Month: February 2017

Posted on

Letting God Build His Wonderful Character In Us

Hello Fellow Christians,

I’m learning more and more that God is much more interested in producing His character in me than anything else He could do for me.  Although it’s been extremely difficult to do at times, as I wait on Him, I’m also discovering that His character creates a freedom, joy, love, peace, rest, a liberating humility and enthusiasm that nothing else could create.

You see, if I had money, fame, and success apart from having God’s character, I’d still be restless, worried, impatient, etc.  I know this because we once had money and it was one of the most miserable times in our lives, really.  All we did was plan and worry over it.  It certainly didn’t bring us God’s character.  I can honestly tell you that.  Once the money was gone, God got our attention and began to put us back on His track to build His life-giving character in us.

His supernatural character is truly renewing my natural character and it’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced.  Waiting on God (walking with Him no matter what) brings about change in us, and the change, I’m finding out, is what I’ve really wanted all along.  I mean nothing can compare to the real joy, trust, rest and still spirit He’s bringing about in my life.  And, it gets better and better, forever, folks…  ☺

Now, you may ask me how I know that letting God produce His character in us is worth everything.  My answer is simple and it’s the truth.  I know many who’ve sought education, status, money, fame, worldliness, and success who are still miserable because they never took the time to get to know God – at one time, I was like that.  On the other hand, those I know who have stayed with God, through it all, have real (not a superficial) peace and rest in their souls.  Following God is so worth it.

Boy, when I read today’s entry in Joyce Meyer’s “Closer to God Each Day Devotional,” it really blessed me and I could really relate.  I hope it blesses you, too.☺

*******

Be Patient (By Joyce Meyer)

But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
James 1:4 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

James teaches us that we can rejoice when we find ourselves involved in difficult situations, knowing that God is trying our faith to bring out patience.  I have found that trials did eventually bring out patience in me, but first they brought a lot of other junk to the surface – such as pride, anger,m rebellion, self-pity, complaining, and many other things (my natural character – Mark’s edit).  It seems that these ungodly traits, with God’s help, need to be faced and dealt with because they hinder patience as well as other good fruit like kindness, love, humility, and other things (God’s supernatural character – Mark’s edit).

The Bible talks about purification, sanctification, and sacrifice.  These are not popular words; nevertheless, these are things we go through in order to become like Jesus in our character.  God’s desire is to make us perfect, lacking in nothing.  He wants us to ultimately be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which usually requires us to go through some difficulties that, although are unpleasant, do eventually help us mature.

I struggled with the difficulties in my life for a long time until I finally learned that God would work them out for good and use them to help me in many ways.  He simply wants you and me to surrender and say, “I trust You, God.  I believe when this difficulty is over, I will be a better person than I was before it began!”

No matter what you are going through, trust God that you are growing closer to Him each day!

*******

God bless you all,

Mark

Posted on

From Glory to Glory: The Glorious, Tangible Workings of God In Our Lives

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18

I read something yesterday about the Glory of God.  I immediately thought of how God is changing me, how He’s making me over.  How’s He doing this?  Well, God’s making me a better neighbor, husband and father; He’s teaching me that He’s in control of my life; that He’s working all things for my good; He’s creating more compassion in me; that I can learn to trust Him all the time and that He’s totally removing fear and worry from my life.  This is the perfect love that casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

The Glory of God involves replacing me with Him, and moving me from “worry to trust” is one of the beautiful ways He’s changing me into the same image of His dear Son.

I wrote this to remind myself of how truly tangible God’s Glory can be in our lives if we’re willing to let Him do His work of love in us.  I want more and more of His wonderful “from Glory to Glory,” like the liberating fruit of the Spirit, operating in my life.

I absolutely love being changed into His image.  Who wouldn’t want to have His image in their life when it brings so much love, compassion, joy, peace and rest to our lives?

God bless everyone,

Mark

Posted on

Heaven – Boy oh Boy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.  So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
2 Samuel 6:14-15

Boy Howdy!  (I read where that means “Yee Haw” in Texas.) ☺

Put your phone down and hang onto your seats saints.  This is going to be a fun, uplifting email.  I pray the Holy Spirit fills you with the same Heavenly liberating excitement and joy I have right now.

