Tag Archives: She Reads Truth

But, Lord, the steps are just too big!

In our mission travels overseas, time and time again, we would find ourselves in “Old Town” Europe, standing in front of a tower, cathedral or castle just begging to be climbed. Being a claustrophobic from birth, I just couldn’t bring myself to start up the winding stone staircases that, in some cases, were more than a thousand years old. I couldn’t see the top, couldn’t see out and because of the height of the steps themselves I could hardly get from one step to the next. Compound that with the people behind you in a bigger hurry or, God forbid, the people coming down that wanted to pass you in a space not big enough for one, never mind two!

So, I became the keeper-of-the-stuff as others, especially The Sweetheart, began their ascent. Oh, the pictures they would bring back! The view, the breathtaking views, of the city and beyond was just amazing. Many times I would hear them say, “If you had only gone a little further there were windows” or, “It got much easier just a little ways up” but it was too late. I had missed it.

But Lord, the steps are just too big!

I’ve felt this way so many times in my spiritual walk. Thinking it’s just too difficult, the steps are too big, it’s too crowded, too smothering and just too HARD. But God, rich in mercy, reminds me of His unfailing love, how He pursues and never gives up on us.

Are you facing a mountain that seems impossible to climb and yet, you know if you give up that you will miss out on what God has for you?

You were not meant to face the mountain alone; God wants to be your guide, protector and lifter of your head!

No matter what the situation, whether you need physical strength, wisdom for yourself or another, a financial breakthrough, healing in your home, etc., God is able to give the answer, according to His will, and bring peace to any problem.

Isaiah 63:11-14. I simply loved the reminder of the God who, as one version says, “linked arms with Moses”.

Then he remembered the days of old,
    of Moses and his people.
Where is he who brought them up out of the sea
    with the shepherds of his flock?
Where is he who put in the midst of them
    his Holy Spirit,
who caused his glorious arm
    to go at the right hand of Moses,
who divided the waters before them
    to make for himself an everlasting name,
who led them through the depths?
Like a horse in the desert,
    they did not stumble.
Like livestock that go down into the valley,
    the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest.
So you led your people,
    to make for yourself a glorious name.

He will do the same for you today! Link arms with Jesus and let Him be the Waymaker. He has all the experience necessary to bring you to the top of the mountain where the view will take your breath away.

Bless

 

We have been studying 1 Peter over at She Reads Truth the last few days. Today, they are talking about suffering, endurance and the overcoming power of Jesus Christ. Another part of the scripture reading today jumped out at me and I wanted to go a little deeper…I need more compassion, more Blessing in my life. Not blessing upon me, but blessing in my heart to give to others. What are some of your thoughts?

Bless. 

We were called to bless one another. This is not an easy task, especially when you are being reviled.

Reviled: criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner. Synonyms: Criticize, condemn, censure, ATTACK!

Our inner man/woman wants to retaliate, to push back, to counter-attack. It is in our very NATURE.

But God has called us to be like Him. The Bible says, “…he opened not his mouth…” to His accusers. How is that possible for us today?

Only by relationship. By spending time with Him and taking on His attributes through prayer and the Word of God. Beautiful scriptures such as this one remind us it is possible to endure suffering and turn it into a blessing:

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9 ESV.

Do not give back evil for evil. If someone stabs you in the back,  don’t grab that knife and plunge it into them…if they condemn, criticize, and attack you with WORDS, do not hurl those weapons back at the accuser.

But on the contrary…

Bless

Bless, for to this you were called! It is part of your purpose, even if not a part of your nature. It is Christ IN you, the Hope of Glory.

That you may obtain a blessing. Other versions say that you will INHERIT a blessing. We don’t go around doing good on this earth just so we might receive back from God even more. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit working IN us that causes us to want to be like Him and mimic His actions and teachings. In so doing, at the end of this life, we will inherit a blessing…eternal life in the presence of a holy God!

But what about in this life?

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 NIV.

