Just a Daisy in the Meadow

Shining Eyes!!!

Faith – Love – Hope

- Some of the greatest things in life, aren’t they?  I mean when you think of it, what do you value most in life?

Okay, so these are just notes of what I shared in a devotional at our ladies sewing circle . . . but they are also  something God just put on my heart.

We always thank God for all of you and mention you when we pray.  We continually recall before God our Father

–       The things you have done because of your faith.

–       The work you have done because of your love

–       That you continue to be strong because of your hope. (New Century Version)

FAITH -being sure of the things we hope for, and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it (believing).  Faith is the reason we remember great people in the past . . .

Abel died but through his faith he is still speaking . . . When we are gone will our faith still speak or will our weakness obliterate into silence? . . .

By faith Noah, heard God’s warnings about things he could not yet see . . . He lived out his faith . . . He listened and acted on them because He had faith – He believed.

By faith, Abraham obeyed God’s call to go to another place . . . not knowing the outcome.

Though faith, Sarah, received strength to conceive seed and deliver a child.

Faith – seeing faith lived out is about as inspiring as it gets.  Examples before our eyes, in our lifetime, in people we know and admire . . . Now sure how or where or when, but believing God . . . Some can be quite personal in our lives, our marriages, our relationships, and they may be hidden, but one day will be revealed.  Seeing faith lived out is so encouraging!!!

Hebrews 11:13 . . . they died in faith, NOT having received the promises, but having seem them afar off.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, he that comes to God MUST believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Say my daughter Violet was hungry and tired, but instead of gazing at my face and outstretching her arms and hands upward to me expecting me to feed her and care for her, she would just sit there listless, and lethargic with dull, sad, empty eyes . . . no faith whatsoever in that I would take care of her . . . With faith, believe me, YOUR EYES ARE GONNA SHINE!

I Peter 1:7 These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure.  This purity of faith is worth more than gold. The purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you.

In heaven it will be revealed ( maybe hidden to others here) all those times you’ve held out your arms to God, and cried expecting . . .

8        You have not seen Christ, but you still love Him.  You cannot see Him now, but you believe in Him.  So you are filled with a JOY THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED, A JOY FULL OF GLORY!  . . . and you are receiving the goal of your faith – the salvation of your soul.

With faith our eyes are gonna shine . . . because God IS (real)!

Is anything more important or noteworthy than Jesus (God) reaching down to those with outstretched arms, tears coursing down their cheeks, expecting in faith? . . . Is anything more PRECIOUS than Jesus reaching down and picking you up??? . . .

LOVE – the work you have done because of your love.

Taking care of your families, praying, teaching, cooking, cleaning, supervising, organizing,  . . . being patient, kind, cheerful – even when it’s difficult and you might be “dogpaddling in the Sea of Overwhelm.”

All these things need love or they are just a clanging symbol . . .  I see each one of you loving your families and doing your best . . . not deserting or giving up, but bravely holding up your end and giving it all you’ve got!

God\Jesus is like a mother (We mothers are made in His image)  God takes care of us daily, leading , guiding, planning, being patient with our wanderings and weaknesses and loving us through it all . . .

HOPE – to want and expect or  DESIRE AND BELIEVE ) ( Col 1:21-23) One time you were separated from God – You were his enemies in your minds. . .   God made you friends again.   . . . IF you continue strong and sure in your FATIH, and not be moved away from HOPE.

Hope is soooo essential – to desire, believe or expect!  Hope and faith are a lot alike  . . . If you have hope, your eyes are gonna shine also!

Romans 8:4 who against hope believed in hope . . .

8:24 we are saved by hope

Heb. 6:19 hope as an anchor

Psalm 42:5b “I shall put my hope in God and KEEP praising Him. (arms upraised)

I Peter 1:3 Lively hope by Christ’s resurrection

I John 3:3 Hope purifies . . .

Romans 5:5” And hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out His love to fill our hearts.”  Hmmmm, how can that be? . . . you desire and believe and your hope will never be disappointed?  How does that work? . . . I tried to reconcile this with a relationship in my life that has been so disappointing . . . It’s in those times where my arms have fallen down a bit, but God’s telling me “KEEP THOSE ARMS UP!”  I need you to believe . . . to ask . . . to hope . . . Yes, maybe that relationship or person will not change for the better, but you will not be disappointed because I will pour my love into your heart and THAT NEVER DISSAPOINTS!!!

