The Favor of the Lord: Not to be confused with “the easy life” ~ Guest Post with Barbie Swihart

Thank you, Barbie Swihart, for this wonderful opportunity to be your guest blogger.  Blessings of JOY, dear daughter of the KING!

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Maybe you've asked the Lord for a word for the new year, or maybe not.  It's become rather popular in my circle of community.  Rather than focus on a list of New Year’s resolutions, the last five years I’ve asked Holy Spirit to highlight a particular word to be my theme for the coming year.  


It's a word I use to search the Scriptures.  It's a word through which I continually ask, "Jesus, what do You want me to know?"

Each of these years has truly been an adventure with Him.  I've found this to be a faith-stretching exercise as well.  You see, Holy Spirit highlights a word already knowing all the details of the next year of my life. So, in many aspects this word for the year is much like the Lord Himself who goes before and behind and hems us in so that we are never, ever alone.

Perhaps this is why my word for 2015 (favor) has been a bit more challenging.  At first it seemed this word didn’t reconcile...continue reading.

Probably Proverbs - Answers to life's questions

In the past week, words have been pointed and shot like arrows through social media.  Sides have been drawn, judgments hurled and arguments formed in an attempt to persuade the other side, and to what end?

One side cheers, while the other side wails.

When angry words pierce hearts, is anyone persuaded?  

Does anyone win?

For those of us who follow Christ, we do well to heed the wisdom of God's Word regarding our words.

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, 

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:18 esv

It is not becoming of Father God's children to descend into arguments and judgment.  It is not our place to bring conviction to any human being.  In fact, Jesus' words were very specific and a direct commandment.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."  

Matthew 22:37-39 niv

As we seek to obey our Father, we rely on Him to fill us with His love...the love that would proclaim His love for the whole world and His desire that no one would perish.

And as we live out His love for every person, blessing and praying for all and especially those with whom we disagree; Holy Spirit comes with conviction of truth.

Come Holy Spirit, teach us and fill us with Your love.

Come and do in all of us what only You can do to draw all men unto Yourself!

For Your Glory...Amen!

Probably Proverbs - Answers to life's questions

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,

and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, 

because the Lord disciplines those He loves, 

and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."

Hebrews 12:5-6 niv

It's Father's Day.  For some it is a happy day... 

For others, it's a day that threatens to tear off the scab from a deep heart wound.

I think Father's Day is a day to pray for our men; a wonderful reminder to ask Almighty God to Father our men with His unconditional love as they have never been fathered before.  This is a day, possibly to mark the beginning of a year (or even a decade...a generation) of speaking the names of our men before the Throne of Grace with compassion, love, grace and forgiveness.

Now that my sons are grown men, I've become more aware of young families with children.  I enjoy seeing young children with their parents and remembering the days gone by.  

I notice young dads, young parents in general, seem somewhat reluctant in disciplining their children.  In general, dads seem to lack confidence when normal child-like behavior takes over in public places.  So, as one who has been there, I feel a responsibility to encourage the young ones coming along behind us - the next generation raising the next generation.

Many times I have offered parents an understanding smile when small children are acting like children in public.  If the opportunity arises, I like to offer a word of encouragement to "keep going and don't give up, discipline is for the good of the child and is worth the difficult and painful moments in the long run".  I am amazed at the relief these words of encouragement - even a warm smile - bring to young parents.

Yesterday, my husband and I visited our neighborhood pool.  My heart was delighted to see so many dads with young children in tow...moms too.  I smiled (a lot) watching little girls and boys jump off the edge of the pool into strong daddy arms and ride on daddy backs into the deep end.  I especially enjoyed watching the dad, who stood in line with many little ones, take his turn in line for the diving board.  Who enjoyed it more...the kids or the man?

However, my heart truly hurt for the big, strong young man who struggled to discipline his strong-willed toddler who continually swatted at his dad, screaming, crying and kicking because dad said it was time to get out of the pool.  I admire this young dad even now as I think about his perseverance.  He didn't lose his temper; he acted like a "dad" and used calm discipline for the good of his child.

