Most of the last (almost) eleven months I’ve been in the furnace, I’ve felt the Son of God in the fire right next to me. Praise the Lord, I’ve been blessed with many people praying on my behalf, especially in the beginning and for the next several months, and that has made all the difference.
But there have been days I only feel the red hot, scorching, sweltering heat. On those days the Lord gently reminds me there’s another perspective. That I’m not in the fire to be hurt, but to be refined, to burn off the impurities so that my faith will come forth as pure gold.
There are so many good and godly perspectives to have when in the heat of a trial.
He even reminded me through a dear friend recently when she said, “Look how far you’ve come!” Oh, was she right.
The Lord continues to hold my hand, to coax me along, to encourage me on those hard, exhausting days when it’s all just so overwhelming, reminding me to lay down my flesh, my human perspective, and see through His eyes.
To punctuate that thought, He spoke to me through an amazing woman whose life I can’t even begin to imagine, but she’s living it with His grace, with His eyes, bringing Him glory.
Through Katherine Wolf’s story, the Lord reminded me that I don’t need to see my life as a cup that’s half empty or even half full, but that because of His love, “my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5b)
I hope you’re blessed by her story.
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I love court shows. Well, not all of them, but there are a couple I like to watch. Every once in a while one judge in particular will bring up the concept in the law of unclean hands. That is when a someone sues another person, but they themselves acted illegally, unethically or in bad faith.
This judge will usually explain it by using an example like this: let’s say someone sold another person illegal drugs and the buyer didn’t pay the seller the amount they agreed so the seller is suing for the money. The judge will explain that the courts can’t do that. They can’t make fair or right something that’s illegal.
We love justice. God built into us a sense of fairness, of right and wrong. That’s why people protest, why people speak out, why people love court shows.
The problem, though, is sometimes we’re all too willing to overlook our own sin.
There are times we stand in prayer before the Father, the ultimate Judge, with “unclean hands.” We’ve chosen to repeatedly walk a sinful path, to hold onto some sinful attitude, like not forgiving someone for the sin they’ve committed against us when God’s forgiven us for a lifetime of sin, and then ask Him to bless us.
Yes, we ask for forgiveness, and in Christ we are forgiven and won’t face eternal punishment for our sins, but when we’ve chosen sin we can’t expect God to bless us or protect us from the consequences of that sin.
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12
In Christ, God’s called us to a holy life, a life different than the world, a life of death to self’s indulgence to sin, not only to glorify Him but because He desires to protect us from the consequences that sin brings – the pain and suffering, the lack of peace, sometimes even an early death.
Our God is more gracious and merciful than any earthly judge, and for a time He may warn us to stop, but if we don’t heed His warning, He’ll give us over to sin’s consequences to teach us so we’ll stop sinning.
Or, every day, over and over, we can choose to take up our cross, die to ourselves and follow Christ who gave up His life for us. We can choose to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, knowing our righteous Father will bless us with His favor – His delight and good pleasure.
Course that doesn’t mean that by living righteously we’ll never suffer and it doesn’t mean every time there’s a trial in our lives we’ve done something wrong. It just means we live in a sin-filled world.
Someday all sin will be judged and the new world will be perfect the way God intended it to be in the beginning.
Until then, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to walk uprightly, glorifying our Heavenly Father, receive His blessings, and rest in His peace.
* * *
Heavenly Father, we ask not only for forgiveness for our sins, but from the heart we repent of them and turn from them. In your strength may we daily walk the narrow road and have eyes only for You. Thank you for the amazing grace and mercy we know we don’t deserve but that you’ve shown us over and over. May we never take it for granted nor abuse it. Out of our love for You and our gratitude, may we always choose to live righteously, giving our bodies to You as living sacrifices. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Much of my life I seemed to walk alone. Or so I thought.Through more difficult days I can count, more trials, more stumbling and reaching out in the darkness for someone to help me up and thinking no one was there, now I see Jesus was.
