Truth in the Morning

Stand in the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Good morning, Friends. I have a confession to make. I have been in the midst of tortuous mental/emotional/spiritual conflict and have all but felt my feet grow wings in hopes of flying away from it all. No, I'm not talking about life and death stuff here, just wanting to get away from the conflict to find a quality quantity of sweet rest for my body and spirit, to leave behind the endless assault on my need for peace and remove myself out from under intense pressure. That kind of fly away. Part of the conflict is that I am not an impulsive person by nature and I have a strong sense of 'standing' where God has me planted unless and until He releases me to move on. Those are difficult principles to overlook when one wants to take off to parts unknown. Thus the conflict. But God......power in those words, Friends. But God in His endless mercy and grace bathes me daily in His love as I read and study each morning. Some days it is more like pulling me up by the bootstraps and other days it is the warmth of His hug. Today was one of the latter. So I am sharing......

Proverbs 21 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."

Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of diligence? Why keep persevering in a task? I'll tell you why. It is because it is in the arena of perseverance that true character is forged out, shaped, tempered and polished. It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that "thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it."

Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it in Romans 5:3-4: "We also rejoice in our sufferings, [why?] because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to escape from it. When the foundations shake beneath our feet, when Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, when the anchor points of civilization disappear, when the bottom drops out and brutal blows push us up against the ropes and pound the very life out of us, we need what diligence and perseverance offer us - willingness to face whatever comes, determination to stand firm, knowing that Christ is not just with us but in us, insight to see the Lord's hand in everything and character enough to continue. Without diligence, we will stumble and fall. With it, we will survive and conquer. The astute of this world are wise enough to recognize that no advances can be made in life without diligence. How much more ought we, who name the Name of Christ and have Him living within us, to recognize this also?

O God, help me see that I am at grips with the raw materials of human living. Out of them I must fashion the important quality of diligence. Help me never to forget that the rewards are much more than the cost. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Trusting in the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:06:00 +0000

Matthew 6:28-30 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Imagine the lilies blowing in the breeze around Jesus, the Master Teacher, as He used the beautiful flowers to drive home this powerful point—God cares enough for the grass of the field to provide it with color and beauty. Don’t worry, He will provide for you.

The promise of God is to provide us with exactly what we need. I get a little peeved with people that think and claim He gives us the desires of our hearts as if it was due them. I have trouble with that because I think they forget that scripture also says in Psalm 37:4-6 ESV Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

There are some action verbs in that scripture which require our attention. Delight yourself in the Lord… Commit your way to the Lord… trust in Him…

Delight yourself in Lord doesn’t mean to sit around making a list of the ‘desires of your heart’ that you want God to provide as if He was Santa Claus. It means we fall in love with the Lord and want what He wants for us. Our will starts lining up with His will for us and we want His will in our lives more than anything else.

Commit your way to the Lord means your living and thinking lines up with His precepts and sensibilities and your old ways of living for yourself, doing what you want to do in your earthly ways falls off and no longer entices you away from the Lord. Friends, scripture tells us that temptations and trouble will always be a fact of life as long as we are walking in out ‘earth suits’ but it also tells us that God will always provide a way out of temptations for us…it’s up us to make godly choices.

Trust in Him is easy enough to say we do but do we really? Trusting in the Lord means waiting on His timing instead of insisting on our own. I’ve learned the hard way that His schedule for my life is far better than me insisting on pushing ahead of God and doing it MY WAY. Trusting in Him means believing He will provide what we need, not necessarily what we want. There is a huge difference. Do you trust Him to know what you need?

Father, thank you for the love and care you have for your children. Help us to worry less and trust more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What are you Hiding Behind?

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:10:00 +0000

This morning I am sharing a few words of wisdom I found by Stephen Davey. After so mnay months of being off-line, it is good to be back!

Psalm 139:23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."

There is no doubt that first impressions can last a long time. Whether you are interviewing for a job, showing up for a class, or moving into the neighborhood, first impressions are hard to live down.

Sociologists have studied the subject of first impressions. One study concluded that a first impression is solidified in the first four minutes of a conversation. They say that if those first four minutes are positive, your acquaintances will most likely view everything about you in a positive light—even things unknown to them. Your professional skills, your morals, and even your intelligence will be held by them in high regard. Why? Simply because you made a good first impression.

Sociologists have even given a name to this phenomenon—the "halo effect." If you can put your best foot forward and come out looking and sounding impressive, you will create a certain air about you that may last a long time, regardless of whether or not it is true.

This happens all the time in our modern culture; a culture where charisma matters more than character—where image is more important than integrity. We live in a world that is consumed with creating halos and keeping them shiny at every opportunity, while hiding the sordidness of our true identity.

This is certainly not a new development. During the days of Christ, the people who wore the brightest halos were the Pharisees. They arrived at the busiest street corners in the marketplace at exactly 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m., where they prayed on public display. People thought of them as men who loved God more than other people did; men whom God loved most; but Jesus Christ was not deceived by their chicanery. He, being God, looked beyond their smiles and priestly robes and saw what was in their heart. They were hypocrites to the core and Christ was not fooled by their good impressions.

His condemnation of the Pharisees was justified when they crucified Him. How ironic! They were the supposed "God-fearers" of the day, yet at their first chance, they put Christ to death for unmasking their true identity. Though they studied the Scriptures fervently, they did not heed the words of Solomon, who wrote in Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility."

