Category: Peace

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About To Sink

Think about this. You’re an experienced fisherman and you know how to handle yourself on the sea. You know the capability of your boat, the right tack to take through rough waters and how to use the wind to your advantage.

But tonight a storm comes up, one you didn’t see coming. No problem, you’re experienced, probably one of the best seamen around. However, you’re tired.

You’ve spent all day at a conference, an open air meeting,  you’ve heard some things that could be life changing. Things you don’t want to forget and want to use daily to change the way you’ve been thinking and handling things.

But this storm…you’ve got to weather this storm, get some rest and then you’ll start applying what you learned tomorrow.

The weather started getting rough, the ship was being tossed (no, not Gilligan’s Island) and you’re taking on water. Everyone on board is doing what you tell them to do, they are all working together, except for that one guy who’s sleeping in the back of the boat.

That’s right. I said sleeping. He was the main speaker at the conference today and so I guess he must be exhausted but how can he sleep? The boat is filling with water, he’s getting wet and being tossed from side to side but still he sleeps. Doesn’t he care that you’re about to go under?!?!?!

Jesus! wake up. Don’t you care that we are about to sink?

“Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” 39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.” Mark 4:38-39 CEV

Jesus was at peace and didn’t let the storm affect him. He was trusting God’s Word.

“Because you have made the Lord your safe place, and the Most High the place where you live, 10 nothing will hurt you. No trouble will come near your tent. 11 For He will tell His angels to care for you and keep you in all your ways. ” Psalm 91:9-11 NLV

There are so many verses like this where God promises to be our protection and provision. Jesus knew He could trust God to be his protection. He wanted his disciples to have that same confidence.

“Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” Mark 4:40 CEV

He had been teaching earlier that day and told them that the Word is like seed and if you plant it, it will grow and bear fruit. But it has to be protected.

When they got in the ship, Jesus said to them, let us go to the other side. He didn’t say let’s go 1/2 way across and sink. Now here’s the kicker – handling our problems and applying “the Word” tomorrow when things are better and I can really meditate on it could be disastrous.

“The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. 19 But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. ” Mark 4:18-19 CEV

Jesus had sown the Word earlier in the day. He said,  “Let’s go to the other side”. Then thorns or the cares of this life, in the form of a storm, came immediately to choke the Word out. Jesus could sleep because He was care free. Peter and the others were panicked because they were care (worry) full.

What is causing you to be care full today? Find out what God’s word has to say about it,  remove the thorns.

Go to the other side in victory!

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Life is a Camping Trip

When our kids were younger we did quite a bit of camping. It was relaxing, fun and inexpensive. We weren’t one of those families that pulled in to the campground in our RV but instead we tent camped.

It was a nice tent and as comfortable as a tent could be but still it was a tent.

I had my camping boxes that went on every trip. Each box had all the necessities prepacked. The only thing we really needed to think about was filling the ice chest with the refrigerated food and drinks. We could be ready to go in less than an hour’s time.

We had some fun times; oh, we had the soggy ones too. First time out in the new tent we had forgotten to seal the seams so we got also as much rain in the tent as out. Then there were adventures of wild animals, canoe trips, floating the river and the one time we brought everything but the tent. I know…but it happened.

And no matter how much fun we had and how beautiful the camp site it was always nice to come home. A comfortable bed, dry clothes, and a warm shower. Awwww.

In my reading today the Apostle Paul is talking about tent camping.

“We know that our body—the tent we live in here on earth—will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a home for us to live in. It will not be the kind of home people build here. It will be a home in heaven that will continue forever. 2 But now we are tired of this body. We want God to give us our heavenly home. 3 It will clothe us and we will not be naked. 4 While we live in this tent, we have burdens and so we complain. I don’t mean that we want to remove this tent, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be covered with life. 5 This is what God himself made us for. And he has given us the Spirit as the first payment to guarantee the life to come.

