Sherri Evans

Sherri Evans

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Treasured



 “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Luke 2:19


 

This verse is one of my very favorite Christmas verses.  I can just picture the young mom observing all that transpired surrounding the birth of Christ.  She stored up all these memories- Joseph’s response; the census; the stable; the shepherds; the star; the angel’s report… All of these things she treasured up and pondered them in her heart.  Have you ever had God so blow your mind that all you could do was look at him with your mouth agape? That was where Mary was- overwhelmed by the goodness, love and miracle working power of Almighty God.

I pray that as the countdown continues to Christmas that you have time to treasure up these things and ponder them in your heart.  Recognize what all of this means to you personally.  Salvation, healing, deliverance, and the list goes on…

I will be taking a couple of weeks off from blogging due to some family needs and the holidays.  I hope you will check back with me after the first of the year, where I am sure to be blogging my heart out again.  Also, feel free to use the search engine to research topics you would be interested in reading about within my blog.  May God bless you and yours with a Christ-centered Christmas and a New Year full of his grace and favor.

Dear Lord, thank you for lowering yourself to leave the glories of heaven and come to earth as a humble servant.  I choose to come before you and worship.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.   

Sherri                                                                                                  

Monday, December 17, 2012

Tomorrow


“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34


 

Tomorrow my middle child will have surgery.  I am not looking forward to that.  In fact, I have some anxiety and dread about that.  But the truth is, wasting today fretting about tomorrow is futile.  It changes nothing.

I once heard a story about two men facing martyrdom, where they would be burned at the stake the following day. The one held the candle in their cell up to his arm, testing himself to see if he would be able to endure.  Immediately he snatched his hand away, declaring, “I won’t be able to do it!  I am a coward.  I am afraid I will deny my Lord.” The other prisoner rebuked him saying, “The Lord did not call you to burn your arm with a candle.  If he calls you to die at the stake tomorrow, you will have the grace to do it.  You will not experience tomorrow’s grace today.”  I have thought of this story many times and it is so true.  We borrow tomorrow’s problems and worry and fret, but the grace for tomorrow will meet us on that day.

I don’t know what lies before you that causes you dread or concern.  But make it your aim to not borrow problems from tomorrow…and I will do the same!

Dear Lord, thank you that you hold tomorrow in the palm of your hand.  Help me to trust you with all my tomorrows and thank you for the grace you have given me to face today.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Sherri

Friday, December 14, 2012

Why Can’t I Just Have What I Want?


“You want something but don’t get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God.”  James 4:2


 

No, I have not eavesdropped on your budget discussion with your mate- this is the Word of God!  It’s true.  We want stuff, but we don’t get it.  We are jealous of those who have it.  We pout and fight.  But the bottom line is that we do not have, because it never crosses our mind to ask God to provide it for us.

So much of what we want, we plan, scheme, manipulate and coerce to make it happen.  We sulk, quit talking to the person denying us and determine that we deserve it.  But none of that works in the long run, and certainly it does not work out God’s righteousness in our lives.

Asking God is a two-edged sword.  First, is the obvious:  we want something so we ask Daddy.  He loves his children and desires to give us the desires of our heart.  If we ask him, trust and wait on him, there is much good to come to us.  The second side of this sword is that as we bring our requests before God in prayer, he has a way of changing our hearts so that we want what he wants.  If we truly walk with the Lord, allowing him to rule and reign, we will want his will.  Then he will have no problems granting us what we ask of him.

A lot of what I want from God, I just assume he knows and will provide me with it.  I make the sin of omission, by forgetting that he desires to have me to “ask, seek, and knock.”

What is it you want from God?  Go ahead!  Ask him!  But do it with your heart and ears open to hear his reply.

Dear Lord, I need health, provision and direction for me and my family.  You know the areas I am referring to- please bring it to pass, in Jesus’ Name.

Sherri

Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Consolation Prize


“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”  Psalm 94:19


 

I am not going to lie to you.  Today I had some moments when “anxiety was great within me.”  I had some life problems that were bigger than me and any ability that I had to fix them.  Hopeless, really…if I did not have Jesus.  But thank the Lord, he is right beside me to bring consolation and joy to my soul.

