Our Hope in a Troubled World

Some of my favorite Christian songs speak about a hope that never ends, and for years that was something I always felt was missing, that constant hope, even when life’s not fun. It seems that that hope was the final piece of the puzzle to me living my faith and walking with God, every single day, day in and day out.

In my life and my journey these last several years I have grown tremendously in that hope that rests only in Him.

This hope breaks down into two main sources:

Hope -both in general and specifically during times of trial:
-the long term Hope of Heaven, eternal life and most of all, eternal joy.
-the short term Hope of the Lord with me in my suffering, in my daily struggles, and here with us at work in this crazy world, such that we are not alone in our pain and He is always actively at work, even when we can’t see,  to lift us back up again.

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For whatever reason on the drive in to school one morning, years ago, I was re-plagued with the question, did Jesus really suffer? as in, aren’t there other people who have (had) it worse than the passion? This time, besides being reminded that He is God and He conquered sin and He conquered death, this thought comforted me and calmed my spirit: The Lord came down to the Earth that He created and suffered along with us. 

Suffering was not part of His original plan for the world, but after the fall it was an inevitable consequence, we all would suffer. — Yet as God, He wasn’t all high and mighty watching our mistakes and the consequences from afar, He was willing to get His hands dirty, stepping into our mess with us:

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He came down and walked the hard roads with us.

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There is nothing we go through that He doesn’t understand, that He Himself did not also endure, even feeling utterly abandoned by God. We are that valuable, that special to Him. We are so cherished by Him that He would come down from Heaven to Earth and die for us. What kind of King does that, what King would come to serve his subjects!?

Only one.

Jesus didn’t just come once and for all to save us, He came to be With us, forever! How awesome is that!

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Cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7

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The Lord came down to the Earth He created, came into our broken world and suffered WITH US. Our pain is His pain, and He is there with us in our suffering, healing us and lifting us back up. There is great comfort and hope in that, He knows exactly how we feel.

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I have seen the many faces of fear and of pain
I have watched the tears fall plenty from heartache and strain
So if life’s journey has you weary and afraid
There’s rest in the shadow of His wings

I have walked through the valleys, the mountains, and plains
I have held the hand of freedom that washes all my stains
If you feel weight of many trials and burdens from this world
There’s freedom in the shelter of the Lord

And I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
Taste and see the fullness of His peace
And hold on to what’s being held out
The healing hand of God

And I have touched the scars upon His hands to see if they were real
He has walked the road before me, he knows just how I feel
When you feel that there’s not anyone, who understands your pain
Just remember all of Jesus’s suffering

Cause I have seen the healing hand of God
Reaching out and mending broken hearts
Taste and see the fullness of His peace
And hold on to what’s being held out
The healing hand of God

—Jeremy Camp – The healing Hand of God

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I know I have tapped into that hope, the hope that never ever ends, even when the sky is falling. I have lived it. And THIS SAME HOPE is available to EVERYONE who will put their trust in Jesus, in Him, who made us, and who died to set us free.

It’s that hope in our hearts, as we rest in Him,  that will help us to go through ANY trial in this life together WITH God and to come out strong on the other side, still holding His hand, whether here on earth, or on the other side of this life, in Heaven.

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I found the hand image on google but the image is out of date so I could not give credit. It was originally posted on flickr.

Reflections on the Fire- Mountains before the Lord

(This is a part 3. Parts 1,2 will follow, sometime.)

Going over some more of my French sermon notes and wow, this stuff is too good not to share 🙂

Preaching to myself here too lol…

L’amour, c’est servir.. love, and love of God is service.

Rom 12:9-11 (ends w serve the Lord)

We are called to be outward focused..

Not inward focused!!!

It’s so easy to be inward focused.. what can I get here, what can I receive, what healing can I get..

Everything I have, everything that’s been given to me, all the healing..is to respond to the question, how can I serve my neighbour.

Stop having your eyes turned in on yourself, and have your eyes LOOKING OUTWARD! 👀

Be NORMAL, have your eyes looking OUT!

[]1 John 4:20: if you love God but not your brother, you walk in the shadows, in the darkness, you are blind!!!

Phil 2:12-15

It’s not me… He gives us the graces and even the DESIRE… (it’s not us that brings that!!!) ***********

He provides EVERYTHING…

And so- w God- we have NO EXCUSE!!!

Serve, Lol!

Continued…

Ps 97 1-5 ❤

If things are bad…in your life, if things are ever going wrong in your life, look a little bit higher, L’eternel Reigne- the Lord REIGNS!

The fire goes before him…

And surrounds his adversaries and destroys them..

And the mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The mountains melt like wax..

Why? Because the fire goes before Him.

