Archive for Faithfulness
“at the works of your hands I sing for joy”
Wow! I can’t even express in words the continual joys and trials I (I really need to say we) have faced over the past 11 weeks since our sweet Lillian arrived. This season has been one of the hardest, most sanctifying and yet greatest of my life. I praise the Lord for His faithfulness. His power has been evident every minute of every day. He showed His faithfulness to me through His word, a loving family, His church and the loving, caring spouse He has graciously blessed me with. (Thank you Keith for all of your encouragement and for helping me to fight the good fight even when I felt like I couldn’t) During late nights while feeling overwhelmed by the darkness I was reminded that darkness is as light with God and I was comforted. All around I feel blessed and really just amazed by God’s grace as I wouldn’t have made it without it!
Psalm 139:11-12 “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”
Psalm 92:1-4 “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”
Living in dependence upon Him – A blessed place
Often times in this life the Lord uses difficult situations and trials to keep us dependent on Himself. In my own life my battle with chronic illness has kept me depending on Him for strength and grace for each day. I was reminded of the ways the Lord uses this for His glory as I read a section in the contentment book this week.
“Perhaps God see’s it better for you to live in a continual dependence on Him, and not to know what your condition will be on the morrow, than for you to have a more settled condition in terms of the comforts of the creature. Do but remember what we spoke of before, that Christ does not teach you to pray, ‘Lord give me enough to serve me for two or three years,’ but ‘This day our daily bread.’ This is to teach us that we must live upon God in a dependent condition every day for daily bread.”
Burrough’s then uses Israel as an example of those in a dependent, yet blessed, condition as the Lord chose to settle them in the land of Canaan (in contrast to Egypt) where they would be completely reliant on God for water. He writes “the land of Canaan depended on God for the watering of it with showers from Heaven, but Egypt had a constant way of watering the country, that did not so much depend on Heaven for water, but upon the river Nile, which at some certain time overflowed the country. Knowing that the watering of there country depended upon the river and not upon Heaven, they grew more proud.” Canaan never knew for sure when they would have water and lived in dependence upon God for there lives.
Why does God view this state of dependence as a better state? Because His people are to live by faith and to rely on Him for everything. When we live in dependence upon God our souls are actually in a better place than when we rely on ourselves. Sometimes it’s hard to see times of weakness and trial as “blessed states” but when we truly evaluate our souls we will find this to be true. What trial is keeping you dependent, yet blessed?
Psalm 25:8-9 “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”
Psalm 147:6 “The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.”
Clinging to the Unchangeable One
I was recently reminded while reading “Morning Thoughts” by Octavius Winslow of the immutability of God’s promises. As my due date approaches and with it numerous changes, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and fearful of what the future holds. What consolation I find in my heavenly Father who isn’t subject to change. It’s so comforting to cling to the one who’s love and faithfulness go on no matter what. Here’s how Octavius puts it:
“Mutability marks everything outside of God. Look into the church, into the world, into our families, into ourselves; what innumerable changes do we see on every hand! A week, one short day, what alterations does it produce! Yet, in the midst of it all, how good it is to repose calmly on the unchangeableness, the faithfulness of God; to know that no alterations of time, no earthly changes, affect His faithfulness to His people; and more than this: no changes in them, no unfaithfulness of theirs, causes the slightest change in God.”
James 1:16-18 “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
“Strength From Another”
I’ve been reading Jeremiah Burroughs‘ book “The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment” and have definitely found it to be a jewel! I was recently reminded of one of the awesome privileges of the Christian life as he talked about how Christians are given strength from outside of themselves for every circumstance/trial. Here’s part of the quote that encouraged me and reminded me of the source of my strength.
“But a Christian finds satisfaction in every circumstance by getting strength from another, by going out of himself to Jesus Christ, by his faith acting upon Christ, and bringing the strength of Jesus Christ into his own soul, he is thereby enabled to bear whatever God lays on him, by the strength that he finds from Jesus Christ.”
Isaiah 12:2 “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 40: 28-29 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Pointing Myself To Christ
Recently the burdens I’ve been called to bare have felt extremely heavy. At times I am tempted to doubt God’s promises and wonder if they are too heavy for me. Because of the Lord’s grace and promises I know they are not. I do not write this blog because I’ve somehow figured out how to persevere under trial. I write this blog to remind myself (and hopefully others) of the strength and assurance everyone is offered through Jesus Christ.