I Cor. 3:12 “We have this hope so we are very bold.”

We hope for the blessings God has for His children.   These blessings which cannot be destroyed or spoiled or lose their beauty are kept in heaven for you.

Psalm 42:11 Hope thou in God, for we shall yet praise Him!

71:5 Hope in God and forget not his works

130:5 We wait and hope . . . “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.”

130:7 Hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him  is plenteous redemption.

Prov. 10:28 Hope of the righteous  shall be gladness

13:12 Hope fulfilled is a tree of life –

19:18  (Chasten thy son)  Do something while there is hope (don’t wait until it is too late – speak to a friend)

Psalm 16:9 – “I have set the Lord always before me;  because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth.  My flesh also shall Rest in hope.”

Psalm 31:24 “Be of good cheer and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.”

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

12:12 Rejoicing in hope . . .

15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you – with all joy and peace – in believing, that ye may ABOUND in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I Thes 2:19 What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? . . . Is is not in bringing in family and friends before Christ’s coming? . . .

II Thes 2:16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father encourage you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.  God loved us and through his grace He gave us a good hope and encouragement that continues forever.

Titus 3:7 Blessed hope (desire and expectation) and glorious appearing – God coming for us

Heberews 3:6 If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm till the end. – We are Christs.

With faith, our eyes are gonna shine, with love our efforts will not return unto us void and with hope we can rest in His promises, and be a shining light for our God!

“By the Word of the Lord

Were the heavens made.

Their starry host

by

the

breath

of

His

mouth.”

- Psalm 33:6

Yeah, I know I’m talking about the heavens and the stars . . . but I just don’t have any pictures that can do it justice (well I can’t do the flowers justice either, but . . .)

I’ve been inspired with these verses after seeing Louie Giglio’s “How Great Is Our God”.  And his one on hope . . .   I can’t remember all the details about the planets,our solar system, all the millions of galaxies, and the greatness and the magnificence of the stars . . . He compares the earth as a golf ball and one of the stars as the Golden Gate Bridge twice (the distance), and then us on that golf ball . . . Imagine . . . And a even bigger star as Mt. Everest and down on the bottom the golf ball and then find yourself on that tiny golf ball . . . and that is just not even a drop in the bucket!  How great IS our GOD?!?!?!?!?!??!

“For He spoke and it came to be

He commanded and it stood firm . . .

From heaven the Lord looks down and sees . . .

But the eyes of the Lord are on those

who fear Him

on whose HOPE

is

in

His

unfailing

Word . . .

to deliver them

from death

and keep them

alive

in famine . . .”

God can keep our foot from slipping . . . God can move mountains in our lives . . . God can renew our strength . . . God can make us soar on eagles wings . . . God can give us hope for the future . . . . God can _____________  When you look at His splendor in the heavens, it just makes praise well up in your heart and burst through your lips!

. . . These flowers – they just look like regular stems of grass,  that blooms!

In heaven – the streets mind you are made of gold.

Boy, I can’t wait to stroll all over Heaven’s meadows and God’s Flower Park (or God’s Arboretum).  The Bible says He’s up there preparing mansions . . . I’m sure He’s working on the landscaping too!!! (That’s what I’m interested in. )

But no, the best part of all is the Everlasting God who does not grow tired or weary . . . Who loves me and cares about my life and daily and even every moment happenings and spiritual growth or my  stagnant complacent heart chosing once again to take the wrong path.  The best is . . . He helps me and lifts me up! . . .  He gives me strength to go on . . . He gives me power to say no to the devil, power to make those “small” daily choices of following God’s way . . . The best is – I can hear His still small voice in my heart . . . The best is – He’s with me each step of the way, enabling me to make the stones, stepping stones and not stumbling blocks.  The best is – He increases my poor, weak efforts . . . He increases my strength.  The best is HE and I can connect and be one in body, soul and spirit( in a earthly way).  . .

