Filled With Gratitude

Here are five verses that give me hope and an opportunity to praise God: Mark 8:22-26.

What do you read when you go through these few lines of scripture? I see a man begging Jesus to heal him.  Actually, scripture says he wanted a touch from Jesus, which is synonymous with healing, because he knew that the moment Jesus intervened, something was going to happen.

When was the last time you called on the Name of the Lord to intervene? If you're anything like me, it was probably just a few moments ago.  I'm always asking God to step in. As I call on His Name, I cultivate my heart to engage in Thanksgiving just like the scriptures teach me.  I know that something beautiful is going to happen as I invoke my Savior's Name, so I thank Him before I see the change, and I praise Him before my moment catches us up with His reality.  God is always working!

“He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” (v23)

That is an excellent question. As we wait on the Lord and pour our hearts out to him, I think it's OK to ask ourselves, “Do you see anything?”

Mark 8:24 reads like this, “He looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

I'm going to be asking and answering that question more often as I call on the Name of the Lord.

The blind man said he saw something that looked like trees. His sight had not fully been restored. But in the scriptures, this man begins to give glory to God immediately! He acknowledged there was a change!

Jesus intervenes again, and as he touches the man's eyes, they open, and he is fully restored.

Practicing gratitude. Believing God's Word and allowing faith to arise. 

Psalm 50:23, “He who offers a sacrifice of {Praise} thanksgiving {Todah} honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.” 

What I learned from this line in scripture is that my heart must be cultivated in Thanksgiving and gratitude. Here, the Psalmist begins to give thanks to God before he even sees an outcome!

The blind man acknowledges that he sees something. He wasn't fully healed, but he acknowledged that Jesus was doing something.  God’s intervention had and was changing the tomorrow, the future, the landscape of the blind man's life.

Today, let's be like the Psalmist and the blind man.  You may not see the full answer; nevertheless, we are called to thank God for the intervention that is occurring, even if we don't fully see it.

“Even when I don’t see it, you're working, even if I don’t feel it, you're working, my God, that is who you are.”  Lyrics from “Way Maker” by Leeland

Worship the Lord! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJCV_2H9xD0&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

If God is for us - who can be against us! I trust in you, LORD!

God bless you!~Liz

Amazing God

Today I saw the most amazing rainbow I've ever seen.  The rainbow illuminated the sky for over 35 minutes.  It was absolutely beautiful!

Of course, who can see a rainbow and not remember the promise that God made in Genesis as he dialogued with Noah?

We see God’s mercy preserving life as the fall of man gave way to a ravaged world. A world that lost its identity in a whirlwind of sin!

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:13-17)

I was just leaving the hospital after a visit that concluded with prayer as we called on the Name of the Lord.  The beautiful thing for me was the fragrance of the anointing oil that remained on me and in the room.  The bottle read, Oil of Gladness, Anointing Oil.

As I drove, this wonderful sign of God’s promise continued to lead before me as I continued home. No matter where I drove, it seemed that the rainbow was right above me.

Wow!  I was so full of JOY, I began to praise and worship the Lord!  Prayer, joy, laughter, tears, and shouts echoing in my car.

It was like God was saying to me, “no matter where you go, I am always with you.”  I know that is in his Word but today it was a beautiful picture that God painted over me!

I was surrounded by God’s presence for sure!  What a beautiful moment to experience. 
I picked up the phone and began to testify.  I just rattled on about God’s goodness!
What a glorious conversation with God.

He is Amazing!

Can you imagine what heaven will be like?  Read it for yourself.  Revelation 21

God bless you!~Liz

HUSH

 “In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.” (1 Kings 6:7)

Take a moment. Even as you begin to read this, stop and listen. What do you hear?  No, don’t rush. Just be still.

I like my environment to be quiet. Oh, I am a people person.  Invite me to the gathering and I'll be there! But when I'm alone, I love the quietness of the moment. There is such peace and opportunity for clarity to be born in my mind.  I can go for hours just having nothing in the background except my heart speaking to the Lord, or more importantly, allowing God to speak to me.

