Draw Near to the King

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you  James 4:8
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good  Psalm 73:28


My Sister's who have been placed in Christ, I greet you in His precious Name.


James 4:7 has been bumping around in my heart and mind. Reading a scripture, especially a familiar one, often i do not hear what i am reading. Until i carry it next to my heart in meditation it remains quiet, unlike those verses which invariably jump out and speak instantly. The riches are embedded in the meditation of His living word and come forth as we seek for them as for treasure. Time spent pursuing God in His word brings great reward. He will disclose Himself to me as I pursue Him. Hear this from John 14:21 and ask yourself: "Do I love Him?" Time in His word is an integral part of loving Jesus.

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. John 14:21

 “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.”
  Submit yourselves, then, to God.  James 4:6b-7a



To draw near i must first humble myself and submit to Jesus and repent of sin to clear my ears. As i pray bringing requests to Him, I draw near in faith, believing God is good, all-wise, perfect and holy. I am believing He answers from His infinite store of wisdom and perfection. God pours out His grace on me as i humble myself admitting i am guilty of sin and need forgiveness. Grace is not without great cost. Jesus death at Calvary fulfilled God's standard paying my debt in full that I may draw near to Him so He will draw near to me. God who spoke galaxies into being and sustains the universe by His word, desires to draw near to me? How can this be?


Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior. CS


...give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11b


Establish Your word to Your servant,
         As that which produces reverence for You. Psalm 119:38


There was a young woman who was praying about and struggling with some things in her life. I ask her what God had said to her about it. She stared blankly. Finally she said,' I haven't heard Him say anything.' I ask her if she was in God's word. She replied 'occasionally'. It is impossible to hear Him speak to our hearts if we spend more time talking to Christians about our problems than time with 
God in His word and prayer. Am i willing to pay the cost to pursue Christ? Am i willing to stand strong in His word? Satan's desires to wean you from God's word allowing him to wedge his foot in the door weakening your faith. Good intentions will never taxi you into God's Presence. Taste and see the Lord is Good. We do not have to work to spend time with one we love... cry out to Him for a hunger and pray for an undivided heart. ( Let Him expose any idols that have misplaced Him and repent. He will renew your heart as you surrender yourself into His hands. You are not your own you are bought with a price.

My  son (daughter), if you will receive my words

         And treasure my commandments within you, 

   Make your ear attentive to wisdom,

         Incline your heart to understanding;  

    If you seek her as silver

         And search for her as for hidden treasures; 

    Then you...  discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-2, 4-5

Read the opening verse again. On the surface familiar words... down deep unfamiliar. Questions? Yes! It says, when i draw near, He draws near to me, is this not an invitation to me, His beloved, to spend time with Him? Am i finding His nearness my good? Am i hearing the love in His voice as He opens His arms to me? (These are not just words, but living, probing, searing, exposing, inviting words of Omnipotent God inviting me to come) What is 'near'? Is it praying? reading His Word? Or is it possible to draw near in mundane practical ways?  in serving others?  How do i draw near? What are the results of drawing near? Can I draw near and not worship? (Never!) When i sense His nearness do i act on it and let your love enfold me? Is there a condition to drawing near? Can i know God's attributes unless I am in His word? What do i lose by not drawing near?


 God is for me. He desires always to lift me up, draw me near. Bless and encourage me. I bow.


Abba, Daddy, Keeper of the stars, breath Giver, Lover of my soul, Holy is your name. You who draw near as I draw near to You! I draw near to worship, to drink in Your beauty and just be near You. When i sense Your nearness Lord i am chagrined and find You terrify me. I long for You to hide me near your heart for i am silenced by Your greatness. Reverence for you consumes me. I am inadequate to respond to You who are Almighty and cannot be measured. Your glory would consume this clay vessel!
Teach me to open myself to Your Spirit's filling, as i count myself dead to sin and alive in Christ. I long to know you intimately. You are my strength and Refuge. I pray You will establish my sisters in Your word  producing reverence for You. You love them immeasurably and long for them to draw near. Quicken their spirits to respond to You with courage and faith. I give You praise in the Name of Jesus, amen




Drawn to Him who is Majestic in Holiness and loves perfectly,


az

Sovereign Lessons that God is Good.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3

know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. Gal 2:16

My Precious Sisters in the LORD,

I am confronted with God's Sovereignty in powerful ways this past few weeks. The power of the Tsunami crushing life, buildings... stuff people claim is their property. Bombs falling to earth consuming lives and leaving scars deep in the earth. A friend struggles with cancer consuming her body. Brokenness in the body of Christ is everywhere.Those who faithfully reflect our Lord are often those who have suffered most. God takes the worst that slams into our lives and redeems it for our best. I have never walked away from a trial in which i did not benefit. 

