Category: II Corinthians

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Unshakable, Immovable

A few days back a friend and I were discussing all the senseless tragedies that have been in the news lately. Some people want to blame God for what’s occurring. I would like to go on record, “this is not God’s fault”.

What I’m about to share with you now are the words that came pouring from my heart. The word of God is my unshakable, immovable, solid rock foundation. In these uncertain times we need a firm foundation.

“ Anyone who comes and listens to me and obeys me 48 is like someone who dug down deep and built a house on solid rock. When the flood came and the river rushed against the house, it was built so well that it didn’t even shake. 49 But anyone who hears what I say and doesn’t obey me is like someone whose house wasn’t built on solid rock. As soon as the river rushed against that house, it was smashed to pieces!” Luke 6:47-49 CEV

Let’s take a look at God’s word. He has given us a free will and He will not violate that. We are free to choose His blessings or to reject them. The choice of building our lives on the solid rock of God’s word is ours. God will not usurp our will to keep us from going to hell nor will He force us to accept any of his other blessings or His help.

“God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”. II Peter 3:9 KJV

Psalms 103:1-5 tells us that the Lord forgives all our sins and heals all of our diseases but there are very few people I know who actually live free from the guilt of sin in every area of their lives or who live in divine health, 100% of the time. Does that mean that God lied when He said all, or does it mean we are unworthy to receive those blessings? NEVER!

If we are in Christ, children of the Father, all His promises belong to us.

“We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4 God made great and marvelous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.” II Peter 1:3-4 CEV

Why do bad things happen to good people? 

If we don’t know that God’s promises belong to us, all of His promises, then we blindly and ignorantly accept the evil being done without fighting back. If we don’t know that God wants us protected, well, prospered, worry-free, forgiven and loved then that lack of knowledge will destroy us. We will have no foundation.

“My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge…” Hosea 4:6 ERV

But if we know we can fight against those things and be victorious, it changes the outcome.

“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory.” II Corinthians 2:14 CEV

If we are in Christ, and we are as Christians, we are promised victory. I have more to share on this so there will be a part two tomorrow.

Don’t give up, don’t quit! Build on a solid foundation; we will be unshakable and immovable!

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True Value

Have you ever noticed the way the advertisers work to create low self-esteem at the beginning of each year? They add on to the notation that many have already adopted – I’m not good enough, I weigh too much, I need to join a gym…eat better, join a weight loss program…need a new hair style or different clothes.

It’s out there to convince us that we need to make a change and then we will be happier, more beautiful, healthier, more successful.

Our real value isn’t always recognized. It doesn’t come from how we look, what we eat, what we drive or any of those other things. Our acceptance, our status, comes from who we are in Christ. We have been given the ultimate make-over.

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” II Corinthians 5:17 CEV

The most rewarding thing to me about our “belonging” to Christ is that it doesn’t depend upon our social status, our belonging to a certain club or church, our financial standing isn’t taken into consideration nor is our beauty. It all depends on Christ and not on us. What brings us in to right standing with the Father is our acceptance of the sacrifice of the Son.

“My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin. But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing, and he will speak to the Father for us. 2 Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of all the world’s people.” I John 2:1-2 CEV

All the world’s people…everyone, yes, everyone! No one is left outside of God’s love and His provision for new life. Our part is to accept that free gift; the Lord won’t force us to take it, but He wants everyone to benefit from it. When we accept what Christ has done for us there is no one or no thing that can separate us from God’s love.

“ If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death?… 

37 In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. 38 I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—…Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:33-39 CEV

Nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love! The sentiment of the world may be that we aren’t acceptable or that we have no value but that’s not how God sees us. To Him, we are precious – priceless.

“And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:17 AMPC

So, as you come into this New Year focus on what is truly life affirming, life changing. Spend time with the Father and let Him confirm your true value.

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Copy/Paste Christmas Style

This morning I opened a tab and input the words “copy paste Christmas image” and what popped up was a catalog of images that were available to copy and paste of all things Christmas.

But that wasn’t quite what I was looking for. You know the concept was God’s idea.

“26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:25-27 KJV

God created us to be like Him – to be His representative, His counterpart on the earth. But when Adam sinned our nature was changed. God had to work to restore what He had intended for man to be. Enter Jesus.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin[b] so that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 ERV

Jesus restored us to the position that we had before Adam sinned. In Christ we are a NEW CREATION – a new creature – like the one that God created in the Garden of Eden. Jesus restored us to our original likeness.