Ann and I were in a long line at a market the other day.  We started chatting with a sweet, soft-spoken elderly woman behind us.  She began sharing how different things are today from when she was young.  She said disrespect and lawlessness were growing more and more.  She told us the world is in a real mess.  We agreed.  The world is in need of someone who can straighten things out without setting of another world war.

I was thinking about that conversation this morning and I just had to smile and think about Heaven.  We have so much to look forward to.  End times birth pangs are everywhere.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18

I have Jesus (the answer to the world’s woes, the One Who’s already wiping away all of my tears) living in me, and I can’t help but tell you, the joy of the Lord is my strength.  I love it!  I just can’t seem to get upset or discouraged about the shape the world’s in.  And, Jesus never asked me to.  Instead, He commands me to look up to all that awaits us.

Yipee, big time!  ☺☺☺

Encourage yourself in the Lord like David did.  God is for us.  Stay in the Lord, in the safe and glorious dwelling place of the Most High.

The New Jerusalem is going to measure 1363 miles square.  Think on that for a moment.  That’ll be a sight.

No, don’t let news get you down.  Instead, look up!  Rejoice!  Jesus, and all of Heaven, is so near.  Aren’t you incredibly thankful you have the hope of Heaven?

Look up, our redemption is drawing nearer each day.  That should put a spring in our step and a smile on our face.  Man oh man, I feel like David when he began shouting and dancing in the presence of the ark of God.  I love getting carried away in the Lord.  Praise you, Jesus!  Oh Hallelujah!

Heaven…Rejoice!

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month.  The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  And night will be no more.  They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 22:1-5 English Standard Version (ESV)

They will see his face…Yee Haw!

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Jesus Can Help Us Be Good Soil

Hello Fellow Christians,

“Hear then the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.  This is what was sown along the path.  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.  As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.  As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.  He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Matthew 13:18-23

At times in my walk, I’ve felt like I’ve been all three of these kinds of hearers of the Word.  I’ve felt like I wasn’t sure I could ever be good soil on a consistent basis.  What I discovered was whenever I felt like I was “rocky ground, not understanding the Word along the path, or among the thorns” that I just needed to ask Jesus for His help to be good soil.  He’d help me overcome any spiritual lack (like the jealousy, bitterness, anger, frustration, fear and self-pity that plagued my spirit making me want to give up) in my life to encourage me to grow and become stronger in Him.  He’s teaching me how to take the destructive thoughts of my flesh, and the enemy, captive.  He’s so close to us and ready to help us.  That’s why He sent us the precious Holy Spirit, our Helpful Comforter.

Oh thank You, Jesus, for Your faithful, steadfast love, mercy and care of our lives.

Image result for the steadfast love of the lord never ceases images

Mark

Posted on

Peace…Regardless of Circumstances

Peace…Regardless of circumstances.

Not that I speak in respect of want: for (or, because) I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:  every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things (whether I’m abased, full, hungry, abounding or suffering need) through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:11-13

God bless you all,

Mark

Posted on

Fear To Peace, and My Precious Jesus Who is Romans 8:28

 

 

 

 

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.
1 Timothy 1:15

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10

I know a lot about worry.  I was lost in it.  It’s my number one sin.

My inability to stop worry is why I can’t ever boast about my close walk with Jesus.  I had to be close to Him to keep from experiencing horrible consequences.

Thank goodness, Jesus will not stop operating in our hearts until He sets us free from whatever sin seeks to control and destroy our lives.

In my life, “care” is like an addiction.  I come from a pretty good familial background of worry.

I can overdose (O.D.) on it in a hurry.  If I entertain any care, my body and mind go to work and create more and more worry and fear.  It can be suffocating, and really snowball making it nearly impossible to stop.

Care can cause other problems like eating disorders and other nervous habits.

I now know that God had a plan for my life that included learning how to trust Him with all my heart.  That’s one reason He had my family attend church.  He knew I’d need to learn scriptures – to know Jesus – that would become my salvation from fear.

What are we going to do about so and so?  We’re going to turn it over to Jesus and trust Him with it.

Silverwind – “My prayer is that you’ll stay with Jesus long enough for Him to remove all your fears.”

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 4:6-7

Boy, this is really something, and reminds me, once again, that all things work together for good. I’m telling you, folks, stay with Jesus.  We don’t ever have to take on care, worry, fear, frustration and the resulting anger, and bitterness.  Allow Him the time it takes to show you that He makes all things beautiful in His time.