God is in control even when we suffer. It is not a matter of 'if' but when as the opening scripture clearly states. He is in control when we do not understand why things are so painful. Have you ever cried out, "God where are you?" We want fellowship with the Lord partaking of His peace and joy and naturally avoid suffering. 

When I wonder where God’s blessing is I must remember my Father uses suffering to bring me into the fellowship of His sufferings. I do not get to choose what my blessings are, for I would choose wrongly. I think the enemy has me focus on other Christians and see they appear prosperous and together, I then conclude they do not suffer, not enough to count. When it may be they suffer most deeply. God's desire is that I keep my eyes on Him; learning to share in the sufferings of Christ, for there are broken hearts all around me. How am I to be a channel of God's love and comfort unless I have tasted suffering? 

Some see suffering as a sign of God's disfavor. The sufferer must be doing something amiss in their life; neglecting spiritual disciplines thereby forfeiting their right to His blessing. They feel God is upset with them so they determine to please God by 'good' works and read their Bible more, control their temper and pray more. This diminishes who God is by making life about ‘us’ and our religious activity. We reason from man to God, while God reasons from God to man. If our faith is weak we fear God's silence to our prayers. It is a heavy weight to carry the responsibility of living so as to be acceptable to God. ( see Gal 2:16 above) We will never measure up to be accepted, so God in love and mercy, placed us in Christ and gave us His righteousness. God can accept nothing less than perfection. 

 God is Sovereign even when faith is fragile. Peter slept between two guards with other guards on duty when he was delivered from certain death. Many believers were praying for Peter's release but expected him to die, their faith was weak! They didn't believe the little maid when she said Peter was at the door. God worked in spite of weak faith.

Such philosophy can also be cruel wounding the body of Christ.  I remember a family who lost their daughter to cancer and a Christian couple called on them to condole and shared that they needed to believe harder and their lack of faith is why their daughter died.. What a crushing blow. Is God so weak that He can be controlled by the finite human? Could He not have healed her if it was His will? God says He numbers our days before we take our first breath. God in His Sovereignty numbered her days. He is in control. Always. He could have kept cancer from ever invading her body but He allowed it, why? 

Lets get beyond a philosophy which gives us the responsibility of an impossible task. We are called to walk by faith not works. We are called to trust God. We need to pray in faith... faith that  God is good and will do what is perfect and right and good; rather than a heart desiring to manipulate God so He will implement our desire. 

Our problem lies in not knowing Him for who He is. CI

God loves us immeasurably and works continually for our good. We need to lift up our eyes and see the bigger picture. God heals but He does not heal everyone. God doesn't have to explain Himself to us and He is not obligated to answer our prayers.  He is God. This truth makes me prostrate myself at His feet in awe and cry “God, you are good, you are good.” You are so precious to Him. Be comforted, trusting that He knows what you struggele with today. As you trust Him to work you will experience the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings that will change your life. Therein is blessing eternal.

Intimacy with Christ is not freedom from difficulty and trials and sorrow, rather our soul is strengthened inwardly to be trusted more and more with the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming conformed to His death. We are asked to present our bodies as living sacrifices. (Conformed to Christ-likeness! )

"Our Father can advance His children into conformity to the image of His Son, more by suffering in one day, than in many years of ease from trial." mjs

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death  Phil 3:8-10 (Do I?)

