The Storm

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin  against you. Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

Yesterday as I was in the supermarket, I began to think about the urgency we feel prior to a snow storm. People, who don’t normally shop, are out stocking up, just in case they run out of food. Imaging missing a meal....No…I need to eat, I need to be fed, and I need nourishment.

How far would we go if we knew that tomorrow, the very Word of God, the Bible, would be no more? Imagine if we had to surrender every Bible we owned. Would there be enough in our reservoir, our hearts, to carry us through? Have we hid God’s Word in our heart? How about when a storm comes, do we have this precious resource to carry us through? The Spirit of the Lord is ready, are we? The Word of God, His guidance and instructions available to us for every circumstance. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:13‐14

He is present with us, just like when Adam walked and talked with the Lord in the Garden. Even after the Fall of Man, even after we have sinned against the One who is without fault, the One who is perfect, He still desires that we commune, talk with him. The Father, the God of all Creation, sent his son to make a way. It is He who has loved us; He has made a way (Isaiah 53).

So, regardless of the storm, call it what whatever it is, sickness, sadness, financially deficit, the loss of those we love, our hearts have been hurt and deceived, our feelings are crushed, loneliness, whatever causes a “storm” in our lives. Let’s go the Good Shepherd, his voice is distinguishable, lean and listen, he whispers, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Father, I rush to you in need, and I say, speak to me Lord, I am listening. I choose to stay close to you. Come Lord, carry me through the storm.

God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

The Gardiner

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

As I walk with the Lord, there is a Teacher, the Spirit of God himself that walks and talks with me. Today I will also call him the Gardner.

When a garden is planted, sometimes the fruit or vegetables grow well. But even the best plants, that which seems like they are growing well, often can use improvement, the Gardner can recognize this quickly.

So the Gardner often has to re-cultivate the ground, perhaps remove some rocks that were deep in the dirt that did not allow the fruit to mature to its proper growth. Often what looks like good soil unless it’s tested may reveal to be deficient of nutrients, therefore proper daily feeding to the ground is necessary to ensure that healthy fruit is produced. Just because it looks good, does not mean it will taste good.

Perhaps there is too much heat, perhaps the plant cannot handle that heat, so the Gardner uproots the plant and chooses a different location, a place of proper balance between heat and shade. The Gardner will frequently check the growth of his plants. If he sees that the plant is leaning or bending the wrong way, he may turn it around to try and re-position it...but if the plant is stubborn, for the good of the plant, for the benefit of pure fruit, he sometimes has to gently restrict it, making sure that plant stays and grows in the place the Gardner planted it.

When the season ends, the Gardner gathers the harvest, he examines it, puts it to the test as he serves it out. The Gardner quickly see whether those that are eating of the fruit he grew are enjoying the benefits of his toil. If the fruit is bitter, rotten, un-matured, or just did not grow as the Gardner intended, then he tweaks the process or perhaps he checks the seed to make sure that the seed will produce what he intended to grow.

Love should not produce hate, Joy should not produce discontentment, Peace should not turn out as chaos, Kindness should be sweet, Goodness, genuine, Faithfulness should be authentic, Gentleness should not turn out harsh, and Self- control should be temperate.

Therefore I submit myself to the Gardner and allow him to continue to examine, tweak, and if necessary start all over again until the fruit produced is what he intended to reap out of this life.

I have grown to recognize when the fruit is rotten, I can recognize if the fruit is not genuine..the fruit of my life. The Gardner as he cultivates the ground, he speaks to me. His Mighty Word, the food source to all that will grow well, is what I cling too. It’s not only at the beginning of a new year that self examination is necessary, but a daily check has to be part of my life. There is no one good…except the Lord. I am not perfect, but I am being changed daily until I reach glory one day. There are spiritual truths that I know well but that does not mean I don’t need to be reminded. His Word does that for me. There is not just one verse that I cling too for the New Year, because every word is beneficial and instructive to me. In 2010 the Lord continued to teach me to trust him daily and I did. In 2011 I will do the same because I do not know what it holds. I thank the Good Lord for saving my life and bringing and allowing me to join the family of God.

I do have a continue hope, that I hold on too, and that is that he would save my family….my entire family until my whole lineage proclaims Christ is Lord!

Happy New Year! 2011

God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

Preparing for what is Dead

Luke 24:1-3 (NIV)

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

They brought spices to prepare the dead....What ever happened to the spices...I know it took time...maybe even their valuable resources to prepare?  Was all hope lost?

Hmmm....What do we bring to our dead situations....we waste time....we waste money...perhaps we bring something to mask the decay that is occurring...you know........we say things like......."it's ok" ......when we know that .....it is not ok....we've given up hope....we are ready to bury our dreams our calling perhaps....only to find when we arrive........the One who Gives Life......the One who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were....He has taken the situation and made it so that our Father in Heaven is Glorified....

The Life Giver has come and made it so that the only scent is the Beautiful Presence, the Sweet Smelling Aroma of Jesus.... He resurrects that which is dead and brings new life, just like in Abraham's life...a promise given to an old man....

