Three Practical Ways to Take Refuge in God

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I've been thinking a lot these last few months about what it means practically to take refuge in God.  Refuge isn't a term we use often personally.  On a political level we may think of refugees, and the place they go to flee the danger in their homeland as a place of refuge.  But for the Christian, the idea of God being a refuge should be very real, personal and practical.

Christians are not at home with the ways of this world.  We feel like foreigners here.  We don't have the same desires we used to have.  We once partied like the world, were greedy like the world, sought self above all like the world, and hid from the pain and brokenness in this life in various ways.  Those ways were once our refuge.  Before Christ shone on our hearts and broke our chains we hid from the suffering of death, betrayal, loss and pain in people, temporary pleasures, mind-altering substances, sleep, money, withdrawal, food... and many other various cotton-candy hiding places.  In those days, we found that hiding in those places gave us an escape from one pain only to be bound by the chains of another.   Since Christ has come into our lives, we know that only he can truly hide us in times of trouble.  We fail many times, running back to old hiding places that can't shelter us from the storms of this life.  But ultimately, it is Christ that we run to, because as our brother quick-fall-Peter said, who else is there to go to? Only Christ has the words of life.

But what does it look like to hide in Christ?  What does it look like to run to God as refuge?

The Psalms are full of declarations that God is the psalmist's refuge.  The psalmist runs to God when he's betrayed, when he's chased, when he's surrounded, when he's found in sin, when he's sick, when he's in pain, when he's depressed, he even runs to God for refuge when he feel like God has forgotten him.  Why?  And how?

There's definitely more than one blog post worth writing on this subject.  Just taking the time to read through the Psalms and notice how often the writer calls on God as a refuge could be a devotional for a year.   I want to focus on one particular Psalm and think about how we as Christians take refuge in God.

Psalm 57 has a small title under it in my Bible that says, "To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave."

David wrote this psalm when he fled from Saul in a cave it says.  Saul was the king of Israel God had told was no longer going to be king.  He was loosing his mind and was murderously chasing David to kill him, knowing David was to be the king in his place.  Now that's a situation to feel like one might  need to find refuge somewhere.  I've never had to flee physical danger, but like David, I know the feeling that my soul is "bowed down", or "in the midst of lions."

As I read through this Psalm I find three practical ways to run to God for refuge:

1) Call on God's mercy
2) Remember God's sovereignty
3) Expect God's faithfulness

Call on God's Mercy

"Be merciful to me O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of your wings I take refuge 'til the storms of destruction pass by." -Psalm 57:1

God is not a big, fluffy teddy bear to run to when you need to throw a tantrum.  He's not a neutral zone where anyone can come and get away from trouble.  He's almighty and holy.  He's a righteous judge and knows the heart of every man.  He's unable to be OK with sin in any amount or kind.  He's perfect.  He is to be feared.  And anyone who might try to stand before him would find themselves toast without the means he has provided to cause none of that righteous anger against sin to be aimed at them.  And that means is Christ.  Christ is the propitiation (big, church word) for us who believe in him, that is, he takes all the condemnation aimed at us from God.  To say it another way, Christ satisfies the need for God to destroy sin and sinner.  If God were to ignore sin he would not be a good God or a just God.  God's perfect justice demands the destruction of sin and the sinner.  Otherwise the malignancy of sin (which we all see everyday in our broken world and in our own lives) would spread unchecked, and God would not be sovereign or good.  But God is not only perfectly just he is also gloriously gracious and merciful.  He is love.  Therefore he humbled himself to be what we could not be and do what we could not do.  That is mercy.  And for the Christian, calling on God's mercy as displayed in Christ, is to call on the only power strong enough to shield our souls from the lies and traps and chains we so easily believe and turn to.   We call on this mercy in our prayers every day.  We call on this mercy when we face our failures once again.  We call on this mercy when we feel the threat of fears that we were once controlled by.  In calling on God's mercy we remind our souls to hope in the God who died for our sins so that we could be in friendship with him and no longer fear his judgement.