6 So we always have confidence. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by what we believe will happen, not by what we can see. 8 So I say that we have confidence. And we really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. 9 Our only goal is to always please the Lord, whether we are living here in this body or there with him.”
II Corinthians 5:1-9 ERV

Life on this earth is like camping in a tent. It’s an adventure but not as comfortable as Home. Going home is something to look forward too with great anticipation!

But while we’re in the tent we need to enjoy our surroundings.

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True Freedom

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.” John 8:36 ERV

Our nation was founded by men who were seeking a better way of life; an opportunity to achieve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They trusted God to lead them and give them direction in the founding of this nation.

On this day of independence it’s important to remember that we are truly free through our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are no longer held captive or enslaved by sin because the Son, Jesus Christ, broke the chains of bondage and set us free!

Hallelujah!

Many of us have become disheartened over the past several decades at the decline of our nation and rightfully so. But one thing has not changed, God is still and forever will be, Lord God Almighty who rules and reigns in mercy, truth and justice!

We can trust Him and Him alone! He is our hope, He is our peace, He is our joy, the Everlasting God!

“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with my arm and give you victories” Isaiah 41:10 CEV

The Jews of Jesus time were looking for their Messiah, someone who would come and deliver them from the harsh rule of the Romans. They wanted Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom and overthrow those who governed them.

“Jesus said, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If it did, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom is not an earthly one.”

37 Pilate said, “So you are a king.”

Jesus answered, “You are right to say that I am a king. I was born for this: to tell people about the truth. That is why I came into the world. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”                      John 18:36-37 ERV

Everything that Jesus taught and did reflected  the true kingdom of God. When the sick were healed, when children were loved, when sin was forgiven it was all attributed to the kingdom of God.

The Apostle Paul put it this way.

“God’s kingdom isn’t about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people.” Romans 14:17-18 ERV

So as we celebrate our nation’s independence today and focus on the freedoms that we enjoy, I encourage you to be mindful of the true and lasting freedom that we have received in Christ.

“So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.” John 8:36 ERV

 

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Licking the Spoon Good

Are you like me and love to cook? I so enjoy being in the kitchen whether it’s making a meal or baking a dessert or cinnamon rolls?

I remember when the kids were little. They would get a spoon to lick or a pinch of dough. I think they enjoyed it as much as I did.

But it wasn’t a “once” only taste. Each and every time I was baking they asked for a taste. Licking the spoon was a favorite kitchen activity for me, the kids, Dave and then the grandkids.

That’s the way I feel about God’s goodness. I know I use Psalm 34 frequently in my teachings but it’s one of those chapters that are “lick the spoon” good. I can almost taste the sweet compassion and tenderness of the Lord.

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8

So here is an open invitation to experience the goodness of God. David says “Taste and see”! God is inviting us to sample his character. Just a little taste, try a little and you’ll like it. Once we’ve tasted of the Lord we’ll keep coming back for more.

“I will praise the LORD at all times. I will never stop singing his praises. 2 Humble people, listen and be happy, while I brag about the LORD. 3 Praise the LORD with me. Let us honor his name.
4 I went to the LORD for help, and he listened. He saved me from all that I fear. 5 If you look to him for help, he will put a smile on your face. You will have no need to be ashamed. 6 As a poor, helpless man I prayed to the LORD, and he heard me. He saved me from all my troubles. 7 The LORD’s angel builds a camp around his followers, and he protects them. 8 Give the LORD a chance to show you how good he is. Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!” Psalm 34:1-8 ERV

God is asking us to let Him work in our lives and promising that we will find Him faithful. He’s saying we can trust my goodness – it will deliver us for “all” our fears – I will be there to protect and provide.

What is it that causes fear in our life? The thought of financial ruin, physical disease, losing a family member, fear of natural disasters? Go to the Lord and He will protect, deliver, set your heart at ease and we don’t have to be ashamed in asking for His help. He wants to show we just how good He is!

“Learning respect for the Lord is good. It will last forever. The Lord’s judgments are right. They are completely fair. 10 His teachings are worth more than pure gold. They are sweeter than the best honey dripping from the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:9-10 ERV

Grab a spoon. Taste and See!

