Author: Jayne Lawson

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” – Luke 24:32

Three days after the crucifixion of Jesus, two of His followers were walking to Emmaus, a town that was about 7 miles from Jerusalem. No doubt they were heartbroken over the events of the past few days, and the Scriptures tell us that these men were discussing the things that had recently happened in the city. As they walked, they met a man whose identity was unknown to them. The stranger inquired as to their sadness, and they were somewhat taken aback that this man did not know of all that had transpired jsut a few days earlier in Jerusalem.

Cleopas, one of the men, stated, “…Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” (Luke 24:18). He then explained about Jesus’ crucifixion and their shattered hopes of Him being the one who would “redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). It seems they did not believe that Jesus would live again as He had stated, or they would have undoubtedly stayed in Jerusalem to see Him after His resurrection. Instead, they left the city, dejected, defeated, and without hope.

This account continues as Jesus first admonishes them for their disbelief, and then begins to recount the prophecies from Old Testament Scriptures about Himself. As the trio nears Emmaus, the two men, still not knowing who it is who is walking with them, invite Jesus to stay with them. Jesus accepts their invitation, and when it is time to have a meal, He takes the bread, blesses and breaks it, and gives it to the men. At that moment, the eyes of Cleopas and his friend are opened, and they immediately realize in whose presence they are (Luke 24:31). Once they recognize Him, Jesus vanishes.

The Bible states that these two men then rushed back to Jerusalem and proclaimed to the disciples and other followers, “The Lord is risen indeed!” (Luke 24: 34). For them, seeing was believing!

There are so many times and places in our own lives when Jesus is present, but not recognized.

He is in the whisper of the wind, the colors of the sky at sunset, and the morning melodies of the birds. He is present when a mother feels the first kick of the child within her; when a newborn baby draws its first breath; when a child blows the seeds off a dandelion. Jesus is present as the trees lift their branches toward heaven, and the waves crash against the shore. He is there when the snowflakes fall gently to the ground, and the stars shine brightly in the night. He is everywhere, waiting, not just to be seen, but to be recognized as our Lord and Saviour!

Easter is a time when many of us do “see” Jesus, but do we truly recognize Him for Who He is? John the Baptist did. He recognized Jesus immediately and proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” (John 1:9).

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross provided the way to redemption and eternal life in heaven for anyone who trusts in Him as Lord and Saviour. His resurrection proved He is the Son of God, and He alone has the power to forgive us and redeem us from our sins! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch him, and say that we love him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.

(from “Open Our Eyes” by Robert Cull)

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” – Psalm 119:18

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“He is risen indeed!” is the heart’s cry of recognition! Does your heart recognize Jesus as the Risen Saviour?

My husband and I love to travel. We plan multiple trips throughout the year, and they may be camping trips, cruises, or just road trips! No matter how we are traveling, however, they all have similarities.

1. DESTINATION

It’s not wise to take off without knowing to where you are heading! Without a specific destination in mind, one might meander around aimlessly. I don’t mind a spontaneous side trip now and then, but I really need to have an end destination in mind when we travel.

Once we have the destination, we need to know the route we are going to take. Whenever we go on road or camping trips, we often like to take the back roads instead of the main highways because the way is often has nicer scenery, less congestion, and it’s easier to settle into a relaxed pace. Once that is settled, we were ready to begin the preparations.

2. PREPARATIONS

Every trip requires preparation. It could be as simple as packing an overnight bag with the bare essentials to making a reservation, securing a passport, or packing several luggage cases! Even when camping in our trailer, there are many items that need to be stocked up or replaced before we hit the road.

We also visit the websites and read brochures about the places we intend to visit. The anticipation of seeing the things pictured online or in the flyers grows as our departure dates get nearer!

3. TRAVELERS

Our trips are more enjoyable (at least for me) when I have someone to go with me! I’m just not a solo traveler. Of course, my hubby is my first choice as a travel partner, but traveling with other family members or friends adds a whole new dimension of fun to our trips! Having others with us when camping or vacationing is such a treat, and the memories we make are so cherished!

