Letter to My Daughters…

 Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace, 

Whose mind is stayed on You,

 Because he trusts in You. 

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

This verse became my life verse very early on in my walk with the Lord. I did not know much, but I knew that this one was core.  It is so practical! It is so simple! BUT its depths really cannot be fathomed. The longer I walk with Him the more I see that it truly is all about Him in every way.  That is exactly as it should be.  The longer I know Him, the greater my love for Him...the more I love Him, the more I think about Him and the more I love, think and know about Him the more I trust Him.  Colossians tells us in Chapter 3:17 that  "... whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Acts tells us that "In Him we live and move and have our being." Girls, your lives should be manifestations of your love for Him. He wants your single-minded devotion and love.  

Every moment is Jesus....every situation is Jesus....every circumstance is Jesus and He should be the basis for every relationship we have.  He is called Jehovah Shalom (God of Peace) and the Prince of Peace.  He is the Great I AM. Chuck Smith  has said that the name "Jehovah" can be interpreted as "The Becoming One." The One who becomes to people just what they need.  I love that...the Becoming One...Wow! He becomes our peace when we focus our minds on Him. 

The first peace we obtain is the peace we find at the moment of our salvation when we look to Him in faith and in His grace justifies us.  We are now at peace with God...prior to salvation we were at war. (Col 1:21) Make no mistake, each one of us craves this peace with God.  We live in a world filled with grief, problems and an absence of peace and each one of us searches for it. I distinctly remember the peace that flooded my soul when Jesus filled it with Himself.  It was unlike anything I had ever experienced and changed me from the inside out through no effort on my part.  I now had a Rock on which I could stand.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace...The chastisement for yours and my peace was upon Him. Someday He, the Prince of Peace, will return and reign in Jerusalem and there will be true and lasting peace on the earth. 

We can have this peace now, inside of us, when we surrender to His Spirit and allow Him to rule our hearts.  As we look to Him our desires are changed and our priorities re-ordered. James 4 tells us that wars and fights come from the battle that rages inside us...we get angry when we do not get what we want. We are at war with God. Because we are at war with God we are also at war with ourselves and others. The Spirit inside of us yearns jealously. I love that...He wants ALL of me..He wants my heart to be completely controlled by His Spirit. James tells us how to do this a little further on .   

James 4:7-8: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

Girls...this kind of relationship with Jesus Christ is built over time.  It is built as you abide in Him.  It takes courage to take that first step and ask Him into your heart as your Lord and Savior. As you walk with Him day by day it takes courage to yield your desires to Him.  But His grace is always there. You never have to worry about disappointing Him...your success is assured...He performs all things in accordance with His plan not yours.  And His plan is from a heart of love. (Psalm 33:11) Again, as I have said before in other posts, stay close to Jesus, abide in Him by staying in His Word. Gaze into it...allow it to show you His good and perfect will, to convict your heart of sin, to renew your mind and to transform you into His image. As you do this you will love Him more and more with each passing day and consequently trust and obey Him more and more. Stay the course...immerse yourself in His Word...and His peace which is an outflow of the fruit of His Spirit...love...will flood your heart.

From a practical standpoint,we live our Christian life moment by moment. Paul in Philippians 4says something very helpful 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

A Christian is not suppose to worry, is to pray about everything and is to be thankful in and for everything! As we do this the peace of God will fill us and guard  our hearts and minds. Worry is the opposite of peace....It pulls us apart. Our MINDS need to be stayed on Him.  Why? Because our mind is where thinking takes place...If we are thinking wrong thoughts our feelings are not going to be right either.  As a man thinks in his heart so is he. God's peace secures our mind. It takes our thoughts captive and brings them into obedience to Him. Again, none of  us is capable of this on our own. You can't do this outside a relationship with Jesus Christ. You can only achieve this kind of peace by keeping your mind stayed on Him.  Stayed on Him...although I didn't look it up I am pretty sure it means keeping your eyes steadily focused on Him and who He is, on what His desires are for you and allowing His example to guide you. Proverbs 3:5-6 comes to mind here as does Philippians 4:9 above. Warren Wiersbe calls these verses (Phil 4:7-9) the prescription for a secure mind....a mind free from worrying. 1. right praying, (Phil 4:7)  2. right thinking (Phil 4:8) and 3. right living. (Phil 4:9) 

My prayer for each of you today and every day: 

Ephesians 3:16-21 

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Love

Mom  

On Finding the Knowledge of God…

My son, if you receive my words,

And treasure my commands within you,

So that you incline your ear to wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding,

If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,

And find the knowledge of God.—Proverbs 2:1-5

My Thru the Bible in a Year has me reading the Book of Proverbs in three chapter chunks. When I saw the schedule, I was not happy because I like to read through Proverbs slowly.  I have come to the conclusion, however, that both methods serve their good purposes.  This morning as I read through the initial chapters in “bulk”, the heart of love our Father has for us, His children, was made so very plain.  Truly, He wants us to seek Him with every part of our beings. He is jealous for us and wills that we listen to His voice and His voice alone. He wants us to draw near Him and obey…not for His own sake but for ours.  

I can relate to Solomon’s inspired words above, because they echo my deepest longing for each of my own children. Oh…that my precious daughters would seek their God and His righteousness more than anything else! That He would always and forever be first in their hearts and in their lives. 

God’s desire for us is good. He is our Creator. He knows exactly what we need to be the person that He created us to be. If I, as an imperfect and fallen human being, can have these said same longings for my own children and grandchildren how much more does our Father in Heaven desire them for us.  

Oh Father!  Align our will with Yours!  

