He Still Does

 Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime."

Martin Luther, 1483-1546

 

This picture hangs in the Sanctuary where I go to church. I love His open arms!

 

 Last week I listen to a song I hadn't heard before. The Gospel Trio Greater Vision sang it, and it was written by a member in their group. The words touched me deeply. 

 

Next Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Easter. The Lamb. Our Savior. Consider these words and remember: He Does!

 

He Does

Greater Vision

 

"If anyone ever felt as though his sin was deeper than grace would go

I have

If anyone ever thought his prayer was a waste of time, 'cause no one cares

 I have

If anyone believes that he's gone too far Then my friend I have been right where you are

 

"You're not alone, no, you're not alone.I have good news to share with you

What you're feeling now is far from true, So keep hanging on

Cause if there is one who loves beyond The sad mistakes that we've all done

He does

If there's a soul who understands And longs to heal the hurts we have

He does!

 

Jesus does!

 

"He walked the road to Calvary, He suffered pain and agony

Because He knew there'd come a day, When you would need to call his name

If there is one who wants to be, The one and only friend you need

He does!

 

"If anyone has a right to say, Thank you Lord for another day

I do

If anyone has a reason to Sing a song when gray skies hide the blue

That's me

If anyone can stand and testify You can count on me and I'll tell you why

He set me free

Oh, He set me free!

When the guilt and shame from my own sin Sought to rob me of the joy He Gives

He reminded me!

 

 "Cause if there's one who loves beyond The sad mistakes that we've all done

He does!

If there is a soul who understands And longs to heal the hurts we have

He does!

Jesus does!

 

 "He walked the road to Calvary, He suffered pain and agony

Because He knew there'd come a day, When you would need to call His name

If there is one who wants to be, The one and only friend you need

He does!"

 

If you know not the real reason to celebrate Easter then I invite you to open your eyes and discover the truth. You see God in nature, in the Bible, in friends and co-workers, in neighbors and churches, in wildlife and your own body. He is everywhere. He created everything.

 

If you search for God, He gives you light to understand and find Him. Do it! Do it with all your heart. 

"The best thing is to go from nature's God down to nature; and if you once get to nature's God, and believe him, and love him, it is surprising how easy it is to hear music in the waves, and songs in the wild whisperings of the winds; to see God everywhere in the stones, in the rocks, in the rippling brooks, and hear him everywhere, in the lowing of cattle, in the rolling of thunder, and in the fury of tempets."

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834-1892

He loves you. Yes, you. All you have to do is search with your whole heart and you will find Him. I know. Because I did.

He Does is a searching and heart touching song. Enjoy Greater Vision singing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaK4HFsVVIg

 

While the crowd in Jerusalem was ecstatic with hope, we are humbled by gratitude."

365 Devotions for a Thankful Heart 

Heart Loyalty

The protector was making his way down the hill to see who this girl was watching his sheep!

Job possessed heart loyalty. Those were the words I read in a Bible study lesson written by James T. Draper. Those words certainly aren't a new idea, but one that needs to be revisited during a crucial and needy time in America.

I like that. Heart loyalty.

The question is: "What are you loyal too?" No matter what answer you give, your number one loyalty should be to God. Always has been and always will be.

This one was taking a peak too! Who invaded my barn!

Are you devoted to God? Live for God? Would you die for God? As our country and world continues its vigorous spiral downfall, who are you loyal too?

 

My heart breaks as I see our country continue to abandon and overrule God. For as smart a nation as we are, it appears we haven't learned from history. A nation once great slowly collapses. And it's going faster all the time.

I stopped on the way home from work one day when I saw Sheep and Lamb in the field. I walked down to the barn. The owner let me come inside and his gang came up to see what I was doing.

 Being loyal to God isn't a hard thing. It's truly a heart issue. You either stand for Christ or you don't. Once you've made your decision, loyalty is easy.

 I've lost a lot in my life because of my stand for Christ, and it hurts. Yet I stand for what I believe and have no regrets of that choice.

 Once your heart is settled, no matter what happens in this life, you stand behind the living God where all things are possible--even the impossible.

 

 " . . . I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Ephesians 4:1

 

The call in this day and age is: "Who are you loyal too?" Job possessed heart loyalty. I've made my choice. What about you? 

I could just go cuddle them all!

The Best Hearts-ease

 "God does not so much need people to do extraordinary things as he needs people who do

ordinary things extraordinarily well."

William Barclay, 1907-1978

I had never heard of a hearts ease until an older women gave me a devotion book that told a story about one. It was my first devotion book. Most of you are familiar with Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.

 I've read that devotion book many years and it introduced me to many more devotion books. One story caught my eye and it was about a little hearts ease. Years later I would share this story when I talked about note writing.

This story is simple, but profound. The point: Whatever God has given you to do, do it the very best you can.

"A story is told of a king who went into his garden one morning and found everything withered and dying. He asked the oak that stood near the gate what the trouble was. He found it was sick of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine. The pine was all out of heart because it could not bear grapes, like the vine. The vine was going to throw it's life away because it could not stand erect and have as fine fruit as the peach tree. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac; and so on all through the garden. Coming to a hearts ease, he found its bright face lifted as cherry as ever. 'Well, hearts ease, I'm glad, amidst all this discouragement, to find one brave little flower. You do not seem to be the least disheartened.' 'No, I am not of much account, but I thought if you wanted an oak, or a pine, or a peach tree, or a lilac, you would have planted one; but as I knew you wanted a hearts ease, I am determined to be the best little hearts ease that I can.'"