Yesterday as I posted my blog about believing and then again this morning when I felt led to post a verse on facebook about the same topic, I was feeling pretty good about life and hoped those thoughts and verses would help someone going through a trial, then boom!  I realized that perhaps they were for me as well.  Before I had reason to be anxious, the Lord was offering me his consolation.

I don’t know if you are the trusting sort, or if you are like me, and have a hard time struggling with worry.  But either way, we all face things that are bigger than us.  When that happens, we often feel the need to “do” something, even if the only thing we can “do” is worry and fret.  Today I resolved to just trust him at his word.  Within an hour of that decision, God very clearly came through for me in another area with a long-awaited answer to prayer.  And then it hit me.  He would be just as faithful over the other situation as he was over the one that I already had an answer to.  As a child of God, his joy and consolation are available to you.  Refocus your anxious thoughts instead to thoughts of his faithfulness, love and power.  Before long, you will find hope and joy spring alive within your heart!

Dear Lord, help me to quit worrying.  It is a hard habit to overcome, I need you to show me how.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Nothing is Impossible


“For nothing is impossible with God.”  Luke 1:37


 

What do you believe?  What do you really believe?  There are many obstacles to believing in anything.  But children seem to get faith.  Today our “Elf on the Shelf” came and our four year old had no trouble believing that he really could move around our home at night.  He could hardly wait to go to bed to see where Slugger the Red Elf would end up in the morning.

When was your high point of faith?  Do you remember what it felt like to truly believe in God’s miracle working power?  Do you remember how it felt to honestly believe that you would receive the answer to your prayers?

Life has a way of hardening us, chipping away at our faith.  Every now and then we need to confess our unbelief to God and ask him to help increase our faith.  Nothing is impossible with God.  He is over all, in all and through all.  He formed everything that you can see with your natural eye.  Every cell in your body, he is the Creator of.  All power is at his disposal.  Sickness? Depression?  Discouragement?  Spiritual drought?  None of that is impossible to God.

Today I dare you to take time to stop and reflect on this simple truth. “Nothing is impossible with God.”  Don’t you feel your faith rising even now?! It does not cost any more to believe!

Dear Lord, restore to me child-like faith.  Help me to rely so fully on you that believing becomes my first nature.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Building A Fire

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame, the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” II Timothy 1:6


 

Have you ever tended a fire?  It is amazing to me to see how a fire can go from burning so brightly that it scalds your face as you stand near it, to being just a soft glow of an ember in a short period of time.  Fires are fickle things.  Depending on what you add to it, what material you are burning and how much air it gets makes huge difference in the result.

As a child, my father often grilled steaks over an open metal grate style grill that he would build a fire under.  This was placed in the dirt, and he would build a fire underneath.  (Yes, I am showing my age and possibly my ignorance as I do not know the correct term for this type of grill!)  Nevertheless, he would dig a trench around the fire pit to avoid any embers leaping out and starting a fire.  One day after grilling, he smothered the fire with water, drenched the ground around it and filled the trench with water.  Afterwards, we went for a long Sunday-afternoon drive in the woods.  When we returned a couple of hours later, there was literally 40-60 acres of land on fire.  Mercifully, our home was undamaged; there was a wide ring around the house that did not catch fire.  We spent a great deal of time that afternoon trying to put out a fire that had seemed dead when we left.

Indeed, fire is a fickle thing.  This is also true of the fire of the Holy Spirit.  The gifting, calling and anointing that he places on us must be tended.  There are seasons that it will burn brightly and other seasons where it will smolder and appear to die.  During those seasons, we have to “stir up” what is there so that it can rekindle and return to its former purpose and brightness.  This is done a number of ways- increased Bible study, prayer time, attending conferences, calling a fast, and purposeful time spent in worship.  I have had all of these things stir up the flame in my life during different seasons.  The important thing is that we “tend the flame” enough to know the condition we are in and recognize the first signs of burning out so that we can reignite the flame within us.

Lord, please show me the things in my life that are smothering the flame of your presence in my life.  Help me to stir it up, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Monday, December 10, 2012

Still


“He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10


 

It is officially the holiday season.  I know this because our family has five parties to attend between now and next Sunday.  What a hectic, busy, and stressful time of year.  Like many of you I have lists for several areas of my life that I’m working off of:  family responsibilities, church commitments, work deadlines, holiday celebrations, preparations and of course, shopping! 