I woke up this morning with some things on my mind.  I had shallow breathing indicating that I was taking on worry and “care.”  I was having an anxiety attack.  I caught myself trying to figure out how some things were going to play out and what their impact might be.  I’m not saying we can’t think things through.  This was worry, pure and simple, and God wants to rescue us from all worry.

Ann and I prayed and asked Jesus to take control of all of the thoughts and items I had on my mind.  We got up and left those things with Him.  We’d cast our cares on Him.

About 15 minutes later, the Lord spoke to my heart in a way that reminded me that He’s in control and that I must cast all my cares on Him.

As many of you know, for nearly 54 years now, I’ve been dealing with anxiety disease and panic disorder – we’re now pretty certain that the root of these disorders is due to my body’s inability to deal with toxins.

Years ago, we were given a book by a Harvard doctor (he was a pioneer in the study of anxiety disease and panic disorder) that said a person with anxiety disease peaks out at about 100 times the normal person when it comes to things in life that cause fear, and the fight or flight syndrome.  It went on to say that an anxiety disease person would have 100 times the fear that the soldiers at Normandy had when they landed.  By the way, fear short-circuits most everything in the body and especially our thinking processes.  Fear can be awful for me.

Well, this morning when the Lord reminded me about casting all my cares (no matter the source) on Him, He shared with me that my panic disorder has really been a blessing in disguise and that He’s known about it all along.  He knew I was going to have to learn to turn everything, and I mean everything, over to Him so I could learn to trust Him, every minute of the day.  If not, I was going to be miserable.  And, my fear would have an impact on those around me.

God told me He’s allowed whatever is causing my anxiety so that I could learn to trust Him with all my heart and then tell others they could as well.  He wanted me to drive home the point that He really wants us to cast (and to do it a thousand times a day if that’s what it takes) all our cares on Him so He can bring His mighty, delivering peace to our souls.

Wow, that really ministered His joy to my spirit and I could feel His deep peace replacing the fear as it left me.  It was kind of like taking off cold, wet clothing and stepping into a hot shower.

Jesus is so merciful.  Even when we’re tempted to think He’s disinterested in our cares, He’s caring for us and watching over our hearts.  What a Deliverer He is.

It’s just so amazing how He works and how wonderful He is.  He allowed fear to teach me to exercise my faith.

The supernatural power in the Word is real, and I’m so thankful for my precious Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Shepherd is leading us to green pastures and still waters.  As we cast our cares upon Him, He’s restoring our souls.  ☺

For thou (Jesus) art with me…

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Smiles Can Be Medicine

Image result for smiling images
Did you know that a smile can be medicine?  It’s good for everyone involved.  It’s my favorite face.  It can chase away the grumpies and the blues.  A smile can change your whole day, really!

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:
Proverbs 17:22a

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 15:13

I love how Jesus keeps showing me more and more about life and how to incorporate His ways in my life.

For instance, my uncle Gene was a really great guy, always helpful and maintained a positive, helpful demeanor even if everything in his life wasn’t going well.  One of the best things about him was that he always had a quick smile.

I walked into a local food store this morning and smiled at the first person I made eye contact with.  They immediately reflected my smile with one of their own.  The rest of my shopping time was spent smiling at folks.  It’s funny how many smiled back.  I can tell that even the ones who don’t smile back are left thinking about my smile.  You can often tell, when you smile at someone, that it helped them with whatever they’re dealing with.  It can really make someone’s day to simply smile.  =)

Often, when I meet one of the store employees who has a great smile, I’ll tell them they have a really wonderful smile.  It can really lift them and cause them to smile even more.  Sure is nice to give out smiles along our way.  And, one of the best things about it is that they can be so contagious.

Go ahead, smile…☺

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Heavenly Friday, Again. ☺

I love every day of the week because I get to choose Jesus every day.  Friday’s have their own special appeal since it’s usually the end of the work week for many.  Time to rest and think about Heaven, and all of its splendor.

Image result for heaven with family images

Wow, to be able to talk with Jesus face to face.  That’ll be amazing!

I’ve Just Seen Jesus
By The Gaithers and Danny Daniel
Sung by Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris

One day in Heaven, we’ll be able to say, I’ve just seen Jesus, our precious Lord, ALIVE!  And all we’ve ever done before won’t matter any more.

And forever, we’ll never be the same, again.

God bless and have a nice weekend.

