer, we would be in direct disobedience to God's instruction. We invited two of our Pastor's over for tea and shared with them how God was calling us to move on. They prayed God's blessing over us as we left and we parted with hugs and tears.

I firmly believe that God's word gives guidance to every direction we are seeking. He wants us to come, ask, seek and trust that He will answer and provide. Today's illustration is about a physical move, as my family and I relocated to a new town and a new church fellowship. Maybe, it is not a geographical move the Lord is calling you to arise and depart. It could be an emotional or mental move. Forgetting those things that are behind, God might be asking us to leave hopelessness, negativity, anxiety, worry, fear or doubt that have been holding us captive, prisoners to our past. Maybe it is a letting go of regrets, failures and mistakes. Leaving behind expectations, people pleasing and a closet full of masks and memories. Whatever God calls us to do, and wherever He asks us to go, may we arise, depart and follow, not resting until we know we have moved on in obedience to His call.

Harboured Hatred

"This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry." Jonah 4:1

Sitting at her kitchen table, in frustration I recounted my annoyance. My son's class had been given an assignment that had demanded his attention all weekend. The amount of work that it required was ridiculous! Chris had worked non-stop over the past two days to get it completed. When he handed it in that Monday morning, he was one of only a handful of students who had been able to finish this huge project on time. Since so few had been able to achieve this accomplishment, the teacher extended the due date by a couple of days to give more time to the rest of the class.

I was not happy! My son had dedicated his weekend to meeting this teacher's requirements. If the other students had not fulfilled her demands, well, that was their fault. Chris and the others who worked so hard over the past two days should have at very least been credited with something extra as a recognition of their efforts. But no. Nothing. Their reward was a weekend without any fun, and now it seemed like it did not even matter. Unfair. My son voiced no complaint, but his mother was quite displeased!

I finished my tirade, and my sweet friend and accountability partner, with whom I met every Monday to share life and pray together, looked at me with empathy, but simply uttered one word, "Grace". I still remember my feeling at that exact moment. Don't you hate it when you want to remain angry about an injustice, but someone points out a truth you really would rather avoid hearing. I knew she was right. I was forgetting grace, and all the ways the Lord had lavished it so freely on me. I wanted these other classmates to be punished in some way, or my son credited for his achievement, but there was neither ramification or recognition. 

In many ways, I was Jonah. I longed to see the delinquent get disciplined. Jonah saw the wickedness of the people of Nineveh and he did not want to announce a message of God's judgment against the city. Being warned of approaching doom, the prophet felt confident the people would repent and be saved and he wanted them to experience God's wrath, not His forgiveness. 

I know I have mentioned this before, but we can really struggle with God's grace, not for ourselves, but for others. It appears at times that evil gets excused. We want to see the Lord's retribution extended, not His compassion. I am not talking about a school assignment any more, but about sin being addressed. When those feelings arise, we are exhibiting great forgetfulness. We are diminishing our sin, which in comparison in our minds, is so much less. Yet, our sin was also responsible to Christ's death on the cross. In our pride we are considering ourselves more deserving of grace than others, but the hand on the hammer of each piercing nail belongs to every one of us. We are not worthy of the grace given freely to us.

Jonah is not a story about a big fish, a reluctant prophet, or second chances. Jonah is an account of the character of our great and loving God who is "a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love...eager to turn back from destroying people." (Jonah 4:2) In the pages of Jonah our heart's tendency to vengeance is unveiled, and God's heart of mercy is revealed. May we not forget the compassion and mercy that reached down to us and let us consider the sensitivity of our hearts towards all the harboured hatred God is asking us to surrender.

Lord Willing

"Look here, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.' How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, 'If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.' Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil." James 4:13-16

A father of a young teen approached me in the church foyer one day and relayed this story to me. His daughter and I have spent time together since she was about five years of age. He told me his daughter had recently adopted a new phrase that she had not spoken previously. When asked about plans she was making in the week, she was prefacing all her activity with "Lord willing". Her dad questioned where she had heard this expression, and she identified me as the source.