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Derailed

We just spent the day with our youngest two grandchildren. Sam and I spent a lot of time playing racecars.

He has this amazing track with remote controlled cars and I love playing with him. There were a few times that the cars got off centered. Sam got so frustrated when his car was derailed. Oddly, it didn’t bother him a bit when it was my car.

It made me evaluate my reaction when things in life seem to derail me and stop my forward momentum. One of the biggest factors in causing me to lose my perspective comes in the form of criticism and character assignation.

Have you ever fallen into the trap of defending yourself? Have you ever been misjudged or maligned and step up quickly in your own defense? Me too! Not a good place to be. But there is something in all of us that desires to be well thought of.

The only opinion we should care about is the Lord’s. In His eyes we are loved unconditionally, and He holds us in a place of high regard, He holds us in His heart.

We should not care about man’s opinion, it will distract us from doing what God has called us to do.

“Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God’s mysterious ways. 2 And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, 3 it doesn’t matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don’t judge myself. 4 I don’t know of anything against me, but that doesn’t prove that I am right. The Lord is my judge. 5 So don’t judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone’s heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.” I Corinthians 4:1-5 CEV

I heard one teacher talk about handling criticism and lies like this. We are  a runner in the race of life. When we hear the crowd yelling all sorts of disparaging remarks we need to stay on the track, keep moving forward. If we try to defend ourselves it’s as if we get off the track and run up in the stands to talk to the crowd. We lose momentum and ultimately, we fail to complete the course.

It’s far better to keep running and let God be our defense.

“People will make weapons to fight against you, but their weapons will not defeat you. Some people will say things against you, but anyone who speaks against you will be proved wrong”.”

The Lord says, “That is what my servants get! They get the good things that come from me, their Lord.” Isaiah 54:17 ERV

We simply need to be faithful and let the Lord be the judge. Paul was a living example of being judged falsely and still being faithful to his calling. He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned many times and he just kept on preaching.

“If someone does you wrong, don’t try to pay them back by hurting them. Try to do what everyone thinks is right. 18 Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 My friends, don’t try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. In the Scriptures the Lord says, “I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back.” Romans 12:17-19 ERV

Again, it comes back to a matter of focus and whose opinion we consider the most important in our lives. Is it man or is it our God? I had to continually remind myself, God’s point of view is the preeminent one.

Truthfully, this was a hard lesson for me to learn. I spent the first 20 years of my life always trying to please people. I wanted to be liked, a part of the “in crowd”. That’s a very heavy weight to bear and it can be devastating when those people begin to belittle you.

Then I read these Scriptures. I committed them to memory and daily I reminded myself of how God felt about me. I realized I AM part of the “in” crowd, I am “in Christ”.

“So, what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. 33 Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. 34 Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us.” Romans 8:31-34 ERV

Don’t be derailed by the opinions of others.

Keep looking at the Father and you’ll stay on track!

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Resting?

I once read a poster which said “My life is like a duck. Calm on the surface but paddling like crazy where no one can see.”

Have you ever felt like that?  I’ve thought more than once, I’d rest if I didn’t have so much to do!

A few days ago we learned how to stand in battle, fight victoriously, and then praise God for the victory. Now it’s time to enter into the rest!

Jesus told his disciples that he would teach them about the Father. Knowing the Father means we are intimately acquainted with His power, love, mercy and grace. Knowing the Word, the basis for our weapons, brings us to a place where we know the Father. Jesus also told the disciples that if they would come to him they would find rest.

“My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.” Matthew 11:27-29

The writer of Hebrews tells us to “labor to enter into the rest”. Work at resting? Yes! The work comes from knowing the Father and building our relationship with Him.

We have to fight unbelief and that my friend is work! The Israelites in the wilderness were too busy looking at their circumstances to believe God and so they died in the wilderness and didn’t enter the rest of the Promised Land. We are instructed not to be like them. We are instructed to listen to and obey God’s word. If we do this, we will enter the rest.

