Happy Valentine's Day!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  We love Him because He first loved us.  What shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'.  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. If you love Me, keep My commandments.

And we have known and believed the loved that God has for us.

What's the answer?

Have you  ever felt like God didn't answer your prayers?  Well, I have!  Those feelings are not accurate, though.  God answers all prayers of His children.  (Not so for those that don't belong to Him, but that's a subject for another post).

He always answers....but the answer isn't always "yes".  Sometimes He says "yes", sometimes He says "no", and sometimes He says..."wait."  But He always answers.

Let's talk for a minute about how we handle those "no" and "wait" answers.  Both of those can be difficult. 


When God is saying "wait" or "not now", it can feel like He is saying nothing.  That makes us wonder if He's not listening or doesn't care or "maybe this prayer stuff just doesn't work for me".  I understand.  In those times of not seeing God's answers, I find it so very helpful to focus on His attributes.  Like we are told in Philippians to set our minds on what is TRUE.  Not what might be true or could be true or what feels true.  What IS true. And the truth is that God is always good, always faithful, always loving, always sovereign, and always at work on our behalf in a thousand ways that we cannot see.  His Word is true-er than our circumstances.  Always.  He calls us to walk by faith, not by sight.  That means trusting in who He is, not what I can see, or especially not what I think I see!  When I am tempted to be discouraged or frustrated at the apparent lack of His answer, I remind myself to persevere.  His Word is very clear that we are to be persistent in our prayers. Keep on asking, knowing that in due time, He will answer.  There are times we need to strengthen those spiritual muscles, break out in a little prayerful sweat, and purpose not to give up.  In those times, I believe He sends His angels to encourage us, to minister to us....to infuse hope and endurance.  Just like Mary and Martha experienced when their brother Lazarus had died.  It surely felt and seemed and looked like God had ignored them.  But then Jesus showed up.  On time....even though it looked like He was four days late.  I haven't had the experience of seeing one who was dead walk out of the tomb but I can personally attest to the TRUTH that God answers prayer.  And He rewards our persistence.

If you are in a "wait" time, right now, don't give up.  Keep praying.  You very well might be just about to see God do something beyond your wildest expectations.  He's like that!

What about the times God says "no"?  Even as I type this, tears are welling up, recalling times He has said that to me or to people I love.  And the cry of "why" either screamed through every fiber of my being...or got stuck in my throat in an attempt to deny the pain.  I wish I had a 3 point message that would answer our questions and resolve the anguish.  I don't.  And I don't think there is one, in spite of what some people say.  I don't know the "why" but I do know the "Who".  And He is with us.  Supporting.  Sustaining.  Comforting. 

I know that One Day, the answers to the "whys" will be there.  Some things are explained in this life but a whole lot will be left to be revealed in Eternity.  Until then, may we draw strength from the Truth of Who He is.  Love.  Wisdom.  Power.  Understanding. Compassion. Holy.

In times of "no", I always think about a time when my husband made a decision for our family to move from North Carolina to Georgia.  Our children could not understand why we would leave a place where we were so happy, where their friends were, where their entire lives were anchored.  As parents, we were unable to explain to our sobbing 7 year old that this was a good thing, that God had directed us to leave, that this move would also provide happiness and new friends and all that she thought she was leaving.  Then, in a moment only orchestrated by God, our  10 year old said through her quiet tears, "Mary, Mary.  Don't you know Daddy loves us?  And he would never do anything that wasn't best for all of us".
God spoke  to me in that moment.  In the whisper of my daughter, He strongly explained that  I would face times when I was sobbing in His arms about decisions He had made on my behalf.  And in those times, He wanted me to know that He loves me.  And He will never do anything that wasn't best for all of us.

If He is telling you "no" right now, I fervently pray that you will feel the assurance of His love.  And in the goodness of His plan.

Keep praying.

How to be sure

One of the biggest struggles Christians face is that of assurance.  Confidence that we are "in".  It seems to be particularly acute for those who have been raised in the church.  Verses like Matthew 7:21-23 ("Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.") can be really frightening.  We wonder, how much of His will do we need to do to be sure?

