Take What God Has Given You

“Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess” (Numbers 33:53). This was God’s word to the Israelites when they came to the edge of the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. They were about to take possession of the territory that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long ago – land was already inhabited by powerful people who would not surrender without a fight. The Israelites would have to go in and take what God had given to them.
The Holy Spirit nudged my heart, “What has God given to you that you need to take possession of?” Let’s see what the Scripture says.
This past year has been full of turmoil and anxiety for me. But Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you” (Jn 14:27). That means I don’t have to search for His peace, He had already given it to me.
I confess that I have said, “I don’t think I can do what You expect of me. It’s too hard.” But His Word says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3). God has prepared us for life in His Son.
I have always tended to be melancholy – I don’t naturally “bubble over,” but Jesus has given me Joy – His Joy. He said, “My Joy may be in you . . . that your Joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). And He told the Father that we have been given “the full measure of [His] Joy” (Jn 17:13).
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you” (Jn 15:9). From Genesis to Revelation the Bible speaks of God’s unfailing, abiding, lavish love which He freely gives to you and me.
“I have given them your word” (Jn 17:14). Jesus came to earth as the Word of God made flesh (Jn 1:14) so that we could know God’s heart.
“I have given them the glory that You gave me” (Jn 17:22). Read it again. This is incredible! Jesus has given you and me His very own glory. He has exalted us in Him before the Father.
And this is the greatest gift of all – “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Words fail me. It is too wonderful for my finite mind.
All of these are ours in Christ. Not just will be. Are. But we must lay hold of what has already been decreed for us as God’s children. Beloved, it’s time to take what belongs to you by God’s grace and favor.

Packing up Christmas

Christmas Day has come and gone and my living room looks like a toy store exploded all over the place, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So what now? Well, I’ll clean up the blast zone and pack away the lights and ornaments and we’ll finish off the last of the Christmas dinner leftovers. But, where does the Christmas spirit go for the next 11 months?
Where does Joy belong? Certainly not packed away until next year. Joy is a by-product of the indwelling Holy Spirit, not a Christmas decoration. And what of the peace the angels declared? According to Jesus, peace is His gift to me, something the world can’t offer (John 14:27). Joy and peace are not meant to sit in a box in the shed. They belong in my heart. Jesus said that His Joy cannot be taken [or packed] away (Jn 16:22). Paul said that peace is to always rule over me and my relationships (Col. 3:15).
There isn’t a box in my shed big enough for the Hope of Christ. Hope believes that God is who He claims to be, that He is trustworthy and faithful (2 Thess 3:3), that His love is unfailing (Ps. 136), and His promises are as sure as His Name (Heb. 6:13). Hope trusts that His eye is ever on me and His ear is tuned to my cries (Gen. 21:13, 11). Hope knows that one day this wicked world will be turned right-side-up (Rev. 21:5). I am hanging on to hope I need it desperately after the year we’ve been through.
And then there is love – the greatest of all gifts (1 Cor. 13:13). Love slept in a manger (Luke 2:7). Love walked the dirty streets of earth, healing and lifting up the downtrodden (Matt. 8:1-3). Love died on a cross (Mark 15: 37) and Love brought life from death (Mark 16:6). Love must never be packed away for the world needs it more than any other thing. Love – holy love – is the only thing that can save mankind. And it is the only thing that will draw men out of darkness into the light.
I don’t know if your Christmas was merry or jolly or less than you’d hoped, but I know that the spirit of Christmas lives in the hearts of God’s people all year long. Beloved, pack up the decorations but don’t pack away the Joy and peace and hope and love. Keep it out on display – the world needs it now more than ever.

Your God Will Come

I need a word this morning. I’ll bet you do too. This life can be tough. This world is a scary place sometimes. All you have to do is read the daily news and you will want to crawl under a rock and hide. Some of us are struggling with difficult family issues. Some of us are discouraged in our jobs. Some of us are facing health problems, or financial problems, or even car problems. Some of us are trying to pick up the pieces after physical, emotional, and spiritual hurricanes. Like I said, I—we—need a word.

God gave me the word we need this morning. It comes from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way, say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come . . .’” (Is 35:3-4). I can’t think of anything better to hold on to than knowing that God will come. He will come for the weary. He will come for the weak. He will come for the fearful. He will come for the lost. He will come for the sick. He will come for the persecuted. He will come for the lonely. He will come for the grieving. He will come for the poor.