“We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as they did. 12 What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. 13 Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to tell him the truth.” Hebrews 4:11-13

Do these verses sound familiar? They should. These are the same verses we quote over and again about the power of God’s word – sharper than a two edged sword. Put in there context, they tell us that these words will cause us to rest and receive the wonderful inheritance that God has provided for us.

So today – stop the worry, stop the anxiety, stop paddling.

Come to a place of rest!

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Attitude of Gratitude

Are you familiar with the characters of Winnie the Pooh?

Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Roo, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Christopher Robin.

These characters have taught me a lot about life in my adult years. I have learned to work with people and the vast characteristics of their personalities by seeing how A. A. Milne’s characters interact.

The thing that amazes me the most is how Pooh Bear is always looking on the bright side of life. When he talks with Piglet and Roo he teaches them to look for the good. When Eeyore is gloomy, which is always, Pooh tries to help him find things to enjoy and when Tigger gets in to trouble from being too boisterous Pooh is there to encourage him.

I would like  think that A.A. Milne was influenced by Scripture when he wrote these stories. He definitely has a way of conveying the verses I want us to look at this morning.

“Each one of you is part of the body of Christ, and you were chosen to live together in peace. So let the peace that comes from Christ control your thoughts. And be grateful. 16 Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 Whatever you say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to God the Father because of him.” Colossians 3:15-17 CEV

Be grateful, whatever you do or say let it be done with an attitude of gratitude.

Evaluate your day. Do you spend more time complaining about things or being grateful?  When you find yourself complaining about the kids and the messes they leave be grateful that your house is filled with their lives and laughter. Have a husband that doesn’t pick up his socks – be grateful your husband has legs and feet. Annoyed by the drivers on the highway; stop and appreciate that you have a car that runs and can get you from place to place.

Let everything be done with thanksgiving.

Dave has been reading a book written by an Army wife in the late 1800’s. She describes daily life, traveling from post to post in the West. She and her husband were stationed in Tucson, in the summer. At the end of each chapter he looks at me and says “we have it so easy”.

There is always something to be thankful for; sometimes we just need to experience an attitude adjustment.

“So be very careful how you live. Live wisely, not like fools. 16 I mean that you should use every opportunity you have for doing good, because these are evil times. 17 So don’t be foolish with your lives, but learn what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit. 19 Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. 20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:15-20 ERV

These words were written by the Apostle Paul. His daily life was subject to constant harassment. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned and still he wrote these words of instruction. Encourage one another – always give thanks!

An attitude of gratitude! It’s a godly trait.

“ I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that you have again shown your care for me. You continued to care about me, but there was no way for you to show it. 11 I am telling you this, but not because I need something. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens. 12 I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. 13 Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.” Philippians 4:10-13 ERV

Be content – that simply means to be grateful. You might not have the largest house or the best clothes; your bank account may be meager compared to some but to others you are rich. Too young, too old, too short, too tall, too single, too married – none of these can or will affect your outlook if you chose to be grateful.

One final encouragement.

“Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. 5 Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. 7 And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.” Philippians 4:4-7 ERV

Someone needs your smile today and I’m sure someone needs your hug. Thank God that you can be used to bring joy to someone.

Let your life overflow with gratitude!

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REALLY!?

What is the most annoying thing you’ve experienced?  Don’t mean to start your morning off on the wrong foot but just needed to ask.

So have you made a face like this recently? Maybe not openly but you could feel it on the inside. Possibly you became annoyed with a co-worker, a neighbor, a driver on the freeway, a commentator on television, a politician or maybe someone in your own home.

Well, I have a verse for you.

“Don’t be annoyed by anyone who does wrong, and don’t envy them. 2 They will soon disappear like grass without rain.3 Trust the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. 4 Do what the Lord wants, and he will give you your heart’s desire. 5 Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help. 6 Then it will be as clear as the noonday sun that you were right.” Psalm 37:1-6 CEV

These were the first words I read this morning. I was stopped in my tracks – Don’t be annoyed by anyone who does wrong. That doesn’t seem possible, and it isn’t in and of itself. But when followed by “Trust the Lord”… all things are possible.

