Life Lessons

Why Are You Feeling Down? Hope in God….

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“I   need   encouragement,  you   need   encouragement, we   ALL   need encouragement !” The words of the speaker wafted on, and I little dreamed how these introductory words would stick in my mind for over fifty years!     I can see now after a span of years, that to encourage  others is one of the best gifts that God has given to each one of us. No matter how old or how young we are, we can all say nice things to others, especially those in our own family.

     David, in spite of knowing God so well, is a classic example of one who needed encouragement. Jonathan (King Saul’s son) and David were best friends. They had clicked right from the start of their first meeting in Saul’s court . Jonathan liked David very much, with his youthful freshness and good looks that took everyone’s eye. As they talked together that they both felt the other was a special friend. They thought alike and Jonathan loved the way David appreciated God, while David felt he had someone he could trust in the dangerous court of King Saul.    Even more than Jonathan looking after David’s needs, was his appreciation of God’s plans for David’s future. He not only knew that God’s plan was for David to be the next king, but he was happy about it and planned that he would be second in command. When David was on the run for his life, he would meet him as often as he could, and encourage him in the Lord, looking to the future when he would work with David as King. They were so sure of this that they made a covenant (promise) together before the Lord promising that they would always keep it.     But the time came when they were separated, to see each other no more, and David was left without the comfort of Jonathan’s encouragement.

    Perhaps you are missing friends you once had and now you are separated from them.  What can you do?  What did David do?      David told  God all about it. Things couldn’t have looked blacker for him. His friend was gone, his enemies were still after him, and they had taken his wife and family captive and his own men had turned against him.

    We have times when we feel like this. We all have enemies of fears, doubts, and other problems, even not feeling well; these enemies  seem about to swamp us at times. David may have wondered where God was in all this mess…..where were His promises now? However could he get out of all this?     But he took himself to task…. “Why are you so cast down O my soul? Hope in God!” “Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart”. “My heart is fixed O God”, he would say, “I will sing and give You praise in spite of my enemies!”

     So we too, can fix our hearts and minds on the Lord and not be afraid of bad things. We can think about Him and count our blessings. Think of all we can be thankful for in spite of our circumstances and we  will be encouraged with a fresh outlook on things. It is surprising what a difference a thankful spirit makes, and being thankful for the outcome of our prayers BEFORE we see the answer will give the peace of God that passes all understanding.

You can read these stories about David and Jonathan in the Bible in 1 Samuel18:1-16;   20:41-42;   23:16-18

Morning Musings

Coping with the Unexpected!

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We never know what is around the corner for each one of us!! A car crash is one of the classic cases of the unexpected. No matter how careful we are, there is always the danger of the other person’s inattention. Then again, there is our own health situation, where we never know what is lurking deep within our own body. An annoying pain can herald a more sinister cause than we have ever dreamed of.

    We can be setting off for a day’s outing to meet friends at the beach, when another vehicle veers into your path and can’t be avoided. Suddenly, when you were going about minding your own business, now you are catapulted into being everybody else’s business! The police come screaming into your vision; a fire engine appears from nowhere; helpful passers-by stop to see what help they can offer. Before you know what has happened, an ambulance turns up and help is at hand.

   Or maybe you wake up in the night with a heavy feeling on your chest, and find it is hard to breathe. You wonder what you should do for the best. You think that if you wait a while, it will go away, and it eventually does. But what if it comes back later in the day?

    We are blest to live in a country where help is at hand in cases like these. We think that if we prepare with insurance policies put in place, there is nothing to worry about. But sometimes the emergency is more dire than that and nothing can stop the catastrophe happening.

    A husband waited for his wife to come home from being out, but when she still didn’t turn up, he began to look for her. The very place he didn’t think to look was right at hand, and he eventually found her collapsed in her own bathroom with her life gone. For her it was too late for help.

    We must make sure that we are ready to meet our God while we still have time to put wrongs right….not a one of us can have a sure hope without having made a conscious decision to do this. Let’s make sure that we have the ticket ready for the greatest trip of our life that may be just around the corner!!

Morning Musings

More of What the Bible Says….

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We have already seen the analogy that is used in the Bible of our bodies being the Building and Dwelling place of God, but there is another aspect that is used too, and that is of what we DO with our lives. This is spoken of as what we are building for God and His Kingdom. In 1 Corinthians 3: 9-16, we are reminded that not only are we the BUILDING OF God, but that we ourselves are BUILDING FOR, His Kingdom. Paul reminds his readers here that he has laid the foundation for them when they came to the Lord Jesus, but now it is up to each one of them to build on that foundation. This goes for us too….what we do with our lives now, all goes into that building.