Mark

Posted on

Disappointments to Peace

Hello Precious People In Jesus,

I hope the following is clear.  It can be hard for me to express exactly how we felt at times when God began His healing work in us.  Honestly, my wife can often say things better than I can.  ☺

Do you know that God really does have a future and a hope for you?

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 94:19

Disappointments used to really steamroll and frustrate me.  It seemed to me that nothing was working out for us.  With each disappointment, my reaction to them was growing more intense and negatively affecting my family as well as our relationship with my parents and God.

I was SO thankful when the Lord began showing me how I (and my family) could learn to be less and less impacted by the nonfulfillment of our hopes and expectations.  This is one of the biggest lessons God’s taught us – to have His peace in the face of any storm.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:11-12

Things didn’t turn around immediately for us, we didn’t strike oil or find my dream job (at the time, we were told that unemployment in Oregon was nearing 30%), but when we started memorizing and standing on God’s Word, we began to experience a hope we hadn’t had for years.  Something tangible was happening in the spiritual realm and we could perceive it.

When you’ve lived so l-o-n-g with no hope and then get even a flicker of it, you begin to get a sense that things may begin to turn around for you.

The Word is so powerful.  When we get backed into a corner, we ask God to help us find the way out.  The scriptures God had us jot down, and began declaring out loud and memorizing, were the way out for us.  With the Word, we were pushing against a lot of darkness (heartache) that had been oppressing us too long.  When we found the thing (the Word) that would put momentum on our side, we ran with it.  We still do.

We can live with unfulfilled dreams, with unmet goals and expectations.  But we now know we can’t live without the Word, without Jesus, without our preeminent Prince Of Peace.

God’s first instruction to us at our low time was to get in the Word and discover what He was saying about our condition.  His truth was beginning to overtake the lies of the enemy in our ears.  The Prince Of Peace was calming our storm and setting us free from all of the confusion and striving that was killing us.

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
Pasalm 86:15

It’s a patient and mighty working of the Holy Spirit, that can take time, when He replaces your desires, and your striving with Jesus.

Some trust in chariots (we wanted to trust in money, in anything we thought would bring us predictable security), and some in horses:  but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance (God knew we needed to change, to take steps to get closer to Him, to lay our lives at His feet so He could do with them as He wished)?
Romans 2:4

And rend your heart and not your garments .” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil.
Joel 2:13

Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18

To this day, God continues to liberate us by showing us more and more, “but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.  I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Those without a need or desire for God).
Psalm 84:10

Nothing like Jesus, the Guardian of our hearts, nothing…

Image result for peaceful verses and images

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Choosing Jesus Every Day Works!

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Junk (It’s really sin):  In my life, junk consisted of pride, selfishness, self-pity, jealousy, frustration, doubt, bitterness, impatience, strife, unforgiveness, hate, confusion, the fear of man, angry with God, I knew I was neither a good husband nor the kind of father my children deserved, generational strongholds, and others I can’t remember just now ☺.  Sin, life lived apart from God’s wonderful ways, is miserable.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head:  they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Isaiah 51:11

Are you kidding me, Mark?  Nope, I’m not.  Choosing Jesus every day works.  It’ll change you.  It’s really that simple.  It may not always be easy (your pride and satan will make you think it’s hard to do), but it’s truly simple.  God always intended it to be simple, and POWERFUL.  We simply need to be willing.

I can’t keep choosing Jesus every day to myself.  No one could.  Those who Jesus healed wanted to tell everyone what He’d done for them.  It just comes pouring out of you like an overflow that can’t be contained.

Over the years, Jesus has let me meet and know some powerful people in the Lord, and their lives were incredible because they were choosing to follow Jesus every day.  That’s how the victory over “junk” (sin) is won!

When God is setting you free from as much junk as I used to wrestle with – and I mean it was no fun living with that junk – you become a new person.  I was SO unhappy.  Now, I’m not.  And Jesus is just getting started with me and my wonderful wife.  That’s our Jesus!

ChoosingJesusEveryDay.com is now up and running – we’ll add to it as God leads.

It’s our prayer that God will use it to set many free as they learn how to Choose Jesus Every Day!  All anyone needs to do is ask Jesus to help them get free from the junk in their own life.

