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Today, I am at "Laced with Grace."  Please come visit me by clicking on the link to the right.  Meet you there!

Never Anonymous

    

 

43 But now, thus says the Lord , who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

  You are Mine."  Isa 43:1 (NKJV)

 

 

You know that awkward moment.  You run into someone whose face you faintly recognize, but you cannot place a name with a face.  When, horror of horrors (!), they call you by name.  Then comes the ethical conundrum.  Do you do the honest (but rude) thing and acknowledge that although they cared enough to remember your name, you did not?  Or... do you play along, instead, and tell them how great it is to see them.  Maybe referring to them generically-  "Good to see you, girl!"  "Take care, man!"

 

I have heard the experts' discussion of this problem.  Is it because we did not really care about meeting that person, so we fail to put them on the "hard drive" of our brain?  Is it because we are not really attending to what is being said, but rather, we are running a separate dialogue in our own minds thinking of what we intend to say next?  Maybe we are suffering from ADHD.  Regardless, our lack of remembering someone makes them feel small and insignificant to us.

 

When we had two kids, it was easy.  I called them "Justin" and "Brandon".  Their actual names.  But with the addition of the third child, Andrew,  came these hybrid names- "JustBrandon" and "Brandrew".  It seems I can never call the right name.   Sometimes the boys take it in stride, other times they find it offensive.  (My own parents don't even know my name?!) I am so thankful that God knows my name!  Especially since he has A LOT of kids!

 

Brother, Sister, God knows your name!  He  made you.  He formed you for a purpose.  He loves you.  He is invested in you.  You are His.  Doesn't that make you feel loved and cherished?  You are of great significance to him.

 

Why should we fear what men can say or do to us, when our Creator says, "Sherri, don't be afraid."  "Tim, don't worry.  I am with you."  He is mindful of us and all that pertains to us.  He will not forget or fall asleep at the wheel.  God is in control of your life.  You are His  dear child,  and He will not forget your name.
 

Dear Lord, thank you that you care so much about every detail of my life... Thank you that I matter to you, and that you care about my every concern.  I love you, Lord.   In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

 

 

Sustained

 

 

  "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me."  Psalm 54:4

 

 

My five year old cracks me up sometimes.  Lately he has starting yelling out, "A little help here!"  His need can be as complicated as he is trapped under something,  or  simple as he cannot get a package open.  Either way, his emphatic demand gets my attention.  There have been times that I have been in dire need of help myself.  It is so frustrating when that happens when there is no one around to offer any assistance.  Thank goodness, the Lord is always present to call upon.

 

This verse says "Surely God is my help." Surely.  Certainly.  Definitely.  Without a doubt.  We must be convinced that He alone is our help.  He may lay it on someone's heart to give you money. He may show the doctor what prescription to write.  But at the end of the day, God  is the One who comes through for us. No matter what our need is, he has the commodity to make it happen in our life. And not just the tangibles.  He also supplies grace, joy and peace in the meantime.

 

"The Lord is the one who sustains me," no truer words were ever spoken.  Other people can, and do, speak words of comfort and encouragement to me.  Other people pray for me and exhort me.  I look within myself sometimes and find the strength to keep going.  But unless God anoints it, their words are just words and my efforts to "pull myself up by my bootstraps" are in vain. He made me.  He made all of creation.  By Him all was made and all continues to be held together.  This includes us humans. He is our Creator and our Sustainer.

 

Lately, I have been struggling in some areas.  My mind begins to tell me, "I can't do this anymore." "I have to get out of this."  "I just can't go on."  But at the end of every day, I can see that I did somehow make it through- and relatively in one piece!  I don't know where you are walking today, but if you are feeling helpless and hopeless, take heart!  He is your help.  He is your hope.  He is your Sustainer.  Call on Him to see you through.

