His Unfailing Love

Romans 8:37-39  - Yet in all these things [trials and tribulations] we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I was going through a time of "reminiscing" one morning. I was looking back on my life and all that it entailed. I looked at the heartaches and joys, failures and accomplishments, shame and pride. They are all a part of our make up...but don't necessarily mean we must continue to be that person.

I began to notice at first the emphasis on negative things and there were lots of them. But there were other positive things to counter them.

A heaviness hung over me for a brief time until I realized why. We have an enemy who wants nothing more than to bring to mind the negative. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8) In my spirit, however, I sensed a presence and the words "In me is fullness of joy."

Of course there is! How can there not be? No matter what we've gone through in our lives there is One who cares. He tends to come at just the right times in our lives to heal the hurts, remove the shame and shower you with His love. Then He abides with us and causes us to call on Him in our weak moments.

His name is Jesus. Who can understand how He does it? But those who experience His love and forgiveness know!

My pre-Christ years were filled with anger, bitterness, shame and a lot of disappointments. I'd had it all up to my eyebrows until one particular day. Jesus entered my life and my heart. His Spirit became one with mine. Although the enemy wants to take back those victories in Christ, we are to be mindful that we are victorious in Him. We have every right to say: at the name of Jesus, you, the enemy, must flee!

Our enemy the devil cannot abide the sound of His name. Good for us! Proclaiming the name of Jesus, praising Him, brings victory and strength. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

He called me out of the darkness of my old life and into the light of a new life in Him. I can freely walk away from that or I can remain faithful to Him. My choice. No matter what I do His love for me is unfailing. He covenanted with me on April 18, 1999. He does not break His covenant. That means that I can call on Him at any time. He will be there for me.

Although more than half my life was spent without the real knowledge of our God, it's the years since that are most important. Life didn't begin, really, until I first knew Him.

I'm thankful for all He has shown me. It more than makes up for those years without the knowledge of Him. In Him is that fullness of joy. It brings a peace that passes all understanding. It's a joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Lord, You are my love, my life. You are my strength and shield. You are my refuge and my hiding place. You are my song and my joy. You lift spirits and cause the enemy to stumble. You cause us to soar high like the eagles, above the storms. You put us to rest in green pastures and bring us peace.
What do we have to fear if You are beside us. You surround me and place Your hedge of protection around me. Thank You for always being there. I rejoice in who You are and what You do. I rejoice in the one true God, the one true Love.

Proverbs 19:23 - The fear of the Lord leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction; he will not be visited with evil.

Did God Really Say???

Genesis 3:1,5 - Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’? For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Did God really say...? Those were the first words the enemy said. Seeds of doubt planted in an about-to-be-separated-from-God being...Eve. So it all started, this thing about sin and separation.

The enemy, a deceiver and liar. He had the upper hand, although he had no hands! He had been relegated to slithering on the ground. Amazing, seeing as how snakes have that reputation of being slimy and scaly. A snake in the grass, a cold-blooded snake, one who feigns friendship. How can we be so deceived by something many abhor? And what is it that is said about removing the scales from one's eyes? It's all about snakes...one particular snake from 6,000 years ago.

This serpent had cunning words. He only wanted revenge for something he had brought upon himself through pride...extinction from the heavenly places...by God Himself. His anger toward God has festered in him ever since and he takes it out on us. He still has an upper hand in this world. He only wants evil, brings evil, speaks evil through his deception. And we listen...

There is another hand that is greater than his, though. Thankfully. Gratefully. 

Do you know the story of Saul who became the Apostle Paul? It's one of my favorite stories. From unbeliever and persecutor to believer in a heartbeat. He was met by Jesus on the road to Damascus. He saw a great light which blinded him. A great light! He was blind for...get this...three days. On the third day... Here, read it yourself: As he journeyed he [Saul] came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.

Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem..." (‭Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭3,8-9,17-18,20-21‬)

We once were blind and now we see. The scales fall from our eyes when the light of Christ is revealed to us, when truth is revealed and the lies diminish. And we are then called to preach the gospel! And I need to remind myself it can happen to anyone. And I need to remember that I was there once myself. Oh, the grace we must give...

