How are you waiting?

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:10)

As I am sitting here at the computer writing this blog the pointing finger is aimed at me first. The reason that it is aimed at us is because we have something to think about. The Word of God tells us that Jesus is coming like a thief. Expected, seen, noticed by all, and with an entrance that everyone will be able to see. However we are also told that like a thief in the night who comes unannounced and at any time, we don’t know the day, the date, or the hour of Christ’s arrival. The people of the world live in disbelief that we have a Savior and they definitely laugh off the possibility that He will come again. The finger points ahead at the Children of God and asks how are we living and what in our hearts do we truly believe?

“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:3-14)

We can see the evidence of the nearness of Christ every day. But are we concerned how we are living? Do we clean up our hearts and prepare the way for the Lord’s coming as John the Baptist did in the Gospels? The finger is aimed at me first my brothers and sisters for I have some things in my life that I need to let go of myself yet we are told that the time is near and at hand. The good news is that we have a God who is faithful to wash us clean and to give us a helping hand as long as we are willing to accept His offer. The world thinks that Jesus is not returning, many have turned from the truth entirely, and even more don’t believe that He ever came to earth at all let alone died for us.

What do you think? What do you believe? Are we living as a people hoping and awaiting a Savior who has saved us, who saves us every day, and who is coming back again to save us? I invite all of us to take the Lord at His word and to get ready, for soon the day will come. Stay awake and keep watch, guard your hearts, and “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11)

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus went to pray nearby and told His disciples to pray as well and they fell asleep exhausted with sorrow at the Lord’s capture and death. Today as followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we must stay awake and keep watch. The Lord is coming and we must be ready and steady in prayer. We know that our Savior lives! At the time of the disciples snoozing they had no understanding that Christ came to die and to rise again! We have that hope and knowledge praise God! Now let us go and live like it!

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Yet as we wait expectantly for our Lord to come and by His grace to,

“teach us to reject ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live sensible, upright and godly lives in this present age.” (Titus 2:11)

Let us take care not to forget the hope that we have in His return lest we also forget, to share that hope with the world.

“Keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.” (Jude 1:21)

“while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13-14)

The Lord is faithful and what He says will be will be. So let us wait faithfully and hopefully for the Lord’s second coming, knowing that He is faithful to save.

First and Foremost

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

We are taught in the Bible that we are to seek God and His righteousness and all of our needs will be met in Christ Jesus, who knows what we need before we ask them of Him. In the verses prior to this one Jesus is giving His sermon on the mount and instructing all of us not to worry about and focus on the things of this world like food and drink but to focus instead on Godly character, moral integrity, and those things which first please the Lord. It is not that God is saying that our lives will be perfect here once we do this but that we are to keep our focus on the things of God and on His promises for our lives. When we keep God at the forefront of our lives we will begin to recognize that He is a good and loving Father who wants the best for His children.

In Matthew 6:34 the Lord Jesus says,

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.”

We are given days with 24 hours in them and in each day as the Lord says, we have troubles and hurdles to overcome but when we put our hope and our trust in the Lord our worries will be reduced as we remember that we can,

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Be encouraged that the Lord knows what You need. He also knows what You want and yet we too must remember that what we want isn’t always the best for us. God is over us and He not only sees us all but He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). He can search our hearts, and He knows the beginning and the end of every situation. The thought can be frightening until we remember as Joseph said in the book of Genesis,

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)

Joseph was sold into slavery by His own brothers, He was falsely accused of rape by a married woman who wanted him all to herself, and he was thrown into prison. Yet out of all of these things God was watching over him and knew (although Joseph didn’t at the time) that Joseph would be promoted as second-in-command of Egypt in order to make preparations for the coming famine, would be reunited with his family and help to save them, and the people of Egypt from starvation.

Things may look bleak at times. Things may be very difficult. But the Lord wants You to know that He’s got you and that He is not unaware of Your needs. Place Your faith in Him allowing confident hope that He knows and that He understands fill you up to overflowing with faith and the knowledge of God in abundance. Here on earth it is the enemy who means things for our harm and it is the Lord who works out everything for our good while we continue to seek His Kingdom first and place our full trust, faith, and reliance on Him seeking His will for our lives.

