Category: Peace

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Oil of Joy!

I’d like to tell you a story this morning. It’s the story of a widowed woman and her sons. Her husband had died and she was in debt. She had no way of taking care of her family and her sons were to be taken away to pay for the family’s debts.

She went to the man of God, Elisha, to appeal to him for help. He asked her but one question, “What do you have in your house?”. “Only a little oil”, was her reply. He then instructed her to find all the empty oil jars she could. She was to go into her house, shut the door and start filling the empty jars from her little cruse of oil.

“So the woman left Elisha, went into her house, and shut the door. Only she and her sons were in the house. Her sons brought the bowls to her and she poured oil. 6 She filled many bowls. Finally, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another bowl.’ But all the bowls were full. One of the sons said to her, ‘There aren’t any more bowls.’ Then the oil in the jar was finished! 7 When she told the man of God what had happened, Elisha said to her, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debt. You and your sons can live on the money that is left.'” II Kings 4:5-7 ERV

Oil was a valuable commodity in the Middle East, it still is. Oil was used to keep their skin supple in the hot desert sun; it was used to light their lamps; it was used in the baking of their foods. It was a substance of life.

The prophet Isaiah told the Jewish people that when the Messiah came to earth He would provide for them.

“I will take away the ashes on their head, and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will give them celebration clothes. He sent me to name them ‘Good Trees’ and ‘The Lord’s Wonderful Plant.’” Isaiah 61:3 ERV

It was the custom to wear sackcloth and put ashes on their head in time of mourning and disaster. But see what Isaiah tells them – when Jesus comes he replaces the ashes with a crown, sadness with the oil of joy and the sackcloth with clothes of celebration.

We have this same promise from Jesus. He promises us comfort, joy and peace! The Holy Spirit brings all these things to us.

“16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever. 17 The Helper is the Spirit of truth. The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don’t see him or know him… 18 “I will not leave you all alone like orphans…

25 “I have told you all these things while I am with you. 26 But the Helper will teach you everything and cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name. 27 “I leave you peace. It is my own peace I give you. I give you peace in a different way than the world does. So don’t be troubled. Don’t be afraid.” John 14:15-27 ERV

May I ask you, do you need joy, hope and peace? Let the Holy Spirit fill your vessel with the oil of joy!

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Getting Ready to Leave

We only have a couple days left on the mountain, the place that has been our home for the last four and a half months. It’s been hard to say good-bye to friends and there are still good-byes to be said.

Yesterday, we spent time in the campground, going from campsite to campsite, making notes of things that need to be improved upon before the next camping season. We visited with the two families of campers that are still here. Only the hardy, with good generators, are here now. We had snow on Tuesday and the night time temperature dropped to 18*.

After that, there was the check-in station to finish packing up; all the bookwork and supplies have to be moved to the administration building. Bulletin boards, signs and windows have to be covered and there was one final load of laundry that needed to be done.

Almost all of the preparations have been made.

We have also taken time to pack away our own things – the bar-b-q, the outdoor canopy, and chairs. The closets have been rearranged, the cupboards straighten, awnings are pulled in, things are stowed away and secured. A little more cleaning and another load of laundry and we’ll be ready to pull out.

I began thinking of all the people in the Bible who had to leave some place they were accustomed too; Abraham and Sarah had to leave, Rebekah left her home to join her husband, Jacob’s whole family left their home to join Joseph in Egypt. Samuel left his mother and father to go to the Temple, Ruth left her home to follow her mother-in-law, Esther left her uncle to go to the King’s palace, Peter left his fishing business to follow Jesus, Paul left his place as an important member of Jewish society to become an itinerate preacher and Jesus left heaven to come to earth.

All of their leavings had a purpose. Esther was placed in the palace as queen by divine providence. She was used to save her people from genocide.

“And who knows, maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14b ERV

I believe that God has a purpose and a plan for every life, including yours and mine!

