HIS ROD AND HIS STAFF THEY COMFORT US!

All of us have read this Psalm many times and many of us probably even know it by heart. It is very familiar to us, as a matter of fact, sometimes it may be too familiar! Wouldn't you agree? We have quoted it from memory or read it over and over or heard it read at funerals, but how often do we really read it and study it? I read a devotional this morning that gave me a new look at a portion of this well-known Psalm. The writer was talking about a cabinet full of walking canes at his grandfather's house. He pointed out that each time he had reached for one, he was reminded that the Word of God is a staff!

Psalm 23:4 tells us that "His staff comforts us!" In the midst of awaiting to know if the mass growing inside my mom is cancerous, the verse "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord!" (Ps. 112:7) is a staff to walk with on many worry-filled days. On days when I become overwhelmed with the fact that my dad's dementia is getting worse by the day and the future scares me to death, I choose the staff, which has never failed, "For I know the plans I have for you,...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." What precious Word has been a staff for you lately?

"It is quite true that God's rod is like a schoolteacher's pointer to a child, pointing out a letter so the child will notice it. In this same way, God points out many valuable lessons to us that we otherwise would never have learned. BUT, God always sends His staff with His rod." WOW! What a promise! Alexander Maclaren said, "Each of us may be sure that if God sends us over rocky paths, He will provide us with sturdy shoes. He will never send us on any journey without equipping us well!"

Sister, grab your Staff!! We've got some traveling to do!

I love you and I'm praying for you!

Wendy

To:

wendylwm@bellsouth.net

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NEED A RESCUE?

Have you ever been in a situation physically or spiritually where you needed rescuing? This question has been on my mind all weekend. Ben was home this weekend and shared with us that Bob Scott, the guy that shot Facing the Giants and Fireproof was actually in Haiti when the earthquake hit. As soon as was possible he began sending emails to his family and below is an excerpt of one that he sent out to all his friends and family on Friday.

I am home! In my house with my family!

We were evacuated by the US military in 4 Black Hawk Helicopters Friday afternoon to a US military base in the Dominican Republic then flown home and welcomed by a crowd of 400 cheering family and friends. After that experience no one should ever doubt the might of the US Military - I knew they would use any resource and stop at nothing to get us safely out of Haiti and back home to our families. I have never been more proud to be an American!

As Ben read this to us, I couldn't help but think, "Am I that grateful every time God rescues me??" Do I share with my loved ones...."I have been rescued by My Rescuer and I knew that He would use any resource and stop at nothing to get me safely out or to deliver me from temptation in that area....and I have never been more proud to be a child of God!!" We could all proclaim that each and every day!

Psalm 18 promises us that "The Lord is my rock, my rescuer and my deliverer!" So, if you find yourself in need of rescuing, you have Someone so much more powerful to call on than 4 Black Hawk helicopters...the Word tells us that He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways! Psalm 91 goes on to say, "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him."

That is awesome news and definitely something to write home about!

I love you!

Wendy

www.seekerofhim.blogspot.com

WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING?

In Sunday School this morning, we were looking at all the letters written by Paul. We were talking about the fact that Paul traveled much of the time and planted several churches along the way. Being the elementary teacher that I am, I immediately thought about the story of Johnny Appleseed traveling all across America planting apple seeds all those years ago. As I was thinking about that, the Lord asked me the question, "What are you planting?" You know, that is a great question. When your name is brought up, what is the first thing others think of? Do you go about planting criticism or complaints? Do I go about my life planting negative words to others? What if all of us became as purposeful in our "planting" as Johnny was in his distribution of apple seeds? Or as determined as Paul was about preaching Christ? What if we set out from this moment on to plant words of encouragement everywhere we went?

Just as a farmer plants seeds each spring, may each of us be very intentional about what we are planting in the fields that we frequent. As we are faithful to sow whatever God directs us to into our fields, we will see a harvest! I am praying for you right now as you seek the heart of God about what you are to plant in the fields that He has given you because it is always planting season!!

In His Love!

Wendy

December 26th, 2009 by Tom Elliff

My Verse for the Year

Forty years ago, a friend challenged me to choose a verse for the year. This was to be a verse that would serve as an anchor, guide, reminder and a point of reference throughout the year. I have faithfully adhered to this practice now, for forty years. And I’m constantly amazed at how each year’s verse has seemed tailor-made for the events I faced over the following twelve months. And for all these forty years, my verse for the year served as the text for the message I would preach the first Sunday in January. Today’s blog is about my verse for 2010.

If you’ve ever received a handwritten note from me, you know that I close with the words of First Thessalonians 5: 18, “Rejoice evermore!” Though not my life’s verse, these words contain an exhortation I believe we all should take to heart. This year, God has led me to claim that verse as my verse for the year. “Rejoice evermore!” Why is it that I am so drawn to those words?

I am immediately taken with the fact that rejoicing is a command. In other words, a bad attitude is not an option available to the believer. But what if you are the victim of some error in judgement, or some awful mistake? Those who have served with me in staff positions over the years have often heard me say that mistakes are inevitable, but bad attitudes are not an option. The single, most humanly inexplicable characteristic of Rome’s Christian martyrs was their remarkable, supernatural joy in the face of imminent death.

