Ain't No Mountain High Enough

God created you to do amazing things!

Ephesians 2:10

 

There are some situations we encounter that seem completely impossible and overwhelming.  When we are faced with these daunting situations, what do we do?  Well, the easy thing would be to just give up, pitch a tent at the foot of that mountain, and decide this is where I will live, please have my mail forwarded here.  

 

I had a truckload of gravel being delivered to my house. I didn't realize how big a truckload was and was not prepared for it.  But our HOA had already let me know that I needed to get that pile out from in front of our house IMMEDIATELY.  So, I grabbed a shovel and a wheel barrow and began moving it to the back of the house.  It took several hours before I could even see any progress being made, but after a short break I was back at it.  Little by little that mountain became a hill, then a mound, then it was gone.  

 

When we encounter overwhelming situations, we must develop a plan to deal with the issues.  We must rely on God, because it's HIS job to get us where He has planned for us.  And remember, God has enabled you to do amazing things...so what's stopping you? 

To The Rescue

Tell everyone who is discouraged, be strong and don't be afraid! God is coming to your rescue.

Isaiah 35:4

 

As I am writing this, Vivaldi is playing on my phone.  I love classical music.  It rescues my mind from the stresses, frustrations, anxieties, and the general uneasiness of daily life.  It's an incredible feeling to be rescued.  As a matter of fact, one of my favorite teacher is our rescue dog Woodybear.  He knows exactly how to rescue me from myself.  When I am stressed, he puts his chin on the arm of my chair so I'll focus on him and rub him.  When he hears the shower come on, he makes a dash to the bathroom and bumps the door open to make sure I'm okay.  Woody teaches me about being grateful for being rescued.

 

Think about this, when you are rescued, are you grateful?  Do you say "Thank You"?  When God rescues you from your situation, which your own decisions got you there, are you thankful?  

 

Have you ever been discouraged?  I mean REALLY discouraged where your only thought is "why bother"?  Guess what, God is coming to the rescue!  When we focus on HIM and give all our situations, all our feelings, all the dramas, all of our everything to Him...He comes to our rescue!  Faith gives us the ability to be strong and to be unafraid, because we KNOW God is our rescuer!!! 

What Do You See?

Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever.

Isaiah 9:1 

 

Believe it or not, I pray for God to inspire my soul with these devotions.  God is always faithful.  Sometimes He brings a thought to mind, sometimes He brings a verse to mind, and sometimes He shows me something that a friend is enduring.  This devotion is not exception.  God reminded me that some are enduring darkness and despair.  Because of that, they are in need of encouragement, so here goes.

 

When I was in grade school, my family would take vacation to the Southwest to a conference center called Glorieta in New Mexico.  While I love the Southwest, I didn't like the conference center because, being introverted and socially awkward, I spent most of my time alone.  I remember, one evening after dinner, walking down a path back to our cabin.  I had a flashlight and shined it on the path so I wouldn't trip over something, being that I have always been the graceful sort.

 

About halfway to our cabin, one of maintenance workers was sitting in a chair looking up.  I muttered a greeting and was stepping around him when he said, "Boy, want to see something incredible? Turn off that flashlight, stop looking at the dirt, and look up."  I figured I had nothing to lose, so I did.  Looking up, the sky was so clear and dark with stars shining so brightly.  I can't tell you how long we sat there watching the night sky counting the shooting stars, but for once in my life I felt freedom from all my worries and concerns.  My new friend told me, "You know why this is so amazing?  Because God reminds us that we can only see this sight when it's dark.  Think about it, God's telling us when our world seems dark, if we look up, He's always there."

 

Now, my first thought was this guy is a maintenance worker, how did he come up with such a profound concept.  Then God reminded me that He used fishermen to get the message of love to the people.  As a matter of fact, God reminded me that His Son was a carpenter.  Never underestimate God's methods of delivering His message!  And when despair & darkness surround you....look to God.  His light is always shining on us and in us.

Under Pressure

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. 

We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.

2 Corinthians 4:8

 

Have you ever felt as if the world was pressing in so much that you would be crushed at best, and go insane at worst.  So much pressure is being placed on you that you can understand how a lump of coal feels when it's being turned into a diamond.  What are we to do when the stress and anxiety come crashing down on us?  The Apostle points out the they were not crushed. Why?  Maybe because being crushed would be the easy way out.

Perhaps the Apostle is reminding us that our enemy will use whatever means he must to cause us to become ineffective and/or question God's control of everything!  If he can get us to give up and focus only on ourselves because of everything we are dealing with, then we become ineffective.  

Think about this:  People aren't as interested in your situations and all you have to deal with as much as they are watching to see how you are dealing with it.  Are you trusting God or are you ranting like a lunatic?

