Praise Leads to Peace

 What consumes your thought-life today?  What do you spend your time pondering?  For me, it is the chaos of the daily grind.  I have two kids in middle school.  Needless to say, life is busy. 

I have found that the busier I become, the less margin (and time) I have for the important things.  The things that truly matter.  Prayer time.  Quiet time in the Word.  Kingdom Work. 

Why is it such a rat race?  Why must I go in vicious cycles of having healthy habits one day and extremely poor habits the next day?  Can you relate?

I think the answer is:  We are human.

Recently, I was reading Philippians 4 again, and the verses that I’ve read a hundred times before just popped out in a new way.  I’d love to share it with you.  (Phil. 4: 4-9 will be summarized from the ESV and MSG versions below.)

 

1.         PRAISE

“Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, rejoice!  [Celebrate God all day, every day.  Revel in Him!  Make it as clear as you can to everyone you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them.  The Lord is coming soon.]”

2.         PRAY

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God. [Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.]”

3.         PEACE

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

4.         PONDER

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable… whatever is excellent… whatever is worthy of praise…. Think about these things!  [Summing it up, friends, I’d say you’ll do your best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious… the best (not the worst)….. the beautiful (not the ugly)… and things to praise (not things to curse.)  Put this into practice.]”

 

Paul sums it up by reiterating that all these things will lead back to PEACE.

“Practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.  [Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

Wow.  I love the Message Version of the Bible.  It’s such a great resource to use when we want a more vibrant picture of what the original authors were trying to say.  It says God will work you into His MOST EXCELLENT HARMONIES.  Who doesn’t want that? 

I pray that you will find yourself praising Him, seeking Him and pondering the good things that He has given us.  May the Peace of Christ dwell in you richly.

Amen.

Strength, Shield, and Security

 Protection.  Something we all need.  Something we all long for. 

We need protection from disease, disasters, and despair.  We long for our families and friends to be protected as they come and go.  We worry and obsess over the protection of our loved ones. 

The Lord has been reminding me that He is our source of Protection.

Psalm 18:31-39; 43 says

“For who is God, but the Lord?  And who is the rock, except God? –

The God who equipped me with STRENGTH and made my way blameless.

He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me SECURE on the heights.

He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have given me the SHIELD of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. 

You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

You equipped me with STRENGTH FOR THE BATTLE; you made those who rise against me sink under me.

….The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation!”

 

What daily battles are you facing today?  I am parenting two teens (enough said).  I am a busy mom (a chaos coordinator).  I am also facing a personal battle with my mental health.  BUT GOD is my strength, my shield, and my security.  Just as my favorite worship song says…

“As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship Thee.

You along are my Strength, my Shield.

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.”

 

Start your day with Worship, friends.  Ask Him for strength.  He will provide.  He will protect.

Psalm 32: Blessed are the Forgiven

 

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

Have you ever found yourself in a dry spell – where you weren’t spending time with the Lord like you should? Life got busy, and whatever habits you had in place slowly disappeared.  Your kids need you the minute you wake up, your day gets going, and before you know it you find yourself groaning.  You seek solace.  You crave that quiet time.  It’s been so long that you feel like your bones are wasting away.  This is surely how David felt in today’s Psalm.

“Day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength dried up as by the heat of the summer.”

Oh friends, without daily prayer and reminders of God’s goodness from His Word, our strength dries up.  As Texas residents, we know the heat of summer all too well.  Just as we know the sweet relief of air conditioning, we should remember the sweet relief of leaning into our Lord and spending time in His presence. 

“Then, I acknowledged my sin to you….I did not cover it…I confessed.  And you forgave me.  Suddenly the pressure was gone- my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared.”

I don’t know about you, but for me, confession is the hardest part of prayer.  Reflecting on the ways we’ve messed up is not fun.  But repentance is how we draw near to God.  What a blessing it is that Jesus’ blood covers it all.

“God is my island hideaway, he keeps danger far from the shore, he throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.”

