God put a rainbow in the sky…

God put a rainbow in the sky
When the sun came shinning though
Then we knew the storm was through
God put a rainbow in the clouds….

This is a silly little song that we sing in our Sunday School with the kids. Sometimes life can be a bit stormy. There are days I will sit at my kitchen table with my coffee in hand and wonder what is going on.

For a few weeks my family has been hit with one storm after another. My oldest son said to me, “What in the world is going on with our family”. Not only me and my husband but my two sons were feeling it too.

It seems at times that you can really feel rain drops hitting your life and storms racing through your soul. That day when he said this to me this song popped in my head and I decided to sing it all day. It did bring a smile to my face.

I had to remind both my son and my self to stop looking at the storm and complaining but to turn the complaints into prayer. I decided to thank the Lord for all he has done in my life and is doing even through the storms.

The rainbows are in the sky of our life again and the storms are settling down but I know they will return at another time.

Sing this song with me and we can weather the storms together. May the Lord continue to bring us all a rainbow to show us His love and guidance in our lives.

God put a rainbow in the sky
When the sun came shinning though
Then we knew the storm was through
God put a rainbow in the clouds….

Lynn W

Which Ones?

“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Matthew 19:16-18

Which ones? I have read this Scripture many times but I never saw the rich man’s question to Jesus until yesterday. ‘If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments’. ‘Which ones?’ What a silly question. Which ones? If we can pick and choose which commandments to obey then they are not commandments, they are suggestions. A commandment is something that is commanded, that is, an authoritative direction, a required action, a non-negotiable.
Before we laugh too hard at the silliness of this man’s question, we need to stop and reflect how our attitude betrays the same question.
In reality, don’t we pick and choose which commandments we are going to obey? Oh, sure, we may not be consciously asking ourselves the question but the way we live our life betrays a heart that wonders, “Which ones?”
I may not consider stealing from a store, but do I steal time at work doing personal things? I may not physically harm my children, but do I harm them with my words or attitude? I may not be willing to lie, but do I leave out some details so as to leave a less than accurate impression? I may not be willing to miss church on Sunday, but do I watch more TV during the week than I spend reading God’s word?
Lest I leave the impression that it is keeping all of God’s commandments that gains us eternal life, Jesus also told the young man to “…come, follow Me.” (vs. 21) It is only God’s grace through faith that any are saved. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph 2:8-9.

May the evidence of our life not reflect a “Which ones?” attitude but rather that we are fully devoted to the One True God and earnestly yearn to obey Him.

Diane

God Said, God Did, God Rested
Then God said,
“Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them,
“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Then God said,
“I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all his work.
And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. “1 Most of the sisters I am blessed to know have a problem. It is in fact, the same problem that I have. We don’t know how to rest. Busyness is so entrenched in us; so pervasive that to some extent we have grown to accept it as “just the way it is”. Thus, we continue to “be busy”.
I don’t think any of us would be so grossly bold as to think or say our busyness is different from God’s. So my challenge…no, my encouragement to all of us “busy sistas” is simply this. REST.
We are body, soul and spirit and we all need to rest. Yes even you! Rest! And what better place than at the feet of Jesus?
Stephanie

God Said It and It Was So
“Then God said,
“Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.”
And it was so.
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.
And God saw that it was good.
And God said,
“Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.
And God saw that it was good.
And God said,
“Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said,
“Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”
And God said,
“Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.”
And it was so.” 1
For our benefit, God took the time to impart the Genesis account so we could some day, open a Bible and read about what He said and all that happened after He said it.
I believe that one of the reasons He did this was to encourage us to trust, believe and obey Him -by faith. We need to know Him in His Word, most especially in the moments when doubt is tempting us to surrender His Will and His Way for our own way.
Dear one, cling to Him! Pursue Him with all the hope He has already placed within you!
Selah…
Stephanie

God Said…And it Was So
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said,
“Let there be light,”
and there was light.
God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.”
And there was evening, and there was morning~ ~the first day.
And God said,
“Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.”
So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it.
And it was so.
God called the expanse “sky.”
And there was evening, and there was morning~ ~the second day.
And God said,
“Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.”
And it was so.
God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.”
And God saw that it was good.
Then God said,
“Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.”
And it was so.
Genesis 1
I’ve been thinking a lot about God lately…more so than usual. In these troubled days that surround me there is great, great comfort for my soul and my spirit in reading anew about God…from the beginning.
Knowing and believing that He, God said it…and…it was so, allows be to lay my head down at night and receive His rest.
Dear one, whatever it is you’re doubting, about your Redeemer today, I encourage you to stand fast; don’t lose heart; draw near to Him and listen for His voice.
He said he will never leave you or forsake you…and it-is-so!!
Selah……
Stephanie

Spiritual Giant Spiritual Weakling

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son…and went to the place of which God had told him.” Genesis 22:1-3

Can you imagine such a request? How could God ask such a thing? I imagine a thousand questions swirled through Abraham’s mind, yet Abraham obeyed, and he obeyed immediately.

He believed God.

He trusted God.

When Isaac asked the obvious question, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham responded, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”

What faith!

What trust!

Before we canonize Abraham, let us consider another story that appears a few chapters earlier in Genesis (Ch 20), the story of Abraham and Abimelech. When Abraham and Sarah stayed in Gerar, Abraham instructed Sarah his wife to say that she was his sister (which was half true since she was his half-sister) believing that this would protect him from being killed on account of his wife at the hands of Abimelech king of Gerar. (Genesis 20:1-13). So where is the evidence of Abraham’s faith now?

He feared man!

He trusted himself!