“I say this because I know the plans that I have for you. This message is from the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.'” Jeremiah 29:11-13 ERV

Maybe your circumstances are changing too. You are making preparation for a new home, a new job, a new life. There can be insecurity and apprehension in this but when we trust the Lord, He will give us peace and direction.

None of us know exactly how the Lord will use us from day to day but we can be certain that His plan for us is good. Each one of us should always “be prepared for leaving” the old and embracing the new as we follow the Lord’s leading.

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On Solid Ground

Where are you standing today? Is your footing sure?

Hiking the hills, it’s imperative that you know where your next step needs to be. The terrain is covered with undergrowth and brush and the rocky ground can cause your foot to give way without any notice.

The same holds true in life.

If you are standing on a unsure foundation undoubtedly you will slip and fall. But when the foundation is sure, you are secure.

“But the foundation that God has laid is solid. On it is written, “The Lord knows who his people are. So everyone who worships the Lord must turn away from evil.” II Timothy 2:19 CEV

Jesus referred to a house on a solid foundation (rock) in a parable and then went on to say that the rock was the Word of God.

“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

I love the old hymn that says the same. It was written by a man named Edward Mote in the 1800’s – it has a very true message for today.

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace; In every high and stormy gale ,My anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood Support me in the whelming flood; When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found; Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand.

When we put our hope and trust in Jesus, we will find our footing is secure on the Solid Rock!

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Lead On!

In the early days, when settlers were heading West, the people who traveled by wagon train had scouts. These were men who had traveled the trail previously. They knew where there was water, they knew where game was plentiful. They also knew the dangers of rivers that needed to be forded and places where water was scarce, and the terrain was dangerous.

The scouts would lead the wagons on.

You already know that I’m a planner – a list maker. I imagine many of you are like me and looking forward to the end of the year. There’s so much to do, so, we better begin now.

This morning, I was making mental notes of all the things I need to do once we get home. (I had been doing it in my sleep and it robbed me of my rest.) I stopped my mental tracking and said, “Lord, what is it You want me to focus on?”

Lord, lead on!

Jesus is much better than those wagon train scouts. He came to earth to live in a human body so that he would experience all the things we face. He faced every trial and temptation and was victorious in all things.

“ Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham’s descendants. 17 He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. 18 And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.” Hebrews 2:16-18 CEV

The safety of the wagon train was experienced leadership. Listening to the advice of those who had been there before and not striking out “doing it my own way”. The same is true of our Christian walk.

“ We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. 15 Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:14-16 CEV

When we humble ourselves and trust in His leadership, letting Jesus chart the path before us, He will lead us safely through to our final destination. He will keep us from calamity!

“Show me your paths and teach me to follow; 5 guide me by your truth and instruct me.
You keep me safe, and I always trust you.” Psalms 25:4-5 CEV

Lord Jesus, lead on!

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The Trees Are Singing

The other day I received some very sad news. My heart was aching and I told Dave I wanted to go through the campground and look at the aspens. I wanted to see some of the Lord’s beauty.

The trees are just starting to change, some are already yellow but the gold and fire red has yet to come full color. I have been waiting for this brilliant display for a couple of weeks. There was a slight breeze rustling in the tops of the trees and I could almost hear them singing.

“Tell the heavens and the earth to be glad and celebrate! And announce to the nations,  ‘The Lord is King!’ 32 Command the ocean to roar with all of its creatures and the fields to rejoice with all of their crops. 33 Then every tree in the forest will sing joyful songs to the Lord. He is coming to judge  all people on earth. 34 Praise the Lord because he is good to us, and his love never fails.” I Chronicles 16:31-34 CEV

The sound of the wind whistling through the trees was telling me that “The Lord is good, His love never fails”. They were singing their joyful song.

So often we fail to recognize the thing we need most. We get so busy, caught in the search, that we fail to recognize the simple answer that we seek.