Fear of man induces hypocrisy—fear of God produces humility.

Are you living a double life in order to gain the approval of others, or living a singular life that recognizes the need for God's grace and direction each day? Are you shining your halo or cultivating your humility? Halos make a good first impression on mankind . . . humility makes a lasting impression on God.

Teach Us, Lord

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:11:00 +0000

Matthew 11:28–29 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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."

Do you ever think much about the personality of Jesus, what He was like sitting around the fire at night or walking the roads with the disciples and the others? In the scripture above, Jesus tells us what He was really like; humble and gentle. “Finding rest for your soul” is just not possible in someone demanding, sarcastic and self-absorbed. Jesus was none of those things. He was concerned with everyone else…that’s why He came in the first place.

Romans 15:2 "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification."

Be honest. How often do you think about others ahead of yourself? If you are completely honest, your answer is probably, "Not often." Jesus, in His ministry, was completely others centered. Everything He spoke and did was for the edification of others. The world we live in is completely focused on 'self', and Christians have bought into it. Jesus, on the other hand, said: Mark 8:35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."

Jesus should be our model for living. We should be like Jesus and be 'others centered' and 'others focused'. We should give our lives away. It is the key to life and what Jesus told us to do. Like a lost key, many Christians will look past it without picking it up. Gandhi once said, "I like your Jesus...I don't like your Christians." If the church at large would live out what we say we believe, this world would be a different place and people would be clamoring for Jesus. Is Jesus your model for living? What do you need to change in your life to accurately portray a life sold out for Jesus?

Let's start by asking the Lord to give us a heart and passion for serving others and being more like Him as we go through the work day, interact with other in the grocery store, and spend time with our families at home. With Jesus as our model for our behavior, we will show others about Him. What a great legacy to pass on in our families!

What are You Thinking?

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:06:00 +0000

Psalm 73:1 “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling”.

Today I am sharing some thoughts and wisdom from an encouraging and timely devotional I read this morning. It was written by Tony Evans. Pieces and parts are my words intermingled among his.

There will be days when you find that you just don’t feel like worshiping God. Perhaps the temptation to compare yourself to someone else has caused you to feel down and even depressed. Driving home from work on Friday, you tell yourself you are glad the week is over because it has been a rough one. As you lament over how tired you feel, satan blindsides you with the thought that your coworkers do not really appreciate you.

By the time you open the front door of your home, your eyes have narrowed and your forehead has tightened. You decide your family doesn’t know or appreciate all you do for them either. You are frustrated and ready to give up. Still, you do not pray and ask God for His perspective. You just keep repeatedly thinking through the day and rehearsing your negative feelings and look for something, anything to numb you to your reality. Saturday morning you get up feeling haunted by the same emotions. You start to resent all the things you need to at home, too. The demands just keep piling up! By Sunday you force yourself to drive to church, but you certainly don’t feel like singing or praising God.

Asaph, the author of Psalm 73, would understand your plight. He allowed discouragement to grow in his life to the point where he was deeply disturbed. The key word in the last sentence is ‘allowed’.

Whenever we take our eyes off of God and His faithfulness, and begin to compare our lives with those around us, we either end up feeling defeated or prideful. God has created each one of us for a unique purpose, which includes worshiping Him.

Psalm 73 is a rambling account of what Asaph was feeling, but by the end, he realizes the truth and puts an end to his negativity. “As for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all (of) Your works” (v. 28).

Sometimes God seems so far away that you can’t talk to anyone else but Him—because nobody else will understand what in the world you are talking about. The closer you are to God, the less likely the enemy will have a shot at your emotions. Stay focused on what God has for you to do. You are His beloved child, and He has an amazing plan for your life. Will you praise Him for this?

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors (work)* served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods (the flesh)* of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

*Italics - I added

God is Still in Control

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:37:00 +0000

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

God is still in control. God is still in control. God is still in control.

That five word phrase, simple and straight to the point, is one of the foundational blocks of my faith and strength. GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL. It doesn’t matter what else is going on around us, God is still in control. The evening news spews bad news daily but God is still in control. Our health may become shaky and scary but God is still in control. Our finances may be non-existent but God is still in control. Our family and friends may have turned their backs on us but God is still in control.

I can’t count the hours, days, years of my life that I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to solve my problems, trying to figure out something to make a bad situation better. I believed in God, called myself a Christian and yet, I never felt the peace and security I have since I let that little five word phrase soak into my heart, mind and spirit. God is still in control.

My body has ‘issues’…God is still in control. I figure if He is allowing it to continue in my life, He has a purpose and reason for it and will use it to His greater glory somehow. That’s all I need to know. I do my part to take care of the body He gave me and He does all the rest. It makes no sense to me to sit around whining about it all the time since God is still in control.

I will be the first to admit I have times where some things in this world give me pause and I feel weak against them. My weakness is not the issue, I am not in control. We feel weak against those things that hover over us…we usually feel the weakest over things which we have no control. Shout it aloud with me…God is still in control…we don’t have to be. What a burden lifter that it!

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Cowboy or Sheppard?

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:45:00 +0000

John 10:27: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

What exactly does it mean to ‘follow Jesus’? Sounds like a pretty basic question but I think we sometimes lose sight of what following Christ means.