Needless to say, “being still and knowing that He is God” is pretty difficult to pull off at this time.  And yet I hear Him beckoning me to still myself and know Him.  To be aware of Him, to acknowledge His presence, to seek His face.  All of the other things on my list are important, but being with God is urgent and pivotal to everything else working.  I am trying to cultivate the ability to have a stillness of heart, mind and spirit, even while I have a frenzy of body.

Recently, I had a bit of a personal health scare.  Thank the Lord, everything ended up being all right, but for those six days when I experienced uncertainty, things in life got quite a bit simpler for me.  All of a sudden job stress did not matter as much as hope for a future with my family.  Life is so precious and fragile.  We are only ever a moment away from eternity.  That is what truly matters and we must live like it matters.  We have to take control of our life and activities and say, I am going to be still and know that He is God.  I am going to put Him in proper perspective and everything else will fall into place.

Dear Lord, help me still my mind.  Help me to be attuned to your still, small voice.  Help me to focus on you and trust you to do through me what I need to accomplish.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Friday, December 7, 2012

God Sends His Love


"He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me. God sends his love and his faithfulness.”  Psalm 57:3

 

Do you ever feel overtaken in this warfare called life?  Some days it seems all we do is battle something, whether it is difficult people, our own fleshly tendencies, sickness, financial woes or job stress.  Regardless of the enemies hotly pursuing you, it is encouraging to know that we have a Savior seated on the throne in heaven, watching over us, making intercession for us with the Father and sending us the help we need that we might be saved.

If Jesus never saves you from anything other than hell and judgment, you are a most blessed person- as am I.  But his saving is not limited just to our need for eternal salvation.  He saves us from trials and attack and safely delivers us out.  When dealing with people or relationship issues, it is sometimes frustrating- especially if it is people we feel subordinate to.  An unreasonable boss, a harsh parent, a selfish husband, all of these are ways that people can feel oppressed by their social roles and possibly even by the command to submit to those in authority over us.  But when we feel we are being mistreated, we must recall that if we are doing everything the Lord requires of us, then he will deal directly with anyone who is mistreating us.  This passage says that he will rebuke those that hotly pursue me.  Thank God we are not without an advocate and defender.  And when a person is rebuked of God, they are rebuked indeed!  We do not have to feel powerless when we have a strong protector always on our side.

The next part says that “God sends his love and faithfulness.”  That is so beautiful to me.  He is love.  He is faithful.  What else could he send to me?!  Outside the blood of Jesus, I deserved punishment, separation, death, rejection and torment.  But because he so loved me, and because I accepted his offer of salvation, I get a benefit package rather than a penalty package.  The gifts he send my way are good and helpful. 

Be encouraged today, God is for you.  He wants to help, deliver and save you.  You are not without remedy!

Dear Lord, thank you for saving me, defending me and sending me good things.  Help me to give love and faithfulness back to you.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Fulfilled


“I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.”  Psalm 57:2


 

Have you ever had those dreams?  You know the kind- you scream and cry for help, but no sound comes out.  You are paralyzed in fear, but you can do nothing to help yourself-not even to utter a cry.  I have had more than my fair share of those “night terrors” and when I awaken I am always left with a feeling of relief that I am not as helpless as I felt.  Thank God that He gives us a voice to cry out to Him.  He grants us the ability to make our needs known to Him- even if it is within the quietness of our own heart.

When we cry out to God, He hears us and fulfills His purpose for me.  For you.  Is there anything more special than knowing that God has a good purpose for your life and that He works to fulfill it?  When obstacles come to derail us; when we are faced with uncertainty and disappointment, the fulfillment of His purpose is still going forth unchanged.  We are moved by what we see- especially if what we are seeing is a lack of progress.  But those things do not move God.  He is not lacking in resources and ability no matter how bleak and impossible it may be looking at this time.

I discovered (rediscovered) this gem of a verse yesterday as I was facing a very uncertain situation in my life today.  At the time, it leapt off the page to me as confirmation that He knew what was going on in my life and it had not changed His plans for me.  Praise God that we serve an unchanging, eternal God.

Dear Lord, thank you for working to fulfill your plan for me.  Help me to not get in your way.  And a big thank you Lord for answered prayer!  In Jesus’ Name.   Amen.