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit (that’s what my life used to be), out of the miry clay (the junk can really stick to you, but Jesus will show you how to persevere), and set my feet upon a rock (Jesus), and established my goings (and steadied me as I walked along).
Psalm 40:2

God bless you all,

Mark

Posted on

Resting With Daddy (Abba)

Abba – Taken From Intervarsity:  “It seems that when Jesus spoke of God as Father in Aramaic, he used the term Abba.  It is particularly remarkable, then, that Abba is an intimate word for father.  It indicates some of the very first syllables a baby might pronounce in reference to his father — something like Daddy or Papa, but even more like Dada.

God, the Father of Jesus and his disciples, is Dada.”

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23

Years ago, I’d lay down on their bedroom floor and repeat this precious Psalm over and over to my little girls after they climbed in their beds.  With each repetition, I’d speak the Psalm’s words more slowly.  Often my daughters would fall asleep to my (Daddy’s) voice and with the words of this Psalm lingering on their hearts and minds…

…And, my own heart would enter the deep rest of my Heavenly Daddy as well.

Image result for children sleeping with daddy images

Let your Heavenly Father’s (Abba – Daddy, Dada) Words repeat over and over in your heart.  Linger in His rest…

Dada’s here.

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Can’t Make It Without God? It’s By Design.

Hello Fellow Christians,

Since the age of 11, it’s been pretty obvious that I wasn’t going to make it through life without Jesus taking control of me, my heart, mind and emotions.

I’ve tried to “fit in.”  It’s never happened.  I’ve wanted the things others have desired.  It wasn’t to be.  I “wasn’t like everyone else.”  That wasn’t what God had for me.

I’m finding that there really isn’t room for anything but Jesus in my life.  Funny thing about Jesus is, He is The Life (John 14:6).  He gives life more abundantly (John 10:10).

If you can’t make it without Jesus, you’re extremely blessed.  You have been called to God’s side and into His Presence.  And there, you will dwell.  It’s a place of intimacy, a divine relationship of peace, calm, receiving, rest and joy.

I fought His call, His closeness, for years mostly because I didn’t understand what was happening to me.  I never found peace trying to understand.  In fact, it was when I stopped trying to understand that His peace began to grow in me.

Don’t fight His call to be close to Him.  Don’t let the fear of man (even other Christians) abort His plan for you.  Don’t let yourself grow weary with trying to understand it.  When understanding no longer matters, the storms in this life will be stilled.  Don’t question it.  Don’t become impatient and frustrated with His (God Almighty, the Great I AM, The Prince Of Peace) calling to your heart.  Let it happen.  Let Him teach you what it’s like to live at His side.  Embrace it, and dwell in the shadow of the Most High in the house of The Lord, forever.  ☺

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Colossians 3:15

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Self-Pity And Its Awful Cohorts

Image result for the joy of repentance imagesWherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3: 13-14

For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved.  In quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15a

Our enemy hates repentance (turning from harmful sins) for so many reasons.  He’ll do everything in his power to keep us from turning to God for times of refreshing.  (Acts 3:20)

“Repentance is the act of exchanging the lie that holds us captive for the truth that sets us free.” (Author Unknown)

I got to repent again last night.  Wow, repentance just feels SO good.  Gets rid of the dark, thick cloud the enemy’s lies can form in and around us.

Boy, I’m so thankful God doesn’t leave us in the sin of self-pity.  Self-pity brings with it a whole bunch of bad guys like frustration, fear, anger, being displeased with God, bitterness, “why me,” jealousy…

I’m experiencing some detox symptoms and wasn’t feeling too good last night.  As a result, I started to listen to some of the enemy’s lies.  I was even being silent with my wife.  I was feeling pretty gloomy driving to the store with Ann.  On the way back, the Lord told me to put my hand in Ann’s hand to clear the air between us.  That little gesture began to bring me out of the funk, and we had a great evening together.

Thank you, Jesus, that you’re such a faithful Savior and Lord.

Life would be so much more difficult without His constant watch over my heart.

Mark – – Below is an excellent article about Self-Pity

*******

Excerpt taken from “The Heart-Hardening Power of Self-Pity” By Jon Bloom

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-self-pity

The Heart-Hardening Power Of Self-Pity

Self-pity wasn’t the only thing Jonah was feeling, but its presence and effect was unmistakable.  We know how he felt because of our own experience.  We know that anger, shutting us down emotionally and spiritually.  We know that desire to just sulk or lash out against anyone who crosses us.

