He is our Portion...

This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,  Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning;  Great is Your faithfulness.  “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,  “ Therefore I hope in Him!”--Lamentations 3:21-24

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


So in Part 1 we looked at exchanging the spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise and in part 2 we were reminded to remember like Jeremiah did, that His mercies and compassions fail not when that spirit of heaviness hits...that I can praise Him because I am NOT getting what I truly deserve. Instead I am getting His truth and His grace upon grace poured out in my life.

Next, (and last) we are to remember that the Lord is our Portion.

Whom have I in heaven but You  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail;  But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever--Psalm 73:25-26

 I cried out to You, O LORD I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.--Psalm 142:5

I am going to go back here to the moment of my salvation...the moment it became completely evident to me that something inside of me had changed dramatically and that I WAS NOT responsible for that change.  I had gone through many self-help books both from the library and bookstores....I FINALLY cried out to God and bought a bible.  I had tried reading the bible many times in my life.  The strangest thing for me was that I could read anything else and understand what I was reading...but I had never understood the Bible.  I always had to put it back on the shelf because it was like I was reading another language...there simply was no understanding. I did not have ears to hear.  For some reason the Lord heard my cry this time and gave me the ears to hear His word.  The Lord knows our hearts and must have known that this time I really did want His help.  I remember coming home...sitting on the couch....opening the Bible up to Genesis 1 and before I reached Genesis Chapter 2 tears were streaming down my cheeks. The Spirit had spoken to my heart.  I understood!  Not just chapter 1 of Genesis but that He was my Rock in this world.  He was my Portion. That this book I had in my hands was exactly what I needed.  It was black and white, it was definite and most importantly it had answers. Truth truly resided here in this book.  I knew at that moment that I could stand.  I knew that I had what I needed to raise my family..to make it through life in this world. My eyes were opened to the God who created the universe and who also cared for me. Circumstances would change, emotions would change, my life would change but He would not.  Jesus Christ the same today, yesterday and forever.  He would be my guide, my strong tower, my help, my strength and my hope.  Girls, I went from quicksand to the Rock. Psalm 40:1-3 speaks to me of what the my God did that day in my heart.

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to  me And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock,  And established my steps.He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God;  Many will see it and fear; And will trust in the LORD.

It truly happened in the blink of an eye...and His word by His grace has never been far from my heart or my reach since.

How do we have peace and confidence then and put off that spirit of heaviness? We remember, by His Spirit that dwells in us, that HE is our Portion.  He does not change...in Him we have peace...in the world...tribulation...but He has overcome...so He says be of good cheer..we face this world already victorious.  To base our life on anything else is to base it on that which is always changing....and thus constantly disappointing.  To base it on Jesus Christ is to base it on that which is eternal, unchanging and has value beyond this world.

No one knew discouragement like Jeremiah.  Here is the summarized advice that he gives that span the next 20 verses.  Listen to his words, girls and be helped and blessed. Hope in Him, wait patiently for Him, surrender to Him, know that He will not cast off forever, know that though He causes grief He will show compassion for He does not afflict willingly, search out your ways and examine them,and turn back to Him  Finally, we are back to where we started in the beginning...Praise Him...lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven and watch Him deliver!

Love
Mom...who has tears streaming down her cheeks in gratitude and thankfulness for what He and He alone has accomplished in my life.

Here is Psalm 40 in its entirety...

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
         And He inclined to me,
         And heard my cry.
 ² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
         Out of the miry clay,
         And set my feet upon a rock,
         And established my steps.
 ³ He has put a new song in my mouth—
         Praise to our God;
         Many will see it and fear,
         And will trust in the LORD.

 ⁴ Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust,
         And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
 ⁵ Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works
         Which You have done;
         And Your thoughts toward us
         Cannot be recounted to You in order;
         If I would declare and speak of them,
         They are more than can be numbered.

 ⁶ Sacrifice and offering You did not desire;
         My ears You have opened.
         Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.
 ⁷ Then I said, “Behold, I come;
         In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
 ⁸ I delight to do Your will, O my God,
         And Your law is within my heart.”

 ⁹ I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
         In the great assembly;
         Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
         O LORD, You Yourself know.
 ¹⁰ I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
         I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
         I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
         From the great assembly.

 ¹¹ Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD;
         Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
 ¹² For innumerable evils have surrounded me;
         My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up;
         They are more than the hairs of my head;
         Therefore my heart fails me.

 ¹³ Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
         O LORD, make haste to help me!
 ¹⁴ Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
         Who seek to destroy my life;
         Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
         Who wish me evil.
 ¹⁵ Let them be confounded because of their shame,
         Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

 ¹⁶ Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
         Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
         “The LORD be magnified!”
 ¹⁷ But I am poor and needy;
         Yet the LORD thinks upon me.
         You are my help and my deliverer;
         Do not delay, O my God.