Remember God's Sovereignty

"I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me." - Psalm 57:2

Whatever we flee to for refuge must be more powerful than the situations we're fleeing from.  Only God can be that.  I don't claim to understand the workings of God's sovereignty or the whys.  But I know that when I face the sting of death, or the fear of rejection, or the terror of an enemy, or the betrayal of a companion or any other hard and painful suffering, there is only One who can do anything about it.  The Creator of the universe.  It's in knowing that the very God I run to for refuge is the God who has designed this suffering in my life to purify my faith and make me more like Christ that I find a true place to hide.  He may not take away the pain of this suffering, but he's the only one who can.  And one day he will take it away.  It may not be now.  But it will be.  In the mean time, I run to the One who rules over it and trust him to use it as a tool in my life for my good.  He cares.  He hears.  He loves.  And He will rescue.  In remembering God's sovereignty I hide my soul from the lies that God is punishing or God has forgotten or God is helpless.  He rules over what hurts me and he uses it to fulfill his good purposes for me.

Expect God's Faithfulness

"He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!" Psalm 57:3

Knowing God's faithfulness requires a history with God.  If you don't have much of a history with him, look to the book of his-story, and look to his people both living and dead.  The God of the Bible has a long history of unbroken promises and faithfulness to unfaithful people.  As the psalms say so often, his faithfulness reaches to the skies!  If I were to try to write out the zillions of ways God has shown he is faithful there wouldn't be enough atmosphere to contain the words!  But when we find ourselves in the midst of the storms of destruction God's faithfulness comes into question in our minds.  Has he forgotten us?  Is he even there?  Does he care?  This is where the Bible points us to a cloud of witness who say: God is faithful!  He will not abandon!  Hebrews 11 is famous for being the hall of faith, calling to account the names and stories of the people of old who have lived by faith.  But as you read through these stories and names it is not the faith of these people so much that encourages ours, but the faithfulness of the One they had faith in.  Noah built an ark from faith, believing what God warned him.  But it was God who saved Noah and his family from the storm of destruction that came on the whole world!  Abraham ultimately believed God when his body was as good as dead despite his failed attempt to fulfill God's promise for him.  But it was God who did the miracle of giving Abraham and Sarah Isaac despite their dying bodies.  And I could go on and on to recount how God was faithful to Joseph even in the betrayal of his brothers and the lies that landed him in Pharaoh's prison.  And how God did not forget his people in Egypt but prepared and sent Moses, hearing their cries for deliverance from slavery even though they were a stiff-necked people.  And how God heard the humble confession of a prostitute in a wall of a city he was about to destroy and saved Rahab.   Not to mention Ruth and Noami or Esther or Daniel or Paul or the many who have died as a result of their faith and who's deaths have been the seed through which a harvest of souls were faithfully rescued by God.  I remember God's faithfulness as I read my Bible, look to the lives of Christians throughout history and in my life today and look back at my life as I've imperfectly walked with him.  He is faithful!  Remembering this is sure refuge for my tired soul.

I may not be able to see my soul like I see my body, but just as my body would run to a strong structure to hide from a destroying storm, my soul runs to God to hide from the destructions that threaten when I face pain, death, betrayal, temptations, my sin, weariness, anxiety and many other soul-storms.  My soul runs when I open my mouth and call on his mercy, when I recall God's power over all things, and when I open my Bible and remember his faithfulness.

Advent Day 20: Waiting For God

Save me, O God!  For the waters have come up to my neck.  I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.  I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched.  My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. -Psalm 69:1-3

Psalm 69 is not exactly a common Bible verse quoted at Christmas.  But I think it's perfect for Advent.  At least it's where I'm at right now.  Maybe you are too.

For lots of people, Christmas is not all joy and jolly.  For many it's a very painful reminder that they long for things to be right and happy and light, but in reality they find themselves in a place where things are wrong and sorrowful and dark.  If you find yourself in a place like that today, I pray this will encourage you as it has me.

I counted 11 times in my version of Psalm 69 where the writer asks God to save him in various ways.

