Week Fifteen - I Shall Not Die

Beside the Well

Do you ever have dreams that make sense? I do.  Sometimes they wake me up and I grab my pencil to jot them down because I know it is the Lord speaking to my heart.
             A few weeks ago, while meditating on Psalm 118, my thoughts kept hovering around the swarm of bees in verse 12 and the statement in verse 17,
“I shall not die.” God woke me with this dream.
            On one side of me were people laughing and pointing fingers.  They were jeering because I was trying to become a writer.  They were more talented and qualified than I. There were loads of them! They were embarrassed by my attempts, so they laughed and ridiculed.
            On the other side, were people who wanted me to believe they had the answers to my concerns.  They were calling me to follow them, but I could see their intent was to use my efforts for their own advancement.  They weren’t going to help me, but use me.  They might not be laughing openly, but behind my back they were trying to set me up for a fall.
            In front of me was an open road.  No markings just a plain path.  I stood for a moment wondering how to go forward.  Then, I heard Proverbs 17:24.  “Wisdom is before him that hath understanding.”  And it was followed by
Isaiah 30:21, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it.”
            God used the dream to assure me that though the enemy swarms like bees, God has a path for me and I need only look to where He has taken me before and listen to His voice.  God isn’t finished with me yet.  He is my strength and salvation.  The enemy may be swarming and trying to knock me down or divert me from the path, but God’s strength will prevail and His mercy will endure forever.
            So I swatted away the bees and continued forward.  I shall not die!  I will live and declare the glory of the Lord.
            Maybe you are facing doubts and fears.  Maybe you hear voices seeking to discourage or sidetrack you from your goals. The best thing you and I can do is keep our eyes fixed on the Lord and continue to move forward by faith.  There will always be someone better or more talented than us.  There will always be those who would want to set us up for a fall, but we need not allow it. Swat away those bees, live, and give God the glory!
            God has a path—a plain path that we are to follow.  Find it and walk in it!

Week Fourteen - Funnels

Beside the Well

            My word for 2018 is Increase.  It comes from a promise I claimed for my children as our nest emptied. “The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children” Psalm 115:14. 

            I found great comfort entrusting them into the hands of the best parent they would ever know to care for them and increase them in every area of their lives. And He has!

            But this year, the promise is for me.

           I have started out on a new venture—writing and self-publishing books. It’s a whole new learning curve! While studying about marketing, I began reading about funnels of revenue, and that got me thinking about the funnels of God’s activity in my life. These funnels are pots the Lord will fill; or, Increase.

            I was challenged to think: Where was I pouring my life and investing the majority of my time and effort?  I found four funnels.  

            1) I am actively involved in the ministries of my church. 
            2) Though my children are grown and live overseas, I am still loving and praying for them.  Their increase is my increase as my growing family now includes thirteen grandchildren, and God uses my life as their grandmother to influence them for Christ.  
            3) I have ministries among women, speaking engagements, college administration, and allowing the Lord to use me where He sees fit.  
            4) And, I have the new funnel of my book venture, devotional blogging, and writing that is now a part of my scheduled time.

            Here is one thing I know from my spiritual journey to this point: unless God’s hand is in every funnel, nothing of eternal value happens—it is all temporal.  I don’t want to spend the majority of my life’s effort on temporary time fillers that produce little to nothing.  I want to see God’s hand increasing every funnel He has given and see Him at work around me.  That is my greatest joy and reward.  

            Into what are you pouring your life?  Where are you investing the majority of your time and effort?  What will you have in the end? These are important questions because where we invest we will see increase.  

Week Thirteen - Loosed

Beside the Well

            Do you still follow along in your Bible when the preacher is preaching?  I think it’s a skill that is being lost because so many are relying on the projection of the Scripture instead of looking at it in print.  Well, I’m sorta partial to seeing the text for myself and I have a habit of reading some of the verses around the text the preacher is using as well. 

            On Sunday, Pastor Gritts was preaching about the triumphal entry and had some fantastic analogies built around the loosing of the colt in Luke 19:30, 31.  We, too, are tied by sin. We need someone to bring us to Jesus—to loose us.

             Then, he referenced Acts 2:22,23 and that’s when my habit kicked in.  I didn’t stop at verse 23, I read the next verse and my heart began to dance.  Acts 2:24 reads, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” 

            The wording of King James is so cool – “he should be holden of it.”  Christ could not be bound by death—it could not hold Him!  No stone, no soldiers, no effort of Satan could keep Him in the grave or restrain the God-life power resident in our Saviour.  The pains of death had to be loosed!

            I could imagine Christ coming back to life in that dark tomb—but wait!  It probably wasn’t dark because the Light of the World was inside!  He stood up, shook off those grave clothes and tossed aside the stone because God "will not suffer the Holy One to see corruption." (verse 27).  He arose!

            Easter is the affirmation of resurrection power; the same power resident in believers.  We, too, were tied by sin, but we were brought to Jesus and he loosed us.  Nothing will be able to restrain us in the resurrection.  We will not be holden of death!  Praise the Lord!  Jesus’ resurrection is confirmation of our resurrection.