He comes with sovereign power (40:10). He comes with gentleness (40:11). He comes with righteousness (Zec 9:9). He comes with healing (Mal 4:2). He comes with justice (Is 42:4). He comes with hope (Ps 10:17). He comes with peace (2 Thess 3:16). He comes with comfort (2 Cor 1:3). He comes with strength (Ps 29:11). He comes with Joy (Ps 30: 5,11). He comes with wisdom (Ps 25:8-9). He comes with love and mercy (Ps 31:21-22). He comes with help and deliverance (Ps 37:40). He comes with forgiveness (Ps 37:39.) He comes with grace (Rom 5:20).

Whatever your need, whatever your circumstance, God will come. How can I be so sure? Because His word declares it. His Son proved it. And His daughter has seen it over and over and over in my life. I may sound like a broken record but I will proclaim it till I draw my last breath: God is faithful. He will always be faithful because it is His nature.

I will leave you with the most encouraging words you will ever hear. It comes from the heart and mouth of Jesus. “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:12). And He will Beloved. Maybe even today.

Holy Hush

I love words. I love to read them. I love to write them. I love to speak them. Words are literally my “love language.” But sometimes I need to be quiet. Matthew records the scene when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. No they weren’t sightseeing – or maybe they were, but it wasn’t the scenery Jesus wanted them to notice. It was a holy sight.

While they were on the mountain Jesus was transfigured before them. His appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness. “His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matt 17:1-2). I love Mark’s addition: “His clothes became whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them” (Mark 9:3) That in itself would have been enough to take my breath away, but suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus. I would have been dumbfounded – and I would have eavesdropped on their conversation.

But not Peter. Mr. Impulsive blurted out, “Lord it is good for us to be here. If You wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (v. 4). Pete was trying to show his reverence for the holy three, but God did not agree. Even before he finished speaking, “A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him, I am well pleased. Listen to Him!’” (v. 5). The word “listen” means “to yield to.” God was essentially telling Peter, “Hush! Yield to My Son!” Fittingly, the three disciples “fell facedown to the ground, terrified” (v. 6). I reckon so.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 says that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak.” I need to learn to recognize those times to be silent. Maybe you do too. Yes, God wants us to come to Him in prayer and make our needs and requests known. Yes, we are to voice our praise every day. Yes, we are to speak of Him and tell others the Gospel. But King Solomon, the wisest king in history said, “God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (Ecc. 5:2).

Sometimes we need to hush, crawl up the Father’s lap, and let our burdens – and our incessant words – go. God, who knows your heart, hears everything you say, and everything you can’t say. Beloved, is God calling you to a “holy hush?”

In the Darkness

I’m not a fan of the nighttime. I don’t like being in the dark. That’s true in the physical world – and in the spiritual realm too. God is light and His children live in His light. So why do we experience times of darkness? Has God left us and taken His light away? No. Not ever. Remember, God is faithful. So, what is happening when the light dims and our world turns dark?

I watched a documentary some time ago about gem mining. Do you know where gem mining happens? In caves in the deepest part of a mountain. Where it’s dark. All. The. Time. Miners spend all their working hours in darkness, looking for little glints and sparkles to know where to dig for buried treasure. Treasure in darkness. The Lord declared, “I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places . . .” (Is 45:3).

What kind of treasure? Treasure for your soul. Treasures that start as little flashes of hope and peace. Treasures of comfort. Treasures of trust. And yes, even treasures of Joy. But the greatest treasure I’ve found in times of darkness is the treasure of a deeper, stronger knowledge of God. That’s the other half of our key verse: “so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” When I was down for weeks with a serious leg infection, I learned that God is my Healer. When my pantry was as empty as my bank account, I found that God is my Provider. When the enemy came roaring after me, God was my Strong Tower. In this season of anxiety, God continues to be my Hope and Peace and Joy.

But there’s more to these treasures in the darkness. Jesus said, “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight (Matt 10:27). Tell somebody about the treasure you found. Paul wrote, “The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Cor 1:3-4). That’s why I am so open about my life – I want you to know Him like I know Him.

Seasons of darkness will come, but God always brings the Light. And when you find those treasures hold out that diamond of faith, the emerald of trust, the ruby of Joy, and the sapphire of hope for someone else. Grab a pick, Beloved. I’ll show you where the good stuff is.

