This I Recall

I finished a class paper today on a case study. Part of the assignment had to do with specific truths to share so as to give hope when we are downcast.

I recall several years ago when I was going through a grievous situation and felt pretty hopeless about it, that I had made a list of passages that gave me tremendous hope as I meditated on them. I'm glad for the course assignment that I just finished, and will keep it at-the-ready for easy reference when such a time arises again. I don't think I'm finished with occasionally feeling hopeless and helpless, and probably won't be this side of heaven, but I know where my hope lies and His grace is sufficient. 

I share a few of these verses and thoughts with you today, with a prayer that you may find them breathing fresh hope into your own soul...if you are now where I sometimes am.....

I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope (Psalm 130:5). I framed this verse and kept it where I could see it daily. I found that I was waiting and hoping for the wrong thing--for my wish to come true. The less probable that became, the more hopeless I became. As I began to be in the Word more, my affection began to grow for God and His ways. My hope turned to His grace working in my life, to be filled with gratitude for His sufficiency. My situation wasn't changing, but my heart was.

... Jesus Christ, who is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1). Without Jesus, we have no hope. 

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13). I found that being in the Word daily prepared my mind to resist the temptation to dwell on what I did not have and wanted so badly. As I look back on it now, what I wanted would not have satisfied. Instead, God gave me a severe mercy and fixed my hope on His grace.

I will exalt you Lord, for you have lifted me out of the depths. (Psalms 30-34) These are recently fresh psalms to me that we've been studying in our women's Bible study group. They have increased my understanding of the character of God and continue to build my confidence and trust in Him.

.. through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:2-3). Oh, what amazing grace! We exult in hope of the glory of God! Hope doesn't lie in our feelings, but rather, in what God does in and through the tribulations we face. Perseverance in working through life's difficulties build character, increasing hope as we move forward with God's enablement. And so we....

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4). Our various trials test our faith and produce many beneficial results, when our focus is changed from we lack to what we have gained. 

This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope.

The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

For His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I have hope in Him."

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,

To the person who seeks Him.

It is good that he waits silently

For the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:21-26

Therefore, you too, have hope, dear one. If our paths do not cross this side of heaven, may we meet when we get there and rejoice together in the hope we have found in Him. If you aren't sure that you'll be going there, you can learn how to go at ReviveOurHearts.com. I do hope you're going.

Image ~ The Letter, Haynes King 1831-1904 

public domain via Wikigallery

Some Thoughts On Anger

Anger. But not the righteous kind. A friend mentioned to me today that she was recently told by an acquaintance that she needs to control her anger. As my friend explained it, it was a situation that could provoke anger in many people. But the anger helped no one.

As I've thought about this through the day, though, I think it may have helped my friend to have had someone she doesn't know well to confront her about her anger. I think she was surprised that the gal wasn't just absorbing the anger coming her way. It was a wake up call to my friend on how others view her. I don't think she liked the picture she saw.

Where does anger come from? Why does it rise to the top so quickly?

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Matthew 15:18

Anger comes out of the mouth because it's in the heart.  It lodges in the heart and grows deep, ugly roots. It defiles.

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

Ecclesiastes 7:9

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, 

but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Proverbs 14:29

Anger is the fruit of a fool. It's a fruit from its root. It often grows from fear. What or who do we fear? What or who do we fear that we can't control? What are we not getting that we think anger will get us? What are we willing to sin to get? Why are we thinking so much about ourselves? What or who should we be thinking about instead? Is our anger moving the kingdom of God forward? Our answers reveal our heart.

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

James 4:19-20

Image via freepik w/ permission

Created by Mrsiraphol - Freepik.com

From the Bookshelf ~ Jesus 365

One of my desires is to know more of Jesus, so for the past few years I've been choosing a book about Him to read as we approach Resurrection Sunday. Our daughter gave My Beloved Jesus 365 a couple years ago for Christmas, and this year I pulled it off the bookshelf to read myself. It's a devotional book compiled by Ed Stewart of the account of Jesus while He was here on earth. I'm not reading it as a daily devotional, but rather reading several entries at a sitting. There are notes along the way with insights into the cultural and historical context of the time.