It was He who led me, He who protected me, He who lifted me up again and again, and He who loved me through it all, and I know He always will.
I pray you know He’s there for you, too. I pray you know He carried your sins on the cross, even when He knew the sins that would stumble you, and He loved you still.
I pray you know when you’re in need He’ll provide for you; when you fall He’ll pick you up; when you’re empty He’ll fill you; when you’re lost He’ll come after you; when you’re broken He’ll weep with you, and then He’ll heal your heart, as many times as it takes.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
I Will Carry You by Ellie Holcomb
I know you’re tired, I see it in your eyes All that anxiety that rules your mind I’ll be your shield when you don’t feel like You’ve got strength enough to fight I’ll stand by your side
I will carry you Through your darkest night When you’re terrified I will carry you When the waters rise When your hope runs dry I will carry you
You are not the sum of your mistakes You don’t have to hide the parts of you that ache I choose you as you are a million times ‘Cause I am not ashamed of you I won’t walk away from you
I will carry you Through your darkest night When you’re terrified I will carry you When the waters rise When your hope runs dry I will carry you
Up and over the mountains Valley deep as the ocean When you can’t keep going I will shoulder your burdens Up and over the mountains Valley deep as the ocean When you can’t keep going I will shoulder your burdens
I will carry you Through your darkest night When you’re terrified I will carry you (carry you) When the waters rise When your hope runs dry I will carry you
I will carry you, carry you Through the darkest night (you) When you’re terrified (I will shoulder your burdens) I will carry you, carry you When the waters rise (you) I will carry you
Remember being in school, having gotten to the end of the semester, maybe the year. You walk into the classroom and sit down, thinking it’s going to be just another ho-hum day, when the teacher walks to the front of the class and announces there’s going to be a pop quiz on everything you’ve learned (or haven’t) up to that point. Soon you find out exactly how well you’ve been paying attention.
I recently had one of those days, not in school, but in life.
I woke up on a Friday, looking forward to the weekend, and instead found myself hours later in a hospital bed hearing the doctor tell me news I never expected – I’d had a stroke.
Suddenly I was faced with the constant choice, every minute of every day, with every new twist and turn, to believe what my God had taught me the last 32 years, or not. How well had I truly internalized what I’d read and heard; how well had I learned my lessons in previous “quizzes?” Did I believe He was with me, that His love was true, that in Him my suffering had a purpose, that He would never leave me or forsake me?
Had I truly walked with my God, my Father, my Savior, my Lord, or had I been kidding myself?
In the last three months I’ve had a few bad days, when it’s all been just too much, too overwhelming, too “unfair.”
But for the most part I’ve looked around and seen God’s grace and mercy in a myriad of ways. So much grace and mercy. I’ve felt His presence, His indwelling Holy Spirit, giving me joy and hope, even in the face of reasons to have very little.
There are many of those stories to tell, and God willing, I will.
But the good news is my faith has once again been proven to be real.If it were never real, if it was only a “said” faith – in word only – but no real belief, no indwelling and sealing by the Holy Spirit, I surely would have dropped out by now.
Oh, I’ve had days where I questioned,I’ve been angry, but God’s been there even in the middle of that. His understanding and compassion no one can fathom. I am still His child and He is still my Father, and no one can separate me from His love.
For a while I’ve kept a flip calendar that has a new scripture for each day. I have yet to flip the page from the one it was on the day my life changed.
“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'” Psalm 91:2
Those words have been a reminder to me every day where my hope lies.
So, when the next trial pops into your life, will you be ready? When your faith is tested, will you persevere because you’ve been learning to trust Him all along? Are you preparing now by seeking Jesus with all your heart, by building on that relationship with Him every day so that you know Him, and when the trial comes, you’ll know He’s where He’s always been – right by your side?
