He Supplies

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19)

I’ve read that verse so many times since I was saved, I always liked it but never fully got it until recently. Over the last few weeks God has proven that truth to me over and over again. He has moved in our lives in ways that utterly defy explanation other than God. His grace has been more than enough, with every trial and temptation he has provided the way of escape. I have come to a deeper understanding of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me.” I truly can, I can face any challenge, conquer any attack and rest securely knowing that it is not me doing it but Christ in me! Alone I can do nothing but succumb to temptation, sin, weakness and death. Alone I am a jacked up, broken, mess. With Christ I am a blood bought and redeemed spirit filled daughter of the one true King! My identity is not in me but the one who lives in me, the one who made me, the one who saved me. My identity is in Jesus! I thank God for that with every breath, every heartbeat, and that is what I need most.

But that’s not the only needs he meets, he also meets my physical needs as well. Obviously he provides for the sparrows and even more so His children. He is a loving gracious Father and his mercies to usward are boundless. It truly astounds me sometimes just how He meets our needs, showing up and showing out in ways that only the almighty God of glory can! It drives me to my knees in tears of praise and thanksgiving when I really think of how abundantly, incredibly, lavishly God provides for me and you.

As you lay down to rest or go about your day take note of all the ways God is meeting your needs and praise Him!

All Things

Sometimes life goes very sideways very fast, like when my car was rear ended and totaled today on my way home from bible study. One second I was praying and talking to God about how great the time with my dear cousin and sister in Christ and her precious children was and the next my little Dodge Omni was spinning across a lane of traffic and stopping in the middle turn lane facing back the way I had just come. Now I’ve been in accidents before and usually I am a worse wreck than the car but this time I just trusted God to see me through and he showed up and showed out in ways I could never have imagined. Someday I may share all the details of this day but for tonight let me just say that I have never been more convinced of how true this passage is:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)

Watchman, What of the Night

I had to run to town today and I was listening to some Michael Combs on the way. Ok I was actually just belting them out with him shamelessly, and sopping and talking with my Father and my Savior about how I wanna go home, how I long for Glory Land, how I long for home. My soul aches for the day when the trump sounds and my King meets me in the air!

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

So when I was reading from Spurgeon just a bit ago the message spoke volumes to me. I want to share it with you my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ that your souls may be bolstered up as my own was as we anxiously await the day we will ever be with our Lord!

“Watchman, what of the night?” — Isa 21:11

What enemies are abroad? Errors are a numerous horde, and new ones appear every hour: against what heresy am I to be on my guard? Sins creep from their lurking places when the darkness reigns; I must myself mount the watch-tower, and watch unto prayer. Our heavenly Protector foresees all the attacks which are about to be made upon us, and when as yet the evil designed us is but in the desire of Satan, he prays for us that our faith fail not, when we are sifted as wheat. Continue O gracious Watchman, to forewarn us of our foes, and for Zion’s sake hold not thy peace.

“Watchman, what of the night?” What weather is coming for the Church? Are the clouds lowering, or is it all clear and fair overhead? We must care for the Church of God with anxious love; and now that Popery and infidelity are both threatening, let us observe the signs of the times and prepare for conflict.

“Watchman, what of the night?” What stars are visible? What precious promises suit our present case? You sound the alarm, give us the consolation also. Christ, the polestar, is ever fixed in his place, and all the stars are secure in the right hand of their Lord.

But watchman, when comes the morning? The Bridegroom tarries. Are there no signs of his coming forth as the Sun of Righteousness? Has not the morning star arisen as the pledge of day? When will the day dawn, and the shadows flee away? O Jesus, if thou come not in person to thy waiting Church this day, yet come in Spirit to my sighing heart, and make it sing for joy.

“Now all the earth is bright and glad

With the fresh morn;

But all my heart is cold, and dark and sad:

Sun of the soul, let me behold thy dawn!

Come, Jesus, Lord,

O quickly come, according to thy word.”

— Spurgeon

The Light Thereof

“The Lamb is the light thereof.” — Rev 21:23

Quietly contemplate the Lamb as the light of heaven. Light in Scripture is the emblem of joy. The joy of the saints in heaven is comprised in this: Jesus chose us, loved us, bought us, cleansed us, robed us, kept us, glorified us: we are here entirely through the Lord Jesus. Each one of these thoughts shall be to them like a cluster of the grapes of Eshcol. Light is also the cause of beauty. Nought of beauty is left when light is gone. Without light no radiance flashes from the sapphire, no peaceful ray proceedeth from the pearl; and thus all the beauty of the saints above comes from Jesus. As planets, they reflect the light of the Sun of Righteousness; they live as beams proceeding from the central orb. If he withdrew, they must die; if his glory were veiled, their glory must expire. Light is also the emblem of knowledge. In heaven our knowledge will be perfect, but the Lord Jesus himself will be the fountain of it. Dark providences, never understood before, will then be clearly seen, and all that puzzles us now will become plain to us in the light of the Lamb. Oh! what unfoldings there will be and what glorifying of the God of love! Light also means manifestation. Light manifests. In this world it doth not yet appear what we shall be. God’s people are a hidden people, but when Christ receives his people into heaven, he will touch them with the wand of his own love, and change them into the image of his manifested glory. They were poor and wretched, but what a transformation! They were stained with sin, but one touch of his finger, and they are bright as the sun, and clear as crystal. Oh! what a manifestation! All this proceeds from the exalted Lamb. Whatever there may be of effulgent splendour, Jesus shall be the centre and soul of it all. Oh! to be present and to see him in his own light, the King of kings, and Lord of lords!