            “Oh death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Week Twelve - Shh!

Beside the Well

            I greatly benefit from good music and stillness. Satan knows that, so he produces noise using everything he can to interrupt and distract.

            When my children were younger, they were a distraction—a loved distraction, but nevertheless a distraction.  As teens, they remained a distraction, but this time they were more of an interruption as the business of their lives tried to intersect with the business of my life.  There was little stillness!  And music?  Well, that’s another story.

            Today, though there are only two of us in the house, Satan still manages to bring interruption and distraction that breaks into my soul’s much needed stillness.  He tries to keep me from the joy of focused study or quiet time with my Lord keeping my mind preoccupied until I struggle to hear the still small voice of God.

            Noise is a tool Satan uses on us all.  Our young people are constantly barraged by texts, phones, Instagram, video games, etc. until now their attention span is so small they cannot concentrate for any length of time without a break. 

            An IPad, or some sort of gadget, entertains our youngest children to keep them quiet.  We are not teaching them to master their behaviour, we are just appeasing them with an electronic toy. 

            Even adults, myself included, are easily drawn away by the ding on the phone or the blip from the computer that tells us we have a message.  We drop everything and turn to that noise as if it had priority.

            When we add the pressure of jobs, workmates, time restraints, and everyday background noise, we find more than we can handle.  It is all screaming for our attention—and winning the majority of the time.

            I know I struggle.  Even with an empty house, the noise of my own unbridled thoughts can distract me from stillness.  Music—good music—helps, but even some of it is just noise with no real value or genuine Spirit to be heard. 

            I yearn for quiet communion.  I relish the Spirit dancing in my heart and the freshness of tears in my eyes.  Those times are precious, and far too few, for as soon as they come, noise interrupts.

            Lord, I want to hear you more clearly.  Help me to recognize your voice above the noise and bring my heart and mind into stillness with You.

           

            

Week Eleven - Those Little Stars

Beside the Well      

            Is your Bible marked with notes and stars like mine?  I find it a blessing to see the little personal reminders and recall God’s voice speaking to me through His Word as I do my Bible reading.
            I came to I Thessalonians the other day and there was a star by 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  You probably have that verse marked too!  But in the lower margin, I had also written three questions and three responses.

            What has He done in the past? 
                        Answer—Thank Him.
            How is God showing love and care today? 
                        Answer—Thank Him.
            What is God able to do in the future?
                        Answer—Thank Him.

            I know God has been good in my past.  There is no question about that.  I can look back and see his love and care for myself, my family, and in our ministry.
            I see Him at work around me each day and I truly believe He will continue His goodness into my future.  I might wonder what it will look like, but I know He will be there, just as he was in the past, and is today.
            As I read on, three little stars stood by I Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”  I remember claiming this promise in my missionary career years ago, and He has proved Himself to be faithful in every instance fulfilling what He called me to do.  He was faithful in the past.  He is faithful today.  And I know He will be faithful in the future.
            I am finding thankfulness the most positive and strengthening attitude I can have. When I feel anxious, I start looking to see where I can be thankful.  It is my wonderful place to rest my heart. I am so thankful to serve a God who never changes.  Let’s put a star by that!

Week Ten - Excuse Me for the Interruption

Beside the Well

            Do you get up each morning with a basic plan for your day?  You have to be at work for a certain time, catch a certain bus or train, follow a basic pattern throughout your workday, and then catch that same transport home?

            Well, my life is completely different.  Each day is like a venture into the unknown.  Oh, I have some things that happen regularly, but for the most part, each day is different.

            However, I do like to live by a plan.  I have a preferred structure and I like to reach each day’s goals with some sort of order.  But, more often than not, my plan can be sent out the window by a simple phone call or text.

            Yesterday was one of those days.  I got up with a plan, started, and my husband said, “Wanna go somewhere for breakfast?”              
            I learned from my grandmother, years ago, to always drop what I’m doing and go when he asks.  Her reasoning was work can always wait, dishes will be there when you get back, but the opportunity to spend time with the man you love is more important. 

            So, I dropped my plans and headed out with him for breakfast, which carried on to a shopping trip, which went on to run some errands, and we got home in the middle of the afternoon.

            Well, there went my plans for the day!  But God had His own plan.  He was at work all day answering prayer.  I guess He needed me out of the way!  He found a home for a homeless girl, brought a weary soul into counseling, engaged a family to action to help a hurting member, and brought strength to some who needed to take a stand for Christ. 

            When my head hit the pillow that night all I could do was thank Him for working out His plan and answering so many prayers, even if my day seemed sidetracked.

            The secret to not becoming frustrated or inconvenienced by interruptions and delays is to view them as from His hand.  Unexpected events are not unexpected to God.  He works in ways we cannot see to accomplish things we never could.  Don’t get so determined in your own plans that you cannot give time to the Man you love.