God Is With You

So, yeah...pretty hard stretch for several of you these days. Here are some more reassurances that God knows and He's there in the middle of it all with you...hang in there, lean on Him, talk to Him about it--that's what Eternal Fathers are for...


When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed...Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:8,9,16-18

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express...What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?...

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8


You've been prayed for today, and that earnestly.

God Is Our Refuge and Strength

For those of you weary and heavy laden...


(2 Samuel 22:32-34)

For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?

God is my strong fortress;
He has made my way safe.

He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
leading me safely along the mountain heights.


(From Psalm 46)

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.

The Lord Almighty is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.

"Be still and know that I AM God!"


(From Psalm 91)

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."


(Matthew 11:28-30)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.


You've been prayed for today...

More On Outer Reflection of Inner Life

Hey, Y'all,

Here's the conclusion to the previous RST on how the "hidden" inner things overflow into the visible life. Tomorrow, however, we'll take a different tack--some thoughts on "God is our refuge and strength"--I know some of you are facing very trying times and heavy burdens, so stand by.

Here're today's thoughts (don't know where these came from, sorry).

Each thought you think builds your character. Every action you take creates your life. The small moments and the big occasions all form the person you are. The public expressions and the private thoughts all weave together to form the fabric of your life.

Every moment counts, because every moment serves as a starting point for the moment that comes next. All those details, the ones you can't recall and the ones you can't forget, have brought you to where you are now.

Every moment counts, and that can be either a burdensome curse or an amazing blessing. It all depends on what you do with those moments from here on out. Even when no one is watching, what you think and what you do still matter very much.

Choose to give God your very best to this moment, right here, right now, and keep on making that positive choice--there'll be no limit to where those decisions, now your life's string of brilliant moments, can lead.

Got me thinking about Phil 4:8 (in two different versions):

And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (NLT)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. (NIV)

You've been prayed for today
(and some of you with a little extra "umph" ).

Outer Reflection of Inner Life

Hey, y'all,

Got to thinking about that last RST, remembered I'd saved these thoughts previously--and thanks, Gladys, for these quotes (from Ralph Marston)--kinda got me thinking some more...

How accurately does the person you are on the outside express the reality of the person you truly are on the inside? The more faithfully your outer life mirrors your inner thoughts and values, the more fulfilling [and peaceful] your whole life will be.

Conversely (and naturally), the greater the discrepancy between what's going on the inside and what's visible on the outside, the greater the dissonance and stress and strain we feel inside--so much so that we tire and are eventually unable to keep up the charade and everything on the inside comes pouring through anyway.

You have the opportunity, in this very moment, to begin expressing and fulfilling that consistent, ideal life--the life God's wanted for you all along. In some small yet meaningful way, you can start right now to make the outer view a reflection of your most deeply held values.

That is how we need to live; and this is what we need to think about, always: everything we put into our minds or allow into our minds, everything has an effect, because like Christ said in Matthew 12:34 "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks"--our actions are born of our thoughts, and they are a result of what we load into our minds and hearts.

(In fact here's Matthew 12:33-35 so you can see it in context: "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.").

What is my mouth saying about my heart's state? What does my life say about what my mind and heart are full of? Hmmm...more on this issue next RST.

You've been prayed for today...

Curbing the Tongue

Hey, Y'all,
Ran across this verse a couple of days ago...

I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin.
Psalm 39:1

...which reminded me of this passage...

We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter?
James 3:3-11


...which took me to this passage...

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry...If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 1:19, 26

Hmmm...blessings and cursings coming from the same mouth...worthless religion...deceiving self...hmmm...(memo to self).



You've been prayed for today...

Contentment, Regardless

Hello one last time from (after several beautiful days) once-again-not-very-sunny South Florida. Had a perfect weekend in North Florida at the reunion followed by a day of rain and then several gorgeous days in Miami and the Keys, and the last couple have been stormy and restful--nothing like a real thunderstorm for reading and napping and generally relaxing!

Today's RST was triggered by a quote Bud used as his "signature" for a while--and it got me thinking...

"I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances."
--Martha Washington

Sounds like Ms. Washington did some reading of her Bible, because Philippians 4:11-13 says, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Thanks, Bud, always good to recall that passage and apply it to my life (yet again).

You've each been prayed for today...and happy Sabbath!

Follow-Up to "The Want Ad" ... "Can I Live For Jesus?"

Hey, Y'all,

Greetings from (at the moment) not-so-sunny South Florida--it's been a ridiculously great trip already and the week's just beginning (20th high school reunion)! Today's RST is a follow-up to the last one...

Hi Juan, after reading today's RST I had mixed feelings. Not because I disagree with any of it, on the contrary, I desire it so much that it becomes almost too unrealistic in my everyday walk. It can describe a moment in human life, but not HUMAN life. I long for it, but it seems too good to be true, too good to be true for man, but not for GOD.

I think that when we talk about such values and virtues as truth, honesty, courage, duty, ability to stand strong in spite of everything else falling around us, we simply cannot forget to give the glory back to the One it rightly belongs. If we want truth for the sake of truth, honesty for the sake of honesty, courage for the sake of courage, we, as humans, inevitably fall into Lucifer's trap when self tries really hard to go as high as it possibly can (unfortunately, most of the time Self forgets a parachute ). Ouch!

On the other hand, because God did not put on us 'more than we can bear' we are capable of withstanding trials and saying 'no' to fears that come in this package called HUMAN. Can you die for Jesus? Yes, if God gives me grace.

[Ed.: to your question "can I die for Jesus?" I would add the one which now seems to me to have become a much harder one--"can I live for Jesus? Will I live in such a way that people see His influence in me?"]

I really like your question "Can you live for Jesus?" Truly, if you are under His influence you are being transformed into His likeness and Jesus living in you becomes the biggest testimony of truth, courage, honesty, and ability to withstand trials. As you often say, He does the hard stuff; I just work here.

As I was reading chapter 55 of Messiah today, I came across something that I find very much in tune with that RST. If the parallels don't seem too obvious, please just take these words as they are:

"The kingdom of God comes quietly and personally to human hearts. It is not flashy and demanding like the things of this world. It is set up by the influence of the Holy Spirit changing the hearts of humans. God's Kingdom is with those who live and share this spiritual truth: 'I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore, it is Christ who lives in me' (Galatians 2:20). 'In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling' (Exodus 15:13)."

Thanks--you know who you are --that quote reminds me that I have to seek that time with God, that if I passively hope for the best and then wait for something to happen it never will because there are too many distractions, too many other things competing for my time and attention, for me to expect to grow spiritually without expending some effort to find a quiet time and place to do so--God respects me too much to impose Himself on me...ironic.

You've been prayed for today...