So, why did my heart hurt for him?  Though, he was acting as a good dad, his demeanor indicated he lacked confidence in his role as a disciplinarian.  He did a great job, but he was obviously embarrassed by his young son's behavior.  (Who hasn't been embarrassed by a young child's temper tantrum?)  I wanted so badly to walk over to him and tell him, "Good job, dad!", but he wouldn't have been able to hear me.  I did catch his eye a time or two and gave him, what I hope was, a reassuring smile.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

I wonder...

What would happen in our men's lives...what would happen in our hearts...if we began today, ladies, to bless our men before the LORD?  What if we get on our knees (maybe our faces) before Jesus and confess our offenses toward the men in our lives because they haven't nearly lived up to who we thought they should be for us?

  

Holy Spirit come and use these words to pierce the dark places of our hearts.  Show us where we have harbored offenses.  Show us where we have allowed bitterness to take root and grow large like kudzu in our heart gardens.  

We repent, Jesus; we choose to turn away from the sin You already defeated in our lives.                                                                                     

Jesus, as we turn to You and allow You to till up our heart gardens, burning away everything which does not look like You, we trust You to sow in this redeemed soil all the seed which eagerly and abundantly bears the fruit of Holy Spirit.

And Father, we do lift up our men to You for encouragement, to be Fathered by You.  We know You love our men more than we do, and we know Your plan for them, Your correction of them is perfect.  Come Holy Spirit and do what only You can do for the men we love.  We bless them and speak life over them and thank You for helping us see Your men as You see them.  

Oh God, You are the best Father!  Thank You for growing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our hearts.  And thank You for correcting us, Your children, for our good and so that we will look more and more like You, through Your Son, and by the power of Holy Spirit!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers!

We bless you to look to your Father in heaven for instruction as you fulfill your responsibilities as a dad and love your children with the love of Jesus.

Probably Proverbs - Answers to life's questions

He who guards his lips guards his life,

but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

Proverbs 13:3 NIV

Do you ever have difficulty because of your words?

Have you ever experienced that moment when the words are right on your tongue and Holy Spirit sends out the instant spell check to your brain, but you purposely (in the emotion of the moment) disregard His warning, and let the words fly?

Do you ever wonder how you can feel so justified one moment and 30 seconds later grieve the depravity of your soul?

Well, maybe you have better self-control.  Or maybe you are more obedient to Holy Spirit in the heat of the moment.  I can honestly say this is an area of great growth for me.  Jesus revealed my tongue as an area of weakness early in my walk with Him.  It was a humbling and difficult realization because this issue with my tongue doesn't have anything to do with using profanity.  It has to do with the words of my tongue having the power of life and death, blessing and cursing.

I am so grateful; one of the first books of the Bible I studied in depth was James.

These words from James 3:3-6 struck at the heart of my weakness.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  Or take ships as an example.  Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot want to go.  Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

I have no power within myself to control my tongue.  As Holy Spirit has made this small, but lethal aspect of my human body an object of priority, I have chosen to surrender.  I am grateful to Father for His loving discipline in asking that I place my tongue in submission to His will.

I am grateful because I know my Father wants best for me.  He wants my heart and soul to be full of the fruit of His Holy Spirit so that my words which flow from my tongue will be full of grace and love and joy and hope.

The rest of His words in James 3 are true.  

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be so.  Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?  My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?  Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Oh, Father, again today, I surrender my tongue to Your will.  I ask like Isaiah that You cleanse my lips with Your Holy fire.  I ask You Holy Spirit to bring loving conviction and highlight areas in which I need to confess the sin in my heart which pours forth sin from my mouth.  I confess.  I surrender.

And, I thank You Jesus for taking all my sin upon Yourself on the cross.  I thank You for Your cleansing blood and for the Robe of Righteousness You have given me to wear for all eternity!  I thank You Jesus for taking my sinful words from within and replacing them with words of righteousness; words tasting of the fruits of Holy Spirit.

For Your Glory Father...For Your Glory and my growth as a child of Your Kingdom.

Amen. 

Probably Proverbs: Answers to life's questions.

Five Minute Friday::Rise

Blessings of remembering the BRAVE on this Memorial Day 2015; those who gave their very lives for the freedom of us who live.  On this day of remembrance I am joining Kate Motaung and over a hundred other beautiful women for Five Minute Friday.

This week's prompt is RISE.  

My timer is set for 5 minutes.

