Thought of the Day

My love and I headed to breakfast this morning at one of our favorite little downtown spots.  And as I pondered over what to order, this little play on words handwritten at the bottom of the menu caught my attention:

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death. 

Absolutely remarkable what power is found within these simple words on a rugged Big Ed's menu this mornin'.  

This 'Thought of the Day' reminded me of something I recently read:

"And again: We fight by faith.  Ephesians, sixth chapter, verse sixteen: 'Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.'  Every dart Satan can fire at us we can quench by faith.  By faith we can overcome the Evil One.  To fear is to have more faith in your antagonist than in Christ" (D.L. Moody, The Overcoming Life, emphasis mine).  

Read that twice.  It's a powerful reminder of all that is ours in Christ Jesus.  

May this 'Thought of the Day' ... 

Be yours today.

Taking Possession

"I have inherited Thy testimonies forever, 

For they are the joy of my heart."

(Psalm 119:111, NASB)

This verse is so precious to me.  I love the idea of inheriting the Word of God, as the New American Standard Bible translates above.  

The word "inherited" in this particular verse means: A verb meaning to receive.  This term is used figuratively to indicate the acquiring of things other than real property, like testimonies.

The key point here in this verse is that you and I can make the choice to take possession of the testimonies of our God.  

Spurgeon says the following in reference to this Scripture: "The gladness which had come to him [the Israelite Psalmist] through the Word of the Lord had caused him to make an unalterable choice of it.  That which rejoices the heart is sure to be chosen and treasured.  It is not the head-knowledge but the heart experience which brings joy."  

God has given us His Word to be chosen and treasured ...

Will we take possession of it?  

And will we allow it to become the joy of our hearts? 

In exchange for Glory

"My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns, 

broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

(Jeremiah 1:13)

In the second chapter of Jeremiah, God sends the young prophet to Judah with a warning: Let go of your worthless idols.

Idols.  Oh, we would know nothing about those, right?

Because we think of idols to be little clay statues, right?  When in reality, our world is flooded with idols of a different kind.  Except they are slightly different in form than clay.  They come in all shapes, sizes and substances.  Family, fame, fashion.  Weight, wealth, working out.  Government, gossip, grades.  Houses, happiness, human rights.  Cars, careers, Corporate America.  Popularity, people-pleasing, power of positive thinking.  Education, E-News, environment.  Social networking, substance abuse, societal equality.  

The list can go on and on and on.  And the truth about the examples above is that some of these things are good things.  Things that God desires us to have and enjoy and love.  He did not ever intend us, however, to worship these things.  

In Jeremiah 2, God has sent Jeremiah to the people of Judah to deliver a very hard yet important message.  He says in verse 13:

"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

The people of Jerusalem made some major errors in how they treated their God:

1. They followed worthless idols ... which led to worthlessness.

2. They failed to be led by their God ... which led to wandering.

3. They forfeited God's best ... which led to lack of blessing.

In summary, they "exchanged their Glory for worthless idols" (Jeremiah 2:11).  How very, very sad.  And yet today, I wonder how many of our lives would look the same way when examined by the King of Kings. 

How many of us would admit that we too have exchanged our Glory for worthless idols?  (My hand is raised high, ashamedly.)

All too often we as believers are trapped into the lie that the world has something more gratifying to offer.  Or perhaps we just sometimes hold on too tightly to the things of this world, afraid to take our focus off those things for fear they will be taken from us.  Just like the people of Judah in Jeremiah's day. 

And yet, do we realize all the while we too could be: 

Following worthless idols ... Failing to be led by our God ... Forfeiting God's best ... ?

Oh Lord, that we would become a people who long for your Presence in our lives, more than than the "presents" of this world.  Because ... "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light" (Psalm 26:9).  In You is our purpose, both on this earth and into eternity.  Oh God, that You would keep us from digging our own cisterns - cisterns which will not hold water.  Let us not put our worth in the things that will bear no fruit, the things that will eventually evaporate into dust.  May we not drink of the water that will lead to more and more thirst.  But instead Jesus, may we drink of Your living water - the water that will fill us up to overflowing.  

 "Jesus answered, 

'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.

Indeed the water I give him will become in him

a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

(John 4:13-14)

 And so I ask: What have you given in exchange for your Glory?

Take it back, sweet sister.

Your Glory - God Almighty Himself - is so worth the trade.

Faith in the dark

"We live by faith, not by sight."

~ 2 Corinthians 5:7 ~

About two months ago, I was faced with a situation in which I would choose to believe God or fall prey to doubt.  In the midst of this difficult time, I knew that God was just asking me to trust and believe Him - solely based on the Promises in His Word and on His character.  He was challenging me to walk by faith - regardless of the outcome.  The idea of walking by faith resembles to me the act of  walking through the dark -- don't know exactly where you're going, and not sure how it will all end up.    

The whole concept of walking in the dark can create such anxiety in one's soul.

But is it supposed to feel that way when we walk with God?

So often when faced with a difficulty, we long to see the end result.  We commonly use the phrase, "God only knows" as an attempt for comfort, yet I have found that all too much we find this truth to be rather annoying.  Do you know what I'm talking about?  At times, it perterbs us to know that God knows the result and we do not.  We feel as though He is holding out on us, playing a mind game with us  -- And if we could just get to a certain point in our faith life with Him, He would then reveal to us what we have asked of Him.  