Jesus was surrounded by annoying people everyday. The religious rulers were always trying to trip him up in what He said and discredit Him publicly. His own family members thought that he had lost his mind at one point. Add that to the fact that His own disciples were constantly vying for the “top” positions in the ministry, not recognizing that He truly was God’s Son and then denying Him; He certainly had a right to be annoyed.

But He wasn’t. He dealt with every situation with love and compassion. He didn’t allow himself to be distracted from what God, the Father, had called him to do. Even when He corrected those who spoke wrongly against Him it came from a loving heart.

That’s where the “trust in the Lord” part comes in. We will have opportunities to be annoyed, irritated, frustrated and even angry. However, if we are established on a foundation of trust in the Lord, we can overlook the circumstances instead of being under them.

We’ve all heard that expression haven’t we, under the circumstances? It generally comes when someone wants to justify a less than admirable reaction to a situation.

“I think I held my temper pretty well, under the circumstances.”

Putting “Trust in the Lord” to provide, protect, lead, instruct will keep us victorious and above the circumstances.  Look at what Jesus told His disciples.

“People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do that, know that great blessings belong to you. 12 Be happy about it. Be very glad because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did these same bad things to the prophets who lived before you.” Matthew 5:11-12 ERV

This is so hard to do. I won’t lie to you. We need to be ready to act in love in every situation so that we don’t react the wrong way.

I knew when I read this as my first instruction this morning that I will probably have opportunities to be annoyed today. I took time to thank the Lord that He was giving me advance warning through His word and that He was showing me how to handle the situation, whatever it is, in the right way!

I hope this is helpful to you as well.

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How Big Is Our God?

As we start the day I need to ask, “how big is our God?”.

Do problems and stress keep us awake at night? Do we find ourselves in turmoil over the day’s situations? As we raise our kids and provide for our families are we undone by the pressures that surround us?

So, how big is our God?

“I pray that the God of peace will give you every good thing you need so that you can do what he wants. God is the one who raised from death our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of his sheep. He raised him because Jesus sacrificed his blood to begin the new agreement that never ends. I pray that God will work through Jesus Christ to do the things in us that please him. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:19-21 ERV

Do we see God the Father as a God of peace or do we see Him as someone we need to be wary of because “we just never know what God’s going to do”?

I hope it’s the first, because through Jesus’ sacrifice, he made the way for us to be reconciled to God. To be made sons of God so that we could call him “Abba Father”.

Abba was a term of endearment like daddy or papa.

“Since you are now God’s children, he has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, “ Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are not slaves like before. You are God’s children, and you will receive everything he promised his children.” Galatians 4:6-7 ERV

Did you notice that this verse says since we are God’s children we will receive everything He promised us? God has not lied in the whole of eternity and I can guarantee that He will not start lying now.  If God has promised it, He will come through every time!

Sometimes, we don’t even know what we need! We become so exhausted and overwhelmed that we lose perspective. That’s when we pray like the Apostle Paul did and God steps in with the answers.

“I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus! ” Philippians 4:19 CEV

We are also told in Hebrews that we can come boldly to His throne to find help in time of need. I can see it now – like little kids we are invited to come running in, climb up on the throne and sit in the Father’s lap and tell Him we have a need and He by grace provides the help we are looking for.

“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

So let’s take time to thank Him today for his grace and mercy and if you have had a misconception of God and His love for you ask Him to show you just how much He loves you today. He will!

My God is big!

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Advice From My Professor

I had a professor in college that would say, “If I say it’s significant, if I repeat it once it’s important, if I say it a third time write it down, it will be on the test”.

He was true to his word. We learned quickly.