We all believe the lie, his words, until the truth of God's Word becomes known to us. Did God really say??? Yes, He did. He does not lie, never has, never will. He has given us the means to know the truth of His Word and live by it and know if we falter we can be again forgiven by it...by Him, the Word of God made flesh, Who died but rose again and still lives, as do the words He speaks through His Word. Jesus, God's only Son. There at the beginning, Creator of all. Worthy of all honor, praise and glory, forever and ever. Who only wants good for us. Hallelujah!

He has been made known to us, this Word, this God, this Creator...this Jesus. We either believe in Him or we do not. There is no middle of the road. We either believe His Word or we do not. We either read His Word or we do not. We either trust His Word or we do not. We either follow or we do not. Black and white just like good and evil. We do or do not. Which leads to...

Either life or death. If we believe in Jesus, believe His Word, understand what His Word says and obey His commands we have life. His Word is life. It is the water that quenches our thirst. It is the daily bread of life, our fresh manna. Life - life - life. He's all about life.

What good has satan brought? I'm waiting for an answer. Hmmmm. Nothing. Tick, tick, tick, tick. Times up! No good, that's what he is. That's what he's up to. Has God really said??? He's quick to plant seeds of doubt of God's Word as truth. 

Know the Word and those seeds of doubt can be like the seeds planted on rocky soil. They will blow away. I say, satan, blow away! Get lost. Let his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth, never more to yield words of doubt. Did God really say??? Yes, He did. He not only said, He promised. He has told us all about this snake in the grass and his wicked ways. He has shown us how he has deceived and still does today. He has shown us Who is victorious in the end. How many want to follow a loser? How many want to follow One who is victorious? My name is Laurie...or Lauren. My name means crowned with laurels...victorious. I will stand by that as a promise from God. 

We are either for God or against Him. We either live or we die. We either believe the truth or are deceived. We either believe His Word or we reject it. We either receive the Word or reject Him. If we do not believe what the Word of God says we believe him who asked did God really say...

We are called to run to Him, not away. Call on the name of the Lord so the enemy must flee. We are to humble ourselves before a mighty God or be humbled by Him. We either submit on our own or we will be submitted some day. We are either joined with God or separated from Him. 

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other... (‭‬Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭30‬,6‬:‭24)

What Could I Say, What Could I Do?

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

My mind is reeling again. I wish I could express all the emotions that are running through me. But I really cannot. But that's okay. God knows, God understands. No one else needs to.

Whaaat? I've been weepy for weeks now. Not sure why. Things I've not figured would cause me to become emotional, either through anger or weeping, are doing just that. It's a mystery. 

As I drove to church this morning I felt an amazing sense of peace. Like I knew it would be a good day. I was not disappointed. Our worship was off the charts, out this world, knee-weakening and emotional. It was, in a word, amazing. And definitely not long enough! The power of the Holy Spirit, the presence of the Lord, was heavy on us. It wasn't about the songs we sang. It was raw power in the atmosphere. There was one song, however, that had so much meaning, at least for me. It was like I was, once again, really pouring my heart out to God in song, prayer and worship. It was like I had become a new person all over again. 

The song was The Stand by Hillsong. As we sang the song the words started out: You stood before creation, eternity in Your hand. You spoke the earth into motion, my soul now to stand.

The words gripped me like I'd never seen them before. Take them in. God stood before creation...already knowing the beginning from the end...it was all in His hand. Then He spoke and all things came into being...not through evolution, mind you. He spoke and it was good. I came into being; you came into being. He knew me, and you, before creation, then created us (knit us in our mother's wombs...picture that in your mind's eye) and He knows the plans He has for us. Some will see the good plans He has set before us, some will avoid those plans like they were a plague. Some know where our souls are bound, some could care less...but they should...because they are eternal.

I have been overcome over the last couple weeks with the stuff that is happening in this world. In Sunday school we discussed how the world is in a spiritual battle yet many don't see it that way. I've mentioned time and again how I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, but not sure what it will be. It might be about ready. And how I sensed it could only be considered spiritual. 

We blame political parties, we blame religious fanatics, we blame our friends, family, spouses, the weather. We point fingers here and there. But what if this has nothing at all to do with people at all? Huh? I said it's a spiritual battle. And yet because we only see it being played out physically we don't look at it that way. Huh? Not making any sense? 