Picture that sweet vacation spot where you find the most peace.  Is it the beach, the mountains, a river, or an open field of wildflowers?  Close your eyes and picture yourself there today.  Picture God with you there.  Allow His presence, His goodness, His love, and His forgiveness to become your garland.

 

(Scripture summarized from ESV and MSG.)

Psalm 30: Joy Comes in the Morning

 

Oh, how I remember calling for God’s help so many times in my life!  I have found myself in pain, turmoil, confusion, and tears too many times to count.  But God is never far away.  Psalm 30 reminds me of His faithfulness.  He has healed my broken heart every single time I sought Him.  And what’s amazing is that He takes it ten steps further than simple healing.  He turns my mourning into dancing!  I still don’t quite understand how it’s possible to sing praises after such pain and sorrow.  But that’s just how powerful God’s love is.  He swoops in and rescues us when we call to Him.  (The rescue doesn’t always look like what we have in mind.  We might have to learn a hard lesson first.  But there is always rescue.)  Then, out of an abundance of thankfulness, we praise Him.  The singing and dancing are not just for our benefit.  It gives glory to God when we recognize that we are nothing without Him.  And there’s more - it points others to Him.  When friends see our despair turn into praise, it must make them wonder.  My prayer is that we can use God’s rescuing moments to testify of His unfailing love.  Sing!  Dance!  Tell what the Lord has done!

 

“I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.

O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you have restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping my tarry for the night, but JOY COMES WITH THE MORNING!  …..

You have turned for me my mourning into DANCING;

You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

That my glory may SING your praise and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will GIVE THANKS to you forever!”

-Psalm 30:1-5; 11-12 (ESV)

Life to the Fullest

 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”          John 10:10 NIV

These are Jesus’ words in a parable that teaches how He is the Good Shepherd. In other translations, the word “full” is replaced with “abundant, rich, and satisfying.”  Isn’t it awesome that our Savior wants to do more for us than simply provide the bare necessities? He went to the cross to save us from our sins, but His love for us didn’t stop there. He wants us to live an abundant life!  As I reflected on times when I’ve felt that my life was rich and satisfying, I found that it took some work on my part.  Below are a few things we can do to invite Jesus in and make room for His abundant blessings.

*Be Fully Present

Unfortunately, electronics have become a major distraction in our generation. I hate how I have let my phone steal my time in the past. Choosing to take my eyes off my screen and be fully present with those around me pays huge dividends. Purposing to give that time back to my kids and husband is one of the best decisions I can make.  When I am fully present with my family and friends, the Lord opens my eyes to their hearts.

*Be Fully Open

Do you leave room in your schedule for God to move?  We live in a fast-paced society, and we tend to measure the success of our day by how many items we check off our never-ending To Do List.  What would happen if you slowed things down, forgot about your personal agenda, and asked God to lead you through your day?  I can tell you from experience that starting my day with this mindset changes everything! 

One morning after praying this very prayer, I felt a tug at my heart to reach out to an acquaintance that I knew was struggling with anxiety. She hadn’t been out of her house in months.  I wanted her to know she wasn’t alone, so I simply placed a note and some flowers at her door.  Within 15 minutes, we were chatting on the phone, and she was spilling her heart out to me.  That phone call led to lunch, and that lunch led to a budding friendship.  She still tells me that my small act of kindness gave her the courage she needed to get back out and seek professional help.  I’m so thankful I chose to open my schedule and obey that still small voice.  God wants to use you as a vessel for His kingdom, but you must make yourself open and available. 

*Be Fully Immersed 

We cannot live out God’s Truth if we don’t know God’s Word.  We are the luckiest generation because the Bible is available at our fingertips.  We can choose our translation, click Play, and listen anywhere, any time. Immerse yourself in praise and worship music, too.  The more we praise Him, the more we remember His faithfulness, and the more we have hope for tomorrow.

I pray that you will experience the abundant life God has for you today!

Marco..... Polo!

How often do you send a text, make a phone call, or Marco Polo your best friend? (Marco Polo is a fun app where you start a conversation through video messages.)