4. THE JOURNEY

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to take in the scenery as we drive along. It’s much more fun for me to be the navigator than the driver. My husband gets to look around as he drives, but not as in depth as I can do because he has to maintain constant attention to the road and traffic around us. I, however, get to look for animals (my favorite thing to do!), take in the scenic views as we drive, and even take pictures along the way!

A TRIP THAT IS “OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD”!

I am reminded of another trip we’ll be taking one day. It will be the best place of all the places we’ve visited. We’ve already started the trip planning!

• Destination
  • Our last trip will be to a place often referred to as “Beulah Land”, which is a symbolic name for HEAVEN! This trip will undoubtedly be the best one we’ll ever take!
  • As one who has placed my faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, I know that one future day, I’ll be going to heaven to be with Him forever! While I don’t have a website I can visit, I do have a “brochure” that gives me a glimpse of what this heavenly destination will be like. The Bible provides some insight into heaven, but it clearly is too amazing to be put into words that we can comprehend at this time. I do know that the beauty of earth’s most incredible places, like Yosemite, the Swiss Alps, Iguazu Falls, and others, will pale in comparison to the beauty of heaven! The Bible tells us, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
  • As in all of our other trips, we do need to know the route. The route to heaven is given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Now, that we know where we’re going and the way to get there, we have to make our preparations!

• Preparations
  • Sometimes when I’m trip planning, it takes weeks to complete. If it’s a camping trip, I’m purchasing and then packing the camper with what we’ll need. If we’re traveling abroad, it’s making sure my passport is current, the luggage is packed, getting the necessary vaccinations, and having emergency contact numbers in place. It’s quite a chore!
  • In contrast, there are only two preps that I need to make for my trip to heaven. The first of my preparations has already been completed, and it was quite simple… as simple as A-B-C!
    • The first step was “A” – Admit I was a sinner. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That is done and checked off my list!
    • The second step was “B” – Believe that Jesus is God’s Son, that He died on the cross to pay for my sins, and that He rose from the dead 3 days later. Acts 16:31 states, “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” I do believe! #2 is checked off!
    • The third and last step was “C” – Choose Him to be my Lord and Saviour, and Call upon Him to forgive me! Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Done! (I finished this prep for my heavenly trip in March 1968!)
  • The second part of my preparation for my trip to heaven is to familiarize myself with the sights and sounds I will experience. While I don’t have a website I can visit, I do have a “brochure” that gives me a glimpse of what this heavenly destination will be like. The Bible is provides me with some insight into heaven, but my ultimate destination is clearly too amazing to be put into words that I can comprehend at this time. I do know that the beauty of earth’s most incredible places, like Yosemite, the Swiss Alps, Iguazu Falls, and others, will pale in comparison to the beauty of heaven! Just seeing my Saviour face-to-face will be the most incredible part of this trip, and then I am hoping to get a divine tour of the place!

• Travelers
  • This is one trip in which I want to have as many family and friends as possible accompany me! I know the Lord desires that as well. The Bible tells me that God is “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Since everyone in my family is saved, I know that they will be with me. Most of my friends also are saved, but I know others who are not. So, my job is not only to share the wonderful joys of a trip to heaven with those who don’t know about it, but to also share how they can get their own reservation for the trip! Jesus gave this directive to all believers, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew 28:19). A few of the ways I do that is by sharing the gospel one-on-one, leaving a tract in a restaurant, or teaching a Sunday school class, but one of the best ways is to live a life that reflects Jesus to others! Being a living testimony speaks so much louder than my words ever will!

• The Journey
  • The actual traveling time for this trip will be so quick. In fact, the Bible tells us that the departure will be as fast as the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52)! There will be two times of departure. The first will be for those believers who have died, and the second will be for the Christians who are still living. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 describes the departure as this: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I’m not sure at this time which one will be my designated time, but I do know that I am ready to go… just waiting for the shout and the trumpet sound!

God’s invitation to heaven is for everyone! That includes YOU! Paul writes in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Let’s go!

I’m kind of homesick for a country to which I’ve never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken for time won’t matter anymore.

