Weekend Words

From Beside the Still Waters...

The Christian's Warfare

Read: Ephesians 6:10-24

"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." - Ephesians 6:10

As Christians, we face a life-or-death conflict with the forces of evil.  God is counting on us to enter the conflict and confront our spiritual enemies.  Satan is out to deceive and destroy us with his wiles of lies, schemes, cunning devices, and sinister powers.  But Jesus clearly taught that to receive eternal life, we must deny Satan, sin, and self.  These three are our enemies - always!

In today's Bible reading, the "amour of God" assures our victory because it is designed by our Lord Himself.  He knows we are unable in our own strength to withstand the enemy.  The devil is limited as we rely on God's provisions.  The words "my brethren" shows that the battle is not only personal but also corporate.  Brotherhood unity in Christ is a great aid to victory.

"Loins girt about with truth" indicates that truth is like a belt holding all the spiritual armour together.  We will never prevail if we hold false doctrine.  The "breastplate of righteousness" is our righteousness by faith in Christ. It protects us from Satan's attacks upon our heart, which is the seat of our being.  The "shield of faith" helps us to gain God's perspective so we see beyond our earthly circumstances.  Faith shields us from doubts and discouragements, and it sustains our spiritual life.  Faith protects us from Satan's arrows of selfish living, pleasure, and worldliness.

The "helmet of salvation" establishes right thought patterns and keeps our minds centered on God.  The "sword of the Spirit ... the Word of God" is our only offensive weapon in the spiritual armour.  Effectively using this weapon requires Bible reading as well as daily, active, vital, persistent prayer, "with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

Daniel Miller - Abbotsford, WI

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." - Romans 13:12

From Be Still and Know...

"I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah" (Psalm 3:4)

Throughout the Psalms we find the word "Selah."  One day I discovered a meaning that brought new appreciation and understanding of its use in Scripture.

"Selah" is a musical word, meaning in the Hebrew "rest", "pause", "a lifting up".  In the temple music there would be a rest for the singers while the instruments continued playing.  In the Amplified Bible "Selah" is translated "pause, and calmly think of that".

God put rests in David's life that he might "pause and calmly think" that - God helps, God hears, and God blesses.  David said, "Many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God" (Psalm 3:2, Amplified).  In the rest stops of his life David had learned by experience that "God has helped ME. Selah - pause and calmly think of that."

David recognized God's blessing on his life.  "Your blessing be upon Your people" (v. 8, Amplified).  He could say, "God has blessed ME - pause and calmly think of that."

What God did for David, He will do for us.  At times, we too, need to experience a "Selah" in our lives, a time when we pause and rest.  To be still and rest is good therapy for today's fast pace of living.  The heart strings may be taut, even on the verge of snapping.  Suddenly, God inserts a "Selah", a rest, that we might pause and calmly think of Him.  As we lift our souls to Him, we are refreshed.  The tension lessens, we gain a deeper view of God's goodness, and He becomes more real.

May we not miss the blessing God has for us in our "Selahs" - the times of rest and refreshing in our lives.  Someone has said, "There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it."

Today we can pause and calmly think - God helps ME, God hears ME, and God blesses ME.

  

Natasha's visit...

Here are some photos from Natasha's visit.  Seems like it just started, and it was over, but it was lovely to see her and hopefully she can visit again soon...

she borrowed my hat and backpack to do a hike :)

After lunch at the restaurant...

Natasha, Sophie, Denver, Marnie, Tom, me

Natasha, Denver, Sophie

Natasha, Marnie, Tom

In Marnie's Campfire Beanies...

sisters: Marnie and Natasha

Natasha, me, Marnie

After she left here she flew to Adelaide to visit brother Ben and family...

Ben, Hayley, Hazel (wearing Natasha's glasses), Natasha

And then on to Canberra to visit brother Jefferson and nephew Jaya...

Right now, she is winging her way back to the USA.  We loved to see her, but I'm sure Patrick and the boys are more than ready to have her back home :)

Come back soon... xx

Weekend Words

 From Be Still and Know...