He copies and pastes the origin blueprint that God used for man into our hearts when we receive the gift of salvation.

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.)” Ephesians 2:4-5 ERV

In Christ we have been made new.

It’s not something we work to earn but something we receive freely by grace. Just as Adam was God’s idea and he did nothing to deserve or even request his creation so is our salvation and our restoration to a living and loving relationship with the Father God.

“Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.” Romans 5:19 CEV

Copy/paste Christmas style! The gift of new life in Christ, the gift of being restored to the Father’s likeness.

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Light the World

While we were in the mountains this summer I lit and decorated a small pine tree at the back of our campsite. Dave humored me when I bought the lights and told me we had multiple strands at home that we could have used but he ran the extension cord and help me string the lights without complaint.

I took little pinecones I had found on the ground, attached ribbon to them and hung them from the branches. Simple but special.

There were many nights that we sat outside and had campers walk by and remark “Oh look, they have a Christmas tree”. It was just a small non-descript Douglas fir but once the lights were added it took on new meaning.

Our lives are like that. We may be small and insignificant to the world’s population but once the Lord takes our lives and adds His light, we become a light to the world.

“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, 15 and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. 16 Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 CEV

Notice the first four words of the verses above “You are like light” – we are to be like the light of the world, bringing hope in the darkness.

These were Jesus’ words to those who followed Him and listened to His teachings. They are His words to us as well. In the book of John, Jesus said of himself “I AM the light of the world”. He came to bring us out of the darkness of sinful living and into a life lit by the love of God.

“I am the light that has come into the world. No one who has faith in me will stay in the dark.” John 12:46 CEV

The light that comes from us is there because of Christ!

“The Scriptures say, “God commanded light to shine in the dark.” Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ. 7 We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” II Corinthians 4:6-7 CEV

As we start this Christmas month, December, let’s remember to be a light that will point all those around us to THE LIGHT – let us be illuminated with His love!

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Forget Password?

Am I the only one who has trouble remembering some of my passwords?

In the last few days I have accessed some sites that I haven’t used in a year. Since I got my new computer over the summer those passwords aren’t a part of the memory on this unit. I have a little place that I record my passwords because of situations like this however, I have found out that I don’t ALWAYS record a new one.

Getting locked out is frustrating and time consuming. I find myself asking the question, “what do I have of any value that would make someone want to steal my identity anyway?”.

Then it came to me this morning – my identity has already been stolen and it was with my permission.

“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” II Corinthians 5:17-20 MSG

We’ve been created new – a new life emerges – we have a fresh start where all our sins are forgiven. New identity!

When God looks at us through Christ He sees someone who is clean, perfect, His child and friend! The Father has set up a new account for us, we have open access!

“With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” Hebrews 4:16 ERV

But, what about the password? What if we forget it? Simple!

“On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. 3  Know this: God is God, and God, God. He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep. 4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. 5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.” Psalm 100 MSG

The password is easy – it’s our expression of gratitude! Open before us is our new identity, we sign in with grateful hearts and are given the right to His love, forgiveness, mercy, grace and help.

I will never forget that password – THANK YOU!

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Spelling Lesson

School is back in session for most of the kids and they have spelling lessons. Today, I’m going to teach you a new way to spell two words, defeat and quit.

How do you spell defeat? It’s spelled q-u-i-t. How do you spell quit? It’s spelled n-e-v-e-r!

Things come up in life and it looks like we’ll be defeated. Some times the hard things make us want to quit! It could be a relationship, an illness, financial problems, a continued process of setbacks but we must not quit!!!

Fight the battle – victory will come.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume.” II Corinthians 2:14 ERV

ALWAYS!

Do you remember the story of the Israelites after they had been delivered from Pharaoh and Egypt ? They had seen God do mighty things and now they were standing on the edge of the Promised Land. The Lord told them they would go in and possess the land so they sent in spies to see what the land was like.

Twelve spies went in; they brought back clusters of grapes so big that two men had to carry them on a pole. It truly was a land flowing with milk and honey as God had said it was (He doesn’t lie you know). The land was lush and beautiful. A land to be desired but…the spies reported there were giants in the land.

God knew the giants were there when He said He would give them the land. Were the giants really any bigger an obstacle than the Pharaoh’s army or the Red Sea? If God had provided victory for them in the past, why would they doubt His ability now?