When the temple was being constructed, scriptures say there was an absence of hammers, chisels, and other iron tools on the temple grounds.  You may ask why? According to the book of Joshua, instructions were given through Moses to build the altar for burnt offerings and sacrifice with uncut stones.  This seems like such a minor thing, but there was to be no defilement in the building of the altar of the Lord.  The altar of the Lord was to be different than the altars built for false worship all around them.

King Solomon established this act of worship as the temple of the Lord was being built. No hammering, not chiseling or any other defilement is how I read it. 

In the New Testament, we are reminded by the apostle Paul that we are the temple of the Lord. God, the Spirit of the Living God, lives inside of us with all power and authority! How can I hear if I'm constantly talking? How can I listen if I welcome every morning like the world does? 

The world calls it the hustle and bustle of life. The phrase itself sounds noisy!  I grew up in NYC.  That phrase reminds me of yellow cabs and horns! “Get your paper here, get your paper here.”

The God of the heavens and the earth desires time with me. “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” (Psalm 119:147)

Reverence is a word that should be used when we think of our God. The imagery given as we read 1st Kings has respect and worship written all over it.

What can I learn from scripture as I read the history of how the house of God was being built? Reverence. Respect. Worship God according to His Word. 

Take a peek again.  The temple is being built according to the plan of the Lord.  No chaos.  What we see is the unfolding of God’s instructions.  What we hear is awe and respect.

 “He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

Feeling frazzled? Does it feel too noisy? Go, hide quietly in the presence of God.  He still speaks today and desires some quiet time with you!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

HUSH.  It's time to worship the Lord.

God bless you! ~Liz

Free Indeed!

Discouragement was trying to visit me today.  The thing is, I almost opened the door!

Today I did not attend church, which is very, very rare.  I’ve been feeling under the weather, battling a cold and allergies. 

I sat outside my home listening to the sermon on my phone.  I was trying to catch some sun rays.  It felt refreshing!

As I turned to go inside, something caught my eye.  I have excellent peripheral vision. I looked closely, and it was a tiny little sparrow.  He was tangled in a very thin vine.   I tried to poke him to see if he was alive.  He did not like the poking!

I ran inside after calling my sister, who lives an hour away.  You see, my brother-in-law is an animal whisperer.  He has rescued many sparrows. 
Perhaps you remember the story of AUGIE. (https://shorturl.at/NYTI2) 
Anyway, she assured me she could not drive up to my home for this rescue!  I went inside and got some old rags and proceeded to try to extract this little creature.  He was not happy.  Perhaps he thought I was the hand of danger.  I spoke to him. “It’s ok, little creature. I’m trying to help you. It’s ok.”

Somehow, I managed to untangle him from some tiny vine trying to choke life out of him. 

I could feel his wings fluttering inside the palms of my hands.  He was chirping.  He was afraid.

Hallelujah.  I grabbed him and kept him sealed in my hands.  I transferred him to the side of the house and kept speaking to him as I prayed to the LORD.  “It’s going to be alright.  Lord, help this little creature.”   

I was concerned to open my hands and find this little bird losing its life.

As I opened my hands and placed him on the table, Hallelujah, the little sparrow began to fly to the highest tree in my front yard.  He was free.  Free indeed!

As I began to rejoice, the Spirit of the Lord ministered to my heart.  You are free! 

God is always speaking.  He’s always watching. He intervenes in the affairs of men.

He is a Good, Good Father!

Happy Mother's Day!

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  (Matthew 10:28-31) 

If the Oxen Stumble, STEP BACK!

We arrive at God's house week after week. We tell
ourselves that we're going to worship the King. 

Reverence, do we present it? Does it fill the room?  Are we in awe of the King?

Uzzah, son of Abinadad, has much to teach us from the scriptures regarding worship.

How do we know if we're worshipping God in a way that is acceptable and pleasing to him?

God himself will teach us. 

In 2 Samuel, we find King David moving the Ark of the Lord.  There was a celebration, and everyone thought they were pleasing the Lord.

