The Lord is my...

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

~Psalm 18:2~

The other day, I read this verse in my devotions, and it was one of those verses that kind of leaps off the page at you. I decided to outline all that this verse said God was to me. As I meditated on each thing, I was overwhelmed by the attributes of my Father. I hope that by sharing these things with you, that you also will come away encouraged! ♥

-My Rock-

Many mountains have large rocks in them- can you move them very easily by pushing and shoving them? No, of course not. They are large and very heavy...very firm and stable. You can stand on it and it won't move. That's how our God is: He is unchanging and we can stand firmly on Him!

-My Fortress-

What is a fortress? It's a place that keeps you safe from outside enemies. That's what our God is. He is our refuge...our safety. His name is a strong tower, and if you run in, you'll be safe! He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. {Ps 91:1}

-My Deliverer- 

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 

{Col 1:13-14} 

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! {Ps 107:13-15}

-My God, My Strength, in Whom I will trust- 

Our God is the King of Kings. Our God is strong. Our God keeps His promises. Our God is unchanging. We can completely trust Him. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. {Ps 46:1-3}

-My Buckler-

I looked up the word "buckler" in the Hebrew, and it means "a shield; a protector; a defense." He is our shield! Our Protector! We only need to trust Him.  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. {Proverbs 30:5}

-The Horn of my Salvation-

We were wretched sinners, heading for eternity in hell. But God, who is rich in mercy and loved us so much, sent His own Son to pay the price for our sins. He put our sin upon Jesus, the perfect and spotless one. He became sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. {2 Cor 5:21} From Him comes our salvation. Nothing else can save us. He is our salvation! 

-My High Tower-

What comes to your mind when you hear "high tower"? The Hebrew defines it as "a cliff (or other lofty or inaccessible place); altitude; refuge." Reminds me of when I have gone hiking and I'm standing on the big rock overlooks. I'm so high up, the breeze is blowing on my face, and I can look wayyy down into the valley and across the miles. Nothing down there can reach me while I'm way up here! He is my High Tower!

My friends, may you mediate upon the strength of our Lord! He is waiting for you with open arms- just trust Him and rely in His strength!!

In closing, here is a favorite passage of mine. Who is God, save the Lord? It is God that girds you with strength! Go in His name!

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. {Psalm 18:30-35}

Jesus, I am Resting

The Wissmann Family are very gifted musicians and singers...this song by their family blessed me, so I thought I'd share it with you! :) 

Blessings!

Can I really?

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

I KNOW THIS IS GOD’S REALITY FOR ME!

Lately, God has been teaching me a lot about trusting Him for strength. In June of this year I signed up for the National Bible Bee. Although I’ve competed for the past three years, I’ve never made it beyond the state level. This year I was hoping to make it to nationals – but I felt so out of focus. I lacked concentration when I studied, and I was soooo busy,

Then July came. Four of my siblings and I were supposed to volunteer at a summer camp. I was super excited about the trip when, the night before we were scheduled to leave, I got really sick. I had really, really wanted to go and I felt like God had let me down… I prayed and prayed that I would wake up the next morning and be well enough to go, but it just didn’t happen. Instead, I spent the next week in bed.

That morning as my siblings pulled out of the driveway without me, my sister leaned out the window and said, “Beth, maybe God is keeping you home from camp because you need the time to study; you’ll probably make it to Nationals!” I shook my head and thought, “No way am I going to make it… I’m only a few weeks away from my test and nowhere near ready.”

Time flew and before I knew it, the test day was only a week away. I felt so unprepared, I almost gave up altogether; but a dear friend of mine talked to me into persevering. She told me I had committed to compete and I shouldn’t’ be a quitter. I knew she was right.

During the last seven days of study, I began to pray. I prayed really hard that God would show me exactly what to study in the little time I had left. When testing day arrived, I felt completely at peace. I wasn’t nervous at all, even though I had not completed all of the study I had wanted to get done.

I WAS READY TO DO MY BEST, AND TRUST GOD FOR THE REST.