The spies took their eyes off of their God and looked at their own ability. They had given up. They were defeated! Joshua and Caleb, two of the spies, tried to get their eyes back on the bigness of God and the people were ready to stone them.

“ It is a land filled with many good things. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land. And he will give that land to us. 9 So don’t turn against the LORD! Don’t be afraid of the people in that land. We can defeat them. They have no protection, nothing to keep them safe. But we have the LORD with us, so don’t be afraid!” 10 All the people began talking about killing Joshua and Caleb with stones.” Numbers 14:8-10 ERV

Trusting God isn’t “a way” to get things done, it’s “the way”. Jesus didn’t say I am “a way”, “a truth” and “a life” – NO! He said I am THE way, THE truth and THE life.

We must stay focused on the greatness of our God or we’ll be like the Israelites and quit before we get started.

I don’t know your situation or what battles you have been fighting but don’t quit! You’re not in this alone – God is there to fight the battle with and for you!

Don’t quit – don’t give up – don’t accept defeat and you will ALWAYS TRIUMPH!

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The Unexpected

Yesterday Dave and I took a drive, not far from our campground to a place called Lee’s Valley Reservoir.  It’s a small lake – such a serene setting.

We weren’t there for the fishing or picnicking. We went specifically to find a strong internet connection so that we could stream our church service and get some computer work done. I couldn’t think of a nicer place to hold up.

It was so good to be a part of a live service and hear good teaching from God’s word.

After we left there, we stopped by to see a friend of ours, another camp host. We had a short visit but when the dark clouds started rolling in, we knew it was time to head for home.  Within minutes the rain was pouring down, the windshield wipers on the truck couldn’t keep up.

About that time my phone rang. The rain was beating so strongly on the roof of the truck I didn’t know if we would be able to hear but I answered. Dave pulled the truck off the road on to an overlook.  It was our oldest daughter. We chatted for a few minutes but explained about the driving rain we were experiencing so we cut the conversation short.

On to home.

As we pulled onto the road to the campground the sun broke through and everything appeared to be crisp and well washed by the rain. I went to check with the hosts on duty to make sure all was well.

What they told me was a bit unnerving. Just moments before we had arrived there had been a lightning strike in the campground. It was close to us. Dave and I went to investigate and make sure all the campers were ok. It struck right behind our 5th wheel in the site up the bank from us. The campers in that site had been sitting outside when it hit! They were obviously shaken but ok. Chunks of timber were thrown everywhere.

Dave and our manager were busy inspecting the tree and discussing its stability and the safety concerns while I spoke with the one camper. I told him I was sure that God had provided he and the others with protection. He agreed and then he said this, “That’s why we live each day as if it could be our last and we are ready anytime that this may be our last breath. I’m ready.”

I assured him we were too, and we were very grateful that they were all safe!

“So always be cheerful! As long as we are in these bodies, we are away from the Lord. 7 But we live by faith, not by what we see. 8 We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord. 9 But whether we are at home with the Lord or away from him, we still try our best to please him.” II Corinthians 5:6-9 CEV

My question for you this morning is are you ready? Do you know that when you leave this body that you will be present with the Father?  I would hate to think that those reading this might not be sure where they would be if they died today. If you’re uncertain please pray this simple prayer.

“Father, I’m not sure I’m ready if this is to be my final day on earth. I’m not sure I would be in heaven with You. I want to be sure. I know I have sinned, but I also know that Jesus died to see that my sins are forgiven and I can be adopted as one of Your children. I believe that You did this for me, and I ask you to receive me now as Your child. Thank you for giving me new life. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Today is a new day for all of us. Things may come that we aren’t expecting but nothing catches our heavenly Father unaware. We can have peace as we trust in Him.

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Hallelujah!!!

This morning I have tears streaming down my cheeks!

It was 8 days ago my computer died and I had no way to share with you each morning. I’ve been praying for you every day and trusting the Father to encourage you in your daily walk.

Yesterday I expected to receive my new computer but instead I received an email which read “shipping has been delayed, do you wish to cancel your order”.

NO!!

For a week, I have been trying and praying to connect to my site via my phone only to be met with “incorrect password” and never receiving the necessary email to reset it. Frankly, I was beginning to lose hope.

