What would you do?

If you somehow woke this morning
to find it was Christmas Eve
What would you do?

Would you scramble around to do the things
you felt should be done
(on your last day)?

Would you make a list of the most important things
and systematically do them one by one?

Would you be so discouraged by all you should do
that you decide to do nothing?

I have a hope
a longing
a future vision
for things that will happen.
They're not happening today.
Because today is a day of preparation.
In fact all the days before...
are days to prepare.

Jeremiah prophesied:
"For I know the plans I have for you,”
says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster,
to give you a future and a hope."

I heard these Words this morning,
along with:
What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also with him
graciously give us all things?

And in my heart I knew,
all the days that precede what I see,
are days filled with purpose
days filled with work,
prepared for me before the creation of all things.

I need to be about all the things
that would naturally come before
the things in the future.
As surely as Christmas is coming,
and there is much that must be done.

The things I see, are coming,
and there is much to be done.
These things are... And I must...

Hope

Hope.
It's just a word.
You might hope
you have a nice day
(free from pain or trial)
or you might hope
you do well on a test,
or hope you get a good job.
But.
If you put your "hope"
in a power greater than you,
committed to you
and to your benefit
then it's not just a word,
it's a game plan
it's a future fact
it's a forecast
a foretelling
a thing that puts your mind to rest.
It wont matter if you get the job
or pass the test
or have a hard day,
All is well
because you have faith,
we are sure of what we hope for
and hope dose not disappoint
because the love of God
has been poured out within our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Therefor the righteous live by faith.
Believing what we hope for.
So we can pray like Habakkuk prayed:
Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the LORD,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation...
It's the reassuring Voice
of One who has traveled the path before us
saying:
"Hang in there,
you're doing great,
and you're almost home."

A Cruel Paradox

Father,

there is a gap between what I believe

and how I think.

It's as if I start out riding in a Ferrari

only to wake,

finding myself running

in a Barney Rubble car,

with sore feet.

How can I live so differently

than all my resolve commands.

How do I sell myself short so consistently?

I have determined to obey the Lord.

And upon meditation find

I had decided no to.

The price was too high,

the consequences,

too painful.

I repent and make things all line up,

only to find all the powers of hell,

at work to keep me in the primitive caveman car,

when I should be enjoying the luxury

of peace and joy

purchased for me by Christ.

I confess,

I am a sheep.

It's good that you sent Christ.

There was no other way to save a wretch like me.

So in love with Your Words,

so committed to Your will,

so desiring Your favor,

yet at every turn,

my thoughts deceive me.

Such a cruel paradox.

Who will save me from the wretch that I am.

Father,

cover me.

I sit as coming in from the storm

drenched by the trials of life.

Only Christ's love can warm my soul.

Only His righteousness can make me clean.

Father, it is beyond comprehending

how you (Holy God) could love us.

Does our frailty,

beckon Your power to rescue us

from our foolish ways?

It must.

As sure as the sun has ever shined,

I remember your goodness,

and will declare: I will dance

in the warmth of your love again.

In every difficult season,

cause me to believe

all I know to be true,

until I feel it in my core.

Until all shameful vows have been undone,

and I am like Christ,

in my ways as well as my thoughts.

In the deepest part of me.

Father I am Yours.

Make me whole.

Help me to believe

until I see.

Help me to walk right

when all is unclear.

Help me to enjoy the freedom and peace

that are my birthright,

until all is truly well,

and visibly so.

I ask this (shamefully)

for my comfort,

but truly also,

for Your glory,

which You so richly deserve.

Amen

I declare ~Words have power

To follow, you will find my paraphrase
to scriptures from the book of Proverbs,
on the topic of "words".

If I am carful with my words and my tone
I will save myself and others from deep pain.                           Pr. 21:23

If negative thoughts taint my love I'm incredibly sad,
but when truth is spoken, my heart and mind are full of joy     Pr. 12:25

The words I speak are of great value.
The unbeliever's thoughts and attitudes are messed up.
It's important to speak well,
because words are food to nourish those who listen.
Those who feel "sinful ways" are best,
will starve without truth.                                                            Pr. 10:20-21

The enemy's words pierce and cut and wound
but godly words heal and build up.
Those who feel "sinful ways" are best,
speak words that tear down,
and those words bind him to hell.                                              Pr. 18:7

Our words come from deep in our being
and effect our countenance and actions.
We must choose well, for by them, we live
or die.                                                                                        
And many will follow, in the direction you choose.                 Pr. 18:20-21

A mature person's words will nourish him,
but the person who does not follow God
will be nourished by hatred.
So the mature person chooses his words carefully,
and there by chooses his life with care.
but the one who speaks often and with out care
will come to ruin and die.                                                          Pr. 13:2-3

The person who lives apart from God,
seals his fate with his words.
But those who trust the Lord, will be saved in trials.
What we say sprouts to life and gives us peace
and what we do will come back
and be done to us.                                                                       Pr. 12:13-14

Kind, helpful, joyful words
are rare and make one full of peace and joy to their core.         Pr. 16:24

You know the good you aught to say,
and those who are evil know the bad they aught to say.           Pr. 10:32

If someone who loves God asks God to,
He will cause good to happen in their area,
But an evil person can come and tear the good down
by what he says.                                                                         Pr. 11:11

People who know God (well)
give what they know away,
but you are unwise
if you keep silent about God's goodness.                                   Pr. 15:7

The one who speaks wise words about God,
feeds many and they are saved,
but if their words become darkened,
many will be harmed.                                                                Pr. 15:4

My chat with God about Romans 5:3-4

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, 
But what kind of crazy person, rejoices in the face of a trial?
for we know that they help us develop endurance. 
I think edurance, is admirable, 
but will it quentch my fear and apprehension
enough to bring me joy when I'm suffering?
And I want endurance,
but do I have to endure to get it?
And endurance develops strength of character, 
My character feels like a fragil little girl.
Will this trial hold the gift of tenacious fortitude?
and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
If it means I will become sure of what I hope for,
this trial is not worth comparing 
with the all surpassing joy set before me,
of being united with the Lord,
and for this reason,
Christ took hold of me,
so I rejoice, when I run into problems and trials.

What do you believe?

He who began a good work in you
is not a quitter.
He who gave up his own Son for us all,
is not stingy.
He who is without sin,
did not through a stone.
He who holds all things together,
will not let go.
He who created the Light,
is not afraid of the dark.
He who is Truth,
does not lie.
He who returned to the Father,
did not leave us as orphans.
And He who so loved the world,
is not against me.

Therefore,
I will be saved.
I will be provided for.
I will be forgiven.
I will be held fast.
I will be protected from darkness.
I will believe all His promises.
I will walk by the Spirit.
I will trust Him.

Surrender!

Surrender!

Sounds easy right?

Sounds wrong, right?

But surrendering can be

the hardest, best thing

we do.

When I find my struggle is

to do things my way,

or see things worked out, my way,

or praying for the things (in my mind),

(instead of giving up,)

and asking God to do,

whatever He feels is best.

Whatever He wants done,

is better than what I want done!

It's time to give up,

it's time to say, not my will,

but Yours oh Lord.

I want Your will.

I want my efforts and my prayers

and my commitment to be

seeing Your will done.

I give up (on getting things my way!)

I surrender to Your way,

God have Your way

in my heart and mind and soul and life,

I surrender it all to You.

In my family, work, relationships and future,

have Your way!

Thank you, God

for Your loving commitment to me,

for being the Author

and the Finisher of my faith,

for being faithful to all I commit to You.

Amen