It's been a rough couple of days for me. It's been hard to keep the tears from my eyes. I'm not just upset because I didn't vote for Barak Obama, but I'm deeply saddened because I feel that we as Americans have crossed a line. Integrity is no longer something we want in our leaders, and that can only mean destruction for our society.
But today, as the tears were running down my face, I heard a small voice of song in my heart. It's the hymn by John Yates, and the words are as follows:
Encamped along the hills of light
Ye Christian soldiers rise
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled
Faith is the victory we know
That overcomes the world
His banner over us is love
Our sword the Word of God
We tread the road the saints above
with shouts of triumph trod
By faith they like a whirlwinds breath
Swept on o're every field
The faith by which they conquer'd death
Is still our shining shield
To him that oversomes the foe
White rainment shall be giv'n
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav'n
Then onward from the hill of light
Our hearts with love aflame
We'll vanquish all the host of night
In Jesus' conqur'ing name
Faith is the victory
Faith is the victory
O glorious victory
That overcomes the world
These words remind me not to fix my eyes on what I see here on earth. Faith is my victory!!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Whatcha thinking?
As I talk to people, I'm finding that a lot of us are dealing with a lot of stuff. Whether it is economic, personal relationships, health many people seem to be dealing with many things. I don't have some magical answer for why or what this all means. All I know is that even as I am being squeezed hard, I must refocus my attention. It is totally human and so like me to get distracted and focus on my problems, but I truly feel that in order to make it through these final days, we have to train our focus on our hope. So, that begs the question ... What/where is your hope? The words to the hymn "Solid Rock" have been running through my head for months now. Here are the lyrics:
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus' name
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and Stormy gale
My anchor hold within the veil
When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
I truly believe these words, and I know they are true. Isaiah 26:3,4 says," You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [ both it's inclination and it's character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You,
leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord [commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him] forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]."
If we put our hope in God, the scriptures say over and over that we will not be ashamed. What does hope in God mean? It's not necessarily a hope that God will just fix everything. The Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. Jesus, in John 16:33 "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for You.] These verses are from the Amplified Bible, and I like how it brings the definitions of the words out.
Jesus tells us that we will have trials, but to be of good cheer. If you're focused on the problem, it's hard to be of good cheer. But, the knowledge that Jesus has taken away the power of these things to harm us is something to cheer about. I have been in a situation that has forced my thoughts to the eternal realm. I have a son who is a prodigal, walking in darkness right now, and the thoughts can really consume me, depress me and give me cause to give up. BUT, when I lift my perspective a little higher, I find that God's promises DO bring peace and comfort. With this situation in particular, I've had to break things down to some very small truths that help me get through the day. I started with this ... have I done everything I can in the natural realm for my son? Yes, I believe I have. Have I asked his forgiveness? Yes, I have. Will I continue praying for him? Yes, I will. And when the torment still plagues me, the wondering if my actions as a mother have forever scarred his life, I have to stop myself and say. He has free will too. Just as I have free will, so does my son. When I feel I am a horrible, unworthy person, I ask myself this... Will his actions affect MY salvation? NO, they absolutely will not cause me to lose my salvation. I literally have to re balance myself with these thoughts. The negative thoughts come in like a flood, fast, furious and overwhelming; and I've had to teach myself to intentionally think on these things. Knowing God from His Word, and knowing the promises God has made to His children has kept me sane and in peace through a horrible time.
Our hope should be in the Lord. And not just in the Lord, but for His return. Titus 2:13 says, "Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Annointed One). We must hope in our salvation. The salvation that comes when Jesus returns. We cannot hope that God will fix everything here on earth, it just won't happen. Jesus said in John that we WILL have trouble, but to be of good cheer because He overcame the world. Although He overcame the world, we still have to live in it until He returns. So, when our perspective gets raised from earth to hoping in His return, we are able to handle life's issues differently.