GO!

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I saw the word RISE on Kate's website, but in my mind I read ARISE.  Immediately my thoughts recalled an old hymn I just recently sang in a ministry training conference, and by which my soul was wonderously moved.

The refrain was immediately on my lips as I saw the word RISE.

I will arise and go to Jesus, 

He will embrace me in His arms; 

In the arms of my dear Savior, 

O, there are ten thousand charms.

I was so stirred by this hymn, quite foreign and ancient sounding in contrast to the more common worship music of our day.  The cadence and the words caused me to stand at attention and focus on the meaning of what I was singing.  Holy Spirit brought a sudden conviction, "Wake up, and pay attention to this battle cry.  Sing it for all your worth if you really mean it!"

Once home from the conference, I went to the internet to research this old hymn.  The words were written by Joseph Hart in 1759, while the music was previously written by Jean Jacques Rousseau in 1750.  Such an old, old hymn and yet it was chosen in our modern day to bring a group of believers, training for leadership, into worship before Almighty God.  Interestingly, the name of this hymn is Come, Ye Sinners.  How utterly appropriate!

Here are the words, which struck deep to awaken my spirit.  Here are the words, which caused me to stand at attention as if waiting for my Commander to hand me His battle orders.

Come, ye sinner, poor and needy.  Weak and wounded sick and sore.

Jesus ready stands to save you.  Full of pity, love and power:

He is able, He is able, He is willing; doubt no more.

He is able, He is able, He is willing; dount no more.

refrain - 

I will arise and go to Jesus, 

He will embrace me in His arms; 

In the arms of my dear Savior, 

O, there are ten thousand charms.

Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify.

True belief and true repentance, Every grace that bring us nigh, 

Without money, without money; Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Without money, without money; Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

refrain - 

Come, ye weary, heavy laden.  Bruised and broken, full of sin; 

If you tarry, till you're better, You may never enter in:

Not the righteous, not the righteous; Sinners Jesus came to win.

Not the righteous, not the righteous; Sinners Jesus came to win.

refrain - 

I will arise and go to Jesus, 

He will embrace me in His arms; 

In the arms of my dear Savior, 

O, there are ten thousand charms.

Grateful today as an American citizen for all our brave men and women who gave their lives so I might freely write, post, believe and live today.  Grateful today for my dear Savior, Who came and called my name to follow Him; He gave His life a ransom for mine.  I will arise and go to Jesus!

I Will Arise and Go To Jesus (Come, Ye Sinners) by Michael Card, Starkindler: A Celtic Conversation Across Time

Jesus as Servant...my example...

So if I, Your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.
John 13:14-15  hcsb

Psalm Sunday*May 24, 2015

In You, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in Your righteousness deliver me!
Incline Your ear to me;
rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me!
For You are my rock and my fortress;
and for Your name's sake You lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:1-3 esv

Looking for my Father in the mirror

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Who do I look like after all?

Holy Spirit unveil my eyes to see

(ever increasingly)

a reflection of the One who forever 

adopted me.

Psalm Sunday * May 17, 2015

Tuesday @ Ten...I Write Because

This Monday night almost Tuesday morning, I should be asleep.  An early alarm will shake my peaceful rest too soon.  Normally, my eyes close and sleep overwhelms me as my head simultaneously snuggles into my pillow.

Tonight though, my mind is awake.  I'm not feeling anxious.  Perhaps the short cat nap during the movie was enough to keep me alert for awhile.

So, as I clicked on Tuesday@Ten tonight, I saw KarenBeth's writing prompt from last Tuesday...I write because.

I write because...

my mind is busy

all the time

thoughts weave in and out

over and around

like the major highways of our city

thoughts, words, ideas, songs, conversations 

continuously zoom around the thoroughfares of my busy - 

sometimes overactive imagination

I write because...

it's a tool 

which enables me to organize thoughts

it's a solution

when a brain traffic jam occurs and I feel stuck

it's a peaceful pastime

bringing solace from the chaotic, fast-paced world

it's a method

I find useful for focusing, learning and even memorizing

I write because...

