Vain Hope

December 31, 2012

Psalm 33 says “A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.”

I am not a horse person, but I’ve seen their great strength.  Even in the movies, horses are almost majestic as they run through a field or race on a track.  One even feels inspired when watching them move. 

So what is your “horse?” Where do you place your vain hope?  Is it in a spouse? Your kids? A job?

I figure that everyone at some point in their life realizes that the one thing they thought would never fail them – does in fact fail them.  Everything in life is really insecure – it could be here today – gone tomorrow.  And things that start out strong eventually get old and weak.  These “things” in which we place our hope cannot deliver, nor save us – which is what we desperately need.

The one thing we CAN place our hope in is His unfailing love.  It’s strong from beginning to end.  It never weakens.  It never disappoints. And it always delivers…and saves. 

Indeed

December 30, 2012

I think “hope” is something we all need for 2013, so when I looked up the word in the bible, I found it interesting to note that the word “hope” is only mentioned five time in the old testament prior to the book of Job, and then 17 times in the book of Job itself!  

One of my favorite passages in Job is where he says though God slays him, yet he will hope in Him.

I’m pretty sure most of us have times where we feel everything is going wrong, and even God himself must be against us. I felt that way when we lost our home, and yet it was nothing compared to what Job experienced with the loss of health and family.  

After Job says God slays him and expresses his hope in Him, Job says, “Indeed this will turn out for my deliverance.”

There is the hope!  Even when all is wasted and gone, the very one who by nature is our “Deliverer!” is with us and will see us through!  

There really is no other One in whom we can trust but Him – and he WILL deliver us from the things that slay us.  

 Hope in Him.

New Every Morning

December 29, 2012

The Bible says in Lamentations that God’s compassions never fail – they are new every morning.  Remember the passage in the Lord’s Prayer that says “Give us this day our daily bread?” We usually think of provision, and how the Lord will meet all of our needs that we have…daily.  But did you ever think about your need for compassion from a Holy God?

He not only promises to sustain us daily, but every morning when the sun rises, so does his compassion.  It rises to greet us. Everyone needs compassion, and we need it daily.  Otherwise, we would be consumed.  He is a holy God and we are flesh…dust…and he knows that.  He made us!

My compassion for others fails often.  If they’ve repeatedly hurt me, or I can’t understand why they do what they do, my empathy towards them fails.  I write them off, I avoid them, and I move on to the next person.

However, God is not like that.  He never writes us off, because he is the definition of true love.  And because he loves us he has compassion on us, every morning when we rise.

Great is His faithfulness.

A New Song

December 28, 2012

The book of Psalms often speaks of singing to the Lord a “new” song.  Why doesn’t it just read sing to the Lord a song?  Why is “new” in the passage?

I think of hand-me-downs or leftovers when I wonder about these verses.  Hand-me-downs and leftovers are nice, especially if you’re in need and you are passed clothes from a friend that fit your kids perfectly.  And leftovers are great, as well, but only if they’re eaten soon and not left in the refrigerator too long.

I think that’s why the passages emphasize “new.” There comes a time when something new is necessary and such a treat.  A new dress makes one feel so special.  And a freshly prepared meal – there’s nothing more tasty .  And it sure beats leftovers.

These passages are directives.  In other words, we are encouraged and told to sing something new – indicating it’s not someone else’s song – and it’s not the song you sang last week.  It’s fresh. 

So sing a new song TODAY of God’s faithfulness to you TODAY and see if He’s not expressly delighted as he sings a new song right back to you!

New Wine

December 27, 2012

The New Year is coming.  What new things did you try this past year?  Were they successes or failures?  What new things do you plan on trying for 2013?  

In the book of Deuteronomy, the phrase “new wine” is mentioned seven times! The last passage is my favorite:

”The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you...in a land of grain and new wine, where the heavens drop dew…He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.  Your enemies will cower before you and you will tread on their heights.”

As the New Year approaches, this is my prayer for my family and yours.  I hope that we all increase our faith in God as our strength and everything we need. I want to live in the reality of that picture – new wine – heavens dropping dew.  And I want to see enemies cowering, instead of me cowering in fear.

As I understand it, new wine expands.  Are you thirsty for it?  May your faith expand, his blessings overflow, and your enemies disappear.

Guilty

I'm often guilty of reading "just enough" of the directions to a new appliance or gadget to learn how to work it, but then I really don't fully use it to the potential for which it was intended. Let me explain.

I have a great iphone, and also DVR for my television.  I know just enough to record a show and watch it - but that's it.  I also know just enough about my phone to use it, but when I have time to look, I see all sorts of apps and icons I've never tapped into. Same goes for my bluetooth in the car. I can make and receive a call and talk, but other features I've never tried.  I get by, so why bother?  And it takes time to learn these things...

Just recently, I realized we all do that with God, too.  We know just enough about him to get by - He loves us - He died for us - if we believe that we'll go to heaven.  HOWEVER...there is so much more about him that we've never tapped into!

As 2012 closes out, I encourage you to "taste and see that the Lord is good" in so many ways.  Take time to get to really know his character and become intimate with Him - and your world will open up in ways you never imagined. 

He's a really interesting, intriguing, and intelligent Father who has so much to offer if we just sit down and take the time to learn...

Prepare for Joy

December 25

Merry Christmas to You and Yours!

“Let every heart prepare Him room….” Did you hear this Christmas song this season?  Listen to these lyrics, read them, and recite them, one more time before they reappear next fall.

How do we prepare Him room in our hearts?

·         Acknowledge that “He rules the world with truth and grace…”

·         Admit that it’s the “wonders of His love” that you need.