Uzzah’s great intentions cost him his life.

If the oxen stumble, step back!

“When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6-7)

It's difficult to understand the severity of the punishment.

God's reverence must be learned from the Scriptures. He's the Designer.

“Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;  tremble before him, all the earth!” (Psalm 96:7-9)

God, the Creator of mankind, was pleased to create a people for himself. The fall of man has thwarted, impeded our relationship with our Creator.

Have I walked into his courts at times with disregard in my heart; not fully understanding I am in the presence of the Living God?

“God had created man so He could look into him and see reflected there more of His own glory than He could see reflected in the starry skies above. But now the mirror was dimmed and blurred. When God would look at sinful man, He no longer could see His own glory.” ^a

“Disobedient man had become sinful man. He had failed to fulfill the purpose of his creation to worship his Creator in the beauty of holiness.” ^a

From the moment that the Lord began to knit us in our mother's womb, the creator desired worship, relationship, and a heart that would be pleased to communicate with him.

I wonder if he was singing over me when he put me together in the secret place? When he deposited the gifts in me, did he see all I could be? When his Holy Spirit drew close to me and called me, was his heart rejoicing when I said yes?

Scripture says that he does sing over me.  Every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
He has equipped the church so that it could thrive. He loves us!

He desires fellowship with us.

“God was glorified in His Son, even though at His Son's death the glory was terribly marred. Sinful men plucked His beard, bruised His face, tore out His hair. They made great blue lumps on His forehead. Then they nailed Him to the cross. There He groaned and sweated and suffered for six hours before He finally gave up His spirit and died. The bells in heaven rang out because lost man had now been redeemed. The way of pardon and forgiveness had been opened for sinners.”^a

His love is relentless!

“Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.  When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,  while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” (2 Samuel 6:12-15)

Reverence, pour it out on HIM!

Admiration, lavish it on HIM!

We were made to worship God! That's our purpose!

We must enter his gates with thanksgiving and awe for our Creator!

He still wants us!  The Fall did not forever remove us from his presence. 

“We have wonderful news for you! It is the good news that the God who created us did not give us up. He did not say to the angels, "Write them off and blot them from My memory." Rather, He said, "Oh, I still want them! I still want them to be a mirror in which I can look and see My glory. I still want to be admired by My people. I still want My people to enjoy Me and have Me forever." So God sent His only begotten Son through the miracle of: the Incarnation. When Jesus walked the earth He was the reflected glory of God. The New Testament says that He is the effulgence of God's glory and the brightness of His person. When God looked at Mary's son, He saw Himself reflected.”^a

In the Garden, Sin tried to kill us.

Today, interruptions and distractions desire to keep us from worshiping our God.

What does the Word of God say?

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

Respect and Admiration are yours, Lord!

Let's approach his house with confidence.  He desires to commune with us. 
We were created to worship God.  

Let the room be filled! Magnify him.  Lose yourself in Him.
We are complete when we worship the Lord, our Creator.

I was made to worship.
Come on and bless the Lord with me!

I will magnify your Name, Jesus.

God bless you!~Liz

^a Whatever Happened to Worship

It's a Gift From God!

It's hard to look in the mirror and admit our faults.
We have weaknesses that we surrender to, the flesh
that calls out to be satisfied as the Spirit tries to transform us into the likeness of Christ.

This morning, my thoughts were interrupted by a reality that is not true at all. I had a thought to call my mom. But for those who know me, you’re aware that my mom passed away almost 14 years ago.  It felt so real. I wanted to pick up the phone just to hear her voice.

I quickly turned my thoughts into prayer.  My mom was a petite woman but of great strength.  She taught me most of what I know.  She shaped me into the homemaker I am and taught me to be kind and generous.  She demonstrated to me how much can be had out of nothing. She was resourceful.  

It may feel like I'm going down a rabbit hole, but this one thought led me, with tears in my eyes, into a time of Thanksgiving with God Almighty.

We are all like the thief on the cross.