In our western world we see cowboys moving a herd along by riding behind them, ‘driving the herd’ and they only ride up ahead if some of the cattle or sheep start to stray from the direction they desire the herd to move.

In the eastern part of the world, as well as in Biblical times, the Sheppard walked in front of his herd and they followed. Sound familiar? The words of Jesus in John 10:27: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

As Christians, we can far too easily move in any direction we want, all that ‘free will’ stuff, you know. Once we have decided, in all our sophisticated and worldly wisdom, what we want to do we ask the Lord to bless it…whatever IT may be. We like to think that calling ourselves Christians means God will bail us out of whatever mess we get ourselves into…after all, we asked Him to bless our mess, didn’t we?

In that regard, we are no more following Christ than a herd being driven are following the cowboy. The old saying about ‘getting the cart before the horse’ comes to mind. We are putting ourselves before Christ when we make decisions and plans or take actions or behave the way we want before taking it up with the Lord. I can look back on some of the things I wanted or did on my own and it makes me shudder to think how arrogant I was to think I knew what was best.

I don’t think we have to ask the Lord if we should choose Del Monte or Van Camp canned peas; He did offer us common sense and wisdom to think, but how we live, how we worship, how we serve Him, how we behave and speak…those are biggies.

We know more about how the Lord would have us live by reading and studying His word. We are to live and walk and talk more and more like Jesus as we grow as Christians. Take a moment to stop and reflect back on yesterday alone. Did your actions and words reflect Christ or worldly man/woman? Were you following Jesus or bolting off like a wayward bull hoping He would come running if you fell off the cliff?

Something to think about….

Pearls of Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:38:00 +0000

Job 28:18 “Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned: And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls."(NAS)

The ‘holy tap’ on the shoulder came early this morning. My alarm had gone off and I was still snuggled in that comfy spot so hard to leave thanking the Lord for all He has blessed me with and the new day to move forward. It was then the ‘tap’ and I ‘saw’ a line of pearls on my shoulder. With a head still fuzzy from sleep it took a second for me to recognize they were pearls but at second glance, they were strung together like a fine necklace of valuable pearls. Now I’m wide awake!

I love pearls, real pearls, though I’ve never had any… but one day…that however was not where the Lord was going with that. I tried to do my regular Bible reading and study but could not; the pearls would not leave my mind. So I researched how pearls were referenced in scripture. They were considered one of the finest and most valuable jewels in Biblical days.

In the beginning chapter 28 Job is describing the treasures found in the earth and how men seek them out…for example: iron is taken from the dust (:2); copper is smelted from rock (:2); rocks are a source for sapphires(:6); dust contains gold….BUT…where can wisdom be found? (:12) It’s as though Job is saying…pearls are the most valuable, sought after gem…but wisdom is even more precious.

Matthew 13:45-46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

Matthew is using a variety of similes for the kingdom of heaven…a pearl is a perfect simile because a ‘fine pearl’ is a valuable treasure that needs no polishing or cutting by man. It comes to us complete and lustrous created by God through nature, as is the kingdom of heaven, which only God could create and perfect.

All that good stuff and more on pearls can be found in scripture but it just didn’t seem to be what I was suppose to ‘get’ out of the Lord showing it to me. I went back and thought about the timing of it all. I was lying in bed thanking the Lord for my blessings…ah, here it is. I had to smile when it hit me because only God…

A pearl is created inside a ‘wound’ of a pearl oyster. The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.

We all have ‘wounds’ in our lives. As believers, we have the blood of Jesus Christ covering our wounds and sins, over and over again. When we hurt it is hard to imagine that anything of beauty and worth can come from it but given time, His timing, all our wounds are healed and covered by the blood and are used for His greater glory. People, most especially family, can wound us yet they are still blessings we are given. Over time those wounds make little pearls which become big pearls when we leave the process to the one created by our Creator.

I believe that string of pearls I saw during the ‘holy tap on the shoulder’ this morning was God showing me how my blessings, wounds and all, are still a thing of beauty and value I can wear proudly as I move forward in following Him.

Two or More

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 10:34:00 +0000

Matthew18:18-20 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Early last week I knew I was in for a rough time physically. My body struggles with lupus and there is as occasional ‘flare’ that magnifies all the ugliness, fatigue and pain. I started praying against it, chose not to say anything about it and go on with life. By Wednesday I was in a full blown flare up and could barely function. Mentally my head was foggy and every move agonizing. I am blessed to have a new job I enjoy yet that day it was my need to work that kept me moving. I can deal with the daily chronic pain but flares are another story.

Since I was at work, I wasn’t able to send out my usual prayer request email but I did send a text to my inner circle prayer warriors. There was comfort in knowing these trusted friends and family were standing in prayer for me all at the same time. Prayer power is a mighty thing! By mid-afternoon I physically could feel a difference on the scale of pain level. It was as if it could be measured with the scale tipping toward relief more and more as the afternoon wore on. I knew in the depths of me that the cries of my prayer warriors and the healing hand of Jesus were covering me. I went home in far less pain than I started with in the morning and I used wisdom by resting my body when I got home instead of listening to the yapping chores vying for my attention.