In the darkest parts of this valley I often find myself re-reading past posts and it soothes my soul as I remember how the Lord has carried me. I do pray that somehow the Lord will use my journey to point others to Himself but also know that if I’m the only reader it’s helping me to press on.
Psalm 9:9-10 “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
“My yoke is easy and my burden is light”
I am almost finished with the book “Running Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of Rest” by Ed Welch and have been continually challenged and encouraged. The book has been such a timely reminder to me of the importance of talking with the Lord about our burdens. I so often carry an unnecessary load of concerns throughout my day when I am called to lay them at the feet of my Lord and allow Him to carry them for me. What a blessing it is to serve a God who cares and wants to know about our fears and concerns!
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
1 Peter 5:5-7 “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Matthew 11:28-30 “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.”
Light in Darkness
One of the overwhelming blessings I’ve experienced in the midst of trials/suffering is that the Lord uses this “platform” of weakness to engulf us with His boundless love, grace and peace. Some of the most blessed times are those when we find ourselves leaning entirely on our Saviour. Susanna Spurgeon speaks of these sweet times in her book “A Basket of Summer Fruit.”
“Many a time has the Lord had to disturb our nest, and bring us out of some earthly refuge which was becoming too easy and too dear to our soul. But, as music sounds the sweetest when heard across the waters, so do God’s dealings make the purest harmony in our hearts when they reach us over the waves of affliction and trial. When a tried and tempted soul stays itself on God, and sings in the midst of the flood or the fire, such praise must, methinks, be more glorious and glorifying to Him and His mighty grace than the hallelujahs of unfallen angels.”
Not a grain more
The words of Charles Spurgeon reminded me today of the glorious promise that, as 1 Corinthians says, the Lord will never grant us more than we can handle.
“Your trials are assigned by divine wisdom and love. He who weighs the mountains in the scales (Is. 40:12) measures your troubles, and you will not have a grain more than His infinite wisdom determines…Everything that you suffer is the appointment of wisdom, ruled by love.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Eternity, His Glory and My humility
One of the wonderful joys of Christian living is that we serve a God who delights in us and desires to help us understand Himself better. Over the past year and a half I have experienced this in an overwhelming way. After realizing that my view of heaven/eternal life was quite feeble and even a source of anxiety for my soul, I began to ask the Lord for a better understanding of Heaven. I asked Him to fill me with a deep longing for this place and once again I have been overwhelmed by His faithfulness.
During the process I was extremely humbled as the Lord convicted me that the reason I didn’t long for Heaven was that I didn’t love Him enough. The Lord showed me that a longing for Heaven is actually a longing for His glory and renown!
The Lord is faithfully answering my prayers by growing my love for Himself and His glory (although my love will always be inadequate for such a glorious God!). He has specifically answered my prayers by filling me with a deep longing to live with Him in eternity. I no longer fear the thought of eternity but yearn to be with my Heavenly Father who is the fulfillment of every need I have.
Psalm 108:1-5 “My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.”
Prescription for Perseverance
Once again I have been uplifted and challenged by the words of Octavius Winslow. Here he gives what I’ve named a “prescription for perseverance.”
“How shall I ever fight my way through this mighty host, and reach in safety the world of bliss? By leaning daily, hourly, moment by moment, upon your Beloved for strength. Christ is the power of God, and He is the power of the children of God. Who can strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees, but Jesus? In them that have no might he increaseth strength. When they are weak in themselves, then are they strong in Him. His declaration is, ‘My strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Cor. 12:9). Lean, then, upon Jesus for strength. He has strength for all your weakness; He can strengthen your faith, strengthen your hope, strengthen your courage, strengthen your patience, and strengthen your heart for every burden, for every trial, and for every temptation. Lean upon Him; He loves to feel the pressure of your arm; He loves you to link your feebleness to His almightiness, to avail yourself of His grace. Thus leaning off yourself upon Christ, ‘as thy days, so shall thy strength be’ (Deut. 33:25). In all your tremblings and sinkings, you will feel the encircling of His power.”
Unchangeable
As I anticipate spring and the changes to come I am reminded of two things. First, I am constantly changing and so is everything around me. Seasons, circumstances, friendships, trials, desires, battles with sin/temptations, and symptoms are all examples of things in life that change.
