Into the Silence

The world is so noisy. All around us, even out in the country, social media, TV, car radios and stores are blaring advertisements and voices almost 24/7.

Many people have a noisy soul too. Their thoughts and feelings are bombarding them with negative issues that demand their immediate attention. They are weary and discover no rest, even in God's presence.

In sleep they dream disruptive images, which come from their troubled soul. They argue with significant others in their life and even argue with their own self; finding no peace at all.

Only if we disappear into our spirit and immerse our self in God's peace can we find ultimate silence regardless of the dissonance of circumstances around us.

As we sit in His presence, we get lost in Him and focus on His still, small voice within us. We worship with the angels and enjoy our front row seat with Jesus in heavenly places even now (Ephesians 2:4-7).

We sit in companionable silence with Him as we bask in the pleasure of God's face shining on us as He takes joy in our company (Numbers 6:25; Psalm 80:3; Zephaniah 3:17).

Finding comfort in the silent presence of our significant others is also a joyful experience. We may chat amiably or snuggle silently and recharge our battery for the coming tasks which will demand our attention.

Holding our child as they drift off to sleep is one of the most satisfying experiences in life. We watch their peaceful features and enjoy their unconditional love as their breathing slows and their tiny eyes droop.

Yet, our most meaningful relationship is dwelling continually in God's presence. He permeates us with a quiet peace, sane direction, cheerful thoughts and a holy existence. We pray or listen as the moment dictates and enjoy the constant fellowship of His company.

Prayer:

Father God, as we abide in Your presence we experience deep peace, unexplainable joy, and Your comfort and support as we share with You our tears of worship or burdens. You are kind to all of us who trust in and obey You. We wait patiently for You in our alone times and in the cacophony of daily living (Lamentations 3:25-26).

By faith, even in our worse trials and times of testing, we joyfully count on Your faithfulness to produce endurance in our soul (James 1:2). We dwell in our spirit and snuggle under the almighty shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91:4). You give us peace which overcomes human reasoning, and You shower us with Your blessings regardless of the hardships we experience in this life (Philippians 4:7).

Thought for the Day:
Times of silence give us rest, hope and strength to face the next trial.

That Feeling of Intimacy

So many people tell me that they no longer feel God's intense presence like they once did, and they want that feeling back. They say that God left them alone in the wilderness, and they cannot find His presence. This is impossible. God lives within us (Colossians 1:27). There is no way that He would ever leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

If we do not feel His presence it is for one of two reasons. Maybe we sinned and grieved the Holy Spirit. When this happens, God turns His back because He cannot look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). The other reason is that He is enjoying some companionable silence with us; and in our insecurity, we fail to realize that He is still and always will be right here within us.

God is constantly near us. He sees us no matter where we are or what we are doing (Psalm 139:8). He fills the heavens and earth, and this includes the lives of those who put their trust in Him (Jeremiah 23:23-24). The first step in restoring our intimacy is to allow God's Spirit to search our heart (Psalm 139:23-24). He will point out to us any idol or sin, which is blocking the connection between Him and us.

The second step is to relax and enjoy God's companionable silence. We do not need goose bumps, constant revelation from His Word or His still, small voice within us in order to believe that He is with us. We have His promise that He is there, and that is all we really need. Rather than seeking a feeling, just spend time praising God, because our connection with Him can never be lost.

Prayer:

Father God, You inhabit the praises of Your people (Psalm 22:3). There is no quicker way to connect to Your presence in us than to praise You with an obedient heart full of gratitude and trust. Remind us that once we are free from unconfessed sin, empty of all known idols and trusting in Your goodness, we will bask in the waterfall of Your love, which You pour over those who rest in Your will.

Thought for the Day:

Never allow Satan to convince you that this perceived "dry spell" means that God is withholding His presence from you; confess known sin and then enjoy His companionable silence by sitting still and knowing that He is Your God now and forever. - Psalm 46:10

In His Presence

All power belongs to God. Evil men try to usurp His authority and oppress His people, but they will come to their end (Psalm 62:9-10). His loving kindness is readily available to us. His joy, peace and love envelop us every moment of our life. He relates to us in proportion to our belief in Him and our faithfulness to Him (Psalm 62:11-12).

Our Heavenly Father reaches down and touches our soul, forever changing how we view life and respond to circumstances; yet, we ignore Him unless we have a problem, which we cannot handle. God is the rock of our salvation. He wants us to patiently linger only with Him. He calls us to wait on Him in silence (Psalm 62:1-2). However, we are often too busy to spend time with Him.

If we do enter His presence, our life would improve dramatically. In His presence, we are never seriously shaken. He is our hope and our stronghold (Psalm 62:5-6). Our deliverance and future rests on Him. He is the rock of our strength and our refuge in any trouble. We can trust in Him at all times. He listens when we pour out our heart to Him. He is our almighty sanctuary (Psalm 62:7-8).

Our soul cries out, even craves for the presence of our Living God. More than anything else, we desire to dwell in His courts. Even our body longs to be in His presence (Psalm 84:2). We groan along with all of creation for the revealing of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the ruler of the universe (Romans 8:19-22). We long for His imminent return to rule and reign over the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:1).

