Category: Strength

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Tough Times

Determination — Perserverance — Strength
All three are needed to get through the tough times and come out victorious.

Noah preached the whole time he was building the ark and didn’t have one convert but he kept building and he kept preaching.

Abraham was promised a natural born son and he had to wait 25 years to see the promise fulfilled.

Joseph was sold as a slave, spent time in prison, was forgotten before he made it to pharoah’s palace.

Moses led a nation of grumbling and complaining people for 40 years in the desert and they never made it to the Promised Land. That should have been about a 3-4 week trip.

Jesus preached, died, rose again providing that He was the Messiah and still many did not believe.

Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, nearly drown and held in prison and still he kept preaching.

God, the Father, isn’t willing that any should perish and has offered salvation to all. He hasn’t given up!

Each of the men above had been given a promise by God which gave them courage and determination to continue. They encouraged themselves with God’s word and used it to fight discouragement. They found that God was more than enough!

“There was no hope that Abraham would have children, but Abraham believed God and continued to hope. And that is why he became the father of many nations. As God told him, “You will have many descendants.” 19 Abraham was almost a hundred years old, so he was past the age for having children. Also, Sarah could not have children. Abraham was well aware of this, but his faith in God never became weak. 20 He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God.” Romans 4:18-20 ERV (emphasis is mine)

” But the Lord said, ‘My grace is all you need. Only when you are weak can everything be done completely by my power.” So I will gladly boast about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can stay in me. 10 Yes, I am glad to have weaknesses if they are for Christ. I am glad to be insulted and have hard times. I am glad when I am persecuted and have problems, because it is when I am weak that I am really strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10 ERV (emphasis is mine)

“Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,  but he harshly punishes the arrogant. 24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” Psalm 31:23-24 NLT

I pray that we become like these men and we continue to hope. When we are weak we truly are strong because we go forward in a strength that only God can give. He is more than enough!

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What Now?

We’ve been living through some dark and stormy times, wondering what’s going to happen next. Maybe you’ve been asking yourself the question “What do I do now?”. Working from home has been good, less traffic when you do go out, shorter lines in the grocery store and more time with family has all been good. However, there is the unanswered question of how much longer this will go on and what do we do now.

Some of you reading this are on the front lines. You are medical personnel; doctors, nurses, lab technicians, urgent care staff and hospital support staff. You are joined by police, fire, ambulance, truck drivers and grocery store teammates who are overworked and under appreciated. You, too, are asking what now?

It’s a place we’ve never been before and hopefully we will never go again. We need to make it through. We need to support and encourage one another.

There’s one other group that I inadvertently left out and they deserve our attention. They are a mixed group; fisherman, tax collectors, housewives, doctors and a some religious zealots. They are grouped together and asking the same question – what now?

They aren’t getting any recognition at all. Their world has been turned upside down and they are in danger of loosing their lives. Right now we find them locked behind closed doors not wanting to step out into the light of day. Maybe you’ve guessed who I’m talking about – these are Jesus disciples.

There’s really nothing written in the Bible about what they were doing the day following the crucifixion. But I can imagine that their world was reeling like a small boat on a stormy sea. Jesus was dead, would they be next? What now? The One they had always turned too in crisis wasn’t there, what now?

Were they too frazzled to remember the instruction Jesus had given them just a couple days before?

“Jesus said to his disciples, “Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me.” John 14:1 CEV

His final words before He was arrested are recorded in John 14, 15, 16 and 17. Jesus was preparing them for what was to come. He was also spending time with the Father, in prayer, preparing Himself for what He would go through.

What now?

“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. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be happy that I am going back to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. 29 I have told you this now, before it happens. Then when it happens, you will believe.” John 14:25-29 ERV

This is the answer to our question of what now. This is the instruction Jesus left for us. Don’t be worried, have faith in God. The Holy Spirit has come to be our Helper and Jesus has given us His peace so we don’t have to be troubled and afraid.

On this day before the victory of the resurrection, our answer to the question “what now” is trust God!

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Not A Good Waiter

Have you ever been to a restaurant and had a bad waiter? It’s one thing if the place is busy and the staff is overworked, that’s understandable but it’s entirely different when the staff is lazy and nonattentive.

Most of us don’t wait well.

How do you spend your time when you have to wait? An expectant mother will plan and act. There’s a crib that needs to be purchased, the nursery needs paint. Booties and blankets need to be knitted or crocheted…there are so many things to do. School kids wait for summer vacation and they daydream of all the fun things they will experience – ball games, staying up late, fishing trips, swim parties, campouts in the backyard.

Wait!

