Another New Year where what we long for will come to pass.

Sometimes when I begin to read something that catches my attention, I find myself mentally responding with, “Yeah, I sure do understand that!” It seems to be happening more often.

As another year is about to end, I think we all look back on how we thought last year was going to go. I find myself looking back on what did and didn’t happen as I thought it would. Not everything I hoped for happened. Some things went better than expected, some have yet to materialize, and there were things I didn’t even see coming at all.

I made a profound remark to the Lord as I was preparing to move to Florida. It wasn’t that I have not walked with the Lord for 52 years and found him to be faithful but there are still things missing in my relationship with Him. The word—real—kept coming to my mind and heart. I want more. I have read the Word for years and I see in it promises that God has made to us who believe, promises I haven’t seen materialize but I know are possible.

The one thing I DO know is that it isn’t God! It’s me. A scripture that has guided my life is, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32. I have reached places in my life where things had to change, and I didn’t care what the Lord had to do to make them happen. But what do you do when it isn’t your life for which you are praying? I’ve always said that I know how far I will let things go before I drag my sorry self back to the feet of Jesus and repent. But what when it’s people that you dearly love? I can’t make them want to change. I can’t do it for them—I wish I could. Oh, how incredible that would be if we could overrule a person’s will for good and they would change. But that isn’t possible.

God gave each one of us free will. Not even God himself will overrule a person’s will. He does, however, intervene in the circumstances of that person’s life and use His power to help guide them toward the direction their life needs to go. The problem with that is that it’s often scary for us who love that person to have to watch. But God never intends anything but good for us or them. 

I’ve cried out more than once for the Lord to not lift His hand off of me no matter how much it hurts! But as I said, that’s me. But to have to watch someone you dearly love struggling is a whole different matter. Especially, when it seems that there is nothing you can do to help them.

I have read about the Prodigal Son in scripture so many times. In my mind, I stand outside that pig pen watching that young man struggle. I envision him having lost everything he once had in riotous living after turning his back on what he had been taught and given by his father. I see the father every day searching, longing to see his son come walking back down the road to return home!

So, as I watch this picture unfold in my mind, I search for every clue to what happened in that young man’s mind and heart on the day that he finally decided to go home. If you’re not familiar with the story you can read it here; Luke 15:11-32.

What happened that caused him to find himself IN that pig pen searching about in the slop for a half-eaten corn cob? A place that he was never meant to ever be in let alone touch these unclean animals. Yet, there he was. He had dipped so low that he lost sight of everything he had ever been taught.

Was it the moment he bit down on the mucky corn cob and felt the grit in his mouth? Was it the smell of the swine wallowing near him? When did he realize he had become no better than a pig or how lost he had become? Something clicked inside of him. Something made him remember that even the servants in his father’s house were better off than this!

He'd had enough! As he headed home it was with the thought that he didn’t expect his father to take him back as a son, he was only hoping to be reinstated as a servant. I can see the father getting up that morning as he had so many mornings before, stepping outside and the longing filling his heart to see his son come home. Was it as he turned to go back into the house that he caught a glimpse of a figure approaching the driveway? It moves my heart to beat faster at the thought that must have raced through that old man’s mind.

“My son! My son is home!” He didn’t even wait for the young man to get to him. He took off running in his son’s direction and when he got to him, he threw his arms around him and kissed him! It didn’t matter to the father what filthy state his son was in! He was home! That was all that mattered! And that is all that matters to God when anyone comes to Him!

I’ve stood watching this scene in my mind so many times imagining how that must have felt. When I, like that father have searched in prayer for someone I love to come back to the Lord or to even come to know the Lord for the first time. I wonder if later that night after the boy had cleaned up, dressed again in his clothing, and eaten that celebratory meal once they were alone, if the father asked him what it was that finally made him come home? I don’t think the father cared what it was; he just had his son back.

I know that I’m not the only one who has been offering up prayers for other people that you hope will one day come to their right mind and be saved out of the muck and mire their lives have been drug into.

As I sat down to write this posting I was once again reminded of the Word in Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who continually makes intercession for us. I don’t think many people realize that Jesus is praying for them, so how can I give up? I’ll search that road every day looking for the answers. And I believe that when I wrap my arms around the answered prayer it won’t matter what finally happened, all that will matter is that the answer has come!

To any reader who understands and needs this posting, know this; You are not alone. I believe that there are so many other Christians who have soaked our pillows at night with tears beseeching the Lord on behalf of people that they love to change. Knowing that if we could do it for them, we would—but we can’t.