Prayer:
Father God, every pursuit in this life pales in comparison to spending time with You. Our fulfillment is found only in Your presence. You are the very air we breathe (Psalm 136:25). You gratify our cravings and You fill our famished soul (Psalm 107:9; 103:5). Remind us of the joy of a life in service to You. Teach us that amassing this world's goods will only take away from time better spent with You.

Thought for the Day:

The more we wait on the Lord, the more deeply we come to feel His presence in our life.

Viva la Technolongy

 

Technology improves our human existence in many ways. Among other things, it controls pollution, it keeps us connected all over the world, it controls a car and flies an airplane, it registers the weather and helps us to prepare for it, it gives reviews on information we are interested in, it enhances a surgeon’s ability in the operating room and photographs the inside of our body for medical information, it checks our spelling and it can even research the Bible in an instant.

However, technology can also be an idol in our life. Have you ever noticed that people can no longer sit still? We have electronic devices such as the TV, radio, iPad, iPod, laptops, tablets, smart phones, and the list goes on into infinity. They are always “ON”. We rarely take the time to sit quietly to think or pray. Flashing pictures, text messages and sound waves constantly distract our attention. We have televisions in the kitchen, in the garage and now they are even showing up in the bathroom.

We have several Biblical examples of people who actually walked with God. Enoch walked with God and God took Him home to His house (Genesis 5:22-24). Noah walked with God (Gen 6:9). God walked with the Israelite nation (Exodus 33:14; Leviticus 26:12). The biggest blessing is that God and His Christ make their abode within the heart of anyone who keeps His Word (John 14:23). As we keep His commandments, we dwell in Him, and He dwells in us by His Spirit whom He gives us (1 John 3:24).

I love silence. I spend much of the Night Watch (Psalm 119:148) in silence, listening to the voice of God as He teaches, comforts and inspires me. He pours His love over me like a waterfall and fills my soul with His peace. If I chose to sit in front of the TV or Internet instead, I would miss this wondrous intimacy with my Heavenly Daddy. I can even take this intimacy with me wherever I go, every moment of any day of the week and into any situation. You can too.

Prayer:

Father God, You motivate us to stay in constant fellowship with You and to stand against the temptation to have any idol rule our life. Your presence motivates us and gives us rest. We find favor in Your sight and we are Your people. You distinguish us from all other people, because we belong to You (Exodus 33:14-17; Leviticus 26:12). Thank You for allowing us to be one with You and Your Christ in perfect unity in Your love (John 17:23).

Thought for the Day:

Rejoice, be at peace, be comforted and complete, for the God of love and peace dwells in you. – 2 Corinthians 13:11

A Place of Refuge

God does not abandon us at birth and expect us to make our own way in life. He does not want us to work for Him; He prefers to work through us (Galatians 2:20). Even our best self-efforts are merely filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6). Once we recognize our need for complete reliance on the Lord, His Spirit engulfs us. We are filled through all of our being with all of God’s fullness (Ephesians 3:19-20). We take specific time-outs during the day to draw away from society and to sit in silence in God’s company.

Many of us maintain a lifestyle of extreme anxiety. We rush through life, losing sleep to meet quotas and cut-off dates, using up every degree of human exertion we can rouse. We pay inflated prices for dessert coffee to wake us up, and then swallow medication to quell the physical illnesses produced by our frantic pace. We depend on our self-effort to handle all of life’s terrors. We mistakenly think the world depends upon us and revolves around us. What we fail to remember is that the cemetery is full of people who thought they were indispensable.

Sometime after our conversion, God brings us to a deeper place of brokenness. Recognizing that we can no longer function through our human potential, we acknowledge our weakness and totally surrender to His Lordship. We enter a new realm of the Spirit, which leads us to God’s power in us and through us. Basking in His presence, we receive His love, peace, wisdom and strength (Isaiah 26:3). We let go of control over our life and relinquish our worries into His capable hands. He is our only lasting refuge and strength, our constant help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

When we sit alone, we are never lonely as long as the Spirit of God resides within our spirit (Psalm 46:10). Connecting to the Spirit of God in times of aloneness gives us the opportunity to walk in His peace and rest throughout the day (Mark 6:31. We receive His healing for our spirit, body and soul – our mind, will and emotions. We enter our quiet place within, experiencing unity with His Spirit. We move through the routine of our daily life led by God’s Spirit.

As we carve deliberate times of solitude from our schedule to be alone (all-one) with the Lord, He readily speaks to us (Revelation 3:20). We suspend our thoughts and praise Him for His faithfulness and glory. Whether we are walking on the sunny beach beside the lulling cadenced of the swishing surf under the call of gulls floating on the breeze, or carpooling the children, or performing household chores, or driving in rush hour traffic, or chained to the overwhelming aspects at work, we remain in His presence, listening to His direction for every moment of our day.

We are dead, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). God lives within us through Christ and leads us by His Spirit, ready to commune with us whenever we give Him the chance. All it takes is for us to silence the dissonance within and without and to focus all of our attention on His love welling up within us. Then we will walk in balance with His Will and direction for our life. As we remain in the Lord and rest in His goodness, His quietness and confidence invade our spirit and give us strength. (Isaiah 30:15).