 The thief was a criminal confirmed by the authorities. He hung on a cross next to Jesus and, with no recourse, called on Jesus for eternal life and forgiveness. He wasn't forced to call on Jesus, but as he was drawn to his Creator, his confession sealed his fate.

For most of us, death is not knocking at the threshold of our door.  Yet, in reality, no one knows when God will call us to give an account for the brief moments of life on this earth.

We dismiss the call, thinking we have more time.  Perhaps the reasoning is that we’re not that bad. 

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

This criminal’s eyes were opened to the Messiah, the Son of God, who hung next to him. 

“And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)

Jesus came to set the captive free, the one bound to the desires of the flesh. The flesh that calls us to satisfy, gratify, and give in to all that is contrary to the Spirit of God. 

An honest, deep look reveals the intent of our hearts and the things that we may not be so proud of. 

Yet, God loves us!

Sin has left us blind and deaf, but God has come to open our eyes and give us new life. 

Forgiveness leads to eternal life.  It’s a gift from God.

In an unusual course of events, with 24 hours unbeknownst to me or my mom, God was ready to call her to himself.

In God's mercy, he impressed on me the need to share the gospel with my mom one more time. 

That night, she called out to God and surrendered her life to him.

The next morning, she was present with Him! 

So teach us to number our days. (Psalms 90:12-14)

I will indeed see my mom again.  I can't pick up the phone and hear her voice, but when the Father calls me home, I'll see her again.

Rejoice! Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the name of the Lord. (Luke 19:38a)

Emmanuel, God with us! 

Happy Palm Sunday!

Forgiveness leads to eternal life.  It’s a gift from God.

God bless you!~Liz

Encountering Grace

It always looks different,
but The Giver is the same.
Luke 15:11-32

Do you ever wonder what became of Jimmy? 

You might remember me from our family’s recent story in
“The Prodigal.”

My brother Johnny left the farm. 
He ventured out into the city to follow some pipe dream.  That’s not a big deal except that he left my dad and me in a bind.  

I worked hard alongside my dad to keep the farm afloat.  We almost lost it all.

After quite some time Johnny decided to come back home.  Except it wasn’t his home if you asked me.  He spent all his inheritance on foolish living and when he was spent, he graces us with his presence and expects life to go on as it was.

This is where my life story takes a turn!  I want to call it a screech. A halt that caused my heart to change.  Two brothers.  He received grace and I went through a bitter decline visible to all.  An imprint I wish were not true.  Anger can do that.

Johnny came back and my dad welcomed him with open arms.  Forgiveness was lavished on him.  Parties, celebrations, and joy for a selfish boy who squandered his inheritance, my dad’s hard-earned money.  A boy, a foolish man!

I’m not sure my life has been any better. I mean bitterness always brings friends.  Deep within the crevices of my soul unforgiveness and bitterness danced until resentment was a way of life. 

I swore I would never forgive my brother Johnny!

Life has been challenging.  I’m still here with all the difficulties of living on the farm, the decline of the farm I mean.  It’s hard to live with contentment when one’s heart is heavy with unforgiveness.  

I’d be cordial with Johnny, but I never really extended him an olive leaf or anything like that.   

It’s like living in the shadows of who I was or maybe could have become. 

It’s been almost 10 years.  There has been a moral decline in me.  Oh, I didn’t hurt or kill anyone, but I do recognize that hate lives here, a resentment that won’t let me go even when slivers of light shine and allow glimpses and opportunities for my heart to be changed.

I’m in a downward spiral. Yes, this is where I live.

Granny that poor soul ravished with Dementia couldn’t remember my name at times.  Interestingly, there were parts of her past she could recite without any hesitation.  The glow on her face testified she trusted in her God. It was evident it comforted her heart.  Not even Dementia could take that from her. 

One late night, or rather I should say early in the morning, I was gathering some clover to bring to the pen and feed the animal. It was about 3 am and I was alone.  

I couldn’t sleep that night, so I made my way to the barn to make myself useful.   