You may think that what you do for God's kingdom is a very small thing. But if God has gifted you to do it, put all your might into it and do it! 

 

"In The One Year Women of the Bible devotion book by Dianne Neal Matthews she says "Too often in the church, attention tends to focus on the more visible ministries . . . But God has given his children all kinds of gifts and abilities. Practical skills like sewing, cooking, decorating, and organizing may not be flashy, but they can have a tremendous impact on other people's lives.  Whatever abilities we have can bless others if we dedicate it to God. We can't all sew clothes [Dorcas, Acts 9:36-42] but we can all sow seeds of kindness--using whatever tool God has given us."

That also includes helpers, comforters, ushers, maintenance workers, reading, and so many more skills that aren't seen.

 

 In Hebrews 6:10 it says, " . . . He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them." God knows what we do. Do it the very best you can!

 

 

"The noblest service comes from unseen hands, And the best servant does his work unseen."

Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1809-1894

 

Keep Growing

"Study it carefully, think of it prayerfully,

Till in your heart its precepts dwell;

Slight not its history, ponder its mystery,

None can e'er prize it too fondly or well."

Unknown 

 

March brings baby Lamb! I visited a sheep farm in Maryland a few years ago--my very first time! I was surrounded by sheep and lamb. I was a happy camper!

I wrote the following words in January 2012. I thought they are worth repeating.

 Recently I penned a note to my pastor about how we continue to grow and understand more about God. This is what I said:

 "It's amazing to me how we continue to grow, gaining wisdom and understanding as we walk with and serve God. Of course, our sinful nature continues too, but hopefully that continues to diminish as we mature; although never ending, we should have wiser control over its forces.

This was a "lady in waiting." She looked calm and restful.

"Reading books, listening to CDs and watching DVDs from reliable Christians God has gifted to express His Word always appeals to my unquenchable desire to learn more and be closer to my Heavenly Father. The journey has been an amazing one through my eyes, for who am I that God chose me. Through my eyes, nothing; through God's eyes, everything."

Is your unquenchable desire being filled by Godly design? There's no shortage of reliable avenues to choose. You'll find them amazing!

 

Are you familiar with the hymn, Wonderful Words Of Life? "One of the basic precepts of the Sunday school movement has always been that God's Word must be carefully and systematically studied by believers of all ages . . . We never outgrow our need for the Bible; it becomes more helpful to us with the years." Amazing Grace, March 4 devotion

 

 "Sing them over again to me--wonderful words of life;

let me more of their beauty see--wonderful words of life. 

Words of life and beauty, teach me faith and duty

 

"Beautiful words, wonderful words,

Wonderful word of life;

Beautiful words, wonderful word,

Wonderful words of life."

Sing along to this joyful tune! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7x3OX6v5_o

 

"Thy Word is like a garden, Lord, with flowers bright and fair; and ev'ryone who seeks may pluck a lovely cluster there. Thy Word is like a deep, deep, mine, and jewels rich and rare are hidden in its mighty depths for ev'ry searcher there." 

                                                Edwin Hodder, 1837-1904, Hymn: "Thy Word Is Like a Garden, Lord"

 

 

What a Sentence.

 "The future has a habit of suddenly and dramatically becoming the present."

Roger Ward Babson, 1875-1967

I do believe somebody is snowed in! 

Bam! The first six words hit me like a rock! I stopped and read them again. And then again. I felt like I was reading a history book. I don't like those first six words Jack Countryman wrote:

 

"In our Western, post-Christian era . . .' 'In our Western, post-Christian era . . .'  'In our Western, post-Christian era, foundational truths in God's Word are no longer accepted or even respected."

Post-Christian era. Now. While I'm living. I know it in my mind, but seeing it in print stopped me.

I asked Jerry what he thought: "There is a lot in that sentence. Although we do not wish this to be, according to God's Word, as I understand it, I think it is true. Which draws us closer to the rapture. Soon. When I first started thinking about this period of time I asked myself: Could I actually be living in the end time prophecy? Just thinking of that is overwhelming."

 

Of course we know post-Christian is a true statement. It is evident in everything that is going on around us and has been for many a year now, and unfortunately, our country is reaping the fruit of turning its back on God. It is hard to accept. It is hard to believe. It is hard to live in it.

Countryman continued saying: "Living unmoored from biblical values and priorities, we are redefining marriage, deciding that more than two sexes exist, debating about when life begins so that we can end it, and giving people permission to end their own lives . . . And the list goes on."

One of my favorite snow pictures. 

 

 Continuing, Countryman said: "When we are left to ourselves to make a decision in this dark world void of God's truth, we may not always know which option leads to life and which one ends in death. We will remain in the dark until and unless we open God's Word.

Well, Carol, What an I going to do about this? And this is what I decided.

I'm going to continue living my life believing God's Word is the only prescription for life because it is true. I'm going to live for Jesus Christ, worshiping, serving, loving and proclaiming He is the one true God. I'm going to do my best to stay encouraged and be faithful until my time here on earth is over. Why? Because this is what I believe is true. 

 

An original painting by my friend, Peggy, in Maryland

 

The Word of God has been proven so many times throughout history of its truth, how can anyone decide to reject it? Post-Christian era? Not in my heart. How about you?

"If I walk with the world, I can't walk with God."

Dwight Lyman Moody, 1837-1899 

 

A snow scene created with wool.