LOVE BROKE THROUGH

There are some moments that are anticipated and upon entering and passing through them, they disappoint instead of meet our expectations.

I grew up with this little bit of wisdom thrown in from my mom. Don’t anticipate too much and then you won’t be disappointed when it isn’t as great an event as you thought it would be.

God gave me a fairly easygoing nature, so this bit of wisdom made sense to me. Take it as it comes. And in most cases I do.

My daddy often told me not to wear my feelings on my sleeve; I confess, I never learned that one.

And then, there are moments that not only meet, but also exceed our expectations. I could list some but I’m sure you can fill in several in your own life.

Usually these times are astounding. Almost too great for explanation, these appear too wonderful to be true.

Science even tells us hope and anticipation can help divert sadness and depression for years, in rare cases centuries.

The Israelites knew this kind of anticipation. They understood that Jehovah would send a Messiah to rescue them from the evil of the world. Every so often as the years passed a God sighting would rejuvenate these Israelites. They would breathe deeply as they experienced God’s presence in some way; and once again begin their journey with eyes of anticipation toward the future that would bring their Messiah, known as the One. This Messiah would come to save and rescue them into an era of peace and justice. This Messiah would conquer their enemies.

When Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary and her betrothed Joseph, the Holy Spirit pricked the awareness of those that were seeking. Those gently listening souls traveled from near and far around the known world and kneeled bringing gifts. However, the rest of the world failed to recognize. Their anticipations had distorted the Messiah’s coming. They rose against Jesus continuing to expect chariots and wars to arrive bringing the Jewish nation into power and control.

Jesus Christ entered the world with angels attending but few had eyes to see. He lived his daily life as a child, teen, and young adult. There is little written or known about these years. Until the age of thirty He lived a fairly innocuous life. We don’t hear about Him making waves, or causing a raucous. He lived his quiet life with his family.

Until, he didn’t.

When the rumors began to swirl around Jesus Christ possibly being the Messiah, those that had determined what that would look like were disappointed. They kept waiting for those chariots to arrive with those armies to come and destroy any person, nation, even cultures against the Jews.

Yet, Jesus Christ rippled gently across the world as he grew in recognition instead of ripping it open. He came calmly, and gently.

He came as a Lamb.

There were no crashing swords, no chariots screeching, and no cries of attack.

And as the Lamb of God was taken to slaughter, he quietly accepted the cross. His job on earth was to come and show us Yahweh.

Jehovah’s compassion was brought to Golgotha. Those who had eyes to see and ears to hear were pricked to something changing.

Could they describe it? Probably not. But they knew something was happening. Through the passage of Via Dolorosa to the Hill of Golgotha, hanging in shame on a cross, and giving up his Spirit as he entered the depths of darkness to battle Satan for us and our redemption. In the depths of darkness we could not observe, the Messiah warred against Lucifer and his demons and conquered them with the Righteous Sinless Blood of the Lamb of God.

And when LOVE BROKE THROUGH and Jesus walked out of that tomb the world would never be the same.

Those of us that know Him as our personal Savior,

Redeemer and Friend anticipate His return.

We don’t know what that will look like, or when it will be. Yet, we anticipate.

When the world rumbles we get busy trimming our lanterns. We discuss it, get excited about it, wonder if this is the time and remind ourselves, probably not, because He promised no one would know and it would be a total surprise.

With that said, if you don’t know Him in this way, please ask Him for the salvation, and redemption he is anxious to give you. Be adopted into his family. He will never let you go, he fought for you, he is waiting in anticipation for you to receive his free gift of everlasting life with him.

Please don’t be caught unaware. Please receive the Lamb Slain and Risen as your Savior.

For when the LION of JUDAH returns riding on His white horse, on the clouds, in the skies it will way exceed our expectations!

We wait in anticipation to celebrate this day.

Because HE IS the I AM, i am,

Robyn Rochelle Cox

©RR&BC, LLC 2021

Be Thou My Vision

“Where there is no vision from God, the people run wild,

but those who adhere to God’s instruction know genuine happiness.”