Real Peace for Real Life

Yesterday I wrote about finding peace by looking to the Lord and trusting Him with all our concerns. It resonated with many of you, which means there are many of us dealing with a lot of stuff that threatens our peace. And that is true for believers and non-believers. You’ve heard the saying: “Know God, know peace. No God, no peace.” As a believer, we have the privilege of showing the world what peace looks like.

The Scriptures say, “The Lord blesses His people with peace (Ps 29:11). So how is that manifested in our lives? Let’s take a tour of the Bible and see how God’s peace shows up. David said, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (4:8). Peace is a sense of safety and security. David is distressed at the beginning of this Psalm (v. 1), but He turns His thoughts to God’s faithfulness, light, and Joy (v. 3, 6, 7) and sleeps in peace.

Another Psalmist said “Righteousness and peace kiss each other” (85:10). You and I will not experience peace without the righteousness of God that comes through Jesus Christ. The person who does not know God lives in fear of His wrath – even if they don’t acknowledge it. A righteous man or woman has no fear because they have been covered in the blood of Jesus and their salvation is secure.

A person of peace is a person of the Word. “Great peace have they who love your law” (Ps 119:165). God’s holy Scriptures are a treasure trove of peace. Not only to speak peace into our hearts and minds but to guide us in the way of peace. Few things make me more anxious than getting lost. The Bible is our GPS (God Positioning System) for navigating this life so that we arrive at His intended destination – heaven.

And finally, the people of God speak peace into a world that desperately needs it. God lauded those whose “feet bring good news, who proclaim peace” (Is 52:7). Jesus said what lives in our hearts will come out of our mouths (Matt 12:34-35).  If you and I are filled with the peace of God, the peace of God will mark our words and will spill over onto those around us.

That’s just a small sampling of what the Bible says about peace. But it’s enough to make the world crave the peace we have in Christ. Beloved, will you be a conduit of His peace today?

Fixing My Eyes on Peace

Today’s devotional is for me, but you’re welcome to read along. I’m in a very hard season right now and my mind wants to chew on the problem constantly. I will drive myself crazy if I don’t find some peace soon. A verse has been coming to me repeatedly in recent days. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.” (Is 26:3). What does that mean? Perfect peace comes from trusting God.

What does it mean to “trust God?” Do I just sit around and think ethereal thoughts about Him? Not exactly, but it does help to know who He is. That’s why I often rehearse the names and characteristics of God: He is faithful, He is mighty, He is good, He is my Fortress, my Defender, my Sword and Shield, and the God of my life.  And because I know these things about Him, I trust Him.

Trusting God means having confidence in Him. What does that look like in real life? “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7). It looks like taking all my worries and heartaches and these things that are too big and heavy (even in small packages) for me to Him and believing that He can and will do what is right and good. It looks like thanking Him for His love and faithfulness – over and over and over until that peace fills me and stands guard over my heart and mind.

One more verse has come to mind just this morning. Hebrews 12:2 tells me to “fix your eyes on Jesus.” Why? With my eyes fixed on Jesus, I see promises not problems, I see provision not want, I see strength, not weakness. I see healing, not pain. I see hope, not despair; Joy, not sorrow; truth, not lies; love, not hate; peace, not turmoil; life, not death. With my eyes fixed on Jesus, I see – not an end, but eternity.

A dear friend sent me a good word this morning. If your heart is heavy and weary, I’ll share it with you, Beloved. It’s simple but powerful: “My heart is fixed, and the anchor holds.” Amen.

Why Do I Love God?

My granddaughter is at the “Why” stage of childhood. I try to always answer her whys because that’s how she learns. But every parent and grandparent (and teacher) knows that the string of whys never seems to end. Sunday was another “Why” day as we got to the church for “honey (Sunday) school.”

“Why do we go to church?” “To learn about God and worship Him.”

“Why do we worship God?” “Because we love Him.”

“Why do we love God?” “Because . . .” and the reasons came tumbling out of my heart and mouth.

“We love God because He is our Creator – that means God made us. God made you! We love God because He sent Jesus to pay for our sins. We love God because He is so good to us, He is our Helper; He takes care of us, and He loves us.”

By now we were at her class and as I hugged her and turned to go, she said, “And I love God too!” I held her for an extra few seconds and said, “I’m so glad you do, sweet girl!” As I floated to my own class. I thought of David’s words: “From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise” (Ps 8:2).