 

Dear Lord, I need you help in the area of _____.  I need you to uphold and sustain me.  Carry me when I cannot walk, and grant me inner strength and fortitude to plunge forward.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Sherri

Heard & Saved

As for me, I will call upon God,

And the Lord  shall save me.

17 Evening and morning and at noon

I will pray, and cry aloud,

  And He shall hear my voice. Ps 55:16-17 (NKJV)

 

 

Sometimes I come up with ideas to fix my situation.  Some days I want to be carnal; abandon waiting on God and make it happen for myself.  At times, I look around and it seems to be working out for others to have it their way.  But like the psalmist in this passage, I always come back to, "As for me, I will call upon God." To be honest, I do not remember how to do it any other way!  I pray without even thinking sometimes.  (Not that that is necessarily a good thing. But I have literally caught myself praying for an FSU ballgame play that is prerecorded!)

 

I may have a long way to go in my Christian walk, but one thing I know to be true- I cannot make it without Him.  I am not smart enough to figure out the best path.  I need the Lord and his  resources.  I need His wisdom and direction.  I need His intervention.

 

I love the way that this reads as a desperate plea, but at the same time, it is a very faith-filled appeal.  The psalmist is calling, praying and crying.  Meanwhile God is saving and hearing.  Each one of us has our part.  When we try to play God's part, it never turns out well.  But when we learn to cry out for His help, expecting to be heard and saved, we loose the supernatural to work in our situation.

 

When we are over our head, it doesn't really matter if we are over our head by 1 foot or 100, if we are having to trust in Him to save us, we might as well believe for the big things!  Pray around the clock.  Ask Him to meet your need.  Call out for deliverance from all that oppresses you.  And once you do, believe that He is hearing and that He has already activated the processes to loose your chains!

 

 

Dear Lord, I am over my head.  I need you to step in and help me.  I cannot handle this on my own.  I need you and I believe that you heard me, answer and save me.   In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Sherri

Say, "Thank You!"

 

  

 

16" Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thess 5:16-18 (NKJV)

 

Kids can be refreshingly (and embarrassingly) honest.  That is why before every preschool birthday party, I carefully school the children on how to respond to gifts.  For instance, they have been taught to never say, "I already have one of these."  Rather, they are told to say.  "I really like this.  Thank you for getting it for me."  If they are given something they have no idea what is, I encourage them to say, "Thank you!  I didn't have one of those!"  Really, I have trained them to show gratitude no matter what the present is.  Because when it is all said and done, someone thought enough of them to spend their hard earned money and honor their birthday.  Obviously, when they get something awesome, no training is necessary.  They effuse gratitude unsolicited.

 

Spiritually, we deal with the same dilemma.  No one has a problem thanking God when a promotion comes, they receive healing, a long-time prayer is answered or they have a new baby.  Thanking God rolls naturally off of our tongue at that time.  But when times are hard, when like develops a stench, we still must be able to give thanks. 

 

If we can find it in our heart to rejoice and give thanks, it blesses the heart of the Father, and also puts us in a right frame of mind to receive whatever it is we have need of.  But truthfully, this can be easier said than done.  At times that I have asked God for things,  I have had to choose to recall that if He never does another thing for me, He has already done it all.  Dying for my sins is more than I deserve.  He chooses to give us way more than that- thank the Lord!  But we have to operate from a point of gratitude and thanksgiving if our hearts are to be in right alignment with Him.  I have heard it said often, "Practice an attitude of gratitude."

 

 

Dear Lord, thank you for salvation.  For living in a free country, for the blessing of an awesome family and wonderful friends.  I even choose to thank you, Lord, for the things that are currently stressing me out.  I know that you work it all for my good.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Sherri

Tender Comfort

 

"Comfort, comfort my people,  says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins." Isaiah 40:1-2

 

I love this picture of a tender, loving Father God.  Sure, I know He is just.  I know He is  all-powerful, holy and righteous.   I rejoice in all the characteristics of this awesome God.   But as someone who has fallen short of His righteousness, I rejoice to know that He is still tender toward me.  In this passage, the Israelites had displeased and disobeyed God, resulting in a period of chastisement.  But even  in this, Isaiah  was prophesying hope to them about a future time when their "time out" would be over and they would be restored to the Lord.

