Category Archives: Knowing Him

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June 10, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Knowing Him, Love & Works, Prayer

THOSE THREE LITTLE WORDS


2-15-15 bleeding hearts - ACL774WEBI love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. [Psalm 116:1 (NLT)]

“I love you!” Do you remember how much you longed to hear those three little words from your boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you remember how good you felt when they were finally uttered? No matter how often those three loving words are spoken, we never tire of hearing them.

As I was going through Psalms, looking for verses about God’s love, I was struck by how often God was thanked and praised for His unfailing love and how rarely the psalmists actually said anything about their love for God. Of course, the various psalmists imply their love of God with praise and thanks but seldom is it actually expressed.

While I always try to finish any phone conversation with my family by saying, ”I love you,” I’m sorry to say that, like the writers of Psalms, I’m not very good about expressing my love to God when I speak with Him. When was the last time you said, “I love you!” to God?

I love you, Lord; you are my strength. [Psalm 18:1 (NLT)]

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May 30, 2015

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God's Plan, Knowing Him, Nature, Today: Make it Count, Trusting God

WHO AM I TO ARGUE WITH HIM?

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Will you play with [the crocodile] as with a bird? Or will you put him on a leash for your maidens? … Lay your hand upon him! Remember your battle with him; you will not do [such an ill-advised thing] again! … No one is so fierce [and foolhardy] that he dares to stir up [the crocodile]; who then is he who can stand before Me [the beast’s Creator, or dares to contend with Me]? [Job 41:5,8,10 (AMP)]

Monday was not a good day for two animals in the swamp. A fledgling owlet became dinner for an alligator as did a large turtle. I thought mention of their fate would be a perfect illustration of what happens when one ventures too close to temptation and Satan sneaks up when we’re not looking. Out of curiosity, I searched for the words “crocodile” and “alligator” in various Bible translations. While pharaoh and Egypt were likened to crocodiles and all lizards, including crocodiles, were considered unclean food, I found no comparison to Satan. Imagine my surprise, however, when I found a comparison to God himself!

In Job 41, God points out that it is foolish for people to think they can stand up against God when they are afraid to confront even a crocodile. Indeed, God is much more powerful than a crocodile or alligator. We’ve probably all used the phrase, “Well, you can’t fight City Hall!” when battling bureaucracy. God is pointing out that red tape in City Hall and crocodiles (“Leviathan” in many translations) are nothing when compared to fighting Him. We are guaranteed a loss before even starting! “If you lay a hand on it, you will certainly remember the battle that follows. You won’t try that again!” [Job 41:8 (NLT)] Moreover, you probably won’t have a hand with which to try!

Many of Monday’s tourists were visibly upset by seeing the alligators’ successful hunts. What they observed, however, was simply nature taking its course. The alligators were only doing what alligators do: eat. The fact that owlets and turtles are far cuter has nothing to do with it! I’ve seen frogs, fish and snakes eaten by the wading birds and, while less endearing than baby birds and turtles, their fate was no less tragic for them. Who are we to argue with Mother Nature? God’s point exactly! Only His is: “Who are we to argue with or question God?” Calamity, suffering and even death come to us all, cute and not so cute, good and bad alike. A panther, python, person or loss of habitat may be the end of the alligators; the herons, owls and turtles have already taken a few gator babies for dinner themselves. As ugly as it is sometimes, that’s life.

What did I learn from Monday’s episode? Well, obviously we should be on the lookout for danger. More important, I was reminded that sometimes life seems terribly bewildering, unfair, unpleasant, undeserved, unreasonable, messy, accidental, calamitous, or catastrophic. But, who am I to argue with God?