When I find myself saying, “All I can do is pray.”  I feel so ashamed. I realize that that is the absolute BEST thing I can do! It’s what holds the greatest possibility!

So again, this year I will continue my vigil of prayer, longing, and searching for the answers to my prayers for others.

May God bless you; Dear reader, and I bless you.

 

Trust me… I understand.

It’s always been hard to understand why what should be the most loved-filled, wonderful occasion of the year is one of the hardest times for many people—Christmas.

I’ve had both. One very painful Christmas for me was when one of my dearest friends canceled my invitation for Christmas dinner with her family after I had helped her cook all the previous day. Her husband, who was a real stinker came in and said he didn’t want any people but the family for the day. Instantly, I wasn’t family.

I hadn’t made any preparations for feeding my son and myself, so the day was extremely hard to explain to my six-year-old. I remember sitting in the dark later that night with my heart almost refusing to beat. I never saw it coming. What was so hard to understand was that this man was usually never around for his own family. He’d come and go without a moment’s notice, yet he had the power to change Christmas for not just me but others as well. It took me years to get over that hurt. Every year after it was like reliving the hurt all over again.

Another time, as a child, my father usually ruined Christmas all the time. There wasn’t a whole lot of Christmas Cheer anyway, but my dear mother always managed to make Christmas as good as she could for my sister and me. Usually, my father would come home in a bad mood and dampen the whole evening. Nothing was ever good enough with him. No matter what my mother or us girls did it never received any praise and thanks. There was always something we didn’t do right.

This particular Christmas Eve, Mom hadn’t fixed what he thought she should have to eat so he left and went to a bar. It always amazed me what Mom could get out of a $50-a-week grocery budget for four people. But, of course, it was her fault, not his.

He'd also ruin the gift-giving. We got one major gift, a stocking that Mom filled with little things for us, and maybe one other gift. One year, we got an umbrella. My sister and I were both shocked Christmas morning when that wasn’t the gift we had anticipated.

Other years, like this year, I’m separated from my son. All the years he was in the military was sort of expected but this year it’s because of my latest move to Florida. So, yes, I understand.

But if I dwell on the outward circumstances my heart will break with loneliness. So, I purposely look inward to my Comforter. There is no way that the human heart can go through times that hurt so badly without God. Yet so many people try to do it year after year.

All the Christmas ads on TV don’t help either. Seeing families gathering around tables, laughing, and being together can send the average person over the edge.

So that is why I hope with all my heart that my small posting can reassure anyone who happens to stumble across this blog to ask the Greatest Person to come be with them—Jesus.

He NEVER forsakes or leaves us. He never will cancel an invitation to Dine with Him. He gives the best Gifts of Eternal Life, and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

It takes Faith to Pray, Wait upon, and Trust in someone that you can’t see physically. I understand that too. But there’s an inner knowing that the Holy Spirit lives within each one of us who has accepted the Gift of Salvation.

I wish I could look anyone who reads this in the eyes and assure them that there is nothing or no one in this world who can ever make such a promise to love and abide with us throughout our lives as God does.

I have to go to Him and ask Him to quiet my heart and mind again this Christmas. I know He will—He’s done it so many times before.

All I can add is that I bless you and hope that you will find yourself running to God this Christmas and fall into His arms.

I do sincerely bless you.

Merry Christmas!

 Are you looking for a Sure Place because you have lost all hope?

 It’s 11 p.m. and I’ve been drawn to my living room to sit and cry. I’m an emotional person who wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn’t hold back her feelings. It’s been good sometimes, and other times, it has caused me a lot of pain. I understand how hurt can cause us humans to do things we would ordinarily not do. Some of these things are not good.

Every day in the news there are stories of people who for one reason or another have lost all hope. They’ve reached that place where they don’t think anyone cares if they live or die. And the saddest part is when someone does take their life, people who should have seen the signs might have seen them but looked the other way. This is not always the case but more saw than those who are totally shocked.

The world is a busy place. People are coming and going at such a rapid pace that they miss the signs of those who are in a desperate place. I’ve been desperate and there was only one Person who pulled me back from the brink of despair.

Every year at this time I start asking the Lord for a Birthday Word. A Word that He speaks clearly to my spirit so that I will know that it is Him. Tonight, I heard the 22^nd chapter of Isaiah.

I brought it up on YouTube and listened to it. How in the world could this be my Birthday Word? I listened to it again and only one line jumped out at me. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place.