I'm sure these women did not expect Jesus to be alive...they were surprised.....they left or maybe dropped...just outright forgot about the spices....no need to prepare the dead body of the Lord ......after all He, Jesus was alive...the Scripture says the angel said “Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Can it be that God speaks to us...tells us what he plans on doing with our lives (like Abraham) ...we wait....we wait some more... (Scriptures foretold that the Messiah would come...that he would save the people from their sins) ....then we begin to lose hope.....we say things like...maybe God really did not speak to me (Maybe there is no deliverance for God's people, maybe I can help God and .....here is Hagar)....perhaps I made it up...maybe he really does not want me to go to Africa...maybe he really has not equipped me to minister....maybe I'm not really called to teach, preach, can I really have an impact in this life for the Lord...etc. Then....as we prepare to bury our dreams & hopes...the Lord arrives...never late...His plan is perfect...the testimony then goes forth....and the Lord once again is glorified! We wait on you Lord....we will not prepare for a burial service but we anticipate a celebration...yes a celebration for life....a resurrection of what we presume is dead!  Revive us again.

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

No Longer do I have to Peek Inside

John 15:15 (NIV)

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

This morning as it is my usual "routine", I began to pray on my ride to work. I began to thank the Lord for the new day, the clouds that will bring the rain for the vegetation, for health, my family, for a job...then I began to pray about the armor that the Lord speaks to us about in Ephesians. I began to reflect on all the pieces, the Helmet of Salvation, Shield of Faith, the Breastplate of Righteousness, etc. and I began to thank him...just thank him...for he has made provision for all I need in this life....he covers me with his Righteousness.....he equips me with Truth....His Spirit guides me....He speaks and directs me....than the Lord reminded me that I

no longer am outside the courts of the King....he has invited me in...he has clothed me rightly...and he bestows favor and calls me his daughter. No longer am I opposing the One which is Good for me...but He has called me to Himself...to enjoy the privilege of being Royalty....you know...we don't have to be outside any longer...we don't have to peak through the palace windows...we don't have to be afraid to approach the King.....He has equipped us for battle and He dressed us to dine with him....to dine with the King...wow....wow....His Righteousness....a breastplate and a royal robe!

God bless you!~Liz
www.lizrod.com

I Love You Titi

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 

Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

I lost my dear Aunt Myrna (I call her Titi) on Sunday. Today, because I couldn't be present in Puerto Rico, I am watching the wake via the Internet.  This morning, as I watched, I thought about what goes through our minds when we go to a wake? You know, we look at the body and we stand there. Some kneel. I've been to many wakes & viewings. It is out of respect that we go to the casket.  We stay there a moment.  I know we are sad. We are grieving, and perhaps we think about what could have been. We want more time with our loved ones. We cry and maybe plead, but they are gone.  All we have are memories.

We celebrate their home-going with the Lord.

Then I began to think. What happens when we are dead in our sin? We have no relationship with the Lord. We have rejected his Son. I know I was there once. I wonder if God looked at my dead soul and stood over me? I know he did not kneel, for it is I who will bow the knee to the Savior.  He knows all about my life before I was even born.  It is out of his love for me that he calls to me. He rejoices over me with singing.  He, too, wants more time with me. He remembers mankind before they turned from him and disobeyed. He calls to us. He rejoices over that one soul that turns from death to life. He celebrates our homecoming with a feast! Yes, a feast for us.

Welcome home Titi....Welcome home!

What Must I do to be Saved?

Acts 16:22-32 (NIV)

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

I often wonder...how far will God go to reach you & me? Here we see that Paul was being used to spread the Gospel...but he allowed this child of his to suffer more...to suffer greatly that the Message of Hope may be heard. Paul is arrested, beaten and then he and Silas continue to

Worship the Lord. They were not so concerned at what happen to the "temporary body" they were in.  The Spirit of God gave them strength them...and they continued to honor the Lord.  God reached the jailer and the other prisoners....they heard the Message that the Lord of Heaven loved them, came to forgive their sin....and they responded. It is the simple Gospel Truth....he loves you and he loves me and he will do whatever it takes to reach us....and if you are a believer already....he will use you in any way He wants (if we allow him) so that he may reach others that have not heard....that the God of Heaven HE LOVES THEM....SO MUCH...THAT HE DIED FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE DISOBEYED HIM......(ROMANS 3:9-11)

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com

Will not Leave Sin "Undealt" with

Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.  But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die. 2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NIV) 

Have you ever done wrong...sinned against God Almighty.  We know the answer is yes.

David commits adultery and then murders the woman's husband.....WHAT?...is this the same David that took care of the sheep....the same David that killed Goliath....David the King......David the Psalmist....YES....his first son dies and then God gives him another son, Solomon ...and the Lord uses him to built the temple.

Did David pull the wool over on the Lord's eye....NO....NO....nothing is hidden from the Lord......David's first son dies....the son conceived in adultery.....  When confronted by Nathan the Prophet....David's heart is broken.....broken and he is so sorry before the Lord over his sin........the Lord who knows us well and examines our hearts...looked right through and found true repentance.......

How about us......can we examine our lives.....what do we see.....is there something we are dealing with...something we can't even begin to tell the Lord.....the great and wonderful thing is...that God already knows....he waits for us to come to him......sometimes he even has to send a messenger to help us realize our trouble...our sin....He will not leave sin "undealt with".

God bless you!~Liz

www.lizrod.com