— Spurgeon

Folks no way I can say it better than that. I can hardly wait for that glorious day when I behold that Light!

Alpha and Omega

Sometimes I stumble on something that just gets me fired up about my Jesus, makes me praise and glorify Him even more!  This song is one of those surprise finds.  It needs no words just listen and know that the Lord, the Savoir, the King, the Alpha and Omega reigns!

That’s My King!

Today I had to face some truths that were hard for me.  God convicted me that I was being stubborn and disobedient to my husband about an issue we had been discussing for some time now.  My fleshly nature was drawing me to do what I wanted and not what my husband wanted on something that scripturally should be up to him, after all wives are called to submit to their husbands as unto Christ.  When God opened my eyes to my rebellion I first praised Him for showing me the error of my ways, then I sought His forgiveness because it was ultimately Him I was disobeying by not submitting to my husbands will on the matter of whether woman are commanded to wear a head covering or if their hair which is called their glory is their covering.  My husband says that my hair is my covering yet I was seeing a lot of talk about women having to cover their heads and I was listening to it.  I never felt called by God to do so I realized but just that it seemed like a good idea because I wasn’t reading 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 correctly.

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.
1 Corinthians 11:1-16

I was reading into it what I wanted it to say, that’s dangerous, and I wasn’t listening to the godly man  God blessed me with on it.  But praise God He chastened me today and showed me my sinful stubborn pride, drawing me nearer to Him and to my beloved husband.   He is such a wonderfully loving Father who corrects His children to ever change us to be more like Yeshua.  Sometimes God does have to check me, and when He does it reminds me of just who He is, what a glorious God I serve.  I am reminded that “That’s My King” and I get a hankering for one of my favorite sermons, one by that title by Dr. S. M. Lockridge.  It never fails to remind me what a mighty Lord I serve.  May it bless you as well.

As always brothers  and sisters may God bless and keep you.

Such A Dead Dog As I

Brothers and sisters tonight as I was reading from Spurgeon the devotionals for today were connected and they smote me to heart with their truth in my own life. In this story of Johnathon’s lame son, a crippled broken man who has struggles and challenges to get by each day I see myself. I see my struggle to find Jesus to come to Him in humble surrender, my path was one of selfishness, anger and utter rebellion. I nearly destroyed my family because of my running away from God and head long into hell. But then one day in what seemed the most unlikely of ways God showed up in my life. My sweet cousin and beloved sister in Christ was visiting our Mama’s as I was, our kids are around the same age and so had been enjoying playing together as we had done as little ones. At one point the babies all got hungry so I took them all in the kitchen to eat and to this day I remember that moment when her precious girls just a few years old sat in a chair together with folded chubby hands and downy heads bowed as they asked grace over their meal. I hugged my own precious boy and cried in my heart to have that.

That was the first time I got a glimpse of the truth, the first time I realized how broken and lost I was. It wasn’t long before I like Mephibosheth was falling at the Kings feet crying what a dead dog am I and placing myself at His mercy. Relying on the truth of His love, sacrifice, grace and mercy I cried out to Him to save me, change me, to come into my heart and make me who he’d have me be. And Jesus, being the great and glorious King, honest, faithful and true did!

“Go now.” I heard whispered in my heart that morning and for a second I couldn’t believe He would have me. I certainly wasn’t worthy, just look at all I’d done ole Slewfoot tried to remind me. “He’s gonna turn around and go back, go.” And peace like a river filled me as I went down to the altar and cried out to my sweet Savior, pleading with Him to save me! His blood washed me clean in love and created a new heart within me. I gave my life to Him that day, October 10,2010, and have sat at His glorious table overflowing with the bounty of His love, grace, mercy, and peace ever since. I am still a dead dog on my own, wholly unworthy of even latching his sandals but with Him I am as a daughter of the King! All praise and honor for who I am goes to the One who made me then bought me.

Ponder this as you too read Mephibosheth’s tale.

“And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.”  (2 Samuel 9:1-13)

I pray if you are reading this and you have not met my King that you especially consider this little nugget of Scripture. We are all broken, we all have a past – every saint has a past, every sinner has a future- don’t let yesterday determine your tomorrow. God’s word tells us that through Adam sin and thus death entered this world and that all have sinned and fallen short of the perfect glory of the holy and just God who created us. It tells us the wages of our sin is death and the only way we can be spared this is if someone pays that debt we owe for us. Nearly 2,000 years ago someone did just that. God loves us so much He died for for us. Jesus Christ was God’s son but he was also God – Emmanuel; “God with meat on Him” as Brother Locke says. God sent His Son to take our punishment, to buy our pardon, which He did on the cross at Calvary. Three days later He rose from the grave and lives today . The tomb is empty sand our Savior lives. Because He lives we have the promise and hope of the same when we believe in Him and put our faith and trust in Him. Scripture tells us to confess our sins and turn from them to repent and accept the free gift of mercy and grace Jesus offers us by His death in our stead and the promise His resurrection secures for us of eternity with Him. If you are not with me at the Kings table would you please cry out to Him to join us!