Today is Friday. Friday used to be the most anticipated day of the work week. It meant the weekend was here. Some would go to work on Monday morning and announce “I can’t wait until Friday, I’ve got so much planned for the weekend”. But here we are and we wait.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord.  Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14 NLT

The Bible has good examples of people who waited for the Lord and they were not disappointed. Abraham waited twenty-five years for the son God promised him to be born. Joseph waited thirteen years before the Lord placed him in leadership over his brothers and the Egyptians. Noah waited on the ark for the waters to subside. David waited, with Saul chasing him through the desert, to be crowned king. All of those in the nation of Israel waited for the Messiah to be born.

We can take two attitudes when it comes to waiting. Waiting can be tiring. Waiting can be discouraging. Or waiting can be filled with excitement and celebration. I get excited waiting for friends and family to come for a visit. A bride is filled with joy as she waits for her wedding day.

“The Lord gives strength to those who are weary. 30 Even young people get tired, then stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust (wait on) the Lord will find new strength. They will be strong like eagles soaring upward on wings; they will walk and run without getting tired.” Isaiah 40:29-31 CEV

The Lord will give us strength and purpose while we wait. Waiting is not a time for inactivity. Just remember that “bad waiter” in the restaurant – don’t be like her. She wasn’t attentive, she didn’t take care of the needs at hand. She didn’t fill our water glasses or coffee cups, take our order or refilled our appetizers. We were ignored – not good.

Our goal is to be actively waiting! What can we do while waiting?

If waiting is worrisome then apply these verses to your life.

“Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Philippians 4:6-7 CEV

Be a good waiter!

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Hills Make A Difference

The weather has been perfect lately so Dave and I have been out walking. Monday we took a 3.1 mile walk out on BLM land. The dirt road had a few potholes in it from the rain but it was flat. Yesterday our walk was a bit more strenuous and a little bit shorter. It was 2.7 miles but went down into the canyon and back up three different times. It took a little longer than Monday’s walk and we were certainly more tired and sweaty when we got home. (Today’s image is our last descent into the canyon and the road out in is the background.)

The hills make a difference.

They make a difference in life as well. Just ask the cancer survivor or the one whose spouse has died. Talk to the parent who has lost their job or the business owner who has had to file bankruptcy. Their daily lives before these hills/mountains sprang up may have been tiring but it doesn’t compare to the struggle up this mountainside.

I think this was King David’s point of view when he wrote: “I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. 3-4 He won’t let you stumble, your Guardian God won’t fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep. 5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you— Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. 7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.” Psalm 121 MSG

The mountains don’t provide our strength, they drain it. It is God, who walks beside us, that provides us with strength. Life isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. It can be both exhilarating and exhausting but we keep going. We’re not in it alone. He guards us now, He guards us always.

The Apostle Paul said: “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” Philippians 3:12-14 MSG

These are good words – don’t turn back.

The last hill out of our canyon is always the toughest. It’s a long steady incline. I’ve walked it many times in the last six years. The only way home is up. One step at a time; muscles aching and breathing hard we make it to the top. Next time it won’t be as bad, we’ll be in better shape, we’ll be more prepared.

Little victories prepare us for bigger challenges. As we acknowledge God’s faithfulness in the smaller areas of our life we grow in faith and are able to face the larger circumstances with confidence.

The Bible is filled with examples of people who faced physical and spiritual trials. I think of a widow woman who was living through a three year famine. She only had a little oil and flour left, everything was gone including her hope. She decided to make one last cake for herself and her son to eat. Then she was prepared to die. BUT GOD…sent a prophet with a miracle. Here’s her mountain, the prophet asked her to give him the cake she made.

Her dilemma, her hill – give the cake to the prophet or her son. She gave it to the prophet and that’s when the miracle came – her oil jar never ran dry and her flour canister never went empty. These are the testimonies we can hold on to in difficult times.

“We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. 2 We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. 3 Think about Jesus. He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying.” Hebrews 12:1-3 ERV

This is a mandate for us. Don’t quit, keep our eyes on Jesus. When the mountains and the hills are before us, God is beside us!

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Time To Recharge

The last few mornings I have gotten up with one thought in mind – I wanted to go back to bed. I just haven’t slept well and felt my energy stores were low. I got up thinking “I’ll get a nap in later today” but later came and went and the time for napping went with it.

Yesterday, after my shower I did go in and lay down. I took my laptop and brought up a teaching by Josh Morris on the Kingdom of God. I listened to it three times. My body needed the rest and my heart needed the message.

I’m sure we’ve all seen the low power icon on our laptops, phones or tablets. “Power supply at 10%. Plug into power source.” And if we don’t heed the warning, we will get another one in a few minutes telling us we only have 7% of my power and if we ignore that warning the whole thing shuts down.

That’s how I was feeling. My power was in short supply, I was running low and about to shut down. I’ve been there many times and that weariness is my warning that I’m operating on stored power and need to reconnect to the power supply. I know I have written about this before but I needed to hear it again.

