Loved and Protected

There are times even for believers when circumstances look bleak no matter where we look, and at those times Scripture is our place of shelter in the time of storm.

Isaiah 54:11 says: “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted. Behold, I will set your stones in antimony. And your foundations I will lay in sapphires. Moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies, and your gates of crystal, and your entire wall of precious stones. And all your sons will be taught of the Lord, and the well-being of your sons will be great. In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression for you will not fear, and from terror, for it will not come near you. If anyone fiercely assails you, it will not be from Me. Whoever assails you will fall because of you…No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. And their vindication is from Me,’ declares the Lord.”

If we belong to the Lord, He promises He is even the shade on our right hand. He cares about every detail of our lives, and as we worship Him, He actually comes to us, inhabiting our very praises. It comforts me to know that He is on our side, hearing our prayers, ministering peace when we’re ready to stumble, and lifting us into the shelter of His peace. And more than anything He never abandons us to face our storms alone.

I don’t know about you, but I need to be reminded of these things. As things get tougher, may we keep our focus on the Rock of our salvation, Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. And now unto Him who is able to keep us from falling, presenting us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory, and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Today I marveled again as I read the story of Jonah, the prophet who ran away from God. God had specifically ordered him to Ninevah to preach that the city would be overthrown in forty days if they did not repent.

Eerdman’s Bible Handbook explains that Jonah wasn’t afraid to go to Ninevah to preach. Rather he disobeyed because he was angry with Ninevah, the capital of Assyria, a cruel, threatening enemy nation of Israel. He actually wanted God to destroy Ninevah and had no desire to see the people converted and forgiven of sin.

Jonah had an agenda other than God’s. By refusing to preach, he was in essence stomping his foot against God’s will and refusing to allow God to love the enemies of Israel.

Sometimes we as believers don’t quite “get” God’s love. We believe enemies should be destroyed for their evil deeds rather than be forgiven. The thing we need to see is that God loves all men equally, no matter what they’ve done, and He wants them to come to repentance so He can establish relationship, which is the goal of everything He does.

When God asks me to go and preach, I dare not pick and choose those who are “worthy” or deserving of salvation, because not one of us fits that description. We are all equally guilty and deserving of judgment, but God in His great love, made a way of escape.

If I struggle with this concept I must ask God to show me how He sees the enemies of faith. And when I can see them through the eyes of love, I will preach my heart out on their behalf. This, in fact, is the very reason I live…

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Back in the days of the Old Testament God often used prophets to speak to the Children of Israel. He would often speak before sending judgment for their lack of repentance. Jeremiah 13 tells the story of the Prophet Jeremiah who had just listened while God (here I picture Him pacing back and forth in heaven) verbally venting His anger regarding Israel’s sin.

God told Jeremiah to speak to the people. (13:9) “Thus says the Lord, ‘Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. I made the whole household of Israel and …Judah to cling to Me…that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise, and for glory, but they did not listen.’” And then God spoke a 2-page long treatise, detailing the terrible judgment to come. At the end He asked how long they would remain unclean.

Just like Israel, America, a nation founded on scriptural principles, has fallen into sin and degradation much as were seen just before Noah’s great flood. And while God promised to never again destroy the earth by flood, He has many other means by which to show His displeasure with sin.

Unpredictable weather forecasts, producing conditions perfect for fire, rain, mudslides, and earthquakes on the West Coast, and tornadoes, flood, hurricanes, blizzards, drought, covering the Central and and lower Midwest U.S., and fires, hurricanes, drought, flooding, freezing temperatures that kill crops, and ice storms that knock out electricity, on the East Coast. One look at the weather patterns tells us all these natural disasters have multiplied exponentially in recent years. But most who refuse to hear that judgment is coming, shrug them off as mere unfortunate incidents.

Now our government is bankrupt, without scruples. Our lawmakers make laws to pad their pockets, and banks and the big three auto makers have been bailed out with taxpayer money to the tune of billions, and for what?