I’ve said all that to say this: I could have and should have reached out to my prayer warriors sooner; perhaps the flare could have been averted if I had. I do not hesitate to pray for those that ask yet I was hesitant to ask for myself…why? Was it pride, was it fear…what kept me from calling on those I knew loved me and would stand with me in prayer? This bothered me and I gave it serious thought. In the craziness and turbulence of my world the last year and a half, I have called on them for prayer so often I think I felt guilty for needing them… AGAIN. What a foolish way to think!

Friends, it was our Lord Jesus saying those words in the scripture: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Whatever your situation, know that it was God’s plan for us to pray with and for one another. There is nothing you can have going on in your life that is not common to man. Your needs will not shock God. As believers we are suppose to support one another in prayer and lift each other up with the Word of God. My foolish mentality in not reaching out for support or prayer was of my flesh, not my spirit. I knew better but didn’t follow through. The price for my hesitation was high and a consequence of my sin of pride. God didn’t make me suffer; I suffered because I leaned on myself to ‘get through it’ over calling on my fellow prayer warriors and Jesus as I know to do. Make a note and don’t walk in my stupid footsteps.

Step Up and Speak Out

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 10:41:00 +0000

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Why can we get so fired up about sports (Go Spurs) and become so quiet about the Savior? Why do we so readily share our political views, but hit the mute button when it comes to sharing Jesus? Why do we call all our friends to tell them about a great restaurant we found and don’t make the call to tell them about the Redeemer we know?

Why do we show more passion about the new diet, new golf club, new car, new shoes, new hobby, new vacation spot, new movie, new iPhone app, new whatever…than a relationship with Christ? Why is it easier to talk about anything else…than Jesus?

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power…!” If this is true, why do we often feel so wimpy and powerless when it comes to sharing the most important message in time and eternity?

FEAR – that’s why! We are fearful of what others may say or think about us. We are fearful we will look like a fool. We are fearful we don’t measure up as a Christian and they will know. The list goes on….

How do I know this? I lived it, that’s how! I walked in fear and intimidation about sharing my Jesus for years! I knew it, I hurt because of and was ashamed by it. Then one fateful day God showed me how He was going to use pitiful, messed up, beat up, scarred up ME for His purposes. I felt so unworthy of His love much less thinking He could use me. After all…I knew all the bad things I had done, all the harsh words I had spoken, all the times I thought about myself instead of others…yep, I was painfully aware of all that mess. YET…He loved me anyway…that was the beginning of the new me, the acceptance of the fact that He loved me anyway! He had plans for me of which I had no idea. He showed me, that fateful day, how all my scars from wounds, all my pain, all my trials were going to be used for His glory…and I was dumbfounded!

Here’s the key…He was able to show me that day because I took a leap of faith and stepped out in fear asking Him to work through me. I wanted to be bolder about speaking out for Jesus and knew it was a weakness of mine so I had asked a friend if I could tag along one day to ‘see’ what she did in prison ministry. She threw me off the deep end and gave me a small group to lead that day!! I was so scared, my knees knocked, my gut hurt and I never felt more inadequate in my life! I kept telling God I wasn’t as knowledgeable as the other women I was with, I wasn't as ‘studied’ as they were, I wasn’t as holy as they were, and I didn’t have a clue!

Looking into the faces of the women in white uniforms sitting around me that morning, I prayed silently to God as I had never prayed before. As part of the lesson I was to present, I had to share about myself and how God had worked in my life. It was in that sharing I had my ‘light bulb’ moment and understood that God was using all the cr_ p from my life to reach these women! They could identify with me BECAUSE I had gone through all that junk! They actually were open to receiving what I had to say about Jesus because I knew and had experienced their pain.

That day, God showed me that I was to use my life and my spiritual growth to reach others. All these years later, I still do. I am not the most educated Christian you know, nor the most eloquent, nor a deep theologian. I am simply one woman that is willing to share all my warts publicly, in writing, to share my Jesus. I share my truth about my Jesus in the morning…

Be open to something new in your life, ask God to show you how and then hold on!

Mercy!

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:59:00 +0000

Luke 6:27-36 But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Mercy for other people, as described above, basically means loving someone that doesn’t love you back. Being kind where you find no kindness. Going against everything inside of us that screams out when we’ve been wronged. Showing mercy isn’t for the faint of heart, the weak in spirit or sissies. Showing mercy takes a determined mind and heart to follow after Christ and follow His lead whether we feel like it or not. No one said living a Christian life is easy.

Acting like this requires a divine amount of grace-laced empowerment, so good luck if you are going to try it in your own strength. The very same Jesus who calls you to this type of life lives in you. This is the way He wants to live through you, and Christ is going to bless you for allowing His mercy to flow through you in a way that brings good things to those who don’t deserve it.

Staying Strong

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:03:00 +0000

Philippians 4:13 I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

Some days it is simply harder to get up in the morning and get moving like I need and want to do. This morning I feel like my blood has turned to sludge and is having a hard time coursing through my veins and fueling the muscles in my body. My clay vessel has cracks and weaknesses and I feel every one of them. Still - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Are you tired or troubled? Turn your heart toward God in prayer. Are you weak or worried? Take the time—or, more accurately, make the time—to delve deeply into God’s Holy Word. Are you spiritually depleted? Call upon fellow believers to support you, and call upon Christ to renew your spirit and your life. When you do, you’ll discover that the Creator of the universe stands always ready and always able to create a new sense of wonderment and joy in you. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Endurance means taking that next step when you think you simply cannot because you know from where your help is coming. Endurance for a Christian is not a matter of mind over matter but trusting in the One who matters and knowing it is only because of Jesus that you can do anything at all. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

Wisdom in caring for ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally is important. God gave us our clay vessels and we need to care for them. Physical strength to do what we need to do is important, too. Knowing all of that comes from the One on High and placing our trust in Him, not on our puny, pathetic selves is the key.