     Whatever we spend our time doing these days will one day be tested by the fires of the Lord’s eyes (Revelation 1:14). We must remember that He can see into our very hearts to see whether what we are doing is for His glory or just for our own glorification. We are told too, that whatever we do, we must do it as unto the Lord, and He knows  how pure all our motives are. This doesn’t mean that we are to live a hermit’s life just contemplating the future, but if we can’t take the Lord with us where we go and what we do, it is better left behind.

    People watch us to see if our lives measure up to what they hear us say….for instance, there is no point having a bumper sticker on your car that says “Jesus Saves”, if we drive in an unsafe manner!!   So let’s make sure we build with gold, silver or precious stones that will withstand the fires of judgment and not just with wood, hay and straw which will all be burned up at that day.

We are all builders for our God,  Building with gold or merely sod, The day we stand before His face, What can we give Him for His grace?

Morning Musings

What the Bible Says…

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     We have just been through all the rooms of the house of our heart, seeking to see where we fit into this idea. But you know, the Bible uses this same analogy as we read in  Ephesians 2:21…In whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple (house) in the Lord. We know through the Scriptures that all those who believe in the work of Christ have been brought near, right into the family of God and have become His House. We have the same foundation as the Israelites of old, the foundation of the prophets and apostles, with Jesus Christ as our chief corner Stone.      This is the only church that God recognizes….His people as living stones all fitting together to make a holy temple to the Lord….His dwelling place, where He lives! Our Lord Jesus Himself prayed to His Father saying that as He (the Father) was in Him (the Son), so He (the Son) was in His people. (John 17:23) What a mind boggling thought this is!!     Peter too, brings out the thought of believers being living stones, made into a spiritual house with Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone (1 Peter 2:4-8). The pictures of everyday things in the Scriptures that are used as spiritual pictures are amazing, and so easy to understand!

God’s Church is made of living stones, Not rocks or bricks, but flesh and bones, He lives within His people here, And  to each one is very near.

Morning Musings

Have I REALLY Handed it all to Him?

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     On one of my morning trysts with my Lord in the living room before anyone else was stirring, we were reading together His promises about me in abiding in Him. I was sure I WAS abiding in Him….after all, here we were together enjoying fellowship together over His Word weren’t we?    Then He turned me to that verse in the Old Testament where the psalmist was asking God to search his heart, and know his thoughts, and try him to see if there was still some wicked way in him (Psalm 139:23-24).    I started to squirm as I thought how scary it would be if He turned those pure and holy eyes on my innermost being! I couldn’t trust myself to be totally one hundred percent honest. I knew what I ought to be, and I knew that I wanted to be that, but WAS I? I knew that my heart was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked  and that only God could know it (Jeremiah 17:9-10).  I didn’t even know it myself! ” I know that you want to follow Me with all your heart”, Jesus said, “Would you mind giving me your smart phone for a while?”

What would I do without it? I shrunk back, keeping it in my pocket. What if he went on to the log, and saw what I’d been looking at? And read those catty comments I’d put onto Facebook? And read some of those suggestive remarks my friends had sent to make me laugh?     Suddenly those things didn’t seem quite so clever or witty as I’d thought they were when I got them! Besides, what would I do without the phone there at my fingertips? Someone might try to get hold of me, or worse still, maybe the Lord would answer for me! What would my friends think if they got Him on the phone?

   It came on me in a flash, that He already knew all those things! There was nothing at all that I could hide from Him! He didn’t need to get the phone to know those things…the point was, was I ready to hand all those things over to Him too? Those little resentments and excuses that I always made, refusing to take the blame. Being offended if I thought I was being overlooked? “Oh Lord”, I cried in repentance, “You can see me through and through, you know every little rotten thought I’ve ever had. Help me to walk in Your way everlasting, beginning now so I won’t be ashamed before You as I go into eternity!” “My child”, He said with that beautiful smile of His, “That is what I’ve been wanting to hear from you all along!” He handed me my phone back again, “Now use this for My glory, speaking of the things of Myself to build others up, sending words of encouragement to them, and praising others”.

My desires were now what He desired, and He was giving it all back to me! What joy! What blessings He bestows!  “Oh Lord!” I cried, “Help me to be each day what You want me to be, and to do only what You want me to do!”

 

Morning Musings

Transferring the Title….

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    A thought came to me one day. I asked Him, “Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the management of the whole house and operate it for me as You did that hall cupboard? Would You take the responsibility to keep my life what it ought to be?”

    His face lit up as He replied, “I’d love to! That is what I want to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But,” He added slowly, “I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine.”

     Dropping to my knees, I said, ‘Lord, You have been a guest and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master.”

    Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, location and situation. I eagerly signed the house over to Him alone for time and eternity.