Hope in the Lord today and be blessed to be a blessing to this world. For no matter where you are or who you are, you are a blessing. Amen.

A Bucket of Mercy

“Once you were not a people but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:10)

This morning I was doing my daily guided meditation on the Abide app which takes you through the word of God, and I was led on a journey through the word of God on mercy. The guide this morning invited us to imagine God pouring mercy on us and what it would look like. I had trouble at first on my own because it was difficult for me to see a concept such as mercy raining down on me and all I could imagine was the word MERCY written in caps, falling down on me from the sky, and hitting me on the head. I was about to give up on the exercise and open my eyes to press play for the meditation to continue, when God granted me assistance from His creative helping hand.

In my minds eye things began to change and everything turned white. I saw a plain gray pail like the kind you buy at a dollar store to use for mopping and from it poured down a white iridescence that washed me clean and turned to gold. The experience was beautiful and I felt a flood of peace in real time pour over me. I thanked God for the experience then had a fallible human moment where I attempted to change the color and details of the bucket with my own limited imagination. I felt that the bucket should be more elaborate with gold, jewels, and platinum handles but no matter how I attempted to change the way the bucket looked I couldn’t, it remained gray and simple. “Lord”, I asked Him, “Why won’t the bucket change?” I received no answer and then the Holy Spirit opened my eyes so that I understood.

This morning I had been feeling ashamed of myself, inconsequential, and discouraged. The book of Isaiah teaches us that Jesus Himself was viewed like this by the world.

“He grew up like a small plant before the Lord, like a root growing in a dry land. He had no special beauty or form to make us notice him; there was nothing in his appearance to make us desire him.”   (Isaiah 53:2).

The Lord was showing me that,

“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

God’s ways are not our ways and it doesn’t matter who the world thinks we are and it definitely doesn’t matter how the world thinks of Jesus. He came into this world as a humble servant as we are to go out into the world in the same way as His followers. When God looks at us He pours out His mercy and goodness every day from a bucket that the world doesn’t even know exists or that only views as common. No matter where you are in the world, in your walk of faith, and in your service know that God is pouring out His love and His mercy on you. It doesn’t matter to Him how you look. It doesn’t matter to Him how much or how little you make. It doesn’t matter to Him what your past was. What matters to Him is your heart and how you use it by His grace and for His glory.

Remember today that God doesn’t see who you have been He sees who you are today, and in Him who you are becoming. Let His grace and mercy pour on you like a flood my brothers and sisters and dance in it singing His praise.

Hope and A Future

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

I am generally not the type of person who announces things prior to getting them don. At times even after the fact I don’t really like to tell many people about my developments, and yet I am learning that there are times to humbly announce to others your accomplishments in Christ so that you may share in the praise and glorify God along with your brothers and sisters in Christ. So today as God is my witness I humbly announce to all of you that I have received news yesterday that I have been approved as a Chaplain by and through the grace of God alone. For a month now I have been studying and preparing for the Chaplaincy and am most thankful to God for choosing such as me for this opportunity.

The verse I began this post with from Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise and a hope that I have stood by, yet I have to admit that there are times when I have doubted whether or not this promise was for me. If you are finding yourself in the same boat and in the same storm that I was in I want you to know right now that if the good Lord can make something of me He can do the same for you. My testimony is one of heartache, pain, abuse by friends and family, drugs, and the constant mistrial of attempting to fill a void with men, food, and material possessions; a void that only God was meant to fill. Yet our Heavenly Father still chose me.

In the bible we see God choosing a stubborn and ungrateful people to be His chosen ones, we see Him inviting a doubtful man named Moses to lead His people out of slavery and part the red sea, we see the Lord choosing a murderous and sinful man to be the king of a nation and the ancestor of Jesus our Lord and Savior, we see Jesus God the Father’s only begotten son choosing 12 of the most unlikely men to be His disciples, and the transformation of the apostle Paul who persecuted and invited the murder of Christ’s followers when he had a personal encounter with Jesus the Christ. I say all this to make perfectly clear that if God would choose such unlikely men and women I mean look at the Samaritan Woman at the well and Mary Magdalene the first preacher, if God would choose them and if He chose me why wouldn’t He choose you? He will and He does.