Beulah Land, I’m longing for you and some day on thee I’ll stand

There my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land

(from “Beulah Land” by Squire Parsons)

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By the way, you know how when you’re on a fabulous vacation, you don’t ever want it to end? Well, this trip to heaven won’t! It is eternal! I am so ready! Are you?

“And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.” – Joshua 10:19

The children of Israel faced many enemies as they entered the Promised Land. Often those enemies were quite formidable, but God provided courage, strength, and victory again and again for Israel when they followed and obeyed Him.

Here are three examples of God providing the victory against all odds.

• David – In 1 Samuel 17, there is the account of this young shepherd boy facing off with Goliath, the mighty Philistine warrior. David couldn’t even bear the weight of protective armor to fight the imposing enemy, so he went up against the giant soldier with only 5 smooth stones and a sling. However, combining those stones with an unwavering faith in God gave David an impossible victory… one that only God could have provided!
• Gideon – In Judges 6-8, the Bible tells us that with God’s help, Gideon and only 300 men defeated the mighty army of the Midianites.
• Esther – In this book, Esther, a young Jewish girl, demonstrated faith and trust in God, which enabled her to intervene and save the entire Jewish population in the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

I also have enemies that I face in life. Some are external, but most are internal. It seems those within me are the most persistent, strong, and determined to overcome me. I find that I often forget to call upon the One who is ready and willing to fight the battle for me! However, if I want victory, I must remember to call upon the Lord. 2 Chronicles 20:15 reminds me, “…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Here are three of my worst enemies. God has given me the battle plan for each one and has assured me that through Him, I will have the victory!

• My heart – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
  • This is the biggest enemy I face. It is so subtle at times, yet so destructive. Many times my heart tries to make me believe lies, such as “God doesn’t really care about you.” “You are such a hopeless case.” “You don’t need to change… you’re fine just the way you are.” “You’ve got it handled.” These are all damaging messages that my heart (my emotions) uses to weaken my walk with the Lord.
  • Battle Plan: “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” – Ezekiel 11:19-20
    • The only offensive weapon listed in Ephesians 6 is the “…sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”. I must be in the Scriptures daily. Once I let my guard down, I become vulnerable to attack! The Bible is what I must use to equip myself to slay the lies of a deceitful and deceptive heart. God will uses His Word to strengthen my heart to be more aligned with His truth. “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” – Psalm 31:24. It is through Him that I will have victory!

• My tongue – “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell… But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” – James 3:6,8
  • The Bible reminds me that the tongue is a two-edged sword. It can be used for good when it is an ally, but as my enemy, it can also be used to hurt. How? Gossip, slander, inappropriate language, angry words… these are all enemies and must be pursued and slain.
  • Battle Plan: “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” – Psalm 141:3
    • Controlling what words come out of my mouth is not easy as much of speech is spontaneous. Therefore, I must ask God to help me, to empower me to have control over what I say, to whom I say it, and where I say it. Philippians 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Seeking God’s wisdom and power in this area of my life will give me victory over my small but mighty tongue!

• My eyes – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” – 1 John 2:16
  • My eyes are constantly bombarded with the evil and wicked images of the world. There are a plethora of avenues that expose my eyes to sinful behaviors, and when I allow my eyes to linger over things that are tempting, they become my enemies! Social media, television, possessions of others, etc. can be the avenue upon which the “eye enemy” attacks. In and of themselves, these things are not sinful, but when my eyes allow visions that are not godly to enter my mind, they become a powerful enemy.
  • Battle Plan: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” – Psalm 101:3
    • Be proactive! I must purpose within myself to avoid media that dishonors God. Satan makes sin very attractive to my carnal nature. It isn’t an easy thing to fight against Satan or myself, therefore, I must seek God’s help. How? Prayer and Scripture. Seeking God’s help to resist the devil is vital because it is then that Satan will flee! (James 4:7) I must also focus on verses that help me make godly choices. Philippians 4:8 is a good strategic verse: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Choosing wisely is the path to victory!