Proverbs 29:18 (VOICE)

I read two things this week that inspired me. The first said that who we are is based on our dominant thoughts and desires. The second is a quote by Kevin Eikenberry: “We move toward our future one day at a time. But where we move depends entirely on our vision.” For me, these thoughts directly tie in to our two church-wide studies. In “40 Days of Purpose” we learned that each of us has a unique combination of talents, and that God has a purpose to use these talents to serve others. In “40 Days of Prayer” we are learning how to communicate with God, and that it is through prayer and studying the Word, that we understand God’s will for us. The goal of both studies is to encourage us in our faith journey and assist us in maturing as Christians.

So we need to be honest with ourselves. Who are we today? What consumes our thoughts, and what do our hearts desire? If we say we are Kingdom seekers, but are not pursuing Kingdom goals, we may need to refocus our priorities. Likewise, if our vision is not aligned with God’s plans, we may need to spend more time talking with the Father and discerning a clear direction. The good news is it’s never too late to get it right. God can use our missteps for his good, but we need to do our part. We need to communicate with God through prayer and submit to his will, trusting that our heavenly Father has only good plans for us.

It is believed that the words to today’s hymn could date back as far as the 8th century. Mary Byrne (1880-1931) translated the old Irish text into English in 1905. It was then put into verses in 1912 by Eleanor Hull (1860-1935) and published in her “Poem Book of the Gael.” In 1919, it was published in “The Irish Church Hymnal,” and paired with the hymn tune SLANE. SLANE was written by an unknown composer in honor of St. Patrick. On Easter Sunday in 433, an Irish king, in observation of a Druid festival, prohibited people from lighting fires. St. Patrick climbed Slane Hill and lit a fire, in direct defiance of the king’s decree, to show people that God’s light shines through the darkness. (www.bayviewbiblechurch.org and www.umcdiscipleship.org)

Be Thou My Vision (UMH #451)

Words: Ancient Irish; trans. By Mary E. Byrne, 1905

Music: Trad. Irish Melody (SLANE)

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word;

I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

Great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.

Great God of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

We should all be asking ourselves two questions: “Who am I?” and “Where am I going?” We want to be sure we are focused on God, allowing him to show us his vision for our lives, and following the path he sets before us. Are you walking with the Father daily? If you have gotten off track or have lost your way, stop and turn to God, and He will show you the way.

Have a blessed week,

Forgiveness

This week in our “40 Days of Prayer,” we are continuing to discover the richness and depth of using “The Lord’s Prayer” as a model for our prayers. Jesus gave it to us not so much as to show us what specific words to pray, but more as an example of “how” to pray. Using this model prayer, Jesus shows us the various components that will enrich our personal prayer life. Jesus introduced “The Lord’s Prayer” by saying, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.9 This, then, is how you should pray…” Matthew 6:7-9

Two nights ago, in our Wednesday Night Gathering, we spent much of our time sharing about confessing our sins to God asking for His forgiveness (“forgive us our sins”), and forgiving others who have hurt and offended us (“as we forgive those who sin against us”).

In his video teaching for this week, Pastor Rick made a powerful observation as to how God forgives us. He said, “God forgives us instantly, freely, completely and permanently.” If you think of each of these 4 truths, we begin to understand that God’s forgiveness is truly stunning! It stands in stark contrast in a world that knows so little about forgiveness. Even among Christians who regularly pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” we find a fragile and malnourished concept and practice of forgiveness. We pray asking God to forgive our sins, while we choose to hold on to past hurts, offenses that others have done to us. (Re-read Melissa’s poignant devotional sent to you yesterday!)

How do we break the stronghold in our hearts of unforgiveness and walls we’ve built around us as the result of our holding on to past hurts reliving them again and again? God gives us the key in Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and tenderhearted to on another; and forgive one another as God has forgiven you through Christ!” To break free, we must forgive others the same way that God has forgiven us! We might recoil at the thought. Some of our hurts are severe and from our perspective, seem humanly impossible to forgive. Pastor Rick reminded us, “You will never have to forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you!” 