Lately, I have found myself texting, calling, and “Marco-ing” my friends more often than ever before. I have some amazing women of God in my life, and we use these tools on our phones to build each other up, encourage one another, check on each other, laugh together, and sometimes even shed some tears together. Friendship is powerful, and living in community with like-minded followers of Christ is paramount to my spiritual well-being.

I’m so quick to grab my phone sometimes that I forget about someone else who is longing for me to communicate with Him. God is watching and waiting and ready to listen. When you feel that gentle tug in your heart, Jesus is calling. When you’re driving to and fro - and you see a beautiful sunrise or sunset of colors that take your breath away- Jesus is calling. When you are in the middle of one of life’s storms, and all you feel is confusion or pain, Jesus is calling.

How often do you answer the call? He is longing for us to stop, sit, bow, and pour out our hearts to Him. And He would love nothing more than for you to do the dialing! So my question today is this:

Do you have Jesus on Speed Dial? Do you cry out to him as if you were playing the familiar game of Marco Polo?

“Marco! Here I am Lord! Are you there? Do you hear me? Where are you? I need you!”

Prayer is so powerful. There is nothing else like it. I have been part of a Moms in Prayer group at my children’s school for 4 years, and I have learned so much about prayer. I’ve learned how to use scripture to pray, and I’ve learned to be bold in my prayers. I’ve seen God answer prayers, and I can testify that His promises never fail. Even when our selfish requests and earthly desires are not met, God is working. Surviving life’s curveballs takes faith, trust, and consistent, persistent PRAYER.

Keep calling out to Him, friends. Keep yelling “Marco!” He will always answer, and He will always listen. And when it’s His turn to do the talking- oh, how beautiful it is to sit and listen! Listening for the Lord takes waiting and watching. If you wait and watch, he will reveal Himself. Sometimes it takes months or years of the same prayer. But friends, He will move and He will answer. His answers sometimes come through Scripture, a word from a friend, or sometimes through music or circumstances. Be alert! The Holy Spirit will guide and direct if you remain in step with Him through daily prayer.

 

“The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 145:18-21)

No Worries!

Do you ever find yourself texting a friend back and saying "No Worries!"  Maybe they had to cancel a lunch date and this is your response.

We've all done it.  We give our friends grace, because we know how much they have on their plate and we want them to know that it's OK if they drop the ball on something.  (Because I'm over here balancing a full plate too, and I drop the ball DAILY.)

But what happens when you need grace for yourself?  Do you give it freely - to yourself?

When all the "worries of the world" stack up on your plate, what do you do?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33)

     These are red-letter words in your Bible, which means they are Jesus’ words.  Not King David, not Paul, not Matthew or Mark.  Jesus himself is preaching, and he is saying “Do not worry.” Close your eyes and imagine that you are face to face with Jesus. He is holding out his hands to you like he is inviting you in for a hug. As he hugs you with the most tender touch, he whispers, “Don’t worry.  I’ve got you.”  But that’s not all he says.  He points you to your Heavenly Father.  And he says, “Seek first his kingdom.” 

    What does it mean to seek first his kingdom?  Start your day with Him, even if it’s a quick one-sentence prayer or listening to worship music on your way to work. Seek His counsel- through scripture- and pray for wisdom before calling a friend.  Go to him in prayer before doing anything else.  And when all the worries of the world become too much, prayer is where we find the peace that passes understanding. 

    Time and time again in my own life, I have tried searching for peace in other things and grasping at other people (loved ones or friends) to help me find it.  I unload my worries on others and then feel bad when I find out that they are dealing with something way more worrisome than my little personal load.  Have you been there?  We are all dealing with something, and there are worries around every corner- for every season of life- no matter how young or old you are. But Jesus says, “Don’t worry. I’ve got you. Just seek Me first."

Prayer:  Father, I praise You and thank You for all the blessings in my life. They are too numerous to count. But, Lord, I also have worries, and they seem insurmountable some days. So today, I lay my worries and burdens down at the foot of Your cross. Holy Spirit, come.  I need your tender embrace today. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings and be my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.