I had a lot of people praying for me that day. As I took the test, God brought all the things He had been teaching me to mind. As I clicked the “finish” button on my test,  I somehow felt like it had gone really well. In fact, I even dared to hope that maybe I had a shot at getting to nationals after all.

A week later I went to the Bible Bee awards ceremony to receive my score. I had been praying all week that God would help me to be content with where he had placed me – whether I got to go to Nationals or not. As the host read off the scores I waited for my placing fully expecting that I either wouldn’t make it all, or that if I did I would be #120 (the lowest position which can qualify). Then they said my name, followed by “you placed #88 in the nation.”

I WAS LITERALLY JUMPING UP AND DOWN… I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.

Here I was, ready to give up altogether, discouraged because I had missed camp…shaking my head in disbelief when my sister had suggested that maybe God was keeping me home so I could study… and now I was on my way to nationals!

I wasn’t ready when testing day came along, but God showed me that He can take my weaknesses and use His strength to show himself strong. As Christians when we are facing an “impossible” task, we don’t need to fear because we serve a God who does the “impossible” all the time.

“For we know that with men this is impossible. But with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

A huge thank you to my dear friend, Bethany Stelzl, for sharing with us. :) I am so excited that we made it to Nationals together...I can't wait to compete with you in November! :D Bethany occasionally blogs over at 1 Love for Christ. 

Photo Credit: Flickr

What is an Idol?

Anything that is more important to you than God is an idol. Idols are sin, because God has said “You shall not make for yourself an idol” and “You shall have no other gods before Me.” And a lot of things can be idols. Even something like trying to fit in with the latest perceived trends in the home education sub-culture. Or maybe it’s a blog you’re constantly checking for new posts. Or having a perfectly clean room. Anything you give more attention to than God can be called an idol.

Idols are a lot of work. You have to make them, work for them, make time for them, carry them. No matter what your idol is, it’s probably taking up a great deal of your time.

On the other hand, if Jehovah is your God, then He carries you, cares for you, upholds you and blesses you. He supplies all your needs. He Himself has no needs.

Jesus carried all our sins (including idols) on the cross. He bore the wrath of God for our sin. All our guilt was on Him, and now we are innocent before God.

So I would encourage you today, to be sure that you have no idols and no other gods in our God’s sight. Wait on Him to execute judgement, and He will give you rest.

Love, Rhoda

Relying on God

“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day, as if nothing had yet been done.”
—C.S. Lewis

Relying on God…trusting Him with the ins and outs of daily life. Not an easy task, is it? But God wants us to rely on Him—to trust Him, and rest in His divine will.

Last October, as I was preparing to write a novel during November, I became pretty stressed as I wondered how it would all turn out. A year before, I had written part of a novel, but it never amounted to much. I was afraid that this time would turn out like last time—an incomplete story. When October 31st rolled around, I was really worried. I felt like I hadn’t done enough planning, but my time was up—there was no way I could do much more then!

That night, I wrote this in my journal: “I’m scared. Really, really, really scared. I don’t want to do NaNo [National Novel Writing Month]—it looks waaayyy too big. I don’t want to do it any more. At all. I feel absolutely burned out.”

Then, November 1 came. And after praying about it—casting my cares on God (1 Peter 5:7)—it was okay again. And do you know? That book was finished in record time—because, I believe, God helped me. It wasn’t easy to trust that it would all work out, but it did in the end.

“God never asked us to meet life's pressures and demands on our own terms or by relying upon our own strength. Nor did He demand that we win His favor by assembling an impressive portfolio of good deeds. Instead, He invites us to enter His rest.”
―Charles R. Swindoll

“That’s great, Esther. But I tried it. It doesn’t work for me.” God doesn’t ask you to just try it—He wants you to do it. Part of asking God to help us—relying on His providential care—is having faith that He will do it. James 1:6 says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” Having faith is difficult. But faith and prayer work together. And usually, in the end, God works everything out.

Believe it. Apply it.
~Esther

Past Finding Out

(A follow-up of this post.)