The key to releasing the hurts and sins of others against us, no matter how severe and traumatizing, is to fully comprehend – not only with our intellect but our hearts, too – just how much God has forgiven us. I know that if God kept a record of all my sins, just how endless and long that list would be! But God, in His unfathomable grace and the work of Jesus on the cross, has chosen to forgive me when I ask instantly, freely, completely and permanently! God, in His great love, refuses to keep a record of our sins (1 Cor. 13:5) and chooses not to remember them as some of us do to each other. Not only that, God tells us that His steadfast love never ceases, and that His mercies never come to end – they are new every morning! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

On June 12th, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall that separated East and West Berlin. That wall represented a barrier between freedom and oppression. The wall kept those in tyranny from experiencing liberty. Sternly and passionately, President Reagan addressed the Soviet Premier and world demanding “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

In our life’s quest to be more like Jesus each day, and to experience true liberty from guilt, shame, remorse and regrets, let us answer the passionate cry of the Holy Spirit to each one of us, “Tear down this wall!” Let’s partner with God and tear down our walls of unforgiveness towards others built by holding on to and reliving all our hurts and pains – and release them to God by forgiving others as God has forgiven us!

Blessings!

Pastor Bill

Thick Places

Recently, I shared information about Thin Places to seek out and find in our surroundings. Those thin places that lend themselves to getting close to God. A chair, a closet, a corner, or as the Wesley brothers experienced with their own mother, Susanna Wesley, an apron to throw over our heads. On any given day between 1700 and 1720, Susanna would quickly throw her apron up over her head with ten children running around, learning their facts, how to read, how to cook. She would find her thin place right amongst the little ones. It reminds me to reassure young parents homeschooling their children in this pandemic, you are not alone, your situation will not damage your children, in fact, as they see you lean on the Lord, they will learn themselves to lean into Him. Just look at John and Charles Wesley.

However, that brings me to the Thick Places we are all encountering today. Are these places harder for us than our ancestors? No. Are these places difficult to maneuver? Yes. Our ancestors had to learn to maneuver through them and we have to do the same. Every generation has endured hardship. These are the thick places I am referring to.

Some of the thick places that we are attempting to manage and live joyfully through are not just out of our control, but downright depressing. We have the Pandemic right now. Thank God we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel — yet, we are not out of the woods. We have the political positions of not just our country, but also other countries. We have the ugliness of murder and mayhem, the shame of sexual attack and dysfunction. We have children being exposed to inappropriate behavior and some stuck in homes with disheartened or angry parents. The thick places multiply.

How do we live a Kingdom driven life with so much energy being spent on picking our feet up and pulling them out of these thick places one-step at a time?

Continual prayer. It is the only way we are able to climb into bed at the end of our days finding the peace that passes all understanding. Allowing our minds and hearts to usher into our thin places with God the Almighty; the Three-in-one God as we are continually hit with another barrage of thick places is the ultimate challenge. Do we give up? No. We remember that even Christ asked for the cup of the cross to be taken away from him. Where did He look? Where did His help come from? It came from Abba, His Father. We have been given guidance by Jesus himself, “Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Give us this moment LORD. Get us through this with Your strength, Your knowledge, Your love. Give us the courage it takes to live expecting miracles from your hand, let us be brave enough to ask for what we wish in your name. Remind us that when we asked you into our hearts you came in and now reside in us and we are able to ask you to give us wisdom in every situation, in all the thick places we walk into all day long.

Let us fall to sleep every night knowing that you are in this place with us. You were in these places in the past with our ancestors and with all of the struggles they had to forge forward through, and you are already in the future where we are going.

As a believer of God, Lord and Savior,

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Because He IS the I AM, I am

Robyn Rochelle Cox

©RR&BC, LLC 2021

rrandbc@readthebiblewithrobyncox.com

“For where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.”

Matthew 6:21 (AMP)

Several interesting articles hit my inbox this week. The common theme running through these articles is that you have to practice your “craft” – whatever it is – if it’s important to you. And if you aren’t regularly practicing your craft, it’s not important. Can you call yourself a painter if you never paint, or a builder if you never build, or a teacher if you never teach? If you aren’t spending time doing whatever your thing is, why not? Maybe it was part of your past, something you used to enjoy, but outgrew. Or maybe it’s something you still like doing, but don’t make the time to do. The Bible tells us in both Matthew and Luke that where our treasure is, that is where our heart is. How we invest our time is important, and it says a lot about who we are.

It made me think about our “40 Days of Prayer” study. We are learning about prayer. We are learning how to pray. We are learning how to be a praying Church. Many of us are learning how to make prayer a priority. It’s important. If we don’t spend time talking to God, how can we say we want a relationship with Him? We have a wonderful, merciful, and loving Father who just wants to spend time with us, and he’s given us direct access to Him through prayer.