I feel free to express myself

I enjoy the process of stringing many words together to form meaningful expressions

I feel creative

I feel I have given a piece of myself

I write because...

words thoughtfully, prayerfully organized

allow me an opportunity to 

thank, encourage, love, greet, celebrate, teach, edify, motivate and congratulate

I write because...

my life redeemed in Christ

is His story worth telling

to honor my Savior 

and give Him all praise and honor

I want to leave behind a testimony

of a transformed life

by faith in Christ

my life written in journals and blogs

a new creation

a chosen, adopted daughter of a loving Father who is King

Yes, He's given me the words.

He's writing the story of my life

I write because...

Psalm Sunday*May 10, 2015

Will You Pray with Me?

I have so much to be thankful for....do you? 

I woke up this morning. 

I am drinking my second cup of coffee. 

I have food for breakfast... 

running hot water and soap...

a car to drive... 

and a job to go to shortly. 

I am wealthy beyond measure with just these. 

Thank YOU, Father, for Your abounding goodness toward Your children...us!

We have much to bring before You, Father. 

We are holding hurtful situations...

feelings...anxious thoughts..."what ifs"...and "should haves".

Father, these are all too burdensome for us. We are weak. 

So, You say we can hand these over to Jesus. We can...will we?

We won't simply lay our wrong thinking and our hurt feelings and our painful bodies and broken minds at the foot of the cross. We will offer all the broken pieces right into Your wounded, nail-pierced hands. 

and He Himself (Christ) bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.  I Peter 2:24 nasb

With gratitude, Jesus, we recognize and testify; You went to the cross to bear the rebellion, brokenness and sin within Yourself as the spotless, sacrificial Lamb of God.

You, God, are good and trustworthy. You are faithful and You know what You are doing. 

So we trust all to You…

and wait…

and watch expectantly…

on tiptoes to see Your Glory!

Amen.

Psalm Sunday*April 26. 2015

Psalm Sunday*April 19, 2015

FMF::Good

This was supposed to be a link up with Kate Motaung and a whole bunch of beautiful souls for Five Minute Friday.  Kate's word prompt for the week was GOOD, and it was Good Friday.  I just never got to actually post this Five Minute Friday writing.

Regardless the Scriptures and the promises of God associated with the word prompt 'Good' are too valuable to me to let this one slip away....even if it's taken more than two weeks!

So, even though I have no opportunity to link up this post, with 5 minutes on the timer, here I go...

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Our sons are a gift from the LORD, Psalm 127:3, and have blessed us greatly.  They've also challenged me in a variety of ways and some of the challenges (of raising sons to adulthood) have thankfully resulted in a considerable amount of spiritual growth for me.

Them?  I am sure the Lord has a whole academic program in mind for each of our sons, and I am sure the Lord is pursuing each one and maturing them as He writes His story in each of their lives.  However, that is THEIR story, and their individual relationship with the One who gave them life!

As for me, about the time our oldest son was graduating from high school and preparing to leave the nest for college, I began to ask the Lord for a Scripture verse to pray continuously. I was somewhat frantic and feeling out of control (I'm still not sure why I ever think I have been in control...of anything), and so I begged Father for an anchor from His word.  

I asked for an anchor to keep me stable and provide the peace I knew I needed because prayer would be all I could do for this young one just flying the nest.  And sweetly, tenderly, Holy Spirit responded with Scripture and told me I could hold this word from God as His promise.  With tears of gratitude, I received this word from the LORD, and for the last six years I have prayed this promise over our oldest son.  (And sometimes I sing it...)

Philippians 1:6  being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you (son) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  niv

As one flew the nest, one remained in high school.  In the senior year of this younger son, I once again went back to the Lord and asked for a Scripture anchor.  Again, Holy Spirit faithfully and tenderly responded to my request.  For the last four years I have prayed this Scripture promise over our youngest son.  (And sometimes I sing it...)

I Chronicles 16:34  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.  niv

I continue to stand on tiptoes of expectant anticipation as I watch (now a cheerleader on the sideline) our Good Father pursue and mature His sons in adulthood.  Our LORD is indeed good and His love endures forever.  And as He promised He would do with our son, our God is faithful to continue to complete the good work He began in me...oh so many years ago!

I have often said, "One day I will write a book entitled, Almost Everything I Know About God I Learned From My Sons."  And maybe one day, I will do just that!