God’s timing isn’t like ours. Habakkuk 2:3 says, ““For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” It has taken me 35 years to forgive others, to let go and let God, and to repent of my sins even after being saved by grace. Even though I am now a Chaplain I still have a ways to go. It’s important to recognize for myself first and then for you that we are not going to be perfect now. We are still going to sin and to make mistakes. The good part is however that we are being perfected each and every day into the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we can go to the throne of grace where we will find mercy when we need forgiveness of our sins and help in times of need (Hebrews 4:16), we are considered righteous not because of anything we have done but by what our Savior did for us on the cross of our salvation, and we also have the promise that one day we will be perfect where there is no sin and death anymore, in heaven.

So my encouragement for you is to keep on going. Persevere and endure until the end. Don’t look back and don’t fret about the future. Keep your eyes on the Lord and surrender to Him your moments. When you are walking alone He is right there with you. When you are tempted He knows what you are facing because He was there too. When you are restless, angry, frightened, stressed out, or feeling everything at once because life is life-ing you, He is there too and through it all He is your hope because He has a plan for you.

Be blessed to be a blessing today. For you are indeed a blessing. Amen.

Sometimes Answered Prayer Has A Different Outcome

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken
those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)

Today was a bit of a day let me tell you. I woke up and I spent time in the word, I was singing “New Wine.” by Hillsong Worship, and I was in solitude in the Spirit. Then somehow as it always does… life set in. I’m a type 1 brittle diabetic which means that my sugar levels have the tendency to be all over the place and today was one of those mornings when my sugar was a little on the low side and as luck had it it happened during the filming I was watching of my churches service. So, the Pastor was giving a great sermon then my mood shifted and I began to get really irritated for no reason. I am sitting there still watching like, “what is wrong with me? The enemy must be really upset that I am here watching the sermon because my Pastor is on fire today, and yet I am really annoyed.”

In the middle of the sermon (and this had to be God) I decide to make some breakfast all without checking my sugar mind you and as I’m doing so the utensils get really heavy, I feel my face go all sour, and then I remember “Hey I’m a diabetic. Maybe I should go check my sugar.”, and lo and behold it’s low. So I take in some sugar tablets, my sugar is going back up, I eat breakfast and then think my day is finally going to go right. Dead wrong. The phone rings while my mood is still on the rise and my boyfriend is telling me about the bad things that have been going on in his day. I start telling him about my day and then about himself… and life is just not going the way I had intended. So I turn to pray.

I begin asking the Lord to change my day from worse to much better. I expect Him to answer in a mighty big way; to part the red seas and do some miracle that the world will see and come to glorify God, but that didn’t happen and the message to me became clear. Sometimes answered prayer has a different outcome. We can expect things to go one way and God sees a different way of doing things that far outreaches our small expectations of Him. What I had in mind was prayer answered on a monumental level that would not have caused me to grow spiritually. What God had in mind was a change of my heart and my boyfriends in the form of prayer and guidance from close Christian friends.

When I met up with my boyfriend we were both a mess. We have been speaking with a close friend of ours who happens to be a Chaplain and he has been leading us to put God at the center of our lives, guiding us along in our soon approaching marriage. This day we had an appointment with him and we had had homework to do. I had completed mine and had bible verses and a prayer to hit the meaning home and my boyfriend hadn’t even done his, but he had it in his mind what he was going to say. I had had some words about that but when he did open his mouth to speak a breakthrough occurred and as I listened and watched him struggle with the words I began to see him in a new light. I saw his humanity, his struggles with God, and his struggles within himself. We cried and we held onto one another close and although the day still wasn’t perfect, to us in that moment it sure was. Our relationship grew with one another through the struggle and our friendship with my friend and his wife got closer and stronger too. I say all this to say my brothers and sisters out there, trust in God’s way. It is always better than ours.

Be blessed to be a blessing today. In Jesus name. Amen.

He Can Take it. Let it out!