Sherri

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hiding in the Shadows


“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”  Psalm 57:1


 

The mercy of God is without description.  We deserve death, hell and destruction, but in his great mercy, he has paid the price for us.  Rather than judgment, he lays up blessings for the child of God.  Instead of hell, he offers heaven.  Instead of death, he provides eternal life.  His mercy is without limit. When we stumble, when we fall, he is there to pick us up; with tender mercy his heart is always turned toward us.

When we are afraid, when we are disheartened we can run to him for mercy and find refuge for our soul.  A refuge is a sanctuary or place of safety.  Even in the middle of physical warfare we can enjoy spiritual refuge.  Praise God for his provision! 

Some trials of life are so huge, so overwhelming that they loom like a mountain of destruction in our path.  When your enemy is as great as a mountain, you must find a very large rock to hide behind!  In those days, God is the only one large enough to hide every part of you from the enemy. 

Not too long ago our little one was jumped on and bitten by a dog.  When I realized what was happening, our three year old was running toward me as hard as he could run and threw himself into my arms.  He knew that he would find safety from the teeth of that dog if only he could get to Mama.  There are days that I am that child running for all I am worth toward a heavenly Father who is running to me with his arms outstretched. 

Just as a chicken gathers her chicks underneath the safety of her wings, God gathers us in, on the day of disaster.  Please know today that no matter how the wind howls outside your door, no matter how the windows rattle and shake, you have a safe room, a safe haven in which to hide.

Dear Lord, thank you for being there for me, offering me mercy and safety.  Help me to feel your protective arms about me.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.

Sherri

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

I Will Not be Afraid


“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.  What can mortal man do to me?”  Psalm 56:3-4


 

Yesterday we talked about the fear that we all face during trying circumstances. Fear is a common condition of man and must be combated with the supernatural peace and grace of God.

 In verse four, the psalmist says “In God, whose word I praise.”  I love this because His Word is what we can stand on during our trying times.  Whatever circumstances lie before us, there is a passage of Scripture that can give us wisdom, direction, or a promise to stand on.  Because of his Word, we can know God’s heart in a matter, and therefore, can pray in accordance with his will.  And of course, we know that when we pray according to his will, he hears us and answers.

Twice this passage talks about trusting in God.  This is one of the simplest and at the same time, complex, aspects of our walk with God.  To trust in Him means to believe He is doing what is best, is looking out for us, and is watching over his word to perform it.  To trust him in a situation means that we exalt him to the place of lordship- the one who calls the shots- in that situation.  These are the ways that trusting is easy.

Trusting becomes hard in the doing of it!  Because I find that even as I am trusting, there are times I will pick my problem back up and begin to work on it in my mind.  Or in my emotions.  I mean to leave it in God’s capable hands, but almost unconsciously I go into self-protect mode.  Do you relate to this?  Trusting God does not mean praying and then doing everything within your power to fix it.  There are times that God requires stuff from us, and other times he requires us to trust, pray and wait.  This is when the war with the flesh becomes most intense.

In verse 3, the writer writes “When I am afraid…” But in verse 4 he states, “I will not be afraid.” How can both be true?  I believe that the first ‘being afraid’ is about the emotion of fear that comes to us and is not of our own choosing. The second one, however, I believe is about where I choose to put my thoughts, emotions and faith.  Am I going to allow fear to seize me or am I going, instead, to choose to believe what the Word says?

Dear Lord, though I feel fear, I chose to not put stock in that.  Help me to walk in faith and trust and experience your peace that passes understanding.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

                                                 

Monday, December 3, 2012

When I am Afraid


“When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”  Psalm 56:1


Let’s face it.  Sometimes life is downright scary.  The bills loom with no obvious way to pay it.  You or a loved one faces a health scare.  You fear for your future, your retirement, your job security, your nation…There are many things in life that bring the emotion of fear.

The Bible is full of imperative “Do not fear” commands.  But despite our best efforts there are times that emotion shows up on our doorstep.  Just like happiness, joy, relief, and anger, fear is an emotion we are wired for.  But when we are afraid, we must do as this verse says.  When it happens, I am going to put my trust in God. 

