What a Mighty God We Serve

by Kate Hasson

In bible study at church this week there was a passage of scripture to read that I really liked. It was Deuteronomy 4:32-40. ( Italics are mine ).

32 “For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever hear of.

33 Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?

34 Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

36 Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.

37 And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power

38 driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day,

39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.”

Wow! I was reminded of HIS GREATNESS afresh this week because of this verse. There is no other god as good, kind, wise, powerful, mighty, and amazing as our God.

And then to top it off, Beth Moore, the author of our bible study, made this conclusion:

“Remember this foundational truth...: everything God did with Israel in the realm of the seen, He does with us in the realm of the unseen. God has not ceased actively parenting His children. The same God who made His presence known to the Israelites in their wilderness is just as fully Jehovah-Shamma, “the Lord is present,” in ours.”

He is still working the same miracles in our lives now even though we can’t tangibly see them! What a wonder!

The song lyrics that are playing in my mind right now are so appropriate that I need to share them with you:

“What a mighty God we serve!

What a mighty God we serve!

Angels bow before Him,

Heaven and Earth adore Him.

What a mighty God we serve!”

Words to Meditate (or Chew) On

by Rebecca Irwin

In Daily Light the other morning, I read : "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." Jeremiah 15:16. I love that image! When my Jack does not want to eat his dinner, he finds a way to chew a single piece of meat for minutes. As I watched him ruminate on his meal, it gave me a visual, though not nearly as poetic as Jeremiah's, of chewing on words. Not devouring them like a hamburger meal from the fast food window, but savoring words like a rare treat.

"I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. I delight to do your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart". Job 23:12 In my journey into the Word, I have found I hunger to return home from delivering the boys to school and devour some more of these letters and Proverbs. I have a taste for what Job described. My heart finds peace within the rest of my day if I can eat a breakfast of truth.

One way I have found to chew on the Word is to repeat a portion over again and contemplate what it means. I picture my friend, who is an excellent cook, tasting a new dish. She slowly slides the fork from her mouth and moves the food around as she chews it ever so slowly, and then declares the spices she encountered. It always amazes me what she can discover with one taste. In the same way, as I have thought about a passage and moved it around in my mind, it's flavors are revealed and life is seasoned with it's truth.

Lord, we pray that the Psalmist's words would be our own declaration today : "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." Ps 19:8,9 May we savor your words and allow them to be the spice of our lives. Amen.

Change Your Mindset

by Debbi Weeks

I have been blessed. Yes, I have been blessed with many good things, but it is amazing how easily I can let my mind go into a rant – even considering the good things that God has given me.

Take my husband for example (I know that line just screams of Rodney Dangerfield saying, “Take him, please!”). My husband, Matt, is a wonderful guy, but like all husbands (or roommates, or parents, or kids, or any relationship) he can get on my nerves sometimes. Sometimes he just doesn’t do want I want him to do or if he does, he doesn’t do it the way I want him to do it! But when I focus on those irritations my mind can quickly spiral out of control. If one could read my mind as it begins its descent, one would see it begins innocently enough, usually something like, “I wish he . . . or I wish he didn’t . . .” Soon it’s as if he can’t do anything right or worse, that he does nothing at all – both of which are complete and total lies (and you know where all lies come from, don’t you? STRAIGHT FROM THE PIT OF HELL! - as we like to remind ourselves in our home).

It’s all a matter of mindset. What am I going to choose to focus on? I memorized Philippians 4:8 this summer (although in trying to recall it to write it here I initially couldn’t remember the address! ). It says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Dwell on these things, “Oh.” I’m caught short in continuing to rant. At these times I need to change my focus.

One small thing that has helped me establish a proper mindset is a simple phrase that’s heard often around our house; “You’re a good man, Matthew Weeks.” (He always responds with, “None are good, no, not one.” To which I reply, “You’re good because you’re clothed in the blood of Christ.” Ah, but I digress.) I say it to build him up. And, perhaps more importantly, I say it to remind myself that he is a good man – it refocuses my mind to the positive. Believe it or not, that one small sentence can change my perspective and even my attitude. It takes my mind out of the rut of focusing on the bad and brings it back to a proper mindset of remembering what a good man he is. It works with kids and roommates and co-workers and parents and friends and just about everyone else too (of course you may want to change the name and the gender, but then maybe not, you could use the same line just to snap yourself out of it! ), since the real problem isn’t with the person, but with my heart attitude.

Hey, just so you know – you’re a good woman - after all, you’re clothed in the blood of Christ!

Father, God I praise You for Your omniscience – that You are all knowing and that You know my thoughts before I utter a word.

I confess that I don’t always want to have the proper mindset. Forgive me for allowing my mind to rant and continue down a wrong path.

Thank You that You love me enough to make me uncomfortable in my bad attitudes.

Please continue to work in me to change my mindset to dwell on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise.

In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Staying Connected, For Heaven's Sake

by Sue Donaldson

I saw a sign in front of a house that read: “Club 24-7.”

I almost stopped. I was sure it must be a support group for mothers– although no mother would actually have the time to stop and be in a club . . .

Most women know that no matter what season of life we’re in, we need each other. My friend who just had her 3^rd boy – all under 5 – was telling me how tired she was. I told her I could relate to her – I wasn’t nursing anymore, but I was still losing sleep waiting for one in particular to meet her curfew every night – it’s exhausting. (At least she knew her kids were in the next room!)