Save me O God!  For the waters have come up to my neck... (vs.1)

...answer me in your saving faithfulness. (vs. 13)

Deliver me from sinking in the mire... (vs.14)

...let me be delivered from my enemies. (vs.14)

Let not the flood sweep over me... (vs. 15)

Answer me, O LORD... (vs. 16)

Hide not your face from your servant... (vs. 17)

Draw near to my soul... (vs. 18)

Redeem me... (vs. 18)

Ransom me because of my enemies.... (vs. 18)

...let your salvation, O God, set me on high. (vs. 29)



Obviously the person writing this was in some sort of circumstance that made him feel desperate for God to show up and do something!  And apparently these circumstances had been there for awhile and the writer wasn't seeing God show up because he writes:

I sink in deep mire, 

where there is no foothold; 

I have come into deep waters,

and the flood sweeps over me.

I am weary with my crying out;

my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim 

with waiting for my God. (vs.2-3)

He's sinking.  There's nothing to stand on.  He can't keep himself up.  He's overpowered by his circumstances.  And it's not short lived so he's weary.  His faith-eyes are barely able to see any kind of hope because he's been waiting so long for God to show up and do something about this overwhelmingly difficult, long season.

There's a lot here.  The psalm describes the writers desperateness for God to do something about his circumstances.  He's specific about the circumstances- overwhelming numbers of enemies, lies, reproaches, shame, accusations.  He even says that even though he knows he's not guiltless- God knows the wrongs he's done- he knows these circumstances aren't because he did anything wrong.  "For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach..."  He's in these overwhelming circumstances because he is a God-representative.  He's in this despairing situation because of his identification with God.

At that point you may say, "Well, I'm out.  I'm in the situation I'm in that I wish God would show up for and do something about because of my own mistakes."  That might be true to some extent.  Like this Psalmist, none of us are free from the guilt of folly and wrongs that God knows about and may even be in part cause of our current suffering.  I too am in a long-lasting difficulty that is in part due to my own sins.  But in 1 Peter, Peter says something that always gives me hope and encouragement:

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

I know that the only person who can claim perfect sinless suffering for God's name's sake is Christ.  But, we who bear his name and love him and seek and him hate our sin and, like the psalmist in Psalm 69 acknowledge our sins before God, we have an "insofar as" sharing in this suffering that Christ perfectly endured.  And we need to see that and believe that, because that's where we will find the deliverance and redemption we long for from God.

The psalmist who wrote this was weary with waiting for God to come do something to deliver him out of these horrible circumstances.  You might be too.  I know I am.  And that's ok.  It's ok to long for God to do something to keep you from being swallowed up by the anger, bitterness, hopelessness and guilt that your circumstances threaten to bring.   What I find amazing in this psalm is that the writers very cry to God to save him and answer him and deliver him and draw near to him and redeem him and ransom him and set him on a high place, is exactly where he finds God giving him hope and a song and a word of encouragement for other fellow long-sufferers.

He doesn't find that his faith-dim eyes suddenly see because God comes in and changes his circumstances.  He finds that in his crying out to God, God is there with him, strengthening him to endure.

By verse 30 of the psalm the writer turns from crying out in desperation and vulnerable confession to praising God with his words.

I wil praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving...

When the humble see it they will be glad;

you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

For the LORD hears the needy

and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

For God will save Zion

And build up the cities of Judah,

and people shall dwell there and possess it;

the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,

and those who love his name shall dwell in it. (vs.30-36)

This is what we, who are waiting for God this Advent, need to do:  SING and GIVE THANKS!

SING

I can't even tell how many times the simple act of opening my mouth and letting my soul sing, even while the tears flow, has caused me to find God is there.  He's there as I sing reviving my heart and reminding me of his promise: He will conform me to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29)  He will make all things new (Rev. 21:5).  He will not reject me or leave me (Hebrews 13:5).  He will judge rightly all that happens to me (1 Peter 2:23).

Don't know what to sing?  Don't have a great voice?  Here's a couple of my favorites to sing when I'm overwhelmed with my circumstances and sadness:









 GIVE THANKS

This is harder for me.  Singing seems to come out of me (with the assistance of YouTube or iTunes) more easily, and lifts me almost instantly into hope.  But the psalmist says he will magnify God with thanksgiving after telling him how dim his eyes had grown waiting for God to show up.

When the flood of hopeless thoughts, accusations and heartaches barrages you and threatens to take your faith down, you need to open your mouth Sheila and speak out loud what you are thankful for, or write it if you can't talk!  It will be a gasp of oxygen to your soul and some light for your dim eyes!