You will notice that these morning writings follow a theme. Generally they will deal with our relationship with God the Father, his character (love, kindness, protection) and I always try to bring a message of encouragement and hope which dispel worry and fear.

When it’s important I will be repeating it time and time again.

When we lived in Montana we lived about 15 miles from town. Kaci would call to tell us she was off work and headed home. She would ask if we needed anything before she left town. Her dad would always tell her “remember to slow down through the willows, you never know if a deer is going to jump out onto the road”. This wasn’t an occasional reminder, it was daily.

She asked me once if he thought she wasn’t being careful. I told her no, but  as her dad he felt it was his responsibility to keep her safe and so as long as she drove that road he would be reminding her to slow down and be alert. The reminder was the expression of a loving father.

You know God, our heavenly Father, does the same with us. In the Old Testament He gave his message through prophets. In the New Testament the message came through Jesus and the apostles. The messengers were different but the message was the same.

“I love you and I want relationship with you. Listen to and obey my words. Life will go better when you use My wisdom.” Now that’s the Kristi paraphrase but Scripture says it like this:

“Be faithful in obeying the Lord your God. Be careful to keep all His Laws which I tell you today. And the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 All these good things will come upon you if you will obey the Lord your God. 3 Good will come to you in the city, and good will come to you in the country. ” Deuteronomy 28:1-3 NLV

or

“Listen to and obey all the Laws I am telling you today. Love the Lord your God. Work for Him with all your heart and soul. If you do, 14 He will give the rain for your land at the right times, the early and late rain. So you may gather in your grain, your new wine and your oil.” Deuteronomy 11:13-14 NLV

Listening to the Lord and obeying always came with blessings.

“Only be strong and have much strength of heart. Be careful to obey all the Law which My servant Moses told you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left. Then all will go well with you everywhere you go. 8 This book of the Law must not leave your mouth. Think about it day and night, so you may be careful to do all that is written in it. Then all will go well with you. You will receive many good things. 9 Have I not told you? Be strong and have strength of heart! Do not be afraid or lose faith. For the Lord your God is with you anywhere you go.” Joshua 1:7-9 NLV

We’re his children and His Word is his loving reminder of what’s important.

Let me ask you, when your kids were little how many times did you tell them to brush their teeth before they went to bed? Or how many times did you instruct them to say please and thank you; yes sir and no sir? How often did you instruct them to wash their hands, eat with their mouth closed, look both ways before crossing the street? Over and over again we repeated parental instruction.

Jesus used words like “verily, verily” which meant I’m telling you a truth, listen up. He also repeated the concepts of God’s kingdom by telling parables. A parable was a practical story with a godly principle as its basis. Remember the one of the prodigal son?

The son wanted to go off on his own. He made mistakes. He squandered his money and when he hit rock bottom he went home. The Father was waiting, waiting with open arms. Waiting to embrace his son and make his life good again.

The Apostle Paul wrote most of the books in the New Testament. The books were letters to churches in different areas where he had preached. In each letter he was reminding the believers of the things he had taught them while he had been with them personally. One of the major themes of Paul’s writings was joy and peace.

“Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy! 5 Let all people see how gentle you are. The Lord is coming again soon. 6 Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. 7 The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 NLV

How appropriate it is for us today. Be full of joy, pray, don’t worry, be guarded by peace. Yes, that’s worth repeating!  I can guarantee life will test us daily to see if we come up with an answer to be joyful, pray, don’t worry and have peace.

Let me close with these words of repetition from the book of Psalms. I will encourage you to read chapter 118. The repetition in these 29 verses is overwhelming. This whole chapter has one purpose and that is to remind us that God’s loving kindness lasts forever. When we are mindful of that fact, it makes it easier for us to be full of joy, free from worry and bathed in peace.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever. 2 Let Israel say, “His loving-kindness lasts forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His loving-kindness lasts forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His loving-kindness lasts forever.” Psalm 118:1-4 NLV

I hope you learn to love the repetition of Scripture. God is making a point!

His loving-kindness will last forever! Amen.

 

 

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