Majestic and Holy God I run to You in praise of who You are.... Sovereign. I am comforted, secure trusting You are on the Throne now and forever. You are good whether You answer my prayers or it seems You are ignoring my impassioned pleading. For my prayers are meant not to move Your hand as much as to move in my heart to change me, move me nearer to You, move me to surrender as I exchange my will for Yours. I release this desire I have carried near my heart into Your hands. I release the need to beg you to do what I want, what I think is best according to my understanding for it is finite presumption. Are You not good and to be fully trusted? You alone understand my fears, loneliness and selfishness and how fragile my faith is many times. You bring peace as I focus on You and trust You to work. You can only act in goodness. Blessed be Your holy name, Jesus. I love you.

In fellowship with the King,

az

Facts and Truth

 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

   How unsearchable his judgments, 

   and his paths beyond tracing out! 

 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? 

   Or who has been his counselor?” 

 “Who has ever given to God, 

   that God should repay them?”

 For from him and through him and for him are all things. 

   To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36

My precious Sisters in Christ Jesus,


Have you ever driven in circles in a parking ramp and find your choice returns you to the now familiar, but confusing signs? (Facts) Daily i make choices that result in arriving at a place where I walk by faith, in a manner worthy of the God who calls me to Himself and to His glory or i do not. I sometimes feel like a dog chasing its tail. I exert much energy living by FACTS and energized by the flesh and arrive at zero.


 How blessed we are to have a God whose wisdom and knowledge run deep and rich; His judgments are unsearchable and His choices beyond our understanding. He never makes a mistake. Never. He is never too late, for His timing is perfect. The 'facts' declare what appears to be truth... until Truth shines its Light and we can see. I think of the words of Jesus to Thomas who, in the upper room,  after missing Jesus visit refused to believe He was alive. Even after walking with Jesus for three years toe to toe and seeing Him raise the dead, replace missing limbs and open blind eyes! He was with the disciples when Jesus returned and Thomas witnessed for himself Truth, in spite of what the facts declared. Hear this:


  Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28-29


Thomas believed FACTS until confronted with TRUTH. No one who saw baby Jesus said, 'Wow he sure looks like God'. Those who were told this baby was God (even His own parents) when they looked at that precious drooling little mouth, the baby nose and limbs, the diapers which needed changing ( and wrinkled their noses) and His complete dependency on humans as parents; in a faith-awe asked, How can this be? How can I nurse the Son of God? How can I comfort the Holy One of Israel? How can this be the Namer of the stars? Yet they knew TRUTH and believed in great awe! Most Bible characters have such a story. Abraham believed God... though the FACTS shouted something else: Sarah's womb was a s good as dead; as was Abraham's ability to produce off-spring. The FACTS said 'impossible'. Then Truth breaks in with eye covering brightness and a baby is born from a promise: TRUTH. 


 I dare say every impossibility in Scripture resembled todays newspaper with 'FACTS' and yet each story finished with the TRUTH. What is your story? What impossibility are you wrestling as David did Goliath? Where is the TRUTH in your story? Do not be caught up in focusing on the FACTS but in faith look for TRUTH. I heard such a thought this past week and it challenged my faith-walk. My paraphrase: Sometimes the TRUTH God holds in His hands doesn't quench the pain or suffering in this life. So we mortals, who do not understand it all, need courage to go on, to believe the TRUTH even when the FACTS seem to contradict our faith or are sad, even when TRUTH hides and takes it's time and things do not change, even when there is little comfort. That's what faith is... believing TRUTH instead of following our feelings and the world's system of thinking. God calls me to faith. God calls me to TRUTH and Truth is a person. We are called to trust Him in the grief and sorrow and heart ache and even when He seems to have misunderstood my prayer and the only thing coming out of my trial is that of Romans 8:29, I am more like His Son. Really what greater result is there? God is good and God is Sovereign over every syllable of my life. Every breath i take. God never said this would be easy, in TRUTH He said it would be hard. I must Face the FACTS but keep my eyes on the TRUTH!


God... called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me. Gal 1:15-16 


I was wonderfully surprised by a connection of two of my favorite scripture passages and these verses actually connect! Even though I have read Romans numerous times I have never seen the connection between Romans 11:33-36 with Romans 12:1-2, though they follow each other. First  God declares His unfathomable character with questions unanswerable! Then moves directly into calling us to 'present', to 'come', to 'sacrifice' who we are to this unsearchable Being, who alone, is worthy to be loved and obeyed. If you have never done that, consider doing this today. (let me  know if you do that i may pray for you) Now read starting with the opening scripture and then verses below and 'hear' what He is saying to You about Himself, about Truth and Facts, saying about you or to you my precious sisters.


Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2




Father God, You who are unsearchable. You who hold Truth in your hands i ask you to give me courage to believe TRUTH in the face of facts that would derail my faith. You know how fragile my faith is and how easily i doubt You as Thomas did and run from You like Jonah. Yet, You love me in ways unfathomable, undeserved and unearned. Your Sovereign goodness reigns Your grace down over me at the worst of times and the best of times. Thank You for who You are and for loving me perfectly and without condition. Who is like You? There is no God like You and i bow in awe. Keep my eyes on You for You are Truth Jesus and in Your precious name i pray.

Thank You LORD for Your goodness for it is unfathomable,

az

Beautiful Cross

For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. II Cor 4:11 nas

Precious Sisters who are hidden with Christ in God,
I heard a new song titled, 'Beautiful Cross' and it moved my heart; then my Bible Study this past week was on the Cross; so my thoughts naturally turned to Calvary and how it touches me personally.

Our identification with Christ in His death was a death unto Sin- the principle of Sin as a master and a tyrant- Sin, not sins. The Cross deals with the cause, not symptoms. MJS

 The Holy Spirit faithfully applies the Cross to our self-life until Sin as master loses its power over us at every point. Daily we are to appropriate this Truth, counting ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ.

It is futile to try and bridal our sins and overlook their source: our sin nature. Pruning branches we strengthen the root. We must count on the finished work of Calvary and the Holy Spirit will apply the Cross to our fleshly nature and as death works in us, His life will be revealed in us. (the branches will fall away)

Our Precious LORD waits for us to come to the end of our effort to live the Christian life. "Nothing can set us apart for God, nothing can make us holy except as the Cross is working in us, because the Cross alone can keep the hindrances to holiness in the place of death" G. Watt  Our flesh cannot and will not follow Him, but taking up one's cross results in death to self and we experience the newness of life in Christ Jesus. Either Christ is in control in our lives or the old 'I' is ruling our thoughts and actions and Christ is not. We can never overcome the sin nature apart from the death of Christ.

It is a misnomer that bearing our cross is some burden or trial with which we have been saddled. Regretfully we groan, 'This is my cross to bear'. This is not the Christians cross for our cross is 'the daily giving up of life, of dying to self, which must mark us much as it did the Lord Jesus..... without which the fulness of the blessing of the Cross cannot be disclosed to us.' A. Murray 

Man's intellect is stumbled by the Cross but the major aversion to the Cross is moral, in the sinner and the believer. N.Douty says: "The Divine way (via the Cross) for spiritual emancipation is just as offensive to the child of God as the Divine way for salvation is to the lost." 

When we begin to see just what the Cross entails- a place of death for us- we are inclined to hesitate or turn away settling for mediocrity. "LORD deliver me from settling for the flesh, for being satisfied to be a 'nice person' and doing good things to gain approval by those who cannot see into my heart, instead of surrender to Your way and Your glory." 

"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me... John 12:26

 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. Luke 9:23

We are not followers of Jesus if we ignore or refuse to take up our Cross. It is His way. There is a cost we should be longing to pay....  a Cross we should long to carry... a death we must choose in order for Him to manifest Himself in and through us! Do we believe this? The living God desires to manifest Himself in our mortal body! Do not let these words become 'old' or familiar; turning a deaf ear to them. Memorize them. Personalize them. Meditate on them. Paraphrase them. Hear them, dear sisters. Hear His love for you in them.

God of the Cross, You who have set Your divine plan around the Cross and the death of Your Son Yeshua. Thank you for the Cross... Teach me  the fellowship of the Cross. Teach me the beauty and freedom of the Cross. His Cross and mine. No one can carry my cross for me or instead of me, it is mine. Reveal when i am side-stepping my Cross and turn me back to the Cross, for this is where I can see and behold who You are LORD. I love you. In the Name of my Cross-Bearer I pray. amen 


Unashamed,
az

Reverence for the Mundane

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:8-10

My Sisters who love Jesus, 

Upon waking, as I drifted in and out of sleep, my thoughts turned to His Name. How easy to fall into repetitively speaking His name without much thought or consideration relegating it to the mundane... necessary but boring, losing its shine. 

mundane-   adjective

1 lacking interest or excitement; dull 

2 of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one

Hebrews 12:3

Consider Him...  (If you skipped the familiar scripture above, I ask you to back track and read it as though it were the first time and glean Truth.)  There is nothing mundane regarding the Name of Jesus. Dare i utter His Holy Name lightly? 