It's Christmas.  Everyone is decorating trees and you may feel like the world should be painted grey not red and green and glitter right now.  But what if you took out a piece of paper and started writing what you're thankful for and put it on a tree, or on a wall and decorated your hard, painful, weary-with-waiting-for-God Christmas with words of thanks to God.

Don't know where to start Sheila?  How about the fact that you have access to God's words that pulled you out of a sinking pit this morning?  How about the fact that you've been provided food and clothing and comfort and song and family and... the pieces of paper should cover the tree, or the wall.

Join me today in pouring out desperate cries for God to show up, singing songs of worship and longing and faith, and writing or speaking words of thanks to God that make you and I remember how big and good he is.

I love the smell of freshly baked bread

I need to expand my vocabulary. "Yummy", "cool", "weird", "beautiful", and "awesome" are used way too often. I get tired of editing myself for the multiple use of the same words. Texting is NOT helping. I really don't know all the texting abbreviations, but I'm starting to find myself wanting to write a colon followed by a right-end parentheses (it just took me about 30 seconds to recall what that smile is called... sheesh!) in places where I would express a smile or happy emotion. This has got to change!

I took my boys, and a friend of my youngest, to an indoor play place.  It's guaranteed hours of play without many interruptions.  Smile.  They sweat and smile and chase each other through gigantic tree houses.  And I get hours of time to read or, as in today's case, work on preparing for an upcoming Bible study.

I thought Tamar would give me a run for my money trying to put that study together.  But as it turned out I had so many pages of gathered treasure from that study I had to seriously cut it down to keep it a women's Bible study length.  Rahab, on the other hand, is proving more difficult than I thought.

I've heard Bible teachers say meditating on what the Bible says is like a cow chewing her cud.  She chews, her stomachs process what she's chewed, she regurgitates and chews some more.  I like the baking analogy better. Studying the Bible is a kneading, setting aside to rise, kneading some more, rising more, process.  I read through the passage several times.  Make some notes.  Walk away.  Then later, while I'm driving, or at the gym, or getting ready for bed, thoughts that smell like freshly baked bread waft through my head.  Hopefully I remember them when I get to place where I can write them down.

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.- John 6:35

My sister had a second surgery on her wrist today.  The first was to put a plate and pins on her seriously fractured radius.   Apparently the surgeon measured wrong and now there's an 8mm difference in the length of her radius on her fractured arm compared to the other. An error of 8mm in bone length at a joint is a big problem, according to the surgeon, and is the reason she has less than 25% range of motion in that wrist.  This has had such a huge impact on her.  She was doing a Crossfit workout when it happened and now, with the poor range of motion and a follow up surgery, she has been unable to do what she loves- Crossfit!  She would tell you the Lord changed her from the inside out.  And He used some of His people at her local gym to encourage her along the way.  I know this is a vicissitude ( A new word.  Smile.) for her.  And the same Lord who began a good work in her will be faithful to complete it.  But in the vicissitude it just plain sucks.  It hurts, its hard, you can't see ahead or explain why.  You just want out.  Our assurance is that this too will pass and He's working it all for good for us who love Him.  I'm glad my mom and the people at her gym and her husband are all there for her during this.  I wish I could be too.

Rahab's story brings up the issue of faith and works.  Is it faith or is it works that saves?  I'm glad the Bible gives a real answer rather than a nice, neatly packaged explanation.  It's not an answer we like to hear.  It makes sense, its truth, its total grace, complete mercy, but its not an instant credit in eternity answer.

Everyone is in a hurry... They want me to help them fill out the form that will get them instant credit (in eternity). -  From Perseverance: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

We all live what we believe. We know it to be true.  Our lazy, selfish nature takes hold gladly of the instant credit answer.  But the faith that saves, works.  The faith itself is a gift of God, not from us.  We can't boast.  Our response to the gift is the evidence that it was received.

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! - James 2:18-19

 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.- Ephesians 2:8-10

Quieted,

Sheila

Not left to survive alone

I'm in an intense time of testing right now. And the struggle to survive this test is really a struggle to continue believing God, trusting and worshipping my Savior... knowing I'm not alone.