James Montgomery (1771-1854) wrote “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire” in 1818.  His poem originally had eight verses, and was used in Sunday School classes before he published it in “The Christian Psalmist” in 1825. This hymn is considered by some to be the greatest hymn on the subject of prayer. Montgomery wrote over 400 hymns, six of which are included in our hymnal, including “Hail to the Lord’s Annointed” (UMH #203), “Angels from the Realms of Glory” (UMH #220), “Go to Dark Gethsemane” (UMH #290), and “Stand Up and Bless the Lord” (UMH #662).

Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire (UMH #492)

Words: James Montgomery, 1818

Music: USA campmeeting melody

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, unuttered or expressed,

The notion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, the falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eye, when none but God is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try;

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high.

Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice, returning from their way,

While angels in their songs rejoice and cry, “Behold, they pray!”

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air;

Their watchword at the gates of death; they enter heaven with prayer.

O  Thou, by whom we come to God, the Life, the Truth, the Way:

The path of prayer thy self hast trod; Lord, teach us how to pray!

As we continue to learn about prayer, let’s also continue to build the habit of praying. Let’s make being in relationship with God, communicating with Him, our priority. Being able to talk with Him is a privilege and a blessing. Our heavenly Father is eagerly waiting to hear from us.

Have a blessed week,

What is God Really Like?

Have you ever asked people, “What’s God like? Not your “church” definition, but for you personally, what is God like?” You’ll get some surprising answers. Some people think God is like an angry parent. Nothing you do ever measures up and quick to scold you for failing to meet expectations. You never know whether you’ll get a hug or a spanking!

Some people view God as the “cosmic cop” waiting for you to cross the line, to violate the law, and come down hard to punish you!  Others see God as a cosmic “Santa Claus” who keeps a list of who’s naughty or nice – and checking it twice!  Others see God as a “genie in a bottle” obligated to grant your every wish and desire. Still others view God as the creator who threw this world together, then vacated the premises to live trillions of light years away. Disinterested, uninvolved, He watches your life unwind from a distance.

Here’s the deal. It really doesn’t matter what we think God is like or how we view God. What matters is who God really is, and what He is really like. We can be very sincere in our view of God, and be sincerely wrong.

During this Lenten season we’ve been studying Rick Warren’s “40 Days of Prayer.” One of the things Pastor Rick points out is this difference between what we think God is like, and what God is really like. And in this study, Pastor Rick presents 5 amazing truths that we can know about God because God has revealed these truths about Himself in His Word, the Bible. I found these truths to be so helpful and powerful, that I shared them two days ago when I spoke at a funeral of a young man who was one of my son’s best friends through High School and thus, part of our family. I shared these truths because of the comfort and encouragement they bring. I also used them to share with the readers of the Carroll County Times newspaper in my religious column for this month.

First, God is our Father. God desires an intimate, up-close personal relationship with Him. Jesus said, “Pray this way, “Our Father…” The Greek word for “Father” is “Abba.” It translates as a term of endearment known around the world by every culture: “Daddy” or “Papa.”  Through faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross forgiving our sins, we can know the eternal God of the universe as our “Father!” That’s the relationship God desires with us!

Second, God is a caring Father! The Bible says we can cast every care, worry and burden upon God for He cares for us! (1 Peter 5:7) God wants us to experience His care in every area of our lives. Pastor Rick said, “If it’s big enough to worry about, then it’s big enough to pray about!” God is a caring Father. He is always sympathetic to our needs and cares enough to get involved.

Third, God is a consistent Father. His love for us is constant and unchanging. God’s love for us is not based on our performance, but on His character – which is love! God never breaks His promises and we can always count on Him to see us through.

Fourth, God is a close Father. God is not distant, absent or unavailable when you need Him. You never get a “busy signal” from God. He is always with us, each and every step of our lives. He never stops thinking about us, as we are always on His mind. Psalm 34:18 “God is close to the brokenhearted…” and Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Fifth, God is a competent Father. God can handle every problem and situation we bring to Him because nothing is impossible for God. (Luke 1:37) God can do it all!

There are still several weeks left before Easter. If you are not participating in our 40 Day journey, why not finish this Lenten season studying who God is and what He is like – not from people’s views or opinions, but from God’s Word? Such a study will motivate you to not just to learn about God – but to really know Him and build a relationship with Him as your Heavenly Father. There’s a world of difference between knowing about God and knowing God. The deep desire of God’s heart is that we know Him as our Father who is caring, close, consistent and competent. And He took the first steps by coming to the earth He created as Jesus Christ, dying on a cross for our sins, and rising from the dead. Our step is to believe – to trust in the work of Jesus and make Him our Lord and Savior. It’s a simple prayer of faith that profoundly changes your life both in the “here and now” and for all eternity!

Blessings!

Pastor Bill

Praise Him Anyway…

Psalm 96:1-3 “Oh sing to the LORD a new song!  Sing to the LORD all the earth.  Sing to the LORD, bless His name, Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

The other day, I was listening to Pastor Bill’s sermon on prayer while walking on the treadmill and as I listened, God brought to mind Ava’s final days in the hospital.

For months, my family had prayed and believed the Lord was going to miraculously heal Ava.  We laid hands on her as a family, taking turns praying over her.  We anointed her with oil and prayed.  We cried out loud and silently, day and night, begging God for her healing.  There were times I could even be found marching around Ava’s room, quoting scripture and almost shouting my prayers, like a mad woman. 

During this time, Ava and I were both struggling.  We knew God could heal her body in a single breath.  We had seen Him do it before, but we couldn’t understand why our prayers seemed to go unheard and completely unanswered now.  I had explained to Ava months before, that God was not a genie in a bottle and there to grant our every wish and every prayer, but this – what my baby girl was enduring every single day – was almost too much for my heart to bear and my mind to comprehend.

The day before Ava died, my family and I were gathered around her bed, crying and praying.  Ava hadn’t spoken or opened her eyes in over 36 hours and it was clear her body was shutting down.  As we all held onto Ava, I prayed out loud reminding God that just as Jesus raised Lazarus and Jairus’s daughter from the dead, we were still believing He could raise Ava too. 

I remember telling God that if He was going to turn the situation around, now would be a good time because it looked like we were in the b0ttom of the 9th inning.  And then as the tears streamed down my face, I looked up at everyone in the room and asked the question, “When God doesn’t answer your prayers the way you want Him to, what do you do?”

Almost in unison, each of us answered, “you praise Him anyway.”

You praise Him anyway… 

You praise Him in the moments when your heart is shattered and you praise Him when your joy is overflowing.  You praise God when you are on the mountaintop and when face down in the darkest valley.  When you understand life and even when you don’t.  You praise Him when your bank account is full and when you have less than a dollar left to get by.

You praise Him in the storm and in the rainbows.  In the reunions and in the missing.  You praise Him with every new birth and like our family, you praise Him even in death.  In all ways and in all things, praise Him.

Although God did not answer our prayers the way we wanted Him to, He did answer our prayers, giving Ava a full and glorious healing, once and for all.  I take comfort in knowing Jesus was there, waiting to welcome my baby home, with arms wide open.  And so today, even in the quiet, even in the missing, even when it’s hard, I choose to praise Him anyway.  It’s a decision made not based on feelings but based on knowing who God is, having a relationship with Him and standing firm on His truths. 

The question is: when life gets tough, will you, choose, to praise Him anyway…

Psalm 95:6-7

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.  For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand.

Blessings,

A Peculiar Person for God

She was a person I admired. A mother of one of my second grade students, an administrator in the school district, and the wife of an officer fighting in Desert Storm.

I was her daughter’s teacher leaving my teaching career and flying to a foreign country to live and teach European women how to write Bible Studies in their own language with Greater Europe Mission

Her husband had sent an email from overseas asking her to support the mission I was called to.

We talked after school one day.

“Ms. E., You are what my father called ‘a peculiar person for God.’ ” Her father had been a minister. On the envelope that held their donation was written Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9

To be honest, I didn’t really know how to receive this comment. Thankfully she added verses as a reference.

“Our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14 KJV

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 KJV

In this context we find that peculiar people are the treasured of God. His children that are living lives sold out to His Light. What a blessing that this woman shared this with me. They are a source of encouragement to this day.