Today by Your Spirit may we…

Cry out to You for wisdom. 

Lift up our voice to You for understanding. 

Seek You as silver and search for You as hidden treasure. 

Beloved…dig into the word of God daily. Open your mouth wide and He will fill it, for it is then that you will obtain the greatest thing that anyone this side of heaven can have…

The fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God

I have copied  Proverbs 2-4 here, as well as Romans 8 and Jeremiah 9:23-24. Read them through and as you do allow the faithful and forever truth of each one of His precious promises to renew your mind and bathe you in His gracious love.

My son, if you receive my words,

And treasure my commands within you,

So that you incline your ear to wisdom,

And apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry out for discernment,

And lift up your voice for understanding,

If you seek her as silver,

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,

And find the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

He guards the paths of justice,

And preserves the way of His saints.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice,

Equity and every good path.

When wisdom enters your heart,

And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

Discretion will preserve you;

Understanding will keep you,

To deliver you from the way of evil,

From the man who speaks perverse things,

From those who leave the paths of uprightness

To walk in the ways of darkness;

Who rejoice in doing evil,

And delight in the perversity of the wicked;

Whose ways are crooked,

And who are devious in their paths;

To deliver you from the immoral woman,

From the seductress who flatters with her words,

Who forsakes the companion of her youth,

And forgets the covenant of her God.

For her house leads down to death,

And her paths to the dead;

None who go to her return,

Nor do they regain the paths of life—

So you may walk in the way of goodness,

And keep to the paths of righteousness.

For the upright will dwell in the land,

And the blameless will remain in it;

But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,

And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.—Proverbs 2

My son, do not forget my law,

But let your heart keep my commands;

For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart,

And so find favor and high esteem

In the sight of God and man.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;

Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

It will be health to your flesh,

And strength to your bones.

Honor the LORD with your possessions,

And with the firstfruits of all your increase;

So your barns will be filled with plenty,

And your vats will overflow with new wine.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

Nor detest His correction;

For whom the LORD loves He corrects,

Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

And the man who gains understanding;

For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,

And her gain than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies,

And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.

Length of days is in her right hand,

In her left hand riches and honor.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,

And happy are all who retain her.

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

By understanding He established the heavens;

By His knowledge the depths were broken up,

And clouds drop down the dew.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes—

Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

So they will be life to your soul

And grace to your neck.

Then you will walk safely in your way,

And your foot will not stumble.

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror,

Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;

For the LORD will be your confidence,

And will keep your foot from being caught.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

Do not say to your neighbor,

"Go, and come back,

And tomorrow I will give it,"

When you have it with you.

Do not devise evil against your neighbor,

For he dwells by you for safety's sake.

Do not strive with a man without cause,

If he has done you no harm.

Do not envy the oppressor,

And choose none of his ways;

For the perverse person is an abomination to the LORD,

But His secret counsel is with the upright.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,

But He blesses the home of the just.

Surely He scorns the scornful,

But gives grace to the humble.

The wise shall inherit glory,

But shame shall be the legacy of fools.—Proverbs 3

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,

And give attention to know understanding;

For I give you good doctrine:

Do not forsake my law.

When I was my father's son,

Tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,

He also taught me, and said to me:

"Let your heart retain my words;

Keep my commands, and live.

Get wisdom! Get understanding!

Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you;

Love her, and she will keep you.

Wisdom is the principal thing;

Therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

Exalt her, and she will promote you;

She will bring you honor, when you embrace her.

She will place on your head an ornament of grace;

A crown of glory she will deliver to you."

Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,

And the years of your life will be many.

I have taught you in the way of wisdom;

I have led you in right paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hindered,

And when you run, you will not stumble.

Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go;

Keep her, for she is your life.

Do not enter the path of the wicked,

And do not walk in the way of evil.

Avoid it, do not travel on it;

Turn away from it and pass on.

For they do not sleep unless they have done evil;

And their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.

For they eat the bread of wickedness,

And drink the wine of violence.

But the path of the just is like the shining sun,

That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

The way of the wicked is like darkness;

They do not know what makes them stumble.

My son, give attention to my words;

Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them depart from your eyes;

Keep them in the midst of your heart;

For they are life to those who find them,

And health to all their flesh.

Keep your heart with all diligence,

For out of it spring the issues of life.

Put away from you a deceitful mouth,

And put perverse lips far from you.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,

And your eyelids look right before you.

Ponder the path of your feet,

And let all your ways be established.

Do not turn to the right or the left;

Remove your foot from evil.—Proverbs 4

 Romans 8

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

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.—Romans 8

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.—Jeremiah 9:23-24

On Being Secure…

 Wisdom calls aloud outside;

She raises her voice in the open squares.

She cries out in the chief concourses,

At the openings of the gates in the city

She speaks her words:

"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

For scorners delight in their scorning,

And fools hate knowledge.

Turn at my rebuke;

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

"Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil."—Proverbs 1:20-33

As I read these verses this morning from Proverbs 1, I was overwhelmed with grief for those people I care for that seem to hate knowledge and do not choose to fear the Lord. Even as I write this they are, as it says in verse 31, eating the fruit of their own way and being filled with their own fancies.  

Beloved…may we join together in prayer this morning and every morning for our loved ones that they would come to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. That we would pray for them in agreement with Jesus, who in John 17, not only prayed for those that were with Him at that time, but also for those who would believe later on…you and me. 

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.—John 17:20-23

Oh, Father…Pour out Your Spirit and make Your word known to them.  Oh, that they, even today, would turn at Your rebuke and listen to You, for then will they dwell safely and be secure, without fear of evil. 

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,—Ephesians 1:17-20