God is a fire advancing and, when he comes to a mountain, it melts, it disappears and melts like wax

Do you have mountains in your life? Things that you think impossible? I want you think I can never climb this is just way too big, when these mountains are always right in front of your eyes because they’re just so they’re too big you can’t see around them you can only see the mountain..the challenge/struggle, the problem… , But the good news is that the mountains melt like wax before the Lord before the Almighty ❤

Oh that all our problems would melt like wax before the Lord our King! (Our King the Lord 🙂 )

Stay glued to the consuming fire,

Stay glued to God, stay glued to him, if he moves this way move this way don’t move somewhere else, move with him, because the fire goes with him, the victory goes with him, things change when you move with God!

It’s when you move on your own that it hurts things go badly

But when you move with God, its so cool, you will be ASTONISHED,

some wILL say, you just have to climb mountains one step at a time- and sometimes yes, but sometimes BOOM, ppht, they melt like wax.

Thy Will

My heart has echoed these words long before the song came out, but it is the cry of my heart anew.

Thy Will

Hillary Scott

I’m so confused 
I know I heard you loud and clear
So, I followed through
Somehow I ended up here 
I don’t wanna think 
I may never understand
That my broken heart is a part of your plan
When I try to pray 
All I’ve got is hurt and these four words

Thy will be done 
Thy will be done 
Thy will be done 

I know you’re good
But this don’t feel good right now
And I know you think
Of things I could never think about
It’s hard to count it all joy
Distracted by the noise
Just trying to make sense
Of all your promises
Sometimes I gotta stop
Remember that you’re God
And I am not 
So

Thy will be done
Thy will be done 
Thy will be done 
Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done 
Thy will

I know you see me
I know you hear me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness you have in store
I know you hear me 
I know you see me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Good news you have in store

So, thy will be done
Thy will be done 
Thy will be done 
Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done 
Thy will be done
I know you see me
I know you hear me, Lord

Give No Thought to your Goods

‘Give no thought to your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours‘- Genesis 45:20.

This is what I felt Him say:

Give no thought to your goods, your stuff, for the best of My Kingdom is yours!!! ❤

❤

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Then He led my heart to more specific struggles…

Give no thought, to the mess, kids poor behaviour, to the quarrelling, the inconveniences and emptiness- for You have before you the very best of My banquet – reserved for your time in history

Give no thought to your spiritual growth, your notes, the what and when and how of your journey, for you have the very best teacher and guide

Give no thought to the hurts, indifference, harshness, the wrongs committed against you or your family, for You are clothed in My finest robe and I Myself defend and fight for you.

Give no thought to the darkness that stalks all around bringing clouds and gloom and hatred- for You have My very light inside you

Give no thought to the hatred, anger, hostility and rejection or the sadness and heaviness that you feel, for you are loved beyond measure!

Give no though to the pain all around you, that has become your life for a season, for you will all have My very best wine!

Offering the Sacrifice

For a long time I have been searching for an idea that can get me through the hard stuff… a promise that carries enough hope to see me through excruciating pain and all the absolute worst moments I have to go through.

But this is the first time I’ve found anything that has had such an impact and actually enabled me to say: w this promise clear in my heart I can face anything..

 

It all started just before this year’s annual jan fast week.

From the SUM blog:

“But this fast, which I started yesterday and plan to continue for 40 days, I intend to finally kill that god called appetite and offer my hunger as a living sacrifice. It is my offering to take captive my eating and then receive the reward that our Father gives to those who seek Him with all of their heart

So, when the hunger pangs strike, they will be my prompting to go to prayer. No matter where I am I will whisper a prayer to sustain me, take captive the pangs and tell my Father…. I am hungering and thirsting for righteousness and Father, fill me with YOU. I WANT YOU!

SUMites, let the pangs hit you. Pray upon those prompting pangs and seek this amazing mystery of hungering for righteousness because right behind the pangs, the GLORY ARRIVES! ”
“Let the hunger pangs hit you. The pangs are a call to prayer.”

These words were a breakthrough for me.

For me frustration, or loneliness, or just craving something sweet lol- all these are pangs, of a certain hunger too. Same when my kids are rude or defiant or  make a mess or even just when they want my attention when I’m busy w something.. All these are pangs, that give me something to offer to God. With every pang that hits, the way forward is to offer it in sacrifice- I just want more of You Jesus.

It’s transforming my thinking!  I was never okay w empty before- w not enough , w that lack, but now I have found I can be, because it makes way for more of Him!

Pang- look at the mess around me

Pang – argument w my husband

Pang- I just wish things could just be different and have it go my way

And w every one ( when I remember this) my heart beats anew- no, not what I want- clean, kind, kid to behave, hubby to step up–I don’t need these things– I just. Want. More. Of. You.

More of You Jesus

Those 4 little words from the depths of my heart make whatever circumstance, LIGHT, it loses its power, I truly cease to notice these things – their hold as I honestly pray through it surrendered in this way.

It’s taken a little time but I can see why it works- it gives me the hope, I have needed, something that lifts me  above my circumstances/m- now- in a way the promise of eternal life someday hasn’t let me. But this approach, it’s responding to the invitation, come up higher- come even deeper. – apart from this world.  And it’s. Lighting. A. FIRE!