Choose Wisely And Brace Yourself

Do not be deceived. God cannot be fooled. For a person will reap what he sows.

Galatians 6:7

 

I got one of those newfangled FitBit thingies.  It keeps track of the steps I take, how long I sit without walking (when I am usually reading), how much water I drink, the foods I eat, my heart rate, and so much more.  It's a bit unnerving to say the least to have one's life controlled by this device.  I even have to recharge it ever couple of days, so it's almost as it I am wearing a pet on my wrist.

 

But guess what I discovered?  I can increase the number of steps registered simply by moving my arm so I don't have to get out of my chair.  I can add however much water to the program as I want to make it appear that I am almost drowning (by the way, I have noticed that the more water I actually drink leads to an increase in steps.  Yep, I have reached that age).  I can add, or not log, the food I eat so it appears that I am eating healthier. I can go to great lengths to fool this device into believing I am making good healthy choices. 

 

What does this have to do with anything?  I can fool this device, yet when I go to the doctor for a check-up, the truth will come out.  You see, if I make the choice to adhere to the goal of eating better, drinking more water, moving more, I will begin to feel better. 

 

How many times do we pretend to be "Godly" in front of others, yet in reality we are just being fake?  We'll slap on a concerned look or shout Hallelujah a lot or pretend to pray for others......believe it or not, we can't fool God.  God knows when we are insincere.  God knows when we are pretending.  God knows....and He allows us do experience the consequences of our decision to be fake.  Therefore, perhaps it's time to actually BE sincere.  Perhaps it's time that I actually follow the healthy habits this device is trying to instill.

And He Was Moved With Compassion

 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.

Luke 7:12 

 

Picture it.....Jesus, and those following Him, were on their way to a village called Nain.  Coming out of the village was a funeral procession.  In those days, it was hard enough being a widow with a son to take care of you, but to be a widow with no one to care for you meant your life would be immeasurably more difficult.  At the back of this procession was a widow who was having to bury her only son.  This meant this evening would be a meal for one...a conversation for one...an empty home...a hole in her heart...and more tears than could ever be counted. I can almost guarantee part of her was wondering if she would ever be able to survive such a loss.  

I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but I have seen far too many people face such a loss of a loved one and give up.  They stop living and just exist.  They no longer have any joy.  They wonder how they will be able to continue without their loved one.  I have sat with too many who have looked me in the face and asked, "What will I do now?" I also understand that chances are whatever I say in that moment will never be heard, so I rely on Romans 12:15, where Paul tells us to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."  

Having compassion for others will move us to reach out to them.  That's what happened when Jesus saw the procession, "When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion" (Luke 7:13).  Jesus' heart went out to this widow.  What did He do to help comfort her?  First, Jesus told her "Don't cry."  I'll bet she had heard those words before from well meaning people.  I'll wager in her heart she was screaming "How DARE you! You have NO IDEA what I am feeling!"  But Jesus didn't just say words to her, He went a step further and let His compassion move Him into action!  Jesus touched the coffin, told the boy to wake up, and then He gave the boy back to his mother!

Now I don't have the ability to raise the dead, but I do have the ability to let my compassion lead me to action!  How about you?

 

 

So You Want To Have An Impact

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

Matthew 5:13 

 

I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't have some kind of impact on those around them.  Don't believe me?  Next time you are ticked off, watch the people you work with and see how they react to you.  Next time you are happy, look at your family and see how they react to you.  We have an impact on those with whom we have contact, whether we like it or not.  If you want to have an impact of Significance (positive impact) then here's a few things to consider:

 

1. Selfless Devotion: True people of Significance don't care WHO gets the credit, and they don't complain about the role they fil.

 

2. Mission Focus:  True people of Significance focus on the right objectives and don't waste time pursuing things that really don't matter.

 

3.  Harmonious Manner: True people of Significance nurture harmony with others to achieve the greater good. They set aside petty differences and choose to overlook offenses because they recognize that the enemy is outside the camp.If the enemy is outside the camp, do NOT invite him in!

 

4.  Contagious Joy: True people of Significance inspire humility and unity in others, a combination that translates into joy.  Joyous people have the greatest opportunity to impact others positively, and they rarely leave a room the same way they found it.

 

So....ask yourself:

 

*  Would you rather be a person of significance or a person of renown?  True people of Significance seek to fulfill the role God has assigned them.  The present assignment!  God will take care of getting you to His future assignments.  

 

*  Which is more important to you, the QUALITY of your impact on the world or the SIZE of it?  We have been conditioned to think both are equally important.  However, in reality, only one of them is the MOST important.  True people of Significance focus on the QUALITY of their impact on those with whom they have contact.   