The subtitle is Experiencing the Four Gospels as One Single Story. It's a chronological blending of the actions of Jesus, written in narrative form that walks with Him through His earthly ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and His ascension back to the Father.

Jesus knows where His path is taking him. The blending and chronology of the book gives broader insight into what His walk has given us.

Illogical Fear

Sharing a few thoughts this evening from my Bible reading.

Fear can sometimes be debilitating. It can also be illogical.

We see fear played out in different forms in the account of Jesus and the demon-possessed man from the tombs of the Garasenes. Recall that this is when Jesus cast the demons out of the man and gave permission for them to go into a herd of swine. The swine ran down the steep bank into the sea and were drowned. (Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-37; Matt. 8:28-34)

Fear ensued. Great fear. Illogical fear. When the townspeople heard what Jesus had done, it terrified them. Fear overcame them, and they wanted no part of this man Jesus who had released a demoniac man from torment and had set him in his right mind. Illogical. A rightful, compassionate act induced fear in the hearts of those who had no understanding of Jesus. It does the same today.

Yet there was no fear of Jesus in the demoniac man himself. When Jesus had stepped onto the Galilee shore, the demon-possessed man had run up to Him and bowed down before Him. He knew that Jesus was the only one who could free him. Others had tried, but were not powerful enough.

The man himself had not been afraid of Jesus. The demons in him were afraid, though, and begged Jesus not to torment them. They knew who He was and what He could do. He granted their request, and they went to the pigs. The man was now in his right mind and wanted to follow Jesus, not to be rid of Him, for he also knew what Jesus could do.

But... the townspeople and demons, both are terrified of Jesus. The townspeople, fearful out of ignorance. The demons, fearful out of knowledge. Fearful for different reasons, yet both are headed to the same eternal destination.

Jesus is to be feared, but not as the townspeople fear Him. He is God. Judgment is in His hand. But in the other hand is compassion and mercy. Fear of Jesus need not be debilitating. It is not illogical. Perfect love casts out fear. As Jesus cast the demons out of the man, He casts fear out of those who come to Him and bow down before Him. He casts off the fear that keeps them in bondage to their chains.

He says, "Come, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

I do hope that you have already come to Him, dear one. I hope to see you one day when I greet Him on Heaven's shore.

Image ~ Stiller Moment, Ernst Anders (1878)

public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Cheering Them On

I came across a posting today that resonated with me because it's something that many of us have seen happening in recent years. The post is rather lengthy, but the author makes several poignant observations. It's entitled "On Men, Shame, and Brotherhood." I'd encourage you to read it here when you have several minutes. Then go cheer your men on.

He's talking about how men are, basically, beat up these days for simply being men. One of the reasons that I've observed is that feminists and those they influence have berated them, shamed them, faulted them, held them responsible for societal ills, and have tried to turn them into their feminist vision of manhood. Feminists are diluting a man's God-given gender characteristics. No wonder more and more men don't know if they're male or female. No wonder many men are angry.

Where is the respect for just being a man?

These women demand it for themselves, cry foul when they've been offended or slighted, revel in sarcasm and brashness, fight for power to rule the universe, to receive accolades and preference, to be deferred to, dismiss a man's value, use their sensuality to bring him to his knees, and then deride and shame him for his response.

Sadly, though, it isn't just the extreme feminists who pour on the shame. The article expounds  upon much more than what I have referred to, but it has long been the feminists who want to reinvent manhood.

Societal ills oozing from the quagmire of self-deception.

Some men are seeing through the feminist duplicity. I cheer them on.

Image ~ The Courtship, Luigi Pastega 1858-1927

public domain via Wikigallery

That Feeling of Isolation

In an online class on depression that I'm taking, the professor referred to a statement from Ed Welch’s book, Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness, concerning the increase of clinical depression. Welch identifies our current culture and its influence as a major role player and cites the lack of community that feeds the feeling of isolation so prevalent in depression. The feeling that no one cares brings a sense of aloneness, helplessness, and hopelessness that anything can or will change. 