I have many more enemies, but the battle plans have a commonality… the Scriptures. Every adversary I face cannot stand against the Word of God. My duty is to remain in the Scriptures daily, be prepared for battle at any time, and follow the orders of my Commander, the Lord Jesus Christ. When I do these things, I am assured of victory!

Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever

He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood

He loved me ‘ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him

He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood!

(from “Victory in Jesus” by E. M. Bartlett)

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” – Romans 8:37

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What enemies do you face? What are your battle plans for victory?

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” – James 1:22

One of the most amazing things to me is when God illuminates a verse and gives understanding and application to me personally.

James 1:22 is a verse I’ve heard so often throughout my Christian life. In fact, I was fairly confident that I knew the meaning of this verse, and I also thought I was a fairly decent “doer”. I serve in a couple of my church’s ministries; I read my Bible often; I pray a lot, and I try to share the love of Jesus to others… isn’t that what a “doer” does? Well, that’s what I thought… until the Lord opened my eyes to the “doer” in me. Don’t get me wrong… serving the Lord is very important, and I love the opportunities He gives me to do so, but the Lord really spoke to my heart today about a specific area in my life where I was a pretty poor “doer”.

I was praying about another issue that had been frustrating me in my attempts to “manage” it (aka “control”), when the Holy Spirit brought to my mind the first part of Proverbs 3:5, which states, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart…” I thought to myself, “Yes, I trust you, Lord.”  He replied, “No, not really.” (Of course, I don’t mean He spoke to me in an audible voice, but He spoke to my heart as only He can do.) The Lord revealed to me that I was a “hearer” of Proverbs 3:5, but not a “doer”. He was pointing out that I trusted Him in my head, but not in my heart; I depended on my abilities before His. That’s not the way a “doer” behaves when it comes to trusting God.

If you’re like me, having these kinds of moments of illumination from the Lord are not the ones I enjoy the most, but they are often the most necessary to deepen my faith and my relationship with Him. So as I thought about this particular concept, I realized that when I turn to God, trusting Him to help me, it’s usually when I’ve failed to handle a situation to my satisfaction or something is totally out of my control to begin with. In fact, in retrospect, I find that when I try to control those things and can’t, I get frustrating, fearful, despondent, etc. That’s when I finally turn to God and trust Him. Ouch! The awareness that I was merely a “hearer” of the Word when it came to trusting the Lord shamed me.

I don’t want to deceive myself by believing I am something I am not, so now that the Spirit has opened my eyes to me being a “trust-in-God hearer” most of the time, I am working to become a “doer” all of the time, and will strive to place my trust where it first should be… in the Lord! It’s going to take some time, I’m sure, because I am one who wants to be in control of my life and the situations I face, but I know that God has revealed this to me to help me learn to put my trust in Him above all others, especially myself. (I take a deep breath here because I know that often means a time of testing may be around the corner for me, but I am also praying for His strength, and that like Job said in chapter 23 of the book that bears his name, when I am tried and tested, I hope I will come forth as gold.)

When I really think about it, it is quite ridiculous to think that I can actually handle all that life throws my way myself. My past clearly shouts, “Who are you kidding? Go to God first!!!” So now, that is what I intend to do!

Simply trusting every day, trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall, trusting Jesus, that is all.

(from “Trusting Jesus” by Edgar Page)

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” – Psalm 118:8

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It is so humbling to know that the Creator of the universe loves and cares about me so much, that He takes the time to open my eyes to His Word, teaching me to know Him and trust Him better! Oh, what a Saviour!

(photo courtesy of Kay Deel)

I was encouraged today to reflect on what I thought was wonderful about God. At first, it was easy to think about the things God had done that were “wonderful” to me. But then I realized that being wonderful was more than about what God had done; it’s about who He is. My list began to grow and grow. Here are just a few of the reasons God is so wonderful!