Are you aware of your calling to be a peculiar person for the LORD? It is a marvelous place to live. The word has a different connotation in today’s world, but it doesn’t hinder us from taking the word and questioning ourselves. Are we in the world and of the world? Or are we walking that treasured line of being in the world but not of it.

John 15:19 “If you were of the world the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Today I share this truth with you. You, no matter your name or your history, if you are a person that has received Jesus Christ as your savior, you are hated by the world yet a valued treasure to the One True God. So, when the world knocks you down, remember He holds you up.

Sweating – October 2006

I’m in a country that likes to work. They are workers, these Germans. I myself like a good, hard challenge. Obviously: I’m forty-nine years old, learning a new language, living in a new culture, investigating new relationships, investing in intense relationship with God.

But, what about sweating? I’ve read that little book, “Don’t Sweat the Little Things.” It had some interesting thoughts, although most I found less than revolutionary, some I completely disagreed with. But sweating? When I think of hard work, I think of good, hard work.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about working – working for God. Do I really need to work? What is really important? What does Christ say about working?

From what I can discover, Christ isn’t really into hard labor over the same things that we have a tendency to be ‘working on’ – i.e. sweating over for Him.

He made it clear that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. So, why do I insist on falling into that ‘hardworking/sweating’ model?

I’ve come to the conclusion it is because I don’t work on what He wants me to work on.

What does He want me to work on?

My relationship with Him.

That’s it. That’s all.

Prayer, communion in Him, sliding into my red prayer chair and going to that place where we commune together, or as Jill Briscoe told me once, “Learn how to close your eyes and see Him right there with you.”

I want to make a difference for Him.

Yet,

Counter to my thought process:

Spending time with Him

REALLY spending time with Him

WORK at spending time with HIM

Commit to spending time with Him

On my knees

In my chair

Face on the floor

Journaling to HIM in a café

Sharing a thought with HIM

Sharing ALL thoughts with HIM

Loving Him

Snuggling with HIM

Desiring Him

Meditating on Him

On His word

On His promises

This is the WORK that makes a difference for HIM!

I want to learn how to sweat in my enjoyment of Him.

Good Grief! He’s doing the big stuff.

By: your mutating missionary Robyn Rochelle

__________________

Sharing a journal entry I wrote my first months on the mission field in 2006.

Because HE IS the I  AM, i am

Robyn Rochelle Cox

© RR&BC, LLC

Something that Pastor Rick Warren said in one of his teaching videos that we’re watching through the week as part of our church’s “40 Days of Prayer” really caught my attention. He talked about imagining in heaven, that an angel showed you a massive room filled with every kind of blessing and answer to prayer you could ever imagine and more! “These are all the blessings and answers to prayer that God wanted to give you while you were on earth.” Our natural response would be, “Why didn’t I get them when I needed them?” And the angel replies, “Because you never asked for them!”

James 4:2 “…you do not have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” Often times I don’t pray because I know that God knows what I need and if He wants to give it to me, He will! Some of you may feel that way, too. In fact, in Matthew 6 just before Jesus teaches His disciples what we call “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus says, “Your Father knows exactly what you need before you ask!” However, after Jesus reveals that truth, He goes on and says, “Pray like this…” God wants us to pray about everything, talking to Him and listening to Him. Part of our prayers is “supplication” – asking God to meet our needs.

Pastor Rick’s illustration helped me to understand more fully that our Father loves to answer our prayers. And He also loves to have His kids (you and me) come into His presence and ask Him to meet our needs. He loves our “Father-child” relationship. This is why we were created: for God to love us and for us love God in a personal, up-close relationship. And because of Jesus and His work on the cross, we can have this intimacy of “Father and son,” or “Father and daughter.”

I love when my kids come and ask me for help. (For decades I was the “official jar opener” when no one else could do it!) I love to feel like they still need their Dad, even though there’s much they can do themselves. Our Father in heaven feels the same way. Everything is His, and as His children all He has is freely given to us – but, He loves us to ask! He loves when we depend on Him and trust Him with every area of our lives. He loves when we come to Him admitting our need and our own inability to meet that need ourselves, and then asking for His help.  In all things big and small, God wants us to pray, asking for His help and depending on Him.

One of my decisions and commitments made so far in our 40-day journey is to be more intentional in having an ongoing conversation with God including asking Him to meet my every need. Not just the ones I can’t manage by myself, but every need so I grow more and more dependent on Him.

