Two for a Penny!

"Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him,

       for he shields him all day long,
       and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders."    Deut 33:12

Dear Sisters, Beloved of the LORD!

I have been living in this scripture along with Matt 10:29-31. Just seeing a sparrow warms me inside! I saw Matt 10:29-31 live in a friend's life a few weeks ago and it has left God's finger prints on my heart. I will share her story at the end of this devotional.

God met with Israel at the mercy seat and He meets with us at the throne of grace. The holy of holies was opened to us by the shed blood of Jesus. There is no other way to come to the Father but through His beloved Son. As we seek God we must realize He does not endow us with power from which to draw as needed. He, Himself, is the power from which we are to draw moment by moment. I am moved that He has planned it so. I am helpless without Him and must continually lean in dependence upon Him. I so long to have my life count for eternity and this can only happen as I daily take up my cross, reckon myself dead to sin and allow Jesus to live through me. God is never in a hurry to mature us. Much time is required.

 I am often at my wit's end before being rescued. It is not that He likes to see me struggle with fear and unbelief or feel hopeless. I do believe He wants me to 'know' beyond any doubt that I my rescue is by Him, by His Love! His daily Love-manna brings me into continual dependence on Him. Where will I find strength for practical separation to God, unless in God Himself? I do not just want to turn to Him when I have no where else to go. God is more and more to me as I mature reminding me weakness means His strength. Through trials I am being 'fit' for the Master's use! Just as He brought Israel into the place He prepared and is working faithfully to prepare us for His purposes. He stands beside you. Lean hard, listen to His heart beat.

God to Israel: Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Exodus 23:20

May God open our eyes to see His ever present sparrows, His reminders that He loves us and we need not fear.  Soak in scripture! Pastor said, 'We often study God's word informational-ly. We need to study it relationally. God's word is not given to us to relay information but to call us into relationship with Himself! (first)  We must do more than memorize, we must internalize." God's word will change our life. Praise Him!

The story:

My friend was struggling in a court battle for custody of her son. The lies were flowing from the father and social worker seemed to gain a momentum from the pit. She neared panic, wanting to flee the courtroom as a hopelessness flooded her being and prayer loomed ineffective. Without going into detail her cell phone rang and God intervened causing Truth to reign and the deceit was exposed!  He rescued her! A miracle. Her son was placed with her (rightfully so). She left rejoicing but so broken. At home, wearily sitting on the floor front of patio doors, she was unmoving in thankful quiet; unable even to sing. She saw a sparrow outside the door staring in....  she said it appeared he wanted to enter! She stood, slid open glass and screen  and he hopped in and stood near her as she again sat on the floor. He cocked his head and stared up at her not moving. She then heard these sweet living words:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matt 10:29-31

She sensed God's great love for her and her son. The sparrow then turned and flew on. My friend's extreme dependence was met with extreme grace. Amazing grace. Amazing God. Amazing Love!

 "Two for a Penny" sculpture by arlene zimmerman is inspired by this true story.

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:17-18

I have got away from grace if I have the slightest doubt about God's love for me. J.B.S.

Father-God,

 Thank You for loving us and preparing us and giving us Your Spirit to indwell. You know our every weakness yet still choose to live in us! You choose to favor us and cherish us and we are so in need of Your unconditional love and grace. I just get a peek at the amazing perseverance You exercise toward us.  Everything does not have to be well with my circumstances to be well with my soul, because You are my God and You allow me to come and worship you..... who am I that You should love me so? You are near. I am blessed. Open my sister's eyes to see Your greatness in ways they may have overlooked of late. In the Name of Jesus, the Holy One, amen

two for a penny,

 az

A Question

For You are the glory of their strength,

         And by Your favor our horn is exalted. 

    For our shield belongs to the LORD,

         And our king to the Holy One of Israel.   Psalm 89:17-18

My Sisters in Christ,

In my seeking time with the Lord I was pummeled by a question this past week and pass it on to you.  I felt the Lord was asking: Which would you rather have Arlene, a smooth path without speed bumps or a path so rough hewn and irregular I am compelled to draw near at every step to empower and rescue you?

At different times, without my consent, my whining reveals the truth! I would too readily choose a smooth path, remaining uninjured and certainly not bruised, instead I would float on a cloud all the way to my reward.  Seriously, considering all this means, would I really ‘choose’ such a path knowing God would have me count it a peculiar privilege to be whole-hearted for the Son of His love? There is no more perfect path for me than the one He has chosen.  O that we might emerge on the other side, after passing through deep waters, and find our testimony is not the trial, but the Lord of Life who never left our side. For now we know Him better.