How is it that he was a spiritual giant, full of faith obeying God to sacrifice his own son, but a spiritual weakling when he has to trust God with his wife and life?
I am by no means pointing a finger at Abraham as if I couldn’t imagine doing the same thing. (I will apologize to Abraham when I see him for using him to illustrate my point.)
One moment we can be walking by faith, obediently following Jesus, and the next moment walking by sight, doing our own thing. Moment by moment we must choose, faith or fear, obedience or disobedience, trust or distrust, belief or unbelief. This is true whether you have been a believer for 50 years, 10 years or 10 days. It is a choice, moment by moment.
What is your choice today? Will you have faith or fear? Will you trust God or trust yourself?

Will you live as a spiritual weakling or a spiritual giant?

Diane

Are you using God as a vitamin supplement?

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23 .to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

Pastor Mark Wiley was preaching on the 7 deadliest sins, those sins that are root to so many other sins when he made this statement: “Are you using God as a vitamin supplement?”
God is not seeking to be a part of your life. He is your life. He is your all-in-all. So often we do not live as if this is true and we take daily doses of God and sometimes we even miss doses, much like our multi-vitamin.
A vitamin supplement is often taken as just that, a supplement. It is taken in addition to our main diet to fill in what may be lacking, where there are deficiencies. What we fail to see is that we don’t have some deficiencies, but rather we are totally empty and void of anything of eternal value apart from Jesus Christ.
We try to fill our lives with so much stuff: people, things, activities none of which will endure or fully satisfy. It’s kind of like eating cookies for lunch. They taste great but won’t hold us until dinner because they lack good nutritional value.
When we stop using God as a vitamin supplement to a poor diet and start being filled by Him we will be fully satisfied with Him.
Our hearts will sing with delight and fullness. He is our All-in-All.

Diane

His Yoke is Easy
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” ~~Matthew 11:28-30~~NKJV

In Christ alone we can, will and do find rest; we will obtain peace and comfort for our heart and soul. Jesus tells us that His yoke is easy. HIS YOKE IS EASY! What an amazing thought. As one who counsels many hurting people, I can say (with confidence) that many labor under heavy burdens; they carry yokes that are not easy or light. Are you such a one? Is your soul bent from the effects of an unlovely yoke?

Come to Him, whose yoke is easy and receive rest as His gift. Lay aside any other yoke whether devised by man or the evil one. Lay it aside; cast it off and receive His. Take His yoke. Submit to His authority. His yoke is easy and His burden is light and there is much freedom to be found in it.

Learn of Him. Add more and more and more to what you think you know about Him and find comfort in obedience to His Will and His Word and His Way. No matter how imperfect you are; no matter whose box or mold you don’t fit in; no matter how flawed, invaluable or messed up you think you are COME TO HIM! His yoke is easy.

“It is a yoke that is lined with love. So powerful are the assistances He gives us, so suitable the encouragements, and so strong the consolations to be found in the way of duty, that we may truly say, it is a yoke of pleasantness. The way of duty is the way of rest. The truths Christ teaches are such as we may venture our souls upon. Such is the Redeemer’s mercy; and why should the laboring and burdened sinner seek for rest from any other quarter? Let us come to him daily, for deliverance from wrath” (1) Sistas, I’m right there with you. Let us go together and find rest in the safe and gentle hands of our Redeemer.

Stephanie

Come to Me
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
~~Matthew 11:28-30~~NKJV

This verse of Scripture has been drifting in and out of my head and heart for a few days now. It has been and is a soothing balm for my weary soul.
Rightly defined, soul as a noun is “the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life.”(1) In other words, we could say our soul is our mind, will and emotions.

As a woman, wife, mom, counselor etc., there are a variety of ways that I give myself (my soul) away daily, sometimes to the point of emptiness. Because I am surrounded by women; because I write to women, I want to ask; I must ask, “How is it with your soul? If you answered a resounding “Yes!” with me, then let’s do what the Master’s Word draws us, compels us to do. Let’s come to Him! Let’s pursue Him as if our lives depend on it!

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
~~Matthew11:28-30~~ The Message

God is not a God who is unwilling to be found. He will be found by us when we pursue with all our heart soul mind and strength.

Stephanie

What kind of Garden are you growing?

Years ago, when I was working as a Systems Engineer, our department secretary was facing a health crisis. I distinctly remember my conversation with her as I shared I was praying for her. Her reply unsettled me. She said she was praying too. She was praying to God, to Jesus, to Allah, and to Buddha because she wasn’t sure who could help so she was praying to all of them.

As believers in Jesus Christ we cringe at such theology knowing there is One True God; but I wonder if we do much the same thing in our own walk with God.

Who are you listening to? In the counseling office, I hear people share who they are gleaning “wisdom” from: Dr. Phil, Oprah, Joel Olsten, James Dobson, Beth Moore, Joyce Myers, the internet, a radio speaker, a pastor, a book, or a magazine article. These things can be good but we must remember they are not the inspired word of God.

I believe a lot of confusion comes from listening to too many different sources, too many different voices.

It reminds me of a garden. When planting a tulip garden you plant all tulip bulbs, one at a time each in its own hole. When planting a wildflower garden you scatter a variety of seeds on the surface and rake over them to cover them with a thin layer of dirt.
“…for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
Galatians 6:7

What kind of garden are you sowing? Are you indiscriminately scattering seeds from a plethora of sources? Are you intentionally planting the seeds of truth from God’s word, watering and caring for them, allowing them to take root and grow deep? Are you keeping your garden well weeded to keep it clear of anything that does not meet the test of God’s word?
All those other things will come and go, but God’s word will stand forever.

“Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.”
Psalm 119:89

Diane