Tuesday morning. I hurriedly try to make sure everything is in order for our day away from home. Crochet bag, stories to read at the writing group, all is in order. Someone thumps on my room door, and I dump the assorted things in my arms onto the bed and hurry to answer the knock. It’s my 14-year-old brother, with important news. “Esther! Mom just got a text saying that there’s a possibility that the electric will be hooked up over at the new place today!”

“Really? Finally!” We’ve been waiting for this news for so long…three months now. It almost seems too good to be true! I rush to the kitchen to confirm that yes, there is a possibility that it will happen today. We have family worship, and I quickly message Rachel who just happens to be online to tell her the news and ask her to pray that the electric will indeed be hooked up today.

Then I scurry to help get everything and everyone to the van so we can leave on time. As we take off, I breathe a prayer—“Oh, Lord, please, if it be Your will, let the electric be hooked up today.”

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

Photo taken on Takaka hill (in the north part of the
South Island of New Zealand).

Tuesday afternoon. I watch the scenery slide away as we near the turn onto what will hopefully soon be our new road. Dad and Mom have several things to drop off here before we go on home, and we all are wondering what has been happening here today! As we drive in, we all notice the electric lines leading from the road straight to the house.

“It’s not on the ground any more!” One of my brothers excitedly shout, “It was hooked up!” We drive up the bouncy driveway, and park behind our soon-to-be landlord’s truck and an electrician’s van. Everyone piles out, all looking forward to finding out what progress has been done.

Dad forbids us from entering the house for a while, so we won’t get in the electrician’s way. Our soon-to-be landlady comes down, and she tells Mom that the power mains are all ready to go, and the electricians just need to finish all the wiring now. The most important electrical work is done!

Our soon-to-be landlord is working on painting the roof with some sort of a spray painting machine. How exciting it is to realise the machine is using electricity from the mains instead of from a deafening generator!

God is good. Dad and Mom discuss with our landlady new plans—since this has all been done, we can move in almost any time! The electricians soon pack up and leave for the day. They aren’t quite done with the wiring, but our landlady arranges for them to come in two days. We’re moving—Saturday!

-   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

So that’s how God did it. :) And that’s why, two weeks ago, I didn’t post. We had just moved, and I was feeling very stressed still. But over these past two weeks things have calmed down and we are now mostly unpacked. Yes, God is good.

I’ll close with a wonderful verse from Romans:

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
(Romans 11:33)

Yes, His ways are definitely past finding out. And He is so faithful to work everything out in His time. It seemed almost impossible that we’d ever be able to move that week, but now looking back I know He arranged it all perfectly. And I find it so wonderful that the day after I decided to believe that He would do it things started to happen. (Pure coincidence? I think not!)

Keep your eyes on Jesus!
-Esther

We All Have a Purpose

Tears streamed down the little girl's face. She just didn't understand why mommy and daddy weren't coming home. And why was her little brother laying in that bed, surrounded by so many wires and people. What was wrong? Why was mommy crying?

Everything seemed so strange as she stood there, waiting for someone to console her, but nobody realized the little girl's tears right away. They were all listening to the doctor as he explained his latest discovery about her brother. But what she didn't understand was that her little brother was very, very sick.

Her little brother had been born with a rare disease, one known as Maple Syrup Urine Disease or MSUD. Having MSUD meant that her little brother couldn't eat the same food she did and he got sick so quick, often going to the hospital as was the situation this time.

As you fast forward a few years, questions still plagued my little mind. I asked my mother why Jordan couldn't eat or do the same things I did. Taking me aside, my mother began to explain that God did not make a mistake when Jordan was born. He was born for a reason and God had a plan for him.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV).

As I got older, I began to understand that although there may not always be a visual reason for why things happen, God always has a plan for each circumstance. We may not see it right away, but many times looking at circumstances several weeks, months or years after it occurred, we can plainly see what God’s plan was.

Maybe learning comes slowly for you. You wonder what tomorrow may bring. Why can my friends do this, but I can't? God has a plan for you and is working through your life at this moment.