Upon earth there is not [the crocodile’s] equal, a creature made without fear and he behaves fearlessly. He looks all mighty [beasts of prey] in the face [without terror]; he is monarch over all the sons of pride. [And now, Job, who are you who dares not arouse the unmastered crocodile, yet who dares resist Me, the beast’s Creator, to My face? Everything under the heavens is Mine; therefore, who can have a claim against God?] [Job 41:33-34 (AMP)]

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May 20, 2015

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Faith & Hope, God's Grace & Love, God's Plan, Knowing Him, Miracles

THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

I am the Lord who heals you. [Exodus 15:26b (NLT)]

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. [Psalm 139:14 (NLT)]

5-20-15jasmine (star)- naples442-1webShort of seeing his incision, steri-strips and a small bandage on his back, one would be hard put to know that my husband had surgery less than a week ago! When commenting on his quick recovery, a neighbor said, “You must have had a good doctor!” Of course he did; we wouldn’t have deliberately chosen a bad one. Better yet, my husband has a Great Physician! God made our bodies wonderfully complex and, in the process, gave them the ability to heal! Wounds can close, broken bones can mend, and weak hearts can get stronger. We have an immune system to fight infection and platelets and plasma to help blood clot. Cancer cells can be defeated and, in my husband’s case, peripheral nerves can regenerate and repair themselves.

From a quick Internet search, it seems that we humans have anywhere from 15 to 70 trillion cells in our bodies. Like all living things, however, those cells don’t last forever. Muscle cells may function as long as 25 years, liver cells might last 18 months, and red blood cells can live up to four months; the cells in our gut, however, survive only four or five days! I read that an adult male loses roughly 96 million cells per minute (and not just from his rapidly balding head). Yet God, in his infinite wisdom created a body that can replace those same cells in that very same minute! Literally, out with the old and in with the new.

God did an outstanding job when he put us together. Granted, He allowed parts to break, wear out, deteriorate and fail, but he also gave our bodies the amazing ability to heal! Moreover, he gave us the art of medicine along with healers and researchers who are constantly finding ways to keep these bodies of ours working a bit better and longer.

Even though our bodies have an incredible ability to heal, not everything that goes wrong with them can be fixed. Not all pain can be alleviated, not every poison has an antidote, not every disease can be cured, and not every medical condition has a remedy. Our bodies will eventually be broken beyond repair and God will take us home.

Jesus was a healer and, while He healed the physical ailments of many, He wasn’t in the medical business. His business was that of the soul and, no matter what happens to our mortal bodies, His presence in our lives keeps our spirits healed and whole. While we may not be restored to physical health, he renews our spirit, eases our fears, turns our weakness into strength, our sorrow into joy, and our pain into peace. Thank you, Father, for the gift of healing, both of body and soul.

Prayer for Health of Body and Soul: May God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God the Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to his heavenly country; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer]

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. [Psalm 73:26 (NLT)]

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May 19, 2015

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God's Word: The Bible, Holy Spirit, Knowing Him, Wisdom & Guidance

HE SPEAKS

And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.” [Deuteronomy 5:24 (NIV)]

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. [Psalm 29:3-4 (NIV)]

rabbit-naples39awebGod speaks to us in many ways. The most obvious way He does, of course, is through the Bible; indeed, it is “God-breathed.” Sometimes, however, it is simply through coincidences, circumstances or “Aha!” moments like the one I wrote about in yesterday’s message. Sunrises and sunsets, births and deaths, chance encounters, close calls, and even bunnies and bright green anoles: they can all be the voice of God. Some people are sure they’ve actually heard God speak. While it didn’t sound like the thunder mentioned in the Bible, I’ve heard His voice telling me things like, “One step at a time,” “Patience,” and even “Stop!” In addition, God often speaks to us through the voices of others. How many times have you read a devotion, sat through a sermon, heard a song or listened to friends and known that the message (even though it may have been shared with many others) was meant specifically for you at that very moment? Sometimes, we have those instances we just “know” what to do (and not to do) or say (and not to say). That small inner voice that tells us what action to take or clearly convicts us when we’re wrong can also be God speaking to us through His Holy Spirit. It’s called many things: intuition, discernment, conscience, insight, or even “gut feeling.” When we think we’re hearing His voice in our innermost thoughts, however, it is wise to proceed cautiously and return to the first way He speaks to us: the Bible. It’s often difficult to know the difference between our own thoughts and desires and His direction and plan. We need to compare what we think that inner voice is saying to scripture and reading His word is the way to test what we think we’re hearing against what He’s already told us. How God speaks to us, however, is nowhere near as important as how well we listen to Him and how often we heed what He says!