Actually, I came to embrace this surrender of my plans and declaration of God's ultimate control over my life through a dear and precious sister in the Lord who is now with Jesus. She always acknowledged holding her calendar loosely, allowing the Lord to interrupt her schedule at any time. It was not that she avoided making commitments or booking holidays or tea visits, but she continually recognized that ultimately the Lord's desires for each day would be accomplished, not necessarily her own.

These verses are in no way saying we are not to make wise decisions for the future. What James is cautioning is a presumptuous attitude that completely ignores the presence of God. A mindset that audaciously gives no regard to the Lord and His activity in our lives, is what is being condemned. Arrogance and pride are very real themes throughout the book of James, and they are so evident in this passage. The speaker is not 'suggesting' or 'considering' a venture, but with adamant self-confidence declares, "we are going", "we will stay", "we will do", and "we will make". A liberty is taken to dictate future events that the person has no power over.

I love what Spurgeon has commented on this passage of scripture: "Notice, that these people, while they thought everything was at their disposal, used everything for worldly objects. What did they say? Did they determine with each other 'We will to-day or to-morrow do such and such a thing for the glory of God, and for the extension of His kingdom'? Oh, no, there was not a word about God in it, from beginning to end!....There are two great certainties about things that shall come to pass - one that God knows, and the other is that we do not know."

Our lives are not meant for our own pleasure, but to glorify God. Our futures are unknown, and moment by moment we are invited to trust the Lord with the hours before us. Too often our self-sufficiency rises and we forget the supremacy of God over every single detail of our lives. To continually leave God out of our day-to-day affairs is practical atheism. Practical atheism does not necessarily reject God in thought, but lives without regard for Him in theory. A practical atheist can believe in God, but their behaviour gives little to no indication that He is alive.

Surrendering to God's will moment by moment and day to day acknowledges the sovereignty of God over our lives. As one writer expresses, we need to write our plans in pencil and then give God the eraser. He may not rewrite everything, especially when prayerful consideration has been given to activities prior to being recorded on our calendars. However, without God's intervention, we can waste so much of life with meaningless, inferior purposes that have no eternal value. Only God can fill our days with worth and usefulness.

"Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."

Lord willing, (and I know He is), our lives are yielding to His scheduling and God is using us for Kingdom purposes.

Good Deeds or Faith Deeds?

"Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.' He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone." James 2:21-26

In this world there are a lot of wonderful people who participate in incredible humanitarian efforts. They want to offer help to those suffering, desiring to improve the health and happiness of others. When natural disasters occur, they rush in with aid, providing for immediate needs. Their good deeds are commendable, but is this what James is referencing when he speaking of "good works"?

You can be the kindest, most generous person that ever lived, but that is not the "good works" being described by James. The term good works in this passage is letting God guide our every step as we trust in Him. It is not just admirable actions but footsteps of faith, relying on God and responding in ways that are so far beyond personal effort and capability.

The account of Abraham with Isaac, or Rahab with the spies, are not just fantastic stories of courage and great choices of personal decision. The "good works" were only good because they were "faith steps". Both Abraham and Rahab were shown to be right with God and counted as righteous by demonstrating living faith. Their actions are recorded in scripture because they believed and acted on their belief.

God remembers the times we believe Him, not the times our faith falters. He is not keeping record of failures. He is not tallying the times we lose sight, but the times we choose right! Whenever we make a faith choice to believe God, responding in ways that reveal belief, He sees and acknowledges that we are trusting Him.

For those of you saying, "Well, that was just for Abraham, Rahab and others who were given exceptional faith to do good works." Oh, but wait. I was hoping you would say that (*smile*). In Romans 4:22-24, Paul writes, "And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in Him..." That needs a WOW! This is not belief that there is one God, (see James 2:19-20), but living, breathing faith that unwaveringly demonstrates itself in good deeds of faith.

