His Comfort...

Have you read the Book of Ruth?  The Book of Ruth only has four chapters, but it is full of so much goodness!  When I hear people talk about “heroes of the Bible” I always think of Ruth.  She was a foreign woman living in a strange country… she was looked down on in the society, but she never let that stop her.  She had made the choice to follow the One True God, even when all sorts of obstacles tried to get in her way.  Somewhere deep down inside she new God had a bigger purpose for her then she could imagine.  I am sure just like the rest of us she had made many mistakes in her past, but when she made the choice to follow God’s leading… one step at a time… what a turn her life took! 

So many times we pray and ask God for His leading and guiding in our lives, but do we really want for Him to lead us one step at a time or do we want Him to lay the whole plan out in front of us before we are willing to make that choice to move down His path???  I don’t think Ruth knew where this would all lead, but she had enough faith to keep going one step at a time.  How brave is that? She left everything that was comfortable to her to go into unfamiliar circumstances.  It is during those times, when we are asked by God to step out of our comfort zone that we have to rely on Him all the more.  If God only calls us to do things that we can do without Him then what do we need Him for?  I am just starting to realize there is a big difference between being comforted and being comfortable.  God is the God of all comfort; He also doesn’t want us to stay where we are comfortable… He loves us too much to let us stay the same.  Face it; there are many times God asks us to do something that is not at all what we are comfortable doing! That is okay because in those moments He will give us strength… He will give us the words… He will give us comfort!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  II Corinthians 1:3

I’m reminded of a conversation a lady recently shared with me… this lady had an instance come up that brought her past right back in her face.  She would be the first to tell you she did not make decisions that were for the best in her past.  Now, faced with the same circumstance but as a follower of Christ would she have the words and the strength to make the right choice?  Would she be able to stand up for what she knew was right for herself and for her family?  She was very uncomfortable and she actually prayed this circumstance would just dissolve itself, but she also knew that was not going to happen and this was the moment she needed to take care of this once and for all.  As she stepped out of her comfort zone God gave her the words to speak… she knew that what she was telling this person would probably cause him to reject her, but God gave her the boldness to speak His truth.  Of course, our humanness never wants to be rejected, but she knew the God of all comfort was there to comfort her.

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. Hosea 2:14

Just like Ruth… God will make you a hero of faith if you choose to live for Him.  And just like Ruth… every tough choice you make to obey Him will become a foundation of faith for your family and for generations to come.  Just remember, Ruth was the great-grandmother of King David, and was part of the lineage of Christ.  Every prayer you pray… every right choice you make will become a blessing passed down.

Not only will God always comfort you, but the comfort He gives you will give you courage to comfort others in their difficult times.  Choose today to live your life for an audience of One… Him!

But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. Exodus 20:6

Oh, will you take the time to delve into the Book of Ruth… whether it’s your first time or your twenty-first time… you will not be sorry!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Stirring Your Faith...

It is 2012! How is your new year going so far?  Just a few days in… I pray it is going good!  I use to find a year ending and a new year beginning to be a little depressing.  Not really sure why… has anyone else felt that way?  My perspective has changed drastically in the last few years.  I love every moment God gave me in 2011, and I am looking with anticipation to each day He presents before me in 2012.  The past year was not all “lollipops and rose petals” but each step I took trusting God, brought me through.

God has been stirring things up in me… stirring is not always the most comfortable feeling, would you agree?  Do you have dreams that you let go long ago?  Has circumstances taken you off course?  Is there a huge “wall” in front of you leaving you feel defeated?  Have you received a promise from God that has fallen by the wayside in your mind?  Maybe this very moment is the time to pray and ask God if He would stir up that thing in you again.  It could be going back to school for your degree… getting married… starting a family… going into business… ???  You know what that thing is for you.

Stirring is a time that will test (grow) your faith… BIG time!  When you are making a cake you put all the ingredients in and then you must stir it to make all those individual items turn into a cake.  I am sure if an egg had feelings it would not be thrilled when it is being whisked into the batter, but stirring is the way to get the end product.  I feel it is kind of the same when God starts stirring.  You may not be thrilled either!  I have said things like, “God, my life is good… I am comfortable right where I am.” Or, “Is my faith really strong enough?”  Or, “I am afraid.”  What God has shown me through this is that He brings these times into our lives to push us to rely on Him more… His strength, His mercy, His grace. 

It says in James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  Stirring… pure joy???  Um, that may not be your first thought on that, but know that each step you do take in faith brings more joy.  You will never persevere if you never take the first step!

I challenge you to keep moving forward, but glance back and see all that God has brought you through.  Remembering where you were to where He has brought you is always a faith builder.  Stand up to His stirring in you.  Trust that if He has stirred up something in you He will give you exactly what you need to complete it.  Choose to live in His truth and promises.