Philippians 4:13 I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

Twice His

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 10:09:00 +0000

Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love."

Inspired by and taken in part from an article written by Ron Hutchcraft; it is a subject matter too good not to pass on.

There are people who have felt like they've been unwanted most of their life. And in this often cruel world we live in, people really do make you feel like you don't belong, that you're never good enough, that they don't particularly care if you're there or not. Honestly, if we put our sense of worth in the hands of other humans, they are almost surely going to drop it, crush it or stomp on it. On purpose or unknowingly; either way, it feels crummy.

Then along comes Someone who says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." That's our word today from the Word of God in Jeremiah 31:3; someone who never lies; someone who always delivers. There really is Someone who has always wanted you so much that He's pursued you at great cost. All the way to a rugged old cross where He gave His life so He wouldn't lose you.

Actually, the problem isn't that God doesn't want us. It's that we don't want Him. Oh, we're okay with a God who runs the universe as long as we can run our own universe. We want God as a belief, a religious pacifier, a cozy blanket when it's cold, and a spiritual ace to play when we die, but not when it comes to God actually running our lives.

So we've cut ourselves off from the One who loves us more than anyone. All our God-ignoring sins have set us up for an eternity without Him, because sin separates us from a sinless God.

But Jesus was God who came looking for us. In His words, he came to "seek and save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). He suffered for our sinning so we would never have to; so we could be with Him for all eternity. That's how very wanted we are by the most important person in the galaxies.

There's a story of a little boy who built a toy sailboat with his daddy. His father let little Scotty glue it and sand it and paint it and name it. He called it "Arthur," for some reason. And Scotty couldn't wait to get his masterpiece in the lake nearby. But on "Arthur's" maiden voyage, a storm came up and quickly blew the sailboat way beyond the little boy's ability to get it. Scotty ran to his daddy heartbroken. His father just said, "I'll just buy you another one." Scotty was adamant. He said, "I want my boat back."

Later, in an amazing discovery at a little store downtown, Scotty saw his boat in the window! He ran into the store and asked the man if he could have it. "Sure," the owner said. "Twenty bucks." That probably sounded like a million dollars to a little boy, but he went back home and went to his neighbors, asked for any job he could get paid for, and one day he walked into that store proudly and he plunked down his hard-earned 20 bucks.

He ran all the way home with that sailboat wrapped tightly in his arms. His father was home, so Scotty jumped into his lap with one arm around Daddy and one arm around "Arthur." And he gushed out what his heart couldn't contain: "Daddy, I love this boat so much, because now it's twice mine; once because I made it and once because I paid for it!"

That's how Jesus feels about us. He loves us so much because we're twice His; once because He made us, and once because He paid for us with His life. And today He stands with open arms waiting to welcome us into His love, into a forever relationship with Him.

Jesus, no one's ever loved me like You do. I am Yours!

Freedom to Grow Where We are Planted

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:42:00 +0000

MATT. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

PS 8 I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever--

The greatest freedom I have known in my life came from complete surrender to Jesus. Freedom and surrender are not often thought of as compatible states but when it comes to a surrendered life to Christ, freedom is the end result.

Looking back at my life, I count four significant life altering moments in time where I was overcome with a sense of freedom. By far, the most satisfying and nurturing was the moment I surrendered to Jesus. I was freed of burdens I didn’t even know I was carrying around. I was freed from condemnation that had been a life-long companion. I was freed from thinking I had to keep the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was freed from my personal sin. I was truly alive for the first time. I believe that is, in part, where the ‘born again’ comes from. When we come alive in Christ, we are alive in its deepest and fullest meaning for the first time. Babes in His arms.

This short paragraph below by HENRY D. THOREAU is a beautiful piece of prose that means a lot to me. Although it does not say so, I see the flower as a child of God, standing in the sunlight, looking only to the Creator, neither borrowing worry nor fear.

I saw a delicate flower had grown up two feet high, between the horses' path and the wheel-track. An inch more to the right or left had sealed its fate, or an inch higher; and yet it lived to flourish as much as if it had a thousand acres of untrodden space around it, and never knew the danger it incurred. It did not borrow trouble, nor invite an evil fate by apprehending it..

When we surrender, we are given that same freedom from concerns coming at us from the right or the left. We can stand our ground with our roots planted deeply in the Lord and simply do what He gives us to do.

Deep Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 10:04:00 +0000

Philippians 3:13–14 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

It appears we are not through with the jingle bell. Since the day I wrote about it, the bell has been on my desk in plain sight. Every time I tried to put it away, toss it in the trash, whatever…I just couldn’t do it. I’ve learned to ponder such things and asked the Lord to show me what I was missing in the revelation He wanted me to get. There is always a lesson to be learned, some are just more obvious than others.