Where in our lives are there evidence, not just of good works, but steps of faith? Where have we chosen faith? I mean really chosen faith? Faith that goes beyond the "I can" to "God must". These are the "good works" Jesus' half-brother is referencing. Fear so often is the enemy that keeps us from all the Lord is longing to show us. Today in each of our lives there are invitations to initiatives to trust God, that if embraced, will demonstrate huge faith. Do not look at others and the steps of faith they are taking. We cannot calculate faith steps by comparison. God designs specific steps of faith individually, helping us grow from one degree to the next. He is very aware of our hesitations and our desire to control, but He asks us to jump, not into the air, but into His care. 

When our "good works" are not just good deeds but faith deeds that make God visible to others, He counts us as righteous too. Even now He is uncapping His pen and opening His book of remembrance. I wonder how many volumes our lives could fill with faith stories before He calls us home.

The Three R's

"In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory." Amos 9:11

God's timing is amazing! Last evening I received a message from a dear friend. A heater had been turned off in a house, and pipes broke. Water has gone through all the walls, all the ceilings and all the floors. The house has to be gutted from the inside and everything replaced. Speechless, my friend had no words to really frame the situation, but still she shared with me that she had surprising peace considering the current magnitude of the ruin.

To read God's promise of restoration this morning is such an encouragement. Now, before you accuse me of misappropriating the text, I do know these verses are referencing the nation of Israel. The Davidic dynasty had faced decline and decay, but the prophet Amos was prophesying that it would be raised and reestablished. This will ultimately be fulfilled at the return of the Messiah, who will Himself, assume the throne of David. But, the timing of today's reading and this reminder of truth is that God still longs to repair, rebuild and restore.

Our Lord specializes in putting together what is torn or broken. He is always working to make all things new. It is His desire to breathe fresh hope into fallen lives.

As "houses" for His Holy Spirit, there are areas in each one of us that need the touch of the Carpenter's hand. There are "damaged walls". There are areas that sit in "ruin". The "glory" has gone, but God is a resurrection God, bringing the "dead" back to life. He desires to take what is crushed, wounded and broken and bring healing and restoration.

In Isaiah 43:19 God speaks the following encouragement through His prophet, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Years ago I copied the following quote as a "keeper" in my notes. Unfortunately I don't know the source, but it is so wise in its reflection. "Joy may seem to pause as grief takes its course, but those whose broken hearts are bound by Him will experience it again."

Joy will be found again! The following verse from Jeremiah 31:4 continues to speak healing to our hearts: "You will build me up again and I will be rebuilt. I will take up my tambourine and go out to dance with the joyful." Bad days do not last forever, even if tension in the middle seems unending. We can go tambourine shopping. Grief will lift. Joy will return. It is a promise of God.

Christ came to minister and mend. He came to secure and save. Praying that the God who restores will repair and heal the brokenness in all our lives today. Let's surrender to God's reconstruction and renovation plans. "There is a time to mend." Ecclesiastes 3:7 

"To heal a broken body, to mend a broken heart

To knit together healthy homes, that once lay torn apart

To glory in the praises that His grateful children sing

These treasures are the pleasures of the King."

"The Pleasures of the King"; Songwriters - Robert Mathes/Fred Mackrell; copyright Maybe I Can Music, River Oaks Music Company

Both Now and Forever

"The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." Psalm 121:8

I will never forget reading this verse on the morning of March 18th, 2008. The previous evening an email arrived in my Inbox that both thrilled and terrified me. I had been chatting with my sweet friend Holly, sharing with her my longing to register for the "She Speaks" conference in North Carolina, a Proverbs 31 Ministry conference I had attended the year prior with the Women's Ministry Leader from our church. I had participated in the "speakers track" initially, but now I wanted to return for the "writers track", but instead of driving down with a friend this time, I knew I would have to fly, and fly alone. 

You may recall the devotional on September 26 that very clearly identified my fear of heights and airplanes. My mind struggles to comprehend how a huge, heavy container of steel, filled with passengers, can defy gravity and stay up in the air. Oh, I know the scientific explanation, but it still boggles my mind to understand. I would rather keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much. 