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick”

I was heart sick for sure. Several dear friends have been holding me up in prayer. Thank you, thank you!!! One sweet friend encouraged me by reminding me that I didn’t need a strong internet signal to pray – very true.

Before I got up this morning, I heard very distinctly in my heart. Don’t give up, try again.

I was reminded of Noah, who spent years building an ark, telling his neighbors of the coming flood and had not one convert. Then there was David, who knew he had been anointed to be king of Israel and yet he hid from Saul for 13 years in the wilderness because Saul was trying to kill him. And then there was Jesus, who preached for 3 years and was crucified by the religious Jews.

My computer struggles are small potatoes compared to these monumental challenges but I know that the Father is just as concerned with me and you as He was for them.

So, this morning, I got up and tried one more time, a little differently, but try I did…and here I am to encourage you -don’t give up, don’t quit trying!

“Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus.” II Corinthians 2:14

No matter what you’re facing don’t quit. Keep your trust in the Father, he is worthy of all our trust. Roll all your cares on Him!

“Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you”. I Peter 5:7

Can you say Hallelujah?!

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In My Own Little Chair

Did you every see the 1960’s musical by Rogers and Hammerstein called “Cinderella”? It was one of my favorites.

I would dance around the living room and spend days singing the songs from the musical score. The one that struck a particular cord took place in the great kitchen, next to the hearth. There sat Cinderella in a small wooden chair. She lifted her head and her voice as she sang:

“In my own little corner, In my own little chair, I can be whatever I want to be. On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere, and the world will open its arms to me…”

This morning,I am at home in my own little corner, in my own rocking chair and as I sat down those lyrics began to fill my thoughts. We are only home for 36 hours and then we’ll return to the mountains. For years, I’ve sat in this chair praying and writing, it’s from here I have been able to encourage all of you to be all our heavenly Father has created us to be.

“What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? 33 If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side,speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? 36 It is exactly as the Scriptures say,

“For you we face death all day long. We are like sheep on their way to be butchered.”

37 In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. 38 I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, 39 and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans 8:31-39 CEV

God is on our side, how can we fail? “In everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us”. Those are life changing words! Those are the words that encourage us to be more – more loving, more bold, more forgiving, more courageous!

More of who God wants us to be without shame or timidity. We aren’t given the promise of a battle free life but we are given His word that we will be victorious in those battles. Young David had to face Goliath, Peter faced down the pharisees, Paul encountered persecution in nearly every town but all of them were victorious.

“I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” II Corinthians 2:14 CEV

Find your own little corner, your own little chair and sit there for a while. Wait on the Lord to show you what His plan is for your day and then follow it. The Father is on your side and He will see that you succeed.

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What A Wonderful World

If you’ve been reading my blogs for any length of time you know that I am fascinated by clouds. Yesterday did not disappoint.  This is the image I captured about 7 a.m.

What a wonderful world our Father has created!

Each time I see a sky like this my heart says, “Oh Father, you do great work”. When I was younger I sang a song by John W. Peterson, “It Took A Miracle”.

“My Father is omnipotent, and that you can´t deny;

A God of might and miracles, ´tis written in the sky. 

CHORUS: It took a miracle to put the stars in place;

It took a miracle to hang the world in space.

But when He saved my soul,

Cleansed and made me whole,

It took a miracle of love and grace.”

That’s how I feel. Each day the Lord shows me something special – another expression of His goodness and love. He never disappoints! But the greatest miracle is the one He has done in my life.

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.” Psalm 107:31 NLT

I realize that some may think I am a bit unrealistic but for years I have prayed that the Lord would show me the good around me and keep me from becoming cynical and unkind. He has answered that prayer!

We live in a world where God’s wonder abounds.

Our job is to be an ambassador of His love. There is so much that is ugly and cruel. There is pain and disappointment, I won’t deny it but God’s goodness and love is so much greater than any of that.

“We are Christ’s ambassadors. God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, receive the love he offers you—be reconciled to God.  21 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us!” II Corinthians 5:20-21 TLB

When I see a sky as beautiful as it was yesterday I am reminded that my Father, who made that sky, has told me to come to Him boldly whenever I find myself in need and He will be there to help. That is His message to all of us.

“So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.” Hebrews 4:16 TLB

There’s an old Louis Armstrong song that’s lyrics bring a smile to my face and I hope it will make you smile too.

“I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and for you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world”

Declare the goodness of the Lord. We live in a wonderful world!

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