All Scripture is God-breathed and He doesn’t waste His breath. [Jim McCotter]

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. [2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)]

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May 18, 2015

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Joy, Knowing Him, Nature, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

“AHA!” MOMENTS

aha2webPraise the Lord from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey him, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth, young men and young women, old men and children. Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For his name is very great; his glory towers over the earth and heaven! [Psalm 148:7-13 (NLT)]

We had a plane to catch but, before spending hours sitting on an airplane, I wanted to take a quick walk. Knowing my tendency to lose track of time whenever I have camera in hand, I deliberately left it at home. A blue jay was perched on a low branch and never moved as I walked past. Also apparently oblivious to my presence, a great blue heron stood quietly while river otters played at the edge of the pond. Unmindful of me, a red-bellied woodpecker started hammering on a nearby tree, a baby bunny stopped in the grass beside me, and then an enormous bright green Cuban knight anole slowly crossed my path. Peeved at missing these great photo ops, I complained: “God, how can you torment me this way? I’ve been trying to get shots like these for ages; now you give them to me when I have no camera!” At first, it seemed like God had a wicked sense of humor and was messing with me. That, however, wasn’t the case. He was telling me something important and it wasn’t, “Always take your camera!” I was being told that appreciating God’s splendid handiwork is far more important than taking pictures of it. A good photograph is not the purpose of God’s “Aha!” moments; those occurrences are to remind us of the magnificence of his creation and His overwhelming presence in our lives. Although I took no pictures that morning, my breath was taken away in awe, wonder, praise and thanks; I felt God’s powerful presence and returned home filled with joy.

Later that day, while reading 1 Romans, I came across the following verse: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” [Romans 1:20 (NLT)] Those words helped me recognize the truth of what I thought God was telling me through that morning’s circumstances. Since that day, I’ve managed to get most of the shots I missed that day. The anole, however, while spotted by neighbors several times in front of our house, has eluded me. I hope God doesn’t have another lesson planned when it decides to reappear, unless, of course, it’s has to do with patience: “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.” [Psalm 40:1 (NLT)]

Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! [Psalm 96:6-8a (NLT)]

P.S. The day I finished writing this devotion, I felt the urge to walk outside and check out the tree in front of our house. The anole was there and I even had my camera ready. Not satisfied with the shot, however, I stepped closer and he quickly scampered up the tree and out of sight. Perhaps God was telling me that there are some “Aha!” moments that are simply meant to be kept in our memories and not in pixels on the computer! You can’t tell me He doesn’t have a sense of humor!

 

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May 9, 2015

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him, Nature

HIS LOVE – Mother’s Day 2015

DSC05555-2redHe spreads his wings over them, even as an eagle overspreads her young. She carries them upon her wings – as does the Lord his people! [Deuteronomy 32:11 (TLB)]

These last few years, I’ve been blessed to watch a family of swans who nest in a nearby park. I’ve observed them take turns sitting on the nest, taking their babies for a swim and even teaching them to fly. Last year, I saw a mother swan actually taking her baby for a ride on her back, sheltering the cygnet with her wings. Moses probably never saw a swan because, if he had, he might have mentioned the swan in Deuteronomy as well as the eagle.

Thank you, God, for being like a mother bird, protecting us from harm, carrying us when we’re too weak to do it alone, and teaching us to fly. Thank you for our mothers and for every other woman who has acted in your place and boldly watched over and protected our young, helped them through the challenges of childhood and taught them the skills they need to be independent adults.

A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. [Agatha Christie]

There is no friendship, no love, like that of a parent for the child. [Henry Ward Beecher]