So many people are trying to find that sure place. Somewhere they can rest all their life upon. A place that will never disappoint them or turn away from them no matter what they do. I’ll be the bearer of sad news first—no person or thing can fulfill that spot. Other people are just as faulty as you and I are. Looking to even the strongest person to support you will end up letting you down.

BUT—there is Someone who is that sure nail-driven into a board who will never leave or forsake you. You might not want to hear it, but that Sure Place was established on a Cross thousands of years ago.

When Jesus laid down on that cross and offered himself to have nails pounded in his hands and feet it was for you. When that cross was lifted and dropped into that hole, that sound is still vibrating today—for you.

I know it’s hard to believe. But it’s the truth. That nail driven in His hands was the only sure place that we could hang our lives on.

I’ve authored several books and there is one chapter in God said, “Tell them IAM.” That comes back to me so many times. I’m going to add it here in this post.

 

CHAPTER

ONE

The intimate presence of the Father.

 

          Angels worshipping on their faces before the Holy God. Heaven is conducting business as usual. An arena of practice that our hearts and minds cannot even fathom. A place where multitudes of Angels are privileged to an act of worship, they cannot fully comprehend nor will ever need to understand. Why? Because they are not sons. They have always been in the Father’s presence; there, day, and night. It is not for these beings that The Plan, yet hidden from humanity, will be fulfilled.

          So why then do they dedicate themselves to worship? Why do they from beneath their folded wings utter inconceivable waves of adoration? Why do they bend down, or fall prostrate in undaunted praise? Because they manifest something that those for whom The Plan will unfold do not have right now, they have been granted the entitlement to be in the presence of the Father.

          Holy court is set and there they worship. It is natural. They have never known anything but. They have been there worshipping and praising throughout ages without end. Elders fall with drunken senses. The Plan is yet to be revealed by the forthcoming of the Only Begotten Son of God.

          Angels adore from realms of Glory; The Glory of the Father that is so formidable as it rolls out in realm upon realm. His very Existence invokes the heavens to reverberate in thunderous praise. Seated at the right hand of the Father, whom the Angelic beings acknowledge, is the Son. Hovering in swelling clouds of immeasurable Majestic sovereignty of the Glory of the Father is the Holy Spirit. Waves of unceasing praise, adoration, and honor crash in deluges of orchestrated melodies.

          Jesus, adoringly, through admiring appreciative eyes beholding the Father, comprehends a certainty; one that he and he alone acknowledges. Neither a single Elder nor any created being presently throughout the realms of Glory will ever behold what he is beholding…The Father. Of all gathered in this sphere, he is the only one looking upon the Father. The eternal Beginning. The End. He alone is the only one beholding His face. Jesus solely has the full revelation of the Father. No being can look upon Him and live. He is Holy.

          How can Jesus allow this? How can he, who holds the wherewithal, the providence, to one day unlock this atmosphere of continually beholding the Father God, allow an unsuspecting world not to be granted so great an opportunity? All power is His. In one infinitesimal second, yet spans the ages of time, heaven’s course is set into motion to change that immutable fact forever.

The Trinity agrees. It is settled.

Jesus arises, steps from off the shared throne, removes his Kingly robe, strips off his mantel of honor, and his Godly privileges, and lays everything aside on the altar before The Father. He will not regain what he has set aside until The Plan is fulfilled.

           Jesus now stands willingly stripped of his Kingly raiment. Adorned only in that of a servant’s attire, engages in one parting sanctioned act. He looks. He lingers a second, desiring an eternity to continue drinking in the Author of the Plan—The Father. But He knows that he will return and bring with him all those who will have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb.

          When I wrote this my spirit was so moved. I could feel the absolute decision Jesus made and why He did it. I had to believe what I wrote. I had to believe that Jesus left Heaven for me. To rescue me from myself. From all the things that life would do to me.

          I saw it in my Birthday Word again tonight and this chapter all over again. Only this time I saw Him being that Nail driven in a SURE PLACE. I saw his outstretched arms as a welcoming sign for you, me, or anyone to come to that place of love and total surrender of everything we are and find—A SURE PLACE.

           You have to come there first and ask for forgiveness and believe the truth that Jesus is your salvation. But that won't be the only time you come. I’ve come many times. I’ve come stumbling and weeping to once again confess that life is more than I can handle on my own.

But I’ve never been on my own, Jesus promised me 52 years ago that He would never leave or forsake me. And He has never broken that promise.

If you have reached a point where life is no longer worth living, I pray you stumbled upon this posting. I’m offering you the Truth and that Sure Place you have been searching for.

It’s believing in God’s only Begotten Son—Jesus.

I bless you.