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

God calls man to praise Him and in the Word of God we are often told to find joy in our sufferings rejoicing in the midst of our struggles (Romans 5:3-5). Yet the bible is also filled with books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes which speak to the struggles that we face in real time and offer wisdom and insight in how to stay on the narrow road that leads to eternal life. The book of Psalms is a wealth of prayers, laments, and cries of despair to God that result in answers from God and a restoration of hope.

God wants to bring us to a place of praise in Him and yet if our hope is lost, if we find ourselves overwhelmed by feelings of anger towards God, depression, and despair that we can’t seem to control, and if our sadness floods onto our pillow like a river at night it can be difficult to tap into praise and we may find ourselves asking God “Why me?” , “How could You?” or even not seeking His face at all. There may even be flashes of guilt where we run and hide from God in shame for having these feelings leading us to question our own faith in a dark season. Perhaps our emotions have been invalidated so we have come to believe that our feelings are a sign that we are caught up in some sin, when the truth is that we all have rough patches and difficult moments in our lives that our gracious God can pull us out of. Maybe we are torn apart by the blessings of others while we seem to keep coming up empty. Whatever the case and whatever the feelings let it out because God can handle them all. Not some but… every. single. one.

One thing I have found is that the bible is filled with the bad and the good which makes sense considering it is a Holy book about Gods love triumphing over sin, death, and evil. God knows you best and He loves you in spite of anything that you are feeling. You are accepted by Him and you are very dear to Him. God made you and He has created you with emotions and expressions. Sin came into the world and we have to suffer through so much here, but in Christ you are NEVER alone. Let these bible verses speak to you and when you can’t speak yourself, cry them aloud to God and let them speak for you.

Abandoned: Psalm 22, Psalm 88

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? I have cried desperately for help, but still it does not come. During the day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer; I call at night, but get no rest.” (Psalm 22:10-11)

I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit;I am like one without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,whom you remember no more,who are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest pit,in the darkest depths. Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.” (Psalm 88:1-8)

Angry: Psalm 6, Psalm 13,

“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?” (Psalm 6:3)

“How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart day after day?” (Psalm 13:1-2)

Discouraged: Psalm 42

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you restless and disturbed within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalm 42:5)

Doubtful/Faithless: Psalm 19, Psalm 139

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.” (Psalm 19:1-6)

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.” (Psalm 139:13-18)

Fearful: Psalm 23, Psalm 27, Psalm 56, Psalm 91

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort and console me. You prepare a table before my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:4-6)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation- Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life- Whom shall I dread?” (Psalm 27:1)

“You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in a bottle. Are they not recorded in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know that God is for me. In God whose word I praise, In the Lord whose word I praise, in God I put my trust and confident reliance, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:8-11)

“You will not be afraid of the terror of night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but danger will not come near you.” (Psalm 91:5-7)

Lonely: Psalm 25

“Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.” (Psalm 25:16)

Sad: Psalm 6, Psalm 34:18

“I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” (Psalm 6:6)

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

Worried or Anxious: Psalm 37, Psalm 40, Psalm 121

“Do not worry because of evildoers, nor be envious toward wrongdoers; for they will wither quickly like the grass, and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him also and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:1-5)

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:1-3)

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth…” (Psalm 121:1-2)

No matter where you are in this season of your life there is a psalm to help you to get reconnected with God, and a bible story to increase your faith in the goodness of our Lord. Your feelings are valid my friend and Gods ears are open to listen to you speak them. Remember man may not be able to take them, but God has been ready and waiting to hear them. Don’t be afraid of lightning and thunder, don’t be ashamed of sharing any of your feelings with the Lord. Jesus took on the crucifixion so that you might be saved and He bore all that pain so that you would no longer have to bare your pain alone. Let it all out to the Lord and be certain that He can take it!

Perishing (Im)Perfections

¹⁶ “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. ¹⁷ And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)

Ten days ago I was blessed with the gift of a new laptop as an encouragement for me to continue with God’s blog. I praised God for the blessing and thanked Him for the added help this would give me, I thanked the giver, and then I waited in a panicked impatient frenzy for it to arrive at my door. I mean I was a shameful sight to see: up all night, calling the night before it’s arrival Christmas Eve, then pacing and standing by the door waiting for hours to hear the knock that would signify it’s arrival.