We are morally bankrupt, and throwing money at the problem won’t stem the bleeding, though it will bring us to financial ruin. We are dying for lack of repentance. I’ll say it again. Lack of repentance.

If anyone recalls September 11, 2001 they will see that God has taken His protective hand off America, and is now even allowing our sworn enemies to sneak in and destroy us from the inside out.

This is a call to repentance. Scripture says, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive and heal their land.”

It’s time to be on our knees, friends. It’s time to turn from seeking fleeting pleasures and money, and realize that God is pacing back and forth, ready to send judgment, such as we have never seen before.

How will we respond? God help us if we fail to heed His warning.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Did you know that the greatest longing of a man’s heart is to be fully known and fully loved? It’s true, yet man in his natural state is rarely if ever capable of loving unconditionally.

We automatically love those who love us and either fear, hate, or steer clear of those who do not. The only One who can fill our longing to be fully known and fully loved is God Himself.

Psalm 139 says this: “O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost known when I sit down and when I rise up. Thou dost understand my thoughts from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Thou.. dost know it all. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is too high. I cannot attain to it.” He goes on to say, “How precious also are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”

Why would the psalmist say such a thing? Because he was blown away by the fact that God fully knew and understood him and loved him in spite of it all. That is the unfathomable mystery of God’s character.

The fact that the King of Kings, the Creator of the universe is also our biggest fan, the greatest lover of our souls, is, indeed, a miracle above all other miracles.

And the truth that man can walk away in rebellion, missing out on the most precious and most fulfilling relationship of all time, is the saddest revelation of all time.

The cost of going our own way is mind-boggling. And that’s aside from the far more awful truth of hell and separation from God for those who reject His salvation.

My prayer is that men might “taste and see that the Lord is good,” before it’s forever too late.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Did you grow up with a harsh father or mother? When that’s the case we often struggle to see God as a loving Father. My parents weren’t harsh, but my church taught that God demanded perfection.

Because it was drilled into me as a very small child and I was of a compliant nature, I was convinced of God’s holiness, righteousness and extremely demanding nature. And because I could never measure up, I despaired of ever making the grade.

It took getting into the Word to find out that His anger only extends toward those who flaunt their rebellion and sin. Toward His repentant children, He is a tender, delighted Father, who dotes on His kids. Isn’t that an incredible word-picture?

I’ve never forgotten when it occurred to me that when we run to God, He bends down and extends His arms, anxious to cuddle and caress us in His arms just like a doting human father. I could see it happen in my mind’s eye.

The Book of Psalms is full of examples of tenderness, and I, for one, am so glad He included them in His Word. Without them I might still be frantically trying to measure up to an invisible standard that isn’t even reality.

He tells me that in Him and through Him I can accomplish all things, while in my own flesh, I am weak and helpless. And though He sees me as needy, He doesn’t berate me for it or humiliate me for my lack of strength. Instead He says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest for your soul.”

We serve an tender-hearted God, who runs to us when we call. He sends angels to minister to us, while His Spirit lifts us above circumstances and fights on our behalf. He surrounds us with songs of deliverance, and goes before us in warfare when we put on our spiritual armor. When picturing God we must put aside our preconceived ideas and seek His Word for answers that are not only true but often diametrically opposed to our current belief systems.

Let Him be God to you in the way He intends, and that revelation will transform your very life!

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Remember the story of Joseph? It’s really quite a heart-wrenching story, but it spoke to me in a powerful way this morning.

As a child Joseph had been the favorite son of his father, Jacob. God had visited him in dreams and visions to give him hope and something to hold onto when things were tough. When his jealous brothers sold him into slavery, they had no idea that he would not only survive, but that God would protect him and order his steps for kingdom purposes.

In what he probably saw as a terrible mistake, Joseph was thrown into prison where he languished for years before he was finally given the position of authority for which God had been grooming him all those years.