Scariest Words Ever

Ronald Regan once said that the scariest words are “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” If this world was all that we will face I’d say he was right, those are the scariest words. But it’s not all we will face.

No one day we will face the almighty God of the universe, we will stand before him and give account of our lives here on earth. We will answer for how we spend or waste our time here, for what we did or didn’t do for His sake.

On that day when all who have ever lives gather before Him then Jesus will begin to direct each person to either the left or the right, which side you are directed towards will speak volumes on the life you lived down here. Those that go to Jesus’ right they’re good, They’re His sheep, and He loves them. He is going to praise the sheep for showing His love to others, for living for him, doing God’s will in their lives on earth.

Those who are sent to the left, well, they are the goats. They sorta seemed to live for Jesus, sorta love an idea of Him they formed in their minds. They lived for a Jesus but not the Jesus and in reality they were just playing at being Christ followers. They talked the talk but never bothered to walk the walk . These goats cry out to Him at this final judgement when see they are separated thinking they will get in also. Instead they will hear the words my son says our the scariest ever “Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”

Matthew 7:21-23  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  [22]  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  [23]  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

This passage in Matthew isn’t the only warning Jesus gives us either, the Final Judgement is dealt with numerous times. It would behoove us to head Jesus warning well and always live our lives loving Him, serving God and sharing the life they give to all who seek it.

Matthew 25:31-46  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  [32]  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  [33]  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.  [34]  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  [35]  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  [36]  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  [37]  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  [38]  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  [39]  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  [40]  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  [41]  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  [42]  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  [43]  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  [44]  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  [45]  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.  [46]  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Luke 13:22-28  And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  [23]  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,  [24]  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.  [25]  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:  [26]  Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.  [27]  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.  [28]  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Spiritual Arsenal pt. 2

Tonight I want to share some of my favorite verses about the one in whom our hope lies, our sweet Lord and Savior, Jesus.  These are verses and passages that assure me of who he is, what he has done for me and what he is still doing for me.   Verses that point my eyes and heart heavenward, lifting my fainting soul to revive in the security of the hand’s of my Lord.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ – he never changes, ever.  Never has, never will and that assurance is a glorious comfort, a comfort we can trust fully in.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: Job 19:25

It’s mostly the first half of this that truly strengthens me “For I know that my redeemer liveth!”  Praise God he liveth and because he does so too do we!  That is  a promise, a hope, a joy that thrills my heart, and convicts those who do not yet know it.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

He has overcome the world, we have peace, perfect peace,

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

That’s a peace no one or no thing other than the Lord Jesus Christ can ever offer us.  His peace is an eternal peace that will never fail us no matter what we may face in this world.

for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5b

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

He is the Light of the world; one of my toddlers at work loves to turn the light off and on each Sunday.  I could scold him or not allow him to ‘play’ with the switch but then it allows such teachable moments.  Whether I remind him gently that God said “let there be light”, or John 12:46 that when we abide in Him we are never in darkness simply flipping a light off and on a few times is a perfect opportunity to sow these seeds deep in a little tender heart where I pray they will take root and grow one day to bloom into a well rooted, deep seated faith that is unshakable.  It also waters those seeds in my own heart.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.    John 10:11-18

I want to start with the first verse of this passage He is the GOOD SHEPHERD!  He is our shepherd, our safety, security, savior, hope, promise, joy, peace, our great and glorious, righteous and mighty King!  Emanuel, the Prince of Peace, the Son of God who became the Son of man to take our place, swallowed the cup of our sin and bore the judgement due us for our sin upon his own body, shed his blood to wash us clean; bought our hearts and souls out of the tender pure depths and mercy of his love.  He is our Sweet Savior, our Good Shepherd, our Salvation and that is the greatest truth we will ever know.  When that truth of just who Jesus is and what He did for us, why He did it and what it means to us is rooted in our hearts and souls then we have a weapon so powerful, so mighty and strong that the very gates of hell tremble and fall before it.  We have His Blood poured out for us in pure love!

 

As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless, keep and strengthen you as you continue to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12
knowing that you can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you. Philippians 4:13

The Three C’s of Jesus

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”  Isa 9:6-7

Before I go further with this post I just want you to read these two verses from Isaiah – read them, ponder them, dwell on them, marinate in them overnight. These is one of my favorite passages of scripture and tomorrow I am gonna do a short study on them but for now let them soak in and really earnestly think of how breathtakingly glorious they are. They lay it all out, from beginning to end, and that should make our souls sing with joy. So let these verses stew in your heart and soul tonight then join me tomorrow for a teaching. As always my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may the Father bless and keep you.