The soul is tested by affliction to reveal how active our flesh is in us. It is God’s purpose for us to learn ‘what’ we are and 'who' God is for us. His faithfulness and loving watch-care are over us as we are weaned from the world and drawn to the Savior and the heavenlies. 

Do you measure how ‘successfully’ you are living the Christian life by the amount of  joy in your life? It  is tempting and may seem a viable way to measure how you are doing. It is not. The enemy is repeatedly clever in method and execution. The result of such a tactic is our eyes turn inward away from Christ. 

We are pulled kitty-wampus by so many desires and ideas. Until we acknowledge our life is safely hid with Christ in God, we will never be free from the enemies harassment. I have learned there is a vast difference between the shaming, nagging, finger-in-your-face condemnation of  Satan and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 

“The enemy speaks in generalities, seeking to discourage and undo us by an uncertain sense of failure, confusion, heaviness of spirit and uncleanness. Our answer to this:

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

The Holy Spirit speaks specifically, and His conviction, although rebuking us, is sweet and clean and true and acceptable. He points out some exact and immediate action by which we have temporarily give in to sin. Satan points downward to despair, but the Spirit points upward to cleansing. M.J.S.

God has provided everything we need to live strong in the LORD! Read the verse from the opening again. As we stand strong in trial and another is impressed  because of how we handle things we know God is giving us the strength. It is Him they sense..... by His favor our horn (strength) is on display! He lets us reveal Him to a lost world!  His joy is our strength. His favor is our strength.  His grace is our strength. His glory is our strength! The word glory here is “God’s moral beauty and perfection as a visible presence.” Though it is not a substance He allows it to be visible through us. 

I hope you are sitting down and letting these words bathe your whole being. I tear up and my hands are raised at such blatant love with which He loves me. Do you sense His love for you? It is immeasurable. Next time you look in the mirror say this aloud with your name in the blank: “You are so loved _________ by God Himself!”   

Abba, Protect and keep these precious women you delight in and love so endlessly. I pray in Jesus name.

By faith... I choose the rough path, for the nearness of God is my good,

az

Do Not Lose Heart!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. II Cor 4:7 My Sisters, treasured by Abba,   Constant sorrows plague the human race. How blessed we are that we can lay our sorrows and loss at Jesus feet and know His love. There is no God but our God. And He is full of compassion toward us and He is good. How privileged we are to have His word that we might 'know' how He loves us and His abundant provision for us to endure and live as Christians. Knowing His Word is so valuable and our only offensive weapon to resist the evil one.  Scripture is filled with 'knowing' verses. I John is referred to as the 'know-so' book. Have you ever counted how many times the word 'know' is used in just one short book? I Cor 4:14,16-18, speaks Truth to encourage us to stand strong in the LORD and not lose heart. Paul mentions the loving watch-care the Father over His son Jesus and it is the same loving watch-care He exercises over us.... "knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus... Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  Romans 8:28-29 tells me God chooses "all things" in my life, my circumstances, my sicknesses, my sorrows.. in view of His purpose for my life.  And we know God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God...  to conform them to the image of His Son. He chooses the best circumstances to accomplish this. As I choose to believe this I will not run from my circumstances, but trust Him.  God alone has allowed the voids, the losses, the infirmity in our lives and He alone can fill them with Himself. There will be a day when the voids are filled with His Presence and we will realize we have gained infinitely more than we have lost. E.D. When our Lord returns we shall lose all bodily weakness and infirmities, but better than our new bodies, my sisters, we will see Jesus face to face. He will look at you with a love that will undo you. You will 'know' His love as never before. Right now He asks us to be content and wait on Him and He offers rest. To rest we must 'still' ourselves before Him. Behold Him. Seek Him. We must confess sin and release our fears. How long has it been since you were still before His greatness, allowing His holiness, purity and righteousness and nearness to occasion discomfiture and embrace you? Allowing His rest to flow into your being? This is the God who treasures you, shares your tears and laughter and holds your every breath. I know these truths, but until i 'meek' myself, still myself, they remain true but aloof from me.  Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Who has set his heart on pilgrimage." Psalm 84:5 I am a pilgrim, just passing through. So often I live like this is home as I am not focused on my King, my Sovereign. When I live like I am home i begin to seek my 'rights' and life is all uphill. This week i heard Abba whisper... "My daughter, stop fighting me and rest in my hands."  To rest I must trust in what I know. Surrender fear. Appropriate Truth.  Abba, Daddy,  You are so amazing and I run to Your love. I need you. Change me! Remind me often I am not home yet. Teach me to lean into You when circumstances crowd me. I want to love you perfectly.... thank You for that day I am forever dwelling in Your Presence. I bow.... Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. I pray for my sisters to ‘know’ You intimately resting in who You are. In Christ, az