I was reading through Genesis 16-17, concerning God's promise to Abraham and Sarah and their attempt to make His promise come true in a way they could understand (giving Hagar to Abraham to produce Ishmael). I asked the Lord, "What do you want me to do after reading this?" No flashes of lighting, no tangible thing to do, just, "Be patient. Believe my promises will come to pass even if you don't see it."

"Okay. But what is your promise to me Lord?" I questioned.

Then a couple hours later I opened up Amy Carmichael's "Edges of His Ways" and read today's note. Here's an excerpt:

Hebrews 13:5: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Many years ago someone told me that "forsake" is a compound of three words in the Greek, "leave behind in." It conveys the thought of leaving comrades exposed to peril in the conflict, or forsaking them in some crisis of danger. Westcott interprets this verse, "I will in no wise desert you or leave you alone in the field of contest, or in a position of suffering; I will in no wise let go- loose hold- My sustaining grasp."

This promise cannot fail. Let us stand upon it, and rejoice in it...

So there's my promise: Jesus will never leave me behind in this time of testing!

I was so excited to receive this for sure answer to my question that I went and looked up Hebrews 13:5 in the Strong's at Blue Letter Bible and found it really is true. Forsake means:

abandon, desert

a) leave in straits, leave helpless

b) totally abandoned, utterly forsaken

2) to leave behind among, to leave surviving

Jesus will not leave us who have put our trust in Him. He won't abandon or desert us. He won't leave us in the straits we got ourselves in, or find ourselves in. He won't leave us helpless. He won't leave us behind among the cares, fears, accusations, and depravity of this world. He doesn't say He'll take us out of them, but He won't leave us to survive it alone! Oh HOPE! Fresh air! Light! Thank You Jesus!

And not only that but the word leave in that verse holds to me an even more dear meaning:

1) to send back, relax, loosen

2) to give up, omit, calm

3) to leave, not to uphold, to let sink

Our Living Lord (though unseen by us- yet aren't we blessed that we hold on believing having never seen) will not only not leave us in the trials of life to survive, He also won't send us back or give up on us when we fail. Like Peter, He won't let us sink when we take our eyes off of Him and find ourselves sinking in the sea of the difficulty. We may begin to sink, but he will not let us sink. All we must do is cry out, "Save me Lord!"

Oh this is a promise we can all stand on! It is my promise! Though like Abraham I may find myself waiting to see it come to pass. It will! He has promised, so whether I see or not, I can say, "The Lord is not going to send me back though I've failed. He is not going to let me sink, though I feel like I'm going to drown. He is with me though I don't see Him. He hasn't left me to endure this trial alone, to survive the best I can. He walks with me through this dark valley. I will believe though I do not see!"

Thank you sweet Savior!

So glad He found me ,

Isaiah 51:3

Calling to mind

It's Sunday morning. Things aren't picture perfect here, as I'm sure they aren't in your house either. Honestly I'm fighting to squeak out little prayers of, "Help me Lord." and "Give me a drink of your living water Lord... I'm so thirsty!"

That Still Small Voice reminded me to call to mind the hope I once shared with others, the vision and promises God had planted in my heart before this storm hit my life.

So I went back to the archives of my old Timothy Moms blog. I went there because as I watched my boys this morning I felt empty as to what to teach them. If I'm to teach them diligently God's word when I sit in my house, and walk by the way, when I lie down and when I wake up, my question is, "What if I have no idea what to teach? What if no message for them is pressing on my heart?" So I prayed, "What do I teach them Lord?" And then I went to Timothy Moms.

Here's what I read:

I realize that just as it was for those who came before Jesus it is for me now. For i wait too. I wait and labor and pray and hope in God's sure promises for Christ to be formed in my little children. Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes it seems so far away. Sometimes it seems impossible. But my hope must be set not on what I see or hear in my boys but on God's promise which does not fail. And just as Mary resigned herself to be the vessel through which God would deliver His Son in the flesh, though she would be rejected and in much pain, I must surrender myself to believing that with my God all things are possible... even the forming of Christ in my little boys is possible.

Oh Living water! Thank you Lord for refreshing my soul with a rememberance from last Christmas. Thank you for reminding me to wait upon You. Sometimes my diligent teaching will be quiet waiting on YOU. And even like this morning, as I wait on You, You'll send me those teachable moments. Please impress on my sons' hearts this morning Your word to put away anger and to instead be kind to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has been kind to us and has forgiven us through Christ. Let your word be a school master to them this morning, leading them to faith in Christ, making them wise for salvation thru Christ.