Several years ago, I taped one of these bells to the Christmas gift of every grandchild. The question wasn’t why I had it but what it was doing in the junk drawer, why I hadn’t noticed it there and what God wanted me to get from it. Then it hit me…I said the other day that every home has a junk drawer, but it is possible for every person to have a ‘junk drawer’ in their mind and heart.

How many times has a ‘junky’ thought, memory or emotion popped up out of nowhere and you just couldn’t shake it off? I know that has happened to me. People tend to jump to conclusions and make assumptions. Sadly, far too many people assume the most negative motive from and attitude about others…then they store it away in their private junk drawer only to have it pop up again and again as if their assumptions were gospel to which they clung.

Although Christians are called to be like Christ, we continue to make mistakes. We fail. In fact, we'll never obtain complete sanctification until we stand before the Lord. But, God uses our imperfections to "grow us" in the faith. If we continue to stash away junk like a squirrel does with his nuts, we are adding to the junk drawer which only serves to impede our growing process.

Be encouraged by Paul's emphasis here on forgetting the past and straining forward to what lies ahead. Don't let yesterday's failures, pain or troubles derail you from the goal of your upward call. Press on for the prize until you meet the Lord Jesus at the finish line. Ask the Lord to set you free from the junk in your life, the junk in your mind and the junk that weighs on your heart! He will do His part; you must do yours. Clean out your junk drawer!

P.S. Now I want the jingle bell on my desk as a reminder to keep myself free of all the junk.

Hope

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 09:50:00 +0000

Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

You would think the best way to find hope is to have a trouble-free life. No, the best way to find hope is through the crises of life. In Romans 5:3–5 we read, “But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

There it is in bold red print: tribulation produces perseverance…perseverance (produces) character…character (produces) hope. God has made provision for us to be a bunch of hopeful, character-filled folks persevering through tribulation! That's a lot to be thankful for in my book. Consider the alternative…**shudder**…a despondent, fearful, weak soul falling with every wave of tribulation. NO, THANKS! I’ll take that Hope, Character & Perseverance every time, glory be to God above!

Hope is going to come through hardship. So when a Christian suffers and still glorifies God, it reassures the rest of us there never will be a valley so deep that God will not get us through it.

A Day in the Book of Proverbs

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:12:00 +0000

Proverbs 12

He who loves knowledge loves discipline, but he who hates correction is a boor.

A good man obtains Adonai’s favor, but the schemer his condemnation.

No one is made secure by wickedness, but the roots of the righteous will never be moved.

A capable wife is a crown for her husband, but a shameful one is like rot in his bones.

The plans of the righteous are just, but the schemes of the wicked are deceitful. The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush, but the speech of the upright rescues them. Once the wicked are down, it is the end of them; but the house of the upright endures.

A person wins praise in keeping with his common sense, but a person with a warped mind is treated with contempt.

Better to be despised and have a servant than to boost of one’s status but have nothing to eat.

A righteous man takes care of his animals, but the wicked? Even his compassion is cruel.

He who farms his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows futilities has no sense.

The wicked covet the loot of evil men, but the root of the righteous gives forth of itself. The wicked are trapped by his own sinful speech, but the righteous finds a way out of trouble.

One can be filled with good as the result of one’s words, and one gets the reward one’s deeds deserve.

Fools suppose their way is straight, but the wise pay attention to advice. A fool’s anger is known at once, but a cautious person slighted conceals his feelings.

He who tells the truth furthers justice, but a false witness furthers deceit.

Idle talk can pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise can heal. Truthful words will stand forever, lying speech but a moment.

Deceit is in the heart of those who plot evil, but for those advising peace there is joy. No harm can come to the righteous, but the wicked are overwhelmed with disaster.

Lying lips are an abomination to Adonai, but those who deal faithfully are his delight. A cautious person conceals knowledge, but the heart of a fool blurts out folly.

The diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor.

Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Jingle Bell in the Junk Drawer

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:57:00 +0000

Yesterday I was searching for a particular screwdriver. Not finding it where I thought it to be, I went on the hunt. This included The Junk Drawer. Every home has one or two, so you know how that can be. By the time I got to the junk drawer I was fairly frustrated; this search was delaying my project in progress. I needed to be resting after the long drive and stressful concern for Jake. I needed to be, but I wasn’t; I was ~~determined~~…no, driven to do my stupid project and I needed that stupid screwdriver! That’s when I heard it…a jingle bell.

The tinkling sound of a jingle bell in June will catch your attention. Turns out there was a jingle bell in the junk drawer. Not one of those little ones either like my mother used to sew on my petticoats when I was a young girl, although, that would have been weird enough. This was a decent size lone jingle bell. Jingle bell in hand, I felt the holy tap. I was neither resting my body nor my mind as I went thru the crazed motions of searching for a screwdriver. God didn’t use a 2X4 to get my attention, He used a jingle bell.

Mark 6:31a And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Exodus 23:12 (KJV) Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind."

Our earth bound bodies are God’s creation and it is our job to take care of them. When we stay too busy, physically and mentally, we are in jeopardy of running them down and sapping all the strength available to us. Not one of us is soooooo important that we are exempt from God’s intent and plan. I don’t know why or how the jingle bell came to be in the junk drawer, but God can and does use anything He wants to make a point. Slow down and listen for God’s message; you never know how it will come but it will come!

