Nurses

I recently spent some "quality" time with several nurses at our local hospital. I talked with them about their recent experiences during covid. They are horror stories and I really can't imagine how our nurses have endured. I'm sharing this to help you recognize the heroes in our midst. 

     The nurses shared how they had patients with no underlying issues that they fully expected to recover with no problem but then they didn't. They would be otherwise healthy people but then in a day or so they shockingly passed away. They did not have enough rooms for the people flooding the hospitals and had people laying in the emergency room, for days, waiting for a room. The people were not allowed to have anyone with them because of quarantine. The hospitals were searching for other hospitals with rooms for these patients. They were sending them from right here in Oklahoma as far as New Mexico and St Louis! These were people from their own small communities. Some of them they had gone to school with and some were family friends. 

     The nurses were facing "war" like conditions with little time off and little rest, they were understaffed and working heroically to try to care for the people! After working full shifts and being on constant call they could be called back in to work more hours with no "down time", can you imagine the emotional toll much less the physical toll this would take on these brave people!?

Pray for our nurses, many could not handle anymore and left this field and many are still emotionally shocked and raw from the trauma they endured. Our nurses are a treasure and need our support and prayers.

Disciple or Acquaintance

 I have been considering lately that some people don't really know the Lord on a personal level. That should be a concern to all of us. We need to develop disciples of the Lord, not just acquaintances. 

     Just think, the Lord called Abraham "friend", isn't that more the relationship you would like to have with God the Father? If yes, then what are you doing to develop it?

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. James 2:23

 

Psalm 28:7

 Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart triumphs,
And with my song I shall thank Him.

In Spirit and Deed

     Many people are under the idea that when they give their lives to the Lord that He will make everything smooth. I don't like to burst that bubble, but from my walk after giving my life to the Lord, I've seen many times when things weren't too smooth for me and others.

     In scripture, you can read about many experiences that didn't turn out the way we would have thought they should. Read Stephen's story just as an example. He was a Godly man serving others and obeying the word of the Lord, he was stoned to death. His life brought glory to the Lord, but not as we would have imagined it. 

     In our lives, we should not look for things to be "smooth" but instead, focus on what will bring glory to the Lord. I know, we would not look forward to being a martyr, we may even shrink back from it, but strengthen your heart and your spirit that even when you face hardships you will still glorify the Lord in word and deed.

Acts 6:8-60 ~ The story of Stephen

Testify

 Have you been in church and had the speaker ask if anyone has a witness or testimony to share of what God is doing in their lives?      

So many times nobody shares anything! Is it really possible that the Lord is not doing something in their world? Or is it more likely that they are not recognizing what He is doing? I remember deciding one Sunday that I would never let the Lord go without a testimony. I have realized that even if we think that there are not great humongous miracles happening in our lives the Lord is still blessing us in multiple ways. 

The Sunday that I made this commitment to not see a time go by without the Lord having someone stand for Him and share a testimony, I shared the joy that I receive from Lightening Bugs! I really doubt that the Lord had to make a bug that would Light up the darkness and make us smile, but He did! And it even happens when the weather is comfortable for us to sit out and watch the little creatures do their light shows!

Is there not something in your life that you recognize as a special gift from the Lord? Birds? Flowers? Clouds? Trees? A spring rain? The beauty of everything covered with snow in the winter? Surely if you stop and think about it you can come up with something to speak of as a testimony or witness to God's goodness. Think about it and speak out! Testify to God's goodness!

I know a lot of God's people talk about His love. It is a very popular subject and well received! But the message that I most often am prompted to share is about His Holiness. Holiness is an under considered thing in God's Kingdom. God is Holy and we're called to be Holy. 

     Yes, there are times we mess up and we need to repent and try again, but there are quite a few people out there that don't really realize that "Holiness" is what we are called to as part of God's Kingdom. 

     I hear praise songs often that are more focused on "woe, woe, woe is me!" than on anything that leads you to recognize God's glory and holiness. I think of the hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul" and compare it to hymns these days and they come up pretty short. The hymn writer wrote these words after a terrible tragedy in his life~ 

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

     

He didn't focus on his hardships, he focused on God's goodness. I believe when we are growing in the holiness that we are called to then this is the same attitude that we will reflect to the world. Maybe that's why God has called us to be Holy as He is? Maybe it's His love that has called us to be Holy?

but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior, because it is written: 'You shall be Holy, for I am Holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16

Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

Psalm 28:7-9

 

In Spirit and In Truth

    I was awakened one day in church when I heard a man close to me saying his prayer. He was praising God with his whole heart, he was praising God's attributes. It was then that I realized that I didn't really know where to begin to praise God in spirit and in truth.  

    God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”   John 4:24

    I want to share with you a way I found that enabled me to learn God's attributes. I started reading through Psalms, they are full of the character of God! As I read Psalms I kept a notepad close to hand and wrote down each of God's attributes as I read them in His own words.

This is an example~ Psalm 3:3-5 But You, Lord, are a shield around me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying out to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

From this scripture I can see that the Lord is a shield around me, He is my glory, He lifts my head, He answers me, and He sustains me. 

These are all great attributes to praise the Lord for. I don't ever want to realize again that I don't know the Lord's character in a personal way that allows me to truly worship Him in spirit and in truth.

5I lay

Psalm 27:1

 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom should I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom should I dread? Psalm 27:1

Psalm 27: 14

 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. 

Psalm 27: 14 

 

Revival

You cry out for "Revival", you clamor for "Revival", what is it about Revival that you are crying for? Please search your heart and meditate on this question. 

     I have wondered if people desire it for an experience that they haven't been involved in before or like children get excited and desire Christmas? Isn't revival about God's glory and power being poured out? It's not just a party. It's about changing a community, it's about bringing people to the Lord. It's about His children repenting and coming to Him in a new way, about being sold out to Him 24/7, it's about being a servant, even as He has shown us through Jesus. 

     Are you ready for that? If you are, then what is holding you back from doing that now?

Changes

Lately, I've been going through some physical challenges that have changed my world. After another visit to the doctor, I realized that I need to accept that my world is continuing to change!  

As I was considering this yesterday I came to understand that my world has always been changing and I don't know why I didn't notice it so much until now! 

As a young girl, I climbed trees, rode horses, and did cartwheels, backbends, and many other things that were fun for me. I was a terror when it came to playing tetherball and at recess I rushed out to play baseball!

All of those things have fallen to the side as life has moved on, I don't know when the last time was that I did a cartwheel? I think I let go of those things without regret because there were other new, exciting things coming into my life. 

Now I'm being forced to let go of things that I'm not really quite ready to let go of because of new physical limitations. When I was thinking about this yesterday and feeling sorry for myself I suddenly considered that I have been letting go of things all through life, even as I'm sure you have too! Why am I fighting it so much now?  I need to look around my world and see what the new things are that I can grab hold of and move into! 

No more feeling sorry for myself! The Lord must have other things He is opening to me~ I need to be open to what those things are, not worrying about what I'm letting go of!

Okay, Lord!  Please forgive my petty grumbling.  I'm ready, let's go! I'm sorry I fought this in the beginning, I was being selfish and childish. I'm ready to move where and when You want me to!