I pray your hope lies in the only One who is completely trustworthy, that your faith, your belief is in His Son Jesus as Lord and Savior, for “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
If not, or if you’re not sure, just ask Him. Ask God to forgive you of your sins, and tell Him you’re putting your faith in His Son Jesus and His blood that was shed on the cross to pay for your sins.
Read, listen, and learn all you can. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love others as yourself. And when life hits you hard, as it does for everyone, you’ll be ready, and He’ll be there.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day
To everyone who’s lost someone they love Long before it was their time You feel like the days you had were not enough When you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains Keeping you back from your life You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary And love for the broken heart And there is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He’ll meet you wherever you are Cry out to Jesus Cry out to Jesus
For the marriage that’s struggling just to hang on They’ve lost all of their faith in love And they’ve done all they can to make it right again, still it’s not enough
For the ones who can’t break the addictions and chains You try to give up but you come back again Just remember that you’re not alone in your shame And your suffering
There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary And love for the broken heart And there is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He’ll meet you wherever you are Cry out to Jesus
When you’re lonely And it feels like the whole world is falling on you You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus Cry to Jesus
To the widow who suffers from being alone Wiping the tears from her eyes And for the children around the world without a home Say a prayer tonight
There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary And love for the broken heart And there is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He’ll meet you wherever you are
There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary And love for the broken heart And there is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He’ll meet you wherever you are Cry out to Jesus Cry out to Jesus Oh, cry out to Jesus Cry out to Jesus
“Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and went up to Him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped Him in the face.
As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify! Crucify!'” John 19:1-3
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4
Heavenly Father, help us walk through the hard things in this life with the hope you’ve given us for the next. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.
It is incredibly easy to get focused on what’s going wrong, what went wrong, and what might go wrong in the future.
Paul had plenty he could have been depressed about when he wrote his letter to the Church in Philippi.
He was writing while imprisoned unjustly and constantly guarded, and had to rely on people outside the prison to supply most of his food and anything else he needed. He lived with a chronic health issue. And he faced the real possibility of execution.
Five times he’d been punished with thirty-nine lashes, three times he was beaten with rods and once was stoned. He was shipwrecked three times, and spent a whole night adrift at sea. He faced danger from rivers, robbers, Jews and Gentiles, wolves in sheep’s clothing, in cities, deserts, and on the seas. He had sleepless nights, had gone without food and water, and had shivered from enduring cold without enough clothing to keep him warm.
But Paul did not focus on those outward things.
His focus was on his Savior and his calling, and both of those led him to have a heart for God’s people. Instead of thinking about all that was going wrong or could go wrong, he’s writing a letter to the body of Christ to encourage them.
He tells them not to worry about him, but reminds them the truth that his imprisonment has only served to advance the gospel inside and outside the prison.
He finds it praiseworthy that his imprisonment has served to strengthen the faith of believers, that they “dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.”
And he speaks of the loveliness of this body of believers in sharing in his suffering by sending him aid.
Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul are laser-focused on the Lord, on getting out the gospel for the sake of lost souls, and encouraging his beloved brothers and sisters.
If we’re abiding in Christ, our circumstances are in the hands of a gracious and merciful and loving Father. And the excellent thing about Him is that He loves to be our strength when we are weak, and He will use those circumstances in ways we might not know about until we see Him face to face.
Paul never knew he was writing the majority of the New Testament, and that 2000 years later we would be benefitting from the encouragement he took and wrote about to the churches while he was in prison.
Yes, there’s a lot going on in our own lives and all around us we could focus on that is untrue, unjust, unrighteous, etc., etc., and etc.
But we can take our thoughts away from those things and focus them on the Lord, the gospel, and our calling. We walk in the Spirit by first thinking in the Spirit, seeing our circumstances through the eyes of Christ, remembering He has a plan, and praise Him for all the ways He’s blessed us, is blessing us, and will bless us.
God’s given each of us spiritual gifts to use, and circumstances that allow us to use them.