Renovation

Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!

Psalm 66:5 

 

There are times when I seem to be cruising on autopilot.  I go from appointment to appointment, trying to help or, at least, bring some perspective to those who need.  Yet, outside of that, I get stuck in a routine.  I get home from work, change clothes, chase Woody Bear around for a bit, get something to eat and drink, sit in my chair and zone out.  In getting stuck in that routine, I miss a LOT of what God has done and is doing!  So it's time for one of those renovation interventions.

 

I am taking next week, Holy Week, as vacation so that I may focus more on contemplating what God has done and what He is doing.  I call it a Contemplative's Retreat because I will be doing a lot of thinking, pondering, and observing.  

Remember When?

I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it.

Luke 18:7 

 

As a child, I had a vivid imagination!  I would sit for hours staring out of my bedroom window watching the squirrels plant their acorns and wondered what they must be thinking.  Were they making a mental note of where the acorns could be found when they were needed?  What did they talk about?  I was fascinated by the structure of leaves.  The stars were amazing to me.  I had a sense of wonder, as children do.

 

When did I lose that sense of wonder?  I'm not sure.  It didn't happen all at once.  It was drained from me slowly when I began to replace it with such poisons as anger, hatred, busyness, indifference.  I had gone from a sense of wonder to a sense of apathy.  It took me years to figure out what had happened, and it took many more years to, at least partially, return to that sense of wonder.

 

Jesus tells us that we must accept the Kingdom of God as it we were a child.  We must return to that sense of wonder!  That place where we love without condition.  That place where we can get along!  That place where we are so fascinated with the risen Christ that we keep Him in the forefront of our thoughts!  Let's return to that Sense of Wonder!

By The Same Standard

 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.

John 8:15

Have you ever felt as though you were being judged?  When we judge others, we are usually attempting to make ourselves look better by making someone else look worse.  So we judge people by their looks, their clothes, their job, their neighborhood, their house, their car, their spouse, their pets, their children, pretty much anything they have is subject to judgment.

Look what Jesus told the Pharisees (who LOVED judging others), "YOU judge Me by human standards...but I do NOT judge anyone!"  Remember the 10 lepers?  Jesus didn't judge them, He healed them.  Remember the woman caught in adultery? Jesus didn't judge her, He loved her enough to stand up for her.  Remember the people who crucified Jesus?  He didn't judge them, He forgave them.  As a matter of fact, Jesus reminds us that we are not to judge others either because if we do, then we will be judged by the same standard we used to judge.  And who among us can measure up to that?

Self Esteem

I met with a friend, a while back, who was struggling with an issue that is not uncommon...self-esteem.  Believe it or not, how we perceive ourselves will effect our lives in many ways.  Low self-esteem can lead to depression, which has been known to lower the body's ability to fight illness, not to mention all the other products of depression...loss of energy, loss of focus, loss of enjoyment...  Low Self-Esteem is our perception that we have no value, serve no purpose, can't do anything right, feeling not good enough.  

Where do we get that perception of ourselves?  When we believe what others tell us.  I had a boss, many years ago, who seemed to take great pleasure in telling his staff how worthless we were and how we could never do anything the way it should be done.  Guess what?  After a while, we started believing what we were being told.  I chose to leave that job, but some of the others were too beaten down to believe anyone else would hire them.  

But there's good news!!!  God promises that He will ALWAYS love us and be with us.  Jesus reminds us that we are SO loved that God even knows how many hairs we have.  And, let's face it, God made us in HIS image.  And Jesus died for us, which makes us pretty valuable, while we were still messing up!  Not only that, but He rose from the grave....FOR US!  When we realize just how valuable God finds us, we will begin to see ourselves as the children of the KING OF KINGS!

Carrying Something You Shouldn't?

Then the woman left her water jar and went back to town.

John 4:28 

What would you do if someone knew your deepest darkest secret about your past?  Would you freak out? Would you feel embarrassed? Would you feel relieved? Fact: we all have a past and not all of it is good.  Yet we tend to carry the burden of fear that someone will discover that we aren't perfect and we aren't as good as we want people to believe.  

 Remember the story where Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well?  Jesus broke through the prejudice whereby Jews and Samaritans did not speak to each other or interact with each other when He asked the woman for a drink of water.  The fact that the woman came to get water in the middle of the day revealed that she was considered an outcast by her own people.  

Jesus revealed her painful past to her and she said He was a prophet.  When Jesus told her that He was the long awaited Messiah, she left her water jar and ran back to the town telling everyone about Jesus.  If you think about it, her water jar represents the burden of her past she'd been carrying for so long.  When Jesus revealed it to her, she didn't have to carry that burden any longer...she had been freed from that burden.