When God Lifted Us Up—Part 2

From last time: Tall drifts rose out of the swirling white blackness. We could feel the car actually being lifted up over the drifts. I remember feeling amazing elation and joy at seeing how God was helping us get home. Then Mum gasped. We had reached “the” gully. Down at the bottom, a black shape loomed. It was a car, stuck, the wheels buried in snow. We were headed straight toward it, and Dad had no way to stop us. Even if he did turn the wheel, it would not have made a difference because of the slippery conditions. We were headed toward a terrible accident.

Spring, after the winter this happened. Two of my brothers
are there, beside the car that God lifted.

Then the unbelievable happened—the car came close to us, and we suddenly swerved around it. Dad had hardly any control of the wheel then. It was God, pushing us around the car. That night, we safely got home. It was a miracle. We should have gotten stuck or hit that car. But God was there, in a very real way. He was caring for us.
 
Some friends of ours had sat up that night, knowing the conditions outside and waiting for a call from us to tell them to bring their four-wheel-drive truck to pull us out of the snow. We called them that night, and they were surprised to hear we had gotten home safely. But we knew that it was because of God that we had gotten home safely. Someone was praying for us, even though we don’t know who. All we know is that we trusted that God would take care of us, and He did. He sent His angels to lift us over those drifts—actually lift us off the ground. We were airborne over those drifts.
 
This is something I will always remember. God stepped in in a very real way to help us that dark night. I’m reminded of two verses that relate to this. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” And 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that we should be “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
 
Are you facing a time in your life when you’re not sure what God wants you to do? Trust Him. Cast your care on His shoulders. Tell Him all about it. You aren’t alone.

 

Stay close to Him,
Esther

Also in this series:

• When God Lifted Us Up—Part 1

When God Lifted Us Up—Part 1

The night was dark. Strong wind whipped the snow into deep drifts as Dad fought to keep the car on the road. Snow fell quickly all around us, sometimes coming down so fast that the windshield was completely covered and we couldn’t see a thing through the windows. It was just a blinding whirl of white outside.
 

‘fence’ by jenny downing on Flickr

We were on our way home after a wonderful night of fellowship with our church family. The usual half-hour drive from our house had been converted from fairly pleasant to pretty scary for us four children. Snowstorms can be dangerous, and we were in a bad one. One thing was certain—the snow was getting deeper by the minute, and we still had a ways to go to get home. We had not reached the gully yet where the snow always piled the deepest and was the most dangerous part of the trip. Every winter, quite a few cars ended up becoming stuck in that area—and in the small station wagon only 15 cm (6 in) or so off the ground the chances of us getting through safely seemed pretty flimsy.
 
I’m sure Dad and Mum sent many prayers heavenward that night. I was only six or so, so I can’t remember if they said anything verbally. I just remember being scared stiff every time we slipped a little, wondering if this was the time we’d have an accident that could end our lives. Suddenly, Dad began singing. I don’t remember what we sang that night, but soon the car was rocking with music. I remember we sang a song about angels protecting us. We probably sang quite a few songs, but even about ten years later I remember the joy that filled us as that little white station wagon battled it’s way through the drifts. We knew God was in control, and we trusted that He would take care of us.
 
Tall drifts rose out of the swirling white blackness. We could feel the car actually being lifted up over the drifts. I remember feeling amazing elation and joy at seeing how God was helping us get home. Then Mum gasped. We had reached “the” gully. Down at the bottom, a black shape loomed. It was a car, stuck, the wheels buried in snow. We were headed straight toward it, and Dad had no way to stop us. Even if he did turn the wheel, it would not have made a difference because of the slippery conditions. We were headed toward a terrible accident.

 

…and I shall return next Sunday with part two.
Have a great week!

Stay close to Him,
Esther

I Am Not Skilled to Understand…

This morning, I’m remembering a beautiful song written by Dorothy Greenwell, “I Am Not Skilled to Understand”.

I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned;
I only know that at His right hand
Is One Who is my Saviour!

I take Him at His word indeed;
“Christ died for sinners”—this I read;
For in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Saviour!

That He should leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die,
You count it strange? So once did I,
Before I knew my Saviour!