I think about my own life, and let me tell you, it’s been a doozy. Almost from day 1 to now it’s been an uphill climb. Sometimes I come to some level ground, although even that’s been rocky. And every once in a while I come to an oasis – a true word from the Lord, a lovely friend, or a praiseworthy answer to prayer.
Yet I remember that it is in the very depths of those difficult circumstances that draw me to Christ, keep me needing Him, abiding in Him, and loving Him more and more. And without all He’s taught me through them, I wouldn’t have had much, if anything, to write about.
Even if we can think of nothing else, we can focus on the fact that
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7
So. What can we focus on right now, today, that is
True (truth)?
Noble (worthy of respect)?
Right (just, in character or act)?
Pure (innocent, modest, perfect)?
Lovely (friendly towards)?
Admirable (well spoken of)?
Excellent (praise, virtue)?
Praiseworthy (commendable)?
Hint: The best place to be reminded of all that is true and praiseworthy and everything in between is in the very pages of God’s Word. (Can you imagine Paul’s joy knowing that here we are in 2021 taking courage from his encouragement?)
And one more word of truth lived out by our brother Paul –
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:5
Heavenly Father, we give you praise for our salvation through Christ and for the continual blessing of the Holy Spirit. When we begin to get our eyes onto things or perspectives that would bring us down, remind us of what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Help us remember and live worthy of our calling to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ. And thank you for preparing for us a place in heaven, where we will live with you and everything that is good and right and holy forever and ever. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Seventeen years ago this month my life turned upside down. Or more accurately, I was already upside down and God was turning me right side up.
A lot has happened in that time. A lot of mistakes, a lot of learning, a lot of growing, and a lot of healing.
Not the kind of healing I originally wanted, but certainly the kind I needed. The kind a good and loving Father knows His child needs, and ultimately wants.
In January 2004 I had some symptoms, but nothing too concerning yet. What did concern me is that I kept hearing one phrase from the Lord – “Be strong and courageous.” I heard it at church, on the radio, and in my own studies. Four times that month I heard “Be strong and courageous.”
The first time: Yes, that’s an encouraging word. The second time: Yep, I want to be strong and courageous. The third time: Hmm… “Lord, what are you trying to say?” The fourth time: A friend at church who I’d talked to about these repeated commands from the Lord turned around during the teaching and we just looked at each other. What could this mean?
Then, long story short, one Sunday afternoon in February, I found myself at the hospital being evaluated.
“Be strong and courageous.”
I have meditated on and prayed about these words ever since. And little by little, the Lord’s helped me understand them. The funny thing is, its meaning is so simple, yet the application can be so difficult.
The phrase can be found eleven times in the Old Testament (and one time in the New, but that’s a slightly different story for a different day), most of them as Joshua was about to lead Israel into the Promised Land.
Moses had just died, and God had called Joshua to lead His people. God speaks to Joshua, letting him know that without a doubt, through every obstacle they would face, He would lead them there.
Joshua 1:6 – “Be strong and courageous…” Joshua 1:7 – “Be strong and very courageous…” Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
In each of these verses, the word “strong,” in part, means “to fasten upon; to seize…”
The dictionary says fasten means “to attach firmly or securely in place; fix securely to something else.”
Now, fast forward to Jesus talking to His disciples.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears muchfruit; for without Me you can donothing..” John 15:5
During this conversation, Jesus uses the word abide, or remain, seven times.
The word “abide” means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): – abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain…”
He’s driving home the fact that, just as a branch must remain attached to the vine so the branch can receive life, grow, and produce fruit, we must remain in Him. Our growth and ability to produce spiritual fruit hinges on us continually abiding, remaining, making our home in Him.
God told Joshua over and over to be strong, to fasten himself, to hold onto God who would do everything needed to ensure their victory as they crossed into the Promised Land.
Jesus reiterated His Father’s words, telling His disciples, and us, to abide in Him, to remain in Him continually.
