Only God

We [humans] feel pretty smug when we conclude certain occurrences are because of the "law of nature" or "natural law."  Psalm 102 says at the beginning God "founded the earth; the heavens are the work of Your hands. Even they will perish, but You endure; yes, all of them will wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they shall be changed." (V. 25-26).  Yes, of course, there is a cause-and-effect in nature, however, Scripture teaches nothing about "natural law" - only that God was and is and will be!  The world as we know it - its incredible beauty and wonder - will one day perish but God will not: "You remain the same, and Your years will never end." (V.27). Is it actually possible there exists anything that never changes, never ends?  Oh, yes! He is El Olam, the eternal God Who has no beginning and no end.  This is the God He is: now, is He your God?​

His Kind

In these days, we must be very careful when we refer to "our kind" aka "one like us."  What the world hears is discrimination and exclusivity.  For Bible-believing Christians, however, it's what we know to be true and relevant.  [God] "hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, Whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds." (Hebrews 1:2). The age-old quandaries of origin and destiny are asked and answered here in the one Person - Jesus Christ, The Son, present in the beginning and in the world to come. "Toward the world to come we are all headed. How unutterably wonderful that we Christians have one of our own kind to go ahead and prepare a place for us!" (A. W. Tozer, Of God and Men). Yes, Jesus' kind is indeed an exclusive group but the Door is always open for more!  "For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13). Are you of the kind who have said "yes" to the One of a kind - Jesus Christ, The Son, the One and Only? What a great day to be His Kind.

God's Churn

Homemade ice cream is a summer delight!  Before churns, freezers, and store bought cartons, my
grandfather made ice cream in a metal ice tray: milk, sugar, vanilla and patience.  God is ever churning us day-by-day into His Work of Art.  It's the mix and churn of blessings, trials, joys, and disappointments that develop His Character in us.  We often scream, kick, pout, and whine during the process; nonetheless, He steadily does His work.  Do you know all He really wants?  "My son, give me thine heart ... " (Psalm 23:26)  Why all the drama?  His work is always fruitful, producing in us a reflection of Himself.  The hardest part of homemade ice cream is the wait – waiting until the churning is done.  Be encouraged, friend, to persevere and patiently wait as God churns us into His design and delight! ​

Worship The Son

Children remind us fairly quickly how individualistic and distinctly different they are! The writer of Hebrews takes great care to point out how distinctly different Jesus Christ is from the angels.  In contrast to God's angels: Jesus is (1) given the title of Son; (2) begotten (fathered) by God; (3) given kingly dignity; (4) exclusively son to The Father; (5) given status of first-born (6) given the greatest and highest of all names, and (7) angels worship Him.  Of course, many people could care less about God or the divine designations given The Son; nonetheless, the day is coming when everyone will recognize The Son's full worth and cast aside all false gods to "worship Him." (Psalm 97:7).  Oh, the delightful rewards now for those who recognize Jesus distinctly as the One and Only Son.  Worship The Son. ​

Trust The Son

​Except for a friend who is also an artist, this country gal would never have known what a giclée (gee-clay) is.  It's a French word for a digitally created fine art copy of an original art piece. Hebrews 1:3 says, "The Son is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature ..."  At first glance, a giclée may come to mind: not so!  The Greek word for "imprint" comes from the word used to describe what comes from the original die - that which makes the one-of-a-kind original.  While Jesus is the precise expression of God's full essence, Jesus is not a clone or a duplicate of The Father: He is an Original in every sense of the word.  Christ is absolute-complete-full Deity in all His essence!  Why is this so important?  Because Christ is wholly Divine, He possesses everything - all the Power - we need to fully trust in Him: all our struggles, fears, uncertainties, anxieties, weaknesses, etc. - yes, we can give all of it to Him!  That's why our faith is in The Son, Who is the One and Only Way to salvation of the soul.  "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).  Wow & wow!  Are you trusting Jesus absolutely and exclusively for your days here and those of the here-after? Trust The Son! ​

Look To The Son

"What Does God Look Like?" was a headline just this week.  Because of many differing views, the team of "researchers" concluded there is no conclusion.  They may be wiser than they think: "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." (John 4:24). That Truth established, we are not left to our own imagination of Elohim (Almighty God, Creator). Jesus is the most definitive and conclusive revelation of Who God is. To see God, simply look to His Son: "For God, Who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 4:6). There's the conclusion!  Do you really want to know what God looks like - what God IS like?  Quite simply, look at The Son!​

Study The Son

What, no CliffsNotes?  It's enough to make any literature student shake and shiver!  Right out-of-the-gate, tThe writer of Hebrews establishes God's final word to man: "God, having spoken to the fathers long ago in the prophets in many separate revelations, and in many ways, has in these last days spoken to us in His Son, Whom He appointed heir and lawful owner of all things, through Whom also He created the universe." (Hebrews 1:1-2, AMP).  If we long to know and grow closer to God, the most authentic thing we can do is study the life of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Christians, beware of any reference to God that excludes The Son.  Jesus (The Son) is God's conclusive and comprehensive revelation to us!  There's no shortcut - like CliffsNotes - to knowing God: Study The Son!​