Sovereign God, You portray  Jesus in all Holiness and Majesty... and still You allow me to draw near to You. Let the name of Jesus work mightily in my life drawing me to my knees before You.  Do not allow His name to simply be the name i read in the Gospel! The name so easily tacked on at the end of my prayer as a religious obligation, like a magic seal guaranteeing acceptance of said prayer and bordering on the vain? Open my eyes to who You are Jesus and who i am in You! Stir my heart to love You like it matters- for who am i without You? Not a pretty picture! 

Day after day i can live removed from the truth of how needy i am, until a trial sends me running in panic to You.  Am i not treating You as though You were a divine vending machine where i slip my quarter prayer in and wait impatiently for You to 'do something' to rescue or repair or heal me? LORD, forgive me. i repent of pride and presumption, for often I have not drawn near to you with the purpose of knowing You intimately, but to have my needs met.  How painful are the lessons of Your Sovereignty for my independent heart. Forgive me as i drink deeply of Your forgiveness and grace in the Truth of who You are Jesus. Such Light empales me and I fall on my face before You. In Your holy, righteous, majestic, uncommon Name, Jesus, I pray. amen

The second part of the definition is wonderfully applicable to our daily walk in Christ Jesus. He was 100% God and 100% man. As the earthly He was the Son of Man and as the heavenly He was Son of God. I am dancing with this Truth: He is daily our Savior, we are to receive what He gives to us daily and bring Him praise and worship daily. His strength and wisdom for us is daily. We are to feed on Him daily through His word. He is gracious daily. Whew... is your cup full? Are you dancing, arms lifted high? We are to praise Him now and forever. The word ‘Now’ is today, right now!  Daily.

 Like Jacob we often cry “Bless me.” And God asks us just as God asked Jacob: ‘What is your name?’ God did not ask Jacob his name because He did not know. He needed Jacob to admit who he was before He would bless him. We only commune with God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) He answered "Jacob." Gen 32:27 (Deceiver)  This was truth. It was who he was. What will we answer? It is only as we admit who we are that God is able to help us. RZ

If I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear me. Psalm 66:18 (daily)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now (daily) and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23  (Prov 8:34, Luke 9:23, I Cor 15:31, Matt 6:11, Numbers 28:1-3) 

Find great joy in reverencing the mundane. Praise God He chose to leave the heavenly and become a man and walk this earth. What an amazing High Priest forever. 

Teach my precious sisters to find You in the mundane, the daily, and worship.
Establish Your word to us, as that which produces reverence for You! Psalm 119:38 nas




az

When things are outside our control, there is one thing we can choose...

Not to us, LORD, not to us 

   but to your name be the glory, 

   because of your love and faithfulness. Psalm 115:1

To my Sisters who are running the race marked out for them,

It was a sunny afternoon for the Bar Mitzvah celebration in a beautiful backyard. A small boy was running as fast as he was able, attempting to keep up with the older children. He fell tearing his pants and scraping his knee. His Father, the Rabbi, deep in conversation with other men heard the cry from afar and turned to see his precious son running to him with arms reaching up. "Abba, Abba" he cried through his tears. As my friend observed this tender scene, God spoke silently to her and she saw herself in the little boy running to his Abba, Daddy! The Father bent low and caught his son up in his arms to console him. Our Father, our Abba, bends low to lift us up! He is filled with compassion for His children. He cares about the smallest detail of our lives.

Learning moment by moment to endure comes from enduring. Refusing to feel sorry for myself, refusing to quit, refusing to give in or give up is enduring. I hear the echo of words spoken in the past: "I just can't do this any more, i can't do this one more minute......"My daughter, I know you cannot, but I can." Enduring for one more minute was not an option, for the next moment was not yet mine. I had only the present moment, and my choice. A friend once said, "It is greater pain not to endure." I have found this true.