It is my observation that in our culture families tend to drift apart, by miles from sea to shining sea, but also by the demands of life and a perceived lack of need for one another. Questions that were once asked of family, neighbors, or friends are now answered by the click of a mouse. The lack of connections is keenly felt because God put within us a need for community. It takes diligence to pursue that community, however, and the pressures of the culture leave little time or space for its pursuit. Autonomy, that prideful hedge of self-protection, plays a part that is often overlooked and mistaken for strength. It separates more than it strengthens.

It seems so paradoxical, that with the proliferation of social media, that the feeling of isolation is so prevalent. Social media is an illusion to real relationship, and unless we are keenly aware of its opiate effect, more and more will succumb to its desensitization of one another. We tend to hide our real selves behind the screen, and it takes real effort to actually hear one another’s voice and look into one another’s eyes to see the hopes and dreams…or lack thereof.

I am encouraged, however, by current attempts of churches like ours that provide small group opportunities for relationship building. It still takes effort to participate, but it offers a bridge from one person to another and helps to create that feeling of community so needed to combat the aloneness that is often felt. They are occasions when we can connect and look into one another's eyes and hear one another's voice. And, hopefully, hear each other's heart.

Image ~ Ruth Eastman Johnson 1824-1906

public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Widow's Hope

Thinking this evening about a sister in Christ who very recently lost her husband to death and is now grieving her loss. Tomorrow is one of the 'firsts' that she'll be facing--making a trip alone. She needs prayer in the transition to her aloneness, of making plans and decisions herself that before were shared tasks. There are many 'firsts' that must be faced with prayer and God's enablement, so those who care about her pray for her strength and wisdom, that she will rest her hope and trust in the God of her salvation.

I recalled a discussion a few years back on Revive Our Hearts between Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Margaret Nyman, whose husband had died from cancer. They talked about the struggles a widow faces in those first months and the 'firsts' that one must face alone. Margaret also talks about how others reached out to her and what was helpful. I listened again this week to the discussion, and it helped me to understand a little of how to reach out to my friend. I also gained a glimpse of what may lie ahead for myself someday.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in listening to, you can find the discussion here. It's a 5-part series, about 25 minutes each. Margaret has written a devotional book entitled Hope for an Aching Heart: Uplifting Devotions for Widows. I gave a copy of the book and CD to my friend and pray that God will use Margaret to comfort and encourage her.

Thankful Thursday ~ New Beginnings

New beginnings happen throughout life.

My 87-year-old mother signed up for a writing class at the local senior center, and today was her first session. Not that writing is anything new to her, but it's been several years since she's gone to class. The anticipation was a bit anxiety producing, as new endeavors are to most of us.

As we drove to class, she jabbered about one thing then another, wondering how the class would be. Would they read the stories aloud? Would they critique each other's stories? And she wondered if she'd be the oldest, and maybe people would "wonder what this old lady is doing here." It didn't help that there was road construction, which added anxiety to the possibility of being late. But she was the first to arrive.

I watched as she timidly walked in with a couple of stories in hand that she had written over the past several years. Students were to bring something that would give the instructor an idea of their writing, and as she pored over her stories in anticipation, she had chosen two that she was ready to share with the group. One was about her grandson's visit when he was just a little fella, about his expecting to be able to take a monkey home from the zoo because she had asked which animal he liked best.

I sat near her classroom, planning to do some reading for a class of my own, but kept wondering how it was going for her. Would she want to come again next week, or would she find it too taxing? After the two hours of class, out she came with a new-found friend about her own age. She was in seventh heaven. I asked how she liked it. "I loved it!!"

New people. New stories to hear. New stories to write.

New beginnings. They happen throughout life, no matter our age.

So thankful for them.

Image ~ Scion via pixabay

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