Incline

Do you remember riding an incline to the top?  I remember, and it was a bit scary!  Burt Bacharach wrote it and Jackie DeShannon sang it -- "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."  You may be surprised to learn this wasn't news even in 1965!  Jesus said, "As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you; continue ye in My love." (John 15:9).  Living apart from Christ, love will always be on the decline in our lives.  In the decline, there is no fullness of joy as Jesus promised: "that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11). Christ continues this discourse on love – "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (V.13).  Many times we relate this verse exclusively to how Jesus laid down His life for us - and thankful we are - but there's much opportunity for us each day to lay aside ourselves for Jesus' sake and for others.  What will we do for the sake of such genuine real love?  The breathtaking views from the top of Israel's Masada would have just been pictures-on-a-page except I took the incline!  Know this, true love as Jesus described comes only when we bend (incline) toward the Author of the Highest Love.  Will you incline to draw near to Him?​

Cherish Him

Isn't it great when you find something thought to be lost?  It's not uncommon [for me] to find such a thing when I'm not even looking for it!  Second Chronicles tells of an amazing discovery when Israel's King Josiah commissioned the restoration and repair of Jerusalem's temple: "When they were bringing out the money which had been brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses." (2 Chronicles 34:14).  What a find - God's Word - but how tragic that it was [seemingly] lost !  Today, the Bible continues to be the most-sold book of all time yet quite likely the least-read. The saddest part of this truth is many - even Believers - aren't even searching it for its rich truths. Verse 19 describes a grieved King Josiah at the neglect of God's people to do according to God's commands.  Oh, do not be guilty of neglecting to read and live by God's Word.  We honor and cherish The Father when we give credence and heed to His Word!  Cherish Him!​

Balance Life

Life Balance Coach - it's a job title!  We all know what "life" is. so add "balance" to that and there are a kazillion people who do this - many answer to "Mom."  Nonetheless, few get paid for it or even get to enjoy the title.  The Creator is certainly The Authority on what is needed to balance life.  The Authority on balancing life said, "My son, if you will receive My words and treasure My commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; THEN you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:1-6). A life missing Godly counsel will always be unbalanced.  Don't look for another magazine or book or degree or workshop or counselor or advisor: only look and listen to The Creator and read His Word for what is required to live balanced.  Is your life a bit out-of-balance?  Read God's Word! Take It to heart! Live It! You'll tip the scale in the right direction! ​

Start With the Heart

Have you ever discovered you were mis-matched ... socks, earrings, shoes, etc?  It happens!  Sometimes it's someone else who brings it to your attention.  There's one kind of mis-match we all sport at times: when our profession isn't the same as our possession.  We're talking the talk but not walking the walk.  For followers of Jesus Christ, this is the worst kind of mis-match. Proverbs 3:7 says, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior]." (AMP).  Ouch!  The spiritual condition of the Christian's heart will always be revealed in resulting behavior.  If you've noticed a mis-match lately, good news - it's fixable!  Start with the heart.​

Live to Soar

Blowing bubbles is an otherwise mindless activity yet always brings smiles. Many people move through life like a bubble: drifting thoughtlessly through each day -- bumped, pushed, shoved by situations and circumstances. What happens to us and around us often seem like wisps of time unaccounted for anything of value or substance.  How often have we written the date and wondered, "where has this month (or year) gone?"  It's good we remember -- we are not bubble people!  We are not created to drift, for mindless existence; no, we are created to soar!  The eagle is mentioned more than any other bird in Scripture! If you've ever seen one soar, we understand its magnificence among birds.  No wonder Isaiah wrote, "Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagle; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31).  We soar only when we commit to God all our moments of life.  My Grands renewed my own interest in bubble-blowing, but it's my Heavenly Father Who renews my strength moment-by-moment to soar in this life.  Only He offers new and great heights filled with genuine-lasting joy and delight.  Live to soar!​

Answer The End

"Why am I here?"  The older me often asks herself this question when I enter a room; sometimes I know the answer - sometimes I don't! Have you ever wondered why God didn't just take us on to Heaven the moment we were saved?  Oh, the delight of His Presence AND the absence of struggling and striving.  Nonetheless, God willed us to remain.  "If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:8).  God left us here with great purpose: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." (Ecclesiastes 9:10). "Whatever you do, work from the soul as for the Lord and not for men." (Colossians 3:23). It's easy to fall into the mindset that we are here for ourselves - our own personal pleasure and satisfaction.  Charles Spurgeon cautions Believers, "Let us see that our life answereth its end."  To what end are you living - yours or God's?  Be sure of this: you're answering one or the other. ​