So, how about we make it a point to pray and ask – and empty that storehouse in heaven of all the blessings and answers to prayer that God wants to give us?

Blessings!

Pastor Bill

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me?

Psalm 56:3-4

It had been cold and snowy in the Berkshires, until a sudden warm front rolled in that January night, shrouding the old hills in a thick, velvety fog.  I let Gracie (our Golden Retriever) out after dinner for her evening reconnoiter. I was poking the fire in the woodstove and when I heard her barking rather emphatically out in the yard.  I looked out the window.  There she stood in the mist, turning a slow circle and sounding off into the gloom.  A deep, chesty bark, assertive but not aggressive, slightly muffled, the effort lifting her front paws a bit off the ground with each volley.  “What’s got into her?” my wife, Julee, asked, joining me at the window.  “The fog,” I said.  “It messes with her night vision”.  Goldens have superb eyesight, even in the dark.  But not tonight.  She couldn’t see past her own wet black nose.  “Should I go get her? I asked Julee.  “No leave her.  She’s just doing her job.”  

What a thought!  Gracie was barking out warnings to any would-be-intruders who might infiltrate her yard under the cover of fog, warding off threats, letting the hills know she was on duty, keeping us safe.  What a brave dog!

I wondered if I was that brave – brave when it counted, brave in my faith. I like to believe my faith is clear and unwavering and yet there are times when I can’t see my way, when my spiritual visibility is comprised by the fog of fear or doubt or regret.  It is at those moments that I must stand in the dark and proclaim my trust in that unseen heaven. 

“Gracie is too brave to let a little fog bother her,” Julee said.  I would be brave, too, the next time a spiritual fog found me.

Prayer:  When I grope and falter, when I fear and I doubt, lead me, Lord, through the gloom to Your eternal light.

Written by Edward Grinnan – 2021 Daily Guidepost

Submitted by Sharon Fryer

“Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7 (MEV)

I’ve been singing at Hereford Faith & Life Church for as long as I can remember. I started out singing in Sunday School, then with the children’s choir, then joined the adult choir in my teens. I sang with the Praise Team for a while, and with the Coffee House band. Now I am the choir director for our traditional, classic worship service. Music is part of who I am. I sing the old hymns, contemporary Christian music, country gospel, and praise choruses. No matter what genre you prefer, it’s all music that praises God and connects us with our Creator.

I was texting with a dear friend and fellow singer over the weekend. We were chatting about what a blessing the hymns are. There are hymns for all seasons of the Church, and for all seasons of our lives. No matter what we go through, there is a hymn of encouragement, comfort or praise. I know a lot of people have a favorite hymn. For me, though, every time I turn the page, I find a new favorite. We have great well-known hymns like “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “Amazing Grace,” and “It Is Well with My Soul.” And we have less familiar, but equally wonderful songs like “The Summons,” “God Is Here,” and “O God, Beyond All Praising.” They speak to our relationship with God. But sometimes our favorite hymns are so familiar, we sing the words by rote instead of really hearing and understanding what we sing. Our hymns – both traditional and contemporary – are great material to use in our daily worship time, and can be wonderful prayers.

Some weeks when Pastor Bill shares his sermon title and the scripture with me, I spend hours researching, and pouring over lyrics, and praying that God will lead me to the perfect hymns to support the week’s message. Often, though, I read a scripture, and a song immediately pops into my thoughts. That happened when I read this week’s memory verse for our “40 Days of Prayer” study. I read “Cast all your care upon Him…” and immediately started humming “Cares Chorus.” In Sunday’s message, Pastor Bill said that sometimes the simplest prayers are the most powerful. This song is a perfect example of this. Sing these words slowly and prayerfully, and release all your cares and worries to God.

Cares Chorus (TFWS #2215)

Words: Kelly Willard, 1978

Music: Kelly Willard, 1978

I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

And anytime that I don’t know what to do

I will cast all my cares upon you.

This week find an unfamiliar “new to you” hymn to reflect on, or revisit an old favorite with new eyes. Is God speaking to you through the words of the songwriter? Are you learning new truths or gaining better understanding of God? Most importantly, are you growing closer to God by praising and praying through the hymns?

Have a blessed week,

Julie Morgan