“You have shown me the path to life, and you make me glad by being near to me. Sitting at your right side, I will always be joyful.” Psalm 16:11 CEV

The peace and contentment, joy and comfort we seek, can be found sitting in the presence of the Lord. Sitting quietly, telling Him our hearts’ disappointments and sorrows, gives Him time to fill our emptiness with all of who He is.

In the midst of our storm and crisis, Jesus speaks these words, “Peace, be still”!

“Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”

39 Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm. 40 He said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:38-40 ERV

He calms our fears and shows us His power is greater than our storm.

Maybe today, you’re like me, and just need to take time to hear the trees singing of His great love!

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All The Time

My thoughts are all over the place this morning. For the first time in months I slept in. I was shocked when I woke and saw that it was already 4:30 am.

I came to my chair in the living room, after starting the coffee, and told the Lord I loved Him. My heart was instantly stirred with the words of the old hymn, How Great Thou Art.

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

I sat here – reading, praying, and letting those words minister to my heart. How Great Thou Art!

In the morning God is great! At noon time God is great! In the evening, God is great! There is never a time when God is not great, loving, kind and good!

“Let the name of the Lord be praised now and forever. 3 From dawn until sunset  the name of the Lord deserves to be praised. 4 The Lord is far above all of the nations;  he is more glorious  than the heavens. 5 No one can compare with the Lord our God. His throne is high above,” Psalm 113:2-5 CEV

No matter the time, the day or the year God is great – all the time! Tell Him of your love today.

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Living Hope

Things are so grand on the mountain – the ponderosa pines tower over our campground, the rocks are huge, the elk are massive and the trout are trophy size! I love being here to experience all of this but there is another side to it as well.

When we walk through the forest we are constantly reminded that nothing on this earth lasts forever. There we find trees that have succumbed to fire, lightning or even a fungus or an insect. They lay in a state of decay across the forest floor.

On one of our walks we even found a carcass from a winter past. The bones were whitened by the elements – the rain, the snow and the sun. Life ends and new life comes.

Loss is heartbreaking!

I was reminded just yesterday that Jesus wept at the loss of his friend. He knows the anguish we experience with loss and He provides us with a new and living hope.

“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. 4 God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.” I Peter 1:3-4 CEV

Christ died but the story doesn’t end there. He didn’t face the decay of death but He rose victoriously from the grave. He defeated death so that we might have new life and new hope.

“Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. 18 And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. 20 But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. 21 Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ.” I Corinthians 15:17-21 CEV

It would be easy to become discouraged when loved ones die and we are left with emptiness and heartache. Jesus knew what that would be like for His own disciples when they went through the anguish of His death. These are His words:

“Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am.” John 14:1-3 ERV

If you have experienced the lost of a friend or loved one take heart – the separation that we feel here on earth will soon be replaced with an eternity of joy in heaven!

We have that living hope!

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Unseen Changes

I guess the Holy Spirit was giving me a head’s up yesterday morning when I shared with you about “order up” because our day went nothing as we had planned.

“We make our own plans, but the Lord decides where we will go.” Provers 16:9 CEV

Shortly after I posted my morning blog, Dave and I were sitting in our living area, looking out our big window and having coffee. We saw one of our campers come up to the check in area. He went towards the neighboring camp hosts RV and then walked back to his truck. He was on his phone. I walked out in my robe and slippers to see what he needed. He was talking to a 911 operator.

He told me one of our campers had tripped and fallen and his leg or hip appeared to be broken. I let him finish giving the 911 operator our location. I told him we’d be at the site as soon as we dressed. When I got back to the 5th wheel Dave was dressed. I told him what was going on and he left. I text our managers to tell them what had occurred, dressed, grabbed an extra blanket and headed to the site.

I met Dave coming back. He was going to wait for the ambulance and direct them to the site. He told me who the camper was, it was a man I had been talking with the last few days. I was concerned it was him – we had been sharing the Lord and having good conversations. He was camping alone. I got to the site and covered him with the heavier blanket and then knelt beside him. I told him I needed to leave the medical treatment to the professionals but if it was ok I would pray with him and for him.