Chip Ingram said "Trials are inevitable. Trials make us or break us. Victims refuse to move beyond asking 'why' and are stuck in their pain. Conquerers and survivors stop asking why and ask what."

I rejoiced to hear such a simple statement with so much power behind it. Believing God is in control, always good, all-wise, full of compassion and never makes a mistake can change everything! The only thing we may have a choice in during a trial is our attitude. 

A holocaust survivor was beaten, stripped and searched. Everything was taken from him. The only thing he had was his wedding band. When they took that last thing, something seemed to break inside him. He choose to keep a good attitude, refusing to be bitter as his right. Another prisoner questioned him as to why he did not hate the Nazi's and was not bitter. He answered:' The only thing I have which they cannot take from me is my attitude. I refuse to give them that power over me.'

 Even when i am at an all time low and want to throw in the towel and run, i can choose to endure. God has given me a 'will' which is my 'chooser'. I can choose not to live by my feelings, refuse to feel sorry for myself and trust God. To trust Him i need to know Him. If i are Biblically illiterate i will not think clearly and i will blame God for my suffering. I live in a fallen world, people lose jobs, suffer great loss personally and financially, experience broken relationships and ill health. Asking why briefly is not wrong, but to stay there is like a grave.... death to life and all that is good, resulting in bitterness.

I can choose instead to embrace the brokenness. Run to Him in faith and to His word. I am told to 'consider it all joy' when i encounter various trials.  The word ‘consider’ indicates a 'choice'. The testing of my faith produces endurance. I am to expect fiery trials; they are a gift. God has grace for me every moment of every trial. He wraps each trial in His loving kindness. Choice: Do i believe God chose this trial and it is the best to accomplish His perfect will in me? If there had been a better, kinder, more simple test to accomplish what He desires, He would have taken me by that path. The test is for me to pass because God is for me.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:1-2

I only know something wonderful happens inside of me through the trials He allows. If i wait to feel good about a situation or wait to feel my God is in control; that may never happen. It is a fruitless venture to spend much time asking “why?” This side of heaven may have no answer for my 'why'. God has given me a 'will' to exercise even while struggling with my attitude. With that 'will' I will choose to ask "what" instead of 'why"! I will embrace the Truth of who He is. Lord You are good, kind and faithful!

What do You want to teach me through this trial? 

What will You reveal to me about Yourself?

What do You want to do in me? 

What do You want to do through me?

He will cover you with his feathers,
   and under his wings you will find refuge;
   his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4

If God has singled you out to be a special object of His grace you may expect Him to honor you with stricter discipline and greater suffering than less favored ones are called upon to endure. To do His supreme work of grace in you He will take from your heart everything you love most. AWT

 The sculptor does not use a manicure set to shape the rough stone into a thing of beauty. The saw, the hammer and chisel are His tools.  Amy Carmichael lay for 35 years on her bed in pain inspite of a great many faithfu, l believing prayers for her healing and she left a treasure of writings that live to minister to many today.

Abba, Daddy, i run to You. I know You so much better because the trials have caused me to cast myself at Your feet. You make no mistakes... You are life and breath and Hope and I choose to trust You. Thank You for taking the hard things and using them to benefit me. Who but You O LORD could redeem even trouble? Wasted time? Wrong choices? and every hard thing that comes my way? There is no God but You. You alone are worthy of all praise and honor and glory. You alone will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish me, enabling me to trust You at a whole new level! Thank You, Abba. In Your Son's most precious name.

Brokenness comes from Your hand, teach me to trust You fully,

az

"Abba, Daddy!"

But He knows the way that I take;

      When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10

Greetings in Jesus Name to fellow believers running the race marked out for you,

My friend was at a Bar Mitzvah celebration on a beautiful sunny day. She saw a small boy running in an effort to keep up with the older children. He fell, tearing his pants and scraping his knee. Tears burst forth as he cried out, "Abba, Abba". His Father, the Rabbi, deep in conversation with other men, heard his cry from afar and turned to see his precious son running toward him with arms out stretched. Each step lessened the distance to his Daddy who scooped him up in strong, comforting arms. As my friend observed this tender scene, God spoke to her.... 'Am I not a Father to you?' and tears brimmed for she saw herself in this little boy running to his Abba, Daddy! Just as the Father bent low and caught his son up in his arms to console him. Our Father, our Abba, bends low to lift us up! He is filled with compassion for His children. He cares about the smallest detail of our lives.