Father God, Forgive our unbelief.  I pray that whatever you are stirring up in each one of us would produce the faith we need to let You be BIG in our lives.  I pray the desire of each heart is what You have placed there.  Let the thoughts, dreams, and visions be what You, Heavenly Father, want for us. Shield us from the darts of the enemy… take fear far from us.  Grow our faith as we accomplish what You have set before us.  Thanking You for who You are… what You have done and are going to do.  In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Want more? Read James 1

The Perfect Gift in an Imperfect World...

Joy to the World… Peace on Earth Goodwill to Men… Jesus is the Reason for the Season… and on and on the sayings go.  Maybe Christmas is not feeling that way to you this year.  You might have had a very hard, trying time in 2011.  Joy is the last thing you are experiencing and as a follower of Christ you have His peace living in you, but the world is far from peaceful. 

Okay, you did not come here to Coffee Cup Corner to be depressed… I do have some good news to share with you!  You are not forgotten!  Even when you feel that God doesn’t seem to be paying much attention to you… He is.  The Greatest Gift of all times is the gift of Jesus Christ.  And the reality is… if our Heavenly Father never did anything for us again except giving us His Son, our Savior… that is still way more than we ever deserve… that is enough of a reason to praise Him forever, through the good and the not so good circumstances.

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  Isaiah 9:6

Why Christmas… why do we celebrate it the way we do… why should we want to partake in the festivities?  In my opinion, the glorious Christmas story is a reminder that our faith is not misplaced.  It’s a reminder, that when God seems to be silent He not necessarily still… when God is still it is not that He is uninterested… and even when we have convinced ourselves that He is uninterested it has nothing to do with His plan for the world or for you.  It reminds us that God can do anything He chooses to do.  And it is a reminder that God pays attention, is moved by and blessed by those who remain faithful.  But most of all Christmas is a reminder that your faith and your hope is not in vain.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  I Corinthians 15:58

The challenge is… will you walk away from the norm… will you be that unique person that no matter the situation, you will choose to walk blamelessly in the eyes of God.  You may be having marital problems… will you say I believe in my vows and I will not just give up?  Or you may be in a work situation where you don’t seem to be moving upward… will you make the decision to still do your job with integrity?  When all is said and done, will you say, I want to know that to the best of my ability I am blameless before God in the way I am choosing to live my life, whether I see God do anything on my behalf or not.

I pray you have a blessed and joyful Christmas!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Love and Patience That Can Only Come From God...

I read this devotional this morning and I knew I needed to share it. It is from "Our Daily Bread" and it is written by David H. Roper.  The scripture to read is Colossians 3:12-17. Hope you get as much out of it as I did.

The Horse and Her Boy

"When I was about 5 years old, my father decided that I needed a horse of my own to care for. So he bought an old bay mare and brought her home to me. I named her Dixie.

Dixie was a formidable beast for me at my age and small stature. No saddle was small enough, no stirrups short enough for my legs, so I rode bareback most of the time.

Dixie was plump, which meant that my feet stuck straight out, making it difficult to stay astride. But whenever I fell off, Dixie would simply stop, look at me, and wait while I tried to climb on her back again. This leads me to Dixie’s most admirable trait: She was wonderfully patient.

I, on the other hand, was less than patient with Dixie. Yet she bore my childish tantrums with stoic patience, never once retaliating. I wish I could be more like Dixie, having patience that overlooks a multitude of offenses. I have to ask myself, “How do I react when others aggravate me?” Do I respond with humility, meekness, and patience? (Col. 3:12). Or with intolerance and indignation?

To overlook an offense. To forgive 70 times 7. To bear with human frailty and failure. To show mercy and kindness to those who exasperate us. To gain such control over our souls—this is the work of God.

God of grace and God of goodness,
Teach me to be ever kind,
Always gentle and forgiving
With the Savior first in mind. —Brandt

Love that is born at Calvary bears and forbears, gives and forgives."

Rejoicing in Truth!

Can You Hear It?

Can you hear it?  Hear what? You might ask.  The sound of God speaking directly to you! 

With the Christmas season upon us I was thinking about the angel sharing the God-given message of the Messiah coming.  (Read Luke 1) Think about Mary getting a visit from the angel Gabriel with a message from God… he told her she was blessed and favored by God!  As that wasn’t enough… then he told her she was going to conceive a child, the Son of God! And what did Mary say to him?  She asked him how this could be since she was still a virgin.  Now comes the most awe inspiring point of this conversation, at least to me… Gabriel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would come on her and the power of the Highest would overshadow her! Conception by the Holy Spirit!!!  He also told her that her cousin, Elisabeth, was also pregnant… Elisabeth was past the age of conception, and at this point Gabriel shared that with God nothing is impossible.  After this whole amazing exchange between Gabriel and a young virgin girl… it almost goes without saying that nothing is impossible with God!