And yet the best is . . . the BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Do you not know? . . .

Have you not heard? . . .

The Lord is the Everlasting God

The Creator of the ends of the earth

He will not grow tired or weary

And His understanding NO ONE CAN FATHOM!

HE gives strength to the weary

And increases the power of the weak . . .” – Isaiah 40

I am a firm believer in the verse Romans 8:28 . . . I know I haven’t faced many hardships at all to speak of, but I have lived long enough to be rooted in Him and trust that the Almighty, All-knowing God has everything in control.  Yes, He gives us choices, and mankind  has made a mess of their lives to their devestation . . .  But I believe God has the whole picture . . . and I only a tiny, minuscule part.  I believe that all  things DO work together FOR GOOD to THEM THAT LOVE GOD and to them who are called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. Woe be it to those who aren’t on God’s side.

So what does all this pertain to in my life today?  This morning I was reading in Exodus 17  where the Israelites are going to battle against the Amalekites, and Moses says to Joshua, “Tomorrow, I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” And so it happens that when Moses held up his hand, Israel  prevailed,  and when he let it down their enemies prevailed.

In my life at the dawn of each  new day I purpose to stand at the top of the hill with he rod of God in my hand . . . and as long as I do, victory is attainable . . . but my hands, like Moses, become heavy . . . And yes, there is support.  There is a stone to sit on and helpers are holding up my arms . . .

. . . But sometimes I just get weary of all that it takes to keep going.  Why did God allow it to be this way? . . . Why can’t I have enough strength to stand and to keep my own arms up?  No one else could do Moses’ job.  No one else can really fill my roll as wife and mother to my husband and little Staufferites . . .

” . . . and his hands were steady till the going down of the sun.”  Moses held on and fought even though he was tired to the bone.  Till the day was done and the battle won, he keep “fighting” . . .

Eph.6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalites, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand i the evil day and having done all to stand . . .

Ep. 6:16  says, “Above all, taking the shield of faith . . .

There’s too much at stake here . . . souls making choices that will affect their eternal destiny . . . I can not, I will not give in to weariness in the battle. . . I will not be lulled to sleep when there is a battle being fought and God is depending on my to do my part that no one else can do.

He’s given me little ones not to just fill my life with the happiness that children bring but to train for war against the evil one, to share with them Life Divine and the ways Satan tries to lull us to sleep or kill us, disquiet our peace, and make us anxious and fretful, make us a stumbling block to others or lax and undisciplined in things that matter most like keeping God number one and seeking His wisdom in EVERY thing, following His path straight and narrow path when it’s hard and rough . . . believing that God does see the Big Picture and trusting Him when I can’t make sense of my little, itsy, bitsy piece of it . . .

Genesis 15:1  “Do not be afraid, Abram Aimee, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” When I was engaged I couldn’t wait to live life with my Fiance(Husband) that’s almost all I thought about.  God says that He is our exceedingly great reward . . . To spend the rest of our lives with Jesus . . . Yes, that will be the greatest reward I could ever want.  Exceedingly great!!!

How can I NOT hold on till the day is done and the battle’s won? . . . Hold on!

Was inspired today by this Daily Devotional. Just found this Proverbs 31 place and am blessed!!!

“When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate.” Ezekiel 46:9 (NIV)

We are to go out and come back a DIFFERENT mom . . .   Love it!

Just needing to hear this myself, when I look at my house these days . .  

Doubt sees the obstacles; faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darkest night; faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step; faith soars on high.

Doubt questions, “Who believes?”

Faith answers, “I.”

“Do not cry to Me in the hour of crisiis and distress as though I would extentd some miracle in answer to prayer.  Of course, I do answer prayer and I can perform miracles and bring deliverance, but if I do this, I have only rescued one of my own out of trouble while you yourself have won no victory at all. . . . I want you to experience Jericho’s not Ai’s . . . Ye are not qualified to be used for My purposes as long as you are being harassed by the enemy and I keep needing to rescue you from a constant parade of distressing predicaments . . . ” -  Frances J. Roberts

. . . Run with the passion of Elijah

Elijah – a Rabbi -  (people in Jesus time confused him with the Messiah!) Whom do ye say that I am?  Some say Elijah, some say . . .

