Peaceful Thoughts - Dinner #65

     I am so grateful to God for all of you who have been praying for us! I am so grateful to Him for the work that He has been doing in my heart!  For what has felt like ages, I could hardly even talk to the Lord about this possible moving situation.  I wanted to trust Him so badly, but felt as though somehow He just didn’t know what He was doing, this time . . . He just didn’t understand . . . I wanted to be the one in control! I didn’t like all of the waiting for answers, and somehow felt rather like Jacob, “wrestling with the angel”, left and right. I didn’t want to move . . . Then, was willing to move . . . Worried about MY parents if we DID move . . . Then worried about HIS parents if we DIDN’T move . . . Fretted over my husband’s work situation . . . Fretted over my own pregnancy and delivery situation . . . Gave the Lord all my problems in prayer . . . Then took my burdens right back off the altar . . . . . . again and again. 

     Just this week, it was finally as though I came to the end of myself  and saw all of my distrust of the Lord for the ugliness that it truly was. One night, I prayed and cried from our bedroom, telling the Lord every single thing I was afraid of, in the midst of this waiting process, and every single thing I needed HIM ALONE to care for.  Psalm 139:2 says,“ . . . thou understandest my thought afar off.” How GLAD I am that He does! He knows EXACTLY what we’re going through at any given point and time in our lives! The Bible reminds us that He even holds our very breath in His hands (Daniel 5:23). Why don’t we trust Him more?!

     The truth of the matter is, I still don’t have the answers for the things our family is facing, right now.  I still don’t know if we will be moving to a different state within the next few weeks.   I still don’t know how we would financially take care of everything if we moved OR if we stayed. The Lord has recently reminded me of Colossians 3:15, however: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts . . .” It is a CHOICE we make! His peace is right there for the taking, but we must LET it rule within our hearts!  Sometimes we don’t truly want that peace of God, do we? We THINK we want it, but we aren’t really LETTING God give it to us! 

     Could I allow those anxious worries to come right back to my heart? Quite easily! I could become fearful, all over again, of having a new delivery doctor, of uprooting Brooklyn from her “baby routine”, of temporarily living with my in-laws, of not making it back to Georgia for Thanksgiving, or of possibly not having our own home until month 8 or 9 of my pregnancy . . . but I’d rather LET God’s peace be at rule in my heart! I’d rather trust Him for Who He really is! Psalm 55:18 declares, “He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me . . .” I don’t want that “fear battle” to rage within my heart again, any time soon! I’d rather say with the Psalmist David, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” (Psalm 56:3) We may move or we may stay, but God is still in control! And HIS way is BEST! Thank You, Lord, for Your precious peace!

Trusting God - Dinner #23

     Are there things in your life that are overwhelming you today?  Unpaid bills that are frightening to look at?  Burdens that you just can’t seem to keep out of your mind?  Psalm 19:14 declares, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”  As your mind is racing all day long, in what or WHOM are you placing your trust?  Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”  What is your “chariot” or your “horse”?  Are you trusting that your tax return will carry you through? Are you trusting that you’ll be able to keep your job for many years to come?  SOME may trust in these things, but WE must “remember the name of the LORD our God.”  Psalm 33:17 tells us that, “An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.”  It is a vain thing to think that getting better health insurance would solve all your problems.  It is a vain thing to think that getting a raise at work would suddenly make life perfectly easy.  “Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.  For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.” (Psalm 33:20-21)

     In a ladies’ Sunday School class I attended, a woman once gave us the phrase, “For THIS I have Jesus.”  Matthew 9:28  “. . . Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this . . .?”  No matter what your “THIS” may be, God is there for you!  Psalm 56:3 declares, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”  Stepping out in faith often brings with it apprehension and fear, but we can safely put our trust in the Lord.  It was said of Abraham, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 5:20-21)  Abraham was FULLY PERSUADED that what God had said, He would surely do!  Has God told you He will provide?  Then He WILL!  Has God told you that all will be well?  Then it WILL!

     In trying to trust the Lord, it is easy to fear being ashamed.  Psalm 25:2 says, “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.”  It seems like foolishness to the world for a mother without any savings, to become a stay-at-home-mom after the birth of a baby.  It seems like foolishness to bring a baby into the world without good health insurance coverage.  What if this doesn’t really work out?  What if God doesn’t really want to step in and do this for us?  We need not fear failure!  The Bible tells us that, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles . . . The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Psalm 34:17, 22)  The chorus of a precious hymn declares, “God will take care of you, Through ev’ry day, O’er all the way;  He will take care of you, God will take care of you.”  If we are seeking to follow in faith where God has led us, He WILL take care of us! 