The Rock

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 10:15:00 +0000

Isaiah 33:6 And he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is Zion's treasure.

I don’t have to tell you that we live in a changing society and culture. No thoughtful person can look at our world without feeling a bit apprehensive. Humankind now has the capability of destroying the world as we know it. We have more power than ever before in our history. And not only that, but we live in a revolution of rising expectations. This generation is one which demands everything now. As a result, people have become frustrated, impatient, and most of all, confused.

But the one thing that can hold our world together is an anchor. When a ship needs to stop, it can’t just put on the brakes. It has to anchor itself to something solid. It has to touch something tangible, something not susceptible to tossing and turning like the waves of the ocean. Because no matter how big the ship is, the waves will always win.

Do you want stability in an ever-changing and chaotic world? I do! Who wouldn’t? Yesterday I mentioned that I had some serious trust issues. You know why? I allowed fallible humans to determine the state my peace and joy instead of the Lord alone. That’s why my world was spinning & upside down.

We need Jesus as our anchor. Find our rest and our peace in Him alone. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He doesn’t bend or shift with the changing times. He isn’t tossed around by the waves of chaos, the winds of adversity or the storms in our lives. He is our firm foundation; the Solid Rock… the Lord Jesus Christ!

IN A CHANGING WORLD, LOOK TO CHRIST AS YOUR ANCHOR AND FIND YOUR REST AND PEACE IN HIM.

Trust in the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:05:00 +0000

It is amazing how often I find there to be a reoccurring word or ‘theme’ in my daily reading. This day, I was running into the word ‘trust’ all over the place. I have several Bibles I use for different things but the one I read in my daily study time is The Complete Jewish Bible. It puts the original Jewish-ness back into the scriptures. It uses ‘trust’ everywhere the word ‘faith’ is used in other versions. Trust is a big deal….

This season of my life finds me a little shaky in the trusting of people. I do not hesitate in trusting the Lord but I am not so inclined to be as assuming in my trusting of people. This season has opened doors I would have preferred to keep shut, closed doors I wanted open and turned everything I knew to be true upside down and spinning like a top. Trusting in the Lord was the only thing I could count on…faith = trust.

Trust in God is often expressed by our restraint. We are expected to recognize that God is present, aware and lovingly involved in every difficult situation we face. It is required that Christians curb many of their “natural” responses, and learn to patiently, and often quietly, wait for God’s resolution. Of course there are times he calls us to stand up, speak out or fight, but more times than we’d prefer, God demands that we slow down, keep quiet, and wait for his intervention. We need to remember that in most cases “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). So the more you consider the character of God and his omnipresent concern for his kids, the more you will be able to sincerely say with the psalmist, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord” and you will gladly heed the call to “wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” (Psalms 27:13-14).

‘Waiting’ is not something that comes so naturally to me, either, these days. My spinning world left me dizzy and confused. It’s hard to wait for normalcy when your world is spinning. I am more comfortable when I can make something happen, take charge of things and put my world in order. HA!!!!!! Not a chance. When it comes to living after Christ, we must learn to wait for His divine intervention. One thing I discovered about myself through this season is that I pacify myself during the waiting time by painting! Yep, I distract myself and sooth the beast within by painting something. Don’t stand still in my house too long or I will paint you!

The good news is when we truly trust, have faith in, the Lord, He will put things in order for us as He would have them to be. It may not line up with our game plan…BUT, it is His will for us and TRUST ME, that’s the best, as good as it gets.

One Day at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:13:00 +0000

Luke 9:23 Then to everyone He said, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him say ‘No’ to himself, take up his execution-stake daily and keep following me.” (CJB)

Jesus told us how to bear the cross of following Him. He said in Luke 9:23, "If anyone wants to come after Me, let him take up his cross..." You remember the next word? "...daily and follow Me." Now Deuteronomy 33:25 has this simple, profound, and enlightening statement, "Your strength will equal your days." God distributes strength to us in 24-hour allotments. Today, you have no strength for tomorrow, or certainly for next week or next month or next year.

If you're facing what appears to be a mountain right now and you're saying, "I don't know how I'll get all this done!" Or, "I don't know how I'll make it through this crisis? I don't know how I'll cope." The Lord tells us, "One day at a time. You don't have to take the mountain all at once. Don't try to handle that entire load at one time. Take it as I give it to you in 24-hour chunks."

You know, you'll never have a day where you won't have enough strength. God promised. You have His word on it. If the Lord sends you a 20-pound day, you'll get 20 pounds of strength. He sends you 100-pound day, you'll get 100 pounds of strength; a hundred pounds of His supernatural resources. But don't try to borrow tomorrow's trouble. You don't have the strength yet. If you start thinking and worrying about that, you'll run ahead of your supply lines. But you'll have everything you need when that day comes. So live as God designed you to live. Cope as He's equipped you to cope - in 24-hour slices of life.

The chorus from a favorite Christian gospel, One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus, says it all.

One day at a time sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.

If you do it one day at a time, you'll make it through this because God's mercies are new every morning. Hallelujah!

Pile It Up!

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:23:00 +0000

Romans 5:20 Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.