Completing my conversation online with Holly late that evening, I was scrolling through some blogs I followed. Fifteen years ago, blogging was more of a "thing" and I had "met" several wonderful new friends through this avenue of technology. Suddenly a "You've Got Mail" notification appeared on my screen. I clicked on my email account and was completely surprised to see the name of the "sender". Although I had met Lysa TerKeurst a couple of times in the past, I had never received a personal message from her before.

I opened the email with nervous excitement. She had been talking to Holly. Lysa was writing to encourage me not to let the enemy keep me from attending the conference. She said that she really felt that the Lord specifically wanted me there this year and she would put together a prayer team who would be praying the entire time of my flight, both down and back.

I know I sat in shock for a while. In the silence, while trying to fathom my next steps, another email arrived, this time from a "blogging" friend. She had booked a room to the conference and needed a room-mate. She asked, "Joy, are you planning to attend? You could room with me." It was well past my bedtime and my thoughts (and tummy) were turning over and over as I headed upstairs to try and get some sleep. 

After a restless night, with morning coffee in hand, I reached for my Bible and journal, desperately needing to hear from God. The events that had transpired over the past twelve hours had shaken my world and I needed confirmation from the Lord on how to respond. Falling to my knees, in tears, I begged God to speak to me. Longing to hear, yet uncertain how He would answer, I opened my journal. The verse from Psalm 121 was written on the top of the page. In the New International Version it read: "The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." My answer had come. God reminded me of the assurance of His presence, the very truths that I needed before I put one foot on that plane.

God was not guaranteeing me a smooth trip or even necessarily a safe trip, but He was promising me His presence. Before I could change my mind, I completed my registration and I found out later that as soon as I registered, they closed the registration.

Where God guides, He provides. If there is an adventure with your name on it, and you are hesitant, know that He will not abandon you. He continues to watch over our coming and going, both now and forevermore.

**For more of this story see "Beyond My Wildest Dreams!", June 11th, 2024

Keep Crying

"I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to Him and He answered my prayer." Psalm 120:1

What thoughts run through your head as you read the verse above? My guess is that there are possibly three different responses:

1. An example immediately has filled your mind of a time the Lord answered the cries of your heart. This verse fills you with rejoicing for all God has done.

2. You have been praying for something for longer than you expected and you are still waiting for His response. This verse fills you with hope that God can and will answer in His time.

3. This text sounds so instant and easy. It is too cut and dry. You lift cry after cry, and each one seems to be met with deaf ears. God answers others, but not you. This verse fills you with heartache and disappointment.

Psalm 120 is the first of fifteen psalms compiled as the Psalms of Ascent. They are the songs sung by the people who were climbing Mount Moriah, travelling to Jerusalem. The very first verse begins with expressing pain in prayer to God as His people cry to Him in distress. How like our own lives as mountains stretch before us, our prayers often begin with a cry for help.

Friend, the first thing we need to see here is that we all have troubles. Not one of us is immune to problems. Difficulties arise continually, like those little gophers who peek their heads out of holes at the carnival game. Just when we think one has been dealt with, another one, two or ten appear. John 16:33 tells us that in this world we will have trouble. Hardships are a given.

The Psalmist's reaction is to take his troubles to the Lord. I don't know about you, but often I run to others quicker. I do not think it is wrong to seek help from those God has resourced to meet our needs. Oftentimes God has previously and purposefully placed people in our circle of friends who are instantly there to step up and in when a sudden situation surfaces, but do not miss that their presence is God already answering. We must honestly tell the Lord what is happening and how we are feeling. Do not doubt that He knows, but He invites us and longs for us to come to Him first, deepening our intimacy with Him.

Next, we see that the Psalmist cried out to God. This is not a casual comment on the current circumstance. This is a cry to be delivered from deep distress. In essence it's a "Do something God!" lifted urgently and earnestly. Desperate for relief the writer is begging God to intervene. This is an intense appeal for removal from all that is causing angst, with the longing for a sheltered refuge that can only be found in God. Still, at the very heart of Psalms of lament like this one, is the promise of hope. The prayers themselves are evidence of belief in an answer or they would not be voiced.