For with God nothing is impossible.  Luke 1:37

You may never have a physical visit from an angel, but you are still hearing from God just like Mary did.  Mary’s story is in our hands, God’s Word, for us to experience in written word, so for me it makes it so much more vivid.  But how would your life encounters with God read if it was written down???  I find when I read about the great experiences in the Bible, I am enthralled… but each one of us have God experiences everyday that we take a breath!  I am sure there are many reasons in your life that you would love to have a personal message from God.  You know what?  We all have that message… individually given to each one of us… His Word, right in our hands.  It is suited to each one of us, if we are just willing to open It and read It. 

God has sent you a message… a Message that will change your eternal life.  His Message of hope, renewal, and forgiveness through His Son.  Will you hear and receive His Message?

I pray your heart will receive His Message new every day, and that your eyes will be opened to His continued presence in this world.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Disjointed...

Do you ever have those times when everything in your life seems to be disjointed? Disjointed might not be a good word for it, but there are times in my life where something just seems to be off to me.  I am not talking about anything tangible… it is more an uneasiness in my spirit.  Could it be the Holy Spirit trying to show me something that needs to be changed or taken care of?  Or maybe is it the devil just trying to take my focus off the Lord.  I know there have been times in the past when I have had this uneasiness and then later finding out it was something God was working on me about… actually preparing me for something BIG!

I must confess I have the problem of being a “small thinker.”  And there have been many instances in my life that being a small thinker has caused me to limit God’s moving in my path.  God is bigger than we can imagine and He has big things in line for each one of us.  We, as followers of Christ, have His Spirit inside us; so this means we have His power to live a life without limits.  There is no mountain that He cannot move… a problem so difficult that He cannot solve… no broken heart that He cannot heal… no stronghold that He cannot break.  Nothing can keep us from His blessings but our own lack of faith or disobedience.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, Ephesians 3:20

At this point I do not have a definite answer to my “disjointedness.”  I have sought God’s Word… I am praying for clarity… I have searched my heart.  I still have a lot of questions, but what I do know is… I will not let this uneasiness take my focus off the things Father has called me to… I will not live by my feelings… I will do my best not to put God in a box… I choose to trust Him no matter where He leads… and I have His peace.

“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

I pray for clarity in your life, as well as mine.  May you truly know that nothing is impossible with Him if you are faithful.  Let life be an adventure with God as your Guide!

Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalms 27:14

For further inspiration read Psalms 27.

Rejoicing in Truth!

What are You Thinkin’?

I am a very inquisitive person.  I have always liked to know how things work… the reasons why things are done a certain way… things need to make sense to me.  A cognitive thinker you might say.  (Cognitive: acquiring knowledge by the use of reasoning, intuition, or perception; relating to thought processes.)  This however has not always been a good thing!

The good part of this is… I am pretty good at Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Sudoku, word finds and crossword puzzles… none of which you can make a living at!!!   The bad part… I am an over-thinker!  If something doesn’t make sense I struggle with believing or following along.  This way of thinking can make things tough as a follower of Christ.  There are so many things that will not make sense to my human brain.  Many times what I am reading in God’s Word gets stuck between my brain and my heart.  I can be like a spoiled child and demand God to explain to me why things are the way they are, but how much good does that do?  Or I can completely trust that He is in control and has it covered.

Reading Psalm 131, I was shown how that we can be like the child who is still demanding food from the momma… we fret and cry and demand God to do what we want Him to do in our lives. Or we can be like the weaned child who sits on the mother’s lap content and satisfied.

Are there things in your life you just do not understand?  Maybe you are demanding things from God that He knows is not in your best interest.  When is the time you learn to be humble, patient, content… trust Him with your whole being and circumstance… even when you do not understand God’s reasoning?  I am not saying you shouldn’t ask God… He wants you to bring your desires and requests to Him.  What I feel this is saying is that no matter how long you have to wait for His answer… you trust Him with faith and patience not fret and worry. Like it says in Psalm 131:3 – “Hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.”  After all, divine logic is so beyond humane thinking or understanding!

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Philippians 4:6 (AMP)

Ask yourself, do you want to keep living in anguish and worry or are you willing to wait in faith, hope and peace???  Can you trust Father while He works it all out in His good, acceptable and perfect will?  I would say that is a resounding, “YES.”  It is not easy, but it is easier when we get our stinkin’ thinkin’ out of the way. 

Remember… nothing is a mystery to God.

Rejoicing in Truth!