You still have to fight!!!

 

The battle is the Lord's but you still have to fight!

What is pure religion?  James 1.26 indicates one must be a "doer and not hearer only of the Word..."  James 1.26, 27 points out that "pure religion" is also one who "bridleth...his tongue and visits the fatherless and widows AND keep himself unspotted from the world." With all these directives who has time to fight giants?

Yet, giants are a part of every believers life.  Why?  

Ecclesiastes 2.5 states, "For gold is tried in the fire, and...in the furnace of adversity."

Nothing would seem more "adverse" than the image portrayed above.

What giants are you facing today?

Truth be told, in the life of this blogger, the battles are many and seem never ending.  The burdens/battles will follow us all the way home. Family, work, daily tasks. Burdens/battles in all.  When does it end?

• Noah fought scoffers.
• Moses stood his ground against the Pharaoh.
• Jeremiah never saw one convert on his watch.
• Daniel faithfully prayed on pain of the den of lions.
• Shadrach and his brothers stayed faithful to their upbringing in the face of the fiery furnace.
• David had learned the battle was the Lord's against the mighty Philistine.
• Joseph kept a sweet spirit in the face of all the unjust actions against him.
• Job never accused God though everything dear was taken from him.

Many other examples to be sure from the record left us by God of these faithful warriors.  

• Have you been scoffed at?
• Have your convictions been tested by your superior?
• When was the last time you saw a spiritual birth?
• Have you been threatened with death because of what you believe?
• Have the authorities come knocking because you won't bow?
• Does the battle seem overwhelmingly too big to conquer?
• Do you often feel unvindicated or unjustly accused?
• Have you suffered loss of family, home or dear friends?

Most of us would have to answer "no" to most of the scenes in question. So what is the answer when life feels overwhelming?

The shepherd boy had already been tested by a lion and a bear.  Perhaps you, dear reader have been mightily tested also.  The shepherd boy who had learned to sing in the loneliness of caring for the little lambs and the flock said it best with conviction in his soul...

"...I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel...This day will the Lord deliver thee into mind hand..."  I Sam 16.45, 46

So, again, why must you fight? To prove the One in you who is greater than "he that is in the world." (I Jn 4.4)  Much more could be said about gaining rewards and crowns but suffice it to leave the words of little David ringing in your ears.  

The battle is the Lord's!

NEVER, is a long time

 

The heart is heavy today. The mind is clouded with useless things.  The spirit endeavors to focus and center on help.  Prayer has been made. Now what? Time and age have taught the thought in the verse presented here. There is nothing else, just trust His promise.  A promise given to Moses in Deut. 31.6,8 and Joshua 1.5.  The statement of belief given in Hebrews after teaching on "brotherly love, entertaining strangers, marriage being right over adultery, instruction against covetousness and being content," THEN "I will NEVER leave thee nor forsake thee."

With all the troubles, sorrows and heartache in life, a promise, "I will NEVER leave...nor forsake..." Antonyms for the word "NEVER" would be "always and forever."  No room in either word for pause or hesitation.  The Lord told Moses to tell the people in Exo 3.14, "(the) I AM hath sent me to you." Again in Heb 13.8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, AND FOREVER."  

So, if the "I AM " never changes and never means always, dependence on the Lord "NEVER" leaving His children should put every burden, sorrow or heartache to rest.  True, easier said than done and that's where faith steps in and trusts with that "childlike faith" demonstrated in Mt. 18.2-3.

GBC

Wednesday evening service 

Sixty

Sixty turns around the Sun 

Sixty years of grace just begun

Sixty is 6x10 not to be confused with the end

Sixty is 10 past year of jubilee

Sixty is Stacey  - Sixty is still me 

Mother's Day - what does it mean?

The most widely used verse regarding Mother's Day would have to be Proverbs 31.28; "Her children arise up, and call her blessed..."  Proverbs 31.10-31 also signals what one thinks of when meditating on godly moms. Psalms 127.3 explains a moms heart concerning her children.  Isaiah 66.13 describes how closely the heart of a true mother resembles the heart of the Lord toward His children. 1 John 3.4 expressed a mother's heart when prayerfully holding them up to the Lord in their walk with Him.

However, one verse stands out in devotion this day as to "sacrificial love" and causes this blogger to question how far this mother would go for her child and grandchild.

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death..." (Heb 2.14)

Called in to question is this inquiry; "Would I really die for my child and/or grandchild?"  It is easy to type the words, "I believe I would," since I've never been tested on this point.  

It is clear from this passage how dear the Lord thinks of His children.  I am humbled and grateful to say, "I am one of them."  The writer of Hebrews stated, "He also...took part of the same; (flesh and blood)."  We understand He was very God and He was very man or flesh and blood. He understood the love a parent has for a child, yea the tender love of the mother who birthed flesh and blood from her own body.  This is how closely we may identify with His earthly walk that had spiritual significance to live forever.

Again, "Would I die for my child or grandchild?" Are they so precious to me that I would stand in front of them and "taste death" for them that they could go on living? Would I stand in front of a bullet, a lion or a train to give them life?  That is exactly what the Lord did for every believer!

Lately, I've heard messages about hard hearts and how to avoid such.  I have issues with trust.  I love my child and grandchild above all others.  I would do anything in my power to help them in life. All these thoughts cause this heart to meditate on how very much, unfathomable, eternal love my Lord has for me.

So, when thinking "Happy Mother's Day," after honoring my own mom who is still with me, I want to give thought on how much sacrifice the Lord has for me.  Such love is too wonderful to understand.  However, I will receive it because it was freely given, though One had to die to give such unconditional love.

Thank you, Lord for loving me so much.  May I continue to love my own and others with such sacrificial love that demonstrates a little of what was freely given to me.

Humbly, gratefully submitted,

Greenland blogger, Ps 57.7