 

God is a loving and consistent Father. When we fail him, when we choose sin, He loves us too much to let it go unanswered.  There have been so many times as a mother that I have regretted needing to discipline my children.   I love them!  It hurts me to scold or administer discipline.  But something I have often told them is that I love them too much to let them be someone that others would dread to see coming!  The best for them is to have character rather than comfort at times.   Father God sees that we get a little bit of both, in good measure.  He chastens us to develop  our character and then  He comforts us, to prevent us from being too overcome to get up and try again.

 

As a Godly mom (which is my aim!), I try to not just discipline in anger but instead, to do it because it is needed.  Afterward, I try to speak words of love or affirmation to my son explaining why he was wrong and why the punishment was needful. Then, if am hitting the mark that day, I try to hug and restore them immediately to right fellowship with me.  I fail as a parent to reach this ideal, but I do try to mimic the way God parents me. When I repent, He takes me in His arms and restores me.  Jesus paid the price for my  restoration, therefore God does not need me to pay it again.  There are times, obviously, that there are repercussions for my folly.  We do reap what we sow.  But even then he speaks tender comfort to my heart. 

 

I sense someone needs to know today that God is not mad, He is speaking words of comfort and affirmation over you.  He loves you.  He wants you to lift you head and go forward.  Your sin is paid for,  do not try to cover the bill yourself.

 

 

Dear Lord, thank you for your discipline which is always based in love.  Thank you for tender comfort and heart of reconciliation toward me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

 

 

 

The Backdrop of Impossibility

 

 

    

 

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;"  2 Cor 4:8(NKJV)

 

Stifling.  Suffocating. Sometimes the four walls of our life press so hard on us it feels like we will be utterly crushed in the process.  Anyone can handle a little financial hardship.  Job stress?  Common. Family problems- who doesn't have them?  Spiritual dryness- highly undesirable, but not unusual.  Put them all together and you will feel pressed! When life comes at you in all directions, you start to feel the weight of it.

 

 

I love that this passage shows that although we may be hard-pressed, we are not actually crushed. It may look like the crushing weight is hanging directly overhead, but the preserving hand of God keeps it at bay, not allowing us to be utterly decimated.  Often, we freak out at the threat of tragedy, rather than at actual tragedy.  How many times have we feared a dreaded fate that never came?  The enemy of your soul loves to torment you with "what could be..."   But we need to strive to live in the "what is." 

 

When I think of the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt, I always marvel at the utter impossibility of it.  When God brought them to the boundary of the Red Sea, they were completely surrounded by certain death. Death by water or death by Egyptian army, either way, there was no hope.  No hope outside of God that is!  But God showed up, showed out, and led His people through!

 

God usually works his greatest miracle against the backdrop of impossibility.  Don't worry about your limits.  He is limitless.  Do not worry about your enemy.  He is already defeated! When trouble crowds on every side, look up! That is where your help comes from.

 

 

Dear Lord, I am fighting the suffocating feeling of being hard pressed on every side.  Arise, O God, and let my enemies be scattered.  Come quickly to save me. You are my only hope and help!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri

It's Sin

 

 

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.   Rom 14:23 (NKJV)

 

To eat or not to eat- that was the question.  This passage is about people whose conscience would not allow them to eat food sacrificed to idols. Whereas, other people recognized that idols were nothing and had no problem eating the food.  Freedom vs. respect of others was the issue.

 

But the part I want to focus on today is the second part, "For whatever is not from faith is sin."  If I look at this verse alone- what a sinner I am!  How many things do I do out of fear?  Out of habit?  Out of obligation?  Out of personal lust or greed?  This passage starts dealing with where we live.  This is "Christian sin"- if there is such a thing!  This passage deals with the attitude of the heart and mind.  This goes beyond outward acts and cuts directly to our motives.