Jesus knew what it was like to need recharging. He would get up early in the morning and go to a quiet place to pray. He would draw power in prayer. Jesus knew his disciples would need that same power. Right before He ascended back to heaven He gave his disciples this command. Jesus gave them what He saw as their primary mission.

“One time when Jesus was eating with them, he told them not to leave Jerusalem. He said, “Wait here until you receive what the Father promised to send. Remember, I told you about it before. 5 John baptized people with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses. You will tell people everywhere about me—in Jerusalem, in the rest of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.” Acts 1:4,5,8 ERV

Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is the same. We should give testimony of what God has done in our lives. Starting first with those closest to us and spreading out from there. Our family, our friends, neighbors, work mates…

Jesus knew they needed to be connected to the power supply, the Holy Spirit. It was essential. Jesus didn’t do any miracles or ministry until He had the Holy Spirit empowering Him and He doesn’t want us to attempt anything on our own either.

We need to be connected.

Thank you Father for reminding me that my power drains but I have the promise of Your power source with unlimited supply. I desire to stay plugged in to You today!

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Finding Love in Silence

A cool morning, a warm cup of coffee, a cozy blanket and quiet! Truly an enjoyable way to start the day!

Alone with just the thoughts of my heart and there is peace! I didn’t always enjoy being alone with just my thoughts. My heart would become anxious; I would turn on the tv or the radio – anything to block out the silence, anything not to focus on the unrest and the distress I felt churning inside.

Maybe you’re like that. You don’t want to get up and be “alone” with your thoughts or with the Father. You want to get up and get going right away to keep yourself from pausing in the quiet of the morning.

King David wrote in the Psalms to “be still and KNOW that I AM God”. To know means to be intimately acquainted with, a deep personal knowledge or understanding.

“God is our protection and source of strength. He is always ready to help us in times of trouble. 2 So we are not afraid when the earth quakes and the mountains fall into the sea. 3 We are not afraid when the seas become rough and dark and the mountains tremble. Selah…10 God says, “Stop fighting (be still) and know that I am God! I am the one who defeats the nations; I am the one who controls the world.” 11 The Lord All-Powerful is with us. The God of Jacob is our place of safety. Selah” Psalm 46 ERV

This verse says to stop fighting where another translation of the same verse says be still. The psalm ends with the word Selah, which means to pause, reflect, take time to let what you just heard sink in.

I used to hate being alone with my thoughts. They told me I was unworthy, I was alone, I wouldn’t amount to anything. My thoughts pointed out all my failures and my shortcomings. I never measured up so why did I want a quiet time to reflect on all that was wrong with me?

However, when I began reading God’s word and taking time to sit silently and let it sink in, I found God’s love and peace.

“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

When I come to His throne, in the quiet of the morning, I find grace, mercy, kindness and help. I find Jesus! I’ve had folks ask me why I get up so early – it’s not a chore, I’ve been doing it for years. It’s my place of peace and strength. I can’t imagine starting a day without this time.

In the silence I know that God is with me and He surrounds me with His love!

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Eating Well

I love to cook and I love to eat! I’m not really a foodie; I don’t really like going too far outside my comfort zone to try to new foods but I like to eat well, not always healthy, but well.

Yesterday morning we went out for breakfast. Since we live in a small community there aren’t a lot of places to choose from so we normally end up going back to the same diner. Not yesterday. We went to a Mexican restaurant down at the bottom of the hill. Had to look it up on-line to see if they were even open for breakfast, they were. Couldn’t find an on-line menu but figured we would try it anyway.

Oh, my goodness!! Delicious!

Dave and I both ordered the Mexican omelette. It was amazing. My mouth is watering now as I’m telling you about it. It was so good and I savored every bite. There was one small problem; no matter how flavorful it was and how generous the portion I was hungry again before the day was done.

I cannot depend on the nutrients of that savory, mouth-watering dish to sustain me for the rest of this week. Nor can I depend on the powerful message that Pastor Robert preached yesterday morning to keep me supplied with spiritual strength for the rest of this week.

We need to eat well, physically and spiritually, each day to stay healthy and strong.

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 NLT

I understand eating healthy, however, we can be more religious about counting calories, cutting carbs, and staying on the right diet than we are about feeding from God’s word. We should be getting fat on the good news of the Gospel. We can never overeat when we are feasting from the word.

“The light of the eyes makes the heart glad. Good news puts fat on the bones.” Proverbs 15:30 NLT

“Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NLV

Feeding on a steady diet of God’s word will keep us strong and healthy. Eat well!

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Grateful to Wait

This morning I woke weary. I don’t plan on staying that way for long. I am praising God for His strength and renewal.