     But how do we have faith in God?  Do we muster it up within ourselves?  We must not only EXERCISE faith, but we must ASK God to GIVE us faith!  The father of the demon-possessed boy cried out to Jesus, “ . . . Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) Did you know that when you are LACKING in faith, you can plead with God to give you more?!  I know there are mountains facing my little family right now!  What are YOU needing to trust God for, today? 

Faith Unseeing - Dinner #7

     I love the stories in I and II Kings about the prophets Elijah and Elisha.  So many miracles and tales of faith are found within those two books!  One of my favorites is found in I Kings chapter 17, when Elijah is hiding from Ahab during the years without any rain.  Elijah was not alone or forgotten during those years.  God was with him, protecting and providing for His servant. 

    

I Kings 17:4 “And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”

I Kings 17:7-9 “And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath . . . I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”

     One step at a time, God led Elijah and sustained him.  God didn’t reveal to the prophet everything all at once.  He didn’t say to Elijah, “First I’m going to provide for you by giving you water from a brook to drink and food brought by ravens, and then I’ll send you to a widow in Zarephath who will feed you.”  He had Elijah trust Him for provision, one step at a time.  When the water dried up, THEN God showed that He already had another plan to provide for him.  

     But Elijah wasn’t the only one in this story who had to trust God without being able to see ahead.  When the prophet comes to the widow of Zarephath and asks her for water to drink, she goes to fetch it right away.  But as soon as he mentions that he would like some food as well, her attitude changes. 

I Kings 17:12 “And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

     Three verses before this, however, we see that God said, “I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”  Before Elijah even arrived, God had already told this lady what she needed to do, but she was afraid of what might be required of her.  She didn’t mind about the water, but the last of her food supply took faith.

I Kings 17:13 “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.”

     Feeding the hungry prophet FIRST also took faith.  If he ate the last of what they had, there would be nothing left for she and her son!  But the widow woman obeyed, and stepped out by faith.  I Kings 17:16 tells us, “And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.”  When God says He will take care of you, you need not doubt!

     In II Kings chapter 3, we find another faith story, but this time with the prophet Elisha.  This story tells us of three kings who joined armies to fight against Moab.  Verse 9 indicates that the group soon became parched on their journey:  “ . . . and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.” The kings then decide together to inquire of Elisha as to what they should do.  In verses 16 and 17, we find the prophet’s reply:

“And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.  For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.”

     Isn’t that a precious verse?  I love it!  Elisha says, “You’re not going to be able to see it or understand it, but God WILL take care of you.”  I don’t know about each of you ladies, but this is a verse I, myself, need to joyfully cling to this week.

II Kings 3:20 “And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.”

     Not just enough for each man to have a short drink – the country was FILLED with water!  What about groceries for next week? What about money for unpaid bills? You may not be able to see how, but God WILL provide!  Is there something in your own daily life requiring faith at this moment?

Psalm 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.”

    

The Lord Our Provider - Dinner #2

     I was recently opening my Bible to Psalm 23, asking God to show me something special from His Word, and the very first verse immediately arrested my attention.  It is amazing to me how alive the Scripture truly is!  A familiar passage like this one, can somehow leap off the page at you, no matter how many times you’ve read it! 

    

Psalm 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

     Wow!  I, Kristen Kelley, shall not want!  That word “want” literally means “lack”.  We shall not be in need!  Whether it be groceries, or a job, or money for a phone bill, we shall not lack.  Psalm 34:9-10 “. . . for there is no want to them that fear him . . . but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”  We shall not lack any good thing, for God is our Provider!  We shall not lack the peace or the joy that we need!  We shall not lack the finances that we need!  We shall not be in need!  True to His special Name, Jehovah-Jirah, “The LORD will provide.”

Psalm 84:11-12 “ . . . no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”

     In these difficult economic times, God will take care of our financial situation.  He does not promise to make us wealthy, but He does promise to bless and care for His children.  I cannot tell you how many times while in Bible college, I saw the Lord miraculously provide the funds for a school bill, or for an overseas missions trip!  God does take care of His own! 

     We also will not lack the wisdom and direction that we need!  James 1:5  says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  In Psalm 32:8, the Lord tells us,  “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”  There are times when we have no answers, but God always does!  When we do not know which path to take, He is always there to lead us and guide us.  We “shall not want”, neither shall we lack “any good thing”. 

     When we are in danger, we will not lack protection.  When we are weak, we will not lack strength.  Psalm 28:7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” On the road, in a store, or at a work place, God keeps His children safe. 

     There are so many times when we may doubt God’s loving hand to meet our need, or worry over the outcome of a particular situation – but He promises to provide if we will but trust Him!  In Psalm 27:13 David declares, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”  We do not have to faint beneath a load of care!  We can believe to see the goodness of our God!  And our Lord promises that under the gentle leading of our Shepherd, we shall not be in want.