When hours later the computer finally arrived I forgot to praise God, I forgot all about my friends for a time, and my eyes grew wide and clouded as life began to pass me by while I became trapped in the fraudulent perfection of tech. In ten days I was serving God on that computer while all the while waiting for an opportunity to get the chance to tell somebody about how great my laptop was. Nobody asked though and yet that didn’t deter me at all. I continued to serve God while all the while becoming more and more distant from Him. Oh but God didn’t leave me there. He settled me down and put me in my place. Praise the Lord!

On Sunday morning after online service I stepped away from the computer and when I came back the power light was red after it had been fully charged. When I attempted to charge it again the light turned blue, the fan began to make a loud and obnoxious sound, and my 10 day perishing perfection had dropped dead.

I cried out to God with a trumpeting sound of, “WHY?!!!” and He humbled me. A light bulb went on, not on my computer unfortunately, but over my head and I ran to God asking Him to forgive me for idolizing a man made creation of this world.

This verse from 1 John 2:16-17 speaks to many of us. There are so many things in this life to fall for and to fall in love with. It’s alright to love them and it’s perfectly accepted by God to offer Him praise for helping man to be able to make such wonderful and useful things. But we must remember that they are just things and not to go overboard like I did.

Now perhaps you’re not as bad as me with technology but maybe there’s something else in this world that has your attention and is distracting you from fellowship with the one true God. I invite you to give it to God and let it go. Maybe not from your life entirely but from the space in your heart reserved for God, that it now has taken over.

May I invite you to pray:

Lord I thank You for the blessings we have in this life and for Your creativity and the knowledge You have given to man to be able to produce such wonderful things. Thank You for blessing me with all of the things I need and forgive me Lord for those times I allow the perishing perfections of this world to come between us. Help me to see what they are in my life and help me to acknowledge and turn back to You, seeing that it is by Your hand that they have been made, and it is by Your will that they have come to my need. Lord may I never falter and allow the things of this world make me lose sight of my God. Bring me close to You and draw me in. Thank You for Your mercy and Your compassion for the forgiveness of my sin. I love You Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

A Teapot Steamed Up

Last night I had a dream and woke up singing a song you may have heard: “I’m a little teapot.” If you never heard the song let me teach it to you and invite you to listen to it.

“I’m a little teapot short and stout. Here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get all steamed up, then I shout, “Tip me over and pour me out.”

I don’t know who wrote the song but I do remember singing it as a little girl and doing the little dance that goes along with it. I have no idea what my dream was about but I knew God was telling me something through the little song I woke up singing this morning. I wasn’t sure what it was but I immediately laughed to myself at the often startling ways God gets our attention.

As the morning went by and then the afternoon I couldn’t get the song out of my head and I asked the Lord to tell me what He meant and this is the verse that came into my head and hit my heart.

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.” (Psalm 96:1-2)

It’s amazing how a song unrelated to God can still proclaim His glorious meaning. This song once sang by a little girl now had an entirely different meaning to this saved woman. Lo and behold! It was a new song on this day.

When I think of the little teapot I now see myself and I see you. You may be tall or like me and the little teapot short and stout; it doesn’t matter because I’m pretty sure at some point in your life you have either felt small or been made to feel smaller than you are.

But you are a child of God and you have a place. The little teapot has a handle and a spout both of which are much needed if it’s going to be of much use. You are made more complex and substantial than that teapot for you were created by the God who made both heaven and earth.

“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (Psalm 139:14)

The psalmist gives God thanks and praise for making them so complex and for God’s outstanding work in them. Jesus says that you are more important to him than the sparrows He created so you must know that you are definitely more important to him than a teapot man has fashioned.

“So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31 AMP)

When a teapot is filled and begins to boil and steam as the little song says, we tip the pot over and pour it out. When we are filled to overflowing with the good news of the gospel, with the great grace of our God to bring us to salvation, with the complexity of how we are made and how His thoughts of us are so lovely, so precious, so merciful, so compassionate, so understanding, so wise, so pure, so generous, and so kind we too begin to pour out the good news to everyone with ears to hear and eyes to see.

Ask God to fill you up today with an overflow of His goodness until you get steamed up and on fire for Him like the little teapot gets when filled to boiling with water. There is someone out there who needs Mercy, to know God’s love, and who needs to hear the good news.

