One blanket. Two blankets. Three blankets. Four. Keith and I sat in front of the fire trying to get warm. The winter storm had brought a temperature of 3 degrees that the weatherman said, “feels like minus 11.” If only we had power and water. We had neither. The winter storm continued and we couldn’t get down our icy driveway to get to our children’s homes.  If you’ve lived in an area affected by a winter storm you know how devastating the cold can be. Especially if you run out of wood, which happened to us. We couldn’t complain, though. We had a comforter. A comforter that we may take for granted is more than appreciated during a winter storm. So, too, is a spiritual Comforter when we’re experiencing life’s storms. Second Corinthians 1:3 describes the as Lord as the God of All Comfort. Yes, when a person’s crisp tongue chills us to the core or the howling wind of despair blows through our heart, or we are experiencing a literal storm, the God of all Comfort comforts us like none other. Why?  The Greek word for comfort means “to call to one’s side, speak to, in the way of exhortation, console, teach.” How incredible that God gives every believer the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. Our Comforter is an abiding presence who will never wear out, never become threadbare, and never leave us. The more we blanket our lives with His teachings, the more we’ll know the warmth of His abiding presence.

 Adapted from Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, page 67.

Sweet friends, you are in my prayers as you suffer through life’s storms.

Heavenly Father, You are the God of all COMFORT! Please comfort all who are suffering. Give them Your wisdom. Bring resources to help them. Strengthen them as only You can. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Isn’t it amazing that it is often human nature to reject what is good and gravitate towards that which is bad? Although it’s sad, it’s true. Peter calls believers to realize that the One people reject when they turn from Christ “is choice and precious in the sight of God.” (1 Peter 2:4)  The Greek words “choice and precious” mean that God appointed Jesus to the most exalted office conceivable.* He is held in honor and prized by His Father.** Continue reading in 1 Peter 2:5 and your heart can’t help but be warmed. Jesus is a choice and precious living stone and we are also living stones, being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. For what purpose? “To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Oh my. So often we sacrifice for things on earth that are temporal. But to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God? That is a privileged calling and it is ours,  my friend.

CHOICE AND PRECIOUS Savior, we love You and praise You. Focus our eyes on You and our time and energy on eternal rather than earthly, passing things.  

*Choice, **Precious

• ‘Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever! Deuteronomy 5:29.

• …the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” Exodus 20:20

For our good and survival.

• “So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good always and for our survival, as [it is] today. Deuteronomy 6:25

For wisdom.

• The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do [His commandments;] His praise endures forever. Psalm 111:10

For God’s help and protection.

• You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. Psalm 115:11
• He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. Psalm 145:19
•  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.  Psalm 34:7

In other words, having a healthy fear of God keeps us from destructive sin and in close reliance on the Holy Spirit so we discern His voice and are empowered to walk in His ways.

WE ARE NOT TO FEAR MAN     

Anxious concern

• The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you.” Joshua 10:8
• The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6
• But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. Exodus 14:13
• ‘Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.’ Deuteronomy 3:22
• But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 1 Peter 3:14
•  ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10

Have you ever given your best effort at something, but failed? On the other hand, have you ever experienced great success? It’s normal to want to win.  In keeping with that, Isaiah 19:20  has encouraging news for Christians. “It will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them.” Jesus is the proclaimed Champion for the Jews and all who call on Him for salvation. If you’re on Christ’s side, you’re on the winning side.  At times it may feel like you’re losing the battle, but the ultimate win is coming.

LORD, You are the CHAMPION over all. We can’t wait to see the witness of the display of Your glory and reign. We love You. 

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If someone were to ask you what makes your life, marriage, family, career, and friendships work well, what would you say? Are you successful because you’re a hard worker?  Are you successful because you’re conscientious? Or, perhaps a good listener?  It’s an important question. A more important question, though, is what makes your life, marriage, family, career, friendships work to the glory of God? Why is that an important question? Because if we are a Christian, 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that everything we do is to be to the glory of God. “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  Acts 4:11 reinforces this fact by saying Jesus is the stone that was rejected, but who became the CHIEF CORNERSTONE.” In other words, we’re to build our lives on Christ in such a way that our life brings Him glory. If that’s not happening, we can begin today. We can draw closer to Jesus.

It started as a peaceful morning. 5:30 am alone with God has a tendency to do that. After my quiet time and while scanning emails and news stories, however, I almost came to the conclusion that I’d unknowingly had Covid or might have gotten Covid the day before or maybe two days before. Or, maybe I shouldn’t get the vaccine in case I had unknowingly had Covid recently because someone told me you could get really sick if you didn’t wait 3 months to get the vaccine after having it. I have no idea if that’s true. However, after reading the article that listed 98 SYMPTOMS people who have had Covid have had could make anyone wonder. Scanning 98 symptoms can tend to make one pause. My eyes had been a little red one day last week and that was one of the symptoms. I had dismissed the redness as allergies, but you never know. Okay, I think you get my point. Everyone could probably identify as having had one of the 98 symptoms and go into a frenzy if they are the worrying type, which thank goodness I’m not. However, understandably, Covid has caused an increase in anxiety in our nation and world and if not because of Covid, you may have stressed over politics or any number of other issues. It is normal to feel anxious when our loved ones are ill or when family or financial problems arise.  What’s important for us to know in stressful times is that Jesus is with us and cares for us. He doesn’t want us to go crazy with worry. He wants us to cast all our anxiety on Him as 1 Peter 5:7 clearly states. Yes, just like a person casts a fishing line into the water, we can cast our anxiety on Jesus knowing that He cares for us and will see us through each moment each day. If you’re feeling anxious, cast your anxiety on Him right now.  Tell Him your anxious thoughts. He loves you, is listening, and He is ever present to comfort you, sweet friend.

Jesus, thank You for being a CARING LORD on whom we can cast our anxiety! Comfort with a comfort that only You can give all those who are suffering with Covid right now or who have lost a loved one to Covid. Bring healing to those suffering and strength to all the care givers. We love You and thank You for caring for us. 

Do you have a whopper of a problem? Perhaps you’re even where the Lord led you, but the situation is more than you can handle.  When Joshua found himself in a tough place, the Lord appeared to him as Captain of the Lord’s Host. Listen to what happened.  Joshua 5:14-15 states, “Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, ‘What has my lord to say to his servant?’  The Captain of the Lord’s Host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.” Did we get that? Joshua bowed down and said, “What has my lord to say to his servant?” The Lord told Joshua that the place he was standing was holy ground; then He told him what to do. Isn’t that the position we need to take not only when we’re faced with problems, but every day? Bow before the Lord. Ask, “what do You have to say to me?” Then, listen with the intention of obeying.

CAPTAIN of the HOSTS, we bow before You. Speak to our heart and mind. Tell us what to do.