God's intent is for us to be energized and freed as we walk through the dark.  Our faith in Him is intended to be strengthened during the times of complete uncertainty, not diminished.  In "The Overcoming Life" by D.L. Moody he challenges the audience with the following revelation:

"Second Corinthians 5:7: 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' The most faulty Christians I know are those who want to walk by sight.  They want to see the end - how a thing is going to come out.  That isn't walking by faith at all - that is walking by sight.

I think the characters that best represent this difference are Joseph and Jacob.  Jacob was a man who walked with God by sight.  You remember his vow at Bethel: 'If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God.' And you remember how his heart revived when he saw the wagons Joseph sent him from Egypt.  He sought after signs.  He never could have gone through the temptations and trials that his son Joseph did.  Joseph represents a higher type of Christian.  He could walk in the dark.  He could survive thirteen years of misfortune, in spite of his dreams, and then ascribe it all to the goodness and providence of God."  

So what about you, my friend?  Are you finding yourself at a crossroads in life?  Perhaps not knowing how a particular situation will end up?   

Will you trust your God to take your hand and lead you through the dark?  Will you allow the darkness to create in you a reliance upon your God that wasn't there before?  Will you ask Jesus to energize and free you during your time of waiting?  

Will you live by faith ... Even in the dark?        

The Abundant Life

"As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul thirsts for God, for the living God."

(Psalm 42:1-2)

I heard a story yesterday in church that just compelled me to write.  Our pastor shared that he sat next to a gentleman on a recent flight who had just experienced the death of a son.  The father, who happened to be a believer, shared the story of how the devastating death occurred.  He also shared with our pastor that many had come to their home to comfort their family, sharing similar stories of distressful pain and loss.  Finally, the father remarked, he just longed to hear the Word of God shared.  So he suggested that they open up the Bible and just read ... and read ... and read.  And that's what they did.    

The only comfort he found during this deep time of need, was the comfort from the Word of God.

So often we fail to turn to the Word of God during our times of despair.  And I won't stop at despair.  So often we fail to turn to the Bible when we feel we are failing in life.  When we are struggling in our relationships.  What about when we are seeking a new direction in life?  When we cannot find our purpose?  

Once we grab a hold of this resource given to us by our God, we will begin to see transformation in every area of our lives -- our prayer life, our relationships, our minds, our actions.  I would bet my life on it.  I've experienced it and it proves true.  

A.W. Tozer says the following regarding this topic in his book entitled "The Pursuit of God":

"The doctrine of justification by faith - a biblical truth, and a blessed relief from sterile legalism and unavailing self effort - has in our time fallen into evil company and been interpreted by many in such a manner as actually to bar men from the knowledge of God. The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless.  Faith may now be exercised without a jar to the moral life and without embarrassment to the Adamic ego.  Christ may be 'received' without creating any special love for Him in the soul of the receiver.  The man is 'saved,' but he is not hungry nor thirsty after God.  In fact, he is specifically taught to be satisfied and is encouraged to be content with little."

Can I just say something?  Many of us are not living the abundant life.  Sure, we have our stuff - our cars, our houses, our clothes, our kids, our jobs.  But the abundant life God planned for us was not void of daily meditation on the Word of God.  Without it, we absolutely will not experience the abundance God has planned for us.  We do not have to be content in our relationship with God!  We can constantly thirst for more of Him.    

So today, I pray dear friend, that you would open up the Bible.  Pick a passage of Scripture that is familiar to you (or unfamiliar), and meditate on the Word.  Even with reading just a few verses each day, you will start to experience transformation.  Your reliance will become heavily rooted in Jesus.  He will teach you through His Word all that He is all you've been longing for.  

Abundant Life is available to you through His Word!  

For those of you who would like to try a new method of studying the Word of God - of breaking down Scripture - take a look at this previous post: The 3 Question Method.  And if you have another study tip that you feel is particularly effective, please feel free to share!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life,

and have it to the full."

(John 10:10)

Life Verse

I was at an event about a month ago and the speaker shared her life verse with us.  I loved the concept.  One verse in Scripture that completely summed up the beginning of her soul craving for her God. 

This really got me thinking about my own life verse.  Now, I will preface this post by saying that there is nothing in Scripture that speaks of a life verse - It is not a necessity to the Christian life, and it is by no means a requirement of any sort.  I just found it a really thrilling concept.  And here are my reasons:

1. How cool to have a verse to apply to your life that sums up your experience of knowing Christ.  Think about how this could be a great transition into sharing your testimony of who God is to you and all that He has done in your life, with others!

2. I believe that our life verse may change during different seasons of our lives.  And how awesome to be able to look back on those various life verses - markers in our faith walk with Christ - to recall all the many good things God has done, and to see all the many trials He has carried us through, all the while taking the focus back to His Word.

3. The Word of God is meant to seep into every area of our lives as believing women.  We want to see Hebrews 4:12 pronounced true in our lives: "For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  God's Word is alive and active, meant to influence our daily lives.  How amazing that we have the opportunity to apply certain verses in Scripture to our very human lives.  Why wouldn't we want a life verse?!

As I read through a few Psalms this morning, a verse that I had underlined jumped off the page and spoke to my heart.  And here it is:

"You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." (Psalm 16:11, NIV)

I also love The Message paraphrase of this verse:

"Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face.  Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way." (Psalm 16:11, The Message)

Throughout the past year and a half, I have been on a journey to finding satisfaction in my God.  This verse speaks volume to me.  I think it's my current life verse for this season! He has used His Word to make known to me the path of life!  And that life is in Him!

So, what about you, friend? 

Do you have a life verse? 

If so, what is it?!