Prayer:

Father God, I find my rest in You alone; my salvation comes from You. My soul waits silently for You, because You are the source of all of my joy. Remind me to enter that quiet place within my spirit all throughout the day, no matter what responsibilities claim my time, so that I can focus on You and enjoy fellowship with You every moment of my life. As we abide in You, Your love abides in us (1 John 4:16).  You are our hiding place. You preserve us from trouble and surround us with Your protection and deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

Thought for the Day:
Make it a priority to pursue more of Christ in silent times alone with Him.
- Psalm 42:1

To Speak or Not to Speak

Read: 1 Timothy 5:13

“It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” – Proverbs 20:3

I have recently been contemplating where my responsibility to the Body of Christ ends and where meddling begins. As a Pastor’s wife, do I have a responsibility for the watch care of the flock? Do I owe them any type of spiritual advice or is that taking my role too far?

In today’s society, people resent it when we stick our nose into their business. Even if we are trying to be kind and helpful, what they view as our interference often offends them. They do not even appreciate it when we share sound doctrine with them, or try to enlighten them in some area in which they obviously lack wisdom. Due to their previous experiences with other people, they hide behind thick walls they erect to protect themselves from pain and abuse.

Erecting rigid boundaries is similar to living in a house surrounded by a huge wall without a gate. Not one person is allowed within the borders. These boundaries are too rigid, and those within them live in fear of failure, rejection, abuse and life. They appear aloof and distant, and do not talk about their feelings or show emotions. They exhibit extreme self-sufficiency, and do not ask for help. They do not allow anyone to get physically or emotionally close to them. On the other hand, those whose boundaries are too loose often lead chaotic lives, full of drama, as if they lived in houses with no fences, gates, locks or even doors.

So, my question is…why do we even try to help one another? I really am very busy with my own life. I do not have any need to invade someone else’s privacy to feel better about myself. I have no desire to censure their behavior or to add to their weight of condemnation. Although I prefer learning from someone else’s mistakes, most people do not. They eventually learn from their own experience, even if it is the hard way. They form their own convictions and conclusions by listening to sermons and reading God’s Word, so why should I feel any form of compulsion to make their life better or easier by sharing what God taught me in situations similar to theirs?

Those with healthy boundaries are comfortable with who they are, and they make others comfortable around them. They live in houses with fences instead of walls, and they erect gates that allow access only to those who respect their boundaries. They give and accept support. They respect their feelings, needs, opinions, and rights as wells as those of others. They are very clear about owning only their own feelings, needs, opinions and rights.

They respect their separateness. They are responsible for their own happiness and allow others to be responsible for their own happiness. They are assertive rather than aggressive, and they respect the right of others to be confident. They are able to negotiate and compromise. They have empathy for others. They are able to make mistakes without damaging their self-esteem. They have an internal sense of personal identity in Christ. They respect diversity and appreciate hearing another person’s opinion or advice.

Jesus loved people. He did not even take the time to form friendships or relationships with them first. He just prophetically spoke what He heard His Father tell Him to share. He spent countless hours teaching them, healing them, instructing them and miraculously feeding them, until He finally laid down His life for them.

In today’s society, however, we must first earn the right to have these same deeply spiritual conversations with people by forming a friendship with them in which we lay down our life for them in some way. We have to prove to them that we care, so that they will know that our instruction flows from this same concern for their welfare. Then, when they trust us, we can nurture them if they allow us the opportunity to do so.

Unsolicited advice is rarely appreciated, so I am going to take down my counselor’s “shingle” and stick to being a friend, until one at a time someone allows me to also be their mentor.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help your Body to build gates into their walls, which they use to protect themselves from any invasion into their privacy. Show them that they are wise to keep out certain people, but not everyone; and that they need this gate to let safe people into their lives.

Thought for the Day:

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. - Proverbs 11:13

Hope Deferred

Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there’s life and joy.” - Proverbs 13:12 (TLB)

Depression often accompanies a time of disappointment or discouragement. We watch our hope dwindle away and our heart sinks into the quagmire of despair. A lost job, a failed relationship, a wayward teen, a child lost to tragedy or war, frustration with our government, the world’s environmental deterioration, the failing economy, disillusionment in the church’s leadership and so many other life events contribute to our mood. I know there is hope in Jesus, but sometimes I just cannot sense God’s direction for my life. I struggle to make a connection, yet He remains aloof.

At times like this, God knows there are worst gales of adversity ahead. He utilizes His silence to draw me closer. Like the tree planted by the water, I sink my roots deeper into Him. I follow the Psalmist’s example by encouraging my soul (Psalm 42:5). Only under the shadow of His wings do I find true and lasting peace. My only secure hope is in God. I praise Him, for He alone is the source of my comfort and joy.

PRAYER:

Lord, help us to remember that happy are they who have the God of eternity as their provider, and who keep their hope in You. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I put my hopes and dreams in the Lord’s hands. I know they are safe there.