Rejoicing is also a choice. In order to rejoice always, I must often make a deliberate choice in the face of circumstances that would rob me of my joy. My eldest daughter is fond of reminding me that once when she had been sent to bed she wailed in protest. I responded by whispering in her ear, “You can go to bed mad, or sad, or glad, but you are going to bed. So what’s your choice?” Rejoicing is a behavioral choice, not simply an emotional reaction.

Though it is difficult to imagine, our rejoicing is to be continual. This does not mean that there are to be no such emotions in life as sadness, grief, perplexity, or distress. But it does mean that joy is to be the over-riding element of of our emotions. While happiness is directly related to our external circumstances, joy surges up from within. Our joy is rooted in Who we have, and Who has us, rather than what we have, or what we a currently experiencing. Our joy should be obvious to others.

Finally, rejoicing is an evidence of confidence. Our rejoicing in the face of events that are perplexing and stressful is a clear signal that we know Who is in control of every circumstance of life. God is not asking us to do something unrealistic here. He is not commanding us to paste a silly grin on our face at every painful turn of life, saying through clenched teeth, “God is good all the time; all the time God is good.” He is asking us to solemnly consider the fact that nothing Has escaped His sovereign purview, and He is, indeed, causing “all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rm 8:28).

So, to paraphrase what this father once said to his child, our Heavenly Father is now whispering to our hearts, “You can go through life mad, sad, or glad, but you are going through life. So what’s your choice?”

I choose to

Rejoice evermore!

Tom Elliff

2 Tim 1:12

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES COME ON!

I don't know if any of you watch college football, but if you do, you saw lots of celebrating this weekend! It was especially big because most of the SEC teams were playing their in-state rivals. Football is fun and winning is even more fun, especially when it is your team, but I witnessed some celebrating at church tonight that could not hold a candle to a sports victory! Seeing over 200 baptisms on video from the past year, hearing testimony of the faithfulness of God through sickness, disease, barrenness and despair are definitely reasons for celebration! And not celebration to a bunch of players, or to a coach, but to an ALL-powerful, ALL-sufficient, ALL-knowing God who is with us through it all!

So, I have a challenge for us all. No matter what you may be walking through right now, I encourage you to take a minute to list fifty things to praise God about, things worth celebrating about! Nothing is too small! (and the more trouble you have with this exercise, the more you need to do it!) Tuck your list somewhere safe, and refer to it when you need a reminder that we serve an amazing, loving God who will never leave us nor forsake us!

Celebrate Jesus! He is the reason you are alive!!

Love in Christ!

Wendy

PUT HIM ON!

Several years ago I saw Beth Moore illustrate a point that I have never forgotten. She had about 12 women lined up on a platform, all wearing coats.. As they turned around one by one, they all had different signs on their backs. One said unworthy, another rejected, another needy and the list goes on and on. She pointed out that we are all tempted to wear labels around like cloaks. We put on those things that others say about us or that we just simply begin to think about ourselves over the years.

I am here to say to you and to myself that we have worn those coats for far too long! It is time to clean out your closet, dear one! You are not any of those things that the enemy of your soul would love to stifle you with! Remember, he is out for total destruction! Instead, we need to go to the Word, the book of Truth, to see what He says about us!

I saw a verse this past weekend that has rocked my world! Romans 13:14 says, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ!" Now that is an awesome thought! So there it is, the answer to all your wardrobe issues! No more wondering what to wear or allowing the world to tell you how to dress! They will weigh you down every time with all those cloaks we mentioned earlier, but our Savior keeps it simple!

So, in the morning when you get dressed to go out and face the day, don't forget to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and allow all you are going to face to go through Him first! He is looking good on you!

I love you!

Wendy

GOD IS OUR SHIELD

I read Psalm 3 this morning and it completely changed my day! Imagine that! The entire psalm is great, but the first 3 verses have resonated with me all day. In the first verse, David is completely overwhelmed with the fact that his enemies are EVERYWHERE! They are about to overtake him. They are increasing by the minute and are rising up against him. But then at the end of verse 2 the mood totally changes....look at it, what do you see? A SELAH! That refers to a musical pause, a rest, an intentional "stop and meditate" moment before moving on. Once that pause was taken, David had a new confidence that his SHIELD (which in its original signifies much more than a shield!), his protection would surround him or be "about" him!

That is the main word that I have thought about all day! My grandmother used that word a lot. She would always say, "Don't get about that stove, or don't go about that fire!" When she said that, I knew to stay FAR away from it! She meant don't even think about going near it! That has been the most comforting picture for me today! As God as The Shield "about" us, He has us covered from every possible angle! He is about us so nothing else can be!

Let me share another picture the Lord brought to mind today, The last time I remember attending a Georgia football game, I vowed to never go back! The crowds pressing in on me and all over me was more than this claustrophobic woman could take! The Lord brought that picture back to my mind except this time I had so much circular space around me that I appeared to be the only person in the University bookstore!! WOW!

He is my shield that is about me! He is your shield!! He keeps us from being touched or affected by the fiery darts that are intended to hurt. So, whatever is coming at you today, do as David did in this Psalm, take your eyes off the enemy surrounding you and put it on God! Thank Him for being a Shield about you and surrounding you with His presence. As a result, may you be touched only by that which will draw you closer to Him!!
SELAH!
I love you!
Wendy

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU8J5l1f5IU