Running over, it will be poured into your lap! Will you be rich, will you be popular and skipping through fields of daisies? Not necessarily, but you will be blessed and highly favored of God. He will pour into YOU His life-giving presence that will sustain you when you are suffering for His name sake.

Bless someone today. Give. Pour into them and share the love of Jesus Christ. 

Watch it come back to you.

sharing with Faith Filled Friday, Fellowship Friday

Laying down the Law, picking up Grace…

Celebrating Anniversary Week here on Hope in the Healing! Two years ago this week you invited me into your cyber lives and I have been forever blessed. I know this past year, especially the last six months, have not been my best but I appreciate that the blog has grown and you have shared and encouraged. I thank you. Today and tomorrow I am sharing the two most viewed posts from last year. This post was in response to a She Reads Truth sharing challenge. I hope you enjoy. Blessings!

Poor Nehemiah. He leaves for Jerusalem with the intent of rebuilding the city and setting it back in its rightful place. He accomplishes this great feat in 52 days! Once it is accomplished, he must return to Babylon for a while and while he is gone, just as Moses experienced coming down from Mount Sinai, the people fall right back into their sinful ways. When he returns, history tells us ten to twelve years later, chaos is rampant.

  • One of the priests, Eliashib has set up a room for his good relative, Tobiah where they used to store the “…grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil.”  
  • The priests were also no longer receiving their pay and had literally left to go back to their homes.
  • They were working on the Sabbath! Treading out the winepresses, bringing in the grain and as Nehemiah tells it, “Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! Nehemiah 13:16 ESV.
  • They were marrying outside of Israel. Nehemiah reminds them that was the downfall of King Solomon, the greatest king who ever lived, and loved by God, yet he fell into sin when he began to marry outside of God’s commandments.

These are just a few of the atrocities that the people were committing and Nehemiah was furious.

“Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.” Nehemiah 13:30-31 ESV.

It seems we are back where we started with the Israelites. We can read all throughout the book of Nehemiah, why he has this tremendous burden to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He is loyal, dedicated and committed to his beloved Jerusalem, and most of all, to his God.

Just as everything is set in place, and their fearless leader returns to Babylon, to fulfill commitments there, once again Israel sins.

Why?

Relationship, relationship, relationship.

They were not in love with the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Nehemiah. They were not committed to His ways and His laws. Maybe even in this instance they were serving man and not God.

When Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He left us His Holy Spirit to dwell IN us; a living, breathing, portion of the Father to be with us and IN us until He would return to take us unto Himself.

This Holy Ghost, as it is referred to in the Book of Acts, was, and is, intended to give us the knowledge of God, to know right from wrong and to have the power to overcome. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

 Does that mean WE never sin, if we have this power within us?

Of course not, but we do have relationship, and a desire to please the One who gave His very life for us. We are not bound by rules, but by love for a Savior.

So, why does the Book of Nehemiah end so disappointingly? What does the Lord want us to understand here about Jesus Christ and the Church?

Nehemiah continually looked back to the Savior.

He knew where his strength and help originated from. Just like Moses, he realized that those “rules” were meant to give guidance and direction to a wandering people. He set the example before them that when the Laws were broken, they could repent (turn from their sin) and God would forgive.

Ultimately, the Law, the rules, regulations, promises and covenants were virtually powerless when it came to eradicating sin in the lives of people.

Laying down the law

It is truly the grace of God, the infilling of His Spirit, that gives us the desire and the power to overcome!

The following of rules will continually cause us to look at ME instead of Jesus.

All throughout the Old Testament, we see time and time again the leaders pulling their hair out (and even some on others!), frustrated with the continual sinning of Israel. God rewards them with fantastic victories only to have them turn right around and go back to their pigpen, over, and over, and over again.

We will always be disappointed because we will never reach perfection if we are bound by contracts and misplaced promises.

Thank God for Calvary! We have a Hope and His name is Jesus!

We are saved because of who HE is, not by what we can do.

Kingdom2

 

Sharing with Faith Filled Fridays, Fellowship Fridays