And oh, that He fulfilled may see
The travail of His soul in me,
And with His work contented be,
As I with my dear Saviour!

Yea, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this Spring;
That He Who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Saviour!

This song became especially dear to me right after we moved here to New Zealand. Some of our friends had come with us, and they came two months before us. When we got here, we soon found out that during those two months they had changed some of their doctrines. We did not believe the same as they did, and they were not willing to work with us if we had different doctrines. In the end, even though we were willing to work with them, they moved away.

During that turbulent time, we began going to a gospel assembly an hour north of where we live. This was one of the songs that we sang a lot during that time. We sang about “I am not skilled to understand/What God hath willed, what God hath planned…” while the upheaval over clashing doctrines was going on. We couldn’t understand why God had willed this to happen. We were new to a country, half way around the world from home, and experiencing difficulties hardly two months into our stay.

Looking back, though, I can see (at least partially) why God allowed it. We learned a lot during that time. Most important of all the things we learned, I think, was the fact that if we trust God, He is well able to bring us through. But it takes faith. Faith in the fact that God does have a plan for our lives, a reason for why He’s letting us go through the thing that we’re going through.

The only reason He lets us go through the valley is so we can praise Him—and trust Him more—on the mountain.

You know the really neat thing about this song, though? While we were going through that time, we sang it a lot. Since then, we’ve only sang it a few times. I think God had us sing that song, at the perfect time, as an encouragement.

Now, it’s your turn. Have you ever had a song affect your life like this? In what way? What did God teach you through that? Share it in the comments; I’m sure it would be encouraging for other people as well as me!

Because of Him,
Esther

Simple Things

(reposted from my blog)

Today, I’m very thankful for the “simple things” of life. Recently, an older friend back in the States died of a heart attack.

On Sunday he had been at church, and they took a group picture. The day before he died.

It was a shock to hear that he had died.

These last few months, I’ve been pondering on the fact that we don’t know—any of us—when our time will be up.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted…” –Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

So today I’m very thankful for each precious moment I get with my family. Being with them could be considered a “simple thing”, but in my eyes it’s a big privilege. We don’t know when one of us may be gone—for ever. I’m delighting in each moment as it comes.

Savouring the special moments.
~Esther

My Identity in JESUS

Source


Click on the image to make it larger :)

Delight in the Lord

Delight in the Lord…how am I delighting in Him today? How am I praising Him for what He’s done for us? For that matter, what does it mean to delight in Him?

Noah Webster (1828 edition) describes the word “delighting” this way:

• A high degree of pleasure, or satisfaction of mind; joy.
• That which gives great pleasure; that which affords delight.
• Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.
• To affect with great pleasure; to please highly; to give or afford high satisfaction or joy; as, a beautiful landscape delights the eye; harmony delights the ear; the good conduct of children, and especially their piety, delights their parents.
• To receive great pleasure in.
• To have or take great pleasure; to be greatly pleased or rejoiced; followed by in.

So, if you delight in the Lord, you’re taking pleasure and rejoicing in Him. Giving Him great satisfaction or joy.

Did you notice the third explanation: “Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy, and not dependent on sudden excitement.” That is so true. So often we rejoice in something, and then forget about it quickly. Delighting is returning again and again to that joy, and filling yourself with it.

How are you delighting in the Lord today? For myself, I’d say that I’m delighting in His Word. I love reading it, and finding little gems all through it. And there’s so much more I could say about ways I’m delighting in Him today. Now…your turn! How are you rejoicing in His goodness today?

Keep delighting in Him!
Esther

A verse for your day...

Source: Seven Farmgirls on Pinterest

Near to the Heart of God

There is a place of quiet rest,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where sin cannot molest,

Near to the heart of God.

Refrain:

O Jesus, blest Redeemer,

Sent from the heart of God,

Hold us who wait before Thee

Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where we our Savior meet,

Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of full release,

Near to the heart of God.

A place where all is joy and peace,

Near to the heart of God.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

~ Matthew 11:28-30 ~

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:

~ Deuteronomy 33:27a ~