The Psalmist says he prayed and God answered. End of story. We do not know how or when God answered, but an answer came. When God seems silent and grief lingers, the waiting is wearisome. Reading the remainder of the Psalm it makes me wonder how God answered. The verses that follow really do not give testimony to any miraculous relief. Suffering, pain, despair, a need for rescue and peace continues to be expressed. Too often we may assume every answer is exactly what was desired. I do not know what answer came, but the writer did not stop expressing his concerns to the Lord. Maybe the answer was the strength and endurance to persevere.

You see, prayers never really end. Our cries will continue until God calls us home, but we have the assurance of answers as we balance His promises with our realities. May we keep a continual conversation going with Lord and trust in His sovereign care.

Stressing or Resting

"As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in Your commands." Psalm 119:143

Last week I had a full schedule. I guess it goes with the season. Groups are hosting holiday gatherings earlier to avoid too many commitments crowding in closer to Christmas. I'm not blaming others, as I hosted two myself...on the same day! When these celebrations are added on to days already busy, we can feel pressure and stress bearing down on us. For more years than I want to recall, at some point between Christmas and New Year's Day I found myself sitting in the Emergency waiting room. With anxiety causing symptoms that made me even more nervous, I would need the reassurance from a doctor that physically I was going to be fine. Now my stress seems to manifest itself in the form of a migraine headache after the string of demands passes and the tension I was hiding is released.

The Psalmist gives us wisdom on how to handle the inevitable pressures that we will all experience at times. It has been said that the Bible is the first book ever written on stress management, yet how many of us go to it when the weight of the world bears down on us? Most often, our thoughts spiral out of control with all that needs to be accomplished and we feed the anxiety with swirling chatter in our heads. Psalm 106:14 describes this so perfectly: "In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God's patience in that dry wasteland." It is in the wilderness and wasteland of circumstances overwhelming us where our desires run wild, multiplying in our imaginations, and we no doubt do test God's patience, being consumed with all our faithless striving and worrying.

Do we realize that the main cause of stress is distrust? We place the preparation, plans and end product on ourselves, forgetting that God, unlike others who may have let us down in the past, is completely reliable and He will provide the strength to see things to completion. As demands begin to dictate our emotions, we must determine to relinquish control to the Lord. There is nothing more positively counteractive to our pressures than the power of quiet surrender to God. It is a beautiful posture of humility and submission.

Scripture can turn pressure to praise. God's Word can lift our spirits when we are feeling crushed by expectations and "to-do" lists. Time sitting with the Lord, the very time we feel we cannot afford to give, will refocus our hearts to the Source of our joy. Our stress is not only stabilized, it shifts and lifts as God strengthens, sustains and supplies for all our needs. Add to this a chorus of worship. Singing can be a great release, especially when we raise our songs out loud, increasing the volume to drown out the voices wearying our souls.

To the scoffers, doubters and naysayers who say this response is too simple a solution, only adding more fuel to the flames by the guilt if the burden lingers, I want to validate this struggle. I myself grew up knowing these biblical truths, memorizing and reciting the ancient words, yet feeling like a failure every time stress surfaced. I understand the battle, but God will use it to draw us closer to Him. God invites us to intimacy with Him in the middle of our chaos, and in His very presence there is fulness of joy, Psalm 16:11.

God's power is released through His promises and His peace is realized through His presence. If pressure and stress are bearing down on us right now, as long as we are leaning on the Lord and spending time in His word, we must trust His grace to accomplish what we cannot do on our own and find joy in every message God speaks to our hearts. William James writes, "The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another." Wise advice, but if that chosen thought is not from scripture, we will start racing toward another rabbit hole. We can only know true joy, and rest from stress, in God alone.

"Jesus I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart."

*Hymn: "Jesus I Am Resting, Resting"; lyrics - Jean Sophia Pigott; music - James Mountain; copyright 1876

"Let Me..."

"Let us..." Hebrews 10:22-24; 12:1-2, 28; 13:13, 15

Did you know, that of the 15 "Let us" exhortations in Hebrews, 9 of them are found in the final chapters? They emphasize the key themes in Hebrews by way of our application. I thought it might be interesting to look at these exhortations and embrace these invitations.

"Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it." Hebrews 4:1 (NIV)

"So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall." Hebrews 4:11

"So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe." Hebrews 4:14

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews 4:16

"So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again..." Hebrews 6:1a

"Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding..." Hebrews 6:1b

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise." Hebrews 10:23

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." Hebrews 10:24

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near." Hebrews 10:25

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up." Hebrews 12:1a

"And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." Hebrews 12:1b

"Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe." Hebrews 12:28

"So let us go out to Him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace He bore." Hebrews 13:13

"Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name." Hebrews 13:15

Each "let us" statement needs to be reflected upon to become a "let me" response of obedience.

A Better Hope

"For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God." Hebrews 7:19

Hopes. They can vary in degree and intensity. We might hope to purchase a new home, car, pair of shoes or cup of coffee. Maybe our hopes are in getting married or becoming a parent or grandparent. We can have hope of advancement and finding favour in the workplace. We can have hopes about learning new things, gaining knowledge, achieving greatness. We might also hope to become more disciplined at exercise, diet, or refraining from gossip. Maybe our hope is to travel, or to finally find time to stay home. Hopes can be realistic or unrealistic. They can encourage and frustrate. A worldly hope is like my grandson's "maybe" as we sit watching and waiting to see if the Zamboni will drive out and clear the ice. We hope it will, but we just don't know.

What is hope? The world views hope as an expectation of something that might happen. It is a feeling of wishfulness and desire that may or may not result in fulfillment. Skeptics often view hope as an aloof illusion that leaves us empty when unsatisfied. Often it is held with caution for fear of placing our hopes too high and then being disappointed when the anticipated outcome does not materialize.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that as believers we have confidence in a better hope. This hope is an absolute certainty and will result in obtaining the desired outcome. The word "better" implies a comparison, so what is this hope better than, and how is it different?

The Old Covenant had offered hope, but it was partial and could only go so far. With Jesus as our hope in the New Covenant, He is perfect. The New Testament hope is rooted in the priesthood of Christ. The previous Levitical priests, although ministering in obedience to God's law, were limited in their role. The Son of God came, "With His own blood - not the blood of goats and calves - He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever." (Hebrews 9:12) It is through the blood of Jesus that this hope became better. Christ is the provider and pathway to better. 

Blood is something we hesitate to talk about. Just reading the word can make some squeamish. We do not naturally associate blood with purification, but Hebrews 9 explains, "even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal". After Moses sprinkled the book of God's law and all the people with the blood of goats and calves he said, "This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you." Scripture goes on to tell us, "In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." (See Hebrews 9:18-22)

Because of the blood of Jesus we have both purification and confirmation of this better hope. No longer does a Levitical priest have to intercede with sacrifices repeatedly on our behalf, but with this better hope we have a permanent High Priest who saves to the uttermost those who come to Him and He intercedes to His Father continually on behalf of those who draw near. (Hebrews 7:25) Without this intercession of Christ, we would have no hope. Without drawing near we have no intercession. 

A better hope is not just a possibility, it is the fulfillment of a promise, and His name is Jesus.

Blessed Assurance

"For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened - those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and power of the age to come - and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing Him to the cross once again and holding Him up to public shame." Hebrews 6:4-6

I am not one to shy away from difficult texts in Scripture. This is probably one of the most debated passages in the pages of God's Word. I am not saying I have the answer, but if I'm pondering its meaning, then I have to assume you, as the reader, have struggled with understanding it too. So, lets strive together, maybe not for a complete grasp but with the gentle help of the Holy Spirit, at least a contented hold and acceptance of these verses.

At the onset I will state with assurance, that these verses are not saying we can lose our salvation. We always have to look at Scripture as a whole. God's Word never contradicts itself. Although there are times it appears to our finite minds that we are seeing disagreements in text, we are just looking at too sides of the same coin, a coin that is sometimes a foreign currency to us, but its value has remained unchanged.

John 10:27-29 tells us, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, for My Father has given them to Me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand." Take a deep breath. If you are truly saved, you are forever saved. Held by the Father's hand, nothing and no one can take you out of His grip of grace.