1. God is wonderful because He loves me!

• “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – I Samuel 2:2
• This is not to mean that I think God is wonderful as a result of the love He has for me; it means that He is wonderful because He loves me knowing me the way that only He and I know me. Not only that, but God loves me unconditionally and forever! Despite the fact that I am a sinner and can do nothing myself to rectify that status, God loves me! I disappoint Him, I grieve Him, and sometimes I choose myself over Him, but He still loves me and will continue to love me forever and ever! I am Him and He is mine!
  • “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
  • “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

2. God is wonderful because He redeemed me.

• “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” – Ephesians 1:7
• When sin entered the world, all humanity was cursed and in danger of never being with God again. In His great mercy and love for all of us, He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our redemption. That price was to suffer horrific cruelty and death upon a Roman cross, taking the punishment for the sins of the world, past, present, and future, upon Himself. The sinless sacrifice that Jesus made satisfied God’s requirement for our sin-debt and made the way for us to be reconciled to our heavenly Father.
• The fact that all we have to do is repent, ask for His forgiveness, and accept Him as Lord and Saviour is another incomprehensible facet of God. But that is the wonderful love of God. He wants us to be saved from the judgment of our sins and to spend eternity with Him. If that isn’t wonderful, I don’t know what is.

3. God is wonderful because He knows me personally!

• “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…” – Jeremiah 1:5a
• This really overwhelms me to think that the Creator of EVERYTHING knows me intimately, and He knew me before I was even conceived! I was a thought in God’s mind first, , and although He knew how I would fail and disappoint Him throughout my life, He still chose to give me life!
  • “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” – Psalm 139:14
• God thinks about me! He has the whole universe under His control, yet He thinks about me so much that I cannot even count those thoughts!
  • “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.” – Psalm 139:17-18

4. God is wonderful because He listens to my prayers.

• “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:12
• When I pray, my words do not float into space. They are directed to my heavenly Father. And when I pray, the Lord Jesus Christ talks to His Father about me! He is there interceding for me!! When I think that there are millions of Christians in this world praying to the Lord at any given time, it boggles my mind to think that God can and desires to focus His attention on my petitions! And He does that for each one of His children!
• Remember, He is the Creator of all things. He made every plant, every animal, every insect, every human being… He sustains all of creation, but He listens to ME when I call upon Him! To say He is wonderful is not even close to how truly wonderful He is.
  • “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” – Colossians 1:17
  • “But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.” – Psalm 4:3

5. God is wonderful because He is merciful.

• “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” – Ephesians 2:4-5
• To be merciful means to withhold a deserved punishment. The fact that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) means that we should be spending eternity without the Lord, but in His mercy, God saved us!
  • “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:5-7

6. God is wonderful because He is gracious.

• “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians 2:8
• The truth is that there is absolutely nothing that we can do to merit God’s grace. No matter who “good” we try to be, or how many “good” works we do, it will never be enough to earn our way to heaven.
  • “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” -Isaiah 64:6
• It is through Christ alone that we can be forgiven of our sins and be saved from the eternal punishment of them. Grace is defined as giving something that is not deserved. That is what happened at the cross. When Jesus died, He paid the price we should have paid, and when He rose from the grave 3 days later, He proved He was truly God and had the power to forgive sins. It’s available to every single person on this planet simply by believing in Him and asking for His undeserved gift of salvation.
  • “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

7. God is wonderful because He is God.

• “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” – I Samuel 2:2
• There is on other entity that can claim to be God; there is only One. He alone deserves our worship and praise. He is the Creator of ALL things… from the stars and planets to the earth and all that of which it consists to the intricacies and individuality of each person who has ever lived or will ever live. Who can do these things, but a wonderfully amazing God?
• If there was no other reason to proclaim how wonderful God is, this would be that reason. He is wonderful because He is GOD!

Wonderful, merciful Savior, Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men
Oh, You rescue the souls of men!

(from “Wonderful, Merciful Saviour” by Dawn Rodgers & Eric Wyse)

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6

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There are so many other reasons that God is wonderful! I’d love to read your thoughts on what you feel is wonderful about our Lord.

I love cats. It seemed we always had cats in our home, and I fondly remember cuddling up with them after school, in the evenings, and in the lazy mornings of weekends. Their soft purrings were so comforting to me. Plus, as an only child, I never lacked for a “companion” if my neighborhood friends weren’t available to play.