In fact, just when he probably thought all was lost, God anointed him to interpret prophetic dreams for the king himself. The king could see that he was the right man to put in charge of preparing for the famine the dream foretold. In the end, because he didn’t give up hope in God, Joseph was elevated to status second only to the king and put in charge of collecting food that would essentially save the world and thereby save the lives of God’s chosen people. What an incredible blessing!

As I read this passage it was clear that many things had to come together in perfect timing for this to happen. Only divine appointment could have worked all these things together for good.  

Just like Joseph we can be in tough places where we despair that God will ever transform our circumstances. And our enemy will often taunt us, saying, “Where is your God now? He’s left you alone to die in your misery. He doesn’t care.” But according to His Word, God cares a great deal and He is there for us. And if we hold onto His promises and refuse to believe the enemy’s lies, He will make a way for us, using us for kingdom purposes. The reality is that it’s all in the timing, and because He knows exactly the hour at which it must all come to pass, we must choose to trust and not give up hope. Remember, it’s just a matter of time.

So let’s keep our eyes on the goal, remembering the promises He’s given us, because in spite of what we may see in the natural, amazing times are ahead. Hold onto faith!

Because of His great love,

Nancy

As I’ve said before I come from a long line of pessimists. I’ve tried to look on the bright side, and, of course, I try to be hopeful no matter what happens. But I was designed to anticipate the worst case scenario first, prepare for it, and then relax, knowing I’ve done all I can do.

Now the Lord knows I am like this. In fact, He created me this way. So what do I do to live in joy and hope? I tell myself everyday that my Father loves me–that I was born to glorify Him. That I am an integral part of His plan, even if all I do is offer a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul. I also look for verses that lift my heart and remind me that I belong.

Today’s Scripture was especially encouraging. It’s found in Psalm 90: 10, 12-15: But Thou hast exalted my horn like that of the wild ox. I have been anointed with fresh oil. The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree. He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will all yield fruit in old age. They shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

I rejoice in the Lord, because He has already attended to the needs of my entire life. Every moment of every hour, every hour of every day, He thinks about you and me. We can’t be lonely, even during the holidays, if we are convinced someone loves us and is thinking about us.

So today, as we celebrate Christmas and the birth of our Savior, I want to practice the presence of God, glorying and basking in His great love, the love that sent Him from heaven to earth, to redeem one such as I.

This is what Christmas means to me…

Because of His great love,

Nancy

Have you ever watched as a house was being built? It’s a complex process, to say the least. And suffice it to say that if the foundation and structure aren’t sound the building won’t stand.

We live in the Ozarks, and for a while my husband worked, installing electrical service in new homes. One day he told me he wanted to drive past a beautiful home he had seen, one with a very serious problem. 

The house, which was for sale at the time, was a beautiful yellow frame structure, an appealing design, both inside and out, and looked perfectly sound from all outward appearances. But when we got close enough to look in the windows my husband shook his head.

The inner framing was completely visible, because building had stopped there. I asked him to explain the problems. He pointed to the studs and said that it would’ve been perfectly acceptable to use only two-by-four lumber had the structure only been one story tall, but a second story required much more substantial lumber. As it was, a full second story had already been erected atop the first using only two-by-four studs, and the whole thing was clearly at risk of collapse due to the weight. The last time we drove by the house (years later) it was still unfinished. Someone had invested foolishly and would never live in or even be able to sell that house. 

Scripture often speaks of building houses. Psalm 127 says: “Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it.” Counting the cost, making plans, all require research and wisdom, and believers need to consult God on every aspect of planning no matter what the project. Without the input of the Lord the outcome will suffer just as the house with the weak structure.

Often we feel capable of doing things on our own, perhaps because we are gifted in those areas, but wisdom would suggest we ask the Lord the way to go, because He knows what is in our best interest and what is not.