I have talked with many dear sisters who worry that they will find themselves in this rejected group come Judgment Day.  In fact, I personally have "accepted Jesus" hundreds of times...just to be sure...just in case I hadn't "meant it" enough the other times.  (BTW, I was raised in the church and I promise you that it really rattles some folks that I cannot confidently "pin down" the date of my conversion!!!)  

I have counseled lots of folks who, like my own self, have spent hours wondering if they have done "enough", believed "enough", or really understand "enough" for their salvation to be for sure.  This problem has been around for a long time...longer than you and me...the Apostle John addressed this same issue in his letter (1 John ).  Throughout that epistle, he seeks to reassure the Church that their salvation is secure, to give them confidence that they are indeed "in Christ".  Apparently, John is aware that many of his readers were experiencing the same worries that are around today.

So, what are we to do?  How can we know?  Does God want us to know?

Let me strongly assert that the last thing I want to do is to give anyone false security.  I don't want any reader to think that "praying a prayer" one day when they were 5 is their ticket to Heaven.  I believe that there are lots of folks that count on this as some sort of fire insurance don't really trust in Christ at all.  And that is cause for concern.

But I also believe that lots and lots and lots of precious brothers and sisters are tossed about by doubt that prevents them from approaching God with confidence, from living in the joy of being loved, and from victory over sin.  To those dear ones I suggest the book of 1 John, especially chapter 3, verses 19-24:

 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; ²⁰ for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³ And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴ Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

I believe with all my heart that God wants those who belong to Him to know it for sure.  As in, don't I want my children to know they are mine??  Of course I do!  I am proud that they are mine and I want them to know it!! So, can we know?


Instead of looking back at some past event of our own (which can make us wonder if it was "for real"), instead, look at what we are currently trusting in.  Our own behavior....or what Jesus did FOR us with His death and resurrection.  That's what Scripture means in 2 Corinthians 13:5 -

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Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

As I close today, I close with the prayer that you will have knowledge of the Truth -- if you are falsely assured, that He will convict you and that your eyes will be opened, turning you from darkness to light.....and if you are wrongly accused, that He will comfort you, and you will become confident of your place in Him.

Psalm 23:2b

He leades me beside quiet waters.

A sheep will not drink from rushing waters or from a swirling stream.  Other animals will, but not sheep.  Sheep need calm, quiet sources of fresh water. Turbulent waters or even murmuring springs are frightening to sheep.  They have to have quiet and fresh water sources. A shepherd takes great care to locate proper sources for drinking.  Some streams are too agitating.  Some still water is stagnant.  Sheep need a quiet but fresh supply of water.   Oftentimes, there are no such bodies of water in the area of their grazing.  In those times, the early morning dew soaking the pasture grasses are their best source of hydration.

Thoughts that result from this knowledge of sheep and meditation on verse 2b -

1.  We need spiritual water. We are on a constant quest in hopes of getting that thirst satisfied.
2.  Our thirst is not quenched from frenetically paced lives. Trying to drink from a chaotic lifestyle puts us in turmoil. Nor is it quenched from temporary things like riches, fame, popularity, success.  These things are stagnant waters which give an initial sense of refreshment but soon leave a sickening taste in our mouths and stomachs.
3.  Early morning is a good time to get the spiritual hydration that we need.
4.  Divine water is found in a quiet, still state. Time in His presence, in His Word.
5.  Jesus tells us that He is the source of living water and that if we drink from Him, we won't be thirsty for lesser sources, things that don't satisfy.
6.  This living water that Jesus offers His sheep comes from the Throne of God and of the Lamb (Christ).  It is His love and His joy, available to us all if we come to His Throne to drink.  Here we are free from fear and worry, full of joy and  contentment.

Isaiah 40:11 promises us that Jesus is taking care of us, leading us to the living waters that we need.  Check it out.  It's even got a precious extra promise for Mommies.
"Like a shepherd, He will tend His flock, in His arm, He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes."