Category: Whispers (Page 52 of 161)

While on our trip, I began reading a book of a young woman whose openness to God was so inspiring, and His love just poured out of her to all those around her. She had a hard beginning as she lost her mother when very young, and she died when only 24, but in that time, she touched so many lives. I would like to share a few of the things she had to say so that we may love the Lord in deeper ways and give Him all that we are. But just like Valentines are often secretly given, I will keep her identity a secret that we may apply what she has to say to our own lives today.

We don’t have to be rich and beautiful to be loved, because God loves us in our littleness and poverty. In fact, the poorer we are the more we may rely on God rather than ourselves. It is like when we approach God in our weaknesses, it is not a liability but an asset. We don’t have to feel bad that we are not better than we are because the littlest in God’s kingdom is the greatest. God knows our faults and we all have them, but we can cast them into the fire of His love, just like that of a trusting child, and they will be consumed for God is full or mercy and love.

We don’t have to be fearful of God, but rather open ourselves to His ways and transforming love. He loves us for our own sake and wants us to love Him also for His sake. He doesn’t hate us when we sin but rather hates the harm our sin does to us. We can never be good enough to earn salvation but our serving others is an expression of our love for the Lord. All love must be freely given or it isn’t love. We must be humble and childlike for Jesus said, “Whover humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 18:4)

Let us be single minded in our love for the Lord so that we express love to Him whether we are experiencing good things or hard things. Let us also be true to Him and not chase after other lovers, only Him. The young person I write about was so eager for heaven and humbly waiting to be with the Lord.

 “Under His wings I am safely abiding; Though the night deepens and tempests are wild, Still I can trust Him—I now He will keep me; He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

  Refrain: Under his wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever? Under His wings my soul shall abide, Safely, abide forever.”

Challenge for today: The next time you go through sorrow and times of darkness, call out to the Lord and let Him hide you under His wings.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend! Maybe I am enjoying it too much as I forgot to send out today’s devotion. We arrived safely in KS at our son’s yesterday afternoon and had time to catch up with family, and even some family movies. This morning Al and I went to Panera’s for coffee and to a bookstore and this afternoon we are going to a Nursery to make a floral arrangement that our granddaughter will be demonstrating. Tomorrow is the big day here when the Chiefs play and even at church most people will be clothed in red! Go Chiefs!

  We can’t compartmentalize our lives into what we are at church and then what we are in the world. We are the same on the inside and often there is a battle going on as to choose to do right, even when we want to do wrong and hit the horn at our neighbor! But besides forgetting patience when we leave church, we may be neglectful in our prayer lives. While in church we may love the beautiful prayers, but when we get home, we worry rather than pray. We forget to go to God first and tell Him even the smallest details of our lives to the biggies. Maybe we also lose our joy when we leave the peaceful setting of the church for our trying circumstances at home, and we feel downcast. But as Nehemiah says in Neh.8:10 “The joy of the Lord is our strength!”  Our joy is not dependent on everything perfect and harmonious but in the Lord.

Well, when leaving church there is also forgetfulness in serving, for at church we may gladly join others as we work together but then forget to serve at home. Heavens forbid that we should have to take out the garbage!  We may also neglect to show love to our enemies or tell others about the Lord. Sometimes we can also lose our peace when leaving church for we get overly busy and don’t take time to rest and be restored; it’s just work, work, work! But lastly let us all not forget His grace to us, for we are not perfect, but His grace will cover us!

Hope you have a wonderful day! I have Exercise class and then Al and I are invited out by a couple who have been married longer than we have. Tonight is Bible Study and next week will already be the start of Lent.

The Bible is full of examples of people who started strong and then did not finish well. I am reading of the kings in the Old Testament and so many of them compromised and allowed idle worship etc. and ended up losing everything. But we also have many positive examples of those who persevered even to the point of giving their lives. (Look in Hall of fame in Hebrews 11)  It further goes on to say in Heb. 12:1-2, “Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross shame: whatever.  And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.”

The enemy wants us to give up, give in, and not keep the goal before us. Since our world is opposed to God, we can expect we will suffer hardship and be made fun of and left out of certain things. But let that not stop us from following the Lord. We are to keep going, persevering in faith and hope. We can count on the Lord being right there with us through even those times we falter, but let us get up again and never quit. May we strip off any thing that weighs us down so we can run to the finish line!

Many in our culture work so many hours to the neglect of their families and forgo vacations to get ahead with no time to enjoy life. They may not even enjoy their job and yet most of their hours are consumed at work building their careers. We also see the opposite side of those who feel they don’t have to work and become lazy and live off of others. The apostle Paul speaks to that in II Thess. 3 when he says he labored night and day, so he wouldn’t be a burden to them. He warns the church to stay away from those who are idle and refuse to work; in verse 10 says, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” Let us be careful not to a workaholic or a dropout.

Work is good and we know God worked on 6 days in creating everything but then rested on the 7^th day. Work is an activity of God and He wants to also guide us to work with a purpose and with balance. Hopefully we love what we do and we work hard and play hard. Sometimes we need to unplug for we can feel like we are on a treadmill and can’t get off. But our body, soul, and spirit need renewing. Life is not about the amount of money we earn, but lives we touch and the accomplishment of God’s will in our lives. Our success is not a title we earn rather that God is at the center of our work and our very lives. Let us not be compulsive about our work or neglectful by constant play or we will miss what is most important. Live life for Him!