"And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only." (Matthew 17:8)

On day Jesus took Peter, James and John up into a high mountain.  Suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them.  A voice said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him ... And Jesus came and touched, them and said, Arise, and be not afraid.  And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save JESUS ONLY" (Matthew 17:5, 7, 8).

Fear and frustration may fill our lives instead of the peace and joy we once knew.  We may have turned from God's will for our lives, walking in ways of our own choosing.  We may be focusing our eyes in the wrong direction.  We need to lift up our eyes and "See no man, save JESUS ONLY."  

One day a group of people were attending an auction in London.  The auctioneer brought out a dirty looking violin.  He said, "I am offering you a genuine Cremona made by Stradivarius.  It is very valuable.  What am I bid?"  The people however, examined it critically, questioning its authenticity.  Five guineas was the highest bid.

Just then a man entered the shop.  He walked over and picked up the violin.  After carefully tuning it, he placed it in position.  A murmur spread over the crowd - "The great Paganini."  As the bow touched the strings, such beautiful music filled the room the people were spellbound.  When he finished, there was a moment's hush.  Then everyone began clamoring for the violin.

Fifty guineas!  Sixty!  Seventy!  Eighty!  At last Paganini himself received it for one hundred guineas.  Whenever he played it audiences were breathless at the music that came forth under the touch of the master's hand.

Today has the song gone out of your life?  Are the tears falling?  Are you dissatisfied with your life?  Lift your eyes to Him.  Let Him fill your vision.  See JESUS ONLY.

The touch of the Master on your life can bring peace of heart and mind.  He will bring forth the beautiful melody of His life, on the chords of your life.  In turn, your life will be a blessing to others wherever you go.

From Beside the Still Waters...

Little Is Much 

Read: Mark 12:41-44, John 6:3-13

"For who has despised the day of small things?" - Zechariah 4:10

   An African pastor was once at a convenience store in New Orleans, in line behind a young father who was not able to pay for his small purchase.  The pastor handed him enough money to pay the bill, saying, "Remember, Jesus loves you."  They didn't speak any further.

Nine years later the pastor was again in New Orleans, visiting a church, when a man stood up to speak.  He said that years earlier, he and his wife had planned to commit suicide together because they had no work and almost no money.  However, they first wanted to buy a little something to feed their small child.  The little this pastor gave and said there at the store, and the church sign they saw afterwards that said, "Jesus loves you," gave them new hope.  The man and his wife changed their mind, started going to church, and started serving the Lord.

Sometimes we are so taken up with hoping for opportunities to do great things for the Lord, that we overlook the little opportunities that are in front of us in everyday life.  Or we think, "once my ship comes in" or "once my business prospers," we'll give more time and money to the Lord's work.  But God is more pleased with the little things we do today than the big things we intend to do tomorrow.

If we are able to send a large donation, or to give several years of service to church work, great!  But if we can't, let's not wait for the time when we can, but watch for and do the little, unnoticed things that God sets before us day by day.  We may never know on this side of eternity how the Lord can use our little to accomplish great things.

Paul Yoder - Gap Mills, WV

"Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water ... he shall in no wise lose his reward."  

Matthew 10:42

I Thank Thee, Lord

I thank Thee, Lord, that in Thy blood,  My guilt is washed away;

I thank Thee that my eyes behold  A bright and glorious day;

I thank Thee, Lord for faith to see  A world of endless joy in Thee.

I thank Thee for a throne of grace  Where Thou dost bend Thine ear,

And I may breathe my soul's request  When only Thou canst hear;

And hold communion sweet with Thee, When but Thine eye beholdeth me.

I thank Thee for the hope of life  That looks beyond the tomb;

I thank Thee for the light that shines  To cheer me thro' its gloom;

And Lord, for all Thy gifts to me, My loudest praise I give to Thee.

-Fanny Crosby

This morning at church the message was on being 'born again' or born from above/born anew.  I always found the term a bit confusing, so this afternoon I listened to this audio message (MP3) from dontperish.com.  It's about an hour long but divided in to three sections.  It makes the Bible teaching very clear.  And challenging.  Enjoy!!