How about you?  Are you carrying the burden of the past or have you been freed from that burden through Christ? 

Tired of Being Tired?

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 

 

Are you tired of trying?  Are you tired of waiting?  Are you mentally exhausted from trying to figure life out?  Have you gotten fed up with wondering if your efforts are worth it?  Have you ever wondered if all your investment of time, energy, anxiety and frustration are going to eventually pay off? Welcome to the Club!

 

Look at the words of Jesus.  If you are tired and are over burdened, go to Him and He will give you rest!  Wherever Jesus went, people brought to Him their burdens of their existence: sick, lame, possessed, needing insight, needing hope, and He gave them rest.  He didn't lecture them on Systematic Theology.  He didn't shove religion down their throats. He didn't deliver a treatise on Doctrines or Systems or Methods or Rituals...He gave them rest!  Rest from the burdens of life.  Rest from the things that bind us to this cycle of depression, obsession, worry, irritation, frustration.  

And guess what?  He was called Lord and Savior and each found rest.

 

Unloading

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34:19 

 

In case you haven't noticed, we are going to face trials, troubles, and struggles.  If you aren't please don't tell me.  I admit it, when my life is going along fairly well, I tend to forget to thank God for it.  However, when the avalanche of struggles drop on me, I cry out to Him wondering why He would allow struggle to happen to me.  

 

Let's face it, if everything in our lives ran perfectly and we had no struggles or trials or temptations...then we would get complacent and comfortable and why would we need God?  Or would we simply take it for granted that He's making everything work for us?

 

I mentioned before that one of the nuggets of wisdom I was told as a child was: "If you ain't bumpin' into the devil, you're probably walking with him."  In this life we WILL have to deal with struggles and trials.  David made this point extremely clear.  And I love reading the Psalms because of David's brutal honesty.  Sometimes he unloaded his heart in anguish and others he shared his sheer joy because God had rescued him.

 

How about us?  Do we have such a relationship with God that we, like David, feel free enough to unload our very soul to Him?  Today would be a good day to start, wouldn't it?

History Isn't Always About The Past

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. 

Romans 15:4

I am a history buff.  Aside from Literature, history was my favorite subject throughout my schooling.  It's fascinating to see how we have learned from the past to improve the present.  Then again, there are many instances where we didn't seem to learn and we ended up repeating the same things as before just in a more modern way.

Think about this: the Bible is FULL of stories about people who had their battered lives restored; of people who were given second chances; of people who made amazing comebacks.  Why would God make sure these events made it into Scripture?  Was it so we could see what Jesus did?  NO!  It's so we can see what Jesus DOES! 

Take a stroll down memory lane and look at your own past.  Everyone has things in their lives that we vainly wish had never happened, but look at all you have endured and you are still standing.  When you accepted Christ, how did your life change?  Did it become perfect? Nope.  Did you make mistakes? Yep.  Did all your pain cease? Nope.  But here's the thing I hope you will garner from your look back: Your past can be shared to give someone else encouragement and hope!

Don't miss this: Your past is a gift of hope and encouragement you can share with someone else.  

I Have A Purpose?

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Psalm 138:8 

Finding our purpose in life isn't easy.  Some have searched their entire lives for that one special purpose for their existence, and are still searching.  Guess what?  Perhaps it's time to stop spending so much time searching and start asking God to show us.  

God has promised that He has plans for us.  God has promised that He will continue to work in us until His purposes for us are fulfilled.  So why do we expend so much time, effort, frustration, and anxiety stressing over finding the purpose God has for us?

Our purpose may not be something grandiose like winning some "prestigious" award or changing the world.  God's purpose for us might be something more subtle, like befriending someone who is hurting, or being a true friend to someone, or sharing a smile and kindness to someone.  Our purpose won't always be earth shattering.  But our purpose will include instilling hope and caring in a world devoid of hope and caring.

It's Hard To Be Humble

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
    but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Psalm 138:6 

 

 

"Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way."  You may have heard that old song before.  Sadly, too many of us see ourselves from that viewpoint of arrogance.  You see, it truly IS hard to be humble when we are afraid to actually BE humble.  

 

Being humble doesn't mean you are everyone's doormat.  Being humble doesn't mean you think of yourself as worthless.  Being humble doesn't mean you shrink and hide because you're afraid.  Being humble doesn't require that we draw attention to ourselves.  Being humble doesn't require that we shout to the world of our awesomeness.

 

Do you remember the widow who put her last two cents in the offering box?  She didn't draw attention to herself, she simply did what she knew was right.  She didn't announce to everyone of her great sacrifice, she simply did what she knew was right and trusted God to provide for her.

 

Isn't it time we start just doing what we know is the right thing without fanfare?  Thank about that for a moment.