When you are making some tea or boiling some water remember the good things the Lord has done for you, and may your mind be filled with a new song to sing proclaiming the good news of salvation for all to hear and to see. When God puts a song in your heart and in your ears no matter how insignificant, small, or strange it might seem I pray you will listen and find His meaning there. But remember to proclaim it for it would be a sad thing not to share.

Be blessed to be a blessing today and may your steam rise into a new song for you to share telling the greatness and the goodness of our God, to everyone everywhere.

Study on Songs VIII.

Today we are finishing up our study on the Song of Solomon and I pray that you learned a lot about God, His love for you as His child and His love for us the church.

The last chapter of the Song of Solomon is the two lovers having a conversation with one another. In the first three verses we see the joy of sexual intimacy within marriage and warnings against sexual activity before marriage and yet we can also see this as a markings of our own marriage to the church of God, the intimacy of our relationship to God, and also the joy of a life of purity.

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4)

The bride wants a more intimate communion and fellowship with her husband and as we become more acquainted with Christ we begin to notice that our hearts begin to thirst for more of His presence and more of His Holy Word.

When we come before Christ we are His brothers and sisters and it is this same familiarity that the bride wants to have with Solomon that we too long to have in Christ without being ashamed or despised by anyone for any reason. Christians are priveleged to be able to speak of Christ as the Bridegroom of the church, as our friend and also as our brother.

“But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-50)

“Oh, that you were like a brother to me,
Who nursed at the breasts of my mother.
If I found you out of doors, I would kiss you;
No one would blame me or despise me, either.
² 
“I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.
³ 
“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”

(The Bridegroom)

“I command you to take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem,
That you do not rouse nor awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

The Shulammite Bride)

“Under the apple tree I awakened you [to my love];
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.
⁶ 
“Put me like a seal on your heart,
Like a seal on your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead).
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
[A most vehement flame] the very flame of the Lord!
⁷ 
“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can rivers drown it.
If a man would offer all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly scorned and despised.” (Song of Solomon 8:1-7)

In verses 8-12 the chorus speaks of having a little sister in the bride and this can bring to mind for us the presence of babes in Christ who we are to fellowship with and assist in their spiritual growth. We should protect them and enclose them as verse 9 says, “with planks of cedar”, protecting and teaching them how to guard their hearts from temptation and from the darts of the enemy. We should also let them know of their value in the church and in the kingdom of God building them up as it were on “a turret” of silver (v.9)

The remaining verses remind us that we either are or once were young Christians ourselves and that the Lord granted us favor by His grace to be saved and to finally find peace with Him (v.10).

As Solomon has a vineyard so our King and Lord Jesus Christ is the vine that we cling to for strength, for life, and for nourishment.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1)

In verse 11 everyone was to bring a thousand pieces of silver; or shekels, amounting to about an hundred and fifty pounds for the fruit of the vineyard. This shows the fruitfulness of the vineyard since the price for its fruit was so expensive. God has blessed us in turn with great usefulness in the ministry of the gospel as we come to find great blessings in bringing souls to Christ, and that the fruit of His labor through us is more dear to Him than pieces of silver.

“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins [each one equal to a day’s wages] and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” (Luke 15:8)

Christ’s ministers are His soul gatherers, and the collectors of His fruit.

“You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and  purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you.” (John 15:16)

Although we all have different gifts we still bring in the same amount as others do all for Christ’s pleasure, delight, and glory.

The Shulammite Bride)

¹⁰ 
“I was a wall, and my breasts were like the towers.
Then I became in the king’s eyes
As one [to be respected and allowed] to find peace.
¹¹ 
“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers;
Each one was to bring him a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
¹² 
“My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand [shekels of silver] are for you, O Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who tend the fruit.” (Song of Solomon 8:10-12)

The closing verses are the end of this conversation and Solomon wants to hear his wife’s voice one more time. Her response is that she wants him to come quickly to take her home.

(The Bridegroom)

¹³ 
“O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it.”