Don’t break off from Him out of fear, anger, anxiety, or just being plain confused and not knowing what to do. Remain in Him. Obey Him. Trust Him. Join with Him in prayer. Abide in Him as a branch abides in a vine, so we can grow and bear much fruit.
The word courageous means “to be alert, physically and mentally, to be steadfastly minded, establish, make strong…”
The Israelites would meet enemies along the way, and so will we. As we abide in Christ, we must also remain alert and steadfast, remembering that though we have an enemy who will try to trip us up, the Lord has gone before us, and if we’ll remain in Him, He will make us more than conquerors.
And one more note.
I’ve been going through a group study with a book called Abide In Christ by Andrew Murray. I highly recommend it. It was what drove home the truth of what God was saying to me seventeen years ago, and how He enlightened and assured me further. As I was praying during one of my study times, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I will sustain you.”
You might guess what I did. Yep, went to look up the word sustain. I found it in Psalm 55:22:
“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
Sustain means “to keep in; to maintain, be able to abide…”
Jesus said “Abide in Me, and I in you.”
The Lord’s promise to all of us who abide in Him is that not only will He abide in us, He will enable us to continue abiding in Him. He will maintain us, support us, bear us up under trial or affliction, just like He’s done for me the last seventeen years.
So be strong and courageous. The world doesn’t seem to be letting up on the crazy, and I suspect it won’t. But as we abide in Him, God Himself will abide in us and take us victoriously into the Promised Land.
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; All your waves and breakers Have swept over me.” Psalm 42:7
There is something about an 80 foot swell that can get our attention. That’s how it can feel when the trials of life come over us, one, after another, after another. We feel almost as if we could drown under the weight of it, so we stop, lift up our hands, and call on the Lord to save us.
He calls to us in the trial, and from the depths, we call back. Spirit calls to spirit, deep calls to deep.
On this National Day of Prayer, let’s lift up our hands to worship in spirit and in truth. Let’s come boldly before the throne, lay our hearts bare, and call to Him to is able.
Let’s let the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts, reveal our sins for confession, and intercede on behalf of our country, our leaders, our neighbors, our business owners, our pastors, our brothers and sisters in the Lord, and for those who are still lost.
Let’s stop, and hear the calling of the Lord in the trial, in the waves of suffering, and let Him have His glorious way in and through us.
Oh Heavenly Father, please forgive us for wandering so far from you and for our many sins. Thank you for sending your Son to the cross in our place to take the judgment we deserve.
Lord, we lift up our country, and every country, and pray for your mercy. We pray you would bind the enemy, that you would allow spiritual eyes to be opened, repentance of sin granted, and that multitudes would believe on your Son as Lord and Savior for the conversion of their souls.
We pray for revival, for salvation and the filling and power of your Holy Spirit, in and out of the church. We pray for your wisdom for our leaders, we pray for healing from this virus that has caused loss of life, inundated the healthcare system, and shut down the livelihood for so many.
We pray you would comfort those who are grieving, heal those who are sick, strengthen those who are working so hard, provide for those who are out of work, and we pray for every business to be open and fully functioning again.
We pray you would strengthen and speak through our pastors. We pray we would be mindful to be witnesses and examples of your love wherever we go, that the world would know we are your disciples by our love for one another, and that love would draw people who are thirsty for love to your fountain of grace.
We pray our trials are never wasted, Lord, and that your will is done through it all. In the midst of all the chaos that can so easily grab our attention, help us to focus on you and to be about your business, functioning in the gifts you’ve given each of us for the benefit of the Body and to bring you glory. In Jesus’ holy and precious name we pray, amen.
Most of the last (almost) eleven months I’ve been in the furnace, I’ve felt the Son of God in the fire right next to me. Praise the Lord, I’ve been blessed with many people praying on my behalf, especially in the beginning and for the next several months, and that has made all the difference.
