Think about God's promises

    When you pray keep God’s promises in view.  Think about that.   What if every time I went to the Lord in prayer,  I claimed one of his promises.  Not the name it and claim it technique many TV evangelists preach.  A simple taking of scripture,  delving deep into it and then asking God to give me something in light of his promises

   I was reading  I Corinthians 1:27-29   Paul was pointing out that God was using the weak, the maligned,  the silly to confound the world.  He says that God does this so that we have nothing to boast about.  I was thinking of that in light of my writing,  and in my constant prayer that God will lead me in this pursuit. 

    

     It’ not entirely crazy to ask God to use me to “confound”  the world,  because I definitely do not consider myself ready to take on the title of “Writer”.  In spite of the fact He has been reassuring me to do that for weeks now. 

    What are you hearing in your heart that seems "silly"?  Is God calling you to "confound"  the world in someway.   If it seems overwhelming,  it's because HE wants to make it happen.  

     What if our prayer was "here I am,  I'm all in for whatever you want me to do.   Whatever your label is for me,  if I'm successful,  I will never doubt is was you, Lord,  and not me."

The Power of Yet

      YET    defined by dictionary.com as "even, still".  In Isaiah 30, Isaiah has been admonishing the “obstinate”  children of Israel for their rebellion.  His words are harsh enough to make even the most resilient  feel hopeless.  Tonya's translation:   "God tried to help you,  but your wouldn't take his help,  You weren't willing to do anything God said,  You want to run,  you're going to,  but your enemies are going to be faster.  One of them will capture 1000 of you."   😲   

     However,  in verse 18,  Isaiah  brings forth a thought to give them hope. "Yet,  the Lord longs to be gracious to you..."    YET,   there are still conditions where God would,  in great mercy,  bring them back into His fold. 

       YET,  the power of yet.  Yet says that there is still hope,  things can still turn around,  even in the face of all our sin, all our rebellion,  all our failures,  even, still, Yet,  the Lord longs,  wants it more than anything,  to be gracious,  to give mercy.

Our Lord still longs to forgive.  "Longs"  has been translated as "craves, yearns,"  Imagine, the King of the Universe,  creator of the world,  “aches”  to be good to me, in spite of my failures, in spite of all my sin.

 

     This morning, I’m wondering what YET lies before me.

         

       Thinkin’ ‘bout the power of YET.

Thinkin' on Jeremiah

      Jeremiah,  the “weeping prophet”  the one who never had a good thing to say.  Jeremiah’s most famous words are  on pictures, plaques, journals, note cards,  even tattooed on our bodies but these words in chapter 17: 7,8   . . .     

   

       There was a popular hymn in the 50’s based on this passage.   “I shall not be,  I shall not be moved,   just like a tree planted by the water,  I shall not be moved.”   It had a great bass line.  But I grew up in Oklahoma,  and trees by the water were indeed moved.  If not, by wind, then by lightening,  split right in half.   That’s why I need to THINK about this scripture and ask God for some enlightenment. 

        For starters, we tend to take a verse out of context.  That’s why verse 8 makes no sense without verse 7.  Verse 7 is a contingency,  in order to be like the tree,  we have to ‘trust in the Lord’  and not just trust but put our “confidence” in Him.   Webster says confidence is total and complete belief in a person and their reliability.   So it starts with me. 

      I often consider trusting the Lord with my long list of requests for me and others who need help.  But as I THOUGHT  on this today,  it is also a complete reliance on him for salvation.  Trusting him for survival,  like the tree.

 

      The tree is planted by the water to gain nourishment's through it’s roots.   Trees are not afraid of heat, this tree’s leaves don’t curl up and turn brown and drop off to die,  the tree isn’t afraid of no water because the water is right there next to him and this tree NEVER fails to grow fruit.  

       Imagining myself as a tree is daunting but THINK on it,  if I (you) have completely trusted and put my confidence in the Lord,  He gives me the strength of a tree with roots that go deep in His Word,  worship and prayer.  Those roots reach out to the living water and find nourishment for my soul.  When Satan turns up the heat,  I draw from the living water and stand firm.  I cannot curl up and die as long as I draw from this living water.  I won’t fall from the branch,  (think about new testament teaching on branches, vines etc)   I don’t have to worry about not having the water,  my confidence is in the Living Water. 

       And,  I will bear fruit in every season.  There’s the real thought.  Imagine that in whatever season of life:  health or illness,  poverty or riches,  grief or joy,  you can be bearing fruit. 

Just thinkin’.

Thinkin' on Micah

  Yes, Micah, a little book tucked into the back of the Old Testament.  Micah was a country prophet who lived during Isaiah’s time.   He was a ‘rural’ preacher who was specific about the sins he observed.   He’s called a “minor prophet” by scholars but depending on your circumstances, you might find what he has to say MAJOR.  