“Surely you know the truth. Surely you have heard. The Lord is the God who lives forever! He created all the faraway places on earth. He does not get tired and weary. You cannot learn all he knows. 29 He helps tired people be strong. He gives power to those without it. 30 Young men get tired and need to rest. Even young boys stumble and fall. 31 But those who trust (wait on) in the Lord will become strong again. They will be like eagles that grow new feathers. They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired.” Isaiah 40:28-31 ERV

Have you ever noticed when people complain about being so tired, they become more tired? Their vision becomes introspective and they began to deplete their stores of energy and also their joy.

Nehemiah said that the “joy of the Lord is our strength”. When we find ourselves “weary” we need to change our prospective – wait on the Lord. Wait in this case doesn’t mean to delay movement but instead means to attend to the needs of, like a waiter in a restaurant.

As I attend to the Father’s needs – His need for my companionship and my worship; my time of communion in His presence – as I give myself over to “waiting” on the Lord my strength is renewed.

Thank you for the opportunity to “wait” on you today Father. Thank you for strength.

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Strongly Dependent

You may think the title to this blog is a typo but it’s not. Some would think I meant to say strongly independent but they would be wrong. How can one be strong and dependent, it appears to be an oxymoron.

Many times, circumstances and situations cause us to draw back. “I’m never going to be hurt like that again. I won’t allow anyone to be close enough to betray me and/or steal my ideas, etc.”. So the conclusion is to be independent, a loner, strong enough to stand on my own.

However, that is the attitude and determination that get us into trouble. It separates us from good counsel, loving support and God’s direction.

“The Lord is a mighty tower where his people can run for safety” Proverbs 18:10 CEV

David seemed to be alone; he was independent of the army of Israel, when he went out to face Goliath but in reality he was drawing strength from his dependence on the Lord.

“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!” I Samuel 17:45-46 NLT

Daniel exhibited the same strength when King Darius sentenced him to the lion’s den. The king had been tricked into signing a law that would condemn Daniel to death for praying. Daniel chose to honor the Lord and stand by his faith and devotion to the God. His dependence on the Lord brought his deliverance from death.

“So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.” 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night. 19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” Daniel 6:16-22 NLT

There were many times during His ministry that Jesus seemed alone, independent of His disciples and certainly independent from the religious leaders of His day. However, He was totally dependent on the Father. He would leave the crowd, independent of their opinion, to spend time in prayer, displaying His dependence on the Father.

“I cannot do anything on my own. The Father sent me, and he is the one who told me how to judge. I judge with fairness, because I obey him, and I don’t just try to please myself.” John 5:30 CEV

And finally, the Apostle Paul is an example of strength through dependence. He wrote over one-third of the New Testament. He was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, persecuted in nearly every town he visited. He appeared to be completely independent, his own man. But he said this about himself:

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” II Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT

I hope you find these verses encouraging. Maybe you have been trying to handle “it” all on your own. You’ve worked so hard to be independent, free from anyone being able to dictate to you. The Lord promises us strength when we become dependent on Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;  do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

When we trust the Lord we will become strongly dependent and there we will find victory!

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A Winner!

Going to talk about exercise for a bit this morning. When we first realize that we “need” to exercise it’s never pleasant. Accepting that we are out of shape and not as healthy as you should be is the first step. When we were kids it was called recess and it was fun but now that we are adults if just seems like work.

The first few days we have a real commitment or at least that’s what we tell ourselves. But then comes day 7 or 8; and it becomes harder to stay committed to the goal. Our muscles hurt, we’re not seeing any results yet, we start making excuses and when we do that we are on your way to failure. I know, I’ve failed many times.

Never once do I ever remember moaning and groaning about going out to recess. There were a number of times that I had to sit on the sidewalk, next to the teacher and miss recess. It was horrible, I wanted to be out playing (ssh, exercising).

Now think back to our childhood days exercise wasn’t a bad word, it was called fun. To be outside with our buddies playing ball, running through the yard playing tag or football. Going hiking to our favorite fishing spot or walking the mile to the swimming pool in the afternoon heat (my personal favorite). It was fun and we were in shape.

Of course you know this is going to have a spiritual correlation.

When we face trials and temptations it is an opportunity to exercise our faith. James tells us to count it joy because we will be developed and end up lacking nothing.

“My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” James 1:2-4 CEV

Facing trials is like building muscle. At first, we see little victories but then to continue to develop a muscle we must increase the weigh, the repetition or both. In walking with the Lord, we’re never left to do this on our own.. We have a great coach who is with us every step. Under His direction and inspiration we come out the winner.

“13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.” I Corinthians 10:13 CEV

Jesus knows what this is all about because He went through every temptation we experience while he was here on earth. Who better to coach us than someone whose been there, done that and emerged as the Champion of Champions!

“We have a great high priest who has gone to live with God in heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us continue to express our faith in him. 15 Jesus, our high priest, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16 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 4:14-16 ERV

Thank you Lord for coaching me through life and providing all the help I need to develop and finish a winner!

Time for recess!

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