Today, as I was sitting on the sofa, my latest kitty, Meichan, jumped up and sat on my lap. This was an epic moment for the two of us. Why? Meichan was a rescue cat and while she tolerated a gentle pet, she didn’t seem to enjoy the physical contact from being held. We didn’t know much about her except that her previous owner had moved out of the country and dropped her off at an animal shelter. Fortunately, I was in search of a new addition for our family since we had just recently lost our beloved Mochi, another rescue kitty that died suddenly. Although we only had Mochi for a little over a year, she left a few broken hearts behind when she passed.

Meichan was a 3-year-old orange tabby, who loved being with people, but as with most cats, being social was completely on her terms. As she warmed to us, she would rub against our legs or sleep across the sofa from us, but cuddling was not in her character. She loved our company, but always kept herself a wee bit distant, which explains why today, her behavior delightfully surprised me.

After the initial shock of having her plop herself on to my lap, I took full advantage of the moment, hugging and cuddling her, while whispering lots of “I love you’s” into her ears. Amazingly, she simply sat there, allowing me to indulge myself in pouring out my affections upon her. Even after I was stopped, thinking she was getting impatient with me, she stayed perched on my lap, content as could be.

As I gazed at her sitting there, I was struck by how much I loved her. Despite her times of zooming around the house in pre-dawn hours, making “biscuits” on my head in the middle of the night, shedding her fur everywhere, and being a very picky eater demanding her treats continuously, I loved her tremendously. Meichan doesn’t really “do” anything for me or my family, but I truly love her. It was then that I realized I had an unconditional love for her… it was unearned and nothing would change it.

Then it hit me! This was a perfect picture of God’s love for me. There is absolutely nothing I can “do” for God that He cannot do for Himself. I often come to Him on my terms. I ask a lot from Him. I forget to talk with Him every day, and I disappoint Him in my actions, but He still loves me. In fact, in Jeremiah 31:3, God states, “…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love…”  That means God will love me FOREVER!

The realization that God’s love for me is eternal gives me the greatest peace I could ever have. To understand that no matter what happens in this world, no matter what I do or say, no matter what difficulties I face in life, no matter if I fail Him repeatedly, He will never cease to love me. To be able to trust God at His Word gives me the perfect peace He has promised in Isaiah 26:3. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Best lesson I ever learned from my cat.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

the saints’ and angels’ song.

(from “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman)

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:9-10

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Find it hard to believe God could love you unconditionally? He proved it at the cross.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

I am very familiar with this verse, and if you’re like me, it’s not one that I frequently think of correctly. Instead of fleeing from temptations, I often have a tendency to rationalize or make excuses for choosing to sin. (Yes, sin is a choice!) During my personal Bible time this morning, the Lord opened my eyes to the truth of this verse and what the implications are for me when I do not choose to avail myself of His protection. (Isn’t that wonderful how the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Word of God each time we open it?)

When I choose to sin, to willfully embrace the temptations that come my way, I am, in essence, rejecting God. I am choosing to put something before Him, and that is idolatry. If it is a “fleshly” sin… a choice to do something that satisfies my carnal nature, but is wrong in the sight of God, the idol that I have chosen to worship is ME. Whether it is overeating, spending time on social media to the neglect of time with the Lord, participating in gossip, or using bad language… anything I wouldn’t do with Jesus right beside me… I am then choosing myself and my desires over God and His ways, and this is idolatry.

I have always thought of an idol as being the item with which the sin is committed, but in reality, the food, the computer, the conversations, these are not the idols. The idol is ME. When I choose the temptation, I am no longer “… a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1b). I have chosen to put myself and my wants before God’s, thus making myself the focus of my servitude. I am allowing myself to be in bondage to the sin to satisfy my own desires.