In Micah 7, this “minor” prophet extols Israel’s misery; His words translated in the Message could have been my words at times in my life journey.    “I’m overwhelmed with sorrow!  Sunk in a swamp of despair,   the powerful rich make sure they get what they want.   Neighborhoods and families are falling to pieces.”    The NIV says “even with the woman, who lies in your embrace, guard the words of your lips.”  Yikes, you can’t even trust your own spouse or children,   yeah, some of us have been there. 

Reading this chapter can really ruin your day, until verse 7;   I’m always amazed at how prophets like Jeremiah and poets like David can write such sorrow and then, snap!  Pull it up out of the pit.   Micah says “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God, my Savior, my God WILL hear me.”    The message says, “But me, I’m not giving up.  I’m sticking around to see what God will do I’m waiting for God to make things right, I’m counting on God to listen to me.”    He goes on to count his blessings finishing with reminding himself and his readers that “(GOD) You will be faithful . . .  and show love . . . as you pledged an oath to our ancestors in days long ago.”

 

Whatever the day holds for you, whatever sorrows, heartaches or joys that wait, stick around to see what God will do.  Think on that.  

Thinkin' on 2 Timothy 1:6-7

I have heard, as have you, countless sermons and quoting of verse 7.  Usually in the context of a doctor's diagnosis,  a letter from a bill collector,  a lawyer or an ex-employer. 

We like to stand on the verse that God has not given us a spirit of fear.  And indeed,  He has NOT!  Some translations say God has not given us a spirit of "timidity".  A recent reading of that translation offended me because the debilitating fear that Satan attacks me with is much more severe than timidity.  So I took a deeper look into the context of this scripture and heard a different message.

Paul,  writing from a jail cell,  in the final months of his life, is speaking to his dear friend,  "son",  Timothy.  It is his second letter and he begins by reminding Timothy of his heritage of faith.  Then he launches into instruction.  Verse 6 indicates that Timothy has a ministry to fulfill,  a calling of God.  Presumably to spread the gospel although specifics are not mentioned.     After reminding Timothy of his "gift" which he should "fan into flame",  Paul tells him that he should not have a spirit of fear.  This is particularly applicable since Timothy must be thinking, look where your gift got you.  (That's what I'm thinking.) 

This must be why so many translations use "cowardice, timidity"  instead of the word "fear".  Satan uses fear in many forms but all of them are to stop the work of the Lord.

As I'm thinkin'  'bout this today,  I am boldly aware of a calling on my life,  a move God has asked me to make that frightens me.  I am timid about approaching those whose help and guidance I need for this task.  But I hear God saying,  He has given me power,  I have everything I need for this task.    He loves me enough to offer me this opportunity and trust me with this task.  And as for "self-discipline",   ie: " sound judgment,  wise discretion,"   that got me up at 5:30 AM to write this.

Thinkin' bout a nap.     

The Beginning

The mover chuckled as he shoved the big purple tub into the POD for my move to Colorado.  I turned pink with embarrassment at the bold, huge label on that tub. “Stalled Writing Career”.  Yeah, becoming a single mother on an Oklahoma teachers’ paycheck and taking on 2 extra jobs along with my volunteer commitments at church had STALLED my little writing career, er, hobby.  I simply couldn’t put time into things that were not bringing in cash.  So, twenty   years ago, I boxed it all up:  the notes from writing conferences, the how to books,   the rejection letters and the few congratulatory notes with check stubs, the slim file labeled “SOLD”.

20 years ago, the tub was packed efficiently away with its offensive label “Stalled Writing Career”   Career?  A career is something you do a long time and are very successful.  Stalled Writing DREAM might have been a better label.  At some point I must have believed I could have a writing career.  Otherwise that tub full of how to books, articles filed meticulously into themes, research notes, pages and pages of writing would have disappeared long ago.  I gingerly open the purple abyss of paper and stare inside. Here I am, unpacking it as if think I can do it.  20 years later. 

Today is my self-imposed deadline to launch my blog.  I lay in bed this morning, thinking, for the umpteenth time:   Is this what I should do with my time?  Why join the hundreds  of thousands bloggers in cyberspace?  Who, besides my wonderful friends and family, who, will read me?  And do I want them too?  

As is my custom, I took my coffee and current devotional book to start the day I might launch my blog.   Many years ago in a Beth Moore study, I learned the importance of asking God to open my heart before I read His word.  Imagine that the creator of the Universe has something to say to me.  I need to pay attention. 

So, before I opened the book I asked God to speak specifically to me, and added,   “SO, I’m going to launch that blog today unless you freeze the computer, please, please, reassure me that I’m doing the right thing.”

Seriously, I open the book to read the title “The Balls in Your Court” with Isaiah 6:8.  “This ball is for you.  Who’s the person? What’s the problem and where is the deficit that you might just be suited to fill?”  (Priscilla Shirer in Awaken)  Could I get you a burning bush? 

I cannot imagine that in the world of cyberspace, there are any “deficits”.  But, I meant it when I said, Here am I, send me.  So here I am, hope you read me!