No matter what I face, he is ultimately in control.  No matter how uncertain it appears to me, he has a plan for my life.  A good plan.  He loves me, watches tenderly over all that concerns me.  He fights for me, he defends me, he provides for me and he heals me.  Therefore, when the emotion of fear comes my way, I will choose not to give it place.  I will choose to “fear not” but rather trust in the unfailing hand of God.

You can choose to do the same.  Remind yourself today how much he loves you.  After what all he did on Calvary, what else does he need to do?  Put your trust in him.  He will not fail you.

Dear Lord, I am afraid and you know all about it.  Help me today to be unmoved by the emotion, but rather to put my trust in you.  I love you and praise you.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Friday, November 30, 2012

Pure Light

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure.”  Titus 1:15

 

Dictionary.com defines pure as:  “Free from anything of a different, inferior or contaminating kind.”  So what would that entail for a person to be described as pure?  It means that as a born-again child of God, we do not have a mixture of carnality, worldliness or evil mixed with the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us.  It means that we keep ourselves from influences that corrupt or pollute our spirit.  Sounds easy enough, right?!

If you have been around the block for even a week, you know that it is a most difficult process to keep your soul and mind pure while living in such a corrupt society.  Even one generation ago the overall morality of our culture was at a much higher standard than it is now.  The truest gauge is probably found in our media- what we see on TV, in print, and what we hear in lyrics.  As they say, we are going down like a lead balloon.  It is difficult to unplug from these influences, even if the only contact you have with the world is at the grocery store, school and work.

But we were not left on earth to withdraw and unplug.  We were left to share the good news, lead others to Christ and be salt and light!  So how do we remain pure in the middle of everything impure?  I have heard many an inspiring message on the analogy of the Christian to the eagle.  At the end of the day, the eagle cleans its wings, carefully removing all the trash and filth that it has acquired through its journey through the environment that day.  Likewise, we must take time each day to repent, confess and purify our hearts and minds.  We must submit ourselves to the “washing of the water with the Word”, by staying steadfast in the Bible.

Because sexual immorality, coarse jesting and immodesty have become so prevalent, we have our work cut out for us to help guard the purity of the hearts of our children.  Our society is completely sexualized.  If we do not take a stand, be different and stand for what is right, who will?  How will a lost and dying world ever see Jesus in us if we look and act like everyone else?

Dear Lord, create a pure heart in me.  Wash away all that is corrupt and help me stand out as light in the darkness. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Abolishing Fear


 

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”  Proverbs 29:25


 

Fear is a funny thing.  To show fear of God (respect for who he is) results in great wisdom and a life well-lived.  To show fear of man can either be a good thing or a bad thing. When a child is small and fears the repercussions that dad’s discipline will bring will often be a well-adjusted and obedient child.  But somewhere along life’s journey, fear of man has to fall away, leaving room only for the fear of God.

The fear of man will cause us to shrink back and not embrace our destiny.  Fear of man causes hiding, deception and lying.  The fear of man places man in a position that only God deserves.  He alone is our ultimate person to please.  Yes, he requires us to treat others well- as unto the Lord.  Making it ultimately about him keeps us from giving too much weight to the opinion of man.

Fearing the Lord- and trusting in him, ensures our safety.  Trusting God to take care of the people we fear places him on the throne of our lives, and increases our confidence and hope.  Is there someone that holds you in fear?  Take it to the Lord in prayer today.

Dear Lord, deliver me from the fear of man.  Help me live only to win your approval.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

In It to Win It


“You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?”  Galatians 5:7


 

Have you ever had someone cut you off? In traffic?  With a buggy?  In a race?  Did it inspire Christian love and kind, gooey words?  Chances are, it did not.  There is something inherently irksome about being cut off.  I don’t even like it when somebody cuts of my sentence!  Something about it makes me feel like I forfeited some important destiny- like getting there first; getting the shortest checkout line; and telling the punch line to a joke.  All of that is somewhat rude and bothersome.

But other times, cutting in on us can be more than annoying- it can be catastrophic.  Have you ever watched a race and seen one car cut in to another and cause the other one to spin off the track?  Or have a horse cut off another in a race and it results in the horse behind it falling, breaking its leg, and hurling its rider onto the hard track?