 “Here,” I said. “Here it is, all that I am and have, forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as a servant and friend.”

    Things are different since Jesus Christ has settled down and has made His home in my heart!

Life Lessons

My Garden…..

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    Things settled down and everything seemed to be going smoothly. I was having my daily morning times with the Lord when He would open His word to me and I talked with Him. They were precious times and I wouldn’t have missed them for anything. I had banished all the doubtful things from the study of my mind, and I was feasting on the good and pure things that He delighted in.    He was teaching me how to make the best use of my time and to make useful contacts with others. My cupboards were all clean and I had nothing to be ashamed of, or so I thought.

   One day, the Lord came to me and said with a whimsical smile, “Um, have you looked at the garden lately?” I glanced out the window, and said hastily, “But Lord, You know how busy I’ve been doing Your work, and taking time to be with You each day!”

“Ah,” He said, “But you cannot afford to get slack in anything that belongs to Me. I know I could do this work for you with a single word, but that is not  how I have ordained things. It is up to you to weed and tend this garden, or you will not be able to totally enjoy the beauty I have provided. The plants will be covered in weeds, and the dead heads on the flowers will prevent new growth and continual flowering!”

He went on….  “And look at how those crawling roses are growing so rampantly! They will lose their shape and their beauty if they are not attended to straight away!” “Oh”, I said somewhat shamefacedly, “I’m sorry Lord, I’ll get onto it straight away and promise I won’t let it get away from me again!”

   I was beginning to realise that serving the Lord is a lifelong daily task! Not only that, but it was to be a continual thing, and not just something to be played at now and then. After all, my garden was to be a thing of beauty that all who saw it would realise that the gardener (me) took the work of the Lord seriously and tried to reflect what He was teaching in His Word!

Morning Musings, Uncategorized

My Rumpus Room

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             As we left the upstairs area of the house, He asked me if I had a rumpus room, where I went for fun and fellowship. I was hoping He wouldn’t ask about that! There were certain things that went on in my rumpus room  that I wanted to keep to myself!

   Very reluctantly I took Him downstairs to the basement, and gave Him a quick look around there. “H’mmmm.” He said, “Do you spend much time here?” “Let’s go upstairs again”, I said hastily before I had to own up about the things that DID go on in this room, and the friends that I entertained there. I didn’t want Him to see the pictures of the different ball games and teams, or the racing car pictures  that were all over the walls, or the well stocked bar in the corner!

   I heaved a sigh of relief as we reached the living room once more, and hoped He wouldn’t say anything more about the rumpus room. As we settled down, He said thoughtfully, “What would you like Me to read to you tonight? Something you would LIKE to hear or something that you SHOULD hear?” I squirmed as I  lamely said, “Perhaps we could have a bit of both!” knowing full well what was likely to come. He quickly reached for the Bible which I had made sure was in full view on the occasional table and turned to the chapter of Psalm 81. “I am the Lord Your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt…..Egypt is a picture of the world and its temptations,” He added as an aside. Carrying on, He continued to read…“open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But my people would not listen to Me and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them up to their own heart’s lusts, and they went their own way! If only My people had listened to Me and walked in My ways, I would have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against them…..I would have fed My people with the finest of wheat, and satisfied them with honey out of the Rock”.  I felt thoroughly rebuked as I knew very well that I was feeding too much on the wrong sort of things.

     Another evening when I was on my way out with some of my buddies, He stopped me with a glance and asked, “Are you going out?” I replied, “Yes.’ “Good” He said, “I would like to go with you.” “Oh,” I answered rather awkwardly. “I don’t think, Lord Jesus, that You would really enjoy where we are going. Let’s go out together tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to a Bible class at church, but tonight I have another appointment.” “I’m sorry,” He said. “I thought that when I came into your home, we were going to do everything together, to be close companions. I just want you to know that I am willing to go with you.” “Well,” I mumbled, slipping out the door, “we will go someplace together tomorrow night.”

  That evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt rotten. What kind of friend was I to Jesus, deliberately leaving Him out of my life, doing things and going places that I knew very well He would not enjoy?     When I returned that evening, there was a light in His room, and I went up to talk it over with Him. I said, “Lord, I have learned my lesson. I know now that I can’t have a good time without You. From now on, we will do everything together.”

   The next day,  we went down into the basement of the house to the rumpus room. What a transformation He made there!  All those suggestive things came down off the walls, and He brought new friends, new excitement, and new joys along. All the old music was thrown out, and we spent many hours around the piano singing the old favourite songs and hymns. Laughter and music have been ringing through the house ever since. He makes sure that we are never the loser when we put Him first in our home!!!

Now the LORD says , “Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, while those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed!” (1Samuel 2:30)

See what God has to say to YOU.