I'm not just spouting some goody-two-shoes nonsense, and I'm not someone who can't understand the problems going on today. I have troubles on every side, but not one of those troubles will take away my eternal hope, and because of that I can praise God! I will offer this to those being pressed hard right now. Often, but not always, praise and worship music will help lift me out of the mire of my troubles. Thinking on God instead of everything that is wrong will start to diminish my trouble and magnify God in my opinion. Then, that lets my trust God more, and opens my heart to believing the promises God has made. There are also times when I just need a friend to pray for me. I'm human, there are times when you just need a literal shoulder to cry on. I have great friends who love me and are willing to pray and remind me of God's promises. There are also times when I reach out and help others. It's easy to get selfish when trials come, so I try to force myself outward. I'm not perfect, I don't think these are the only ways to get through hard times, these are just what works for me.
I encourage you to know where your hope lies.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
but wholly lean on Jesus' name
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and Stormy gale
My anchor hold within the veil
When He shall come with trumpet sound
O may I then in Him be found
dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.
I truly believe these words, and I know they are true. Isaiah 26:3,4 says," You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [ both it's inclination and it's character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You,
leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord [commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him] forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]."
If we put our hope in God, the scriptures say over and over that we will not be ashamed. What does hope in God mean? It's not necessarily a hope that God will just fix everything. The Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. Jesus, in John 16:33 "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for You.] These verses are from the Amplified Bible, and I like how it brings the definitions of the words out.
Jesus tells us that we will have trials, but to be of good cheer. If you're focused on the problem, it's hard to be of good cheer. But, the knowledge that Jesus has taken away the power of these things to harm us is something to cheer about. I have been in a situation that has forced my thoughts to the eternal realm. I have a son who is a prodigal, walking in darkness right now, and the thoughts can really consume me, depress me and give me cause to give up. BUT, when I lift my perspective a little higher, I find that God's promises DO bring peace and comfort. With this situation in particular, I've had to break things down to some very small truths that help me get through the day. I started with this ... have I done everything I can in the natural realm for my son? Yes, I believe I have. Have I asked his forgiveness? Yes, I have. Will I continue praying for him? Yes, I will. And when the torment still plagues me, the wondering if my actions as a mother have forever scarred his life, I have to stop myself and say. He has free will too. Just as I have free will, so does my son. When I feel I am a horrible, unworthy person, I ask myself this... Will his actions affect MY salvation? NO, they absolutely will not cause me to lose my salvation. I literally have to re balance myself with these thoughts. The negative thoughts come in like a flood, fast, furious and overwhelming; and I've had to teach myself to intentionally think on these things. Knowing God from His Word, and knowing the promises God has made to His children has kept me sane and in peace through a horrible time.
Our hope should be in the Lord. And not just in the Lord, but for His return. Titus 2:13 says, "Awaiting and looking for the [fulfillment, the realization of our] blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Annointed One). We must hope in our salvation. The salvation that comes when Jesus returns. We cannot hope that God will fix everything here on earth, it just won't happen. Jesus said in John that we WILL have trouble, but to be of good cheer because He overcame the world. Although He overcame the world, we still have to live in it until He returns. So, when our perspective gets raised from earth to hoping in His return, we are able to handle life's issues differently.
I'm not just spouting some goody-two-shoes nonsense, and I'm not someone who can't understand the problems going on today. I have troubles on every side, but not one of those troubles will take away my eternal hope, and because of that I can praise God! I will offer this to those being pressed hard right now. Often, but not always, praise and worship music will help lift me out of the mire of my troubles. Thinking on God instead of everything that is wrong will start to diminish my trouble and magnify God in my opinion. Then, that lets my trust God more, and opens my heart to believing the promises God has made. There are also times when I just need a friend to pray for me. I'm human, there are times when you just need a literal shoulder to cry on. I have great friends who love me and are willing to pray and remind me of God's promises. There are also times when I reach out and help others. It's easy to get selfish when trials come, so I try to force myself outward. I'm not perfect, I don't think these are the only ways to get through hard times, these are just what works for me.
I encourage you to know where your hope lies.
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