I was startled when I saw the shadow.  In the moonlight glow, I realized that the slow-moving figure was Granny.  She’d often wander from her home and would be found strolling among the sheep. 

I quickly had her sit, and I placed a blanket around her.  

I told her it was me, Jimmy.  With a grin, she said to me, “I know who you are.”

Granny began to ramble on about how life was short and some other stuff that wasn’t very clear.  She spoke to me about Jesus. I just shook my head and agreed even if I did not understand all she was saying.  I wanted to comfort her.  

Granny was shivering even with the blanket.  

Was she afraid?  Was she cold?  

She spoke again and told me that God loved me.

Loved me?  I did not say it out loud.  After all the battle was always in my mind. 
Did God really love me?

It was so interesting how the conversation quickly took a turn.  

There was a stillness in the air blanketed by the sounds of the farm.  

All kinds of animals testifying they were alive.

There was a breeze coming through the slates of the barn walls.  

For a moment I felt a shiver too.

It was like a visible hush. Granny looked straight at me and put her fragile hand on my knee.  

She had my attention.

She said, “Jimmy, it's time.”  I wondered what she meant.  

Did she realize that she had been wondering and needed to go back to her home?  

Was that her confusion talking?

I’d like to say I understood everything that happened that night but truly I can’t.

With her eyes fixed on me she said, “He loves you too.”  

What did she mean? Was she referring to my dad? 

Without saying a word, I just nodded. 

My angry heart whispered, “I know my dad loves Johnny.” 

My thoughts started to drift.  A few days earlier I had found my dusty Bible in the recesses of my closet.  I did dust it off but reading it, that would take a miracle!  Resentment does that to you.

Yet of all the pages I could have come across, this I did read, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9)

It was like a flashback.  I was right there again.  

My dad lavishly extending forgiveness to Johnny for all his foolishness.  

I could see and sense my anger rise again.  

I remembered the words I spewed at my dad that night, “I will hold Johnny accountable.  But as far as forgiving him, he is dead to me!”

That quickly I began to sob uncontrollably.  Why was I crying?  I hadn’t done anything wrong.

My thoughts were interrupted when Granny said again, “Jimmy, it’s time.”

I yelled, “Time for what?”

She glanced over and began to stare off at the bricks of straw lined up by the barn wall. 

There it was again.  That stillness in the night that beckon my attention.

“Granny, are you ok?” I was so sorry I yelled at her.

She began humming and then she stopped.  

It was a song that seemed familiar, but I could not quite remember it. 

In the silence of that moment, something happened. 

I began to pour out my heart to Granny.  I knew my heart was safe with her.  

She may not even remember what I was about to confess anyway.

I cried and told her how sorry I was for the hardness of my heart.  My anger and resentment had taken full charge of me.  I wanted freedom. I wanted joy, and to believe my father’s love for me was real.  But I was gripped and bound.  I could not get free.

Granny embraced me and allowed me to pour out my heart.  

That night I surrendered my life and all my pain to God and asked him to forgive me.  

Indeed, I felt the warmth of the Lord all around that barn.  

There were parts of me being stripped away. Like weeds being pulled from the depths of my heart; something beautiful was happening to me!

She said it again, “It’s time Jimmy.”  I tried to compose myself.  

I dried the tears from my face.  

I helped Granny up and I walked her home.  I assured her family that she was ok.

The next evening, I got the call.  

Granny had passed away.

Ten years of resentment building a kingdom within me.  It grew.  It expanded and it almost took me.  I’m thankful for Granny’s life.  Those few moments changed the course of my life. 

I encountered grace.  

Yes, the same grace that had received Johnny when he had come back home.

I’m grateful to the Lord.  That night I became free.   

Joy finally came and filled my heart. 

I understood.  I understood.

It’s the mercy of God.  

Yes, the mercy of God that saved me that night.  

This broken man encountered grace.  No, I didn’t deserve it.  I reckon neither did Johnny.  

But God, who loves us has done this for us.  Yes, God has done this for me. 

This prodigal son has come home too. 

God bless you!~Liz