In Romans 8, Paul writes that nothing can separate us from Christ, no powers above or below, nothing in all of creation has the power to take away our salvation once we have truly understood our need for a Saviour, the sacrifice He made on the cross, acknowledged our sin, confessed and repented, believed and received. So, what will we do with the verses in Hebrews?

For myself personally, one of the first things I bring to mind is that I am not God. I will never understand perfectly all He has written. Romans 11 echoes these sentiments when Paul asks, "For who can know the Lord's thoughts?" If we were able to discern every word in the Bible, we would be God. That does not mean we do not study scripture. 2 Timothy inspires us to be good students of the Word of God, and Proverbs is packed with encouragement to gain wisdom and seek knowledge, so that, as David writes in the Psalms, God's Word will guide and direct us through every area of life. However, we cannot get caught up in disputes that will land us no-where, and even possibly, through misunderstanding or misinterpretation, weaken instead of strengthen our faith.

Biblical scholars who have examined and applied exegesis to this text have drawn conclusions in two camps. One, either the person has tasted truth but not truly been saved, or the writer has set up a hypothetical situation, presenting a premise that could never happen. What is being described becomes logically absurd, making the every idea of Christ-followers losing their salvation completely out of the question.

The main take-away from this passage is not to have a false sense of security. There is a state of heart that makes salvation impossible, but we can know that we know that we know we are saved. When a person has experienced the blood of Christ being washed over their lives for the forgiveness of sins, they see the fruit of that cleansing and transformation. If God truly is our everything, He will not let us go.

Be assured of the hope found in the mercy and justice of God.

For those desiring to understand deeper: https://www.calvary.on.ca/sermon/opportunity-knocks-for-awhile/

Saving The Best For Last

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world." Hebrews 1:1-2

Being last is not usually viewed as anything remotely close to spectacular. Most people don't like last place. Very few people in last position feel they have anything worthwhile to celebrate. Standing at the end of a give-away prize line, we wonder if anything of value will be remaining when we finally make it to the front. The word "last" often carries feelings of defeat, rejection, loneliness and abandonment. "Last" is a forgotten placement.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is in the "last days" when God began speaking to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Previously God had spoken many times in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets, but now in these final days God speaks through His Son. The last days encompass all the time from Christ's arrival until His return. Doesn't "last" suddenly sound more thrilling! It is those of us who have been gifted life during these "last days" that have had the wonderful opportunity of hearing God's Son speak to us.

When we think of the variety of ways God speaks through Scripture, He employs so many means to deliver His message. To Moses He used a burning bush. To Balaam it was a donkey. To Elijah it was a still small voice. Isaiah saw visions while Daniel and Joseph had dreams. The Speaker and Script-writer never changed, but His methods for delivery were vast. Although He can still use anyone and anything to convey His word today, God saved the best for last, yet so often we yearn for a donkey or a dream, missing the miraculous right before our eyes.

God speaks to us through His Son, who is the very Word of God. As David Guzik writes, "He is the message", and as Scripture tells us, He "expresses the very character of God." Sadly, our Bibles are too often regarded as just another book. God's voice is shouting through pages as Christ, through the power of His Spirit, speaks life and hope, giving direction, His Word alive and active because He arose and is living, yet we fail to comprehend what we have while foolishly seeking something more. God's Son is the superior revealer of truth, to whom we have access continually, and still, we long for lesser deliverers. When the Son speaks, we hear the very voice of God.

Like the wedding at Cana, God surprised everyone with the best wine last. Without Jesus, the heart of the message was missing and absolutely nothing can take His place. He may have arrived "last" but He fully completes and fills the gap of all that we lack. As He speaks, He exposes weaknesses and unbelief, reveals new truth, discerns spiritual health, and demonstrates power, sharpness and accuracy. When we hear, obey and apply God's Word we give evidence of listening.

Justin Peters has said, "If you want to hear from God, read your Bible. If you want to hear Him audibly, read it out loud." Yes, God continues to speak through His Son and will do so until we see Him face to face. The Best is yet to come!