In Straits a Present Aid

I am reading through Genesis for worship these days. Have you ever thought that someone ought to make a movie of some of the lives of the Patriarchs? Talk about action films! In Genesis 14, we read that Lot and his family are taken captive by kings that came to fight against Sodom, Gomorrah as well as some other countries. So what does Abram do? He arms his trained servants which amounted to 318 men, chases the kings down, rescues Lot, the women in his family and their goods. This is all rounded off by a meeting with the king of Sodom, a blessing by Melchizedek king of Salem and rejecting spoils offered to him. Pretty intense. What happens next is intense too. Abram returns home as he waits for the seed God promised to bless him with.

My point in this is Abram's walk of faith. Faith that Abram had to hunt down kings and rescue his family with a puny sum of men and faith to wait on God and his timing.

It is "after these things" Genesis 15:1 says that the word of the Lord comes to Abram and says, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward." It is this particular section that brought such great comfort. The Lord commands Abram not to fear because he is his shield and then encourages him with the prize which is the Lord God his "exceeding great reward".

Life is so full of fears. The photo above reminds me of how I think we are with the Lord so often when a trial is near. We sort of stop in our tracks as the Lord leads forth towards danger expecting us to trust him because he has told us he is our shield. There is a catch, but it is to our benefit. He then reminds us that if we lose anything in the midst of the danger or trial, he is our exceeding great reward! What an amazing blessing! What a great God. We may suffer, but it doesn't end there for the Christian because we gain Christ and eternal life with him because he is our great reward.

I think of those who are suffering in Japan right now. I think of those who have lost everything in this world and do not have Christ. They are in my prayers! They have nothing...utterly and completely. Then there are those that are Christians who are suffering greatly as to this world, yet, praise God, they have a hope that is ever before them. They have Christ and all his promises and they have his great love that can never separate them from Him (Romans 8:35-39).

My problems seem microscopic in comparison and truly they are yet, in my world, they still are trials that require faith and trust in the Lord. The house we are renting was part of an estate and was on the market to be sold and sold it was. We just learned of it a couple days ago so we are now looking for another place to live. Moving didn't seem so overwhelming a few years back, but it is beginning to grow old especially since I've hit the 20th move in 17 years of marriage mark. I do believe that the Lord does desire this for my good and yet I'm weary (Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief. Mk. 9:24) My faith is pathetic and this is a constant reminder that sanctification most definitely is a process that is spread out over our entire lives. How grateful I am that the Lord commands me not to fear, reminds me that he is my shield and comforts me with a reward at the end of it all...life eternal with Jesus Christ!

May you be as encouraged by the Lord's promises as I am. May we go forth in the confidence of his protection and free gift. No matter where we are, no matter the trial, be it seemly small or large, the Lord is the Christian's "exceeding great reward" and this is my song that I will sing all the day long.

Trust the Lord

This evening, I was dwelling on the mysteries of God; his works of providence and his holy acts. So often, I find myself struggling (wrestling, really) with the Lord over the whys and wherefores of his plans in the lives of his children. It is nothing more than kicking against the goads; an adult temper tantrum, if you will.

And yet, I know he is benevolent and does desire to and will perform good to his children.

Ps. 85:12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good...

Ps. 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works.

Notwithstanding the understanding of his benevolence, righteousness and holiness, my frail sinful heart too often finds it difficult to understand the ways of our infinite Creator. I know, right? He is infinite, I am finite. What do I think I can possibly comprehend?

Is. 40:8 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?

But God is so merciful. He does not leave me to wallow in my frustration and confusion or loneliness. He does not allow me to doubt his love for long.

Song of Sol. 2:4,10-12a He brought me to his banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.

He patiently and graciously brings me out of darkness and back into the light of his glorious face. He strengthens and renews my weary soul in his good time.

Is. 40:28-31 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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.

Proof in my life, that the Lord hears the cry of his people and sends comfort, came in the form of a journal entry of a friend that gently silenced and encouraged me. The quote says...

"Relax, Christian. Rest. God has ordained the evil as well as the good. God has given to Satan and to the Beast and to the False Prophet roles and, if you will, services to perform, in his sovereign and most wise plan for our salvation. All things are purposed to serve God’s glory and our good. We may be for the present spectacles to angels, as the working out of the redemptive plan of God displays us before them, but we are the beneficiaries of God’s goodness. We shall yet be saved from all evils."

"Rest." Just one little word. One little yet very powerful word that provides a host of comfort. I can rest in the Lord because he is my refuge and my strength; an ever present help in the time of trouble (Ps. 46). I can rest because "the LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy (Ps. 145:8). I can rest because the kingdom of our God is an everlasting kingdom (Ps. 145:13).

These promises are to all God's children. No matter the struggle. If we call upon the Lord in truth, he will hear and bless.

God is good to those that call upon his name; that call upon his name in truth (Ps. 145:18).

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.
Ps. 146:5



*The full journal entry can be found here: http://gospelcovenanter.squarespace.com/journal/
It is titled, Behold Leviathan! (A short biblical-theological look at the beast concept in Job chapters 40 &41)

From God Your Beings Are

Woke up to my 3 yo neice singing Ps. 148 with her daddy. Reminds me of when my sons were little. Those were precious days. ♥

"From God your beings are, Him therefore famous make; You all created were, when he the word but spake. And from that place, where fixed you be by his
decree, you cannot pass."

Have a beautiful Lord's Day.

Gluten freers can live again!

If you are gluten free or wheat free (like me) or mostly grain free (like my mom), you will want to check these amazing sites out. I want to make every cookie I see. I want to eat the delicious bread. Notice I didn't say I wanted to make the bread. I not that brave in the kitchen, but for tried and true tested recipes, I think I will!

Ginger Lemon Girl
http://www.gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/

On her site these cookies look amazing!
http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/2009/08/gluten-free-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/2010/04/gluten-free-peanut-butter-honey-cookie.html


Gluten Free Girl and the Chef
http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

Check out this bread on her site!
http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/2010/02/gluten-free-crusty-boule.html



Gluten Free Mommy
http://glutenfreemommy.com/

And this pizza crust looks amazing, too!
http://glutenfreemommy.com/homemade-pizza/


Perhaps you aren't gluten free, but maybe you know someone who is. If they have been gluten free for awhile, no doubt they know these sites already, but if they are just beginning this type of lifestyle pass on the info. It is incredibly helpful!