Our Father

As the story goes, young Elizabeth was walking with her [dignified] grandfather, King George V, through the palace and he left a door open. Little Elizabeth said to him, "Grandpa, go close that door."  The great king of England promptly went and closed the door at the voice of a little girl. There was no expectation of his majesty or his highness protocol with Elizabeth: she was his granddaughter.  The God and Creator of the universe - All Powerful, All Knowing, All Present - told us to call Him "our Father" (Luke 11:2). Imagine how different our spiritual relationship with God would be if we, like little Elizabeth, spoke to Him - Jehovah, the Great I AM - with such intimacy and affection! This is exactly how God desires - for us to see Him and call upon Him as the Perfect "Father" He is. Can you call Him ... Father? ​

Nothing More

It's called the "Land of More," a family vacation hub located 8 miles north of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park – Pigeon Forge.  The city was settled in the 1780s then later
named for an iron forge built along the Little Pigeon River.  Today, within its city limits, are numerous restaurants, hotels, businesses, and attractions including go-carts, arcades, mini-golf, museums, theaters, and more.  Yes, "more" than one or one's pocketbook can

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dare to experience.

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Americans understand, even relish, more – greater

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, extra, additional amounts of shoes, more time off, more money, more l

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liberty, more personal rights, more-more-more.  One might truly ponder: when is enough … enough?   Here's a better question: what is the worst thing God can do to man?  My pastor answered this question

​: "The worst thing God can do to you is to allow you to do as you please."  Sounds much like what we're doing as a nation!  There is a better way: "And the effect of righteousness will be

peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever." (Isaiah 32:17).  Here we have a consumer report [of sorts] – the unfailing product and performance of righteousness: peace and quietness.  Matthew Henry describes it as "a holy serenity and security of mind, by which the soul enjoys itself and enjoys its God, and it is not in the power of this world to
disturb it in those enjoyments."  Sure, the work of righteousness is difficult and costly, exposing us to the world's contempt, but the true pleasure of the

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Peace the toil brings is well worth it!  Unlike other

​things, this Peace lasts forever.  Therein is the end of the "Land of More" – no more longing for more-more-more!  I challenge you to seek and embrace a lifestyle of righteousness.  As promised by He Who is Righteous and Faithful … you will desire nothing more!

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Practical Proof

We hear the word almost daily - justice. It's become the talking point of every newsroom and talk show host.  Justice was way-more than a talking point of God's through His prophet Micah. Despite His faithful long-time care of Israel, the nation turned away from Him, so God asked, "What have I done to you? ... How have I wearied you?" (Micah 6:3).  In every generation, God's people have acted unjustly toward The One Who loves them most. To be sure, what we do in no way brings about Salvation - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Galatians 2:8) - but good deeds follow Salvation; Tozer describes them as "practical proof that Salvation is real." Micah's words "do justly" [in 6:8] speak both of just attitudes and actions toward God Himself and toward others.  Are you practicing justice in your relationship with God, in your thought-patterns, in your deeds? Examine yourself - look for the practical proof!​

What is Required

What is required can be vastly different than what is actually accomplished.  The two can vary from meager to lavish.  Our Heavenly Father is tremendously rich in love and mercy and grace yet He requires certain things of us who are His own. Sadly, many Christians think since our sins are forgiven, it's well-and-done. This attitude is put on display by the way we live!  The Prophet Micah asks and answers the question: "What does the LORD require of you except to be just, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8). The question is pointedly blunt, and the answer is profoundly deep.  The requirement isn't met by kinda-sorta or halfheartedness. Genuine love and relentless devotion for Christ will always meet the full requirement of God. Our lives will reveal he depth of our love! ​

No Hobbling

Do you have a rock in your shoe?  None of us would continue long-or-far if we did.  Nonetheless, we are indifferent to Jesus' words, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  Hence, we hobble along.  Oswald Chambers point out it's "not difficulty that makes me think God will forsake me, but ... the commonplace things of day in and day out."  God does not have to do something exceptional or extraordinary to prove His faithfulness.  No, He's just amazingly faithful in the little and otherwise mundane of life, ever doing what He promised: to never leave nor forsake those who have put their trust in Him.  Remember Hebrews 10:23, "He Who promised is faithful." Don't let your indifference to Jesus' promise be the rock in your spiritual walk.  Do not hobble! Take God completely at His Word.

Open for Inspection

When you open a package, you'll often see a tag referencing who inspected the product before it was shipped.  How many of us willingly offer our lives for inspection?  The common worldview is we answer only to ourselves, a result of the troubling lack of acknowledgement of and respect for authority in society.  Genesis tells us God created the heavens and the earth, looked them over and found His work to be good: it passed His inspection.  "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him." (Ecclesiastes 3:14).  Because God is Elohim -The All-Powerful One and Creator, and all He has done and does is perfect and complete, His people should welcome His examination and His approval.  Every area, niche, crevice and corner of the Christian's heart must be open for inspection and cleansing.  Is your life an open book?  Are there places in your heart - your life - that remain off-limits to The God of the universe?  Prayerfully consider if you are open for inspection.