We prayed.

The course of his day had been drastically changed and my morning events were altered too. I was where I needed to be. I sat on the ground beside him, holding his hand, talking when him as he grimaced through the pain. He spoke of the goodness of God that he tripped at the campsite because he could have had an accident out on the highway where he would have been alone.

He talked about his belongings, would we gather things up for him, and his wife driving up from Tucson by herself. He asked if I would call her once the ambulance had taken him to the hospital to let her know he was ok and where they would take him. All of this we did!

Friends, we can’t be fearful of situations outside of our comfort zones. We can only do what we know to do – we can bring encouragement and comfort to the heart of those the Lord brings by our paths. Last I heard from his wife, they were waiting for the surgeon’s consult and surgery would have been done last night or today. She thanked us again for being there – she called us a “God-send”. I believe we were.

“With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. 6 Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CEV

When we get up each morning, we prayed “Lord, direct my steps today”. When He does we must be obedient to follow.

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Go to the Rock!

When we get bad news, where is the first place we go? Do we seek out a second opinion, head to the bar, talk to a close friend? Where do we turn?

The first place my heart turns is to my Rock! There is only one place I know to find wisdom, strength, hope and help.

“God, hear my cry for help.
    Listen to my prayer.
2 From a faraway land I call to you for help.
    I feel so weak and helpless!
Carry me to a high rock
    where no one can reach me.
3 You are my place of safety,
    a strong tower that protects me from my enemies.
4 I want to live in your tent forever.
    I want to hide where you can protect me. Selah” Psalm 61:1-4 ERV

Since April, Dave and I have seen some landscapes with massive rocks. This morning I could see all those places with my mind’s eye: City of Rocks, Gila Cliff Dwellings and the Catwalk. Each place I was looking up at the grandeur and the almost impenetrable fortress that these rocks provided.

These rocks became an object lesson for my faith. “When I feel weak and helpless, carry me to the Rock”.

When we are overwhelmed, the Apostle Paul tells us we are to guard our hearts.

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

Jesus told us that his word is the rock that we should build our lives on and when the storms of life blow in, trying to destroy our house, that if we are built on the rock we will withstand the storm.

“He is my God, the Rock I run to for protection. He is my shield; by his power I am saved. He is my hiding place, my place of safety, high in the hills. He is my savior, the one who rescues me from the cruel enemy.” II Samuel 22:3 ERV

Bad news, devastating storms, heart ache – what are you facing?

“They will not be afraid of bad news. They are confident because they trust in the Lord.
8 They remain confident and without fear, so they defeat their enemies.” Psalm 11:7-8 ERV

Go to the Rock!

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The Right Path

Last weekend our oldest daughter and son-in-law came to the campground to spend a few days with us.  On Saturday, we went a place called “The Catwalk” in Glenwood Springs, New Mexico.

The Catwalk is a mining site developed in the late 1800’s after gold and silver were discovered. There is a hiking path that flanks both sides of a creek. When Dave and I were there in July, before we had many days of rain, the creek was shallow and not very swift. However, on last weekend’s outing the water level was higher and more rapid.

The path, in most places, is well marked but the water crossings were somewhat obscured because of the amount of water flow.

After we had made the crossing, safely, and got home  I remembered this verse.

“You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path.” Psalm 143:10 CEV

Sometimes we walk a path that seems familiar and we feel we can handle it on our own but other times we are in uncharted waters and we feel vulnerable. No matter the circumstances we can trust the Lord to guide us through safely.

“Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.” Psalm 119:105 CEV

When we need help we can depend on God’s Word to give us the proper guidance. If we seek Him we will find that He is always there. God isn’t hiding from us or leaving us to flounder on our own.

No, even in the roughest places and the hardest times, He is there to guide us.

“You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. 2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, 3 and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. 4 I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe.” Psalm 23:1-4 CEV

By peaceful streams or through rough waters the Lord is always there. When we follow His voice, His word, He will lead us on the right path.

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