 

I have walked with the Lord all of my life. I have made many choices based in faith.  But lots of times, I will confess, I have made choices off the top of my head.  I remember when I started catching the vision that I should include God in my decision-making.  I had decided I needed a new laptop for my business.  But it was going to be over $400.  I remembering lying in our bedroom floor asking God if it was the right decision.  Why?  Because I was unsure about accruing debt to get it, and we certainly did not have that much extra lying around.  To be honest, I have bought cars with less prayer than I did with the laptop!  But once I felt a peace about it, I was able to move forward in faith.  And I did so knowing that I had sought the Lord's direction.

 

A lot of time I make decisions based on fear.  Other times I make decisions based on faith, but fear shows up to taunt me.  It is sometimes difficult to stay in faith when so many negative emotions wage war against our minds.

 

We cannot go wrong trusting God with whatever situation we find ourselves in.   He is faithful.  Therefore, we must be faith-full.

 

I have had some failed "faith projects"- things I have believed for that did not work out, things that left me bankrupt in my faith tank.  Some of them, 7 or 8 years later, I am still in a crisis of faith about (if I am honest with myself). It is not OK to let that remain within us.  We have to work through the doubt, the unbelief and the fear.  Faith has to be the spiritual gas that propels us through life.

 

Dear Lord, please forgive me for all the times that I made decisions based on my own desires, thoughts, opinions, fear or dread.  Please help me to discern your will and to step forward in faith.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

A special shout-out today to my mom, Judy Sullivan.  Today is her birthday and I just want to praise God for the gift she has always been to me! I love you, Mom! 

 

Sherri

Why Are You Down in the Dumps

    

 

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.   Ps 42:5 (NKJV)

 

What a beautiful and poetic passage of Scripture!  It almost makes me feel uplifted in my situation just by the sheer beauty of the words. And then is the profound truth, that God is my hope and help.  Recalling these truths definitely put me on the path to feeling encouraged.

 

There are many things in life that make us feel downcast, disquieted and hopeless.  Sickness,  hormones, life situations, chemical imbalance, fear- the reasons for feeling down can be endless.  I am so grateful that when my  emotions can swing up and down within the circumstances of a single day, that God is always stable.  He is a firm and unshakeable foundation on which to stand. When we remind ourselves of spiritual truth, our spirit man (or woman) becomes strengthened and the grace to feel like "I can handle this," rises up within us. 

 

Sometimes we know exactly what is taxing our peace.  Other times, it seems to be a free-floating feeling of disrest, for which there is no explanation.  At times like this, we have to do as King David did and "encourage ourselves in the Lord."

 

I love the way the Message Bible translates this passage:

    

 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues?

Fix my eyes on God — soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face.

He's my God.

 

 

Dear Lord, thank you for being the "quieter" of my anxiety, my hope of help and deliverance.  Help me to always  keep you at the center of my thoughts.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Sherri

Crisis of Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,* for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Rom 1:16-18 (NKJV)

 

 

Faith.  Is there a more confusing concept in all of Scriptural teaching?  Don't get me wrong I understand what faith is.  I understand its importance.  I know that it comes from hearing the Word of God.  I know that through faith people have received answered prayers, victories, healing and deliverance from adverse  circumstances.  I know that we received Christ by faith.  We are saved by faith.  Without it, we will not please God.

So you may be asking by now then what is confusing about it?  For me, it is when I believe, truly believe...  and it still does not turn out as I have prayed and believed.  I am not talking about praying for a million dollar check to come in the mail. I am talking about praying for healing.  Healing that is provided  in the atonement.  Healing that does not appear to happen while someone is still on this Earth.  If we are honest, we have all had instances where we felt confused about the role of faith within a situation.  After those times I have poured hours into studying the Bible, trying to find out where I missed it.  To see what the Bible says about it. I know some were healed because they came to Christ and asked.  Some were healed by the laying on of hands.  Some were healed because others came for them to Jesus.  Others were healed by the spoken word from far away.  Peter's shadow healed people. Paul's apron healed people.   Some people are healed because of their own faith.  Others are healed because of the faith of a loved one.  Trust me. I  have studied it out.  But I still have unanswered questions.