Self-pity is our sinful, selfish response to something not going the way we think it should.  And it’s a subtle sin; we often don’t recognize it right away because it wears the disguise of righteous indignation.  We feel justified to indulge it after the injustice we suffered, even if all that happened was we didn’t get our way.

But self-pity is a dangerous, deceitful, heart-hardening sin (Hebrews 3:13).  It’s a spiritual deadener, choking faith, draining hope, killing joy, smothering love, fueling anger, and robbing any desire to serve others.  And it is a feeder-sin, encouraging us to comfort our poor selves with all manner of sinful indulgence like gossip, slander, gluttony, substance abuse, pornography, and binge entertainment, just to name a few.  Self-pity poisons our relationships and is often an underlying cause of our “burnout.”

Self-pity does us no good whatsoever, even if we’ve suffered a true injustice or bereavement or other evil.  It is a closely clinging sin that only weighs us down like an anchor (Hebrews 12:1), so we must jettison it as soon as we recognize it.

Laying Aside the Weight of Self-Pity

There’s no magic formula for laying aside the weight of self-pity.  Fighting sin is a martial art.  Every response to every attack is at least slightly different.  Our best defense is always to be saturated with the Bible, and in particular to keep ourselves refreshed in God’s promises.  But as an example, here’s how I recently battled self-pity:

Ask God for help (Luke 11:9).  Self-pity, like most sins, is an expression of pride.  It is typically hard to let go of because we must admit our wrong when we have felt in the right.  My self-pity almost always affects someone else and it is surprisingly hard to admit my wrong to them.  I need God’s help.

Give yourself some gospel straight-talk.  When I feel self-pity I need to remind myself what I really deserve and what Christ has done for me (Matthew 18:21–35), to be content with what I receive from the Lord (Philippians 4:12–19).  Essentially, I graciously tell myself to stop being a big, selfish baby.

Repent to God for the sin of self-pity (Matthew 3:2; Revelation 2:5). It’s a sin, not merely a “struggle.”  It’s to be killed, tossed away.

Repent to those affected by your sin of self-pity (James 5:16).  Frequently this step of self-humbling is where the hold of self-pity is broken.

In faith take the next step God gives you to face what you don’t want to face (Philippians 4:6–7, 9, 19).  If you feel self-pity over facing a frightening or unpleasant situation and you feel overwhelmed, do the next thing.  God will give you grace to see and take the next step.

If self-pity has become an ingrained habit over a long time, freedom can be yours in Christ, but only through the constant practice of laying aside this sin (Hebrews 5:14).  God will help you develop habits of faith to replace habits of sin.  It will take a while, and that’s okay.  Persevere.  And involve those around you who are spiritually mature.  They are experienced in this fight and will know how to lovingly exhort and encourage you.

Posted on

Rest Is Often The Result Of Learning To Wait On God

It’s so easy to want to take control of our lives, to take matters into our own hands.

There are so many scriptures regarding waiting for the Lord, believing His Word, and entering His rest.

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:  wait, I say, on the Lord.”
Psalm 27:14

“For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:  “In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; but ye would not.”
Isaiah 30:15

“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.”
Matthew 11:28-30

With all of the seeming setbacks our family has experienced, at times, it’s been very difficult to have to learn to wait on God.  Reminds me, again, of Joni Eeareckson Tada’s testimony, and of the old adage, “Let go and let God.”

It’s funny how the longer I have to wait on God the more I’m realizing how awesome an opportunity it is to get to wait on God.  The Heavenly attributes He’s creating in my life as I wait on Him are changing my thinking about waiting.  Restlessness is being replaced by His rest.  It’s life-changing.

I believe the devil knows the powerful lessons God’s children learn by waiting and that he comes against anyone who is willing to learn to wait on the Lord.  It was part of his strategy when he tempted Jesus in the desert.

I was sitting here this morning waiting for God to give me something to write.  Then, I noticed an email from my good neighbor, Linda.

Linda, replied to yesterday’s “Waiting On God” email saying they’d sung a song at church Sunday called, “God Is In The Waiting.” Linda said, “We tend to think that if nothing seems to be happening we need to do something to speed it up. Guilty as charged☺!  So since then I have been resting in Jesus!!!”

Linda’s words are so true of each of us…=)

Waiting on God is a really good buffer. I’ve met who has been willing to wait on God in some capacity has been endowed with a sweet, abiding, sustaining depth in their life that probably could not have taken place any other way.  A grace, joy and peace is given by the Holy Spirit to keep our hearts as we wait.