Elijah had a passion,a intense commitment at all costs . . .

Remember Mt. Carmel?

Elijah climbe up Mt. Carmel and had a contest with a pagan cult

He climbed back down and forsaw their punishment, climbed back up and prayed passionatly, climbed back down and ran 20 miles ahead of Ahab’s chariot . . . He gave everything he had!

Paul says in IICorinthians 12:15 ” And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls . . .”

In the New Testament time they used sports to declare their gods.  Athletes ran to declare “He is god!”  Paul says our Christian “walk” or our run says to the world the “He ALONE IS KING!”  Our walk with Jesus is an olympic event.   The way we try to be like Jesus becomes a flat-out, all-out run . . .

We’re to give it all we got.  At judgement the question might arise, “Whatcha got left?  Ya know you’ve just finished running with allyour worth here in this life and your panting because of the exturtion . . . We want to be able to say  . . . I!  . .  .have!  . . . nothing!  . . . left!

Hebrews 12:1″ . . . Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us,and let us RUN with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us,looking unto Jesus . . .”

The heroes of faith – picture your self running in a huge area, as in New Testament times with the “bleachers’ full of these people . . .

- Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samual and the prophets .  . . all these having obtained a good testimony through FAITH . . .

Hudson Taylor, Amy Charmichael, Willam Tyndale, David Livingstone, George Mueller, John Wesley, Gladyas Alward, Nate Saint . . . .

And then those heroes who’ve you’ve known who have gone on before, LeRoy, Krystal . . . Your own grandparents, or family or  dear friend . . .

These witnesses  are your fans  . . . and they are saying . . . “IT’S ! WORTH ! EVERY! EFFORT! YOU!  MAKE!  Run!  Don’t quit!

The biggest barrier, to be genuinely like Jesus, in our world today is that it takes this kind of fight!

Habakkuk 3:2 ” A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, ‘Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord, Renew them in our day, and in our time make them known . . .”

Isaiah 40:29-31 ” Do you not know, Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary, and increases  the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength!

They will soar on wings like eagles!

THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY!

They will walk and not faint!”

It’s only by the power of God that we can run and not be weary!  Where are you getting your strength from . . .

Ok, that’s my “sermon” for the day . . . No, actually it’s just what I am sharing with the sewing circle ladies . . . my turn for devotions . . .

This has been a tough week for me . . . weary and exhausted, trying to keep things under control (house work and children ) and just needing lots of rest and quiet . . .

And of course this had to be an extremely busy week for my husband ( he’s on the quilt show committee this year).  Somehow when we’re both bus and tired at the same time it is tougher . . .

But God has poured out his tender loving care on me this week also . . . Three mornings in a row I’ve had a few hours to myself, of quiet reflection  and rest.  And yesterday I actually slept a bit in the mid-morning and also a bit in the afternoon . . . now this is miracle stuff for me because I usually can’t sleep during the day no matter how exhausted I am . . . Anyway, I just want to praise His name and say that He cares . . . He really does . . . He came to me “in person” these last few days and ministered to my needs . . .

No, God doesn’t always answer my prayers this way . . .  but He’s the Lily in my Valley anyway . . . no matter what . . .

“I found a Lily in my valley – in my valley,

I found strength when I was worn- Oh, so worn

I found a place to leave my burden,

I found a refuge from the storm.

A place to trade my dark skies,

For beaming rays of sunshine – God’s sunshine

I found a Lily in my valley

And He blooms all the time . . .”

Problems/perplexities Ever Around Christ Enough

“I will refresh the weary

and satisfy the faint.” – Jeremiah 31:25

God is faithful . . . he has and is . . .

This song keeps running through my head . . . 

“Moment by moment I’m kept by His love,

Moment my moment, I’ve life from above . . . “

Ever read the Book “Evidence Not Seen”  by Darlene Diebler Rose?  Here’s a quote from it . . . Don’t you love it?

“Underneath us, O how easy!
We have not to mount on high,
But to sink into his fullness,
And in trustful weakness lie;
And we find our humbling failures
save us from the strength that harms;
We may fail, but underneath us
Are the everlasting arms.”