I Corinthians 10:31 states, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” This is one of those times when the irony of a verse speaks so loudly to me that I would chuckle if it wasn’t so on target with one of my biggest struggles. For me, overeating is a type of idol worship because I choose to defile the temple of God with unhealthy habits. 1 Corinthians 3:16 reminds me, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Don’t get me wrong, having ice cream or cookies, or bread and butter, etc., is not a sin, but when I choose to eat a dozen cookies instead of one or two or a family-sized bag of popcorn in one sitting… anything in incredible excess of what my body needs or indulge in the foods that do not promote health… for me, that is sin. I am intentionally choosing my physical, fleshly wants before those of God’s desires for me.

The recent realization that I have been putting myself before Him in so many ways, so many times, and making myself an idol of worship, is heartbreaking, but I know I can have victory! I understand that I must ask myself if what I plan to do is to the glory of God, and if the answer is “no”, I need to seek that way of escape that God has promised to provide for me. It won’t be hard to find because God always makes it easy to locate. I only need to listen to His Spirit’s leading. The hard part with facing temptation is deciding whether or not to take the way of escape that God provides.

Additionally, I know that choosing to follow through on the temptations that come in my life is not unforgivable. I know God is faithful and just to forgive me every time I confess my sins to Him, and He will cleanse me from all unrighteousness even if I have to come before Him again and again. He loves me and promises that He is ready, willing, and able to forgive every sin in my life… past, present, and future! What a wonderful Saviour, I have! What incredible love He has for me despite all the times I’ve disappointed and sinned against Him. He has told me in Jeremiah 31:3 that His love for me is everlasting!

Lastly, I also have the assurance that as I grow in my faith (which is slow, but ongoing), the Holy Spirit promises to continue to teach me until I see my Saviour’s face. At that time, I know the work be complete. Philippians 1:6 reminds me of that. My prayer is that, while I walk this earth, the times of putting myself before the Lord will become less and less, and He will be exalted and honored in my heart and actions more and more.

I need Thee ev’ry hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

I need Thee ev’ry hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou are nigh.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

(from “I Need Thee” by Robert Lowry and Annie S. Hawks)

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:14-16

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Struggling with self-worship? Take it to the Lord in prayer. He alone is faithful to forgive, help, and deliver you!

Hebrews 13:8 shares an extremely important characteristic of our Lord Jesus Christ. He never changes! He is that same today as He was in the days of Moses and the times of earthly ministry. Jesus is  the same yesterday, today, and forever!

What a blessed thought! Jesus doesn’t change on a whim; He was, and is the same, as He always will be. There is no need to wonder how Jesus would deal with us today or tomorrow or ever. He has said in His Word that He never changes, and therefore if the Bible states that Jesus is a certain way, you can depend on that forever!

One of the most important benefits of His immutability is that I know that Jesus will always forgive my sins if I ask Him because He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever”. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If He promised to forgive sin in New Testament times, then He’ll continue to forgive me today and throughout the rest of my life whenever I ask Him! His faithfulness never changes.

Furthermore, another important consideration is that there is no need to wonder if something that was considered sin in the Old Testament is still sin in the New Testament or in current times. The Lord doesn’t change His mind anything in His Word, including sin. About Himself, God states in Malachi 3:6, “For I am the LORD, I change not…” There is not greater comfort than to know that God never changes; He truly is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

There is no other person in this world to whom can be attributed this comforting characteristic. It is unique to Jesus. People may be kind to others one day, and on another day, they may alienate those same individuals. Even dear friends or family members can suddenly become distant and aloof over a simple squabble. But not Jesus. He never changes, and He said in Jeremiah 31:3, “…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love…” His love for you and me will NEVER change!!

There is no greater comfort than knowing that in this world of perpetual change, Jesus Christ is the One and only constant, and in that we find our blessed hope for today and forever!

Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my Father; there is no shadow of turning with thee.
Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed thy hand hast provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

(from “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas O. Chisholm)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” – James 1:17

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Once again, I have expounded on some thoughts shared with me by my dear friend, Barb Depew. If this keeps up, I’ll be calling her “my muse”!  Seriously, I am so grateful for her spiritual insight and her willingness to share those thoughts with me. Love you, Barb!