·         Allow “no more let sin & sorrow reign” to be your request to Him.

·         Ask him to fill your heart and “repeat the sounding joy”

Jesus was a baby born in a manger, but he no longer resides there.  He was the definition of pure joy because he sprang from his father, did what his father asked him to do, and because of the joy set before him was willing to die – then to live again – so that we might experience all of the same joy that sustained him!

JOY TO YOU this Christmas Day!

We Bring Him Joy

December 24

There’s really no greater joy in life than seeing your kids or your grandkids grow up and love God and love others.  There’s really no other face you’d rather look at than the face of your own child.  I’ve often thought I could just stare at my children all day and never tire of watching everything they do.

Hey Jude – that’s a book in the Bible – it says that one day we (His children) will end up in his glorious presence without fault (because of Him) and it will fill our Father with great joy.  Isn’t that cool?  We are the children that our Father wants to be with, to live with, to look it, to enjoy, and to keep – forever!  And it gives him great joy to do so!

The next time you feel like you’re about to stumble and fall into a pit, never to rise again, remember it’s He who is able take us by the hand and pull us back out.  It’s He who is worthy of all glory, majesty, power and authority.  And it’s He – the King of Kings – who takes great pleasure in his creation – you and me!

“JOY to the World…the Lord is come…Let Earth receive her king!”

He Endured...and So Can We

December 23

Two days til Christmas – when we celebrate the coming of Jesus – the one who died on the cross for our sins.  So why did he willingly come, and willingly die – for a sinner like me?

The answer is found in Hebrews 12.  “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

His Father had given Him the promise of life after death, and He had the kind of relationship with his Father so that he trusted Him completely.  So with joy, he laid down his life.

This fact is supposed to encourage us when we become weary and start to lose hope.

Joy is attainable; in fact, it’s quite sustainable, and very much available - even in the middle of facing certain death.  Again, this seems completely contradictory to everything we can imagine.

Feeling shamed? Scorned? Opposed? Near death?

Ask God to help you see the joy set before you so that you don’t become weary and lose heart. 

“JOY to the World…the LORD is come.” 

Overflowing Joy

December 22

There was a group of people mentioned in II Corinthians who in the middle of a very severe trial experienced overflowing joy.  Not only that, it states further that their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  So trials produced joy…and having little produced a giving spirit.  Sound crazy?

It then explains this craziness: They gave themselves first to HIM and then to others.  And they excelled in “everything.”

I know from experience that when all is going well joy can still be elusive.  And when we have plenty that doesn’t always mean we’re ready to share. In fact, when all is going well and when we have plenty, we usually want more.

It’s when we’re spent, we’re out of resources, we’re not able to work things out – it’s then that joy emerges and empathy rises with it – and we want to give.  But only if during that time of nothing we realize that He is all we need. It’s when we realize He is enough we then feel satisfied, joyful, and open our hands to share the blessings that flow…

“JOY to the World…” begins with me.

 

Rooted

December 21

Joy has to take root…or it only lasts a short time. 

Matthew talks of seed that is sown into different types of soil. The seed that falls on rocky ground, it says, is when a person hears the word and receives it with joy….BUT since there are no roots…it vanishes.  When trouble or persecution appears, the joy fades.

Has your joy faded? I’ve seen a pretty water color picture fade when it gets water on it, because the colors are not steadfast – they bleed when they get wet.

Like we said yesterday, hearing a good word can bring joy.  But if we want lasting joy, then that good word has to take root and grow.  It has to bear fruit. Otherwise the colors fade and run, and the pretty picture becomes a mucky mess.

If your heart is rocky, take a little time to rake up the rocks, put them in a wheelbarrow and tote them off.  Dig up the ground until it’s soft…and then when you hear the word…there’s ample room and depth for joy to hold fast.

The Taste of Joy

December 20

Has eating a meal every filled you with joy and made your heart feel delightful?  A good tub of popcorn and some Goobers do it for me. There’s nothing more satisfying than sitting in a movie after a long day, snacking on my favorite food and relaxing.  I savor every bite.  I think it’s because it’s food I don’t have to make, it’s something that takes a while to eat, and it tastes soooo good!

Jeremiah mentions eating His words when they come, and feeling joy and delight at the taste!  Wow, when’s the last time digesting a good word satisfied you like your favorite meal?

The rest of this verse says, “…for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty.”  That’s why the words bring joy and delight.  In other words, it’s because we are HIS that we can experience joy and delight.  Apart from him there is no such experience.

If you’re a bit stressed with all the holiday hoopla, sit down, read His word, and digest each bite like a tiny morsel of buttery popcorn and relish the taste.  See if joy doesn’t linger and delight doesn’t dance like “sugarplums” in your heart tonight…after you “bite!”

Taste and see that HE is good!

The Tradeoff

December 19

I know by now, some are reading all of these devotions about joy and thinking, “Well, these verse just don’t apply to me.  I grew up in a depressed home.  I don’t have a joyful family.  I inherited a huge mess.  A life of joy isn’t attainable for me.”

There is ALWAYS hope in God because he does these huge tradeoffs that are really quite incredible.  He says in Isaiah 61 that instead of shame – he’ll give a double portion.  That means even if you’ve grown up with your tail tucked between your legs – you get double grace.  And instead of disgrace – you will rejoice in your inheritance. That’s because you will realize that your true inheritance isn’t from your blood line – it’s from His work on the cross.

Finally, after these two tradeoffs – you get everlasting joy – it’s yours to keep.  Forever.

It’s a done deal.  It doesn’t matter what’s behind you that has pushed you into a life of shame and disgrace. He’s offering you a new robe to wear.

Are your arms open as he slips it over your shoulders?