Blessings of GREAT JOY on your amazing adventure journey with JESUS!

I am linking up with Holly Barrett and Diana Rockwell and Testimony Tuesday!
Please take time to visit and be encouraged with some inspirational stories of perseverance, hope, faith and JOY.

Psalm*Sunday*April 12, 2015

Making it Personal * Reflections of Passion Week *

The sin, yes the stain with which I was born.  

Was I born with this mark because of my parents?  Were they marred as well?
Yes!  
I was and they were, and every single person given life all the way back to the first people created...Adam and Eve...their wretched state after the rebellion.

With the exception of ONE, The One Who was God become flesh.
Jesus, the One and Only, sent from God without sin.

The unblemished
Lamb of God.

So, yes, I was born with this stain of sin; to which I have continually added by trying to live life on my own.  You know, doin' it my way!

I did not understand the wretched nature of my sin; nor did I understand my sin (with me at birth) was as great a rebellion as that of Eve and Adam when they turned traitor against their Creator.

My great rebellion?
The great rebellion of all mankind?
Unbelief!

Nor did I even begin to contemplate the Majesty of my Maker, nor the nature of a Holy God, who in His purity and justice must cast the verdict of His wrath upon traitorous rebels such as myself. 

So, as such, I walked blindly and boldly toward my unredeemed fate...
teetering precariously on the edge of a destructive cliff.

But God...

against whom I rebelled by my unbelief, pursued me with His extravagant love and extraordinary mercy unto the day of my surrender. 

At the bottom of my personal pit, I raised my white flag and received the free gift of my 

Rescuer.

I was dead, but He has made me alive through faith!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23. nasb

FMF::Break

Today I'm linking up with Kate Motaung and a whole bunch of beautiful souls for Five Minute Friday (on Monday).  Kate's word prompt for this week is BREAK.

So, with 5 minutes on the timer, here I go...

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Break!

Spring Break!

YES!!  I work in a middle school, and as of Friday, I (we) will be on spring break.  Woo Hoo!!  Count it down...4, 3, 2, 1...

All I've heard for the month of March, "I'm so ready for spring break!"  Adults, as often as the children, are crying out, "I need a break!"

A break from what?  A break from stress, demands, routine, the early alarm clock, and maybe each other; the possibilities are endless.

For me personally, I look forward for a week long break from the demands of the early alarm clock.  Additionally, I look forward to spending a whole week with my husband in which we remove ourselves from the routine and live a bit "in the moment".

A Previous Spring Break Adventure

Though we have matured in years, our hearts feel the youthful excitement and anticipation of spring break.  Whether we stay home or go away, we just naturally see this week as a time to let our hair down, pull out the flip flops, turn on some music and twirl a bit...and laugh!

You know, God is in favor of taking a break.  

He established a Sabbath day for rest.  Genesis 2:2-3

Jesus set the example for taking a break.  He went off by Himself at times, and invites us to do the same.  Mark 6:31

The Psalmist reminds us that sometimes we need to take a break, and be still.  It is in the stillness we remember God is God and He is in control of all things.  Psalm 46:10

My time is up, and I am sure Scripture gives us plentiful examples of taking a break.

What Scripture examples are being revealed to you by the revelation of Holy Spirit?

Will you share?
Do you need a BREAK?

Blessings of GREAT JOY on your amazing adventure journey with Jesus!

Lisa 

Five Minute Friday is sponsored by Kate Motaung.

Each week Kate posts a prompt word.  The idea is to write on the prompt word for five minutes without re-writing, re-thinking or editing.  One word and 5 minutes worth of thoughts.  Please take time to visit Kate's website and read through the creative thoughts of the many women who link up with Kate for Five Minute Friday.

Disclaimer:  I rarely write on Friday.  I typically take two or three days to marinate on the word prompt, and for the most part "write" my thoughts in my head before sitting down at my laptop with the 5 minute timer.

It takes me longer to go through and find pictures to go along with the writing.

All in all the five minute free write is still a challenge to my first-born perfectionism.  However, I embrace the challenge and appreciate the opportunity to express each week my thoughts through the written word.

Also, I am linking up today with Anita Ojeda on her fabulous website ~ Blessed (but Stressed).

Thank you, Kate and Anita, for hosting link ups.