Most women know the more intentional we are about staying connected to others –with friends who can listen and pray and cry and laugh and eat with us - the better women we’ll be.

God doesn’t mean for us to journey alone. (I just called Ceslie to stop by for leftovers—soup tastes better the next day, anyway.)

Who can you journey with today – to make your load easier or maybe someone else’s? God loves connectedness – He made Himself a Trinity, after all.

Proverbs 17:17 – “Friends love at all times; they are born for times of adversity.”

Lord,
Thank you for the people in my life. Show me how to connect better to them. Help me make that call—to give and receive Your love. Amen.

PS I’m thinking of beginning an Every-Friday-Stop-for-Soup-Lunch – what do you think? Pick a Friday and we’ll come to your home. (or Wednesday?)

How Firm a Foundation

by Peggy Brown

This is one of those time when my mind is blank as I sit here at the computer! But fear note, I WILL share the words of an old hymn (written in 1787) that I hope will encourage you as they encourage me.

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed, for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless, and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fire trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply; the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake!"

Isn't it encouraging to be reminded that our foundation is His word? I hope this reminds you that nothing touches your life that doesn't first pass through His "righteous omnipotent hand".

Lord, thank you for the many ways you remind me of your mercy! Amen

"I'll Pray For You"

by Cindy Frauenheim

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" Galatians 6:2

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

My heart is burdened for a few friends that are suffering. Their trials are very different. They have chosen to share their pain with me and ask for prayer. I struggle with how to be of any further help – do you ever feel that way? I need to remind myself that prayer is NOT a last resort. It should be our first, and continual course of action. Today I want to encourage us (myself included) to intentionally come alongside others we know that are facing a trial. We need each other, and God wants it that way. Here are some practical ways to do that:

1) PRAY for them. Make yourself a written or other visual reminder to really do that every day. Set yourself a reminder on your calendar to check in with that friend every few days or weeks to see how God is working or how you can pray more specifically. Pray with them. Never forget to rejoice together when you see God working!

2) MEET TOGETHER. Rearrange your day to prepare or meet them somewhere for a meal, a walk, or just coffee.

3) HELP THEM. Offer very specific and tangible help that you can give. Perhaps watching her children so she can get some time alone to think, sleep, or sit at the Lord’s feet. Or do it in the evening so she and her husband can get some needed time together. Perhaps you can run some errands for her, or accompany her to a doctor’s visit.

4) LISTEN. Be known for listening well. That may be all that is needed to turn her day around.

5) BE TRUSTWORTHY. Whatever trials or struggles your friend is facing, never share that information with anyone else, except the Lord, unless she specifically asks you to request others to pray.

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10

Lord, I feel inadequate to help, but I know you can use a willing heart. Help me to get my eyes off of myself long enough to really spend time in prayer for others. Show me ways to help, and may your Spirit cause me to follow through! You are ultimately in control, and will be my friends’ healer, comforter, and counselor; use me as you see fit. Help me to be a good listener, and to gently point others back to You.

Words of Love, part II

by Rebecca Irwin

This week, I am continuing my self-imposed study on the power of words. Last week, I wrote on words of love - Christ's love for us. As that truth trickled down, I realized as His disciple, I should allow His love to spill out of my life onto others. But, what if I don't FEEL like being loving to my neighbor, or my husband, or my children, or my family, and maybe right now, even my friends? What if I feel isolated and edged out of intimacy? What if I don't see why I should be loving to others, when they are not loving to me? How do I bring my strong and stubborn will into obedience of the second greatest commandment my Lord has given me (love your neighbor as yourself)?

Colossians 3:14 says : "And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." I was, in fact stunned at the 'everything' love binds together : compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. Those characteristics sound like they could get me past my own little self and help me focus on someone else. In a book I read on marriage, it advised me to read 1 Corinthians 13 over and over and commit the characteristics of love to memory. Condensed, they are : patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not arrogant or rude, not insistent on your way, not irritable, not resentful, rejoicing in the truth, tolerant, believing, hoping, enduring, unfailing. All of that is woven into the cloth of what love is!!

This week I challenged myself, and my workout partner consequentially, to memorize I Corinthians 13:4-8a. My simple logic was that I cannot BE love if I do not remember what love is. As we swam, each stroke became a word and after three mornings, I can recite it. This simple exercise also caused me to think about the manifestations of love. For example, like a splash of cold water, it struck me that love is first of all patient. More importantly, perhaps, I realized over the last few weeks, even more profoundly that love is a verb in God's economy, it is not a feeling. There is no stock placed on how I feel, but how I do. These are character qualities, not emotions we read in the lists of love. Perhaps the greatest waterfall in this study was that as I ACT loving toward the people I encounter, I (eventually-remember, patience) FEEL more love for them. May God, by His spirit, help me to sprinkle others with His loving kindness.

Jesus, like a beautiful coat of colors, I will choose to put on love. Thank you for showing me the characteristics that are woven into the tapestry called love. It is so detailed, so lovely. It is definitely seen in your finest works. I know I will fail to always show love. I know my emotions will get their way sometimes. But, I pray that when I feel those things that love is not, my mind will recall the things love is and choose love. Amen.