(photo courtesy of Brittany Spear)

1 Thessalonians 5:16 states that we are to “Rejoice evermore”.

Rejoice evermore? What does that exactly mean? The dictionary defines “rejoice” as to feel joy or great delight, and “evermore” means always or forever. So this verse is stating that we are to feel joy or great delight always and forever!

But in what should we rejoice?

Some people rejoice over circumstances. Bringing a child into the world, getting a clean bill of health from the doctor, or having enough money to pay your bills on time are examples of wonderful circumstances, but those are not the things for which we should “rejoice evermore”.

Some people rejoice over certain situations. Getting a good grade on a test, losing pounds on a diet, or celebrating a birthday are certainly specific situations in which we can find happiness, but those also are not the things for which we should “rejoice evermore”.

Maybe rejoicing evermore should be directed toward non-material things such as the love of family and friends, and while we definitely find joy in such things, it’s not what the Bible tells us that is for what we should be rejoicing.

According to Philippians 4:4, we should “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Why the Lord? Let’s take a look at what the Scriptures tell us.

1. Rejoice in the Lord because He’s protective.
   1. “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” – Psalm 5:11
      1. God protects us from our own foolishness. He keeps us safe from even the things we do carelessly that can be detrimental or harmful to our well-being. He protects us from the spiritual forces of evil that we cannot see around us. So, whether physical, mental, or spiritual, God protects.
   2. Rejoice in the Lord because He is wise.
      1. “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” – Psalm 104:24
      2. God’s wisdom comes from His Word. Whenever we need guidance, understanding, even conviction… anything we need… it can be found in the Word of God. The Bible is our manual for living a godly life, and it was written by the One who is wisdom.
   3. Rejoice in the Lord because He is unconditionally loving to us.
      1. “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3
      2. Unconditional love! Can you even fathom that? No matter what we’ve done… the sins we’ve committed, both intentionally and unintentionally, no matter where we’ve been in our lives, God remains faithful as our loving heavenly Father. He will never leave us nor forsake us… He’s promised that. Why? Because He loves us unconditionally. Wow!
   4. Rejoice in the Lord because He is also our teacher.
      1. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” – John 16:13
      2. There is no better teacher that the omniscient God! There is no doubt that there are many awesome teachers in this world, and perhaps like me, you can even recall those special teachers who made such positive differences in your life. However, the best teacher for all humanity has always been and will always be the Holy Spirit because He uses His Word to teach us. There is no limit to His knowledge; there is no error in His teaching; there is nothing He withholds for us when we seek His truth. He is the perfect teacher.
   5. Rejoice in the Lord because He is merciful.
      1. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” – Psalm 103:8
      2. Mercy is defined as “withholding deserved punishment”. Because of God’s mercy, I will no longer be judged for my sins. When I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me and become my Saviour, I became a recipient of the mercy of God. I will no longer face eternal punishment for my sins because Jesus, God’s beloved Son, took the punishment I deserved for my sins upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross. Salvation and eternal forgiveness for me through Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary is given because of God’s mercy.
   6. Rejoice in the Lord because He is gracious.
      1. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians 2:8
      2. Grace is said to be “giving that which is undeserved”. I don’t deserve to have my sins forgiven. I don’t deserve eternal life in heaven. I don’t deserve to be loved by a holy and perfect God. It is only because of God’s grace that I have all of these and more! It is only through His grace that I will one day see Him face-to-face in heaven! It is only through His grace that I can be His child. Hallelujah! I am redeemed by the grace of God!
   7. Rejoice in the Lord because He is God.
      1. “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.” – Deuteronomy 4:39
      2. Perhaps the greatest reason to rejoice in the Lord is simply because of who He is. The Creator of all things, the Sustainer of all things; the Saviour of the world! He alone deserves to be worshipped and praised because He alone is God, and He has chosen us to be His own! Now that is worth rejoicing evermore!

Rejoice, the Lord is King: Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

(from “Rejoice, the Lord is King” by Charles Wesley)

“And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.” – Psalm 35:9

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Many thanks to my sweet friend, Barb Depew, who shared her thoughts with me on “Rejoicing in the Lord alway” and allowed me to expound on them in this writing.