Although change can often be wonderful, such as the Lord’s sanctifying work in someone’s life, I am thankful that the God I serve is immutable (my 2nd reminder). God’s unchangeable character is a true source of daily comfort and joy. No matter how I’m feeling or what circumstances I face, God is constant. He is constant in His love, grace, character, promises, truth, justice and mercy. Find hope and comfort in the immutable God!
Malachi 3:6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.”
Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Hebrews 6:13-20 ” When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
“Each step is mapped, arranged, and provided for…”
I was deeply encouraged recently by reading a devotion by Octavius Winslow based on our Sovereign Lord’s plans, active guidance and consistent love. What a joy it is to serve the faithful Shepherd!
“Untried, untrodden, and unknown as your future path may be, each step is mapped, arranged, and provided for in the everlasting and unchangeable covenant of God. To Him who leads us, who accepts us in the Son of His love, who knows the end from the beginning, it is no new, or uncertain, or hidden way. We thank Him that while He wisely and kindly veils all the future from our knowledge, all that future-its minutest event-is as transparent and visible to Him as the past. Our Shepherd knows the windings along which He skillfully, gently, and safely leads His flock…Then, too, the infinite forethought, wisdom, and goodness, which have marked each line of our new path, have also provided for its every necessity. Each exigency in the history of the new year has been anticipated. Each need will bring its appropriate and adequate supply, each perplexity will have its guidance, each sorrow its comfort, each temptation its shield, each cloud its light. Each affliction will suggest its lesson, each correction will impart its teaching, and each mercy will convey its message of love. The promise will be fulfilled to the letter, ‘As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ (Deut. 33:25)”
“thoughts of our rest”
As we face the uncertainties and difficulties that life brings, continual meditation on the promised land is sure to bring you joy and peace. Because our hope is sure we can live abundant lives despite our circumstances.
Richard Baxter seemed to understand the weight of the Christian’s hope when he said, “Our liveliness in all duties, our enduring of tribulation, our honoring of God, the vigor of our love, thankfulness, and all our graces, yea, the very being of our religion and Christianity, depend on the believing, serious thoughts of our rest [heaven].”
1 Peter 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
2 Peter 3:13 “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”
Hope
This quote by Charles Spurgeon is a great reminder that as Christians we should always be full of hope. “ Hope as much as ever a man can hope; for when your hope is in God you cannot hope too much.”
Psalm 62:5-8 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”
Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Psalm 147:10-11 “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
Our Father
Although learning to approach God like a child and depend on Him for everything can be challenging, this truth remains, our Heavenly Father is trustworthy. No matter how we might waiver, our Father remains the same. Not only is He unchanging but He delights in and loves His children! We should live each moment with confidence, no matter what trials we might face, because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us. Take joy in your Father!
Psalm 68:4-5 “Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds– his name is the Lord– and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Psalm 86:15 “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 19:7-10 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.”
Stand Firm, there is Hope!
Whatever you face today stand firm in the truth of the Gospel. Scripture promises that if we repent of our sins and follow Christ we will be victorious in the end.
Colossians 1:22-23a “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation–if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”
Hebrews 12: 1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Cast Your Cares Upon Him
It is so easy to live lives full of anxiety and worry, but as believers in Christ we are called to trust in Him. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of it’s sorrows, but only empties today of it’s strength.” Living in this fallen world requires us to earnestly cast off worry and fear and to actively embrace peace and trust. The wonderful news is that Christ is so worthy of our trust and is in control.
Psalm 125:1 “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”
1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
“How Firm a Foundation”
This hymn, auther unknown, is so powerful. The last 5 stanza’s are written so that the Lord is actually speaking to his children. Dwell on these wonderful words of comfort today and know that no matter what you’re going through, if you will trust in Him, he’ll never forsake!
How firm a foundation you saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent Word! What more can he say than to you he has said, to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your God and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow; for I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply; the flame shall not hurt you; I only design your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
E’en down to old age all my people shall prove my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love; and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn, like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will not, I will not desert to his foes; that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
His Faithfulness in suffering
During this week five years ago I began the challenge of living with a chronic illness. Over these years I can honestly say that the overwhelming theme I have been humbled by has been the Lord’s faithfulness. From His faithful provision to His faithful listening ear I am reminded of His goodness.
Psalm 36:5 “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