But for me, I have decided whether I understand it now, or not until heaven, I will not deny my faith.  I will not give up on it, I will not back down, I will not water down what the Word of God says is true. His Word is truth, everything else a lie.  Sometimes we just have to trust in the One who is higher than we can understand, the One who works purposes we cannot perceive.  This passage talks about "the righteousness of God being revealed from faith to faith."  This encourages me because sometimes I have little faith, other times more.  But either way, I am making progress moving from faith to faith.  I see it as stepping stones in a brook.  If I do not pass the faith test this time, I try again on the next rock.  If I get wet, I get up and hop on another faith rock.  As I go, I learn a little more, I grow in the  faith, and little by little, I please God.  Oh, I would love to be a woman of big, bodacious faith.  But for now, I have to just keep making forward progress. 

Maybe you are on a mountain with your faith today, recently having prayers answered.  I praise God with you!  Maybe you are in the valley today and feel your "faith foundation" has crumbled.  I weep with you.  We all go through crises of our faith.  But please, do not give up.  Without faith, we cannot see God.  Without faith we cannot please God. Without faith, we cannot do anything.  Do not cast off your faith.  It will be richly rewarded.

 

Dear Lord, I pray for those today in a crisis of faith.  Grant them the gift of faith to believe beyond the seeing of their eyes and the understanding of their minds.  Increase my faith, O Lord I pray!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri

 

Is it Morning Yet?

    

 

Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul still remembers And sinks within me. 21 This I recall to my mind,

  Therefore I have hope.    Through the Lord 's mercies we are not consumed,

  Because His compassions fail not.   They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness. NKJV Lam 3:19-23  (NKJV)

 

There are days, and then there are days!  Some nights, I confess, it is a relief to go to bed. It seems that by 8:00 p.m., I have used up all of the Lord's mercies and grace for that day, and going to sleep is a great escape.  And then blessedly, I wake up the next morning and things usually do look brighter and more hopeful.

 

I have recently fell prey to the internet  game, Candy Crush.  You too?  Anyway, I get so frustrated when I am ready to keep at a level until I get it, but I use up my lives and am put into "candy time out" as I like to call it. I have to wait for my lives to renew or build back up before I can begin again.  (Because I am certainly not going to pay for it!) Thank the Lord, His mercy and compassion never runs dry.  They do not expire. They are there when we need them.  And mercifully, when we awaken in the morning, He is there to give us what we need to meet that day.

 

I am blessed to have some truly great, God-given friends.  These friends are day-in-day-out true friends. We have been through some stuff together.  I know whether I am on good behavior, or  100% flesh, these friends have my back.  They will encourage me, pray for me, and maybe even rebuke me in the Lord.  But they are faithful.  I have other friends who are the "fair-weather" variety.  When I see them it is good, but I cannot depend on them for slightest thing.  I love people.  But honestly when it comes to friends like that, what good are they?  If you can't be there when I really need you, why be there when I don't?  God is a faithful Friend and Companion.   No matter what, He always loves, always encourages, always refreshes and always carries me through.  Does He do everything in a way I understand?  No.  But I can rely on His faithfulness to do what is best for me, even when I may never understand it this side of heaven.

 

God  is so limitless in His supply of all things loving and helpful.  If your tank is empty, if you have run out of hope and courage, turn to Him.  He will give you what you need. Every time.

 

Dear Lord, you exceed my every  expectation with more of You than I can contain in my limited human container.  Thank you for your faithfulness to stand beside me.  I love you.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

Sherri