There are so many fits and starts that we make on our Christian journey.  We commit to spending more time in the Bible, reading Christian devotionals, using our drive time for prayer and before you know, something (or someone) derails us.  We determine to walk in love and every obnoxious person known to man crosses our path that day before breakfast!  Why is it so easy to start the good race, but so difficult to complete?

The race we run in Christ is too important to give up or quit on.  Every time we get knocked off course, we must get up, dust ourselves off, and get back in the race.  We must find a steady, sustainable clip and not let anything off the track lure us away or cause us to crash.  We will not be perfect.  Our performance will never be perfect.  But our heart can be perfect toward the Lord and we can choose to get up one time more than we fall down.

To run a good race we must be appropriately equipped, and have an uncluttered course before us.  Sometimes we must thoughtfully consider what clutter is tripping us up.  Are there habits, hobbies or relationships that steal your time from God?  We must follow the truth at all costs, even if it means making the touch calls and the hard decisions.  You were running well!  Who or what cut in on you?  Answer that- then cut it out!

Dear Lord, help me to run the race with integrity, stability and faithfulness.  Help me to see and remove the hurdles.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

An All-Nighter



“Evening, morning and noon and I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.”  Psalm 55:17


 

For my day job I am on call 24/7, 365 days per year.  No matter when one of my folks needs me, I am available to them.  But the truth is that sometimes they may call me and my pager my fail.  Or perhaps I am in an area where cell service is spotty.  Despite my best efforts I am not always as readily accessible as someone may need.

I am so grateful to know that whether I need the Lord in the wee hours of the morning, during a hectic lunch break or after dinner, He is always there.  He hears me.   In the deepest dark of night, He is there.   He is available, concerned and interested in the things that pertain to me.  Nothing comes my way that He is not aware of or that He has not already planned his provision, protection, wisdom or solution for.  He is such a personal Savior! 

Lately, I have been crying out to him at all hours of the day and night.  I need something from him- desperately, and I am anxiously awaiting His response.  I am so thankful that he does not handle my needs like a toll-free number.  For impending death, press one.  For routine sickness, press two.  For petty life frustration you can expect a long wait…  He does not have to put me at the bottom of the list to still be available to someone whose need is greater.  He is so there for us.

Sometimes I feel like a broken record and feel sure the Lord is tired of hearing the same song, different verse, each day from me.  But yet he loves, he cares and he listens.  Cry out to him.  He is there for you.

Dear Lord, you know what I need more than I do.  If you don’t show up in my situation, I have no other recourse. Thank you that when I look to you, I am saved.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Monday, November 26, 2012

Left With a Peace


Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:27

 

Someone’s last words are considered precious to their loved ones. If a person is in a situation to know that they are dying, often they have weeks or months in which to set their house in order, mend their fences and leave final instructions.  These instructions go on to become cherished memories to those who are left behind.

In this passage, Jesus was foretelling his disciples about a time when he would go away.  But he promised them that he would not leave them without help but would send the Counselor, or the Holy Spirit to be with them.

Just as a dying person has a right to specify a will and distribute his possessions to his family, Jesus was leaving them an inheritance of sorts.  He was offering them His peace. 

What is Jesus peace?  It is the quiet assurance of the faithfulness of God.  It is a trust that allows you sleep when your boat is being tossed in a nasty storm.  It is a keeping and sustaining power that allowed him to follow God in obedience all the way to the cross. His peace he gave us.  Not as the world gives.  What is world peace?  Obviously, the world has seldom known peace, or absence of war.  But it means other things as well.  A person using a substance may temporarily have their pain dulled and experience an artificial hopefulness.  Love relationships, even wrong ones, can offer temporary stability, feelings of love and acceptance.  A hefty bank account, seniority on the job and a rich Daddy can offer a person a measure of peace.  But the peace that the world gives is based on something temporal- something bound to perish, decay and fade.

Jesus gives the kind of peace that assures us that although we do not know what tomorrow holds, we know the One who does and trust that he will be with us there.  He will always work things for our good and fight on our behalf.  Peace is all of these things and so much more.  Peace is an intangible, indescribable experience.  It is a quiet calm.  A settledness and soothing of the inner man.  The peace of God leads and guides us and assures us we will get through it.