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children... This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the Lord. Isaiah 54:13,17

Waiting,

Isaiah 51:3

Praise for today

I praise You for Your sovereignty over the broad events of my life and over the details. With You, nothing is accidental, nothing is incidental, and no experience is wasted. You hold in Your own power my breath of life and all my distiny. And every trial that You allow to happen is a platform on which You reveal Yourself, showing Your love and power, both to me and to others looking on. Thank You that I can move into the future nondefensively, with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead, for You hold the future and You will always be with me, even to my old age... and through all eternity. - from 31 Days of Praise by Ruth Myers

Isaiah 51:3

My Jehoshaphat Moment

"Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, 'A great multitude is coming against you...'"

"And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD..."

"Then Jehoshaphat stood...and said, ' O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?"

"For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."

"And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever."

"Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people... who had come against Judah, and they were defeated."

From 2 Chronicles 20

Now's my chance. Now's my chance like Jehoshaphat to praise God BEFORE I see what to do or how to do it or how God's gonna work in this situation in my life which appears like a great multitude against me; a multitude against whom I have no power.

Now's my Jehoshaphat moment. It's beyond me. It's too much for me. I can't stand. But I can proclaim praises. I can physically open my mouth and say, "Praise the LORD for His mercy endures forever!" I can say, "I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on You Lord!" I can say, "You are God... no one is able to withstand YOU!" I can declare, "You will work this situation together for my good as one who loves You (not that my love is anything but a response to Your love for me), and is called according to Your purpose to conform me to the image of Your Son."

So that's what I'm doing.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not brave and strong. I'm afraid, like Jehoshaphat. I'm broken. I'm overwhelmed with what is against me. I'm trembling. But now's my chance to let my Mountain-Moving Savior be seen. He wouldn't be seen if there were no mountains. He wouldn't be my Deliverer if there were no terrible, drowning waves to rescue me from.

So here's what I'm going to sing... wanna join me?

Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Saviour;
The Hope of nations.

Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is
Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of the risen
King...Jesus

Isaiah 51:3

My hope is unchanged

Hi friends. Just wanted to let you all know real quick that I still won't be able to get online for a few weeks more. But I wanted to share this song that has been the lyrics of my heart these past few weeks.

Christ Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Hope to be back to soon.

So glad He found me ,

Isaiah 51:3

Taking a break

Hey friends.

I'm going to be without a computer for awhile and so I won't be posting except for maybe on a rare occasion for probably the next month.

Lots of changes going on in my world. Mountains falling into the sea, earth crumbling beneath my feet, but my God is a sure refuge and He doesn't crumble!

I'll explain more later as the Lord leads, but for now let me just pass onto you a section of scripture that really ministered to me this morning and ask you to pray for me and my household as the Lord may lead you.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

See you soon! Keep your eyes on eternity ladies!

So glad He found me ,

Isaiah 51:3

When everything falls apart

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. - Psalm 46

There are good things, the earth, the mountains, waters, etc., all good things that God made. Good things that are the substance of our environment. Good things that shouldn't fall otherwise we will perish. You can't hang around when the earth is removed. You can't go about daily life when mountains are earthquaked into the sea. But even though those things God made are good, and to be enjoyed, there comes a day when even those things are removed. And when that happens only what is hiding in God and dependent upon Him for a place to stand will survive.

When your health perishes. When your marriage crumbles beneath your feet though on your part you've done all you know to do before God to keep it standing. When your children rise up against you. When your income is no longer coming in. When mountains, the earth, those things that are good, made by God and necessary for a healthy existence on this planet perish, your real strength has opportunity to shine and is discovered. God gets to shine and be discovered.

For there is a faithful, steady stream of life giving waters which supply the city of God... the place where God dwells in you and me. God is in the midst of us and we shall not be moved though our health, our marriages, our friendships, our family relationships, our jobs... though they all crumble, God will help us. He will rescue us just at the break of dawn! Just in time! Don't give up... He's coming soon! Bring Him glory with me!!!

So glad He found me ,

Isaiah 51:3