(The Shulammite Bride)

¹⁴ 
“Hurry, my beloved and come quickly,
Like a gazelle or a young stag [taking me home]
On the mountains of spices.” (Song of Solomon 8:13-14)

We too should be waiting for our King to come and to take us home again. Jesus is going to return one day and bring us all home to Him. Let us keep right on awaiting his return and let our hope be ever on the heavens knowing this is not our home. A better life and a brighter day is yet on the horizon.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Study on Songs VII.

Chapter 7 in the Song of Solomon at first glance appears to be a delightful devotional from Solomon to his bride. He lavishes her with strong words of seduction and passion and his bride responds in kind in agreement with his love for her. If we look we can also see a representation here of Christ and His relationship to believers as well as with the church. We too have this much love for our own King as He has for His own body of believers the church and for each individual that is a part of the body.

Admiration by the Bridegroom

7 “How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.
² 
“Your navel is a round goblet
Which never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is like a heap of wheat
Surrounded with lilies.
³ 
“Your two breasts are like two fawns,
The twins of a gazelle.

“Your neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes the [sparkling] pools of Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim.
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon
Which looks toward Damascus.
⁵ 
“Your head crowns you like

Mount Carmel,
And the flowing hair of your head like purple threads;
I, the king, am held captive by your tresses.
⁶ 
“How beautiful and how delightful you are,
My love, with all your delights!
⁷ 
“Your stature is like that of a palm tree
And your breasts like its clusters [of dates].

I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree;
I will grasp its branches.
Let your breasts be like clusters of the grapevine,
And the fragrance of your breath like apples,
⁹ 
‘And your kisses like the best wine!'” (Song of Solomon 7:1-9)

We see that Solomon has given his bride a new name “Princes daughter.” In Psalm 45:13 the church is referred to as the Kings daughter giving us insight into this new way of viewing this particular chapter of the word of God.

“Glorious is the King’s daughter within [the palace];
Her robe is interwoven with gold.” (Psalm 45:13)

The splendor of her robe interwoven as it is with gold speaks to the royalty of those who sit in the churches pews or who minister right now from their homes. As a part of Christ’s royal family we are clothed by Him in splendor and He cherishes us greatly.

Solomon speaks of his brides body and we can become acquainted here with the beautiful lens through which Christ sees every member of the church body.

“From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.” (Ephesians 4:16)

As we grow together and move together in unity with one another it brings God great joy. As Solomon gets joy in the dance of his brides hips. Our Lord sees the working of our hands and our feet even if only dressed in sandals (v. 1) as beautiful and most lovely as they are set on His work of ministering about Him, bringing messages of encouragement from His word to one another, and also to those who have never heard it. What a joy to know that we each are a delight to our Lord no matter how small or insignificant our place and our work may appear to us to be!

Holiness here is shown as a stately and strong presence in the nose of the bride of Solomon in verse 4 and her neck which is like a tower of ivory. The church stands towering above the enemy and every arrow he throws at us to prevent us from speaking of our Savior and flourishing in the love of Christ. Solomon speaks of the stateliness of his bride and we must remember that together we are just as refined, stately, and honorable to King Jesus.

The Union of Love

¹⁰ 
“I am my beloved’s,
And his desire is for me.
¹¹ 
“Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country,
Let us spend the night in the villages.
¹² 
“Let us go out early to the vineyards;
Let us see whether the vine has budded
And its blossoms have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have flowered.
There I will give you my love.
¹³ 
“The mandrakes give forth fragrance,
And over our doors are all [kinds of] choice fruits,
Both new and old,
Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.” (Song of Solomon 7:10-13)

The closing of this chapter shows the union of this marriage of love between Solomon and His bride and the union of Christ, again with the church. We are joined together with Christ at all times, and whether we are praying or singing songs of praise and worship, crying out to Him in deep longing for His return, or holding one another together for His glory, we are in fact His and the Lord’s desire is for us (v. 10).

Never forget that the fruit of the spirit is a beautiful aroma to our Lord and that whether you know it or not you are special and leave a lasting and most blessed impression on the body of the church, that is our Lord’s.

You have a place. You have a presence. You are a part of a whole with a stately and royal appearance. No matter what you are going through and no matter your suffering and the state of your scars. You are His and He is yours to His glory in the heavens and to the joy of all the stars.