There IS a spiritual battle being played out. It's been a spiritual battle since Adam and Eve. That slithering, slimy snake... Evil has taken over the world. It has wormed its way into all things. We have an enemy who is greater than any physical enemy we point our fingers at...political or religious. He has a name. It is satan. He is known as a deceiver and it is his job to steal, kill and destroy...and he's doing a very successful job of it. But the good news is: Jesus will be the final Victor and all those who follow Him will be victorious as well!

The enemy takes the truth and turns it around to make it sound good. He takes evil and makes it easy to the eyes for many to fall into. If we can't recognize it, we don't know what truth is. We don't know Jesus Christ, to be quite honest with you. The only way we understand truth is to know Truth and Jesus is Truth. 

The song went on: 

You stood before my failure, carried the cross for my shame. My sin weighed upon Your shoulders, My soul now to stand.

Jesus did it all. I was a failure until I met Him. Although I'm not perfect, He carried the cross for my shame and for the sins of the world. Every sin I would ever be guilty of He knew about before the cross! But He went just the same. Every one of your sins, past, present and future, He knew about before the cross. Does this mean anything to anyone?? How can He do that? How did He do it? He knew what He was getting Himself into and He died on the cross willingly, lovingly, shamefully just so we would all be free. 

And the song went on: 

So what could I say? So what could I do? But offer this heart oh God completely to you.

This is where I fell apart. This is when, I believe, the Holy Spirit of God came so strong to open eyes and hearts, to revitalize and reconnect and hopefully to draw new people to Him. There were people worshiping who have not lifted a hand in a long time. Hearts were being poured out all around. All that Jesus has done for us...for me. Where have I gone with it? What have I said, what have I really done with it? What could I say or what could I do? All He wants...ALL HE WANTS...is our complete devotion to Him. When we allow this, He will give each one of us exactly what we need. My need may be different from yours, but He knows that and He gives accordingly. How could we turn such love and provision away?

I hear and read hateful words being spewed across the internet, on Facebook, on YouTube, against any and all things and others that people disagree with. And I have fallen prey to "liking" some of it. Shame on me. Why? Because there's a spiritual battle and the enemy is working hard to bring division among us all. Amazing how he can deceive through blindness and delusion...and amazing how he has succeeded. And what does Jesus want? Unity...love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Where are any of these in our hateful words?

Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life. Satan causes us to wander the wrong paths, learn a lie and then live it and he brings death in the end. And yet people don't understand this. Because he has deceived them!! Some even think Jesus is a fraud. 

What could I say, what could I do? What could anyone say or do? Offer our hearts completely to You. It's time to stand up for the truth. It's time to stop hiding behind whatever we hide behind. The darkness of the world is overtaking us. Funny, as our pastor was praying about the darkness this morning, I had a very vivid vision of darkness all around me...yet there was a light that surrounded me, lighting the way for me. That light is the light of Christ. It is the light of His truth. It is the light that causes darkness to stay at arm's length or farther from me. It is the light that is available to any who seek Him.

How did the song end? A declaration, my declaration...to God:

So I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned in awe of the One who gave it all. So I'll stand my soul Lord to You surrendered. All I am is Yours.

Are we all surrendered? Surrendered to the One who will dispel the darkness when it rises around us by the power of His Spirit within us? Surrendered and about His business, watching His plans play out in our lives...or are we watching as life looms heavy and creating chaos in our lives? With Christ there is no chaos. What can you say or do? You can say you trust in Jesus. You can stand for the truth of His Word...plain and simple...and be in His will. There will always be darkness but those standing closest to the Lord will be victorious in the end. 

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Another Reminder!

Exodus 11:6-7 - Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

Once again I pondered things in my heart. One day last week I wondered how, in the real day of trouble, God would protect His children. How would I know if I have enough knowledge and strength? Would I be found doubting?

As usual, I know the Lord was hearing my thoughts. He led me to think on some promises: He will never leave us or forsake us; He protects those who call Him their God; He is our provider. Oh, I know those promises...but HOW would I know when or how He would provide?