I didn’t tell Joy all the reasons why I love God – she just needed a simple explanation that she could understand in her 3-year-old mind. There is so much more I could have said. I love God because He gives light where there is darkness (Ps 18:28). He gives life where death once ruled (Lk 24:5-6). God brings hope in the midst of turmoil (Ps 25:5), and peace during the storm (Mk 4:39). He gives assurance in the face of doubts (Jn 14:1). He gives wisdom to the bewildered (Js 1:5), and strength to the weak (Is 40:29-30). He offers sweet rest for the weary (Ps 23:1-2), welcome to the lonely (Jn 6:37), and Joy to those who have been trampled by life (Jn 15:11). He provides cleansing for the stains of sin (1 Jn 1:9) and redeems all we once thought was lost (Rom 8:28).

These are not just verses I found, they are truths I have lived as I’ve walked with Him for forty + years. Why do I love God? Because He is my life and love, light and hope, Joy and peace. If you forget everything I’ve ever told you, don’t forget this: the sweetest blessing this side of heaven is to love God.  There are a million reasons why.

Taste-Tested and Approved

I see lots of recipes on social media – yummy-looking desserts, casseroles, crockpot meals, dips, and the one that caught my eye this morning: white bean chicken chili. I may try that one soon. If my family likes it, I may even pass it on. But not until I’ve served it and it gets the thumbs-up – especially from Joy. I can’t imagine sharing a recipe I’ve never tried first. I wouldn’t recommend a doctor I’ve never seen or a church I haven’t attended or a book I’ve not read. If you get any kind of recommendation from me it’s only because I’ve tested it out and found it to be good.

That is why my messages are all about the Lord. As David said, I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8 ). I have found Him to be satisfying in every way. When I need help – and I need it a lot – He is my Helper (Ps 54:4). When the enemy attacks me Almighty God is stronger than my foe (Gen 17:1-2). When I am weary He is my Strength (Ps 19:14). When I fall into sin He is faithful to forgive me (Ps 99:8 ). When I am lonely He is with me (Jud 6:12). When I have a need I go to the Lord who provides (Gen 22:14). When the world is dark and full of evil I look to the Light (John 8:12). When I am sick I trust in the Lord my Healer (Ex 15:26).  When chaos is all around me I run to the Lord my Peace (Jud 6:24).

And when I need counsel or wisdom or just need to know what is right I know where to go because I have tested His words and they are true (John 17:17). The Bible is as sure and powerful as the One who spoke it – the God of truth (Ps 31:5). I can tell you that He is a Faithful God (Deut 7:9) because He has always been faithful to me. I can recommend Him to you without hesitation because He has proven Himself to me over and over and over again. He is the God of my Life (Ps 42:8 ).

If the white bean chicken chili shows up on my page you can know that I have tasted it and it is good. But more important than a recipe, I want to share God with you because He is everything to me. Oh, Beloved, I pray that you will taste and see that the Lord is good. I highly recommend Him.

Advent 2022: How to Save the World

“For to us a child is born . . .”

Ask a general how to save the world and he will tell you to use military force and control.  Ask a humanitarian and she’ll probably suggest programs to eradicate poverty and hunger.  Pose the same question to politicians and they’ll tell you they need money, money, and more money to appoint a committee with sub-committees to study the matter.  Teachers will tell us that education is the answer and The Beatles said that “All You Need is Love.” If I were going to save the world I would round up the criminals and terrorists and rioters and child abusers and abortionists and drug lords and put them all on a one-way trip to the moon.  But God had a different plan – He determined to save the world through a baby. But not just any baby.

It seems strange to me that a helpless infant would be the answer to the woes of the world.  He couldn’t feed himself or change himself or get from place to place by himself.  He slept all the time like any other baby.  But He wasn’t any other baby.  He who could not feed Himself would feed multitudes. The little one that couldn’t change Himself would change the fate of the human race on a cross.  The babe who had to be carried from place to place will carry all who believe to heaven.  This sleeping child would rise from the sleep of death to awaken the souls of men.

This baby left the glory of heaven to save the entire human race.  He brought peace between God and man.  He broke the chains of sin.  He erased the curse of death.  This baby took on your sin and mine; He bore the punishment that you and I rightly deserved.  He surrendered His body to the cross and the grave. And He did it all out of love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Yes, God used a Baby to do what generals, humanitarians, politicians, teachers, and pop stars could never do.  Jesus brought peace with God to all who will believe on Him. And that, Beloved, is how to save the world.