Month: December 2011

Trusting in God is not only a doctrine or a way of thinking. There is a rest of heart that God alone can give us that no money can buy. There is an amazing peace of God that will cost us both everything and nothing. Nothing, because God gives it freely at the cross of Jesus Christ. Everything, because to follow the Savior will mean leaving behind trusting in our own strength. . Anything less than abandoning all for Jesus is just religion. Religion will only give us the thin veneer of peace. That kind of temporary peace melts away at the very first sign of danger. God’s peace enters deep and cradles us during our sleepless nights and in the middle of pressure, confusion, or attacks. God is with us. It is His promise. He is there waiting for us to rest our mind on Him. Nothing else we have will last. Everything else we try to hold on to in life slips away – Jesus remains! He is waiting for us to rest in Him  He is our Everlasting Rock. Jesus is the Rock of Ages!

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised….Psalm 113:3

Years ago we had a chorus that used this Psalm. Until today, I had never stopped to think much about what this meant when we sang those words. I had always just thought that we simply needed to praise God all day long, every day. Then tonight the Holy Spirit began to open a window in my heart, and suddenly I began to see a picture of my life. You see God has given each of us an amazing chance in life, no matter how long or how short it is meant to be. From our earliest days when we just begin to speak, we can begin to praise the name of the Lord. He can be precious to us or we can choose to neglect him. Jesus continues calling us and calling again, as our sun rises and strengthens to noon-day. Some of us come in the morning, some come in the early afternoon and some not until the shadows begin to lengthen and our sun is starting to set. Yet whatever has happened before, God is still looking for the opportunity today to enter into the rest of our life. He wants to come and give us life for however many moments that are still to be written in our own stories. He is still worthy. His name is still to be praised at where ever we are. God is delighted with early morning praise formed on the lips of children. God is honored by praise that rises from tired and burdened young people who are carrying the weight of life on their shoulders. God is gentle and accepting of quieter praise from the hearts of runners with tired legs, who are nearing the end of the race. God’s name is always to be praised. there is no limit to what He counts as  acceptable and pleasing praise. From the rising of the sun, to the place where it sets, the Name of the Lord is to be praised!!

     Christmas is already rushing by and in the quiet moments of this day it is as if we are standing on a mountain top. Behind us lie all the peaks and deep crevasses of the year that has past. They sit in the shadow of the summit of where we are resting, strangely distant and without a sound of all the struggles of the passage. Ahead, beyond the sunrise, are new and mysterious mountain ranges of what might be in the year God is to give us. Jesus told us to take no thought for the worries of tomorrow, because today there are enough troubles for us to battle. Yet there are these precious moments when with His help we can see through Heaven’s windows and catch a glimpse of God’s plans.

Where we are today and whatever victories and defeats we have come through till now, we must trust  next year’s journey to God. He has promised to be with us so that we would never need to be afraid.

  Hebrews 13:6 The Lord is my helper so I will have no fear, what can mere people do to me? 

What lies behind the clouds is known to God. Whatever adventure, difficulty or blessing will come with the certainty that as we have trusted God, He will also always care for us! Merry Christmas to everyone. God bless you….