John North wrote: God’s grace is greater than all your sin – past, present and future! You might say, “You don’t know the failure in my life. I fail God; I ask forgiveness; then I turn around and fail Him again.” Maybe you’d say, “Even today before I started reading this devotional I failed God spiritually; and now I can’t even approach God because I know He doesn’t want to see me.”

Make a fresh start. In your mind right now, bring all of your sin together into a pile. Pile it up!

Bring the sins of your mind—your lustful thoughts, your anger toward people, your unforgiveness, your bitterness.

Bring your words—the hurtful things you have said to people, either in the distant past or just recently. Bring them all together.

Bring your laziness—the times you should’ve been in God’s Word, the times you should’ve been doing things for God and you ended up just wasting those hours.

Bring your actions—things you have done that you know you shouldn’t have done, or things that God called you to do and you didn’t do them.

Bring it all, everything you can think of, and pile it up until it seems as high as the loftiest peak you’ve ever seen! But that mountain of your sin will always be in shadow…because there’s a mountain behind it ten times as big—the mountain of God’s grace!

Necessities of Life

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:09:00 +0000

Today I am sharing an exert from Max Lucado's Book Max on Life

Max on Life #145
The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.
QUESTION #145:
In most of my prayers I ask God for things I need each day. These are legitimate needs. (I’m not asking God to make me a millionaire, just to help me pay the mortgage.) Is God really concerned about the necessities of my life?

“Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3).

What is this daily bread Jesus spoke of, tucked inside the Lord’s Prayer? A loaf of warm Italian bread on my doorstep every morning? That would be nice.

Bread is a staple of every culture. From flat bread to yeast-filled loaves, grain has been mixed with water and oil and placed over a fire by every civilization. What’s the first thing a restaurant brings before the meal? Bread. (Okay, maybe Mexican restaurants don’t, but those chips are made from grain. They’re just fried in oil.)

But how about a slight change to the daily menu: “Give us this day our daily mocha chocolate chip ice cream” or “Give us this day our daily beluga whale caviar”?

Those are luxuries, not necessities. Sorry, God does not promise those.

Bread is a valued necessity, tasty and welcomed, but certainly not extravagant.

Jesus tells us to ask for the necessities in life, but does he promise to provide them?

Soon after this plea for daily bread, found also in Matthew 6, Jesus presents his famous “Don’t worry” passage: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” (v. 25). God takes care of birds, flowers, and grass and provides the basics they need to exist (vv. 26–30). Why not us? Aren’t we more important than a barn swallow, a multiflora petunia, and a blade of Bahia grass?

You bet a loaf of sweet sourdough we are.

In that statement comes a promise from God to provide his most important creation on earth with food, clothing, and drink (vv. 25–34). The necessities once again.

Jesus tells us to ask, then promises to give us the basics we need to survive.

So don’t worry; be prayerful. God has something wonderful for us baking in the oven. Can you smell it?

Bless the LORD, O My Soul!

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:05:00 +0000

Psalm 103:1-22 Bless the Lord, O my Soul

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Our reference scripture needed to be read. It is pure worship from the Hebrew songbook! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

Do the Next Thing

noreply@blogger.com (M'Lynn McKeethan) — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:30:00 +0000

John 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve said a billion times (indulge my exaggeration) ‘I don’t know what to do!’ We are commanded to “look to Jesus” on the cross in order to know how to handle our time of suffering and hardship (Hebrews 12:2). A lesson we can learn from Christ on the cross is this: make practical preparations, in the midst of your sorrow.

When we face overwhelming grief, unrelenting discouragement, or pounding pain, it is often hard to know what to do. We tend to want to roll up in a ball and hope that the storm will pass or that some easy solution will present itself.

However, the right response, even in times of great suffering, is to make practical preparations in the midst of your sorrow. You must still get out of bed, or go to work, or do the laundry, or pay the bills, or play with the children, or write up your will — no matter how low you may feel, ignoring your responsibilities will not help any problem go away.

Here was Jesus, in the darkest moment of human history, bearing the brunt of man’s and God’s wrath. No one has ever been in as low a state as Jesus was at this time. And, yet, he is making simple, mundane preparations for after his death. He is making sure that his mother will be cared for.

Elizabeth Elliot calls this fundamental need to face reality the “do the next thing” principle. When you don’t know what to do next, she says, do the next thing. This is excellent and practical advice: Do it immediately, do it with prayer.

Jesus is coming back, this is a fact. Meanwhile, we are to be helpful every day, even the worst of days and in times of great trial. Don’t know what to do? The Bible tells us. Paul gave us the specifics in 1 Thessalonians 5:

And we urge you, brothers,
·         warn those who are idle,
·         encourage the timid,
·         help the weak,
·         be patient with everyone.
·         Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,
·         but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
·         Be joyful always;
·         pray continually;
·         give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
·         Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
·         do not treat prophecies with contempt.
·         Test everything.
·         Hold on to the good.
·         Avoid every kind of evil…

If you don’t know WHAT to do, this should keep you occupied! We must walk through the times of trouble in faith, continue to take care of life's practical needs AND be helpful to those around us. Do the next thing. Do it immediately, do it with prayer

God, You are the one at work in us. By Your Spirit , through Your Word, I ask that You will speak to me clearly now. What specific things do You want to do through me to be helpful today? Lead me. Guide me. I trust You do it through me. Amen.