So the question came to mind, why do we doubt? The answer: because we are human. Another possible answer for some: because some of us have never undergone some of the difficulties others have. 

In the above scripture you can substitute Egypt with the world and Israel with God’s children. These events in Exodus were experienced and expressed that we might have an example of God’s faithfulness.

Well, since the time of my wondering, I have received three teachings to confirm that God will protect His children, those who call Him their LORD. Not that I didn't already know some of this! 

The first one came the morning after my questions. I was reading in Exodus (Chapters 11-15) about the departure of Israel out of Egypt, all done by the mighty hand of God. I won’t go into detail about the symbolism of how they escaped God’s wrath on Egypt. Read those  chapters if you want specifics. Just know this: It was by God’s command, and His Word, and the shed blood of an unblemished lamb that Israel, His people, His children, escaped the burden of slavery in Egypt and went on their way to their Promised Land, the land promised to His people by God. 

Jesus is our Word, the Word of God, He was the spotless Lamb of God who shed His blood that we would be taken out of the world and satan’s slavery, into our Promised Land in Heaven. The land promised to us if we choose to follow the Way that God has provided through Jesus Christ.

All that to say that God protected them. They saw miracle after miracle by His hand against Pharaoh and Egypt, but they were not affected by any of them! And amazingly, three days later they forgot and complained about not having water! What’s that all about?? They actually saw His miracles and were saved from their enemy’s hands! How could they? But this is where my doubts come in. I, we, have not experienced in our lives times, such things as recession, depression, hunger or need. We, for the most part, have had anything we ever wanted.

I’ve said this before and I’ll continue to say it...we are living in troubling times. Some may believe that we will bounce back from any calamity, but I believe we are experiencing what the Bible tells us is the “beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). We are seeing natural disasters more frequently, governments and nations teetering, morality at it’s low point only to get worse, if that’s possible. God is unhappy...

But God...has promised that He will watch over those He calls His children. We may not ever have an answer to the how He will provide, but we can know He will. This is where faith and trust come in. I believe we have not yet seen disaster like Israel experienced in Egypt. We’ve had our freedom in this nation. If that’s taken away...disaster might arise. 

Then in Sunday school we talked about being victorious in this world if we proclaim the name of Jesus, are sealed by His blood, know His Word and know what His promises are for us. As we were in prayer the words came to me: remember, your name means victorious! Yes, my name--Laurie--a derivative of laurel, means victory. And He first chose us to be victorious. We need to remember He first chooses us; what a privilege. God tells us we are victorious, triumphant, if we have chosen Christ, and become overcomers because of Him.

Then our sermon! More on provision and protection. God’s plans are to prosper us, take care of us even though the winds of change blow into our lives, Pastor Rory Grooters told us. Sometimes we don’t make the right choice and we walk out of the provision and protection, but sometimes it’s because someone else chooses to make the wrong choice and we are affected by it. But God...still provides in spite of anything that may happen in our lives to bring upset...if we call ourselves children of God.

God is always in control. If we truly believe that and we truly know that we are called His children, that is His promise to us. We need not be afraid, nor do we need doubt. If Jesus could walk on water, He can calm the storm in our lives--till the end of the age. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. There are reminders all throughout the Bible of His provision.

Pastor Rory also told us, in addition to God being in control, that we need to see things from a different perspective (God’s). He might be making the winds to blow in our lives to bring about a necessary change in order to bless someone else or to become blessed. And we should work and be busy despite what winds are blowing; use what we’ve got. These blowing winds should not be thought of as an obstacle but a detour before our destination. We should let God lift us up over the storms of life, let us soar on eagles’  wings (Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31).

The Lord has shown me in no uncertain terms, a gentle reminder, that He is in control and because I am His child He will provide, protect and prosper me. It may not always be in ways I would like or even fully understand, but He will be there for me. 

Should the days ahead become ominous, I hope you take this to heart, perhaps remember it. He will protect if you first choose the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and determine to trust in Him, let Him be your strength. He will deliver us. 

Psalm 37:3-4, 39-40 - Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ...He is [your] strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help [us] and deliver [us]; He shall deliver [us] from the wicked, and save [us], because [we] trust in Him.