It’s not easy, it’s hard work,  the hardest thing sometimes, and I still wrestle w it a lot- but I’ve seen the rewards. The truth is I have tried for years to live surrendered to God, but it was often hit or miss, some days I was too caught up in myself to get there, and more than that, there were certain pains or frustrations- where I couldn’t let go–but recently I found myself suddenly able w His grace to do more.  Still, THE ONLY WAY this works is because there is something I want MORE than my way etc- and that’s Him. He has my heart lol, and it gives me a sense of hope in the devastating moments– pangs- that I can cry out for Him- and more of Him is my new hope, because that is a prayer He will always answer.

Last year I was willing myself every morning to say ‘I want what You want, more than what I want…’
But now- I’ve discovered I want Him, more than anything else… even more than what I want. It’s beautiful and new. What a difference a year makes lol.

The Things We Leave Behind

A song about letting go. 

There sits Simon
So foolishly wise
Proudly he’s tending his nets
Then Jesus calls
And the boats drift away
All that he owns he forgets

More than the nets
He abandoned that day
He found that his pride was soon drifting away
It’s hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful
Of taking the tax
Pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call
He responded in faith

Followed the Light and the Way

Leaving the people
So puzzled he found
The greed in his heart
Was no longer around and
It’s hard to imagine
The freedom we find
From the things
We leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free
From posessions
That hold it so tight
‘Cause freedom’s not found in the things that we own
It’s the power
To do what is right
Jesus, our only posession
Giving becomes our delight
We can’t imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives
By worshipping goods we posess

Jesus has laid all our treasures aside
“love God above all the rest”

‘Cause when we say ‘no’
To the things of the world
We open our hearts
To the love of the Lord and
Its hard to imagine

The freedom we find
From the things we leave behind

Oh, and it’s hard to imagine
The freedom we find
From the things
We leave behind

The things we leave behind – Michael Card

Give Peace

Dec 18 – to rest

Jesus inviting us into His rest and peace. Come to Me you who are weary

And I will give you REST.
Where is this rest?! It’s found ONLY in Him.
It’s drawing close to Him, who is enough for the noise, enough for the kids that don’t listen-

‘Things don’t have to be my way’- how much rest is contained in this thought!!!
His way is rest.. For it’s not the noisy kids that are disturbing my peace but rather my own inner reaction to it.

and without that pride, without that concern for self- might as well let the kids make noise for a bit 🙂

So Will I

God of creation 
There at the start

Before the beginning of time

With no point of reference

You spoke to the dark

And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak

A hundred billion galaxies are born

In the vapor of Your breath the planets form

If the stars were made to worship so will I

I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made

Every burning star

A signal fire of grace

If creation sings Your praises so will I
God of Your promise

You don’t speak in vain

No syllable empty or void

For once You have spoken

All nature and science

Follow the sound of Your voice
And as You speak

A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath

Evolving in pursuit of what You said

If it all reveals Your nature so will I

I can see Your heart in everything You say

Every painted sky

A canvas of Your grace

If creation still obeys You so will I

So will I

So will I
If the stars were made to worship so will I

If the mountains bow in reverence so will I

If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I

For if everything exists to lift You high so will I

If the wind goes where You send it so will I

If the rocks cry out in silence so will I

If the sum of all our praises still falls shy

Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times
God of salvation

You chased down my heart

Through all of my failure and pride

On a hill You created

The light of the world

Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak

A hundred billion failures disappear

Where You lost Your life so I could find it here

If You left the grave behind You so will I

I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done

Every part designed in a work of art called love

If You gladly chose surrender so will I

I can see Your heart

Eight billion different ways

Every precious one

A child You died to save

If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times

But what measure could amount to Your desire

You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

So will I ( 100 billion X) – Hillsong United 

Infant Glory

Dec 25th
‘I did it for you. 

I did it for love!’

Love has come for us.

What more could we want?

Luke: 

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
The heavens resound w notes of GLORY! The sound of deepest love exploding across the sky!

‘For you! For the world! For you. For you. A thousand angels are singing His love, for you. 
He comes to us, small, unthreatening, He beckons, gently, He calls out to us, from deep within our hearts and He, He is the way, the way out of all our problems, all our ruts, all our hopelessness. He comes in an instant and His first little cry, softly announces to the world, I’m here. I’m here now, it’s okay. It’s all okay now. 
He comes, small. He is not so high and mighty, not wild w super-power, rather, His love for us is so big, His heart fairly bursting just to be close to us, that He becomes one of us, w tiny feet, a face we can see, and little fingers to cup our aching broken w His tiny hands. 
The One, who never fails to show up, He never fails us at Christmas 🙂  
He is always, our one perfect present!

Because He always comes, w exactly what we need, wrapped up in SO MUCH LOVE, we would never find the end of it.