If you are struggling today with life’s issues, ask the Lord to reveal his peace to you.  He has already bequeathed it to you if you are a born again child of God.  If you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, he desires to free you from your sin, be Lord of your life and grant you this peace that we are talking about.  Won’t you let him in today?

Dear Lord, bless those who read this.  Multiply peace to their hearts, settle their minds and grant them rest from their worries.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Bagged Gift


“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?” Matthew 7:11


 

My four year old has been on a tear for a few days.  He has been misbehaving, disobeying, and displaying other worrisome behaviors.  This is not my first rodeo- he is my third child. In my heart of hearts, I know this is just a phase and is bound to turn around.  But in the meantime, I spend so much of my time correcting, scolding, disciplining and praying to treat him as God would have me to.  He is not a bad child.  In fact, he is very precious and as sweet as the day is long.  But he is testing his boundaries.

That same child loves baseball.  In fact to say that he loves it may be the understatement of the year.  For a long time now he has wanted catcher’s gear (he calls it crotch-down catcher).  Because it is expensive and he has not yet started t-ball we have put him off.  But this week his aunt brought a surprise for him-some catcher’s gear.  I could hardly wait for him to get home and see it.  Then the report came.  He was ugly to his brother on the way home from his Granny’s house.  I told him he had a surprise but would have to be sweet to get it.  The bad behavior and correction continued.  Then the next day he went to my Mom’s.  When he came home, I was informed that yet again, he had gotten into trouble off and on all day.  So sadly, he could not get them that day either.

As a Mom, it hurts my heart to deprive him of something I know will cause him so much joy.  But there is no way I can reward the way he has been acting.  He does not have any idea what a great surprise awaits him if he will only begin to behave in the way that he had been trained and in the way that is required of him.  I was venting to God about my frustration, and then it hit me.  How many good gifts does my Father have in store for me, but I cannot receive them because of my behavior?  Because of my disobedience, because of my rebellion…What treasures have we forfeited?

God has good gifts for you and me.  But as a good Father, he has to withhold them until we prove we can be trusted with it.  Consider your ways.  Are you asking for blessings, but walking outside of his will?  It is not going to happen.  Seek the Lord and I know you will be amazed with what he will do for you, his precious child.

Dear Lord, thank you for all of the gifts you have given me.  Forgive me for the ways that I sin against you.  Help me to be aware of the times that I displease you.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Flea-bitten Thanks



“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.  His loves endures forever.”  Psalm 136:1


 

I’ll admit it.  I have been guilty.  I have felt sorry for myself.  I have hosted a pity party, invited myself and sat down for scones and crumpets.  There are days that things to feel grateful for are a little hard to think of.  Ever been there?

But of course it is a lie from the devil.  There is always countless things to be grateful for.  Elementary things- such as air to breathe, food to eat, clean water and a warm, dry, place to sleep.  There are spiritual things- salvation, peace, joy and grace.  There are relational things- parents, a spouse, children, grandparents, friends and coworkers.  There are emotional things- the love of God, love of family, emotional support, and affirming words.  There are material things- a home, a car, clothing, jewelry, vacations and dinners out.  The lists and categories go on forever.  All of these things are opportunities to practice “an attitude of gratitude.”

But even in the worst of circumstances- in sickness, divorce, bankruptcy, and betrayal- God is still good.  And therefore, he is worthy of giving thanks to.  I once read the story of Corrie Ten Boom, the author of The Hiding Place. She tells about her imprisonment for protecting Jews during the Holocaust.  She looked for ways to be thankful even during the horrors of torture.  They were so radical in their thanks, that they even decided to be thankful for the fleas in their room.  Fleas that tormented and bit them.  They were determined to be thankful, and later found out the guards seldom searched their room, because of the fleas.  This left them free to pray and study the Bible together.  Even in the worst of circumstances, we can rejoice in the fact that a good God is watching over us and will ultimately work to help us.

Give thanks to God simply because He is good.  And most importantly because His love endures forever.  Where would you be without the love of God?  Alone in the world with no hope for this life or the life to come! But thank God, He appeared and demonstrated His love toward us on Calvary where He shed his blood for you and me.  Give thanks to the Lord for that sacrificial, enduring love.

Thank you Lord, most of all, for your love and goodness toward me.  Without it I would be consumed.  Thank you Jesus!

Sherri