Perhaps most importantly is the fact that waiting also seems to replace the thing I’ve been waiting for with simply more of Jesus, His joy and peace.  It’s kind of like the lyric, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

And let the peace of God rule in your heart.

Safe in the arms of Jesus…☺

God bless,

Mark

Posted on

Joy While Waiting On God – Joyce Meyer

Hi Folks,

The Lord is so faithful, saints.  He keeps reminding me that we didn’t need to worry one minute while living in Oregon.  What fun it would have been to enjoy Oregon while we were there instead of being so frustrated much of the time.  Even today, whenever we are tempted to fret or to become frustrated, God steps into our thoughts to remind us to be full of His joy, always.  He really is in control.  ☺

Wow, this morning’s devotional (Closer to God Each Day) reading from Joyce Meyer was really a blessing.  I hope it blesses you as well.

*******
“Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.  Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

When we “wait” on God, we are not being lazy or passive, but we are actually being very active spiritually.  We may not be “doing” anything, but we are trusting God to do what needs to be done.  In effect, we are saying, “Lord, I will not try to do this in my own strength (Reminds me of the story of Abraham in the Bible).  I will wait on You to deliver me.  And I’m going to enjoy my life while I wait for You.”

Satan wants us to be frustrated from trying to solve our own problems (Sounds like me in Oregon).  He hates our joy.  He wants to see anything but joy because the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).  Worry robs us of strength, but joy energizes us.

We are tempted to think we are not doing our part if we don’t worry or try to figure out an answer to our problems (this is how I was raised), but this will prevent our deliverance rather than aid it.  It is not irresponsible to enjoy life while we wait on God and expect Him to do what we don’t know how to do (Amen!)!

Do not fear because the battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.”

God bless you all,

Mark

Posted on

Heavenly Friday

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Image result for the things of heaven images

Boy, it’s going to be a life-changing and awesome time when His Kingdom comes on earth.

Wait, that can begin happening now in the life of anyone who becomes a “doer” of the Word.  All a person needs to do is to ask God to help them apply His Word to their life.  This is what being transformed by the renewing of our minds is all about.  It’s about releasing all of the joys of Heaven into our lives.  The things of God’s Kingdom – His glorious, higher understanding, truths and ways – will be poured into our lives if we’re willing to cooperate with the precious, loving, comforting Holy Spirit.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of life:  and I will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever…”  ☺

“Lord, please bring all of the life-transforming beauty of your Kingdom into my life…”

Thank you, Jesus.

Take time to think about the things of the Kingdom, Heaven…

God bless you all,

Mark

Posted on

Jesus Is Always With Us

 

 

 

 

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous!  Do not be terrified or dismayed (disheartened, deprived of courage, fear of terror), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 AMP

God, if You’re with me, I’m okay.

Mark

Posted on

Having Jesus’ Full Joy

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising (disregarding) the shame , and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 13:34

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
John 15:11-14

The cross Jesus asks us to take up daily will kill you. But that’s just the point. That’s the really good news of the gospel.

What?

Well, what I’m realizing is that as long as I’m alive (the old nature; my old, selfish self) and living for self and the flesh, I’m not being set free to enjoy the things of God, His higher ways, the blessings of God in my spirit that only He can give me. As long as “self” is my priority, I’ll have less peace, and my joy won’t be full.

Many years ago I spent a week fasting and praying – I recommend everyone do this. It’s so calming and really clears my head. Reminds me that I need to do it again. =)

During that time, I asked God some questions about Jesus. One of them was, “How is it that Jesus is so high and lifted up?” The answer was because Jesus has no thought for Himself. He lives totally for His bride – to love her, always. This is true joy, happiness and fulfillment. There’s no higher type of life in all of creation.

Wow, that really ministered to me as I laid there meditating on everything that meant. You can get really peaceful just thinking about God’s answer regarding Jesus.

Living completely for others, free from all of the competition, insecurities, confines, stress, ego traps, chains and entanglements that living for “self” brings.

Whewie, that’s really something, that’s freedom…

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (you’re unquestionably free).
John 8:36

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

I can run towards and embrace my daily cross. At the cross, self-serving is defeated.  It’s where I’ll have full joy.

God bless,

Mark