The same is true of the plans we make. We often run ahead of the Lord, looking for ways to fix things. Instead of “abiding” in the Lord, we rush out without praying first and make a worse mess than we had before.

We as believers are already blessed with all the wisdom we could possibly need if we go to the Source of that wisdom. Scripture says, “In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

As times get tougher let’s stop and consult the Lord rather than running around in fear and anxiety. And the Lord will show us the way to go as we listen to His voice and obey His leading.

Praying that the Lord will strengthen each of us for the days ahead.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

It’s that time of year again when the pressure builds as we decorate our homes and trees, often spend money we don’t have, feel overwhelmed by the parties and get togethers that seem to demand our presence, and spend time with people who make us crazy. All because it’s Christmas!

But that’s not exactly what God had in mind when He sent Jesus to that manger bed. God actually intended Jesus to have the opposite effect. To take our minds off the glittering things of earth and focus our attention on heaven and the greatness and love of God.

In essence, He sent Christ to simplify and cut through the complex web of sin and captivitiy, turning logic on its ear and dash mankind’s expectations, replacing them with what we didn’t even know we were missing.

So how do we get through Christmas with our spirits intact? How do we navigate the maze of activities and challenges? We make time to worship no matter what else we’re doing. If we’re shopping, we can praise Him. If we’re cooking or cleaning or wrapping gifts, we can put on praise music or Christmas carols and praise Him at the top of our lungs.

Psalm 22:3 says, “But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” He inhabits the very praises of His people. Not only did He come to earth, He came to our hearts, and He is worthy of our praise. 

I want to take advantage of this season to make a place for Him in my heart, my attention, my schedule, and most of all, my attitude. Instead of getting weary and out of sorts, amid the whirlwind of activities, I want to have a tender heart toward the things of God no matter what the season, because that’s the reason He came. Because, as trite as it may sound, He really is the Reason for the Season and most important of all, our place of rest.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

What do you think others see when they look at Christians? We are beneficiaries of many amazing benefits that unbelievers do not see when they look at the outside appearance.

First of all, we are loved with a love that never fails. Of course that can’t be seen with the naked eye. And interestingly enough, God loves unbelievers as much as He loves us. He even goes so far as to say that we should love our enemies, for some will be transformed by that love.

He also delights in fellowshiping with us. He is waiting for us to run to Him with whatever needs are on our hearts. His phone line is never busy, and He never looks away in disinterest or boredom when we’re talking to Him. He never calls us silly for asking questions, but cares about every detail no matter how small, that concerns us.

It may not be clear to others that wherever we go the Spirit of God goes with us, and not only that, but He indwells us, comforts us, gives us hope, and teaches us wisdom, ordering our very steps.

I also find it incredible that He has lifted us out of the bondage of our sin, so we can be victorious, free from the captivity that once held us hostage. We don’t have to be tricked by the lies of the enemy anymore–instead we can discern whose voice is speaking and follow wisdom. The Lord also sets us on a high place out of harm’s way if we put on the armor of God, with which He has so generously clothed us.

He credits us with righteousness when we have earned none of our own, once the blood of Christ covers our sins. And His mind is always upon us, thinking about us with tender mercies and compassion. He actually calls us the apple of His eye. Isn’t that a marvelous word picture? He actually wants us to succeed!

We as believers have times when we feel at risk, exposed to the world, pressed down, depressed, needy and lonely. And yet if we continuously think on the nearly indescribable blessings of God, we can be lifted up. Isaiah 40:28-30 says it so beautifully:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait upon the Lord will gain new strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk, and not become weary.”

As hard as it may be to believe, He’s right there waiting to run to our aid!

As we start to see Him with the eyes of the Spirit, we will begin finding our rest, telling ourselves the truth, that He is Lord over everthing that concerns us, and we can find comfort, convinced that for us, to live is Christ, and that without Him, it’s not worth living at all.

Because of His great love,

Nancy