This loving Father allows trials in our life to teach us to trust Him and prove Him faithful. Learning to endure comes by enduring. I do not like trials and this past week was one of enduring rejection, accusation, emotional attack and disdain. It is so hard to choose to refuse self pity (and comfort food). Feeling no strength to deal with it, I chose to go a step fartherand forgive, resulting in freedom for me in Christ. Chip Ingram said "Trials are inevitable. Trials make us or break us. Victims refuse to move beyond asking 'why' and are stuck in their pain. Conquerers and survivors stop asking why and ask what.

A holocaust survivor was beaten, stripped and searched. Everything was taken from him. The only thing he had was his wedding band. When they took this last thing, something seemed to break inside him and yet he chose his attitude, refusing to be bitter as his right. Another prisoner questioned him as to why he didn't hate the Nazi's and why he wasn't bitter. He answered:' The only thing I have they cannot take from me is my attitude. I refuse to give them that power over me.'

My attitude may be the only thing in a trial, in which I have a choice. Often in the battle my feelings shout, "I can't do this one more minute... i just can't do this any more..." the Holy Spirit says, 'Daughter, I know you can’t, I will endure through you'. God gives us a 'will' (which is our 'chooser') and we are to choose to walk by faith and not live by feelings. The world's message is counter to this teaching. The world says "do what you feel in your heart, don't deny yourself, you have rights". God’s word says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?  Jer 17:9 

He not only works in us to 'will' but also to 'do' (giving us His power to endure). To trust a person requires knowing them. If we are Biblically illiterate we will lack discernment and in bitterness blame God for our pain. His love for you is immeasurable and He is filled with compassion knowing the way you take. Such Comfort! 

His word says to rejoice in our trials for we know He is creating the character and beauty of Jesus in us. 

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Phil 2:13 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Romans 5:3  

The tests are for us to pass because God is for us. Question: "Am I rejoicing?"

We live in a fallen world, people lose jobs, suffer great loss personally and financially, experience broken relationships and ill health. These things being a catalyst to turn away from God but He alone gives His children strength to endure brokenness. What privilege is ours to run to His word! It says 'consider it all joy' when we encounter various trials. The word 'consider' indicates 'choice'. I am reminded the testing of my faith produces endurance. I am to expect fiery trials; they are a gift. God has grace for every moment of every trial and wraps every trial in His loving-kindness. Do I believe God measured the trial into my life as the best way to accomplish His perfect will in me? Do I believe if there was a better, kinder, more simple way to accomplish His desire, He would have taken me by that path?

God may have singled you out to be a special object of His grace. You may expect to be honored with stricter discipline and greater suffering than less favored ones are called upon to endure. To accompish His supreme work of grace in you He may take from your heart everything you love most. The sculptor does not use a manicure set to shape the rough stone into a thing of beauty; but the rasp, hammer and chisel. Amy Carmichael lay for 35 years on a bed of pain inspite of a great many faithful believing prayers for her healing. She left a treasure of writings that live to minister to many today.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 5:10-11

What a promise! I know, something wonderful happens inside me because of trials when I choose to trust rather than waiting to feel good over a situation or feel God is in control. Feelings have nothing to do with faith and demanding to know 'why' may be a fruitless venture. Some answers will not be given on earth, but He gives all we need to endure this moment. O that His will would consume my heart! 

Abba, Daddy, i run to You. I know You so much better because the trials have caused me to cast myself at Your feet. You make no mistakes... You are life and breath and Hope and I choose to trust You. Thank You for taking the hard things and using them to benefit me. Who but You O LORD could redeem even trouble, wasted time, wrong choices or the hard things that comes my way? There is no God but You. You alone are worthy of all praise and honor and glory. You alone will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish me, enabling me to trust You at a whole new level! Thank You, Abba. In Your Son's most precious name.

Loved by my Abba,

az